May/June 2022 Vol. 17 Issue 3
A HEART FOR
SERVICE AND LOVE OF
FAMILY Answering The Call To Duty
To whom much is given, much is required. –Luke 12:48
Family, Country, Career and Community
Dr. Roger Triftshauser is no stranger to looking back on his life, with more than 84 years filled with dedication to family, his professional career, and his years of military and public service. He’s even documented it all in several autobiographical volumes! Read more about Roger’s
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reflections on
page 10.
18th Annual Shell Point Open
On April 8, 144 golfers gathered to enjoy a great day at the Shell Point Golf Club – and raise $80,000 for the Larsen Health Center. We’ve collected some great shots from the Legacy Foundation’s 18th Annual Shell Point Open on page
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Colorful Collaboration
Collaboration between painters and photographers in the Tribby Photo Studio proved that artistic challenges— combined with supportive interactions—can create an atmosphere of fun that results in unique artistry. Behold the beauty on page
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In Every Issue 52 Glass Arrangement by Roberta Young (Turban)
Connections Corner.........28
At The Tribby.............................43
Happenings Calendar....32
The Village Church.............57
Support Groups....................30 Academy of Lifelong Learning..................40
Out and About........................54
Shell Point Life is published for the residents of Shell Point Retirement Community.
Director of Marketing and Communications Lynn Schneider Editor Kara Hado Creative Director Rich Cerrina Senior Graphic Designer Brent Mayer Graphic Designer Vanessa Miranda Contributors Gary and Judy Chapman, Tina Colehower, Jeff Cory, Claude Emler, Maria Festa, Janine Hammond, Andrew Hawkins, Jon High, Anette Isaacs, Steve Morton Don Pullen, Emily Reese, Laura Slack, Anna Smith, JoEllen Urasky, Alice Wertz Shell Point Life is available online. You can find this current issue, as well as back issues of Shell Point Life magazine, at www.shellpoint.org/shellpointlife.
Natures Notebook..............60 RETIREMENT COMMUNITY
13921 Shell Point Plaza • Fort Myers, FL 33908
On the Cover Dr. Roger Triftshauser (Enclave) 2
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(239) 466-1131 • www.shellpoint.org Shell Point is a nonprofit ministry of The Christian and Missionary Alliance Foundation
A Golden
Anniversary The Shell Point Orchid House
At Shell Point, there is a volunteer opportunity for nearly any interest, and residents are dedicated to sharing their time and talents in a variety of ways throughout the campus. The residents who volunteer to oversee and maintain the Shell Point Orchid House do so because of their passion for this beautiful plant. They also enjoy the opportunity to educate others about orchids, which require specific maintenance to thrive.
The Orchid House in the 1970s.
The Shell Point Orchid House began when Liselotte Uhe visited Shell Point in the 1970s. She and her husband would only agree to move here if they were able to bring their huge collection of orchids with them. With that, the first Orchid House was created to house their beautiful plants. When Shell Point planned to construct an assisted living facility in the location of the original Orchid House, it was apparent that a new location would be needed. After a great deal of research, a spot was selected next to the seawall on the west side of the Island that would encourage orchid growth with its abundant natural light.
The next step was to select an appropriate structure to house the orchids. Once all the research was completed, the construction began in late 1985. The new Orchid House opened on March 3, 1986. In November of 1991, Dr. John Williams, a retired radiologist, and his wife, Jane, moved to Shell Point. During his visit to the Orchid House, he was shocked to see the volunteers using the same
brush to clean the plant’s leaves without cleaning it in between. Recognizing the potential to spread disease among the plants, Dr. Williams immediately advocated tool sterilization and offered his assistance with the orchids. He used his scientific inquisitiveness to study orchids and taught himself how to care for the exotic and sensitive plants. He visited the Orchid House every day for nearly 20 Shell Point Life | May/June 2022
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Volunteer Sharon Campbell (Turban) cares for the Dendrobiums. These prolific bloomers positioned outside the new screen house help attract attention from passersby who might not venture into the Orchid House.
The Shell Point Orchid House is home to more than 1,000 plants, representing 480 different types of orchids. Dr. John Williams in the Orchid House in the 1990s.
Vicki Waterstradt (Cellana) waters plants in the new screen house.
years, earning himself the nickname “The Orchid Doctor.” Today, Shell Point is home to some award-winning orchids, and a number of resident volunteers have traveled to participate in orchid shows. Orchid House volunteers share the beauty and deliver plants to brighten various locations around campus. The recently completed screen house, made possible through the Legacy by donations from residents, is a welcome addition that will help the plants thrive. The Shell Point Orchid House always welcomes visitors to stop by and marvel at the variety and beauty that radiates in this truly special environment.
Linda Friesner (Parkwood) readies a plant to deliver to the Shell Point Welcome Center.
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Blooming at Shell Point
Much like the vibrant blooms she tends at the Orchid House, Alice DeBaun has flourished at Shell Point by volunteering, staying active, and traveling.
Pass by the Orchid House on any given morning, and you’ll likely find Alice DeBaun (Eagles Preserve) ready to get her hands dirty and her feet soaking wet. As Resident Manager of the Orchid House, overseeing the plants is a labor of love—and just one of the many ways Alice has immersed herself into a happily busy life at Shell Point. “I loved gardening up north on Long Island, New York and in North Carolina, where I chaired a local garden club,” said Alice. She explained that when she moved to Shell Point, she considered a garden plot but ended up in the Orchid House working with Helen Remington (Lakewood). When Gos Gosselin (Cameo) suggested helping restore the Butterfly Garden, she agreed to that also. “In the Orchid House there are about 20 people who volunteer regularly, from waterers, to photographers, to floor sweepers. Everyone has a favorite job,” she said. Yet gardening is a close second to Alice’s first true love: Sailing. Born in Huntington, New York, Alice Toaz had her first sailing experience at age five—an event that shaped her life’s path. While serving as a sailing instructor at the Huntington Yacht Club in 1949, she met Gerard DeBaun, a Holy Cross student working on the club’s dock.
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“
I loved gardening up north on Long Island, New York and in North Carolina, where I chaired a local garden club.
Alice has been honored to serve as Commodore for both the St. Charles Yacht Club and Shell Point’s Model Yacht Club, where she has been the only female member to race since its inception in 2008. She named her model yacht “Water Rat,” a nod to The Wind in the Willows.
Alice attended Mount Holyoke College, and she and Gerry married in 1952. While managing a busy household with Gerry, two daughters and three sons in Huntington, she went on to complete her undergraduate studies at Hofstra University and a master’s degree at Long Island University. She devoted her career to education, teaching students at the East Quogue Elementary School and serving as Chair of the Compensatory Education Department. At Long Island University, she was a Computer Science Adjunct Professor in the Education Department. She was also chair of the Eastern Suffolk County Reading Council a part of the New York State Reading Council sharing information and supporting reading teachers in the local schools When they retired, the DeBauns shared their love of travel. “We’ve been to Africa twice, visiting our daughter and her Alice’s favorite orchid is the big, beautiful Cattleya. “Our dates gave them to us to wear as corsages to dances in the 1950s!” said Alice. “Most of our “Cats” are smaller.
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family who were living there,” said Alice. “I’ve had the wonderful opportunity to visit all sorts of places and experience them beyond the tourist level, from Ghana and Sierra Leone, and India.” She and Gerry also spent time visiting their children who clearly inherited their parents’ appreciation of adventure: One daughter ran a Salmon Seiner out of Kodiak Island in the Gulf of Alaska with her husband, while two sons lived in Fairbanks, Alaska. The youngest member of the clan lives on Long Island and visits Shell Point often when staying in Naples. “We always sailed and had a boat at our dock,” said Alice. In 2005, Alice and Gerard sold their retirement home in Oriental, North Carolina and moved aboard an Ocean Alexander 42’ Trawler. Alice fondly remembers the Windless as “our floating condominium.”
Home base was their Sand Dollar apartment here at Shell Point, which they had learned about from their neighbor, Bud Cassidy (Lucina). The couple spent three years cruising the East coast, from Key West to Maine. “We came ashore when we were in our 70s,” said Alice. “You’ve got to know what you’re doing, and have the strength to keep doing it.” In 2008, it was time to “anchor” at Shell Point, and Alice and Gerry were the last to move into Eagles Preserve. More than once, she has good-naturedly donned the eagle costume at her neighborhood’s Christmas party. Through the years at Shell Point, she’s volunteered as an instructor in the Academy of Lifelong Learning computer
classes, at the Pavilion, and on the Suzy Q, where she’s happy to help as First Mate or narrator. She has even pitched in as an assistant at the Shell Point Golf Club! Since Gerry’s passing in 2015, she has continued their tradition of traveling. In any given year, she will head to Maine, Eastern Long Island in New York, Oregon and Alaska, visiting her children and friends along the way. In between visits, she enjoys weekly family ZOOM calls that keep everyone connected. When asked the secret to a happy retirement, Alice summed it up neatly: “I have always enjoyed open space, fresh air, exercise, interesting people and a variety of activities. Thankfully there is all of that here at Shell Point.”
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I have always enjoyed open space, fresh air, exercise, interesting people and a variety of activities. Thankfully there is all of that here at Shell Point.
One of Alice’s favorite Suzy Q trips is to Matanzas Inn on Fort Myers Beach. “I like all the people I meet, and I just love to be on the boat!”
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Shell Point Residents Explore Kennedy Space Center B Y J O E L L E N U R A S K Y, A C T I V I T I E S C O O R D I N A T O R
Since 1968, NASA Kennedy Space Center on Merritt Island, FL has been the main launch center of human spaceflight. From it, famous launch operations like the ones for Apollo and Skylab were carried out. Over the years, it has evolved to become the starting point for hundreds of scientific applications — garnering recognition for being the launch site of the Hubble Space Telescope, the Mars Rover project and New Horizons (the first spacecraft to visit Pluto). Spread across 144,000 acres, the Kennedy Space Center encompasses over 700 facilities and buildings with the Visitor Complex housing the major attractions and exhibits. On March 22 and 23, an excited group of almost 30 Shell Point residents, ventured across the state and entered NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex to experience the wide range of exciting activities and attractions — each offering a glimpse into the world of space, science, innovation and imagination. The Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex is organized into Mission Zones. Within these zones, attractions and tours are grouped by chronological era. From the inception of space exploration to cur8
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rent and ongoing missions, visitors get an up-close experience of the stories of humans in space. The visitor complex also contains historic spacecraft and memorabilia, two IMAX theaters, and a range of bus tours of the spaceport among many other exhibits. Some of the highlights from our trip included the Rocket Garden—an outdoor display of legitimate, historic rockets that put Americans and satellites in space; the Apollo/Saturn V Center, a 100,000 square foot facility especially built to house a restored Saturn V launch vehicle along with other exhibits related to the Apollo program; Admire Space Shuttle Atlantis, a real space shuttle suspended overhead with the payload doors open; the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame, a beautiful exhibit created by the astronauts of Mercury Seven
which honor the lives of men and women who dedicated their lives to space exploration; Heroes and Legends – an exhibit that focuses on the legends of NASA’s early space program and how these men and women made their dreams a reality; and the Shuttle Launch Experience, a launch simulator that gives you the experience of flying aboard a space shuttle Arguably, one of the greatest highlights was the Meet an Astronaut talk that gave us a unique chance to meet and interact with Don Thomas, a veteran NASA astronaut, who gave us a personal glimpse of what life was like aboard the Space Shuttle. At the end of an inspiring day, Shell Point residents “took one small step” to re-board the bus and head home, weary but inspired and amazed at the “giant leaps for all mankind.”
Each year, more than 1.5 million guests from around the world experience their very own space adventure by exploring the exciting past, present and future of America’s space program at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. Built in 1967, today the Visitor Complex is one of Central Florida’s most popular tourist destinations.
NASA photos courtesy of Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex
Skip and Ruth Gray (Macoma) touching the moon rock.
A group of intrepid explorers from Shell Point made the trip to NASA Kennedy Space Center on Merritt Island.
Goz Gosselin (Cameo)
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FAMILY, COUNTRY, CAREER, COMMUNITY
&
Throughout his life, Dr. Roger Triftshauser has always answered the call to duty. By Beth Luberecki
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The Trifthauser family farmhouse and barn, located on Molasses Hill Road in Alexander, New York, date back to 1913.
Roger at 18 months old in 1939.
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Dr. Roger W. Triftshauser is no stranger to looking back on his life — more than 84 years filled with dedication to family, a thriving professional career in dentistry and orthodontics, and years of military and public service. And he’s documented it all in several autobiographical volumes that he’s compiled to ensure that generations to come know who he was and what he found most important when reflecting on his life’s accomplishments. Woven throughout each volume are the guiding elements of success enumerated by legendary UCLA coach John Wooden: enthusiasm, cooperation, loyalty, friendship and industriousness. “My journey through life has been an ever-evolving process, one pursuit perpetuating others, always with a burning desire to advance endless opportunities presented me,” Roger said in his first volume, Where It All Began. “A never-ending family-first love, a passion to volunteer in community service, to give back, the satisfaction of public service for the common good, promoting ethics, excellence, professionalism, and leadership for the dental profession, wearing the uniform with great honor and pride, all have premiered my lifelong aspirations.” Roger was born August 13, 1937, in Warsaw, New York, the second of three children born to Marion and Walter Triftshauser. The Great Depression had brought his parents back to the family farm near Alexander, New York, in Genesee County, where he grew up living down-
stairs from his grandparents. “I was up there [at his grandparents’] just about every breakfast,” he recalls. “It was just a nice situation.” Roger grew up helping to work the family homestead. “Farm days were 24-7,” he recalled. Depending on the time of year, daily tasks might have included cutting wood for heating and cooking, gathering eggs, preparing, planting and harvesting the fields, and bringing the cows from the pasture to the barn for milking. Farm life was strenuous, but the family would also gather around the radio, enjoy home-cooked meals together, and anxiously await the annual county fair. In 1942, Roger began attending Alexander Central School, where his sister was a year ahead of him. “I was in kindergarten, and I made such a fuss that I wanted to be with my sister that they listened and they promoted
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Midway Island, near the western end of the Hawaiian archipelago.
Roger recalls his time on
me to first grade,” he said. “So I never did kindergarten.” His parents served as early examples of a commitment to community and public service. By observing their involvement with their church, their willingness to help neighbors with harvesting and other needs (his mother, who had experience in nursing, even delivered a neighbor’s twins in 1944!), and their support of their local school and community, Roger began his own pathway toward following their lead. “They formed the bedrock foundation for my community service and my public service,” he said. “They were my role models. It was that work ethic, and it was helping each other. And it’s still that way today.” In 1954, at just 17 years old, Roger began his undergraduate studies at the University of Buffalo. While there he joined the Air Force Reserve Officers Training Corps military science program and marching band. He also joined the Theta Chi fraternity. He may not have known it at that time, but those choices helped lead him to his next phases of life.
Midway Island as “a Pacific
enlisted personnel. This idyllic time included two highlights: Roger got to give astronaut Gus Grissom a dental examination after a splashdown in the Pacific near Midway Island, and daughter Kristen was born on the island in March 1964. After finishing active duty, Roger obtained his master’s degree in orthodontics from Loma Linda School of Dentistry in California in 1969. He then joined the Naval Reserve Dental Corps in 1970 while also establishing his own orthodontic practice in Batavia, New York. His reserve duties first took place at the Naval and Marine Corps Reserve Center in Buffalo, and he also served active duty for training at such places as the Naval Station Key West, Naval Station Philadelphia, Norfolk Dental Clinic, U.S. Naval Academy, Bethesda Naval Hospital, and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. In 1990, Roger was selected for Rear Admiral in the Naval Reserve Dental Corps, an honor he learned about as he held his newborn first grandson. “It was the beginning of five years of an unparalleled lifetime of experiences,” he said of that time period. He became Deputy Assistant Chief for Dentistry in 1993. In that role, he visited Dental Commands at naval bases in Japan, Guam, Okinawa, Pearl Harbor, Italy and England and participated in 50th anniversary commemorations of World War II. Roger was promoted to the permanent grade of Rear Admiral in 1994, and retired from the Naval Reserve Dental Corps in 1995 with 33 years of service, including six active and 27 reserve. “Never did I envision when I signed
Paradise.” Together with JoAnn
and their oldest child, Gretchen, the family enjoyed going to the beach, watching the Gooney
birds, snorkeling and bicycling.
Serving His Country Throughout His Career Roger had initially been interested in communications as a career. But when several of his fraternity brothers introduced him to the university’s School of Dentistry, he decided that was the profession for him. He began dental school in 1957 and signed up for the Navy 1925I program, which meant he would enroll in the U.S.
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Navy Dental Corps immediately after graduation. While in dental school, Roger married longtime love JoAnn Novak from nearby Attica, New York in 1959. They had met in high school when they both played in the Alexander Fireman’s Band; Roger played trumpet and bass drum and JoAnn was a trombonist. “You might say our whole lifetime started on a musical note,” said Roger. He calls their relationship “a lifetime treasure.” In 1961, Roger graduated from dental school and began his tenure in the U.S. Navy Dental Corps. He served on active duty from 1961 to 1967, a period of time that took him from the Chelsea Naval Hospital in Boston, Mass., to the Naval Station Midway Island, to the Point Mugu Naval Air Station in California and the USS Dixie, a destroyer tender in San Diego. Roger recalls his time on Midway Island as “a Pacific Paradise.” Together with JoAnn and their oldest child, Gretchen, the family enjoyed going to the beach, watching the Gooney birds, snorkeling and bicycling. While spending time with other families stationed on the island, Roger and JoAnn also served as honorary parents to some of the Navy’s young
Roger and JoAnn were married in Attica, New York in 1959.
Roger poses with one of Midway’s renowned Gooney Birds.
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The American College of Dentists honored Roger with the William John Gies Award—the highest award bestowed by the College—which recognizes the broad, exceptional, and distinguished contributions of a Fellow to the profession and society.
“Early in our tenure as Navy Flag Officers, we would be addressed by General Powell when he served as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff,” said Roger. “He was a most caring, genuine, kind person and leader who articulately advocated ‘Peace Through Strength.’ He was an inspiration to all.”
In 1991, Roger was promoted from Captain to Rear Admiral. During the ceremony, he received new shoulder boards for his dress uniform. In the Navy, this is called “frocking.”
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Rear Admiral Roger W. Triftshauser addresses attendees at his retirement ceremony in 1995 at the Navy Yard in Washington, D.C.
“
The unsurpassed
great fortune to have a genuine enjoyment of one’s lifelong occupation exceeded all my expectations.
”
up for the 1925I Navy Dental Corps Dental School program…that I would be making what has been the best possible lifetime decision—serving my country,” Roger stated upon his retirement from the Naval Reserve Dental Corps. During this time, his orthodontic practice in Batavia, New York flourished from 1970 to 2010. “The unsurpassed great fortune to have a genuine enjoyment of one’s lifelong occupation exceeded all my expectations. The self-employment opportunity afforded me the time to continually be involved with organized dentistry, community, public and military services at the highest levels,” said Roger. “I was blessed with an uncommon advantage to be able to help make a difference.” Over the course of his career, Roger attended the Naval War College and the Army War College, as well as completing the Reserve Components National Security and the Strategic Medical Readiness and Contingency Courses. Roger also served as a member of the Secretary of the Navy National Naval Reserve Policy Board and the Congressional Service Academy Board representing Florida’s District 19. He also held numerous offices in organized dentistry, including president of the Tri-County Dental Society, board member of the New York State Dental Association, chair of the American Dental Association’s political action committee, and president of the American College of Dentists. At his ACD president-elect address, he said, “I can state emphatically, no one ever gets to this position without mentors guiding our careers,” thanking his own mentors such as Dr. Richard Powell, Captain Richard
Pixley, Admirals Bob Elliott and George Selfridge, as well as Drs. Roland Walters and Alden Chase.
A Passion for Community and Public Service Amidst all of his obligations with the U.S. Navy and his orthodontic practice, Roger remained passionate about giving back to his community. He served on the Board of Education for Batavia City Schools and was involved with the Boy Scouts of America for 40 years. “A highlight was instituting the Genishua and Iroquois Trail Councils district-wide Boy Power annual dinner with distinguished speakers, including my treasured friend, Congressman and World Bank President Barber B. Conable Jr. in 1984,” said Roger. A Rotarian since 1972, he and JoAnn hosted seven students through the Rotary Exchange Student Program. In 1973, Roger was selected by the New York State Jaycees for their distinguished service award. He was also named a member of New York Governor Pataki’s medical advisory committee and served as Governor Pataki’s special assistant for intercounty affairs from 2001 to 2006. Roger remains especially proud of two projects he was involved with during his years in New York. In 1974, he had what he calls a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to run the capital campaign for a new YMCA. “We raised over $1.4 million, and that YMCA now has done so well they’ve got to build another one,” he said. “What we did back then was a great advance.” As a Genesee County legislator for
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Roger, seated center, served as a Genesee County legislator for nearly two decades and was Chairman from 1997 to 2000.
Roger and JoAnn’s family joined them on Sanibel Island to celebrate Roger’s 80th birthday in 2017.
Another cause close to Roger’s heart is the annual MacKenzie-Janes Tribute Golf Outing sponsored by the Lee Coast Military Officers Association of America (MOAA), an event established by Roger and CDR Doug Quelch, USN (Ret.)—both Lee Coast MOAA Past Presidents—nine years ago. his year’s event raised a record-breaking $40,000 for veterans, their families and the Lee County JROTC.
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nearly two decades, he worked on the Genesee County Water Supply Program to improve water quality and supply and enhance system reliability. “That was the legacy of my county legislator days,” he said. “The beauty of it is I can go back there any day and still see something that we accomplished together.” Upon retiring to Sanibel, Roger continued seeking out ways to serve his community. He joined the Sanibel Captiva Rotary Club in 2010, volunteering since 2014 as Silent Auction Chair for the organization’s annual Arts and Crafts Fair. This year, along with fellow Shell Point Rotarians Eldon Bohrofen (Lakewood) and Barbara Ellis (Enclave), he helped the Rotary raise an all-time high of more than $60,000 to help support local organizations including F.I.S.H., CROW (Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife), the Sanibel Community House and the BaileyMatthews Shell Museum. Internationally, the Rotary Club has been active with the eradication of polio world-wide, as well as contributing to bringing clean water, improved sanitation and donation of wheelchairs for the disabled to several underserved areas. Throughout it all, Roger has had what he calls the “endless support” of his wife, JoAnn, over 62 years of marriage, calling her a “five-star mom” to their four children, Gretchen, Kristen, Erin and Erik. The couple has also been blessed with 11 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. In 2020, the Triftshausers made the move to Shell Point. Together, they enjoy attending concerts at the Tribby Arts Center, and Roger has even taken up the ukulele! For the past 30 years, the couple has kept family and friends apprised of their family life, travels and milestones through charming annual Christmas cards that Roger writes in poem form. Of their new Shell Point home, he summed it up neatly: “No more home repairs or landscaping, Enriching cultural, educational, and sports play, A caring staff, ‘ease of living,’ lifelong healthcare, A ‘gift’ to our kids, for the ‘REST of our WAY.’”
Roger initiated the ACD Travel Program that is still active 23 years later. Over 300 Fellows, friends and guests have enjoyed more than 14 cruises that allowed them to enhance their global perspectives while satisfying their “World Wonders Bucket List.“ Roger and JoAnn traveled to Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe with the group.
Throughout it all, Roger has had what he calls the “endless support” of his wife, JoAnn, over 62 years of marriage, calling her a “five-star mom” to their four children, Gretchen, Kristen, Erin and Erik. The couple has also been blessed with 11 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Roger and JoAnn at home in The Enclave.
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Annual Golf Tournament for the Larsen Health Center at Shell Point The scene was set as splashes of amber and gold danced across the canvas of the morning sky, signifying the start of what would become a perfect day for The Legacy Foundation’s 18th annual Charity Golf Tournament. A total of 144 golfers, including Shell Point residents, local business partners and guests, gathered to tee off for a worthy cause, with proceeds to benefit the Larsen Health Center at Shell Point. An event of this magnitude can only come together through the support and generosity of others. Our heartfelt appreciation goes to all who participated in the event and to all our Shell Point Open sponsors.
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Raises $80,000
Shell Point Open Sponsors Title Sponsor: Wright Construction Group Premier Sponsor: Genesis Wealth Management-Stifel Signature Sponsor: FineMark National Bank & Trust Hole-in-one Sponsor: Scanlon Auto Group Platinum Sponsors: Fiber Solutions, Ziegler Capital Markets Group and Weitz Construction Golf Shirt Sponsor: Propel Insurance Lunch Sponsor: Solomon & Hoover CPAs and Hope Hospice Breakfast Sponsor: Service Contracting Solutions and Storm Solutions Corporate Sponsors: Harvey-Engelhardt Funeral Services; Sanibel Captiva Trust Company; Down 2 Earth; RG Architects PA; Johnson Engineering; Green Schoenfeld & Kyle LLP, RD; Johnson Construction; The Sheppard Law Firm; and BKS Partners Gift Bag Sponsor: Flint Financial Group at UBS Gold Sponsors: Wegman Design Group, Inc.; Weinstein Wilkes Financial Group, LLC; Marco Office Supply & Printing Company; B&I Contractors; RDG Planning Design; Hughes, Snell & Co., P.A.; and Wayne Wiles Floorcoverings, Inc. Silver Sponsors: David Platt PA; Tuscan and Company; Isings Travel; Joint Implant Surgeons of Florida; and Modern Movers
Thank you to all our sponsors and everyone who came
out to support the Larsen Health Center!
An easy camaraderie has developed between Anita Battaglia, who was paired with pharmacist Dr. Brad Phillips.
Shell Point’s Thriving Telehealth Partnership with University of Florida Adding a Pharmacist to Your Healthcare Team Enhances Care Shell Point’s emphasis on national, regional and local partnerships stems from a commitment to bringing the very best in comprehensive healthcare resources to our residents. Through Shell Point’s partnership with the University of Florida College of Pharmacy, residents on anticoagulation medication were offered an opportunity to take advantage of a new telehealth program that launched last September. Participants visit the Barbour Medical Clinic to meet virtually with their designated pharmacist, review their blood work, and discuss any concerns before their regularly scheduled appointment in the Barbour Medical Clinic. Vice President of Healthcare Christy Skinner and Bryan Sykes, Director of Outpatient Services, recently hosted four of the pharmacists who have been conducting the anticoagulation ther24
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apy telehealth program with residents. During their visit, the pharmacists toured the Shell Point campus before heading to the Barbour Medical Clinic, where they met in person with the residents they have been treating virtually for the past six months. In May, Larsen Health Center is expanding the University of Florida telehealth offerings with a Polypharmacy Program designed to help residents who are managing multiple medications. The University of Florida pharmacists also stopped by the SPTV studios with Christy to discuss the details of the Anticoagulation Therapy and Polypharmacy programs, along with the benefits of adding a pharmacist to your healthcare team. “Much like our partnership with UCLA, introducing University of Florida’s Pharmacy telehealth program
helps enhance the level of care we offer our residents,” said Christy. “Empowering our residents with more information about their health adds value to their appointments at Larsen Health Center and makes visits with their healthcare provider even more productive.” Patient and Pharmacist Meet A highlight of the visit was when resident Anita Battaglia (Junonia) met her pharmacist, Dr. Bradley Phillips, face-to-face for the first time. In the late 90s, Anita was diagnosed with idiopathic arrhythmia and prescribed a bloodthinner to help manage her irregular heart rhythm and prevent clots. Anita’s monthly telehealth appointment with Dr. Phillips is a regular part of monitoring her medication’s effectiveness.
more personal, more human. It’s not just the guy in the white coat behind the counter,” said Anita. “The conversations we’ve had have helped build up the connection and the trust. It has been a wonderful experience—he’s very knowledgeable.” Shell Point has made it easy for Anita to adapt to new technology. “It’s all set up in the medical clinic. I don’t have to figure anything out—I just sit down and there he is on the screen from his office in Orlando!” At the end of their visit, Dr. Phillips asked Anita to give him a tour of her garden on The Island, which she’s described on many of their calls. She also gave Dr. Phillips a doll for his new baby daughter Chloe. Dr. Phillips explained, “From a pharmacist standpoint, Mrs. Battaglia is so engaged in her own health. When she brings me questions, it makes me feel blessed to be a pharmacist and to be in the position where we can have those conversations. It encourages me that there are patients like her who are living a happy, long and healthy life, and it makes me excited to be a part of her care because of it.” To learn more about the Anticoagulation Therapy and Polypharmacy Telehealth Programs, call the Barbour Medical Clinic in the Larsen Health Center at (239) 415-5432.
bloodwork and discuss any necessary Positive Lifestyle Changes At 79, Anita is in great health. Along changes to her recommended dosage. with staying active volunteering in the “Afterwards, Dr. Goforth evaluates the Tribby Library and attending concerts, recommendation. It’s a great opportunity Academy classes and Book Club meet- to ask any questions,” she added. “This program really personalizes ings, she participates in exercises classes at the Tribby several times a week and the pharmacy experience. I’ve been on has started practicing Tai Chi. She and my anticoagulant for so long, but we her husband Robert also follow up twice- may tweak the dosage for a short period weekly balance training classes with per- of time if I’m taking anything else, like an antibiotic. Talking to Dr. Phillips sonal training sessions. She shared that practicing veganism just makes me so much more aware,” has also had a major impact on her good said Anita. The telehealth experience has been health. Several years ago, she started to experience some unusual aches when she positive for Anita, and it has changed her was taking statin drugs. Through a blood perspective of what pharmacists do. “I’ve always asked my pharmacist test, her internist realized that her muscles were inflamed and the statins were to questions, but this program makes it blame. She improved her cholesterol by changing her diet. “And then my numbers were great! I’ve always been aware of healthy eating. My maternal grandmother was always into organic food, and she also lived on a farm and gardened. So, I think over the years I was exposed to a lot of good habits,” said Anita. Anita remains particularly interested in how her diet complements her health and how various foods might interact with her medication. “For example, if you’re on an anticoagulant, you have to watch vitamin K, which can make your blood thicker. Avocados are high in K, so you can have too much,” she Vice President of Healthcare Christy Skinner and Director of Outpatient said. During Anita’s appointments Services Brian Sykes with University of Florida’s Dr. Bradley Phillips, with Dr. Phillips, they review her Dr. Janel Soucie, Dr. Casey Rowe, and Dr. Erin St. Onge.
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Introducing the APS 250 New Technology Enhances Quality of Life For Larsen Health Center Residents – and the Staff Who Care for Them Director of Nursing Lindsey Bryant demonstrates the APS 250
Shell Point Retirement Community has implemented an innovative proprietary technology that enhances service for its skilled nursing residents — and job satisfaction for the health care team who care for them. Shell Point is the only skilled nursing center in Florida that is currently using Partners Advanced Pharmacy Solutions 250, an advanced medication dispensing system prestocked with up to 250 oral medications. The APS 250 machine selects and packages the medications in individualized labeled envelopes and collects them in totes to simplify how nurses deliver medicine to residents. “This level of technology amplifies our resident experience,” said Christy Skinner, Shell Point’s Vice President of Health Care. “Not only does it improve the efficiency and accuracy of our medication administration, and allows us to offer 24-7 care since we don’t need to wait for an order to be filled,” said Skinner. Karen Anderson, Vice President of Human Resources, said that along with added safety and convenience, Shell Point’s skilled nursing staff immediately recognized the benefit of the new system. “It increases job satisfaction because it allows nurses more time at the bedside,” she said. “The technology enables our nurses to concentrate on resident care rather than preparing medications to be administered.” Shell Point’s skilled nursing has received national recognition, including five-out-of-five-star ratings for overall service, quality measures, and staffing from The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. A Certified Great Place to Work, Shell Point, ranks 29th among the Top 100 Employers by the Southwest Florida Economic Development Alliance. “Implementing the APS 250 is another example of Shell Point giving our staff the tools and technology they need to provide our residents with the best possible care,” Skinner added.
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Embracing Wellness as a Way of Life Shell Point Earns an ICAA NuStep Beacon Award Shell Point recently earned an ICAA NuStep Beacon Award, which recognizes the Top 25 “Best in Wellness” senior living communities in North America for fostering an environment that embraces wellness as a way of life for all who live and work there. Using as a foundation the dimensions of wellness—Physical, Emotional, Spiritual, Education, Community & Social, and Natural Environment—these communities partner with residents and staff to create relevant, meaningful opportunities
that empower their residents to pursue a rich, active life. “Shell Point has focused on providing innovative wellness programming for decades and continues to create new programs to support our residents,” said Jason Smith, Senior Director of Amenities. “Wellness is embedded in our culture and integral to resident satisfaction. We want to serve our residents well and be a beacon of excellence that attracts other senior adults to our community.”
Colin Milner, founder and CEO of the International Council on Active Aging (ICAA) said, “As the older adult population continues to expand, senior communities can have a significant effect on health, longevity and quality of life through their wellness culture. Beyond simply classes or programs, wellness should permeate the environment as a mindset and daily pursuit for residents and all levels of staff. Shell Point is helping to lead the way!”
Fitness Coordinator Amanda Spencer, Senior Director of Amenities Jason Smith, and Fitness Supervisor Deborah Stapleton
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BOOSTING
BRAIN HEALTH
Brain Boosters was developed by the UCLA Longevity Center in response to requests from many Memory Training participants to review memory enhancement techniques and learn new ones. Think of the Booster Sessions as brush-up sessions plus continuing education. Completion of the UCLA Memory Training 4-week class is required to participate in Brain Boosters. Research has shown that people who receive periodic booster sessions in memory enhancement techniques stay sharper than people who haven’t had booster sessions. In fact, as with any skill, whether it be golf, knitting, playing a musical instrument or playing a card game, it’s important to practice in order to improve and stay sharp. There is a series of 9 brain booster sessions. You may attend all or a few. If you have completed the UCLA Memory Training 4-week class and want to refresh your memory strategies and techniques, then join us for booster sessions starting in July!
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If you have not had the opportunity to take the UCLA Memory Training class, it will continued to be offered throughout the year. The UCLA Memory Training class provides strategies and techniques that focus on the 4 most common age-related memory changes; forgetting names, remembering something in the future, tip of the tongue syndrome and misplacing common items. For residents interested in a lifestyle approach to brain health the UCLA Memory Fitness class is available. Based on Dr. Gary Small’s book Two Weeks to a Younger Brain where he describes the “Big Four” lifestyle approach of healthy eating, exercise, stress management and cognitive stimulation as foundational to maintain brain health. Residents may register for current Memory Training and Memory Fitness classes through the Island or the Woodlands Concierge desks. Registration for the July Brain Boosters class will be available in June.
Caregivers Connection If you are a spouse, family member or just a close friend of a resident with memory impairment, being connected to support, services and programs is essential to well being and quality of life — for both the caregiver and the person with memory impairment. A Connections E-Newsletter is emailed monthly to provide an easy-to-reference calendar of memory and caregiver support programs. If you would like to receive the Connections E-Newsletter, please email connections@shellpoint.org.
Generous Resident Support Helps The Shell Point Health Care Auxiliary Achieve Goal BY TI N A COL E H OWE R , B AK E LE SS B AK E SALE CHAIR AND ALICE W ERTZ, AUXILIARY PRESIDENT
Bakeless
BAKE SALE
T O B E N E F I T T H E L A R S E N H E A LT H C E N T E R
The Shell Point Health Care Auxiliary would like to thank all of the Shell Point residents for their generous contributions to this year’s Bakeless Bake Sale that enabled us to achieve our 2022 goal. We expressed to the community the need to replace and supply the Larsen Health Center with new wheelchairs – and your response has been overwhelming! The Larsen Health Center management is in the process of compiling an order that will meet all the special needs of its residents. We truly appreciate the Shell Point community who has once again answered the call for prayers and financial support for the Larsen Health Center.
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Support Groups ALCOHOLIC ANONYMOUS
THURSDAYS, MAY 5, 12, 19, 26; JUNE 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 4:30 P.M. · SABAL ROOM/WDL This is a fellowship of those who share their experience, strength, and hope with each other to solve their common problem and help others recover from alcohol addiction. This meeting of AA welcomes those who struggle with alcohol issues. The meeting is also available via Zoom. For information, call (305) 942-9678.
CONNECTIONS CIRCLE: CAREGIVER SUPPORT
WEDNESDAY, MAY 18; JUNE 15 10 A.M. · SPRINGS COMMUNITY ROOM This group offers support for residents or family members who are caregivers for someone with dementia. Participants will have the opportunity to connect with fellow caregivers, share ideas and discuss the stresses, challenges and rewards of providing care for a loved one. If there is a need for respite, a coinciding group offering supervised activities for your loved one with dementia is available. Pre-registration is required. Contact Connections Program Coordinator Emily Reese at (239) 454-2134 or Channelle Bastardo, Healthy Living Coordinator, (239) 433-7974 to register your loved one for the supervised activity program or questions about the group.
COPD SUPPORT
GROUP RESUMES IN JULY The objective of this group is to provide information and discussions that will be relevant to individuals with a range of breathing problems, as well as those who are dependent on supplemental oxygen. This support group meets quarterly. Call Ken Peterson for further information at (239) 482-3779.
DIABETES SUPPORT
FRIDAY, MAY 6 1 P.M. · SOCIAL CENTER\IS Anyone impacted by diabetes or looking to learn more including spouses or family members are invited to attend the Diabetes Support Group. Each monthly meeting covers a different topic and includes an open discussion and an opportunity to share. Call Healthy Living Supervisor Vivian Ciulla at (239) 225-2929 for more information. On break from July through September.
GRIEFSHARE
GROUP RESUMES IN SEPTEMBER This 13-week program provides help and encouragement after the death of a loved one. GriefShare is a special weekly seminar and support group designed to help you rebuild your life. We know it hurts and we want to help. Contact Carol and Roy Johnston (Coquina) for more information at rcjohnst435@gmail.com.
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HEARING ENRICHMENT
WEDNESDAY, MAY 25 1:15 P.M. · SOCIAL CENTER/IS Poor hearing can affect many aspects of one’s life. This group seeks to help residents cope with hearing loss, share information, learn about services and products that may help and offer support to each other. This is a great opportunity to try out the assisted listening devices available in the Social Center. For more information, call Robert Torres, Healthy Living Coordinator at (239) 433-7975. On break from June through October.
HEART HEALTHY
MONDAY, MAY 2 10 A.M. · MANATEE ROOM/IS The Heart Healthy group aims to provide support and educational information to individuals living with heart disease. The goal of the group is to allow members to share their experience, fears and solutions in an effort to help everyone from the newly diagnosed to those managing heart disease for many years. For more information, please contact Nola Mokeyane, Healthy Living Coordinator at (239) 433-7976. On break from June through October.
PARKINSON’S ENRICHMENT
TUESDAYS, MAY 3; JUNE 7 10:15 A.M. · SOCIAL CENTER/IS The Parkinson’s Enrichment Group aims to provide support and educational opportunities to those affected by Parkinson’s disease as a patient, caregiver, family member, or friend. Meetings include speakers, group discussions, and emotional support. For more information, call Christy Hayford, Healthy Living Coordinator at (239) 433-7939.
VISION ENRICHMENT
TUESDAY MAY 10 2:15 P.M. · SOCIAL CENTER/IS This group provides educational opportunities and support for those individuals dealing with low vision. Discussions may include the emotional aspects of vision loss, investigating solutions, helpful tools, and sharing resources. At every session, you will learn a “quick eye exercise” that you can utilize at home and share with others. Please join us to share your story, your knowledge, as well as your experiences with other residents. For additional information, contact Katy Quinones, Healthy Living Coordinator at (239) 454-2101. On break from June through September.
NEW! STRESS LESS GROUP
TUESDAYS MAY 3, 10, 17, 24, 31; JUNE 7, 14, 21, 28 10:30 A.M. · OSPREY ROOM/IS Join Kristin Mendes, Aegis Wellness Coordinator, to relax and restore with effective stress management techniques. Learn how to identify your triggers and responses to stress in a comfortable environment. Try out some new stress management techniques and learn what works best for you! No registration necessary. Wear comfortable clothing and shoes.
Participating in the Employee Christmas Fund is Easy Plan Ahead by Scheduling a Monthly Gift B Y G A R Y A N D J U DY C H A P M A N ( R O S E M O N T ) , C A M PA I G N C O - C H A I R S
It may seem odd to be thinking of Christmas when we’re on the cusp of summer, but it’s already the time of year that we begin planning this year’s Employee Christmas Fund campaign. “The Spirit of Gratitude,” expresses the true meaning behind the Employee Christmas Fund. By giving through this annual fund, Shell Point residents say thank you for the dedicated way Shell Point staff carry out their mission to care for, serve, and satisfy those who live here. Residents’ contributions, collected throughout the year, are given to hundreds of qualified employees each December, making for a brighter and more joyous Christmas season. Residents give as they are inspired, coupled with what they can afford. Here’s a rule of thumb some people have used in the past
for guidance: Because every day we see Shell Point employees—or the effects of their labors daily—it can be helpful to think of their service (and our donation) in terms of a 365-day year: • $1 a day equals a donation of $365 • $2 a day equals a donation of $730 • $5 a day equals a donation of $1,825 Although some residents wait to make their one-time gift during the fall campaign; many prefer to set up an automatic monthly payment through their Shell Point account. It’s easy to give. Use the donation form on the Shell Point Resident Website at shellpoint.net/christmasfund or contact the Finance Department at (239) 454-2075 to set up a monthly charge to your Shell Point account. Of course, if you prefer to give by check, you can do so any-
time throughout the year. You simply make your check payable to “Shell Point” and write “Employee Christmas Fund” on the memo line, then send it via Shell Point campus mail to Chris Ferrell in the Finance Department.
Give what you can… it’s tremendously appreciated! Judy and Gary Chapman
May & june Shell Point Happenings Physical • Emotional • Spiritual • Intellectual • Community & Social • Natural Environment • Creativity CHECK THE WEEKLY REMINDER FOR UPDATES ON ANY CHANGES TO THE PROGRAMS LISTED IN THIS CALENDAR AS THINGS MAY CHANGE. For questions about upcoming events or activities, please contact either concierge desk. Unless otherwise noted, sign-up for each event will begin on the first business day of the month. If you are unable to attend a program that includes a fee, five business days’ notice is required to receive a refund.
MAY
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BINGO MONDAY, MAY 2 1 P.M. – 3 P.M. GRAND CYPRESS BALLROOM/WOODLANDS
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TUESDAY, MAY 3 2 P.M. CONNIE BROWN HALL/TRIBBY ARTS CENTER Nostalgia is back to perform a FREE themed concert and comedy show. The program features Shell Point’s own Don Schneff of Sundial. Join your friends and neighbors for some good-hearted laughter and fellowship. No sign-up is required. Light refreshments will be provided.
Join the Resident Programming team as we play several games of BINGO. Whether it’s your first time or you are a seasoned player, this free event is a great opportunity to have fun and meet new people. Small prizes will be awarded to the winners of each game – all supplies provided - no experience necessary! No sign-up required.
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NOSTALGIA CONCERT
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Mask requested
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SHELL POINT ORCHID HOUSE 50TH ANNIVERSARY TOURS WEDNESDAY, MAY 4 10 A.M. – 12 P.M. ORCHID HOUSE/ISLAND Help us celebrate Shell Point’s Orchid House’s 50th Anniversary and the completion of their new screen house! Enjoy some light refreshments and take a tour of the green houses, discover all of the beauty and varieties of orchids on site and learn all about how to care for them. No sign up required.
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CINCO DE MAYO AT THE CRYSTAL
Walking required
Stairs
WALK WITH THE DOCS FRIDAY, MAY 6, 13, 20, 27 7 A.M. Lace up your walking shoes and join Shell Point’s physicians every Friday morning in an exhilarating morning walk around the beautiful Island neighborhood. You will have the opportunity to learn about the medical staff while also getting physically fit together. The Island walk is approximately 1.5 miles.
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THURSDAY, MAY 5 4:30 – 6:30 P.M. COST: $32
BIKE WITH THE DOCS FRIDAY, MAY 6, 13, 20, 27 4:15 P.M. Dust off your bikes and join Shell Point’s physicians every Friday for a 5 mile bike ride around the beautiful Shell Point campus. For your safety, helmets are required
Join the Resident Programming team and the Crystal staff as we celebrate this annual Mexican military victory over France with a “south of the border” fiesta! Enjoy flavorful, authentic main and side dishes and amazing desserts as you listen to live mariachi music – transporting you to Mexico without the need of a passport. Call the Crystal at 239-454-2199 to book your reservation today.
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Sign-up required; call a Concierge Desk: Island: 454-2282, Woodlands: 454-2054
FOOD TRUCK THURSDAYS MAY 5, 12, 19, 26 11 A.M. – 1:30 P.M. FRIENDSHIP POINT/ISLAND PARKING LOT
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ACADEMY ON THE GO – KORESHAN STATE PARK TOUR & LUNCH WEDNESDAY, MAY 11 8:30/8:40/8:50/8:55/9 A.M. IS / WDL / ES / EN / EP APPROXIMATE RETURN: 2 P.M. COST: $22 (LUNCH ON YOUR OWN) In 1894, an eccentric physician and alchemist named Dr. Cyrus Teed claimed he had a vision that led to his self-proclamation as the Messiah. Dr. Teed and his followers settled in Estero, Florida, where he formed a community that boasted an electric plant, a bakery, and arguably one of the most sophisticated orchestras in 19th century Florida. This tour and presentation will introduce the musical culture of the Koreshans, focusing on Dr. Cimarusti’s current research in reconstructing the hymns of this fascinating cult.
Explore new lunch options each week! • May 5 – Firebread • May 12 – MaPetite Creperie • May 19 – Pilar’s Empanadas • May 26 – Yummy Bus
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CRUISE THROUGH FRANKLIN LOCKS & LUNCH AT THE BOAT HOUSE/FORT MYERS
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SATURDAY, MAY 14 4 P.M. CONNIE BROWN HALL/TRIBBY ARTS CENTER COST: $20 (RESERVE AND PICK UP TICKETS AT TRIBBY BOX OFFICE)
THURSDAY, MAY 12 8/8:10/8:20/8:25/8:30 A.M. IS / WDL / ES / EN / EP APPROXIMATE RETURN: 1:30 P.M. COST: $10 (LUNCH ON YOUR OWN) We will travel by bus north to the Caloosahatchee River to join up with the Suzy Q. Once aboard, Captain Russ will take us on a cruise to the W.P. Franklin Locks that control the waters of Lake Okeechobee. We will get to observe the working of the lock and learn about the “oxbows” which start out as a natural curve in a river – with our Ecologist guide, Steve Canton (Harbor Court). Along the Caloosahatchee, we will get to view tropical growth and beautiful homes along with wildlife, manatees, and eagles in their natural habitat. We will stop for lunch (on your own) at The Boat House Tiki Bar & Grill on the river – and then return back to Shell Point by bus. This is sure to be a special afternoon out!
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Gulfshore Ballet is Southwest Florida’s premier not-forprofit school of Classical Ballet with an internationally acclaimed teaching faculty. Join us as we watch their talented students along with two amazing professional guest artists, Adirya Almeida and Taras Domitro, as they perform Don Quixote, a Spanish novel written in 1605 that tells the story of the adventures of a low-born man that tries to revive chivalry and serve his nation.
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ISINGS TRAVEL PRESENTATIONS
LUNCH OUT AT THE BOAT HOUSE CAPE CORAL VIA SUZY Q TUESDAY, MAY 17 MEET AT THE BOAT DOCK 9:45 A.M. APPROXIMATE RETURN 1:30 P.M. COST: $5 (LUNCH ON YOUR OWN) Billed as “the most fun bar & grill experience on Florida’s Southwest coast,” The Boat House Tiki Bar & Grill boasts beautiful views and award-winning cuisine. We will board the Suzy Q with Captain Russ and cruise over to the tip of Cape Coral to have a delicious lunch. .
THURSDAY, MAY 12 10:30 A.M. – OSPREY ROOM/ISLAND 1 P.M. – GRAND CYPRESS BALLROOM/ WOODLANDS 3 P.M. – THE COVE/ESTUARY Join Jeanne Veldman, the Cruise Manager from Isings Travel, as she presents the upcoming cruises and trips from all around the world being offered to Shell Point residents. There will be a presentation at each neighborhood to make it convenient for you to attend. You never know where the road may lead you! No sign up is required for this event.
GULFSHORE BALLET PRESENTS DON QUIXOTE
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BEACH DAY AT LOVERS’ KEY/NAPLES THURSDAY, MAY 19 8:30/8:40/8:50/8:55/9 A.M. IS / WDL / ES / EN / EP APPROXIMATE RETURN: 3 P.M. COST: $18 LUNCH INCLUDED Lovers Key is a 2.5-mile stretch of beautiful beach along the shore of the Gulf of Mexico. It was selected as the No.
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Mask requested
4 beach in Florida by the Travel Channel. Join us as we explore this new (to us) beach location – first we’ll stop by the Welcome & Discovery Center and then take the tram to the beach and enjoy the day swimming, shelling or just relaxing. Shell Point staff will serve beverages and a picnic lunch.
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Sign-up required; call a Concierge Desk: Island: 454-2282, Woodlands: 454-2054
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March 1, 2022 was the 80th anniversary of the sinking of Franklin D Roosevelt’s favorite ship, the heavy cruiser U.S.S. Houston (CA-30), which carried four SOC Seagull scout floatplanes, at the Battle of Sunda Strait in Indonesia, and the beginning of the brutal prisoner of war experiences of the ship's 368 survivors. As POWS, most of the survivors were transported to Burma where they were forced by their Japanese captors to work on the infamous Burma-Thailand “Death Railway” made world-famous by the movie The Bridge on the River Kwai. Dana Charles, the son of one of U.S.S. Houston’s Marine survivors will present the story of U.S.S. Houston (CA-30) and her survivors via Zoom.
Stairs
FOOD TRUCK RALLY FRIDAY, MAY 20 4:30 – 6:30 P.M. FRIENDSHIP POINT/ISLAND PARKING LOT Come out for dinner (on your own) and find your new favorite dish! The Resident Programming team has enlisted local food trucks to offer you a variety of dinner options. From crepes, to Cuban sandwiches, to barbeque and pizza, join us for a relaxing evening enjoying good food, live music and each others’ company! No sign up required.
AVIATION CLUB AND VETERANS GROUP – JOINT MEETING/SPECIAL SPEAKER THURSDAY, MAY 19 1 – 2 P.M. CONNIE BROWN HALL/TRIBBY ARTS CENTER SPEAKER: DANA CHARLES (SON OF A HOUSTON MARINE SURVIVOR) TOPIC: THE USS HOUSTON CA-30 AND ITS POW SURVIVORS IN WWII
Walking required
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LIGHTHOUSE BEACH SCAVENGER HUNT & LUNCH AT ISLAND COW SANIBEL TUESDAY, MAY 24 8:30/8:40/8:50/8:55/9 A.M. IS / WDL / ES / EN / EP APPROXIMATE RETURN: 2 P.M. COST: $4 (LUNCH ON YOUR OWN) Celebrate National Scavenger Hunt Day as we search for shells and other items on Lighthouse Beach. You can choose to participate in the game or just relax on the beach! After a couple hours we will head out to the Island Cow for lunch (on your own) where you will find the largest menu on the Island – billed as “two parts Southwest Florida, one part Southern Comfort food, a cup of Sanibel, a dash of the Caribbean – and the result is delicious!”
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SHELL POINT BOOK TALK TUESDAY, MAY 24 2:15 P.M. ISLAND SOCIAL CENTER Jeanne Fuchs and Louise Carlson, both of Oakmont, will discuss a wide variety of foreign mystery authors.
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CONCERT HONORING THOSE WHO SERVED WITH DOUG RENFROE
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THURSDAY, MAY 26 7 P.M. CONNE BROWN HALL/TRIBBY ARTS CENTER FREE (RESERVE AND PICK UP TICKETS AT TRIBBY BOX OFFICE)
THURSDAY, JUNE 2 9:20/9:30/9:40/9:45/9:50 A.M. IS / WDL / ES / EN / EP COST $30 (LUNCH ON YOUR OWN)
Stouthearted Men and Women: Honoring Those Who Served is a musical tribute to all who have served their country in times of conflict and peace. Come hear internationally acclaimed soloist, Doug Renfroe, along with his accomplished accompanist, pianist Kelly Utterback, as they feature music of various styles; Opera, Operetta, Broadway and music associated with various encounters here and abroad. While all of the music will tie into a “conflict era,” the program will create a musical story line from the Civil War to present. It will be an evening of celebration as we near our recognition of Memorial Day.
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JUNE AFTERNOON MOVIE AT THE POOL WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1 1 – 3 P.M. ISLAND AQUATIC CENTER Time to make a splash! Join us for a fun-filled afternoon in the pool (or poolside) as we float around, eat some ice cream and watch Dolphin Tale on the big screen! Dolphin Tale tells the true story of an injured dolphin that is rescued and needs a miracle to survive. Wear your suit and come prepared to have some fun! No registration required. Please bring sun protection.
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BAILEY MATTHEWS NATIONAL SHELL MUSEUM & LUNCH AT CIPS PLACE/SANIBEL
Come with us as we visit the Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum and explore the fascinating world of mollusks and the beautiful shells they create. The museum offers more than 30 exhibits, including the Great Hall of Shells which displays some 500,000 shells and the Beyond Shells living gallery of aquariums which displays over 50 species of marine life. We will take a guided tour, explore their Special Exhibitions on the second floor and enjoy two videos that were locally produced on Sanibel. Afterwards, we will head out for lunch (on your own) to Cips Restaurant – a casual, comfortable restaurant to enjoy good food while being reminded of the old days on Sanibel.
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WALK WITH THE DOCS FRIDAY, JUNE 3, 10, 17, 24 7 A.M. Lace up your walking shoes and join Shell Point’s physicians every Friday morning in an exhilarating morning walk around the beautiful Island neighborhood. You will have the opportunity to learn about the medical staff while also getting physically fit together. The Island walk is approximately 1.5 miles.
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Mask requested
Sign-up required; call a Concierge Desk: Island: 454-2282, Woodlands: 454-2054
Walking required
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BIKE WITH THE DOCS FRIDAY, JUNE 3, 10, 17, 24 4:15 P.M.
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Dust off your bikes and join Shell Point’s physicians every Friday for a 5 mile bike ride around the beautiful Shell Point campus. For your safety, helmets are required.
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LUNCH AND LEARN AT CROW SANIBEL WEDNESDAY, JUNE 8 8:30/8:40/8:50/8:55/9 A.M. COST: $35 LUNCH INCLUDED
FOOD TRUCKS ON FRIDAYS!
Let’s learn about Southwest Florida’s wildlife and see what the Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW) on Sanibel is doing to save sick, injured and orphaned animals for all of Lee County. We will tour their Visitor Center, get to hear from Dr. Robin Bast, the CROW staff veterinarian, about all of the work being done, take a tour of the hospital and have a boxed lunch catered by Sanibel Deli. Please wear closed toe shoes and bring sun protection.
JUNE/JULY/AUGUST 11 A.M. – 1:30 P.M. FRIENDSHIP POINT/ISLAND PARKING LOT Join us on a new day this summer and explore new lunch options each week!
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BINGO MONDAY, JUNE 6 1 – 3 P.M. SOCIAL CENTER Join the Resident Programming team as we play several games of BINGO. Whether it’s your first time or you are a seasoned player, this free event is a great opportunity to have fun and meet new people. Small prizes will be awarded to the winners of each game – all supplies provided - no experience necessary! No sign-up required.
Stairs
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ISLAND NEIGHBORHOOD SUMMER SOCIAL AT THE POOL TUESDAY, JUNE 14 10 – 11:30 A.M. ISLAND AQUATIC CENTER Let’s get together Island Neighborhood! Join the Resident Programming team for this Island Neighborhood Summer Social at the pool that gives you the opportunity to meet, greet and connect with your neighbors, friends and newcomers! This will be a great time of fellowship, fun and conversation. Light refreshments will be served. No sign-up required. Shell Point Life | May/June 2022
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WOODLANDS NEIGHBORHOOD SUMMER SOCIAL AT THE POOL
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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15 10 – 11:30 A.M. WOODLANDS POOL Let’s get together Woodlands Neighborhood! Join the Resident Programming team for this Woodlands Neighborhood Summer Social that gives you the opportunity to meet, greet and connect with your neighbors, friends and newcomers! This will be a great time of fellowship, fun and conversation. Light refreshments will be served. No sign-up required.
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COASTAL LINKS NEIGHBORHOOD SUMMER SOCIAL AT THE POOL THURSDAY, JUNE 16 10 – 11:30 A.M. ENCLAVE POOL
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TUESDAY, JUNE 21 Look for your Resident Programming team around the campus today as we celebrate National Smoothie Day! Check the Weekly Reminder for when/where we will be in your neighborhood and have a FREE, cold, delicious smoothie with us. No sign-up required.
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BEACH AND SHOPPING DAY AT FORT MYERS BEACH WEDNESDAY, JUNE 22 8:30/8:40/8:50/8:55/9 A.M. IS / WDL / ES / EN / EP APPROXIMATE RETURN: 3 P.M. COST: $4 (LUNCH ON YOUR OWN)
Let’s get together Estuary, Enclave and Eagles Preserve Neighborhoods! Join the Resident Programming team for this Coastal Links Neighborhood Summer Social that gives you the opportunity to meet, greet and connect with your neighbors, friends and newcomers! This will be a great time of fellowship, fun and conversation. Light refreshments will be served. No sign-up required.
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SMOOTHIE DAY!
Grab a friend and your sunscreen and join us for a funfilled day on Fort Myers Beach! We’ll be heading to Lynn Hall Memorial Park Beach, which is next to “Times Square” in the heart of downtown. This lively Gulf-front park is conveniently located adjacent to shopping and restaurants. Plan your day to take advantage of both the beach and the shopping, while grabbing some lunch (on your own) at one of the many local restaurants. The Resident Programming team will be on-site to help with any questions.
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Mask requested
Sign-up required; call a Concierge Desk: Island: 454-2282, Woodlands: 454-2054
Walking required
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SUMMER BLOCK PARTY BBQ AT THE PALM GRILL
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THURSDAY, JUNE 23 3 – 7 P.M. COST: $20
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TUESDAY, JUNE 28 8:15 A.M. DEPART FROM THE VILLAGE CHURCH COST $69 (LUNCH ON YOUR OWN) APPROXIMATE RETURN: 5:30 P.M. Dive into the amazing sights, sounds and experiences from tree level to sea level at The Florida Aquarium! Explore animal habitats featuring animals from right here in our own backyard to exotic locations throughout the globe. From mysterious sand tiger sharks and playful otters, to tiny seahorses and inquisitive sea turtles, you’ll never know what you’ll discover. Join us for the day as we explore the aquarium’s habitats and exhibits which include the 4-D Theater and the CIBC Aquatic Lounge. Enjoy lunch on your own at the Aquarium. Sign up and walking required.
30 SHELL POINT BOOK TALK TUESDAY, JUNE 28 2:15 P.M. ISLAND SOCIAL CENTER Anne Woodruff of Junonia will review “The Dovekeepers” by Alice Hoffman. The novel, about four women who held out on Masada, a mountain in the Judean desert, during the Roman siege about two thousand years ago, is based on Biblical history
Join the Resident Programming team and the Palm Grill staff as we celebrate summer with ribs, burgers, hot dogs and lively music. Call the Palm Grill at 239-454-2059 to book your reservation today.
DAY TRIP TO FLORIDA AQUARIUM/ TAMPA
Stairs
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LUNCH OUT AT BUCKINGHAM FARMS/FORT MYERS THURSDAY, JUNE 30 9:30/9:40/9:50/9:55/10 A.M. IS / WDL / ES / EN / EP APPROXIMATE RETURN: 2 P.M. COST: $4 PLUS LUNCH ON YOUR OWN A true farm-to-table restaurant, Buckingham Farms is an 80+ acre ranch, hydroponic farm, country store, counter service eatery and event destination. They specialize in providing the finest fruits and vegetables, farm-produced products, and one-of-a-kind events in an unmatched countryside setting. Everything at Buckingham Farms is naturally grown by agricultural specialists with years of experience and they only practice responsible farming and pledge a commitment to our local community and economy. Plus, the food is delicious! Join us for lunch and a little farm-fresh produce shopping.
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Famous Authors and a First Lady: The Academy’s Illustrious Guests!
BY ANETTE ISAACS, ACADEMY COORDINATOR
Historian and actress Leslie Goddard as former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt.
Ray and Jacqui Boyce (Rosemont), and Susan Schmitt (Lakewood), enjoying a chat with America’s leading ornithologist David Allen Sibley.
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Exciting things keep happening at the Academy of Lifelong Learning here at Shell Point! One example is our robust and fruitful partnership with the Ding Darling Wildlife Society on Sanibel Island. Through this tremendous organization, we had the pleasure of welcoming two famous bird experts to our campus in March. First, David Allen Sibley—arguably the most renowned ornithologist of our time—filled Connie Brown Hall for his absolute superb talk entitled “What It’s Like to be a Bird.” Later in the month, residents enjoyed Minnesotan Stan Tekiela, who gave us a detailed look at the intricate and ingenious world of bird nests! The Academy was also delighted to welcome back historian and actress Leslie Goddard, who traveled to Fort Myers all the way from Chicago in order to present two programs celebrating Women’s History Month. The residents first learned about Typhoid Mary and her riveting story; the next morning they were treated to a living history portrayal of former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. Aptly dressed in a vintage dress, 1940’s shoes and her signature hat, Leslie embodied the world famous humanitarian perfectly! Drawing from Eleanor’s own letters, diaries, newspaper columns, and other writings, the gifted historian and actress delivered a performance that captured the warm, honest and passionate American First Lady and stateswoman to a T.
Academy of
Lifelong Learning AT S H E L L P O I N T
SECRETS & STORIES OF THE SANIBEL LIGHTHOUSE Tuesday, May 3 at 7 p.m. Connie Brown Hall at the Tribby Arts Center
The Academy is kicking off its new term with an exclusive film gala at Connie Brown Hall! The Historical Village on Sanibel Island has partnered up with the Academy and is proud to introduce a new documentary that will take you on a journey through rarely seen footage of the area’s most recognizable landmarks and its unique and largely unknown history. You will discover the strong connection the lighthouse has to many island institutions, even how it was used for defense in World War II. Join us to learn the "Secrets & Stories of the Sanibel Lighthouse."
SEA TURTLES – MAJESTIC CREATURES OF THE SEA Tuesday, May 24 at 10 a.m. Grand Cypress/WDL
Master Naturalist Tony Mauriello will be back to talk about Sea Turtles – Majestic Creatures of the Sea. Often considered the most majestic of the turtle family, the sea turtle is a large, ocean-going reptile known for its gentle nature and long lifespan. Swimmers, snorkelers, and divers revel in seeing these stunning creatures glide effortlessly through the sea. Tony will look at all seven species around the world and share their unique adaptations for sea life.
USS HORNET – THE GREY GHOST
Friday, May 27 at 10 a.m. Connie Brown Hall at the Tribby Arts Center The Academy is, of course, also honoring Memorial Day with two moving programs facilitated by resident instructors Dr. Melissa Butler’s (Turban) lecture titled “USS Hornet – The Grey Ghost” offers a virtual tour of the USS Hornet, CV-12, now a museum based in Alameda, CA. Learn about the storied past of this aircraft carrier from WWII combat missions in the Pacific through the recovery of the Apollo 11 and 12 Moon landing capsules.
THE TRUE STORY OF THE LOST SQUADRON Monday, May 30 at 10 a.m. Connie Brown Hall at the Tribby Arts Center
On Memorial Day, Harbor Court resident Bob Cardin (Harbor Court) will share the true story of the Lost Squadron. At the beginning of WWII in Europe, a flight of 6 P-38 fighters and 2 B-17 Bombers ran out of fuel and crash landed on the Greenland Glacier. In 1992, after 50 years of snow accumulation, a team of explorers melted 268 feet into the glacier and recovered a P-38 they dubbed “Glacier Girl.” Learn more about this real-life adventure from Bob, who presents a mind boggling account of his personal involvement with the recovery, restoration and flying of this very historic airplane.
Upcoming Attractions
These are just a few of the many classes and events that the Academy of Lifelong Learning has in store for you in May and June. Please refer to the current Academy brochure — available at either Concierge Desk — for a complete listing of classes, locations and fees. See you in class!
Academy of
Lifelong Learning AT S H E L L P O I N T
A C A D E M Y of LIFELONG LEARNING AT SHELL POINT
A C A D E M Y of LIFELONG LEARNING AT SHELL POINT
A C A D E M Y of LIFELONG LEARNING AT SHELL POINT
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Being Better With “Stress” BY J E F F C O RY, E X E C U T I V E D I R E C TO R , L E G AC Y F O U N DAT I O N AT S H E L L P O I N T
Chronic stress can create chaos in all your body’s systems—mental, emotional and physical. But what if the occasional encounter of heightened stress levels could be used to your advantage? An exciting experience such as a big move, a rare travel opportunity, or a sudden illness naturally gives rise to higher stress levels. However, Super Agers can channel those stressors into motivation, pushing them to reach the end goal successfully. Super Agers utilize stress to help them be more efficient, driven, and centered on getting things done. In the end, they are far less stressed about petty, insignificant things and are quick to find solutions, consider all their options, pivot if needed, and go another direction entirely. It’s these mature coping skills that enable Super Agers to handle stress with a sense of calm resilience. Because they are able to process life events logically with a nothing-new-under-the-sun perspective, their outlook is generally more relaxed and carefree.
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Along with a persistent ability to cope with stress, Super Agers maintain a healthy perception of time. They don’t get lost in regrets of the past or focus on the mistakes they made. Rather, they look forward to the years ahead and resolve to finish well. Want to start relieving stress? There are a few simple habits you can employ: 1. Get enough quality sleep each night. 2. Exercise regularly by finding physical activities you enjoy. 3. Spend time in the great outdoors getting plenty of fresh air and sunshine. 4. Practice meditation, yoga, and other deep-breathing techniques. 5. Reduce your caffeine intake. 6. Consider getting a pet for companionship. 7. Spend time with those you love most. Make new friends. 8. Laugh often. 9. Listen to music, paint or craft with your hands. 10. Journal your thoughts, feelings and emotions.
A life without stress is…. well, impossible. Being less stressed and more at rest is an amazing perk of aging that no one has told you about. There’s no more fretting over small details or trying to control everyone and everything around you. There’s no more losing sleep over insignificant things, and no more constant cycles of worry that consume your mind. For Super Agers, chronic stress is a thing of the past, and contentment is their new reality. The normal amounts of stress that life serves are met with calm, clear, and concise patterns of making it work in their favor. If your finances or estate planning concerns are adding to your stress level, the Legacy Foundation is here for you. Please contact us at 466-8484 for a complimentary confidential appointment. Let’s start today to help you enjoy a more stress-free life.
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Resident Performing Arts JAZZ N’ STUFF
Wednesdays 2:30 p.m. • Connie Brown Hall MAY 4 – Luna-Tunes 11 – Under the Weather 18 – Ol’ Blue Eyes 25 – Memorial Day Celebration JUNE – SEPTEMBER Band Hiatus
SHELL POINT DRUMMERS
Mondays 11 a.m. • Connie Brown Hall $60 for Four-Class Workshop Drums Provided Start your week off with a bang when you join the Shell Point Drummers on Monday mornings at the Tribby! Drumming has a positive impact on our physical, mental, and spiritual health; plus rhythm and brain power go hand in hand. A study by the Federation of Drums and Percussion claims that it can even increase your IQ. You will have a blast playing on hand drums with fellow residents under the direction of professional percussionist Isaac Fernández Hernández. Sign up at either Concierge Desk.
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In the Galleries CASTOFFS TO COUTURE Selections from Project Refuge of the “Ding” Darling Wildlife Society
Saturday, May 7- Saturday, June 25 The Shell Point Gallery
Castoffs to Couture is unlike any other exhibition you’ve seen in Tribby Arts Center! The display will include 17 creative fashions that were unveiled earlier this year in the Project Refuge Fashion Show of the “Ding” Darling Wildlife Shady Lady by Sara Basehart, Taos, NM Society, enlivened with video showing the fashions being modeled. The designers used all sorts of trash—plastic bags, bottle caps, packing materials, and more—to create these unique, wearable artworks. It’s a fun display with a serious message to reduce, reuse, and recycle for the sustainability of the environment. In conjunction with the Castoffs exhibition, the Overlook and Legacy Galleries will display REIMAGINED By Shell Point Residents. This exhibition will present apparel that Shell Point residents have “reimagined” with application of found or discarded materials or have created entirely from such items. If you are headed north for the summer, don’t leave until you see Castoffs to Couture and REIMAGINED!
REIMAGINED Spoonful of Lovin by Sara Basehart, Taos, NM
By Shell Point Residents
Saturday, May 7- Saturday, June 25 Legacy and Overlook Galleries
By Helen Ketteman (Eagles Preserve)
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Writers Guild OPEN MIC POETRY READINGS Wednesday, May 4 and June 1, 4 p.m.
Open Mic is held in the Literary Lounge on the first Wednesday of every month. Readers are invited to read their or others poetry or prose, each piece not to exceed six minutes.
SHARING OUR MEMOIRS
Thursday May 5 and May 12, 10-11:30 a.m. via Zoom Lucille Peterson (Lakewood) and Holly English (Cellana) offer a step-by-step way for Shell Point Residents to tell their life story through writing a memoir. The experienced presenters create an atmosphere of support and believe that through listening to others we gain ideas for writing our own memoir. Sign up with Lucille, twinney813@gmail.com or call (239) 454-1886.
The Arts Library THE LITERARY LOUNGE Each month, the 1,500-book Arts Library in the Tribby Center features books from major artists or art movements. May will feature Plein Air painting, which is about experiencing painting and drawing outside in the landscape, with special emphasis on changing natural light. The practice was made into an art form by the French Impressionists but had its roots much earlier. The Plein Air feature will also include John Constable, the Barbizon school, the Hudson River school, and American favorites Winslow Homer and Andrew Wyeth. June will feature The Arts and Crafts Movement, a trend in decorative and fine arts, flourished in America in the early 1900s. It was essentially an attempt to elevate design and decoration to a new status as valid art forms. In the Tribby Arts Library there are examples of the work of William Morris, Charles Rennie MacIntosh, Frank Lloyd Wright, Gustav Stickley, Louis Comfort Tiffany, all prominent figures in the Arts and Crafts Movement.
The Arts Library is pleased to announce the addition of the WEB OPAC (the Online Public Access Catalog on the Web) on the Resident Website that allows users to access the Arts Library collection from home. Log onto the Resident Website, click on “info” on the menu, go down the list, and choose Tribby Arts Library. From the introductory page, you can select “Search the Collection” by author, title, subject, and keyword. If you are not exactly sure of what you are looking for, use “keyword” as that is the broadest search term and will get you the most “hits.” You can then choose which book you are interested in. You will get title, author, publisher, date of publication, notes and location and donor. Be sure to pay attention to the location as some books are not shelved in the regular shelving units but may be found in special sections such as pamphlets, periodicals, oversized, Shell Point authors, or the Literary Studio. Shell Point Life | May/June 2022
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Music on Mondays
This series of world-class performances by renowned artists is presented on the big screen in Connie Brown Hall at the Tribby Arts Center on Mondays at 1 p.m., and broadcast on SPTV Channel 12 at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m.
THE GREAT MASS (BALLET)
by Uwe Scholz, music by Mozart, György Kurtág, Thomas Jahn, and Arvo Pärt with the Leipzig Ballet Monday, May 9 The power of the arts to fuse disparate creative impulses into one compelling aesthetic experience is on full display in Uwe Scholz’s 2005 choreographic masterpiece The Great Mass. The neoclassical ballet is bound to the Catholic mass and draws its structure and its name from a particular musical setting of that genre: Mozart’s unfinished Great Mass in C minor, K. 427. Scholz then incorporates other pieces by Mozart, Gregorian chant, sequences from contemporary music by György Kurtág, Thomas Jahn and Arvo Pärt, and readings of poems by Paul Celan. A captivating Gesamtkunstwerk that functions as requiem for its creator, who died a year after its initial production at the age of 45.
TCHAIKOVSKY‘S IOLANTA
Peter Sellars, Teodor Currentzis with Ekaterina Scherbachenko and Pavel Cernoch
Monday, May 23 Peter Sellars’ production premiered in January 2012 at the Teatro Real in Madrid. He combines in one show Stravinsky’s Perséphone with Tchaikovsky’s final opera Iolanta, placing the two works in dialogue with one another, and exploiting their common themes of light and darkness. Indeed, the female protagonists’ destinies seem to intersect: Iolanta, a young blind girl, is brought into the light through love, while Perséphone, driven by her love of humanity, journeys into the kingdom of shadows.
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MURDER AT THE SYMPHONY:
Sarah Hicks conducts The Danish National Symphony Orchestra Monday, June 6 A murderer is on the loose at the concert hall! Get to the bottom of this orchestral whodunnit with lead investigator/ conductor Sarah Hicks, who heads the Danish National Symphony Orchestra in an evening of music that will remind you of your favorite pulse-racing thrillers from the silver screen and your living room TV—beginning with one of the most horrifying scores in cinema history, Bernard Herrmann’s masterful soundtrack for Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho! Just as that film's infamous shower scene is inextricably and permanently linked in our collective imagination with Herrmann's frantic staccato strings, the works highlighted here do more than just accompany their onscreen thrills—they become an integral part of the experience. Relive the high-stakes drama of The Godfather through Nino Rota's epic score; follow Special Agent Dale Cooper to the singular town of Twin Peaks with the brilliantly atmospheric music of Angelo Badalamenti; and hone your powers of deduction with Hercule Poirot (Murder on the Orient Express), Sherlock Holmes, and Robert Langdon (The Da Vinci Code)!
MOZART‘S DON GIOVANNI Monday, June 20 Mozart's second collaboration with the mercurial librettist Lorenzo da Ponte is among the very blackest of black comedies. For its first new production of the opera in ten years, Glyndebourne welcomed back the winning team of director Jonathan Kent and designer Paul Brown, with the music conducted by Festival Music Director, Vladimir Jurowski. In the title role is the great bass-baritone Gerald Finley, who first appeared at Glyndebourne as a member of the chorus in 1986. He has since sung Don Giovanni to worldwide acclaim in New York, London, Paris, Vienna, Rome, Budapest and Prague. Finley is joined by Luca Pisaroni (Guglielmo in the 2006 Festival's Così fan tutte) as Leporello, Kate Royal (the Governess in Jonathan Kent's 2006 staging of The Turn of the Screw) as Donna Elvira, and the young Russian soprano Anna Samuil making her UK opera debut as Donna Anna.
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MOVIES
ON THE BIG SC REEN
S U N DAY C I N E M A M AT I N E E S 3 P.M. in Connie Brown Hall • Also on SPTV Channel 12
WAKING NED DEVINE (1998)
Sunday, May 8
When best friends Jackie O’Shea (Ian Bannen) and Michael O’Sullivan (David Kelly) discover someone in their small Irish village has won the lottery, they immediately set off to see if the winner is in a sharing mood. Deducing that Ned Devine is the lucky man, O’Shea and O’Sullivan pay him a visit, only to find him dead from shock. Since Devine is the only one who can claim the prize, the townsfolk band together to convince the claim inspector that O’Sullivan is really Devine, and split the cash—all for the good of the village, of course!
FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS (1943)
Sunday, May 22
Based on Ernest Hemingway's world-famous bestseller and starring Gary Cooper and Ingrid Bergman, the film is a classic melodrama though set in the Spanish Civil War, based on Hemingway’s experiences. As the idealistic American guerrilla fighter, Cooper is charged with the job of blowing up a key bridge but falls for a partisan girl (Bergman) and begins to question why he is there. Directed by Sam Wood, the film received nine Academy Award nominations.
MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING (2002)
Sunday, June 5
Toula Portokalos is 30, Greek, and works in her family’s Chicago restaurant. All her father Gus wants is for her to get married to a nice Greek boy. But Toula is looking for more in life. Nia Vardalos wrote her autobiographical story of a single Greek American woman who finds love outside of her Greek culture. How dare she? This warm and humorous film also features excellent performances by John Corbett (the love interest), Lainie Kazan and Michael Constantine (playing her parents), and a standout supporting role by Andrea Martin as the Aunt.
LADIES IN LAVENDER (2004)
Sunday, June 19
Judi Dench and Maggie Smith star as aging sisters Ursula and Janet living peacefully in their cottage on the shore of Cornwall in pre-World War II England. Following a violent storm, the two descend to the beach to find an unconscious handsome young man whom they rescue, house and nurture, ultimately becoming doting adorers. Andrea (Daniel Brühl) speaks no English, but his charming ways attract inner emotions in both sisters. The magic lies not in the story itself but in the submerged feelings of the two sisters.
M O N DAY N I G H T M U S I C A L S
7 P.M. in Connie Brown Hall • Also on SPTV Channel 12
ON AN ISLAND WITH YOU (1948)
Monday, May 2
One of the most popular stars of movie musicals was swimmer Esther Williams. All of her films were box office hits in their year of release. As an example of her work, we are presenting this colorful film that takes place at a resort in Hawaii. Featured with her are Ricardo Montalban, Peter Lawford, Cyd Charisse, Jimmy Durante and Xavier Cugat and his orchestra.
GUYS AND DOLLS (1955)
Monday, May 16
All the hot gamblers are in town, and they're depending on Nathan Detroit (Frank Sinatra) to set up the floating game. The only problem is that he needs $1,000 to get the place. Throw in Sarah Brown (Jean Simmons), who’s short on sinners at the mission she runs; Sky Masterson (Marlon Brando), who accepts Nathan's $1,000 bet that he can't get Sarah to go with him to Havana; Miss Adelaide (Vivian Blaine), who wants Nathan to marry her; and the music/lyrics of Frank Loesser, and you've got quite a musical.
ON THE TOWN (1949)
Monday, May 30
What better time than Fleet Week in NYC to show this Frank Sinatra and Gene Kelly classic about a trio of sailors on leave in the Big Apple? Filming was actually done on location, a first for Hollywood. The guys meet three girls, no surprise, but raise havoc while sightseeing.The music is by Leonard Bernstein with lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green—featuring the great “New York, New York.”
WITH A SONG IN MY HEART (1952)
Monday, June 13
Susan Hayward stars in this biographical story of singer Jane Froman. Her plane crashes while she is flying to Europe to entertain the troops during WWII, leaving her with severe leg injuries. She fights to walk again and continue her mission—the show must go on! Winner of the Golden Globe for best actress and picture and an Oscar for best original musical.
LOVELY TO LOOK AT (1952)
Monday, June 27
Broadway producers Howard Keel, Gower Champion and Red Skelton are looking for money for their new show, when Skelton learns he has inherited part of a Paris fashion house. So off they go to try their luck there. The business is being managed by Kathryn Grayson, Ann Miller and Marge Champion. Based on the musical “Roberta” by Jerome Kern featuring the hit song “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes.” Zsa Zsa Gabor makes her debut in this film that features a fashion show with gowns by Adrian.
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CONCERT Series 2022 CONTINUES
SOLOMON EICHNER, CONCERT PIANIST Thursday, May 5, 2022 at 2 p.m. • Tickets: Resident $30 Public $40
“A
young Arthur Rubinstein,” said Arthur Greene, University of Michigan. Declared by the American Liszt Society as “a sensitive pianist, Solomon’s playing is poetic, beautiful and moving with deep feeling.” Eichner is a prizewinner of the LisztGarrison International Piano competition, International Young Artists Competition Washington, D.C., Golden Key Debut NYC International Competition and Miami Music Festival Concerto
Competition. Originally from Baltimore, Eichner attended the Manhattan School of Music, Peabody Conservatory and the University of South Carolina. After winning the Golden Key Competition, he performed in Carnegie Hall. Eichner also performed in Poland for the 75th Anniversary of the Liberation of Auschwitz with cellist Amit Peled. He is currently on the faculty of the North Carolina Chamber Music Institute.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA SYMPHONY STRING QUARTET PRESENTS ROCK & ROLL AND THE STRING QUARTET Thursday, May 12, 2022 at 7 p.m. • Tickets: Resident $30 Public $40
T
he Southwest Florida Symphony developed Brave New Chamber Music with guitarist, singer, composer and narrator, Andrew Lipke. Brave New Chamber Music Concerts are pared down fusion concerts. The program is not a traditional classical performance and will be highly educational in nature. There is a classical component to accompany
the contemporary music and there’s a narrative delivered by the guest artist that provides context to all of it as he weaves it together. The concerts are no more than 75 minutes long, with no intermission. Rock & Roll and the String Quartet consists of pieces by Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven and Ravel intertwined with popular tunes by Paul Simon, Ben E. King, David Bowie, Bob Dylan and more.
Tribby Box Office Summer Hours • Monday through Friday • 10 a.m. — 3 p.m. • (239) 415-5667
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ASTRALIS CHAMBER ENSEMBLE PRESENTS VOYAGE
Thursday, June 9, 2022 at 7 p.m. • Tickets: Resident $30 Public $40
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he award-winning artists of the Astralis Chamber Ensemble, Angela Massey, flutist and Chee-Hang See, pianist present “Voyage.” This concert will take you on a trip to Italy, Ireland, France, and include Spanish-inspired themes in a brilliant fantasy on Carmen. Angela Massey has been a featured soloist with the Tryon Concert Association, Kosciuszko Foundation in NYC, and abroad in England, France, Italy, Romania, and Switzerland. Chee-Hang See is the pianist with the Charleston Symphony Orchestra and has been invited to perform internationally as a piano soloist with orchestras in Uruguay, Italy, and Singapore. This performance will be an exciting evening of music.
Angela Massey
Chee-Hang See
CON BRIO STRING QUARTET WITH DAVID PEDRAZA Thursday, June 23, 2022 at 7 p.m. Tickets: Resident $30 Public $40
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he Con Brio Quartet is comprised of four international musicians hailing from Russia, Ukraine, Mexico and Uzbekistan. They are currently members of the Palm Beach Symphony, Symphony of the Americas, and Florida Grand Opera and are also performing with many other orchestras throughout the world and U.S. The quartet performed here in February 2019 and are excited to return to Shell Point.
David Pedraza
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THE ART OF COLLABORATION BY DOTTY MOR R ISON (CELLANA)
Dotty Morrison (Cellena) assists Marcia O’Hara (Lucina) in post-processing to finalize her image.
Grace by Lois Benedetto (Periwinkle)
Happy Shells by Carol Strange (Periwinkle)
Collaboration between painters and photographers in the Tribby Photo Studio proved that artistic challenges — combined with supportive interactions — can create an atmosphere of fun that results in unique artistry. Still life photography was the challenge for Shell Point Photo Club artists for the month of April, so two workshops offered in the Photo Studio allowed individuals to experiment with the still life table and advanced lighting system. Most Shell Point photographers rely on magnificent landscapes, the faces of friends, or beautiful flora or fauna, to 52
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Camera check with George Waters (Palm Acres), Annie Wainwright (Parkwood) and Carol Strange.
inspire a picture. To create a still life, the photographer has to start from scratch by assembling and arranging items—a process that can be intimidating. Painters’ Guild members Annie Wainwright (Parkwood), Betsy Conrad (The Estuary), and Karen Meredith (Lakewood) eagerly volunteered to come to the workshops and offer suggestions about composition. Their experience provided the confidence still life “newbies” needed. Everyone attending the sessions had lots
Bugle Still Life by Steve Canton (Harbor Court)
of fun! Photographers took advantage of the special camera and lighting equipment, assisted by Photo Club President George Waters (Palm Acres). The final images were on display at the April Photo Club meeting for all to enjoy. The synergy that is a growing part of the Tribby Art Center was flowing in full force among all the still life workshop participants. Who knows what artistic collaboration will happen next!
Hillendale by Betsy Goetz (Lakewood)
Karen Meredith (top) and Betsy Goetz
Study in Blue by Marcia O’Hara Annie Wainwright and Betsy Conrad (Estuary) set up a shot
Harmony in Glass by Karen Meredith (Lakewood) Peasant Repast by Gerri Harris (Cameo)
Flowing by Janice Winchester (Turban)
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Out & About Vietnam Veterans Day Shell Point residents, families, friends and community members gathered at The Village Church on Tuesday, March 29 for National Vietnam War Veterans Day. The event featured a pin presentation, with our WWII and Korea Veterans honoring several of Shell Point’s 90 Vietnam Veterans who served worldwide from 1955 to 1975. Last year, Shell Point was officially registered as a National Commemorative Partner for National Vietnam War Veterans Day.
Lenny Brown, Ron Wertz (Estuary), Arlen Johnson and Earl Kennedy (Parkwood)
Walt Govertsen (Junonia) and Jay Bubb (Parkwood)
Quilts for Ukraine Carol St.Clair (Palm Acres), a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, explained that her team usually makes Quilts of Valor for local veterans. The state Quilts of Valor coordinator, partnering with World Vision, requested that all of the volunteer quilters instead make quilts for the Ukrainian women and children refugees as part of Quilts for Humanity. “I brought that challenge back to the Shell Point Quilters, and together we made a dozen quilts for the refugees in a very short period of time,” said Carol. “Many used precut fabric donated by Gerri Harris and Mary Mazur, and others used fabrics from their own stash, but together we’re making a difference.” Along with Carol, participating quilters included LaMoyne Ebner, Pat Meredith, Elaine Neighbors, Michelle McCarthy, Joan Bell and Gail Creager. Their quilts, along with those made by Florida Quilts of Valor volunteers, were sent to Poland last month.
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Academy of Lifelong Learning Lecture More than 108 residents attended the Academy of Lifelong Learning lecture with Rabbi Stephen Fuchs, the spiritual leader of Bat Yam Temple on Sanibel. He discussed the Book of Esther, a celebratory story of good overcoming evil, along with the origin and customs of the Jewish Purim holiday. Academy Coordinator Anette Isaacs with Alan Isaacs, the Executive Director of the Jewish Federation of Lee and Charlotte County and Debbie Sanford, Program Director of the Jewish Federation.
Van Gogh Shell Point residents were on the “Gogh” again as they traveled to Sarasota for Beyond Van Gogh. Blending cutting-edge projection technology and an original score, the immersive experience features more than 300 of Van Gogh’s iconic works. While learning more about iconic classics like The Starry Night, Sunflowers, and Irises, residents also discovered some new favorites from the legendary post-impressionist artist.
Great American Cleanup The Great American Cleanup was a great success at Shell Point! On foot, in kayak and aboard the Suzy Q, residents devoted the Saturday morning to beautifying the roadways and waterways surrounding the Shell Point campus.
FineMark Celebrates 15 Years BY A N N A S M I T H , F I N E M A R K N AT I O N A L B A N K & T R U S T V I C E P R E S I D E N T M A N AG I N G E X E C U T I V E
Just over 15 years ago, the dream of FineMark National Bank & Trust became a reality. We opened our first office in Fort Myers on February 16, 2007. From day one, FineMark has focused on building strong relationships, delivering high levels of service and making an impact in the communities where we live and work. Throughout the years, we have experienced unprecedented growth, while preserving FineMark’s culture. We attribute our growth to hiring the very best people in the business and being selective where we have locations. FineMark opened its third office, at Shell Point, in June 2009. This was an unexpected opportunity, and we are so grateful for the relationships we have today with so many Shell Point residents.
We have been embraced by this community, and we truly enjoy being here. We have also enjoyed opportunities to support efforts outside of the bank. From sharing a treat at the annual celebration, to serving as presenting sponsor for the 2021-2022 Shell Point Concert Series at
the Tribby Arts Center, we feel honored to give back where we can. As we look to the future, FineMark will continue to welcome opportunities to develop new relationships at Shell Point and beyond, and we thank each of you for your continued support.
Join Us For An
Assisted Living Open House! The Springs
King’s Crown
The Arbor
Tuesday, May 10 at 2 p.m. Tuesday, June 14 at 2 p.m.
Wednesday, May 25 at 2 p.m. Wednesday, June 22 at 2 p.m.
Tuesday, June 21 at 2 p.m.
Are you interested in learning more about Shell Point’s three assisted living facilities? Now is your chance to join us for an informational open house. This is a great opportunity to learn more 56
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about each assisted living facility, take a tour, and explore furnished apartments. Your visit will include a short presentation that will answer many of the most frequently asked assisted living questions.
Whether you are thinking about making a move to assisted living soon—or interested in educating yourself for future— these are open houses you won’t want to miss! RSVP at a Concierge Desk.
John Stumbo Visits The Village Church C&MA President Shares Message of Courage BY D O N P U L L E N, THE VILLAG E CHURCH ASS OCI AT E PASTOR
John Stumbo, President of The Christian and Missionary Alliance, visited Shell Point in April with his wife, Joanna. On Palm Sunday, he spoke to The Village Church congregation about courage—the courage of calling, the courage of conviction, and the courage of compassion. During a welcoming reception in the Social Center on Monday morning, John updated church members on the relocation of The Alliance’s National Office to Reynoldsburg, Ohio and the plans for a headquarters campus that encourages missional engagement, staff diversity, family accessibility and fiscal responsibility.
Andy Hawkins, John and Joanna Stumbo, and Don Pullen
Shell Point President Martin Schappell and John Stumbo
Jim and Joan Davey (Harbor Court) Shell Point Life | May/June 2022
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National Day of Prayer THURSDAY, MAY 5
Exalt the Lord who has established us. —Colossians 2:6-7
Residents and staff are invited to gather at various locations throughout Shell Point’s campus as we pray together for our community, nation and world.
Morning Prayer Gatherings Island Flagpole............................................................................... 8 a.m. Coastal Commons Banyan Banquet Room ���������� 9 a.m. Woodland Commons Resident Lounge ���������������� 10 a.m. Larsen Health Center............................................................... 11 a.m.
Afternoon Prayer Gatherings The Springs Community Room......................................... 1 p.m. The Arbor Community Room............................................ 2 p.m. King's Crown Community Room.................................... 3 p.m. Friendship Point on the Island.........................................4 p.m.
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... be ready in season and out of season... (2 Timothy 4.2)
Seasons BY R E V. ANDR E W HAWKINS, PH.D., SENIO R PASTO R, THE VILLAGE CHURCH
I do miss the seasons. Most of us who are northern transplants miss the seasons. Having spent 30+ years in West Virginia, I especially miss the fall. Not the summer—hazy, hot, humid. And especially not the winter—cold and gray, not to mention snow. But the fall—that’s the season when West Virginia is spectacular! The glories of the leaf colors are stunning! It might be said that we don’t have seasons in Southwest Florida. That, of course, would not be altogether true. There is a dry season and a rainy season. And of course, there’s hurricane season.
Jesus promised, “... I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16.18)
We have a Royal Poinciana tree behind our home. When it blooms, it tells us what the season is. It starts to bloom in May. It’s in full bloom in the middle of summer. And usually there are still some blooms through
October. May to October—hurricane season! When the Royal Poinciana tree blooms, we know it’s hurricane season. Christianity has its seasons, too. Some seasons are quite fruitful. The Church expands throughout an entire continent or region. A springtime of growing spirituality is an exciting season for believers. The Church may also experience a summertime of faith—a fruitful time of spiritual prosperity ensues in which maturity flourishes, resulting in an equilibrium of stability and often cultural influence. Then there is autumn, when the leaves fall, influence wanes, and spiritual vitality diminishes. And winter. Hearts have grown cold, and fruitful Christ-followers are few and far between. It happens at different times in different places. There are places on the planet that are enjoying the springtime of Christianity: Latin America and subSaharan Africa are exploding with new believers and churches. Then there are places where you would have to knock on 100 doors and be fortunate to find one Christian. Some of those places used to be bedrocks of faith. But the leaves have fallen, a spiritual winter has come. What is the season for the Church in
America? Well, it appears to be changing. We’ve enjoyed an incredible season of summer—churches dotting the landscapes of practically every locality—urban, suburban, rural—and plenty of cultural influence to go along with it. But those days may be disappearing. The numbers of Americans who identify with a church, or even who identify as Christians, has dropped precipitously. As cultural institutions, churches aren’t what they used to be. And even more troubling is the trend toward antagonism and persecution in the academy, government, and even commerce. It may be hurricane season for the Church in America. But the good news is that we’ve seen this movie before. The Church has existed and prevailed through every kind of season imaginable. Jesus promised, “... I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16.18) That’s why, whatever the cultural circumstances, Paul tells Timothy, “... preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.” (2 Timothy 4.2) So Church, be ready, stand firm, stay faithful—even if it is hurricane season!
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Natu re’s Noteb ook BY STEVE MORTON, DIRECTOR O F L A N D S C A P E O P E R AT I O N S
The Road to Mandalay The giggling and snickering immediately ceased with a brief, steel-eyed glare toward the rear of Room 619. Miss Pettengill began her recitation with a faux Cockney accent. Of course, it was rather humorous to hear our buttoned-up English teacher, with normally perfect elocution, dropping her leading “H’s” and the trailing “G’s” like a drunken Eliza Doolittle. Undeterred, Miss Pettengill continued the stanza until she got to the first refrain. I often wondered why Miss Pettengill
On the road to Mandalay, Where the flyin’-fishes play, An’ the dawn comes up like thunder outer China ‘crost the Bay!
chose this particular poem from Rudyard Kipling’s body of work. It is a story of a former British soldier who longs for a past, a place, and a Burmese girl a hemisphere away. Upon first reading, Mandalay is merely a cocktail of nostalgia with a twist of melancholy. Yet, between the lines there is an undercurrent of an exotic romanticism. Like me, perhaps our teacher longed to watch the sun set over the Irrawaddy River, smell the sacred incense wafting from golden-spired pagodas, and savor fruits from trees with unpronounceable names. Kipling’s prose and National Geographic would serve as our transport to these forbidden places. Kipling was born in Bombay during the height of British colonization. Victoria was his Queen, and the sun never set on Rudyard’s British empire. While Kipling wrote his stories about Southeast Asia, the English were busy rafting teakwood logs down the Irrawaddy in the inexorable pursuit of commerce. Miss Pettengill continued:
There’s a Burma girl a-settin’, and I know she thinks o’ me; For the wind is in the palm-trees, and the temple-bells they say: “Come you back, you British soldier; come you back to Mandalay! ” Less than twenty years ago, a new tree was introduced to South Florida that is gaining popularity each sea-
son. Relatively small at thirty feet, her branches outstretch upwards, as if longing for embrace. The bright pink blossoms are closely spaced down the full branch length, like the silken, traditional longyi skirt of the Burmese. This shy beauty is known by many names around the world. Some have named her the Pink Shower Tree for the “shower” of blossom that fall from her boughs, but I prefer The Wishing Tree. Shell Point’s Wishing Tree specimen is young and planted in our Flowering Tree Arboretum, located behind The Arbor building in the Woodlands. We planted it for the Burma girl, the British soldier and, for Miss Pettengill. We planted it for you and planted it for me. We planted the Wishing Tree for all romantics in the world that dream of exotic places to see.