Out and About

Out & About

All Aboard the Suzy Q!

Residents, friends and family boarded Shell Point’s Suzy Q for a relaxing boat ride and a delicious lunch at Phuzzy’s Boat Shack in St. James City, escorted by dolphins and manatees along the way! It was a perfect Southwest Florida afternoon for Captain Russell Spence and his crew to treat passengers to a spectacular show of Florida’s unique marine life.

Rick Marton (Turban)

Vicki Hall (Sand Dollar), Jan Emirch Ronald Bach (The Springs), Barbara Cox (Lakewood)

Spreading the Love

At The Village Church, the June “Spread the Love” Food Drive marked the eleventh drive at Shell Point since the beginning of the pandemic. “Back when Covid started, the residents of Shell Point decided they wanted to do something for their local neighbors,” explained Jan Emrich, who serves as The Village Church secretary. In August, Shell Point residents helped make a difference by donating 285 cans of ravioli, 391 cans of soup, and 161 pounds of miscellaneous nonperishable items. The Village Church is among sixteen Southwest Florida churches who support the Southwest Florida Food Pantry as they regularly feed more than 220 families in our community.

Tim Yoder, Lee Southard (Periwinkle), Allen Hye (The Enclave)

Take Me Out to the Ball Game

Shell Point’s baseball fans took a trip to Hammond Stadium, home of the Minnesota Twins, to cheer on the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels as they took a 6-2 win against Clearwater’s Silver Sluggers. Residents enjoyed the game from the luxury of a much-appreciated air-conditioned suite, along with a delicious buffet of hot dogs, hamburgers, and all the fixings!

Shell Point’s dulcimer musicians meet weekly for “Dulcimer Jam”—an opportunity to play together in the optimally euphonious environment of the Tribby Arts Center’s music studio. Here, the dulcimer’s distinctive sound blends together in harmony as the group plays all kinds of tunes, including popular American folk songs like “Boil Them Cabbage Down.”

Peter Temple (Nautilus), Larry and Carol Strange (Periwinkle), Peyton Yanchurak (Nautilus)

Nelson and Charlotte Bond (Periwinkle, Bob Feik (Sundial), Larry Strange (Periwinkle)

The Dulcimer Gang

Sharalee Dias (Cameo)

Fall Missions Focus ECHO Global Farm

BY BETH ALBRIGHT (CELLANA)

If you’ve watched the news recently, you’ve likely heard of some area in the world where a shortage of rainfall, lack of fertilizer, or an absence of healthy people to farm the land is causing food scarcity—or perhaps even impending famine. These types of stories are so difficult to hear, and it’s hard to imagine what life is like in various areas of the world with great food needs!

Farmers around the world work hard to grow food as best they can to feed their families, but too often, they come up short. Yet not too far from Shell Point, there is a group of Community Developers and experienced researchers working very hard to help alleviate world hunger. For more than four decades, ECHO, a 57-acre farm in North Fort Myers, has been equipping and empowering hungry families with knowledge and the life-giving grace of God. ECHO introduces sustainable plants, techniques, and technologies to farmers around the world who are struggling to feed their families. People in 180 countries access ECHO’s resources online every month. ECHO’S young interns work and study for nine months, gaining experience with different planting and farming techniques. Afterwards, they travel to various parts of the world to provide training and resources that empower small-scale farming families to thrive.

During the Fall Missions Focus in

October, we will have the great privilege of learning more about this remarkable organization from Timothy Albright,

ECHO’s Chief Operating Officer and members of the ECHO team.

Q&A

with Timothy Albright

ECHO Chief Operating Officer

Q: What is ECHO’s mission?

A: ECHO’s focus on agricultural training for small-scale farmers is a significant and appropriate approach to dealing with the challenges of global poverty. There are roughly 500 million families who survive only on the food they grow, making them some of the world’s hungriest and even poorest people. Most of the “extreme” poor actually live in rural areas, where they are very dependent on agriculture to feed their families. ECHO provides face-to-face, hands-on training with scientifically-proven information that’s appropriately contextualized for smallscale farmers.

Q: What led you to ECHO?

A: I have always been interested in helping people out of poverty. Prior to joining ECHO in 2009, I worked with CAMA Services, a Christian NGO (NonGovernmental Organization) that focused on empowering the poor in West Africa. During my 23 years there, I often used or referred to ECHO resources. I was well prepared for my role at ECHO since I had great exposure to the broad scope of the need throughout West Africa. ECHO has allowed me to promote substantial depth with knowledge, resources and training for many of the same networks with which I had already engaged.

Since I grew up in a rural village in Mali, West Africa, surrounded by poor small-scale farmers, I saw people with a strong work ethic in terms of their farming. Yet, they were living on the edge of survival in terms of food insecurity, health issues, nutritional challenges, poor soil and poor crop production, with very little margin. I believe that my unique childhood also served me well in providing perspective and understanding of some of the cultural, social and spiritual dynamics often encountered in interacting with people from the Developing World (Majority World).

Q: What can we expect to learn over the weekend?

A: ECHO is located right in our backyard here in Southwest Florida and yet, is often unknown locally. From a spiritual perspective, I think ECHO’s approach often “provokes questions to which Jesus is the answer!” You may be surprised by the use of familiar biblical stories that might have a larger, wholistic application, perhaps a way of looking at these from a completely different perspective. You would learn a little more about what poverty means.

We will explain what ECHO does; and how our investment in 285 interns (to date) over the years is having an impact around the world. ECHO’s training and resources are transforming lives and our work is being multiplied into the lives of the poor around the globe. We hope you will learn about ways you can get involved in ECHO.

Schedule of Events AT THE VILLAGE CHURCH

Friday, October 28 Saturday, October 29 Sunday, October 30

10 a.m. Academy of Lifelong Learning Class (Grand Cypress Room) 6 p.m. Evening Service 9 a.m. Continental Breakfast and Morning Talk 8:30 a.m. Sunday School, Poverty Talk, Parable of the Talents 10 a.m. Sermon: Elisha and the Widow 6 p.m. Message, Physical and Spiritual Impact

Rediscovering Rediscovering Your Purpose Your Purpose in Life in Life

BY JEFF CORY, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, LEGACY FOUNDATION AT SHELL POINT People often talk about life’s purpose as if it were something set in stone, unchangeable, and immovable. Some may even think that their life purpose disappeared when they hit retirement. But the very definition of purpose—“to have an intention or objective toward something”—indicates an everchanging, revolving door that leads to new goals and purposes throughout a person’s entire life.

Older adults often feel lost in retirement, disillusioned by the so-called golden years that once held such promise. Feeling misplaced or adrift as you age can easily be overcome by discovering a renewed passion for life.

Seeking daily purpose that both energizes you and gets you out of bed in the morning is how Shell Point residents move from feeling off-course to navigating their journey with confidence and joy. They view purpose as something they get to discover. They are relentless in their search of a meaningful existence and constantly ask themselves motivating questions such as these:

1. What is the “why” of my existence? 2. What brings me the most fulfillment and joy? 3. How can I contribute to the lives of others?

4. At the end of my life, what do I want to be known for?

One of the beauties of living at Shell Point is the countless number of opportunities our residents have to reinvent themselves— to take their unique abilities, interests, and gifts and use them for bigger, more meaningful purpose. It’s never too late to reinvent yourself, to make a difference in the lives of others, and to find true purpose and meaning in life … just give it a try. Why not start right now by answering the motivating questions listed above?

Live each day with your legacy in mind!

Christmas Child OPERATION

BY DON PULLEN, ASSOCIATE PASTOR, THE VILLAGE CHURCH Bless a Child This Christmas

With the holiday season quickly approaching, it’s time to start thinking about how you can fill a shoebox for Operation Christmas Child. Each year, thanks to the support of Shell Point residents, The Village Church contributes hundreds of shoeboxes toward this effort.

A ministry of international relief organization Samaritan’s Purse, Operation Christmas Child collects gift-filled shoeboxes that are delivered to children who have been affected by war, poverty, natural disasters and other crises in third-world countries. Each box – packed full of fun toys, school supplies and personal hygiene items by a family or individual – is sent with prayer that the child who receives it will experience God’s love through their simple gifts.

Are you ready to bless a child at Christmastime? Whether it’s a theme box or a collection of miscellaneous items, you can brighten the faces of countless little boys and girls across the world! Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes will be available in The Village Church lobby beginning Monday, October 17 and should be returned to the church the week of November 6-13. If you have any questions, visit www.samaritanspurse.org/occ, or call the church office at (239) 454-2147.