Shell Point Life (Jan/Feb 2023)

Shell Point Traditions

Traditions take center stage during the holiday season at Shell Point. From Tree Lightings at Friendship Point and the Tribby Arts Center, to the Legacy Society Concert Event and the Employee Christmas Gift cookie party, the community came together to socialize and celebrate several beloved annual events. See all the smiling faces starting on page 4 — and make sure to check out ShellPointSocialScene.com for more event photos.

Still in on the Action!

Resident Sandra Broad is no stranger to the spotlight, with a modeling and acting career that took off in the 1960s. Later in life, she parlayed her experience into creating a successful training program for aspiring commercial actors. On page 10, read more about Sandra and how she now shines at Shell Point.

All Things Tribby

The New Year is off to a great start at Tribby Arts Center. Whether you prefer jazz, classical, or rock ‘n’ roll, there are wonderful concerts in Connie Brown Hall from which to choose. In the Shell Point Gallery, Fanciful: Art that Makes You Smile is a new exhibition that showcases whimsical artworks from five resident artists—plus a well-known guest artist. Learn more about Tribby workshops, classes and more starting on page 22.

In Every Issue

Academy of Lifelong Learning 18

At The Tribby 22 Happenings Calendar 30 Support Groups 36

Connections Corner 37 Out and About 42

The Village Church 44 Natures Notebook 48

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

Pat Bubb, Claude Emler, Lynne Castellano, Jeff Cory, Janine Hammond Paul Fitzpatrick, Andrew Hawkins, Jon High, Steve Morton, Joseph Pink, Don Pullen, Emily Reese, Laura Slack, Jason Smith, Amanda Spencer, Susan Uhleman, Peggy Zimmerman

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.

On the COver

As a former model, actress, and acting coach, Sandra Broad (Nautilus) is comfortable in the spotlight. Today, she relishes returning to the stage as a member of the Shell Point Players.

RETIREMENT COMMUNITY®

13921 Shell Point Plaza • Fort Myers, FL 33908 (239) 466-1131 • www.shellpoint.org

Shell Point is a nonprofit ministry of The Christian and Missionary Alliance Foundation

Better Together!

Friday, February 17 Connie Brown Hall at Tribby Arts Center

All Shell Point residents are cordially invited to attend Celebration 2023, the annual community event that commemorates the highlights of 2022. As we look back over the past year, one thing is certain – everything is better when we are together!

We’ll enjoy a very special performance from renowned Swedish jazz musician and multi-instrumentalist Gunhild Carling, accompanied by Herb Bruce and the Herbicide Jazz Band.

Celebration 2023 will be held in Connie Brown Hall at the Tribby Arts Center at 1 p.m., 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. Residents will receive an invitation via campus mail in mid-January.

Celebration

Annual Tree Lighting

Top Left: Jane Hanks (King’s Crown) and Mike Klein (King’s Crown)

Left: Kevin May with his wife Whitney, and children Colton and Savannah

Right: Connie Gustafson (Oakmont) and son Erik

Shell Point celebrated the start of the Christmas season with a beloved tradition: the community tree lighting at Friendship Point on The Island. More than 500 friends and neighbors gathered together to share holiday cheer, sweet treats, and a concert of fes -

tive Christmas music with Brian Gurl and friends. President Martin Schappell introduced two of the community’s most senior residents— 103-year-olds Jane Hanks (King’s Crown) and Mike Klein (King’s Crown)—who were given the honor of lighting the beautiful 18-foot tree.

Shell Point celebrates the holidays with beloved traditions and festive events around the community all season long.

Christmas Tree at Friendship Point

Center:

Right:

Center:

Right:

Patricia Mowbray (Royal Bonnet) with Carolyn and Jim Stapleton (Harbor Court)

Carmen and Julie Lemma (Cameo) and Inga Bredahl

Peter and Pat Dys (Estuary) and Janet and Martin Schappell

Left: Skyler Bauer and Milan Weber (Sundial)

Dianne Morton and Carol Mann (Sundial) with Marvin and Phyllis Ball (Macoma)

Mary Layman (Lucina)

Lisa Rizzio and Mickey

Above: Jackie and Frank Ramos (Lucina)

Don Pullen, Carol Sperlak, and Eleanore Pullen

Lynn Boynton (Palm Acres) and George Waters (Palm Acres)

The Spirit of Gratitude

The Employee Christmas Fund

By Gary and Judy Chapman (Rosemont), Campaign Co-Chairs

As we consider all our blessings in the past year, we are reminded of the dedicated service our Shell Point Employees provide to us. The Employee Christmas Gift Fund is our once-a-year opportunity to express our gratitude to employees in a tangible way.

The total of all donations received for the Employee Christmas Gift Fund was $559,717. All full-time staff (except for senior-level management and directors) received a gift of $700. Staff who worked part-time or who were hired within the last year received a prorated amount based

on the hours they worked during the year. In the beginning of December, resident volunteers gathered at The Village Church and The Woodlands to share sweet treats with employees, who expressed their genuine gratitude for this special holiday blessing.

As resident committee chairs, we would like to offer our sincere thanks to all residents who contributed to the Employee Christmas Gift Fund and volunteered at the cookie party. Together, we helped brighten employees’ Christmas season— just as they brighten our lives all year long.

Jim and Ginger Hill (Rosemont) with Veronica Villalta

Suzanne Cordier with Judy and Gary Chapman (Rosemont)

Judy Chapman (Rosemont), Jim Hill (Rosemont), Liz Schilling (Rosemont), Gary Chapman (Rosemont), Diane Higgins (Rosemont), Mike Coler (Estuary), Ginger Hill (Rosemont), Susan Gehris (Estuary), and Julie and Tim O’Neill (Enclave) Tracy Buck (Tellidora) and Karen Anderson

Susie Olson (Royal Bonnet), Tracy Buck (Tellidora), Cookie Swendsen (Periwinkle), Julius McDonald, Karen Fisher (Sand Dollar), Bill Fisher (Sand Dollar), Chris Clapp (Periwinkle), and Patricia Mowbray (Royal Bonnet)

Tamara Mercado and Johana Davis

Amanda Spencer and Liz Schilling (Rosemont)

Wilmine Matheus, Sidoles Valcourt, Rodrigue Javel, and Bettie Pata with Judy and Gary Chapman (Rosemont)

Wendell Leimbach (Junonia)

Cookie Swendsen (Periwinkle) and Chris Clapp (Periwinkle)

Lori Sparks, Chris Ferrell, Mazie Thurber, Marjorie Cartwright, Tim O’Neill (Enclave), Julie O’Neill (Enclave), and Diane Higgins (Rosemont)

Wayne Fricke (Lucina) and Lynn Kolowsky (Lucina)

Chris Ferrell with Mike Coler (Estuary) and Susan Gehris (Estuary)

A Carpenters Christmas

The Legacy Foundation hosted annual Legacy Society event

BY JEFF CORY, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, LEGACY FOUNDATION

The Legacy Foundation hosted its annual December event to express gratitude for the generous spirit of Legacy Society members and Vision 2020 campaign leaders and ambassadors. More than 200 residents enjoyed an evening concert in Connie Brown Hall featuring favorite holiday songs in the Carpenter’s unmistakable style. The Legacy Society at Shell Point includes resi-

dents who have remembered Shell Point in their estate plans or contributed lifetime gifts of $100,000 or more. Their generosity in supporting programming and improving facilities has helped Shell Point become a senior living industry leader. If you’d like to learn more about the Legacy Society and opportunities for giving to Shell Point, please contact me at (239) 466-8484 to schedule an appointment.

“

Your support and loyalty to what we do here is so meaningful and so appreciated.”

— Martin Schappell

Jay and Patt Bubb (Parkwood), Dick Brown (Parkwood), Mary Buck (Parkwood), and Pat Ostrom (Eagles Preserve)

Walt and Betty McCollum (Oakmont)

Martin Schappell, James and Barbara Whitton (Oakmont)

Terry and Karen Hall (Nautilus)

Phyllis and Bart Sharp (Lakewood)

Eldon Bohrofen (Lakewood) and Augusta Crane (Lakewood)

Tribby Christmas Spectacular

The Tribby Christmas Spectacular wowed residents with a festive afternoon that began with a delicious dessert reception. The centerpiece of the event was the breathtaking Christmas tree in the Tribby Atrium. Organized by the Crafters Guild, the tree was adorned with more than 250 handcrafted ornaments created by Tribby studio artists. Presiding over the tree lighting ceremony was Dick Brown (Parkwood), who reflected on the true meaning of the holiday and led the crowd in a rousing cheer of gratitude to Maggie Tribby. Afterward, the “Jingle Bell Jubilee” concert included everyone’s favorite holiday songs, from O Holy Night to Blue Christmas.

Betty Bullock (Springs) with Jim and Jane Isebrand (Parkwood)

Brian Gurl and fellow band members performing Jingle Bell Jubilee concert at the Tribby

Susan Gehris (Estuary), Deneele Walker (Junonia), and Dorothy Larsen (Junonia)

Rick Marton (Turban) and Laura Slack

Dick Brown (Parkwood)

Tribby Arts Center Christmas Tree

BY LYNN SCHNEIDER

Sandra was born in Windsor, Ontario, shortly before the end of World War II. Her father, Edward Lowery, was originally a coal miner from northern England who moved to Canada in his twenties and later married Elizabeth Vaughn. Shortly after Sandra’s birth, the small family moved to East Detroit before eventually settling in Mount Clemmons, Michigan, just outside of Detroit. Her father joined the United States Navy, which provided him and his family with American citizenship.

Sandra was an outgoing child and began performing at the age of three. She and her younger brother, Keith, would put on little shows in the summer for the neighbors. “My Dad would hang sheets up in the opening of the garage door, and we would sing and dance and act out plays I had made up,” said Sandra. “I can’t believe we even charged our neighbors to come watch us perform!”

In elementary school, she began acting in school and church plays, but at the age of seven, Sandra was stricken with polio. “I remember being carried around by my mother who would bundle me up once a day and put me out on the front porch,” she said. “My school friends would walk by and wave, but they would never come play with me because everyone thought I was contagious.” Fortunately, Sandra recovered and was not affected permanently.

In 1962, Sandra married her high school sweetheart, Joseph Broad. “After high school graduation, I started off in college with the idea of being a research biologist,” said Sandra. “But

that summer, my brother called and invited me to join an acting group in Detroit and after that I was hooked.”

The teacher who ran the acting school introduced Sandra to local talent agents, who immediately recognized her potential and hired her on the spot. Her first paying job was handing out brochures at a local plant. Next, she got started modeling in catalogues and ads in the newspaper for local department stores. “I remember once causing a bit of a sensation when I modeled lingerie in an ad that ran in the Sunday paper!”

Sandra was naturally gifted as an actress. Up until then, she had acted in several school and church productions, and she also had some community theater under her belt, but she quickly decided to make acting her vocation instead of just a hobby. Throughout her 20s, she appeared in several local stage productions and started getting calls from her agent for print modeling assignments and industrial training films. “I was often cast as the ‘bad salesgirl’ or the ditsy employee,” said Sandra. “I owed a lot to Goldie Hawn because I took my inspiration from the lovable, but kooky characters that she played on TV shows like Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-in.”

In 1964, Sandra was hired by channel WXYZ in Detroit to perform in a series of public service announcements. “It was my first time in a real TV studio, and I was so impressed,” she said. “Back then, the staff were very friendly and helpful. After all, television had not been around that long. It was a very exciting time in the industry, and we were all glad to be working in it.”

When you meet Sandra Broad (Nautilus), you immediately see a hint of her glamorous past as a print model and television and stage actress. This stylish lady has a beautiful smile and is quick to use it.

Role Play

SANDRA BROAD

Metropolitan Detroit was an amazing place to be for Sandra working as a model and actress in the 1960s. The city was a huge creative center, ranking fifth among the nation’s major markets for work in television commercials, industrial films, and voiceovers. In addition to other products and services, many ad agencies were focused on automotive accounts.

“The automobile industry was centered in Detroit, and people came from all over the world to see the car shows that featured the latest automotive makes and models each year,” she said. “I started working as a car narrator, mostly for Lincoln Mercury, at all the Detroit shows and then it expanded to the shows in New York and Dallas. I did them all, and the very first thing I learned was not to touch the cars!”

During that time, Sandra was selected to appear in the national 1964 Corvette Calendar for the month of October dressed as a very pretty witch.

In 1964, Sandra was selected to appear in the Chevrolet Corvette national calendar. Years later, she gifted an original photo print to her daughter.

Model Mom

Sandra and Joe had three daughters: Deborah, Donna and Jennifer. Sandra juggled being a busy mother with her growing career. “Sometimes I could take the kids on a shoot with me and other times my agent would watch them. The girls knew how to behave on a set.”

“I learned on the job,” she said. “After a while I quit modeling and expanded into acting. I performed in several local, regional, and even national television commercials. I had three agents, because living in Detroit made it easy for me to book jobs.” Sandra was a SAG/AFTRA member for more than 20 years and appeared in numerous ads and commercials for companies such as Kentucky Fried Chicken, General Motors, National Bank of Detroit, and Hudson’s Department Store, along with an Ace Hardware spot, several training films, and a Delta Dental commercial that generated residual checks for years. The highlight of Sandra’s commercial acting career came when she was selected for a shoot for Chevrolet’s Super Bowl commercial.

“That was definitely a thrill, but I enjoyed them all,” she said. “It didn’t matter how big or small the part was or what role I was playing. It was the creative atmosphere of an ensemble team effort that I enjoyed the most.”

It didn’t matter how big or small the part was or what role I was playing. It was the creative atmosphere of an ensemble team effort that I enjoyed the most.

”

Sharing Her Experience

Sandra soon recognized there was an opportunity to help others by opening a training center for actors just getting into the business.

“Colleges were preparing kids for theater, but there were a lot more employment opportunities out there in the television and film industry,” she said.

With this in mind, Sandra founded Performance Workshops, Inc. in 1986, in Berkley, Michigan, to train students for work in commercials, industrial films, voice-overs, and other work within the industry including non-union jobs and extras.

“I was surprised how quickly the school grew. I had students of all ages, and I worked with casting directors for both union and non-union jobs. I got my students onto sets and made sure they were prepared as professionals knowing what to do. I also became known for being able to deliver large groups of extras to shoots.

Another thing that Sandra was very proud of is the part she played in changing the way women were being portrayed in commercials on television. “Back in the 1960s and 1970s, men received about 90 percent of the parts in television commercials, and the parts women did receive were very stereotypical or even demeaning,” said Sandra. “We began a very subtle but effective letter-writing campaign to reach out to product manufacturers and very politely, but firmly, point out that while we liked their product, we would not be purchasing it anymore until they changed the way they advertised it. We felt it was important for our daughters to see a more positive and equal representation of women on television, and it worked.”

Sandra continued to act for about three years after founding her center. “I was in a movie with Donald Sutherland. I got to spend an entire day with him, and all we talked about was our kids,” she said. As much as she enjoyed acting, Sandra enjoyed teaching even more. “I was so proud of each of my students— I enjoyed their successes almost as much as they did.”

But, the industry was changing. “When I started in the business, Detroit was the fifth largest market in the nation for film footage and acting jobs and I was very active in the unions, but over time things evolved. In particular, there was a drastic change due to the Gulf War. It seemed like almost overnight; some of the big ad agencies consolidated their offices and moved them to their main headquarters in New York and Chicago.”

Sandra founded Performance Workshops, Inc. in 1986, in Berkley, Michigan, to train students for work in the industry.

Role Play

SANDRA BROAD

Her Third Act

Sandra and Joe had visited Southwest Florida for a small Great Lakes Steel conference, which was held at the Marriott hotel just a mile from Shell Point Retirement Community. There were some condominiums nearby as well. “We loved the area,” said Sandra. “After we returned to Detroit following the conference, Joe left a flyer on the bathroom mirror that said, ‘Sandra’s Condo’ and I jokingly added ‘Joe’s Payment.’”

“I thoroughly enjoyed teaching,” said Sandra. “I did it for 12 years until my husband got seriously ill, then I walked away from it and never looked back.” Sandra’s husband, Joe, had a heart attack in 1996 at the age of 52. “He continued working in his executive position at Indiana Bridge Company; and although he never fully recovered from the attack, he never lost his sense of humor,” she said.

More than a decade later, Joe was diagnosed with cancer and died 10 days later. “It was the shock of a lifetime,” said Sandra. “Joe was only 66 years old and the day of his funeral was our 48th wedding anniversary. I was completely devastated without him.”

Back in the Spotlight

Following Joe’s unexpected passing, Sandra moved permanently to Southwest Florida and lived in the condo for several years. “I would just look off

my back balcony every day and there was Shell Point. I finally decided to move to Shell Point in 2019.”

Sandra has been living in her home in Nautilus Court on The Island at Shell Point going on four years now. “I enjoy everything about it,” she said. “Right away, I joined the play readers group and took some Academy classes. Plus, my court holds a social every month and I’ve made a group of friends that I get together with for lunch.”

“I have been a bookworm since I was four years old,” she said. “I typically use the Nook app on my iPad and all my family knows when they want to give me a present, they give me a gift card for Barnes and Noble. Shell Point has a wonderful library, so I also use that now and then.”

Sandra also enjoys spending time with her five grandchildren: Anthony Joseph (AJ), Samantha, Elizabeth, Laura and Melanie, as well as her three great grandchildren: Eli, Fiona and Ezra.

Recently, Sandra was delighted to find that her life has come back full-circle when she performed in the Shell Point Players’ production of “It’s a Wonderful Life” in the Connie Brown Hall at the Tribby Arts Center in December. “The script was just wonderful,” said Sandra. “It was based on the original radio play and several of us played multiple characters, which was a lot of fun.”

Seeing Sandra rekindle her love of acting as she “trod the boards” of a brand new theater surrounded by brand new friends has been a testament of a wonderful life indeed.

Sandra recently performed in the Shell Point Players’ production of “It’s a Wonderful Life” in the Connie Brown Hall at Tribby Arts Center. “The script was just wonderful,” said Sandra. “It was based on the original radio play and several of us played multiple characters, which was a lot of fun.”

Sandra and her husband Joe with their daughters Jennifer, Debi, Donna, and their son-in-law Tony.

Top Left: Craig Baker (Harbor Court), Harry Nesteruk (Estuary), Maggie Nesteruk (Estuary), Mary Puddington (Lakewood), David Saunders (Royal Bonnet), Mike Wise (Royal Bonnet), Carol Wise (Royal Bonnet), Barbara Bill (Cellana), Helen Donegan (Oakmont), Emily Foehl (Parkwood), Cheryl Baker (Harbor Court), Claire De Joseph (Cameo), Mitzi Chrisp (Eagles Preserve), Beverly Hartig (Estuary), Michael Chrisp (Eagles Preserve), Charlie McDonald (Royal Bonnet), Judy Montclare (Cellana), Gary Chapman (Rosemont),

Walk This Way

Walking Club Takes on FGCU

BY JIM PLUMMER (PARKWOOD)

Thirty-one members of the Shell Point Walking Club traveled to Florida Gulf Coast University on a November Saturday for a wonderful visit to this modern, environmentally conscious college campus. It was especially good to get back to our old normality (pre-hurricane) and walk with our friends as a group again. Along the trail, anecdotes were told about firsthand experiences during Hurricane Ian, and how thankful we are to be part of the caring, attentive Shell Point community.

It was a beautiful day for a three-mile walk in the November sunshine. Weather was pleasantly warm in the upper 70°s all

morning—albeit with high humidity— and we covered much of the developed portions of the 700-acre campus. FGCU is celebrating their 25th anniversary this year, so everything here was built within the past 25 years. Notably, fifty percent of the land area on campus is set aside for preservation and sustainability; nature is a big part of the experience at FGCU.

A highlight of the day included walking past the brand new four-story FGCU Water School building. This is an impressive facility dedicated to water and environmental research and focused on the health of Florida’s freshwater and saltwater systems. When fully staffed, there will be both undergraduate and graduate school educational and research programs, as well as a large aquarium.

As we continued walking on our route, we were impressed with the recreational facilities in the North Village part of campus, with dormitories adjacent to a waterfront beach, a huge aquatic center, and sports complexes, including tennis courts, Swanson Field for intercollegiate baseball, and Alico Arena for intercollegiate basket -

ball. No wonder FGCU’s 16,000 students are so happy here! Oh yes—we also walked past rows of academic buildings—we can't forget that aspect of college life!

This was a great start to the season. We look forward to a new year as we continue our travels throughout Southwest Florida admiring interesting and scenic sites, while walking.

To learn more about the Walking Club, contact Jim at plum2299@gmail.com.

Sandy Montclare (Cellana)

Bottom Left: Andy Caruso (Sand Dollar), Jean Chandler (Harbor Court), Bill Doty (Estuary), Linda Doty (Estuary), Chris Clapp (Periwinkle), Wayne Sherman (Tellidora), Marcia Kline (Periwinkle), David Overman (Turban), Sue DeCosmo (Turban), Susan Caruso (Sand Dollar)

Getting to Know Seth Mendell, Academy Lecturer

The Academy of Lifelong Learning welcomed resident Seth Mendell, (Tellidora) nine years ago, and countless residents have enjoyed his many lectures on a variety of topics. Recently, Seth has been reviewing the history of Russia in a series of Academy lectures that commenced in October and will continue into January. While spending time with one of our favorite resident professors, I interviewed him to learn more about his path to The Academy.

Seth was born and spent the summers of his boyhood in Mattapoisett, Massachusetts. His father was a professor at Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida, so Seth attended good public schools in a college town as he grew up. He was primed to attend Dartmouth College like his father before him, but his application was rejected despite Seth’s stellar grades and numerous extracurricular activities. Dartmouth accepted no applicants from

Florida high schools unless they first took a post graduate year in a New England prep school. So, in the fall of 1951, Seth attended Avon Old Farms School in Connecticut. Little did he know that the course of his life was set. From Avon, he attended Colorado College in Colorado for two years before transferring to Rollins College, where he graduated with a degree in philosophy and a scholarship at the University of California for post-graduate work. He had received a four-year deferment from the draft at the time of the Korean War while he was in college. However, in the fall of 1956, the long arm of Uncle Sam tapped Seth on the shoulder. So, Seth left Berkley to serve his country as a soldier during the Cold War, stationed in Germany in the medieval town of Schwabisch-Gmund. Seth spent time in the base library reading books about history, which had always been one of his best subjects. Now, between

Upcoming Attractions

GOLD RUSH WITH DR. JERRY FRANZ

Tuesday, January 3 at 10 a.m. Connie

Brown Hall at the Tribby Arts Center ($10)

On a remote sawmill in the remote territory of California, James Marshall was surprised to find gold nuggets in the sand. The story of the gold spread quickly through the small towns of Sacramento and San Francisco. These towns would not be humble for long, as a regional gold rush turned national and international. Between 1848 and 1853, a most unusual civilization and culture sprang up in the region. Join Dr. Franz as he shares this ‘boom or bust’ story.

BY AMANDA SPENCER, ACADEMY COORDINATOR

field maneuvers, this interest was rekindled. In the spring of 1959, he wrote the headmaster of Avon Old Farms School from Germany explaining he would be discharged from the army and would like to apply for a job teaching history in the fall. Luck was on his side. In September, Seth arrived on the Avon campus for the second time not as a student, but as a teacher—a position he would hold for thirty-one years.

His three decades at the school divided nicely into three periods: teaching and coaching; serving as Director of Alumni Affairs; and finally, serving as the Director of Alumni and Development. Even though he became an administrator, he always managed to return to his passion: teaching a course or two to seniors. He called it the “magic of the classroom,” describing it as a magical moment when you are suddenly aware everyone is looking at you and hanging on every word.

BAILEY-MATTHEWS NATIONAL SHELL MUSEUM LECTURE SERIES - BEAUTIFUL, INGENIOUS, AND SURPRISING: LIVING MOLLUSKS

Wednesday, January 4 at 1 p.m. Grand Cypress Room in The Woodlands ($10)

Learn about the extraordinarily large and diverse group of animals called mollusks, some of which grow the seashells we know and love. This presentation will introduce some of the most beautiful mollusks from around the world. Using a variety of high-definition photographs and videos, we enter their world. Join Rebecca Mensch, MS, Senior Marine Biologist to learn more about the amazing world of live mollusks.

These moments do not happen often, but when they do—it gives an adrenalin rush when you know you are really connecting with your students or audience. At the same time during his early years of teaching, he managed to earn a master’s degree at Trinity College in Hartford, raise two daughters with his wife Alice, and build a 37’ sailboat during summers on the campus, which took seven years.

Seth and Alice left Avon Old Farms in 1990 and returned to Mattapoisett, where Seth spent 23 years involved with philanthropic work. He continued his teaching and lecturing at the New Bedford Whaling Museum where he enjoys emeritus status. He was a member of a team that raised $5.5 million for the expansion and renovation of the Mattapoisett Public Library, and he also served on the building committee. He spent 20 years as President of the Board of the Mattapoisett Historical Society and saw to the imple -

mentation of their annual fund, newslet ter, and acquisitions of artifacts for the collection. He feels his crowning achieve ment was a large 6’ by 16’ mural saved from a house on the Mattapoisett water front painted by Clifford Ashley in 1919: A Chart of the Whale Coast of New England c1810. Today, it hangs in the Mattapoisett Museum.

Academy

Watch for Seth’s final Academy lectures on Russia in January in the Grand Cypress Room on Thursdays at 10 a.m., and an upcom ing series of five lectures on WWI in the fall.

AT SHELL POINT

Academy Lifelong Learning of

AT SHELL POINT

GREAT SHELLS OF FLORIDA

Wednesday, January 18 at 1 p.m. Grand Cypress Room in The Woodlands ($10)

Academy

Lifelong Learning of

AT SHELL POINT

Dr. Jose’ H. Leal, Ph.D., Science Director and Curator, BaileyMatthews Shell Museum, shares the range of specimens, diverse ecosystems and incredible animals that comprise the world of shells in our South Florida region. Shells are made from living animals, and with over 80,000 known species of mollusks, this group of animals is the second most numerous on earth. Florida and the Gulf Coast region are home to some of the most famous and unusual. Using vivid photography and dozens of examples of specimens available for first-hand examination, Dr. Leal showcases the great shells of Florida.

ACADEMY o f LIFELONG LEARNING

Lifelong Learning of AT SHELL POINT

ROBERT MACOMBER LECTURE SERIES

RUSSIA’S INTRIGUING ROLE IN AMERICA’S CIVIL WAR

January 18 at 10 a.m. Social Center on The Island ($10)

RUSSIA’S REMARKABLE WAR VOYAGE AROUND THE WORLD IN 1904/1905

January 25 at 10 a.m. Social Center on The Island ($10)

THEODORE ROOSEVELT AND RUSSIA’S ANTI-JEWISH POGROMS

February 9 at 10 a.m. Grand Cypress Room in the Woodlands ($10)

Reopens for Season

After many, many hours of hard work and dedication from the Golf Maintenance and Golf Operations teams, we were able to return all 18 holes of our Championship golf course to the residents and members of Shell Point Golf Club. The golf course was ready for play by mid-November, a mere 45 days after Hurricane Ian ravaged Southwest Florida. On December 1, we welcomed the public back to join us on the course.

While the course wasn’t yet perfect and some adjustments still needed to be made, we knew it was important we reopen as

quickly as possible. We recognized that many people needed the opportunity to get back outdoors and return to their normal routine—or perhaps even just be able to have a brief reprieve from post-storm reality.

One key factor that made our swift reopening possible was our renovation to the grass a few years ago. The Platinum Paspalum we selected is specially designed to withstand salt—and after this flooding event, the benefits of this particular type of grass are clear. The Golf Maintenance team worked quickly to treat the grass so the flood waters wouldn’t have any

BY PAUL FITZPATRICK, DIRECTOR OF GOLF

effect on the turf. The overall cleanup effort was massive too, requiring our team to remove a car from the course, find a way around a lost bridge, install approximately 15 pallets of sod throughout the course, and fill in the bunkers with about eight to ten loads of sand.

We are excited that the Shell Point Golf Club has reopened, and with the return of leagues and other club events, we are ready for another wonderful season. We hope to see you on the course soon!

residual

Marjorie Griffin (Parkwood), Sharon Baum (Estuary), Robin Cohan (Estuary), Lynn Kolowsky (Lucina)

Kathe Marshal (Royal Bonnet), Roberta Rohl, Emily Hawley (Lakewood), Jeanne Mallon (Cellana)

John Ebbrecht (Eagles Preserve), Carlton Seeland (Eagles Preserve), George Pacharis Jr. (Eagles Preserve), Stu Baum (Estuary)

“It’s great to be back out on the course with my friends!”

Art Show & Sale

The 2023 Shell Point 2D Art Show and Sale will be presented on Friday, February 24 and Saturday, February 25 in the Grand Cypress Room in The Woodlands. The exhibit and sale will feature original works by painters and photographers from throughout Shell Point! Show off your creativity by bringing your paintings, drawings, collages, photographs, and similar two-dimensional works. Taking recent events into consideration, the age restriction has been extended to art created over the past five years—so bring your best work.

This show is not juried for entry, but it will be judged for awards for winning paintings and photographs. All art displayed must be for sale. Display space for each artist shall be approximately eight linear feet of gallery slat wall. There will also be a “Card Boutique” in conjunction with the show for entrants to sell their cards. Payments will be made through the Serendipity, the Shop at Tribby Arts Center.

Entry forms and a prospectus will be available by Thursday, January 5 at the Concierge Desks and the Tribby Box Office. The forms will also be available online at www.shellpoint.net/arts. The deadline for entry is Friday, January 20. The number of display spaces in the Shell Point Gallery is limited, so don’t delay.

The first 21 artists will be accepted (a space can be shared by two artists), with a wait list created for the rest. The show will be publicized throughout the Fort Myers area. Don’t miss the chance to show the community how talented Shell Point residents are! A 30% commission on sales will benefit the Tribby Arts Center.

BY JASON SMITH, SENIOR DIRECTOR OF AMENITIES

the very best in healthcare, wellness, and programming for the more than 2,500 residents who call our community home. We are continually assessing the services we offer—but to keep improving, we need your feedback!

We have once again partnered with

research firm, for a confidential, anonymous online survey of Shell Point’s independent living residents. Residents will have access to the survey on our website at shellpoint.net/survey for a two-week period starting Monday, January 30 and concluding Monday, February 13.

Resident volunteers will be on hand in the Computer Centers on The Island and in Woodlands Commons to assist those who need help. Be sure to check your mailbox in mid-January for a letter with additional survey details. Thank you in advance for your participation in this important effort!

"Sea Spray" by Carolyn Bachman (Parkwood)

"Caloosahatchee Crabbers" by Don Adams (Junonia)

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1—4 p.m. Tribby Open House

February 15

Learn about the fantastic opportunities in the arts at our annual Tribby Open House event. You’ll be amazed at everything happening at the Tribby Arts Center and how you can participate! This afternoon, the box office, studios, galleries and shop will be open, and the arts groups visual arts, performing arts, literary arts will explain their activities and how to join in. Look for hands-on activities and a few new surprises, too! It should be fun and festive for all, so do not miss it!

For centuries, art and creative writing have served as solace and catharsis for those impacted by life-changing events. This exhibition not only provides a creative outlet for resident artists and writers to express their experience or thoughts of Hurricane Ian, but it also allows artists and writers to ignore this theme if they prefer.

Allowed mediums include painting, drawing, photography

(printed and digital), ceramics, glass, textiles, wood, metal, and mixed media; jewelry and wearable art not allowed. All artworks must have been created since September 26, 2022.

Artists may submit two works. At least one submission of every artist will be displayed; both will be displayed if space allows. Writers may submit one work of 250 words or less; all written submissions will be displayed.

In the Galleries

FANCIFUL Art That Makes You Smile

Blue Giraffe by Maxine Brooks (Springs)

Opening early 2023. Check SPTV and News at the Point for updates.

Shell Point Gallery

In a perfect exhibition for the times, Shell Point resident artists display whimsical artworks that will bring smiles to faces. Maxine Brooks is exhibiting a paper menagerie; Nancy Dimick presents pictures on cardboard boxes; Barbara Heatherly encores a high-flying textile; Helen Ketteman presents fanciful collages; and Carol Mann shows imaginative textiles. In addition, wellknown guest artist Katie Gardenia—formerly of Sanibel Island and now in San Antonio, Texas—is displaying a charming work that will touch your heart.

LET THERE BE LIGHT Artworks by the Painters Guild

Continuing Through Saturday, February 18

The Overlook Gallery

In the artworks on display in this exhibition, members of the Painters Guild demonstrate the transformative quality of light as the symbol of life and hope. All works have been completed within the last three years, and none have previously been on display in Tribby Arts Center.

The Tribby Legacy Gallery

Members of the Shell Point Quilting Studio are extending the holidays with this array of wall hangings, table toppers, stockings, and other textile items that celebrate the season.

A RHINO & KOI FISH

The Collaborative Works of Suzanne Bennett (Turban) and Tanya Hochschild (Parkwood)

Friday, January 20 Saturday, February 18 The Collaborations Gallery

Painting inspires poetry and poetry inspires painting in this year-long exhibition series resulting from a creative collaboration, EKPHRASIS, between the Painters and Writers Guilds. A special program at 2 p.m. on Friday, January 20 in Connie Brown Hall is taking place in conjunction with the opening of this engaging exhibition series.

The Galleries are open Tuesday— Saturday • 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Seren dipity

the shop at TribbyArtsCenter

Reopening early 2023! Check SPTV and News at the Point for details.

The popular gift shop located inside the Shell Point Gallery of Tribby Arts Center is reopening! You’ll find a wonderful variety of gifts made by both Shell Point and guest artists, including paintings, photography, wooden items, fused glass, pottery, jewelry, shawls and scarves, unique cards, and more!

Proceeds benefit the artists and help support the Tribby.

Open Tuesday—Saturday • 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Joy to the World by Pat Meredith (Sundial)

In the Studios

WRITERS GUILD

Tell Your Story: The Art and Craft of Telling Personal Stories

Mini-Workshop with Dr. Joel Ying

Tuesday, January 17 • 10:30 a.m. to Noon

Connie Brown Hall

Join in this interactive workshop with physician, educator and storyteller Dr. Joel Ying to learn what makes a good story, how to find story ideas, and how to tell personal stories effectively. A Florida Gulf Coast University educator, Dr. Ying reveals the unique power of story for health and healing. He helps create a community of storytelling where participants celebrate the joy of storytelling and revel in its transforming power. Dr. Ying practices holistic medicine in Naples, teaches Storytelling as Healing at FGCU, and loves a good story. As president of the Florida Storytelling Association, he helps to produce the Storytelling Festival in Mt. Dora every January and the FGCU Storytelling series. With a passion for the art and craft of oral storytelling, you can find him on stage, in the audience, or online promoting the power of stories.

COLLABORATIONS

Ekphrasis: Poetry Inspiring Art; Art Inspiring Poetry

Friday, January 20 • 2 p.m.

Connie Brown Hall

During the summer months, members of the Painters Guild and the Writers Guild collaborated and experienced art that inspired poetry and poetry that inspired artwork. Each painter provided a work of

visual art to a poet, who then composed a poem to accompany it. And each poet provided a poem to a painter, who created a visual work of art to accompany it. The paintings and the poems will be displayed and read on Friday, January 20 at 2 p.m. in the Connie Brown Hall. The painter-poet collaboration will continue to be honored during an exhibit of paintings and poems in the Collaborations Gallery of the Tribby.

PAINTERS GUILD

Monday, January 9 • 2 p.m. Painting Studio

of stained glass artwork approximately 12"x 12" in size. Cost is $20 to cover studio materials and glass; all tools needed are available in the glass studio. The class will be limited to ten (four more needed) students, on a first-come, first-served basis. Please contact Bill Hotchkiss by mail at Parkwood 9306 or email stbtwillie@aol.com.

Resident Performing Arts

JAZZ ‘N STUFF

Wednesdays • 2:30 p.m.

Connie Brown Hall

The January Painters Guild Meeting will feature writer, painter and fabric artist Helen Ketteman (Eagles Preserve) sharing her process in creating art. Debby Topliff (Turban) will give a Contemporary Artist Talk on Saul Steinberg of The New Yorker fame who describes himself as “a writer who draws.” Open to all residents.

GLASS STUDIO

Beginners Stained Glass Classes

Saturdays, January 7, 14, 21, 28 and February 3 • 1— 4 p.m.

Glass Studio

Participants will learn the craft, from pattern selection to glass cutting and grinding, foiling and soldering using 8-10 pieces of glass to create a finished piece

Shell Point’s resident Big Band offers free concerts that are sure to put a spring in your step and a song in your heart.

January 4: Explain These to Your Grandkids

January 18: Classy, Brassy, Sassy

February 8: Our Time Together Between Naps

February 15: Something’s Missing

Helen Ketteman (Eagles Preserve) Debby Topliff (Turban)

The Fine & Performing Arts Series

Thursday, January 5, 2023 at 7 p.m.

Tickets: $45 Resident | $55 Public

Connie Brown Hall

The John Pizzarelli trio with John as guitarist and vocalist, Mike Karn on double bass and Konrad Paszkudzki on plays the best songs of the last 50 years from timeless artists such as James Taylor, Stevie Wonder, Queen, and Bruce Springsteen, delivered in a singular style that entertains and informs.

Pizzarelli has cultivated a winning career by singing classic standards and late-night ballads and by playing sublime and inventive guitar. Using greats like Nat King

Cole and Frank Sinatra and the songs of writers like Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van Heusen as touchstones, Pizzarelli is among the prime revivalists of the Great American Songbook, bringing to his work the cool jazz flavor of his brilliant guitar playing.

Pizzarelli has been playing guitar since age six. Following in the tradition of his father, guitar legend Bucky Pizzarelli, he was exposed to all the great jazz music of the era, from Erroll Garner and Les Paul to Django Reinhardt. At age 20, he began playing with his father, then went out on his own. Since 1992, the Pizzarelli Trio has toured extensively. In 1993, they received the honor of opening tour dates for Frank Sinatra and joined in the celebration for Sinatra’s 80th birthday at Carnegie Hall.

THE KINGSTON TRIO

Tuesday, January 10, 2023 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Tickets: $45 Resident | $55 Public

Connie Brown Hall

Two Shows!

The Kingston Trio is an American folk and pop music group that helped launch the folk revival of the late 1950s to late 1960s. The group started as a San Francisco Bay Area nightclub act.

Sponsored by Philip and Roberta Puschel

JOHN PIZZARELLI TRIO

SPONSORED BY FINEMARK NATIONAL BANK & TRUST

Sponsored by Guys Who Give

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MERZ TRIO

Monday, January 23, 2023 at 7 p.m.

Tickets:

$40

Resident | $50 Public Connie Brown Hall

The Merz Trio’s narrative programming style juxtaposes classical standards, new music, and their own arrangements of familiar and forgotten works, fluidly interwoven and guided by conversation from the trio’s members.

Hailing from opposite corners of the globe, the trio met in the middle of a 2016 snowstorm in New York City. Since then, they have spent their time together rehearsing, performing and traveling around the world, earning recognition as winners of the Naumburg Chamber Music, Concert Artists Guild, Fischoff and Chesapeake Competitions. Whether in concert or competition, large or small, Merz Trio is thrilled by experiences and the energetic communities that have emerged from them. Their name, Merz, speaks to this: It is a term coined by German artist and polymath Kurt Schwitters, who insisted that art only occurred in shared spaces. Merz revels in connections and possibilities.

HOTEL CALIFORNIA: THE ORIGINAL EAGLES TRIBUTE

Wednesday, February 1, and Thursday, February 2, 2023 at 7 p.m.

Tickets: $45 Resident | $55 Public Connie Brown Hall

For over three decades, Hotel California: The Original Eagles Tribute Band has been recreating the legendary sound of The Eagles and thrilling audiences all over the world. When The Eagles stopped to catch their breath a few decades ago, Hotel California began a pioneering journey through their history-making music that has

Sponsored by The Rockin’ Sisters

taken them around the globe and thrilled hundreds of thousands of Eagles fans. It’s been a journey they could never have imagined back in 1986, but their dedication, unique musical gifts, and an obsessive commitment to doing this legendary music true justice in performance, set them apart from the many Eagles bands that came after them. Hotel California has toured from the 80s straight through to today, setting the standard for worldclass tribute productions as they went.

THE KING’S SINGERS

Thursday, February 9, 2023 at 7 p.m.

Tickets: $40 Resident | $50 Public

Connie Brown Hall

The King’s Singers, a British a cappella vocal ensemble, are named after King’s College in Cambridge, England, where six choral scholars founded the group in 1968. Representing the gold standard in a cappella singing on the world’s greatest stages for over 50 years, The King’s Singers are renowned for their unrivalled technique and versatility as they switch effortlessly between musical styles. They are known for their consummate musicianship, drawing on the group’s rich heritage and pioneering spirit to create an extraordinary wealth of original works and unique collaborations. Their repertoire swings between Bach and the Beatles, and Billy Joel and Bach. Known and loved around the world, they appear regularly in major cities, festivals and venues across Europe, North America, Asia and Australia. Their commitment to creating a new repertoire has

always been central to the group, with over 200 commissioned works by many leading composers of the 20th and 21st centuries. A key to the group’s success has been their ability to evolve and innovate over many years and through 28 individual members while always retaining their special sound and musical integrity.

Sponsored by Dick Boehning and Penny Wilkinson

Sponsored by Deborah La Gorce

Monday, February 13, 2023 at 7 p.m.

Tickets: $45 Resident | $55 Public Connie Brown Hall

Sponsored by Bruce and Janet Bunch

ove Letters,” an award-winning play by A.R. Gurney, begins when Andrew Makepeace Ladd III accepts an invitation to Melissa Gardner’s birthday party. Melissa’s thank you note launches a romantic friendship and correspondence destined to last for almost half a century. The friends communicate with each other through boarding school experiences, European adventures, failed marriages, and career moves. Over the course of their lives, Andy and Melissa’s relationship goes through many changes, as they remain each other’s most trusted confidante.

“L

While spanning five decades and numerous locations, “Love Letters” is staged simply, with two actors behind desks letting their words describe a world of emotion. Florida Repertory Theatre Artistic Director, Greg Longenhagen and his wife, longtime local theatre professional, Liz Abbott, star in this tender and unforgettable love story.

HERMITAGE PIANO TRIO

Thursday, February 23, 2023 at 7 p.m.

Tickets: $40 Resident | $50 Public

Now entering their second decade, the U.S.-based Hermitage Piano Trio has solidified its place as one of the world’s leading piano trios, garnering multiple Grammy® Award nominations and receiving both audience and press accolades for their performances. The trio is a champion of an immense repertoire ranging from the works of the great European tradition, to more contemporary American pieces. Hallmarks of the Hermitage Piano Trio are their impeccable musicianship, sumptuous sound, and polished skill.

A rarity in the chamber music world, this elite trio brings together three accomplished soloists in their own right. Violinist Misha Keylin has performed in 45 countries spanning five continents. He has captured special attention with his world-premiere CD series of Henri Vieuxtemps’ seven violin concertos and showpieces. Hailed as “a brilliant cellist” by the legendary Mstislav Rostropovich, Sergey Antonov went on to prove his mentor’s proclamation when he became one of the youngest cellists ever awarded the gold medal at the world’s premier musical contest,

Sponsored by Guys Who Give

the quadrennial International Tchaikovsky Competition. Pianist Ilya Kazantsev, praised by The Washington Post as “virtually flawless,” has performed as a recitalist and a soloist with orchestras in Russia, Canada, Europe, and the United States. His many awards and honors include first prize at the Nikolai Rubinstein International Competition as well as top prizes at the International Chopin Competition and the World Piano Competition.

MICHAEL CLEVELAND AND FLAMEKEEPER

Thursday, March 2, 2023 at 7 p.m.

Tickets: $45 Resident | $55 Public

Connie Brown Hall

The world tends to look at accomplishments in the form of accolades, and Michael Cleveland has plenty to his credit including a 2019 Grammy® Award. After picking up the fiddle at age four, Michael’s musical momentum began to propel him forward toward early success. “When I started taking lessons,” he remembers, “I told the teacher right up front that I wanted

Sponsored by Barb and Tom Dunham

to learn how to play bluegrass and I wanted to play ‘Orange Blossom Special.’” Soon after, he brought his virtuosic style to the Grand Ole Opry as a guest of Alison Kraus, and was handpicked for the International Bluegrass Music Association’s (IBMA) Bluegrass Youth Allstars before he was 14 years old.

Connie Brown Hall

Greg Longenhagen and Liz Abbott

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MOVIES ON THE BIG SCREEN

SUNDAY CINEMA MATINEES

3 P.M. in Connie Brown Hall • Also on SPTV Channel 12

DR. NO (1962)

Sunday, January 15

This is the very first James Bond film based on the Ian Fleming spy novels. Agent 007 (Sean Connery) travels to Jamaica to investigate the death of a M16 Station Chief. This was part of the evil Dr. No’s plot to disrupt rocket launches from Cape Canaveral. Bond survives assassination attempts and teams up with a shell diver, Honey Ryder, played by Ursula Andress. Subsequently to Dr. No, 27 Bond movies starring seven different actors were made—and a new one is filming now.

TRUE GRIT (1969)

Sunday, January 29

When anyone mentions a western movie, only one name comes to mind: John Wayne! Star of over 150 films in a 50-year career, the Duke personified the taciturn hero. He costarred with every popular Hollywood beauty but in this, one of his last films, his female co-star is 14-year-old Kim Darby. The plot is simple…a child seeks to find her father’s murderer with the help of a drunken old U.S. Marshal and a Texas Ranger. A Best Actor Oscar went to John Wayne, and a nomination to Glen Campbell for the title song.

MOULIN ROUGE (2001)

Sunday, February 26

The Shell Point Film Society invites you to spend an entertaining afternoon in Paris at the famous Moulin Rouge music hall. Nicole Kidman stars as Satine, the star of the revue, and Ewan McGregor as the writer who loves her. Baz Luhrmann‘s version, to quote Roger Ebert, “has the melodrama of a 19th century opera, the Technicolor brashness of a 50’s Hollywood musical, and the frenzy of a music video.” Come enjoy it on the Tribby big screen. French pastries and something “bubbly” will be served at this special event.

MONDAY NIGHT MUSICALS

7 P.M. in Connie Brown Hall • Also on SPTV Channel 12

VIVA LAS VEGAS (1964)

Monday, January 9

A collection of musical movies would not be complete without recognizing Elvis Presley, the “King of Rock and Roll,” who starred in over 30 films. The highest grossing Viva Las Vegas is one of his best. It has several other things going for it: Technicolor, a real plot, great music, and best of all, co-star Ann-Margret. Elvis plays a race car driver (who can sing) and Ann-Margret is a swimming instructor (who can dance). I am sure we will all be singing along to the strip’s theme song “Viva Las Vegas.”

EVITA (1996)

Monday, February 6

Madonna stars in the film version of the Andrew Lloyd Webber Broadway musical. The story follows the life of an impoverished teenager who becomes the wife of the Argentinian President Juan Peron. Antonio Banderas plays Che’, a reporter, and Jonathan Pryce is Peron. It’s a visually stunning film to accompany the haunting music by Webber and Tom Rice. We and all Argentina do cry for the beautiful lady in the beaded white gown.

THE UMBRELLAS OF CHERBOURG (1964)

Monday, February 20

We are proud to present the classic Michel Legrand musical on the Tribby screen; a unique film that has influenced newer movies such as LaLa Land. Catherine Deneuve (only 20 at the time) stars as a shop girl whose boyfriend is drafted into the army. Their love story is told in song through beautiful melodies we are all familiar with. In French with English subtitles. A truly beautiful film that received several Academy Award nominations.

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.

GERGELY MADARAS CONDUCTS LIEGE ROYAL PHILHARMONIC WITH YEOL EUM SON: GERSHWIN IN RHYTHM

Monday, January 2

The Salle Philharmonique in Liège, Belgium, welcomes you live for a memorable New Year’s concert! In this enchanted evening behind closed doors, the prestigious venue will resound with the electric rhythms of the great George Gershwin. Meet the breathtaking Yeol Eum Son on piano, who will perform two of the American composer’s jazzy masterpieces: I Got Rhythm and Rhapsody in Blue. The spirited Gergely Madaras brilliantly leads the Liège Royal Philharmonic in an energetic program that ends in style with Catfish Row, symphonic suite from the opera Porgy and Bess!

MUSICIANS FROM ISRAEL PHILHARMONIC PLAY MOZART, SCHULHOFF, BEETHOVEN

Monday, January 16

“I myself consider it to be the best thing I have written in my life,” wrote Mozart to his father in 1784—in reference not to a symphony, opera, or concerto, but to the Quintet for Piano and Winds in E-flat Major. Later, a 26-year-old Beethoven was inspired by the work to compose his own quintet for the same instruments and in the same key. These two works, which complement each other beautifully, have a decidedly theatrical aspect that is not lost for a moment on the musicians of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, who turn them into showcases for their playful virtuosity.

At the heart of the program, Mozart and Beethoven make way for Erwin Schulhoff, noted Czech composer and pianist encouraged in his pursuits from a young age by Antonín Dvořák himself, and later one of the earliest composers to take a serious interest in jazz as a form of art. His Divertissement perfectly fills the role of interlude, adding a cheeky dadaist touch to this quintessentially Classical evening.

SIR JOHN ELIOT GARDINER CONDUCTS DVOŘÁK AND MOZART WITH ROYAL STOCKHOLM PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA

Monday, January 30

Gardiner made his debut as a conductor at the age of 15 and at 21, he founded the Monteverdi Choir on the occasion of a performance of the Vespers of the Blessed Virgin by Monteverdi in the Chapel at King’s College at Cambridge University. Today, Sir John Eliot Gardiner is one of the most emblematic conductors of our time and his ensemble has gained international recognition.

On December 8, 2008, he was in Stockholm and during the Nobel Prize Concert he conducted the Monteverdi Choir, accompanied by Eric Ericson’s Chamber Choir and the Royal Philharmonic of Sweden, in a program dedicated to Dvořák's Symphony No. 7 and Mozart’s Mass in C Minor.

JUAN DIEGO FLOREZ IN RECITAL DMITRI HVOROSTOVSKY FESTIVAL

Monday, February 13

As part of the Dmitri Hvorostovsky Festival, the remarkable Juan Diego Flórez presents a recital in honor of the legendary Russian baritone. Performing alongside pianist Vincenzo Scalera (and accompanying himself on the guitar!), he offers us beloved arias from masterworks by Rossini, Donizetti, Verdi, Puccini, Bizet and Massenet, as well as a selection of moving Latin-American songs from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

SCHUBERT SYMPHONY NO. 9, RESURRECTION

Monday, February 27

For 20 years, the Berliner Philharmoniker have marked their founding in 1882 with an annual concert at a venue of cultural importance in a different European city. In 2009, the Europakonzert took place at the beautiful Teatro di San Carlo, Napoli, a milestone among the opera houses – and Riccardo Muti’s hometown.

The charismatic conductor, together with Violeta Urmana, one of the leading sopranos in the Italian dramatic genre, and the Berliner Philharmoniker present the overture of Verdi’s magnificent opera La Forza del Destino and La canzone dei ricordi by Giuseppe Martucci. Schubert’s Great Symphony completes this fantastic concert at the formidable Teatro di San Carlo.

JANUARY

BINGO

TUESDAY, JANUARY 3 1 P.M.

THE BLEND/WOODLANDS

Join the Resident Programming team as we play several games of BINGO! Whether you’ve never played, or you are a seasoned player, this free event is a great opportunity to have fun and meet new people. All supplies are provided, and no experience is necessary. No sign-up required.

THURSDAYS, JANUARY 5, 12, 19, 26 8:30 – 11:30 A.M. ISLAND COURTYARD

Shop each week on Thursday morning for fresh produce from Veggie Vendors, right here in the Island Courtyard! With a wide variety of fruits and vegetables—from cucumbers and pineapples to ginger and cilantro—you’ll be sure to find your healthy seasonal favorites. Cash and credit cards accepted.

FOOD TRUCK FRIDAYS

FRIDAYS, JANUARY 6, 13, 20, 27

11 A.M. – 1:30 P.M.

CHURCH PARKING LOT

Explore different lunch options each week!

• Jan. 6 – Cajun Gringos

• Jan. 13 – Monjaras Mexican Kitchen

• Jan. 20 – Munchies BBQ Sandwiches

• Jan. 27 – Gina’s Authentic Mexican Food

JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT LUNCH AND A SHOW: BROADWAY PALM THEATER

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11

10:50/ 11/ 11:10/ 11:15/ 11:20 A.M.

IS / WDL / ES / EN / EP

COST: $75

Join us for lunch and a show at Broadway Palm. One of the most spectacular and entertaining musicals tells the age-old biblical story of Joseph and the coat of many colors through a kaleidoscope of song and dance. Enjoy a buffet lunch before the show that includes soup, salad, entrée and dessert.

CORNHOLE TOURNAMENT

FRIDAY, JANUARY 13

1:30 P.M.

CHURCH PORTE COCHERE

Cornhole is sweeping the nation, and the Resident Programming Team is getting in on the action! Come out and play a draw for teams cornhole tournament and win prizes and bragging rights. We will provide all the equipment and of course, some fun, fellowship and refreshments. No experience necessary. No sign-up required.

Sign-up required; call a Concierge Desk: Island: 454-2282, Woodlands: 454-2054

required

ISINGS TRAVEL PRESENTATIONS

MONDAY, JANUARY 16

10 A.M. – SOCIAL CENTER/THE ISLAND 1:30 P.M. – GRAND CYPRESS ROOM/ WOODLANDS

3 P.M. – THE RESERVE/ENCLAVE CLUBHOUSE

Join Jeanne Veldman, 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 required.

WATER’S EDGE CONCERT WITH CHICAGO HEAT

TUESDAY, JANUARY 17

6:30 PM

FRIENDSHIP POINT

Come out to Friendship point and enjoy SWFL’s Premier Rocking Doo Wop Group “Chicago Heat.” This amazing band offers a variety of music from Doo Wop of the 50s all the way to Classic Rock ‘n’ Roll and Blues. Enjoy a beautiful evening under the stars as you sing along to your favorite hits and as always, you never know what the Resident Programming Team will have for goodies. No sign-up required!

SHELL POINT HEALTH CARE AUXILIARY ANNUAL MEETING

THURSDAY JANUARY 19

3 P.M.

GRAND CYPRESS ROOM/WOODLANDS

The Auxiliary is looking forward to a new year! Come learn about all the opportunities for volunteers. This meeting is open to all Shell Point residents.

2:15 PM

SOCIAL CENTER

Jean Chandler (Harbor Court) will review The Wonder Of Birds: What They Tell Us About Ourselves, Our World and a Better Future by Jim Robbins. A fascinating investigation into the miraculous world of birds. No sign-up necessary.

NOSTALGIA

THURSDAY, JANUARY 26

2 P.M.

FREE! CONNIE BROWN HALL/TRIBBY ARTS CENTER

Nostalgia is back to perform a free themed concert and comedy show featuring Don Schneff (Sundial). Join your friends and neighbors for some good light-hearted laughter and fellowship. No sign-up required.

GREEN TEAM RECYCLING EVENT AND FIX-IT FAIR

SATURDAY, JANUARY 28 9 – 11:30 A.M.

RECYCLING TIME: 10:30 A.M. – 12 P.M. THE VILLAGE CHURCH FIX-IT FAIR: 9:30 – 11:30 A.M. THE ISLAND SOCIAL CENTER

Be Green! Practice good environmental stewardship by bringing your unusable electronics for recycling to The Village Church for this annual event. In addition, we are having our second annual Fix It Fair at the Social Center. Bring your items in need of a quick repair and get them fixed onsite! No sign-up required.

ning under the stars will transport you back to the golden age of music with timeless classics from Louie Armstrong, Tony Bennet, and ‘ole Blue Eyes himself. Limited seating available.

Bay Fun Boat before heading back to Shell Point.

SPIRIT OF THE GULF CHORUS

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24

CONNIE BROWN HALL/TRIBBY ARTS CENTER 7 P.M.

FREE! PICK UP TICKETS AT TRIBBY BOX OFFICE

Spirit of the Gulf, a chorus of female singers, has celebrated more than twenty years of musical excellence, successful competitions, exciting performances, and joyful friendships. To date, the chorus has presented twenty shows at the prestigious Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall in Fort Myers and performed for countless organizations in the area. We love to welcome them back to Shell Point year after year. Limited seating available.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28 FRIENDSHIP POINT 6 P.M.

This 2004 action-adventure heist film has an all-star cast led by Nicholas Cage and Harvey Keitel. The film follows historian Ben Gates as he searches for clues to a treasure map on the back of the Declaration of Independence. The film takes you through national treasures all over the country and the plot points are inspired by true, often little-known events in history. This action-packed trip through our nation’s history is a must-see and an enjoyable journey. Plus, you cannot have a movie night without snacks, so come join your resident programming team for an evening at the movies. No sign-up required.

Support GroupS

CONNECTIONS CIRCLE: CAREGIVER SUPPORT

WEDNESDAYS, JANUARY 18; FEBRUARY 15

10 A.M. • BUTTONWOOD ROOM / WDL

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 Emily Reese, Connections Program Coordinator, (239) 454-2134 Connections@shellpoint.org to register your loved one for the supervised activity program or questions about the group.

VISION ENRICHMENT

TUESDAYS, JANUARY 10; FEBRUARY 14

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 Healthy Living Coordinator Katy Quinones at (239) 454-2101.

HEARING ENRICHMENT

WEDNESDAYS, JANUARY 25; FEBRUARY 22

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 Healthy Living Coordinator Robert Torres at (239) 433-7975.

DIABETES SUPPORT

FRIDAYS, JANUARY 6; FEBRUARY 3

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 Vivian Ciulla (239) 225-2929 for more information.

GRIEFSHARE

THURSDAYS, JANUARY 5, 12, 19, 26

1:30 P.M. • SABAL ROOM/WDL

This thirteen-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. Led by Carol Johnston (Coquina). Call her at (717) 368-6196 for additional information.

HEART HEALTHY

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 6

10 A.M. • SOCIAL CENTER/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 Healthy Living Coordinator Lorena Nazario at (239) 454-2295.

PARKINSON’S ENRICHMENT

TUESDAYS, JANUARY 3; FEBRUARY 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 Healthy Living Coordinator Christy Hayford at (239) 433-7939.

Checking the Boxes of a

Launch the New Year with a focus on your wellbeing! Living at Shell Point provides easy access to check all the boxes of a “Big Four” healthy lifestyle: cognitive stimulation, stress management, physical activity, and healthy eating.

Check the “cognitive stimulation box” by sharpening your mind at the UCLA Memory Training class. The 4-week class provides strategies to help develop good memory habits and teaches techniques to improve memory for persons with normal age-related memory changes. The class will meet January 6, 13, 20 and 27, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. in the Osprey room. *

Check the “stress management box” by attending the stress management presentations scheduled for Wednesday, January 11

BY EMILY REESE, CONNECTIONS PROGRAM COORDINATOR

Healthy Lifestyle

and Wednesday, February 15 at 10 a.m. in the Social Center. *

In January, Karen Wilhite, Senior Director of Rehab, Aegis Therapies, will be presenting “The Relationship between Exercise and Stress Management.” Learn whether certain types of exercise are more beneficial than others. Learn how to adapt with limited mobility and how to maximize the beneficial stress release aspect of exercise.

In February, Angel Duncan, Art Therapist and Clinical Researcher will be presenting “The Calm Mind: Stress Prevention through Creative Approaches.” This program demonstrates how stress impacts the body and brain while introducing creativity appli-

cations and their positive effect on stress management. Not an artist? Not a problem! Creativity is about the process of engagement.

After attending a stress management presentation, stop by The Crystal and check “the healthy eating box” by ordering a delicious “Life Quest” menu item. Afterwards, check the final “box of physical activity” by taking a walk around Shell Point’s beautiful campus.

Look for opportunities each day to check the boxes of the “Big Four”—and enjoy your best well-being in the New Year!

*Please register for these programs through the Concierge Desks.

Cognition and Medication Management

Investigating the Connection

Shell Point often collaborates with Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) to offer students the opportunity to enhance their education in ways that are mutually beneficial for our residents. Dr. Denise Allen, FGCU Professor in the Occupational Therapy program, is developing a research study in which students will investigate and learn about the connections between medication management and cognition in a normal adult population.

You are invited to participate in this research study. Volunteers will work with FGCU students and Dr. Allen to complete one cognitive assessment and two

cognitive screens, as well as a medication management sorting task. The goal of the research is to find possible assessment tools to assist occupational therapists working with their clients.

Developing new interventions and strategies to help patients rehabilitate starts with research. If you’d like to participate, you will not only help FGCU occupational therapy students develop their education and gain research experience, but you will also have the opportunity to learn the results of your performance on the assessments and learn more about cognitive health

BY JANINE HAMMOND, DIRECTOR OF COGNITIVE AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH

program opportunities at Shell Point.

If you are between the ages of 55 and 95, take more than two medications, manage your own medication, have not been admitted to the hospital in the past 30 days, and are in good health with no history of neurological illness including dementia or Alzheimer’s, I encourage you to consider volunteering for this opportunity.

The project will start early this year. Stay tuned to Shell Point Today and News at The Point for more information and details about signing up to participate.

Now at Shell Point: Meet Dr. Christopher DiBlasio

Dr. Christopher DiBlasio, a boardcertified physician in urology and urologic surgery from Genesis Care in Fort Myers, has joined the specialist team at The Arbor Medical Center at Shell Point.

Dr. DiBlasio received his undergraduate degree from Fairfield University in Connecticut and graduated from St. George’s University School of Medicine in Grenada. He went on to complete an internship in general surgery/trauma and residency in urology at the University of Tennessee College of Medicine & Surgery in Memphis. In addition, he completed a research fellowship in urologic oncology at New York’s renowned Memorial SloanKettering Cancer Center.

Born and raised in Long Island, Dr. DiBlasio returned to New York for the first 14 years of his practice. He specializes in minimally invasive surgery for urinary stones, prostate laser surgery, and prostate/ kidney cryoablation.

He served as Chief of Urology at Northwell Health at Huntington Hospital

(NY), Associate Medical Director for the Mount Sinai Health System, and Urology Division Director for Prohealth Care in Suffolk County. In 2021, Dr. DiBlasio was recruited to assume leadership and clinical roles at Genesis Care in Fort Myers.

Several years ago, Dr. DiBlasio adopted an innovative prostate biopsy approach that employs MRI-fusion technology to minimize infection risk. He pioneered and specializes in MRI-fusion guided cryoablation for prostate cancer, which is an outpatient, cutting-edge evolution in personalized prostate cancer treatment that minimizes potential risks, side effects, and recovery time. In addition, he has extensive experience in female prolapse and incontinence repair, stone surgery, urologic cancer treatment, cosmetics and reconstruction, trauma, and renal transplantation.

“I’m looking forward to providing comprehensive, contemporary and compassionate care for the residents of Shell Point,” said Dr. DiBlasio.

Call for Entries

Shell Point Quilters Presents the 2023 Celebration of Quilts

Dr. DiBlasio will begin seeing patients in January at The Arbor Specialty Clinic on the second floor. To make an appointment, call 239-264-7180.

Shell Point residents or employees who would like to enter a quilt in the 2023 show may pick up an entry form at any Concierge Desk or at the literature rack in the Tribby Atrium starting Monday, January 16. Forms are due back before Friday, February 24. Only quilts not previously shown at Shell Point or in the greater Fort Myers area are eligible. The 2023 Celebration of Quilts will be displayed at the Grand Cypress Room.

Monday, March 27 to Friday, March 31

Enjoy friendly competition with other Shell Point residents! You don’t want to miss out on this exciting, fun-filled week. The true spirit of the Shell Point Games is celebrating victories and cheering each other on. Remember, participation is the name of the game.

Library Fund Drive Annual Shell Point 2023

The Shell Point Library will celebrate its 52nd year of operation in 2023 and looks forward to continuing its mission for both the employees and residents of Shell Point. Our mission is to provide a wide range of reading, research, view-

ing and listening materials for all those we serve. In the early years, funds were raised through the sale of resident-made items such as crafts, food items, plants, and household decorations. We also maintained a “penny jar” and hosted book sales that took place during the year. Currently, the library depends on residents’ generosity during its Annual Fund Drive, which will be held from Wednesday, February 1 through Wednesday, February 15.

Your support will allow you to access more than 8,000 up-to-date volumes of both regular and large print books, audio books, DVDs, four daily newspapers, as well as periodicals such as Consumer Reports , Value Line , and Barron’s . In addition to all this, you have the ability to use the library’s web -

site at www.Shellpoint.net to check the availability of all items, view your personal record of usage, and even put an item on reserve…all from the comfort of your home. Don’t forget you can make purchase requests!

The staff of more than 50 volunteers, who donate thousands of hours annually, work hard to maintain the highest level of quality and convenience. The library serves you throughout Shell Point: on The Island in the Island Commons, at the Woodlands Genealogy Library, the Tribby Arts Center, at the King’s Crown, the Arbor, the Springs, and at the Larsen Pavilion. Your support of these library centers guarantees their continued success; we, the residents, are the sole support of all the resources we share. Please consider giving generously so that your library can refresh its resources, improve your experience, and continue to serve the needs of the entire community. Your donation can be sent through campus mail or dropped off at the library or at any concierge desk. We thank you, kindly, in advance for your generosity.

Out & About Stamp Ministry

Since its beginning in 1972, Shell Point’s Stamp Ministry has been dedicated to supporting Publicaciones Alianza, a publication house in Buenos Aires dedicated to writing and publishing Sunday school materials in Spanish. In 2018, the Shell Point Stamp Ministry broke the $1 million mark, and in 2022, raised over $30,000—bringing them that much closer to their new $2 million goal. Because of the ministry, these Sunday school materials are now being distributed in eight Latin American countries, Spain, and the United States, and are used by over 40 Protestant denominations.

People often do a double take when they hear how much the group has raised from used stamps alone. While one used stamp could only be worth about ten cents, tens of thousands of them can start to add up quickly. Additionally, different stamps have different values. One pound of common stamps can sell to wholesalers for anywhere from two to three dollars, but a pound of foreign stamps can go for up to $25. Ben Crump (Junonia), who oversees the finances of the group, suggests that some stamps can even be worth thousands of dollars.

The group remains positive despite being displaced by Hurricane Ian. Previously located in the tunnel on the island, the Stamp Ministry was relocated to the fourth floor of the former Pavilion. “We moved from the tunnel to the penthouse!” says Treva Crump (Junonia), co-coordinator of the Stamp Ministry.

Members have grown quite fond of their new waterfront views, and although they have experienced a reduction in the size of their workspace, Treva reported that the hurricane has not slowed down their efforts in the slightest.

The group also provides a great opportunity to socialize. “It’s more than just stamp collecting,” says resident Nelson Bond (Periwinkle). With Stamp Ministry meetings on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays there is always an opportunity for members to come together and support a good cause.

Treva Crump (Junonia), Wayne Swanson (Turban), Lois Pedersen (Lakewood), Gayle Richardson (Cellana), Ben Crump (Junonia), Nelson Bond (Periwinkle), Jean Walsh (Periwinkle), Ellen Govertsen (Junonia), Sharlene Hayman (Oakmont)

Treva Crump (Junonia)

Wayne Swanson (Turban)

Ben Crump (Junonia), Nelson Bond (Periwinkle)

Back (L to R): Judy Koloski (Rosemont), John Kern (Lakewood), Helen Ketteman (Eagles Preseve); Front (L to R): Jeff Jarvis (Macoma), Barbara Dinsmore (Parkwood), Helen Stark (Rosemont), Pat Ostrom (Eagles Preserve), Jana Stone (Eagles Preserve), Edina Lessack (Parkwood), Sandra Broad (Nautilus), Joe Tutton (Eagles Preserve) , Anne Wharton (Arbor), Steve Canton (Harbor Court), Tom Kelly (Nautilus) and Phil Hilton (Springs).

Shell Point Players

More than 200 residents enjoyed an afternoon in Connie Brown Hall, where Shell Point Players brought to life the beloved American holiday classic “It’s a Wonderful Life.” Directed and produced by Edina Lessack (Parkwood) and Jana Stone (Eagles Preserve), the production included 12 actors, three Foley artists creating sound effects, and a pair of sound and light booth operators.

The group finished the year entertaining Assisted Living audiences with performances of “The Housekeeper,” a play adapted by Phil Hilton (Springs). Looking ahead to the new year, Shell Point Players are planning more short one-act plays for Assisted Living residents. They are also planning their next big production on the Connie Brown Hall stage in May. New players are always welcome!

Long Night Moon

Ed and Sheila Thomson (Lucina) enjoyed and captured December’s “Long Night Moon,” which earned its name from being in view longer than any other full moon of the year. West-facing residences on The Island were able to observe the beautiful illumination of the full moon and its reflection on the water, as well as an astronomical phenomenon known as the lunar occultation of Mars the night prior. On this night, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn were visible in the night sky, and in certain parts of the Americas, Europe, and Northern Africa, the red planet could be seen disappearing behind the nearly full moon for a short period of time.

Jana Stone (Eagles Preserve), Sandra Broad (Nautilus), Edina Lessack (Parkwood)

Jeffrey Jarvis (Macoma)

BE PRESENT!

2023 Global Impact Week Sunday, February 19–Sunday, February 26

BY BETH ALBRIGHT (CELLANA)

Agreat title! The leadership of the Christian and Missionary Alliance, the denomination of which The Village Church is a part, has chosen this as the theme of the 2022-2023 Global Impact Week that will be held in 2,000 fellowships and churches in 38 languages all over the United States. Add the dates to your calendar now to ensure you will be a part of this very special week!

A.B. Simpson, the founder of the C&MA, was a pastor in a very prestigious church in New York City. He resigned his position as pastor in 1881 because he sensed that God was calling him to work among immigrants that came by the boatload to New York City. Many wanted to know this Jesus that he was telling them about.

That was just the beginning. Now, 140 years later, there are 24,500 churches with 6.3 million followers of Jesus around the world—all because one man wanted to be present for the world that he was a part of.

FEATURED SPEAKERS

Rev. Jonathan Schaeffer

Rev. Jonathan Schaeffer, pastor of the Grace Church in Cleveland, Ohio, will begin our week by challenging us and inspiring us about how to be present in our individual and global world. Jonathan and his wife Mary, who have served together at Grace Church for 24 years, love seeing Jesus

transform lives and seeing new churches being started in their area and around the world. Their growing church family is known for reaching out both locally and globally, mobilizing people for eternal impact. That is also the goal for Jonathan as he serves on the President’s Cabinet and the Board of Directors with the Christian and Missionary Alliance. In their free time, Jonathan and Mary enjoy the outdoors or traveling to see their five adult children and spouses. The aim of their lives is this: “Growing in love for the Lord Jesus and for people who matter so much to Him, here and around the world.”

Dr. Steve and Claudia Irvin

Dr. Steve Irvin and his wife Claudia will be presenting what it is to be present in long distance places, including Columbia, South America, Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Madrid, Spain, as well as in areas closer to

us in Toronto, Canada and Tabernaculo de la Fe Alliance Church in Orlando, Florida— two churches where he pastored. Dr. Irvin was born and raised in North Carolina and earned a PhD in Organizational Leadership from Regent University. While attending Toccoa Falls College in Georgia, Steve met

Claudia, who eventually became his wife. As the daughter of missionaries who served with the Alliance in Ecuador for many years, Claudia has had the joy of working alongside pastors’ wives in Madrid, Spain, who many times feel alone and need the support to be encouraged and empowered for more effective ministry. What Claudia pours into pastors’ wives and women leaders, they pour into others. Steve and Claudia have been present with people around the world, through evangelism, church planting, and leadership development. Steve and Claudia have been married for 45 years and have four children, seven grandchildren, and one great grandchild.

Rev. Jonathan and Mary Schaeffer

Dr. Steve and Claudia Irvin

Janice Quinlan

We are pleased to have Janice Quinlan here at Shell Point as the Village Church International Worker in Residence. She is one of our own! This is her third time to serve in this capacity. Born and raised in New England, Janice graduated from Nyack College and from the Alliance Theological Seminary in Nyack, New York. Upon her completion of language study, she was a part of being present in Thailand, where she was a key partner in planting two churches when she taught at the Northeastern Bible Seminary from 1992 to 2012. Then, a change came as she became the Field Director for the C&MA mission in Thailand. Janice loves visiting her former students as well as being creative with her hands. Some of us have had the joy of receiving some of her gifts! She also loves exploring Asian markets.

Martin Chaaya

Martin Chaaya is the coordinator of Alliance Diaspora Ministry, working among the many displaced immigrant peoples, with the Christian and Missionary Alliance in Europe. We hear every day on the news about people who for many difficult reasons have been forced to leave their home areas

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS AT THE VILLAGE CHURCH:

All events at The Village Church unless otherwise noted.

Sunday, February 19

10 a.m. BE PRESENT Among All Peoples: Dr. Jonathan Schaeffer 6 p.m. BE PRESENT In our Individual and Global Worlds

Monday, February 20

4 p.m. BE PRESENT: The Big Picture: Dr. Jonathan Schaeffer Registration required; sign up at The Village Church or call the office. Banquet to follow at The Crystal.

Tuesday, February 21

10 a.m. Academy Class: Up Close and Personal Across Cultures: Steve and Claudia Irvin and Janice Quinlan* 6 p.m. BE PRESENT In Spain: Dr. Steve Irvin Wednesday, February 22 6 p.m. Concert of Prayer for the World: Janice Quinlan, Steve and Claudia Irvin

Thursday, February 23

1 p.m. Academy Class: Understanding Today’s Spain: Dr. Steve Irvin** Friday, February 24 6 p.m. Celebration of God at Work in the World! Janice Quinlan, Dr. Steve and Claudia Irvin, Dr. Martin Chaaya Saturday, February 25

9 a.m. Continental Breakfast: Dr. Martin Chaaya Sunday, February 26 10 a.m. BE PRESENT Among Displaced Peoples: Dr. Martin Chaaya 6 p.m. BE PRESENT By Praying, Giving and Going: Dr. Steve Irvin

*Social Center, Island

**Grand Cypress Room, Woodlands

or homelands.

Martin will tell us how he is being present for these people who have challenges beyond anything we can imagine.

Martin was born and raised in Beirut, Lebanon and holds a degree in Telecommunications and a Master of Divinity from Columbia International University. Martin is passionate about church planting and has been part of several church plants among the diaspora

in Europe. He has started several outreach ministries among immigrants and refugees which include social work and micro-businesses. He regularly teaches about diaspora topics to students and churches in the United States and Europe. He is currently involved in the leadership of various networks that focus on diaspora ministry in Europe. He lives in Spain with his wife, Joanna, and their three children.

Your presence matters. Can you imagine not being able to cling to Jesus in the midst of all that is happening in our world today? Join us for this special week!

Janice Quinlan

Martin Chaaya

At The Village Church

SPTV Channel 13 Introduces New Weekly Schedule

The Village Church is blessed to have SPTV 13 as an avenue to share its ministry with the Shell Point community. We’ve recently added some additional programming to the channel and want to share our new weekly schedule. You will receive it soon in your campus mail. You can also find it at our church website at www.villagechurchshellpoint.org/media.

In addition to carrying our Sunday services live at 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., you will find a well-rounded mix of music and devotional content that will draw you closer to the Lord. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to call The Village Church office at 239-454-2147.

The Village Church presents THE KING’S BRASS

A unique, energetic blend of music, drama and testimony. The concert will include classic hymn arrangements with a contemporary flair.

Sunday, January 15 at 6 p.m.

No tickets needed.

Fast-moving video presentations provide a natural lead-in to the small-group conversations that focus on discovery rather than dogma. You will find that there are no dumb questions!

from Tuesday, January 10 though Tuesday, March 14. Together, we’ll share experiences and opinions, learn from each other, and form new friendships.

Are ‘Life’s Big Questions” on your mind? You are not alone!

Experience Alpha with us and explore the answers with which we all struggle.

Whether you attend church or not, Alpha will provide refreshing insights and answers to Life’s Big Questions. Join us as we gather together for ten Tuesday evenings

Each session begins with a complimentary catered dinner followed by a video and your small group discussion. Sessions take place in the Woodlands Grand Cypress Room, starting promptly at 4:30 p.m. and ending at 6:45 p.m.

Alpha is sponsored by The Village Church and the Academy of Lifelong Learning. The course, underwritten by The Village Church, is free to participants.

Register by Thursday, January 5 either online at www.villagechurchshellpoint.org/alpha or by calling the church office at (239) 454-2147. Space is limited.

Free Concert!

Maintaining Equilibrium

BY REV. ANDREW HAWKINS, PH.D., SENIOR PASTOR, THE VILLAGE CHURCH

These times can be terribly disorienting. Many in our community are still trying to recover from the loss and displacement of Hurricane Ian. We still struggle to make sense of it all; it’s hard to know how to respond. And even though we’re ok, we know that many of our neighbors are not.

So how do we keep our bearings in such tumultuous times? How can we maintain equilibrium when the seas are roiling and treacherous?

I turn to the Psalms in such times. In fact, each year about this time I commit again to reading and praying through the Psalms. It’s how I stay on course, how I weather the storms, how I ride the waves. Why the Psalms? There are many reasons; here are a few:

First, I learn that regardless of the difficulties of my circumstances, others have been there before me. And they have found God faithful in the midst of trial and affliction, even as He is faithful in more placid times.

Second, the range of emotions expressed in the Psalms is comprehensive and passionate. Joy and sorrow, exhaustion and exhilaration, confidence and confusion, peace and even anger – they are all there. Honest, human expressions. The Bible doesn’t show us the world in rosecolored glasses. The Bible is real life – and the Psalms are primae facie evidence of the truthfulness of scripture.

And third, the Psalms are rich in theology. And I don’t mean academic theology. I mean theology proper. Theology

as in the knowledge of God Himself. The Psalms reveal God for who He is. For whom He is in all His attributes. His sovereignty, His omniscience, His power, His perfections, His mercy, His loving kindness – in all His glory.

It is this glorious vision of God that most helps me keep my equilibrium. That’s why each year I commit myself to live in the Psalms.

I’ve been teaching through the Psalms in our prayer services on Wednesday evenings. Now we’re recording those teachings for SPTV Channel 13. Watch for our new series on the Psalms on SPTV. They may help us all keep our bearings and maintain our equilibrium together throughout 2023.

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures... He restores my soul...

(Psalm 23:1-3)

Nature’s Notebook

BY STEVE MORTON, DIRECTOR OF LANDSCAPE OPERATIONS (RETIRED)

Strangers in a Strange Land

A young Kwai Chang Caine approaches his teacher with trepidation. In his first lesson, Master Kan instructs Caine to snatch the pebble from the palm of his outstretched hand. After the boy fails in his attempt, the instructor kindly informs him that, when he can seize the pebble, his education will be complete, preparing him to leave the Shaolin temple. The opening title sequence of the television show had me immediately enthralled. For the next three seasons, I eagerly watched each installment as an adult Caine traveled the American West in a meandering search for his half-brother.

The tree was discovered in 1880 growing on Hong Kong Island by a French Missionary and Botanist, Jean-Marie Delavay. He took a cutting of the specimen and planted it near the French Hospital. It was soon discovered that the tree was sterile. Despite producing beautiful flowers, it developed no seeds. Later scientists determined that it was a rare, natural hybrid and named it Bauhinia × blakeana. Most subsequent specimens have been cloned from the original stock.

The television series was certainly an unconventional Western. The hero

didn’t ride a horse and carried no gun. He attempted to elude conflict and avoided inflicting any permanent harm upon those who attacked him. The leading man was plain spoken, spiritual, and perhaps a bit supernatural. As a monk, Caine followed his teachings of Kung Fu and protected the weak and defenseless. He sought simplicity and beauty in life, despite the complex, violent environment he found himself in.

Upon first impression, the tree seems to be anomalous and enigmatic, very much like Kwai Chang Caine; a stranger in a strange land. The large, violet blossoms initially appear to be from a regal orchid, yet the tree belongs to the humble bean family of plants. Like Caine, the Orchid tree is adaptable and can thrive far from home in Florida’s alternating wet and dry seasonal climate. Furthermore, a contrarian to norms, it blooms in fall and winter as opposed to our local population of trees that flower spring and summer. Scientists have named the unique leaf shape as a twin-lobed orbiculate, but Caine would see the leaves rather, as the gossamer wings of a butterfly.

Each Western town Caine visited, he left an example of dignity and compassion. Perhaps every Hong Kong Orchid tree planted is a reminder of the natural beauty in life. You may take your own spiritual journey to find truth and beauty. Your path may be circuitous or direct, practical or quixotic. Finding a

Hong Kong Orchid tree at the end may not even be the most significant event in your journey. But for those that seek the maximum number of Orchid Trees in the smallest space, I would recommend the parking lot of the Coastal Commons building. There you will find a row of Hong Kong Orchid trees like windmills at La Mancha.

The Shell Point Life editorial team would like to thank Steve Morton for sharing his expertise and passion for Shell Point’s beautiful landscaping and natural surroundings with the readers of this publication through his regular back page column Nature’s Notebook. We wish Steve a very happy retirement!