FallFest October 16: Don’t miss it!

FallFest October 16: Don’t miss it!

FallFest October 16: Don’t miss it!

Entertainment, Food, Art, Shopping, and a Health Fair               

By Diane M. Loeffler

Rain or shine, FallFest will take place on October 16. The day will begin at the gazebo with opening remarks, the flag raising, the Pledge of Allegiance and the National Anthem. The rest of the day will be similar to our traditional March FunFest with entertainment, food, club sales, vendors and a health fair. Participants include 74 clubs and organizations, 12 businesses, a bloodmobile, and health care services.

Where to Park

Car and golf cart drivers are encouraged to park by Community Hall (1910 S. Pebble Beach Boulevard). Aston Gardens will be providing three buses to take you from the Community Hall Parking Lot on South Pebble Beach to the Community Association Administration Building on North Pebble Beach.

Park at Community Hall and one of the three buses provided by Aston Gardens will take you to the parking lot in front of the Community Association Administration Building. Driver Jerry Crabb has driven buses for Aston Gardens for 20 years.

Three buses will run continuously from 8:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. These buses are handicapped accessible. Each air conditioned bus has 24 comfortable seats plus two places for wheelchairs. Remember: the parking lots in and near North Pebble Beach and Cherry Hills will all be closed. There will be no car parking available near North Campus. For safety reasons, no one should park along the nearby streets.

Golf carts may also opt to park in the fields behind the Atrium Building’s parking lot. This is where the temporary offices once stood. Be sure to remember where you park.

Look For

Information booths will be set up at the CA Office where the buses drop you off, at the end of the Pottery Wheel Building, along Cherry Hills Drive, and inside the Atrium Building. Volunteers will give you maps with schedules and answer your questions. The booth near the Pottery Wheel Building will also be the lost and found (people and items) area during the festival.

You will see men and women wearing bright orange shirts or jackets. These HAM radio operators will help you if you are lost or if you are looking for someone who is lost.

What to Bring

Bring your appetite, your shopping list, some cash, masks, and your cell phone. The following items are on the menu: breakfast sandwiches, sloppy joe’s, hot dogs, Italian sausage, potato salad, beans, apple and cherry pies (with ice cream and toppings), BBQ chicken sandwiches, grilled pork chops, homemade cookies, homemade brownies, burgers, chips, beverages and popcorn. Just in case the menu changes or clubs run out of your favorites, have alternatives in mind. Popcorn will be sold near the gazebo, the other items in the parking areas near Rollins Theater.

FallFest will be an opportunity to buy some genuine “made in Sun City Center” items created by your talented friends and neighbors. You will also be able to buy gift baskets and other items. Shop locally to get great deals while supporting clubs. Many clubs donate all or a portion of their revenues to area charities. Feeling lucky? There will be many chances to purchase lottery tickets for all sorts of items.

Masks are requested for when you are inside buildings. When indoors, you may find you are rather close to other people, especially when you are at the health fair.

You might want to take photos of those in your party with your phone. Should one of you get lost or separated from the others, you can show your phone’s photos to the radio club men and women (wearing bright orange). It is much easier for them to reunite people when they can see exactly what the individual is wearing that day.

What NOT to bring

Leave your pets at home unless they are certified service dogs. Also, do not bring bicycles near the venue area. Leave them at home or near Community Hall.

Health Fair

Stop by the Horizon Room to talk to companies and individuals offering health care services. One new service is flu shots. Walgreens will be providing up to 100 of them. You can walk through the Horizon Room to the parking lot where a Bloodmobile will welcome anyone willing and able to donate blood.

Festival guests clapping and singing along with Bill “Elvis” Lindsay at a previous FunFest (News file photo).

Entertainment

There are six places providing entertainment. The gazebo will be the site for the opening ceremonies beginning at 9 a.m. Starting at 9:15, go to the Florida room for presentations or performances by Southeastern Guide Dogs, the Women’s Chorus, Par for the Chorus and Wonders of Nature.

The Dance Studio will start with Cloggersizers at 9:30 followed by Let’s Dance Ballroom Dancers, Jazzmatazz, and West Coast Swing and Country Dance. The Main Tent will be set up near the Arts and Crafts Building on Cherry Hills Drive. At 9:30, Razzmatazz (a ventriloquist) will perform as well as the Dukes, Bill “Elvis” Lindsay with Kevin Brooks, and Nunez at Night. The Rollins Theater will feature the Front Porch Pickers at 11 and 12. The Swim Dancers will perform at the indoor pool from 11:30 to 11:50.

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Art Club Members Paint Through the Pandemic

Art Club Members Paint Through the Pandemic

Art Club Members Paint Through the Pandemic

By Bob Sanchez

The Sun City Center Art Club reopened its Art Gallery to the public on September 1 with the work of two dozen members, featuring paintings they created during the 2020 pandemic.

The participating painters were Jean Beardsley, Mary Chabot, Irena Davis, Mollie Fleck, Marion Giblin, Gary Gicking, Maureen Hileman, Gloria Hosek, Carol Husinka, Paul Kennedy, Meredith King, Bob Krowl, Marsha Lucidi, Bev Majewski, Faye McKeown, Anne Morton, Lori Murray, Dolores Phelps, Sandy Schuman, Ali Shannon, Flo Slater, Mel Solochek, Roberta Solochek, and Richard Whalen. Mel Solochek is the Gallery Director.

The show will be a recurring public event on the first Wednesday of every month from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Art Club on 954 Cherry Hills Drive. Be sure to have your current Community Association ID with you, and protocols for vaccinations, mask wearing, and social distancing will apply. The Club serves snacks and beverages, which I can attest are delicious.

The artwork changes monthly, according to President Lee Anne Eckert, “giving all members a chance to share their work from beginner level to advanced. Our members are inspired by the many different types of artwork exhibited and offer each support and encouragement.”

Painting lessons are available to all levels, “no experience required,” she added. They also have Open Studio time on Wednesday afternoons, except for the first Wednesday when we have the Gallery Opening.  There’s also hold a yearly art show each January or February.

For more information about the Art Club, call Lee Anne at 973-714-5019 or email her at “laeckert@gmail.com.”

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99th Birthday Party at Bob’s VetsBy Diane M. Loeffler On the morning of December 16, a party was held at Bob Evans Restaurant for Maurice (Mo) Lanouette. Mo’s actual birthday was Saturday, but the Bob’s Vets group decided to honor Lanouette...

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In this issue…

Don’t miss FallFest on October 16, browse the Art Club’s latest creations, cruise the St. Johns River, sail on the Eagle, hit the target with a local Olympian, commemorate the anniversary of 9/11, discover some great places to eat Just Around the Bend, learn about the new Low Vision Club, ride to the rescue with the SCC Emergency Squad, get the facts on the Kings Point Master Association Board changes, trade serves with an athletic priest, read up on the Native History of North America, and tour the picturesque wonder of Sunsational Sedona, Arizona.

Then, be sure to check out the SCCCA Club News, Kings Point News, Military News, Sports, Arts, Faith & Service, and Community News sections to help you plan your month.

Read the October 2021 Issues of The News

 

COVID-19 Vaccine Info

Florida hospitals and county health departments have received hundreds of thousands of vaccine doses. More are coming. Learn how these will be distributed and get more information at the Florida Department of Health website, “floridahealth.gov.”

99th Birthday Party at Bob’s Vets

99th Birthday Party at Bob’s Vets

99th Birthday Party at Bob’s VetsBy Diane M. Loeffler On the morning of December 16, a party was held at Bob Evans Restaurant for Maurice (Mo) Lanouette. Mo’s actual birthday was Saturday, but the Bob’s Vets group decided to honor Lanouette...

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JANUARY 2022 NEWS is HOT off the PRESS!

In this issue… Relive the festive fun of the Holiday Cart Parade, cruise SCC to find colorful lights and holiday decorations, swing by St. Andrew for Rock ‘n’ Roll Crafts and Cars, meet the new SCCCA Board members, check in with the Security...

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Touring Ybor City’s Last Cigar Factory

Touring Ybor City’s Last Cigar Factory

Touring Ybor City’s Last Cigar Factory

By Bob Sanchez

In July, a small group from the Sun City Center Photo Club toured the J. C. Newman Cigar Company to see first-hand how cigars are still made in Ybor City. For the senior rate of $12 per person, company historian Holden Rasmussen served as our tour guide for about an hour to show the entire process, both for hand-made and machine-made cigars.

The building is called El Reloj, a three-story, block-long building that dates back to 1895 and is the only remaining cigar factory in Ybor City. There’s nothing modern about the process as workers either hand-roll cigars or operate antique machines that seem to operate as well today as they did a century ago. The main difference is in the workforce – an old photo from the 1920s shows a vast room filled with white men, elbow to elbow at work. What a difference a century makes!

The Newman Company promises that “this historic cigar factory will please cigar enthusiasts, history buffs, and those with interests in manufacturing and technology,” and the tour doesn’t disappoint. Photo Club member Christina Brittain said it was “amazing to witness every facet of production in this living, thriving factory/museum,” adding that the tour is “a truly memorable experience.”

The family-owned company clearly takes pride in its premium cigars and its employees. Rasmussen told us that every worker we saw on the floor has been employed there for around 20 years. Newman also has factories in Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic. Their Cigar Family Charitable Foundation “supports low-income families in the Dominican Republic with education, health care, vocational training, and clean water.”

The cost for the tour is $15 for adults, and $12 for seniors, students, and veterans. All ages are welcome. The guide is knowledgeable, and the old factory is fascinating. By the way, there are elevators for those not inclined to climb stairs.

Visit “jcnewman.com” for their schedule and to book a guided tour.

IN THE TOP PHOTO: J. C. Newman’s company historian Holden Rasmussen talks tobacco with, from left to right, Nick Fader, Barbara Klimczak, Fran Beeson, and Christina Brittain.

99th Birthday Party at Bob’s Vets

99th Birthday Party at Bob’s Vets

99th Birthday Party at Bob’s VetsBy Diane M. Loeffler On the morning of December 16, a party was held at Bob Evans Restaurant for Maurice (Mo) Lanouette. Mo’s actual birthday was Saturday, but the Bob’s Vets group decided to honor Lanouette...

February 2022 NEWS is HOT off the PRESS!

February 2022 NEWS is HOT off the PRESS!

In this issue… Get to know SCC at the Information Center, read a recap of the January SCCCA membership and board meetings, learn how the SCC Beautification Corporation helps keep the community looking its best, show your gratitude for our First...

January Membership Meeting

January Membership Meeting

January Membership Meeting By Diane M. Loeffler At 3 p.m. on January 5, 2022, 294 people attended the Sun City Center Community Association Membership Meeting in person and 89 virtually attended using Zoom. In order to meet quorum, two hundred...

A Special “Thank You” for Our First Responders

A Special “Thank You” for Our First Responders

A Special “Thank You” for Our First Responders   By Diane M. Loeffler On Wednesday, December 22, a group of Kings Point and Sun City Center Community Association residents met in the lobby of South Bay Hospital to donate money to three groups...

JANUARY 2022 NEWS is HOT off the PRESS!

JANUARY 2022 NEWS is HOT off the PRESS!

In this issue… Relive the festive fun of the Holiday Cart Parade, cruise SCC to find colorful lights and holiday decorations, swing by St. Andrew for Rock ‘n’ Roll Crafts and Cars, meet the new SCCCA Board members, check in with the Security...

Welcome Aboard America’s Tall Ship

Welcome Aboard America’s Tall Ship

Welcome Aboard America’s Tall Ship By Ilona Merritt Welcome aboard! You are invited to visit “America’s Tall Ship.” Since 1946, every new Coast Guard cadet undergoing officer training has begun their career by learning to sail on Eagle – the...

Alafia Brewing Company and the Queen of Beer

Alafia Brewing Company and the Queen of Beer

Alafia Brewing Company and the Queen of Beer

By Andrea L.T. Peterson

Thanks to a reader recommendation, we discovered the Alafia Brewing Company in Gibsonton. When the Editor asked if I wanted to check it out, I thought: “I’ve been alcohol-free for more than 35 years. What do I know about beer? Especially craft beers?” Absolutely nothing! But what I do know is a couple of guys—David and Richard, sons of my good friend and South Lake neighbor, Ann Fenimore. Now these guys are self-described beer snobs. Who better to check out a new brewery!

So, off I went with the whole family (Ann, the boys, and sisters Beth and Susan) to check it out. Located about 10 miles from Sun City Center, just north of I-75 and Big Bend Road on U.S. 41, the Alafia Brewing Company is in a less than attractive strip mall. But I implore you to ignore the total lack of curb appeal and check this place out.

What’s lacking on the outside is made up for on the inside. Aside from a variety of 27 options, including beers, ciders, meads, and seltzers as well a few non-alcoholic soda selections (root beer, chocolate cream, and grape) the Brewery offers live music, karaoke, trivia, professional wrestling, and drag, burlesque or male reviews on given nights.

Food is only served daily after 6 p.m., except on Sundays when they have brunch. Food isn’t prepared on site—but during the daytime the Mexican store next door has an intriguing menu of authentic Mexican dishes and guests are welcome to bring food from next door and eat in the Brewing Company. During the hours when food is offered, it is catered by Tampa’s Danny’s All-American Diner (of Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives fame).

The interior is such a stark contrast to the exterior. The space is a vast, open, rustic space with a lengthy bar on one side and two tops and tables for larger groups on the other. Murals on the walls, painted by the owners’ daughter, depict Florida wildlife and an outside art curator brings artwork by local artists which covers the walls—and it’s all for sale!

Owned and run by Mary and George Taylor for not quite a year, the Brewery sports a variety of beverages. The most popular, says Mary, who brews them all, are The Kenosha Lager and the Pineapple Chipotle Cider (pineapple with cider spices and a touch of spicy chipotle).

Mary, who may be known to some old-timers in Sun City Center from when she brought her students (she taught English at East Bay High School for 33 years) to compete in the Rotary Youth Oratorical Contest held at Freedom Plaza, is something of an accidental brewer! Before she retired from teaching in 2017, she and her husband went to a Halloween party thrown by a teacher friend. He served beer made from a Mr. Beer kit. Impressed with it, she purchased a Mr. Beer kit for her husband who’d brew up some selections now and then.

Then George came to Mary and announced, ‘I’ve found a brew club! We MUST go!’ “We?” Mary responded! Well, thrilled though she wasn’t, they went. “They were really lovely people, but I had zero interest,” she told me. Not long after, George announced that they had to “get ready” for the WAZOO beer festival held at what was formerly The Lowry Park Zoo.

They were hooked. Mary has quite a collection of awards for her brews, including the title Queen of Beer (QOB) awarded for her “Berliner Weisse with strawberry and rhubarb” at a California homebrew contest for women in 2015.

The consensus of my beer buddies today was that the two dozen-plus brews includes “an eclectic mix of styles–well-made, very clean, perfectly blended. Most visitors to the brewery will have no trouble finding something (or several somethings) they like.”

Of those brews made with real fruit, Richard said (and David agreed), “the fruit is nicely integrated, just so you know it’s there.”

“It’s a great opportunity to do a bunch of tasters and go for it!”

The delightful bartender, Marina, couldn’t have been more solicitous, more attentive, or more pleasant. And I can assure you, my crew kept her busy!

So, if you’re a beer aficionado, or even a casual beer drinker interested in trying new and exciting brews, The Alafia Brewing Company might be just the spot that “hits the spot” for you.

IN THE PHOTO: Owner, Mary Taylor (L), with bartender extraordinaire, Marina.

99th Birthday Party at Bob’s Vets

99th Birthday Party at Bob’s Vets

99th Birthday Party at Bob’s VetsBy Diane M. Loeffler On the morning of December 16, a party was held at Bob Evans Restaurant for Maurice (Mo) Lanouette. Mo’s actual birthday was Saturday, but the Bob’s Vets group decided to honor Lanouette...

February 2022 NEWS is HOT off the PRESS!

February 2022 NEWS is HOT off the PRESS!

In this issue… Get to know SCC at the Information Center, read a recap of the January SCCCA membership and board meetings, learn how the SCC Beautification Corporation helps keep the community looking its best, show your gratitude for our First...

January Membership Meeting

January Membership Meeting

January Membership Meeting By Diane M. Loeffler At 3 p.m. on January 5, 2022, 294 people attended the Sun City Center Community Association Membership Meeting in person and 89 virtually attended using Zoom. In order to meet quorum, two hundred...

A Special “Thank You” for Our First Responders

A Special “Thank You” for Our First Responders

A Special “Thank You” for Our First Responders   By Diane M. Loeffler On Wednesday, December 22, a group of Kings Point and Sun City Center Community Association residents met in the lobby of South Bay Hospital to donate money to three groups...

JANUARY 2022 NEWS is HOT off the PRESS!

JANUARY 2022 NEWS is HOT off the PRESS!

In this issue… Relive the festive fun of the Holiday Cart Parade, cruise SCC to find colorful lights and holiday decorations, swing by St. Andrew for Rock ‘n’ Roll Crafts and Cars, meet the new SCCCA Board members, check in with the Security...

Welcome Aboard America’s Tall Ship

Welcome Aboard America’s Tall Ship

Welcome Aboard America’s Tall Ship By Ilona Merritt Welcome aboard! You are invited to visit “America’s Tall Ship.” Since 1946, every new Coast Guard cadet undergoing officer training has begun their career by learning to sail on Eagle – the...