Category Archives: News

FUNDRAISING

The Nov. 10th fundraiser “Bingo for Designer Bags” event was a great success! Eighty people were in attendance and all enjoyed bingo play, wonderful homemade desserts, 50/50 raffle and more. Unfortunately, they had some problems with the bingo equipment so bingo play time was shortened, but all could see how much new equipment is needed.

Thanks to everyone who attended and helped make this event so successful. Many thanks to all those who donated desserts, jewelry, purses and most of all — time and talent!

FROM THE CHAIRPERSON

I hope you are enjoying your time with the 55+ Club; there are so many programs and events to participate in. Be sure to share your busy life style with your neighbors and friends, maybe they would like to have fun with the 55+ Club also. We all know people who enjoy fishing, play chess or Bunco, and go out to lunch or dinner; invite a friend, you’ll feel good when you reach out to someone who maybe alone. Don’t forget travel! We have contracts with Collette Travel and Premiere Discovery Travel, they go everywhere in the world. These companies give 55+ a commission on bookings and that money goes in the Bingo Savings account because as you all know we are saving for a new Bingo machine. So keep smiling, be involved and stay
young! Happy Holidays!

Submitted by Chairperson, Jill Blakeway

Thank you to Collette Travel, Mary Lou Carroll, Jean Bienemahn and Lorraine Kuriger for their donation to the New Bingo Equipment Fund!

ANNUAL MEETING & HOLIDAY PARTY

55+ Annual Meeting & Christmas Party Thursday December 8th, 11am @ Satellite Beach Civic Center 565 Cassia Blvd. Lunch courtesy of Courtenay Springs Village tickets are a must at $5.00 per person and are available from the SB Recreation
Office, Bingo or from most 55+ Chairpersons. Please bring a nonperishable food item for the Melbourne Sharing Center.

DAY TRAVEL

We are still in need of a chairperson for Day Travel. Please step forward to assist! Terry will be more than happy to assist the new Chairperson and will be glad to help with the first trip and accompany the group. Two people can become co-chairpersons. Please contact Terry at 321/773-7705 or [email protected].

SUMMARY OF CANDIDATES 2017

Chairperson

Deborah Guess has been an active member of the 55 Plus Club for years. She calls Bingo every Monday and has been the club treasurer for the past two years. Past experience includes being an office manager for 28years and president of her HOA for 5 years.

Barbara Hessler has been an active member of the 55 Plus Club and has been in charge of Bunko, Mahjong, summer dinner gang and Wednesday lunches for several years. She has also helped on events and decorations for the club. Previous experience includes varied banking responsibilities, work with child and family law, job fairs, payroll and insurance work, drug and alcohol counseling, teaching English
as a second language. Barbara has served as the clubs Vice Chairperson for two years.

Vice Chairperson

Joyce Scafidi has served on the board as Corresponding Secretary for the past two years. She was a secretary and handled accounts payable for a roofing company for 25 years. She was also a secretary for Dr. Eells and insurance processor for Dr. Turner and Muir. She was a school volunteer for the American Red Cross, a Cape Canaveral hospital volunteer and is a Eucharist minister, visiting the sick for Our Savior Church.

Recording Secretary

Jo Ann Fisher agreed to help the 55 Plus Club in November 2015, when the previous recording secretary could no longer continue. Prior to retiring in 2014, she worked as a nurse practitioner for Osler Medical caring for older adults in nursing homes and assisted living facilities. She is the Executive Director a medical group and organizes a symposium for over 450 people every November. She helped to establish a state chapter of the Gerontological Advanced Practice Nurses Association and is currently their treasurer. She is also very active in Brevard County in healthcare related projects.

Corresponding Secretary

Olga Clarke is a retired registered nurse and has been a member of Beta Sigma Phi Sorority for over 50 years. She has held all offices for the sorority and served as president 13 times. She has also been a volunteer for the King Center for 23 years and works at the Humane Society Thrift Shop.

Treasurer

Louise Daley has been an active member of 55 Plus Club for many years. Before retiring she worked in banking as a bookkeeper and certification teller. She has volunteered for several projects and activities for the club.

Member-at-Large

Betsy Haff has been active in our club for several years. She has contributed greatly the last 6 years working on arts and crafts projects for our fundraisers. She is a volunteer for Meals on Wheels and has worked with Junior Achievement. Her past work experience was as Vice President of the Moorestown Recreation Department.

Only ballots with name and address of current member will be counted. Your vote is confidential and viewed only by the Election Committee. After confirmation ballots will be shredded.

Deadline is December 1, 2016 at 5:00 PM. Drop off at the DRS Community Center or the SB Civic Center as indicated below:

David R. Schechter Community Center 1089 S. Patrick Dr. Mon – Fri 8:30- 5:00
Satellite Beach Civic Center, 565 Cassia Blvd. Mon Only 9:00 – 11:00 am (Bingo table)
Mail to: 55+ Election Committee, DRS Community Center, 1089 S Patrick Dr, Satellite Beach, FL 32937

If you know a current member that did not receive a newsletter, which will include this ballot, please note that extra ballots can be obtained at the DRS Community Center or at Monday BINGO between 9:00 – 11:00 AM. Remember that only one newsletter will be sent to two members with the same last name, living at the
same address. Either make a copy of the ballot or obtain another copy from the DRS Community Center or Bingo on Mondays.

FROM CLUB MEMBER GLORIA MAKOWSKI

skydiving485TH YEAR
I did it again. I said before boarding plane:
I’m back again at 85
Gonna take another high skydive
I did it once 5 years ago
When asked if I’d do it again, said I don’t know
But here I am all aglow
I’m set and ready, Andiamo!—Let’s go!

skydiving5The weather was bad on the day planned with rain predicted for next few days. I was so psyched up for what I wanted to do that day on August 24th. So on Sunday morning at 8 a.m. I called and was told it was a 50-50 chance of flying due to the weather. I hopped in the car and drove up to Titusville to the Skydive center. There were 55 people waiting ahead of me and just one little plane. It was rush, rush, rush.

skydiving1After warily watching large clouds form above for a couple of hours it was my turn. My young handsome tandem guy Nick, 27 years old, was slim and just a little taller than me. I was the oldest person he had jumped with and he may have been a little more concerned. The plane was packed.

 

We were the second tandem to bail out at 18,000 feet. The cold wind felt great! A brief escape from all the muggy hot weather.

skydiving3I enjoyed it and just wish it could have lasted longer. I knew no one, but several were friendly, chatted with me and asked to take a picture with me. I guess they wanted to tell their friends about the old lady jumping. It was 5 years ago the first time on my 80th. After looking at the photos taken today, I think I’ll just keep the photos from 5 years ago.

Wow – that wind up there can really ripple the wrinkles and saggy skin all over. Well – that will hold me – for a while.

Cheers! Gloria Makowski