November 3, 2015

Here is the large group that visited Port Manatee in October.  They found the tour, which Minnie Lee Jones booked for MCREA, to be informative and fun.  I know that many of us are planning to attend her next extravaganza at Selby Gardens.  If you haven't signed up yet, there were a few empty slots remaining -- not for long, I think.

    Here we are in November and there is no sign of fall yet.  Sweaty little children did their trick or treating in hot little costumes on Halloween night.  I planted my earth boxes while cussing at the mosquitoes and the sweat that ran down my nose as I worked.  The local weather predictors on t.v. are beside themselves with boredom.  Not only did we miss a hurricane this year, which although miserable for the rest of us, is their chance at center stage. Now we are not getting those cold fronts that they love to show marching through the South, into Florida, and often stopping at the Hillsborough County line. You can read the frustration on their sleek little faces as they launch into the "same ole, same ole". 

    Please remember the children's books which we are collecting for FELT.  In December, at the last distribution of food before the Christmas break, the volunteers like to include a book and extra food.  We are the only suppliers of books, so we need to come up with many of them.  Please search your boxes which you brought home from school when you couldn't bear to leave all of your great teaching stuff behind.  Also, the Central Library has books for sale very cheaply, and the best place of all,  the
Good Will Book Store at Tara is a treasure chest of books for kids and for you if you haven't check it out.  The books are in good shape, are cataloged, and are inexpensive.  I bought three at Publix the other day from a "3 for $10" bin.  This will be our last meeting before the break and I will have to get them all graded for distribution .  Make my work as difficult as you can by donating a lot of books.

    Other on-going collections are empty shoe boxes for Meals of Wheels.  Each Christmas, the volunteer drivers take a shoebox filled with goodies to each of the people on their routes.  Meals of Wheels is collecting the boxes which they will wrap, or you may wrap if you like, cover separate, combs, razors, toiletries, socks, and other small things that would cheer a shut-in.  Christmas wrapping paper would also be appreciated.

    Also, there is the Manatee County Food Bank which is especially active during the holidays.  Canned and dried food are needed.

     Of course, not everyone can do all of these.  Just do what you can (of peas, of corn, of beans?)

    Retired Educators Day has been proclaimed by Governor Rick Scott to be celebrated on Sunday, Nov. 15.  If you would like to inform your clergy person of the date and have it announced in church or temple that day, it would be a good thing for our image as a productive body.  I have sent the proclamation to the newspapers.

    Remember that the November meeting will be on Wednesday, Nov. 18.  Renaissance on 9th has another large event on Thursday.  Melissa Porter, the Education and Volunteer Coordinator of the Manatee County History Fair, will be our speaker.  We have donated to this group for many years.  It gives the students incentives to learn about the history of the county, state, and nation.  With so much emphasis on testing of the basics, the fair presents an opportunity for some creative learning.

    Our annual Halloween party was a blast as usual.  Thank you, extroverted ones, for dressing up and adding your creativity

 to the celebration, especially the big Richard Chicken who inspired the chef and staff so much that they prepared him a special dinner of corn which was served with a flourish by the chef himself.  Bingo by Sandy Stephenson was a hit as usual, and the prizes were great. 

  If you do not hear from your caller in the week before the meeting, please call Sue Roe, 792-4786 to make a reservation.

  See you soon,
  Ellen