December 2015

    I have been trying to no avail to download some pictures that Deborah Thomas took of the MCREA Nov. meeting.  So, I am sorry folks, but I will be sure to have my camera on hand on Thursday, the 17th, to get enough to make up for this time.

   I understand that the Nov. meeting was well attended as usual and that the speaker, Melissa Porter of the Manatee County History Fair, was interesting.  Unfortunately, I could not attend since Chet, the dog, the three cats and I had all been put out of our house so that poisonous gas could be pumped in to kill the  termites.  What an ordeal that was. 

    Luckily, Chet's niece Karen in Cortez had an empty cottage that we were able to hide in until it was over. If you ever need to have your house done, enlist some aid.  It's amazing how much stuff you must either bag up in special doubled bags and seal with duct tape or carry off to another location.  Then there are all the medicines and other toiletries which also must be moved away from the danger area.  I made a resolution to go through cupboards and throw things away.  I am no longer going to buy all the bogo staff at the grocery store.  I seemed to have two boxes of everything.  And little bits of this and that will no longer be relegated to the freezer.  I'm just tossing them.  Never mind those starving children in China that my mother used to tell me about.  What they don't know won't hurt them.

    Thanks to your generosity, I have many books to grade and to take to FELT for the Christmas holiday distribution.  I think we do not have enough for every child on the list who receives a backpack of food, but there are so many needing help now.  We should be able to cover about half of them and then if you continue to bring books in, we can get the other half at the last distribution in June.  I pray that all those children will have their nutrition needs met during the break.  Hungry adults is bad, but hungry children is unbearable. 

    Please remember to donate to the MCREA Scholarship Fund.  We try to give at least two scholarships each year to high school seniors who are planning careers in education.  Unlike FREF Scholarships, we do not hold them to it, but often they do continue in education as they planned to in the beginning.  FREF, of course, gives a lot more and continues throughout the recipient's undergraduate years.  Remember, we decided a few years ago to ask for donations for MCREA Scholarship rather than try to sell each other things as we had been doing.  All those sweets weren't good for us anyway.  Diana Buell is our Scholarship Chair this year.  She will be happy to take your checks.

    We are still gathering items like small toiletries for nursing homes.  After our December meeting, Joan Sackett and Judi Ussery will collect them all and see that they are taken to the nursing homes.  Socks and cardigan sweaters are also much appreciated.  Food, medicines, perfumes, make-up, and large bulky items cannot be used.

    I just heard from Ron Schneider's wife that he is ill and in the hospital.  I know we will all be hoping for his quick recovery.

   I am looking forward to seeing you at Renaissance on 9th, 11:00 a.m., Thursday, Dec. 17.  If it's cool, we can don those holiday outfits that we used to wear for our kids -- ugly Christmas sweaters are encouraged.  I don't think they are ugly anyway.  But it is trendy to say that.
    If you haven't heard from your caller by the 13th, call Mary Ann Jensen at 756-7603 or Susan Roe, 792-4786.

     Ellen