Bruce and Melissa MacDonald – A John Kelly Profile

Bruce you have an interesting background. Where do you call home and how did you get there?

 I live in a small community in rural Northern Ontario called Marten River; population 69. I own and operate Olive the Lake Fishing Lodge (www.olivethelake.com.)  My wife, young teenage son and I spend six months a year in unspoiled wilderness country on a private lake. Once the fishing season ends and the cold winter weather sets in, we spend our winters here in Sarasota at Sun-N-Fun Resort and RV Campground.

I worked for a major corporation in Ontario for a number of years, but soon realized I wanted something more from life. I struggled with how to fulfill that passion for more than five years. After much soul searching, and traveling to all parts of the world, I came to the conclusion that it was time to reach out and do something different.

However, like many people, I had a life long passion that was outside the boundaries of normal business. My dream was to own and operate a fishing lodge. I had worked in the leisure sports industry from a young age and developed a love for sport fishing. We managed to locate a fishing lodge for sale on the edge of a lake in pristine wilderness and took the plunge.

Tell me a bit about your fishing lodge

Olive the Lake is comprised of a main lodge and five cottages. We’ve built the lodge up to accommodate every kind of wilderness fishing and cottage experience from corporate retreats to active personal sports fishing vacations. It’s the ideal setting for both seasoned sport  fishers who want access to a lake filled with fish and novices who want a first time introduction to the wilderness vacation and the joys of sports fishing. I’ve also become involved in fishing television shows. One is called The Extreme Angler on the World Fishing Network. It’s a fast paced show that introduces viewers to the fun and excitement of sports fishing. They’ve profiled our resort several times and I’ve also done a show right here in Sarasota. Check out You Tube video – http://youtu.be/-SQaiurQZXk?hd=1

Sun-N-Fun has a different kind of active lifestyle. What attracted you to this place as your winter home?

I had relatives who spent winter vacations at Sun-N-Fun. I visited them with my family for vacations when I was much younger. My uncle and mom both have vacation homes here so there was a natural family connection when I was looking for a winter home.

What are some of the active living attributes at Sun-N-Fun that are attractive to a person your age?

The new Indoor Pool and Wellness Center has everything anyone could want to keep in shape. The gym and exercise equipment are top notch. This is an ideal location for me to work out and keep fit. It makes for a very physically active and healthy lifestyle. I think that some of the new features that Sun-N-Fun is adding to the resort are going to make this an attractive destination for a younger group of people. Retirees are getting younger and Sun-N-Fun is catering to this new generation.

Sun-N-Fun obviously promotes an active lifestyle. At 43 years old, I’m trying to make fitness and exercise a regular part of my routine.  I teach boxing. I run a program called Circuit Spar. There are 22 people in the class. The age of participants ranges from 50 to 80. Sun-N-Fun has been great in supporting it. I’ve found that if you have an idea or activity you want to promote you can put it to them and they’ll do what they can to work with you and make it happen.

For a couple in their 40’s and having the opportunity to opt into a month or two of leisure would you recommend Sun-N-Fun?

Absolutely. This resort is different from any other resort or campground. The residents are very friendly, outgoing, and willing to help with anything.

You have a teenage son who lives with you and your wife? How do you fit things like schooling into his life?

My son will be starting high school next year and home-based schooling is the option we‘ve gone with. He can access classes every day on line and do his assignments electronically.  He has access to the best of teachers and high quality learning experiences. He’s a high achiever and we’re very satisfied with his academic progress. In addition, he’s getting a unique lifestyle experience that most kids would envy. If you see a kid being dragged by two border collies around the resort, that’s our boy!

What advice would you have for a couple that wanted to reach out and pursue their life dream or passion?

Don’t be scared. Most people are afraid of change. What you need to do is think it through and put your right foot forward in the direction you really want to go.

John and Roberta Hirth -A John Kelly Profile

John, how did you and Roberta get to Sun-N-Fun?

Roberta was a school teacher in New York City and from there transitioned into IBM as a software programmer and certified project manager. I worked for 32 years and ultimately retired as executive director of a research and development laboratory for a telephone communications company which now everyone knows as Verizon.

Once Roberta and I retired, we decided to see the country in our motor home. We spent a couple of winters in Arizona and then in 2006, we and another couple came to explore Florida. Our friends wanted to check out resorts so we came to Sun-N-Fun. They were wanting a resort rather than just an RV park so that when relatives came to visit they would have something more to do than just go to the beach.

We came along with them and became very enthused with what we saw at the resort. We’re not the kind of people who sit on a beach and were mind boggled at the number of activities we saw going on.  We stayed for two weeks and the next year returned for a month. Like many who visit Sun-N-Fun, we became hooked and gradually extended our stay into the full winter season. In fact, even though we’re still avid RVers, we’ve purchased a vacation home in the resort as our permanent winter home.

Roberta, was there any initial special attraction for you at Sun-N-Fun?

I love music and playing the piano, and have always wanted to learn to play other instruments. There’s a very active Dulcimer Club at the resort. I was immediately attracted to it and over the years have learned to play the dulcimer. My first experience says a lot about the dynamics of active retirement in this resort and how management encourages the lifestyle. I found out that there was going to be a special dulcimer workshop after our site reservation had expired. The resort was full with no other RV sites available. Management very kindly let us return for three days and dry camp so that I could attend the dulcimer lessons.

John, what about you? Has Sun-N-Fun provided you with an opportunity to do something you always thought you’d like to try?

I’m a technical person. I’ve gotten involved with the lighting, sound and video production crews that support the various events and performances held in the resort over the season. I’ve made some suggestions that management has been very willing to take into consideration. Management and other volunteers are always open to including residents in whatever is going on. If you want to be active they’ll enable you to be active in the areas that strike your interest.

You two have made a significant contribution as active retirement builders at Sun-N-Fun. I understand that when you came here there were two makeshift pickleball courts at the resort. There are now six “best in class” outdoor courts. You’ve been instrumental in putting Sun-N-Fun Pickleball on the map. How did this come about?

That’s correct. When we first came upon pickleball there were painted lines inside the pavilion that marked off two courts. Someone had apparently tried to get it started several years previously without success. By the time we became involved in 2007, Jack Koenig and Pat Croal had started to rebuild it and there were approximately 30 people actively playing the sport. The leader at that time, (Jack Koenig), had made plans to leave the resort for a year. He asked if we would take his place on an interim basis until his return and we agreed.

Well, to make a long story short, he never was able to return for any length of time, and we became the pickleball coordinators. We weren’t particularly good player, but we were enthusiastic about it. We liked the people we were playing with and we saw this as our opportunity to make a contribution to the Sun-N-Fun community.

Pickleball is a great sport for active retirees. It’s the kind of sport that you can pick up at any age and, with relatively little practice, become a reasonably proficient player. You can enjoy the game fairly quickly. It has elements of other racket sports like tennis, but it’s not as taxing on the body. We have many members who play both tennis and pickle ball, and some have told us that pickleball doesn’t put the same sorts of strain on shoulders and elbows as does tennis.

How long did it take for you to take what was a near dormant activity and turn it into one of the more active clubs in the resort?

We didn’t have any magical formula. We took over responsibility for coordination sometime in 2007. We just spread the word about pickleball. We did a lot of promoting and held open houses to demonstrate what this game with a strange name was all about. We scheduled free lessons once a week and with the help of other dedicated players continued that on an ongoing basis. We always had a new stream of people that we were welcoming into the fold. Bringing this all up to date, by the beginning of the 2011-12 season we had six outdoor, world class pickleball courts along with three indoor painted surface concrete courts.

Bring us up to speed on how we got there?

We kept accurate records of who and how many resort guests were showing up to play. We invited management down to get a first hand look at the line ups that were beginning to become a regular occurrence from an increasing number of people wanting to play. At the end of each year I put together a comprehensive summary that explained our growth, successes and needs.  We used this and media statements that pickleball was rapidly becoming the fastest growing sport in the country to gently nudge management to consider putting construction of new pickle ball courts in their budget.

There was no actual one-to-one meeting where we sat down with management and said we need it now. We just opened a dialogue and kept it going. However, management was listening. After one of our discussions last year we received a call back from management that they had come up with a solution for location of six new courts and a budget for them. It was ideal. A parking lot near the pavilion would be relocated and six new courts would be installed in its place, not far from the existing three indoor courts.

You’re aware that the philosophy at Sun-N-Fun is whatever facility they build has to be the best. Do the pickle ball courts meet that standard?  

They certainly do. The courts meet the specifications of the USA Pickleball Association and the International Pickleball Federation, and in fact go beyond their recommendations. As a member of the USAPA, I have now arranged to have Sun-N-Fun’s facility listed with this sanctioning body as a prominent and fully qualified place to play the sport in southwest Florida. In fact, since this announcement, because I’m listed as the contact person I’ve received more than a few phone calls from potential guests asking about the resort and our pickleball activities. While I refer them to the office for general information, I’m very proud to tell them about Sun-N-Fun, our great pickleball facilities and our group of active and dedicated players.

Looking Back at a Spectacular Winter Season

With the winter season just ending and summer about to begin, we sat down with Lifestyle and Events Manager Tracy Goodman to talk about the highlights from this past winter and plans for the upcoming summer season. In this month’s Sunburst we’ll look back and next month ahead at all that is Sun-N-Fun.

Opening the Indoor Pool and Wellness Center

“The biggest highlight of this past year was the opening of the Indoor Pool and Wellness Center. There’s no other RV and vacation home resort that has anything like it. It really changes the shape of things here because it’s so unique and extraordinary. And people are really taking advantage of it,” Tracy says.

“And our volunteers are getting involved, teaching classes. It really changes things for our guests interested in health and wellness because now they don’t have to go out of the Resort and have memberships in other places.

“Another thing that made this a fabulous year was the weather, which was like what people think about when they think about Florida. That makes for a lot of happiness.”

Partying and Special Events

“We had lots of special events and shows at Woodlawn Hall like Johnny Rogers’ Buddy & Beyond, a history of Rock and Roll. We had a Tom Becker’s John Denver tribute, and Paul Tanner, who is a singer impressionist. Attendance at all of these shows was really off the charts.

“Then there was the musical theater presentation put on by our residents. More than 100 volunteers got involved in doing everything from writing a script to creating costumes, directing and performing – all done inhouse. They did three performances and it was just incredible.

“Of course, we had our usual full slate of parties. The year kicks off with our Halloween party, which is always great fun. We had about 420 people, many in costume, which we encourage. Next year, more, more, more costumes. And we had our holiday celebrations at Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s that always sell out – we’re talking about 400 or so people that attend them.

“Our St. Patrick’s Day celebration was fabulous: 150 Reubens were sold at the Bar & Grill that day, Chef JoAnn did a corned beef and cabbage dinner for over 300 and even more attended the poolside party where we had green beer. The Drake School of Irish Dance kids performed in traditional costumes, and then we had a DJ who played both Irish and dance music.

“Our Spring Bash kind of closes out the year, at least as far as parties go. This year we had perfect weather, great food, and DJ Jay Goodley playing music,” Tracy continues.

Focusing On You

“One of the things that really gets the season off to a great start is our “Focus on You” series. This is its third year and it just continues to pick up steam. We have outside speakers come in to cover a wide range of subjects, everything from health and wellness and pets to investing and technology. We do things like a wine tasting poolside where residents and guests get to vote on what they want to make the house wines for the year.

“There’s something happening almost every weekday in October and November and it jump starts activities even before the volunteers are really in full swing in January.

“We’ve also built six new Pickleball courts, which is the fastest growing sport in the United States and has become wildly popular here – we have almost 600 people playing it now, with volunteers teaching a steady stream of beginners all the time. Petanque is getting more and more popular – we played our sister resort Sherkston in a tournament that ended in a tie – and we’re building new clay Bocce Ball courts.

“One of the things that always amazes me is how strong the community of artists and craftspeople are that spend their winters here. We seem to be adding more and more art classes every year, and painting, woodworking, and stain glass continue to flourish. Next year, we’ll be adding fabric art classes. All taught by volunteers. We’ve even started doing an art show and sale, showcasing different classes. It’s gotten so popular we’re moving it to Woodland Hall next year.”

Serving the Community

Tracy also discussed some of the community charities that residents and guests get involved in during season. “In March, residents do a fashion show for charity. This year it was an event for First Step, a program for mothers and infants fighting addiction issues.

“We also did a Resort-wide cancer drive for the American Cancer Society – again, all done by resident volunteers. I believe they raised almost $8,000 doing a door knocking campaign and a luminary walk. We were also involved with the Springfest and Police Athletic League community events again this year.”

Remembering a Special Moment

When asked if she had any special moment or memory of this incredible year at Sun-N-Fun, Tracy told us it was during the ribbon cutting ceremony at the new Indoor Pool and Wellness Center when Mary Baker, who is 87 years old and has lived at Sun-N-Fun the longest, cut the ribbon.

“Mary ran the first water aerobics class here when we had to use milk jugs filled with water. We figured as she started one of the first “fitness” classes she was a perfect person to open the new Center. Then, watching hundreds of people come running in and jumping in the pool. It was a great moment in a year filled with them.”

Join us next month when Tracy tells us what special activities our summer visitors can look forward to. Like the winter season; it’s bound to be incredible.

 John Kelly talking with Peter and Janet Bunce

Peter, where are you and Janet  from and how did you get to Sun-N-Fun? 

We’re from the south of England about 15 miles along the coast from Brighton. We’re what you might call “rain birds”. We’ve come to Florida to escape the cold, wet and grey winters of England. We came upon Sun-N-Fun by chance. We had purchased a used RV back in 2001 planning to spend six months on the road touring the state then reselling it prior to our return to England.   At the very start of our journey, we ran into mechanical problems. We were on I75, a short way from Exit 210.  We noticed the sign for Sun-N-Fun and decided it would be a convenient layover while we had repairs done. We stayed for approximately ten days and fell in love with the place.

Once our RV was repaired, we continued our tour of Florida and although there are some great resorts in Florida (we particularly loved the rustic charm of the state parks), we were never able to find anywhere that compared with Sun-N-Fun. At the end of our travels we returned to Sun-N-Fun. The stay confirmed to us that this was our ideal winter destination.  We returned two years later, rented a park model and during our stay purchased a vacation home. We are now in our 7^th season.

What’s it like to be a “Brit” living in Florida for the winter? Is there much of a cultural adjustment? Is it easy to fit in.

Quite frankly, I can’t imagine another spot where Brits can be so comfortable and adjust so easily to a place away from home.  We’ve made some great friends here.  They are a mix of Americans, Canadians and people from the U.K and Europe.  Our friends back home are surprised when we tell them how many of our neighbors are from the UK. Everyone is so easy going and we like the relaxed lifestyle.  Sun-N-Fun is a secure safe place to be and there’s such a wide variety of activities to do on the resort that you can be as busy and active as you’d like.

What are some of the things that you like to do in the resort?

Janet and I are active cyclists. We regularly go biking with friends on and off the resort. There’s an old rail line, the Legacy Trail, that’s been converted into a dedicated bike trail that goes from Sarasota to Venice. You can access it at several different points along the way. In addition, there’s excellent biking at several of the surrounding state park areas.

Janet and I are also lawn bowlers. Sun-N-Fun is reputed to have the top lawn bowling green in the State of Florida and I have been told by people who bowl all over the USA that it’s amongst the best in the country. The club at the resort has approximately 128 members and there’s always some sort of game or match every day of the week.  We also hold inter-club matches and visiting club days. Sun-N-Fun lawn bowling hosts 3 top open tournaments each season under the banner of the US Lawn Bowling Association and there are other such competitive events held in the area-Sun City, Mount Dora, Lakeland and down in Sarasota.  We even have groups from the UK that run bowling tours to Florida each year and Sun-N-Fun is one of their chosen destinations.

Janet, you also lead a very active life at Sun-N-Fun. What are some to things that you’ve discovered you like to do in your active retirement life? 

During our first season I signed up for lessons to learn to play the Appalachian Mountain Dulcimer – I didn’t even know what it was!  However, this small, unusual, but sweet sounding instrument remains a passion to this day. All the wonderful activities that are available on the resort take some organizing and a lot of dedicated volunteers keep the resort’s activities thriving for all to enjoy now and in the future.  If everyone does their little bit to help we can maintain the high standard and variety of past-times available to all. Both Peter and I try to assist where we can.

Peter, you’ve also discovered that the surrounding area of Sarasota has opened to door for a new passion for you. Tell us about you becoming an archer.

I was driving up 17^th Street one day and I saw a banner for an archery range.  I decided to drop in and have a look around.  I can’t imagine there’s a nicer archery club in the world – it’s full of old Florida charm and is located on approximately 10 wooded acres. From the moment you enter the property, you will notice that preserving the natural surroundings is of great importance. SCA is a designated wildlife preserve. Therefore, no animals on the property are harmed in any way apart from swatting the occasional mosquito! There is a covered, lighted 20 yard indoor range, a 20 yard outdoor range and another with targets set at 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70 and 80 yards, all of which are flood lit. There are also 3 separate woodland trails; one has 14 bull’s-eye targets with varied shooting distances. The second has 14 animal (paper) targets and another area that is used for 3D targets.  I was hooked on the sport immediately and began learning how to become a proficient archer.

When I went back to the U.K., I discovered that archery is a huge sport there as well. There are a number of clubs near our home and I joined one.  I joined Sarasota archery club last year and discovered a great group of people, of all ages, all of whom are active volunteers and willingly help with maintenance tasks to the outstanding surroundings.

One of the added advantages of being at Sun-N-Fun is that there is a fully qualified U.S.A. Archery instructor in the resort who gives free lessons. Janet took lessons and became hooked on the sport.  So, thanks to Sun-N-Fun we’ve discovered a sport that we can actively engage in, as a couple, both in the US and the UK.

John Kelly talking with Elly Leck.

Elly how did you get to Sun-N-Fun?

My husband and I decided to retire a number of years ago. We initially relocated from California to Sedona, Arizona and transitioned from legal careers into owning and operating a very interesting country store/restaurant with an adjoining old fashioned gas station in the Sedona area. It was a great experience. We lived on five acres on Oak Creek and built an orchard and had our own petting zoo.

However, my husband was diagnosed with cancer and given a limited time to live. Through aggressive rehabilitation he got into a position that enabled him to walk and drive. We decided the best way for us to enjoy life was to get into our RV and see the country. In the course of our travels we went to  a big RV rally and encountered a “Disney Scout” who told us about how much fun it was working at Disney. We decided to give it a try and ended up in Florida at Disney World as casual workers. We were doing it for fun and were pleasantly surprised to find out that Disney actually paid people like us to have fun working with visitors.

As you can see, my husband and I were very active people looking for active retirement lives. It seemed as though every RVer we met who became aware of how active we were told us we should be at the Sun-N-Fun Resort and Campground in Sarasota. We were told it was absolutely the best spot anywhere for people looking for an active retirement lifestyle. We came for a visit and, like so many other residents here, realized we had found our home. We said goodbye to Mickey Mouse and hello to a great next life.

Elly, how did your husband fare at Sun-N-Fun?

Wonderful! In the couple of years we had together here, we both realized that this was the place for me to be once he would no longer be with me. He became terminally ill while we were travelling in another part of the country. However, he declined surgery wanting to make sure that he got us back to Sun-N-Fun. He’s still here with me in spirit and his ashes are always near me now that I have a cottage at the resort.

What kind of support for you as a single woman has there been at Sun-N-Fun? 

In my present life I’m surrounded by friends who are here whenever I need them. Everyone here was very compassionate during my transition and helped get me through it.  I don’t think I can say there is anyone here that I don’t like. This is a very safe, secure and welcoming environment for a single woman.  I have a very active social life in the resort. Couples  are always including me in whatever they do. If I’m at a social function and there’s dancing there’s always a dance partner for me. That’s just the way people are here. And there’s terrific entertainment at Boondocks the resort’s poolside bar and grill.  They bring in excellent entertainment at Woodland Hall at a reasonable price. I never have to worry about cooking. I can always get a quick bite of lunch at the excellent lunch buffet.

I understand you’re an avid tennis player. What’s the tennis scene like at Sun-N-Fun? 

They have amazing tennis facilities here. There are now seven courts. The club is very active. We have tennis tournaments. There are great socials.

What other sports do you participate in? 

I’m very active in the water sports programs. I take part in them every day. I teach the water aerobics on Saturdays. We have two different classes of morning water aerobics. The one at 9:30 uses styrofoam belts and weights and focuses on body toning. The 10:30 class does not use weights. It’s all about body toning and building cardiovascular strength.

Are the water sports mixed activities? 

Definitely. More and more men are getting involved in the water aerobics programs. These are great programs. They’re easy on the knees and joints. People who have had hip replacements can participate.

How did you become an aerobics teacher?  

Water recreation has always been my passion. There was interest in a Saturday class and need for a teacher so I volunteered. The fact that there is now both an Olympic sized outdoor pool and a magnificent new indoor pool in the Wellness Center accommodates everyone, no matter what their physical condition is or their exercise needs.

What impact has the new multi-million dollar Wellness Center and Indoor Pool had on your involvement in fitness activities? 

It has everything you could want in a high-end gym. There’s a total focus on both physical and mental wellness. There are free weights, machine weights, treadmills, bicycles, a steam room and state of the art far infrared sauna. The huge swimming pool has a jet resistance lane. There are also water bikes and water treadmills.

Is Sun-N-Fun open to suggestions? If you have an idea and want to take leadership will they listen to you? 

I don’t like to lead. Like most people I prefer to follow. But if you have an idea they’re certainly open to hearing about it and supporting you if you want to develop a program or activity.

You’re also very socially active. Is it easy to have an active social life at Sun-N-Fun? 

There are not enough hours in the day to take in all of the  social activities that go on in the resort. You can relax and let yourself go a little crazy at the dances if you want to because you’re among friends. You can always tell when there’s a newcomer at one of the live band events. They stand back and aren’t sure how to act. However, regular residents will usually go up and introduce themselves and draw them into the group.

What else would you like to tell people about Sun-N-Fun. 

This resort is extremely pet friendly They have three dog parks. There are two parks for small dogs and one park for big dogs. Every size and type of dog has an opportunity for off leash exercise. One of the great things about the dog parks is that owners get a chance to meet one another and socialize when they take their dogs off leash and let them have a run. There are also two pet bathing stations with hot water.

You’re allowed to bring your dog in the office. They even have doggie bones in the office for your dog. I think the majority of the people in this resort have dogs.

To summarize, I would be very surprised if you could not find something to do at Sun-N-Fun.

The Western New York couple first came to Sun-N-Fun about ten years ago as RVers. They had retired; Ray from his job as a manufacturer’s representative, Sandy from her work as a special education teacher and then as an early intervention service coordinator for families with special needs children. In 2007 they purchased a park model vacation home and now spend their winters here.

“We recognized a special spirit at Sun-N-Fun,” Sandy says. “A real culture of volunteerism. It’s been a joy to join ranks with so many wonderful people who give so readily of their time and talents.”

They’d been delivering Meals on Wheels in the Buffalo, NY area and so it was only natural for them to continue that work here.  On Saturday mornings they make food deliveries to 15 people here in Sarasota who otherwise might go without.

“The joy of it,” Ray says, “is that we’ve established relationships with some of the folks we serve.”

Their altruism continues when they return home each summer: Sandy serves on the Family Selection Committee for Habitat-Buffalo interviewing applicants, while Ray works on building the homes. He started volunteering with them 15 years ago, first as a site supervisor, then as an electrician, and now as a “tin-man,” installing ducts and furnaces in Habitat homes. It’s hard work, but the one-time University of Buffalo tackle is still up to the challenge.

Though “only” a part of the Sun-N-Fun family for a decade, the couple’s relationship with Royalty Resorts goes back much farther, in fact, even before there was a Royalty Resorts. Like so many teenagers in the Buffalo-Niagara area, these high school sweethearts, now married 52 years, used to go on group dates to the Quarry at Sherkston Shores long before there was a Sherkston Shores. You can still hear the romance in Sandy’s voice when she tells you how they met in high school when she was a sophomore and Ray was a freshman, went steady, and how she wore the high school letter sweater of her husband-to-be.

They’ve managed to stay in touch with their roots even when they’re here at Sun-N-Fun by getting together a “Lunch and Learn” group of fellow New Yorkers who meet once a month in Boondocks Restaurant and give presentations to share what they know about New York history.

“Some of them get pretty elaborate; a couple of people have even done power point presentations, but the idea for us is really just to get the group together,” Sandy explains. And get together they do – as many as 50 to 60 people have attended.

The couple also volunteer here “in the bubble.” They help with the Saturday night dances – echoes of those weekends at the Quarry – and Ray is active in the Sun-N-Fun Veterans organization helping out at the barbeque, pancake breakfast, and in the Color Guard. You may have seen him at the Homecoming Parade. The couple  also volunteer for our community at the annual Police Athletic League charity event and Springfest fund raisers. They also represented Sun-N-Fun at our booth at the RV show in Tampa.

One volunteer activity that seems to have brought a special pleasure was Ray’s getting the chance to play Santa at the Resort’s Family Christmas Program last year. It was big promotion for someone who had, until then, only gotten to be an elf.

“The truth is, at the end of the day, volunteering easily brings us as much satisfaction and happiness as it does to those we help,” Sandy tells us.

We understand the personal reward this couple feels, but it makes us no less grateful for all they do.

Joan, how did you discover Sun-N-Fun?

Sun-N-Fun is such a great resort that it’s sometimes easy to forget that it’s also a terrific campground. I happened to come across a customized Class “B” RV van several years ago that attracted my attention. I followed up with the manufacturer and had one customized for my own personal use. This was to become my “Woody”, nicknamed because of the vintage wood panel look on the exterior.

Marsha and I started doing extensive RVing across the country during our down times. While in Florida, one of the campgrounds we stayed at several years ago was Tropical Palms in Orlando. We were very impressed with what a first class RV campground it was. We discovered that there was a sister RV resort and campground in Sarasota called Sun-N-Fun that also had a five star rating. We decided to try it out on our way to our time share in Sanibel. We were hooked from the day we arrived. We returned a year later in our RV and decided to make this our first choice leisure destination.

Marsha, you still own and travel with Woody. But you also have a cottage at Sun-N-Fun. How did that come about?

Joan was camping in Woody at Sun-N-Fun and planned to meet a client. I was scheduled to come down and meet her. She called me with an update on weather conditions. It was so windy we couldn’t put Woody’s outdoor awning up. Joan suggested renting one of the cottages. We did and really liked it. The cottages are like little condos. They’re very efficient and easy to maintain. A unit across from the resort lake became available for purchase. We’re avid kayakers and this was an ideal location for us. Plus we liked the layout and decor of the unit. We purchased it and have been cottagers here for four years.

Joan and Marsha, you also have a time share at Sanibel. That’s a couple of hours south of here. How does that fit into your lifestyle? 

The time share in Sanibel was purchased more than 20 years ago to accommodate our need to be close to Marsha’s family. I have my own financial advisory business and, initially, a time share suited my limited leisure time opportunities. My business has now grown and some of my clients are now located in Florida in this area. Having the two locations enables me to maximize my leisure time and also being available to serve clients.

Joan, there are many “boomers” in the 55-65 year range who are able to retire or at least change the way they work to build more leisure into their life. You seem to have discovered a way to keep working while also getting on to your “next life”. Tell me about it. 

I’m an independent financial advisor in my own business and my job is to meet the needs of my clients, not some multinational corporation. The financial advisory business is cyclical. There are times of the year when you have to be physically present and other times when you can manage off site by being in consultation with staff at my home base business office and working electronically. That’s what I’ve transitioned myself into doing with my business.  When I am at my business office in Woburn MA, I am seeing and meeting clients face to face.  I’ve become a manager who has learned to use my time efficiently and effectively by increasing my service staff to 5 employees. Their work is processing “paperwork” my work is managing clients’ money to lead to their financial success.  Working with my staff electronically has taught me how to manage people efficiently while I’m travelling or at Sun-N-Fun.

Joan, have you found that if you have a service business it can be very feasible to have a winter residence at a high end resort like Sun-N-Fun and combine business with leisure? Is this the lifestyle choice that self-employed business people should be exploring?

 If you’re a small business owner you need time out time. You need time to have fun. It’s very difficult to do that if you remain too close to your home base.  You need to get away and locate to surroundings that are amenable to doing something different that’s fun and relaxing. I’ve found that I’ve become more successful in organizing my life that way. As I mentioned earlier, I’ve learned to develop management skills and delegate tasks and activities to others who work for me.

Joan, do you consider yourself retired? 

NO, I don’t consider myself retired, and I will never be retired.  I love what I do.  There’s only so much golf and tennis to be played.  I like being “in the game” having to be at the top of your game in this financial advisory business. I’m growing my personal self and life by pursuing leisure activities but also keeping myself active in my business. This is the key to a successful transition into a next life for a small business person. I have approximately 500 clients in my financial services advisory business.  Some are successful small business people. Those that have completely walked away invariably come back to me and say they wished they’d kept up some sort of involvement or are now on the lookout for another business opportunity.

Is Sun-N-Fun a good location for someone wanting to build leisure into their life but needing to have easy access to a home base location.  

Yes, it’s a short drive to Sarasota airport.  For Marsha and I there’s a direct flight from Sarasota to Boston, nearby home base in New Hampshire. Tampa, a major international air hub for southwest Florida is less than an hour’s drive.

Joan, you’ve also taken a passion that Marsha and you have for tennis and made philanthropy a major part of your life by supporting the Boston Lobsters World Pro League tennis team. I understand that the team plays in the Joan Norton Stadium. Tell me about how that came about and how philanthropy has enriched your lives. 

I believe in “giving back”.  I’ve worked very hard all my life; raised by a single parent from the “hard streets of Boston”.  You either come out a winner from that, or you do not come out at all.  Nothing was given to me, I had to work for everything I achieved, and very few people took the time to help me.

I connected with Billie Jean King about 10 years ago.  We are friends as well as “business partners”.  I am the major sponsor of Boston Lobsters World Tennis Team.  By working with Billie and World Team Tennis, I have been able to assist several children to achieve their dream to attend college.  You get much more back than what you give.  I find myself in greater positions now to give back to hard working kids that just need a break.  This is my biggest “ kick” in life.

Individuals can make a difference, one kid at a time. From there they all know THEY have to “pay it forward” to the next kid.  Change the world one kid at a time

 John Kelly talked with Shelley & Ian Gold – Sault St. Marie Ontario

How did you get to Sun-N-Fun?

Our connection started about seven years ago. We originally came down to Sarasota from our hometown In Sault St. Marie, Ontario in 2005 in an rv with our two daughters during Christmas break. We then began returning on an annual basis for holidays and rented a cottage.

Shelley, what made you decide to take the next step and buy a cottage at Sun-N-Fun and make this your permanent winter home? 

We had always liked it as a family vacation stop. The opportunity arose for me to consider active retirement. Ian was continuing to work as a commercial pilot and his schedule enabled him to commute between Sarasota and Toronto.  I had already spent two years in Dubai. I wasn’t interested in spending any more winters in the North.  We decided to rent a cottage for a month and try out Sun-N-Fun.

The original plan was for a girlfriend to spend the month with me. Unfortunately, she couldn’t stay with me and I was alone. I decided to make the best of it and get out and meet and mingle with residents. The more I mingled and the more I got to know people and the more activities I got involved in the more comfortable I became. I felt very safe and welcome. This year we decided to extend our winter stay to three months. When the opportunity arose to purchase a vacation home and make this our full time winter home in what had become for us a great active retirement community we took advantage of it.

Shelley, tell me about some of the activities that you became involved in that has made your retirement life so active?

 Last year I did line dancing, yoga, zumba and the water exercise. When I returned this year Ian noticed that there was a musical theater group in the park. I joined that along with my other activities. I also took up Petanque, (French Boules). All these activities have enabled me to meet so many different people and connect with other couples that I already feel I’m really a part of this community.

Shelley, I understand you’re already part of a trio in the annual musical.

I auditioned for the musical and the director decided to put three of us together as a trio. That’s just how things happen here.

Ian, what about you? What attracted you to Sun-N-Fun? 

I like the fact that Shelley is very happy and feels secure on her own here. My flight scheduling along with holiday time enables me to be here with her approximately two weeks out of every month. I find it very easy to join in with Shelley and mix and mingle with the other couples when I do back and forth.

Ian, what are two or three things that you enjoy doing here? 

I’m not as socially active as Shelley. I enjoy reading as a form of relaxation.  Now that we have a cottage I plan to bring my motorcycle down to Sun-N-Fun next year. I drive a BMS K 100 Touring bike. I understand there’s a motorcycle club in the resort that I can hook up with. I also have a 26-foot Macgregor boat. I’m hoping to bring it down next year as well. There’s great boating in the Sarasota area.

Shelley, how does it feel to be living an active retirement life? 

I love active retirement. I spent my entire career as an educator and administrator in a busy elementary school. My education career culminated with two years in Dubai working for the Ministry of Education as a Principal Mentor for Emirati principals in national schools. Once I retired I wanted to be someplace that would keep me busy, active and involved. I purposely chose activities that are group oriented. I’m also very creative but I chose to be active with community-oriented activities.

Provide us with an indication of who some of these friends you made are and what you’re doing with them. 

There are two things that I was relieved to find out. One was that there’s a great mix of age groups. For me there’s an excellent crowd in the 60-65-year-old range that are my peers. I didn’t realize how many baby boomers were making the same choice as me until I got here. More importantly, what I discovered is that it doesn’t really matter what age group you’re in at Sun-N-Fun. When I look at Petanque I see people from every age group participating at their level. There’s terrific interaction between every age group and every background.

I enjoy being able to talk to my 85-year-old neighbor across the street and then meeting up at poolside for exercises with a group of people who are my own age. This makes for a real community. Over the past several years it appears as though there is an increasing number of boomers.

Ian, you’re still coming and going. How do you find getting into the groove with people and activities when you return? Is it hard to break in? 

I don’t notice any of that. Residents are always ready to reach out and include you.

Shelley, what’s it like being alone? Is it lonely? 

People here are very kind. I find this to be a very safe and secure environment for a single female. My neighbors and friends are always reaching out to make sure I’m included in group events and activities and checking up to see if there’s anything I need or they can do to help out.

Do you miss the folks back home in Canada? 

I obviously miss my two daughters. But they’re away in university anyway. They’ll be coming down to visit during their school breaks. There are so many Canadians at Sun-N-Fun that you never feel as though you’re far away from home in that sense. I think about a third of the residents here are Canadian.

I think that you go through cycles in your life. We certainly have friends back home in Sault St. Marie that we connect with on a regular basis. Many of them have retired and some have moved away. This is now my winter life and these are my friends with who I enjoy active retirement.

Soon after retirement, – Linda had her own hair salon and husband Joe was the Deputy Fire Chief of Nantucket, MA, where they still have a home. The couple began RVing. They spent their first couple of winters in Key West, FL, but decided that life there just wasn’t for them. A number of RV friends had told them that they couldn’t go to Florida without stopping at Sun-N-Fun. They decided to take the advice, intending to stay for three days. They ended up staying for three weeks. That was nine years ago.

“I fell in love with the place at first sight,” Linda tells us. “We came back the next year for the entire season and the year after that bought a park model vacation home. Now we’re at the Resort from the end of October through April.”

When they first came to Sun-N-Fun, Linda was able to take part in water aerobics, her favorite fitness activity; she enjoyed making clothes (she’s an expert seamstress); and she loved crafting. But her health issues were making it increasingly difficult, then eventually impossible, to participate.

Until recently. Now, thanks to a new breakthrough medication and the work she and Joe do with trainer Sheri Clarry at our state-of-the-art Indoor Pool and Wellness Center, Linda is back, living the life she and Joe had dreamed of when they first came to Sun-N-Fun nine years ago.

The couple met Sheri at a lecture she gave about the Wellness Center several months before it opened. They were so impressed they decided to start working with her privately at the old gym, all the while waiting patiently for the new Wellness Center to open. When it did this past January, they began working out in earnest, taking advantage of all it offered.

“I’m doing high intensity training with Linda and Joe,” Sheri explains. “The Indoor Pool and Wellness Center offers a terrific well-rounded approach to cross-training. And cross training is the key to longevity.”

“Sheri is a great motivator,” Joe says. “She explains what muscle groups we’re working and pushes us to do our best. I can’t say enough positive things about her. She and the Center have made a huge difference to the quality of our lives.”

Now the Rezendes work out three times a week at the Center, once a week with Sheri and twice a week on their own, working on the strength training machines. They also do a Tai Chi class at the Center twice a week.

They both started seeing changes almost immediately. “I’m able to run three miles now. I’ve never had more energy,” the retired Deputy Fire Chief of Nantucket says. He attributes the changes to the Wellness Center.

“We had free weights at the fire house, but we didn’t really know what we were doing. The Wellness Center has everything: free weights, machines, aerobics and classes. You really learn how to keep in shape. And the environment is so bright and clean you want to work out. We’re very fortunate to have something of this caliber so close.”

Linda’s pleased with the changes she sees in Joe. “He has more energy. He’s building himself up and I’m seeing more muscles in his legs and biceps. I like that!”

As for Linda, the Indoor Pool and Wellness Center, coupled with the benefits of her medication and working with Sheri, have made for some significant changes.

“We started doing private sessions with Sheri in November. By December, when the grandchildren came for a visit with our daughter, she was a different woman, picking up the kids and playing with them,” Joe says of his wife.

“Now I’m participating in life again instead of just watching,” she says joyfully.

We know a couple of grandchildren who are happy about that.

Susan:

In the last few years of my ‘former life’ as a college professor teaching Public Speaking, I started thinking about what I wanted to do “when I grow up and retire”. I knew John and I would live in our Airstream, but since we’ve traveled so much around the US and Canada I didn’t know if I wanted to keep on the move. I was feeling lonely and bored with my life ….. I wanted a “Next Life” with a  community and activities and new friends and FUN!  So I started to research RV parks in the southern US. When I googled ‘best RV park in Florida’ up popped Sun-N-Fun. We decided to commit to three winter months to see if we liked it.

After a week we knew we had found our new winter home and what truly was a “Next Life”. I felt like a teenager at camp again. Every day is an adventure. Both of us made instant friends, became involved in a wide variety of stimulating activities enveloped in warmth and sunshine, and had access to the  wonderful cultural events in beautiful sunny Sarasota.

The jewel of Sun-N-Fun is that the 100 or so activities are run by volunteers who share their expertise and dedication. Recently, I’ve become the Mah Jongg chair and enjoy facilitating the game for others. Through participation in Petanque (French Boules), stain glass, swimming classes, walking club, dog park visits, gym exercise, music/dancing at the bar, dinners/drinks with friends, etc., I’ve developed close friends who are very important to my happiness. At Sun-N-Fun I feel youthful, energetic, blessed and full of life and laughter – haven’t laughed like I do in years. I’m so lucky to have found a place where I feel I belong and am occupied (some days I have ‘to pretend’ that I’m feeling sick so I can have a day off!). Sun-N-Fun is the BEST!

John:

I was a law professor and legal consultant. Like most professionals, I wanted to let go of the frantic pace of professional life that was constantly cramming college lecturing, research, writing and legal consulting all into too much of a tight fit with a personal life and relationship with my wonderful wife Susan.  But I selfishly wanted a “Next Life” that combined the best of two worlds: part-time professional consulting in areas that were personally interesting and an opportunity to live a life of active retirement in an active leisure retirement community. Living down south in a sunny warm climate in our Airstream seemed like an ideal situation; consult electronically for a few hours a day and then relax and enjoy an active retirement life with my wife and friends for many more hours every day.

Susan says it all. Sun-N-Fun is a first class RV resort with all the amenities I was looking for. I’ve retaken up shooting pool with the men’s billiard club after a 40 year hiatus. I’ve become addicted to the game of Petanque and have taken up bocce. I was a competitive ten pin bowler in my teen years and I’m loving a green grass version of it on a warn sunny afternoon. However, the best part of my “Next Life” is active friendship with like minded men who just want to be with other men who want to live active lives and have left getting ahead in their careers behind them.