‘Tis the Season for Giving.

In 1998 our neighbors R and M stated a Christmas fund for underprivileged children in our area. With the support of the members here at the resort, they raised over $400 that first years. With the help of a local church, they were able to help some needy families. The kind that have plywood for windows and candles for lights. I mean really needy families. Not the on welfare needy families that have their hands in your pockets. I spent the last 10 years of my working life with them, administering Section 8.

This year they have raised over $4000 thanks to the generosity of our membership. Over the years they have raised over $26,000. Some years more than others.

I mention this because it has been raining and it remained me of an instance several years ago in one of the first rains of the season. M received a call from a local school that had helped locate the church that assisted in distributing the Christmas gifts and food each year. Their school bus driver had three students that had had to walk about a mile in the rain without any jackets or coats, because the family could not afford them. The school wanted to know if M and R could do something to help.

Because they had the Christmas fund to draw from, R was able to go to Costco and get five coats for the family. Three for the kids and two for the parents. Made for a happy warm family. Christmas came a bit early that year for that family.   Christmas has a different meaning when a child is excited about getting oranges, let alone toys. The family are  migrant workers and there is not much work available in the winter months for them.

Ginny is on the committee called ‘Helping Hands’. It is to assist members that find themselves in need for reasons out of their control. We had to use it when Ginny had her bout with cancer in 2001-2002. Sometimes people need just a slight ‘helping hand’ to get over a hump in their life. The fund is there for those occasions. Not a large amount of money each time, but greatly appreciated.

Several times a year, different function and drives are held to replenish the fund by the membership. Members helping members. Just like any community. We try to help our own.

I’m not sure what the current count of permanent residents, but it is around 130. The total club membership is about 2000. During the summer there are lots of additional people here on premises from other clubs and people who are just curious about nudism. Can be up to 5000 on major weekends, I am told. Most weekends during the season, there is somewhere around 1000 to 2000. I don’t work in the office, so I am really just taking my best guess.

Ginny and I mostly keep to ourselves. That is one of the advantages of being in the back area, we can be as involved or not, as we pleased....   Not like the first few years we live here, we were in everything and knew everyone.... Experiences that are ‘New and Exciting’ to newbies, is old hat after you have been here for 20 years….. ‘Been There, Done That, Have the T-Shirt’ kind of attitude sets in….still living in Paradise thro……….

Until next time, may your God keep you safe.........