Yesterday on the Sun City Advocates Facebook page, we got a great question from Nia Maxwell asking simply; "how did we get here?" The "here" meaning a place where outside full play passes were being sold to non-residents who had access to our web portal and were playing golf for far less than what Sun City residents were paying less than many of us would should we want to golf. In addition, they were literally able to get tee times ahead of members.
Posted Friday, July 15, 2022 11:00 am
After
reading last week’s Independent it’s become apparent that, at least to me, the
Recreation Centers of Sun City has got us right where they want us. Especially
when you read that out of more than 38,000 residents only just more than 1,700
voted to elect their members of the board. So what does that mean? Does that
mean 36,300 don’t care what happens in Sun City? Are they simply living the
good life fat, dumb and happy, paying their assessment and letting somebody
else take care of things? I believe most have at least some concern!
All candidates that attended either the 9 am or 1 pm session of the Candidate Informational Meeting on Monday, June 6th, were invited to contribute a few words to this blog. In Alphabetical Order:
Darla Akin
John Fast
Nancy Greathouse
Cheri Marchio
Bill Pearson
Kristi Svendsen
Jean Totten
Mike Wendel
Not everyone contributed to the blog by "press time." If we receive their comments at a later date, they will be published.
Following the second member/board exchange meeting the other day (May 9), those walking out of the room should be scratching their heads and asking this one question. I know I was, did and still am. "Who should decide what Sun City is?"
Let's recap; at the first member/board
exchange, a suggestion was made to change the electronic marquee signs in front
of rec centers to read: Sun City, The City Of Volunteers." They currently
state, "Sun City The Original Fun City." That change came about in
2012 when the general manager felt it was important to rebrand the community.
We heard the reason was buyers wouldn't want to come here if they had to
volunteer.
May 5th, Part 1
I've been harping for years about the importance of building a sense of community. Much to the dismay of at least one poster who has suggested it has become annoying that i continue to beat that "dead horse." I get it, for some the idea or suggestion we return or cling to our roots is unappealing.
In
the past couple of days i've been asked to help be an administrator on Facebook
Sun City Chat Arizona. I was invited to do so more than a year ago and elected
to decline the offer. I was convinced it would entail more time than i wanted
to spend. Plus, as i was posting historical photos daily, i kept coming across
comments i struggled with. Not that people aren't entitled to their opinions,
my immediate reaction was to simply reply back as harshly, or perhaps even more
caustic.
The solution was one the administrator suggested. Blocking people who were spoiling for a fight made more sense than engaging with them. I have nothing but respect for Garland Shreves as he has done an amazing job growing the site and keeping the craziness levels to a minimum. To be blunt, i was in awe of how hard he worked to make the site as popular as it was/is.
By Bill Pearson
Originally posted on Talk of Sun City (Posted as written)
Let me shock everyone with this next piece on what i love about Sun City. Golf. Yup, i said it and i stand by it. I used to play, i don't anymore, but there's no question, Sun City was built as a golfing community and it will always be a golfing community. For anyone interested in our history and Del Webb, you know the man loved the game. What is so odd is, he took it up late in life. He was in his mid 30's. Most know he was a great athlete, aspiring to become a professional baseball player.
By Bill Pearson
Originally posted on Talk of Sun City (Posted as written)
Over the years i have taken hundreds of visitors through the Museum. Whenever i start to tell the John Meeker salvation story, the question invariably becomes, "what did he do?" The challenge is, there isn't one thing. It was a paradigm shift in thinking that started with that policy of non-involvement. We read above how the members took ownership of the governance aspect, the reality was, much of the rest of it, needed a financial boost to get things moving.
If you know Bill Pearson, you know he loves to write. For 15 years or more, Bill has been pecking out prolific missives about his favorite topic - Sun City. It seems like you either love him or dislike him; but whichever, you've got to admit he knows his history. I find it fascinating to read his "stories" about the past, and I long to see Sun City go "a little bit backwards" to capture that commitment, resolve, and sense of community. If you share my feelings, you will enjoy this.
We will be sharing a 15 part series that Bill recently posted on Talk of Sun City.
Here are the first 5. (Copied exactly as written.)
Jean Totten, Advisory Panel
