“Ready, Aim, Medal!”

“Ready, Aim, Medal!”

“Ready, Aim, Medal!”

By Kai Rambow

When Mary Tucker, from Sarasota, mentions her sport is shooting, she typically gets one of two reactions: “Oh, so you ski.” “Oh yeah, the ones where the things fly.”  “People think of shotgun [skeet] or biathlon,” Tucker explained.

Tucker, who won a silver medal in the new mixed team air rifle event, succeeded with her teammate Lucas Kozenisky.  The journey to a silver medal was not without challenges.

“I was 14 and picked a high school my mother didn’t want me to go to.  She said, ‘Fine, if you go there, you have to be on a sports team. I don’t know why. I guess she wanted me to be involved in something.’

“They had a night where you could see all the different teams.  The shooting team had a big banner with a rifle on it.  She tried to steer me away from that.  I said, ‘No, no.  We’re going to that one.’

“When I first started, I was very, very bad at it.  We had 20 people on the team and I was probably the worst.

“The high school coach knew I wasn’t very good and he made that known. I started becoming a little bit better and beating some of the other team members.  He said, ‘I don’t need you to be great. You need to settle for good.’ That did not sit well with me.

I ended up quitting the team.

Olympic medalist Mary Tucker. In air rifle, competitors stand and shoot for 30 minutes at 30 targets or longer. The rifle weighs about 12 pounds and is held as depicted here. Photo by Sarah Caputi │UK Athletics

“I was very fortunate to find my personal coach, Jaime.  She came up to a state qualifier.  She was supposed to be looking at the team I had just quit.  Our high school coach had asked her to come up and look at shooters on the team.  I ended up going and won.  Jaime asked, ‘What about that one?’  ‘No, no, no.  We don’t really talk to that one.’  Jaime replied, ‘but I like that one.’

“Jaime is very experienced.  She’s been to two Olympic games herself.  She saw me and said, ‘I see potential.  We’re going to make you the best.’”

In air rifle, competitors only shoot from one position – standing.  The target is about the size of a half dollar from 10 meters away (33 feet).  In individual competitions, shooters take 60 shots in 60 minutes in the qualification round.  Think about it.  Shooting accurately at a small target for one hour, all the time holding a 12 pound rifle.

Even in the mixed team event, it is individual.  “There were about 20 teams at the beginning.  Everybody shoots 30 shots in 30 minutes all at the same time.  Partners scores are then put together,” explained Tucker.

To become that good, Tucker spends many hours on the range shooting.  She also works out three times a week doing cardio, weights and other training.

While many athletes isolated from others due to Covid-19, Tucker did interact with others.  “Everybody is really open to talking with each other.  You’ll be walking around and people will walk up, ‘Hey, what sport are you?’  ‘What country are you from?’  ‘Do you have a pin?’  Pins were a big deal.  The whole atmosphere of the games is really cool.”

Tucker is studying kinesiology at the University of Kentucky and wants to go into coaching. She will continue to compete at the college level and has her sights set on the next Olympics. She graciously gave us some time the day before starting classes. We thank her and wish her all the best in her future endeavors.

IN THE TOP PHOTO: Mary Tucker and Lucas Kozenisky won silver in the mixed team air rifle event.  Unlike archery, all competitors shoot at the same time and their scores are combined when the time has expired.  (Photo courtesy of Mary Tucker).

Field Trip to a Tea House

Field Trip to a Tea House

Field Trip to a Tea House By Diane M. Loeffler On August 10, four local friends visited the Lavender and Lace Tea Room in Lake Alfred. Andrea Olson and I live in Sun City Center’s Community Association, Annette Rawlinson lives in Kings Point,...

Pottery Club Wins Again at State Fair

Pottery Club Wins Again at State Fair

Pottery Club Wins Again at State FairBy Kai Rambow “I saw a program on PBS about ugly face jugs and I became inspired,” reflected Terrie McNamara.  “I had also just broken a pot on the kiln and said ‘Oh, my gosh, perfect teeth.’ I wanted to do...

SEPTEMBER 2021 NEWS is HOT off the PRESS!

SEPTEMBER 2021 NEWS is HOT off the PRESS!

In this issue… Tour Ybor City’s last cigar factory, sing with the bluebirds of happiness, save the date for FallFest, commemorate 60 years of SCC with the History Society, tip a glass at Alafia Brewing Company, hit the beach with some rescued...

Men’s Club Extends an Important Lifeline

Men’s Club Extends an Important Lifeline

Men’s Club Extends an Important LifelineBy Bob Sanchez When Joan Gross crashed her golf cart into trash barrels at 10 p.m., that was the last straw for her daughter Ellen, who moved in with her mom, who is 86 now and has dementia, heart...

Jan Ring Quilter Extraordinaire

Jan Ring Quilter Extraordinaire

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A Labor of Love

A Labor of Love

A Labor of LoveBy Kai Rambow The tiny fawn vacuumed its bottle in three gulps. It was very hungry and had only been rescued a few hours earlier.  Fortunately, it was now at Owl’s Nest Sanctuary for Wildlife. Owl’s Nest is the largest...

FallFest October 16: Don’t miss it!

FallFest October 16: Don’t miss it!

FallFest October 16: Don’t miss it!

Entertainment, Food, Art, Shopping, and a Health Fair               

By Diane M. Loeffler

Rain or shine, FallFest will take place on October 16. The day will begin at the gazebo with opening remarks, the flag raising, the Pledge of Allegiance and the National Anthem. The rest of the day will be similar to our traditional March FunFest with entertainment, food, club sales, vendors and a health fair. Participants include 74 clubs and organizations, 12 businesses, a bloodmobile, and health care services.

Where to Park

Car and golf cart drivers are encouraged to park by Community Hall (1910 S. Pebble Beach Boulevard). Aston Gardens will be providing three buses to take you from the Community Hall Parking Lot on South Pebble Beach to the Community Association Administration Building on North Pebble Beach.

Park at Community Hall and one of the three buses provided by Aston Gardens will take you to the parking lot in front of the Community Association Administration Building. Driver Jerry Crabb has driven buses for Aston Gardens for 20 years.

Three buses will run continuously from 8:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. These buses are handicapped accessible. Each air conditioned bus has 24 comfortable seats plus two places for wheelchairs. Remember: the parking lots in and near North Pebble Beach and Cherry Hills will all be closed. There will be no car parking available near North Campus. For safety reasons, no one should park along the nearby streets.

Golf carts may also opt to park in the fields behind the Atrium Building’s parking lot. This is where the temporary offices once stood. Be sure to remember where you park.

Look For

Information booths will be set up at the CA Office where the buses drop you off, at the end of the Pottery Wheel Building, along Cherry Hills Drive, and inside the Atrium Building. Volunteers will give you maps with schedules and answer your questions. The booth near the Pottery Wheel Building will also be the lost and found (people and items) area during the festival.

You will see men and women wearing bright orange shirts or jackets. These HAM radio operators will help you if you are lost or if you are looking for someone who is lost.

What to Bring

Bring your appetite, your shopping list, some cash, masks, and your cell phone. The following items are on the menu: breakfast sandwiches, sloppy joe’s, hot dogs, Italian sausage, potato salad, beans, apple and cherry pies (with ice cream and toppings), BBQ chicken sandwiches, grilled pork chops, homemade cookies, homemade brownies, burgers, chips, beverages and popcorn. Just in case the menu changes or clubs run out of your favorites, have alternatives in mind. Popcorn will be sold near the gazebo, the other items in the parking areas near Rollins Theater.

FallFest will be an opportunity to buy some genuine “made in Sun City Center” items created by your talented friends and neighbors. You will also be able to buy gift baskets and other items. Shop locally to get great deals while supporting clubs. Many clubs donate all or a portion of their revenues to area charities. Feeling lucky? There will be many chances to purchase lottery tickets for all sorts of items.

Masks are requested for when you are inside buildings. When indoors, you may find you are rather close to other people, especially when you are at the health fair.

You might want to take photos of those in your party with your phone. Should one of you get lost or separated from the others, you can show your phone’s photos to the radio club men and women (wearing bright orange). It is much easier for them to reunite people when they can see exactly what the individual is wearing that day.

What NOT to bring

Leave your pets at home unless they are certified service dogs. Also, do not bring bicycles near the venue area. Leave them at home or near Community Hall.

Health Fair

Stop by the Horizon Room to talk to companies and individuals offering health care services. One new service is flu shots. Walgreens will be providing up to 100 of them. You can walk through the Horizon Room to the parking lot where a Bloodmobile will welcome anyone willing and able to donate blood.

Festival guests clapping and singing along with Bill “Elvis” Lindsay at a previous FunFest (News file photo).

Entertainment

There are six places providing entertainment. The gazebo will be the site for the opening ceremonies beginning at 9 a.m. Starting at 9:15, go to the Florida room for presentations or performances by Southeastern Guide Dogs, the Women’s Chorus, Par for the Chorus and Wonders of Nature.

The Dance Studio will start with Cloggersizers at 9:30 followed by Let’s Dance Ballroom Dancers, Jazzmatazz, and West Coast Swing and Country Dance. The Main Tent will be set up near the Arts and Crafts Building on Cherry Hills Drive. At 9:30, Razzmatazz (a ventriloquist) will perform as well as the Dukes, Bill “Elvis” Lindsay with Kevin Brooks, and Nunez at Night. The Rollins Theater will feature the Front Porch Pickers at 11 and 12. The Swim Dancers will perform at the indoor pool from 11:30 to 11:50.

Field Trip to a Tea House

Field Trip to a Tea House

Field Trip to a Tea House By Diane M. Loeffler On August 10, four local friends visited the Lavender and Lace Tea Room in Lake Alfred. Andrea Olson and I live in Sun City Center’s Community Association, Annette Rawlinson lives in Kings Point,...

Pottery Club Wins Again at State Fair

Pottery Club Wins Again at State Fair

Pottery Club Wins Again at State FairBy Kai Rambow “I saw a program on PBS about ugly face jugs and I became inspired,” reflected Terrie McNamara.  “I had also just broken a pot on the kiln and said ‘Oh, my gosh, perfect teeth.’ I wanted to do...

SEPTEMBER 2021 NEWS is HOT off the PRESS!

SEPTEMBER 2021 NEWS is HOT off the PRESS!

In this issue… Tour Ybor City’s last cigar factory, sing with the bluebirds of happiness, save the date for FallFest, commemorate 60 years of SCC with the History Society, tip a glass at Alafia Brewing Company, hit the beach with some rescued...

Men’s Club Extends an Important Lifeline

Men’s Club Extends an Important Lifeline

Men’s Club Extends an Important LifelineBy Bob Sanchez When Joan Gross crashed her golf cart into trash barrels at 10 p.m., that was the last straw for her daughter Ellen, who moved in with her mom, who is 86 now and has dementia, heart...

Jan Ring Quilter Extraordinaire

Jan Ring Quilter Extraordinaire

Jan Ring Quilter ExtraordinaireBy Paula Lickfeldt Jan Ring has been sewing since she was a youngster in 4H. She began quilting when she moved to Florida in 1984. Since that time, Jan has made many quilts and quite a few of them have taken...

A Labor of Love

A Labor of Love

A Labor of LoveBy Kai Rambow The tiny fawn vacuumed its bottle in three gulps. It was very hungry and had only been rescued a few hours earlier.  Fortunately, it was now at Owl’s Nest Sanctuary for Wildlife. Owl’s Nest is the largest...

Art Club Members Paint Through the Pandemic

Art Club Members Paint Through the Pandemic

Art Club Members Paint Through the Pandemic

By Bob Sanchez

The Sun City Center Art Club reopened its Art Gallery to the public on September 1 with the work of two dozen members, featuring paintings they created during the 2020 pandemic.

The participating painters were Jean Beardsley, Mary Chabot, Irena Davis, Mollie Fleck, Marion Giblin, Gary Gicking, Maureen Hileman, Gloria Hosek, Carol Husinka, Paul Kennedy, Meredith King, Bob Krowl, Marsha Lucidi, Bev Majewski, Faye McKeown, Anne Morton, Lori Murray, Dolores Phelps, Sandy Schuman, Ali Shannon, Flo Slater, Mel Solochek, Roberta Solochek, and Richard Whalen. Mel Solochek is the Gallery Director.

The show will be a recurring public event on the first Wednesday of every month from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Art Club on 954 Cherry Hills Drive. Be sure to have your current Community Association ID with you, and protocols for vaccinations, mask wearing, and social distancing will apply. The Club serves snacks and beverages, which I can attest are delicious.

The artwork changes monthly, according to President Lee Anne Eckert, “giving all members a chance to share their work from beginner level to advanced. Our members are inspired by the many different types of artwork exhibited and offer each support and encouragement.”

Painting lessons are available to all levels, “no experience required,” she added. They also have Open Studio time on Wednesday afternoons, except for the first Wednesday when we have the Gallery Opening.  There’s also hold a yearly art show each January or February.

For more information about the Art Club, call Lee Anne at 973-714-5019 or email her at “laeckert@gmail.com.”

Field Trip to a Tea House

Field Trip to a Tea House

Field Trip to a Tea House By Diane M. Loeffler On August 10, four local friends visited the Lavender and Lace Tea Room in Lake Alfred. Andrea Olson and I live in Sun City Center’s Community Association, Annette Rawlinson lives in Kings Point,...

Pottery Club Wins Again at State Fair

Pottery Club Wins Again at State Fair

Pottery Club Wins Again at State FairBy Kai Rambow “I saw a program on PBS about ugly face jugs and I became inspired,” reflected Terrie McNamara.  “I had also just broken a pot on the kiln and said ‘Oh, my gosh, perfect teeth.’ I wanted to do...

SEPTEMBER 2021 NEWS is HOT off the PRESS!

SEPTEMBER 2021 NEWS is HOT off the PRESS!

In this issue… Tour Ybor City’s last cigar factory, sing with the bluebirds of happiness, save the date for FallFest, commemorate 60 years of SCC with the History Society, tip a glass at Alafia Brewing Company, hit the beach with some rescued...

Men’s Club Extends an Important Lifeline

Men’s Club Extends an Important Lifeline

Men’s Club Extends an Important LifelineBy Bob Sanchez When Joan Gross crashed her golf cart into trash barrels at 10 p.m., that was the last straw for her daughter Ellen, who moved in with her mom, who is 86 now and has dementia, heart...

Jan Ring Quilter Extraordinaire

Jan Ring Quilter Extraordinaire

Jan Ring Quilter ExtraordinaireBy Paula Lickfeldt Jan Ring has been sewing since she was a youngster in 4H. She began quilting when she moved to Florida in 1984. Since that time, Jan has made many quilts and quite a few of them have taken...

A Labor of Love

A Labor of Love

A Labor of LoveBy Kai Rambow The tiny fawn vacuumed its bottle in three gulps. It was very hungry and had only been rescued a few hours earlier.  Fortunately, it was now at Owl’s Nest Sanctuary for Wildlife. Owl’s Nest is the largest...

OCTOBER 2021 NEWS is HOT off the PRESS!

OCTOBER 2021 NEWS is HOT off the PRESS!

In this issue…

Don’t miss FallFest on October 16, browse the Art Club’s latest creations, cruise the St. Johns River, sail on the Eagle, hit the target with a local Olympian, commemorate the anniversary of 9/11, discover some great places to eat Just Around the Bend, learn about the new Low Vision Club, ride to the rescue with the SCC Emergency Squad, get the facts on the Kings Point Master Association Board changes, trade serves with an athletic priest, read up on the Native History of North America, and tour the picturesque wonder of Sunsational Sedona, Arizona.

Then, be sure to check out the SCCCA Club News, Kings Point News, Military News, Sports, Arts, Faith & Service, and Community News sections to help you plan your month.

Read the October 2021 Issues of The News

 

COVID-19 Vaccine Info

Florida hospitals and county health departments have received hundreds of thousands of vaccine doses. More are coming. Learn how these will be distributed and get more information at the Florida Department of Health website, “floridahealth.gov.”

Field Trip to a Tea House

Field Trip to a Tea House

Field Trip to a Tea House By Diane M. Loeffler On August 10, four local friends visited the Lavender and Lace Tea Room in Lake Alfred. Andrea Olson and I live in Sun City Center’s Community Association, Annette Rawlinson lives in Kings Point,...

Pottery Club Wins Again at State Fair

Pottery Club Wins Again at State Fair

Pottery Club Wins Again at State FairBy Kai Rambow “I saw a program on PBS about ugly face jugs and I became inspired,” reflected Terrie McNamara.  “I had also just broken a pot on the kiln and said ‘Oh, my gosh, perfect teeth.’ I wanted to do...

SEPTEMBER 2021 NEWS is HOT off the PRESS!

SEPTEMBER 2021 NEWS is HOT off the PRESS!

In this issue… Tour Ybor City’s last cigar factory, sing with the bluebirds of happiness, save the date for FallFest, commemorate 60 years of SCC with the History Society, tip a glass at Alafia Brewing Company, hit the beach with some rescued...

Men’s Club Extends an Important Lifeline

Men’s Club Extends an Important Lifeline

Men’s Club Extends an Important LifelineBy Bob Sanchez When Joan Gross crashed her golf cart into trash barrels at 10 p.m., that was the last straw for her daughter Ellen, who moved in with her mom, who is 86 now and has dementia, heart...

Jan Ring Quilter Extraordinaire

Jan Ring Quilter Extraordinaire

Jan Ring Quilter ExtraordinaireBy Paula Lickfeldt Jan Ring has been sewing since she was a youngster in 4H. She began quilting when she moved to Florida in 1984. Since that time, Jan has made many quilts and quite a few of them have taken...

A Labor of Love

A Labor of Love

A Labor of LoveBy Kai Rambow The tiny fawn vacuumed its bottle in three gulps. It was very hungry and had only been rescued a few hours earlier.  Fortunately, it was now at Owl’s Nest Sanctuary for Wildlife. Owl’s Nest is the largest...

Touring Ybor City’s Last Cigar Factory

Touring Ybor City’s Last Cigar Factory

Touring Ybor City’s Last Cigar Factory

By Bob Sanchez

In July, a small group from the Sun City Center Photo Club toured the J. C. Newman Cigar Company to see first-hand how cigars are still made in Ybor City. For the senior rate of $12 per person, company historian Holden Rasmussen served as our tour guide for about an hour to show the entire process, both for hand-made and machine-made cigars.

The building is called El Reloj, a three-story, block-long building that dates back to 1895 and is the only remaining cigar factory in Ybor City. There’s nothing modern about the process as workers either hand-roll cigars or operate antique machines that seem to operate as well today as they did a century ago. The main difference is in the workforce – an old photo from the 1920s shows a vast room filled with white men, elbow to elbow at work. What a difference a century makes!

The Newman Company promises that “this historic cigar factory will please cigar enthusiasts, history buffs, and those with interests in manufacturing and technology,” and the tour doesn’t disappoint. Photo Club member Christina Brittain said it was “amazing to witness every facet of production in this living, thriving factory/museum,” adding that the tour is “a truly memorable experience.”

The family-owned company clearly takes pride in its premium cigars and its employees. Rasmussen told us that every worker we saw on the floor has been employed there for around 20 years. Newman also has factories in Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic. Their Cigar Family Charitable Foundation “supports low-income families in the Dominican Republic with education, health care, vocational training, and clean water.”

The cost for the tour is $15 for adults, and $12 for seniors, students, and veterans. All ages are welcome. The guide is knowledgeable, and the old factory is fascinating. By the way, there are elevators for those not inclined to climb stairs.

Visit “jcnewman.com” for their schedule and to book a guided tour.

IN THE TOP PHOTO: J. C. Newman’s company historian Holden Rasmussen talks tobacco with, from left to right, Nick Fader, Barbara Klimczak, Fran Beeson, and Christina Brittain.

Field Trip to a Tea House

Field Trip to a Tea House

Field Trip to a Tea House By Diane M. Loeffler On August 10, four local friends visited the Lavender and Lace Tea Room in Lake Alfred. Andrea Olson and I live in Sun City Center’s Community Association, Annette Rawlinson lives in Kings Point,...

Pottery Club Wins Again at State Fair

Pottery Club Wins Again at State Fair

Pottery Club Wins Again at State FairBy Kai Rambow “I saw a program on PBS about ugly face jugs and I became inspired,” reflected Terrie McNamara.  “I had also just broken a pot on the kiln and said ‘Oh, my gosh, perfect teeth.’ I wanted to do...

SEPTEMBER 2021 NEWS is HOT off the PRESS!

SEPTEMBER 2021 NEWS is HOT off the PRESS!

In this issue… Tour Ybor City’s last cigar factory, sing with the bluebirds of happiness, save the date for FallFest, commemorate 60 years of SCC with the History Society, tip a glass at Alafia Brewing Company, hit the beach with some rescued...

Men’s Club Extends an Important Lifeline

Men’s Club Extends an Important Lifeline

Men’s Club Extends an Important LifelineBy Bob Sanchez When Joan Gross crashed her golf cart into trash barrels at 10 p.m., that was the last straw for her daughter Ellen, who moved in with her mom, who is 86 now and has dementia, heart...

Jan Ring Quilter Extraordinaire

Jan Ring Quilter Extraordinaire

Jan Ring Quilter ExtraordinaireBy Paula Lickfeldt Jan Ring has been sewing since she was a youngster in 4H. She began quilting when she moved to Florida in 1984. Since that time, Jan has made many quilts and quite a few of them have taken...

A Labor of Love

A Labor of Love

A Labor of LoveBy Kai Rambow The tiny fawn vacuumed its bottle in three gulps. It was very hungry and had only been rescued a few hours earlier.  Fortunately, it was now at Owl’s Nest Sanctuary for Wildlife. Owl’s Nest is the largest...