Second bus bench is installed in front of Building 5
SUNSHINE CLUB
The Sunshine Club installed a second bus bench in front of Building 5, continuing its dedication to helping the LW community in both big and small ways.
The bench, which includes a plaque emblazoned with the Sunshine Club’s name, was donated to provide shareholders a nice break or to enjoy some fresh air.
The club’s goal has always been to help the Leisure World community, as denoted by the phrase on its banner: “Building Bridges for a Brighter Leisure World.” The Sunshine Club began in 2012 with no politics, no religion and no paid membership.
From 2013-2017, the club would raise funds through hosting annual rummage sales in Clubhouse 2, with the community’s overwhelming support until members felt it was too much physical labor for seniors.
During the rummage sales, the club voted to have the Golden Age Foundation (GAF) as its primary charitable organization. The Sunshine Club would share whatever it could with GAF, including its first bus bench donation in 2015 in front of the OptumCare building, between the pharmacy and the front entrance.
The Sunshine Club also held bus trips as fundraisers, with one or two trips per year until the COVID-19 pandemic prevented travel. However, the Sunshine Club’s donations to the GAF never stopped.
During the pandemic, the Sunshine Club sponsored the purchase of 400 face masks to distribute during the early stages of COVID in April 2020, when masks were not yet widely available. The Sunshine Club considered the $1,200 donation a necessity to prevent the spread of COVID within the community.
Since 2012, the Sunshine Club has hosted educational speakers at its meetings to help residents learn more about different topics from GRF members and speakers from the local area.
With the exception of the first few months of lockdown, the club continues to hold its meetings via Zoom.
The Sunshine Club does not require its members to pay dues and extends an open invitation an Leisure World residents to join its weekly meetings and participate in the question-andanswer part of the program.
The club also provides a place for LWers to check in on friends, as well as an opportunity to keep up with what is happening in their community.
“Sometimes we might feel like all the fun in our days have come to a halt,” Club Treasurer Loni Gardette said. “We are here to tell you, ‘not so.’” Judy Warner, Sunshine Club officer, said she joined the club after a trip to the poppy fields in 2017. She found it to be a wellorganized trip with a group of friendly people. She then started to attend meetings, where she heard from interesting speakers and learned about Leisure World activities. Warner also attended more trips with the Sunshine Club.
Sunshine Club Vice President Jean Worden said that when she first arrived at Leisure World, she became an avid reader of the LW News in order to learn more about her new neighborhood. An article about the Sunshine Club sparked her interest, so she attended a meeting. After that, she was hooked.
“Each meeting has a speaker to inform us, not only on Leisure World activities, but also on subjects of great interest in areas such as health, volunteering and various educational topics,” Worden said. “We are very lucky to be the recipients of these wonderful speakers. Come one, come all; you won’t regret it.”
The Sunshine Club can’t wait to go back to meeting in person and seeing and hugging friends and neighbors. Many members would agree that the best part of the Friday morning gathering is the opportunity to share or ask any questions about the presentation or Leisure World in general.
Both leadership and members are counting the days until the club can meet safely and enjoy coffee, snacks and in-person community again.
- Anna Derby, Rosemarie Sprague, Loni Gardette, Judy Warner and Jean Worden contibuted to this article.
