Notes from Ellie
So, What’s Been Happening?
Greetings all!
Hope your summer is off to a great start. Things have quieted down here in Sun City Center. The traffic has lessened as we heat up and folks leave town.
Please forward this communique and attachments to others who might have interest. Getting the word out is always important. Consider bringing your neighbor or a friend to a newcomer meeting. We‘d be happy to see them and share with them.
SaveSCC has been blessed with a number of actively involved, talented and experienced members doing all kinds of work to advance the cause. SaveSCC’s progress would not be possible without them. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
Save Sun City Center Banner
Mike Blaine had 40 2’ x 3’ vinyl banners with grommets made. He has given them as an in-kind donation to SaveSCC. Mike and I ask folks who are truly out and visible to use these banners as an effective tool to further get the word out and buzz going. Folk displaying them should always be prepared for encounters and questions with pamphlets and petition forms. The banners will be available at the meeting Tuesday on a first-come, first-serve basis for a $10.00 donation.
One would be a great addition to the back of your golf cart or hanging in your lanai or front garden if you are in a busy location.
If the response is favorable as we think it will be, and more are needed, the donations will be used to purchase more.
Critical Open Position
Legal advice and counsel from any active or retired legal professionals on a volunteer basis would be a huge asset to our organization. While we had some wonderful folks assisting in this regard, they are no longer able to do so.
Surely there must be some among us with expertise in this area. Active or retired attorneys or legal assistants, please think about helping us navigate forward. WE NEED YOU!
Please contact me at 312-282-7337 or andersonellie@mac.com. Thanks!
Interview with Lois Kindle, Reporter from Observer News
I will be interviewed by Lois Kindle from the Observer News soon, probably later this week. She is preparing an article regarding the ClubLink proposal and the community reaction. There are other interviewees planned for the piece. That’s all I know at this time. Naturally, the text of the interview will be available on our website as soon as it’s available.
New SaveSCC Meeting Schedule
Adjustments to the Save SCC meeting days were required as we outgrew the capacity of the Caper room and are moving to the Rollins Theatre. Because of overtime considerations for the CA maintenance staff and the setup on Wednesday in the Rollins theatre for the Front Porch Pickers, our meeting day is changing as well.
There will be meetings two times a month in the Rollins Theatre on the 2nd Tuesday (working) and 4th Tuesday (newcomer) of the month at 6 pm, not every Wednesday.
Our next SaveSCC meeting on Tuesday, June 14th in the Rollins Theatre at 6 pm is a working meeting.
The Rollins Theatre has a capacity of 140. When we reach posted room capacity, unfortunately potential attendees will be turned away. Choose what meeting you will attend based on your reasons for being there. Know what the focus of the meeting will be as outlined below and choose accordingly. Here are the two types of meetings we have.
General Working Session
General working sessions are held on the second Tuesday of the Month, 6 pm, Rollins Theatre, Main Campus, 960-E Cherry Hill Dr.
They are where we meet to discuss work in progress, outline upcoming activities, and coordinate strategies and activities, and to do’s among the working members of our various teams and the members of the group contributing their time and talent. These working sessions about the work underway and upcoming activities. General working sessions are not recommended for newcomers as they are task and work focused and offer limited opportunities for general discussion of the how’s and why’s of our group. These meetings are focused on the work at hand.
Newcomer Sessions
Newcomer sessions are held on the fourth Tuesday of the Month, 6 pm, Rollins Theatre, Main Campus, 960-E Cherry Hill Dr.
They are where we hope to educate and bring on board new members or others interested in learning about our group and activities who are new to our SaveSCC citizen’s initiative. We cover the why’s, how’s, what’s, who’s and wherefores of our work. We speak about ClubLink’s development proposal and our responses to it, and our citizen’s advocacy work with the CA Board and the Hillsborough County staff and Commissioners to ensure there is no approval for ClubLink’s rezoning or permit applications for their planned development on golf courses and green spaces.
Other special meetings will be called from time to time as circumstances warranted.
All meeting agendas and meeting location, time, and date details are sent via the GetInvolved@SaveSCC.org email to all SaveSCC members subscribed to our email blasts via our website SaveSCC.org using the “Join Us” tab.
SaveSCC.org Website
Work has been underway to improve the SaveSCC.org web site to make it easier to navigate and location information on the site and to add more content. Everyone please take a look. Your input and suggestions are important and we’ll solicit your ideas at Tuesday’s meeting. Peter Bates will be demonstrating the site and its features to support our work and pending calls to action, like the following:
Call to Action for Petition Effort and Membership Drive
At our working session on June 14th at 6 pm in the Rollins Theatre at 901 Cherry Hill Dr, we are launching a Call to Action for our Petition Effort and Membership Drive. We ask for the active participation of every member of our group of concerned citizens to gather 30 signatures and provide interested folks with pamphlets as needed.
Everyone is to engage in this effort whether you are in town or away. This will be our comprehensive drive to gather as many petition signatures as possible and enroll as many members via the SaveSCC.org web site as possible prior to ClubLink’s next move.
As active seniors who are a part of the Sun City Center community, clubs, HOA’s, neighborhood groups, and other social and leisure activities, every one of us has a large circle of friends and acquaintances. Now is the time to engage with your circle to ask them to join us in the cause to protect our golf courses and green spaces. Here are some things you can do in talking to your freinds and neighbors.
- Speak with them.
- Give them a pamphlet.
- Bring them to a meeting.
- Get them signed up as a SaveSCC member via the SaveSCC.org web site.
- Have them sign the petition.
- Have them send a letter to the Hillsborough County Commissions via the SaveSCC.org menu “Take Action”.
- Get them involved and knowledgeable.
The more residents that are active members of our group and active spokespersons for the cause, the better the chances of success. Everyone has a role to play. This is an all-hands effort. It will enrich our lives and lead to a better, stronger, more engaged community for the future. The will of the people matters!
The petition is available for download on SaveSCC.org under the tab “Take Action.” Select the pull down list entry “Petition”. New members can join us via the SaveSCC.org tab “Take Action.” Select the pull down list entry “Join Us”.
The petition for the Hillsborough County commissioners is ready for your use and action as part of our outreach efforts are to commence after Tuesday’s meeting where we will finalize our rollout strategy to maximize our effectiveness.
Petition Instructions
The petition process is pretty straightforward. Download and print or copy as needed. Do not add additional signature sheets. Just copy the official petition page.
The higher the pile of signatures, the greater the visual impact when delivered.
Ask people before they sign if they have signed this petition before and whether they are Hillsborough County residents. This petition is for Hillsborough County residents only. The petition has only been available since June 10, so hopefully people will remember. Duplicate or non-residents signatures are prohibited and could result in disqualification of the sheets they signed.
Always carry a couple of petition forms with you everywhere you go to use or distribute to others. Bring some SaveSCC pamphlets too! Download the most up to date pamphlet. Don’t leave home without the petition or pamphlet and use at will. A clipboard is a great tool for this task. Keep one in your golf cart and car so you don’t forget. When out and about, always have them with you. Carry extra forms. Maybe you can recruit others who are ready to get involved and help the cause!
Completed petition forms can be returned at SaveSCC meetings, the SCC Emergency Squad office or the SCC Security Patrol office. The petition is also available at these sites for folks to drop in and sign as well. Signed petitions may also be mailed to Ellie Anderson, 1731 Pacific Dunes Dr., Sun City Center, Fl 33573. Return instructions are on the petition form.
Please encourage all petition signatories to go to our web site and “Join Us” as a member so that they are counted as SaveSCC members that we represent when speaking before the county or SCCCA.
Donation Acknowledgements
Donation acknowledgements were sent out at the end of May to all donors. There were a few anonymous donations and people where their acknowledgements were undeliverable via email or snail mail. If you made a donation and did not receive an acknowledgement, please notify us via email to GetInvolved@SaveSCC.org so the issue is addressed and corrected. Keeping accurate records of gifts, in-kind donations and our transactions is of paramount importance. Your financial support is needed and very much appreciated.
SaveSCC Structure
The evaluation of possible options to formalize our structure, operating guidelines and leadership on a going forward has been under consideration and review. For now SaveSC will continue to operate as we have been: a growing informal group of concerned citizen members working together to advocate strongly against the development of golf courses in our community. We will continue to seek to engage others as members of our group and count ourselves as member citizens choosing representation as a part of SaveSCC when engaging with the County and Community Association and other organizations.
Hope to see you Tuesday evening!
Pass the word!
Be part of the Call to Action!
Ellie