Thank You Letter
Thanks to those who helped me during Youth Camp. I could not have done this alone. Thanks go out to Grey, Bridget and Mark for having patience, being great herders, "fire" dowsers, change of plan directors and counselors. To Stephanie, for taking charge of the campers when needed (they really listened to her!), and for providing me with a great deal on pizza! To Penka, for being there when the crying got tough (you know what I mean) to Kim, for providing three successful Karaoke nights and the best animation workshop ever. To Keith and Bruce, for putting up with the chaos surrounding canoe lessons, great job! To Mike, for starting our evening fires and being there to help with many issues even when it turned out we didn't need help. To Dave and Frank, for being on bug control. To Michael , for all his help while he could. To Greg, Danielle and Dea, for bringing in the horses and doing a great job with them and the campers. Thanks Dave for cleaning up those horse apples! To Aldo , for doing his best to keep us in shape even when we were late and uncooperative. To Debbie and Bruce, for being right behind us to clean up our mess, and boy was there mess! Sorry guys. To Mitch, for doing the best he could in the rain for a nature walk. To Devin and Sean, for people your age , you were awesome. Most boys your age would not put up with younger kids and you both stepped up and did an excellent job. To Bob and Gloria, at the Dolphin Café, for having patience with us and providing our meals. To South Florida Free Beaches, for turning what would be just another day at the beach to an outstanding day at the beach. Frank, I thank you for being a bachelor for eight days and being support for me through my "crazy" ideas. I love you. To all of you who donated funds... Thank you! Without your help many of our campers could not have been here. I send out a very special thanks to Morley, Anne, Dave and Becky for being so supportive, helpful and loving to me and the Youth Camp whenever I needed them. Nicholi, Noel, Brandon, Gavin, Alex, Blake, Frank "Bud", Alexis, Sarah, Olivia, Nathan, Leslie, Veronica, Marshal, Remi, Devin, Sean and Xavier thank you for joining us at camp and being such great campers! Hope to see all of you and more next year!
I hope I didn't forget anyone and if I did my thanks goes out to you also. Again, I could not have done this alone. My love goes out to all of you who are part of making Youth Camp here at Sunsport Gardens so successful.
Time to register for the Mid-Winter Naturist Festival 2010!
Festival Dates: February 11th through 16th
Naturist Society Youth Camp
By Sandra Reamer
If you are a family with children 18 and under and are looking for 8 fun-filled days of acceptance, growth, freedom and fun, all you need to do is come to Sunsport Gardens Family Naturist Resort in July. Each year in July Sunsport Gardens in Loxahatchee Groves, Florida, hosts The Naturist Society’s youth camp. Last summer we hosted the Third Annual Naturist Society Youth Camp.
As Youth Camp Director, each year I have learned ways to do things better for the next year. The Youth Camp is not just a place for children to learn new things, learn body acceptance, play games, go to the beach, or even embrace a lifestyle. I have learned that this experience is a family reunion. This year we had a total of 18 children which included all of the children and families that attended last year’s Youth Camp. With everyone returning and new families joining, I have learned that this is the one time as parents we can watch and experience this lifestyle choice with our children to its fullest potential. All the families that come to Youth Camp express their struggles with finding a place that accepts families with children and more specifically a place where many families gather in one place so that the children have other children with whom to do things. Youth Camp is this time! Families from all over the country gather together to embrace our lifestyle choice to its fullest. Campers enjoy reuniting and meeting friends from all over the country - and all the activities that are planned are just a bonus!
There are so many activities that it is hard to say that any one was more fun than the next because all the activities had a different kind of fun. All week we enjoyed the pool, activities all over camp, canoeing and kayaking. We even had a canoe in the pool. Every day of the week we also enjoyed telling stories, making s’mores and tenting around the campfire. Somehow, every day we managed to get our bodies covered in paint. From body imprints to a slip-n-slide that required paint not bubbles! If it wasn’t paint we had syrup on us from a twisted game of twister! Oh, and let’s not forget tye-dye! Each day we enjoyed an ice cream social which was cool and refreshing. The final ice cream social had us with more ice cream on us than in us! Throughout the week we participated in workshops that included body acceptance, being proud of who we are, conflict resolution, getting along with pets, existing with nature, first aid, animation, 2 nights of karaoke, a dance, movie night, water balloon fights, and one very fun filled day at Haulover Beach (with a great lunch provided by South Florida Free Beaches), which was followed by a pizza party and a swim back at Sunsport.
At the camp, all the children grow in self-confidence, independence, creativity and skills while having great fun. Leading the Youth Camp is a joyful experience. At the end of each year I am filled with pride for each camper, sadness that it is over, and glee that it all will happen again next year. Our Family Reunion.
Check out Sunsport’s website, www.sunsportgardens.com, for Youth Camp photos and a great claymation video created by the campers. Next summer’s Naturist Society Youth Camp will be held Sunday, July 18, through Sunday, July 25. Campers are welcome with or without their families. For information and registration, check Sunsport’s website or contact me at youthcamp@sunsportgardens.com or (561) 215-5718. There will also be a Mini-Youth Camp during the Midwinter Naturist Festival, February 11-16, at Sunsport Gardens.
From the President's Desk
By Morley Schloss
Sunsport has had a wonderful, eventful summer. Welcome to the many new members and to returning seasonal residents.
The Naturist Society Youth Camp was a resounding success. All campers from last year returned. There was fun, growth and community as campers explored nature and themselves in 8 days of adventure, creativity and increased self confidence and independence. Check out the campers' fantastic claymation and new camp photos on Sunsport's website and the article in this newsletter.
In August, Sunsport hosted 72 members of Florida Young Naturists for a weekend. By all accounts, they had a wonderful time. We probably set a record for the number of 18-30 year olds at a naturist resort at one time. I hope that they will return soon.
By adding salt and an ozonation system to the swimming pool, we have been able to almost eliminate chemicals such as chlorine. This is healthier and much better for the environment than using traditional pool chemicals and is another example of Sunsport being eco-friendly. The water feels great.
The last restaurant managers departed unexpectedly in the middle of the night. Serendipitously Fyre appeared the next day to manage the restaurant on an interim basis. She didn't miss a beat with her fine cooking and cheerful welcoming personality. She has become a Sunsport member. When you see her, please thank her and return her smile.
After an extensive search, we were thrilled to contract with Lou and Melissa (Missy) Behr to manage Sunsport's restaurant. Lou is a highly experienced executive chef. Check out Lou's incredible menu on the website. This is a family affair with their children assisting at some meals. The family has already started to enjoy Sunsport with the 4 children (Miracle, Becca, KC and Jacob) bonding quickly with Sunsport's other resident kids. Many of us have been having wonderful dining experiences.
You will soon see some exiting new projects underway. We are installing a new, larger hot tub to replace the current one which no longer meets codes and is continually losing paint. The new hot tub will have stronger jets, a light inside, will hold more people and will be more eco-friendly, requiring fewer chemicals.
We have purchased a large construction trailer which is being converted into 5 small rental rooms to be used during season when we have a great need.
After many years, Sunsport will be raising rates for memberships, ground fees, site rentals, accommodation rentals, electric charges for unmetered 30 amp hook-ups and storage effective May 1, 2010. Large increases in operational costs have made this necessary. A new category of site, Primitive RV, has been created. The rent for Primitive RV lots will be midway between the rent for Primitive Tent lots and Standard Water and Electric lots. The new rate sheets (commencing May 1) are available in the office. Please see me if you have any questions.
The 2010 Midwinter Naturist Festival will be at Sunsport Thursday, February 11, through Tuesday, February 16. I am now working on the program. If you would like to lead workshops or other activities at the Festival, please see me or email me quickly at morleynaturist@hotmail.com or call me at (561) 791-1361.
Finally, I want to thank Kathy Voron for becoming our new newsletter editor. She is taking over from Christiana Gaudet who conceived and developed this important type of communication.
Sunsport’s Community Column
By Kathy Voron
Well, the big news here is our newest family. The Behr family. They are the new restaurant proprietors. Shelly and I had the honor of being their first customers on their first night. We both enjoyed a rib eye steak dinner. I hear their salmon is great. Lou and Missy cook while Miracle, Becca, KC and Jacob (well, not so much Jacob) wait the tables. It’s nice to have a family in the kitchen again. Stop by and say Hi and have a delightful dining experience.
Bunny is the winner of our “Win our mystery book cover contest”. She correctly identified the girl on the cover as Dee and was the first entry received . Actually, all entries received were winners. I guess we all know Dee. When the book is printed I will make sure that Sunsport’s library has at least 1 “signed” copy.
New people moving in, landscaping with new trees and plants. New kitchen owners. This season is off to a new and exciting start.
Dear Sunsport Advisor,
How do I get my partner to come out and enjoy Sunsport Gardens?
You might start by inviting your partner to dinner at our restaurant on Friday night. Arrive after 5pm and the grounds fees are waived. After dinner join us at the Drum Circle. Make sure you bring towels because our pool and hot tub are hard to say “no” to.
Readers??? What are your suggestions or tell us about your own experiences.
No recipes this month, it has just been too hot to cook.
10SNE1?
(Tennis Anyone?)
An article posing as a questionnaire written by Don Sanborn
When I first visited Sunsport Gardens, almost 20 years ago, (then eventually becoming a member shortly thereafter); I used to hang out during the daylight hours at the tennis courts. The action was continuous all day Saturday & Sunday, all throughout the year. Whether Summer, or the 2 – 3 weeks of Winter that we have here in Florida. At 36 years of age, I considered myself one of the youngest, if not the youngest, of those in attendance. I enjoyed the companionship of those who played, as I only observed the action for the first month or two of my attending / camping out for the weekends. When I was eventually asked why I didn’t play, (I never had played before in my life), I responded that, as a “younger person”, I was sure that my play would be much superior to those who currently were playing. As if they knew what was about to happen, the “seniors” suggested I bring tennis shoes next week and participate in the activities.
The following week I wore those new shoes, borrowed a racket, and proceeded to have my ass handed to me by a couple in their seventies! Wha?? I was determined to become the best player that I could, and it took me weeks, if not months, before I ever won a single match. It’s not how hard you hit the ball; it’s more a matter of control, and hitting it where your opponent isn’t! I eventually got better, and continued playing, with Hugo as my frequent partner. After Hugo’s passing, I continued playing, occasionally with Morley as my partner; whom we eventually convinced to wear shoes!
For reasons unknown to me, the tennis crowd of those days just seemed to move on. Even the “April Showers” event fell by the wayside. And now it is difficult to put together a four-some on the weekend during the summer months. After years of storing my racket, I’m eager to play again, but wondering, Where are the other players? So I’m posing these questions: What would it take to bring you back? Are there others interested in learning? Would you, (anyone), be interested in playing in the evening, when it’s cooler? Sunsport Gardens has 2 high quality, well maintained courts. I suspect, that if there were a demand by a number of members, that a proposal for improved lighting to accommodate night play on the tennis courts would be considered. Current ownership is, after all, an active participant in this sport. But there would have to be a proven demand. So let your voice be heard. Or just show up. Weekends in the morning hours are just the beginning for the “New & Improved” tennis crowd of Sunsport Gardens. See you there!
Upcoming Special Events
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Don't Miss...
HARVEST HOEDOWN WEEKEND!
Friday, November 20th, through Sunday, November 22nd
Friday: Happy Hour 5PM. Saturday: Harvest Hoedown Dance 8:30PM.
THANKSGIVING FOUR DAY WEEKEND
Thursday, November 26th, through Sunday, November 29th
Thursday: Pot-Luck Dinner 5:30PM, Alice’s Restaurant showing at 7:30PM & Bonfire at 8PM. Friday: Happy Hour 5PM. Saturday: Zodiac Birthday Dance Sagittarius 8:30PM.
CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION
Thursday, December 24th, through Sunday, December 27th
Thursday: Happy Hour 5PM, Yankee Swap 6PM, Santa 7:30PM & Holiday Music 8:30PM. Friday: Pot-Luck Holiday Dinner 5PM. Saturday: Zodiac Birthday Dance Capricorn 8:30PM
NEW YEAR’S BASH - SUNSPORT STYLE
Thursday, December 31st 9PM Live music, dinner & dancing.
ISLAND GETAWAY THEME WEEKEND
Friday, January 15th, through Sunday, January 17th
Friday: Happy Hour 5PM. Saturday: Prom Night 8:30PM
AGE OF AQUARIUS WEEKEND
Friday, January 29th, through Sunday, January 31st
Friday: Coffee House 8PM. Saturday: Derby Day 1PM & Age of Aquarius Dance 8:30PM. Sunday: Dive-In Movie Woodstock 8PM poolside.
Please check our events page for ongoing events and up-to-the-minute schedule updates.
General Questions Becky Elliott E-mail: manager@sunsportgardens.com
Editor Kathy Voron E-mail: kvoron@aol.com
Newsletter Formatted by John Gaudet E-mail: webmaster@sunsportgardens.com
