Welcome to Fall in HCB! With as many different activities as there are colors of Fall leaves, your Recreation Committee Volunteers are ready!
What is the Recreation Committee, and why do so many things seem to fall under the umbrella? Our By-Laws define the Recreation Committee as being in charge of all entertainment, games, sports, and all related activities and events. In our budget, there is a Recreation Section. This Recreation Financial Section does not just reflect the work of the Recreation Committee. It reflects the work of the other committees that are dedicated to serving our community under the Recreation Committee By-Law Definition. These other committees include the Dance Committee, the Welcome Committee, and the BBQ Committee. These committees are led by Pat DiBuno, Debbie Danza and Denise Antonisse. The ladies do an incredible job of working with their committee volunteers and bringing joy to HCB. We are all grateful to them and their volunteers!
And then there is the Recreation Committee. The Rec Committee that you know today began in January 2024 when I volunteered to serve as the chair. I was very fortunate that at our first committee meeting, we welcomed many residents who shared my vision of bringing more activities to our community. The idea of responding to residents’ requests took hold! Jean McGlaughlin had already accepted the challenge of starting a baking club. Fran Corcione, who was at the time the Board Member in charge of Clubs and Committees, explained that Baking would be part of the Recreation Committee due to how our By-Laws are set up. Our By-laws state that to become a Sanctioned Club, a resident must submit a request to the Board for approval, develop their own by-laws, and set up specific financial procedures. By having the Baking Club as part of Recreation, Jean could focus on her love of Baking, and the Recreation Committee Chair would handle the paperwork, i.e., room reservations, flyers, newspaper, and necessary supply purchases. This became a model we follow today.
So, how did we start to offer so much? There are three ways that Recreation Committee comes up with activities. The first is that a member of the committee wants to try an activity, and we work together to make it happen! Next, if a member of the community tells me or another committee member about something they would like to do or see happen, and finally, there are the ideas that my creative teacher brain comes up with, which my wonderful committee helps make happen. There have been a few things that we have done at the board’s request; the Library volunteers and the Cookout crew are two examples.
As we began to offer more, it became increasingly apparent that, as the leader of this committee, I needed more support. That is when we developed the idea of the Facilitator.
Committee members Linda Roth and Mary Harrison presented the idea of starting a Book Club. As Book Club facilitators, they have done an incredible job! They even started the Literary Lounges, where they invite authors to talk about their books. Julianne Leone asked for a walking group, and she organizes several walks a week! Susan DiMaria is our Day Trip expert. Susan finds great activities off property for us to enjoy! Mike Voza, Don Leone, and Joellen Powley took the lead on bringing the Cookout Crew at Pool 2 to life. Committee member Kathy Raftner has put her love of ceramics to use by facilitating a Saturday Morning and Weeknight Ceramics group. Linda Bauer took up the challenge of utilizing her art teacher background to organize our Craft Nights. When the library volunteers needed a facilitator, Francine Lauriano stepped up and made our library the envy of the Holiday City Communities. The Recreation Committee volunteers continue to overwhelm me with their support and dedication! Whatever event or idea I present to them, they jump right in and give 100%!
As many of you know, I am running for the Holiday City Board of Directors. If I am elected, I will no longer be able to serve as the head of the Recreation Committee. But that will not mean the end of our Recreation Committee. First, Mary Davis has been working with me closely and is ready to step into the role of Committee Chair. Additionally, because we are already organized with facilitators, these facilitators will continue to work hard for the community. I have worked hard, cried many tears, and fought, when necessary, with all our residents in mind, to build the Recreation Committee into what it is today. I will continue to support the work of these wonderful volunteers!
