New things learned at Fall Prevention Summit
Fall Prevention Summit at St. Mary Wellness Center recently was very informative. Enthusiastic members learned about fall prevention. Fall Prevention Awareness and Education presented by experts broadened my horizon in lumbar spine injuries, bone density, glucose testing, hearing screening, fall risk, etc.
Varieties of incidents were discussed. Strategies and techniques were discussed. Helpful handouts were distributed. Questions and answers were very informative. Nutritious meals were served and some won the 50/50 raffles. It’s commendable to note Fall Prevention Summit attended by huge members was very educational, informative and successful.
Lisa A. Dickson
Leisure World
Signage on the Sunset Community Building
I presented a petition to the Sunset Beach Community Association in 2013 to have “Sunset Beach” put on our community building (our old volunteer fire station). It wasn’t until we had a new board member, Kevin Paulson, who upon hearing about the petition for the time, addressed the petition.
Whether it is egos or politics, or a little bit of both, the existing members decided to not even address the petition. This petition was not only pushed aside and not addressed, it was thrown away by one of the board members. This kind of action makes people believe the board has its own agenda and this does not bode well for the SBCA.
From my understanding, each of you were elected on the SBCA board to represent the people and the community of Sunset Beach and to do your due diligence as members to support us in our wants and desires.
When we present you with a petition and it takes a newly elected member to call this to your attention after four years, you are not doing your due diligence as board members.
I don’t know if any of you have put together a petition before, but it takes many hours and explaining to each individual what the issue and solution is and then having them write their name, print their name, write their address–to only have the petition pushed aside and thrown away without even a mention.
I had a professional sign painter scheduled (at no cost to the SBCA) to do the work so we could have it presented for this year’s Art Festival. But, the board had to have another 30 days to drag its legs so that it could be put on the agenda that should have been four years ago.
When I presented my petition to the people who signed the petition, it was on the premise that “Sunset Beach” was going on the front of the building, not back or the side, but on the front facing 12th Street. That is who we are, first and foremost, Sunset Beach.
Now I will have to reschedule the sign painter, who is very busy and has done work all up and down the coast.
If any of the members feel they cannot support us in our request as residents of our community, they should allow themselves to step down from their positions as board members of the SBCA and allow people in town that represent us all.
I am not asking each board member for a kidney, just to do your diligence to honor a petition that was presented to you four years ago.
In June 2017, I again brought up this issue at the SBCA meeting. President Mike Van Voorhis announced at that meeting that his “hands were tied” and there was a contract. I requested a copy of the contract. It contains a ridiculous amount of benefits to board member Nobles. I hereby request a copy of any and all agendas, minutes, and board votes referring to the donation agreement. The second item I would like to discuss, which was another petition that was not addressed and not put on the agenda is the Halloween Party. The party no longer caters to the children and has taken over our community center for over 30 days for the last four or five Halloweens, which for a one day event is not fair to the community and anyone who wants to use the community center. Last year it was taken for 34 days and when broken down instead of removing the props, they were stored in the center until, I guess, convenient to remove items. The year before we were told at a community meeting that most things were to be built offsite. That was a complete lie because the center was used as a shop to build for the party.
The center is not one man’s playground, but a center for the entire community. This venue is not working for such a situation as we have seen in the last years. I am suggesting that at most we take the party to a seven-day limit and on the seventh day the center is available for anyone to use again. If not, I would suggest renting at Peter’s Landing, a warehouse or take it to another place in town, but not our community center. The party should be for kids, not young adults and adult party. And last but not least, whoever you have taking care of the community center’s plants, they’ve not been watering, weeding, no soil replenishment, no feeding of the plants, no trimming of the plants and bushes. And the border that should be painted once a year, hasn’t been. All that abuse reflects on me because the people who have seen me take care of plants for over 25 years believe I am still doing the work, which isn’t being done.
For the Art Festival every year, for the last 25 years plus, I have the landscaping looking pristine and this year it wasn’t even touched. I didn’t take care of these plants to see them abused and neglected. I would appreciate the board have the consideration to correct this immediately and make it a priority that should be done.
Otto Brown
Sunset Beach
