Message from the President
Don McCormick fdmcc39@embarqmail.com or 575-9543
May, 2008
One Hundred Five Volunteers filled the main hall of the Association building on Friday April 4th and enjoyed a fine luncheon catered by ‘Call Don’s Catering.’
Hosted by the members of The PGICA Board of Directors, this annual Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon has become a high point of the Spring activities here in the Association. The countless hours that are put into staffing the front desk, assembling The Commentator, building custom cabinetry, maintaining and improving the audio/visual capabilities and the Isles Girls & Guys’ popular yard sale support activities, etc. would ‘break the Association’s bank’ if we had to pay salaries to maintain the high level of service we give to each other through volunteering.
A simple thank you luncheon with a few kind words from the Board of Directors can’t begin to express how much each volunteer means to the Association. I look forward to seeing more of you next Spring at the luncheon.
In keeping with the family atmosphere the Punta Gorda Isles Civic Association prides itself on fostering, I am pleased to announce that Adeline Seakwood has agreed to expand her Sunshine Lady role she filled so ably for the Civettes to the Association as a whole. If you know someone who is an Association member that needs ‘a little sunshine’ because of serious illness or family tragedy please contact the Association office and we’ll ask Adeline to follow up. Please extend a ‘Thank you’ to Adeline when you see her next. See all the photos
I met with Phyllis Vallon, Sandy Poore and Linda Busler of the Gifted Gator on April 7th and was pleasantly surprised when they handed me a check made out to the PGICA in the amount of $3,500. Your Board of directors will have the pleasant task of applying this gift in a manner consistent with our ‘mission statement.’ Thank you Gifted Gator!
Speaking of the Gifted Gator, our snow birds are migrating back North and the Center’s level of activity is slowing down. While the Gifted Gator will continue to cut back its hours of operation, volunteers are still needed to keep the doors open and the cash register humming. And you can be that volunteer. No artistic contributions to the Gator’s selection of items for sale are required. If you can devote as little as 3 hours, twice a month to the Gator your volunteer efforts will be appreciated and you will receive an invitation to the 2009 Volunteer Appreciation luncheon.
Thursday, April 10th was the occasion of the first presentation by the TEAM Punta Gorda Alligator Creek Cut-Through Committee. A packed City Hall greeted the Waterfront Development Committee which became the first committee to hear the plan. While the Committee heard support for the proposal from many members of the audience at least one citizen, a PGICA member, expressed his displeasure at a committee member’s comment that the PGICA supported the plan. My response “ I’ll do my best” did not correct the erroneous assertion of PGICA support for the proposal. In fact, there has been no discussion of the plan at any Board of Director’s meeting and in view of our Association’s 501(c)3 status, our board will endeavor to educate and inform our membership about the details of this plan that affects boat traffic in front of approximately two-thirds of our canal front residences. At present, the plan is conceptual with only the most general estimate of cost; about $2 million to complete after three years spent in permitting. If you are not currently checking our website www.pgica.org on a regular basis, I urge you to start. If you are a certified snow bird, this web site and the City’s www.ci.punta-gorda.fl.us should keep you abreast of events affecting Punta Gorda Isles.