I love words; they can have such texture, evoke emotions, make people want to burst out in tears or long for something they miss or must have. Great writers, at least for me, are story tellers who have that ability to create symmetry on paper that works in harmony with ones mind. It allows us the luxury to leave where we are and go places we perhaps never will be. Nice. Alas, I wander. I have the good fortune of having a near complete set of the original sales brochures created by the admen from those early Sun City years. Simply brilliant reading. They understood the challenges of trying to capture ones heart and imagination in a dozen or so pages. They needed to push buttons and paint a picture of a "new way to live." Genius. And now some 53 years later, we are trying to do the same thing, only in a different format. Using the internet we have advantages those wordsmiths never dreamed of. Our new RCSC marketing site will be all that and more. We know the 60's and 70's were a challenge in reaching people and that's no different still yet today. We have more and stronger competition for the retirement community dollar and many have marketing budgets that make ours look anemic in comparison. Perhaps though the biggest difficulty is in trying to explain Sun City. Hence the header: "An Enigma" which when we look at the definition means "something hard to understand or explain." I don't know about each of you, but when I try and tell folks how Sun City works, I often get that look of utter confusion. People just aren't aware of anything comparable from whence they came. When you think about it, that may well be what makes Sun City so attractive to each of us that have had the good fortune to find it.
As you have pointed out many times, you really have to BE in Sun City to understand Sun City, and not just a day or two to look at homes, but a week.....a month.....whatever it takes to experience what truly is a different way of living. We would never have considered Sun City for retirement if we hadn't inherited our home there and experienced the lifestyle for ourselves on our twice a year treks there while the house was rented. It grew on us.......and now I can't imagine being anywhere else for the winter.
I will tell you, the information you folk have out there so far caught my attention. My wife had that confused look on her face when I tried to explain it to her as I wasn't painting a very good picture with words. It was only after I said to her, "think of it as a timeshare resort living 100% of the time", that she got it. I could be wrong, but that is what SC sounds like to this current outsider.
I went to the Bell walking pool this morning and the pool could not have been more delicious. Not many people swimming but all were friendly and eager to talk. We commented on how much this pool felt just like a resort. Makes my day!
A great start Bruce...but it goes so far beyond that it's hard to comprehend. As I have written, Sun City started as a community with a hedonistic lifestyle. The evolution was such that the people moving here came to understand life needed be more than just playing the day and their lives away. The beauty of Sun City blossomed as people found that giving back their time, experience and knowledge was every bit as important as hitting that little white ball. That's where Archer's point was so spot on; To truly understand Sun City, you need live it. The initial attraction is the easy part, the harder is experiencing it on a day to day basis is something very special.
AGREE -- you have to live here daily to totally enjoy all our great retirement community has to offer. Always something to do. If you are bored - - it is your fault -- :moody: I just got notice that the Walking track is now open at Sun Bowl ! What an awesome plus for WALKERS ! ! Hot or "rainy" days....Fairway Rec has a splendid walking track-indoors !
You guys are just bragging now! But seriously I think SC residents have bragging rights. I love the community volunteering part especially when it directly benefits the neighborhood. I currently volunteer for my community HOA board and also for Civil Air Patrol as a squadron chaplain. It is surprising how many folks don't get why we volunteer for anything.
You'll fit into the community here very nicely Bruce. Don't dawdle, get your butt here, get settled and have some fun.
The beauty of Sun City is that you can get involved......or not. You can volunteer.....or not. No pressure to do anything other than what you decide works for your retirement. If that is hedonistic, then great, I'm a hedonist!
The hedonistic philosophy is the concept that the only intrinsic good is pleasure. A hedonist also recognizes that pleasure can be gained from altruism, aka: selflessness or service to others.
Well said Bruce. Once again we prove that words have the capacity for us to use them in ways that we are able to satisfy and justify our place on earth. One of my favorites was "manipulation." Years back in a previous life we trained folks in the art of manipulation and the first thing to over come was the idea if done for the right reasons it was okay. That becomes somewhat subjective, and perhaps why my focus was more about outcomes, rather than how we got to where we did.
But to some extent doesn't Sun City require volunteers to function properly? If people don't volunteer would prices need to be raised in order to still have the same facilities?
I honestly don't know Cynthia how much of the workforce that keeps the rec centers/golf courses going is paid and how much is volunteer. Perhaps BPearson knows. But I have never lived anywhere that there weren't enough people who were willing to volunteer. I think there will always be plenty of people in Sun City ready to step up to fill whatever the need is.
Bruce -- you explained it all correct to your wife ! ! ! We do have our Timeshare Resort right here in Sun City -- (AND WITH ALL 7 REC CENTERS, I might add !) :tennis: I have been to several Time Shares as well as wonderful lodges, cabins, etc. throughout our wonderful state of AZ... including Prescott, Strawberry, Sedona, Flagstaff, Mormon Lake, etc. etc. ! ! I have been to many states from the West Coast to the East Coast. ride: All very nice vacations and little get-aways-... I was fortunate to also travel in many countries in other lands -- saw many beautiful sights and enjoyed. But -- I always say -- "I am ready to go home -- to MY RESORT PARADISE" (aka: Sun City)... Ya just can't compare our enchantment with anything else !
