My wife and i have lived in Sun City 20 plus years and purchased our first Sun City home 4 years before we moved here (1999). From the very beginning, we immersed ourselves into the fabric of the community. Having run a non-profit organization (a local union in St Paul MN), i understood both the concept and the values of the collective process. Further, the continuing education classes i took centered on communication, leadership skills and public speaking. It was always my intent to volunteer for organizations that made a difference in the community. In fact, i was a flaming workaholic, and those that knew me best claimed i would be back at work within 6 months of retirement. I understood exactly what i was retiring to (the Sun City way of life) and short of some major catastrophe, going back to work was never a consideration. That said, my volunteerism has covered several organizations and a number of board positions. They include: The Sun City Visitor Center (before it was owned by the RCSC); SCHOA (where we rebuilt it); the Del Webb Sun Cities Museum; the RCSC board of directors, and i spent 3 years as the Sun City Foundation president. Along the way i did the writing for the 50th Anniversary year-long celebration, wrote 2 magazines for SCHOA and 3 for the RCSC and have given more tours and speeches than i can count. There's more, but you get the point, i've been involved because i want to be. That said, don't be impressed (i'm not), because through Sun City's history there's been a plethora of characters who make me look like a piker. Seriously, the Del Webb Sun Cities Museum has history that is filled with those who dedicated their lives to shaping what Sun City became. Powerful stories of both men and women who cared. I've written it a dozen times or more over the years: We are all bit players in the the bigger picture Sun City. No one, and i mean no one person can be pointed to or at as having been central to what we became (arguably John Meeker was more instrumental than anyone else, but he was a DEVCO employee) . In fact, some of the most ugly infighting came from volunteers who simply disagreed. Differing ideas, opinions and ultimately direction are healthy. I've always understood that. All of which leads me to my header. A current board member jumped into a Facebook Sun City Chat AZ post i had done the other day and gave us his opinion that social media was a bad thing. Especially if it was done by people who have bad intentions. His theory was wrapped into that phrase in the header; "Dictatorial control." Hell, it even sounds sinister. Two days later, another chat member jumped on another post i had done applauding the RCSC's launch of their newly created New's and Updates page. The member had a legitimate complaint regarding voting, i resented another thread being "hijacked" by those who have an axe to grind with me personally. I get it, i am a polarizing figure, i always have been. I am outspoken and i have always been willing to take on tasks others have ran from. I don't need accolades, "followers" or adoration. I do it because i believe the more Sun City member/owners know about our amazing history, the more inclined they are to become involved in the concept of self-governance. The more likely they are to volunteer. I have neither the time nor inclination to respond to everyone who thinks i am fixated on controlling anyone. I have more faith in human beings that they are more than capable of making up their own minds on issues important to our community's future. If i can give them a hand understanding or finding where they can get those answers, that's simply a plus. I for one am delighted in the direction the RCSC has taken this past year. The board (including the one posting the smear), has done a yeoman's job this year in righting the ship. The current RCSC's CFO has been spectacular in opening eyes and minds, and the newly hired general manager has impressed me time and time again. If the trend continues, my goal is to get out of the way and let the younger generation of members set the course. I had one goal the past 15 years; to return the RCSC to its origins. We are clearly on that path and i could not be more pleased. As far as the criticisms, they come with the territory. This community we all love, Sun City Arizona, always has been and always will be bigger than any one person. Like i said above, we are all just bit players in our ultimate success or demise.
