Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Over 20 years ago, ‘The Vermont Bunch’ came to camp in the area we now call Sweetwater RV Resort. They were a group of 11, headed up by ‘The Godfather,’ the name given to Francis Quatrini, who is still playing golf, at 92 years of age, in St. Johnsvury, Vermont. Francis and his wife, Gloria, were best friends to Marion McLam’s parents. When Wilma came too, Marion and Wendell decided to rent a place, and eventually bought on Miriam Lane.

Wilma and Bill Fournier camped in Kissimmee every year, and visited her brother, Bernie Blake, on the way back home. Bernie and Barbara camped in Settlers’ Rest first, and helped develop Sweetwater, when they eventually bought a place here.

Marilyn Blake had retired from Boston, and she didn’t want to be left alone there each winter. When Marion and Wendell moved to a bigger place in Sweetwater, Marilyn bought their trailer. Marion and Wendell’s daughter and son had bought that trailer for their parents, sight unseen, advised by ‘The Godfather’ – he was always watching out for everyone.

When Wendell became ill, their daughter, Cindy Beck, came down part-time, and eventually took an early retirement. For the last few seasons, she has brought her mother down, and stayed with her. This year, the decorating committee was in need of help, and Cindy and Marion’s sister-in-law, Sandy Bourgoin, got together and built a Kissing Booth for the Valentine’s Dance. Cindy had seen a wooden pallet in the garbage when she was driving with Dale Sanders. She came home and asked her neighbor, Carl, to pick it up with his truck.  Later, Dale came back to help take it apart – that’s the way things get done in Sweetwater – everyone working together towards a common goal.

Cindy also created a great photo opportunity outside the New Year’s dance this season. She knew Dale took pictures of people as they entered, so she wanted to add to the ambience, and it went over very well.

‘The Three Musketeers,’ Wilma, Marion and Marilyn, still do everything together – they walk/ride 2 miles a day around Settlers’ and Sweetwater parks, and adjust their route as needed. They also go out to eat together and play cards, much like the whole Vermont group did all those years ago. Now, with Cindy, the next generation is enjoying the park together.

Cindy and Marilyn continue the tradition of playing golf on Tom McCormick’s Monday afternoon league. Wilma also plays, from time to time, and she is like Francis, in her early 90’s. There must be something in that Vermont water that keeps these pioneers going strong!

In 1985, Lloyd and Shelby Jean Skeel arrived at Sweetwater in their Airstream trailer. By 1987, they had bought their park model — the same one that their daughter, Dolores Swallow, still lives full-time in today. They were full-timing it and found the Airstream far too hot, even though they travelled home to Indianapolis in the summer to visit. They had also lived in New Port Richey in 1984, but found Highway 19 far too busy for them. Dolores and Larry would visit for two weeks a year – one at Thanksgiving and the other the last week of February.

Lloyd passed in 1996 and Shelby Jean in 1999, so the home was rented out for several years, waiting for Dolores and Larry to retire from Zionsville, Indiana and move to Zephyrhills, Florida (moved from ‘Z’ to ‘Z’, according to Dolores). Their first renter was Anna Mae and Ralph Jones, then they bought their own place. Next, from 1985-1989, Melvin and Majorie rented before they also bought in the park.

Dolores and Larry became ‘snowbirds’ in 2010 and, in 2012, they became ‘sunbirds,’ when Larry was no longer able to travel, due to health issues. He passed on Feb. 15, 2015, and Dolores has continued to live in Sweetwater full-time ever since. She loves it here and enjoys games, volunteering and meeting new people. This year, she has been asked to be the full-time librarian, and she also enjoys working with the ‘A Team’ on Wednesday afternoons for the ‘Blue Plate Specials’. She said she met the dogs first, while walking her dog Kaylee; then, she met the people. Her daughter comes every year for a week at her birthday on June 21 – sometimes she has brought her son as well, and Dolores proudly shows pictures of their times together.

On the last Tuesday of the month, Dolores joins the ‘Lunch Bunch’ and has gone to many different restaurants. For Christmas 2016, she enjoyed her first time at home since 2008.  She flew and stayed with her daughter. She also has an older daughter, living in Punta Gorda, and visits her a few times each year.

Dale Sanders came to Sweetwater when his parents were ill and needed assistance. Walter, police chief in Indiana, and his wife, Patricia Sanders, came to Sweetwater in May 1983 – there was no power or streets then, and it was the rainy season. They had first gone to the Kissimmee area with friends in September 1981, when they retired.

Dale’s father passed in November 1985 and his mother in May 2009. Patricia had never driven, so Dale stayed, and when she passed he promised to take care of the house she bought in April 1998. Dale is younger than most residents, but he has been encouraged to stay because of the growth of the town and surrounding Wesley Chapel. He says the average age in Zephyrhills is 10 years younger now, due to the influx of people from the Tampa area, and it is cheaper to live here as well. Dale does a lot of volunteer work in his community and loves to support the local eating places with friends.

By Judy Pearce

Sweetwater RV Resort