Helene Rubenstein

The time has come where the snowbirds are leaving their Florida homes to go back to where they reside in the summer. I guess all good things must come to an end, eventually.

Before the end of the season, we had a potluck on March 31, and over 122 residents and guests attended. This potluck was hosted by Ilene Nutting and several helpers, and what a superb job they did. The helpers consisted of Cheryl and Ken Leone, Donna and Bill Quinn, Paul Nutting, Cindy O’ Brien (who created the lovely baskets that were a giveaway), Jim Leitzke (said grace), and Marcie Baker plus her mother, Barbara Stetson (who did all the decorations and they were lovely).

The evening started off with Jim Leitzke saying grace while everyone bowed their heads in a moment of silence. We thank Jim for this, as he did a fine job.

After grace, individual tables were called to get their food. What a variety of dishes presented to us!  In addition to the ham (that was provided by the social club), there were deviled eggs, a pineapple dish, coleslaw, boiled and mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, vegetables and so much more.  The meal wouldn’t be complete without desserts, and there was a full table of them that included peanut butter cups, cake, pie, cookies and  more.

We also had a winner at each table, which was a real nice touch. The winners got to take home the little baskets that were filled with Easter candy to recall the good time that they just experienced.  These lovely baskets were made by Cindy O’ Brien.

I spoke with Ilene and she mentioned the fact that with all the help she got, how could she go wrong?  She went on to say that after dinner, there were more people to help out. She thanks  one and all, and the social club.

On April 2, there were 16 women at our monthly lunch bunch. It was at the Green Door restaurant and was hosted by Fran Boulay.

The restaurant was a cute little place located in Dade City and had a very nice menu. Everything was delicious, and some of the choices included a chicken wrap or grilled turkey, with a side of potato chips and coleslaw. They had several other dishes and I didn’t hear a complaint.

We were seated toward the back of the restaurant, which made it easier for us to converse. Upon entering the restaurant, I noticed that there was a slight tint of green on the door and the inside of the restaurant was cleverly done with headboards plastered on the walls.

Before going to the restaurant, we met at the community center where we made sure everyone had a ride and found out that Robbie Lockard will host the next luncheon for the month of May.

On April 6, 91 residents and guests attended the pancake breakfast in the community center, hosted by Dave and Mary Heim.

The breakfast include blueberry pancakes, sausage and French toast, plus coffee, tea and juice.

At the end of the breakfast, they presented the helpers that helped out the entire year, and they included Paul and Norma Oi,  Linda Rogers, Rosie Semian, Pat Bond, Tom Carter, and Dave and Mary Heim. Our sincere thanks go out to all.

On April 14, a special event took place in our community center. It was a tax day/bon voyage party and approximately 120 people attended. Pizza was served and a show was put on by Billy Williams.  There was dancing and the dance floors were full. We all had a great time. The pizza and music were a nice addition.

That will do it for this year for us, as we are going back to our winter homes, but Grand Horizons still goes on with activities, such as another potluck being presented by Ilene at the community center on May 4, plus, on the same day, horse racing (the Kentucky Derby), presented by Rita and George Gattos. They will have a hat contest (I wonder what this is about), more karaoke (on April 19) and many more exciting things.

So Grand Horizons will continue with lots of fun and games.

By Helene Rubenstein, Grand Horizons

There was the first annual Old Tyme Gospel Jamboree at Zephyr Park on March 16. They had several performers and, from what I was told, they were all very good. Paul and Freda Williams, from our park, were there performing, plus several others.  We had other commitments that day so we had to miss it, but we do hope to make it next year.

On March 22, we had karaoke, which was started several months back and is going strong. We had a good turnout of approximately 45 to 50 residents and guests.

Karaoke started off with Gary Wilcox singing, and he did a superb job. Every word was so distinctive and clear.

Paul Williams also sang several songs and, between them, they kept the evening going smoothly.

We had several people from the audience sing a few songs, too. The list of performers included Jim Leitzke, Chuck Reams, Eugene Martin Nancy Martin, Marsha Mitchell, plus Gary Wilcox and Paul Williams.

Songs that were sung included “Coal Miners Daughter” by Loretta Lynn, “Traveling Man” by Ricky Nelson, “Sunday Morning Coming Down” by Kris Kristofferson ,”Give It Away” by George Strait (this song was done to the crowds delight and the antics were incredible), ”Harper Valley PTA” by Jeannie C. Riley, and so much more.

There was one beautiful song that almost brought tears to our eyes called “Dear Uncle Sam.” This was a tribute to the veterans and was originally performed by Loretta Lynn.

The night continued with “San Antonio Stroll” by Tanya Tucker, “Blueberry Hill” by Fats Domino, and more. As you can see, there were a good variety of songs. Our next karaoke night will be April 19.

Our final egg in a bag was March 23, as many people return to their summer homes for the next few months. It is also the final one that Rita and George Gattos are hosting, as they are turning the reins over to others. Thanks George and Rita for your participation. We definitely appreciated it.

There were 105 people at the breakfast where they served omelets made with the ingredients that you chose, plus potatoes, gravy and biscuit, and orange juice and coffee.  I spoke to Rita and she was happy with the breakfast and thanked all of those that helped.  They were Mark and Sue Gagnon, Ron Gamache, Linda Kartes, Martha Stephens, Sue Parker, Maureen Stephans, Doris Sutfin, Judy Hiler, James Yost, and George and Rita Gattos. Thanks one and all.

There was a volunteer lunch at the community center on March 24 and a good many people attended. It was hosted by Shirley and Chuck Carlson, and Ron and Joyce Bell. In addition to the hosts, Mim and Terry Gardner helped out.

We had a nice crowd of approximately 70 residents. We were greeted with a sign on each table declaring “thanks.” There also were several thank-you signs on the wall.

Before tables were called to get your lunch, Jim Leitzke said grace while we all bowed our heads in a moment of silence.

The tables were called, and we were all treated to nice juicy hamburgers, potato salad, baked beans, and a table filled with onions, tomatoes, lettuce and pickles. Soft drinks of several varieties were served, with a yummy cupcake for dessert, either vanilla or chocolate.

We went back to our homes after the lunch, but back to the community center a little later for a game of trivia. The Trivia Wizards was presented by Dick and Connie Kingsbury, and hosted by Gary Wilcox. It was a nice turnout and close to 40 people attended. The questions really made you think. I thought I was good at trivia questions, but I think I need to brush up on it. We all had fun and that is the main thing.

By Helene Rubenstein, Grand Horizons

On Feb. 8, we had our monthly lunch connoisseurs at Shells Restaurant hosted by Bill and Karen Donlon. There were 31 residents in attendance, and the menu had a good variety of dishes.  There were mainly fish platters or dinners, but other dishes as well.

We weren’t rushed, and the waitresses were very nice and tried to help if anyone had questions.  There was much conversation and everyone got along. It made for a nice afternoon with good company.

The following day, Feb. 9, several women who are  members of the quilting club were at the community center, along with several helpers. They presented a quilt show and what a delight it was.

There were quilts all around the community center and some were really eye-catching and had so much detail.

The quilters were Margaret Castonguay, Joyce Billig, Naomi Sisk, Denise Hauser, Pat Otto, Pat Mengel, LuAnne Taylor and Jeanice Dalman. The quilters meet every week at the community center and create beautiful quilts, and these were displayed all over in the community center.

They also had some helpers, including Joyce Bell and Rachel Gamache.

There were well over 150 quilts, plus handbags, runners and more. Upon entering the community center, there were several quilts outside on display.

Everything was done to perfection and there were two lap-size quilts that were prizes for the raffle. Coffee and cookies were served at this festive show.

Several days later, on Feb. 13, a Taco Bowl dinner was held at the community center, with 110 people in attendance. This was hosted by Margaret and Andy Castonguay. They have had Taco Bowl dinners for the last several years, and each year they get better and better.

Once again, they had several volunteers and each had a specific job and, therefore, it ran smoothly. The helpers were Joyce and Ron Bell, along with Ron and Rachel Gamache, Fred and Pat Mengel, Linda Rogers and, of course, Margaret and Andy Castonguay.

The taco dinner consisted of meat, diced tomatoes, cheese, lettuce, salsa, sour cream, olives and onions. All of the toppings were placed on a table, so you could add them according to your taste. The  tortilla shells were handmade and deep fried by Margaret and, from what I heard, they were simply delicious.

Two days later, on Feb. 15, we had our second karaoke night. It started out with Gary Wilcox singing a Conway Twitty song entitled “It’s Only Make Believe.” He did a splendid job of it, and he made it interesting by giving a little history of the song and the singer.

He sang several more songs, including “Amarillo By Morning” and, if you closed your eyes, you could visualize George Strait.

Paul Williams sang a few songs, such as “Blueberry Hill,” “Abilene” and several others. His deep voice and antics added to the songs.

Chuck Reams also got up to perform several hits, including  “As Good as I Once Was” by Toby Keith. Chuck really got into it as the time progressed. His antics were fabulous and had many a person (in the audience) singing back up. He also sang a hit song by Randy Travis entitled “He Walked on Water.” and he did one marvelous job.

A great number of songs were done by Jim Leitzke, such as “Good Hearted Woman” by Waylon Jennings,” “Okie from Muskogee” by Merle Haggard, and several by Marty Robbins like “El Paso.” Jim also looked directly at the audience and he sang like a pro.

During some songs, we had dancers like the Rockettes. We also had audience participation on the song “Family Tradition.” There were other songs like “Trashy Women” by Confederate Railroad, and even a little trivia thrown in.

We ended the evening with “God Bless the USA,” and we all went home after a lovely two hours.  The next karaoke will be on March 22.

By Helene Rubenstein, Grand Horizons

On Jan. 8, a lunch bunch was held at Fresh Country Café and about 25 women attended. There was a variety of dishes, including sandwiches, salads, grilled chicken, fried chicken, tenderloin tips and more.

The luncheon was hosted by Helene Rubenstein and there were two door prizes. There was conversation throughout the entire meal and it looks like all had a good time.

There were several shops where you could go shopping that were nearby or people could go straight back to their homes.

There were over 50 residents at the lunch connoisseurs  at Beef O’ Bradys on Jan. 11.

The menu was varied and had lots of choices. There was a chicken, steak or veggie bowl, along with chicken dinners, hamburg plates, shrimp platters, salads and so much more.

There were several door prizes, which was a very nice touch, and the waitresses were very nice and helped if someone had a question.

Once again, it was close to home, so we didn’t have to travel too far and we could go shopping after lunch or back to our homes.

Our host and hostess were Tom and Laurie Carter, and our thanks go out to them for doing a splendid job.

Later that night there was a show called “Re-Creation” in the community center. There were approximately 125 residents, family, friends and visitors.

It was a show that was spectacular and magical, hosted by Terry Gardner.

Before the show even started, a video presentation was on the screen in the front of the room.  There also were men and women dressed in red, white and blue costumes greeting everyone and distributing a brochure to all.

Then, at 7 p.m., the show started by the director of Re-Creation, Jay Muller, where he explained about the group and the shows that they perform. He then introduced the first group that consisted of four women and three men, who were dressed in sparkling costumes and sang some songs, and also did some dancing.

Each song had a different singer with the rest of the group singing backup.

This was followed by classic American music, such as “Bill Bailey, Won’t you Please Come Home,“ “Music, Music, Music” (Put another Nickel in, In the Nickelodeon ) and also “Pennies from Heaven” and “Let me Call you Sweetheart” (with men dancing steps and singing to the women performers that were on chairs on the stage.)

A beautiful rendition of “I’m Beginning to See the Light” was done with a tap dancer in front of the stage. The singers then went to dance with people in the audience.

Songs such as “Tennessee Waltz,” “Fever,” “New York, New York” and more were performed to an excited audience. They did a great job.

Several disco songs were performed to an ecstatic crowd.

The performers then continued with several more songs, such as “YMCA” that had the audience clapping and singing along.

Also performed were several country tunes like “Country Boy,” “Mountain Music,” “God Bless the USA” and several others.

The women and men came to perform some rock n’ roll, and the women were in poodle skirts.  They did a fine job of “Johnny B Goode,” “Chantilly Lace” and others. The seven performers walked through the audience singing songs like “Do Run Run, Do Run Run” and others.

They performed some classic rock and then came out on the stage dressed all in stars and stripes, and sang songs including “Yankee Doodle Dandy” and more.

They closed out the show singing the hymns of the Coast Guard, Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Merchant Marines, while the people who served in each individual branch stood to be recognized when the song was sung.

“America the Beautiful” and “God Bless America” were performed to a standing crowd. This marked the end of a terrific show with unforgettable entertainment.

By Helene Rubenstein, Grand Horizons

On Dec. 23, a potluck was held in the community center, and Nancy Huey and several helpers arranged the whole thing. The helpers consisted of Rachel Gamache, Karen Donlon and Carol Jones.

There were approximately 88 Grand Horizons residents, friends and family who attended. Nancy Huey and her helpers did a marvelous job.

The afternoon started with Jim Leitzke giving ‘Grace,’ while the people in attendance bowed their heads in a moment of silence.

Each table had a number on it, and Nancy called each individual table to get their soups and sandwiches.

There were several varieties of soup such as minestrone, broccoli cheddar, chicken tetrazzini, chowder and others. The soups were delicious, and nice and hot on a relatively cool day.

The sandwiches included turkey, ham and roast beef.

The meal was really good, and the social club provided it.

The meal was topped off with desserts. There was peanut butter pie, chocolate chip cookies, cherry cheesecake, apple squares, candy and so much more. We could go back for seconds on the entire meal. Needless to say, everyone was quite contented.

Nancy Huey had a special surprise for us. The women got in a circle, holding the gift they brought in, and passed it around the circle to a specific song that was playing. When Nancy said to stop, the gift you were holding was the one you got. If, by chance, you got to hold your original gift that you brought in, then it was exchanged.

Then the guys did the same. It was loads of fun and our thanks go to all who helped.

After the gift exchange, horse racing, hosted by Rita Gattos, took over. Each horse was named after a reindeer, such as Cupid, Vixen, Blitzen and others. It was played with three die, and that distinguished the amount of spaces the horse moved. There was a jockey for each horse. We stayed for the first race and it was pretty exciting. The game was still going on after we left.

On Dec. 31, 2018 a New Year’s Eve dance was held in the community center, and 56 friends, neighbors and residents attended a fantastic show with Billy Cole performing.

Ron Gamache was the host for this dance and, from what I understand, everyone that attended had a great time.

Billy Cole took requests and did a variety of songs, including rock n’ roll, country, easy listening and more.

Everyone who attended brought something to share with the table and, therefore, had a huge variety of goodies.

From what Joyce Bell told me, the decorations were superb, as they had chair coverings in black with a red ribbon on the chairs and banners saying, ‘Happy New Year,’ hanging on the walls, and a Christmas tree gaily decorated in the corner of the community center. There also were noisemakers and hats on the tables at each individual setting.

It sounded like everyone was in a party mood and had a great time. Our sincere thanks go to Ron for the planning.

By Helene Rubenstein, Grand Horizons