March/April 2020 Newsletter
Don’t forget to visit our website at rifca.net
Bruce Squillante - Newsletter Editor
Bruce Squillante - Newsletter Editor
RIFCA 2020 BOARD OF DIRECTORS ELECTED
By Bruce Squillante
January 18, 2020 served as another reminder of what a fantastic group of members we have in RIFCA. Our Annual meeting occurred shortly after our dinner and the issues we discussed went smoothly. Many of the guests were seeing the finished lanai for the first time. It was a very nice evening. You can read the minutes of the Annual meeting in the library of Board minutes on this site.
Welcome and congratulations go to the following Board members. Special thanks and appreciation goes out to all of the members who volunteer their time and expertise to make RIFCA a continuing success.
Officers
President Bruce Squillante
Vice-President Bob Beals
Treasurer Bob Croson
Secretary Robin Evans
Street Directors/Backup
Sleepy Hollow Gail Beals/Pam Meeks
Island Rd Pam Jacobs/Jan Croson
The Island Julie Squillante/Otto Bazak
Ox Bow Bruce Rosborough/Julie Burden
River Forest/Lazy Lane Janet Lamonica/Camille Cromer
Peninsula Bill Ott
New Activities, New Fun for RIFCA Members!
by Cindy Rosborough
There are some exciting changes happening in RIFCA. We are undergoing a rejuvenation of activities at the Clubhouse. Did you ever wonder what happened to the Fashion Show, Art Show, New Year's Eve Party, Education Program, and others?
There are many pictures in the archives showing the fun that past RIFCA members had at these events. As times and members change, some events begin to lose support or lose their chairpeople and slowly go away.
Now we have a new Activities Coordinator - Cindy Rosborough. Two months ago Cindy suggested that there were several popular events and activities that could gain widespread interest within RIFCA and the River Forest Community. You may have filled out a questionnaire at our Annual Meeting that indicated your interest in various activities, both ongoing and one-offs. The Activities Committee met and, working from a summarization of the questionnaire, have started some new “clubs” and activities.
For example, on February 12th the new Book Club met for the first time, under the direction of Janet Lamonica. At that first meeting there was discussion about the shape the Book Club would take and what type of books we would be reading. The four who met that evening selected Basket Case by Carl Hiaasen as the first read. He is a Florida comedy-crime writer whose books are easy and fun to read, with plenty of local color, satirical social commentary, contemporary trivia, and a little (or a lot) of eco-consciousness thrown in. You still have time to read this book, which is available through Amazon, or possibly the local library or library e-book collection. The next meeting will be March 11th at 7pm at the Clubhouse (always the 2nd Wednesday). The more the merrier, let’s have a rollicking discussion of this fun book, and then talk about our next read!
Also up and running is the Arts and Crafts Club, chaired by Gil Curd, which meets twice a month, on the first and third Wednesday from 9:30-11:30. Although participation has been scarce so far, we are sure there will be more as we add activity demos. The idea is that we can bring our craft or art projects and enjoy camaraderie as we create. So far we have had knitters, embroiderers, and card making. The Clubhouse lanai is so bright and a pleasant a place to work, and it’s fun to see what others are working on. If someone is doing something that you want to learn, just ask! Future activities will include card making and beading … in fact, at the next meeting (March 4th) Cindy will be bringing beading supplies to demonstrate how to make a peyote bracelet. There will be beads available to purchase, and needles and thread will be supplied. Maybe you’ll catch the “beading bug!” The second meeting of March (18th) will be a card-making demo by Gil Curd.
You may have already attended the inaugural Texas Hold'em Poker Night. This will hopefully be an ongoing evening of fun for all.
In March we will all be able to enjoy a river cruise for the 55th Anniversary of RIFCA. In addition, a BBQ-themed potluck is planned for April.
With time moving so quickly, we are running out of slots where we can plug in special activities before snowbirds start to leave for northern climates. We will keep trying this year, and have grand plans to get lots of things on the calendar next fall, winter and spring.
We hope to bring back some old favorites from the past, and introduce new fun. If you have ideas to share, please come to the next Activities Committee meeting on Wednesday, March 25th, at 7pm in the Clubhouse.
There are many pictures in the archives showing the fun that past RIFCA members had at these events. As times and members change, some events begin to lose support or lose their chairpeople and slowly go away.
Now we have a new Activities Coordinator - Cindy Rosborough. Two months ago Cindy suggested that there were several popular events and activities that could gain widespread interest within RIFCA and the River Forest Community. You may have filled out a questionnaire at our Annual Meeting that indicated your interest in various activities, both ongoing and one-offs. The Activities Committee met and, working from a summarization of the questionnaire, have started some new “clubs” and activities.
For example, on February 12th the new Book Club met for the first time, under the direction of Janet Lamonica. At that first meeting there was discussion about the shape the Book Club would take and what type of books we would be reading. The four who met that evening selected Basket Case by Carl Hiaasen as the first read. He is a Florida comedy-crime writer whose books are easy and fun to read, with plenty of local color, satirical social commentary, contemporary trivia, and a little (or a lot) of eco-consciousness thrown in. You still have time to read this book, which is available through Amazon, or possibly the local library or library e-book collection. The next meeting will be March 11th at 7pm at the Clubhouse (always the 2nd Wednesday). The more the merrier, let’s have a rollicking discussion of this fun book, and then talk about our next read!
Also up and running is the Arts and Crafts Club, chaired by Gil Curd, which meets twice a month, on the first and third Wednesday from 9:30-11:30. Although participation has been scarce so far, we are sure there will be more as we add activity demos. The idea is that we can bring our craft or art projects and enjoy camaraderie as we create. So far we have had knitters, embroiderers, and card making. The Clubhouse lanai is so bright and a pleasant a place to work, and it’s fun to see what others are working on. If someone is doing something that you want to learn, just ask! Future activities will include card making and beading … in fact, at the next meeting (March 4th) Cindy will be bringing beading supplies to demonstrate how to make a peyote bracelet. There will be beads available to purchase, and needles and thread will be supplied. Maybe you’ll catch the “beading bug!” The second meeting of March (18th) will be a card-making demo by Gil Curd.
You may have already attended the inaugural Texas Hold'em Poker Night. This will hopefully be an ongoing evening of fun for all.
In March we will all be able to enjoy a river cruise for the 55th Anniversary of RIFCA. In addition, a BBQ-themed potluck is planned for April.
With time moving so quickly, we are running out of slots where we can plug in special activities before snowbirds start to leave for northern climates. We will keep trying this year, and have grand plans to get lots of things on the calendar next fall, winter and spring.
We hope to bring back some old favorites from the past, and introduce new fun. If you have ideas to share, please come to the next Activities Committee meeting on Wednesday, March 25th, at 7pm in the Clubhouse.
February 1, 2020 Potluck
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RIFCA Night out at the Everblades - Helmets, Hockey, and a Car (almost)
by Bruce Squillante
Another fun Night Out for RIFCA members this time happened at Hertz Arena on February 8, 2020. The Florida Everblades played the Greenville Swamp Rabbits. This was a special night for RIFCA members who attended the game. Before the game started, we were given the opportunity to sit on the Everblades' bench and watch practice. Safety first, all of us had to put on helmets before going to the bench. As it turned out, the helmets were essentially one size fits all. The Everblades' coordinator of Group events patiently made sure we squeezed ourselves into a tightly fitting helmet. It may have felt odd...or even looked odd...but if a puck came flying into the bench by mistake, our heads would at least be protected.
We were led to the Everblades' bench and for 15 minutes watched the home team warm up. At the rink level, it was amazing just how big these players were and how fast they moved. Several of them came over to the bench during warm up and got some water and a few talked to us. It was an interesting and fun experience. After warm up ended, we were guided back to a private area in the arena where we mercifully got out of the helmets and went to our seats.
The fun and excitement did not end with warm ups though. During the first period one of the guests that attended the game with a RIFCA member was chosen for the first period intermission entertainment. At intermission, our guest went onto the ice and had a chance to win a new car. All he had to do was shoot a puck from about 3/4 the distance from one goal to the other and have the puck go through a 5 inch wide opening in a box at the other end of the ice. The crowd roared as our guest hit the puck it is was actually going straight at that opening. Unfortunately, the puck turned out to be about 20 feet short of the mark. It was quite a scene though.
As for the game, the Everblades scored two shorthanded goals and won 5-1. We sat only 4 rows back toward the corner of the ice. The seats were nice, but many would rather sit further up toward the middle to see more of the action. The checking along the boards near our seats was pretty intense. All in all, it was a fun night.
We were led to the Everblades' bench and for 15 minutes watched the home team warm up. At the rink level, it was amazing just how big these players were and how fast they moved. Several of them came over to the bench during warm up and got some water and a few talked to us. It was an interesting and fun experience. After warm up ended, we were guided back to a private area in the arena where we mercifully got out of the helmets and went to our seats.
The fun and excitement did not end with warm ups though. During the first period one of the guests that attended the game with a RIFCA member was chosen for the first period intermission entertainment. At intermission, our guest went onto the ice and had a chance to win a new car. All he had to do was shoot a puck from about 3/4 the distance from one goal to the other and have the puck go through a 5 inch wide opening in a box at the other end of the ice. The crowd roared as our guest hit the puck it is was actually going straight at that opening. Unfortunately, the puck turned out to be about 20 feet short of the mark. It was quite a scene though.
As for the game, the Everblades scored two shorthanded goals and won 5-1. We sat only 4 rows back toward the corner of the ice. The seats were nice, but many would rather sit further up toward the middle to see more of the action. The checking along the boards near our seats was pretty intense. All in all, it was a fun night.
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ONE MISSTEP
by Julie Squillante
Life is a very finicky thing. One day you can be cleaning your house, cooking dinner, gardening in your yard and even painting some furniture. Then one moment of distraction can derail your life in a very unexpected way.
Bruce and I love to decorate for Christmas. We (or should say I) decorate the whole outside and the inside of our house. We also set out our Department 56/Dickens houses of which we have over 300 but usually just put out half of that. Our system is that Bruce unpacks them, checks the lights then sets them aside so I can come in and put the vignettes together. The same system works in reverse in that Bruce packs them all up again and I come in and put the house back the way it was before Christmas.
This year was no different. I was on a ladder cleaning up the top of the kitchen cabinets and fixing some molding that had become loose. My mind started thinking about the next item on my to-do list when I started down the ladder. My one moment of inattention caused me to miss the bottom two steps on the ladder and I fell onto our tile floor hitting my knee, elbow, behind, and finally my head. My kids rushed to my side after hearing me cry out and watched me lying on the floor while I tried to find my bearings and see how hurt I was. My son helped me up and put me in a chair. When I thought I was able I tried to put weight on my right leg but the muscle constricted and started to spasm. I realized at that moment this was not going to be an easy fix. Meanwhile, Bruce had run out for lunch and had no idea what had happened.
After he got home, we had to make a decision how to proceed. We considered running to the ER but knew that on a Friday afternoon, it would be a long and expensive wait. We decided to head out to the new Med Center at Colonial and Six Mile Cypress. I honestly can’t remember how he got me out to the car but thankfully they had a wheelchair at the Med Center. After getting right in and getting the x-ray, the only part I remembered hearing was the word “fracture.” I knew that didn’t sound good. It was recommended that I get an MRI to confirm. Newsflash! Don’t get injured in Florida on a Friday afternoon. All the orthopedic offices close early on Friday. Bruce called around and got me an appointment for an MRI in Cape Coral on Saturday late in the afternoon but due to a cancellation I was able to get in earlier.
Monday morning arrives and starting at about 7 a.m. my wonderful husband starts calling every orthopedic office in the Fort Myers area trying to get me in. Success! I got an appointment with one that I later found out is the best in the city. Bruce and I headed to the doctor in the afternoon. Diagnosis: Right Tibial Plateau Fracture. I basically cracked by shin bone and compressed the area underneath my knee. Prognosis: no surgery needed (my doctor consulted two other doctors), no weight on it for up to six weeks. Six weeks!!!! We have a trip to Europe planned for mid-March, how was this going to be affected? Doctor recommended postponing the trip. Sorry no can do. Thankfully after following doctor’s orders and not putting any weight on it, after three weeks I was able to start putting weight on it and learned to use a walker. To be perfectly honest it was not fun and I cried the first day. But I stuck with it and thankfully started physical therapy which has helped a ton. I have moved to a cane now but unfortunately still cannot completely straighten my leg and my knee is still somewhat swollen 7 weeks post incident. My doctor did mention at the beginning that this was up to a four month recovery period.
We are still a go for our trip. But now instead of my knee injury to worry about we have the coronavirus. Thank you to everyone who called, texted, came over to see me, and brought me meals during this time. Your kindness has been so much appreciated by me and my family.
Bruce and I love to decorate for Christmas. We (or should say I) decorate the whole outside and the inside of our house. We also set out our Department 56/Dickens houses of which we have over 300 but usually just put out half of that. Our system is that Bruce unpacks them, checks the lights then sets them aside so I can come in and put the vignettes together. The same system works in reverse in that Bruce packs them all up again and I come in and put the house back the way it was before Christmas.
This year was no different. I was on a ladder cleaning up the top of the kitchen cabinets and fixing some molding that had become loose. My mind started thinking about the next item on my to-do list when I started down the ladder. My one moment of inattention caused me to miss the bottom two steps on the ladder and I fell onto our tile floor hitting my knee, elbow, behind, and finally my head. My kids rushed to my side after hearing me cry out and watched me lying on the floor while I tried to find my bearings and see how hurt I was. My son helped me up and put me in a chair. When I thought I was able I tried to put weight on my right leg but the muscle constricted and started to spasm. I realized at that moment this was not going to be an easy fix. Meanwhile, Bruce had run out for lunch and had no idea what had happened.
After he got home, we had to make a decision how to proceed. We considered running to the ER but knew that on a Friday afternoon, it would be a long and expensive wait. We decided to head out to the new Med Center at Colonial and Six Mile Cypress. I honestly can’t remember how he got me out to the car but thankfully they had a wheelchair at the Med Center. After getting right in and getting the x-ray, the only part I remembered hearing was the word “fracture.” I knew that didn’t sound good. It was recommended that I get an MRI to confirm. Newsflash! Don’t get injured in Florida on a Friday afternoon. All the orthopedic offices close early on Friday. Bruce called around and got me an appointment for an MRI in Cape Coral on Saturday late in the afternoon but due to a cancellation I was able to get in earlier.
Monday morning arrives and starting at about 7 a.m. my wonderful husband starts calling every orthopedic office in the Fort Myers area trying to get me in. Success! I got an appointment with one that I later found out is the best in the city. Bruce and I headed to the doctor in the afternoon. Diagnosis: Right Tibial Plateau Fracture. I basically cracked by shin bone and compressed the area underneath my knee. Prognosis: no surgery needed (my doctor consulted two other doctors), no weight on it for up to six weeks. Six weeks!!!! We have a trip to Europe planned for mid-March, how was this going to be affected? Doctor recommended postponing the trip. Sorry no can do. Thankfully after following doctor’s orders and not putting any weight on it, after three weeks I was able to start putting weight on it and learned to use a walker. To be perfectly honest it was not fun and I cried the first day. But I stuck with it and thankfully started physical therapy which has helped a ton. I have moved to a cane now but unfortunately still cannot completely straighten my leg and my knee is still somewhat swollen 7 weeks post incident. My doctor did mention at the beginning that this was up to a four month recovery period.
We are still a go for our trip. But now instead of my knee injury to worry about we have the coronavirus. Thank you to everyone who called, texted, came over to see me, and brought me meals during this time. Your kindness has been so much appreciated by me and my family.
Valentine's Dinner February 15, 2020
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Community Garage Sales Show off River Forest
A very busy calendar this year brought the Community Garage Sales a month later than usual - February 21-22. We chose a good weekend to have the Community Garage Sales as there were just two others in the Fort Myers/Cape Coral area. However, the weather was not our friend. Strong winds and showers throughout February 21 seemed to drive down traffic in the neighborhood. We had only 9 sales occurring in River Forest, but enthusiasm was up in the neighborhood.
Bruce and Julie Squillante tried something new this year. Instead of making handwritten signs to guide potential buyers to River Forest, they had professional signs made locally. The bright red colors made it easier to see and follow. Friday morning, however, one of the signs was taken from the Weber/Palm Beach location. Advertising in Craigslist is helpful, but we included advertisements this year in Facebook Marketplace, Nextdoor and others.
Despite the rough weather on Friday, we had a steady stream of visitors for the first half of Friday. Saturday was also steady. The River Forest Clubhouse was also busy with activity. Bruce and Julie Squillante brought in several items from home. The best success, however came selling several donated items that came in just days before the garage sales.
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Recipe of the Month - Crabbies
by Cindy Rosborough
A lot of you have asked for the recipe for these appetizers that I often bring to the Club, so here it is! I have been making these for over 35 years. Whenever I try to make something new I get complaints that I didn’t make the Crabbies, so I always go back to them.
English Muffins 1 pkg of 6 (don’t get Thomas’, just the inexpensive store kind is best)
Kraft Old English Cheese Spread 1 jar
Butter 1 stick
Garlic Powder 1 tsp
Seasoned Salt 1 tsp
Mayonnaise 1 Tb
Crabmeat, drained 2 cans (6-7 oz each)
Let cheese spread and butter warm up to room temperature and then mix together along with mayo, garlic and salt. Once well incorporated, add in crabmeat and mix well. On a cookie sheet, halve all muffins and lay out. With a fork, spread equal amounts of the crab mixture onto the 12 halves. You should use all of it! Cover with saran wrap and freeze for a while (this makes them neater and easier to cut). Before cooking, cut the rounds into quarters and spread out on the cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 10 minutes or until browned on top (will take more than 10 minutes). If you want them less crunchy on the bottom but still need to brown them, turn on the broiler for a couple of minutes.
Best right out of the oven, but they will travel. If you just need a few for a small gathering, make the whole batch, freeze, cut them in quarters, and return the un-needed pieces to the freezer. They will be good for up to a few months, and nobody will know that they haven’t just been made. Enjoy!
Please send your recipes for inclusion in the RIFCA newsletter to Cindy Rosborough for editing (clrandbwr@icloud.com). We hope to see lots of delicious and nutritious ideas! Feel free to send in a story of how you got the recipe, or any cute or funny story that you always think of when you make it.
English Muffins 1 pkg of 6 (don’t get Thomas’, just the inexpensive store kind is best)
Kraft Old English Cheese Spread 1 jar
Butter 1 stick
Garlic Powder 1 tsp
Seasoned Salt 1 tsp
Mayonnaise 1 Tb
Crabmeat, drained 2 cans (6-7 oz each)
Let cheese spread and butter warm up to room temperature and then mix together along with mayo, garlic and salt. Once well incorporated, add in crabmeat and mix well. On a cookie sheet, halve all muffins and lay out. With a fork, spread equal amounts of the crab mixture onto the 12 halves. You should use all of it! Cover with saran wrap and freeze for a while (this makes them neater and easier to cut). Before cooking, cut the rounds into quarters and spread out on the cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 10 minutes or until browned on top (will take more than 10 minutes). If you want them less crunchy on the bottom but still need to brown them, turn on the broiler for a couple of minutes.
Best right out of the oven, but they will travel. If you just need a few for a small gathering, make the whole batch, freeze, cut them in quarters, and return the un-needed pieces to the freezer. They will be good for up to a few months, and nobody will know that they haven’t just been made. Enjoy!
Please send your recipes for inclusion in the RIFCA newsletter to Cindy Rosborough for editing (clrandbwr@icloud.com). We hope to see lots of delicious and nutritious ideas! Feel free to send in a story of how you got the recipe, or any cute or funny story that you always think of when you make it.
River Forest - Circa 1950
Quick News in River Forest
- Watch for delivery of the 2020 River Forest Directory. You will see some interesting new features.
- You may have noticed the last two weeks that the Trash pickup has been much cleaner. We have repeatedly called Progressive regarding the trash left on the streets after their pickup. It appears that Progressive has finally fixed the challenges they have had the last several months.
- We had at least 15 new neighbors move into River Forest in 2019. Please take the time to welcome our new neighbors and encourage them to join RIFCA. Watch for homes in River Forest for sale and tell your friends.
- We continue to welcome our friends on Marquette Rd who want to become RIFCA social members. We certainly enjoyed meeting several of the Marquette residents during Luminaria Night last year.
- RIFCA celebrates its 55th Anniversary in March. There will be a story on that in the next Newsletter.
Board Meetings
March 2
April 6
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Potlucks
March 7
April 4
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Dinners
March 21
April 12 - Easter
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Country Breakfast
March 14
April 11
Notice to River Forest Residents
Bees are of vital importance to our food chain, but they can be frightening
If you see a honey bee swarm, PLEASE DON'T SPRAY IT!
Doug Lints is working with an Alva Bee Removal specialist and can offer a no fee bee removal and relocation from River Forest.
Please call (239) 850-3746 or Rhinodoug@yahoo.com
If you see a honey bee swarm, PLEASE DON'T SPRAY IT!
Doug Lints is working with an Alva Bee Removal specialist and can offer a no fee bee removal and relocation from River Forest.
Please call (239) 850-3746 or Rhinodoug@yahoo.com
Donations to the Ronald McDonald House - Pop Tabs
Please save the pop tabs from your cans of soda/beer. Dick Kennedy collects them to donate to the Ronald McDonald House. If you let him know when you have a bag full, he will come and pick them up.
According to the Ronald McDonald House website, Advantage Metals buys the tabs at market rate and then makes a charitable contribution on top of that. Last year the pop tab program brought in $20,000. They even had a Pop Tab Pandemonium day earlier this year.
Contact Dick Kennedy to pick up your pop tabs.
According to the Ronald McDonald House website, Advantage Metals buys the tabs at market rate and then makes a charitable contribution on top of that. Last year the pop tab program brought in $20,000. They even had a Pop Tab Pandemonium day earlier this year.
Contact Dick Kennedy to pick up your pop tabs.
