&
We have some "fix-it" ourselves to do in the next couple of weeks and as a result, we're taking a break.
On November 12, 2012 we commenced publishing an idea.
...and we called it:
Anthem Opinions
...an idea for a community and its inhabitants to be both entertained and enlightened in order to make it a fulfilling and pleasurable experience..
...that...
...and that life went well past waking up and sleeping in a retirement community...
... but also embraced a belief that...
Today is our 6th anniversary.
When we first arrived from the Chicago area in 2005, we believed that we migrated here for a fun filled, honest, and happy life.
After all, like so many of you, as we drove past the Sun City Anthem waterfalls...
...while seeing the fabulous Las Vegas Strip in our rear view window...
...this was to be our future...the final chapter !
That was in 2005, but as the years went by, so did much of the "honest" part of the original belief.
And so, we believed that Sun City Anthem needed to rekindle that original spirit, and in 2012 we believed it was time to get it back !
Sadly, that quest appears to be an unending battle...
...a battle those who CARE, must not abandon by complacency or the expediency of accepting mediocrity.
Over the years we watched many decisions made by individuals who had no experience in making them, and when so many of them failed causing financial loss and spirit in our community, rather than correct them with the voice of experience, instead continued their failures due to a "good ole boy" system of "machine" politics that has brought us the distinction of "The HOA Hall of Shame" on two occasions.
2018
We spiraled downward from the top retirement community in the United States to not even being included in the Top 55 list in 2018.
...and though you may not appreciate becoming aware of these issues, ignoring or accepting them as a "way of life" does little other than multiplying them over time.
They must be faced...and...solved...for all of our sakes.
We now have 2,292 subscribers, and average between 1,800 and 2,000 visits per day on the days we publish new articles...
...and our total visits to Anthem Opinions over that 6 year period are reaching close to 2,500,000.
For that response, we send all of you our sincere thanks.
This is also an opportunity to thank others who have taken their time to assist us in publishing articles and comments over the years.
So many have contributed, it's impossible to thank all of you.
Your input and comments have hopefully opened the eyes of many in Sun City Anthem that would otherwise never be heard through official community publications.
But...there are some who deserve special recognition for their contributions to our publication.
And it's time we recognized them for not just their contributions to Anthem Opinions, but standing out in our community for their unselfish attempts to make life a better experience for all of us.
A special thanks to our "Mr. Fix-It", Forrest Fetherolf, who, over the years, has not only provided our readers helpful home improvement information, but who also has spent countless hours assisting so many homeowners in their never ending home repairs...including mine !
How Forrest does all this in addition to tending to his own personal properties in Sun City Anthem (8 at last count) plus others in the Valley, is amazing...and if you've seen him in the gym lately, he proves a point...
...as you age, you can look younger !
Thanks Forrest, knowing you has been such a highlight over the years and you've been an inspiration to so many of us for your unselfish community dedication.
We've had so many "tips" ideas over the years, and many of them have been provided by Valerie Lapin.
Thanks Valerie !
Entertainment ? It goes without saying that my former years with the Vegas Voice allowed me to meet a number of wonderful entertainers and columnists, and so much of our entertainment news has been provided by a lady named Jackie Brett.
Thanks Jackie !
And then there is my friend, Rana Goodman, whose dedication to the political atmosphere in her Guardianship "revolution"has changed life for so many seniors as the years pass. She and I have collaborated on so many issues over the years, and though she may write Anthem Today, I've always looked at her devotion as a companion piece to Anthem Opinions, not a competitor.
Thanks Rana !
Our "Nevada Know How" Information Page has quite frequently, had the expertise of a man whom so many in the Sun City Anthem community have looked at and refer to as our community's "NRS Expert", Tim Stebbins.
Rana Goodman &Tim Stebbins
Thanks Tim !
Then we have a few individuals who have served Sun City Anthem well in their financial expertise who have composed a number of the best editorial pieces concerning the Sun City Anthem community, former Finance Committee member, Barry Goldstein...
...and 4 year Board member, Jim Mayfield.
We've learned so much from both of them and their love for a better community is obvious when such individuals will take their time to write such pieces that explore the "innerds" of Sun City Anthem governance.
Thanks Barry & Tim !
When it comes to common sense issues, hats off to Robert Nusser...
....for the editorials he's furnished us along with hours of dedication while patrolling our streets as a member of the Sun City Anthem Community Patrol in excess of 1,000 hours since his relocation from New Jersey.
Thanks Robert !
We have a name whom many of you may not readily know, but without his computer knowledge, Anthem Opinions would have sunk like the Titanic, Allen Weintraub, whom I affectionately refer to as "Techie", and almost 50 years ago, called him Fraternity Brother (Sigma Alpha Mu), before running into him at the Liberty Center 6 years ago to rekindle a friendship that had been lost over time.
(He aged, I didn't)
Thanks Allen !
That leaves me, Dick Arendt, who despite constant criticism from some whose motives care more for themselves rather than the community as a whole in which they reside, loves Sun City Anthem more than many realize.
Yes, I will bring out adverse actions that affect our lives; and yes, I will signal out those who have acted improperly and harmed the financial welfare of our association; but unlike another, I will tell you WHY those actions must be examined and remedied.
In addition I have tried to share my love for the past in historical terms...
...the importance of its knowledge, embracing it for recognizing its successes and failures, learning from it, and making our world a better place as a result of those successes and failures.
I will close this rather lengthy piece by sharing with all of you, our code of morality that we have tried to maintain from day one, and promise to continue until the day comes when Anthem Opinions ceases.
Morality and a "fair shake" for all, rich or poor, has no boundary in terms of caring for the well being of others you call "neighbor" and "friend".
Fifty years ago we lost the great Robert Kennedy, and his words should be guide for all of us:
"Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring, those ripples build a current that can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance."
What a wonderful world we would all be a part of, if all of us would "live" his words !
So, on behalf of our "crew":
...Thanks for 6 years of "ups and downs", and sharing a belief that tomorrow can always be better than today.
See you after Thanksgiving.
We'll resume our publications on November 29th as we begin the December holiday season.
Dick Arendt
Anthem Opinions
No comments:
Post a Comment