The Sunshine Club was originally formed in 2012 with Build Bridges for Bright Leisure World to bring Leisure World residents from the wide variety of ethnic backgrounds together to better understand each other and explore and learn about this amazing community we all call home. The club meets every Friday in Clubhouse 3, Room 2 from 10:00 to 12:00.
Each week members review and discuss articles from the Leisure World Weekly news paper. Additionally, guest speakers from within the community are invited to enlighten and expand residents knowledge of the Golden Rain Foundation and the various departments serving the community. Outside gets lecturers include elected officials, health care experts, computer specialists, and organizations providing resources to seniors.
In 2023 under the leadership of Anna Derby, the clubs President a total of forty-seven lecturers were invited to speak at Sunshine Club meetings. Six of the speakers were representatives from the Golden Rain Foundation including the current GRF Executive Director, Security Director, Service Maintenance Director, Physical Property Manager, Member Resource and Assistance Liaison, and the Safety and Emergency Coordinator. Outside guest speakers included a variety of elected and public officials: a retired Seal Beach Police Officer who spoke on Senior Safety, a former FBI Agent who spoke on Countering Active Threats, a City of SB – Beach Management Officer, a Information Officer from SBPD, a CHP Public Information Officer, an Orange County Mosquito and Vector Control representative, representative from Municipal Water District of OC, Legal Aid and a State Representative. Healthcare experts included a Hearing Specialist, a Depression Specialist, the Care Ambulance Public Relations Director, a speaker from the Alzheimers’ Orange County Memory Support Team, a representative from the Anesthesiologist Pain Management Specialist, a Stroke Specialist, a Senior and Depression Pharmacist, an Acupuncturist who spoke on senior health issues and a Optum 24 Hour on call Nurse explained their onsite program. There were speakers from Farmers To Families, Meals on Wheels Long Beach and Orange County, Chefs For Seniors and Vons Concierge. Additional speakers included an On-Site Sale representative, a Computer Specialist, and experts on fraud, scams and senior safety, Community Legal Aid OC, Super Wire, Inc., Transform The Space and more.
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Sunshine Club donated $2,000 to the GAF, for Meals on Wheels Long Beach to help those LW shareholders who are in need
In 2023 the club took two bus trips. In June the club visited the Huntington Library, and November they went to the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures. These activities helped raise enough funds that the club was able to donate $2,000 to the GAF, which is the club’s designated charity. GAF will donate the club’s funds to Meals On Wheels Long Beach with a specific designation to the needy LW shareholders only, keeping the benefit to the LW community.
Over the last 12 years, using funds raised with rummage sales and bus trips, Sunshine Club has contributed to the GAF each year since 2013. This donation of $2,000 brought the club’s contribution to the community to a total of $8,970
During the pandemic in April of 2020, the club also donated 400 facemasks worth $1,200, when shareholders could not get those items because of short supply and high demand. In 2021, the club donated a second bus bench which is located in front of Building 5 Recreation Office. The first bench is in front of the Optum Healthcare Center Pharmacy. Both benches offer welcome and comfort to shareholders who need to sit while waiting for a bus.
The club meetings continue to attract Leisure World residents with an average attendance on any given Friday morning between 45 to 55 people; and occasionally the room reaches maximum capacity. Attendance is quite a contrast from the first meeting with twelve shareholders reading the weekly LW News where they were encouraged to comment and ask questions. Frequent questions and comments resulted in the club inviting members of the GRF staff to attend and share information to the gathering.
The club began on January 12th, 2012, and is now in its 12th year, with the mission of “Building Bridges for Brighter Leisure World”, and to help all different ethnic people to assimilate into the Leisure World community, to promote better communication and understanding, and being able to use and understand available information.
The club requires no membership and registration fees. With no inclination to politics or religion, the club is dedicated to harmony and good relations with neighbors and friends. Beginning 2013 and for the next five years until 2017 the club raised funds with rummage sales. The rummage sales ended in 5 years, the club began to take a couple of day trips a year to provide an opportunities for members who unable to drive, so they can enjoy L.A the most desirable places they would otherwise miss out on.
For more information, go to lwsb.com to social to find Sunshine Club Seal Beach.
Sunshine Club has frequent guest speakers to familiarize shareholders on various topics that enhance living in Leisure World and a great number of community leaders and club representatives visit to introduce their organizations, as well as a wide variety of specialist from “outside the wall.” It is obvious that speakers who share health and well-being, as well as safety issues receive a very popular response.
Sunshine Club would like to thank the community and shareholders for their continuous support and attendance at the club meetings, and for their generous donations which support of the club’s refreshments.
The club meets in Club House 3, Room 2 every Friday morning from 10 to 12. The speakers’ presentation begins at 10 to 11, followed by the club’s meeting which deals with the business of the club and local Leisure World activities.
All shareholders are welcome to join in and participate.
Any more questions, text Anna Derby at (562) 301-5339