Looks to me like the article is kind of saying that if you contributed to the fund for the accelerator 5 years ago you probably got screwed cause TV sold it and pocketed the money.

You weren't here five years ago so you saved yourself some money.


Looks like they accepted a new cancer business to lease the place and allowed them to use the equipment.


Would you prefer that Moffitt took it with them?

If I'm reading the Ritchie article in the Orlando Sentinel correctly, isn't the issue that the hospital sold the equipment that had been purchased with community donations to the new company running the Center? If so, what will they do with the money they received? How does this impact any future donation campaign?

Lauren Ritchie: Central Florida Health Alliance sold linear accelerator donated by Villagers to for-profit cancer company - Orlando Sentinel

Didn't "allow", "sold" it. Get the difference? Moffitt couldn't take it because they didn't own it, TV did, at least until they sold it to the new outfit.

You sure of all that?

Read the article that you posted a link to! Yes I'm sure!

Gracie : Since " Watergate " every young writer or reporter thinks that they are a combination of " Woodward and Bernstein ". And every little thing has all of the weight and public importance of the " Pentagon Papers " !

Are you implying Lauren Richie lied when she said TV sold the damn thing? If not, the fact remains that TV sold it for a profit after it was purchased as a result of their pandering before The Moffitt Center came to TV. What's your point?

And how do you know they sold it? Inside info?

Are you implying Lauren Richie lied when she said TV sold the damn thing?

I don't know you and I don't know Lauren Ritchie. I don't know the Morses but I can see with my own eyes what they built and the extra stuff too. Sitting at Lake Imaging this week thinking how nicely they finished it and how well it is decorated. They didn't stint on anything. Beautiful custom upholstery and crown molding and the themed wallpaper. Beautiful and expensive. It sure doesn't look like try to take advantage of us. It doesn't seem like they would have to do something underhanded to make money. They do alright with their legitimate business. I am such a fan of an American success story. Hope they aren't mean as snakes because I am certainly taken in. Apparently you aren't. Your party doesn't get the donations?

What does that mean, Graciegirl (question in bold lettering)? What has that got to do with anything? Looks may be deceiving, especially when it comes to The Developer. Yes, everything looks good, but maybe someone has to scratch under the surface to see what's really going on. I've lived here for 4 years now, and whatever happens here - or doesn't happen here, isn't due to altruism. The dollar reigns, for good and bad. I'm certain the whole story of Moffet's departure will never be known by us mere mortals.

And that's the way it should be.

(1) I don't think Lauren Ritchie lied. It's her job to report to us the facts as she finds them, and as a columnist, it's also her job to express her opinion about what she discovers. Journalists have standards to follow in reporting and in opining, and if she lied, then she may be subject to professional censure or damages in court. I'm seriously doubting that an experienced journalist would take that chance over something like this.

(2) I don't think Lauren Ritchie is trying to be "Woodward and Bernstein." Again, it's her job. This is not a matter of national security like the Pentagon Papers, and she doesn't make that claim. She simply uncovered a set of facts, reported them to us, and opined about the values of that action as she saw them, which as has been stated is part of her job.

(3) Like many of you, I admire the Morse family and the wonder and magic they have created here in The Villages. But let's not kid ourselves. They made the place nice for one reason, because "nice" attracts more home buyers. Nothing wrong with that. They had an idea and developed it and it made them rich. BRAVO! But don't kid yourself into thinking that the attention to detail and the plethora of amenities in The Villages was done as a favor to us. It was done to attract all of us to come spend large sums of money in the Morse family business. I'm fine with that, and so should we all be. But it was not humanitarianism. It was capitalism.

(4) Ritchie's point, as I read it, was that a piece of equipment was purchased with funds raised by the generous giving of individuals in this community because they had been solicited, and when Moffitt pulled out (for whatever reason) the equipment was sold to the new tenant. I guess the "Collective Us" gave the money, purchased the equipment, and gave it to the hospital. We gave it, so they could do as they saw fit, including selling it. But I do see her point that this seems to be profiting on the charity of others, and there is some shame in that. Maybe the hospital sold it because the new service provider demanded that they be allowed to own it, or the new service provider needed to own it for liability or insurance purposes, or whatever other reason that is unbeknownst to us. If the hospital spokesperson had simply been forthcoming with Ritchie when she inquired, and told the reason, and the reason was justifiable, then there is no shame, thus no Ritchie article. Under the current circumstances, I think many of us will be a bit reluctant to contribute donations again for purchases like this one.

(5) Even though Ritchie has a point, I'm not terribly troubled, yet. The equipment is still there. It's still available to the citizens of this community, including those who contributed toward it's purchase. If that changes, then the stakes are raised for me.

You got it right this time. Lets look back a littlte.

1.Morse's wife Sharon died of cancer. He cared for her very much- even named a building after her.
2.He wanted to attract a first class cancer practice to the Villages.
3.He attracted Moffitt by dangling free use (or low rental fees) of great equipment.
4.Donations were requested from Villagers and they responded.
5.The equipment belongs to the Villages hospital (non-profit)
6.Moffitt could not or would not expand their services her and decided to pull out when lease expired.
7.New tenant can use the equipment however the hospital decides. Developer has no control and no investment in it and CANNOT sell it.