[billethkid]

for the event held yesterday evening in the Urology Center parking lot. The turn out as measured by a veteran participant was 1/30th of past years.

Boos and hisses to TV for emasculating a very successful and emotionally embedded event for TV cancer survivors.
TV' happy paper this morning had a 2" X2" picture of people getting cake!!!!!!!!!! No write up. When the relay for life was of value to TV developers/owners/operators, the happy paper ran multiple pages, multiple pictures.

So again in closing, congratulations to those who made relay for life still happen for those involved in spite of TV turning their back on a special interest for many thousands of residents.

btk

[katezbox]

Originally Posted by billethkid

for the event held yesterday evening in the Urology Center parking lot. The turn out as measured by a veteran participant was 1/30th of past years.

Boos and hisses to TV for emasculating a very successful and emotionally embedded event for TV cancer survivors.
TV' happy paper this morning had a 2" X2" picture of people getting cake!!!!!!!!!! No write up. When the relay for life was of value to TV developers/owners/operators, the happy paper ran multiple pages, multiple pictures.

So again in closing, congratulations to those who made relay for life still happen for those involved in spite of TV turning their back on a special interest for many thousands of residents.

btk

[KathieI]

Originally Posted by billethkid

for the event held yesterday evening in the Urology Center parking lot. The turn out as measured by a veteran participant was 1/30th of past years.

Boos and hisses to TV for emasculating a very successful and emotionally embedded event for TV cancer survivors.
TV' happy paper this morning had a 2" X2" picture of people getting cake!!!!!!!!!! No write up. When the relay for life was of value to TV developers/owners/operators, the happy paper ran multiple pages, multiple pictures.

So again in closing, congratulations to those who made relay for life still happen for those involved in spite of TV turning their back on a special interest for many thousands of residents.

btk

Well, said, BTK. I was saddened to hear of the low turnout. What other events are planned for the Relay for Life? Is there anything more we can do to raise awareness and get more participation??? Remember how well we did outside Tuscany for the St. Baldrich's (sp?) charity? Maybe we could do something like that for Relay or something similar???
signed - never give in, KathieI

[Mikitv]

We attended the opening ceremonies and it was very moving. Today I saw one little picture hidden in the paper showing the Relay for Life. Kudos to all the people who worked so hard to make it work.

Boos and thumbs down to the developer.

[beartrack]

Originally Posted by billethkid

for the event held yesterday evening in the Urology Center parking lot. The turn out as measured by a veteran participant was 1/30th of past years.

Boos and hisses to TV for emasculating a very successful and emotionally embedded event for TV cancer survivors.
TV' happy paper this morning had a 2" X2" picture of people getting cake!!!!!!!!!! No write up. When the relay for life was of value to TV developers/owners/operators, the happy paper ran multiple pages, multiple pictures.

So again in closing, congratulations to those who made relay for life still happen for those involved in spite of TV turning their back on a special interest for many thousands of residents.

btk

I am very disappointed with the developers decision to refuse to allow the relay for life event. We all live by the rules, most of them originated by the developer. The American Cancer Society also has rules. One of their rules is that they can not share donations with any other organization in any single event. In my opinion, the developer should have honored their rules the same way as he expects everyone else to obey his. It is also my opinion, It's obvious to me that he didn't have the strength of character to " Man Up " When he realized that asking the ACS to share donations was a violation of their rules. His conduct has needlessly hurt thousands of Cancer patients, survivors, care givers and all of their freinds and relatives. I am a survivor, and the abuse suffered by all of us by the loss of this event as a happy, joyous event will come back to haunt those responsible for turning such a worthy event into a talkathon of anger against the developer. I love The Villages and I have always thanked and supported the developer but, never again. I will still support the Moffitt Center project because I believe it is a good thing but, I have no respect for those responsible for this debacle.

[Pturner]

Originally Posted by billethkid

for the event held yesterday evening in the Urology Center parking lot. The turn out as measured by a veteran participant was 1/30th of past years.

Boos and hisses to TV for emasculating a very successful and emotionally embedded event for TV cancer survivors.
TV' happy paper this morning had a 2" X2" picture of people getting cake!!!!!!!!!! No write up. When the relay for life was of value to TV developers/owners/operators, the happy paper ran multiple pages, multiple pictures.

So again in closing, congratulations to those who made relay for life still happen for those involved in spite of TV turning their back on a special interest for many thousands of residents.

btk

BTK,
Thank you for this post. What you said needed saying. Very sad.

Congratulations and many thanks to the organizers and participants.

[katezbox]

Watching the survivors take a "victory lap" around the track really brought home the message they had on their t-shirts "survivors make it personal."

[K9-Lovers]

Originally Posted by beartrack

I am very disappointed with the developers decision to refuse to allow the relay for life event. We all live by the rules, most of them originated by the developer. The American Cancer Society also has rules. One of their rules is that they can not share donations with any other organization in any single event. In my opinion, the developer should have honored their rules the same way as he expects everyone else to obey his. It is also my opinion, It's obvious to me that he didn't have the strength of character to " Man Up " When he realized that asking the ACS to share donations was a violation of their rules. His conduct has needlessly hurt thousands of Cancer patients, survivors, care givers and all of their freinds and relatives. I am a survivor, and the abuse suffered by all of us by the loss of this event as a happy, joyous event will come back to haunt those responsible for turning such a worthy event into a talkathon of anger against the developer. I love The Villages and I have always thanked and supported the developer but, never again. I will still support the Moffitt Center project because I believe it is a good thing but, I have no respect for those responsible for this debacle.

Yes, Beartrack, I agree that this feel-good event has suffered a negative consequence from moving off TV property, and a "talkathon" of anger against the developer. A poor decision was made and hopefully, the developer will recognize this and resume the Relay for Life on campus next year.

[Advogado]

Originally Posted by K9-Lovers

Yes, Beartrack, I agree that this feel-good event has suffered a negative consequence from moving off TV property, and a "talkathon" of anger against the developer. A poor decision was made and hopefully, the developer will recognize this and resume the Relay for Life on campus next year.

Unfortunately, I haven't noticed the "talkaton of anger against the developer" that you mention. Anyplace else, the developer's self-serving actions in sabotaging the Relay for Life to try to extort money for the Moffitt fund-raising drive, in which the Developer has a financial interest, would engender not just a talkathon, but public outrage. Here in The Villages, where (understandably I suppose) interest in community affairs is far outweighed by interest in golf scores and the developer controls all the local media, the developer's despicable actions have been totally ignored by the vast majority of residents.

There have been about 200 views of this thread. Many of those are, undoubtedly, duplicate or triplicate views. Thus, in this thread, we are talking to maybe 85 people out of 85,000 residents, hardly a talkathon of any significance. This is why the Developer gets away with what he gets away with.

[Russ_Boston]

Originally Posted by Advogado

Here in The Villages, where (understandably I suppose) interest in community affairs is far outweighed by interest in golf scores

I agree that the event could have been handled differently but to suggest that TV residents don't have community outreach is just not accurate. You can find dozens of examples of TV residents involved in such things as local food kitchens, meals on wheels, a local farm that provides food to those in need, the largest ratio (in the nation!) of volunteers to workers in our local hospital (TVRH), etc. etc.

[Advogado]

Originally Posted by Russ_Boston

I agree that the event could have been handled differently but to suggest that TV residents don't have community outreach is just not accurate. You can find dozens of examples of TV residents involved in such things as local food kitchens, meals on wheels, a local farm that provides food to those in need, the largest ratio (in the nation!) of volunteers to workers in our local hospital (TVRH), etc. etc.

Russ, come on. It's not a matter of the Relay for Life "could have been handled differently". The developer torpedoed Relay for Life in an attempt to extort money for his Moffit project, period.

That being said, I couldn't agree with you more on charitable volunteerism in The Villages. There is a lot of it, and that is great, but that isn't what I was writing about.

My point was: interest in, and participation in, community governance and administration? Very little. Because of Developer control over the local media and governmental organs, unless an event makes national news, like the IRS investigation or the poaching scandal, the average Villager is clueless about the actions of the Developer, the operation of the numbered and center CDDs, and the local county and town governments. How many people can name one CDD board member in their Districts? I can't. (While I think I know more knowledgeable than most, I am far from on top of the situation.)

As I said in my earlier post, that is understandable-- most of us, including myself, moved here to take life easy and play, not to thread our way through the Developer-created maze of CDDs, transactions between the Developer and the CDDs, and agreements among the CDDs. That is real work and no fun at all. The result is that the Developer gets a pass on a lot of stuff that should be scrutinized.

[Russ_Boston]

OK, thought you were talking about charitable events.

As I've said many times - charities are the ultimate dog eat dog business. I've seen it from the inside and it's not pretty.

[beartrack]

Originally Posted by Advogado

Unfortunately, I haven't noticed the "talkaton of anger against the developer" that you mention. Anyplace else, the developer's self-serving actions in sabotaging the Relay for Life to try to extort money for the Moffitt fund-raising drive, in which the Developer has a financial interest, would engender not just a talkathon, but public outrage. Here in The Villages, where (understandably I suppose) interest in community affairs is far outweighed by interest in golf scores and the developer controls all the local media, the developer's despicable actions have been totally ignored by the vast majority of residents.

There have been about 200 views of this thread. Many of those are, undoubtedly, duplicate or triplicate views. Thus, in this thread, we are talking to maybe 85 people out of 85,000 residents, hardly a talkathon of any significance. This is why the Developer gets away with what he gets away with.

Maybe my post wan't very clear. I wasn't refering to the entirity of the population of The Villages. How would anyone know what 85,000 people were talking about? I meant a talkathon of anger, by the participants at the Relay for life event. Last year was my first experience at the relay. I, as well as all those in attendance were humbled and so very grateful for this event. My first survivor lap was an experience that I shall never forget. People spoke of the developer in a grateful and loving way, not so, this year. You could cut the hostility against him with a knife. He should really be ashamed of himself !!!