Kathie, that is a great idea! Do you think we (you?) should make a separate post to attract Villagers to the event. Donations of school supplies is a great cause.

I thank you for sharing this post. Your words to this young man of 9 - 10 years may have been the only kind words he heard today. Your husband's contribution was most appreciated, I'm sure. Makes one think how many "Samaritans" simply sped by giving only a brief glance and perhaps a comment uttered to themselves. I mentor youth and all too often see a look in their eyes that seems to say "just treat me with kindness". So, again, for your kindness, I thank you both.

There is another slogan Christians often use: there but for the Grace of God, go I.
When presenting a problem, it is always good to offer a solution.

Well said, barefoot.
I think it's more respectful of the community to focus on a collaboration to improve economics than to primarily approach them with pity as saviors to the helpless. I'm NOT saying helping the down and out is a bad thing.

I am saying that if someone wanted to help me, I'd gain more self-respect if they said, "You have strengths. Is there a way I can assist you in gaining more independence." vs "You are obviously in need. Let me give you a donation."

Wow, didn't know that. do they attend city commission meetings? or what?

But will any of this help their tax base, as it's all on Villages property?

I agree with Bare about starting small and getting to know people before wading in with large ideas that might not be welcomed at first. It does kind of give the impression that Big Brother Will Fix All, Just You Listen.

I also applaud those that worked their way through college and paid their debts and "helped themselves," but many of these homeless people are mentally ill, or came from broken, dysfunctional homes without good parenting, etc. etc. You can't just paint unfortunate folks with a broad brushstroke and insinuate they might be where they are due to their own unwillingness to work/educate themselves/apply for help/ you name it. Each person's situation is different.

And if they weren't living in the woods but instead were living in the streets, some would be upset about that too. The country doesn't have the financial resources to house all the homeless. They long ago closed the mental hospitals, claiming folks could heal better at home. Many of those people ended up on the streets. Many fail to qualify for aid. Where are they supposed to go? It's sad.:sad:

Off my soap box.

Cfrance, I'll bet a lot of them would qualify for SSDI or SSI if they had a physical address and were stable long enough.
re how to start, feeling out governance is key.
Kitty

[url/]http://www.youtu.be.com/watch?v=sVC3E-8_fiw&feature=share&list=PL4BE178D23CDFE509[/url]
can't get this to show as link..story of 6 blind men and elephant. you can locate at youtube by entering the alphanumeric string starting with PL...ending in 9.

I'm happy to see so many perspectives and pockets of expertise and energy. So many of us are giving thought to how and what we mind do to work with Wildwood!

I so agree with and encourage those who want to pitch in at the grassroots level. The site above is an inspirational story about how we all have different perspectives and may be seeing different parts of the whole. I know that if everyone takes some action on what they think is needed, the outcome will be beneficial.

The story implies that everyone is right and each is wrong if they think that only their perspective counts. And that includes people who aren't inclined to adopt WWD.

It was reported in an earlier post that Brownwood is inside the city limits of Wildwood...don't know about the new strip mall where SweetBay will be located. That is why Wildwood police have the authority to patrol Paddock Square.

It was also reported that the new bowling alley and hotel are in Wildwood.

So, let them eat cake?

Whatever you folks feel is the best route for you, so be it. Personally I'm getting out of this discussion. Have fun.

A much closer ,mt Dora

During my 33 years of employment in a fairly reponsible position with Florida city, I attended my share of strategic planning, community development and economic development meetings, P&Z sessions, neighborhood improvement meetings, resident outreach presentations, and the like. I certainly understand and do appreciate the position of those who believe that their Wildwood has been and continues to be fine just the way that it is and who resent the unsolicited discussions by non-Wildwoodians to effect change in their city. I truly get that.

Setting aside the reasons why municipal adminstrators generally support community development and economic development intitiatives for their agency community, I will list a few very, very simple reasons why Wildwood's economic environment matters.

Commercial and business development in Wildwood:
1. Provides Villages residents with more shopping options for groceries, clothing, dining, entertainment, home furnishings, and so on and on and on....u
2. Provides tens of thousands of Villages residents with the convenience of shopping closer to home.
3. Results in increased assessed value of existing commercial properties.
4. Results in the purchase and development of unimproved commercial properties.
5. Increases the population (people seeking employment in the new businesses) of the city and, more importantly for Villagers, Sumter County.

The Points:
Items 1. and 2. above combine to create a demand for services, goods, and products. That demand creates business opportunities, which create employment opportunites for Wildwood residents and increases the revenue stream for the city. You can imagine for yourself the resulting innumerable tangible and intangible benefits to the residents and to the city.

Items 3. through 5. above increase the county tax base, thus resulting in increased tax revenues. Increased revenues enable the county administration to leave the millage rate status quo or to lower the millage rate (which lowers my tax obligation) without reducing levels of service provided to or made available for all of us.

Items 4. and 5. above increase the number of county tax payers. The greater the number of us who share the tax burden collectively, the lower the amount we pay individually, generally speaking.

Again, the above is a partial list of very basic reasons why Wildwood matters.

“An idealist believes that the short run doesn’t count. A cynic believes the long run doesn’t matter. A realist believes that what is done or left undone in the short run determines the long run.” – Sidney J. Harris



“A vision without a task is but a dream, a task without a vision is drudgery, a vision and a task is the hope of the world.” – From a church in Sussex, England, ca. 1730