The News of
OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE SUN CITY CENTER COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION
Sun City Center
October 2020
CA SCHEDULE
OCTOBER 5 Board Workshop Via Zoom – 9 a.m. ID: 860 8431 5311 Passcode: 107784 14 Board Meeting Via Zoom – 9 a.m. ID: 884 5591 0737 Passcode: 117340 28 Membership Meeting Via Zoom - 4 p.m. ID: 879 3272 7326 Password: 031737 Agendas for the monthly Board Meetings will be posted on the Official Bulletin Board in the Atrium the Friday before and on the CA website (www.suncitycenter.org – under “Residents” – Upcoming Meeting Agendas). They will also be sent via “What’s New in the CA” email. Joining a Zoom Meeting To join a Zoom meeting, at the meeting time, visit “zoom.us/join”, enter the Meeting ID, and follow the prompts. IMPORTANT! Prior to the meeting, you must go to “zoom.us” online, create an account, and download the Zoom app for your computer and/or your mobile device. Alternatively, you may also call into the meetings via a smartphone. Dial 1-646-558-8656. You will be asked to enter the Meeting ID and Password.
SCC Photo Club Announces Winners
During the month of August, club photographers submitted digital images to be judged by the club‘s very own Rolf Sulzberger. In the Digital Color category, at the Master level, two photographers tied for first place: Harold Sisken received a gold award for “Lovely To Look At” and Pat Jones for “Windy Day.” At the Advanced level, Ann Jacques received a perfect score for “Sunrise In Monument Valley” and Gary Pate received a silver for “Skyway.”
At the Intermediate level, Tom Bredesen received the gold award for “Northern Oasis” and Barbara Klimczak received the silver for “Swampy Reflection.” At the Unassigned level, Marcia Timmins received a perfect score for “Missing Him.” Five photographers tied for second place. Receiving the silver award were Jim Wheeler for “Spoonbill,” Robert Price
Windy Day by Pat Jones
Lovely To Look At by Harold Sisken
with “Unfurling Fern,” Marcia Timmins with “On Guard Duty,” John Lampkin with “Palmetto Skipper-Her Majesty” and Patricia Laskowski with “I’m Going Way Up There.” In the Monochrome Digital category, at the Master level, Pat Jones received a silver award for “Graceful Prima Ballerina.”
Photo continued on page CA-4.
CA Contact Information
Administration Office 1009 N. Pebble Beach Blvd, SCC Phone: 813.633.3500 Hours – 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., M-F sccboard@suncitycenter.org Website: suncitycenter.org Information Center: 813.633.4670
A Guided Tour of Native Florida, Right Here in SCC
By Diane M. Loeffler On the first Tuesday of the month, without fail, John Lampkin is at the West Campus Nature Trails at 9 a.m. ready to take you on a free tour. This is your chance to see how this area once appeared and to learn from someone who is knowledgeable and enthusiastic. You certainly will not be bored! The latter part of August was quite wet, so when I decided to take the tour on September 1, I wore boots. Figuring that mosquitoes like wet places, I put on a lightweight, long-sleeved shirt and long pants. I sprayed some bug repellant on my neck and hands and was ready to go. Lampkin begins his tour at the canal that runs under West Del Webb. The canal is part of a system of ponds, lakes and canals Del Webb dug to drain the area for development. Lampkin points out the non-native grasses and the native plants surrounding the canal. Three years ago, a grant for $20,000 was given to help clean out the non-native species that were taking over the canal area. Since club volunteers cleared out the area by hand. A combination of donations and dues from the SCC Audubon Club help fund periodic assistance from an outside service to remove invasive plants. Entering the forested area, you will walk through the Mesic Pine Flatwoods ecosystem. You will also see the shady,
NONPROFIT ORG US POSTAGE PAID MANASOTA FL PERMIT NO 157 ECRWSS ******ECRWSSEDDM****** Postal Customer Sun City Center FL 33573
Scan the code with your smartphone to find us online. www.newsofsuncitycenter.com
John Lampkin conducts tours of the West Nature Trails at 9:00 on the first Tuesday of the month. He is a naturalist and a musician who combines photos and music into YouTube videos. Among his photography awards is one of a palmetto skipper published in the American Butterfly Association’s magazine.
closed canopy flatwoods area. There are many oak trees including one Lampkin says is, “at least 200 years old judging from the diameter of its trunk.” There is a large area of saw palmettos. Saw palmettos are spread by rhizomes. The saw palmettos we see here could well be part of a very, very old plant. Only three percent of Florida’s longleaf pines remain, so seeing a virgin stand in our little trail area is very exciting. Lampkin says, “You can tell this is an old area because you can distinctly see four generations of longleaf pines next to each other.” On the tour, Lampkin points out all sorts of bugs, spiders, lizards and birds. He shows you where they nest, the plants that feed them and the flowers they pollinate. Best of all, he knows the names of the plants, animals and insects.
Like me, you may see turtle eggs on a sandy mound. Lampkin shows you the wasps, bees, and butterflies feeding on flowers and laying eggs on leaves. Some of the creatures are very, very tiny. Lampkin often took photos and then enlarged them so that I could see the detail of the plants and of the life forms on them. One of the smallest flowers was on a hatpin plant. Lampkin says, “When I first saw it, I thought, what kind of insect will pollinate that? As I observed it over the years, I found 26 species that pollinate it.” By the way, Lampkin also keeps track of all the species of bees and butterflies that make the trail area their home. Ray Webb (not a relative of Del Webb) keeps a record of all the types of birds in the trail area. Lampkin says, “People may not realize it, but the landscape here is very harsh. Plants and animals must learn to adapt
If you look closely, you will see this flower has a small visitor.
to dry springs and very wet summers. Turtles and some insects lay their eggs in the ground and must find a place higher than where the water will rise.” In nature, areas such as this would periodically catch fire and the cycle of growth and life would begin anew. The trails were the brainchild of Mike Roth and were originally maintained by the Hiking Club. The SCC Audubon Club took over in 2015. In 2018, the SCC Audubon Club and the Community Association won 2018 Environmental Project of the Year from the Tampa Bay Association of Environmental Professionals. Club volunteers maintain the area with help from the Community Association staff who mow the paths. The trail is on the west side West Del Webb, north of Seton Hall Drive and south of Vincennes Drive. There is no
Native continued on page CA-4.