FYI

Updated 11/20/23

THE ORIGIN OF RUDOLPH THE RED NOSED REINDEER

11/20/23 – FROM A FACEBOOK POST:

Wow, I had no idea about the origin story of Rudolph the Red-Nose Reindeer! If you aren’t familiar with it either, read below:

As the holiday season of 1938 came to Chicago, Bob May wasn’t feeling much comfort or joy. A 34-year-old ad writer for Montgomery Ward, May was exhausted and nearly broke. His wife, Evelyn, was bedridden, on the losing end of a two-year battle with cancer. This left Bob to look after their four-year old-daughter, Barbara.

One night, Barbara asked her father, “Why isn’t my mommy like everybody else’s mommy?” As he struggled to answer his daughter’s question, Bob remembered the pain of his own childhood. A small, sickly boy, he was constantly picked on and called names. But he wanted to give his daughter hope, and show her that being different was nothing to be ashamed of. More than that, he wanted her to know that he loved her and would always take care of her. So he began to spin a tale about a reindeer with a bright red nose who found a special place on Santa’s team. Barbara loved the story so much that she made her father tell it every night before bedtime. As he did, it grew more elaborate. Because he couldn’t afford to buy his daughter a gift for Christmas, Bob decided to turn the story into a homemade picture book.

In early December, Bob’s wife died. Though he was heartbroken, he kept working on the book for his daughter. A few days before Christmas, he reluctantly attended a company party at Montgomery Ward. His co-workers encouraged him to share the story he’d written. After he read it, there was a standing ovation. Everyone wanted copies of their own. Montgomery Ward bought the rights to the book from their debt-ridden employee. Over the next six years, at Christmas, they gave away six million copies of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer to shoppers. Every major publishing house in the country was making offers to obtain the book. In an incredible display of good will, the head of the department store returned all rights to Bob May. Four years later, Rudolph had made him into a millionaire.

Now remarried with a growing family, May felt blessed by his good fortune. But there was more to come. His brother-in-law, a successful songwriter named Johnny Marks, set the uplifting story to music. The song was pitched to artists from Bing Crosby on down. They all passed. Finally, Marks approached Gene Autry. The cowboy star had scored a holiday hit with “Here Comes Santa Claus” a few years before. Like the others, Autry wasn’t impressed with the song about the misfit reindeer. Marks begged him to give it a second listen. Autry played it for his wife, Ina. She was so touched by the line “They wouldn’t let poor Rudolph play in any reindeer games” that she insisted her husband record the tune.

Within a few years, it had become the second best-selling Christmas song ever, right behind “White Christmas.” Since then, Rudolph has come to life in TV specials, cartoons, movies, toys, games, coloring books, greeting cards and even a Ringling Bros. circus act. The little red-nosed reindeer dreamed up by Bob May and immortalized in song by Johnny Marks has come to symbolize Christmas as much as Santa Claus, evergreen trees and presents. As the last line of the song says, “He’ll go down in history.”

FRIENDS OF SECURITY

3/19/22

Friends of Security through the Port St Lucie police dept, will send a team to observe your house when you are away from home. If you are away for a week or for a year, we will keep an eye on your home. The closed house watch form is in the Friends of Security binder. You can fill out the form and leave it at the front office desk. You can fill out the form online at: Closed House watch Form    For more info. Call Rich 518-495-8799

COMMUNICATION WITH PARK MANAGEMENT

9/8/21

This is a reminder that there is a new way to communicate with park management. All concerns (except emergencies) should be emailed to Neil at [email protected]. You can expect a reply within 5 days. Those without email can fill out a concern form at the clubhouse. The important thing is that you WILL NOT get a response to phone calls regarding your concerns.

When the HOA met with the Wynne Corp. in April we did bring up the problem of communication including complaints that folks were not getting a response to their phone calls regarding concerns. This is a welcome solution from park ownership and it appears to be working well. Please pass the word to any neighbors who might not be aware.

PARK NEWS

10/5/21

Good news! Our park is now open for the resumption of all activities and the lifting of restrictions in the clubhouse. That means masks are no longer required and guests are once more welcome. Clubs are starting back up so sign up to get in on the fun. We are looking forward to the completion of renovations in the ballroom/auditorium so we can resume our monthly HOA meetings indoors and the first Thursday of each month at 7 PM. And we are excited to start planning events!

HAPPENINGS IN PORT ST. LUCIE

11/19/21 – The City of Port St. Lucie has a program to help seniors who are having trouble managing their rent. Information about qualifying for the program and how to access and print an application is available on the City website.

Click here to read about the rental assistance program

6/25/21

The City of PSL is hosting “Healthy U,” a series of “conversations” about health and various disease processes that might be of interest to you. Some of the upcoming topics are dementia, eating disorders, stress management, bipolar affective disorder, depression and anxiety. Click here to access the events calendar and then click on any of the programs of interest.

6/10/21

We’ve been advised that PSL Councilwoman Caraballo and County Commissioner Sean Mitchell were scheduled to meet with the Wynne Corp. today regarding issues raised at the May 27th meeting. We haven’t heard anything about the outcome but it is possible that Ms. Caraballo will report on the situation at the Council meeting on 6/14/21. The meeting will be open to the public and details can be accessed via the link on our Calendar page.

6/4/21

In case you missed it, there was a meeting of Spanish Lakes Golf Village residents and City Council representatives on May 27th. An article appeared in The Hometown News regarding the meeting. Click here to access the article online.

4/20/21

Did you know – Port St. Lucie 60! A celebration is planned on April 27th for Port St. Lucie’s 60th birthday. Click here to see party details

3/25/21

There have been a number of questions about the Village Green Corridor Revitalization Project. This project is of particular interest to all of us because of the location of our park. Please note:

YOU MAY BE INTERESTED TO KNOW . . .

5/6/21

COVID-19 – In it for the Long Haul

When Covid first hit, the priorities were to save the lives of the acutely ill, reduce risk of virus transmission, and develop a preventative vaccine. Some of the focus has now shifted to the Covid-19 aftermath. Over the past year it’s become evident that some people who made it through acute Covid are still suffering long after the infection has resolved. These “long-haulers” are dealing with Long- Covid or PASC.

Long-Covid is a condition consisting of one or more symptoms that emerge during or after Covid infection, and persist long after the acute infection has resolved. Generally referred to as Long Covid, the condition is also known as PASC (an acronym for “post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2, which in a nutshell means Covid related symptoms that persist after acute infection). PASC may occur not only in those with severe Covid, but also in cases where Covid infection was mild or even asymptomatic.

What are the symptoms of PASC?

While there are over 100 reported symptoms, some more common ones are fatigue, brain fog, loss of smell and taste, anxiety, depression or mood changes, shortness of breath, joint, muscle or chest pain, headache, and sleep disturbance. In some cases, there might be heart muscle inflammation, lung or kidney problems, neurological or dermatological issues. The most common symptom is fatigue, while one of the symptoms reported as most troubling is “brain fog.” Some symptoms may start during the acute infection and persist afterward, while other symptoms emerge after infection is resolved, or in some cases after asymptomatic Covid. Symptoms can be mild to severe, annoying to incapacitating, and in nearly all cases patients state that their quality of life is poorer than prior to infection.

How long does PASC last?

In general, if symptoms last 4 weeks, they are considered PASC. While some or all symptoms may resolve in less than 3 months, it’s been reported that some Covid-19 survivors still had symptoms, mainly fatigue, muscle weakness, sleep difficulty, anxiety or depression, 6 months after acute infection. Future research will tell us just how long and in what numbers PASC can persist after 6 months.

What is the prevalence of PASC?

While the data is still limited, in a recent study more than 30% of Covid patients reported one or more long-lasting post-viral symptoms. To get an idea of the scope of the problem, consider that 30% of the 2,220,696 Covid-19 survivors in Florida as of 5/5/21 would be 666,209 people experiencing PASC. Rates more than 30% boosts the number significantly. While we don’t know what the percentage will be in the long run, health experts are concerned that the high incidence of PASC, even at 30%, may constitute yet another formidable health crisis.

What is being done to address PASC?

On February 23, 2021 the NIH announced a new initiative to identify the causes of PASC and pave the way for prevention and treatment of it. The NIH initiative has already triggered action, with research underway and clinical management programs being established across the U.S. to deal with the myriad effects of PASC. In FL there are programs in Lakeland and Miami. Programs bring together experts in various disciplines such as cardiology, respiratory care, neurology, diagnostics, mental health, and rehabilitative services to provide a collaborative, multidisciplinary approach. to de3velop individualized treatment plans to address each patient’s particular symptoms.

How can I get help if I think I have Long-Covid?

If you or someone you know is, or thinks they may have Long-Covid, it is important to seek help sooner rather than later as earlier treatment can improve outcomes. With programs across the US and internationally either already developed or in process, help is here or on its way.

Perhaps just as important as accessing treatment, those with Long-Covid need a strong support network. Beyond family and friends, there are numerous online support groups where fellow PASC sufferers can find mutual support and information to help them navigate the day-to-day difficulties of being “in it for the long haul.”

SUPPORT GROUPS

  

### Susan V. George

Reprinted with Permission Copyright 2021 Laurie R. Schutt