The first month in our new manufactured home was a whirlwind of activity. Unpacking and getting the house organized was our primary objective, but we also made time to sample a few of the many Sun Meadows community activities offered to residents.
We were invited to a Block Party about a week after moving in. This was a great opportunity to meet most of our immediate neighbors. The street was roped off in the late afternoon. Soon grills, buffet tables and lawn chairs set the scene for the party. Don and I were made to feel so comfortable as new neighbors introduced themselves and welcomed us to the community.
It’s not surprising that we have so much in common with these people. All of us are over 55 years old, have raised our families and are ready to enjoy a more carefree lifestyle. We learned that the majority of our neighbors moved to Sun Meadows from their larger family homes. It’s surprising how many lived in Southern California for years before they selected nearby Sun Meadows as their retirement community.
The evening was a lot of fun. We enjoyed hamburgers, hot dogs, potato salad, a variety of beverages and great live 50’s music provided by a married couple who live in Sun Meadows. The music and conversation was exactly the right diversion Don and I needed from the rigors of unpacking.
It wasn’t long after the Block Party that we joined our new friends and neighbors in several activities offered in the community on a regular basis. The Clubhouse with its large assembly room, dance floor, card rooms, billiard room, conference room and library is the social center of Sun Meadows. Although we’ve only lived here for a little over a month, we have already attended two community dinners at the Club and joined a group of residents who play a weekly Trivia Quiz game and another group who get together to play Bunco.
We also make good use of the 50-foot swimming pool and indoor spa with private dressing rooms and showers. The pool is a popular gathering place for people who enjoy water volleyball, organized pool exercise or just doing laps. The pool area also includes a dry-heat sauna, indoor hydrotherapy pool and a mirrored exercise room with equipment.
This is a good time to mention that there are no homeowners’ fees in our senior community. Most activities are free of charge to residents, although there is a charge for special dinners and some other social club events. Free activities include the tennis court with night lighting, 9-hole putting green, Bocce courts, horseshoe courts, indoor, air conditioned shuffleboard courts, table tennis, crafts studio with electronic sewing machines and ceramic kiln.
Don and I joined the shuffleboard league even though we’ve never played before. Shuffleboard was available in Florida, but it was often too hot to enjoy it. Here, four beautiful courts are housed in an air-conditioned building. No sweat! We are looking forward to learning the game and getting to know other members of the shuffleboard league.
In addition to outdoor sports, the amenities in our senior community include 13,000 square feet of indoor recreation, surrounded by green lawns, trees, flowers and fountains.
A full time resident staff cares for the recreation facilities and common areas. A monthly resident’s newsletter, the Sun Meadows “Sunrise” lists the day and time of all activities, who to contact and how to join in.
Residents can do as much or as little as they like. For example, a woman we met at the shuffleboard court said she was feeling tired and I asked why. She said that she was at a Club breakfast then exercised for an hour and a half of line dancing. After that she played Pinochle for a couple of hours and was at the shuffleboard court right after dinner with friends. No wonder she was tired. On the other hand, one couple we met said they never participate in community activities and don’t intend to in the future.
From what I’ve seen so far most residents take full advantage of community activities on a regular basis. There is so much to choose from that the old cliché “there’s something for everybody” is absolutely true. The only problem Don and I have is finding the time to join in all the activities that interest us.
Everyone in our community is a member of the Sun Meadows Social Club. The Club elects officers including a president, vice president, recording secretary, treasurer and activities chairperson. These energetic volunteers organize and manage dinners, dances, tournaments and other monthly or special activities.
Many of the seniors in our manufactured home community also volunteer their time in hospitals, schools and libraries. We collect and distribute food items for the community cupboard, support the Dr. Laura Foundation for kids and the Ronald McDonald House.
As though all this activity isn’t enough, a large number of our community residents own and travel frequently in their recreational vehicles. It couldn’t be more convenient for these RV owners. There are four large lighted RV storage enclosures located in each corner of the community, along with a vehicle wash area and dump station.
For a reasonable fee, residents can conveniently store their RVs near their home and hit the road at the drop of a hat. Some people use their rigs for week-end trips to the mountains or the desert, while others travel long distances and are gone for a couple of months at a time.
It’s plain to see that retirement in a 55+ manufactured home community is as active as we want to make it. There are enough fun, games and activities to keep us busy from morning to night every day of the week. People who think retirement is a boring, quiet affair should come and see for themselves that this is just a myth. The fact is Don and I have never been busier or more socially active.
We have a real sense of community, not unlike the “old neighborhoods” of times past.
Our community center and group activities have created a small village where everybody knows your name and takes time to wave as you pass by.
To learn more about superior insurance for manufactured homes visit Foremost.com. If you are an AARP member go to AARPForemost.com.
