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Men's Club Is A Male Thing

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By PAUL CATALA THE SUN

The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 10, 2008

Sure, there's a lot of sports talk, dry jokes, painful puns, meals of meat and potatoes and other "manly" social necessities.

But there's also a lot of close camaraderie, healthy advice, relationship reinforcement and community outreach.

Each month, since its beginnings in 1962, The Men's Club of Sun City Center Florida, Inc., has worked to help bring a bond to single, married and widowed men through social activities and cooperative outreach programs.

In front of 230 Men's Club members at the November monthly dinner meeting at the SCC Community Hall, guest speaker and Apollo Beach resident Jeff Knott spoke about becoming more proactive and consumer-oriented in the approach to personal and family health.

The author of "Navigating the Healthcare Maze," a book about being a better advocate when it comes to one's own health, Knott spoke with the men about ways to make their healthcare experiences more effective and safe.

"Be prepared and take your healthcare back," said Knott, a retired professional soccer player. "You need to take control of your own health."

After lunch and Knott's 20-minute talk, Bob Deutel, a Men's Club outgoing president and a club member for 9.5 years, began the business portion of the meeting. But not until member Dick Grove told one of his pun-filled jokes.

"He tells the jokes, not by request, that's for sure," said Deutel, smiling.

Deutel, a Sun City Center resident for 10 years, said for many of the members, the club offers a bond and bonus for many of the men and that's what makes them lifelong members.

"It's a combination of a lot of things. A lot of them are single men; this is possibly one of the best meals they get in a month," he said.

In the recent past, some of the programs have included a presentation by former Tampa Tribune columnist Dan Ruth, an overview on the Panama Canal, a talk by a female former "barnstormer' stunt plane pilot, a presentation by WFLA-TV meteorologist Steve Jerve and a general healthcare seminar.

In addition, volunteering for some of the Men's Club community outreach functions is the draw. These include SCC Health Fair sponsorships, helping with the SCC-Ride transportation service and golf cart inspections.

"Some people come just for the meals; others come in to volunteer for services," Deutel added. "With the speakers, we try to mix them up. We want to bring something of interest to all our members."

One of the club's primary focuses is the LifeLine Program. Through the program, they provide medical alert equipment on a non-profit basis to any SCC or Kings Point resident; hold education and support groups on prostate cancer; provide a Parkinson 's disease support group; and work with delivery of Meals on Wheels in July.

Other Men's Club activities include field trips to places like the Orient Road Jail, MacDill Air Force Base and the judicial circuit court in Tampa and lunch and dinner functions which include spouses or girlfriends

Earlier this year, the club donated $4,500 in four automatic sliding doors to Sun City Center Community Hall.

It's through all The Men's Club of Sun City Center Florida's in-house functions, the meals and the work in the community it donates that keeps the club active for Deutel and hundreds of other local XY chromosome residents, such as Gary Geers.

Geers, a retired Philadelphia TV news anchor, joined the club 10 years ago and said it's the variety of programs that's kept him involved. A 14-year Sun City Center resident, Geers said it's the club's variety of programs that has made the Men's Club interesting.

"They ask me to do different things and I like getting programs together," Geers said. "It's the things they do; there's a lot do and get involved with.

Annual dues for The Men's Club of Sun City Center is $20 before June 30 each year and $10 after.

For information, call (813) 634-9213 in Sun City Center and (813) 634-9451 in Kings Point.

Reporter Paul Catala can be reached at (813) 865-1554 or pcatala@mediageneral.com.

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