TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Man Plays Computer Cupid

ADVERTISEMENT

By PAUL CATALA The Sun

The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 26, 2008

As a divorced, single man moving into Sun City Center four years ago, David Liehr was anxious to meet single women and knew there must be others looking to find a special someone with which to share time.

Rather than peruse the classifieds or go through friends, social groups or religious avenues, Liehr decided to go technological in his search for love and companionship.

Sitting in front of his personal computer in his home off South Pebble Beach, Liehr developed what's considered the first senior singles Web site specifically for residents of Sun City Center.

A father of three daughters, Liehr, 66, spent a month using the Yahoo Web portal to develop what he calls a "meet and greet" site for singles in Sun City Center. The site can be accessed by going to Yahoo.com, clicking on "groups" and searching out Sun City Center Singles from among the groups.

Since developing Singles Group Sun City Center Web site in September, about 40 members have joined the free service. Liehr, a retired law enforcement agent from Chicago, said with about 24,000 residents living in Sun City Center, there must be a few more lonely hearts out there.

"I figured if just five percent of residents are single, that would be between 1,200 and 1,400 singles out there. Of those, if there are 600 to 700 still dating, that's half of the singles wanting to date," he said.

Liehr said he contacted WCI Sun City Center and asked if there was already a Web site devoted to area singles or was there any statistics on singles in the area. He was told "no" and after deciding against forming a Community Association club, he developed the Singles Group SCC.

With the help of friends and guidelines on Yahoo, Liehr, who moved to Sun City Center from Houston after 12 years there, put together the site. Although it's been a slow start, he has had some success connecting people and thinks it will grow.

"I think there is a need. Maybe people are leery, but I've been on other sites and there are tons of women on them," he said. "I don't know why there not here. I have had a hard time believing that there's not really a greater need for this in Sun City Center."

For one resident, the site has offered hope for her love life, but she wishes more singles would get involved.

Emelina De Guzman said she signed up about in mid-October.

Guzman said she's noticed a few possibilities, but feels there could a lot more. She said she originally signed up to communicate and share interests with anyone who would do the same and possible eventually meet and she said Liehr had been helpful in her quest.

"The only thing that I have noticed is that there are not much activities going on right now. The exchange of communication is very slow. We should all be pro-active by now," she said. "The holiday season is coming up. Most of us want to enjoy and celebrate this holiday season with a friend, especially if you will not be able to see or be with your family members as well as old time friends."

Although the Web site focuses on the immediate area, he said he's had a few singles sign up from Ruskin, as young as the early 40s. He said he uses online security measures to monitor and members' actions that was any concern.

On Singles Group SCC, there are no member background checks or evaluations, said Liehr. Instead, he said he retains the authority to approve or disapprove applications to help ensure member safety and avoid inappropriate postings.

Liehr said he does it all in an attempt to make single life a little less lonely.

"I just wanted to develop a site for people to meet and maybe find somebody," he said. "On the service, we're all in the same situation, more or less. This is just another vehicle for people to get together.

For information, contact Liehr, dliehr@tampabay.rr.com.

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

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT