Page 6 - DFCS News Magazine Summer 2013

By John Appel
Hope you are looking forward with anticipation to 2014 in the sunshine. The Sheraton Sand Key Resort is located on Clear- water Beach, FL between the Gulf of Mexico and Tampa Bay. It is 12 miles west of St. Petersburg/Clearwater International Airport, lo- cated on Florida’s west coast. Our headquarters will be the Shera- ton Sand Key Resort - a tropical paradise with stunning white beaches and aquamarine waters. You will be able to explore the Gulf of Mexico or Intracoastal Waterway with a fishing charter, boat rental, parasailing adventure, pirate cruise, dolphin-watching tour, or sunset cruise.
The resort features a beautiful pool with a large adjacent 12-person whirlpool spa and three tennis courts with complementary use of rackets and balls for guests. The top floor is home to a large workout room with all the equipment you would ever need. There are four restaurants including an outdoor poolside cafe and the adjacent air conditioned Turtle Bar. All guest rooms feature large screen TV and, all have a balcony that faces the inter-coastal water- way or the Gulf of Mexico. The signature feature of the hotel is the wide, white, private sandy beach.
Activities in the area include the nearby Clearwater Marine Aquari- um, where the movie “Dolphin Tale” was filmed . The sequel will probably be in theaters by the time of our get-together. Local shop- ping and culture abound at Pier 60 where artists and musicians invite you to relax by the water or dance the night away. Busch Gar- dens is just 45 minutes from the resort. Filled with exotic animals and wild rides, the theme park boasts an engaging African theme. The Lowry Park Zoo, meanwhile, offers a more conventional excur- sion. And, if you need to cool off while sightseeing, stop by Adven- ture Island, a water theme park with dozens of thrilling rides. Or watch the Tampa Bay Lightening at the Times Forum in downtown Tampa. To get in on the action, schedule a round of golf at one of the area’s numerous premier courses. There is a magnificent military museum a short ride from the resort. It features equipment and displays from WW 1, WW 2, Korea, Vietnam, and the Gulf Wars.
For a different type of entertainment, mix and mingle in St. Peters- burg. Known as “The City of the Arts,” downtown is home to six museums, as well as live entertainment venues and over two dozen art galleries. All in all ,we expect you to have a memorable week in the sun, and we look forward to seeing you next September 21 - 25.
I need help with the “DFCS News” publication. If you have experi- ence in writing articles, please e-mail your ideas and suggestions.
Please submit all articles via email in MSWord or similar format. If you cannot use a computer or word-processing program . . . ask a family member to help you.
Please volunteer, even if you do not have experience, but would like to see your DFC story in print, send me your 500 - 1500 word article that you feel our members would enjoy.
Michael O’Neil, Editor editor@dfcsociety.com
Summer 2013 Issue
Page 6