Our “Can Do” Carol the Card Lady

By Cypress Cove Resident Ted Stanley, husband of 60 years

“People may not believe what you say, but they will always believe what you do!”
“If it is to be – it’s up to me!”
“Someone has to go first – might as well be me!”
“Find a need and fill it!”
“Some people watch things happen. Some people make things happen. Some people spend their lives wondering what the heck is happening!”

For almost 60 years, I have been witness to how Carol has an idea and then makes it happen. The sayings above are from her vast collection – a new one each week displayed on our kitchen wall to teach our kids to “just do it” long before Nike adopted the slogan!

Greeting Cards
As a volunteer in the Cypress Cove Marketplace, her job was to do the shopping at the Dollar Tree store for food, sundries and most importantly, greeting cards. She often had special requests for a specific age card, which was seldom, if ever, to be found.

She thought it would be great for our Main Street Market to have a selection of cards for all age groups readily available to residents.
Next came a crafting machine to punch colorful numbers out of card stock. Carol then asked the residents in the Cypress Cove Workshop to build a wall display. Chuck Schmitt came up with the perfect design and the guys created a masterpiece.

Rather than calling it the “Elder Card display,” the volunteers in the Main Street Market thought it would be more appropriate to call it the “age-specific display,” with cards for the younger years (our kids and grandkids) as well.

Still missing were the in-between years, so a procedure has evolved where someone can have a custom card done overnight.

How to get a custom greeting card if what you need is not available:

1. Find a card anywhere for your special friend, sister, child or grandchild.
2. Put the card in Carol’s cubby along with a sticky note with the age you would like to put on the card and your cubby # for return.
3. Allow a day or two for your card to be returned or call Carol for an emergency card creation.

Bridge Classes
Our dear friend, Carol Cessna, asked Carol to teach bridge classes here as soon as we moved to Cypress Cove. Carol put together a survey and placed it in every mail cubby. She received enough interest to consider the idea.

She scheduled a series of classes and then said “Okay, now what do I teach?”

With no outline, she bought 50 large pieces of poster board and a few broad black markers, and the class evolved week-to-week with over 20 devoted students.

As you can see – by the materials posted on K4 – most aspects of the game were discussed.

How to View the Bridge Class

Outline and Materials:

1. Go to K4 home.
2. Go to Library (on the top right).
3. Go to Resources.
4. Go to Bridge.

Bridge Swiss Tournament Play
Carol and I decided to put together a two-table, twice-a-month Swiss Pairs game. We found six other player friends who were compatible and willing to make an all-day commitment to the event. We swap partners according to a rotation schedule and the competition is tough, but fun!

How to Set Up a Monthly Swiss Game with Seven Friends

1. Find seven friends who will make an all-day commitment to play.
2. You can switch partners each month by a regular rotation schedule…or…You can design the game so you and the same partner play each month.
3. Call Carol and she will get you the materials and scoring sheets.