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Couple Celebrate 50th With Cruise To Islands

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By BARBARA ROUTEN

Tribune Correspondent

Published: July 5, 2008

SUN CITY CENTER - SUN CITY CENTER - June 7 marked the 50th wedding anniversary of Carol and Jim Oschmann.

Their three children, Jim Oschmann Jr., of Erie, Colo., and David Oschmann and Susan Oschmann Poness of Rochester, N.Y., and four grandchildren in Rochester - Kris, Cody, David Jr., and Samantha - helped them commemorate the milestone by sending the couple on a seven-night cruise in March on the Crown Princess. They sailed from Puerto Rico to St. Thomas, St. Kitts, Grenada, Bonaire and Aruba.

"We'd always been interested in visiting Bonaire and Aruba," said Carol Oschmann. "These Caribbean islands are part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It was our first cruise and a dream come true."

When Carol was 16, the First Dutch Reformed Church in Rochester, N.Y., which she attended, sponsored the Oschmann family from Holland. The family consisted of Jacobus Marinus (whose name was anglicized by combining his initials into "Jim"), his two brothers, one sister and their parents.

"We kids in the church wrote letters to members of the family before they came here to make them feel more at home, like they knew someone, when they got here," Carol said.

"I wrote a couple of letters to one of Jim's brothers, but, thank God, ended up marrying Jim two years later," she said.

"If there are any longevity secrets, it's just keeping hoping, planning and pushing to do better - as a team," Carol said. "We still are."

As a team, they have managed rental property, recapped tires and owned a marina on Lake Ontario. Jim worked as a Kodak lab technician; Carol said she "did bookkeeping and taxes, branched out to photography and feature writing for a regional magazine, did some reporting for a local newspaper and was county tourism director.

"Now it's handyman and dreams," she said. "Jim still works as a handyman and keeps busy by a list of regulars; my new book 'Prison Dreams' is due out" the end of June.
Mary And Martha House Gets New Manager

RUSKIN - Jan Falcione, the new community resource manager at the Mary and Martha House, is trying on some novel ideas as she oversees daily operations at the Mary and Martha House Thrift Store, 1009 First St. S.W.

For instance, this year the store will stay open throughout the summer. It will be open from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, and from 8 a.m. to noon Saturdays.

Proceeds help fund the Mary and Martha House, which provides sanctuary for women and children in crisis in two emergency shelters and transitional housing in southern Hillsborough County.

"Being new," said Falcione, who closed her women's boutique, Jan's Clothing, to manage the thrift store, "I don't know that there is any standard thrift store procedure, so I just ask questions till something sounds like it will work better or make us money."

The store sells gently used items of clothing for men, women and children and a limited amount of brand-new items leftover from Jan's Clothing. Housewares and furniture, such as couches and loveseats at $50-60 apiece, are advertised by Falcione as an inexpensive way to furnish a seasonal or rental home.

Falcione is accepting bookings for fashion shows - with models wearing thrift store clothing. She used to arrange fashion shows for local clubs and organizations from her boutique.

"I just moved my act from my own store to the Mary and Martha House," she said. She has two shows booked for the fall. She hopes they will encourage people to shop at the store, save money and enjoy the global benefits of buying recycled clothing, all while supporting people in need.

Occasionally the store receives donations of collectibles: stamp and coin collections, Hummel figurines, Mikasa, fine china and silver pieces. For treasured items of undetermined value, Falcione said, "make us an offer."

The Internet puts the world at your fingertips, she said. "I could put the more valuable collectible items out with the rest, and someone would buy them and do the legwork and reap the financial rewards. Since the intent of the donor was that the Mary and Martha House should benefit, it would make some sense to do a little work to put the money into the work of our organization."

Why did Falcione give up her boutique to manage a thrift store? "Having my own business was a dream. I was lucky enough to fulfill my dream; many people are not. I believed I had done as much as I could there on my own. I either needed to add more inventory, people and money to go further, or move on and get out while things were good."

After praying a lot about it, she made her move, she said.

For information on volunteering, donating goods or booking a fashion show, call Falcione at (813) 645-7874.

Woman's Club Helps Community

The Sun City Center Woman's Club donates to many charitable causes in the greater Sun City Center area.

Recently, board members Helen Zeiders and Pat Jacinto presented $500 to Irene Glow, Sun City Center Library librarian.

The contribution will ensure the continued subscription to The Wall Street Journal and help purchase some reference materials.

Joyce Sandusky, chairwoman of the club's public and military affairs committee, presented $1,000 to Christine Patrick, chief of the Sun City Center Emergency Squad.

Club members who have needed services have been grateful for the squad's "quick and quality response," said Monica McPhillips, club publicity chairwoman.

"Chief Patrick expressed appreciation for the check," she said. "It will be a big help toward the purchase of a new ambulance in the fall."

Sail And Power Squadron Cleans Up

APOLLO BEACH - Members of the Apollo Beach Sail and Power Squadron, including Ron and Jeri Carford and Debbie Weinfurther, helped clean the Apollo Beach Nature Preserve during this springs' Keep America Beautiful Great American Cleanup.

Keep America Beautiful volunteers clean the nation's seashores, waterways, parks and recreation areas throughout the United States year-round by adopting those locations and by participating March 1 through May 31 in the Great American Cleanup. In 2007, more than 200 million pounds of litter and debris were collected.

To help out next year, call Jerry Helton, commander of Apollo Beach Sail and Power Squadron, at (813) 677-0037 or e-mail at heltjj2110@yahoo .com; or Ed Cornell at (813) 649-1937.

Send news and photos of community interest to Barbara Routen at The Tampa Tribune, 505 W. Robertson St., Brandon FL 33511, call (813) 657-4531 or e-mail neighbors@tampabay.rr.com.

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