It is very touching and inspirational to listen to positive experiences, and there most be many wonderful stories to tell.
Our fellow timeshare owners have often expressed the pleasures and many memories they have had during their vacations on Sanibel in their correspondence to Casa Ybel "Owner's Forum", after all 3500 owners and families have spent almost three generations on the sands of Sanibel.
Let us hear from you, use subject: "Memories from Sanibel" to sort your email from the loads of spam hitting everyone these days. We can all use some positive thoughts on life. Photos are encouraged.
This letter from Barb Hillesheim leads the way:Thanks for the prompt reply. We are original owners at Casa y Bel as well and continue to love going there as do our children and now our grandchildren. Originally, we purchased two summer weeks because my husband and I are both educators and only had summer vacations. We have both retired now. Actually, I am suffering from "kindergarten teacher withdrawal" since I just retired in June. I still feel as though I should be putting up bulletin boards and making lesson plans! In answer to your question as to whether or not we are shell collectors, I guess I would say yes, but in a strange way. Each year as we vacationed in Sanibel, I would begin to prepare new themes and initial introductory activities for my soon to be new class of 5 year olds. Knowing that children love shells, and that they especially love those collected by their teacher along with the stories she tells of the collecting, I searched for shells with that purpose in mind. So, my "collections" were shells that could be sorted and matched in various ways. I chose shells of similar colors, textures, shapes and sizes. I searched until I had at least two almost identical shells of many different kinds. I also tried to find at least 25 of a particular kind of shell as an opening "gift from the sea" for each of my children. I had two classes each year so much of my two weeks was spent shell collecting. Then, at school, I had a shell center where the children just experimented with the shells. I had many shell books for them to browse and I loved just listening to the learning going on. (I must say that this year, the first time I had no real purpose in my shell collecting, I felt saddened on the one hand and free on the other hand. Ha!)
So, if my thoughts here intrigue you at all, please feel free to use them in your column. I guess many people will have stories to tell of their purpose in shell collecting.
Sincerely,
Barb Hillesheim
1837 Taft Ave.
Rolling Meadows, Il 60008
shellsofsanibel@AOL.comE-Mail: James@casaybel.com
Carl Appelberg
2213 Colefax Court
Westminster C.C.
Lehigh Acres FL 33973
239-898-9496
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