Florida Conference of Seventh-day Adventists

by Betty Kossick
On September 12, 1965, when Apopka was a small Florida town of 4,000 residents, Florida Living Retirement Community (FLRC) opened its doors to a community within a community. The two grew together and, 50 years later, with the City of Apopka pushing close to 50,000 residents, FLRC celebrated its 50th anniversary on Sunday, September 13, 2015.
The celebratory occasion was enhanced by the presence of Diane Velazquez, Apopka City Commissioner. With a detective background in law enforcement, Velazquez told the attendees how she used FLRC as a landmark to know she was nearing home when she first moved to Apopka from New York City. Her appreciation for Apopka as her new home meshed with the residents who find FLRC to be a home where friends become family.
Mike Cauley, president, and Duane Rollins, treasurer, represented Florida Conference which owns and operates FLRC. Other program participants were: Nancy Pleasants, FLRC administrator; Jim King, Florida Living Church pastor; Benjamin Reaves, Adventist Health System representative; and Russell Bates, retired pastor and FLRC resident. Musical selections included a trombone ensemble and a vocal rendition of “Bless This House” by Les Clark, accompanied by pianist Sharon Swafford.
Guests were invited to continue the celebration in the dining room at Guenther House with hors d’oeuvres and conversation while being entertained with “Songs from a Secret Garden” by Bonnie Hannah, pianist, and Ed Linquist, violinist.