Some Sun City West residents have embarked upon a recall for our general manager and three government board members for specious reasons. Our residents were mad at governing board managers in much the same way back in 1995 when a different general manager hired me to help the board be more responsive.

I went to see important people in town such as Birt and Louisa Kellam, community advocates for Sun City West, and brought back input from people like them. It helped the board members get over petty rivalries and embrace the good of the community. Some who remember that era are Dee Hjermstadt and Dudley Gibson.

Birt just died at age 89 after helping to found Benevilla, an organization that offers services to seniors, Birt’s Café, the Louisa Kellam Center for Women’s Health at Del Webb Hospital, and was a chairperson for Sun Health and other organizations. Louisa had been a violinist for the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and performed at variety shows at the Sundome to raise money for buildings and services in Sun City West. She volunteers at Dysart Community Center teaching English as a second language.

Let us remember the needs of our community and lay aside tiny arguments that diminish the goals of old Del Webb, who provided activities for seniors at affordable rates in a nice setting.

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