By Richard Weinstein
President & COO, Ocean Reef Community Foundation
There are many places to go when you want to avoid summer in Florida. However, sometimes these cooler solutions come with their own challenges. So it turns out that not only do we have bears here in the North Carolina mountains, it seems we have pretty smart bears, especially when it comes to food.
We have been warned to make sure that we leave absolutely zero food in our car at night. That means no nuts, no gum, no leftover snacks. Not only can the bears smell them but they also know how to open the car door and help themselves. Despite all this, just last week we awoke one rainy morning to find our car door wide open. Luckily there was no food in it but it seems the bear was just checking to be sure. Had we been in Miami we might have suspected nefarious subjects were responsible for “breaking” into the car. But I forgot to lock it and thank goodness the interior was left unharmed. Except of course for the three-inch deep puddle on the driver’s side from all the rain. Oh, and did I mention that I was going shopping for a new vehicle the very next day?!
Recently I saw a video of a bear opening someone’s car door, taking out a bag of peanuts and closing the door behind them. (not kidding), so minus that video proof, imagine the argument that might have ensued regarding the missing bag of peanuts. In fact my wife and I are now pretty sure that any time we misplace something like our keys or glasses, it is not a memory issue but a bear problem. Fortunately, it seems that the bears are not winning the war on technology as we have reports of several Teslas with claw scratches on the door because the bears can see where the handle is located but aren’t quite able to figure out how to get it to extend from the body so they just scratch away trying to solve that mystery.
Turning back to Ocean Reef and the Community Foundation, there is no mystery regarding how important our grants have become to the surrounding communities. With reductions — and in some cases elimination — of some federal, state and county support for these nonprofit organizations, the money raised through our All Charities Gala is more critical now than ever before. We are a long way off from our fundraising gala next February but there are two things you can do now. First, this is a good time to think about what you might donate to help us make this auction the one to remember. It may be an interesting, rare or special bottle (or case!) of wine. Perhaps you have a home in a unique location or a yacht that would be available for a few unforgettable days to a fellow member with a winning bid. Maybe your summer golf club would be willing to donate a round of golf. This is a terrific time to think about what might be possible and how you can help us this coming season. Second, you can support our Preferred Partners if you are in the market for any of the services, experiences and products they offer. They are a key component to our success for the All Charities Gala and we appreciate all they do for us. There is a link on our website that shows many of the special Ocean Reef Club Member offerings from these wonderful organizations supporting our efforts.
For now, enjoy that far off location with cooler weather. Or relish the solitude, quiet and instant reservations for Members’ Night dining at Ocean Reef during the summer (where it always a few degrees cooler than the rest of Florida). As for the next time you find yourself unbearably frustrated and can’t find the TV remote, you will know exactly where it went.
