Rene & Dee Anderson Retirement Gift!!

All good things must come to an end ... and in just 4 short months, the tenure of Rene and Dee Anderson at Florida College will be over. After 29 years as serving as the boys' dorm parents, as Rene puts it, they're moving out of the biggest house in Temple Terrace. They won't be far away; they've purchased a townhome in the Raintree neighborhood nearby ... but life for Rene and Dee will most definitely be different. They didn't take this job in the mid-90s for the money or benefits or prestige, but rather to hopefully make a difference, a lasting impact on the lives' of the students entrusted to their care. Needless to say, almost 3 decades and 5000+ boys later ... they were successful.

(As a side note ... I think we should all be extremely thankful that they were assigned to the boys' dormitory rather than the girls'. There's a story about how a young lady was once complaining to Rene that one of the faculty gave her a demerit for her jeans being too tight. She was so angry about it. She complained that she had worn these same jeans all year and no one had said a word about them. Rene, as only Rene could, replied, "Well ... maybe that's before you gained all that weight." Again ... Former Dean Petty, thank you for placing them with the boys.)

I saw Rene and Dee a couple days ago. He immediately placed me in a headlock and made me promise that I wasn't planning a big party or tribute at Lectures ... Dee just looked on quietly as she flipped countless grilled cheese sandwiches. So, what do you do for those who don't like the spotlight, who despise any attention and accolades, and refuse to admit just how important they have been to Florida College for so long??

Well .... we have an idea. Rene & Dee LOVE to travel. If you've been to their apartment, you may have seen the framed world map with different colored pins indicating where they've been, where they'd like to go, and where they'd LOVE to go. For the past two years, Rene has talked about one place where he still wants to go ... Egypt.

**So here's our goal ... we want to send them on an ALL EXPENSE PAID TRIP TO EGYPT!! There are a couple different tour options and the length can be either one or two weeks. It all depends on how much we raise.

This is where we need YOUR HELP.

(1) First of all, WE WANT TO KEEP THIS A SECRET!! Please share this fundraiser with anyone you think would like to participate but PLEASE MAKE SURE NOT TO SHARE IT ON DEE'S FACEBOOK PAGE (you can choose CUSTOM SHARE and exclude Dee Mann-Anderson's account) AND DON'T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT IT TO THEM!! (I don't want another headlock).

(2) There are many people who don't have social media and won't see this ... PLEASE SEND THIS LINK TO EVERYONE YOU CAN THINK OF!! Anyone with an internet connection can donate.

(3) I know we're just coming off the holidays and taxes will be due soon, but any amount truly does help. What Rene & Dee Anderson have done for thousands of boys is invaluable ... let's show them our appreciation.

(4) If we raise more than is required, we will give the remaining balance directly to them.

While I visited with them this past Friday night, Rene was eager to show me pictures of their new home. They're doing some remodeling and painting, really making it their own. Once he showed me the last one, I could tell he was excited but then turned to me and simply said, "I just don't know how we're going to leave this place."

I'll leave you with this one last thought from the book ...

Did You Know They Are Raising Chickens on the Fourth Floor? by Rene Anderson

"We are approaching the time when we will be deciding how much longer we will be able to work here. I would like to think there will be enough time to write another book, but no one knows the future. We have been blessed with good health for the most part and will stay as long as they want us and our health holds out. I can say that it will be a sad day in our lives when we have to leave here. But that time comes to everyone. Life will certainly be different for us. Some of our friends say we should try to find a place in their community. They tell us it is so peaceful and quiet there and they just love it. I don't think that is what we will be looking for when we leave here. I can't imagine what we will be looking for, though, but quiet and peaceful is probably not it.

God has certainly answered my prayers when I prayed, 'Surely there is something better for me to do with my life.' It has been a journey that far exceeds anything I could have imagined. I can honestly tell you that we have received much more than we ever gave. My life has truly been a blessed one.

I don't want to sound sappy or morbid, but when the end comes, I have told my family they can do with me whatever they want. I will not be there when it happens. But if they want to know what my preference is, I would like to be cremated and my ashes scattered off the back balcony of Boswell Hall. I would eventually end up down by the Hillsborough River, which is the most beautiful place in Temple Terrace, and it might be nice to take one last trip through the dorm that has brought me such joy."

Thank you for any help you could provide!!

Sincerely,

-Steven Chumbley, Class of 2000