Aidan & Shea

I am spending a wonderful weekend with 2 of my grandchildren, Aidan & Shea. Jonah is in London! It is amazing how fast these guys grow up! Aidan is talking up a storm, & Shea loves to eat everything in sight. I have no desire to do anything else this weekend except hang out with these 2 loves. Went to dinner last night & had a great time. Right now Aidan & I are watching “Blues Crews!” This afternoon is Shea’s big 1st birthday party & then tomorrow morning back to Sarasota. Hanging out with my grand boys is the highlight of my life!

New Grandbaby!!

Grand Baby “Jonah Samuel” was born in London, England this morning to our son Bryan & his wife Yael. 9lbs! Proud grandparents Mary & Sande Caplin.

Responses To Our Challenge!

***These Are Responses from Our Challenge!!***

Dad, I thought you would want to know this and would enjoy hearing this. Michael and I donated $200.00 to a family in need at our school. This is a family that both of us had their students….they have nothing. They have 4 children and don’t have any money to put food on the table. If you’re still looking to donate, they can certainly use the help. Love, Lindsay, Michael, Aidan and Shea
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Dear Sande and Maryan,

Thank you so much for the Target gift cards for the boy’s. That wasn’t necessary! We think it is a wonderful thing that you are so involved in giving to those in need rather than those that don’t need anything. You’re absolutely right.

Having young kids in Catholic School, giving becomes a way of life. Throughout the year we have been giving food to the local food pantry at St. Rosalie’s, the kids also bring in canned food & box food for the OLH food drive for the Southampton community. We donate a complete meal for Thanksgiving and give it to the rectory, the boys brought in mittens & hats for the mitten tree, we donated used coats for the coat drive through the Girl Scouts, Girl Scout cookie drive, and the church & Luca’s school have a tree which you pick a tag to buy for either a girl or boy in a specific size and drop off for the less fortunate. I also give a donation to St. Jude’s because your mom convinced me that was one of the only true fundraising associations.

We hope you have a safe, healthy & Merry Christmas and the Happiest New Year. Here’s a little something from the boys! Miss you much!

Love……Andy, Tara, Neil, Liam, Hunter & Luca
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In response to your Christmas plan. Tom and I in the past two years and we will continue this year, have not purchased gifts for each other. Instead, we send a check for what we would have spent to my sister in Alabama who always has the maximum (6) foster children in her care. This is what she and my brother-in-law feel called to do, now that their two kids are grown; and he works about 60 hours a week to support the family, while my sister takes care of the children. Right now she has 4 month old pre-mature twins who were born drug addicted and have just been diagnosed with cerebal palsy. She has the most amazing little bi-racial boy who is almost three and everyone in our family wants to adopt. She’s had him since he was 2 weeks old and they are hoping to adopt him. She also now has his sister age 7, his aunt age 8, and his newborn baby half-brother who also was born drug affected, 1 month old. Giving to them is far better than buying more stuff for each other that we don’t really need.
I have passed on your’s and Mary’s decision and added ours to many friends and family members and I am now getting back their plans for helping out this Christmas. Hopefully it will just keep going..
Thank you for sharing with me. Deb.
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Amen. Great idea Sande. We plan on doing some of the same but with youngins its hard. I now only give Aidan and Sheaj $ for their college fund which Lindsay and Michael have promised to establish soon thru the State of NY 529 a plan. At any rate, the $ is being tucked away for that–an investment that should keep on giving. Gary
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This is from Renees’s trainer at the gym……Wow, what a great story. It really touched my heart! Thank you so much for sharing this with me I want to send it to my friends and family! Love ya, Jenny
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I will be sending you a check for your drive to help out the needy for thanksgiving. Hope it will help out some needy family. What a wonderful support you guys are doing for those in need during this stressful time. I hope you have more peope giving to your cause. Keep up the good work. I was looking to give this year and I am so glad you emailed me. I was trying to decide which organization I was going to give to and I am so relieved that it is to someone I know will put it to good use.

Paula Mabry
Five Star Pet Salon
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Sounds great! Can’t wait to see you guys… You have inspired us to find a good charitable project in London around xmas. Safe travels xoxo Yael
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Sande & Mary,
The posted readings and the contributions you two called out are all very commendable. These examples are all of what messages are presented in our weekly services. And as the Fathers last words of the service are always “go in peace and serve the Lord with your good work”. And with this inspiration and a gathering of somewhere close to 600 in attendace, we go and serve where and what we can.
From a personal contribution, We give donations of clothing several times a year, including small cash donations to many organizations American cancer society, and march of dimes. But the most important volunteer efforts came to me this past summer. You see, I signed up as a volunteer for “greencare for troups” to provide a helping hand to the family’s of those whos men are serving our country. This volunteer effort provides everything from Small home repairs to lawn care.
All of these efforts mentioned could not be more difficult to support in this challanging economic times. And as you are aware, I am a direct casuality of the Automotive industry. I lost my job after 16 years of service as a manufacturing Engineer last summer. However, I know I am fortunate and able to continue to serve the Lord. Having clean clothes to put on everyday and a warm comfortable home reasures my faith that God keeps me well protected.
From our family to yours, may the peace and love of your family surround you with joy over this beautiful holiday season.
Happy Holidays to all of you, Robert Brinton
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Obviously we are all feeling the same thing this season. I just donated a holiday pack at my local food store. They are matching my gift and donating a turkey to a family in need and of course I won’t stop there. The post office is collecting for Toys for Tots and I will be donating there a well as well as make other donations through the holidays. I hope many of us share in the need to give to others….this year more than ever..

God Bless and Happy and Healthy Holidays to you and yours! Donna F
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Next week will be my family reunion in Jacksonville, for thanksgiving. A fun time for the whole family. We always include all those who are less fortunate in our group prayers before we eat. Santa always visits all the kids, and the adult kids at heart. It’s alot of fun but alot of work in planning too. This year has already been announced as the last for now, after 15 consecutive years. So it will have extra special quality time put into this effort.

Hope you Mary, and your entire family have a wonderful thanksgiving too.

Take care,

Robert

“Enjoy your life everyday, for No one is promised tomorrow”….
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Dave, thank you so much for sharing this story with everyone. We are all so much more blessed than we realize and so much more powerful. –Renee
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To Mary, Sande, and everyone on your mailing list:

Great inspiration and thank you for sharing. I believe that the holiday season brings out the best in people. I wanted to share with you my current story and situation. Not so much for me but for someone that I have been helping out for the past month and will most likely be doing throughout the holiday season.

Not long ago I received a knock on my door late one night. It was someone that I knew, not so much as a friend but an old neighbor’s son. He had no place to go. He was jobless, had no money, and was homeless. I took him in. I have allowed him to stay until he is able to move back up north to be where I hope he will find much happiness and a sense of belonging.

Normally this would not be a struggle for me, but this season I find myself hurting due to the economy. It has affected my business and I am struggling financially. I am sure in the coming months I will find some new solutions to help myself out of this. But regardless of that I find myself blessed as I still have a home, and giving, no matter if I have anything to give or not, is part of who I am. It gives me great pleasure to give and it would not seem like the holidays if I did not at least try.

Just recently a major scare occurred. If I had not been in the right place at the right time this may have turned out tragically. It not more than 10 minutes after I sat down to watch TV with my visitor, he may have suffered or perhaps died. This was a medical emergency where I had to call 911. I was scared and shaken but held it together long enough to do what needed to be done. He ended up going to the hospital and placed in ICU. I stayed by his side at the hospital throughout this and I am happy to say he is out of the hospital and has recovered almost entirely. This situation has left me with a need to recover as well. I keep thinking that if not for God perhaps having a hand in placing him in my care, had I not been home, well this could have turned out much worse. I want to mention that my dear friend Rebecca came to my rescue in helping me get to the hospital immediately following this event. I am glad to know that I had a friend that I could count on. Thank you so much Rebecca.

As I said I do feel blessed as so many people have it worse than me. I mention this situation and ask not for myself but for my friend (I am sure that I can call him that now). Please, if any of you pray, please send a prayer up for my friend Scott that God will guide and help him find his path and will lead him to a better situation.

It took a little time for me to consider sharing this as I know my friend has pride and would not want many people to know this and his situation. But I feel that if more people knew and were praying for him, well the power of God is great! Thank you for your time and God bless each and everyone of you. Do good things and it will come back to you many times over.

. . . Dave

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Your message was very moving. You and Mary so elegantly put into words how we all feel. Earlier this month, we exceeded our goal in raising money for the American Cancer Society in the Relay For Life. Now our community is busy collecting food, toys, blankets, etc. which we will distribute when we visit 3 local facilities the beginning of December (a rescue mission, nursing home, and rehabilitation center). Enjoy your family celebrations—keep in touch.

Lots of love, x x x Donna
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wow, sande, i just read the great blog entries. you and mary have started a landslide of giving! love, me
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Pauly and I are working in a soup kitchen on Thanksgiving morning…we don’t have a lot but we certainly have more than many! Marianne C
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I think your whole plan is brilliant! Marianne C
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Sande & Mary, you have just described such a wonderful way to celebrate the holidays! All of us are feeling some kind of concern now over our own finances. If that concern translates to an awareness of those who are really suffering and a commitment to help, this holiday season will change lives. I will be passing your email around to people on my email list. Love to you both. Renee
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Thanks for your email Sande. You’ll be happy to know that a couple weeks ago my family had already decided not to exchange gifts. We decided instead that people should focus on an act that is meaningful, and also on visiting one another (so putting our money towards flights). Spending time with family is a much better use of money!

Glad to hear you guys are on the same page. Bryan and I will have a good think about a charitable donation. So far this year we have donated to funding for cancer research, breast cancer research, mental health issues, the London paralympics team (for disabled athletes) and an international program that helps women in war-torn countries start small businesses.

See you guys soon! xo Yael
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Now that’s what the spirit of the holidays is/should be about…

I’ll keep your suggestions in mind and see where I will assist….

Thanks much! Dawn
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Sande and Mary,
This is an awesome idea….and I have a bike in my garage if you are still collecting them.
Nancy
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Just sent out an email to majority of those in my address book with the challenge to make one additional effort to make this a blessed giving holiday season. dgb
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Great ideas! I am in total agreement & have been making changes in giving for several yrs.
A group in Ohio that I belong to always has a Christmas gift exchange.  This year we are donating the $ to the food bank. My daughter & I have had a tradition of taking a name off a Christmas tree of needy children since she was a toddler.

Remember the animals too. Humane Societies always need donations.  Especially this yr. they need food to pass out to owners who can no  longer afford to feed their pets. This keeps the dogs in their loving homes rather than being surrendered which we are seeing a lot of this yr.

Will also be donating to Las Palmas Toys for Tots. This is the season for giving! Thanks for sharing!

Dianne Brooks
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Three cheers for Mary and Sande,
Your thoughts are wonderful and an inspiration for all of us. We wish you lots of success in this noble endeavor. May you have the very best of everything in the future and especially during the coming holidays.
Shalom

Joan and Bart Levenson
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Way to challenge everyone!

I got an email a couple of months ago from the head of the teachers union…students were coming to school at Sarasota High and North Port who had not eaten breakfast or dinner the night before, and their homes had no electricity or water. Their families had no way to get to the food bank, so what we started doing was bringing food to the union office that was easy to prepare (ravioli, mac and cheese, soup) and the kids were heating it up and eating it at school. Teachers were stuffing extras into their backpacks, discreetly, to take home to eat and to help their families. I try and get to BJ’s once a week to buy such food because I know it is going right to students and their families.

I would love to extend the invitation to join me in doing this, and if you want to donate to the food bank that is a great way to help as well. I can’t at this point undertake anything in addition to our little endeavor.

Cheers, Liz
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Well, isn’t this is just like you two. How typical. First of all, you never ever send me a gift for the holidays, so it is obvious that this is just a ploy to get me to be nice. Well is isn’t going to work.
Send me a great gift, and I’ll consider the kids, maybe. but I’m not promising anything.

Your friend, j.
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my neighbor loved your email!!! “Renee” Here’s what she sent out to people:

My neighbor renee sent this letter and article that follows to me today — i think from a relative; I copy her here. It really resonates as I think of all the things in the house I need to get rid of… and how blessed we are. I know we all have these opportunities with schools, churches, scouting, etc to give; we helped last Sunday at St. Mark’s put together beautiful thanksgiving boxes for Capitol Hill Group Ministry; the kids have been out with their scouting efforts raising food for the local food pantries; their school does a lot. I’ll try to get my work to organize something.

This letter below is so personal; it has inspired me. Maybe it will inspire you as well. For those of us with jobs, homes, and food on the table, we are extremely lucky this holiday season. Please feel free to forward.

Warmly, Linda
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you have another fan. this is from yael’s aunt connie:

This is a great idea. The food bank that I have volunteered at for the last 5 years is experiencing similar difficulties however we have plenty of food donations to hand out. Our problem has been a lack of grants, funding, cash donations, etc. Just last week we had to move from a wonderful facility to a place less than one fifth the size because we couldn’t pay the rent, utilities, etc. We are so grateful to our community for all the food drives, donations, and help. It seems that everyday,
someone comes in and asks what they can supply us with. Other food banks, Philabundance for one has been in the news because of their inability to keep up with the hunger that is on the rise.
We even have little kids asking for food donations instead of presents at their birthday parties and then proudly bringing in their collection for us. We have been very fortunate. Here in West Chester we now serve 365 families a month and have new sign-ups every day.
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this is SO great; i’m going to circulate; we have the same value system but it is good to see others doing as if we all do it could have a huge impact Linda Staheli (friend of Renee)
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What We Want For Christmas!

Dear Friends & Family…….

As you know, every year we say that we don’t want anything for Christmas / Hanukkah & the same thing happens every year. We all exchange gifts & a couple of days later we forget what we gave or received. This year Mary & I are committed to doing something different. All of us have more than we can want or need. There is so much of a glut of clothes, toys, cars & junk that we all couldn’t use it up for the next several years. After reading the article below, we have decided the following:

a. We will be donating Turkeys for Thanksgiving for people less than fortunate in the Sarasota area.

b. We have been collecting used bicycles & over the Holiday Season will be bringing them to “Resurrection House” which is a day center for the homeless in Sarasota. The bikes are repaired & the homeless use them to look for jobs & collect bottles & cans.

c. We started a Toys for Kids drive at our complex & will be bringing the donations to the local firehouse for kids who probably would not have anything for Christmas.

d. We will be donating $$$$ to organizations who will be feeding people in need for Christmas.

We challenge everyone in our family & friends to do the same where you live. Shea, Aidan, Neil, Liam, Hunter & Luka our grandchildren & nephews deserve & should get something meaningful this year……Christmas & Hanukkah is for kids!!!!! Adults….look around. Do you really need anything? So, the challenge is to email to your friends & other family members & put them up to my challenge.

Share via email or phone with us who you will be helping this holiday season & what organizations you will be donating to. We will all feel a lot better about this & won’t it be great to know that you are helping people & organizatioins that are in need!

We look forward to hearing from you & who you will be helping.

Love,Mary & Sande

*****Please Read The Article Below*****

 

What isn’t in decline: Our need

STAFF PHOTO / DAN WAGNER Order photo
Salvation Army Maj. Robert Pfeiffer says he has never seen a Thanksgiving where the need is so great and resources are so low.

By Billy Cox

Published: Thursday, November 20, 2008 at 1:00 a.m.
Last Modified: Thursday, November 20, 2008 at 12:22 a.m.
MANATEE COUNTY – Hundreds of people who signed up to get a free holiday meal this Thanksgiving are being turned away because of a spike in the number of people seeking help and a dramatic downturn in donations.

In 43 years as a Salvation Army officer, Maj. Robert Pfeiffer has never seen a Thanksgiving season with a need this great and resources so low.

At his post in Manatee County, the demand for free holiday dinners is up 63 percent from last year while contributions needed to fund the dinners are down 15 percent. And that spike is on top of a slight bump in demand most agencies saw in 2007, officials said.

That trend is playing out at food banks, community groups and churches across the region that try to brighten the holidays for those less fortunate. In Sarasota, one holiday dinner organizer said 100 people have already been turned away because the need is so great this year.

The recession has led to many people seeking help for the first time, and has made it harder for people who traditionally donate to give time, food or cash.

“Even when we went through periods of high inflation and the oil embargo,” said Pfeiffer, director of development for the Manatee Salvation Army. “I don’t remember facing anything like this.”

It is not too late for community philanthropists to make a difference, but time is running out for Thanksgiving, he says.

“We are seeing, for the first time, literally hundreds of people who never applied for help before, construction workers who’ve lost their jobs, people who’ve lost their homes to foreclosure,” said Pfeiffer, whose office has had to turn countless applications away after committing to feeding 1,600 needy families. “And this time, the donors are in crisis because their stock portfolios have taken such a hard hit. We’re getting $50 contributions that used to be $100, and we’re lucky to get that.”

With slight variations, Pfeiffer’s bleak holiday outlook is playing out across Southwest Florida. At least the Manatee County pantry in Bradenton has enough Thanksgiving turkeys.

The Sarasota County Salvation Army did not report getting its first donated frozen turkeys until Wednesday.

“This is just amazing to me,” said Glenda Leonard, development director at the Sarasota County Salvation Army. “Our area commander said he’d never in 37 years gone this far without getting a turkey.”

Leonard says the Sarasota food pantry, Center of Hope, needs a little bit of everything, from hams and potatoes to perishables in order to replenish its dwindling supplies.

“It’s hard to ask people to dig deeper,” she said, “but we’re seeing people who were donors last year coming to us for help.”

At Eternal Bread of Life Mission in Sarasota, Shirley McArthur says she is at her wit’s end trying to explain to late applicants for the free Thanksgiving Day dinner that the cutoff date for free meals was Nov. 5.

Last year, the outreach program coordinated by her and her husband, the Rev. Neil McArthur of Koinonia Missionary Baptist Church, served 1,500 dinners; this time around, 2,550 people have signed up.

“I got over 10 calls a day over the last week, and I’ll bet I’ve probably turned down over 100 people,” said McArthur, who gets much of the food for her program from The Mayors’ Feed The Hungry Program. “My phone just stays lit up. I’m so upset about it I can hardly concentrate.”

The McArthurs plan to serve their Thanksgiving meal at the Robert L. Taylor Community Complex on Tuesday, so that families relying on Salvation Army services on Thursday will be assured of two seasonal meals next week.

They will also distribute food baskets containing $10 gift certificates to registered families on Saturday afternoon, thanks largely to the Thanksgiving Food Drive for the Feed the Hungry program.

On Friday afternoon from 1 to 5 p.m., 75 volunteers from local schools, churches and community agencies will begin boxing an estimated 30 tons of food at the Sarasota Fairgrounds. The donations were collected at 140 locations across Manatee and Sarasota counties.

Like the constituents it serves, the Feed the Hungry initiative is feeling the economic pinch as well.

“We’ve had 75 percent more requests than we’ve been able to serve,” said Feed the Hungry chairman Joel Swallow. “This year, we got $120,000 worth of requests for food cards at Publix, but we’ve only been able to give away $70,000.”

Swallow has been with the program since 1987 and describes this holiday cycle “as much more dire than it has been, and it’s not just us. Food pantries are bare around here. There’s tremendous more demand than supply.”

With Feed The Hungry’s next big events — Hanukkah and Christmas — just weeks away, Swallow is anticipating even more disappointment on the demand side. “I’m not sure we can handle it,” he said.

“Deacon Bob” Nimon, who runs the food pantry for St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Bradenton, does not have exact numbers from last Thanksgiving, but says demand for food this year is “off the wall,” and they are prepared to dispense bags for 2,000 families.

Typically, St. Joseph’s distributes 40 to 50 bags of food a day. “If we get 60 a day, it’s a lot,” Nimon said.

But the first week of November, they wound up giving away 1,005 bags of food. Last week, they gave away 600 bags. “A lot of people we’re seeing are first-time users,” he said. Their October give-aways are up 57 percent from October 2007.

“We always want more and we always need more,” he said, “but there are some things we feel we should be proud of, such as the way our community always responds to the need.”

This story appeared in print on page A1

Broken Website? Website Shut down?

www.sandecaplin.com

Everyday, I have people complaining about a problem with their website.  Here are some of the comments that I hear.  “My nephew built my website and he went off to college.   My website developer does not return my calls.  My website developer went out of business or I can’t find them.”  Does this sound like your company?  Don’t worry!  Sande Caplin and Associates specializes in helping companies that need help with their existing website.  We can take over for your nephew, replace the developer who does not return your calls or who went out of business.

Call us today at 800 378-8654.  We will discuss your needs and you will find our prices to be very reasonable.  For the price of a print ad, you can have your existing website upgraded and it will be a site that you can be very proud of.

How About the Tampa Bay Rays!

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“It ain’t over till it’s over!”  Yogi Berra said that.  How about the Tampa Bay Rays?  While it ain’t over, it is getting very close.  The Ray’s are up 3 games to 1 over the mighty Boston Red Sox.  While this is not computer and Internet stuff it sure is raising eyebrows all over the country.  There’s a certain way we believe in playing baseball,” Rays manager Joe Maddon said yesterday. “And I like to think that these guys all have bought into it.”

Let’s have some fun with the Tampa Bay Rays.  Who cares about the economy…..these guys are putting a smile on our faces.  They are making us believers!  Enjoy the Ray’s and tune in tomorrow night.

Tampa Bay Rays! The Country Is Getting To Know This Season’s Cinderella

www.sandecaplin.com

The heck with talking about computers and the Internet!  Let’s talk about the Tampa Bay Rays.  Back in July, my son Bryan said that they would fade by September & not make the playoffs.  My son in law Michael said that the great Rays pitching & a young team would get into the playoffs.  He was right. In September, Bryan said they would not get past the first round.  Well……..

Well….they knocked off the White Sox & bring on the Red Sox.  Names like Crawford, Upton, Navarro, Floyd, Longoria, Iwamura, Gross, Bartlett, Kazmir, Baldelli and the rest of the guys are taking on the big bad Red Sox starting Friday night.  Michael, get a few cold ones ready for the weekend.  This is going to be a lot of fun.  The city of St. Pete is rocking & exciting.  Even sleepy Sarasota is buzzing.  Tampa has the Super
Bowl & the Rays.  Hey all of my NY, London & Florida family……put a smile on your face, be happy & enjoy this.  Talk about special- last to 1st and no one can stop them.  Go Rays!

Go Rays!

Sarasota, Florida & Long Island, New York Website Management

www.sandecaplin.com

Everyday I talk to people who are frustrated that they had a website designed several years ago and the company that built the site is out of business or takes way too long to do updates.  Sande Caplin and Associates would love to upgrade your website and do the updates for you.  If your website is old and tired and needs upgrading please call us today at 800 378-8654.  Don’t leave money sitting on the table because your website is not up to date.  For a very reasonable price you can update your complete website.  We look forward to helping all of our friends in Sarasota, Florida & Long Island, New York.

New York Mets Depression or Elation!

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Well, it is down to 1 game to keep our hopes alive.  New York Mets fans of which many of my family members & friends are die hards are biting their nails.  Here is some advice for today….Sunday.  Lindsay, please hide all sharp objects, hammers, screwdrivers or any other objects that Michael may choose to do bodily harm to himself.  I would keep the boys away from him today!  Rob Noto, a win will be great for your business!  Bryan, I am so happy that you are in England so your stomach won’t act up should it be a bad day.  To my ex lovely wife Sonjay, remember we are on the other side of 50!  I personally have a great feeling about this game.  I will have my Slingbox ready to go to watch the Met game & channel hop over to the Jets Jets Jets.  Oh, go Rays!

Good luck to all.  Remember it’s just a game.  I love you all & miss you very much. Dad.

New York Mets Have To Win This Weekend

Good Bye Shea!

Good By Shea Stadium

In 1964 I went to the 2nd game every played by the New York Mets at Shea Stadium.  This Sunday is the finale….the end.  The Mets move next door to their beautiful new Citi Field.  To be sure, that Mets have to win all 3 games this weekend to have a shot at the playoffs.  Let’s all say a prayer for the News York Mets!  Visit our website at www.sandecaplin.com.  Thanks Shea Stadium for the wonderful memores.  The logo to the right is trademarked by the New York Mets.