The Villages Daily Sun

THE VILLAGES — For many years, Don and Paula Bell called Sacramento, Calif., home.

“It’s two hours to Lake Tahoe, two hours to Reno, and two hours to San Francisco,” Don said. “You can ski or go play golf.”

“It’s expensive, but fun,” Paula said.

The Bells, along with Doris Dixon-Brunell and Joe Brunell, decided to bring the fun of California east by forming a new state club.

They thought that about 20 people would come to the inaugural meeting Thursday night at Lake Miona Recreation Center, but more than 50 people showed up. They had to bring in extra chairs.

“We weren’t expecting this many,” Paula said. “This is great!”

Everyone enjoyed cheese, grapes, bagel crisps, crackers and, of course, California wine.

To continue that California mood, Paula brought a couple of plush cows to tout the state’s cheese, and she even brought a long-sleeved shirt with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s face and the words, “The Govenator; Sacramento, CA.”

“I think it’s going to be a social event,” Brunell said, “to see old friends from the Bay Area who knew somebody who knew somebody.”

The Brunells, who live in the Village of Sunset Pointe, and the Bells, who live in Virgnia Trace, had met during a visit to Lake Sumter Landing Market Square; they noticed each other’s California license plates on their golf carts. While at dinner, the couples talked about forming a club for Californians.

Dixon-Brunell went to the Recreation Department and got the ball rolling for the club to take shape. Both Dixon-Brunell and Paula have lent their time to various clubs and organizations — Dixon-Brunell with the Rotary Club and her church, Paula with the local fire department.

Brunell was born and raised in Los Angeles, graduated from UCLA, and spent his working years in the San Francisco bay area.

“It was very exciting, but it was very expensive, it was crowded, and the golf wasn’t as good,” Brunell said. “We came to the Fort Myers area four years ago, but it was crowded. Then we moved to The Villages where we have wonderful golf.”

Brunell said the weather in the East Bay area varied greatly from San Francisco.

“It’d be 80-90 out there (in East Bay), then the fog would roll in every couple of days,” Brunell said. “There’d be a 20-degree difference.”

The one thing Brunell misses about California is the fresh fruits and vegetables.

“It comes right off the farm and into your home,” he said. “You have fresher food.”

As for Paula, she had lived in Sacramento since 1962.

“It’s very much like a Mediterranean climate,” she said. “In the summers, it’s hot and dry. It can be 105 during the day then go down to the 60s at night. Good sleeping weather. It was a little difficult getting used to the Florida weather.

“There are no clouds in the summertime (in Sacramento),” she said. “Just a beautiful blue sky.”

The California Club plans to meet the first Thursday of every month at Lake Miona Recreation Center. Any resident who lived in California at some point is welcome to join. For information, call Doris Dixon-Brunell at 399-5020 or Paula Bell at 751-2573.

Michael Fortuna is a reporter with the Daily Sun. He can be reached at 753-1119, ext. 9234, or michael.fortuna@thevillagesmedia.com.