Summertime: The living's . . . easy?

Submitted photo Tom and Beverly Vaughn of Gulf Breeze visited the Acropolis in Athens on their recent overseas vacation. The couple spent 20 days touring the sites around the Meditteranean Sea.

It's summer vacation time, and the living might or might not be easy. Working moms have sought or are desperately seeking child-care in any safe form that can be achieved. They are busy lining up the kids for camps, Vacation Bible Schools, special learning classes and many other things.

But summer is the time that most people with school-age kids take that long-awaited vacation. So moms and dads are busy planning for that as well.

From my research, an annual vacation or a holiday of some kind is just as important to your well-being as your chosen vocation or profession. Standard Life's Health and Wellness Centre tells us that there are five benefits of taking a vacation: To relieve stress, improve your mental skills, improve your physical health, strengthen family ties and simply to enjoy life.

You reduce stress by leaving everything behind and relieving your brain of your many worries. Studies have shown a definite link between a weaker immune system and stress. A vacation often gives you a new perspective on life and allows you to regain energy to problem solve and prevent burnout.

Submitted photo From left, Margaret Cunningham, Darlene Richards, Don Richards and Jim Cunningham enjoy the last meeting of the season for the Santa Rosa Shores Women's Club.

You improve your mental skills because you lessen your stress. Some researchers have shown a positive relationship between vacations and intellectual function. A vacation can improve your physical health by just getting away from daily stressors and allowing you to catch up on sleep and exercise Family ties can be strengthened by having the opportunity to rediscover family relationships in a different setting and to build long-lasting memories.

And lastly, but nonetheless important, taking a vacation helps you to better enjoy life because it can give you the opportunity to meet new people, laugh and do many of the things from which you take pleasure.

Not everyone gets to take the fabulous vacation that Gulf Breeze residents Tom and Beverly Vaughn enjoyed recently. The Vaughns took an 18-day trip - spending three days in Barcelona, Spain; 12 days on a cruise; and three days in Venice, Italy.

"Tom and I felt so lucky and so blessed to be able to do it," Beverly said. "We never take for granted the blessings we have; the best friends, wonderful family, great jobs, and the opportunity to see the world"

If you can't take a long-term vacation, creative getaways might be the answer. You can find a setting that allows you to leave your worries behind even if you do it from home. A series of short excursions and enjoyable activities, or driving nowhere in particular, can turn out to be a fun adventure for mom and dad as well as the entire family.

Pensacola Beach Woman's Club

The PBWC will meet at 11 a.m. June 19 at Our Lady's Hunt Hall for the installation luncheon. Officers for 2008-2009 are Jane McGrath, President; Lynda Knell, 1st Vice President; Sandi Johnson, 2nd Vice President; Carol Stark, Secretary; and Kathy Christoff, Treasurer. Lunch will be catered, and tickets are $15. For reservations, call Johnson at 916-2533. The PBWC will continue to meet during the summer on July 17 and Aug. 21 for potluck luncheons but will conduct no business at these meetings. Members are asked to bring school supplies to the August meeting and a dish to share at both meetings.

Santa Rosa Shores Women's Club

The Santa Rosa Shores Women's Club held its last meeting before the summer break. The gathering was a dinner held at the Tiger Point Country Club restaurant on June 1. The buffet was tastefully done with 48 members and their guests enjoying fine food, drink and conversation. Susan Springer read a letter to members from President Fran Fletcher reflecting on the Club's accomplishments this past year. The club not only chose Trish Trachy as its new president; they voted her as Queen Of Hearts for 2008. The Queen Of Hearts must have the qualities of giving, be available, and go beyond the call of duty, with a smile and a heart for the community.

The next meeting will be held in September. This social club meets the first Tuesday of the month, except on holidays. Any woman living in the Santa Rosa Shores area is encouraged to join and become acquainted with your neighbors. If you are interested, call 934-5698.

Hoe'n Hum Garden Club

Hoe'n Hum Garden Club held its end-of-year luncheon meeting at Ellen Webb's bayfront home. Claire Carlson served as co-hostesses. The formal dining tables were spread with white Battenburg lace cloths. Fresh spring floral arrangements were used as centerpieces for the tables.

Helen Corley installed the 2008-2009 officers: Sue Huff, president; Ellen Webb, vice president; Judy Barousse, secretary; Judy McCabe, treasurer. Each officer was presented with a potted gardenia tied with colored ribbon that represents her office.

The group thanked outgoing officers and welcomed the new officers. Outgoing president Ellen Webb reflected on their accomplishments of the year, presented gifts of appreciation, and passed the gavel to Huff. The club discussed plans for projects and programs for the coming year.

The meeting was adjourned until Sept. 25. Guests and new members are welcom. For information, call Webb at 934-8047.

Gulf Breeze Optimist Club

Sue Benvenutti, Scholarship Chairman of the Gulf breeze Optimist Club, awarded the club's scholarships to area students during the May 30 breakfast meeting. Three of the five winners were present to receive these scholarships. They were Tabitha Williams, who received the $1,000 PJC scholarship; and Mariano Rivera and Noelle Robles, who won $2,500 scholarships.

Sylvan Ladner, Gulf Breeze High School Principal, and Beverly Livingston, GBHS Guidance Counselor, expressed heartfelt thanks to the Gulf Breeze Optimist Club and to Scholarship Chairman, Sue Benvenutti, and her committee that includes Marguerite Burr, Charles Gray, Gene Benvenutti, Pete Federovich, Ron Pulley, David Purdon, Jack Leaycraft and Pete Della Ratta.

Scholarship awards will go to two students who could not be present at the meeting. These lucky scholars are Ashley Weatherall and Ryan Roose. Ashley, UWF student, received the $1,000 Renewal Scholarship, the first-ever offered by the Gulf Breeze Optimists to aid deserving college students; and Ryan won a $2,5000 scholarship.

The Optimist Club works diligently to help the young people of this community.

Gulf Breeze Rotary Club

The Gulf Breeze Rotary Club had a very busy May, both with its accomplishments and inspirational programs.

The Ethics in Business luncheon was held May 5. Bob Harriman was among the nominations for the ethics award. Sam Foreman, the Group Study Exchange (GSE) coordinator, gave a wrap-up of the successful GSE just completed by a group from the South of France.

Many people in the Rotary made this visit a huge success including the hosts, the Palmers, the Mackenzies and Paul Stanley. Guy Gascard did the driving and interpreting, Jerry Blacklaw and the Presbyterian Church loaned their van, and Jim Green paved the way for a site visit to Solutia.

The May 13 meeting featured Len Williams, managing partner of the Dale Carnegie Training group in Gulf Breeze. Williams gave a short but inspirational talk on personal attitudes.

"A change would be helpful to empower one and overcome life's little obstacles that we all face everyday," Williams said.

Clay Ford, a Rotarian and State Representative, spoke to the group May 20.

"State revenues are down," Ford said. "Last year, revenue was $72 billion. This year, revenue was $66 billion."

Since Florida must have a balanced budget, all non-essential items have been trimmed. Clay also reported that three of his bills were signed into law, including a Medicaid fraud bill, an annuities fraud bill and a mortgage fraud bill.

John McGill, regional director for the Red Cross Blood Bank, spoke May 27. He stated that 50 percent of the blood used in the nation's hospitals comes from the Red Cross.

"Summer is a difficult time for the blood reserves because high schools and colleges are out for the summer, and they provide about 15 percent of the blood," McGill said.

He said an individual can donate six times a year. He said that if all eligible people donated twice a year, there would be no shortages.

The Rotarians will have their Change of Command meeting June 24.