Men’s Club at Del Webb’s Ponte Vedra Community Isn’t Just a Bunch of Retired Guys

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Some folks who retire actually stop working. But others, like Ken Gillespie and fellow members of the Riverwood Men’s Club at Del Webb Ponte Vedra, just shift their focus… from making money to helping others. The men’s club, which launched with a handful of Ponte Vedra residents in 2008, has a mission of fellowship, service and support, according to Gillespie, the current president. The five-year-old group, which initially took its name from the community’s previous moniker, now boasts a membership of 160 representing nearly a quarter of the living units at Ponte Vedra. And, while it hosts its share of fun events like Super Bowl parties and Bingo nights, it also fosters goodwill and fellowship among its residents and the surrounding communities by raising thousands of dollars annually for those in need. “We’re a bunch of guys who have had pretty good jobs all of our lives, so now we’re giving something back,” said Gillespie, a Belvidere, N.J. native. Gillespie and his wife, Mary Ann – a member of the community’s women’s club – have lived at Ponte Vedra, southeast of Jacksonville, since December of 2007. The club, which meets on the fourth Thursday of each month, varies its agenda to include everything from beer and pizza round-table discussions to listening to guest speakers like a U.S. Secret Service Agent or an executive from the Jacksonville Jaguars football team. Its next event will be a pasta dinner on Oct. 11, where members will dress in their best Italian chef attire, complete with fake mustaches. Sean Strickler, vice president of sales for Del Webb in North Florida, said residents at Ponte Vedra are very giving and almost turn fundraising into a competition. “People like Ken have a huge sense of community that shines through in the commitment they’ve made to make a difference in someone’s life,” he said. “And, the men’s club is one of the largest and most active clubs here to organize events and activities.” Gillespie, a retired human resources professional from M&M Mars, said there is much to attract new residents to the gated, 55 and up community of Ponte Vedra. Located on Del Webb Parkway, the crown jewel is the $14 million, 38,000-square-foot Anastasia clubhouse, complete with everything from a grand ballroom, social cafe and state-of-the-art fitness center to an indoor spa, a steam and sauna room and indoor and outdoor pools. “We’re 15 minutes from the ocean and 15 minutes from shopping and dining,” said 71-year-old Gillespie, who keeps busy playing golf and Bridge and is involved in the performing arts group and the investment club when he isn’t working part-time at the front desk at the clubhouse. In addition to its more than (how many?) clubs, Ponte Vedra also has an area known as Central Park, where residents can grow their own fruits, vegetables or flowers, or take in a concert on the open lawn. . Gillespie said another attraction is the developer’s obvious preservation of open, natural spaces. “They respected nature when building this community,” he said. Gillespie said the men’s club recently partnered with DelWebb and the community’s HOA to erect a 35-foot high flag pole that will be installed and surrounded by landscaped walkways that will serve as a central meeting place for holiday events and other gatherings. “We believe in this community,” Gillespie said. “If we didn’t, we wouldn’t have bought our second home here.”