Generations of the Morse family joined together on stage at the Savannah Center this week, a reminder that The Villages remains a family business.
And it was another reminder how much The Villages has blossomed from Harold Schwartz’s humble beginning with the original mobile home park.
“We are here in perpetuity. We are here to stay, just like the community. You can be sure there will be jobs for these grandchildren in the future,” Mark Morse told the members of The Villages Homeowners Association who packed the house Wednesday night at the Savannah Center.
“Let’s keep The Villages The Villages. It’s different. You just gotta come here and see it, is what Villagers tell their friends and family-it’s hard to explain otherwise.”
Some facts about The Villages were shared by the Morse family and staff:
• There are 51,778 homes in The Villages;
• There are 101,000 residents;
• The men’s average age is 70; women’s average age is 68;
• 9,584 checking accounts were opened at Citizen’s First Bank last year;
• More than 72 percent of Villagers bank with Citizens First.
• A quarter of a billion dollars in groceries were bought by Villagers last year.
The Villages Charter School remains an integral part of the present and future of The Villages.
The importance of the Charter School was made apparent Wednesday night by the presence on stage with the Morse family of Charter School Director Randy McDaniel.
This year more than 3,000 students are attending the Charter School, serving more than 1,800 families. There more than 400 businesses whose employees send children to the Charter School. The schools have had 11 “A” scores in a row.
High school students volunteered 38,000 hours in the community last year.
