Meet David and Donna Thome, Sun City Retirees.
Questions:
Q: What inspired you or led you to your current career or to this area?
David: Safety inspired me, I’ve always wanted to be in policing and safety for all my life. That kind of pushed me in the direction and I did that for the mining community for 23 years. I was in the Federal sector, an authorized representative of the Secretary of Labor that requires me to travel weekly.
Donna: I was born and raised in Vermont, IL before I moved here. As for career, I went to various places, I mean like a housewife, bookkeeper, I worked at the Casino, in a cage. I went to college and took a computer course. Right now, I’m retired, I love to quilt and read. Sun City came in perfectly. What brought us here is the weather, back in Illinois it is so cold in the wintertime. And then down here, you can do something all year round, you’re not confined by the weather. There’s different clubs you can go to, there’s golfing. I like the community, people are friendly and I feel safer here.
Q: How do you know about Sun City?
David: We came down to visit. I actually inquire into this area. Del Webb helped me years ago when I was still working and I actually had though at that time that this would be where I am going to retire. It just so happen that the gentleman I trained when I worked for the agency moved here when he retire. He invited us to down come and look it over.
Donna: David has a friend here, we came down for a vacation to visit him for a couple of weeks and first thing we know, we were out looking for houses because we enjoyed it down here so much. We like the atmosphere a lot.
Q: What restaurant in Hilton Head Area would you like to nominate? And what do you love there?
David: Frankie Bones is really good and they have early bird specials all the time. The prices are extremely reasonable. They specialize in steaks, seafood & pasta and offers an award winning wine list and hand shaken martinis. I also like Hudson’s, they have very excellent seafood. For barbecue, I really like One Hot Mama’s.
Q: Who is the most interesting person you’ve met here in Hilton Head Area?
Donna: I guess, Noreen would be because she’s from England and to me that was something amazing.
Q: What is your favorite movie OR what is the first movie you remember seeing in a theatre?
David: I like action movies, drama, spy movies, and some comedies. I like Hallmark and we came and saw Good Liar, it’s awesome. Together, I remember one time we went to Pekin Drive-In Theater in IL, it was still up and going at that time.
Q: What is something on your bucket list?
David: Always on my bucket list is to visit Melbourne or Italy for my ancestors, I’ve never been there.
Donna: We will definitely go to Highway 21 Drive-In Theater. I also I want to go down there to some of the Gullah stores and I want to learn more about them. The Gullah are known for preserving more of their African linguistic and cultural heritage than any other African-American community in the United States.
Q: What is your favorite thing or something unique about Hilton Head Area?
David: There’s a lot of unique thing here. The availability of big airports are really good here and I love this area because it is a veteran and military-friendly area.
Donna: Yes, the airport. Not too far to get on the plane if you go back home really quick. It’s so nice meeting people from so many different places and different nationalities. Another thing, they have a great shopping area here, they have Tanger 1 and Tanger 2 outlets, a lot of different stores.
Q: Where is your favorite place to go in this area?
David: I like the variety of restaurants around here that you can go within 5-10 minutes. I also like Hamilton Branch State Park, very nice place to get away.
Donna: Riverbend. It is an upscale waterfront community within the greater development of Sun City Hilton Head devoted to residents 55 and over. Known for excellent golf and classic Low country scenery, Sun City Hilton Head offers a stimulating lifestyle of recreation and socializing. Riverbend has its own private gated entrance and a distinct feeling of luxury and security.
Q: What 3 words or phrases come to mind when you think of the word HOME?
David: Peaceful, Relaxing and Enjoyable.
Donna: Family, Friends and Warmth.
Q: If you had a full time staff member that was fully paid for, who would you choose?
David: I have to say, Yard Service. If I added another one, it would be Housekeeper.
Q: If you were cast in a major motion picture and had your choice of anyone to be your co-star, who would you choose?
Donna: Tom Hanks because he is such a nice, warm, friendly feller and I don’t think he will criticize you or anything like that, he will help you instead. He is just a home town guy.
