Suncoast Research & Recovery Club
"Dedicated to Preserving Florida's History"

I never take my wedding ring off during the day, and I always place it in the same dish on my dresser each night before bed. So it was with shock that, as I was driving to the airport on Dec. 31 to pick up my wife, Annabelle, I suddenly realized: no ring on finger! I had no idea of where it might be, no memory of taking it off, no awareness of losing it. Over the next couple of days I turned my house upside down, thinking I misplaced it or it fell behind furniture or whatever. No luck. We were sick over it.

After a few days I posted a note on my community facebook groups looking for help. Among a variety of other suggestions, someone recommended SRARC. I hesitated to call, because I wasn't at all sure where to look - along a mile-long stretch of the Pinellas Trail? The same distance onEdgewater Park? A bit much to ask, I thought, especially since I had no idea where I had lost it. In fact, it was Annabelle who insisted that it must have slipped off my finger. Me, I was still sure I had to have mislaid it inside the house.

With some reluctance I finally phoned Howard Metts to ask for assistance in finding the ring, and I felt kind of dumb as I realized I couldn't really pinpoint where to look for it. But Howard called back the very next morning to see if he and Ed Osmar could come right over and give it a try. I decided that if the ring had indeed slipped off my finger, the most likely place to look was in my backyard, where I had been roughhousing with my dog on the day I realized I lost it. Howard and Ed showed up, full of enthusiasm in spite of my doubts. And within about 20 minutes, they found it! Annabelle and I were positively shocked, flabbergasted and thrilled!

Many many thanks to Howard, Ed and to your club for your work. SRARC provides just a wonderful service to the community, and I hope it's widely appreciated!