People You Should Know: The MCA Volunteers

By Marc Rosenweig

If you’re interested in kayaking, biking, pickleball, science, current events, book club, trivia and more, MCA has a lot to offer. But it’s only possible through the work of members who volunteer to run these activities. Let’s meet some MCA members who make things happen.

Bob Davidson runs the MCA science group along with Mel Kaplan. Davidson’s background as an engineer made him a natural for the science group.  

Bob and his wife Shellie Specter met in college in Wisconsin and became full-time Naples residents when he retired in 2017.  

Shellie got connected to WCA and told me about MCA,” said Davidson. Specter is well-known as someone who welcomes newcomers to the community through both WCA and Temple Shalom.

“We define science very broadly,” said Davidson. “We explain things that are going on in science that are interesting to people.” MCA members volunteer as speakers with an occasional outside speaker. Topics are wide ranging. There are approximately six sessions each season.

The group has heard about chemical process safety (very timely after the train derailment in Ohio) and how carbon has shaped civilizations. When we spoke, the group, which usually numbers 20 to 30 participants, was about to hear about EV battery development as the push to electric cars heats up. 

At one session, a FGCU professor discussed the latest in DNA analysis. Of course, climate change related issues are often on the agenda. Davidson is looking for someone to discuss artificial intelligence. 

Davidson appreciates the value of MCA. New friendships develop and knowledge is shared. He adds, “It’s a really great thing to have in your life.”

Stan Farb runs the MCA book club. He’s originally from the Baltimore area where he was an ear, nose, throat, head and neck doctor. He considers moving to Naples one of the best decisions of his life, along with marrying his late wife, and going into medicine.

“We were not Florida lovers,” said Farb. “In 1995, we were at Marco Island and celebrated a birthday dinner at the Ritz Carlton on Pelican Bay. Three days later, we bought a condo at Pelican Bay.”

Farb says he was part of the original MCA group when it was founded more than a decade ago. He later took on the book club. He says about two-thirds of the books they read are non-fiction. There are some World War II books, including several on the Holocaust. 

Recent titles include Tough Luck, about the legendary Chicago Bears quarterback Sid Luckman, whose father went to jail for murder. They also read Billion Dollar Whale, which focuses on a thief in Malaysia who also bankrolled the movie Wolf of Wall Street.

The book Breakthrough looks at the discovery of Insulin. Ticking Clock takes readers behind the scenes at CBS’s 60 Minutes through the eyes of its award-winning former producer Ira Rosen.

“My contribution to MCA pales in comparison to time others spend,” said Farb. He says it’s a very valuable experience to volunteer through MCA at the food bank or on Mitzvah Day. “You see that many people have needs in Collier County that you didn’t realize.     

“It’s gratifying to see MCA grow to about 780 members after Covid,” said Farb, who adds that reading books can provide knowledge, excitement, romance and fun. 

Ron Mutchnik leads the MCA current events group and often arranges trivia contests. As a youngster, he lived four blocks from Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, then moved to New Rochelle, N.Y. By full disclosure, we both graduated from New Rochelle High School (NRHS) at different times. 

Mutchnik played tennis at NRHS and SUNY New Paltz, then went on to a career as a school principal and tennis coach. 

He says current events group participants receive articles each month from The New Yorker magazine to spark discussions on specific topics. They’ve looked at two views of wars and two views of the importance of statistics. 

“All you have to do is ask ‘what do you think?’ and the group carries the ball,” said Mutchnik. “We have lively, but respectful debates. We try to avoid politics. We have people who know a lot, especially when it comes to history and Israel.”

In March, he organized the first in-person trivia session since Covid. “I love trivia,” says Mutchnik. “It amounts to opening a box in my head. There’s something for everyone. It gives me a lot to look forward to. It’s like Cheers where everybody knows your name.”

2022 - 2023 MCA Volunteers

Here’s a list of other volunteers.  Thanks to each of you for all of your help. MCA could not succeed without you. And if we didn't include your name, we apologize for the oversight. Please know that we greatly appreciate your assistance. 

Don Belmont	Spencer Forman	Ira Kushnir	Steve Schreier
Morris Binder	Sid Freund	Jay Leib	Jim Sernovitz
Bob Blank	Ken Getnick	Marty Levine	Bruce Sherman
Burt Blumkin	Mark Goetz	Bob Lubin	Phil Sherman
Gene Briskman	Dick Goldblatt	Ken Marcus	Jerry Shier
John Caragliano	Gene Goldenziel	Jeff Margolis	Chuck Siegel
Neil Chessin	Avi Goldstein	Ed Margulies	Jim Simon
David Cohen	Larry Goodman	Michael Marks	Michael Sobol
Harvey Cohen	Alan Gordon	Jeff Morgenstern	Dan Sussman
Mark Cohn	Michael Gordon	Ron Mutchnik	Michael Swartz
Bob Davidson	Howard Greenfield	Les Nizin	Richard Wajs
Dan Downing	Burton Hirsch	Harvey Oriel	Terry Weiner
Stan Farb	Steve Iser	Glenn Perrin	Max Weisberg
Gary Farber	Larry Israelite	Barry Potekin	Larry Weiss
Michael Feldman	Marty Isserlis	Richard Prosten	Mel Zahn
Miki Fields	Mel Kaplan	Marc Rosenweig
Marc Fleisher	Jerry Kumin	Ed Rozen