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Rick and Larry were not alone. Over the next few months, twenty-three people formed the South Ponte Vedra Association. They said their first priorities were (1) law enforcement, (2) beach traffic, and (3) environmental protection. President Larry Picus said, "We do not want to be the forgotten people anymore." The members got busy confronting the crime problem.
When Emory had looked for somewhere to put a fire station with a tiny budget, he contacted SWD, the company that owned Guana. He asked very nicely if SPVA could lease a patch of land for a fire station. SWD offered a patch of land with water service for one dollar per year, and they sent SPVA a check for $1,000 to help with the fire department. The Usinas cleared the land for free and let SPVA borrow their heavy equipment.
SPVA president Bruce Bullock also asked the communities south of South Ponte Vedra for help. They contributed money, labor, and volunteer firefighters. One of those good Vilano neighbors was Bill Long. He just joined SPVCA and is here tonight. Thank you for your help back then, Bill. One year after Emory wrote the county about the lack of fire protection, he joined all the volunteers and contributors at the ground-breaking ceremony for the South Ponte Vedra Fire Department.
After five years of squeezing into people's carports, SPVA was thrilled to attend their first meeting in their own building in June 1977. It was standing room only.
