THE PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Dick Rock

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

So we begin another year. I will take this opportunity to highlight some of the projects recently completed and our plans as we move forward in 2010.

ANNUAL ASSESSMENTS

With all the volatility in the economy, we are very happy to report that as of this writing, we have received payment for 668 of the 670 annual assessments due for 2010. With foreclosures all around us and pending home sales not as brisk as we would like, our residents still make it a point to pay their Homeowner Assessments on time. This is a tremendous relief for your Board as we work to manage our budgets and allocate our funds to maintain the high level of perfection that we all expect. With interest rates continuing at their lowest level in many years, it is imperative that we invest our funds early and wisely and look for ways to achieve the biggest return for every dollar spent. My thanks to each of you for your attention to meeting this personal requirement in a timely manner.

ROYAL CAPRI PROPERTY

You will recall that this is the parcel of land that abuts our northern most boundary and is adjacent to the 2nd fairway on our Turnberry Golf course. I have not mentioned this property recently, but we are continuing to keep an eye on what may be happening with it. The land was owned by ORION Bank, but as you probably know ORION Bank is a failed bank and the FDIC arranged for the transfer of their business to IBERIABANK. We are seeking to determine what plans IBERIABANK may have for this parcel of land. Most likely it is still up for sale, so we need to stay close to see who the ultimate purchaser may be.

TREES ON THE I-75 CORRIDOR

It certainly looks like the plantings are doing well and seem to be growing aggressively. With the coming spring and summer months, I expect we will see much more of the trees and less of the traffic.

NEW MANAGEMENT CONTRACT

A new management contract has been completed and reviewed by all the Directors. We have had one session with Argus Management and received bids to provide services under different scenarios. We anticipate interviewing several other companies during the next month or so and then select the provider of our choice. One thing appears certain, some changes will be made to standardize the hours the office is open for business and the amount of on-site support we need.

Within the last 2 weeks we transferred the total maintenance responsibility of our Sports Club complex to our maintenance man, Tony Helke, and eliminated the outside cleaning service. I have personally been following the effect of this change and believe Tony is doing a very good job. I have complimented him on his efforts to keep the Club neat and clean and hope you will too if you agree he is doing a good job.

SHORT TERM RENTALS

We have had some problem with a few residents apparently renting their home for less than the required minimum 3 month period. It is very difficult for the Board to monitor this activity and ask that if you find a condition that you believe violates this policy that you bring it to the attention of the Board. We must be very careful that we do not unjustly accuse a resident of this practice without proper documentation.

VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION DAY

As we have done for the past several years, your Board will host an Appreciation Day for all those that help support our association with their volunteer services. If you volunteer in any capacity, please mark your calendars for Wednesday, March 31st to attend the event. We hope to see everyone there that works on our Various Committees, the Waterford Watch Editor and his staff of writers and delivery helpers, our Webmaster, the Christmas Decoration group, Sports Club House Committee and Librarians, and anyone else that assists in anyway. We value your help and assistance very much and want to show our appreciation in this small way. Thank you for all you do.

VOTER DESIGNATION FORMS

I am sure many of you remember the backup we had attempting to sign in for our annual meeting. The problem was that we are required to match the signature on the envelop casting the ballot with the name that is on file as to who is the DESIGNATED VOTER. If a wife, for example has been identified as the DESIGNATED VOTER and the husband signs the ballot it is judged to be invalid. I have scheduled a meeting with our attorney to see if there is some way we can meet the letter of the law and avoid this rigorous process. Personally, I believe that if we have one signature and one vote per property that should be acceptable if that individual is the owner, co-owner or spouse of the owner. If we receive 2 ballots for the same property we will then determine who is the DESIGNATED VOTER and accept only that vote.

We will see what we can do, but whatever we do we will make this process better.

SPECIAL EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETINGS

We held an Executive Board meeting about a week ago to review, discuss and negotiate some new contract provisions with Argus Management. At this meeting we also discussed a variety of personnel issues. We expect to hold several more contract negotiation sessions with other management companies before we settle on our selected provider.

We have been advised by our legal counsel that contract negotiation sessions are permitted to be held as executive sessions, as an open meeting would potentially provide the other bidders with the Board’s strategy for obtaining the best contract.

Once a company has been identified, the Board will review the contract with the members in an open session. I mention this as I want the membership to understand my reasons for calling Executive Board meetings as necessary.

MANAGEMENT OFFICE RENOVATION

My plan is to upgrade the office used by our management company. I believe it is very cluttered and could benefit from a good house cleaning and relocation of equipment to more nearly resemble a professional office environment. I want to see the office assistant’s desk moved to face the resident as you enter and promote a more friendly, ready to serve approach. Our filing cabinets and associated binders that hold the office files can be better displayed and more easily accessible. I hope to see this project completed after our new management contract is executed. The summer months when traffic is slow and many of our residents are away would be a good time to complete this activity.

OTHER MAJOR PROJECTS

There are a number of major projects planned for the coming months that include recoating the roads in some sections of our development, repairing our tennis court lighting system and correcting structural problems with our water retention system to name just a few. Our Board members responsible for these projects will keep you abreast of their plans and the timetables for completion. In closing I will just say we have enough to keep us busy for awhile and we will stay on the job.

Here is hoping we all have a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year.

ARCHITECTURAL CONTROL

Dave Morton

Mail Boxes: We made our January inspections paying close attention to the mail boxes. In the process we sent out close to 40 letters requesting improvements to mail boxes. The main culprit was the post at the base. Weedeaters are the problem. Many residents have built a base around the post to solve this problem. Many are old and need attention. Chest list to see if your mail box is up to standard:

  1. Is the post upright and level?
  2. Do the slats need cleaning and paint?
  3. Does the mailbox itself (front & back) need cleaning and paint?
  4. Is the flag still red, or does it need to be replaced?
  5. Are the green house numbers legible?
  6. Does the cross-arm under the boxes need cleaning and paint?
  7. Does the post need cleaning and paint? If the base has been chewed up by a weedeater, it must be replaced.

If you need help with any of the above, we have a fine gentleman who has lived in Waterford for a long time who can help. His name is Al Cantanno and his phone no. is 488-9603. He does charge a reasonable fee for his work.

Roof Coating: On 1-2-10 we met with Peter Brewer of Brewer General Repairs to learn about a roof product called Lanco Ultra Siliconizer. This is a high performance elastomeric roof sealer. If the product is applied by a certified person (Mr. Brewer is) the company will warrant the roof for l5 years against leaks and moisture. We looked at two homes in Calusa Lakes with this application and the overall appearance was very good (like new). This product is sprayed on in two coats and looks like a thick paint. It does not change the appearance of the tile. The product comes in white but can be colored. Waterford Golf Course clubhouse is in the process of coating their roof with this product. Based on strictly the looks of this coating, the ACC would most likely approve a permit for its application. This could be an alternative to a new roof but the resident must research the product and make their own decision based on their needs.

COMMUNICATIONS AND NOMINATING

Frank Codella

The WMOA Nominating Committee for 2010 includes the following:

Current Board members, past presidents Bob Cohen, Tom Murphy, Rich Wilson, Dick Huibregtse and Larry Hogrebe. Anyone interested in learning about becoming a candidate for the Board of Directors please contact any of these people.

The new Directory should be ready for pickup any day now. Please look at our community channel or our website for this announcement or call the office.

LANDSCAPE COMMITTEE

Barbara Boehm

Right now, as I am sure you are all aware, we are waging a war with Mother Nature. We will not let her win. Even though the plants and some palms look as they are toasted, our landscape service assures us that we will probably not lose many of our plantings, but they have also assured us there is a ton of work ahead of us. This is true of our common grounds and of us, as residents.

We have been told that we should wait until the end of Feb. before we remove any of the toasted leaves or fronds. If we do this too early, this could make the plant vulnerable to more damage if we would happen to get more cold weather. Surely by March 1, this will be behind us. We have also been told that the toasted look is probably not over; it make take a few more weeks for the northern look or colored leaves to be over.

If anyone is interested in having Greenscape Services make a visit at your home to answer any of your questions or to make suggestions on what to do with your landscape, I can give you the contact information. They are very dependable and I know they will steer you in the right direction.

As far as our common grounds are concerned, we are looking forward to lots of clean-up.

                    We will also be making decisions about future plantings and also about replacing sod in many areas.

 

RECREATION AND SECURITY

Dick Hale

SECURITY

I would like to remind all of our residents to be extremely careful with all of your personal information, including social security number, bank account numbers, passwords, etc. There are several scams being worked in our area. One is based on a phone call supposedly from the Police Department requesting your social security and bank account numbers in order to correct a problem with your credit. The Police do not make any calls of this nature. So don’t give any information. Usually, these fake calls from the Police are followed up by a call from someone stating they are with a bank requesting the same information. Again, hang up and please call the Police to report the incident.

Also, there is a scam based on email where a bank (i.e., Bank of America) sends you an email requesting your social security number and credit card number in order to correct a problem with your credit. The banks do not request this kind of information over the internet. If the bank does make a legitimate phone call, you should only verify the information that they have. Do not volunteer any information over the phone.

In another vein, I would like to suggest that our residents carry some form of identification with them at all times, especially if they are walking alone, so that if something happens, they can be identified people and the proper action taken without any delay. This identification should particularly include any medical issues.

Another security issue: we should all be extremely vigilant to protect ourselves and our property against burglaries. Remember to lock up, keep your valuables in a secure, out of sight, place and not in a dresser drawer. If you see anything suspicious, please notify the Police.

Gate issue: In the coming weeks, we will be replacing three old exit gates (Ashley, Wesley and Gleneagles.) While the gates are being replaced, please exercise caution and patience. It should take about two days to replace each of the gates.

 

RECREATION

The pool is being covered every night and we are attempting to maintain the temperature in the pool at 85 degrees F and 102 degrees F in the spa. Occasionally, the pool filters become clogged with debris and as a protective measure, the pool heaters shut down, due to a low flow of water. When this happens, it can take as long as 24 hrs. depending on the outside temperature, to raise the pool back to 85 degrees. Also, on very cold days, the pool temperature will drop during the morning and hopefully with recover in the sunny afternoon.

I’d like to thank Margo Schneelock for organizing the Waterford Tennis Tournament. Margo is trying a new format this year, allowing the tournament to be conducted on one day, January 21. Best of luck to all of the participants. Results will be posted on the bulletin boards and announced in the next Waterford Watch. Thanks, also, to Tony, for keeping the courts in tip-top shape!

WATERFORD ROADS AND LAKES

Ron Fazzalaro

Roads and Sidewalks

My first order of business in this article is to offer sincere thanks and appreciation to Jay Hayes, who was responsible for our Roads and Lakes for the past three years. Jay and I continue to talk and work together to insure a seamless turnover of ongoing projects. Jay has also agreed to serve as Roads Committee Chairperson, replacing Bob Dodge, who "retired" after about thirteen years as Chairman. Ever gracious, Bob has agreed to offer advice and counsel when needed, so we can continue to take advantage of his extensive knowledge and expertise.

Now, for business: First, I must report that - horror of horrors – a pothole was discovered in Waterford last month! As I told the Board, we will leave no stone unturned in removing this errant pothole and shipping it north, where it belongs! This pothole was expeditiously dealt with, and no longer exists.

The crack-fill and sealing program will continue this spring. Work is scheduled for Ashley Place, Devonshire North, Devonshire Park and Wesley Place. Within the same time span we will also complete the sealing of Capri Isles Boulevard from Gleneagles Drive to Clubside, and from the northern end of Capri Isles to Ashley Place. Some paving repair work will also take place this summer throughout the complex.

The Roads Committee will evaluate our common area sidewalks to determine what sections need to be pressure washed. While on the subject of sidewalks, we ask that you supervise the work of contractors you hire to insure their heavy trucks and equipment do not damage our walkways. If damage does occur, the contractor is responsible for any necessary repairs. Repair work must be done with the guidance of the Roads Committee.

Finally, the Roads Committee is looking for a new member or two. If you have some experience or expertise in roads management, engineering, construction, materials, etc. please consider contributing to the continued success of your community by volunteering to serve on this committee. We meet once/month, usually less than one hour.

Lakes and Drains

Elsewhere in this issue you will see a full page announcement about a special meeting on February 11 for all residents living along Waterford lakes. We are continuing our Aquatic Planting Program, and I urge you to read the announcement, and then sign up in the Sports Club to attend the meeting. Support for this program is very important in our ongoing efforts to insure our Waterford lakes are functional as well as environmentally vibrant.

We received several reports from concerned residents about people walking along the top of the dam off Pinebrook Avenue. Clearly there is great danger in doing this, and we have posted "Do Not Walk" signs on both sides of the dam.

Reminder: If you live along a lake, please leave about two to three feet of grass, six inches high, on the lake banks. This helps prevent erosion. Please notify your contractors so they will comply with this request.

 

WATERFORD LIBRARY

As most of you know, our library in the Sports Club is very popular with our residents.

The books are kept in excellent order through the efforts of Tony Oechsle and Penny Martin. Through the years we have acquired many outstanding donations from various people. However there is a problem that is making Tony and Penny’s job more difficult. Some people are cleaning out their bookshelves and bringing outdated or shabby books to the library. This only means that our dedicated volunteers must take them out and dispose of them. It is requested that you only donate books that are less than 10 years old, and are in good condition. Also only donations of RECENT periodicals are welcome.

WATERFORD TENNIS

Andrea Payne

We hope that everyone is enjoying the New Year and the cold weather is behind us. Our Wednesday tennis dinners continue to be successful and fun.  Thanks to Jan and Ron Garrison for hosting January and to Gus Zeigler for his comedy video.  All of us who brought up children could certainly relate to the skit of having them in the car while we were driving. Thanks to Barry and Diana Behn for hosting the February dinner with a Valentine theme.

The March pro demonstration/game organized by our pro Kevin Hunt was  excellent, as usual, and our thanks to Kevin and the three other pros who put on a grand show Thanks, also, to Mike and Pam Van Schoyck for being such good hosts.

The tennis players and water aerobics ladies were very generous in their Christmas gift to Tony.  It's so wonderful when everyone comes together in gratitude to honor and show appreciation to a dedicated worker like Tony.  It was greatly appreciated by him.  Thank you to all those who participated and those who helped in this endeavor: Ruth Gutch, Tilly Mooyman, Larry Hogrebe, Roberta Benson (water aerobics), and Oma Petrine.

  The men's and women's tennis teams are in full swing.  The men playing on Mondays at 11:30 and the women's on Thursdays.  Please come out and support them and cheer them on.

  What a terrific time we all had at the  fun tennis  tournament the end of January.  Hopefully this will start a new tradition.  Margo Schneeloch organized a wonderful program and a super time was had by all.  Thank you Margo.  It would not have been possible without you. 

  For those of you heading back north in April and May have a wonderful summer and we will see you in the fall.  Keep playing tennis!

 

WATERFORD SINGLES

Pat Longson

 

Well the Waterford Singles are "On the Road Again"!  We had a wonderful bus trip to St. Petersburg in December.  We visited the beautiful Vinoy Hotel decked out in Christmas splendor and had a delicious lunch in the dining room.  In the early afternoon our bus arrived at the Don Cesare hotel on St. Petersburg beach.  This hotel was also decked out for the holiday.  It was a beautiful sight and we enjoyed the tour.

  Now we have our sights on a bus trip to Naples.  All Waterford residents and friends are welcome to join us for "Naples By Land and Sea" on March 23rd.  The bus will pick us up at the Waterford Sports Club at 8AM and includes a 2 hour cruise of Naples Bay with buffet luncheon, 1 hour bus tour of the homes of the rich and famous and time for shopping on 3rd Street.  All this for only $82.00 per person.  For more information about this trip contact Nancy Ryder at 483-4576 or Rydernancy@yahoo.com.

  Our next regular meeting will be on Wednesday February 10th in the Sports Club and all Waterford Singles are invited to join us. Our social hour (BYOB)) starts at 5:30 with dinner to follow and then a program.  Cost is only $10.00. Just call Pat Longson at 485-6424 for a reservation prior to February 7th.

 

 

HAPPY NEW YEAR AND THANKS SO MUCH

THE 2009 HOLIDAY CHARITY COMMITTEE WOULD LIKE TO EXTEND ITS GRATITIDE FOR YOUR GENEROUS DONATIONS TO OUR WATERFORD CHARITY DRIVE.

WE COLLECTED $1050.00. WE WORKED WITH BROTHER PETER NAULT IN DOWNTOWN VENICE TO MAKE THIS PAST THANKSGIVING AND CHRISTMAS ENJOYABLE FOR MANY NEEDY PEOPLE IN OUR AREA. WE PROVIDED GIFT CERTIFICATES FROM SAVE-A-LOT AND PUBLIX TO THIS NON-DENOMINATIONAL OUTREACH PROGRAM. WE ALSO PROVIDED GIFT BOXES TO NEEDY SENIORS.

WE WERE ASSURED THAT OUR COMMUNITY EFFORTS WERE VERY MUCH APPRECIATED AND PROVIDED COMFORT FOR MANY AT THIS TIME OF YEAR.

                    SINCERELY, LINDA NORDSTROM AND JEANE ROCK.

 

"$ BILOXI BY JET $

FEBRUARY 17-20 2010

(WEDNESDAY TO SATURDAY)

 

Join us for 3 nights, 4 days at the fabulous Beau Rivage, Biloxi, Mississippi. The price is $274.00 PP, and includes air transportation from Sarasota/Gulfport/ Sarasota, and air transfers to and from the hotel. Must have non-refundable $100.00 deposit by February 28, 2010. Lets have some $ fun! Call Larry Tiernan for further details."

 

WATERFORD GLOBETROTTERS

16TH ANNUAL THANKSGIVING CRUISE

NOVEMBER 21-DECEMBER 4, 2010

PRINCESS’ LINES’ "STAR PRINCESS"

`We are planning an extremely interesting and unique 12 day cruise for the Thanksgiving 2010 holiday. The itinerary for the cruise aboard Princess Lines’ beautiful vessel "Star Princess" is shown below.

DAY PORT DURATION

0-1 Tampa Airport-Rome Italy Day1 Embark Afternoon

2-3 Cruising the Mediterranean Sea

4 2-Day Experience in Egypt

Alexandria, Egypt (for Cairo & Giza Full day & Overnight

& Overland Excursion)

5 Alexandria, Egypt Full Day & Evening

6 Cruising the Mediterranean Sea

7 Khios Greece Full Day

8 Istanbul, Turkey Full Day

9 Kusadasi, Turkey (for Ephesus) Half Day-Afternoon

10 Athens, Greece Full Day

11 Cruising the Mediterranean Sea

12 Naples, Italy (for Capri & Pompeii) Full Day

13 Rome, Italy (Civitavecchia) Disembark Morning

Prices are excellent and are guaranteed the lowest available to any group. They are firm and not subject to escalation. However, we are still negotiating and expect to receive attractive amenities, and as we get closer to the actual sailing date booked guests may quite possibly receive a lowering of their cruise prices. In addition Princess Line has agreed to accept a deposit of only $100 against a firm booking. This is for a limited time and the cruise line reserves the right to discontinue accepting this low deposit at any time in which event their normal deposit will prevail.

The prices range from $2971 to $4871 and include round trip air fare from Tampa to Rome and return to Tampa. They also include port charges and all air & sea taxes.

Insurance purchased through Princess Line is probably the best buy I have found.

The cruise under the conditions mentioned above is open to Waterford residents, family and friends.

If you desire to join us, simply give me a call 488-0909 and I will furnish you with further details including prices, accommodations and a complete descriptive brochure.

We need a group to make this trip become a reality. Let’s make our 16th Annual Cruise the best ever.

WINDSOR PARK

Hugh Laubis

 

Today we visit the Talmages, who have lived in Waterford for 17 years, having lived in Devonshire North for three years prior to selecting a house overlooking the 3rd and 4th holes on the Turnberry course in Windsor Park. .

Every few month’s we all get to read the Waterford Watch. It catches us up on the happenings around our community as well as giving us some good tips! Joe Talmage (1735 Kilruss) has been editor of the Watch for ten years. As Joe says he volunteered to work for the community but would not attend meetings, having had two lifetimes of meetings while working. His bluff was called and asked to be editor for a few months and now has a job for life.

While they still call New Jersey their place of origin, they actually were brought up two blocks from each other in the Flatbush section of Brooklyn. Although they attended the same grade school, they didn’t meet until they were teenagers. They dated steadily, became engaged and married in June of 1955 and will soon celebrate their 55th wedding anniversary. Marie refers to their three children as "My Three Sons"! There is Joe Jr. in Monroe CT with 2 grandsons, Gregory in Carmel IN with 1 grandson and Christopher in San Antonio TX with 2 more grandsons. Their grandsons range in age from 26 to 5.

Marie had a late start to her college education starting after the first two boys arrived but continued for 9 years during nights and Saturdays at Newark State, having her third son Chris in the meantime. She has degrees in Library Management and Elementary Education and relates how both she and Christopher each started first grade on the same day. In Marie’s 20 year career she taught 1st, 3rd and 5th grades and finished off as district librarian. She retired in 1993.

Joe graduated from St. John’s U. in Brooklyn with degrees in Chemistry and Math. His positions in the pharmaceutical industry are what took Marie and Joe to N.J. He held positions at Merck, Schering and finally settled in at Warner Lambert in Morris Plains, N.J.

He earned his graduate degree at Seton Hall U. While with Warner Lambert he worked as a research chemist on such diverse products as chewing gums, mouthwashes and ethical pharmaceuticals (prescription drugs). He coauthored many papers published in the scientific literature and is the co-owner of several patents. The word spread to the neighborhood kids that Joe was the "bubble gum king" and flocked to his home from miles around at Halloween.

After retiring in 1990, Joe, as a quality assurance consultant, spent some time at the Warner Lambert plant in Puerto Rico bringing the quality of their manufactured products up to specifications. With their son Christopher now married; Marie retiring and Joe’s consulting finished, the move to Waterford was imminent. They were very familiar with the west coast of Florida as they had friends and family in the area and had owned a seasonal condo in North Port. Waterford fit the bill as they saw all the active people, a great resident clubhouse and a well structured golf course.

Joe recalls well his fond love of sports, as a Brooklyn Dodger fan, coaching little league, playing tennis, racquetball and also golf. He loves watching championship series of all the sports on TV with one eye while keeping the other on the direction of their investments. Golf today is his game of choice and plays weekly with the Waterford groups. He loves his weekly Pinochle games, especially counting his winnings!

Marie is an active member of the household. She leads aerobic exercises two days a week and line dancing on Fridays, and is on the house committee of the Waterford Sports Club. She also volunteers weekly at the Jacaranda Library, moderates a book club and through her membership in the American Association of University Women, is a scorekeeper for the Academic Olympics, overseeing knowledge based competitions between our high schools.

Both she and Joe are avid Bridge players, (they direct the Tuesday night duplicate bridge game) are a veteran cruising couple and have crossed the Atlantic by ship several times. We thank each of them for their continued contributions to Waterford and enjoy their jovial personalities when we meet.

KILRUSS DRIVE, CARTINA WAY, ARDRY WAY

Bobbie Cohen Nolan

My name is Bobbie Cohen Nolan & I am the new ‘kid’ on the staff of the Waterford Watch. I hope I can complete the mission of keeping you posted on the times & events of Kilruss Drive, Cartina Way, & Ardry Way.

So the holidays are over & I hope by the time you are reading this article we have gone through our recent frigid weather & have continued with our regular warm & sunny days in paradise. In December we enjoyed a Holiday Party with a gift exchange & refreshments. A good time was had by all. We want to give a big thank you to Frank Viggiano, Dick Rock, Dick Huibregtse, & Bob Dodge for decorating our street entrance for the holidays. An extra big thanks to Nancy & Frank Viggiano for storing our decorations in their garage. Jeane Rock & Linda Nordstrom gave their time & effort to again collect a generous amount of money from our neighbors to give to less-fortunate families at Thanksgiving and Christmas.

We would all like to warmly welcome some new neighbors to our area. They are: Marvin & Traci Jones, David & Lisa Robertson, and Michael & Rebecca Fresa. I will be trying to interview them in the near future to learn more about them.

Our neighbors Pat Longson and Jim Nelson have recently had some illnesses. We wish them well and hope they are feeling better on their road to recovery. Meanwhile, I received word that another neighbor, Jennene McSweegan has passed away. We would like to express our sincere condolences to her husband, Ed and his family in this difficult time.

In January a group of residents had an enjoyable evening at the Trivia Night & Buffet at the Pelican Pointe Country Club. One of our teams actually won! What did they win??? The Gold Buddha statue…YEAH! Congrats to the team…Jeane & Dick Rock, Bobbie & Dick Huibregtse, Barbara & Bill Boehm, Diane & Dick Hale, and Pat & Tom Dye.

From our area Jeane Rock, Marilyn Perkins and I have joined other Waterford residents for Lynn Talbot’s Waterford Singing Chorus again this season. We meet on Wednesday afternoons for a practice hour at the Waterford Sports Facility & will again be presenting our chorale program in the upcoming months. It’s loads of fun & anyone in Waterford can join us.

I hope you’ve enjoyed my first article. Please feel free to call or email any and all news to me at: STLDANZLDY@aol.com or just pick up the phone and call. I’ll be happy to hear from you!

 

COLONY PLACE

Jim Cranfield

 

In an effort to save Medicare a ton of money, my uncle had the x-rays from airport security sent to his doctor’s office. This could save a lot of money in the long run.

We finally have some activity in the neighborhood. The arrival of the Pieries, Brickers, Feeneys, Milnes, Marbles and Fogartys certainly livened up the monthly golf and dinner followed by the annual Colony Place meeting. Rumor has it that our Brazilian friends, the Lourencos, will be permanently moving in soon.

At the annual meeting, President Pat Netols informed us that the controls for the solar installation had malfunctioned and we did not realize the savings we had expected. That problem has been corrected and we should see a significant reduction in the cost of heating the pool this year. There was also discussion of roofing problems and solutions. New treatments with 15 year warrantees will be explored by the board to see if they are suitable for our needs.

Waterford has found a candidate for a Darwin Award given for stupidity and sometimes fatal to the perpetrator. Seems an applicant for a job in the golf club restaurant left his name, address and phone number before rifling cars in the parking lot on his way out. Witnesses called police and after searching for a few hours, went to the address on the application and arrested him. And no, he was not hired for valet parking.

        "You wanna box for that?" said the waitress to my uncle as he finished his meal. "No," he said, "but I’ll wrestle you for it."

BRENNER PARK

Diane Pople

Christmas seems long ago but the glow of the beautifully lit homes, entryway, and luminaries of Christmas Eve will remain with us as will the camaraderie of our neighborly street of Brenner Park. There were many out this Christmas Eve to enjoy the glow of the luminaries. Some had their families visiting. It’s always nice to have the little ones scurrying around to remind us of the joy of Christmas and family. And as usual, after our stroll, we all enjoyed the hospitality of the Manuels with a warming cocktail. An impromptu get together at the Petrines was a great addition to the evening also with yummy appetizers and more cocktails.

The Brenner Park Christmas Party was a success with everyone dressed for the occasion, from Florida casual to tuxedo (looking good, Larry). It was great to get together in such a beautiful and festive atmosphere for food and mingling. I received the following sweet accounting from Jack Mitchell and was asked to include it in this newsletter:

"Brenner Park got its Christmas shindig early this year so it didn’t interfere with people going north (ugh) for the holidays. Lucky thing too, a new talent was discovered when Diane Pople designed and directed a party that had everything at the Venetian Golf and River Club on Laurel Road. Forty three people enjoyed first, the cocktails in a very pleasant room that encouraged the kind of mingling of old friends like Bill and Maggie Rodgers and the elegant looking Dorothy Russell, who came back from Jacaranda Trace and Mike and Cindy Dukes who returned from Sawgrass. The food and service were outstanding with courses interrupted by of all things, dancing. You see there was this fellow there with a guitar that was connected to a sound system that made him sound like an orchestra. Maybe it was the wine, maybe it was the compelling beat of his music. First, it was couples, who then sat down with the entrée, then it was Val Twigg, showing us a bit of British interpretive dancing which cajoled several other ladies to join her and then it happened. Sneaking unobtrusively away from husband, Jim, Maureen Maigret joined the ladies during the dance number. (Surely, you all remember how Judy Garland said she was born in a trunk backstage in Pocatello, Idaho), well, with our Maureen another "Star was Born". What rhythm, what smooth stepping, what energy! This quiet, smallish woman had found her stage and danced on it. She did to the delight of all. The place, the people, the glorious mood were a special gift to the denizens of Brenner Park. Thank you, Diane."

Thank you, Jack, for your accounting of a fun evening. Maybe you should reconsider authoring this newsletter again. I’m sure everyone misses your colorful entries!!

Fran Boyd again did a fabulous job in collecting donations for the Salvation Army. Brenner Park donated $675 this year. Thank you all for your generous donations and to Fran who made it happen. We all enjoyed the beauty of our lit entryway throughout the holidays. Thank you, Rick! And thanks to Ron Balduf, Glenn and Oma Petrine, Diane Pople and Rocky who helped take down the decorations.

Although we enjoyed the festivities of the season, we all had heavy hearts at the news of the passing of our dear neighbor Lori Ladd. Our condolences go to Terri, her two daughters and her beautiful grandchildren. Also, our condolences go to Suzanne Page on the loss of her mom shortly after Christmas.

The news seems to be good for Ken Powers and we hope it continues. It was great seeing him and Sharon at the January social. As for John Twigg, as they say, a picture is worth a thousand words, and for those of you who saw him at the Christmas Party, he looks better than ever! Bill Schneeloch had heart surgery after the holidays. He’s out walking the block already and happily reports that everyday gets better than the next! Gary Taylor is also recuperating well after eye surgery.

Our first social of the season was hosted by Martha and Larry Bellos. Forget your New Year’s resolutions! There were too many goodies to resist! A fun mixer game of "Who am I?" got the group up and socializing again after dinner. It was a great evening. Thanks, Martha and Larry!

We wish our best to Walt and Marcia Mitchell. They have sold their home and will be moving to Williamsburg, VA mid February. They surely will be missed by all. Walt promises that they will be back to visit! Good luck, Walt and Marcia!

Birdies, birdies, everywhere! We hear that our own Evonne Picard recently had 5 birdies on a recent 18-hole game! Way to go Evonne! Better hurry back, Tiger! And Maureen and Jim Maigret have welcomed a new furry friend named Bella. Sadly they lost their previous dog Bailey to old age recently. They rescued Bella from a local shelter. I’m sure she’ll love her new home. Happy New Year to all!

BERKSHIRE COURT

Ann DeCou

As I begin to write this column for the WATCH February/March edition there is ice on the bird-baths outside, a fresh pot of coffee brewing and the stereo playing sweetly. In other words, a good day to write!

Seems like ages ago but in reality only a month ago when we held our annual Christmas Party at the Waterford Sports Club. Diane and Dick Hale and Mary and Tom Cunneen (as usual) were the hosts of this well-presented and planned affair. In fact, they have already volunteered to host our 2010 Christmas Party at the Clubhouse! They are pros at this point! Anyway, this year’s get-together was unique in that is was catered. What a treat! The evening began with delicious home-made hors d'oeuvres and wine, courtesy of our hosts. Then, Bada Bing presented chicken marsala, baked ziti, sausage and potatoes, salad and dessert---quite a spread, Twenty-two of us thoroughly enjoyed drinking, dining, and the Chinese Grab Bag after dinner (back by popular demand). Of note were two gifts: Bear-claw slippers, back for the fourth year. Jeanette Trabucca was the "lucky" recipient this year. We "voted" to give them to Goodwill--please! The other gift of note was a silver-colored fork with one prong presenting "the finger" to the recipient. WMOA Board Director, Dick Hale, received it twice---h-m-m--nothing personal! The evening closed with surprise, superior-talented piano playing by Susie Anderson, and two able altos, and two swinging sopranos. Seriously, that Susie is really good--could sight-read everything that the Clubhouse had to offer! Many of us voted it the "Best Ever Holiday Party" and the hosts will do a repeat performance in 2010, we already know!

Berkshire Court's President, Dale Bright, sent an email informing us of Sandy Koehler's "retirement" from the Board as of February 2010. Sandy has done outstanding work with all aspects of the secretarial position. She leaves very hard-to-fill-shoes!

In case you did not see the large colorful picture spreading across the bottom of December 21,2009, Herald Tribune, here's an update: Our Howard Pappert, taking a shot on the Wellfield Park Croquet Court, in perfect form. Howard is a member of the Sarasota County Croquet Club. The Club offers free lessons at 10 a.m. Tuesdays at the park, Lucaya Avenue and Pinebrook. If interested, visit, or call 484-3206 for more information.

Tom Aimer and Sonny Gada have officially opened their business, Sonny's Floral Trends, 238 W. Tampa Avenue, Suite 258, in the Venice Centre Mall. The Gondolier Sun had an informative, interesting article about them and the store. Roger Button, Business Columnist, wrote that "they combine floral designs and plants with metaphysical rocks and minerals. Sonny supplies custom-designs incorporating fresh-cut, live flowers, new botanical faux flowers and gifts. Open to all ages will be classes in card-reading, energy work and meditation." It is also interesting to note that Sonny managed a flower shop in New Jersey for 23 years, while Tom was a banker in San Francisco, CA, before becoming a care-taker for 25 years.

Eventually, after the cold-spell, our roofs will be cleaned and our homes will look more presentable. Until then, try to keep warm, stay healthy and enjoy the wonder of ice on bird-baths in FL!

WESLEY PLACE

Lynn Talbot

Isn’t it nice to finally see our neighbors outdoors enjoying the warmer weather! January certainly brought out a lot of sweaters, scarves, and even gloves!

For those of you who had company visiting during the cold spell, just think of Chuck and Rita Johnson, who had 35!!! (Yes that is the correct number) family members visiting over the holidays. Even though Rita’s sister lives here too and contributed to that number of family members, it still took Rita and Chuck a few weeks to recover from all that fun. In fact, Stan and Linda Benson and the Johnson’s just returned from a cruise to the Caribbean

Speaking of fun, Bill Sampson hosted a belated birthday dinner for his wife Helen at Roessler’s Restaurant. Celebrating with friends and family, Bill had the tables decorated with 90 red roses in honor of Helen’s birthday, and then gave each guest roses to take home. What a wonderful treat for a terrific lady!

Somehow Wesley Place was hit with a lot of recuperating over the holidays from a variety of issues. Happy to report that Trudy LaCava, Renata Boebert, and Sally Herforth are all on the mend. Unfortunately, while traveling in Egypt, Rosemary Harroun fell and dislocated her shoulder- speedy recovery wishes to her also. Wesley wishes also go out to Larry Jones.

It is with sadness that we report the passing of Marion Kapusta. Marion and Gene moved into Wesley Place in 1997, and been very active in the life of our community. Marion was an avid golfer, bridge player, and according to her grandson who spoke so eloquently at the services for Marion, "She really loved a good party" Our condolences to Gene and his family.

Looking ahead to February, get your tickets to see "Annie" at the Venice Theater since our own Bob Peters will be appearing as part of the ensemble.

Thanks to Mary Peters for organizing the very successful and delicious Pot Luck Supper held on January 29th. Look for announcements concerning the annual Chili-Golf event, and Wesley Place Picnic.

 

SAVE THE DATE!!
    Sunday, March 28th 3:00 PM
     WATERFORD CHORUS CONCERT
    at the Sports Club

 

DEVONSHIRE NORTH

Barbara Griffin

Our neighborhood always looks so nice after the mulch has been applied.  Now, if only all the leaves will grow back on our frost bit plants. 

Congratulations to Reni Cohen and Gene Kraus on their elections to the Devonshire North Board of Directors.  Reni will take over the secretary’s position and Gene will continue as vice president, a position he filled temporarily this past year.  Thanks go to Jack Griffin for the work he did as secretary while filling his three-year term of office.

In early January the Devno ladies enjoyed a fine get-together at the Jacaranda West Country Club.  Our speaker, Esther Bird (provided by the Sarasota County Speakers Bureau) joined us for a delectable lunch served impeccably in lovely surroundings.  Thank you committee members:  Barbara Griffin, Barbara Fick, Connie Reynolds, Joan Torrone, and Muriel Swartz.  The next Devno Ladies Day Out will take place on March 19.  Be watching for information.

Some other occasions for the near future include:

The February 12th Sweetheart Dinner Dance with music by LeCroix.  It’s always a lot of fun.  Contact Bob & Joan Altvater.  

The O.K. Golf Tournament on March 13.  If you haven’t experienced this unique tournament, you certainly must.  Contact Ken Schultz or Oscar Verschleiser.

Golf news is plentiful at this time.  Ladies first.  (Thank you gentlemen.)     

1.  Joan Altvater, Pat Johnson, Jean Neumeister, & Connie Reynolds were members of the Waterford Team playing in the Tri-Club  (Capri Isles, Calusa Lakes, Waterford) Tournament this fall. Waterford won the trophy. Yea team!   

2.  The Dec. 3rd WLGA annual luncheon culminated a 2BB: 1 net/1 gross tourney.  Barbara Calder’s foursome placed 2nd in the first flight with 5 over par.  Super!

3.  The three day (Th 1/14, Tu 1/19, Th 1/21) Partner Match Play tournament was comprised of six flights.  Several women from Devno competed in various flights and though they played diligently, Pat Johnson was the only winner.  She and her partner, Renee Canfield placed 1st in the 3rd flight.  Congratulations!

4.  The Ladies Member/Member takes place Feb. 11 & 18.  Have fun ladies.

And now the gentlemen.  Sorry it’s not as prolific as the women’s news, but you’re just beginning.  Due to heavy rain on the first day, the 3 day Member/Member tournament was postponed one week. It is a partner/best ball single elimination tournament.  Devno participants are:  1st flight, D. Rufino & partner;  2nd flight, J. Whalen & K. Schultz;  3rd fight, G. Kraus & E. Weber, R. Johnson & H. Bruns, J. Griffin & B. Desrosiers,  A. Weil & F. Codella, G. Brew & partner.   Good luck guys!  

We have many reasons to celebrate.  A little bird told me that a neighbor recently enjoyed a memorable occasion, an 80th birthday! Of course no name was mentioned, but I happen to know he resides on lot C40.  Two neighbors are happy about successful surgeries (Jean Neumeister and Kay Schultz).  Of course, there’s still the rehab to go.  Best wishes that it passes quickly.  Another reason is that of family.  On Jan. 23 some of us shared a visit with Jim McCord’s daughter (Karen) and three sons (Paul, Jim and David) at a memorial service for Jim.  Their stories were heartwarming.  We could easily see their resemblance (both in appearance and personality) to their parents.  It was a comforting celebration of his life.

            (Please contact me with any news or interesting tidbits you’d like to share.  Barb) 

CLUBSIDE

Marcia Bickmore

Welcome to the New Year, everyone! Clubsiders have a few fun events in the works for February, March and April. Bernie Rack is organizing a Chili Fest on February 20 at 5pm. Right now, with morning temps in the mid-fifties, chili sounds like a perfect antidote. But, even if we’re thawed out by then and you aren’t a fan of chili, come anyway. There will be lots of other goodies and, of course, the sterling camaraderie of your fellow Clubsiders.

March 20 we’ll have our Eleventh Annual Golf Outing, hosted by Marcia and Jeff Bickmore. Tee times will start around 1:30 and our usual ‘heavy appetizer’ awards banquet and get-together will begin at 5:00. We’ll get you details as we get closer, but please mark your calendars. Again, this is open to everyone. If you don’t play golf or don’t care to play, come to the evening get-together anyway for food, fun and frolic!

Next, Charlotte and Mel Van Dyke heard the cry for help uttered in the last Watch and graciously offered to revive what used to be an annual event --- our block party. They will provide details later, but, for now, reserve April 17, probably 5pm. This has always been a nice, easy-going time together in the cul de sac, cooking burgers and hotdogs, lounging in lawn chairs, shooting the breeze and of course, stuffing ourselves with great picnic fare. It will be good to resurrect such a warm neighborhood tradition.

With any luck our new neighbors, Jim and Judy Wills, will be able to join us. Fred and Lynn Jordan are moving over to Valley Drive having just recently sold their home in Clubside. Jim and Judy are from Pennsylvania and will be snowbirds (at least for a while). Like many of us, they are friends of other Waterforders who came to visit, loved the place and decided to buy here. Go figure! So, welcome Willses and Jordans, we’ll see you around!

Finally, our deepest sympathies to Elmer Kilbourne and the Kilbourne family on the passing of Ella Ruth. As most of you know, this lovely woman, former missionary in China, Japan, Korea and India, had been ill for several years before her death in late December. She and Elmer spent most of their married life as missionaries, most recently in India for 20 years as part of Franklin Graham’s Samaritan’s Purse before moving to Florida part-time. Elmer, our thoughts are with you.

 

 

DEVONSHIRE PARK

Gayle Fazzalaro

The holiday season seems in the distant past but in reality it wasn’t all that long ago that we were enjoying the beautiful Christmas decorations displayed by so many of our Waterford neighbors. I would be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge the lovely tree, garland, wreaths and icicles that adorned our Devonshire Park gatehouse. It never looked as beautiful as it did this year. We thank our resident elves- Haigh Sarkissian, Ken Trumpey, Chuck Wilson and elf-in-training Todd David for their outstanding work.

Our last social event was the Christmas Party held in early December. Fifty-nine people celebrated the season at the Sports Club which was festively decorated with red poinsettias to complement the beautiful "new" tree donated by Gloria and Harry Stanley of Windsor Park. (They were even nice enough to provide technical assistance when we encountered some lighting difficulties.) Our guests enjoyed catering by Publix augmented by platters and punch prepared by the committee members. The hit of the party was the array of homemade cookies made by Betty Trumpey. We enjoyed an evening of camaraderie and socializing. Upon departure each household was presented with one of the poinsettias as a remembrance of a lovely evening. The event was hosted by Gayle & Ron Fazzalaro and Betty and Ken Trumpey. They were assisted by Bobbie & Richard Gilbert and Lizette and Gary Jones.

Our party organizers are taking a well deserved rest after planning get-togethers for the last seven years. If anyone would like to sponsor an event for 2010, please contact me (484-0066) and I will put you in touch with any number of Devonshire Park residents willing to lend their expertise and help in making your affair happen.

I recently met our newest neighbors, Anne and Jorg Rauthe who have moved into Marie and Perry’s house on Gleneagles. They are from Tarrytown, New York and have lived in Los Angeles, Chicago and the Bahamas as their dual banking careers have kept them on the move. Both are now retired and continue to be avid tennis players. Upon retirement Jorg became a Certified Tennis Instructor. He has coached players of all ages spending four years at the collegiate level. Anne’s favorite pastime is Mah Jongg which she has played since she was a young girl.

The Rauthes wintered on Moon Drive last year. They enjoyed the locale so much, they decided to look for a home in the vicinity. They explored Venice and the surrounding area. They were drawn back to Waterford and delighted to find a house that suited their needs. Now they are extremely happy to call Waterford their winter home.

I hope you had a chance, before the killing frost, to see the wonderful landscaping improvements they have made to their home. Anne loves flowers and has replaced all the junipers with small bushes, Ixora and over 100 impatiens plants. They have added lighting to accentuate their palms in both the front and back. The entire yard looks absolutely wonderful. We welcome the Rauthes to our little bit of Paradise.

ASHLEY PLACE

Ken Plummer

"Happy New Year to All":

Our wish is for everyone in Ashley Place and all our neighbors in Waterford to enjoy a New Year of peace, contentment, good health, prosperity…and a warm, sunny Winter.

"Special Delivery Service":

Once again, our Ashley residents, Lynn and Nicole Roemke, set the perfect neighborly example of spreading Christmas cheer by hand-delivering some of their homemade holiday cookies to all of us in Ashley Place. Their greeting at our doors with jingling sleigh bells and lighted hats was a very special treat – not to mention the scrumptious cookies. A very special thanks to the Roemke family!

"Fun Time":

Our annual Ashley Christmas party at the Pelican Pointe Golf and Country Club was well attended and enjoyed by everyone. We were all seated in a private dining area decorated with a Christmas tree and holiday greenery and enjoyed cocktails, a variety of delectable appetizers, a delicious dinner and a baked Alaska dessert. As usual, the gift exchange was one of the highlights of the evening with everyone trying to keep their gift out of sight from the winning exchanger. Of course, no Ashley neighborhood evening would be complete without a rendition of songs from our very own Gus Ziegler (he even had the waitresses joining in the song fest). Special thanks to Esther Wells, Carol Plummer and Betty Kalunian for organizing the event.

"Ice Skating at Ashley Place??":

Well…..not quite. However, several Ashley Place residents were beginning to wonder whether we might be able to organize a neighborhood ice skating party on our lakes. That idea may not be so far-fetched if we have more bouts of freezing temps here in our sunny, warm, Florida paradise. I doubt that many of us have a pair of ice skates in our attic but for those who do you might want to give them a quick polishing – just in case!

"Having a Bad Day?":

We’ve all heard of locking ourselves out of our house but can you believe locking yourself INSIDE of the house! All dressed up and ready to drive away in her car, an Ashley resident (who shall remain nameless) proceeded to open her kitchen door out to the garage when the door handle fell to the floor and she was unable to pry the door open. Worse yet, her outside garage door keypad was not working and the remote control for the garage door was inside her car. Unable to open either of the doors to the garage she was left stranded inside her house. After a frantic (and we are sure embarrassing) call to a friend for advice on what to do, she was eventually able to pry the kitchen door open. Now that is what I call having a bad day! NOTE: For record keeping purposes only I will reveal the name of this individual but will do so in with a special print-ink visible only to me……Neva Pidgeon…... (I hope this works!)

"Neighborhood Get Well Wish":

All of us in Ashley Place wish our neighbor, John Radokowitz, a speedy recovery from his recent hospitalization. We hope to see you out and about very soon, John.

"New Neighbors":

A "Warm Welcome" to Larry and Susan Smith who recently took up residence in Ashley Place.

"Ashley Association Board Election":

Ashley Place held it’s Annual Meeting on January 28. There was one position on the Ashley Board up for election and Elliott Levy was reelected. Congratulations, Elliott. Your willingness to serve and devote so much of your personal time to the neighborhood is very much appreciated.

TURNBERRY PLACE

Janet Lawlor

Brrr...... I feel like I am living up North. I can't believe how cold it has been so far this year. Orlando even had snow. I am sure the weather will change for the better pretty soon. The lawns, shrubs and trees look pretty bad right now, they will come back when it gets a little warmer. So do not trim or cut them back yet. We could get another freeze.

On December 17th the Turnberry Carolers sang their way up and down the street. That really helped to put us in the Christmas Spirit

On the second Tuesday of each month the Turnberry Ladies go out to lunch. On January 12th we went to the Venetian Golf and Country Club. We ate upstairs in their restaurant. The view was beautiful; it overlooked the golf course. Fran Hill's mother-in-law Marie was celebrating her 94th birthday. Peggy Waddell surprised us with delicious cupcakes and we all sang Happy Birthday to Marie.

On January 16th Turnberry had "A Night with Carol Burnett." It was a 43-minute video with some of Carol's best skits. Our dinner was prepared by Sonny's. We had 48 residents attend and we all enjoyed the evening.

Starting in November we had our roofs cleaned. I hope by the time you read this article all of the work will be completed. Due to some rain and a lot of wind it took much longer that we expected. The houses look good with the clean roofs.

When the weather gets a little warmer some of the residents will meet up at our pool at 5:00 for appetizers and cocktails. The appetizers are always good and the conversation is always interesting. Sometimes we even solve some of the problems of the world.

SOME SAD NEWS

On December 12th Doug Darling passed over. Doug's wife Pat had a funeral service at the Grace United Methodist Church. The service was very well attended. Since Doug was in the Navy, The United States Navy was present. They played Taps and presented Pat with an American flag which they folded in front of all of us.

SOME HAPPY NEWS

On January 22nd Tony Oechsle celebrated his 80th birthday. Sometime in the morning the doorbell rang when Tony answered the door was he ever surprised ... standing there were his three children Teri, Mike and Jon. They all flew in to surprise Tony for his birthday. I think they celebrated the whole weekend. I guess when you make it to 80 you deserve to celebrate for a whole weekend.

We had a couple of Birthday Girls on Turnberry Del Evans ... I won't tell you how young she is Dorothy Schupp ... I won't tell you her age either.

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