Harmony Life - August 2021

AUGUST 2021

MEET

THE SOJKA FAMILY T H E P U B L I C AT I O N F O R T H E R E S I D E N T S O F H A R M O N Y A PUBLICATION OF QUANTUM MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS, LLC Photo by Elev8 Media

LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER

AUGUST 2021

Welcome to the August 2021 edition of Harmony Life Magazine.

PUBLISHER & CEO

A publication of Quantum Marketing Communications, LLC www.QMCWorld.com

Harmony Life Magazine is produced by residents for residents. Please feel free to message me directly with content and pictures: Bill@QMCWorld.com

Bill Bokunic 321.331.6398 Bill@QMCWorld.com

Remember to join the Facebook Harmony Residents Forum.

GRAPHIC DESIGN

Thanks to everyone who messaged me about my comments last month. Everything is quiet regarding the status of Harmony development. I will update as soon as information becomes available.

Many people have asked about the development to the east of Harmony. Here is the information we know: It is called Harmony Central, the developer is out of Melbourne, and they will be building just over 500 single family homes.

Renée Blair Blair Creative Group, Inc.

COVER PHOTOGRAPHY Elev8 Media

CONTRIBUTORS

Steve Berube HROA President, CDD Board Member

Again, I will update information as it is received.

Jeanine Corcoran The Corcoran Connection

See you in September!

Kerul Kassel, PHD

Bill Bokunic Publisher Bill@QMCWorld.com

Teresa Kramer

Hamony CDD Board Member

Chair, Hamony CDD

Stephanie Milfeld Z&Q–A Children's Boutique

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The opinions expressed in the Harmony Life Magazine articles are those of the author(s) and do not reflect the opinions of Quantum Marketing Communications, Harmony Life Magazine or the Publisher.

Harmony Life Magazine, Quantum Marketing Communications, LLC and the Publisher can, in no way whatsoever, be held responsible for the content of such views, nor can it be held liable for any direct or indirect damage that may arise from such views.

All rights reserved. No part of any Quantum Marketing Communications, LLC published work may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the publisher.

Harmony Life Magazine

CONTACT INFO FOR RESIDENTS CDD HarmonyCDD.org, 407-566-1935

Teresa, Dan, Steve, Mike, or Kerul@HarmonyCDD.org SHERIFF, NON-EMERGENCY 407-348-2222 HROA

Association Solutions, 811 Mabette St., Kissimmee 407-847-2280, MyHOASolution.com

CONDOS HOA

Sentry Management, 407-846-6323

TOWNHOMES HOA

HARMONY DEVELOPER OFFICE

Association Solutions, 811 Mabette St., Kissimmee 407-847-2280, MyHOASolution.com 407-891-8358, HarmonyFL.com

SPECTRUM CABLE / INTERNET

877-892-3279

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866-314-4148

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ADVANCED DISPOSAL – OSCEOLA 407-605-3892 3501 Pug Mill Rd. Kissimmee, FL 34741 OsceolaFL@advanceddisposal.com OSCEOLA COUNTY

COUNTY COMMISSIONER RICKY BOOTH

Osceola.org “Citizen Action Center” ricky.booth@osceola.org

COVER STORY

Where did you move from? Originally my husband and I are from Chicago. Then we moved to Tampa before moving to Harmony.

What do you miss most? Chicago’s food and sports!

What is your background? My husband and I are both nurses. My husband works in PCU. I work in Labor and Delivery, hands down the best job to see babies come into this world.

What a blessing it is for us to care for the community.

What is a good story about Harmony? The holiday events bring tons of excitement to our children; Scarlett asking about the Grinch every year.

What is unusual or unique about Harmony, in comparison to your previous home? Our street tends to have frequent block parties.

Sometimes you wanna go where everybody knows your name and they’re always glad you came.

THE SOJKA FAMILY

What is…

Your name? Tiffany Sojka.

Your spouse’s name? Mark Sojka.

Your chidlren’s names? Scarlett and Liam.

Your pets’ names? Pugs, Quigley and Delilah.

When did you move to Harmony? April 2017.

What street do you live on? Cordgrass Place.

What do you love most about Harmony?

When we were looking for homes we found Harmony and immediately fell in love with the neighborhood. We loved the atmosphere, seeing kids playing outside.

We love the homey feeling of Harmony. We knew from the first drive that this is where 2 Harmony Life Magazine | August 2021

we wanted to live and raise a family. This community has everything we have ever wanted. Our dream was to live in a house on a cul-de-sac (which is where our home is), we wanted schools in walking distance and pools—this has been the best choice we could have ever made.

What are your kids’ favorite things about Harmony? Our kids love all the people especially, on our street. Sorry to all the neighbors that Scarlett and Liam knock on your doors nonstop… I swear they aren’t stalkers. They love playing outside and being kids. We really love our bike rides, exploring the parks, going to the splash pad and of course our fun pool time.

Is there a neighbor experience you are most proud of? I have to give my neighbor a big thank you for always bringing my garbage cans up so I don’t get a “letter.” Thank you, I appreciate it.

What do you do for fun? We build forts at home, have pillow fights. My daughter and I love to bake. I love making memories with our family.

What was the last movie that you have seen in the theatre? It’s been a long time since we have gone to the movies... thanks COVID. The last movie we saw was “Frozen 2.”

What is your favorite TV Show? We have two young kids, so some sort of cartoon or something from Disney. n

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MEET

What is your favorite weekend activity? I love to look on the Harmony Garage Sale site and fill my garage with things my husband thinks I don’t need… keep posting all the great things! On our weekends we love our time off to spend with our kids. We are usually are outside playing with the kids or at the pool.

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NOTES FROM THE CHAIR

By Teresa Kramer Chair, Harmony Community Development District

S

ummer is here and in full swing—and we are all feeling the heat! However, as you turn off US192 and enter Harmony, the temperature drops. That’s because so much of Harmony is kept in open space, both for conservation and for recreation; from soccer fields to open fields, from dog parks to playgrounds, from hiking trails to shaded sidewalks, Harmony has a lot of growing things to take care of. These areas, both natural and designed, are important and very valuable parts of Harmony’s living infrastructure and the CDD is responsible for maintaining them.

Since a number of our trees have been showing signs of disease and stress, the CDD contracted with an expert horticulturalist to evaluate Harmony’s trees and landscaping.

The preliminary evaluation was conducted at the end of June and provided us with recommendations on ways to improve the appearance and health of our landscaping.

Here are the issues that we will be addressing first:

1. The mystery of the black substance that appears in midsummer and coats the cars and porches of residents that have sycamores near their homes. Evidently, a wax scale has infected the sycamores and this scale produces a sticky substance called honeydew. This honeydew then serves as food for the black sooty mold fungus. This sooty mold fungus coats the leaves and then drops onto cars, porches and sidewalks, sticking to any surface on which it lands. Not only is this a nuisance to residents, but it also seriously affects the health of these large, beautiful shade trees. To eliminate this scale infestation, the CDD has authorized the treatment of all the sycamores throughout Harmony as the infestation will spread if all sycamores are not treated simultaneously.

2. The stunted and stressed Red Oaks near the back of the Harmony Community School on Cupseed. These four trees have been attacked by oak boring beetles which were found breeding in their trunks.

These trees will be removed as soon as possible to ensure that these borers do not spread to the other healthy Red Oaks in the area. They will be replaced with 4 Harmony Life Magazine l August 2021

Live Oaks which are much more resistant to the borers.

3. Trees in the Town Square and on Pond Pine Road that are stressed and struggling.

The dead branches will be removed from these oaks and elms to allow these trees a chance to recover. They will then be re-evaluated.

4. Laurel Oak in the round about at the intersection of Schoolhouse and Cat Brier.

One of the Laurel Oak trees in this location is in serious decline and will be removed.

If the other Laurel Oaks in this location also decline, they will need to be removed and it is recommended that they be replaced with Magnolias.

5. Improper pruning of Live Oaks. It was noted that many residents were having their Live Oak trees pruned back from their homes, but that these prunings were not being done in a proper manner, thus endangering the health and stability of the trees. It was recommended that any pruning of Community Trees be done by a landscape maintenance firm with a qualified arborist. The general rule is to keep the outward portions of any tree limb a minimum of five feet from the home.

Other issues that were identified and will be addressed as part of our contracted landscape services include: 1. The soccer field that contains weeds, fire ants, and mole crickets, is in need of immediate attention. Proper treatment of the weeds and mole crickets will allow the thinning Bermuda Grass to fill in and provide a better playing surface. The fire ants will also be treated. The Servello staff were given instructions on proper weed treatment and fertilization for this field.

2.

St. Augustine turf in and along our boulevards that has been stressed during dry conditions is coming back well with the rains, but broadleaf weeds have invaded. Again, instructions were given on proper weed treatment of these areas.

3. Landscape berms in front of The Lakes Communities. The pines that have been planted do not do well in urban environments and may only survive for

about 10 years before needing replacement. In fact, some have already developed a canker fungus. These will be monitored and, if necessary, removed if in decline.

4. Turf decline along Five Oaks Drive near the west entrance. A change in the irrigation heads was recommended to achieve proper watering of these areas.

There were other recommendations which the Board will be addressing at later dates, but as you can see, the Harmony CDD needs to continually work to protect our Community’s investment in our living infrastructure as well as our built infrastructure. This will ensure that we continue to enjoy our shaded, tree lined streets and the natural beauty that surrounds us.

Please remember that the CDD Board is here to represent you, the residents of Harmony.

Just as you might write your Senator or County Commissioner, please also let your CDD Supervisors know of your ideas or concerns pertaining to our Harmony community.

Please use our official e-mail addresses (located at http://www.harmonycdd.org/ about-harmony/supervisors) to make your voice heard. n

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407-892-2141 WWW.KISSELBACKFORD.COM August 2021 | Harmony Life Magazine 5

How to Be Proactive with Your Health

By Kim Kirsch Insurance Broker / District Manager, Healthcare Solutions Team

“The best defense is a good offense.” This age-old adage doesn’t just apply to war or strategic endeavors — it also holds true when it comes to our health. It’s so easy to wait until something’s wrong to address it.

As health insurance experts, we can tell you from experience that one of the best ways to avoid major health issues, reduce diseases, and lower your out-of-pocket medical costs is by choosing to be proactive with your health. And we’ve got some tips to get you started.

Nutrition— There’s a famous quote that is often attributed to Hippo-

crates that says, “Let food be thy medicine, and medicine be thy food.”

The fact is nutrition is fundamental to good health. That’s why much of being proactive with your health is rooted in nutrition.

It’s vital that you have a full understanding of nutrition and how the foods that you eat affect your body. With so many fad diets and social media misinformation constantly floating around, we recommend doing your own research using solid, research-backed resources.

Once you’ve done your research, decide how you want to change your diet. If your desired meal plan is a huge shift from how you currently eat, try making small changes a little at a time. You’re more likely to fall off the wagon if you force yourself to change your entire diet all at once.

Fitness— Much like nutrition, your health is also inseparable from your

fitness and physical activity. In today’s world, so many of us spend too much time sitting (both at work and at home) and not enough time moving our bodies.

If you’re currently in that situation, add some physical activity to your schedule. You don’t have to become a marathon runner — even just a walk around the block can offer health benefits. The goal should be to move your body for about 30 minutes a day.

Much like nutrition, you don’t have to jump straight into the deep end if you’re used to a more sedentary lifestyle. If you go buy a gym membership and try to force yourself to go run on the treadmill for 30 minutes every day, you’re likely to get discouraged and give it up quickly. Start slowly and find movement and activities that are actually enjoyable — yoga, spin classes, power walks, dance classes… it all counts!

Preventative Medical Services— Any medical service that reduces the risk of later negative health outcomes qualifies as preventative care. If a preventative screening reveals the early stages of an illness, that illness or disease is usually much easier to treat (and much less expensive).

There are many different types of preventative care (102 to be specific), but here are a few that are particularly important: • Blood pressure tests • Cholesterol tests • Diabetes screenings • Breast and colorectal cancer screenings • Mental health screenings

Are you proactive with your health? If you want to safeguard your health by having a comprehensive insurance plan, we can help! Call us today at 407-870-3462 and a licensed member of our team will be happy to review your insurance needs. n

6 Harmony Life Magazine l August 2021

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August 2021 | Harmony Life Magazine 7

APARTMENTS ARE COMING— Oh No or Oh Yay?

By Steve Berube HROA President, CDD Board Member

B

efore answering that question, it’s important to understand the history of Harmony as well as to accept the state of our town today. Back in the 90’s, original Developers Jim and Martha Lentz (and a few partners) formulated the concept of what you see today. They formed a Community Development District (CDD) which is a construction financing method whereby the District sells (municipal) tax-free bonds in order to use the funds generated to build a community.

It’s important to remember that in those early days, the CDD Board is controlled by the Developer and/or his appointees (once there are 250 landowners, access to the Board by landowners begins). So, in effect, millions of dollars from the bond sales are available to the Developer to (largely) do with as he sees fit. That control is how a Swim Club and Dog Parks get built before anyone lived here. Of course, other things were getting built such as a Town square, Neighborhood parks, boat docks, playgrounds, shade structures and a variety of other things.

By 2004, Harmony was “on the map” and growing wildly. Such growth always catches the eye of venture capitalists and sure enough, Starwood Capital noticed; they made Jim and Martha an offer they couldn’t refuse and bought Harmony in 2004, putting one of their own on the Board as Chair. Wild growth continued and Starwood spent money to drive it with large festivals like Dark Sky and other major activities which drew people from long distances in order to show off Harmony.

Construction of the retail area at Town Center began and growth continued.

Then, the cold reality of the recession began in 2008 and continued until around 2012.

New home sales tanked but, to their credit, Starwood held up their end of the bargain and continued paying all their obligations as well as continued all the various (expensive) activities trying to prop up the stagnant housing market. By 2012, the venture capital fund that Harmony was held in was closing and Starwood pulled Capital out and Harmony went into the Starwood Land Ventures fund.

Knowing they would be out by September 30, 2017 Land Ventures switched gears and spent 8 Harmony Life Magazine l August 2021

money on little support details like street light poles and such. But almost overnight, the expensive festivals and such ended. In short, “if it doesn’t help sell houses, we’re not funding it,” was the Land Ventures mantra.

By this time, the CDD Board has been turned over completely to resident control and I became Chair in 2012. Of course, new economic realities set in what with a Developer preparing to exit AND the stark reality that unless fees are increased, there is no additional CDD income. How is that, you might ask, with all those new houses going up?

Well, simple. When the CDD is established, every square foot of land is encumbered with the debt from those initial bond sales. In the beginning, the Developer owns ALL the land and pays those fees every year to the CDD. When a lot is sold, the new owner assumes the debt which relieves the Developer of that responsibility. That’s why the Developer is anxious to sell the land ASAP. That’s also why we should be thankful to Starwood Capital as they paid all those fees on land that no one wanted for years during the recession. So, new homes and neighborhoods bring costs of maintenance when they’re turned over to the CDD—but no new income because it’s already been paid. These added costs are also why each new neighborhood has higher costs per square foot than older neighborhoods. The bottom line: short of new bond issues, CDD income is constrained.

like it or not, if you want more businesses to come here, you need people. Developers abandoned us years ago and you’ve seen the effects. Now, a Developer is coming back and building an upscale facility with retail on the ground, and housing above. If you haven’t been to Lake Nona lately, you should go look.

The same thing is going on there and demand for housing there is through the roof. This major new spending and building in Harmony will do nothing but drive demand for houses here which equates to higher values. And all those new arrivals bring businesses to relieve them of their money.

It is good folks—it really is.

Thanks for reading—I’ll see you next month.

Stay safe!! n

Fast forward to 2017: Land Ventures is leaving and Harmony goes on the market. Looking at the big picture, interested parties start bidding and slowly go away—perhaps because they knew Land Ventures had to sell but also perhaps there wasn’t much value here. The last buyer standing was Sun Terra, another venture capitalist who paid just $25.4 million and very quickly sold off much of their holdings here preferring to focus on Harmony West. They sold most of their holdings here to a real estate agency owner who has shown no interest in acting as a Developer. So, the stagnation that began in 2012 continues today.

This brings us to the proposed upscale apartment complex which will bring not only a number of buildings and associated amenities, but it will bring PEOPLE. And whether you The opinions expressed in the Harmony Life Magazine articles are those of the author(s) and do not reflect the opinions of Quantum Marketing Communications, Harmony Life Magazine or the Publisher.

DID YOU KNOW?

By Kerul Kassel PHD Hamony CDD Board Member

D

ID DID YOU KNOW that some of our wild feathered friends stay in Harmony year round, while migrating species leave Harmony for warmer climates, and others join us when it gets cold up north? Within the next couple of months it will be time to say hello or goodbye to a host of neotropical migrants—musical warblers, regal Swallow-tailed Kites, and shorebirds on our beautiful beaches.

It’s not easy to be a migrating bird—traveling across continents is a grueling endeavor, and the expansion of urban development means there are fewer places to rest and refuel. Imagine traveling hundreds or thousands of miles without any food or water with you! And only having the GPS in your head!

Twice each year, billions of birds fly between wintering and breeding grounds, facing innumerable threats along the way. The majority of birds migrate at night, using the night sky to help them navigate.

During the day, they rest and refuel, relying on green space, water and other necessary resources.

Another major problem for migrating songbirds is light pollution.

These birds often travel by night and can become confused when

flying over brightly lit cities and suburbs. Exhausted after trying to navigate around these light sources, birds can easily succumb to other dangers including window strikes. That’s one reason we have a Dark Sky community here in Harmony.

You can also help in the fight against light pollution at home with just a few simple steps: • Turn off unnecessary exterior lights, especially during the period of 11 p.m. to 5 a.m.

• Direct lights to point downward or install shields to block upward light if your lights aren’t already dark sky compliant.

• Install automatic motion sensors instead of leaving floodlights on all night.

• Turn off interior lights when feasible.

Daytime isn’t as safe as you might think, either. During daylight hours, birds collide with reflective surfaces when they stop to feed or rest, when avoiding a predator or flying from tree to tree. Shiny glass windows and greenery close to buildings can all be deadly as birds are unable to distinguish reflection from open area. For every collision victim found, three more typically go unseen, flying out of sight before falling or being carried away by predators. I’ve had birds fly into my glass doors.

Ways to reduce reflective surface collisions include: • Use decals on your windows and glass doors (search for bird strike decals for windows) Quantity and spacing matter: multiple markings 2 to 4 inches apart are recommended.

• Install external screens on windows and doors.

• Close blinds or curtains.

• Move plants away from windows.

• Place bird feeders directly on windows.

Bird-building collisions can happen at any time of the day and year but tend to increase during migration and when young birds start flying.

Therefore, the most crucial times for these measures are during spring and fall migration and in the breeding season in our area (February through June).

Other threats include free-ranging domestic cats, which kill an estimated 1.3 to 4 billion, yes BILLION, birds EVERY YEAR. While mostly feral felines are to blame, this is a huge threat to wild birds.

Please keep your cats indoors or put a bell on their collar if outdoors.

With many bird species in decline — a survey of 529 bird species in the United States and Canada found that bird populations have fallen by 29 percent since 1970 – let’s do all we can to prevent needless threats to these precious feathered residents. n

10 Harmony Life Magazine l August 2021

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August 2021 | Harmony Life Magazine 11

YOU MATTER

By Stephanie Milfeld

A

ugust... seriously we are in August of 2021.

After the never ending year of 2020, this year certainly has been flying by. School starts August 12th and well, since the 4th of July has passed, basically pick out our Halloween costumes, carve the turkey, put up the tree and let’s ring in 2022 because let’s face it, the next few months are always a blur with the holidays right around the corner.

So in case you missed it, one of—if not THE biggest—stories of the Olympic games this year was how Simone Biles, the GOAT of the gymnastics world, the one expected to become one of the most decorated Olympians of all time, expected to win up to 6 gold medals in her second Olympic games—pulled out of not only the women’s gymnastics team competition, but the All Around as well. She withdrew from the competition not because of a physical injury, but because of her mental health. To say I was disappointed not to see her compete is an understatement. To say I felt bad for her teammates is a complete understatement for the fact that they had to carry the weight of the news as well as perform at the very best of their abilities to still win a medal, some events in which they did not even get to warm up. At the end of the day it doesn’t matter about anyone else, all that mattered was Simone. She is more than a gymnast, more than a teammate, more than a form of entertainment for the rest of the world to watch. She put herself first and made an incredibly difficult decision. Whether or not we think it is FAIR to anyone else is irrelevant. She did what SO MANY OF US can not and do not do enough by putting herself and mental health first.

I challenge you this month to figure out what you are actively doing to positively contribute to your mental health. Are you taking time to yourself, journaling, seeing a therapist, having a girls’ night weekly or once a month, drinking water, working out, getting sleep—what are you doing for YOU? No one is asking you to do all or any of those things mentioned above, but I want to encourage you to find SOMETHING for yourself to take care of YOU, because at the end of the day, YOUR well being and mental health is what matters. n Stephanie Milfeld Z and Q – A Children’s Boutique 1037 New York Ave. • Saint Cloud, FL 34769 www.zandq.com • @zandqboutique 12 Harmony Life Magazine l August 2021

COURTESY STEPHANIE MILFELD

YOU are more than just “Susie’s Mom or Dad,” YOU are more than a student, employee, teacher, sibling, etc. Granted, the pressure Simone and the other athletes feel on that huge stage in Tokyo is much different than mine here in Harmony, Florida, BUT, it doesn’t diminish things that you and I experience and the well being of our own mental health.

It doesn’t diminish the pressure that our own children feel as athletes, artists and students to do their best even at a very young age.

edwardjones.com

Kerry L Scott, CRPC®

Member SIPC

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Financial Advisor

4115 Neptune Rd St Cloud, FL 34769 407-498-0147

Discover | Worship | Grow | Serve

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Buying Seasonal and Local Produce

E

ating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables is the foundation of a healthy diet, with a goal of at least five servings of fruits and vegetables every day. The easiest way to meet this goal is to fill half your plate with these foods at every meal.

Local produce is an excellent option, especially while it’s in season. Low in calories and loaded with fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, fresh produce is always a great choice.

Fruits and vegetables harvested at the peak of ripeness are more flavorful and richer in nutrients than produce picked green and shipped long distances. In fact, some antioxidants, such as vitamin C, folate and carotenoids, will rapidly decline when stored for extended periods of time. Shopping at a local farmers market — which are plentiful and open year-round here in Central Florida — is a great way to get your whole family involved in eating healthfully.

Focusing on foods in season encourages a diverse diet and gives you something different to look forward to each season. An added benefit of seasonal produce is that it can cost less than out-of-season produce due to less traveling, storage and production expense.

Seasonal Foods Support Your Body’s Natural Nutritional Needs

Eating food that’s in season harmonizes with nature’s production cycle. In the winter, citrus fruits are abundant. These fruits are high in vitamin C, which boosts the immune system.

Winter vegetables, such as carrots, broccoli and spinach, offer comfort and are perfect for hot meals, stews, soups and casseroles. Summer produce, such as stone fruits, provide us with extra beta-carotene that protects us against sun damage. So named because of their very large and hard seed, stone fruits include peaches, nectarines, plums, apricots and cherries. Summer produce also provides sweetness for cool summer salads.

14 Harmony Life Magazine l August 2021

Healthy Eating Tips

When your favorite produce is not in season, it’s still important to fill at least half your plate with fruits and vegetables. They offer so many health benefits, regardless of whether you choose fresh, local, seasonal, organic, frozen, dried or canned. Here are some tips for incorporating fruits and vegetables into your diet: • Buy produce in bulk and preserve it by freezing.

• Build meals around seasonal produce, whether you are making a stew, salad or stir-fry. Or try a baked potato bar with nutritious toppings such as steamed broc coli, chives, Greek yogurt or salsa.

• Think color first. If everything on your plate is the same color, then your diet is probably not balanced enough. Every meal should look like a rainbow: – Eat a vegetable salad at lunch filled with red bell peppers, carrots, cucumbers and tomatoes. Opt for a fruit salad for dessert or breakfast filled with strawberries,

blueberries, cantaloupe, kiwi and pine apple.

• To create balanced meals for your family, use the plate method: – For dinner, fill half your plate with an assortment of roasted vegetables. Brus sels sprouts, parsnips and sweet potatoes complement just about anything, so toss them with a bit of olive oil plus fresh herbs, such as rosemary or thyme, and grill or roast as a side dish.

It really doesn’t take a lot of effort — especially here in Central Florida — and can even provide a lot of fun, to fit the fruits and vegetables you need into your everyday diet. n For more healthy tips visit OrlandoHealth.com/ContentHub

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16 Harmony Life Magazine l August 2021

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