Tara Woods Columns - Oct 2023

LABOR DAY PARTY

The New York/New Jersey Club hosted a wonderful, respectful Labor Day Community party including delicious food, over-the-top desserts, outstanding prizes, and, of course, horse races.

Thanks to the New York/ New Jersey Club!

WELCOME NEW RESIDENTS

Beth Jolicoeur and Rick Hall

WWW.TWHOA.NET

WWW.TWHOA.NET

If you haven’t already registered on the NEW Tara Woods Homeowners Association website, then Check It Out!

If you haven’t already registered on the NEW Tara Woods Homeowners Association website, then Check It Out!

We would like to extend a warm welcome to all our new residents. We hope you are getting settled in and can start enjoying the magic of Tara Woods. If you missed our last Orientation, you are encouraged to come to our next Orientation which will be held on Saturday, October 14th, at 10:00 AM in the Clubhouse Meeting Room. We have a wealth of information to share with you.

Tami Barrier-Smith and Tom Smith

Beth and Rick reside on Lot #640, 2984 Tara Lakes Circle. They are full-time residents from New Hampshire. They have five children and five grandchildren. Beth is a retired bartender, and Rick is retired from the communications industry. In her spare time, Beth enjoys crafting and travel. In his spare time, Rick enjoys playing golf and traveling.

Janice and Georges Mangeri

* All from the comfort of your home * 24 hours/day – Every day

* All from the comfort of your home * 24 hours/day – Every day

Latest news on what’s happening in the Tara Woods Community.

Latest news on what’s happening in the Tara Woods Community.

“What’s Happening” email.

“What’s Happening” email.

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Events – Community Event Pictures.

COLUMNS STAFF

EDITOR: Linda Elliott 239-560-0768 (lindabluetw@gmail.com)

ASSISTANT: Linda Engel

PHOTOGRAPHY: Lou Dunning, Donna Erhardt

CALENDAR: Janet Daly and Sue Clark

CIRCULATION: Linda Janis and Donna Tribeck, Co-Managers

COMMUNITY DIRECTORY: Haywood Gandy, Manager

CLUBHOUSE SCHEDULER: Janet Daly

COORDINATORS: Agatha Breen, Carolyn Kelsey, Diane Nunn, Diane West, Ed Simko, Julie Wehrung, Maury Miller, Nancy Schoeppner, Pat Dunning, Shari Libby, Stu Berman, Sheila Harris, and Barb Simonson.

STUFFERS: Barb Simonson, Carol Schnepp, Carol West, Claire Schwinn, Diane West, Gene Dickie, Hilda Dienes, Lou Sapp, Maury Miller, Pam Harrington, Pat Dunning, Sharon Boehlke, and Bob Kuhns.

ALTERNATES: Barb Simonson, Celia Blotkamp, Gerri Linder, and Linda Weibel.

REPORTERS: Reporters will be noted by their bylines at the end of each article.

Chris Olson, Tara Woods Homeowners Association Liaison

To advertise in print, contact: Brion Palmer at 941-312-0665 or email him at BrionPalmer@yahoo.com.

Contributing writers are acknowledged with bylines accompanying their submissions. Attribution for photos are not included unless supplied. We sincerely thank everyone for their contributions. Your articles help showcase the strong and diverse community that makes up Tara Woods. The Columns is published monthly from October through May. Summer issues are condensed: June/July and August/September.

All ads are subject to the approval of the publisher. It is the responsibility of the party placing any ad for publication in The Columns to meet all applicable legal requirements in connection with the ad such as compliance with town, county and state codes in first obtaining an occupational license for business, permitted home occupation, or residential rental property.

DISCLAIMER: Please be aware that when you hire an unlicensed/uninsured person to do work at your home, you accept the liability. Island Visitor Publishing is not responsible for claims made by advertisers.

Tami and Tom reside on Lot #287, 2868 Steamboat Loop. They are part-time residents from Louisiana and North Carolina. Tami is a retired teacher. Tom is retired from the military and is a Disabled American Veteran. In her spare time, Tami enjoys cruising, going out to eat, and shows. In his spare time, Tom enjoys cruising and playing poker.

Susan and Rick Brown

Susan and Rick reside on Lot #681, 19300 Potomac Circle. They are part-time residents from Pennsylvania. They have two children and two grandchildren. Susan is a retired homemaker. Rick is a semi-retired account representative for a swimming pool company. In her spare time, Susan enjoys lying by the pool. In his spare time, Rick enjoys riding in his new golf cart.

Laura and Bob Cutler

Laura and Bob reside on Lot #238, 2584 Macon Circle. They are part-time residents from Ohio. They have seven children and twelve grandchildren. Laura is a retired masseuse. Bob is retired from the lawn and landscaping business. In their spare time, both Laura and Bob enjoy going to the Everglades and kayaking.

Jack Wands

Jack resides on Lot #526, 2837 Darwin Street. He is a part-time resident from New York. He has one child and one grandchild. Jack is a semi-retired mechanic at a golf course. In his spare time, Jack enjoys the pool and Happy Hour.

Janice and Georges reside on Lot #323, 2862 Cloister Street. They are full-time residents from France and Michigan. They have three children and one grandchild. Janice is currently a student. Georges owns his own remodeling business. In their spare time, they both are eager to start participating in all the activities at Tara Woods.

Debbie and Dennis O’Neill

Debbie and Dennis reside on Lot #140, 19736 Woodfield Circle. They are full-time residents from New Jersey. They have two children and five grandchildren. Debbie is a retired LPN and worked in homecare. Dennis is a retired sheet metal mechanic with Local #22. In her spare time, Debbie enjoys being active, Bingo, chair volleyball, pool volleyball and playing Left/Right/Center. In his spare time, Dennis enjoys saltwater fishing, horseshoes, and shooting pool.

Susie and Cliff Stewart

Susie and Cliff reside on Lot #385, 2737 Steamboat Loop. They are part-time residents from Kentucky. They have two children and four grandchildren. Susan is a retired travel agent. Cliff is a retired supervisor from LG&E Company. In her spare time, Susie enjoys Bingo, Hand and Foot, and the pool. In his spare time, Cliff enjoys reading and golf.

WELCOME TO TARA WOODS,

Barbara Krilivsky and Linda Kasdorf, co-chairs of the Welcome Committee

ATTENTION VETERANS!!

Many of you are not aware of USAA Auto and Home Insurance specifically designed for veterans AND THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS: spouses, brothers, sisters, children, grandchildren etc. I can attest to the fact that the savings are substantial (for myself and my family) since becoming a member several years ago. You just need to call: 1-800-531-8722 to enroll.

YOU SERVED, NOW YOU CAN SAVE! Sam Topping, U.S. Army

This is Old Glory. Is yours faded and torn? Retire her to a proper disposal. Drop her off at 19553 Charleston Circle (Lot #12) or the Guard House. Replacements are available from Bob Glandorf. $8.00 Bob Glandorf

FROM THE BOARD ROOM by Lou

All of us here in Tara Woods have at least one thing in common. None of us is from Tara Woods. Each of us chose to come here and make Tara Woods our winter home or our full-time home. As a result of choosing to live here we have met and gotten to know a vast number of people, many of whom have become close friends and neighbors. The people here are from all over and have come here with different life experiences and talents. What an opportunity!

Your Board of Directors demonstrates that diversity of our community. Lou Dunning is from Pennsylvania, Kentucky, New Jersey, Iowa, Nebraska, Missouri, and Wisconsin; Peter Krilivsky is from Connecticut, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Florida; Chris Olson is from Iowa, Indiana, Illinois, and Wisconsin; Barbara Werner-Lubich is from Iowa, Texas, Minnesota, Indiana, Pennsylvania, New York, and Maryland; Lynn Lessmiller is from South Carolina, North Carolina, and Florida; Andrea Snyder is from Canada, Wisconsin, Iowa, New Jersey and Pennsylvania; Carol Schnepp is from Pennsylvania and Florida; Dennis Purks is from Maryland, Virginia, Washington, D.C., Karamursel in Turkey, Alabama, and Florida. While we share different backgrounds and life experiences, we all share the desire to make OUR community the best it can be.

HOW? By reaching out and helping your neighbors or by joining one or more of our amenities and clubs

and getting to know new people.

HOW many standing committees and Boardrelated groups does the Board oversee? If you guessed thirty-five, you are correct! That represents hundreds of Tara Woods residents working on our behalf!

Thank you to ALL our volunteers who work to make Tara Woods a Community we can all take pride in. THANK YOU!! We invite you to join this cadre of dedicated, diversified, talented Tara Woods residents.

For your review in this month’s issue of The Columns, I have included a partial list of the committees and groups that are available for your participation. If you have any questions or want more information, contact me or any Board member. JOIN US!!

HEADS UP – Your Board of Directors, together with our Activities Director Celia, are putting together an array of discounts and/or free deals throughout the year for our valued HOA members. Keep an eye out.

DID YOU KNOW THAT --- We have a new Community Manager, Helen Bobbitt. She has over six years of experience with communities like ours. We welcome her to Tara Woods and look forward to working together to continue the rebuild from Hurricane Ian and addressing making Tara Woods even better. She is scheduled to be available at the beginning of October.

Lou Dunning, President, 239-240-5847, loudunning2@gmail.com

As a member of the FMO you should be receiving information about what the FMO is doing, has recently been done, or plans on doing. This information typically comes to you via email or in the FMO magazine.

If you submitted your application and have not been receiving any information from the FMO, then please contact them to make sure they did not make an error in entering the information or you provided the incorrect information. The biggest errors are periods for commas. Why become a member of the FMO? The biggest reason is there is strength in numbers. Over the last several years the FMO has repeatedly stopped the Legislature from establishing a sales tax on your monthly lot rent. The last attempt was between 6½ and 7%.

You do the math: 6½% of your monthly lot rent equals? Then take that number and times it by 12. That would have been your additional cost if the FMO was not able to stop it. The FMO is comprised of all volunteers – our neighbors, our neighbor’s neighbors, etc. Anyone living in a manufactured home community who pays a monthly lot rent and does not own the land is eligible to become a member. What about you?

Go to FMO.org and click on the JOIN icon. For those of you without computers, revised applications will be posted on the back bulletin board in the Clubhouse.

I appreciate your support. That is the magic of Tara Woods. ~ Thank you, Stuart Berman

RED HAT LADIES

Come join us on Tuesday, October 3rd, at 1:00 PM, at Herons Glen restaurant, 2250 Herons Glen Blvd., North Fort Myers. The sign-up sheet is on the board in the Clubhouse.

We have lunch, cocktails, fun and a social. Hope to see some new faces. If there are any questions, call me, Diane Smith, at 616-772-4573.

BOARD RESPONSIBILITIES

TWHA BOARD OF DIRECTORS RESPONSIBILITIES 2023/2024

President – Lou Dunning

Administration

Audit Committee

By-Laws Committee (Janet Daly)

Community Improvement Committee

Legal Concerns

NFM Community Liaison

Operating Policies

Park Purchase Com. - ex-officio

Statutory Rent Committee – ex-officio

Sound & Lighting (Polly Brown)

Website Liaisons (Donna Erhardt/Lynn Lessmiller)

Recording Secretary - Chris Olson

Bulletin Boards (Chuck Poveromo)

Columns Delivery (Linda

Janis & Donna Tribeck)

Columns Newsletter (Linda Elliott)

Key Control

Library (Angie Roncek)

Office Supplies

Sunshine and Sympathy (Debbie Doty)

TWHA Meeting Records

Membership Secretary –Barbara Werner-Lubich

Community Directory (Haywood Gandy)

Copiers/Copier Supplies

Membership Records/Dues

Nominating/Election Committee (Tim Hoch)

Lee County Special Needs Memorial Committee – (Eileen Robinson)

Director – Andrea Snyder

FMO (Stu Berman)

N/N Watch/Silver Alert (Stu Berman)

Assoc. Mtg. Refreshments (Sue C & Alice L)

Blood Mobile

Blood Pressure Screening (Gwen Windancer)

Hall Set-up for monthly Assoc. Mtg.

Vice President – Peter Krilivsky

Administration

Committee Review (operating policy)

Community Improvement Committee

Operating Policies

Website Committee

Activities Liaison (Celia Blotkamp)

Statutory Rent Comm. (Jim Laudido)

Welcome Committee/Name Tags (Barbara Krilivsky & Linda Kasdorf)

Treasurer - Dennis Purks

Aluminum Can Collection

Financial Records

Insurance, Sales Tax

Social Events, Veterans Wall

Director – Lynn Lessmiller

Apparel

Information Specialist

Park Purchase Committee

Web Master/co-Administrator with Donna Erhardt

Kitchen/Coffee (Janet Daly)

Pancakes (Fred Puhlfuest)

Director- Carol Schnepp

Aluminum Tab Collection (Ron & Sue Proulx)

Ceramic (Donna Tribeck)

Craft Rooms (Lynn Porter)

Clubhouse Scheduler (Janet Daly)

Lost & Found

Medical Equipment - loan (Chuck Poveromo)

N/N Helping Neighbor (Eileen Robinson

In addition to the Board responsibilities here are some of the groups and activities to join: Water Aerobics - Chair Volleyball

- Table Tennis, Card Games, Numerous Types -

Bible Studies - Book Club - Quilt Group - Pickle Ball - Line Dancing - Horseshoes

- Golf - Garden Club - Bowling - Bocce - Bingo

- Billiards - Tai Chi - Theater Group - Tennis

- Shuffleboard - Red Hats - Exercises for Seniors

ENTERTAINING NEWS

Happy Fall to all of you at Tara Woods. With the fall season we see the snowbirds return from their northern nests and make their way back to the sunny south. As one myself, I can honestly say I am anxiously waiting for the day I can return to my Tara Woods family! Some people may already have returned, so let me say ‘Welcome Back’ and let’s make winter 2023-2024 the best one yet!

For our Entertainers, I got word from director Janet Daly that there will likely be an email coming to you with our schedule for rehearsals, and that rehearsals start on Monday, October 2nd at 9:00 AM sharp! As in previous years, rehearsals will be two hours long and we ask that you please respect your fellow cast and crew by being on time. Rehearsals will be every Monday and Thursday unless otherwise noted. Here are a few do’s and don’ts to follow. Please try to schedule appointments, getaways, and vacations to try to avoid these days. While it is understandable that sometimes life gets in

the way, it is important to let Janet or Pat know as soon as possible when there is something that conflicts with rehearsal, as they will need to arrange for stand-ins for your part. You will receive a schedule either by email or at the first rehearsal for the entire year, so everyone knows the dates ahead of time. Also, you will have all the Entertainers’ contact information available to you at the first rehearsal.

This will be my last article for a while as Pat Dunning has decided to resume the role of writer of the article starting in November. I have enjoyed writing this article for you tremendously and hopefully will get an opportunity to do so again! Until then, I will leave you with a quote that strays a little from drama, but I like it anyway….

“Youth is the gift of nature, but age is a work of art!” –

Stanislaw Jerzy Lec

Submitted by Lesley Krauss – pklesley@icloud.com

The Library in the Clubhouse will be open normal days and hours: Monday through Sunday - 7:00 AM to 10:00 PM.

Above: A group of us met on July 19th in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and had a good time. Beth & Ken Ferris, Linda & Warren Engel, Sharon & Don Boehlke, Dave & Peggy Boncher.

Right: Linda & Kent Hetzer also joined us for lunch.

Celia Blotkamp and Lorraine Quinn traveled north to escape the Florida Heat. They visited Celia’s family in Virginia, where they stopped by the Women’s Military Memorial in Arlington Cemetery. Then on to Long Island to see Lorraine’s family with a stop at Cedar Beach for sand, sun, and music. They spent two weeks in the Fingler Lakes region and Lake Ontario visiting college friends. Show

DID YOU KNOW?

A NEW MONTHLY ARTICLE FROM YOUR NEIGHBORS HELPING NEIGHBORS COMMITTEE a TWHOA Board-affiliated group

The mission of Neighbors Helping Neighbors is to be an INFORMATIONAL RESOURCE for services that are available in Lee County that would meet the needs of Tara Woods residents.

This month we would like to share with you our upcoming plans for presentations. We try to bring you monthly learning sessions. Dates to be determined.

• A Women’s Self-Defense class sponsored by the Sherriff’s Department

• Lunch and Learn programs from the Seniors Blue Book

• Speaker from Baldwin Brothers Funeral & Cremation

• Program from Area Agency on Aging

• Medicare programs from SHINE

On Saturday, October 28th, a speaker from Professional Insurance will host Saturday Morning Coffee with coffee and donuts. More details to follow. Are there programs you would like to see? Is there any information you would like to know? Contact anyone on our committee and give us your suggestions.

R.E.A.D.Y. for Women and Girls: SELF- DEFENSE

WHEN: WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12

1PM-3PM

WHERE: TARA WOODS CLUBHOUSE

This 2-hour basic self-defense class for women ages 13-100 provides basic personal safety information for all types of situations. It promotes awareness of your surroundings, avoiding danger, and responding to threats. Practical exercises are offered as part of the class to learn strikes and escape from holds

LEE COUNTY SHERRIF’S OFFICE PERSONAL SAFETY PROGRAM

NEW IMAGE CHORUS

The New Image Chorus is seeking someone who can play piano while the Director leads the Chorus.

Chorus rehearsals are on Mondays, at 12:30 PM, and last for two hours, with a short break.

The New Image Chorus is made up of members of Tara Woods who enjoy singing, meeting new residents, and having a good time. To become a member of the Chorus all you must do is show up on Mondays. There are no tryouts, special requirements to read music, or anything of that nature.

In the spring we will sing our hearts out during our performance to Tara Woods residents, friends, and neighbors.

If this sounds like something that might interest you, you can contact Polly Brown at 239-246-2391.

Thank you, Stuart Berman

MARK YOUR CALENDERS

On Saturday, October 28th, at Saturday Morning Coffee, we will have a short information session presented by Bryce Mednick of Professional Insurance who will also be hosting the event.

Professional Insurance is the preferred Insurance Provider for our FMO. They have helped several of our residents with their insurance needs this past year. Not only do they provide Mobile Home Insurance, they also can help you with your Medicare Supplemental policies, Long Term Care, Auto, Life, Health, etc. needs.

They will also provide a complete review of

your coverage for hurricanes and what to look for when selecting an insurance carrier.

Your Neighbors Helping Neighbors invite you to attend this information session at Saturday Morning Coffee on October 28th, and did we mention Bryce will be hosting so that means FREE COFFEE AND DONUTS. You can’t beat that, plus you can get your unanswered questions answered.

Hope to see you all at Saturday Morning Coffee, October 28th.

A DAY OF CARING

You will be hearing about the Day of Caring until Christmas. JUST WHAT IS A DAY OF CARING????

a. It started over twenty-five years ago when Lake Fairways, Pine Lakes and Tara Woods got together to raise money for three separate Local Charities.

b. It starts in October and goes on until mid-December.

c. You will receive a letter in the October issue of The Columns with an envelope attached for your private donation. This was the only way we made money for A Day of Caring until the Quarter Auction began.

d. Before I, Chris Olson, became the Chairperson for A Day of Caring in 2019, Tara Woods’ donations were just over $2,000.00.

e. Sue Cook introduced the Quarter Auction to the Board in November 2019, with ALL proceeds going to the Quarter Auction. That year we doubled our total donations. Each year we are getting bigger and better. Last year, you (Tara Woods) gave $6,706.90, beating both other Communities by $6.90. It is not a contest, but I do love to be number one!! Our Goal is to do even better this year.

f. Even with the Quarter Auction, we still need the individual donations, which is what the envelope you will get in the October issue of The Columns is for.

g. The Quarter Auction committee is headed by Judy Girty, with Sue Cook, Rich Girty, and me. You will be hearing much more about the Quarter Auction.

WHERE DOES ALL THIS MONEY GO???

1. Fort Myers Rescue Mission

Provides housing and meals to men who are trying to get their lives back together. They must work, attend Bible study, attend Church and be helpful on the premises. No drinking or drugs allowed.

2. Catholic Charities

Our donation goes to Elizabeth Kay Galeana Center of Catholic Charities in Fort Myers. With your donations, they feed over 7,000 men, women, and children each month.

Total donations last year: Pine Lakes $6,700.00; Lake Fairways $3,786.00; Tara Woods $6,706.90; totaling $17,192.90.

We all thought that with Ian the donations would be way down, but we have wonderful, caring, and giving people in all three parks. Several of us have been to each of the charities several times. You can be certain that your dollars and quarters will go to great causes and be spent wisely – not to administrative personnel.

Thank you, each of you, for all you do. Chris Olson, Chairperson for the Tara Woods Day of Caring Inc.

HOWDY NEW YORK / NEW JERSEY CLUB!!

Dorothy Andrus and Pat Downs are rounding up New York/New Jersey Club members for a HOEDOWN.

It will be on Saturday, November 4th, in the Clubhouse.

The Chuck Wagon will be serving up chili, baked beans, mashed potatoes, and corn bread. We hope you’ll saddle up and join in by wearing your finest western outfit. Now giddy-up and sign up at the Clubhouse for a galloping good time!

QUARTER AUCTION

4TH ANNUAL QUARTER AUCTION NOVEMBER 9, 2023

When: Thursday, November 9, 2023

Time: Doors open at 4:30 pm. Auction starts at 5:30 pm

Paddles: $5.00 each (donation)

Food: will be available for purchase

Reservations contact Judy Girty at 513-702-6874

Questions contact Chris Olson at 715-851-4681

Tables will be set up to seat 8. When you make your reservation, please let us know how many will be at your table. We may have to add people if you have less than 8.

Crafters – sue cook is accepting donations if you would like to donate some of your talented work.

Also, gift cards are always welcome.

I am also looking for volunteers to help with the auction. Please call me if you would like to help. It takes volunteers to make this a success. Thank you in advance.

All proceeds from the Quarter Auction go to A Day of Caring. SPONSORED BY YOUR TWHOA.

What the heck is a Quarter Auction? Well, it is a raffle-style auction, not a traditional auction.

As a Quarter Auction participant, you’ll want to arrive at “doors open” time – bring a supply of quarters and your friends! We recommend a couple rolls of quarters.

When you arrive, you’ll get your bid paddle. When you rent your paddle(s), a poker chip matching your paddle number(s) will go into a container used to draw winning numbers throughout the event.

You will also have an opportunity to visit the individual vendor tables to register for door prizes. The vendors will also have cash and carry items for sale!

When the auction begins, each auction item will be presented and “auctioned”, one by one. You will use your quarters and paddles to bid, but no fear! You do not try to out-bid others, but rather bid the requested number of quarters (typically 2-3) on the item for a chance to win that item! The retail value of the item determines the number of quarters required per paddle to bid.

Once you toss the required number of quarters into bowls on the table and they are collected, you raise your paddle in the air. We will begin drawing numbers from the numbered chips matching the paddles. If the announcer calls your number and if you have placed the bid, you win! If the number called wasn’t played, numbers continue to be pulled until a number is called for someone who had bid and had their paddle in the air! Then, on to the next auction item.

Bid on everything! A great way to potentially squirrel away items in your gift closet for that unexpected hostess, thank you, or birthday gifts.

Usually there are 2 auction rounds with a break between 2 rounds – to make sure you’ve registered for the door prizes. The auction rounds are followed by the door prize round.

TARA WOOD QUARTER AUCTION

FOOD SERVICE STARTS AT 4:00PM

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 9TH

Paula Dykstra, Diane Smith, and friends will be hosting a Thanksgiving Dinner at Tara Woods. We will run this similar to how the Easter dinner is done. Each table of ten will be provided with one turkey, rolls, butter, gravy, tablecloth, pies, centerpiece, and water. Coffee will also be provided. The residents at each table will then provide their own plates, silverware, napkins, cups, and beverages. All the side dishes will be brought by the residents at each table. One person at each table will coordinate who brings what dish that day. We really want this to be a meal where you bring a shut-in neighbor that would not otherwise get a Thanksgiving meal.

Date: Thursday, November 23rd.

Time: 12:00-1:00 PM – Social Hour, 1:00 PM – Dinner

Cost: $10.00 per person

Tickets will be sold from 5:30-6:30 PM at Tuesday Bingo, and 7:30-8:30 AM at Saturday Morning Coffee, beginning Saturday, October 28th.

Limit of 150 people.

Questions – Call Paula Dykstra, 616-481-7329

CANS TO THE CURB

Put your aluminum cans out to the curb on the 1st and 3rd Saturday of each month by 9:00 am. Our dedicated volunteers will pick them up. Why? – Revenue from the cans help fund your homeowners association. Recycling by “cans to the curb” it is good for us and our environment. Cans to the curb!!!

TENNIS NEWS

TENNIS ASSOCIATION

I can’t believe the summer has gone by and we are going to have a new tennis season starting in a few short weeks. I hope everyone will be able to join us for “Open Tennis” at 9:00 AM every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday. Everyone is welcome, regardless of skill level. You can join in to play on any of those days. Also, look for the Round Robins which will be held monthly on the fourth Saturday, starting in November. ~

Ed Sandre

OPEN TENNIS

The “Open Tennis” (Mixed Doubles) continued during the summer months even when there were just enough tennis players to make a foursome on just one of the courts. However, now that the snowbirds will be returning to Tara Woods in the coming months, there will be more tennis players showing up to play. It will be great to see the tennis courts full of enthusiastic tennis players again! Feel free to join us on the tennis courts every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday from 9:00 – 10:30 AM. All skill levels are welcome. If you have an interest in tennis, stop by and see what is happening on the courts.

TENNIS LEAGUES

Men’s League: White Team – Stallions

On Tuesday, November 7th, White League will start their new tennis season.

I know everyone appreciated the support that the residents showed for our home games and I hope that we can field a team as competitive as last season.

Hope to see everyone there soon. ~ Ed Sandre White Team – Mustangs

The Mustangs will begin league play on Tuesday, November 7th, this year. We are looking forward to playing, and our goal is to improve our record from last year. All our matches have been closely contested since joining the White League, so we expect future matches to be very competitive.

The league playing schedule is not yet made up, so our home and away dates are not known. We are excited to get the season started.

We are thankful for the support that we receive and we love playing in front of our fans. See you at the courts. ~ Roger Rafferty

Blue Team – Tigers

We are looking forward to the upcoming tennis season. If anyone is interested in playing on the Tara Woods team in the Blue League, call Don Swartz at 230-599-8184. ~ Don Swartz

Women’s League: Women’s Team – Angels

The following is information for the upcoming 2023-2024 SWIFT Tennis Season. The season begins on Thursday, November 9th, and goes through Thursday, March 21st. The Women’s League plays on Thursday mornings. Starting times vary depending on which

community is hosting the match. The starting time for our Tara Woods “home games” for this season has been changed to 9:30 AM. Our Tara Woods team has practice on Tuesday mornings at 9:00 AM. If you are currently signed up for the team, but have decided to be taken off the player list, please contact Linda Engel. Between October 1st to October 3rd, the Player List and the Sub List will be confirmed with the League Coordinator. If anyone has any questions regarding the upcoming season, you can call Trish Martell at 715-212-9985. Additionally, we are looking for two players interested in leading the team, as we need a Captain and a Co-Captain for the team. ~ Linda Engel

ROUND ROBINS

We look forward to welcoming back all our Tara Woods tennis players and any new residents who play tennis or would like to start playing tennis! Our Round Robin events are held on the fourth Saturday of the month starting at 9:00 AM. There will be snacks and refreshments served, and some fun tennis with all levels of play! The dates for this season’s Round Robins are: November 25th, (there is no Round Robin in December), January 27th, February 24th, and March 23rd. If anyone has any questions or suggestions, reach out to me. – Greg Girard 239-888-9135

~ Submitted by Linda Engel

SPORTS, EXERCISE, and ACTIVITIES

ACTIVITIES, ACTIVITIES

It is October, and the beginning of our Tara Woods season of MAGIC. Did you know there are 16 clubs, 10 types of games, 3 service organizations, and 16 sports activities?

All information for these activities is on the Clubhouse bulletin board, in each issue of The Columns, and on the TWHOA website.

*BACK TO THE MAGIC DANCE/OCTOBER FEST FOOD TRUCKS

Saturday, October 14th - Sponsored by HTA/HOA Activities

*TRICK OR TREAT

Saturday, October 21st - Sponsored by Angie Roncek/Celia Blotkamp

*Halloween Party

Saturday, October 28th - Sponsored by Mid-Atlantic Club

And, as Lou Dunning, our HOA President, reminds us—attending Saturday Morning Coffee keeps us informed of the community news.

November and December are filled with great entertainment and parties. Put your Tara Woods calendars on your refrigerators and join us for the Magic of our community.

As always, I welcome your suggestions for keeping the magic alive in Tara Woods.

Celia Blotkamp, Activities Coordinator, baileynme99@gmail.com, 703-863-2973

To stay informed of events in Tara Woods:

- Read the posters on the bulletin board in the Clubhouse.

CERAMICS

Check out your Ceramic Room

We are located in the building behind the tennis courts. There is a kiln on-site to fire your work. This hobby is perfect for everyone from beginners to experienced. Arrangements can be made for one-on-one instruction, plus there are plenty of people to help. On Monday mornings you can find quite a few of us there. Members get a key to come at their own pace and time. To arrange a time to visit, call Donna Tribeck at 239-357-3333. Hope to see you there.

- Check the Clubhouse bulletin boards for meeting and event information and sign-up sheets.

- Come to Saturday Morning Coffee!

- Read The Columns and check the Calendar.

- Sign on to the Tara Woods website, www.twhoa.net, to be kept informed of all current events and more!

- Check out page 5 of the Tara Woods Community Resident Directory to see all the opportunities to keep you busy in Tara Woods, with the contact people for each one listed if you have questions.

- Page 4 of the Directory lists the contact people for specific responsibilities under the Board of Directors that you can contact with any questions.

BOOK CLUB BOWLING

The next meeting of the monthly Book Club will be at the Clubhouse in the Living Room at 1:30 PM on Thursday, October 5th. If you are reading or have a book you want to share with the club, just bring it with you and tell us about it. We would love to meet you and your book.

EXERCISE FOR SENIORS

CURTIS IS BACK AND HE IS LOOKING FOR YOU!

Now is the time to get up and get going again. This is a total body workout that can be done standing or sitting down. It includes stretching, balance, cardio and light weights. Give it a try – nothing to lose and may even gain some muscle.

CLASSES ARE HELD IN THE CLUBHOUSE

Tuesday and Thursday 8:00 AM

Contact Barb Simonson 541-840-4430

Wednesday and Saturday 10:00 AM – Contact Celia Blotkamp 703-863-2973

MOVIE NITE

To all new and existing residents. Looking for a way to get a little exercise, meet new residents and have FUN? Well then, come join our Tara Woods Winter Bowling League starting the first Wednesday in October through the first Wednesday in April with the banquet the following week. We start at 10:00 AM for shadow bowling at Coral Lanes on Santa Barbara in Cape Coral. No prior bowling experience necessary.

Contact Judy GIrty, League President, at 513-702-6874 to join in on the fun.

WATER VOLLEYBALL!

Thursdays & Sundays 1:00 – 3:00 PM

Come join us in this fun, non-competitive sport. Meet new/old friends, and get a few laughs while exercising. No experience necessary.

Hope to see you there. Any questions, contact Barb Simonson at 541-840-4430.

By Lloyd & Carolyn Kelsey

September was our last movie presentation! After 23 years we found it’s time to retire, due to health reasons. We’ve enjoyed entertaining you and have met so many nice people here in our Tara Woods Family. Let’s keep “The Magic” going. A big thanks to those very special ladies that helped all these years, who printed the posters for every movie we presented. Jan Puhlfuerst, Barbara Roland, and Donna Erhardt were my ANGELS who made me look good.

Bill Black kept the popcorn machine in operating order and would order and deliver the many cases of popcorn for us to serve you. Just imagine, Free Movie and Free Popcorn – where else can you get that? Ha!

We are very fortunate to have Lynn & Jeff Lessmiller volunteer to take over. Their first movie will begin in January 2024. They will keep “The Magic” going. Be sure to thank them and show up for their movies.

Love You All! God Bless! ~ Lloyd & Carolyn

Kelsey

WATER AEROBICS

8:00 AM Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays.

Air temperature must be 62 degrees by 8:00 AM. Use ABC News to check the temperature. If questions for the 8:00 AM class, contact Judy Brda at 239-731-1797. This is a great exercise for men and women with less stress on your joints and muscles. The class consists of stretching, cardio, and water weights. If you have them, bring noodles, stretch bands, and water weights. If questions, contact Judy Brda at 239-731-1797.

DO YOU KNOW WHERE THE AED’S ARE?

If you’re wondering what an AED is – and why they seem to be located in most offices and public buildings, you’re not alone. In fact, because these devices are now commonly available, more people than ever before are curious about them. So – just what is an AED? An AED, or automated external defibrillator,

is used to help those experiencing sudden cardiac arrest. It’s a sophisticated, yet easy-touse, medical device that can analyze the heart’s rhythm and, if necessary, deliver an electrical shock, or defibrillation, to help the heart re-establish an effective rhythm.

This one is located at the north entrance of the Clubhouse.

This is in the entry area of the Craft Room near the tennis courts.

MID-ATLANTIC SOCIAL CLUB NEWS

We welcome Tara Woods residents from Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and friends from all over the country. Check out our postings on the bulletin board in the Clubhouse for contact information and upcoming events. If you have any questions about our Club, please contact one of the officers (names posted on each newsletter).

In August we gathered with appetizers and desserts. We discussed our roles in the community Halloween Party and were clued in on our September Tacky Tourist meeting. September 17th brought a whole new meaning to the word tacky! We will be celebrating everyone’s birthday in October with a giant birthday party. The Club will provide pizza and cake, and a Yankee Swap will ensure that everyone goes home with a birthday gift.

~

Sue Clark - Secretary

MIDWEST CLUB

Our next Midwest Club Meeting will take place on Friday, November 17th. Social Hour will be from 5:00-6:00 PM, dinner will be served at 6:00 PM. We will be collecting your $5.00 dues per person at this meeting. These dues are for the entire season.

Our theme will be “Decorate Your Dogs”, Hot Dogs, that is! We will have grilled hot dogs with all kinds of toppings. We will also serve baked beans, and potato chips, and dessert. Our meeting will follow dinner and we will play a game afterwards. The cost is $7.00 per person. Tickets will be sold from 5:30-6:30 PM at Tuesday Bingo, and 7:30-8:30 AM at Saturday Morning Coffee, beginning Saturday, October 28th. ~ Paula Dykstra

NEW ENGLAND CLUB

Hello, New England Club! Hope everyone is eager to begin another fun-filled and busy season. If you’re just getting back from New England, there are schedules for the 2023-2024 season on our bulletin board.

We have a couple of changes to tell you about regarding changes in officers. Unfortunately, Claudette Burke had to resign as Vice President due to health issues. Thank you, Claudette, for all your service and dedication to the Club.

Carol Malatesta, our Membership Secretary, will be filling the position of Vice President. Carol has been an officer for many years and puts a lot of hard work into helping make the New England Club the great club that it is. Candy McLean will be taking over as Membership Secretary. Candy and her husband Andy moved to Tara Woods last season from Massachusetts, joined our club immediately, and have been very eager to become involved and help wherever needed. Thank you, Candy!

On a sad note, our sincere sympathies go out to Donna Evans on the loss of her husband, Bob, this summer in New Hampshire. Bob was a member of the New England Club many years ago, and if you were lucky enough to know him, you knew what a kind and gentle soul he was. He will be missed.

The New England Club Welcome Back Party is being held on Saturday, October 21st, at 5:00 PM. The sign-up sheet will be posted on Thursday, September 21st, and sign-ups, as always, are MANDATORY. Sign-ups will close on Tuesday, October 17th, so if you know someone who would want to come to the party but will not make it back in time to sign up, please check with them and sign them up.

On the menu: Publix Subs and a side. Please bring a dessert, BYOB and raffle money. Please do not show up if you didn’t sign up because we are only ordering food for those who signed up. There is no charge for this party, however, yearly dues must be paid upon arrival. Dues are $5.00 per person. CASH ONLY, NO CHECKS. And, as always, we will have some very fun games planned. Hope to see you all there.

~ Judy Machnicz, President, New England Club

NEW YORK / NEW JERSEY CLUB

Thank you to everyone who helped with the Labor Day Party. In alphabetical order: Stu Berman, Ken Clark, Russ Daly, Pat & Harry Downs, Diana Hoffman, Chuck & Marcia Poveromo, Fred Puhlfuerst, Barbara Roland, Sue & Bill Sobkowicz and Scott & Stephanie Spalin. Following Murphy’s Law, my car died that week, so Russ did all the picking up at GFS, and we only realilzed that morning, that we had no propane to boil water for the corn. Fred and crew got very creative to cook up onehundred ears of corn and have it ready on time. Kudos to them for preparing the best corn ever!

Our first meeting of the season is the Welcome Back Wine & Cheese Party on Saturday, October 7th at 5:00 PM. Thank you to Marcia & Chuck Poveromo for hosting this favored meeting. There is no charge, but you are asked to bring a dessert to share and, of course, there will be a Social Raffle, so wear your name tag! I hope you signed up to join us or to help at this event.

The November meeting is on Saturday, November 4th, at 5:00 PM, hosted by Dorothy Andrus and Pat Downs. The sign-up and helpers sheet should be on the bulletin board. Make sure to sign up!

The meeting dates for the 2023-2024 season are listed below. They will also be emailed to you and paper copies are available on the Club bulletin board. Thank you to all who volunteered to host a meeting this season. I will continue to set up the “meeting packet” to give you everything you need to host a successful meeting. Hosts are needed for the January and March meetings. Please consider hosting one of these meetings to complete the season.

Attention new residents from New York or New Jersey!! You are always welcome to join the New York/New Jersey Club at all our events. We do not collect dues, but you do have to be from NY or NJ. All meetings, events and sign-up sheets are posted on the Club bulletin board on the north side of the Clubhouse under “New York/New Jersey Club”. We’d love to meet you and welcome you into the Club.

I hope everyone had a great summer. I look forward to seeing you at the Welcome Back Wine & Cheese Party. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me.

~ Janet Daly, janetdaly@yahoo.com, 239-567-2285

New York/New Jersey Club

Meetings/Events 2023-24 - Save the Dates!

• Saturday, October 7th: 5:00 PM - Welcome Back Wine & Cheese

- Hosted by Chuck & Marcia Poveromo

• Saturday, November 4th: 5:00 PM - Hosted by Dorothy Andrus & Pat Downs

• Saturday, November 25th: 9:00 AM - Decorate Christmas Tree in Clubhouse

• Sunday, December 3rd: 5:00 PM - Christmas Meeting

- Hosted by Eileen Robinson & Barbara Roland

• Saturday, January 6th, 2024: 9:00 AM

- Christmas un-decorating at the Clubhouse

• Saturday, January 6th, 2024: 5:00 PM - Host TBD

• Friday, February 9th: 4:00 PM - Nite at the Races

– Hosted by Janet Daly & Club

• Friday, March 1st: 5:00 PM - Host TBD

• Saturday, April 20th: 12:00 NOON - Out to Lunch

– Coordinated by Marge Datz

CLUBHOUSE MINISTRIES

For new residents of Tara Woods and existing residents too, the Clubhouse Ministries invite you to join one of their Bible study classes, which are held in the Clubhouse Meeting Room every Tuesday morning at 10:00 AM. These meetings give you an opportunity to make new friends as you study the Scriptures in relaxed and enjoyable surroundings. We are a non-denominational group. No need to make reservations, folks! Just stop by any Tuesday morning at 10:00 AM. Come

October 2023

IMPORTANT: 2023 TARA WOODS RESIDENT DIRECTORY NEWS

To our returning friends and neighbors, welcome home.

Many of the cell phone companies are offering various deals on new cell phones plans. If for any reason you have updated or changed your telephone number, please provide me with your updated information.

All TWHOA Members and Residents should submit updates or changes to me by email: haywood.gandy@gmail.com or utilize Resident Directory Information Form on page 27 in the Directory.

The form can be dropped off at the TWHOA Office in the Clubhouse. Please include your Lot #, Name, Address, Telephone Number(s), and Home State(s). Updates to the Directory are published in The Columns which is also available on the TWHOA website.

ENTERTAINMENT AROUND TARA WOODS

BINGO AT TARA WOODS

Be one of the winners at our Tuesday night BINGO. And you can win more than once during the night!

I f your eyesight isn’t as good as it once was, now you can play too. We have really BIG game packs and “Specials” that are 8 ½” x 11” with 2” numbers.

No additional charge for the ticket that can make you the “King” or the “Queen” for the night and earn you even more money on all game sheets.

Game packets are sold with either 6 game squares per sheet or 9 game squares. The “Special” game papers have 3 game squares. Buy as many as you’d like!

Our Tuesday night BINGO session consists of 14 regular games and 6 “Special” games

We also have “Hot Ball” prizes of $50.00 or more and a “Social” raffle. Sales STOP at 6:45 PM. Come join the fun.

PICKLEBALL

To all new and existing residents. Looking to get some exercise and have some fun at the same time? Come join us for Pickleball! It’s one of the fastest growing sports in the U.S. Current open play times are at 8:00 AM and 4:00 PM every day. Come down to the courts and say hello. We would be happy to teach you how to play the game. There are paddles available in the storage container in front of the courts and the balls are located on the door of each court. Proper footwear is required. Join in on the fun!

For further information contact

Jennifer Widener 239-823-0146 / Jenkederb@yahoo.com

Bruce (410) 409-5873 / bruce@brucelubichcpa.com

Alice (313) 220-0622 / gowings2429@sbcglobal.net

Louise (508) 672-2141 / lcpatter46@gmail.com

EUCHRE

Wednesday 7:00 PM. Come and enjoy a fun evening of euchre in the Card Room. The sign-up sheet is posted on the bulletin board in the Clubhouse each week. For information or if you want to learn to play, call Vera Day 941-223-3859.

BOCCE

Mondays at 3:00 PM & Tuesdays at 9:00 AM

No need to sign up. Don’t need a partner. New teams chosen every week ~ Easy to learn. Questions: call Rudy Diaz 239-347-7934. Additional time: Tuesdays at 3:30.

CHAIR VOLLEYBALL

Score points for your team sitting in a chair and volleying with a beach ball! Wednesdays at 7:00 PM in the Clubhouse. Dick Resh

TENNIS ANYONE?

Join other tennis players every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday from 9:00-10:30 AM for friendly Tennis.

BUNCO

Ladies and Gentlemen, come join us every Sunday at 7:00 PM in the Card Room. Cost is $3.00.

Will you have the first Bunco or the last, or the most? Will you have the most wins, or the most losses? If you do, the prize money will be yours! Come join the fun. Questions: call Polly Brown 239-246-2391.

PING PONG

Looking for Players!

Remember those days playing ping pong as a kid? You can still play today! Please join us on Thursdays from 1:00 to 3:00 PM in the Clubhouse. For further information contact Norm Libby at 239-246-3510.

AGGRAVATION

Meets in the Clubhouse Card Room at 6:30 PM on Monday and Thursday nights. The game consists of 11 hands and is easy to learn. Eight quarters gets you in. Come join the fun and play a great card game.

MAH JONGG

Come join the Mah Jongg group. Do not know how to play? We teach the first three Mondays of the month. We have a great time. Come & join us on Mondays 12:30-3:00 PM.

The Happy Ladies of Mah Jongg.

CRIBBAGE

There’s a “new” game at Tara Woods. If you hear someone say, “fifteen two fifteen four” and you don’t think they’ve lost a screw or two, come and join us in the Card Room every Wednesday at 2:00 PM for a few games of Cribbage. The arrangement is fairly flexible since Cribbage can be played by 2 or 3 or 4 players. Just be there by 2 PM. Cards, cribbage boards and fun will be provided.

Contact Barb Simonson 541-840-4430

POKER, ANYONE?

LADIES! DO YOU PLAY POKER? How long has it been since you’ve played with friends? Did you know there’s a game every Monday night at the Clubhouse just for the ladies? Well, we really don’t have a “No Boys Allowed!!!” Rule, but men usually don’t like to play with wild cards and we do. But they’re welcome to play as long as they are willing to “play like girls”. It is most likely the least stressful and least expensive poker you can play around here! It’s a good night to socialize with the ladies and make new friends with the girls who like to play poker. The stakes are very low. Call Polly Brown, 239-246-2391, if you’d like to join us – she’ll fill you in on the details or answer any questions you may have.

MEN’S POKER

Wednesday in Meeting Room at Clubhouse. 1:00 - 5:00 PM. Contact George D’Alessandro , 239-543-8492.

BRIDGE

The Bridge group is looking for bridge players. We meet on Tuesdays at 12:30 PM in the Card Room.

Call Beth Ferris at 239-5436295, Mary Green at 239-800-3837, or Pauline Young at 239-997-5984 first if you are interested in playing with this friendly group. We’d like to have you join us.

Beth Ferris

HAND AND FOOT CARD CLUB

Come join the group for a fun-filled afternoon of cards! We meet on Fridays at 1:30 PM in the Card Room. Don’t know how to play the game? EASY! We will teach you! It is easy to learn.

Questions: contact Polly Brown at 239-246-2391

GAME NIGHT

Eve ry Friday night at 7:00 p.m. Different games can be played (All are easy to learn) LEFT – CENTER – RIGHT (dice- 3-coin buy-in) (winner-take-all each game)

CONTRACT RUMMY (similar to Aggravation) (6 quarter buy-in)

31 (card game) (3 dime buy-in each game) (winner-take-all each game)

For more information call Polly Brown at 239-246-2391.

SHUFFLEBOARD BOWLING PIN

Games will be played on Thursday mornings at 10:00 AM. All are welcome to play. Instructions will be provided. We will play three games with a different partner each game. ~ Carol Clark

SHUFFLEBOARD HORSE COLLAR

Games will be played on Monday mornings at 10:00 AM. We will play three games. Cost is $1.00. All money collected will be paid out to winners.

HORSESHOES

Every Friday at 1:00 PM At the Horseshoe Pits. Come join us for fun and laughs.

BIRTHDAYS IN OCTOBER

1 Samuel Barr, Gary Carnevale, Pricilla Renahan, Mary Whitten

2 Mary Halupa, 97 Yrs.

3 Rich Courtney, Hilda Dienes

4 Denny Knebel, Carol Murphy

6 Frank Risbara, Don Tribeck

7 John Sabol

8 Ken Ferris, Larry Nadeau, Chris Quintal

9 Cookie Brunner, Bob DeSalvo, Jeff Fisher, Dorothy Krasovec, Randy Simonson, Marty Thompson

10 Marcia Poveromo

11 Becky Lundmark, Fred Pansegrau, Fred Puhlfuerst, Gail Salamino, Lynn Taylor, Janell Wissler

12 Suzi Brandt, Chris Fonner

13 Ghislain Marcil, Cliff Stewart

14 Elaine Baer, Mike Curtis, Debbie Doty, Jan Goers

15 Arlin Florell, Sally Florell, Beth Gross

16 Bill Glandorf, Nancy Lamson, Connie Noah, Sue Sobkowicz, Bob Tirollo

17 David Brock, Ellen Burgoyne

18 Ron Perkins

19 Arlene Greene, Mike Kelly, Jean LaVoie

20 Alice Montelaro, Mary Nothnagel

21 Ron Andrews, Jeanne Hoopman, Deb Skelton

22 Kim Johns, Angie Kern, Barb Robinson, Julie Wehrung

24 Ron Adriance, Lee Blusiewicz, Vicki Hoard, Annette McClintock

25 John Bianco, Ron Davidson, Sandy Schuelke

26 Denise Clark, Carolyn Esposito

27 Don Boehlke, Mike Hoard, Jack Morley, Jean Yurkovich

28 Mary Blau, Clayton Cooledge, Renee Horton, Shane Kemp, Trudy Victor

29 Lou Aubry, Gwen Martone

30 Peggy Conley, Maggie Johnston

31 Kim Girard, Bart Leneker, 94 Yrs., Ray Sheneman, David Whidden

ANNIVERSARIES IN OCTOBER

2 JC & Tiff Crimmins

3 Ann Marie & John Dixon, Marcia & Chuck Poveromo

7 Elaine & Lee Zacek

9 Sandra & Mark Wasie

11 Sharon & Rich LaPointe

12 Janice & George Johnston, 55 Yrs.

13 Debbie Doty & Rod Dolin

15 Laura & Bob Cutler, Linda & Martin D’Cruze

16 Claire & Mike Schwinn

17 Jan & Frank Risbara, Shelli & Don Vannatta

22 Beverly & Wayne Ray, Jo Ann & John Van Sleet

23 Vladimir & Luba Fulmas, Nancy Mullet & Bob Marigliano

24 Connie & Denny Knebel

25 Gay & Patrick O’Keefe

27 Norma & Louis Cruz, 61 Yrs.

28 Connie & Gary Noah

Contact Sue Clark 412-780-3584 or randsclark@verizon.net before October 10th for Special Recognition of Birthdays 90+ and Anniversaries 50, 55 or 60+ in November 2022

GETTING RECORDS AFTER A DISASTER

With last year’s visit from Hurricane Ian and the August pass-by of Hurricane Idalia fresh in our minds, you may have questions about what records to keep for taxes and how to get records that have been lost in a disaster. In this article, we discuss how to recover documents needed after they’re lost in a disaster, natural or otherwise. Remember, don’t panic about any tax deadlines. In most major natural disasters, the IRS will automatically extend the due dates for any tax filings, including tax returns and quarterly estimated payments.

It may take some imagination and a bit of work, but the most important documents usually can be retrieved from other sources. Please be aware that it costs time and money for those sources to find and copy your missing documents, so be prepared to pay fees for their work. Check with your insurance company on whether those fees can be included as part of your claim for the disaster.

If your tax returns from previous years were destroyed, you can get transcripts of your federal tax return for free by going to irs.gov and clicking on Get Transcript, or by calling 800-908-9946 and following the prompts. Or, if you used a tax professional to prepare and file your tax returns, you should be able to get a copy of the missing tax returns from them. Tax professionals are required to keep copies

in multiple locations, including the cloud, so copies should be available once the tax professional’s office is up and running after the disaster. Just keep the tax professional’s contact information in a safe place.

If your bank statements and credit card statements were lost, you should be able to get copies through the issuing bank. They are often available through the bank’s website, or you can contact the bank to request paper copies of the statements. There may be fees for older statements.

If documents relating to your house or other property were destroyed, you should contact the bank, title company, escrow company, or attorney that handled your purchase of the property to get documents related to the purchase, including the title. For your spending on home improvements before the disaster, contact the contractors who did the work to get a copy of the invoices or a statement of the completed work and its cost. If the house was inherited rather than purchased, check court records for probate values, or contact the attorney who handled the paperwork for the estate.

If the contents of a property are destroyed, you should contact the insurance company for any records

By Bruce Lubich

they may have of the contents. The best way to document the contents of a property is to take the time to videotape every room in detail. This serves as proof to the insurance company and to the IRS of what was in the property before the disaster. Just be sure that the video is stored elsewhere, whether it’s in the cloud or at a friend’s or relative’s house who does not live in the same area as your property.

If your vehicle is damaged or destroyed and the records lost, you can find its most recent value using Kelley Blue Book (kbb.com), National Automobile Dealers Association (nada. org), or Edmunds (Edmunds.com). You can get a copy of the vehicle’s title from your state’s vehicle licensing agency.

Of course, the time and effort needed to get all of these documents after a disaster could be avoided by scanning the documents before the disaster and sending the files to the cloud or to friends and relatives who live outside your area. If you do that, those documents will be available to you when you need them. Don’t know how to scan and save documents? That’s okay. Just ask a friend or relative for help, especially one of your grandchildren. They’re known as “digital natives” for a reason.