At their January 8, 2025, regular HOA Board meeting, the Nominating and Election Committee (Committee) presented the slate of candidates whose applications were received by the Committee. Pursuant to the By-Laws, the Board called for nominations and, having received no such nominations from the floor, passed a motion to close the nominations.
The slate of candidates which will appear on the ballot for election of officers are as follows (in alphabetical order); Leigh Anne Lawson, Robin Stranahan, Candace Starr and David Tomaszewski.
The Nominating and Election Committee mailed Ballots on or about January 21, 2025 and, in accordance with the By-Laws, all ballots must be received at the HOA office within 15 days of the date of mailing. Ballots which are received late will not be considered. Each Ballot includes instructions for completing and returning the ballot. A return envelope will be provided and ballots must be returned in the envelope provided (you will need to affix postage to the return envelope). Ballots which are not returned in the envelope provided will not be considered.
For more information on these HOA Sponsored Events see center section u Coffee with a Cop u Black Tie Optional u Spaghetti Dinner u Rocket Man u Tower Delivery Form u FMO Form u HOA Form NOTICE OF THE ANNUAL MEETING: The Del Tura HOA Board of Directors will hold the Annual Meeting on Feb 19, 2025 at 7:00 pm in the Starlight Ballroom. Posted by: Darla Greer, HOA Secretary Jan 20, 2025
If you have any questions about the election process, feel free to contact the Nominating and Elections Committee Acting Chair, Ruth Ann Blevins, by phone at (239) 220-9381 or email at rblevinshoa11@yahoo.com.
An Open Letter to HOA Members from your Nominating and Election Committee Chair:
As your Nominating and Election Committee (Committee) Chair. I thank the Board for the trust that has been placed in the Committee. I wish to thank those who have volunteered to serve on this Committee. Together, and with your support, the Committee has perfected the Board of Director election process to where it is transparent, trusted, and bulletproof. Each year we broaden the Committee membership and those members have shared their positive Committee experiences gaining greater trust with each passing year.
Contrary to popular belief, the Committee does not answer to the Community at large.
Rather, it is quite purposefully an independent committee under the direction of assigned Board Liaison. The Committee’s role is a narrow one. Simply
put, the charge is to effectively manage the election process in strict accordance with the HOA Bylaws and Policies and Procedures.
Above all else, the Committee is excruciatingly careful to do nothing which might favor any one candidate over another. Unfortunately, there are a few in our community who will spread misinformation about the role of the Committee or the way the election process is conducted. The Committee does its best to refute this misinformation and we ask you to do as well.
As a resident and member of the HOA, you have the most important role in the election process. Your role is to be informed about your candidates and using your direct knowledge to guide your opinions and decisions. Despite what you may hear or have read, we hope you know the election process is conducted with the utmost integrity. You can help us by letting your neighbors know you trust your Nominating and Election Committee and its management of the election process.
Thank you, Ruth Ann Blevins, Chair 2025 Nominating and Elections Committee
Leigh Anne Lawson
Hello! I’m asking for your vote for Del Tura HOA board of Directors.
I have been your Del Tura editor for the past two years. That has provided me with a vast knowledge of our Del Tura residents and all the events, committees, and activities we provide.
I would love to continue to assist this community by serving you on the board.
Candace Starr (Fuchs)
Because I have been working full time, I was not previously able to avail myself of the many volunteer opportunities or activities. I am now working part time and believe I have the background and experience to give
The Welcome Committee wishes to “welcome” you to Del Tura by hosting a table at our Coffee Socials every Tuesday beginning at 8:30 with a Welcome Session to share information about our community and North Fort Myers with you
back to the community. I grew up in western Pennsylvania and began my career with Nationwide Insurance:
• I began as an agent in Pittsburgh, PA.
• I moved to Columbus, OH to join the Sales Training Team.
• From there, I was transferred to Denver, CO as a Business Life Insurance Specialist. While in Colorado, I earned my BS Degree in Business and Economics from Regis Jesuit University in Denver, CO.
• I returned to Ohio to take over as Sales Manager, building a small team of just 16 agents to a successful team of 41 agents, each year earning the highest sales award offered by Nationwide Insurance.
• From there, I was promoted to State Sales Consultant for North Carolina.
• I was then promoted to Director of Sales Training, in Columbus, OH, leading a team of 10 sales trainers.
Continued on page 12
immediately following the meeting. Please come join our table right inside the front door to the Ballroom or stop by and say hello. RSVP Sherry Cottini, Welcome Committee Chair, 239-770-7711.
VETERANS COLUMN
I’m sure I am not the only baby boomer who got his first glimpse of war from the Hollywood version of it. I still vividly recall my father taking us to the drive-in to see a World War II double feature with John Wayne starring in The Fighting Seabees and The Sands of Iwo Jima For some of my generation, we got a first-hand and more grotesque look at combat. It is no surprise that Hollywood found war such a ripe topic. The struggle for survival and the consequences of that struggle make for compelling storytelling. But I’ve never understood the need for movies to feel the need to create plots to tell those stories when our military history is replete with scores of real-life heroism that have, thus far, eluded movie makers.
Anyone interested in delving into the real American heroes need look no farther than the citations of Medal of Honor recipients. The heroes I refer to in this essay displayed their extraordinary valor during the Vietnam War. However, every war has been the white-hot furnace where heroism was forged. I am privileged to have encountered a few such heroes. John Noble Holcomb from Richland, OR saved my life in Dec. of 1968 and was awarded a posthumous Medal of Honor for his courage. I spent a couple of weeks in Death Valley, CA with the late Gary Beikirch of Rochester, NY. He was a Green Beret medic who died a couple of years ago. After his service, Gary turned his love of humanity into a religious ministry. Half a century ago, I was privileged to speak at the dedication ceremony
By Steve Banko
of a monument to the memory of USMC 2LT John Bobo of Niagara Falls, NY. I competed against him in high school so when I learned of his story, I wasn’t surprised but was awe-struck. More recently, I had the pleasure of meeting Army SGT David Bellavia, an Iraq War veteran. I could fill all the pages of this issue of The Tower detailing the exploits of these and other Medal of Honor recipients. Suffice it to say that Google has much more detail than I can provide here, and I encourage anyone wanting to know more about the American spirit to look into the circumstances that led to the award of the nation’s highest decoration for combat valor.
But I would be remiss if I didn’t take a couple hundred words to highlight the heroism of John Bobo. His command group was attacked by a larger force of North Vietnamese soldiers. Bobo organized his small unit into a defensive position. He took a rocket launcher from one of his wounded Marines to return fire and take out an enemy machine gun. A mortar round severed Bobo’s right leg below the knee. But rather than be evacuated, Bobo jammed his shattered leg into the dirt to stanch the bleeding while he covered the repositioning of his Marines to repel the attack at the cost of his own life. John’s story is but one of the extraordinary accounts of everyday Americans who went above and beyond the call of duty. But the common denominator in all these stories spanning all our wars is the hero’s love for his comrades.
Continued on page 17
PRESIDENT’S CORNER
Welcome to February! I hope everyone has been enjoying everything that Del Tura has to offer. I am amazed every day at this community, the events, the people and the volunteers. I have had the privilege of serving on your HOA board for the past three years and as President for this last year. This will be my last Tower message as President of the board. It has been an honor and I have enjoyed meeting all of you, as well as assisting the board with their projects and goals. The new board will be seated at the February board meeting and I know that they are looking forward to serving. Please make sure to say hello to our new members and thank them for
By Cindy Baron
stepping up. Also, make sure to congratulate our Person of the Year - Carolee Racer and our Couple of the Year Dave and Pam Applegate. This community is amazing in so many ways. We have so many different events and clubs, everyone can find something that they like to do. I hope that you make a point of becoming involved, playing cards, attending an entertainment event or playing golf. If you do, you will be rewarded ten fold with the people you meet and friends that you make. I thank you all for allowing me the privilege of serving on your behalf and I look forward to seeing all of you around the community.
THURSDAY NIGHT BINGO
By Jack Blevons
Welcome to 2025. Writing this on January 8th, now that the holidays are over again, we can get back to enjoying playing bingo again on Thursday nights. Hope everyone had an enjoyable and safe Christmas & New Years. Now we can like or dislike our cold Winter weather down here. As for Janet & myself, we would rather have it a lot warmer. We are from Wisconsin & that is why we Winter down here hoping it’s much warmer down here now than up there but lately they have been sending their colder weather down here too. Anyhow, we are
glad to get back to playing bingo here again on Thursday nights & now will be playing from now through the end of March & then our season will end again. So, looking forward to seeing you all coming to play again.. We’ve had good crowds coming to play so far so hopefully that will continue because the bigger the crowds, the bigger the pay-outs are & I’m sure everyone enjoys winning big pots. So, saying that, looking forward to seeing you all there through February & March.
~ Jack & Janet
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AT-THE-HYDRANT
By Justine Fitzgibbons, submitted by Debbie Berlan
The Del Tura Dog Park would like to say, “Woof! It’s almost Valentine’s Day!”
And puppy love that’s truly sweet
Comes from fur-babies with four feet!!
Love is what we dogs do best
Because we know that we’ve been blessed So, to all who rescued or took us in We offer you a toothy grin, And a big wet kiss as we tell you this: “Valentines Day will soon be here, But we’ll love our Mommies & Daddies all year!!”
GOOD TIMERS
By Sandra Boykin
The Good Timer’s Club has a new member on their board. I have ‘retired’ as board President, our new president is Nancy Harris. The VP and Secretary are the same VP - Laura Dritt, Secretary - Pat VanFleet. Please consider joining our club and maybe be our new treasurer? In our last meeting in December we decided to increase our yearly dues to $35. We use that money for our Christmas party, which is always a great success. Also, we changed our by-laws to Guidelines. Our meetings are still 1st Tuesday of the month, 4p for social 1/2 hour and 4:30p for our meetings in the Starlight Room. Hope to see you there! We are still going on day trips and having our monthly luncheons. Our women’s only club is still lots of fun, making new friends and going to different places and restaurants. Thanks to the club for voting me in the past four years, I have really enjoyed it! It is time to move on!
HELLO RESIDENTS
Del Tura Management would like to remind all our resident old and new of the road safety rules: Speed Limit 16 MPH (This means all residents.) STOP at all posted stop signs. (It is the law.) These are rules put in place for everyone’s safety, please abide by the posted speed limit and stop signs. We know it is the time of year for a refresh, remodeling, or changing out home’s interior items. We ask that you refrain from having any yard/garage sales. This is not allowed. There are two separate events held in Del Tura to sell your unwanted items, Junk in the Trunk (Nov) and the Community Yard Sale. Please reach out to the HOA office for schedule dates for 2025. Have a Happy Valentine’s Day from Del Tura Country Club.
SUGGESTION BOX
From your HOA Board of Directors
In addition to the suggestion boxes in the Starlight Ballroom and the HOA Office, you can email your Suggestions to us at DTHOASuggestionBox@gmail.com. Please include your NAME, STREET ADDRESS and PHONE NUMBER along with the issue you would like the HOA to address. Briefly describe your issue / concern and any possible solutions. You will be notified when your suggestion is brought before the BOD, and what actions will be taken regarding it. By sharing your concerns with us you can help continue to make Del Tura our piece of paradise!
Amerigo Vespucci (1454-1512)
Amerigo Vespucci was born in 1454 to a wealthy and prominent family in Florance, Italy.
Amerigo was an ardent student who enjoyed reading and collecting scholarly items such as
books, maps and journals. He studied under Michelangelo and was rumored to be an accomplished artist.
DEL TURA MEN’S GOLF
Hello February! January sure was a busy month of golf. To kick off the New Year we had the super popular Bloody Mary Tournament, which was sponsored by the Pro Shop. A huge thank you to Butch Webb and the proshop for running a great event. The following week, January 8th and 9th was the also very popular Jack and Jill Tournament which was sponsored by the DTMGA. It was a 2 day event followed by a luncheon. 128 people played and there were 3 divisions. Blue, White and 9 Hole. The winners of the 9 hole division were Floyd and MaryAnn Light. The winners of the White Flight 2 were Steve and Marie Buco.The winners of White Flight 1 were Donnie and Maria Soper and the winners of the Blue Flight were Don and Diane Skinner. Congratulations to all!
Also in January, was the 2 Ball Tournament. As of this writing I do not know the winners names or have pictures but I will hopefully for the March Tower. Let’s not forget the Award’s Banquet which was held January 11th and Del Tura Men’s Club Champion, Tom Miller received his Green Jacket!
CERT
Going into 2025 CERT has changed leadership. Bertie Dugo, orchestrated the organization of CERT in Del Tura, and has acted as our team’s President since the inception of our committee. As of January, Bertie has changed her CERT title to Secretary and Lisa Bellanca has taken over as President. We should all thank Bertie for working so hard to get our team in place. We started out with 5 members, and now we have 32 members. These are all volunteers who have taken the FEMA required courses in order to be recognized as a certified CERT member. Thank you, Bertie, for all that you have done, and everything you continue to do for the Del Tura community.
As this article is being written we are excited to be finalizing the outfitting of the CERT trailer. We are excited to be presenting the trailer to the community at the January 22nd Health Fair. We
By Dan Haag, President
February will have the Men’s Member/ Member on February 12th and 13th. The sign up sheet is in the dungeon. Also, in February is the ‘Divorce Open’ a Proshop sponsored event, on February 15th. The DTMGA monthly meeting is on February 19th at noon in the Starlight Ballroom. I encourage everyone to attend these meetings.
Member/Guest registration forms are now available in the Pro Shop. This event is probably the largest event held by DTMGA. It is a 3 day event, March 6th, 7th and 8th. The cost is $325 per team and includes:
Practice round of golf on Thursday
A pullover and hat for every golfer! Golf on Friday followed by a luncheon
Golf on Saturday followed by dinner
Also, a free 9 hole scramble for wives of the golfers on Friday and they are invited to the luncheon. Please, please keep your handicaps current. You must have a current handicap to play in these events. As always if you have any questions please contact me at 614-206-9002.
will provide photos of the event in the March issue of The Tower
Once we have completed informational classes, CERT will be adding a Life Lock Choking apparatus and Narcan spray to the First Aid Kit in the Starlight Kitchen.
We are always looking for new members. If you are interested in joining the team, please reach out to Bertie Dugo at 617-974-8502.
By Lisa Bellanca
THE MAGIC OF BROADWAY
I am Jacqueline Keen and I am honored to be the Director of the Del Tura Repertory Company. I would like to give you some more information about our upcoming show, The Magic of Broadway - Which is a taste of Broadway – Part 2.
We started rehearsals last week, so now everyone knows who they will be working with on stage. I have gathered a wonderful cast including some new faces. You will hear beautiful music and voices.
The six tastes are:
• Anything Goes
• The Sound of Music
• Jeckyll and Hyde
• Carousel
• The King and I
• Beauty and The Beast
There will be two performances on March 14th and 15th. It will be table seating. Now about the ticket price; I have not increased the price of tickets for a very long time. To produce a show like this it has become increasingly expensive. As you all know everything has increased in price. It is difficult to get out of Publix without spending $100 for not that many items. So, I have decided that I don’t want to increase the
By Jacqueline Keen
burden upon you. I will keep the ticket price to $15. But I would like you to do something for me. Help me make sure that we sell every seat for both performances! If everyone here today purchases some tickets could tell all of your friends, especially those who do not come to coffee, so that we will have a sell-out. I remember when we did the first ‘A Taste of Broadway’ we had a sell-out! We had to have a list of people who could not get tickets. If you can fill this room both nights, I can cover my costs and give the HOA, our sponsors, some money so that they can help other clubs and organizations.
Please come and support your very own theater here in Del Tura. We are your neighbors, friends and anyone who comes to spend their lives here. We are working very hard to bring you a show that you will love. Everyone who works with me, without exception, puts their heart and soul into these shows. This will be my 25th show as director. I am excited for you to enjoy what we have in store for you.
I will let you know soon when tickets will go on sale and keep you up to date with our progress. Thank you for your support for all the years I have been doing this and I really hope you will support us again this year.
REFLECTIONS “Why The Frown?”
I don’t know how many times over the years I have asked myself that same question. Do people ask you that question on occasion? I’m not sure if I have an answer, do you? I really think that we get wrapped up in the drama that life sometimes presents to us that we don’t even realize that we are frowning. I believe we often tend to take ourselves too seriously. Maybe it’s actually a sign of sadness, or it could possibly just be a moment of deep thought. In any event, it’s just impossible to always be smiling. Even on the not so good days, we try to find something to smile about but we can agree, it’s definitely not easy!
I guess I should explain why I am writing an article on this particular subject. It has always been something that over the years has bothered me on one occasion or another. It seems that some people are always sad and that sadness can sometimes lead to bitterness and anger. What I do realize is that this is a part of life and for many reasons people cannot help their circumstances. What we sometimes mistake as grumpiness can be a reflection of frustration, or a sign for help. Unless we walk a mile in a person’s shoes we’ll never know for sure.
Perhaps they have been trying to deal with a spouse that has been stricken with some form of illness. Some of my friends have spouses that are dealing with early and advanced stages
By Dianne J. Roderick
of dementia. Coping with these situations on a day to day basis can be extremely draining and overwhelming to the caregiver. It amazes me how many times the kindness and compassion of a caregiver can turn frowns into smiles. How strong people can be when faced with the unexpected misfortunes of life!
Let’s face it…there’s always going to be “Grumps” in life unfortunately. I guess most of us try to break through that crotchety behavior by being kind and offering words of encouragement. Oh God, as many of us know, sometimes it takes the patience of Job and sometimes more! Life is never easy but if we can look a little closer through a person’s frown we might be able to understand their situation. Perhaps if we’re lucky we can leave them with a smile and a brighter day.
Dale Carnegie once wrote…
“A smile is nature’s best antidote for discouragement. It brings rest to the weary, sunshine to those who are frowning, and hope to those who are hopeless and defeated. A smile is so valuable that it can’t be bought, begged, borrowed, or taken away against your will. You have to be willing to give a smile away before it can do anyone else any good. So if someone is too tired, or grumpy to flash you a smile, let him have one of yours anyway. Nobody needs a smile as much as the person who has none to give.”
DEL TURA CONTACT INFO
Choralaires
Coffee Hour - Tues. AM Coordinator
Librarian
Del Tura Repertory Company
Entertainment Committee Chair
Fish Medical Equipment Loans
Loan CLoset (Cots, Pack-N-Play, High Chairs, etc.)
FISH - Friends in Service Here
FMO Membership
Front Gate Guard
HOA Membership Tech
HOA Membership
Janelle Shallenberger 765-437-2130
Kathy Williamson 239-825-5708
Barb Jones 239-543-6922
Jacquie Keen 239-464-5544
Lynn Brenfleck 603-738-1001
239-997-3474
Denise Rose
Sandy Vassallo 815-222-6466 248-755-1176
Laura Dritt
630-759-1757
Bill Shell 612-209-4674
Barbara Schmoltze 239-731-2523
Cindy Brinton 267-642-6477
HOA Office 239-731-3461
HOA Office 239-731-3461
HOA GROUNDS Committee
Homeowners’ Issues / Grievances
Memorials
Name Tags
Save Our Strays / Feral Cat Information “SOS”
Outdoor Electronic Billboard
Tower - Advertising - BrionPalmer@yahoo.com
Tower - Editor
Tower - Distribution Chairperson
Tower - Distribution Coordinators
Denny Andrews delturagrounds@yahoo.com
Hometown America Office 239-731-3433
Kathy Williamson 239-825-5708
Wendy Wells 309-264-9147
Sherry Plisch
Karen Azza
239-707-5613 239-220-0563
Cindy Brinton 267-642-6477
Brion Palmer 941-312-0665
Leigh Anne Lawson 740-503-0085
Sue Brown 847-531-3726
Dan Larson Sue Larson 763-360-3193 763-360-3192
Veterans: Bricks 4 Vets Jeff Meehan 651-398-6964
Welcome Committee
Sherry Cottini 239-770-7711
SUBMISSION INFORMATION
News Items for “The Tower” – Please email article, flyer, and photos (if any) to: dttoweredit@gmail.com THE HOA WEBSITE – www.deltura-hoa.com
To have events listed on the HOA Website and/or the Electronic sign please email flyer, photos (if any) & text for electronic sign to: Website Content: dttechsvcs@delturahoa.com Electronic Board: dttechsvcs@delturahoa.com
HOA BOARD INFORMATION
Cindy Baron, President (2025) 603,398,8001 cbaron50@yahoo.com
Dorothy Cook, Vice President (2026) 614-499-1864, dcook2023@yahoo.com
It is the HOA’s responsibility to provide transparency to all residents and can easily provide information on HOA sponsored events. Unfortunately, HOA cannot provide any information for events that are not sponsored by HOA, especially financial documentation for the event, specifically how much was raised, what is being done with funds generated, or if
Kathy Williamson, Director (2025) 239-825-5708, toocheep2call@aol.com
Lisa Bellanca, Director (2025) 847-833-3258, llbellanca@comcast.net
Margie Hill, Director (2027) 863-956-7236, mhill.delturahoa@yahoo.com
Bob Hilton, Director (2027) 732-337-7061, bhiltonhoa@yahoo.com
Bill Shell, Director (2026) 612-209-4674, bshelldeltura@gmail.com
the appropriate Florida Sales Tax is being paid. In an effort to ensure that residents are informed of which events are HOA sponsored and which are not, all flyers distributed at HOA Tuesday Coffee, on HOA Bulletin Boards and events advertised in the HOA Tower Newspaper should have a notation of “HOA Sponsored” or “This Event is Not Sponsored by HOA”.
HOA OFFICE HOURS
MONDAY 1:00pm - 4:00pm
TUESDAY After Coffee - noon
WEDNESDAY 9:00am - noon
THURSDAY 3:00pm - 5:00pm
FRIDAY 9:00am - noon
SATURDAY & SUNDAY Closed
Should you need assistance contact Ruth Ann Blevins (239) 220-9381
HOA ADDRESS: 609 Sierra Madre 239-731-3461
The Tower Editorial Staff
Editor Leigh Anne Lawson
Staff
Darlene Fincham
Dennis Cottini
HOA Website
Cindy Brinton
Distribution
Chairperson
Sue Brown
Distribution Coordinators
Dan Larson, and Sue Larson
Distribution Group
Mark Donahue, Steve Fincham, Sandy Rolando, Sandy Vassallo, Patty Large, Karen Miller and Sue Larson
And 60+ Delivery Volunteers
HOA Liaison: HOA President
Many thanks to all the volunteer residents who have donated their time to “The Tower”. We are looking for more volunteers. Please Help!
DID YOU KNOW…
If an HOA sponsored committee holds a fundraiser, it is raising funds for that committee only. All proceeds, after expenses, are deposited into that committee’s financial account for that committee’s use. HOA acts as the banker only and can provide all income and expense details.
The Del Tura Phone Book is not compiled by “The Tower”. It is produced by Hometown America. Please contact the HTA office 239-731-3461 (clubhouse office) for errors and omissions.
GENTLE REMINDER
Please be aware that when you hire an unlicensed/uninsured person to do work at your home, you accept the liability.
FISH
MEDICAL EQUIPMENT LOANS AND TRANSPORTATION
Anyone Needing to borrow equipment or who needs a ride to an appointment Contact FISH at 239-997-3474.
NAME TAGS
Any resident wishing to purchase a “Name Tag” may do so on Tuesday mornings at coffee, before the start of announcements, or call Wendy @ 309-264-9147. A name tag with magnet backing is $8.00, cash only. Tags are normally available for pickup the following week.
Tower – Advertising
Publisher: Island Visitor Publishing
To advertise in print, contact: Brion Palmer at 941-312-0665 or email us 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 Del Tura. The Tower 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 Tower 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.
TENNIS AT DEL TURA
By Mike Raymer & Nancy Joseph
Here we are in February, the ‘love’ month. Speaking of ‘love’ let’s talk TENNIS!!
We finished our January Friendship Tournament and had an excellent day. We had 24 players competing in 2 levels of play. Laughter, fun and good tennis was in the air all day. We have some of the winners in photos below. I would like to thank our organizers of play (Denny Erickson and Ann Marie York), I would like to thank our helpers (Jim Dana, Kathy Jones, Patti Somers, Nancy Joseph), and lots of thanks to our Chef (Bob Harmon) as well as everyone who helped on clean up crew. We had a great, great day!
Watch for a sign-up for a “NEW” tournament that is planned for February with details to follow.
I would also like to take this chance to say how much Stan Losen is missed by everyone in our tennis community. I know he is missing playing and we have always appreciated everything he does for the community. Our love and prayers are with you Stan, stay strong!
Check the information board in screened in room by courts for calendar dates and remember we have “open” tennis every-day at 8am-10am. Happy Valentines from your tennis Committee!
DEL TURA SOFTBALL
Good February sports fans. As all our softball enthusiasts are surely aware, the 2025 Mark and Mary Ford Softball League season is well underway. As has been the custom for the last 6 years, Del Tura has fielded two very competitive teams again this year, the Amigos, aka the red team, and the Del Turos, aka the blue team. As of this writing, both teams are going strong and are at the top of the standings of this early season. When you read this, our season will have obviously progressed, and we are confident our community teams are tearing up the competition by now, but our successes are not ours alone. Without your support,
By Art Keen
our victories would be hollow. Throughout the history of Del Tura Softball, our fans have always been at the core of our successes. To that end, I would like to announce our annual Fan Appreciation Luncheon. This year’s event will be on February 22 nd . Kicking off with a golf tournament, the days events will culminate with a Hot dog picnic celebration in the Starlight Ballroom and much more. Plan to come by and support our teams. For more information, please contact Mick Kidwell 317-796-5930 or Kevin Vandenwyngaert at 519-521-7073. Hope to see you there.
Left: Bob Harmon Chef Middle: Patti Somers & Alice Harmon
Top Right: Winners of B Division: Joyce Pollini & Gerry Benjamin Bottom Right: Winners of A Division: Lucille Leone & Joe Pollock
(Tournament directors Denny Erickson - white shirt, Nancy Joseph - pink long sleeve, Mike Raymer - pink short sleeve)
SAVE THE DATE
April 5th, 2025
Jimmy Wilson Golf Tournament
Benefiting St. Jude’s Research Hospital 24 Teams/6 person teams, 18 holes
Shotgun Start
BROKEN TEES for BROKEN HEARTS
You or your business can be a Year-round sponsor.
WRITER’S WORKSHOP
A new year is upon us, and I’d like to reach out to all of you to wish you all the best in 2025. As the beginning of any new year inspires reflection on our past and positive steps towards a better future, please consider joining our group.
‘What? I can’t write!’ you may be thinking. But you can! Writing can be a free flow of thoughts, put on paper, that can help us heal. It can also express humor, share an experience, and remind us that we are not alone. As we take on different challenges, study various emotions, and hone our descriptive skills, we can gain insight and perspective through the sharing of our journey with the group. But the main objective is to have fun.
If you’d like to join us as a new member, please text (607-769-5766) OR email me to let me know you are interested. My email address is ndavy01@gmail.com. You’ll need to provide me with your name, your email address, and your cell phone number. We meet twice a month, and I’ll pass along the dates and times via text or email.
Our assignment is to create a story about a day without a cell phone. You can approach this challenge from any angle you choose: from your own perspective, or from that of a character you create. It could be an experience of traveling back in time or living in the present and simply losing or breaking the instrument. You may present the lack of a cell phone as positive, negative, or a combination of both. Try to create some specific situations that will illustrate the impact as you or your character venture through the day, then be sure to summarize at the end as to how you were affected overall.
Here are a couple responses, and I hope you’ll enjoy them:
Surviving The One Day by Donna Daley
We got to the camp early in the morning that day..... that glorious day. As we drove higher up the mountain the air changed. The temperature lowered. The air smelled cleaner. We were excited about spending the day and possibly the night at the campsite. When we arrived, we wanted to know what the weather forecast would be for the rest of the day. James reached into his pocket to check the cellphone weather app. He said, “I
BOARD CANDIDATES
• Lastly, I was promoted to Sales Associate VP over 4 states, 13 sales managers and 400+ agents. I retired in 2017, and we moved to FL. Since living in FL, I have worked as Medicare Sales agent.
Throughout my career, I have served on my Condo Association Borad and several other insurance advisory boards. I believe my career experiences have taught me to:
• Work Productively with others to achieve goals.
• To handle conflict in a caring manner.
• To collaborate with decision boards both as upline and downline negotiators.
Finally, recognizing that some Del Tura residents are either aging and/or struggling economically, my personal hope if I represent Del Tura is to help create a team of volunteers that can reach out to people who may need minor maintenance and repair jobs done free of charge to them. Not only is it a compassionate thing to do for our neighbors, but it also keeps Del Tura attractive and well maintained.
Robin Stranahan
Full-time resident five years. Moved to DelTura in 2019 from Michigan after retiring from AT&T management. Received my business associates degree through Mott Community College and University of Michigan.
I will share my expertise in management and organizational skills with the board of directors and Hometown America staff.
My goal is to represent the entire community, not any one group or point of view. I want the residents to know that when called upon they would receive a listening, understanding ear and a prompt follow-up communication of their concerns. I would consider it a privilege to work together with neighbors and administration to achieve our shared goals. I will respect others viewpoints and approach each situation and person with grace and dignity.
Thank you, Robin Stranahan
TOWER DELIVERY INFORMATION
By Nancy Davy
must have dropped it in the car. Call me.” I reached into my pocketbook to get my phone. There was no phone. Once we realized that neither of us could find their phone, a bit of panic set in. WHAT? No phone? Neither of us has a phone?
Then, after a spew of expletives hit the air, we settled down to do what needed to be done at the camp. We opened up the camper and made a walk through the area for any problems that may have occurred. We talked about calling the kids to see if they wanted to come up to the camp. Well, that wasn’t going to happen.
It’s amazing how reaching for the phone out of habit and for no apparent legitimate reason has taken over such a large amount of time. Time is the one thing we have in such a limited amount.
We sat on the patio and contemplated what we would do for the rest of the day and stared blankly at each other as if we were totally incompetent and that the phones had all the answers. We decided to go hiking. What if something happens? What if one of us gets hurt? We can’t call for help. I said, “Well, I will run and get help”. James asked how I knew he would be the one to get hurt? I said, “because you do stupid sh*t and I don’t!”
We, ultimately, had the best hike. We both noticed things about our surroundings and although “they” have always been there, apparently, “we” were not. We went swimming, grilled some burgers, and talked. We just talked. We talked for hours by the fire pit and pointed out plants and flowers we somehow overlooked for the past 3 years! We actually found out things about each other that we had never shared before. Why not? Were we too busy watching reels on Facebook about nonsensical crap written by attention-seeking strangers? Indeed.
We suddenly realized that it was dark out and the answer to whether we would stay the night was yes. Because the day and evening had been so surprisingly enjoyable WITHOUT the phones.......we stayed the weekend.
Best Day Ever (from the dog’s perspective) by Suzy Townsend
Mom didn’t jump up with the small noise box this morning. She seems upset. She’s running all over the
house, moving things, looking under things, and being loud. I wonder what’s wrong?
She sat at her big light and noise box and made finger tapping on it. She’s moving her head around and being loud. Her small noise box isn’t with her this morning. That should make her happy. I’m always happier when that isn’t around. Maybe she’ll be happier if I put my nose on her.
That seemed to work. It looks like… YES! We’re going for a car ride! I guess she’s not going to that away-allday place today.
This is a long ride. Why does Mom keep yelling at that light box by the round thing? Is it because it’s not lighting up? I wonder what “lost” means. Maybe it’ll help if I put my nose on her.
That did seem to help. We stop at a lot of places. Mom runs in and comes out almost crying. Are we now stopping at… a park? Could it be? Yes! We’re going to walk in the park! Such a nice, slow walk. Mom is letting me stop and smell all the smells. She seems better. I knew putting my nose on her so much would help. Mom is paying more attention to me today. She scratched my ears so many times in the park. I’m glad the small noise box isn’t with us right now. She keeps looking at me, instead.
Another ride in the car? Sure! I hope it smells like food where we go! I bet I get an extra treat. It’s just that kind of wonderful day. Mom keeps looking at the people with small noise boxes, and she seems nervous. She scratches my ears again. She’s talking to me more. I guess I’m her new small noise box. Maybe if I make more noise, she won’t miss the other noise box.
French fries! She’s giving me French fries! What a fun day it was. Mom gave all her attention to me, and not the small noise box.
Back at home now. I had many walks and lots of French fries today! Best day, ever! But, wait! Doorbell! BARK! BARK! BARK! Mom answers, and a man hands Mom her small noise box. Mom is so happy! Yay! Maybe this means another walk, or even more French fries! Maybe. Maybe after Mom is done looking at her small noise box.
Mom? Mom? Remember me? I’m still here…
JIMMY WILSON St. Jude’s Golf Tournament
DAILY ACTIVITY SCHEDULE
DEL TURA GARDEN CLUB
New Additions to the Demonstration Garden
A new garden bench has been installed in the Demo Garden, in a shady spot, at the corner of Gran Via and Escorial, near the entrance. The garden’s expansion continues with two Desert Roses, showcased in pots generously donated by Karen Toothman. Our growing garden has become a vibrant habitat for butterflies, with monarchs, sulphurs and swallowtails frequently visiting the space.
Garden Navigation Made Easy
Last season, we implemented a numbered marker system throughout the garden, with each plant receiving its own identifier. Free brochures are available that correspond to these numbers, helping visitors identify and learn about each plant. If you haven’t visited since last year, we encourage you to stop by and explore these new features1
Free Seminar – February 10
We are pleased to announce a free seminar featuring Eric Jadaszeweski, Horiculturist, Designer, and Owner of Everglades Native Designs. Eric, a personable and knowledgeable presenter enjoyed at the Naples Garden Show, will discuss Florida native plants and butterflies in our area and more. Join us:
*February 10 at 1:00pm in the Jacaranda Room.*
By Rosemary Eiden
February Garden Club Outing
Join us for a delightful trip to the Orchid Show at Naples Botanical Garden! It’s a perfect opportunity to see stunning blooms and gather inspiration for your own garden space.
Date: February 21st
Meeting Point: Lower Parking Lot
Departure Time: 9:30AM
Transportation: Carpooling available
Want to join the fun? Contact Rosemary Eiden, 813220-9269 or sign up at Tuesday Coffee Hour.
Join Our Community
The Del Tura Garden Club welcomes all residents to become members. Whether you’re just starting your gardening journey or have years of experience tending plants, you’ll find friends and fellow garden enthusiasts here! Our members represent various gardening skill levels and interests, and we love sharing tips and learning from each other. Guests are always invited to attend our monthly meetings and lend a hand during garden work sessions. Your green thumb can grow with us!
Monthly Garden Club Meeting
Date: February 7th
Time: 10:00AM
Location: Jacaranda Room
Come join us! All are welcome to attend.
Put your tax refund to work
Most of us probably don’t enjoy preparing our taxes, but there’s often a reward at the end — a tax refund. If you get a refund this year, how can you make the best use of it?
Of course, the answer depends somewhat on the size of your refund. Last year, the average tax refund was $3,050, according to the Internal Revenue Service. Whatever the size of your refund, though, you’ll want to maximize its benefit.
Here are a few suggestions:
• Contribute to your IRA. If you were to receive about $3,000, it would go a long way toward funding your IRA for the year — but any amount would help. You still have until April 15, 2025, to contribute to your IRA for the 2024 tax year, but if you’ve already “maxed out” on it, you could use your refund for 2025. The annual contribution limit for a traditional and Roth IRA remains $7,000, or $8,000 if you’re age 50 or older. And by getting an early start toward fully funding your IRA, you can reduce the pressure of having to come up with large amounts later in the year.
• Build an emergency fund. Your tax refund could help you start or expand an emergency fund. It’s a good idea to keep up to six months’ worth of living expenses in such a fund, with the money kept in a liquid, low-risk account, separate from the funds you use for your daily expenses. You might need to draw on this fund for unexpected expenses, such as a major home or car repair or a medical bill that’s not fully covered by your health insurance. Without such an emergency fund in place, you might be forced to dip into your IRA or other retirement accounts to pay for these types of costs, and such a move could be expensive, resulting in taxes, penalties and lost opportunities for growth.
• Contribute to a 529 plan. If you have children or grandchildren and you’d like to help them further their education someday, you might consider investing in a 529 education savings plan. With a 529 plan, earnings and withdrawals are federally tax free, provided the money is used for qualified education expenses. Based on where you live, your 529 plan may provide state tax benefits, too. (It is possible, though, that 529 withdrawals could affect financial aid packages, depending on who owns the account.) A 529 plan can be used to help pay for college, accredited trade school programs, some K-12 expenses and even to help repay some student loans.
• Pay down debts. Your tax refund may give you a chance to reduce your debt load. But which debts should you tackle first? You could follow the “snowball” method by paying off the smallest of your loans or debts as quickly as possible. Or you could choose the “avalanche” route by making minimum payments on all debts and using extra funds — such as your tax refund — to pay off the debts that carry the highest interest rates. Either method could help you save money in the long term.
It’s not often that you receive a financial windfall such as a tax refund — so think carefully about how you can maximize its benefits.
Hector Gomez Financial Advisor
Thank you for supporting us to win the Best of Cape Coral 2024.
VETERANS COLUMN
SHUFFLEBOARD
Del Tura shuffleboarders want to welcome all of you new to Del Tura and we invite you to our Tuesday fun days on every Tuesday at 10:00. Never played before? No worries, we are here to help everyone learn the game.
We draw numbers to decide where each player goes. We will play two games with everyone matched with different players each game. It’s a great way to meet new friends while you learn a fun game of shuffleboard. Everything is furnished so just show up ready to have fun.
See you on Tuesdays!
THIS IS WHAT YOUR DEL TURA SHUFFLEBOARD PEOPLE ARE DOING
As of today’s date, here is what you need to know about those representing Del Tura in the Southern District of Florida. Our three pro shufflers all just placed in a tournament on January 10th. Deb Norton placed first in the main, Bill Hamilton placed third in the main, while Jack Norton placed fourth in consolation. This Was a very tough tourney played here in Lee county.
In Florida, we have an “end of season” Masters tourney where only eight players from this Southern district are selected to play.
In the Pro mens division our own Bill Hamilton leads everyone with the most Masters
By Glenn Tointon
points this year. Deb Norton is also the highest point getter in the Ladies pro division. Jack Norton also has enough pro points to make him eligible.
In the amateur ladies division, Martha Anneshansley represents Del Tura with the most points of all the ladies. In the mens amateur division, Glenn Tointon is fourth in the southern district.
Thanks to these five players, Del Tura is highly looked up to in the shuffleboard world! . We always want to add to this number. All of us at one time were just like many of you, novice beginners. You too can join us in representing Del Tura, even with no experience. There are many pro players who are willing to teach you the game if you would like to learn how. Usually, Saturday mornings at the Lee County courts behind the new library is when they like to schedule time to work with beginners. I will be available to help answer questions and get you connected with Lee County pro’s.
We love the game but more importantly, we enjoy meeting so many wonderful people from the various parks. If you would like to find out more information please contact Glenn Tointon at 920-309-1294
CLASSIFIEDS
PROFESSIONAL PAINTINGWITHOUT PROFESSIONAL PRICES! INTERIOR/EXTERIOR, OVER 30 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, POWER WASHING, HOME MAINTENANCE AND REPAIRS! DEL TURA RESIDENT. CALL JIM SMITH 239-247-1917
LOCKSMITH: DEL TURA RESIDENT AUTO/HOME LOCKOUTS, LOCKS REPAIRED, INSTALLED OR RE-KEYED. DEL TURA RESIDENT. LOUIS RIVET 543-1434
HOUSE CLEANING SERVICE, DEL TURA RESIDENT: RELIABLE, HONEST, & FRIENDLY SERVICE. DEL TURA RESIDENT. CALL KAREN @ 603-543-7457
GIRL FRIDAY – RELIABLE & TRUSTWORTHY. HOUSECLEANING, ETC. DEL RESIDENT. CALL LINDA 239-560-1948.
HANDYMAN - PAINTING, LANDSCAPING, POWERWASHING & REPAIRS. EXPERIENCED RESIDENT. CALL JOHN AT 757-952-9485.
NEED A NOTARY?
CALL BRENDA BLASIE AT 239-543-6104 A DEL TURA RESIDENT,
WE BUY AND SELL OLD COINS, JEWELRY AND COLLECTIBLES OF ALL KINDS. DEL TURA RESIDENTS WILL & KAT ROSSMAN. 989-1757. WWW.ESTATEBUYZ.COM
AVON PRODUCTS SOLD BY DEL TURA RESIDENT. CALL PAT 239-800-5057(HOME) OR 631-838-4323 (CELL)
AIRPORT TRANSPORTATION SERVICE CALL LOU @ 239-543-1434
INDOOR PAINTING – RELIABLE, REASONABLE AND HONEST. NO JOB TOO BIG OR SMALL. DEL TURA RESIDENT. CALL KAREN 518-802-0277
LANDSCAPING
RELIABLE WITH REASONABLE RATES GUTTERS, ROOF CLEANING, PALMS, POWER WASHING, MAINTENANCE OUTDOOR INSTALL JOBS INCLUDING SOD CALL CHARLES @ 239-440-9148
DON’T LEAVE YOUR HOME UNPROTECTED AGAINST RODENTS AND INSECTS GET SHIELDED! SHIELD HOME & PEST CONTROL (239) 910-1133 WWW.SHIELDPCS.COM VETERAN OWNED LOCALLY OPERATED ASK ABOUT SPECIAL RATES FOR DEL TURA RESIDENTS
PRESSURE WASHING KEEPING DEL TURA BEAUTIFUL ONE HOUSE AT A TIME. CALL RESIDENT, BOB 954-448-1171
CAREGIVING - Need help for your loved one? Call Resident, Sherry Cottini, 239-770-7711
AIRPORT RIDES/CRUISE PORT PUNTA GORDA & RSW CALL DEBBIE 239-229-3928
AIRPORT TRANSPORTATION SERVICE CALL LOU @ 239-543-1434
AIRPORT RIDES - RSW and PUNTA GORDA CALL JOE POLLOCK 313-530-5461
HOUSECLEANING Dependable, honest, and friendly. Call Carol Ann 239-244-6526
