January 2023 2nd Annual Celebration of the Holidays 2022
The
newly renovated North Clubhouse was transformed into a spectacular winter wonderland on December 12th as over 500 residents gathered to share the spirit of the season at the Second Annual Celebration of the Holidays sponsored by the Management teams of Kings Point. A beautifully decorated 20’ tree designed by Vesta Management was the center piece of the lobby complete with a model train set provided by the Model Railroad Club. The hallways were filled with strolling carolers, sparkling trees and wreaths from the Festival of the Trees, a Santa photo booth, and vendors stationed around for last-minute shopping. Friends and neighbors who purchased wrist bands for the soldout dining sessions enjoyed a variety of delicious international cuisines representing Italy, Mexico, Cuba, New Orleans, and deserts provided
Vesta’s Food and Beverage team. The buzz of the evening was the raffle room where over 100 prizes were being raffled off. For $1 per ticket residents were given the chance to win a variety of prizes including a weekend getaway at the Gasparilla Inn, Carnival Cruise for 2, $1000 Amazon Gift Card, several gift cards ranging from $25- $500 dollars, Apple iPads and watches, Tampa Bay Rays tickets, spa baskets, liquor baskets, and so much more. Thanks to the tremendous efforts from the Master Association, Federation, and Donation Coordinator, the total value of the prizes was over $15,000.
and begin recovery with strength, honor, and dignity. Bill Chini, Executive Director for Mary & Martha House said, “We feel so blessed to work in a community that cares about their neighbors. The entire King Point community, including the Master Association and Vesta, have always been extremely supportive of our mission at Mary & Martha House, and we are truly grateful to have them on our side. Their willingness to give back and support those who are less fortunate is second-to-none. Many thanks go out to the entire community.” The holidays bring people together, but they are also a time for reflection
With the generosity of our vendors, clubs, and local businesses, we were able to raise $17,213.00 for the Mary & Martha House in Ruskin to help in their 35 yearlong mission of providing a safe haven for victims of domestic abuse and their children to escape
Congratulations to the Grand Prize Raffle Winners! USI - $1,700 Gasparilla Package Laura Stout
First Annual COA Golf Cart Parade A Hit In Kings Point
The COA sponsored; First Annual Kings Point Golf Cart Parade was a huge success! Forty-three carts participated in the parade. The carts met in the parking lot at the North Clubhouse for judging while the participants enjoyed coffee and muffins provided by Vesta. Hundreds of spectators were delighted as they watched the holiday themed golf carts cruise through the community. The judges had a difficult decision to make, but finally awarded first prize to the “Polar Express” entered by a group of Kings Points residents (Sylvia
and gratitude. It was truly wonderful to see what can happen when the Kings Point Management teams come together. Thank you to the Master Association, Federation, COA, Vesta, FirstService and all of volunteers and staff members that helped make this event a success. A check for the proceeds of this event will be presented to Mary & Martha House at the Master Association Board Meeting scheduled for January 11th at 9:30am. All residents are invited to attend. A list of the raffle contributors who supported this event can be found on the next page. We sincerely appreciate their support and generosity and hope you will consider them for your future needs.
Fl. All Risk Ins. & Owens Electric $1,250.00 Carnival Cruise Gift Basket Stu & Arlene Gibson
& John Gustafson; Bob & Elaine Varney; Mary Jane Oswald; Mary & Jim Shepherd; Winnie & Hank Massey; Dave & Patty McClure; Barbara Harrison.) In second place, and in great holiday fashion was “The Grinch Who Stole Christmas” by Donald Swartz. In Third, “A Charlie Brown Christmas” by Lynn Simmons. To help make this event even bigger and better next year, the COA is considering adding different categories for judging, more prizes, and a longer parade route. We are all looking forward to what the residents of Kings Point will design for next year.
Assured Partners $1,000 Amazon Gift Card Elaine Golding-Ferguson
1st Place: Polar Express KP Residents
2nd Place: The Grinch - Donald Swartz
3rd Place: Peanuts - Lynn Simmons
Parade coordinators, Eileen Peco and Chris Robinson
Tree Lighting Ceremony
On Friday, November 25th at dusk, The Second Annual Master Association Sponsored Tree Lighting Ceremony kicked off the 2022 holiday events at Charles Hassell Park. The event featured a beautifully decorated park, strolling carolers, trivia, a visit from Santa, and two specialty food trucks. It coincided with the unveiling of the holiday lighting at the front and back entrances of Kings Point. Over 300 of our residents were in attendance. Everyone enjoyed the special arrival of Santa who arrived by elf driven sleigh. The beautifully decorated sleigh was designed and created by the Master Association Decorating Committee. Thank you to all folks who made this event a great success including the Lawn Bowling Club, Christine Spooner, the Shelly Group, Kings Point Security, SCC Emergency Squad and the Master Association Staff. Also, a special thank you goes out to the Carolers – Riverview Sharks Chorus, and Santa - Steve Maguire.
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The News of Kings Point
COA’s 3rd Annual Holiday Light Contest Winners
Congratulations to all the winners and a big thank you to all who participated! If you would like to get a copy of the route to see all 20 participants, visit kpmaster.com/holidays and select the “COA LIGHT CONTEST CONTESTANT LIST” Button.
2nd Annual Festival of Trees and Wreaths This year’s 2nd Annual Festival of Tree’s was a success in more ways than one. First, The Festival of Trees & Tradition Committee (Sue Martucci, Stena Campagna, Patty Gelsey, Ximena Jones, Carol Kock, Sophia Horvath (Jr. Assistant), & Angelo Martucci) received so many compliments back from the donors of wreaths and trees. The trees and wreaths on display really brightened up the hallways at the North Clubhouse, brought a lot of smiles, and created a lot of positive buzz. The talent of all who contributed and the number of contributions that were made is simply amazing!
In addition to the holiday spirit that was filling the halls of the North Clubhouse, the event successfully raised $5,430 for My Warriors Place. The tree with the highest bid was the donation by the Pelican Players which brought in $600 on its own. The wreath with the highest bid was also a donation by the Pelican Players. The matching wreath sold for $405 for a total of $1,005. The tree and wreath went to the same bidder who intends to place them with their white Steinway piano. They were extremely excited to bring the tree and wreath home. The Committee would like to give thanks to all who helped with the event to include Vesta who provided tables and display boards, power strips and extension cords by the dozens and made sure everything was spaced very nicely and glowing with color and sparkle. Also, special thanks to the Security team members under Mr. Ken Smith who were on hand Thanksgiving weekend to help people bring in their donations and assist our team.
January 2023
Thank you to the sponsors for all that you gave to help us raise $17,213.00 for Mary & Martha House! USI - $1,900.00 BrightView - $1,040.00 Assured Partners - $1,000.00 Castlebrook Roofing - $950.00 Kings Point Land Trust - $825.00 Bush Ross (Donation to MMH) - $750.00 Florida All Risk Ins. - $750.00 Russell Landscaping - $600.00 COA - $500.00 Heritage Insurance - $500.00 Owens Electric - $500.00 Frisca - $500.00 Garcia Landscaping -$500.00 Global Engineering - $500.00 ITS - $500.00 Rose Paving - $500.00 Vesta - $500.00 Ewing - $450.00 Down To Earth - $400.00 Lightsey's Window Cleaning - $350.00 FirstService Residential - $318.00 Browns Tree Service - $300.00 Nature Coast - $300.00 ARIPM Consultants LLC - $200.00 Artisttree - $200.00 CruisePlanners-True North Vacations - $200.00 Griffin Home Services - $100.00 KP Sat. Night Bingo - $100.00 Santec - $100.00 Solitude Lake - $100.00 Upkeep - $100.00 Home Depot - $85.00 Bug Guy Pest Control - $80.00 Rallys Car Wash - $75.00 TurfKeepers - $75.00 Glenna Tanner - $50.00 Integrity Pressure Cleaning - $50.00 KP Sun - Thur Bingo - $50.00 West Coast Golf Cars - $50.00
Santa Photos for Mary & Martha
Ho, Ho, Ho. For the second year in a row, Santa himself helped make the magic of the holiday season come alive with a visit to the Celebration of the Holidays. Santa made his appearance to help with the Master Association sponsored Santa Booth which successfully raised $283 with the help of Kings Point resident, Steve Maguire, who played Santa, along with the Master Association General Manager, Shawna Deiulio and team members, Tiffany Decker and Kathy Crawley. A big thank you to the over 50 families that participated. The funds raised from the Santa booth along with the other proceeds collected during the Celebration of the Holidays will be presented to Mary & Martha House in January.
January 2023
Stay safe from scammers this holiday season by getting to know their most common scams:
The News of Kings Point
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Tech Support / Amazon Scams Deputy Jeffery E. Merry Jr. - Community Resource Deputy - Sun City Center
2.Never pay over the phone. Amazon will never ask you to provide payment information, including gift cards (or “verification cards”, as some scammers call them) for products or services over the phone.
• Tech Support Scams. Scammers create fake websites and internet pop up “ads” claiming to provide tech support for your devices. They can also give the impression you have already been hacked. Customers who land on these pages are lured to contact the scammer and fall prey to their schemes. Remember, go directly to the help section of our website when seeking help with computer devices or services. If you do use a search engine, use caution.
These scammers try to convince you to provide payment or bank account information, install software to your computer/ device, or purchase gift cards.
• Amazon Order Confirmation Scams. These are unexpected calls/texts/emails that often refer to an unauthorized purchase and ask you to act urgently to confirm or cancel the purchase.
Remember, if you received correspondence regarding an order you weren't expecting, you can verify orders by logging into your Amazon account. Only legitimate purchases will appear in
Did you know the most popular New Years’ Resolutions include improving your fitness, losing weight and saving money? Gardening activities can improve your fitness, provide great exercise and save you money at the same time! With the New Year right around the corner, many of us addicted to gardening are starting to plan our time in the garden. I asked our Florida-Friendly Landscaping team to give me their garden related resolutions for the new year. Mine are also included. Will wants to improve his health while eating his way through his garden, increasing his vegetable consumption and growing herbs to expand his culinary pallet. Makes sense to me considering his role with community gardens. Heather plans to reduce her
your order history - and Customer Service is available 24/7 to assist. Here are some important tips so that you can identify scams and keep your account and information safe: 1.Be wary of false urgency. Scammers may try to create a sense of urgency to persuade you to do what they're asking. Be wary any time someone tries to
New Years’ Resolutions for Your Garden Lynn Barber, Florida-Friendly Landscaping TM agent, UF/IFAS Extension Hills. County
carbon footprint by focusing on ways to reuse items or compost them rather than throwing them away. Guess what she teaches at Extension? If you thought composting, you would be correct! Paula told me that her first resolution would be to actually get/grow a garden. Her second resolution would be to talk with several people who have fabulous gardens, say she’s doing research (she does work at Extension) and ask for comparative samples. YUM! Paula thinks she is coming to my yard to pick and eat perennial peanut flowers. Sonya is interested in understanding her plants’ water needs better so Getting Ready for the Holidays
On January 25, 2023, at 9:30AM in the card room of the North Clubhouse, Troy Green, Environmental Supervisor for the County’s Environmental Services Division will be speaking about Hillsborough County's "Adopt a Pond Program" and how it can be implemented within Kings Point. This seminar is the fifth educational presentation sponsored by the pond committee of the Master's Association. Water retention ponds throughout Florida are required for flood control, and to filtering nutrients and pollutants out of the water that enters our aquifer, streams, rivers, and bays. In addition, it also helps prevent shoreline erosion and encourages biological diversity. We invite everyone who has an interest in the ponds here in Kings Point to attend this informative demonstration.
convince you that you must act now.
We have been busy at the COA working on the preparations for the Holidays. Lots of requests for copies of Christmas Carols and printing invitations to various Holiday parties in the community.
New Volunteers at the COA In the last few months, we welcomed three new volunteers to the COA. Cathy Porter from the Dorchester Association, Joyce Kuzmick from the Brookfield Association and Ed Cohen from Oxford I. We are happy to include these new volunteers and we will be training more new volunteers in the near future. Come by and complete an application form if you are interested.
she won’t over or under water. She also wants to learn more about companion planting to save money, rotate crops/vegetables and see how plants actually help each other. Yes, she teaches water conservation using microirrigation. I have several and hope some (or all) will come to fruition! My gardening resolutions include spending more time in the perennial peanut easement bed to remove clover and other weeds and continue to pick up sticks/branches in the far backyard from our hurricane encounters. I should read at least one of the wonderful gardening books I purchased at the UF/IFAS Bookstore in Gainesville. Check out their website: http://ifasbooks.
3.Trust Amazon-owned channels. Always go through the Amazon mobile app or website when seeking customer service, tech support, or when looking to make changes to your account. If you feel you are a victim, have questions, or concerns, contact Community Resource Deputy Jeff Merry, 813-242-5515. Have a wonderful and safe holiday season from us to you, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. ifas.ufl.edu/. I am somewhat committed to repairing my wooden bench and moving it to the side yard where I can enjoy the plants, butterflies and birds. I will volunteer to help my friend, Ara, pull weeds in her yard, but maybe we could play Scrabble instead! I should clean out my rain barrel. Guess what I teach? Correct, rainwater harvesting. For information about our upcoming horticultural programs, visit our website: http://sfyl.ifas.ufl. edu/hillsborough/ and check out our calendar of events: http:// sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/hillsborough/ upcoming-events/. Contact Lynn Barber at labarber@ufl.edu Wishing all of you safe and wonderful holidays. Hope you can get outside and garden!
COA Monthly Membership and Board Meeting We will have our next monthly Board and Membership Meeting on Jan. 3, 2023, at the Banquet Room of the North Clubhouse at 2pm. We have invited Mike Bardell, Chief of the Sun City Center Emergency Squad, to the meeting. He will discuss the merits of the Squad, the history of the Squads development, the recognition, and achievements of the Emergency Squad statewide, and the ongoing services to the community. As a fellow volunteer organization, we are happy to use this opportunity to support the efforts of this wonderful organization and provide another educational segment to our community through the Condominium Owners Association.
Remember the Services We Provide Faxing, Postage Stamp Sales, Free Notary Services, Bulletin Board notices in the North Clubhouse, Website to Buy and Sell Property, Copies, Membership Directory, Gifts and Grants, Air Compressor, Information in the area on the Tax Help Program, Shredding, Arrange Motorized Scooters in the Clubhouses, Wheelchair and Walker loans.
DECEMBER MEETING LOTTERY DRAWING WINNER ($25) Marsha Adams CONGRATULATIONS!
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The News The News of Kings of Kings Point Point
January July 2021 2023
JANUARY VOLUNTEER OF THE MONTH JOANIE FRANTZ
A Message from Joanie: Because of the generosity of United Methodist Church of SCC and the congregation; each week we (other volunteers, friends, and neighbors) are able to give back to the community in many ways. We Drop off backpacks full of food and various other items to local homeless people. We manage a well-stocked food pantry (and other goods) for underserved families and help other food pantries (like a mobile home community in Ruskin and children at Beth Shields Middle School) when they are low or out of food. Bombas Socks donates thousands of socks that we distribute to homeless people and underserved children in the community. We support the Empty Bowl Project - Fundraiser to raise awareness for the hungry in our community. I am proud to coordinate pick-up and delivery of household goods to the underserved in our community. I also donate my time on Saturday with Nicole Huard at Nearly New; a store that sold donated items for local charities and seniors at local high schools. I couldn’t do this without a lot of help, thank you all!
Master Maintenance Updates Irrigation Repairs January
114 Irrigation Inspections 256 Work Orders Commpleted 24 New Alteration Requests 4 Completed Alterations 0 Emergency Calls 18 Mainline Repairs 9 Lateral Line Breaks 20 Valves Repaired/Replaced 2 Gate Valves Replaced 1 Well 6 Trees Taken Down Golf Cart Path Area Cleaned
6 Control Boxes Replaced 4 Breakers Replaced 6 Lateral Line Reroutes 2 Moisture Sensors Installed 4 Control Boards 7 Decoders 2 Radios Replaced 7 Wire Issues 2 Antenna Repairs 2 Pot Holes 1 Bench 4 Street Signs
January y Club of the Month DGS Watercolor Club
DGS watercolor club started after Diane Simon stepped in to take Rita McClains place, the previous teacher, who could no longer teach the group. She stepped up to continue the legacy since she had taken a couple of years of instruction and had enough base knowledge to teach a beginner watercolor class. The need was met and then some. She now teaches twice a week and has approximately 30 full time students: expanding to almost 50 during the winter season. Anyone can join based on space availability; however, they have to meet the regulations of the Recreation Committee which only allow 25% non-residents to participate. All levels of ability are welcome, but It's nice to have some base knowledge. Getting into water coloring averages between $65 and $100 to buy materials and that's before you can start! The club meets in the Art Room of the Main Clubhouse
on Monday mornings OR Thursday afternoons. It's the same class both days, so you sign up for either Monday or Thursday. When Diane teaches, it is not an open studio. In other words, everyone paints the same thing with varied results. There is a variety of subject matter that is chosen, and each choice shows you how to achieve positive results with color, value, and techniques. There is a charge of $20 per fourweek session. This includes a photo reference, a pattern, in person demonstration/teaching, and online video after each week. Diane prefers to meet with anyone interested in classes prior to starting, to ascertain whether there is room for the new entrant and to answer any questions they may have. She encourages everyone to fulfill their dream of being an artist! Feel free to contact Diane Simon for more information at dgs4994@gmail. com.
Please Help Keep Our Community Safe! November 15th - December 15th Traffic Count 31-35 MPH - 17,000 Vehicles 36-40 MPH - 3,743 Vehicles 41-45 MPH - 557 Vehicles 46-50 MPH - 93 Vehicles 51-55 MPH -13 Vehicles
Six Fun New Year’s Facts & Traditions https://www.todayslifeonline.com
New Year’s is a time when millions of people will celebrate with food, new resolutions, or even a kiss as the clock strikes midnight. But how much do you know about the holiday? Here are six fun facts about New Year’s. 1. Forty-five percent of Americans make New Year’s resolutions. The top resolutions are to lose weight, get organized, to spend less and save more, to stay fit and healthy, and to quit smoking. While half of all Americans make resolutions, 25 percent of them give up on their resolutions by the second week of January. 2. Be sure to eat leafy greens on New Year’s. Tradition says that the leafier greens a person eats, the more prosperity he or she will experience. Tradition also says that legumes bring prosperity because beans and peas look like coins. No wonder why so many people eat black eyed peas on January 1. 3. Many people ring in New Year’s by popping open a bottle of champagne. Americans drink close to 360 million glasses of sparkling wine during this time. The bubbly stuff dates back to the 17th century when the cork was invented.
4. About 1 million people gather in New York Cities Times Square to watch the ball drop. The cities ball drop tradition came about because of a ban on fireworks. The first ball in 1907 was 700 pounds and was lit with 100 25watt lights. The current ball puts the old one to shame. Today, it is covered in 2,688 crystals, is lit by 32,000 LED lights, weighs 11,875 pounds and is twelve feet in diameter. 5. Remember the last scene in When Harry Met Sally, when Harry references a song after he and Sally kiss? It was Auld Lang Syne, a song traditionally sung at the end of New Year’s parties. Poet Robert Burns wrote it in 1788. Though most people do not know the words to Auld Lang Syne, the overall message is that people have to remember their loved ones, dead or alive, and keep them close in their hearts. 6. According to statistics from the National Insurance Crime Bureau, vehicles are stolen on New Year’s Day more than any other holiday. Do not think your old car is safe, either. In 2011, the 1994 Honda Accord was the most stolen car. To discourage car theft, make sure your car is in a populated area and always take your keys.
Did you know that certain types of grass, including Bahia, turn dormant in the winter months? Dormancy is characterized by a complete cessation of growth along with brown or dead looking grass. This is a protective process that the turf uses to survive harsh climatic conditions. So please be patient as your bahia grass should come back in the spring. A Friendly Recycling Request
UPCOMING MEETINGS January 6th @ 9:30am Federation Board Meeting KPNCH - Card Room
Please be considerate of your neighbors by breaking down your boxes and plastic bottles before you put them in the bins, especially during the holidays. Thank you!
January 3rd @ 2:00 PM COA Board Meeting KPNCH - Banquet Room January 11th @ 9:30am Master Assoc. Board Meeting KPNCH - Waterside Room January 20th, @ 9:30 am Federation Membership Meeting KPNCH - TBD January 25th, @ 2:00 PM Master Association Round Table KPNCH - TBD Association Board Members Only