Volunteer of the Month Luncheon Celebrates Extraordinary Residents
Last month, the Master Association hosted a special luncheon in the South Club Jubilee Room to honor our incredible community volunteers. Sponsored by the Master Association, the event was made possible thanks to the generous support of our trusted vendors—Rose Paving, Russell Landscaping, and Garcia Landscaping.
Nominated by their peers, the winners were recognized for their outstanding contributions to the community. The luncheon featured a delicious meal catered by Vesta, with custom desserts provided by the Master Association. Each honoree was presented with an inspirational plaque as a token of appreciation for their dedication.
The event kicked off with an ice breaker game, followed by a heartfelt speech from Master Association Vice President, Chris Robinson. A slide show showcasing the volunteers in action added a personal touch to the celebration.
It was a wonderful event, highlighting the spirit of volunteerism that makes Kings Point such a great place to live.
If you know someone who deserves to be recognized, please send your nomination to master@kpmaster.com. One winner is chosen each month and will receive a certificate at a Master Board meeting, as well as an invitation to next year’s appreciation luncheon.
A big thank you to Vesta’s Security team and the Master Association’s irrigation techs for their quick action in handling an unexpected visitor—an 8-foot alligator that had taken up residence near one of the garages in Grantham. The two teams worked seamlessly together to keep residents at a safe distance until Florida Fish and Wildlife (FWC) arrived on the scene.
It was a great example of collaboration between our security personnel and irrigation techs to protect the community. The Master Association notified FWC, and within 30 minutes, an officer was on-site. A special thank you goes out to our irrigation tech, Bleu Batres, who went above and beyond by assisting the FWC officer in safely containing the
gator and helping to get him onto the truck.
According to residents, this alligator had been a long-time resident of the Grantham pond. But don’t worry—he was safely handed over to our permitted alligator trapper and transported to a gator farm, where he’ll live out his days well-fed and safe.
If you spot a nuisance alligator during business hours, please contact the Master Association at 813-812-7559. For after-hours concerns, reach out to Security at 813-634-2063. Remember, it’s important not to approach or gather near a gator, as they are wild and dangerous. Exercise caution and give them space so they can move on safely.
Hillsborough County Government Day Coming to Kings Point
The Hillsborough County Tax Collector’s Office, in collaboration with the Master Association, is excited to bring Government Day to Kings Point! This special event is open to all Kings Point and Sun City Center residents and offers an excellent opportunity to learn more about the many services available from the county.
On November 18th, from 9:30 AM to 12:00 PM, join us in the Veterans Theater at the Kings Point North Clubhouse. Representatives from various county departments will be available to speak with you one-on-one, share valuable information about their services, and answer any questions you may have. This is your chance to connect directly with local
agencies and government services, all in one place. Some of the services include driver license and ID card assistance (note: pre-registration is required for these services—scan the QR code below to sign up), as well as information from departments like Public Works, Veterans Affairs, Senior Services, Emergency Services, Parks and Recreation, and many more.
The Master Association is proud to partner with Nancy Millan, Hillsborough County Tax Collector, to bring this exciting and educational event to our community. Don’t miss out on this great opportunity to stay informed and take advantage of the resources available to you!
Senior Breast Health: 5 Tips You Should Know
Thanks to the efforts of major breast cancer awareness campaigns over the past 35 years, most Americans know that October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. But many older women may not be aware of some of the most current statistics, risk factors, warning signs, and prevention tips for promoting breast health.
That’s unfortunate because breast cancer is one of the most common diseases among senior women. According to the CDC, two of the biggest risk factors for contracting breast cancer are 1.) being a woman, and 2.) getting older. They also report that two out of three invasive breast cancers are found in women age 55 or older, and more than half of all women with breast cancer are over 60. We want to make sure our residents and senior women everywhere have all the information they need to pursue their healthiest life and overcome obstacles like breast cancer. If you’re 55 or older, here are five tips to help you reduce the risk of breast cancer and increase your chances of detecting breast cancer early:
1. Pay attention to changes in your breasts and report them to your
On October 10, individuals over the world take time out to reflect on mental health concerns and what that means to each of us. So many resources are aimed at helping bring awareness to mental health concerns for youth and teens, young adults and the Sandwich Generation. Far too often, seniors remain in the shadows in terms of the mental health conversation, even though nearly 20% of seniors today report dealing with anxiety, depression, or a trauma/stress related disorder. And, since aging adults are the most likely to suffer in silence, those statistics are likely underreported – it is easy to assume the number of seniors facing mental health concerns is higher than we may believe. Compounding this crisis with the potential for developing life-altering conditions like Alzheimer’s, which brings its own set of mental health complications, and the need for mental health support for aging seniors is more than prevalent – it’s essential.
Seniors face many barriers to assistance for mental health care, including:
- Physical manifestations of mental complications. Many mental health symptoms can present themselves in the body in the forms of disorders such as insomnia, problems eating, or even physical pain. Aging adults report being more willing to seek physical treatments for these symptoms instead of treating the cause of the problems.
- Believing that negative mental states are normal. It is often
doctor immediately
Did you know that the American Cancer Society says that 40% of all breast cancer cases are first self-detected at home? Make sure to regularly check for lumps and abnormalities by inspecting your breast and armpit areas.
2. Have a mammogram every other year. After self-exams at home, regular mammograms are one of the best methods of early detection.
3. Talk to a doctor if you have a higher risk of breast cancer. Women with close relatives who’ve been diagnosed with breast cancer have a higher risk of developing the disease. If breast cancer is part of your genetic history, you can schedule an appointment with your doctor to discuss risk factors and prevention options.
4. Maintain a healthy weight and nutritious diet. Research from the American Cancer Society shows that overweight and obese women have a higher risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer compared to women who maintain a healthy weight, especially after menopause.
5. Stay physically active. Staying active is one of the most important breast-healthy habits. According to the National Cancer Institute, large, long-term studies show that women who engage in moderate to vigorous exercise for more than three hours per week have a 30% to 40% lower risk of breast cancer, regardless of family history or risk of breast cancer. So whether you enjoy a round of golf, yoga, a morning swim, or a brisk walk after dinner, get out and enjoy a healthy active lifestyle.
Show Your Support for Kings Point Employees at Our Appreciation Concert
Our Kings Point employees work tirelessly behind the scenes to keep this community the vibrant and active adult paradise we all love to call home. From the team at FirstService to the Master Association and Vesta employees, they all play a vital role in ensuring that everything runs smoothly— from maintaining our beautiful clubhouses and infrastructure to serving up delicious meals and planning exciting activities.
Their dedication often goes unnoticed, but it’s their hard work that keeps our amenities and infrastructure in top shape and makes sure that Kings Point
remains a wonderful place to live. Now, we have a chance to show them just how much we value their efforts.
Join us at the upcoming concert, where donations will be collected to fund an Employee Appreciation Luncheon in honor of these incredible individuals. It’s a small way to give back for everything they do day in and day out to enhance our community.
Let’s come together to celebrate and support the people who make Kings Point such a great place to live!
reported that seniors believe that loneliness, feelings of sadness, negative emotions, or other symptoms of mental illness are normal as we age. That is simply not true. By allowing seniors to know that their sadness, loss, despair, and distress are not normal side effects of aging, we can open up the conversation about the need for more mental health care for aging adults.
- The silent generation often suffers in silence. Even when they feel deep suicidal ideation or other extreme mental health symptoms, seniors are often less likely to speak up and ask for help. Often believing that “no one cares,” or “everyone is too busy with their own lives,” aging adults will often put their own needs to the backburner, letting these complications simmer and grow instead of
letting them out and seeking help.
What can seniors do to help themselves when mental health symptoms arise?
- Exercise regularly
- Eat healthy foods
- Maintain regular appointments with healthcare professionals
How can we help when seniors in our lives need help? It all comes down to access. Ensuring our seniors have access to the following can mean the difference between a life lived on their own terms and one lived under a cloud of mental health concerns that will not go away…
- Trained healthcare professionals - Preventative measures
regarding illnesses and disorders specific to aging
- Age-friendly living conditions, neighborhoods, and communities
- Social and emotional supports
- Proper care for their needs, including nutrition and social services
Supporting the well-being of older adults involves caring for both their physical health and mental wellbeing. Simple acts like ensuring they have access to nutritious meals, helping with daily tasks such as errands, meal preparation, and laundry, or offering companionship can make a big difference. Volunteer programs and employment training services are also great ways to engage seniors and help them stay active and independent. This World Mental Health Day, take a moment to check in on the seniors in your life and ensure they have the resources they need to live long, healthy, independent lives. The silent generation deserves to age with dignity and vibrancy, and each of us can contribute by providing the support they need to thrive every day.
Gift Card Scam
Master Deputy Jeffery E. Merry Jr
Has someone asked you to go get a gift card to pay for something? Lots of people have told us they’ve been asked to pay with gift cards – by a caller claiming to be with the IRS, or tech support, or a so-called family member in need.
Scammers are good at convincing people there really is an emergency, so lots of people have made the trip to the Walmart or Target or CVS to buy gift cards to send these callers. And scammers love gift cards –it’s one of their favorite ways to get your money.
So here’s the most important thing for you to know: anyone who demands payment by gift card is always, always, always a scammer.
Gift cards are for gifts, not payments.
A gift card is like cash — a quick, convenient and untraceable way for con artists to get money.
Schemes:
Paying for back taxes - IRS Impersonation
Paying for Tech Support
Assisting a Family Member in Need
Paying fees for Lottery or Sweepstakes Winnings
Paying Romance Scam Secret Shopper
When a fraudulent caller convinces someone to pay this way, the victim is told to go to a store, purchase gift cards, load money onto it and then provide the 16-digit code on the back of the card. This can be done by phone call, text or email. Sometimes, the crook will stay on the phone with the victim as they go to the store and buy the card.
Most of the time, you can spot a scammer by trusting your instincts—if something looks off, be extra wary.
FTC stated that this year’s top fraud is again Imposter Scams, with nearly 350,000 reports. Nearly 1 in 5 people who reported an imposter scam lost money – a whopping $328 million lost to someone pretending to be a loved one in trouble, a government official, tech support, or someone else who’s not who they say they are, but who wants your money. And, based on reports per 100,000 population, the top states for fraud reports were Florida, Georgia and Nevada.
An estimated one in every 10 American adults lost money in a phone scam in the past 12 months.
If you feel you are a victim, have any questions, or concerns, please contact your Community Resource Deputy, Master Deputy Jeff Merry, 813-242-5515.
Seriously Spooky Halloween Events in Tampa
Source: Tampa Bay Date Night Guide
Celebrate Halloween in Tampa Bay with these curated picks for the area’s most haunted happenings!
SpookEasy Lounge in Ybor City
Monday-Thursday from 11 am-1 am, Frid-Sun from 11 am-3 am 1909 N. 15th St., Tampa
This themed bar is the perfect place to sip non-alcoholic beverages while taking in the spooky atmosphere. The menu features kava, botanical teas and coffee.
ZooTampa Creatures of the Night Select Nights Sept 27-Oct 27, 2024 1101 W. Sligh Ave., Tampa
In search of an attraction that’s a little less scary and also works for the whole family? Couples and kiddos alike will enjoy ZooTampa’s family-friendly Halloween event, Creatures of the Night. Couples can also indulge in themed cocktails and specialty food items for a complete date night.
SPOOKALA!
Frid – Sun, Oct 4-6, 2024
4800 US Hwy 301 North, Tampa Head to The Florida State Fairgrounds for SPOOKALA! Presented by Busch Gardens’ Howl O Scream. Meet some of your favorite celebrities from Halloween and horror films and TV shows such as Walton Goggins, Howie Mandel, Alan Tudyk, Danny Trejo, Marley Shelton, Zach Galligan, and more.
A Nightmare on Franklin Street Fri, Oct. 11-31, 2024 711 N. Franklin St., Tampa Tampa’s most historic–and most haunted–movie palace is proud to present 16 nights of fright with its most sinister series, A Nightmare on Franklin Street. The hair-raising historic landmark goes 100% Halloween with classic horror movies, guest stars, ghost tours, spine-chilling stage shows, spooky storytelling, family-friendly frights, and the return of SpiritsFest!
Haunted Woods at Hillsborough
River State Park
Oct 18-19, 2024, from 7 pm-10 pm 15402 US 301 N, Thonotosassa
The Hillsborough River State Park Preservation Society is hosting a haunted trail at the park along with a costume contest, live music and treats as an alternative to trick-or-treating!
Eerie Evening at the Tampa Bay Hotel
Oct 18-20, and 25-27, 2024 from 6 pm-9 pm
401 W. Kennedy Blvd., Tampa
The Henry Plant Museum is hosting a special nighttime experience inside the former Tampa Bay Hotel. Visitors will find themselves transported back to the early 1900s, shortly after a terrible crime has been committed. Evidence and clues are scattered throughout the rooms and guests must strive to put the pieces together in time to prevent the next attack. Don’t miss it, as this is a rare opportunity to visit the Museum after dark.
Candlelight: A Haunted Evening of Halloween Classics
Oct 27, 30, & 31, 2024 at 6:30 pm and 9:30 pm 1913 N. Nebraska Ave., Ste. 2, Tampa Halloween inspired music at Centro Asturiano de Tampa under the gentle glow of candlelight. Tickets $35-$55, select your timeslot when booking
Howl-O-Scream at Busch Gardens
Tampa Bay Weekends Sept 6 – Nov 2, 2024 at 6 pm
10165 McKinley Dr., Tampa Busch Gardens Tampa Bay’s annual Halloween production is so awesome. Make your way through new and revamped haunted houses, uniquely themed scare zones, and hop on your favorite roller coasters after dark. This is a separately ticketed event that is not included with general park admission.
Gardening for the Health of it!
Horticulture therapy has been documented since the 1700s noting improvements in physical and mental health. In the 1800s prison staff trained inmates to garden due to a lack of available food sources. During WWI and WWII, 40% of the produce in the United States was grown by war gardens.
Gardening is exercise, and it includes productive activities – both mental and physical. Nearly every part of society can participate in gardening – vegetable, flower, landscape and more. There are programs conducted in nursing homes, senior centers, schools, community gardens, hospitals, homeless shelters, penitentiaries and UF IFAS Extension offices throughout our state. Several restaurants have herb and vegetable rooftop gardens to grow their own produce.
According to Center for Disease Control (CDC) exercise can improve your overall health and decrease the risk of high blood pressure, osteoporosis, depression, obesity and more. Are you, adults, involved in 2.5 hours of moderate to intensive activities each week? Are your children performing moderate to intensive activities for 60 minutes per day? Moderate to intensive activities are not as challenging as you may think. Consider gardening, walking, biking, dancing and cleaning your house (please, no!).
US IFAS Extension offices are involved in community and school gardens. In our west central Florida
area, there are approximately 70 community gardens. To find one in your area, go to: https:// coalitionofcommunitygardens. weebly.com/join-a-garden.html
Community gardens provide many benefits. They create a sense of community, education and teach skills that can be utilized in different opportunities. These gardens can help deter crime and illegal neighborhood activities. Community gardens are a great way to convert unproductive land into productive gardens.
School gardens provide excellent opportunities to teach youth about plants, seed identification, water requirements, teamwork and attracting pollinators. Knowing how and when to plant, water, prune and harvest are all important for success.
Have you experienced botanical gardens where you live? In our area, there are many: Fairchild, Leu., Selby, University of South Florida, many UF IFAS Extension offices and the Bette S. Walker Discovery Garden at our office in Seffner. What a fun experience for adults and youth. Gardens are always an educational opportunity.
Gardening can relieve stress, decrease anger and physical pain. It works well to improve concentration, memory and coping skills. Digging in the dirt can increase your self-confidence and give some a reason to get out of bed in the morning. It’s still the #1 favorite exercise. We hope you will go outside and get your hands dirty. Gloves are not necessarily required!
COA’S Hours Return to Normal Beginning Tuesday, September 3rd the COA returned to normal hours - Monday through Friday 9:00 AM – 12 Noon. We have enjoyed seeing so many of our Members stopping by to say “Hi”, get copies made, have notaries done, buy stamps, etc. We kick off the season with the COA Welcome Back Member Meeting on October 1, 2024 at 2:00 PM in the North Club Banquet Room. Looking forward to seeing our Members and sharing ideas for the coming year.
KP COA Membership Directory 2024 - The COA is working on the 2024/2025 COA Membership Directory. Several Member Association Presidents have already provided changes and updates to the new directory (due October 16, 2024). You may want to check with your President if you have a change to be made – stop in and fill out a change form at the COA Office.
Volunteer at the KP COA- We are pleased to welcome back
our KP COA Volunteers from their August “vacation”! . If you would like to join the COA team as a volunteer working in the COA Office, call us at 813-633-1710, or stop in at 1902 Clubhouse Drive, Suite B during our business hours. We are happy to have new volunteers. Look forward to seeing you soon.
Remember - We are here for the member residents in Kings Point. If your Association decided not to include the annual $5.00 resident fee in their association fees, you can come in and pay the $5.00 annual fee and receive a membership card. The KP COA provides a variety of services to COA Members such as copying, faxing, bulletin board postings, free notary service, annual shredding, etc.
This month, we honor Christine Zewin, an incredible example of selfless service and dedication. Christine moved to Kings Point in 1992 and has resided in Manchester 3 ever since. Originally from Ransomville, NY, she grew up on a small livestock farm, which instilled in her a strong work ethic and sense of community.
At 92 years old, Christine is still going strong and continues to drive. She volunteers one day a month at Southshore Hospital, helping with the wheelchair van, and serves as the Captain’s Coordinator for the Emergency Squad, volunteering every eight days. Jane also finds time to take a friend to Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa monthly and is always there to lend a helping hand to her neighbors.
Christine proves that you’re never too old to give back to your community. Her dedication and generosity are an inspiration to us all. Thank you, Christine, for making Kings Point a better place!
The Festival of Trees will begin on November 18th and run through December 9th, 2024 in the KPNCH.
Celebration of the Holidays Dinner and Raffle will take place on December 9th, 2024 in the KPNCH. There will be thousands of dollars in prizes.
Christmas Tree lighting is scheduled for November 29th, 2024 at 5PM. There will be entertainment, food trucks, photos with Santa & Photobooth experiences. All proceeds will benefit A Kids Place.
show your support for the fight against breast cancer. Let’s come together as a community to raise awareness and support those affected.
