BEACON VOLUME 3 | ISSUE 5 | NOVEMBER 2014
WWW.BELLALAGOHOA.COM | VOLUME 3 | ISSUE 5
D E PA R T M E N T A R T I C L E S
News from AV Homes FA C I L I T Y P H O N E NUMBERS BEL L A L AG O Amenity Center
407-933-3010
Security Main Gate
407-846-3014
IS L ES OF BEL L A LAG O Amenity Center
407-343-9175
Security Main Gate
407-846-1451
HOA ADM I N N U M B E R S HOA Compliance Coordinator Gloria Hernandez
321-332-1876 ghernandez@aamfl.com
Membership Coordinator/Lease Applications Giselle Rodriguez
407-846-4358 grodriguez@aamfl.com
HOA Account Issues & Irrigation Work Orders Customer Care
866-516-7424
HOURS OF O P E R AT I O N
BY DAVID SMITH, DIVISION PRESIDENT OF AV HOMES, INC.
T
hings have been moving along at an impressive pace at Bellalago. With new home sales up this year, we’ve had the pleasure of welcoming home new residents from across the globe! Celebrating a huge milestone with the introduction of new designs earlier this year, the Bellalago streetscapes have been undergoing a transformation as homes from these new collections near their completion. Coming up this month, residents and friends will have the opportunity to participate in the Bellalago Turkey Chase 5K and Kid’s Fun Run. With the temperature cooling down, it’s the perfect time of year to lace up those sneakers and bring out the whole family to enjoy the fall season. Great community events like this are one of the many lifestyle features that set Bellalago apart from the rest. Inside these gates we’ve taken resident-centered planning to new levels with home designs showcasing the options and features that matter the most to you, set within a community enhanced with a small-town feel. For the latest community updates on upcoming special events, future plans, and more, the Bellalago New Home Sales Center has the most current resident and community news. We’re a growing community with new home sales every week! Stop by today for this month’s edition of fresh Bellalago news! Envisioned as a stunning lakefront community complemented by Mediterranean-inspired homes displaying a passionate attention to detail, Bellalago has grown to become a premier new home destination featuring fantastic resident amenities with year-round activities, festivals, and events. Defined by more than just homes, we recognize that our residents play the most important role, enriching the community from the moment you decided to call this home. We thank you for choosing Bellalago.
BELLA L AGO AM EN IT Y C E N T E R Monday - Friday
6am - 9pm
Saturday & Saturday
8am - 8pm
IS L ES OF BEL L A LAG O A M EN I TY CE NT E R Monday - Friday
6am - 9pm
Saturday & Sunday
8am - 8pm
P OOL H OU R S * Monday - Friday
Usually Dawn - Dusk
Saturday & Sunday
8am - Dusk
*Subject to change. Check boards at each pool.
SUN SET TERRAC E G R ILLE Monday Tuesday - Thursday Friday & Saturday Sunday
2
BELLALAGO BEACON | NOVEMBER 2014
CLOSED
Advertising Space Available! Beginning this month, the newsletter has become a monthly publication that will include advertising spaces for residents and local businesses. The addition of the advertising program will help offset the costs involved in creating and printing the newsletter for our community. WE ARE OFFERING THE 1/8 PAGE AD TO OUR RESIDENTS FOR 50% OFF THE ONE-MONTH RATE. More details regarding size, cost, and deadlines for the advertisements can be viewed at www.bellalagoadvertising.com.
12pm - 9pm 12pm - 10pm 12pm - 8pm
For any questions regarding advertising opportunities, please contact: bellalago@overflowdesigngroup.com or call 813-501-7220.
D E PA R T M E N T : A R C H I T E C T U R A L & CO M P L I A N C E
NOVEMBER 2014 | BELLALAGO BEACON
3
D E PA R T M E N T : CO M M U N I T Y M A N AG E R
Season of Changes BY DOUG GILBERT, CAM
H
ello residents! Many of you have known me throughout the years as your Recreation Specialist and most recently the Facility Operations Manager here at Bellalago. But for those who do not or are new to the community, please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Doug Gilbert and I will be your Community Manager for the Bellalago and Isles of Bellalago communities. In many different roles I have been working in the community for five years, and look forward to continuing working with you. I would also like to introduce Gloria Hernandez as your Assistant Community Manager for Bellalago and Isles of Bellalago. Gloria has also been with the community for a number of years as the HOA Compliance Coordinator. As your new Community Manager and Assistant Community Manager, I want you to know
4
BELLALAGO BEACON | NOVEMBER 2014
that we are committed to assisting you in any way that we can. I can be reached at 321-332-1875 or by email at dgilbert@ aamfl.com with any questions or concerns and Gloria can be reached at 321-332-1876 or by email at ghernandez@aamfl.com. Of course, most of our management activities are coordinated in partnership with your Association’s Board of Directors, AV Homes, and Bruce Friedman, the VP of Florida Operations at AAM. Your Board of Directors has demonstrated their commitment to serving the best interests of all Bellalago and Isles of Bellalago residents and contributed selflessly to the Association. It will be a pleasure to work with them. As I get adjusted to this new position, you will hear more from me on a weekly basis via community wide emails. If you currently do not receive
emails from the Community Association, you can get your email address added by registering on the community website: www.BellalagoHOA.com. This change in management does not and will not change the path this community has established the last two years. Gloria, the Lifestyles Team, and I appreciate our strong relationship with the residents of this beautiful community, and we look forward to working with you in the future. GLORIOUS DAYS OF AUTUMN Ah, fall in Florida - the ponds are full, the lawns are lush, and you might even wear a sweater while walking the dog in the early morning. And, of course, there’s that wonderful feeling of throwing open the windows and sliders and reading a book
D E PA R T M E N T : A R C H I T E C T U R A L & CO M P L I A N C E
on the lanai without sweating. We’ve been fortunate that Mother Nature has brought us some outstanding fall weather so far and with it I hope everyone will come out and show their support for the upcoming November resident and club led events. We kick off the month of November with a Safety Workshop on November 6th with lots of safety tips and demonstrations. If you haven’t been to one of the DiveIn Movie Nights by the pool, you’re definitely missing out on a good time! On November 8th, the Lifestyles Team will be showing Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2. I must admit, it’s one of my favorite animated movies! To finish out the month is Bellalago’s Turkey Chase 5K and Thanksgiving Potluck! The 5K and potluck were two very popular events last year, so you don’t want to miss them! This year’s 5K benefits Habitat for Humanity. You can register by going to www.turkeychase5k. com. There are many other fun events going on this month at Bellalago. Kelsi Clonts has more information and you can read all about them in her article. The Holiday Season is fast approaching and the Lifestyles Team has been working hard preparing for our annual Adults Only Holiday Party. This event is always a big hit throughout the community and you don’t want to miss it. Tickets will be on sale later this month and will sell out fast! Plan to dance the night away with our favorite holiday songs, as we put the finishing touches on the tree and welcome in the holiday season together as a community. This party will certainly put you in the holiday spirit! I hope you all have a Safe and Happy Thanksgiving and I look forward to some great upcoming events for the holidays!
DOUG GILBERT 407-933-3010 dgilbert@aamfl.com
ARC Requests & Violations BY GLORIA HERNANDEZ, ASSISTANT COMMUNITY MANAGER
H
appy Thanksgiving! I wanted to share a few stats on Architectural Requests and Violations for this year: Of the 312 ARC requests, 6 were rejected. Top requests are paint, screen enclosures, landscape curbing, and boat docks. All homeowners must submit ARC applications for all exterior work to their homes, including yard art, potted plants, landscape lighting, etc. In addition to the ARC application, there may be additional documents that must be submitted for review by the committee. Please feel free to contact me should you have any questions regarding Architectural Requests. There were a total of 2,539 violations. Top violations are: paint, trash/recycle can visible, landscape maintenance, parking in the street overnight, and pressure washing roofs. We are continuing to send the reminder letters for the 7-year paint requirement. If you have already painted your house, please call or email me so that we can do the final inspection and update your account. If you need an extension, please contact me to avoid receiving letters and fines.
We have noticed an increase in the growth in lilly pads around the lakes in Bellalago and we are working with American Eco Systems to get this under control. Because we have received a few complaints within the last few weeks, American Eco Systems has been working to treat the lilly pads on a weekly basis. We should see an improvement within the coming weeks. I wanted to take the time to say thank you to all of the homeowners who have submitted ARC requests and who contacted us and complied with violations. I have seen major improvements in the overall appearance of the community and I can honestly say that the community has come a long way in the last two years. Thank you for helping keep Bellalago beautiful! Please do not hesitate to contact us should you have any questions or concerns.
GLORIA HERNANDEZ 321-332-1876 ghernandez@aamfl.com
NOVEMBER 2014 | BELLALAGO BEACON
5
D E PA R T M E N T : L I F E S T Y L E S
November Activities BY KELSI CLONTS, ACTIVITIES COORDINATOR
I
t’s fall and what better way to celebrate then with fall activities and events! But first, I wanted to thank everyone that has been attending the events this year. Our events have been such a success because of you. A few very good examples are the Casino Night and Halloween House of Nightmares. For the Casino Night, the Grille was transformed into a casino with blackjack, roulette, craps, and poker tables and even a surprise appearance from Elvis and two Casino Show Girls! What an awesome surprise to have Elvis and the girls travel all the way from Las Vegas to see us. Another great event was the Halloween House of Nightmares! The Grim Reaper was hunting his prey with his hooded followers close behind. Many residents shrieked with terror when they walked through the haunted house and saw the mad scientist and his specimens, the doll who wanted to come out to play, and the butcher selling his meat. Even though October was filled with many exciting events, November will be even better! Please read below for more information on the events this month or flip to page x, which includes a listing of events this month and short descriptions.
6
BELLALAGO BEACON | NOVEMBER 2014
Since it is the holiday season and Christmas lights and celebrations will be occurring, it’s a good time to have a safety workshop. A sheriff from the local police department will conduct a safety workshop that includes safety tips and demonstrations. This activity will be located at Bellalago on Thursday, November 6th. An email blast will be sent out on a later date with more information and the time for this event. The monthly events such as the Dive in Movie, Adult ONLY Movie Night, Sunset Social, and Ladies Night are still a success! This month’s Dive in Movie will be held on Saturday, November 8th at Bellalago. The Lifestyles Team will be showing Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 at 7:30pm. Free popcorn until supplies last and drinks for $1 each. The other monthly movie night we will show is the Adult ONLY Movie Night. This month we will be showing Million Dollar Arm at Isles of Bellalago on Saturday, November 15th. Popcorn and drink combo for just $2. The show will be starting at 7:30pm. Ladies Night has been such a great success and I think the ladies can agree! From jewelry making (with volunteer help from Luz Donmoyer) to decorating
ceramic pumpkins, it has been a blast! On Wednesday, November 12th from 7pm9pm we will be making Clay Pot People. Complimentary wine and cheese will be available. THIS EVENT IS $5 PER LADY AND TICKETS AVAILABLE AT BOTH AMENITY LOCATIONS. RESIDENTS 18 AND OVER ONLY. Next, we have the Sunset Social! This monthly event will be located at the Grille on Thursday, November 20th from 7pm-10pm. DJ Bobby will be breaking down the beats and the Grille will be cooking up hot food and drink specials! FREE EVENT FOR RESIDENTS 18 AND OVER ONLY. Two very BIG events occurring this month are the Bellalago Turkey Chase 5K and the Thanksgiving Potluck! On Saturday, November 22nd, the second annual Bellalago 5K will finally be here! Check in and day of registration will be from 6:30am-8am at the Bellalago Amenity Center. The 5K will start promptly at 8:30am. Pricing for the race is $15 without shirt or $25 with shirt. There will be a Kid’s Fun Run, which will be held at 8am and the price is $5 per child. All proceeds raised from this event will go toward housing our veterans and their families. The Bellalago Lifestyles Team is happy to
announce this partnership with Habitat for Humanity. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE 5K, PLEASE VISIT TURKEYCHASE5K.COM TO REGISTER. THIS EVENT IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AND RESIDENTS AND GUESTS OF ALL AGES ARE WELCOME. Also, please email me at kclonts@aamfl.com if you would like to be a sponsor for this event. Since the Thanksgiving Potluck was such a success last year, the Bellalago Lifestyles Team has decided to plan it again this year! The Potluck will be on Sunday, November 23rd from 3pm-5pm and held at the Bellalago Amenity Center. Turkey will be provided by the Lifestyles Department. Please sign up at either Amenity Center to participate or email me at kclonts@aamfl.com. This is a FREE EVENT, but you must bring a dish to attend. The Thanksgiving Potluck will be a great way to mingle, get to know your fellow residents, and to show off your cooking talent! DEADLINE FOR THE EVENT IS NOVEMBER 17TH. Thank you again for all of your help, creative ideas, and your kind words. I am so happy to work for residents like you. Fall is going to be an exciting time to join in the fun and be a part of the community. If you have never been to the events before, this month is a great time to start! Come chase the turkey at Bellalago’s Turkey Chase 5K or show off your cooking skills at the Thanksgiving Potluck. If you are not into cooking or 5Ks, then enjoy the movie nights or ladies come join in the fun at Ladies Night! You will always find something that will spark your interest and if not, call or email me with ideas for the upcoming months. Again, thank you all for your support and I hope to see you at the events soon!
KELSI CLONTS 863-614-0197 kclonts@aamfl.com
NOVEMBER 2014 | BELLALAGO BEACON
7
D E PA R T M E N T : VO L U N T E E R I N G
Teen Volunteer Program BY JOSE CHAPARRO, TEEN VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR
T
he youth began a new school year and our team program started picking up again. Many of you have seen me working in the back of the desk in Bellalago and/or Isles of Bellalago, but I am also the Teen Volunteer Coordinator and I am looking forward to working with the teens here. For those of you who don’t know about our teen program, it’s a program where teens volunteer with us and in turn gain valuable work experience and acquire volunteer hours needed to fulfill their high school requirements. With all of our upcoming events planned for the rest of the year, we will have plenty of opportunity for our teens to participate, socialize, and gain some hours while having a blast. One of the big events for teen participation was
8
BELLALAGO BEACON | NOVEMBER 2014
Halloween, which definitely made it a successful and fun event. A little bit about myself - my name is Jose and I have lots of experience in the Human Service Field mainly helping others and dealing with people in general. I believe in hard work, dedication, and commitment, and I try to implement these values in everything I do. I also believe I, along with the Bellalago team, will be good role models to our teens. Once again the Teen Program is a program that allows our teens to grow, learn, and to be a part of our great community. I look forward to working with our teens in the upcoming months through the several planned events and other activities. I will make a contact list of
those teens that would like to participate and send email blasts of events and other things pertaining to the Teen Program. Since Kelsi is the Activities Coordinator for Bellalago, most of our teens will also be working hand in hand with her. The teens can also confer with her on events and sign up for them. If there are any questions in regards to the Teen Program, please feel free to contact me at jchaparro@aamfl.com or just stop by the Bellalago Amenity Center.
JOSE CHAPARRO jchaparro@aamfl.com
NOVEMBER 2014 | BELLALAGO BEACON
9
EVENTS: LIFESTYLES
Every Week November
VOLLEYBALL
Mondays • 5pm Bellalago Amenity Center "Bump, Set, Spike!" We bring the beach to Bellalago for a game of volleyball! Two teams of two players or more on a sand court divided by a net. First team to 21 wins! SOCCER
Tuesdays • 5pm Bellalago Amenity Center Calling all soccer lovers! The object of the game is to score goals by kicking or heading the ball into the opponent's goal. Come play an adrenaline-filled, heart-pumping, game of soccer! FLAG FOOTBALL
Wednesdays • 5pm Bellalago Amenity Center "Hut 1, hut 2, HIKE!" Ready for a non-physical approach to the game of football? Flag football is a modified form of football in which ballcarriers are downed by pulling off a marker, or flag, loosely attached to a belt, rather than by tackling. It's tons of fun and best of all, you don't need any pads. Come join the Lifestyles team in a fun gridiron battle! BASKETBALL
Thursdays • 5pm Bellalago Amenity Center "Slam Dunk!" Show your basketball skills and learn some new ones with your friends! Choose teams (3-on-3 or 5-on-5), beat the buzzer, and go for the win! Join us for a fun game of basketball.
November BELLALAGO’S SAFETY WORKSHOP Thursday, November 6th • Time TBD Bellalago Amenity Center The Safety Workshop will include safety tips and demonstrations geared toward the holiday season. An email blast will be sent out on a later date with more information and time of this event. FREE EVENT FOR RESIDENTS OF ALL AGES.
10
BELLALAGO BEACON | NOVEMBER 2014
A D U LT BI N GO
Fridays, November 7th & 21st • 7pm Bellalago Amenity Center Coffee is free, but please bring a dessert. Residents and guests must be 18 years of age or older. $10 gift cards will be awarded for every BINGO. DIVE IN MOVIE Saturday, November 8th • 7:30pm Bellalago Amenity Center Pool This month, we will show Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2. Popcorn is free while supplies last. Soda, juice, and water are $1 each. FREE EVENT FOR RESIDENTS AND GUESTS OF ALL AGES. KID'S CRAFT Saturday, November 8th • 2pm Bellalago Amenity Center The kids will be creating a clay pot craft. CRAFT AND LAUGH LADIES NIGHT Wednesday, November 12th • 7pm-9pm Bellalago Amenity Center It’s fall and on Wednesday, November 12th the ladies will be making Clay Pot People! Paint an outfit and face on your Clay Pot Person and watch it come to life. This event will bring out your creative side and give you a chance to get to know your lady residents. PLEASE PURCHASE TICKETS IN ADVANCE. TICKETS ARE $5 PER LADY AND ARE LOCATED AT BOTH AMENITY LOCATIONS. BU N CO
Fridays, November 14th & 28th • 7pm Bellalago Amenity Center If you have never played and fancy a fun afternoon with other like-minded residents, stop by the Amenity Center at 7pm every other Friday and see what fun you could be having. ADULT ONLY MOVIE NIGHT Saturday, November 15th • 7:30pm Isles of Bellalago Amenity Center Pool This Month’s Adult ONLY Movie Night we will be showing Million Dollar Arm. Watch Jon Hamm in this amazing and heartfelt movie about a sports agent that stages an unconventional recruitment strategy to get talented Indian cricket players to play Major League Baseball. FREE EVENT FOR ADULTS 18 AND UP. Popcorn and drink combo for $2 while supplies last.
D E PA R T M E N T : L I F E S T Y L E S & F I T N E S S
SUNSET SOCIAL Thursday, November 20th • 7pm-10pm Sunset Grille Come join us at our monthly Sunset Social’s Latin Night! Come by the Grille at Bellalago to dance the night away to Salsa, Bachata, Merengue, and the Top '40s. FREE admission with live DJ. The Grille will be cooking up some hot food and drink specials that you will not want to miss! RESIDENTS AND GUESTS 18 YEARS AND OVER ONLY. BELLALAGO’S TURKEY CHASE 5K Saturday, November 22nd • 8:30am It’s that time of year again for Bellalago’s 5K! This year, the Bellalago Turkey Chase 5K will be held on Saturday, November 22nd at 8:30am. Pricing for the race is $25 with shirt and $15 without shirt. Check in day of event will be from 6:30am-8am at the Bellalago Amenity Center. We will also have a Kid's Fun Run which will be held at 8am and the price is $5 per child. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE 5K, PLEASE VISIT WWW.TURKEYCHASE5K.COM TO REGISTER. THIS EVENT IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AND RESIDENTS AND GUESTS OF ALL AGES ARE WELCOME. KID'S CRAFT Saturday, November 22nd • 2pm Bellalago Amenity Center The kids will be creating a Thanksgiving craft. THANKSGIVING POTLUCK Sunday, November 23rd • 3pm-5pm Bellalago Amenity Center The Thanksgiving Potluck will be a great way to mingle, get to know your fellow residents, and to show off your cooking talent! Turkey will be provided by the Lifestyles Department. Please sign up at either Amenity Center locations to participate or email Kelsi at kclonts@ aamfl.com. This is a FREE EVENT, but you must bring a dish to attend. DEADLINE to RSVP FOR EVENT IS NOVEMBER 17TH.
Catch & Release Fishing
T
rue catch and release fishing was first practiced in Europe. Fishermen started noticing that the salmon and other species were dwindling in numbers. They took home all the fish they caught; most were not being eaten and were put in the trash. During the last 60-70 years, fishermen (and women) started throwing back small fish and releasing fish that could not be eaten in a couple of days. Fish flesh does not keep well and neighbors really didn't appreciate a bunch of fish that was given to them at eight o'clock at night, especially not cleaned. Catch and release in this country got started in earnest in 1972 by Ray Scott, the founder of Bass Anglers Sportsman Society (B.A.S.S.). In Scott's second bass tournament ever, he decided to give bonuses to fishermen who brought their fish in alive to the weighin. That led to the establishment of the live-wells in the freshwater boats and also the saltwater boats. A huge industry started based on tournament fishing. If there was not catch and release fishing, that industry would die along with the fish. Now there is, along with other forms of conservation, a renewable industry that we can enjoy for generations. Remember, all of our lakes and ponds in Bellalago are catch and release only. Want to go fishing? Come and join the Bellalago Fishing Club.
NOVEMBER 2014 | BELLALAGO BEACON
11