Solivita Reflections | February 2023 (Limited Version)

REFLECTIONS

VILLAGE CENTER HOURS

Administration: 863-427-7100

Monday-Friday 9am-5pm

C3 Wellness Spa: 407-914-9168

Monday-Thursday 8am-8pm

Friday 8am-7pm

K&M Drugs: 863-496-7930

Monday-Friday 9am-6pm

Saturday 9am-1pm and Sunday Closed

Marketplace Bistro: 863-427-7157

Daily 8am-7pm, Breakfast 8am-11am

Mosaics Restaurant

Call 863-427-7150, option 2 for hours

Riviera Spa & Fitness Center: 863-427-7130

Monday-Thursday 6:30am-9pm

Friday 6:30am-7pm, Saturday-Sunday 7am-7pm

Solivita Club Facilities After Hours Emergency

Phone Number: 863-286-8779

Weekdays 5pm-8pm and Weekends 12pm-5pm

Starlite Ballroom

Daily 8am-11pm

Stonegate Pro Shop: 863-427-7150, option 1

Daily 7am-5pm

The Grille at Stonegate: 863-427-7167

Daily 11am-8pm

Breakfast: Wednesday-Sunday, 8am-11am

Happy Hour: Monday-Thursday 2pm-5pm

The Palms: 863-496-1530

Amenity Center: Monday-Sunday 8am-9pm

Kids Pool Hours

Monday-Friday 12pm-4pm

Saturday & Sunday 9am-9pm

Fitness Center

Monday-Thursday 6:30am -9pm

Friday 6:30am-7pm

Saturday-Sunday 7am-7pm

Waterfront Galleries

Daily 8am-11pm

Welcome Center: 863-427-7000

Monday-Tuesday & Thursday-Saturday 10am -6pm

Wednesday 1pm-6pm, Sunday 12pm -6pm

ON THE COVER

Do you feel the need to catch some beads? Let the Good Times Roll on Fat Tuesday, February 21st in the Solivita Village Center for food sold by the clubs in Solivita, a parade, DJs, dance performances, cash bars and a street party! Check the full event timeline and details to this complimentary event, open to guests of all ages, on the back of the calendar. We’ll see you there! Photos by Joe Thomas.

CONTACT LIST

Community Manager (Association) - Rudy Bautista: 863-701-2969 or RBautista@Evergreen-LM.com

Club Manager - Sheri Wollschlager: 863-427-7129 or SWollschlager@Evergreen-LM.com

Director of Security & Safety - Paul Mears: 863-440-7572 or PaulM@VitalSecurity.com

Communications Director - Doug Gilbert: 863-427-7137 or SolivitaCommunications@Evergreen-LM.com

Evergreen Lifestyles Management (For ALL Club & HOA Matters) 24/7: 855-490-1804 or CustomerService@Evergreen-LM.com

Taylor Morrison Customer Care: 321-397-7247 or OrlandoCustomerCare@TaylorMorrison.com. Warranty Request: taylormorrison.com/warranty/request

Activities: 863-427-7125 or SolivitaActivities@Evergreen-LM.com

Architectural Review: 863-427-7022 or Compliance@SolivitaHOA.com

Catering & Banquets (Stonegate Golf Club): 863-427-7150, option 5

Concierge: 863-427-7100 or Fax: 863-496-4456

Floralawn: 863-225-9565 or floralawn.com (Submit a Work Order)

Floralawn Irrigation Emergency After Hours: 863-225-9565 (Starting at 5pm all calls get routed directly to the on-call manager)

K&M Drugs: 863-496-7930 or Fax: 863-496-7931

Membership: 863-427-7143 or SolivitaMembership@Evergreen-LM.com

Resident to Resident Resource Center: 863-236-9973 or SolivitaR2R@gmail.com

Riviera Spa & Fitness Center: 863-427-7130

Security Gatehouses

Supervisor: 407-989-2417

Bella Viana Gate: 407-603-2422

Main Gate: 407-603-2399

Parkway Gate: 863-286-0329

South Gate (Marigold): 863-496-1473

Venezia Gate: 407-603-2397

West Gate (San Clemente): 863-496-1453

Solivita Sales: 863-427-7000

Stonegate Golf Club Directory: 863-427-7150

The Palms Amenity Center: 863-496-1530 or Fax: 863-496-0914

Violations & Compliance: 863-427-7151, 863-256-2897 or Compliance@SolivitaHOA.com

Visitor/Vendor Gate Access Voice Mail: 863-313-1314

FEBRUARY TABLE OF CONTENTS

Newsletter Submission & Advertising Info

Department Articles

Solivita HOA

Community Events

Mosaics Special Nights

Wellness Events

A Touch of Class

Club & Support Group Meeting Lists

Page 3

Pages 4-19

Pages 6, 8 & 10

Pages 19-22

Page 20

Page 22

Pages 22-27

Pages 27-32

NEWSLETTER SUBMISSIONS

Email submissions to Reflections@Evergreen-LM.com

MARCH SUBMISSIONS

Club News ..............................................................................

Pages 32-58

Resident News ...............................................................................

Advertisements ....................................................................

Activities Events (back of calendar)

Monthly Calendar (back of Activities Events)

Page 58

Pages 59-96

Insert Pages E1-E3

Insert

PHOTO RELEASE AGREEMENT

Evergreen Lifestyles Management reserves the right to use any photograph/video taken at any event sponsored by ELM and the respective community the event is happening in, without expressed written permission of those included within the photograph/video. ELM may use the photograph/ video in publications or other media material produced, used or contracted by ELM including but not limited to: brochures, invitations, books, newspapers, magazines, television, websites, etc. To ensure the privacy of individuals and children, images will not be identified using full names or personal identifying information without written approval from the photographed subject, parent or legal guardian.

QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?

» SolivitaHOA.com: SolivitaCommunications@ Evergreen-LM.com

» Reflections: Reflections@Evergreen-LM.com

» Channel 732: CommunityChannel@Evergreen-LM.com

COMMUNITY EVENTS

Events submitted must be open to the entire community and can be displayed the month prior and month of the event.

Calendar submissions and newsletter articles are due on Wednesday, February 1st. Club insert copies are due by Monday, February 20th, but must be approved by the Club Manager, Sheri Wollschlager (SWollschlager@ Evergreen-LM.com) or the Communications Director, Doug Gilbert (SolivitaCommunications@EvergreenLM.com) before they are copied.

APRIL SUBMISSIONS

Calendar submissions and newsletter articles are due on Wednesday, March 1st

ADVERTISING INFO

Solivita reserves the right to refuse advertisement and does not guarantee any work or claims made by advertisers. Advertisement in Reflections does not constitute an endorsement or approval of goods or services by Solivita. For More Info: Visit the advertising website at SolivitaAdvertising.com, call 863-440-0377, or email SolivitaAdvertising@Evergreen-LM.com

REFLECTIONS DELIVERY

If you are leaving Solivita or returning to the community and want to change the status of the Reflections delivery to your home, you can do this on the Gate Website. Log on to the website at websites. vertilinc.com/solivitahoa and click the Reflections button or tab. Change delivery status to YES or NO. Contact Membership for log on information at SolivitaMembership@Evergreen-LM.com.

SOLIVITA ID CARDS

If you’ve lost your ID card, notify Membership at 863427-7143 or SolivitaMembership@Evergreen-LM.com. It will be deactivated until you get a replacement ID.

Instructor Spotlight

BY JAMAR EDGE DIRECTOR OF FITNESS & WELLNESS

This month, we’re spotlighting one of our Fitness Instructors, Lisa Macalane. She is originally from Connecticut and moved to Florida as a teenager. Lisa attended International Fine Arts College in Miami where she earned a degree in fashion design, which is her first passion. Her other passions include traveling, being a make-up artist, and fitness.

Lisa became interested in fitness when she started playing tennis again, but due to an injury, she had to stop. She then started running and participated in a couple of races, but Lisa felt she needed more of a fitness routine. She was intrigued when she took her first barre class about seven years ago and immediately fell in love with it. It was then that she decided to get certified, not only in barre but also in Pilates as well. Lisa has been teaching for five years and has enjoyed every moment of it.

Solivita Walk/Run for a Cure

Saturday, February 25th

It’s that time of year again when Tony Handler (11-time cancer survivor) and his wife Narda (3-time cancer survivor), along with the Solivita Cancer Support Group, invite you to join them on Saturday, February 25th for the 14th Annual WALK/RUN FOR A CURE . All contributions (minimum of $20 donation) will include a T-shirt for the first 300 participants who register by January 31st. Donations will go directly to the American Cancer Society to help fund the research and programs needed to find a cure for cancer. The event is sponsored by the Solivita Fitness and Wellness Department and the Solivita Cancer Support Group. Many thanks to Jamar, Sheri, and their staff for helping to make this event possible.

This event is not a race! You can either walk 2 miles (or any shorter distance that you are comfortable with), run/jog 3 miles, or just come out to support this good cause and cheer on the walkers and runners. Water will be provided on the course, and there will be snacks at the finish line.

Lisa says she is blessed to also have a traveling heart, noting that she’s been “to a lot of cool places.” She loves learning about different cultures, tasting different foods, and learning about their history.

Lisa belongs to a proud military family. Her oldest son is serving in the Navy, her youngest is getting ready to enlist in the Navy, and her husband is a Navy veteran. Lisa and her husband of 27 years call Auburndale home, “for now,” she said with a smile.

Lisa’s favorite quote is: “Be fearless in the pursuit of what sets your soul on fire.”

JEdge@Evergreen-LM.com

To register online, please scan the QR code (on the flyer on page 7) using your phone camera or QR scanner app and follow the link to the online registration page.

Event sign-in and shirt pickup will be between 8am-9am, with the Walk/Run starting at 9am in the Welcome Center courtyard behind the Administration/K&M Building. This event has proven to be a community-supported gathering of friends, neighbors, and supporters wanting to help in the fight against cancer.

Many of our Solivita clubs and social groups participate, so get your group and friends together to join the fun. We are looking forward to another successful event. If you have any questions, please reach out to Jamar at JEdge@Evergreen-LM.com.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 13TH 3PM & 7PM ART GALLERY $25 PER PERSON

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 17TH 5PM & 7:30PM BALLROOM GENERAL: $20

EOSS: $25

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21ST

VILLAGE CENTER PARADE, FOOD, DJS, DANCES, CASH BARS AND MORE

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23RD FARMER’S4PM-7PMMARKET AREA IN FREEDOM PARK DJ » CASH SEATINGBAR

Read more information and who is permitted to attend these events on the back of the monthly newsletter calendar or go to the SolivitaHOA.com Home Page and click on the RSVP or Purchase Ticketed Events icon. For questions, email or call the Activities Department at SolivitaActivities@Evergreen-LM.com or 863-427-7125.

Solivita HOA President’s Report

BY LARRY ANSON PRESIDENT, SOLIVITA HOA

This is my first report as President of your Solivita HOA Board in Reflections. As you know, our Board is comprised of three new members and two continuing members. We have many tasks before us, and we want to keep you up to date on what we’re doing and why we’re doing it.

One of our first priorities is to improve communication between the Board and the residents of Solivita. We want to stress that what we desire is both communication from you to us, as well as from us to you. This column is but a first effort to establish lines of communication. We are here to give residents a voice in managing the affairs of our beautiful community. This is our first step at establishing the means for us to hear from you and respond. As soon as we can, we mean to establish as many additional communication tools as possible.

As an example of how we want things to work, we’d like to cite the efforts of our Communications/IT Committee – all volunteer Solivita residents. The issue seemed straightforward – we have an existing agreement with Spectrum to provide basic cable TV services for all Solivita residents. So, the answer seemed simple - renegotiate the contract to try to obtain improvements and a lower cost.

However, our committee members did their research. They found that 87 percent of Solivita residents were paying more to Spectrum each month for such things as internet access, landline telephone service and recording shows for playback. What the HOA is paying for from Spectrum each month is not enough for the vast majority of residents. Most of us are paying for additional resources, and probably paying too much.

Then the committee discovered that Spectrum and Frontier are retail companies, meant largely to serve individuals rather than

communities and priced accordingly. Other media companies are designed to serve large groups of subscribers. Their bulk services are designed to be attractive to large communities like ours. A community of 9,000 residents has a lot more bargaining power than a single customer.

Our folks felt they needed advice from somebody who knows and understands the bulk technology industry. So, they searched for and found a consultant with that knowledge. The previous Board hired him, he issued a Request for Proposal and five companies responded. Their goal is to get the most modern fiber optic internet technology and all the extras that Solivitans want and need for less than the total cost they’re paying now.

Currently, the chair of that committee, Bob Monica, is the head communicator for the group. He made a presentation outlining their efforts at an HOA Board meeting, which is quite comprehensive. A video of that presentation is available through SolivitaHOA.com. Bob is taking his presentation to every Solivita club or organization that wants to hear his message. He will also take and answer questions.

This is the kind of effort we would like to see around all the projects undertaken by the Board. A committee of Solivita residents with knowledge and experience in the area takes the lead. Every step is communicated to all residents and their input is sought. Your Board has the responsibility to oversee the process and make the final decision, but residents’ participation and input will be a vital factor.

To sum up, we are a Board made up of residents and we have the best interests of the residents at heart. We’re trying to open lines of communication with you. We’d love to hear from you. Please see page 10 for contact information.

All Donations Will Be Given To The American Cancer Society

14th Annual

Walk / Cure

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2023

Registration/Sign In: 8am-9am • No Pets Please Event Starts at 9am in Solivita Welcome Center Courtyard

$20 MINIMUM DONATION

REGISTER BY JANUARY 31ST TO RECEIVE A FREE T-SHIRT

Co-sponsored by the Cancer Support Group, Solivita FitWell and Activities Team

THE REGISTRATION DEADLINE IS JANUARY 31ST IN ORDER TO RECEIVE A T-SHIRT

T-shirts will be given out the morning of the event at the registration sign-in table from 8am-9am.

for a Run Walk / Cure

for a Run

To register for the event, please scan the QR code to the right using your phone camera or QR scanner app and follow link to the online registration page. You can also navigate to SolivitaHOA.com > Calendar & Maps > Activities Events > Click on the Walk/Run event on the interactive calendar on February 25th.

IF YOU HAVE ANY TROUBLE REGISTERING, PLEASE CONTACT FITWELL AT 863-427-7130 OR THE PALMS AT 863-496-1530.

A Friendly Reminder from Your Solivita Architectural Review Office

BY YOLANDA SANTIAGO COMMUNITY STANDARDS MANAGER

With the arrival of the New Year, the Compliance Department would like to encourage everyone to keep Solivita beautiful by freshening up around your homes and bringing in the new air of a great year to come. We would like to simply remind everyone that any changes made to the exterior of the property require prior Architectural Review Committee (ARC) approval. The ARC is part of the Association and maintains the standards established in the governing documents and the ARC Standards of Procedure to help protect property values. As you inquire about what kind of documents or what additional information is needed when submitting your application, let me help by going over the most common ARC application requests we receive and what you will need to provide upon submitting. Although each ARC application is unique, the most common are repainting your home, landscaping, screen enclosures, fences, yard art, wall art, and extending the walkway, just to name a few.

ARC Applications

When submitting the signed ARC application by the Property Owner or Power of Attorney to the Compliance office, you will need to provide the following (as needed):

» Paint change must include paint color samples or swatches.

» All Landscapes must include drawing(s) or sketch with the size or dimension(s) of the change(s) or addition(s) and a copy of the Official Property Survey or Polk County aerial map marked with the location of the landscape change(s).

» Official Property Survey or Polk County aerial map marked with the location (fences, pools, extending a screen enclosure, new landscape beds, curbing, extending walkways, and any additions).

» Picture showing the color, dimensions, location, samples of pavers, rocks or curbing, types of plants, flowers, yard art, etc.

» Proposal with specifications from the vendor completing the work and detailed scope of work - the height, materials, shape, color(s) name, and samples including drawing(s) or sketch of the change or additions.

The HOA has up to 30 days to process an ARC application. Subsequently, because of the large volume of ARC applications

submitted, the Architectural Review Meetings are held on the first and third Mondays of every month (except for schedule changes based on the reserved holidays). Your request must be submitted no later than 4pm on the Wednesday or Tuesday prior to each ARC meeting. After the meeting, you will get a notice from Evergreen Lifestyle Management to the email you have listed in your HOA account, and a letter follows in the mail. Please keep this in mind when turning in an application for approval and wanting to know the outcome of such. It’s understandable that many homeowners want to know the outcome the same day that the meeting takes place, but unfortunately there is a process to follow. ARC applications are first recorded in the system, an email is sent from the system and then letters are generated and mailed to the mailing address on file.

Steps to Submit an ARC Online

» Log in to your SolivitaHOA.com account.

» Click on the “HOA” icon located on the top right side of the website.

» Scroll down and click on the “Compliance” icon.

» Scroll down the page until you see the fillable Application for Architectural Review Committee. Proceed to fill out the online form, digitally sign by clicking the left mouse button, attach the required picture and click the “Submit” button when completed. You will receive a generated email from the website.

Once the site has forwarded your online Architectural Review Application to our office, you will receive a confirmation email from Compliance. If you have any questions, please contact us at Compliance@SolivitaHOA.com or 863-427-7022 or me at 863-427-7032 for any Architectural questions.

Non-Compliance/ Violation/ Fines

Listed on the following page, there are a few non-compliant issues that we see most often that we would like to share to help everyone avoid receiving a non-compliance letter. If you have any questions for Non-Compliance/ Violation/ Fines you can contact: 863-427-7151 or 863-256-2897.

Yolanda’s article continued from page 8

Paint on Home

Paint notices are one of the most common notices we send since every seven years homes are required to be repainted. There are a lot of homes in Solivita and a limited amount of paint vendors. Some of the vendors are booked months in advance which can cause the painting of homes to be pushed back past their deadlines. If you know that your repaint date is coming soon, try to contract with a vendor in advance to avoid missing your deadline. If you don’t know when you are due for paint again don’t hesitate to call our office to find out.

You can view the approved Solivita colors by logging in to your SolivitaHOA.com account. When you are on the Compliance page, click on the link towards the left-hand side of the page as shown below. The link will take you to the page where you can view the current approved Solivita colors and the last updated painters list. You can also contact the Concierge desk at 863427-7146 if you need to obtain any vendor contact information for your home repairs.

to determine whether it needs attention. Some of the things we see often is mold build up, fading, chipped or peeling paint, and missing or damaged decals. The vendor PIP Marketing can provide you the custom V logo, white address numbers, and new mailbox. They can be reached at 407-847-5565. You may also purchase a new mailbox from a home improvement store, just be sure that it is the same size and style as your current mailbox.

Yolanda Santiago 863-427-7032 YSantiago@Evergreen-LM.com

HOA CONTACT INFORMATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS

» President - Larry Anson: SolivitaPresident@SolivitaHOA.com

» Vice President - Marie Sepe: SolivitaVicePresident@SolivitaHOA.com

» Secretary - Jim Edge: SolivitaSecretary@SolivitaHOA.com

» Treasurer - Glenn Larson: SolivitaTreasurer@SolivitaHOA.com

» Director - Mike Luddy: SolivitaDirector@SolivitaHOA.com

COMMITTEE CHAIRS

» Architectural Review Committee - Yolanda Santiago: Compliance@SolivitaHOA.com

» Communications/IT - Bob Monica: CommunicationsChair@SolivitaHOA.com

» Conservation & Wildlife - Bob Monica: WildLifeChair@SolivitaHOA.com

Pressure Washing

Pressure wash roof and pressure wash driveway/walkway are two of the more common non-compliance issues we handle. If you see that in certain areas your roof or driveway is dark, it may be time to have it cleaned. It can be difficult to see the slow buildup of dirt on these surfaces when looking at them on a day-to-day basis, so try comparing what it looks like now to a photo from years prior, if you have one.

Mailboxes

Mailbox notices are on the rise recently. The mailbox tends to be a forgotten detail of the home but, please look at your mailbox

» Finance - George Muller: FinanceChair@SolivitaHOA.com

» Infrastructure/Maintenance - Jon Cameron: MaintenanceChair@SolivitaHOA.com

» Landscape - Hank Stuart: LandscapeChair@SolivitaHOA.com

» Neighborhood Captains - Janet Nolan: CaptainProgam.Solivita@gmail.com

» Safety & Security - Clark Zen: SafetySecurityChair@SolivitaHOA.com

» Violations - Grace Chirco: Compliance@SolivitaHOA.com

ANNUAL CLUB PRESIDENTS’ MEETING

Monday, February 27th

Meeting is in the Ballroom at 2pm Sign-in begins at 1:15pm

All Club Presidents or a representative and an additional member must attend. We will be making calls to all the clubs this month to review and update Clubs’ contact information for our files.

Let’ s Get Our Hands Dirty...

COMMUNITY GARDEN SPRING PLANTER BOX RENTAL

March – August 2023

$50, includes $25 refundable deposit $25 for renewing gardeners

Planter Box: 4’ x 6’ x 24” & 32” H

Applications available until February 10th by scanning the QR Reader, go to SolivitaHOA.com under Lifestyles and then Community Garden or come into the Activities Office. Gardeners are picked by drawing on February 17th.

SOLIVITA VOLUNTEER LOG SHEET DEADLINE

Turn in your Volunteer Log Sheets by March 3rd for volunteer hours worked, assisting Solivita Departments. Hours accepted are from March 1, 2022 - February 28, 2023, to the Activities office to finalize the 2022 - 2023 season.

SPEED ENFORCEMENT

The HOA, Security, and Polk County Sheriff’s Office receive multiple complaints of speeding each week from residents. The Sheriff’s Office has been asked for their assistance in speed enforcement. Receiving a speeding ticket is not only financially costly, but can lead to much more serious results.

Co-Sponsored by the Solivita University Committee and Activities

All annual passes and February courses are on sale now. March classes will go on sale starting on Wednesday, February 1st at 9am from SolivitaHOA.com Home Page by clicking on the Purchase Ticket or Class HERE icon. No studying, tests or exams are given, just enlightening topics to keep your mind energized. All classes are 90 minutes long unless otherwise noted. Solivita University class calendar and faculty biographies can be found on SolivitaHOA.com under Get Connected. Adult guests welcome. For more information, call the Activities Office at 863-427-7125 or email SolivitaActivities@Evergreen-LM.com.

2023 Great Decision (GD) Discussions Annual Pass

This is an annual pass for the Foreign Policy Association who produces a study guide (which comes included in the pass) with eight of the most critical global issues facing America. Great Decisions discussions are moderated on select days as advertised. The 2023 GD Annual Pass is $42 (or $47 for two sharing a book). Go to the SolivitaHOA.com Home Page, click on the Online Merchandise Store to purchase this pass or scan the QR Code.

Upcoming discussion topics include: China and the U.S., Economic Warfare, Politics in Latin America, Global Famine, Iran at a Crossroads and Climate Migration.

February Discussion Topic : War Crimes

» Tuesday, February 14th at 11am over Zoom

» Wednesday, February 15th at 4pm in the Magnolia Room

2023 Art Lecture Pass

This pass will allow residents admittance to any of the approximately seven Art Lectures starting in January 2023 for $20 per person. Art classes, presented by Art Historian Jan Clanton, are on Tuesdays as scheduled at 1pm in the Ballroom. Lectures will be advertised under the Solivita University article in Reflections. If you choose not to purchase an Annual Pass and want to attend a lecture, admission is $5 per lecture at the door. Art Lecture Passes are for Art Lectures only and are non-refundable.

Art Lecture – Paris, the City of Lights, and Highlights

Tuesday, February 7th

Ballroom at 1pm

Tuition: 2023 Art and Literary Lecture Pass or $5 at the door

Lecturer : Jan Clanton, Art Historian

Class Description: What could be more perfect than a preValentine’s Day visit to the City of Love! Paris is the city of lights–or should I say highlights! Besides the grand boulevards and cathedrals, we will explore the works of artists like Manet, Degas and Caillebotte and venture to Fontainebleau.

Next Lecture: March 14th in Mosaics - France, the Countryside

Beginners Conversational Spanish Course

Mondays, March 6th, 13th, 20th, 27th and Tuesdays, March 7th, 14th, 21st 28th

Mosaics at 9:30am

Tuition: $40 per student

Instructor : Carmen Boos

Course Description: Learn the two verbs “To & Be = Ser & Estar” and the rules which govern the use of each through dialogue. These verbs and the interrogatives will also be learned. Assorted vocabulary lists will be provided. Students will be able to request phrases to use for a working vocabulary that will help when speaking to Spanish speakers.

Smoke Alarms Save Lives

BY BILL GROSS TEAM LEADER OF SOLIVITA CERT

Smoke alarms can save your life and that of your family and pets. Smoke detector batteries should be replaced annually. As we have since 2006, your Solivita Community Emergency Response Team is again offering to replace the batteries in your smoke detectors. We offer this to Solivita residents who can’t or shouldn’t go up on ladders.

Before you call to have your batteries replaced, consider how old your smoke detectors are. If you are wondering why, it is because smoke detectors only work for about eight years. Then their detection sensors degrade to the point that they may no longer be able to detect smoke.

If your detectors are too old, consider replacing them as Solivita

The Women, Men and Events That Shaped Our Lives

Tuesdays, March 14th, 21st and 28th

Gator Room at 1pm

Tuition: $20 per student

Professor : Richard Goldsmith, Ph.D

Course Description: From Clarence Birdseye to Prohibition to the women’s suffrage movement, we will see how these amazing people used their perseverance, intelligence and innovations to fly planes, and produce the amazing technology we all enjoy today!

CERT cannot replace batteries in expired smoke detectors. We can answer any questions you may have about replacing your smoke detectors. Call Solivita CERT for guidance or assistance.

To register for the 2023 Smoke Alarm Battery Replacement Program, please email SCSABRP@gmail.com (which stands for S olivita C ERT S moke A larm B attery Replacement P rogram) or call 863-514-6728. Please remember to include your full name, address and phone number, along with the Solivita neighborhood where your home is located.

CERT will offer this service in March and April ONLY –this is your only chance this year! If you want to have your batteries changed (with your batteries or ours), register now by contacting CERT before the end of February to be placed on our list for this year. Please note, this complimentary service does not include moving furniture.

Hey Lovelies!

BY SHELLEY DESTEFANO COMMUNITY CONCIERGE

It is a pleasure to be around kind, pleasant people during the month of love. Show your friends, family and other delightful beings how much you care about them this month. You might also love the fun things going on in the area this month.

South Florida Garlic Festival

You can enjoy the South Florida Garlic Festival located at Wellington Village Park (11700 Pierson Road, Wellington) on February 4th and 5th from 10am-6pm. Tickets are $15 per person, includes concerts. Visit garlicfestfl.com for more information.

Florida State Fair

You can visit the Florida State Fair located at 201 U.S. Highway 301 North in Tampa from February 9th-20th. Visit floridastatefair.com for more information.

Happy Valentine’s Day on February 14th!

If you need a list of florists to give your loved ones flowers, feel free to let me know and I can email it to you. Our Solivita Activities department will have their Valentine’s Gala on February 10th. You might also enjoy having dinner at one of the following restaurants:

» Italian: Arabellas is located at 346 W Central Avenue in Winter Haven. Call 863-293-1797 or visit arabellas.us for more information.

» Seafood: Harry’s Old Place is located at 3751 Cypress Gardens Road in Winter Haven. Visit harrysoldplace.com or call 863-324-0301 for more information.

» Steakhouse: Manny’s Chophouse is located at 35496 Hwy 27 N in Haines City. Visit mannyschophouse.com or call 863-422-3910 for more information.

» Asian: Akina Sushi & Asian Food is located at 4300 S Hwy 27 in Clermont. Visit akinadining.com or call 352243-8988 for more information.

» Churrascaria Steakhouse: Texas de Brazil is located at 5259 International Drive, Suite #1 in Orlando. Visit texasdebrazil.com or call 407-355-0355 for more information.

Silver Spurs Rodeo

The rodeo (located at 1875 Silver Spur Lane in Kissimmee) will be on Friday, February 17th and Saturday, February 18th at

7:30pm and Sunday, February 19th at 2pm. Visit ohpark.com to purchase tickets and for more information.

Fishing Festival

On Saturday and Sunday, February 18th and 19th, you can enjoy the 2023 Cortez Commercial Fishing Festival located at 4415 119th Street W in Cortez. The admission fee is $5 per person and kids 12 and under are free. Visit this small fishing village and enjoy live music, beer, seafood, arts and crafts, and environmental exhibits. While you are in the area, you can also visit cortezvillagehistoricalsociety.org and the floridamaritimemuseum.org both of which have free admission. If you do not like fishing, this event is not for you. Visit cortezfish.org for more information.

Scottish Highland Festival

The Scottish Highland Festival (located at 530 N. Donnelly Street in Mount Dora) will be running on Saturday, February 18th and Sunday, February 19th. This musical festival will feature bagpipers, Celtic music, dancing and more. Visit ci.mount-dora.fl.us for more information.

Swamp Cabbage Festival

The Swamp Cabbage Festival will be running on Saturday, February 25th and Sunday, February 26th located at 8 Park Avenue in LaBelle. This seems like a fun event with camel rides, armadillo races, vendors, live entertainment and more. Visit labelleswampcabbagefestival.org for more information.

Naples National Art Festival

The Naples National Art Festival (located at 755 8th Avenue S in Naples) will be running on Saturday, February 25th and Sunday, February 26th from 10am-5pm. Find out more about this free admission art festival by visiting naplesart.org.

Of course, you can find more lovely events to attend by visiting the Concierge webpage on SolivitaHOA.com. Find ways to incorporate love into your life and into the lives of others this month. Be lovable and you will find that others will think of you and enjoy your company as you enjoy theirs. Relationships in many forms are beautiful and can make your life more enjoyable.

Community Concierge 863-427-7100

sdestefano@evergreen-LM.com

Flags Over Solivita

The deadline is February 7th to get your applications returned for Presidents’ Day!

The Veterans Club of Solivita is asking for your donation. Your donation may be used for one of the many charities the Veterans Club of Solivita supports, including college scholarships to local ROTC high school seniors; free and medically supervised travel to Washington D.C. in the Honor Flight Program for WWII, Korean and Vietnam veterans to visit the memorials; bingo games for the facility-bound Veterans at the VA Community Living Center at Lake Nona; the USO at the Orlando airport which provides programs and services for transition back to civilian life, and monetary donations as well as vital links to information, programming and community support for needy organizations and families. Your donation will help support and further these and other programs.

As a thank you for your donation, the Veterans Club members and non-military Solivita volunteer residents will ensure that a 3’ x 5’ American flag flies in front of your home six times a year: President’s Day, Memorial Day, Flag Day, Independence Day, Labor Day through 9/11, and Veterans Day.

Just think of it, an American flag flying in front of every home in Solivita. Over 3,400 flags were displayed throughout Solivita in 2022. Won’t you please help our cause with a $30 yearly tax-deductible contribution? (Due to rising costs and supply chain issues the cost for a flag is now $30.) One hundred percent (100%) of your contribution goes to support these charities; the Veterans Club takes no administrative fees. Note: The flags remain the property of the Veterans Club, and it is the club’s responsibility to install, remove, store, care for, and maintain the flags.

Applications are available on the Veterans Club webpage on SolivitaHOA.com, veteransclubofsolivita.com, the Concierge Desk or The Palms reception desk. Please call 863-512-3655 or email flagsoversolivita@gmail.com if you have any questions or would like to volunteer.

Make checks payable to VCS and mail, along with your application, to the Veterans Club of Solivita, P.O. Box 581770, Poinciana, FL 34758, or drop in the FLAGS OVER SOLIVITA application box located in Freedom Park next to the Veterans Memorial. Great news! Credit card payments are now available for payment. Visit the Veterans Club of Solivita website at veteransclubofsolivita. com for an electronic form or scan the QR code here.

SUBMITTED BY THE VETERANS CLUB OF SOLIVITA

Spring Around the Corner

BY BRAD THOMPSON BRANCH MANAGER, FLORALAWN

I hope you’re enjoying our great Florida winter with its mild temperatures and sunny skies. This is the time of year to be out and about! We see many of you taking advantage of the amenities around Solivita and soaking up winter warmth and fresh air.

Our Floralawn crews continue to work hard on lawncare and landscaping so that Solivita common and residential areas stay beautiful year-round.

Our January Tasks

Lawn fertilization was one task that kept us busy in January. Floralawn follows an annual fertilization schedule with the first treatment of the year spanning January and February. Fertilizing at this time of the year ensures thick, healthy grass in the spring. In January we also finished another round of trimming and weeding.

Over the winter, we always conduct an annual property-wide inspection of the irrigation system. January saw the completion of the initial inspection plus the repair of most spray heads. We also worked to correct spray patterns that had become inefficient or misaligned during the year.

Our February To-Do List

We have several areas of focus for February. The first is pruning the crape myrtle trees throughout the community. It will take us two months to finish all the crape myrtle pruning. If you look around, you’ll notice just how many crapes have been planted throughout Solivita! As mentioned above, lawn fertilization

occurs over January and February. That will be another task this month, as well as finishing the irrigation system inspection and repairing spray heads and other sprinkler components.

A February task that most residents enjoy is the change of annuals in the common area beds. The new colors always bring fresh energy and cheer.

Training Classes

One of our winter tasks at Floralawn is to make sure our crews are complete and ready for the active growing season. To this end, we conduct training classes in a range of subjects for our employees. Last month, our employees received training in the following areas:

» Shrub and tree pruning techniques

» Best mulching practices

» Safe driving of lawn and landscape equipment

» Proper mower operation

» Identification of diseased plants

» Container plant installation

» Annuals

» Mixing herbicides

If you have any questions, please call us at 863-225-9569, or stop by our office in the Admin building and we’ll be happy to give you information, answer your questions, and address your concerns!

Floralawn 863-225-9565 floralawn.com

FRIENDS WHO HAVE LEFT US, BUT ARE NOT FORGOTTEN

Pat Davenport

Donald L. Davis

Dan Russell

Our thoughts are with the families and friends of the residents who recently passed away.

Davis Davenport Russell

The R2R Resource Center is Here for You!

Sandhill Cranes Rule the Neighborhood!

Tuesday, February 14th • 10am • Ballroom

Come learn more about the sandhill cranes. Tim Dellinger, Research Scientist from the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission, will be here to tell you all about our neighborhood friends. He has done numerous studies and is very familiar with these birds.

Advance registration is requested. Call 863-236-9973 or email SolivitaR2R@gmail.com to reserve your spot.

Business & Nonprofit Organization Expo

Tuesday, February 28th • 10am-2pm • Ballroom

» Talk to the Local Businesses (window treatments, painting, glass tinting, solar, construction, furniture, and so much more).

» Businesses include some Solivita residents serving you.

» Chat with local nonprofit organizations and learn what they are doing.

» Over 40 door prizes!

What’s Happening in March

» Basic iPhone Two-Day Session on March 6th & 7th from 9am-12pm at The Palms

» Who Does What in Solivita Presentation on March 13th at 10am in the Ballroom

» Basic Android Two-Day Session on March 20th & 21st from 9am-12pm at The Palms

R2R Resource Center 863-236-9973 SolivitaR2R@gmail.com

COMMUNITY EVENTS

CHINESE LANTERN FESTIVAL POTLUCK PARTY

Sunday, February 5th • 4pm-8pm • The Palms Amenity Room

Sponsored by the Chinese Cultural Club. The festive dinner will be followed by the performance of talented fellow Solivita residents with Chinese traditional songs and dances. The Lantern Festival is a Chinese traditional festival celebrated on the 15th day of the first month on the Chinese lunar calendar, during the full moon. It marks the final day of the Chinese New Year celebrations. Traditionally, during the Lantern Festival, children go out at night carrying paper lanterns and solve riddles on the lanterns. In modern times, lanterns have been embellished with many complex designs to symbolize the people letting go of their past selves and getting new ones. The lanterns are almost always red to represent good fortune. Join us for this festive party filled with delicious food and a lot of fun! Just bring a dish, a dessert, or something you want to share. RSVP to Huimin Shen at huimin.shen@gmail.com or Angela Chen at angelachen88850266@yahoo.com. For club members, 2023 membership is due of $10 will be collected at the party.