Solivita Reflections | May 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 (Calls Only/No Texts)

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

A great mom is sweeter than a piece of cake and a grandmother is even sweeter than the icing on the cake. Happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers and grandmothers in Solivita! Photos by Deborah Siladie, Gaby Backert and 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 - Shanise Holmes: 689-220-8777 or ShaniceH@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

MAY TABLE OF CONTENTS

Newsletter Submission & Advertising Info ........................... Page 3

Department Articles

Solivita HOA

Community Events

Mosaics Special Nights

Wellness Events ................................................................

A Touch of Class ..................................................................

Club & Support Group Meeting Lists

Club News

Resident Kudos

Neighborhood Captains News

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

Activities Events (back of calendar)

NEWSLETTER SUBMISSIONS

Email submissions to Reflections@Evergreen-LM.com

Pages 4-15

Page 6

Pages 16-18

Page 16

Pages 17-18

Pages 18-22

Pages 23-27

Pages 28-54

Page 54

Page 55

Pages 55-92

Insert Pages E1-E3

Monthly Calendar (back of Activities Events) Insert

Weekly Fitness Schedule

Calendar 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

» Advertising: SolivitaAdvertising@Evergreen-LM.com

JUNE SUBMISSIONS

Calendar submissions and newsletter articles are due on Monday, May 1st. Club insert copies are due by Tuesday, May 23rd, 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.

JULY SUBMISSIONS

Calendar submissions and newsletter articles are due on Thursday, June 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.

HOLIDAY HOURS

MONDAY, MAY 29TH: MEMORIAL DAY

Administration: Closed

May We Introduce…

BY JANA MALIK DIRECTOR OF ACTIVITIES

In the beginning of 2020, we had a team consisting of the Director of Activities and four Activities team members. During and for three years after the pandemic, we were working with only three team members. Events have quickly started to roll back into a full and very busy schedule where we knew it was time for additional help. We are pleased to welcome an addition to the Activities team, Alexandria Velez.

Alexandria’s first few days were a whirlwind that started at the Solivita Car Show volunteer meeting and then we shifted her outside to help with event setup and then to work 6:30am3:30pm on the day of the Car Show. Luckily, she came back to work on Monday! In all seriousness, Alexandria is itching to help as much as she can, and we are looking forward to training and working with her. Give her some time to learn the ropes, but feel free to stop by to say hello.

Solivita University

Do you know that we have an in-house “life-long learning” program called Solivita University? I am your “unofficial Dean.” Just like any University, we charge tuition for the courses which are taught mostly by our “faculty” of retired professors and teachers in our community. We advertise registration information and course descriptions in Reflections. Our class offerings are interesting and enlightening topics to keep your minds energized and engaged. And another bonus is that no homework or tests are given.

If you are a retired instructor or professor or someone with years of specialty experience who would like to offer an interesting class or course, send me an email with your class idea, background and educational history. Please note, we do not accept any business solicitations or connections.

Here’s a Message from Alexandria to Solivita:

Hello, I’m Alexandria Velez. Born in California, I grew up right here in Poinciana, Florida; then moved back to California and in 2020 graduated from California State University, Monterey Bay with a Bachelor of Arts, in Social and Behavioral Sciences. I previously worked at a Receiving Center that supported children and youth who were removed from their homes due to mistreatment. It was a difficult but fulfilling experience. I enjoy exercising and weightlifting, and just spending time with my family. I’m glad to be back here in sunny Florida and I’m so excited for this opportunity in such an amazing community. I’ll see you all around one of our next fantastic events, take care!

Rays of Service Volunteers

Annually during the month of May, the Solivita Team comes together to thank the volunteers who help the Solivita departments through the year. Our appreciation theme this year for those who turn in their log sheets of five hours or more is

“Our Volunteers Deserve the Royal Treatment”. We hope to give you the royal treatment at our invitational appreciation event because you all work so hard and help SO much (12,000+ hours in one year!) Thank you to all the volunteers who help make Solivita the special community it is!

If you would like to attend one of these classes, look out for the Fall 2023 Schedule that will open for registration in September’s Reflections newsletter. May

Jana Malik 863-427-7125 jmalik@evergreen-LM.com

Karaoke

Wine Down Concert Solivita

Solivita HOA Report

BY MARIE SEPE VICE PRESIDENT, SOLIVITA HOA BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Good Day Solivita! HOA President Larry Anson asked me to write this month’s report, so I thought I’d bring you up to date on what I’ve been involved in.

Due to my background as a Contract Manager for the Air Force, I have been working on establishing a standard operating procedure for the Requests For Proposal (RFP) that our HOA needs to solicit offers for contracts for services. That way, any future Committees, Directors or our Community Manager would have a standard road map to follow on how to write and conduct an RFP.

To create our RFP Standard Operating Procedure, I relied on a government RFP that I consulted regularly before I retired. I took this 92-page government document and tailored it into a more concise and easy-to-follow set of guidelines for Solivita to follow.

I had a lot of help working on this project, especially from Patty Ojeda and Jon Cameron. I also worked closely with our Community Manager since he is the one to manage our contracts once they have been approved.

During the last couple of months, I have spent a significant amount of time working on two contracts - Security and Bulk Contract. The security service RFP was resolved in February and that contract was extended with great terms and conditions, thanks to Rudy Bautista’s masterful negotiations. Norm Gundel and I spent a great deal of time reviewing the Bulk Services contract and negotiating the terms and conditions for that contract.

I also sat in on a Solivita Landscape Committee meeting recently where I listened to the detailed reports that each committee member shared of their monthly patrol of our neighborhoods, monitoring the Floralawn contract performance.

I would like to share something that cropped up during that meeting. This happens every spring to those of us who have tile roofs. You should make sure that the contractor covers and protects the exterior planted beds around your house BEFORE they chemically clean your roof. The HOA will not replace sod, plants or bushes damaged by the cleaning. Floralawn and Evergreen employees are trained to spot chemical burns on sod

and plants, and they are instructed that replacement of such is at the cost of the homeowner.

Please don’t be taken in by a contractor who promises that such damage will not take place; protect your plants before the cleaning starts!

HOA CONTACT INFORMATION

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

» President - Larry Anson: SolivitaHOAPresident@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

» Finance - George Muller: FinanceChair@SolivitaHOA.com

» Infrastructure - Jon Cameron: InfrastructureChair@SolivitaHOA.com

» Maintenance - Carl Warren: 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

Yard of the Month

Our Yard of the Month is the home of Peter and Tennyson Noles at 812 Grand Canal in the Venezia neighborhood. Our judges were taken by surprise when they saw the beautiful Mandevillas Peter had planted; they are growing up the front of their home encapsulating the garage. Patience, love of plants and a green thumb are the keys to having a lovely yard. Check your plants for adequate irrigation and supplement with your hose if needed during this extended dry spell that affects Toho’s supply of non-potable water. Keep making the improvements to your landscape to make Solivita as welcoming and beautiful as possible.

FRIENDS WHO HAVE LEFT US, BUT ARE NOT FORGOTTEN

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

Sam Ardillo Joseph Bunovsky Lionel Dockery Robert Goodman Jr. Joseph Guarino Jr.

Cheryl Roantree Gerard Steigner Joyce Stoich

Mike Wick Bill Wynn

2023 CAR SHOW RECAP

It’s hard to believe this was the 15th Anniversary of the Solivita Car Show, and what a sweet ride it has been to this point. From the start, this event has been an amazing collaboration of resident car enthusiasts working alongside the Solivita Activities team and the representatives of the charities for those years. This expert, talented, great-minded group of people met often to create a supreme event we hope everyone has come to enjoy. This ride had a pit stop due to the pandemic, but we came back stronger than ever. This year we had 106 pre-registered, 26 more registered the day of the event, 11 car clubs, and 4 motorcycles. With the addition of electric vehicle entries, we added an Electric Vehicle award to the list of prizes.

This year’s event was opened by DJ Penny, a blue Mustang Robocar took pictures and rolled around everywhere, the tattoo parlor was busy, an extensive and well explained modular train display was created by the Model Railroad Club of Solivita, a sit-behindthe-car photo booth was added for the first time and a newly added remote control car test track area was brought and managed by the SolAbility Club over on the Chess Lawn by The Grille. Sadly, we paid our respects to one of the Solivita Car Show’s founding fathers, JR Goodman. From the beginning, JR helped advertise and recruit cars, car clubs, and he was the official DJ at the event every year.

Many thanks go to the volunteers of Solivita Friends Helping Those In Need and DUO clubs who worked tirelessly selling raffle tickets, making gift baskets, soliciting raffle items, manning the Info Booths and the Raffle table to raise as much money for each of their food pantries. Sales from raffles, car registrations, sponsors, T-shirt sales, bottled waters and the People’s Choice Voting cards came out to an approximate amount of $20,000 for the St. Vincent de Paul St. Ann’s Haines City and the St. Rose of Lima food pantries!

Thanks to all of the hard work of the many resident volunteers covering 113 job task shifts, the New Dimensions High School student volunteers along with their teacher, Mr. Timmerman, our on-site EMT, Mabe Audio, Alpha Specialties and Awards, Jeremiah’s Italian Ice, Vital Security, Floralawn, Stonegate Catering, Club Communications, Housekeeping, Maintenance, Car Show Committee and the Activities team! Thank you for riding along with us over the past 15 years! We hope to see you for another 15 and more years!

THANK YOU FINISH LINE , RED CORPORATE , YELLOW TROPHY, GREEN LEVEL

AND STARTING LINE LEVEL SPONSORS!

Finish Line : State Farm-Julio Caban

Red Corporate : Performance Golf Carts (who also donated the golf cart parking lot shuttles), Soni Family Practice, Mighty Dog Roofing, HCA Poinciana Hospital

Yellow Trophy: Addition Financial, Florida Blue, Merrill Gardens at Solivita Marketplace, Level Roofing & Solar, BGS

LLC., Jolens Golf Carts, Fresh Coat Services

Green Level: Economy Glass Tinting, Pirate’s Cove Adventure Golf, Affinity Dental Group, Care Plus, Tar’s Services, LLC., Blue Wave Exterior Services, LLC., Bath Fitters

Starting Line : ITAV – It Takes A Village, Beaded Jewelry Designs, Rosemarie’s Cannoli, D&P Painting, LLC., Access Carpet Cleaning & Mrs. Mae’s Cleaning Services, The Gift promise, Amway

Photos by Joe Thomas

People’s Choice Award

BEST IN SHOW

• 1st: Bob Rattiger - 1923 Chevy T-Bucket/1927 Chevy Hauler

• 2nd: Bob Mangrum - 1963

Chevrolet Corvette

• 3rd: Frank Britt - 1985

Porsche

FINISH LINE LEVEL SPONSOR CHOICE AWARD

• State Farm - Julio Caban: Robert Palmbos (R) - 1979 VW Convertible

RED CORPORATE SPONSORS CHOICE AWARDS

• Performance Golf Carts: Alan Gonyea (R) - 1967 Nova Wagon

• Soni Family Practice: Rich Burns1986 Mercury Capri

• Mighty Dog Roofing: Shelly O’Brian - 1959 Ford Galaxie

• HCA Florida Poinciana Hospital : Chuck Warren - 1966 Chevrolet C-10

PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD

• Michele Pickur (R) - 2016 Cadillac ATS-V

SOLIVITA CAR SHOW FOUNDING FATHER

MUSCLE CAR AWARDS

• Best: Larry Sigler (R) - 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air

• Carl Cone (R) - 1954 Ford Custom Line

• Darcy Stettner (R) - 1968

Plymouth Satellite

TRUCK/SUV/JEEP AWARDS

• Best: Vic Walker (R) - 1967

Chevy Pickup

• Lori Brown (R) - 1967 Jeep

• Antonio Medina (R) - 1977

Military Jeep

CLASSIC ERA AWARDS (1996 AND OLDER)

• Best: Bob Mangrum - 1963

Chevrolet Corvette

• Rafael Soo - 1972 El Camino

• Doug Stauffer (R) - 1955 Chevy

• Nick Del Castillo - 1969 Ford

Mustang Shelby GT 350

• John Tivnan - 1965 Ford Mustang

• Chuck Warren - 1968 Ford Mustang

• Michael Cardin - 1948 Jeepster

• Dan Fling - 1967 Chevrolet Corvette

MODERN ERA AWARDS (1997-PRESENT)

• Best: Connie Fitzgerald - 2016 Chevy Corvette Z06

• Marc Hargreaves - 2019 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport

• Yasmeen Brooks - 2021 Chevrolet Corvette

• Steve Jones - 2002 Chevrolet Corvette

• Gene Burch (R) - 2010 Chevrolet Camaro 2/SS

• Nathan Comerford - 2017 Ford Mustang GT

• Frank Caso (R) - 2013 Nissan 370Z

• Jack Clark - 2013 Chevrolet Camaro

MOTORCYCLE AWARD

• Best: Donald Hoecherl (R)2005 Trike Motorcycle

ELECTRIC VEHICLE

• Best: David Snider (R) - 2023 Cadillac LYRIQ

EXOTIC CAR AWARDS

• Best: Fred Schoeler - 2020 Lotus Evora GT

• Andrea McMillen (R) - 2013

Porsche 911 Turbo S Cabriolet

• Mike Zuker (R) - 2019 Porsche 718 Boxster

• Todd Ash (R) - 2016 Porsche 981

• Stavros Economou - 2022

Toyota Camry

(R) = Solivita Resident

Solivita Best Motorcycle

Solivita Car Show Founding Father JR Goodman (not pictured)

Best Electric

Truck, SUV, Jeep Group

Classic Era 1996 & Older Group

Muscle Car Group

Modern Era 1997-Present Group

Exotic Car Group

Enjoy All That May Has to Offer!

BY SHELLEY DESTEFANO COMMUNITY CONCIERGE

We have a few significant days to celebrate this month. Party on Cinco de Mayo (May 5th), celebrate mom’s unconditional love on May 14th for Mother’s Day, and honor our brave soldiers who died for our country and freedom on Memorial Day (May 29th). It’s not a month to take lightly and it just shows us how much we have to be grateful for. Apart from the important dates mentioned above there are quite a few options of things to do in the area this month. How about a guided boat tour at one of the three locations listed below?

Living Water Boat Cruises

Living Water Boat Cruises departs from several locations cruising through the Winter Haven Lakes. Once you book your cruise, you will receive a confirmation email with your departure time and location. There are several pricing options; however, they do offer discounts to Solivita residents. Boats run from 8am-8pm, Monday through Saturday and they are closed Sundays. Please visit livingwatercruises.com or call 863268-0577 for more information.

Escapes (located at 10354 Cypress Cove Lane in Clermont) are two hours long and are $100 per person with a maximum weight limit of 250 pounds per passenger. Please visit catboatescapes. com or call 321-234-2875 for more information.

Cuban Sandwich Festival

On Sunday, May 7th from 12pm-6pm, you can enjoy the 8th Annual Cuban Sandwich Festival located at 201 Lakeview Drive in Kissimmee. You can enjoy live music, vendors and of course, food at this event. Please visit cubansandwichfestival.com for more information.

Bark in the Park

Our pet lovers can enjoy Bark in the Park on Friday, May 19th from 5:30pm-8:30pm located at Central Park Downtown in Winter Haven. At this event, you can enjoy a wiener dog race at 7pm, pet vendors, beverages and just spending time with your fur baby. Please visit mainstreetwh.com for more information.

Stamp and Scrapbook Expo

The Stamp and Scrapbook Expo will be at the Orange County Convention Center located at 9800 International Drive in Orlando on Friday, May 19th from 9am-6pm and Saturday, May 20th from 9am-5pm. The event will be in the West Hall B4 section of the Convention Center. If you like crafts, this is your event! Please visit scrapbookexpo.com for more information.

Scenic Boat Tours

You can head to Scenic Boat Tours (located at 312 E. Morse Blvd. in Winter Park) and take a boat tour on the pristine Winter Park Chain of Lakes. The tours are $16 per person with the first departure at 10am and last departure at 4pm. Please visit scenicboattours.com or call 407-644-4056 for more information. You can drive to this location or take the SunRail, which runs Monday-Friday as it is within walking distance from the SunRail Station. For the Poinciana SunRail schedule, visit sunrail.com/station/poinciana or call them at 855-724-5411.

Catboat Escapes

Go on an educational boat tour and drive your own vessel around the Clermont Chain of Lakes. The tours at Catboat

If you are still looking for additional options of more things to do in the area, please visit SolivitaHOA.com > Lifestyles > Concierge. I hope you have the opportunity to sip on margaritas, celebrate Mother’s Day and salute our troops!

Photo © livingwatercruises.com

Apple

The R2R Resource Center is Here for You!

Watch Basics

Monday, May 1st • 10am • The Palms

Did you just get a new Apple Watch or want to learn more about the one you have? Then this is the class for you. We will cover:

» The buttons and screen

» Using Apple Watch Dock

» Customizing features and using settings

» The Control Center

» Apple Watch apps

Bring you iPhone and Apple Watch fully charged

» Advanced registration required; class size is limited to 15.

» Register by calling the Resource Center at 863-2369973 or emailing SolivitaR2R@gmail.com.

How to Navigate SolivitaHOA.com

Thursday, May 18th • 10am • Ballroom

» How to register your account

» Receiving email blasts

» Navigating the site

» Purchasing tickets

» Reserving rooms

» Connecting to your Vertilinc gatehouse to register guests

Solivita Flags Over

LAST CHANCE FOR MEMORIAL DAY

Register by calling the Resource Center at 863-236-9973 or emailing SolivitaR2R@gmail.com.

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

Memorial Day is just around the corner. If you have not signed up yet, there is still time to be part of the Flags Over Solivita Program for 2023. There are four remaining holidays this year. Please have your application in by May 10th or sooner to be included this coming Memorial Day weekend. At this time, we have over 3,500 flags that will be displayed throughout Solivita.

Applications are available and can be printed from SolivitaHOA.com (under Veterans Club), on veteransclubofsolivita.com, or you may pick up a copy at the Concierge Desk. Great news! Credit card payments are now available. Visit veteransclubofsolivita.com for an electronic form or scan the QR code. Applications, along with your $30 check (made out to VCS), can be mailed to Veterans Club of Solivita, P.O. Box 581770, Poinciana, FL 34758, or put it in the drop box in Freedom Park. If you would like to volunteer or if you have any questions, email flagsoversolivita@gmail.com or call 863-512-3655.

Make a List, Check it Twice

BY BILL GROSS TEAM LEADER OF SOLIVITA CERT

If it’s good enough for Santa Claus, it’s good enough for us. Yes, with Hurricane Season upon us, we need to be proactive. There are several items on the Disaster Supply Kit Checklist that can be left for when a hurricane is approaching, but there are many more items that are durable and can be prepared ahead of time. Here’s a few things to make sure you have year-round in order to help prepare, not only for hurricanes, but for any natural disaster which may happen here in Central Florida.

Special Assistance & Medical Items

If you are on oxygen (either bottles or concentrator), on dialysis, need assistance with medications, or other conditions, register NOW with Polk County Emergency Management > Special Needs (polk-county.net/emergency-management/special-needs)

Along that line, make sure you have a list of your medical devices including the model number and serial number.Get a backup supply of all your medications. Have on hand what you normally need, PLUS a two-week supply. Contact your doctor to see if you can get an emergency issue of medication to have on hand for at least two weeks usage.

General

Have working flashlights and lanterns. Check these monthly to make sure the batteries still work. Change the batteries if it’s been a long time or the lights appear weak. Changing the batteries every few months will ensure that they are fresh and don’t leak, damaging the flashlights (energizer.com/aboutflashlights/flashlight-care). Have rain gear ready. Hurricanes around here are often major rain events. Keep rain jackets, hats, umbrellas and rain boots in good condition. Make sure you have sturdy work gloves and shoes to use during clean-up after the storm.

First Aid

There are many pre-packaged first-aid kits available; however, you can probably assemble one or augment a store bought one from what you already have on hand. Most store-bought kits don’t include hand sanitizer, petroleum jelly, soap, antidiarrheal medicine, antacids, etc.

Food and Water

Start stocking up on water. You should have on hand at least seven gallons of water per person in the household. That would be sufficient for a seven-day supply. A plastic-wrapped case

of 40 bottles is about five and half days supply for one person. You do the math as to how much you need. Put in your pantry a seven day supply of non-perishable packaged, or canned foods. Also, have on hand paper plates, napkins, plastic cups, disposable utensils and a can opener.

Important Documents

Keep a copy of insurance cards, medical records, bank information, credit card numbers, Social Security cards, service animal IDs, veterinary records, copies of wills and advanced directives. Place them all in a waterproof container, safe, or even a plastic bag.

Our Furred, Feathered & Finned Friends

Also include any other pets you may have! Have pet food on hand for at least seven days. Have proper identification for the animals, medical records and microchip information. Keep a carrier or cage plus muzzles and leashes in case you have to transport them. Don’t forget the water and food bowls!

Print Out the Checklist

There are many disaster supply checklists available on the internet. We have posted a fairly comprehensive list on the CERT webpage of SolivitaHOA.com. To find that, navigate to the website, then click on “Get Connected” > Click on “Clubs” > Click on “—C-D-E” > Click on “CERT” > In the Documents section, click on “Disaster Supply Checklist.” Download and print that and have it handy when preparing your Disaster Kit. Remember “Fortune favors the prepared mind” ~ Louis Pasteur.

Conclusion

If you want to be part of Solivita’s awesome Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), please contact our Membership Chair, Jan Gross at 719-330-4768 or email SolivitaFL.CERT@gmail.com.

May Momentum

BY BRAD THOMPSON BRANCH MANAGER, FLORALAWN

Floralawn crews are picking up momentum as we move toward summer and the fullfledged growing season. We’re already well into the weekly mowing schedule and our various spring activities around Solivita.

Pruning

You probably noticed Floralawn team members systematically pruning all the crepe myrtle trees throughout Solivita during the months of January, February, and March. This takes weeks because of the number of crepes in the community. That task is complete, and the crepes are already putting out new growth. We also finished pruning the native grasses as well as the sparse and leggy plants in residential and common area beds.

Planting and Fertilizing

We completed spring fertilizer applications and the first of the year’s plant and sod replacement lists. (We regularly audit plants and turf in Solivita, noting where damage has occurred or where plants are dead or failing. These are recorded on a series of replacement lists which we work through over the course of the year.) This task has begun and we are full steam ahead replanting sod, trees, and plants throughout Solivita.

Moss Removal

A task we take on every May is removing Spanish and ball moss

in all trees up to a height of six feet. As beautiful as swaying Spanish moss can be, when it obstructs walkways, it has to go.

A Full Team for the Summer

We’ve been adding new employees to our work teams this spring. This involves careful vetting and thorough training. We’ve filled out 15 work teams. These are the men and women who care for all residential properties, all common areas, and extra places like ponds, maintenance and admin areas. (Yes, it takes that many teams to keep Solivita looking great!)

Prepping for Storms

Hurricane season begins on June 1st, so we are getting prepared for these weather events that can bring down trees or make weak branches into projectiles. We’re inspecting palms and oaks and any trees that are touching homes and buildings, trimming back branches and fronds.

May Coffee Talk

My Coffee Talk this month is May 12th at 9am in Mosaics. Come and hang out for an hour to hear what we’re doing and to ask your questions. Happy May!

Floralawn 863-225-9565

floralawn.com

May is Mental Health Awareness Month

BY RITA MILIOS PSYCHOTHERAPIST (RET.) & HOLISTIC WELLNESS COACH, C3 WELLNESS SPA

Mental health describes the state of our overall emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It is an expression of our thinking, mood, and behavior. Many factors contribute to mental health or possible mental health problems - age, genetic factors, and environmental/lifestyle situations.

Facts about Seniors and Mental Health

Mental health problems common among seniors include depression, anxiety, sleep disorders, cognitive deterioration, such as dementia and Alzheimer’s, and bipolar disorder. While some

mental health issues are associated with normal aging, others are the result of physical disorders or surgical interventions. About 15 percent of adults age 60 and older have a mental health condition. Up to 63 percent of seniors with mental health issues don’t receive the services they need.Primary care physicians fail to diagnose depression in half of cases.

Early warning signs of deteriorating mental health include excessive worrying or fear; feeling excessively sad or low;

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confused thinking or problems concentrating and learning; and extreme mood changes, such as fluctuations between extreme sadness and unwarranted “highs” or euphoria. The good news is that people with mental health problems can get better and many recover completely.

Maintaining good self-care at any age can significantly reduce the likelihood of having a debilitating mental health problem. Self-care includes regular exercise, healthy diet, including adequate hydration, good sleep habits, stress-reduction practice (ex: meditation, tai chi, etc.), practicing gratitude, having a positive mindset, and staying connected with family and community.

Meditation for Stress Relief & Mental Wellness

Meditation is a type of mind-body complementary medicine that is especially useful for stress reduction and fostering mental/emotional wellness. During meditation, you focus your attention and reduce the normal volume of jumbled thoughts that are often the cause of stress. You gain a sense of calm,

peace, and balance that can benefit both your emotional well-being and your overall health. Research suggests that meditation may help people manage symptoms of conditions such as anxiety, depression, chronic pain, high blood pressure and heart disease, irritable bowel syndrome and sleep problems.

Emotional benefits of meditation can include building skills to manage stress, increasing self-awareness, reducing negative emotions, increasing patience and tolerance. You should talk to your health care provider about the pros and cons of using meditation if you have any of the conditions or other health problems listed above. Meditation isn’t a replacement for traditional medical treatment; but it can be a useful addition. Anyone can practice meditation.

I invite you to join me and take part in a Wellness Lecture, 3 Easy Ways to Meditate , on Wednesday, May 17th from 2pm3pm in RSF2. You will learn the basic elements of meditation, benefits, and barriers to meditation, as well as simple meditation methods.

C3 Wellness Spa 407-914-9168 info@c3wellness.com