Harmony Life - April 2023

Photo: Abbey Evans

LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER

Welcome to the April 2023 edition of Harmony Life Magazine

Harmony is one of the best places I’ve ever lived! We have so much to be thankful and appreciative for in our lovely community.

I’ve noticed a troubling trend on our Harmony Facebook Residents forum of negativity and in some cases just plain rude comments. Please remember that we are all neighbors and are mostly trying our best. Please think about what and how you are saying things before you post. I sometimes write a post that is venting or angry, then I edit it to be nicer. The mere act of getting things off my chest in writing helps me, and then I edit and tone the comments way down when I finally hit 'send'. Just a little practice I use—not an attempt to lecture—just another tool to help.

Please support our advertisers, they help bring this monthly publication to the community

Did you know that my wife, Jeanine Corcoran, puts out a weekly video and email for all the Harmony events? Send me your email address and I will add you to the list. You can always opt out at any time: Bill@QMCWorld.com

Harmony Life Magazine is produced by residents for residents, please feel free to message me directly with content and pictures. Bill@QMCWorld.com

Remember to join the Facebook Harmony Residents Forum. AND THE NEW, ADDITIONAL, HARMONY RESIDENTS FORUM, DRAMA FREE.

See you in May!

Bill Bokunic Publisher Bill@QMCWorld.com

CONTACT INFO FOR RESIDENTS

HarmonyCDD.org, 407-566-1935

Teresa, Dan, Mike, or Kerul@HarmonyCDD.org

NON-EMERGENCY 407-348-2222

Association Solutions, 811 Mabette St., Kissimmee 407-847-2280, MyHOASolution.com

CONDOS HOA Sentr y Management, 407-846-6323

TOWNHOMES HOA Association Solutions, 811 Mabette St., Kissimmee 407-847-2280, MyHOASolution.com

HARMONY DEVELOPER OFFICE 407-891-8358, HarmonyFL.com

APRIL 2023

A publication of Quantum Marketing Communications, LLC

www.QMCWorld.com

PUBLISHER & CEO

Bill Bokunic

321.331.6398

Bill@QMCWorld.com

GRAPHIC DESIGN

Renée Blair Blair Creative Group, Inc.

COVER PHOTOGRAPHY

Abbey Evans

CONTRIBUTORS

Jeanine Corcoran Corcoran Connect

Kerul Kassel PHD Hamony CDD Board Member

Teresa Kramer Chair, Hamony CDD

The opinions expressed in the Harmony Life Magazine articles are those of the author(s) and do not reflect the opinions of Quantum Marketing Communications, Harmony Life Magazine or the Publisher.

Harmony Life Magazine, Quantum Marketing Communications, LLC and the Publisher can, in no way whatsoever, be held responsible for the content of such views, nor can it be held liable for any direct or indirect damage that may arise from such views.

All rights reserved. No part of any Quantum Marketing Communications, LLC published work may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the publisher.

SPECTRUM CABLE / INTERNET

CENTURY LINK CABLE / INTERNET

877-892-3279

866-314-4148

OUC ELECTRIC 407-957-7373

ADVANCED DISPOSAL – OSCEOLA

MEET THE BOLES FAMILY

What is…

Your name? Monica.

Your spouse’s name? Kevin.

Your pet’s name? Lucy (Old English Bulldog), Pua and Heihei (cats).

When did you move to Harmony? April 2017.

What do you love most about Harmony? The fact that it is relatively close to work, Disney, beaches, and so many other things while still feeling like we are “in the middle of nowhere”. And, of course, the beautiful walking/running paths and trails.

What are your kids’ favorite things about Harmony? Playground hopping, swimming at the pool, picking blackberries along Butterfly Trail, and playing with their friends.

Where did you move from? I am an Orlando native and my husband is from Pittsburgh, but we were “stuck” in Syracuse, NY for about 9 years before moving back to Florida.

What do you miss most? Finger Lakes wine.

What is your background? Kevin and I met while serving in the United States Marine Corps. We have both worked for the VA for over 10 years—first in Syracuse and now here. I am an ER nurse and Kevin is the Fleet Manager.

What is unusual or unique about Harmony, in comparison to your previous home? The sense of community and the community school. One of my favorite things to do is walk with my girls to school in the morning. I love seeing the same faces (and the same puppies!) and watching the families (and puppies) grow throughout the year. Even though it is usually only a brief, “Hello!” or “Good morning”, I feel such a sense of connection and belonging here. It is truly wonderful.

What is your favorite weekend activity? Running or going to Disney… or even better, running AT Disney. We also thrive in the chaos of a house or yard full of kids and love hosting backyard movie nights or water balloon fights.

Is there a neighbor experience you are most proud of? We have the BEST neighbors. There are a few of us who LOVE cooking and baking and we are always leaving treats for each other. After having our last baby and during our most recent move (we literally moved to the house next door!), we really felt the love when friends and neighbors dropped off meals and snacks, offered to take our older children to the playgrounds, or passed along hand-me-downs for our new baby (the first boy after 4 girls!). We are just so grateful to be surrounded by such wonderfully thoughtful and generous people.

Are there any recommendations for other neighbors? There is so much to explore around us—from laid back beaches to busy theme parks. Cruises and Caribbean flights are a short hop. This really is an amazing place— just get out there and explore.

Do you do any charity or non-profit work? I run for charity quite a bit. In April, I will be running Disney’s Springtime Surprise Challenge to raise money for The Dragon Master Foundation, a charity that believes the cure for childhood cancer can be found by collaborating on research and sharing data. I often start races “Dead Last” and donors pledge to donate a penny for every runner I pass. I also volunteer in the medical tent at runDisney races.

Do you have a cause or business that you would like to promote? Team FIRED UP for The Dragon Master Foundation: http://bit.ly/41fuX6z

What do you do for fun? Anything outside: running, biking, swimming, hiking, exploring the beaches or roaming around Disney.

What was the last movie that you have seen in the theatre? Oh goodness. I don’t know… maybe “Moana”? We aren’t really movie people.

What is your favorite TV Show? If it isn’t on The Disney Channel or The Food Network, I haven’t seen it. n

ABBEY EVENS

Harmony Residential Owners Association

Architecture Review Board

It is the intention of the HROA to maintain a high standard of exterior architectural appearance to preserve the quality and property values of Harmony. As a result, many changes you might consider making to your home and yard require approval from the HROA.

The Community Standards and the Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions provide details regarding what is allowed, what needs ARB approval and other details. These documents can be found on the Association’s website: https://www.myhoasolution.com

When working on landscaping in your yard all major landscape changes must be approved. This would include changing the existing design, adding edging or rocks. Removal of the front flower/shrub bed is not allowed, for example.

Alterations to the exterior of the home need ARB approval. For instance, adding or changing any of the following require approval: Skylights, adding or changing windows, glass block, certain window treatments, roofs, gutters, hurricane shutters, sunrooms, front doors or garage doors, lighting (must be Dark Sky compliant) and home additions. Sheds, driveways, patios and walkways pavers, permanent generators, fences including fences and shrubbery to screen trash cans and mechanical equipment all need ARB approval and might have special rules as per lot or item type. Pools, hot tubs, spas along with pool cages and screened lanais require approval. Installing flagpoles, sculptures, fountains, rain barrels, and rain chains, play equipment such as playhouses and trampolines also need approval.

Painting the exterior of the home requires ARB approval, both when changing the color or repainting with the same color. Approved color schemes can be found in the Sherwin Williams Neighborhood Color book for Harmony. There are 77 color schemes to choose from. When submitting an application specify an approved scheme and please do not mix and match colors from different schemes.

ARB Application Process

Our association management company, Associations Solutions, handles the ARB applications and approval process for us. Applications are available on their website homepage and in the Homeowners Portal. For all applications please fill the form out completely. Include any pictures, plot surveys, paint color samples, material descriptions and any other helpful items. All applications must be signed and dated and mailed or emailed to Association Solutions for review. If you have any questions as to what may be needed for approval or how to fill out the application contact Association Solutions at info@myhoasolution.com. The Association reserves the right to make a final inspection of the change to ensure that it matches the request submitted for approval.

You will receive a reply within 30 days stating one of the following application statuses:

• “Approved”, project approved as submitted

• “Conditional Approval”, subjected to conditions noted

• “Denied”, reasons will be provided

It is encouraged to receive HROA approval prior to getting a county permit, if required, to

make sure the project is approved by the ARB before spending money on a permit. It is the homeowner’s responsibility to ensure that all property setbacks, easements and county ordinances are followed. You can find setbacks and easements on your survey or you can call the County and they can assist you in finding the information.

All projects must be completed within 12 months of approval. n

UPCOMING HROA SOCIAL EVENTS

April 16 – Harmony Sunday Market: 10am–2pm, Town Square

May 7 – Harmony Sunday Market: 10am–2pm, Town Square

May 27 – Street Party: 7:30pm–10:30pm, Five Oaks Drive in front of the Clubhouse

Contact information for the HROA:

https://myhoasolution.com

407-847-2280

info@myhoasolution.com

https://portal.topssoft.com/login

TEAM MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: ROSS OBERLIN

• Originally from New Hampshire

• Has been with Kisselback Ford for 3 years

• Ross loves to play bad golf

• Ross is a very proud father of two children and two grandchildren

• Ross is a retired Police Officer; he served for 32 years

What Do People Have to Say About Ross and Kisselback Ford?

Easiest Transaction I Have Ever Made! HHHHH

“If you are looking to purchase a vehicle look no further than Kisselback Ford. From start to finish, it was the easiest transaction I have ever made. Ross was my point of contact and he went above and beyond to make the process easy. He was very knowledgeable and found me the perfect truck for my needs. I will not use any other company again for future purchases other than Kisselback. Thank you Ross and the team.”

—

Kevin C.

Honest and Straightforward! HHHHH

“Ross with Kisselback Ford is fantastic to work with. He is honest and straightforward and handled our pur chase flawlessly with no pressure. We highly recommend this dealership for superior customer service.”

— Marian M.

Highly Recommend! HHHHH

“The best experience I have ever had purchasing a vehicle. The entire process was very clear and handled professionally. Ross was amazing throughout the entire purchase and helped us find exactly what we need as well as extra options we needed installed on the vehicle. He communicated updates every single time they happened which made the entire process run smooth given we were purchasing everything remotely. This was a very convenient option. Ross even personally delivered the vehicle to us after we closed! Highly recommend this dealership and every highly recommend working with Ross. Look no further for your next Ford!” — Rakan A.

NOTES FROM the CHAIR

By Teresa Kramer Chair, Harmony Community Development District

Reserving a Space for Your Special Event

Harmony has many special spaces for our residents to use and enjoy and we typically do so together with our Harmony neighbors. However, there are times when we want to celebrate a special occasion or have a scheduled event and need to be sure that a certain space will be set aside for our use. It may be a pool party for your child’s birthday, a photo session for your graduate, a wedding location for your daughter, or a soccer field for your visiting relatives to challenge one another. To ensure that you will have the desired location at the date and time you need it, you will need to reserve that space and Harmony has an easy way for you to do so.

What Is The Cost?

The Harmony CDD policy allows residents to reserve any of the open spaces in Harmony, for their personal use, up to 2 times per location per year at no cost to the resident, provided that the resident possesses a valid photo ID access card. You will be required to complete an application and provide a $250 deposit which will be returned after the event if the space is left in good order. If someone else has already reserved that space for the date and time you have requested, Harmony will work with you to identify another suitable space or an alternate date and time.

Fees do apply if the space is being used by a for-profit and non-profit organization; if you do not currently possess a valid photo ID Access Card; residents who reserve a facility while acting on behalf of a for-profit business or a non-profit organization; or any resident who exceeds his or her allotment of free reservations for any given space. For these uses, the following fees apply:

Soccer/Volleyball/Basketball Courts or Fields

$5.00/hour

Swim Club/Ashley Park Pool Reserved Patio Areas..............................$100 for up to 4 hours

Buck Lake Pavilion $60 for up to 4 hours

Buck Lake Fishing Pier/ Boardwalks $40 for up to 2 hours

Town Square ................. $250 for up to 6 hours

What Spaces Can I Reserve?

Above are some of the most popular spaces to reserve, but others are also available and include:

• Pocket Parks (small parks within the neighborhoods)

• Gazebos (scattered throughout Harmony)

• Open Field Areas

• Picnic Areas (near dog park, in front of Ashley Park Pool, at Feathergrass culde-sac)

Special Rules for the Pools

The reservation of space at our pools is limited to reserving patio area for your event. There may be other residents using the pool while your event is taking place as Harmony does not close down either pool for a reservation. The exception to this is when the Harmony schools are using the pool; this is done for the safety of the students.

How Do I Make a Reservation?

of the home page that says District Facilities and select Recreational Facilities from the drop down box.

Scroll down the Recreational Facilities page to Facility Reservations and select the type of application you need to complete. If you are a resident and you want the reservation for your personal use, select the Individual Application. If you are reserving the space for a commercial or community wide event, select the Corporate Application. Remember, the application must be filled out completely and all requested information provided.

Once the application is complete, email it to cddmaintenance@inframark.org. If you do not hear back within 3 business days, please contact Jeison (Jason) at 407-861-4460.

If you do not use the internet, you can pick up an application and complete the process by stopping by the Office which is currently located next to the Community Garden off Five Oaks Drive. Since staff is frequently out in the field, please call Jeison to arrange a time to meet.

So, when a special event comes up, reach out and reserve a space here in Harmony. n

The first step in reserving a space in Harmony is to go to the Harmony CDD website (harmonycdd.org).

Once you are there, click the link at the top

Ex Animo Creations Creative Fun for the Whole Family

By Coach Cristy Febres, Your Harmony Neighbor

Hello there, beautiful Harmony residents! As we gear up for summer and all the fun that comes with having our young ones stay home all day long (a bit of sarcasm), I thought, What new and exciting things are there to do with this young Gen Z generation?

Just recently, I discovered this hidden gem. Ex Animo Creations, located in St. Cloud, offers so many activities for not only the youth, but also us adults. They are a creative painting studio that just had their ribbon cutting ceremony in March. With so many activities to offer I felt they deserved a mention.

If you have a child not school age yet (1-4), it’s no problem—they have you covered. Their Monday’s Mommy and Me Painting Class, from 10am to noon, will be sure to get your toddler from fingerpainting to stick figures to Picasso in no time flat—and don’t worry dads, there’s room for you too.

For school age kids (K-8), they offer Dropins Wednesday’s, 3pm–6pm, as well as Teen Nights two Fridays of the month, 5pm–7pm. For those extremely brave parents that homeschool, they even have Tuesday’s, 10:30am–12:30pm, for your little ones.

I don’t know about you, but my artistic ability went no higher than stick figures, so I’ll be sure to take up their adult classes on select Fridays of the month from 8pm–10pm (must be 21).

For more information or to sign up your child for their summer camps and/or classes, please visit their website at https://exanimocreations.com

I hope to see you all there! I’ll be the one with paint on my face struggling to color in between the lines. n

DID YOU KNOW?

By Kerul Kassel PHD Hamony CDD Board Member

HARMONY'S WILDLIFE

DID YOU KNOW that Harmony was designed to promote the peaceful coexistence of human and animal residents within the community while striking a balance between the preservation, use and enjoyment of Harmony's natural areas? Harmony incorporates natural and human-built environments that blend in ways designed to enhance the relationships between humans and animals and maximize the benefits of their peaceful coexistence. While retaining natural areas, Harmony is part of a human-dominated landscape where our actions profoundly affect the welfare of wild animals. Here are some tips for living in harmony with our wild animal friends.

Don’t automatically remove the wildlife from your yard. In Harmony we are tolerant of our wild neighbors. Wildlife experts state that it is perfectly normal to see possums, deer, turkey, cranes, armadillos, raccoons, and even alligators in our backyards and people shouldn’t automatically want them gone. One solution is to live trap these animals and move them elsewhere, but this is not an answer. If you move out wild animals from your yard other animals will eventually

move in. We encourage you to be patient. Most wild animals are nomadic and in time they will move on.

Don’t drastically trim trees. Local wildlife refuges take in many baby birds each year that are orphaned when their nest is cut from a tree. Experts say there is no substitute for being raised by a parent. It is traumatic for animals to be taken away from their families and reared by humans since they can’t be taught by humans the same way they are taught by their parents. If you accidentally knock a nest out of a tree, the Humane Society of the United States suggests that you should retrieve the nest and re-nest them in the same location.

Clean up food. The smell of garbage is a huge attraction to wildlife. To prevent wild animals from being attracted to your yard, keep lids secured or store garbage in the garage, especially overnight. In addition, don’t leave pet food or water bowls outside and be sure to clean below bird feeders, as seed can attract scavengers such as raccoons and rats. It’s also a good idea to pick up fruit as soon as it has fallen from any fruit trees.

Take care of your lawn and garden with wildlife in mind Always check over your lawn before you mow and search for turtles and rabbit nests. The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) advises people to move turtles gently, but rabbit nests should be left alone (and don’t mow near them) so that the mother will return to the nest to feed them. You should also keep your lawn grub-free and you will prevent raccoons, armadillos and opossums from tearing up your lawn to feast on them. If you’re trying to keep animals out of your garden, the best way is to erect a chicken wire fence at least 36" above the ground and 12" below the ground. You can also place mesh cages over young plants. Motion-activated noisemakers available from garden centers, owl decoys and pinwheels can also be effective deterrents.

Check access points. Check and screen off any entry points that allow wildlife access. You should also check your roof eaves, overhangs, vents and even cracks around windows or pipes that lead into the house for bat entryways. They can squeeze through openings 1/2 inch wide. Do not patch holes between May and September or you may trap young bats inside. Small animals can access buildings through holes as little as one-inch wide, so be sure to seal any holes with heavy-weight material (hardware cloth or heavy-gauge screening) or steel wool. Wire mesh can also be used to plug openings in walls and floors.

As suburban sprawl continues to displace wild animals, encounters with humans are inevitable. Ongoing development has forced many wild animals to relocate, so clashes between humans and animals will most likely increase. However, many of these situations can be avoided with a little effort and planning. The bottom line is that all of us need to do our best to live in harmony with wildlife. We love our wildlife in Harmony! n

QUICK REFERENCE DIRECTORY

ADVERTISING & MAGAZINES

Harmony Life

Bill Bokunic

321-331-6398

Bill@QMCWorld.com

www.QMCWorld.com

AIR-CONDITION SERVICES

Access Air

Eric Farnsworth

*Harmony Resident*

407-921-0760

ELFarnsworth@live.com

AUTO DEALER

Kisselback Ford

1118 13th Street

St. Cloud 407-892-2141

www.KisselbackFord.com

CHURCH

Harmony Community Church

Meeting 10am Sundays at Harmony Community School

(844) 444-FBCH

www.HarmonyCommunity.church

CHIROPRACTOR

Living Well Chiropractic

*Harmony Resident*

4041 13th St. St. Cloud 34768

407-957-1337

www.LivingWellCFL.com

GARAGE DOORS & OPENERS

D.S.I.

Sales / Service / Repairs

407-970-5847

dsigaragedoor@yahoo.com

www.dsigaragedoorandopener.com

GOLF CLUB

Royal St. Cloud Golf Links

5310 Michigan Ave., St. Cloud, FL 34769

407-891-7010

GRAPHIC DESIGN & BRANDING SERVICES

Blair Creative Group, Inc.

Renée Blair

Lake Nona

321-972-3669

www.BlairCG.com

HOME RENOVATIONS

Home Restoration Exchange

Kitchen & Bathroom Design

231 Ruby Ave., Suite E Kissimmee, FL 407-587-0738

www.HomeRestorationExchange.com

HOSPITALS

Health First-Holmes Regional Health Care

1350 South Hickory St. Melbourne, FL 32901 321-434-7000

Orlando Health St. Cloud Hospital 2906 17th St., St. Cloud 407-892-2135

www.OrlandoHealth.com

INSURANCE

Brightway Insurance, The Sterner Agency 407-891-9361

www.BrightwaySterner.com

Healthcare Solutions Team

Kim Kirsch 407-870-3462

kkirsch@myhst.com

Kisselback Insurance Agency

Ashely Evans 321-316-3360

1118 13th St. St. Cloud 34769

LAWN CARE

Luv-A-Lawn & Pest Control 407-908-9139

www.LuvALawn.com

Triple Palm Lawns

*Harmony Resident* 407-957-3489

TriplePalmLawn@aim.com

MORTGAGE LENDING

Mortgage Studio

Julie Bretz-Swinarksi 407-758-3443

julie@mtgstudio.net

Alyssa Shivmangal 407-408-1413

alyssa@mtgstudio.net

MUSIC LESSONS

Harmony Performance

Arts Studio

Amber Lanning & Ellen Short Voice/Piano/Acting 682-936-9551

PAINTING & PRESSURE WASHING

AAA All Star Painting LLC. Commerical & Residential Licensed & Insured 407-908-5525

Champions Property Maintenance

*Harmony Resident* Joe Murray, 407-766-5051

Performance Soft Wash LLC. Exterior House Cleaning & Paver Sealing 407-729-7567

PARK

Wild Florida

3301 Lake Cypress Rd. Kenansville 407-957-3135

www.WildFL.com

PET GROOMING

Pawfect Cuts of Harmony 407-257-1414

PawfectCutsOfHarmony.com

Serving Harmony & St. Cloud

PHOTOGRAPHY

Abbey Evans Photography Weddings, Families, Newborns, Seniors

www.abbeyevansphoto.com

PLUMBER

Mr. Rooter Plumbing 407-593-3737

www.MrRooter.com

PHYSICIANS

Miriam Carnemolla, APRN

AdventHealth Primary Care+ Partin Settlement

2488 E. Irlo Bronson Memorial Hwy Kissimmee, FL 34744

St. Cloud Medical Group

1700 E. Irlo Bronson Memorial Hwy. St. Cloud 407-891-2965

www.StCloudPhysicians.com

REAL ESTATE

Corcoran Connect

*Harmony Resident*

Jeanine Corcoran Owner/Broker Buy/Sell/Rent/Property Mgmt. 407-953-9118

www.CorcoranConnect.com

RESTAURANTS

Koffee Kup

1407 13th Street

St. Cloud 34769, Under the Water Tower 407-891-81488

www.TheKoffeeKup.com

Phyre at Harmony

7251 Five Oaks Dr. Harmony

TRAVEL

Meisner Cruise and Travel

*Harmony Resident* 407-738-7088 • tvlwithlinda@gmail.com

Facebook: Harmony Get Aways With Meissner Travel

Rock Solid Travel

Jeff Rock, CCC 321-805-4124

www.RockSolidTravel.com

WATER SYSTEMS

Dependable Water Treatment 407-242-7150

WINE & SPIRITS

Levee Liquor & Gas

Now Delivering in Harmony! 718 13th St., St. Cloud 407-593-9605

www.LeveeLiquor.com

We provide trusted, quality care in your community. At Orlando Health St. Cloud Hospital, get access to care from an expert and compassionate clinical team for all of your healthcare needs — from emergency services to heart care, surgical services and more — all close to home. Giving you more reasons to choose well. OrlandoHealth.com/StCloud choose well.

be confident.