Photo: Courtesy Cherry Heck
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LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER
to the August 2024 edition of Harmony Life Magazine
This is the 10-Year Anniversary of the magazine! So much has changed during the past 10 years, we will discuss further in next month’s publication!
A big welcome to our new advertiser Mike Demarse with Northpoint Mortgage. Mike and Northpoint are one of our preferred lenders that we have vetted and used for many years. Northpoint is working with Corcoran Connect, Ashley Park Condo’s and Association Solution to certify the AP Condo’s with FHA and open that option for the community. Please see their advertisement un this month’s magazine.
Another warm welcome to our latest advertiser, ALL Flooring USA! (See their ad in the magazine for a discount coupon). They are located at: 1021 N. Narcoossee Rd., St. Cloud — Located Next to Domino’s. (407) 593-9481 • www.allflooringusa.com
The CDD elections are coming up. Stay tuned for bios and info regarding the candidates in an upcoming edition of the magazine.
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, NO DRAMA.
See you in September!
Bill Bokunic Publisher Bill@QMCWorld.com
CONTACT INFO FOR RESIDENTS
CDD HarmonyCDD.org, 407-566-1935 Dan, Jo, Lucas, Kerul, or Mark @HarmonyCDD.org
SHERIFF, NON-EMERGENCY 407-348-2222
HROA Association Solutions, 811 Mabette St., Kissimmee 407-847-2280, www.MyHOASolution.com
CONDOS HOA Sentry Management, 407-846-6323
TOWNHOMES HOA Association Solutions, 811 Mabette St., Kissimmee 407-847-2280, www.MyHOASolution.com
AUGUST 2024
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
Cherry Heck
CONTRIBUTORS
Jeanine Corcoran
Corcoran Connect
Kerul Kassel PHD
Hamony CDD Board Member
Kim Kirsch
Insurance Broker / District Manager, Healthcare Solutions Team
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.
3501 Pug Mill Rd. Kissimmee, FL 34741 OsceolaFL@advanceddisposal.com
OSCEOLA COUNTY Osceola.org “Citizen Action Center” COUNTY COMMISSIONER ricky.booth@osceola.org
RICKY BOOTH
HROA Friendly Reminders
Harmony and its rules were established back in 2002. When purchasing a home in Harmony or any other HOA community you are agreeing to abide by the rules when signing your closing documents. This means that if you break the rules, you can be issued a violation letter (no we do not fine) and if not resolved you can be taken to court. This is all done to protect our property values and to keep Harmony looking beautiful. This is normal operating procedure in every Home Owners Association neighborhood. Please be respectful of the person driving around doing the inspections every week, as she is an employee of Association Solutions and is just doing her job, enforcing the HROA rules, the rules that have been in place for more than two decades. The HROA cannot issue violation letters to the CDD, Osceola County, or the landowners of undeveloped properties within the community. They are not members of the HROA.
Facebook can be a fun and wonderful social media outlet and source of information. It is also a source of quite a bit of misinformation. The Community Standards and Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions can be accessed through your owner’s portal. If you are still unsure of an HROA policy or rule, please contact Association Solutions directly for the correct answer to your concern.
Harmony can be a very complicated place with the many homeowners’ associations (HOAs) and the CDD. You pay different fees to these entities and they each provide a different set of services. The HROA is only responsible for making sure the private homes are main tained and the fees paid. We have nothing to do with the pools, playgrounds, lakes, boats, square, shops, golf course, gym, field services, or any undeveloped parcels. The HROA does support some social events, additional sheriff patrol and a Nature and Animal Committee that hosts educational events and activities.
Osceola County has a leash law for all dogs and cats within the County, including Harmony. Failure to have your pet on a leash can result in a $100 fine and up to $700 if the animal bites another dog or person. Please also remember to pick up after your pets. All areas of Harmo ny are either privately owned or CDD property and it is illegal to allow your pet to poop with out cleaning it up, as per Osceola County.
If you plan on making any landscape or architectural changes to your property, please submit an application before commencing the work or obtaining county permits. This applies to almost all work being done to the exterior of your home and yard. If you are not sure if you need to submit an application, please reach out to Association Solutions.
Don’t forget to nominate a house you feel is deserving of the Harmony House of the Month by the 15th of each month! A $100 gift card to Vanderpol’s Nursery will be awarded to the winners.
Rules:
• No self nominations
• Board members homes are not eligible
• You may nominate more than one house
• A sign will be placed in your yard for 30 days (no violation will be given)
• Your name (optional) and address will be posted as the winner on Facebook and in the Harmony Life Magazine
• You may only win once every twelve months
Harmonyhouseofthemonth@gmail.com
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/ 1FAIpQLSfT4GcHRgzoymeS9sDkyeoJg3UtFgKqlCtIlBU3xVTjHu-Tdg/viewform
Our next meeting date will be October 1 at 6:00 pm at First Nature Ranch on Old Melbourne Highway. This will be our annual meeting which will be for elections only. We have three board positions up for election. The informational letter along with the candidate form was mailed out the last week in July. If you are interested in running for the HROA board please return the form by August 22 and if you did not receive it, please contact Association Solutions.
Contact Information for the HROA: https://myhoasolution.com 407-847-2280 • info@myhoasolution.com https://portal.topssoft.com/login
WATER SAFETY
By Toho Water Authority
Creating a Hurricane Water Plan
As the 2024 hurricane season continues, Toho wants to ensure you are as prepared as possible. Florida’s hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30. During a hurricane event, interruptions to your water service may occur. It is important that you have enough water on hand prior to the hurricane’s arrival. Should a water service outage occur, Toho Water Authority (Toho) will restore service to customers as soon as possible but a water advisory may be issued. The following advises you on how to prepare and the types of water advisories that can be issued.
Drinking Water and Non-Drinking Water
Access to water should be a significant part of any hurricane plan for your household. Households should have enough water to last at least three days. Make sure to account for the number of people and each pet taking shelter in your home when calculating water consumption. There are two categories of water you should make provisions for:
• Drinking Water: You can use sanitized food-grade containers with lids in order to store water that can be used for drinking, cooking, brushing your teeth and washing dishes. Store at least one gallon of water per day for each person and pet in your household.
• Other Water Uses: Storing water in a bathtub, large storage bin or clean trash can is one way you can make provisions for flushing toilets, bathing and other ways that don’t involve food preparation or ingestion. When planning, it’s important to make sure the drain doesn’t leak in your bathtub.
Water Advisories:
There are three different types of water advisories that may be issued to inform customers.
• Precautionary Boil Water Advisory: This means water service has been restored and the water is being tested to ensure it’s safe to drink. As a precaution, you are advised to boil water for one minute before consumption.
• Boil Water Notice: This notice means tests results have revealed that the water is unsafe to drink and must be boiled for one minute before consumption.
• Don’t Drink the Water Notice: This notice indicates testing has revealed the water is unsafe to drink even when boiled. In this circumstance, bottled water should be used instead.
If you are in a situation where you can’t boil your water, add eight drops of unscented household liquid bleach per gallon of water, stir well and let stand for 30 minutes before use. As an alternative, purification tabs can be bought from sporting goods stores and pharmacies which
can be used to prepare water for drinking. How will I know if a water advisory is in effect?
Toho notifies customers either by door hanger or phone message. Advisories are also posted to our News & Alerts section on tohowater.com n
By Kim Kirsch Insurance Broker / District Manager, Healthcare Solutions Team
What You May Not Know About Critical Illness Plans
If you’re like most people, you know that health insurance is extremely important, and you also know that when something major occurs with your health, it is not just how the medical bills will get paid, but also how your household bills will get paid.
What happens to the mortgage? The electric bill? The car payment? It is possible to obtain an inexpensive Critical Illness or Cancer/Heart Attack/Stroke (CHS) plan to provide TAXFREE cash to cover all those things and more.
Critical illness insurance provides financial protection in the event of a serious health condition, such as cancer, heart attack, or stroke. This type of insurance offers several key benefits:
1. Financial Security: One of the primary advantages is the financial support it provides when you are diagnosed with a covered condition. The lump-sum payment can help cover medical expenses, which might not be fully covered by other insurance, and alleviate the burden of out-ofpocket costs.
2. Income Replacement: A critical illness often means that you may need to take time off work or even stop working entirely. The payout from this insurance can serve as a replacement for lost income, helping to maintain your standard of living during a challenging period.
3. Flexibility: The payout from critical illness insurance is typically unrestricted, meaning you can use the funds however you see fit. This flexibility allows you to address various needs, whether it’s paying for experimental treatments, hiring help at home, or covering everyday expenses.
4. Peace of Mind: Knowing that you have this coverage can reduce the stress and worry associated with facing a critical illness. It provides reassurance that, regardless of the severity of the diagnosis, you won’t be overwhelmed by financial strain.
5. Comprehensive Coverage: Many policies cover a range of serious conditions, offering broader protection compared to traditional health insurance. This comprehensive coverage ensures that you are financially safeguarded against multiple potential health crises.
6. Tax Free: While you may not deduct the premium of a critical illness plan on your yearly taxes, you might be surprised to learn that the proceeds from these plans are tax-free. Much like a life insurance policy, the IRS does not count the face value
of these plans as income – giving you even more peace of mind. With all that being said, the time to act to enroll in a fixed premium three-year health insurance plan is now. They will only be offered until Aug 30, 2024.
Overall, critical illness insurance acts as a financial cushion, helping to manage the impact of severe health events and offering support when you need it most.
To learn more, give us a call: Kim at 407-8703462, Rick at 407-222-2384 or Briana at 407-460-7257. n
FLOORING
KITCHEN & BATH REMODELS: We transform kitchens and bathrooms into beautiful, stylish spaces that enhance both form and function to meet the unique needs of each homeowner.
DID YOU KNOW?
By Kerul Kassel
HELPING HARMONY'S FURRY FRIENDS
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? Underlying these objectives are the values of fostering a respect for the land, the protection of wildlife and the sensible use and enjoyment of Harmony's abundant natural and manmade amenities by its residents.
Harmony’s design welcomes companion animals, especially dogs and cats, in a way that allows us to enjoy our pets while also providing a safe environment for them, and for wildlife. That is why Harmony has three dog parks and why dogs and cats are prohibited from being allowed outside without being tethered to a person. We are lucky to have so many places to walk our pets (and so many convenient places to dispose of
their waste) as well as let them socialize with each other. Dog park time allows neighbors to get to know one another, too. That’s how my family got to know many of our neighbors.
Unfortunately, our pet-friendly reputation has led people from outside to dump their pets here instead of taking them to the shelter if they can no longer keep them. My family has rescued a couple of dozen dogs over the 11 years we have lived in Harmony. But it is not only dogs that have been dumped here.
In the recent past Harmony has been seeing more and more cats outside, and in the last month or so there is even a feral mother with kittens, moving her family around the neighborhoods. Note that feral cats are not vicious, they are not dangerous (except to wild bird populations), and they are not disease carriers — at least any more than a pet cat. But nobody wants to find cat poop in their landscaping beds, have their arm ripped from the socket by their dog that lunges after a free-roaming cat, or listen to the yowling and fighting of cats outside their home.
Feral cats can live 12-15 years, although there are dangers: cars, dogs, coyotes, fights with other cats, disease and parasites, and finding food and shelter. Feral cats can be tamed with a bit of effort and patience. But in a short time they can multiply their numbers by a lot if not neutered.
One feral female can lead to an entire feral colony within a year or less, and a colony can spread throughout the whole town within two or three years. All it takes is a single unneutered male cat. So, it is really important that we humanely trap all feral cats and have them neutered. It’s also really important that you keep your pet cats indoors. The Nature and Animal Committee has traps, as well as access to a low cost spay/neuter clinic. If you see feral cats in your neighborhood, please private message me on Facebook or Nextdoor.com or email me at kerul@me.com so that we can work on getting them trapped and neutered.
We do need more neighbors who are willing to donate cat food and help pay for neutering, act as temporary foster homes or who are able to transport cats to and from the vet once they have been trapped. Please send me your contact information if you might be able to help in the future. n
HARMONY, FLORIDA: LIVING WITH NATURE IN A NEW TOWN
By Harmony's Own, Anthony James Catanese
We know that Harmony is a very special place. This book tells how it was done. It started with a vision supported by science on how important regular interaction with nature and animals is to human health. This led to creating a new community whereby these interactions were incorporated at the very beginning of the development. It is intended for people who want to learn and take action. We can achieve greatness and conservation through proper development of our land. This is how to do it.
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 SERVICES
Blair Creative Group, Inc.
Renée Blair
Lake Nona 321-972-3669 www.BlairCG.com
HOSPITAL
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
Gredy Insurance
Brady Evans
*Harmony Resident* 812-798-2199 brady@gredyinsurance.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 SERVICE
Champions Property Maintenance
*Harmony Resident* Joe Murray 407-766-5051 ChampionPropertyMaintenanceLLC@gmail.com
MORTGAGE LENDING
Northpoint Mortgage Mike Demarse 407-712-7303
mdemarse@northpoint.com www.MikeDemarse.com
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
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
Rivera's Pet Luv Spa 407-556-3555 7264 S. Harmony Square Dr.
PHOTOGRAPHY
Abbey Evans Photography Weddings, Families, Newborns, Seniors www.abbeyevansphoto.com
PLUMBER
K&R Plumbing
24-Hour Emergency Services
407-979-1033
KRPlumbing2019@gmail.com www.KandRPlumbingLLC.com
REAL ESTATE
Corcoran Connect
*Harmony Resident* Jeanine Corcoran Owner/Broker Buy/Sell/Rent/Property Mgmt. 407-953-9118 www.CorcoranConnect.com
REMODELING
All Flooring USA & Cabinets 1021 N. Narcoosee Rd., St. Cloud Located Next to Domino's 407-593-9481 www.AllFlooringUSA.com
ROOFING
Hogan Roofing Corben Hogan 407-449-ROOF Office@HoganRoofs.com www.HoganRoofs.com/Refer
TRAVEL
Meisner Cruise and Travel
*Harmony Resident* 407-738-7088 • tvlwithlinda@gmail.com
Facebook: Harmony Get Aways With Meissner Travel
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
