Lake & Sumter Style - Village Edition - February 2022

FEB'22

VILLAGE EDITION

18

AL SO

LIGHTS! CAMERA! ACTION! Meet filmmaker Kyle Tetzlaff

GEM DANDY Try mining at Showcase of Citrus

REALTOR OF THE YEAR

Rob Crawford is here to claim his

HOW CRABTIVATING Inside The Crab Stop

Get back in the game.

UF Health Orthopaedics Leesburg is now open.

Our new clinic offers general orthopaedic services, sports medicine and total joint replacement so you can get back to feeling like you without traveling far for your care.

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This Valentine’s Day, be sure your gift is... replaceable.

Get your jewelry insurance quote today!

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LEARN ABOUT TAX REDUCTION STRATEGIES ACHIEVE YOUR RETIREMENT GOALS! Taxes In Retirement Seminar

Baby Boomer Dilemma Movie

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February 17 at 4pm

February 24 at 5pm

February 22 at 10am

Prima Italian Steakhouse 3660 Kiessel Rd., The Villages

The Old Mill Playhouse 1000 Old Mill Run, The Villages

Chophouse at Lake Sumter 1045 Old Camp Rd., The Villages

Choose one of our events and RSVP your attendance by calling 855.724.0679 or go online to yoursvp.org and enter code JEFQUF OR SCAN TO REGISTER!

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KNEE REPLACEMENT?

OR DO YOU MEAN

PERFORMANCE UPGRADE?

At Advanced Orthopedics Institute we specialize in hips, knees, shoulders, ankles, wrists...and tennis players.

Knee pain, stiffness, locking, giving way (buckling), creaking, swelling or inability to walk or play without pain can occur because of traumatic injury, arthritis, or overuse.

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FEB'22 V.18

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CONTENTS 1 of 2

FEATURES

024

Feeling right at home in real estate Rob Crawford, who was named the Realtor of the Year by the Realtors Association of Lake and Sumter Counties, shares his secrets on being a successful real estate agent.

STORY: JAMES COMBS

028

Sold on success A listing of the area’s top-producing real estate agents.

052

Lights! Camera!

Action!

For aspiring filmmakers, the most important act is making movies. This is well understood by Kyle Tetzlaff, whose recent short film appeared in four film festivals last year.

STORY: ROXANNE BROWN

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L A K E A N D S U M T E R S T Y L E .C O M • F E B ' 2 2

Kyle Tetzlaff

TB

F INANCI

AL

We Listen.

We Care.

We Educate.

G ROUP I NC.

352.350.1161

TBFinancialGroup.com 3261 U.S. Highway 441/27, Suite F-2 Fruitland Park, FL 34731

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Feb. 15th & Mar. 1st @ 9:30 a.m.

BROWNWOOD HOTEL & SPA 3003 BROWNWOOD BLVD, THE VILLAGES Seating is very limited and by RSVP only.

TB Financial Group Inc. is a licensed insurance agency for life, health, and annuities. We are not securities licensed.

We are not tax advisors. Our seminars are very general in nature and not meant to replace the advice of your CPA, Tax Preparer, Investment Advisor or Attorney. We will not provide tax or legal advice. Please consult your tax or legal professional for these matters.

Liz Cornell, CAS®

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

FEB’22 V.18

≈ N.04

CONTENTS 2 of 2

DEPARTMENTS

first

022

017

THE HIT LIST 018 PERSON OF INTEREST 020 OUTSTANDING STUDENT 022

agenda

018

057

058

020 061 062

022

TO-DO LIST 058 LOCAL TALENT 061 ATTRACTIONS 062 HI, SOCIETY 064

healthy living

069

070

072

INSPIRATION 070 HEALTHY BODY 072

menu

086

081

IN THE KITCHEN 082 FORK ON THE ROAD 086 SPIRITS 088 DINING GUIDE 090

columns

104

FROM THE PUBLISHER 014 FINAL THOUGHT 104

088

082 FEB'22

L AKE & SUMTER

18

E ON TH R C OV E

AL SO

LIGHTS! CAMERA! ACTION! Meet filmmaker Kyle Tetzlaff

GEM DANDY Try mining at Showcase of Citrus

REALTOR OF THE YEAR

Rob Crawford is here to claim his

HOW CRABTIVATING Inside The Crab Stop

Lake and Sumter Style Photo: Nicole Hamel Design: Volkan Ulgen Model: Rob Crawford

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L A K E A N D S U M T E R S T Y L E .C O M • F E B ' 2 2

Be You.

Confidently.

FR E E CO N S U LTAT I O N S | 3 52 . 259. 8 59 9 | P L A S T I C S U R G E RY V I P.CO M FAC E , B O DY A N D B R E A S T A E S T H E T I C S U R G E RY

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Putting the ‘real’ in real estate Happy real estate agents make for happy clients.

any business owners and employees have long days and work very hard.

However, I’ve always said those long hours and hard work don’t faze people who are happy in their careers and passionate about their jobs.

With that said, would you like to guess which career produces the happiest employees?

I’m going to come right out and tell you.

A 2013 study conducted by Careerbliss.com, an online jobs site, concluded that real estate agents are the happiest of all.

Somehow, this doesn’t surprise me one bit.

I am blessed to know many outstanding real estate agents throughout Lake and Sumter counties. Without fail, they excitedly tell me what they love about their profession—growth opportunities, positive work environments, and outstanding job resources.

Just think. Real estate agents get to derive plenty of satisfaction from helping firsttime homebuyers discover the American dream to helping a married couple find their dream home on the lake.

In this issue, Lake and Sumter Style is not only unveiling a list of the top-producing real estate agents but also recognizing Lake County’s Realtor of the Year. Past winners have enthusiastically shared with us their secrets to success and why they love their jobs so much.

Why wouldn’t a real estate agent love his or her job? They get to meet interesting people and hear their stories. They get to visit magnificent homes and marvel at their distinct design styles. They get to experience something new each day—new people, new homes, and new properties. And, most importantly, they get to see the cheerful faces and smiles of satisfied clients.

Thank you to all our local real estate agents who work tirelessly, enthusiastically, and passionately each day. Your steadfast dedication is truly appreciated.

Lastly, I hope this month finds all our readers in a happy and healthy state. God bless and see you next month!

Sincerely,

Kendra

Have a story to tell?

We’re always looking for stories about people who live and work in our area. Send suggestions to editorial@akersmediagroup.com

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L A K E A N D S U M T E R S T Y L E .C O M • F E B ' 2 2

Kendra Akers Doug Akers

OWNER/PUBLISHER kendra@akersmediagroup.com

AT YOUR SERVICE

PRESIDENT doug@akersmediagroup.com

DESIGN / PHOTOGRAPHY / EDITORIAL Michael Gaulin James Combs

SENIOR DESIGNER michael@akersmediagroup.com

STAFF WRITER james@akersmediagroup.com

Volkan Ulgen Theresa Campbell

ART DIRECTOR volkan@akersmediagroup.com

STAFF WRITER theresa@akersmediagroup.com

Megan Mericle Roxanne Brown

GRAPHIC DESIGNER megan@akersmediagroup.com

FEB'22

FEB'22

L AKE & SUMTER

VILLAGE EDITION

STAFF WRITER roxanne@akersmediagroup.com

Douglas Tyler CON TRIBUTIN G WRITER S Kathy Porter Anthony Rao Nancy Stampahar

18

DIGITAL ART DIRECTOR douglas@akersmediagroup.com

STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER/ VIDEOGRAPHER anthony@akersmediagroup.com

CON TRIBUTIN G Nicole Hamel P H OT OGRA P H ER STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER A N D W RITER nicole@akersmediagroup.com Cindy Peterson SALES

/

M A RK ETIN G

Tim McRae

VICE PRESIDENT, SALES tim@akersmediagroup.com

Melanie Melvin Shaena Long

DIRECTOR OF MARKETING melanie@akersmediagroup.com

ADVERTISING COORDINATOR shaena@akersmediagroup.com

ADMI N IS TRATION Aubrey Akers Simmons

ACCOUNT & CLIENT SERVICES aubrey@akersmediagroup.com

DI S TRIBUTION Scott Hegg

18

AL SO

AL SO

LIGHTS! CAMERA! ACTION!

LIGHTS! CAMERA! ACTION!

Meet filmmaker Kyle Tetzlaff

Meet filmmaker Kyle Tetzlaff

GEM DANDY

GEM DANDY

Try mining at Showcase of Citrus

REALTOR OF THE YEAR

Rob Crawford is here to claim his

HOW CRABTIVATING Inside The Crab Stop

Try mining at Showcase of Citrus

REALTOR OF THE YEAR

Rob Crawford is here to claim his

HOW CRABTIVATING Inside The Crab Stop

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Lake & Sumter Style. Published monthly by Akers Media, 108 South Fifth Street, Leesburg, FL 34748. All editorial contents copyright 2022 by Akers Media. All rights reserved. Lake & Sumter Style is a registered trademark of Akers Media. Nothing may be reprinted in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher. For back issues or billing information, call 352.787.4112. Return postage must accompany all unsolicited manuscripts and artwork if they are to be returned. Manuscripts are welcomed, but no responsibility can be assumed for unsolicited materials. “Paid Promotional Feature” denotes a paid advertising feature. Publisher is not responsible for claims or contents of advertisements. The ideas and opinions contained in this publication do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of Akers Media.

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first PEOPLE. COMMENTARY. NEWS.

Minneola High senior Emily Paul headed to the Big Apple to make a name and life for herself.

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THE HIT LIST

ROMANCE IS IN THE AIR: Forget the roses and chocolates.

This Valentine’s Day, take your relationship to new heights. A romantic date on a hot air balloon will certainly put your loved one on cloud nine as you spend time together overlooking Lake County’s beautiful landscape. Clermont Balloon Rides offers both sunrise and champagne flights. Call 407.761.5964.

KUDOS TO DISPATCH CENTER: Lake County and the Office of Public Safety Support was recently approved for re-accreditation from the International Academies of Emergency Dispatch (IAED). To receive this distinction, the county demonstrated strong local oversight, rigorous quality processes, and a commitment to data-driven, continuous improvements.

The center also has been remodeled to allow for future growth and expanded services to support Lake County.

WHAT AN HONOR: Four times each year, The Villages Honor Flight takes 65 veterans free of charge to Washington D.C. to see the nation’s capital and various war memorials. There’s no better way to salute our heroes than volunteering for this special organization. Each mission requires 100 volunteers who can choose from different areas such as administrative support, marketing and media communications, guardian coordination teams, pre-flight operations and much more. Anyone interested can call 352.432.1382.

DAY OF REMEMBRANCE: Feb. 2 marks 15 years since what in Lake County is historically known as the Groundhog Day tornadoes, remembered for leaving much destruction in their wake. We pray for all the affected families of lives injured and lost, and honor the 21 killed in the path of the tornadoes that touched down in 2007, the first of which began near Wildwood in Sumter County at 3:08 a.m. before crossing into Lake County, then lifting east of Lady Lake at 3:25 a.m.

BUILD A HOUSE: Since 1989, Habitat for Humanity of Lake and Sumter has been devoted to creating simple, decent, affordable housing for families in need. Want to help? Habitat has daily volunteer opportunities at construction sites in Lady Lake, Leesburg, Mascotte, and Eustis. Contact Carlos@habitatLS.org for details.

Photos of Lee School provided by Abandoned Florida, abandonedfl.com.

CELEBRATING ‘BLUES WOMEN’: As an internationally known vocalist, composer, and author of 14 books, Dr. Joan R. Cartwright will speak 7 p.m. Feb. 18, at Venetian Center in Leesburg on “Blues Women: The First Civil Rights Workers.”

She’ll share how female singers’ free-spirited songs delivered messages of liberation and provided the primary means of healing of the human spirit in this Beacon College-sponsored program. To register, visit secure.qgiv.com/for/djce/event/833945.

EXCEPTIONAL CARE IN THE AIR: UF Health The Villages Hospital is taking emergency care to new heights as it is now home to ShandsCair 2, a helicopter equipped with state of the art equipment and a critical care transport team that to patients in need of care while being transported in an emergency, may mean the difference between life and death. In-the-air care, to serve a 75-mile radius, is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and is being provided by an experienced and passionate crew made up of a flight care nurse, a flight paramedic and pilot.

KICKOFF CELEBRATION: The Super Bowl, according to history.com and other online sources, is an enormously popular sporting event each year that takes place to determine the National league (NFL) champion. It has served as the final game of every NFL season since 1966, replacing the NFL Championship Game. Since 2004, the game has been played on the first Sunday in February. This year will mark the 56th Superbowl, which will take place at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California on Feb. 13.

OLD SCHOOL: 27 years ago this month, Lee School joined the Mote-Morris House as the only other Leesburg building to be named on the National Register of Historic Places. The school was a community center and daycare center during World War II. In 1974, it became the Lee Adult Education Center. The school closed in 2003 and has remained vacant.

TREASURES GALORE: The 29th annual Sumter Swap Meets Winter Extravaganza will take place at the Sumter County Fairgrounds, 7620 State Road 471 in Bushnell, this year from Feb. 11-13. The extravaganza features vendors selling food, auto parts, antiques, tools, auto related items, collector shirts, and more, plus a car and truck show with cash prizes, a swap meet and car corral. For more information, including admission prices and hours, call 229.507.3548 or visit floridaswapmeets.com.

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PERSON OF INTEREST

PEO PLE

Eddie Carmona Parademic by day, comedian by night, and both roles just as rewarding for one Mount Dora man.

VITAL STATS

INTERVIEWER: ROXANNE BROWN

combat medic with the 82nd Airborne from 2006-2010.

• 35 years old.

• Works as a paramedic for Orlando Health.

• Served in the U.S. Army as a

• Improv comedian at Sak Comedy Lab in Orlando.

Greatest career accomplishment: With EMS, I delivered two babies, and one time, I had to make-up a freestyle rap to convince a patient to be transported to Florida Hospital Winter Garden when it first opened.

Additionally, I saved a young girl in a bad auto accident, who later came by the station to thank me. I was out on a call, so she never actually met me, but the gesture was nice.

When did you realize your knack for making people laugh? I grew up in a military family, so I ended up moving a lot, which made it hard to make any long lasting friendships. I also had a speech impairment, which made it hard to make friends, talk to girls, make school presentations, plus that made me an easy target for bullies.

I started being a smart aleck, which led me to making people laugh in a different way. I figured if they are going to laugh at me anyways, I could control the reason behind it. I then became this awkward person with this super dry sense of humor that extended itself to the person you see today.

How did you get involved with the Sak Comedy Lab? I always wanted to get into comedy, I just

Know a person of interest? Tell us!

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L A K E A N D S U M T E R S T Y L E .C O M • F E B ' 2 2

≈ PHOTO: NICOLE HAMEL

• Has two children, Odin, 9 and Zoe, 7, and two dogs.

• Is passionate about social justice and health care reform.

never knew how. Corey, a bartender from Serendipity, told me that he used to perform at Sak and suggested I take their level 1 Improv class. I did it, then performed and loved it, so I ended up taking all of their improv and avanced improv classes, in addition to their stand up class which helps new comedians get ready for open mics.

Guilty pleasure?

Watching anime and regular cartoons.

Best advice to your younger self? If you are going to do something, do it with 100% commitment. Don’t hold yourself back because you are afraid of what people are going to think. Even if you make a fool of yourself, people are going to forget about it and move on.

One thing on your bucket list?

Giving back to the people, friends, and organizations that helped me these past few years.

Three words to describe you? I’m that guy.

Email your recommendation to roxanne@akersmediagroup.com

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OUTSTANDING STUDENT

PEO PLE

Emily Paul Minneola senior is smart, driven, and eager for college life in New York City and has career goal of serving others as a public defender.

INTERVIEWER: THERESA CAMPBELL

L V I TA AT S ST

≈ PHOTO: NICOLE HAMEL

• 18-year-old senior at Minneola High School with 5.1 weighted GPA • Loves to play the guitar.

• Secured full-ride scholarship to Barnard College in New York City.

• Daughter of Donald and Tiffany Paul.

One word that describes me: Driven.

Favorite subject: English.

School activities and honors: President of Minneola High School Debate Club; set to receive AP Capstone diploma at high school graduation; named DAR’s American History Student of the Year.

Planned college major: Psychology with minor in linguistics for undergraduate studies.

I took AP psychology in my junior year, and it was the coolest class I’ve ever taken.

Advice to younger students: Surround yourself with good people. I can say with confidence if I hadn’t been around the friends that I have now, I wouldn’t have taken half of the classes that I’ve taken. They inspired me.

Favorite color: Yellow.

representation is so hard for people who come from low-income backgrounds or have other disadvantages, and I would like to be able to give that to them.

Best advice been given: My 10th grade English teacher Emily Conde encouraged me to keep applying after I got rejected from my first scholarship in my sophomore year. She told me “There is something for you somewhere.”

Favorite food: My mom makes really good stew beef. I request it on my birthday every year.

How I spend my free time: Listening to music, playing my guitar. Bossa nova is my favorite genre.

A memorable day: My first debate

My song: I get a lot of inspiration from music and there’s one song in particular, “Someday My Prince Will Come” that is my favorite to listen to every time I feel bad.

Future goals: I really want to become a public defender. Getting adequate

tournament in my junior year. I used to be really involved in band and yearbook, but because of Covid, I couldn’t take part. Sitting in the tournament I realized I was making something for myself, and everything was going to be fine.

My life in 10 years: Hopefully I will be working at a firm, living in an apartment somewhere in New York City, where there is a reliable public transportation system, which kind of rocks.

Know an outstanding student? Fill us in!

Email your recommendations to theresa@akersmediagroup.com

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L A K E A N D S U M T E R S T Y L E .C O M • F E B ' 2 2

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Membership is open to anyone in Alachua, Marion, Lake, and Sumter counties.3 Offer subject to change without notice. There are costs associated with the use of this card. For specific information call 800-367-6440 or write us at P.O. Box 147029, Gainesville, FL 32614. 1. Balance Transfer promotional rate available 1/15/2022-4/15/2022 only. Promotional Annual Percentage Rate (APR) for Balance Transfer is 3.9% and will be effective for 12 billing cycles after the cycle in which the transfer takes place; then the rate on transferred balances will change to the then-current purchase APR consistent with the Cardholder Agreement. The Annual Percentage Rate is a variable rate for Platinum Rewards Mastercard and is based on the Wall Street Journal Prime Rate (index), plus a margin. The margin is based on certain creditworthiness criteria. The APR is as low as 10.15% as of 12/10/2021 which is determined by adding together the index and the margin applicable to the card type and the consumer’s credit. The APR could change without notice. APR not to exceed 17.99%. 2. For new Platinum Rewards cards only. Rewards are credited based on purchases with CAMPUS Platinum Rewards Mastercard. Cash advances and balance transfers do not qualify for rewards points. 3. Credit approval and initial $5 deposit required. Other restrictions may apply. Mastercard and the Mastercard Brand Mark are registered trademarks of Mastercard International Incorporated, used pursuant to a license.

Insured by the NCUA.

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L A K E A N D S U M T E R S T Y L E .C O M • F E B ' 2 2

Finding closure in

Hard work and client satisfaction helped Rob Crawford reach the pinnacle of his profession.

WRITER: JAMES COMBS

≈ PHOTOS: NICOLE HAMEL ≈ DESIGN: VOLKAN ULGEN

F E B ' 2 2 • L A K E A N D S U M T E R S T Y L E .C O M

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s a Realtor, Rob Crawford is undoubtedly a workhorse.

He often accommodates clients on nights and weekends, sometimes working well beyond 60 hours a week. He also wears many hats. He’s a salesman, a buyer’s and seller’s advocate, an analyst, a consultant, a negotiator, and a marketer.

Most importantly, he’s a friend.

Rob had one client who had eaten nothing but hospital food for days because her husband underwent heart surgery. When Rob found out she craved Burger King, he purchased a bacon Whopper with cheese and delivered the food to the hospital. Then there’s the story of another client whom he sold a home to at Lakes of Mount Dora. Rob discovered she is an avid golfer and paid for her to have a golf membership for several months.

“I love developing meaningful relationships with my clients,” Rob says as a smile forms across his face. “After selling clients a home, I’ll stop by a few months later and we’ll enjoy an adult beverage on the back porch.”

For Rob, an agent and co-owner of Loch Realty Group in Mount Dora, those small acts of goodwill have made a big impact. He was recently named 2021 Realtor of the Year by the Realtors Association of Lake and Sumter Counties after enjoying one of his best years in real estate sales.

“I was shocked, honored, and speechless,” he says. “There are so many great real estate agents out there who do wonderful things for our industry. To be recognized as one of the top agents in my association is humbling. It’s amazing to be recognized by your peers like that.”

Those who know Rob were hardly surprised by his achievement. One is his business partner, Greg Nacke. They opened Loch Realty Group in 2020. Greg describes Rob as a Realtor who goes the extra mile to satisfy clients and puts a personal touch on every transaction.

“He loves servicing people and helping them find their dream home,” Greg says. “As a Realtor, you are your own boss, and your achievements are based on your passion and dedication to your work. Rob’s passion for the real estate industry and his dedication to servicing clients to the best of his ability both are truly amazing.”

Prior to residential real estate, Rob owned several different companies in the real estate Industry. His last was a

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L A K E A N D S U M T E R S T Y L E .C O M • F E B ' 2 2

commercial resort acquisition company. That job required him to work more than 80 hours a week and constantly travel from Orlando to all over the United States and abroad.

“At one point, I was away from my family for 31 straight weeks,” Rob says. “I was always working when everybody else was playing. Even worse, I was missing out on seeing my oldest daughter, Graelyn, grow up.”

A loving father, Rob decided to adopt a healthier worklife balance so he could play a bigger role in the life of his daughters, Graelyn and Lyla. He sold his company in 2015 and one year later became a real estate agent with Visionary Properties in Tavares.

That turned out to be a life-changing decision.

“I realized titles, traveling the world, and having that nice monetary lifestyle wasn’t as important as I once thought. I wasn’t able to enjoy what mattered most, and I was now able to see my kids and not miss out on their lives,” he says. “I was even able to coach my kids’ softball teams and spend more time with my lovely wife. There’s nothing else better.”

He quickly fell in love with his new career.

“Rewarding is not the word to justify what I get out of doing what I do. Every morning is so easy for me to wake up and do this job. It’s all about being honest and straightforward with clients and developing relationships. The relationships are what make this job so great.”

Rob has emerged as a leader in the local real estate market.

He is entering his fourth year as a board member of the Realtors Association of Lake and Sumter Counties. In 2022, he will serve as the organization’s vice president.

That’s a point of pride for Rob, who continually strives to raise the standards of the real estate industry.

“One of the things I believe strongly in—and I preach this to my agents—is that you have to get involved,” Rob says. “I take my job very seriously because I represent 2,700 real estate agents and brokers who are part of the Realtors Association of Lake and Sumter Counties. I love providing more opportunities for them so they can be successful. That’s what it is all about.

One thing I tell any agent or broker is to help somebody.”

Rob encourages more agents to join the organization. Those who claim they do not have enough time simply doesn’t fly with Rob. In addition to serving on the board, he also serves on three of the organization’s committees.

“To do everything I do with the Realtors Association of Lake and Sumter Counties, opening my own brokerage, and then having one of my best years in sales should show everyone that you can accomplish everything you want,” he says. “Yes, joining the organization will take some of your time, but I’m proof that it doesn’t affect your sales or business in a negative way.”

One benefit of membership is having the opportunity to receive ongoing education. After all, competition can be stiff, and agents can’t just rely on their customer service skills. Continued knowledge about developing trends or advancements in the field can lead to professional development, greater success, and increased satisfaction in an agent’s career.

“I’m big on education,” he says.

“Realtors need to better themselves.

How are they going to make themselves stand above the rest? How are they going to get name recognition when you have so many agents fighting for the same listing? How can you serve clients to the best of your ability and take the pressure off your clients? Learning never stops, and as our industry evolves, we must evolve along with it.”

He adds: “It hasn’t been a good day unless you learnt something!”

Despite his busy schedule, Rob is living his best life as a business owner and family man. He spends valuable time with Michelle, his wife of 24 years, and two daughters. The next family vacation is in the works.

“I’m truly blessed to have a great family and a great career,” he says.

“ROB’S PASSION FOR THE REAL ESTATE INDUSTRY AND HIS DEDICATION TO SERVICING CLIENTS TO THE BEST OF HIS ABILITY BOTH ARE TRULY AMAZING.” —GREG NACKE

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REALTORS

Top Producers Congratulations to the Top Producers of the Realtors® Association of Lake & Sumter Counties.

Multi-Million-Dollar Club 239realestatedeals. com LLC

Atkins Realty of Lake County

Barry Hoey

Bj Atkins, Iii

A Real Estate Boutique LLC

Balistreri Realty Inc.

Jennifer Warren Jill Nelan Amerivest Realty Dolly Plant Paul Wulf Philip Dowling

Mark Wisniewski

Angler Real Estate & Dev.

Bassett Premier Realty Inc.

Fred Plummer

Ron Bailey Sharon Bassett

Arellano Realty & Investments Ashley Pun Diana Kepley Karin Arellano Katie Dodd Maria Seymour Susie Westbrook Theresa Kay Anita Dinard Asano Real Estate LLC Leslie Campasano Ashley Realty Group Ashley Taylor Assist2sell Buyers & Sellers Karen Tefft

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Barnes Realty & Appraisals Timothy Barnes

Beacon Real Estate & Associates Al Spry Gerri Rosenthal Jason Wilson Bella Collina Real Estate Company, LLC Dawn Roffey Berkshire Hathaway Homeservices Florida Realty Billie Dahl Bob David Brittany Knight Candace Van Waes Catherine Landry Dawn Bush Jamie Lynn Hane Jinx Bright Joanne Levy

Kara Wisely Kim Bakich Kim Pennington Kristie Baumgartner Lynn Risch Mary Jo Williams

Bnb Realty, Inc.

Berkshire Hathaway Hometeam

Mendy Bacon Pamela Bonjorn

Kimberly Scudder Therese Uddenback Slack

Brenda Dearmond

Doug Hampton Lori Baker Bonjorn Real Estate

Brenda Dearmond

Berkshire Hathaway-villages

Cam Realty & Property Management

Jim Mccallum

Beth Atalay

Bill Webb Real Estate & Invest

Can Realty, LLC

William Webb Black Tie Real Estate & Investments Alex Scopino Black Tie Real Estate & Investments Karen Scarbrough Black Tie Real Estate & Investments Mark Dyer Mike Ritzenthaler Blu Sea Dreams,LLC Elizabeth Fox

L A K E A N D S U M T E R S T Y L E .C O M • F E B ' 2 2

Nicole May Capital Hill Realty and Management Inc. Dionne Vazquez Carlino Commercial Group, Inc. Jeffrey Carlino Alex Vonhartman Jonathan Martin Karen Lamantia Marty Bouhall Catherine Hanson Real Estate, Inc. Cheryl Mullen

Catherine Hanson Real Estate, Inc. Dana Bruns Jill Moorman Leslie Rotarius Pa

June Moore Kevin Parris Marge Hooper Robert Bryan Stanley Yan Sue Wood

Richard Bisaillon Scott Chevalier Shaina Ellis

Century 21® Alton Clark

Chase Aaron Real Estate LLC

Betty Salas Edward Whitman Joe Hamblin Kwynn Nicholas Regina Rodriguez Ted Trawick

Chase Checho

Alyse Carter Becki Stauber Dana Latimer Denise Hedrick Jamye Toale Karen Levy Lori Reisman Lynn Bucklew Mandy Fisher Michelle Bevill Patrick Shores Rachael Segarra Ray Levy Robin Costoplos

Century 21® Carioti

Chris Forbes Realty & Development Christopher Forbes Robin Isolica

Jurgita Blake

Coldwell Banker® Realty

Century 21® Prime Property Resources

Deborah Govin Jennie Luft, Pa Simon Ambrose William Peck

Kelly Rice Linda Foster Nicole Tucci Robert Southern, Jr. Summer Alvis Century 21® Professional Group Lori Walker Charles Rutenberg Realty Orlando Bradley Moore Chrissy Keene Christopher Murphree David Kennedy Denise Guthrie Jody Zeller Joseph Wynkoop

Coldwell Banker® Vanguard Realty

Connie Mahan Real Estate Group Connie Mahan Toni Abel

Coldwell Banker® Stevens Real Estate

Dan Snyder Realty Services,Inc.

Jeremy Stevens

Dan Snyder

Coldwell Banker® Tony Hubbard

Dana Realty Group, LLC

Andrea Summers April Rager Dana Vander Meer Jamie Bevelacqua Jean Nunn Jessica Purvis Kaley Hansen Linda Weber Lisa Haynes Lydia Todd Lynn Fletcher Renee Goergen

Dana Fassett Linda Killoran Dave Lowe Realty, Inc. Andrew Nolan Andrew Stasky Ashley Lowe Janet Shatzer Lisa Durant Michele Lowe

TOP Nova Fuller Robert Tolvo Deniz Realty Partners LLC Anyssia Singh Mario Deniz Nikki Rittenberry Pa Tommy Mydlo, Ii Tom Eleazer

Michelle Ritson Tamara Quilling Todd Tharp Tracie Ruffolo Era American Suncoast Realty C.j. Dixon Lynn Harris Wendy Hoffmann

Discover Florida Realty

Era® Grizzard Real Estate

Val Palmer

Ann Van De Veer Christi Charpia Clarissa Rainey Craig Yox Cynthia Wheeler Dalemarie Lamb-witter Doug Duvarney Dustin Meyers Genie Muldoon Gloria Tabor Holly Weiss Ira Miller Jill Doss Jim Richardson Julie Townsend Karol Mcdermott Kaylyn Howard LLC Kenneth Weber Lauri Grizzard Lindsay Sellars Loretta Maimone Margaret Smith Megan Phipps Melissa Barnes Misty Noland Mona Jodray Nancy Fallon Olga Jakubowski Richard Trzaskoma Ricky Harper Shannon King Sharon Wooten Stacy Bracewell Susan Aicher Tammy King, Pa Toni Chapman

Diversified Re Solutions Barry Spatz Doran Real Estate Company Georgina Doran Double MM Development, LLC Mo Mclay Down Home Properties LLC Brandon Shrout Cliff Wittman Kelly Shipes Kevin Russell Kristen Pillar Melanie Moyse Mike Joy Vickie Knight Joy Dunn Realty Genevieve Matos Jamie Dunn Mary Dunn Sean Dunn Asheley Raybon Duteau Realty Inc. Jessica Duteau Dyson Realty Donna Dyson Lynet Osborne Empire Network Realty Diana Mahadeo Ivette Garcia Laterria Jones Sherae Blair Yindy Reyes Encore Premier Realty, Inc. Dani Roberts Engel & Völkers Brandon English Colleen Donlevy-burns Donald Toldson Doreen Landi Juli Onorata

Exit Realty® Tri-county Jaret Whitney Jason Short Lynn Gagnon Shirley Peacock Exp® Realty Kevin Howard Exp® Realty LLC Amanda Murray April Sawicki Brenda Bell Chris Feamster Chris Sanford Dawn Williams Debbie Gentry Donald Maycott Dorinda Torrance Dustin Hansen Francine Sell-phillips Ganesh Chattergoon Howard Payne John Chiumento Kathy Tucker Kelly Monroe

Kelly Wheeler Lois Mcginnis Matthew Fenlon Mike Greene Monica Mcdonald Nicholas Policella, Iii Nick Bowers Nick Policella, Jr. Patricia Sierra Rafael Gutierrez Sabrina Deem, Pa Willy Sybert Expert Real Estate Advisors Bryan Nelson Chris Day Eddy Workinger, Jr. James Armstrong, Iii Jon Wanberg Lorena Fuentes Wendy Moore Fierce Realty Carolyn M. Maimone Stacy Potter Pa Flamingo Real Estate & Management

Fontana Realty West Ocala

Fortune Realty of Clermont Ranji Seepersaud, Pa Four Star Home Brokers, Inc..

Colleen a. Kramer Garnet Eversole Jim Cote Linda Biggs Foxfire Realty Cheryl Parisi-ciolfi Cheryl Pecoraro Donna Mills-martens Dottie Wise Fran Dann-akin Gary Arnold Michael Palmer Robert Loiselle Sharon Smith Tina Williams

Leesa Wales Robbie Shoemaker Roy Vaca Florida Fine Homes Realty, LLC

Future Home Realty Inc.

Catherine Tarquini Jill Buckley Laura Carver Lori Purcell Melody Ostrom Michelle Ressler Sherri O’neal

Susan Moeller

Karen Riscinto Florida Plus Realty, LLC Christina Greenslade Claire Brooks Diana Stone Jessica Mckinney Lesley Greenslade Mary Mateo Nicky Martz Sandy Twito Tonya Tibbetts Florida Realty Investments Alice Mckillips Bonnie Black Donny Stokes Gail Barnard Jarrett Bishop Kristi Quick Lily Boutros Mary Kelly Robyn Cavallaro Florida Realty Marketplace Christine Selzler Jeri Anarumo

Darlene Gottus

Tina Teraskiewicz, Pa

Foxfire Realty Hwy200/103 St

Florida Lifestyle Realty Group

Gottus Realty Inc.

Jill Ruell

G World Properties Lameen Schand Galbreath Realty, Inc. Gerald Galbreath Garden Gate Real Estate, Inc. Barry Blake Garden Gate Real Estate, Inc. Jami Robinson Garden Gate Real Estate, Inc.

Fred Slotnick Grizzard Commercial Real Estate

Just a Farmgirl Realty LLC

Daniel Tatro Michael Pederson Gunn Property Services, LLC Pam Gunn Hancock Real Estate Joe Larrabee Matthew Mobley Mitchell Stiefel Harbor Hills Sales, Inc. Adam Rich Sean Rich Heirloom Realty International Elizabeth Downes Hickory Hill Realty & Mgt Inc. Ryan Benaglio High Cotton Realty LLC Ginger Mansour Holly Curley Choice Rlty, Inc. Holly Curley Home Wise Realty Group Inc. Wendy Paradise Homerun Realty, LLC Amanda Johnson Clayton Quest Elizabeth Izquierdo Lana Flodman

Gatap Realty

Illustrated Properties, LLC

George Lavender Global Properties Sales/mgmt Linda Marsh

Wazir Mohammed Jmr Realty, Inc.

Oscar Brea, Pa Samuel Cruz, P.a Maria Castro Aversano

Keller Williams® Cornerstone Real Estate

Milton Thompson Paul Tangalan

Debra Kline Joe Burt John Maiorino Karen Kamperman Lisa Laney Marguerite Garvey

Lake Compass Realty Group

Keller Williams® Elite Partners III Realty

Alyssa Rodriguez Brandi Stewart

Adam Rodriguez Anamaria Marquez Brandie Mathisonklein Cheryl Glover Cindy Hoagland Debbie Hauert Debra Vallier Edward Lian Gale Springer Jon Hernandez Lorie Gullian Mark Donohue Natthan Birkett Regina Cruz Richard Gullian Rodney Torrance, II Rosemary Siegler Steve Weinstein Susan Halverson, PA Tom Mcknight

Keller Williams® Realty-elite Barbara Dovi

Kelty Realty LLC John Kelty Kreidel Realty Group

Janus International Realty

La Rosa Realty Winter Garden LLC

La Rosa Realty, LLC

Kellie Wheeler

Rosemary Voigt

Sonya Dumas Terri Kuebbeler

Shani Carty

Kellie & Co Real Estate

Angela Tahal Nan Seelall

James Romeyn

Keller Williams® Classic

Audrey Benassi

Homesmart

George Ann Lavender Properites

Susan Steinmetz

Keller Williams® Realty Cs

Rex Rutledge Theresa Tomassi Valerie Barber

Marisol Ortega

John Roberts Realty

Ashton Thomas Melissa Paquette La Rosa Realty Horizons LLC Bobby Orr Sabine Bayona, Pa Shelly Linder

REALTORS

Debbie Payne Lake Real Estate Group

List Now Realty, LLC Matt Buttner Livwell Realty, Inc..

Kirstie O’banner Pa Loch Realty Group Ashlee Pringle Greg Nacke Rob Crawford Sara Vaughn Lokation Steven Simpkins Meb Realty Barbara Hemingway Micki Blackburn Realty Andrea Edgington Annie Ragar Cindy Newman Dale Odom Janet Gibbs Joe Patterson Karen Rose Kerri Leininger Michael Lovett Patricia Daries Mid Florida Re Brokerage Susan Ellis Millennia Realty Grp, LLC John Ardizone Jr Mission Inn Real Estate, Inc..

Janet Pratt Tom Line

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REALTORS Monique Mcguire Realty Inc. Monique Mcguire Moore Realty Group,Inc. Robert Moore Morris Realty and Investments Camie Kennedy Guy Shipley Jo Leen Copper Howe Kevin Shipley Kim Ducharmelevensohn Lauren Fickett Lena Williams Lindsay Sanders Lynn Haynes Theresa Morris Mount Dora Golf and Lake Rlty John Welch Move Florida Real Estate William Schinagl Narrow Road Realty Brad Verkaik National Land Realty LLC Richard Gonzalez Nexthome Love Real Estate Alexandrea Melyn Carlos Fuentes, Pa Carol Julianelli Caroline Fromkin Charla Cody Christopher Goble Cindy Wise Donna Cline-hansard Frank Melino Gerri Nelson James Miller Jayne Marvin Jeannie Ulmer Jenna Wood Joyce Ann Ellis Karen Price Karla Stange Kathy Workman Kelsie Brennan Kerry Hanson Kim Coffer Kris Dileva Kristine Maroney Laura Jensen Lee Harper Lena Sharff Linda Engelbrecht Liz Bell Lori Morgan, Pa Matt Jensen Matthew Kaczmarczyk Mel Burich Michelle Zieth Nancy Britton Nathan Piotrowski

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Rae Pearson Sally Love Sharon King Teresa Ouellette Todd Basso Vickie Iverson Victoria Vos Walter Coe Wanda Lund Will Leahy Zachary Watson Nexthome Orange Blossom Re Ana Afshin Nexthome Orange Premier Realty Beth Rieber Emily Brown Eric Wiersma John Hoad Lisbeth Cline Michael Harris Nancy Reynolds Tony Piccione Northstar Real Estate LLC Darren Sowell

Kevin Keith Laura Keith Lindsey Barker Mike Diorio Diorio Tony Stanley Troy Steadham Vrex Isaac Orlando Homes & Investments Noel Moenssens Oxford Land Company James Mariucci Reginald Caruthers Pal Realty “a” Indictor Betty Fitch Cary Fier Debra Askew Linda Grabusic Lisa Wolfinger Mary Jane Grimes Sheryl Mowry-miller Palisades Realty Inc. Deena Thurmond

Ocala Realty World LLC

Parrish Realty Group Inc.

Gabriella Vance Kimberly Mcelroy LLC

Michelle Parrish

Olympus Executive Realty Inc. Andre Hernandez Auristela Perez Carrasquero Carolina Valenzuela Christine Pasqualino Cindy Sapp Dennis Hjorten Donna Wall Eileen Patterson Frank Dolney Jackie Rogers Jay Mcgriff, Jr Jen Gotlewski Jorge Mulet, Sr, Pa Josh Duclos Kari Labarca, Pa Kirsty Pitts Larry Hilton, Jr Leonardo Vidal, Pa Mandy Gerow Pa Maria Rodriguez Mary Jane Easley Mary Poillion, Pa Monica Velez LLC Nancy Pruitt, Pa Reto Badraun, Pa Sandra Wyhnanskyj, Pa Sharon Black Sinnia Calderon LLC Tina Mcdonald Optima One Realty, Inc..

Amber Steadham Brian Martin Caleb Cox Drew Evans Kathy Entler

Picket Fence Realty LLC Melissa Samar Pileggi Real Estate Group Teresa Pileggi Preferred Re Brokers Iii Michael Huculak Pamela Tarver Shirley Guercio Stephanie Williams Viv Cunningham Pa Premier Homes Realty of Fl LLC Rick Itwaru Premier Sotheby’s Int’l Realty Charlie Solis Dawn Giachetti Janet Hoffman Pam Eddy Premium Properties R.e Service Bryant Day, Jr Property Findersconway Realty Jeannene Case Missy Conway

L A K E A N D S U M T E R S T Y L E .C O M • F E B ' 2 2

Re/max® Freedom April Couturier Jacob Pfaff Kimberly Volean Robert Payne Scott Hubbard Sharon Whitman Stephanie Ray Stephen Yohn Re/max® Neighborhood Professionals Dawn Brooks Kim Beisley Kimberly Jones-wilde Rich Sczykutowicz Sammi Brooks Re/max® Premier Realty Adriana Skoloda Andy Key Barbara Breuer Carla Boyd Daniel Jacobs Dave Monty Debbie Martin Denise Beserock Dustin Dubie Erica Jacobs Faith Mileo Gina Johnson Heather Hamilton Holly a. Farley Hope Wilson, Pa Jarene Mathias Jimmy Wendrickx John Wiga Katy Kelly Keith Caulk Kendall Vansant Kim Aschman Kim Luxem Maria Bernal Mariana Micheti Mark Sevegny Marty Goff Oliver Deffenbaugh Patti Shappy Paul Carraway Peter Hettmann Rachel Rivera Robert Spanks, Jr Sharon Baldwin Sharon Wick, LLC Tammy Dunseath Tammy Freilich Re/max® Premier Realty Lady Lake Becky Rainwater Bob Woodsford Brad Salmons Brenda Yonkman Cindy Steinemann Debbie Roberts Deborah Woods Diane Siefkas Holly Denton Larry Quartararo, Iii Ld Black Bowers-black Lynn Bartlett Marilyn Fletcher Mary Dyer Patricia Toale Robert Slutsky Roland Stults

Rose Rupe Thomas Heller Thomas Oldenborg Wendy Vogt Re/max® Results Real Estate Elaine Giddens Jim Middleton, Jr. Re/max® Titanium Group Christine Newsome Pa Corrine Ritzel Darlene Misciagno Jearri Bush, LLC Joe Carlisle Joe Cooper Keith Packey Krish D’errico Maria Molina Melissa Becorest Michele Rueff Victor Core Real Living R E Solutions Jer Kolb William Kolb Realteam Realty Inc.

Pasquale Serafino Patti Belton Peggy Schaefer Rick Mckean Riley Mills, Jr. Scott Dunn Sheila Davis Sherri Crider, Pa Steve Savage Pa Sunny Parsons Tammy Campbell Terri Edwards Tim Davis

Spouses With Houses Realty

Realty Professionals of Fl, LLC

Tina St. Clair

Harvey Rosenberg Jennifer George Julie Clay Robert Hughes Trista Fouts Right Realty Connection, Inc. Bethany Burge Bosbous Geoffrey Chernault Greg Sizer Robert Slack LLC

Trish Leisner

Paige Rosen Randall Kain Ron Espittia Sid Benachenhou

Realty Choices, LLC

Rochette Realty LLC

Stanley Carroll Realty Executives® Gallery Properties Enger Barnes Realty Executives® in the Villages Alan Lauder Amanda FInc.her, LLC Amy Lauder Ann Dyer Annette Mccullough Arlene Fishman Bob Berube Candyce Gresham Cheri Probert Cheryl Simmons Chuck Wilsey Cissie Smith Debbie Schoonover Donna Normington Donna Pattemore Doug Lange Frances Pierce Pa Gail Damon James Cooper Jamie Rosier Jana Raber Jeff Dyer Joy Wilson Kandis Buse Karla Mason Kathy Abruzzo Katrina Mcneely Kristi Probert Kristin Wendt Lisa Esposito Melissa Huennekens

Edward Rochette Rock Springs Realty, LLC Joanne Montchal Joel Bornstein Sandy & Ray Realty LLC Ray Ditirro Scates Realty & Investment Properties Inc. Eileen Scates Lisa Pownall Sellstate Superior Realty Andrea Bonivich Jack Wilson PLLC Lillian Gauvin Susan Beville, Pa Susan Wellington Pa Willi Mitchell

Jennifer Glidewell Jorge Feliciano, Jr Michell Middleton Spruce Creek Real Estate, LLC Katy Crouse St. Clair Realty Group, LLC

Stake Your Land Realty, Inc. Katina Hargrove Sumter Realty Evan Merritt Sunshine Realty Group Angie Taylor Sunshine State Realty Ashlee Mohammed Laura Stilwell Tadlock Realty Jennifer Tadlockstory Shelly Mauldin Tangerine Land Company, LLC Kennedy Donofrio Team Wyn Realty LLC Gloria Wyninger Terry Real Estate Servs PLLC Len Terry Terza Real Estate Shelley Emery The Bridlewood Re Co LLC Eric Gardner The Corcoran Connection LLC Jennifer Garrison Nancy Simpson Eccles

Smith & Smith Realty, Inc.

The Florida Property Shop Sale

Billie Faye Smith Danny Smith

Carl Ainger Rahul Rao Sarah Gholami

Southeastern Real Estate Associates Jerry Schubert

TOP The Market Realty Group

We Can Do It Realty

Amy Whitaker

Gigi Capria

Touchstone Real Estate

Weichert Realtors® Hallmark Properties

Addie Owens Bobbi Bain Cindy Coldren Dick Betts Diane Travis

Ben Champion

April Stevenson Barbara Summers Betty Hensinger Julie Hall Mary Palerino Ariya Mobed Joey Feeser Nancy Haufe

Tri Coast Realty LLC

Wheatley Realty Group

Noel Lawrence

Alison Wheatley Angelicarose Aponte Awilda Lopez Brandon Smith David Wilson Jessica Rush Katelyn Raber Kayla Cardenas Laura Monteleone Matthew Wheatley Wendy Harrington

Tree Frog Realty, LLC

Tyre & Taylor Realty, Inc Donald Oliver Glenn Tyre Lee Johnson Vangie Berry Signature Realty Angela Phillips Brenda Flagg Duane Lanier John Whipple Michael Tart Ryan Berry Susan Tindel Vickie Couture Re Svcs LLC Vickie Couture Katherine Petruccelli Visionary Properties Inc. Judy Blundell Louise Janssen Watson Realty Corp.

Catherine Guinto Christine Tangusso Denise Pierce Jim Cheesman Jody Parks Jonathan Faw Kay Hill Kim Koch Larry Pierce Linda Lake Nancy Mccloskey Patti Pate Robin Skaggs Summer Douglas Watson Realty Corp., Realtors Ellen Tidwell Kris Persaud Michael Stich Rhonda Moretti Ronald Lawson, Jr

White Pelican Realty, Inc. Martha Hoffman Lili Whittington William Smith William Smith, Jr Xcellence Realty Inc. Eneida Cortes Eugene Cusie

REALTORS

Million-Dollar Club Alberson Realty Michael Alberson

Peggy Conklin Sebastian Henao Arteaga Selina Hicks

Allen Realty & Investments,inc

Best Connections Realty Inc

Joann Pendley American Veterans Realty LLC LLC Earl Dolinar Amerivest Realty Nick Digiacomo Perrine Phipps-dowling Sarah Lamoureux Anland Realty Nhiem Nguyen Arellano Realty & Investments Jorge Coello Nicole Coello

Carmen Sicilia Black Tie Real Estate & Investments

Century 21® Alton Clark Anne Sasser Susan Prickett Thomas Scoville Century 21® Carioti Tamara Taylor

Bnb Realty, Inc.

Century 21® Integra Realty

Paula Purvis

Kim North Ladrica Chastain Coldwell Banker® Tony Hubbard Andy Hansen Paul Bills, Jr Ron Drummonds Shani Marbais Vici Winn Vicki Thomas Coldwell Banker® Vanguard Realty

Tasha Rotarius

Linda Kellerman-rich Mollie Podell Robert Podell, Jr.

Genger Narehood

Century 21® Prime Property Resources

Coletti Real Estate, Inc

Bonjorn Real Estate

Dell Fuller

Cynthia Coletti

Champion Real Estate Group Inc

Connie Mahan Real Estate Group

Bonjorn Real Estate

Heather Lane Bryan Properties, Inc. Paul Bryan, II William Walker Buy It Inc

Rena Macphee

Kevin Schudel

Asano Real Estate LLC

C Fonville Realty

Vincent Campasano

Carl Fonville

Atkins Realty of Lake County

Cam Realty & Property Management

Buddy Atkins, Jr. Priscilla Atkins-bryant

Vivian Nigro Carlino Real Estate Group Inc.

Cheri Perkins

Judith Kilgus Karen Berger Katelyn Eisenhauer

Beacon Real Estate & Associates

Maryling Alonso

Gary Bergenske

Catherine Hanson Real Estate, Inc.

Berkshire Hathaway Homeservices Florida Realty

Erin Jefferson George Kittleson Itzi Hernandez Kellie Powell Leslie Matthews Michael Boyer Paddy Patterson Pierre Vachon

Collie Hendrickson Jr Danielle Wiles Jennifer Conner Katie Landry Martha Ridgway Michele Pietrowski Nicola Hirst

Luz Dominguez

Janice Kling

Arrow Realty & Investments Inc.

Bassett Premier Realty Inc

Century 21 Professional Group

Kandi Hardesty Charles Rutenberg Realty Orlando Bibi Rucker Buyandelger Espada Chuck Dawkins Dawn Starling Deborah Elliott Georgi Peluso John Tanzi Karson Farber Kevin Mccann Paul Roche, III Shardae Montfort Tricia Marie Buckley Chris Forbes Realty & Development Sharon Sanderson Clermont Lakes Realty, Inc Kimberly Bergin Coldwell Banker® Realty Christine Peloquin Coldwell Banker® Stevens Real Estate

Katherine Fields Rosa Brito Cook & Company Realty, Inc. David Cook Ct Associates Charles Tini Dalton Wade Inc. Lincoln Loucks Nicky Lerch Dave Lowe Realty, Inc. Diane Karvasale Kathy Ghearing Kelly Hadley Kirby Cartwright, IV Pamela Myers Robin Hill Ronald Musselman Susan Brooks Tony Jackowitch David Chenevert Realty David Chenevert Discover Florida Realty Jamie Mansene-lingard Patricia King

Barbara Mcguire Kathy Stevens

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REALTORS

Diva Properties of Distinction, Inc. Donna Pesce Down Home Properties LLC Lisa Joy Rita Hinkle-egelston E-direct Realty, LLC Jann Knight Empire Network Realty Cabrini Bolden Melissa Robinson Encore Premier Realty, Inc. Esteban Moya Ken Roberts, Jr Engel & Völkers Adyol Soto Amarjit Lahel Cathleen Mcgrath Celia Davis Debra Smidt Janella Martina Joao Berriel Pa Patrick Bianchi, Jr. Trisha Browne Era® American Suncoast Realty Brenda Hannigan Era® Grizzard Real Estate Christine Graf Dana Brunetti Doug Troyer Marilyn Morris Mikel Kadegis Sharon Gamble Eric Coe

Barbara Cifelli Brandy Lake Cris Jurado Dagma Leblanc Dana Duran Eric Hernandez Halle Bernson Jessica Risher Kenny Riehm Kristina Thomas Leighanne Neal Leslie Wichman Mary Jo Hatley Ron Wallace Sarah Ness Scott Shock Family Florida Realty Dwain Rodgers Fantastic Real Estate & Investments Greg Wood Fillingame & Associates Jean Fillingame Flamingo Real Estate & Management Bradley Werlin Ii Gerald Dietrich Michael Ruiz Florida Fine Homes Realty, LLC

Executive Realty Partners Inc Jay Rust, Jr Exit Realty® Tri-county Carolyn Tessada Jessie Kulpan Steven Boone

Fontana Realty West Ocala

Homeland Florida Realty, Inc.

La Rosa Realty Horizons LLC

Morris Realty and Investments

Mike Green, Jr

Mariellen Owens

Greg Boliek Evelyn Feliciano

Four Star Home Brokers, Inc.

Homerun Realty, LLC

Joan Defoe Judd Dickerson Scott Strem

La Rosa Realty Winter Garden LLC

Mosaic Services LLC

Abel Cruz, Jr

Jennifer Cain

La Rosa Realty, LLC

Nai Heritage, LLC

Cj Isernia Nicole Bonadies Yanett Saborido

Timothy Sennett

Darlene Cutter Pam Hollingsworth Foxfire Realty Carol Lench Donna Moody Gerard Corbin Mika Garry Nancy Anderson Ruthie Schmoyer

Jelixa Novo Florida Realty Investments Cortney Smith Debbie Studer Mary Zecca Sharon Westendorf

L A K E A N D S U M T E R S T Y L E .C O M • F E B ' 2 2

Homevine Realty Camille Ruiz

Sheryl Wilburth

K & J Property Services, LLC

Lake Realty & Associates, Inc.

Jessica Sciacca

Chaitrali Karve

Bonita Kosson Jason Lee Tammy Langer Will Siebert

Keller Williams® Classic

Landmark Realty

Gatap Realty Erickson Morales

Keller Williams® Cornerstone Real Estate

Global Properties Sales/mgmt

Leslie Strickland Sean Daniels

Bill Marsh Joe Pietzyk

Keller Williams® Elite Partners III Realty

Debra Stewart Garden Gate Real Estate, Inc.

Hegstrom Realty

Florida Real Estate Center LLC

Lisa Hart

Cheryl Roberts

Gallery 54 Realty LLC

Florida First Realty Assoc LLC

Florida Plus Realty, LLC

Hometown Realty Professionals

Lake County Home Team, Inc.

Grp Enterprise Realty LLC

Timothy Cantrell

Michael England

John Roberts Realty

Jenna Werner Lana Goldston Pamela Zahner

Bob Mager

Eric Coe, Jr

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Exp® Realty LLC

German Rodriguez

Craig Hegstrom Hickory Hill Realty & Management Inc. Lois Benaglio Hill’s Premier Realty LLC Stephenie Winheim Homecoming Realty Group Inc. Pam Taylor

Karina Cepeda

Brad Rosel Dana Broadway Darlene Miller Elizabeth Gravilla Jo Holton Joshua Howard Kirsy Puello Maria Martinez Matthew Yoder Meghan Eld Melinda Weprin Melissa Potter Mike Lennartson Narisha Ally Nicole Vargas Ricardo Escobar Simona Krasnansky Kelty Realty LLC Mandy Bass

Linda Bega Lj Realty Linda Reynolds Lokation Jerry Buysse Mike Byrne Ryan Miller Luxe Properties Jen Meece Mair Properties, Inc.

Nancie Lyons Realty Nancie Lyons Nexthome Love Real Estate Diana Killen Nexthome Love Real Estate Elizabeth Dietrich, Pa Hope Medina Jean Puckett Jim Hill Kerrin Conklin Kurt Harper Lorraine Thorne Mary Hart Pamalla Craycraft Sally Mcmahon Nexthome Orange Blossom Re Florina Sharrock Nexthome Orange Premier Realty

Karen Mair

Myles Sanford Raena Ratcliff

Maximum Realty Investments

Noble Realty

Heather Earnest Micki Blackburn Realty Bernice Kaczneski Madeline Guevara Myra Paxton Moffett Real Estate Crista Moffett Mont Rose Real Estate, LLC Carolina Rosillo

Kyle Lawrence Number One Choice Realty Corp.

Daulis Webb Olympus Executive Realty Inc. Allen Mates Anthony Stallone Cesar Villarroel Gene Strickland James Limpus Jessica George Kristen Shirley Leonardo Nieves

TOP

Marc Davis Marcus Correa, Pa Maria Arroyo Mary Stallone

Re/max® Premier Realty

John Crabill Lauren Arch Linda Flack Micki Wohl Randy Erb Samantha Christman

Schmid Properties, LLC

The Florida Property Shop Sale

Carol Schmid

Carla Morris Elizabeth Turner

Realty Partners LLC

Heather Cogar

Dan Thompson Haleigh Lane Todd Holman

Anthony Filone Barbara Bellante Debbie Affatato Jack Boyd Jeff Kahn Mike Dybas Randy Fox Susan Kanauss

Pal Realty

Re/max® Premier Realty Lady Lake

Realty Professionals of Fl, LLC

Bonnie Graham Buddy Lewis Ellie Hennessee Henry ALLCott Jeffrey Haverly Leslie Harker Martha Lewis Pam Hall Renata Levasseur Tayana Neerland Timothy Stewart

Audrey Foisy Cynthia West Frank Ranfone Dani D’angelo

Optima One Realty, Inc.

Kirk Morel Thomas Grimes Patterson Realty Janice Patterson Richard Patterson Pileggi Real Estate Group Rhonda Kleizo Preferred Re Brokers III Paula Wold Ron Sato Rusty Carpenter Property Investment Specialist Aubree Robinson Pyke-porter Properties, Inc. Denise Porter Rawls Realty Barbara Deloach Rcr Real Estate LLC Dotti Mizowek Re/max® Freedom Jennifer Spafford Karey Team Yarborough Wendy Grubbs

Re/max® Titanium Group Bill Mcelhill Kaitlyn Garrett Sarah Matey Stephen Misciagno Terri Steck Realteam Realty Inc. Vickie Lingerfelt Realty Connect Teri Paduano Realty Executives® in the Villages Austin Bakich Barbara Kac Bill Wilkins Bob Gallucci Chad Piecewicz Darcie Furnier Eddie Manson Eva Kennedy Gail Carter Jennifer Ferns

Doreen Jones

Richland Properties Seth Richard Right Realty Connection, Inc. Deepak Ramchandani Rlw Realty Jessica Starkey Rock Springs Realty, LLC Dawn Hosier Larry Nejame Russell’s Key Realty Pamela Russell Salty Paws Properties, LLC James Colston Jr Kaitlyn Dupree Sandy Kelly Realty LLC Sandra Kelly Holewinski

Sellstate Next Generation Realty

Sellstate Superior Realty Diane Gatelein Jimmetta Rutila Laura Shea Linda Sears Michael Calabrese, Jr, Rooster Vanderroest Terry Bole Shipes and Lawrence, Inc. Kathleen Lawrence Southeastern Real Estate Associates Angie Colon

The Market Realty Group Joe Saunders Touchstone Real Estate Judith Brannon Travis Realty Group

Debbie Muma Tim Dardis Watson Realty Corp., Realtors Jeannet Vintimilla Linda Dibenardo Paula Poirier Weichert Realtors Hallmark Properties Debby Barrett Ric Smelser Tammy Bales

Joy Ray

Weichert, Realtorshallmark Properties

Tropic Shores Realty LLC

Anna Miosky Brian Carboy Carolina Allen Charles Thomasson Dawn Haggerty Joanne Galyean, Pa

Mark Siegel Tyre & Taylor Realty, Inc. Sue Hooper

Wheatley Realty Group

Uptown Properties

Southern Style Management, Inc.

Marilyn Pelletti

Pam Howell Rebekah Carr

Kay Lawson

Vangie Berry Signature Realty

White Pelican Realty, Inc.

Sumter Realty

Christine Guiffre

Alexa Anderson

J.y. Sizemore Joel Merritt

Vintage Realty, Inc.

Young Real Estate

Allison Petruccelli

Tim Vaughan

Nanette Elliott, Pa

Visionary Properties Inc

Your Home Sold Guaranteed Real

Sunstar Real Estate

Mary Baker

Caroline Matos

Sunshine Realty Group

Michael Abernathy Tadlock Realty

Washo Real Estate Company

Michael Tadlock

Carlin Washo

Saunders Realty Group

Terza Real Estate

Watson Realty Corp.

Liz Saunders

Fazela Khan Nathalie Visscher

Ana Zitnick Christina Nelson

REALTORS

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Morris Realty &

Investments Mike Barrett 352.255.5710

Lynn Haynes 352.516.0903

Theresa Morris 352.360.3736

Lauren Fickett 352.636.2167

Lena Williams 352.636.4488

Guy Shipley 321.356.3755

Jo Leen Cooper Howe

Joan DeFoe

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Camie Kennedy

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Scott Strem 352.978.3428

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When it comes to buying or selling your home, of course you want the most distinguished real estate agency in Lake & Sumter Counties on your team.

Theresa Morris, Broker/ Owner of Morris Realty & Investments is proud to introduce you to her elite team of experienced multi-million dollar producing agents, who all take pride in their availability, experience, proven track record of sales, and happy clients.

“Success for our clients is our top priority,” Theresa says.

Morris Realty is dedicated to serving clients and the local community by staying actively involved with many organizations. The agents have all the tools and support necessary to help your real estate transaction close successfully.

Morris Realty & Investments serves Lake, Sumter, Marion, and Orange counties. They have retirement and lakefront property specialists on staff, along with property management and commercial

services to meet their clients’ every need.

What makes Morris Realty stand out above the rest is their honest and personal approach when it comes to every transaction, each one as valuable as the next, and each one treated as if it were their own.

You can’t go wrong with the winning team at Morris Realty and Investments and any of these successful agents.

10135 U.S. Highway 441, Leesburg 352.435.4663 (Home) ≈ MorrisRealtors.com

Matt

Wheatley Broker, Wheatley Realty Group The real estate market is hot right now with home values at the highest they’ve ever been, and Matt Wheatley, broker of Wheatley Realty Group and his team of 19 agents, are devoted to “putting the customer first” when it comes to helping clients buy or sell their properties.

“One of the things that I enjoy when I meet a client for the first time, is sharing the knowledge I have built, whether it is about investing or first-time home buying programs,” says Matt.

Since the pandemic, Matt says many buyers looking for a secondhome have been flooding the market with more offers and higher bids, causing some folks to get out bid.

“On April 1 they are changing the second home rules to match investment homes. It will make the second-home buying market like the investment market, which will bridge the gap and hopefully give more opportunities for people to buy and live in the community,” says Matt. “It will close the playing field a little bit.”

As more families can work remotely from home, Matt says his company has sold to buyers from as far as

Seattle, Washington, and California, including young employees of hightech companies, who are excited about buying 3,000 square foot custom estate homes in Lake County for what it would cost for a small one-bedroom apartment out west.

Out-of-state buyers often comment on Lake County’s great lakes and the pretty hills in the South Lake area. “People from the north love it here because it kind of feels mountainy, with Sugarloaf Mountain having the highest point in Florida. You can go up there and feel like you’re in Virginia,” he says.

Matt is pleased most of his company’s clients are referrals from happy customers.

“I call it the snowball effect. We have treated people right consistently over time and people have recommended us,” says Matt, adding Wheatley Realty Group believes it’s important to communicate with buyers and sellers regularly, and to be transparent and upfront with them on different costs so that there are no surprises.

Helping others and giving back are also important to the Wheatley team.

“You have to have a solid vision of where you are going, a good heart, which is the courage to do the right thing, and the hands of giving back,” says Matt.

664 W. Montrose St., Clermont Matt: 352.702.8351 ≈ wheatleyrealtygroup.com

Vickie

Lingerfelt Realtor®, RealTeam Realty, Inc. Vickie obtained her real estate license in 2005 after years of being in the medical field, and she cherishes the special friendships she has forged with clients while helping them buy or sell their homes.

“I have made so many friends; they are awesome,” says Vickie, who credits her late husband for inspiring her to become a real estate agent, telling her she’d be good at it.

“I love meeting people, finding out who they are, what they want,” she says. “I’m personable. I will be there to listen to what you want and take care of you.”

Vickie also understands the grief widows and widowers experience.

“If you need to make a lifestyle change, to downsize, I can help because I understand what they’ve been through.

I am there for those who have lost their husbands or their wives,” she says.

Clients have told Vickie they appreciate that she is truthful and a Christian. “The best compliment has been hearing ‘we’ve found a new friend.’”

The Florida native who was born in Eustis and graduated from Leesburg High School says she likes being able to provide personalized service at RealTeam Realty Inc., owned by broker Trish Leisner.

Just like many Realtors, Vickie was initially surprised by the real estate boom when the coronavirus pandemic first broke out in 2020. Clients were saying “we need a bigger place to work from home” and she was an agent for families who were interested in moving from New York and other states because Florida was open.

Vickie has been working with clients purchasing homes in Lakeland, Clermont, Tavares, Mount Dora, and more.

“I have worked with several clients who work in Orlando but are interested in living outside of the city,” says Vickie, adding, “that has been the appeal of Clermont and Winter Garden.”

In addition to residential listings, Vickie also has been working on commercial projects and is active with the Realtors Association of Lake and Sumter Counties, Inc., where she has served as treasurer.

“The lord has blessed me,” she says.

“I am ready for more opportunities and to see where I can go in my life. I’ve made so many new friends and great connections. I believe 2022 is going to be an awesome year and I’m so excited for it!”

826 W Desoto St., Clermont, FL 352.348.5982 ≈ realteam-realty.com

Addie

Owens Realtor® / Touchstone Real Estate Addie’s service to real estate goes much further beyond a closed transaction.

Chances are very good when she leaves a closing table, she’s going straight to a board room. This powerhouse Realtor® is an experienced industry expert that devotes much of her free time, leading the industry itself.

“As Realtors® we have a responsibility to our community. We help build wealth and opportunity in our neighborhoods by showing buyers and sellers they can use their home purchase as more than a house. It’s a financial instrument. With that type of responsibility, it’s important to me that I do the work behind the scenes to ensure those that work in our industry have the tools and resources to provide the best possible service and are properly trained to help facilitate a homeowners (likely) largest financial investment. Trial and error aren’t the right way to go about doing that.”

She cut her teeth in real estate as an appraiser and says, “that added experience afforded me a different perspective when helping to price homes and respecting the banking relationship that intersects with a home purchase.” From there, she’s worked to maintain a level of education above and beyond what is required by the state licensing board. Earning her Certified Residential Specialist designation was just

the first stop. Now, several years later, she serves on the board for the national Residential Real Estate Council, who manages the requirements for the CRS designation.

She is also the 2022 State President for the Residential Real Estate Council.

“I already earned the designation, but I have to work to maintain it,” she said.

“Now, I’m helping shape the future of the Residential Real Estate Council, it’s current and future members.”

As a real estate Instructor, and owner of a Real Estate School, she considers it a privilege to empower prospective agents to reshape their lives, saying “I remember vividly the

352.223.0053 ≈ AddieOwens.com

beginning of my real estate career and how much it has positively impacted my life, how it shaped me as a leader, and a mother. When I meet student’s who are considering a career in real estate, I love to ask them if they believe real estate can change their life, and what that new life would look like. When we facilitate a home sale, it’s no different. We get to witness a transformation in our customers lives.

The best agent respects this about our job, and never lose sight of it.”

Connie

Mahan Owner/Broker

“Our 2021 recap in one word is ‘Wow!’” says Connie Mahan, owner/broker of the Connie Mahan Real Estate Group.

“The majority of people know that most things in real estate aren’t easy and that as Realtors we are accustomed to a hectic schedule and tackling stressful situations.”

She says with that in mind, and with hopeful hearts, she and her team set out to make 2021 the best year ever.

“Truthfully though we couldn’t have been more unprepared for the realities that the year would bring. The Delta variant ran strong through our community and brought loss to our little towns,” Connie says, explaining that as a company, they lost loved ones, as did their friends and families.

She says that at times, the challenges seemed insurmountable.

“In addition to this, the real estate world was experiencing setbacks and delays of epic proportion,” Connie adds.

“Our tenants faced even more trials due to loss of work and health issues than the year prior. Each day of 2021 brought more uncertainty than the one previous.

Our perseverance and grit were tested at every turn.”

Nevertheless, and in true #teamcmreg fashion, Connie and her entire team put their heads down, their hearts together, and dug deep.

“We committed to making our 2021 story one of victory over hardship in both connie mahan REAL ESTATE

our business and in our community,” she says. “We are humbled and incredibly proud that 2021 ended with Connie Mahan Real Estate Group as the number one real estate company in south Sumter County in both the number of families served and the dollar volume spent.”

“All of our agents gave all they could and their families and loved ones were supportive of the task at hand.”

Altogether, the Connie Mahan Realty Group served over 150 families, got all landlords paid, kept every tenant and their families in place, helped buyers lock in loans at record low interest rates, and helped sellers achieve financial gains they never imagined possible.

“It was quite the year!” Connie adds.

With that, she says she is certain that 2022 has big things on the horizon, a sentiment that has them bursting at the seams with excitement for what’s to come.

“As always, we are incredibly grateful to our customers, our business partners, and loved ones for allowing us to do what we love and love what we do,” Connie says. “If we learned anything in 2021, it’s that there’s no stopping the blue shirt brigade.”

“When it comes to buying, selling, property management, or real estate consulting in south Sumter County, look for the best. Recognized, Referred, and Respected is who we “R.”

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Connie Mahan Real Estate Group, Inc. connie mahan REAL ESTATE GROUP 281 N. Florida St #1, Bushnell ≈ 352.569.0233 ≈ conniemahan.com experience you can close on

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Olympus

Executive Realty Award-winning Realtors Mary Jane Easley and Cesar Villarroel are focused on providing stellar customer. They not only enjoy showing clients the picturesque beauty of Mission Inn Resort and Club, but also have the pleasure of living the resortstyle lifestyle in their custom-built homes with stunning views of the Las Colinas Golf Course.

The real estate agents hold the No. 1 sales records of selling new and resale homes at Mission Inn. Mary Jane has sold over $65 million in her career and is a five-time Five Star Real Estate Agent award winner, an honor bestowed to less than 1% of real estate professionals in the Orlando area, based on clients’ ratings of customer service, integrity, market knowledge, communication, negotiation, closing preparation, overall satisfaction, etc.

During a four-month span in 2020, Cesar was recognized as a multimillion-dollar producer, and just like Mary Jane, he enjoys selling houses in the community he has called home for 30 years.

“Mission Inn is a magical place,” says Cesar. “We have so many wonderful amenities – two golf courses, tennis, pickleball, beach tennis, a spa, a marina on Lake Harris, fine dining restaurants, etc. So, if somebody wants to experience a very nice lifestyle, Mission Inn is the place to be.”

Mary Jane started as real estate agent when Mission Inn began building new homes in their Las Colinas development in 2002. “I have seen every single house here built from the ground up,” she says, adding her goal has always been to make the home

Cesar Villarroel, Realtor® purchasing and selling process a pleasurable, stress-free experience for clients.

She credits her commitment to the customer service based on her 25 years’ work experience with the United Services Automobile Association, a Fortune 500 company, that provides insurance and financial services for our military and their dependents.

A native of Bolivia, South America, Cesar played professional tennis and began as Mission Inn’s director of racket sports of tennis, pickleball, and beach tennis before he became involved in real estate in 2020.

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Mary Jane Easley, Realtor® “I like the interaction with people,” Cesar says of serving clients. “And while our specialty is Mission Inn Resort, we can represent buyers and sellers anywhere in Florida.”

Mary Jane and Cesar are devoted to providing sellers and buyers personalized service and they look forward to continuing their friendships with existing clients and forging meaningful bonds with new clients.

“Our clients really are No. 1,” says Mary Jane.

Olympus Executive Realty ≈ 16903 Lakeside Dr., Ste. 6, Montverde Mary Jane Easley: 352.455.9642 ≈ maryjane@mjeasley.com Cesar Villarroel: 352.455.6816 ≈ cesartennis1@me.com

Felecia

Humphrey Realtor® ERA Grizzard Real Estate Felecia has been a professional Realtor with ERA Grizzard Real Estate for 11 years. She has been a consistent multimillion-dollar producer, her passion is Real Estate and it shows.

“My mission is to provide extraordinary service and savings to our heroes who provide extraordinary services to our nation and communities,” she says. “I accomplish this by enrolling my heroes in one of two programs that will provide rewards to a hero after a successful closing when buying or selling a home with her. This is my way of giving back to those heroes who protect and serve our communities.”

If you are a military veteran, law enforcement, firefighter, EMS, teacher, or healthcare professional, Felecia is here to help you from start to closing on a home you want to buy or sell.

“I’m service-oriented, purpose-driven, and with a thankful heart, I will genuinely demonstrate my gratitude.”

Felecia specializes in relocation, over 55 communities, first-time home buyers, short sales, and bank-owned homes.

“It has been an honor to have been a part of ERA Grizzard’s ‘A-Team’ since 2012 assisting families in relocating all over the US and beyond. The real estate process can be challenging and making everything easy for you is my number one priority,” she says. “Honesty, integrity, knowledge, and experience sums it up. I’m here for you from beginning to closing and beyond.”

Ricky

Harper Realtor® ERA Grizzard Real Estate As an accomplished professional in the real estate industry, Ricky Harper is driven to see that each transaction is successful to the day of closing by keeping everyone informed and providing the best service. Being dedicated and instilled with a market-savvy attitude, and using highly effective marketing tools, Ricky knows that the real estate transaction represents the most important purchase or sale a person can make, whether the person is a first-time homebuyer or an investor.

“It is really about getting to know my clients personally, being straightforward and honest,” says Ricky.

The proof is in his work ethic.

Ricky has been recognized at the national level as a Top Producer

by Tom Ferry’s Best Real Estate Professionals. He is also one of ERA Grizzard’s Top Real Estate Producers with $15.8 Million in Sales Volume. Ricky says that a large amount of his business comes from referrals with business partners, community relationships, friends, and family.

Felecia Humphrey: 352.267.4020 ≈ FHumphrey@ERAGrizzard.com Ricky Harper: 352.205.5663 ≈ RHarper@ERAGrizzard.com

Loch

L-R: BRITTNEY BOSCANA, REALTOR® SARA VAUGN, REALTOR® ROB CRAWFORD, REALTOR®/OWNER GREG NACKE, BROKER/OWNER GENA HUNTZICKER, REALTOR®

Realty Group Longtime realtors Rob Crawford and Greg Nacke have experienced unprecedented success in the industry since opening Loch Realty Group in 2020, and their powerful secret behind it is quite simple.

“The biggest thing is building great relationships with our clients, our agents, different brokerages, and other agents in the field we lean on to get transactions through,” says Rob, explaining that they work 24/7 to ensure each transaction culminates with the best outcome.

Rob says they also believe strongly in their brand, a dream he and Greg shared since day one.

“We both realized we wanted to create a boutique brokerage where it wasn’t’ about splits and fees, but in reality, getting to know our agents, their families, and helping them do right by our clients,” Rob says. “We didn’t want 1,000 agents, we wanted a handful of the best and with that, we can offer more personal, specialized services others don’t.”

Greg says that concept translates into major successes, not just for their company, but their agents, and especially, every customer.

“At the end of the day, we work for our customers. They come to us with what they have in mind, and when we find a home they love, our job is to make sure we can get it,” Greg says. “We strategize to make that happen, so we’ve implemented detailed steps for our Realtors to execute whether we are Buyers’ or Sellers’ advocates to reach a favorable outcome for our customers.”

But when all is said and done, the Loch Realty mentality is that there’s more to every transaction than just a sale.

“It’s about making a phone call or stopping by your buyer’s house, asking them how it’s going, sending out Christmas

and birthday cards, just going that extra mile,” Rob says. “We believe in complete honesty, and representing our clients from the moment we meet, and we believe in creating relationships that will last forever.”

Loch Realty serves 15 counties throughout Central Florida, including The Villages and Mount Dora where their offices are located. A new office in the Clearwater/ Tarpon Springs area is also in the works.

Additionally, both Rob and Greg are very active members of the Realtors Association of Lake and Sumter Counties, an organization they stand behind and encourage their agents to get involved in.

In fact, Rob, in January, was named its 2021 Realtor® of the Year, and there’s no doubt why.

“We want to make sure we know everything about the areas we’re showing our customers, many who are 55 plus, and excited about retiring and getting ready to start the part of their lives they worked so hard to get to,” Rob says. “Our goal is making the home buying process so easy that they don’t have any worries.”

LochRealtyFL.com 352.729.2680 ≈ 141 N. Highland St., Ste. A, Mount Dora 352.275.5918 ≈ 4125 County Road 106, Oxford

Bethany

Burge-Bosbous Broker/Owner, Right Realty Connection, Inc.

Bethany has been with Right Realty Connection Inc. from day one. The Eustis, Florida location was originally founded by Geoffrey Chernault. The two are fabulous friends and have worked very hard to launch the brokerage and build a reputation that they are extremely proud of.

Several other Realtors have joined the Right Realty Connection Family, so it just made sense for Bethany to utilize her Broker License and open a second location.

On July 5th, 2021 Bethany, the owner and managing broker, opened the second Right Realty Connection location in Leesburg, Florida, across the street from the beautiful Venetian Gardens.

Right Realty Connection is a fullservice brokerage. They offer in-house lending with Amanda Walters of Gold Star Mortgage, and title services by Angela Davidson with Assurance Title.

“We don’t have to wait on other people to scan us anything. It is already in our file,” says Bethany.

"People get so excited at the thought of purchasing a home, they start looking

at homes before they have spoken with a lender," says Bethany. When a client contacts Bethany, the first thing she does is turn them over to her lender, if they need one. "We need to know what loan a person is approved for, so we know what type of home to show them.

There is nothing worse than showing a client the perfect house, that they can’t qualify for because that ends up being the home they compare everything else to,” she says.

Bethany loves what she does, and becomes friends with the people she does it for. Bethany stated, “I was born to do this!”

352.223.9500 ≈ bethany@rightrealtyconnection.com rightrealtyconnection.com ≈ 104 E. Dixie Ave., Leesburg

Kerri

Leininger Realtor®, Micki Blackburn Realty Micki Blackburn has a longstanding reputation for hiring real estate agents who are not only talented and hardworking but also conduct each transaction with integrity and transparency.

She knew with certainty that Kerri Leininger possessed those qualities.

After owning Clermont Travel Service for 20 years, Kerri decided to sell after 9/11. She became a bookkeeper and eventually did bookkeeping for Micki’s company.

“I was very impressed with her,” Micki says. “She had good business sense and was very intelligent. I talked her into joining my real estate company.”

Kerri accepted her offer.

It turns out that Micki’s intuition was right on the money.

Since joining Micki Realty five years ago, Kerri has been a multi-million producer three times.

She is a passionate, energetic agent ready to make her clients’

buying or selling experience as seamless as possible.

“I loved selling travel, and I love selling real estate,” Kerri says. “I’m a people person and love to see people’s dreams come true.”

Of course, Kerri does not take all the credit for her success. Micki Realty has agents who are very experienced, and Kerri tapped into their knowledge so she could learn the ins and outs of the real estate industry.

“No two deals are alike,” Kerri says.

“It’s nice to have co-workers who I can bounce ideas off of and learn from. They are always very willing to help. There’s no question that I wouldn’t be where I am today had I not been able to learn from so many of the company’s talented and successful agents.”

In addition to selling real estate, Kerri also serves as a bookkeeper for Micki’s rental management division.

“I love having Kerri here,” Micki says. “She treats this career like a true businesswoman does. Her success as a business owner ties into her success as a real estate agent. On a personal note, Kerri is a Christian who cares very much about people. She genuinely cares about helping clients and developing strong relationships with them.”

352.267.9794 ≈ RealEstateByKerri@yahoo.com

Sharon Bassett Broker/Owner, Bassett Premier Realty, Inc.

Broker and owner of Bassett Premier Realty, Inc., Sharon Bassett brings 25 years of real estate experience to Lake, Sumter and Marion counties, where most of her clients are buying and selling homes in The Villages and surrounding areas. She also has an extensive background in new home construction and design, business management, and entrepreneurship. “Experience matters and I have been on every side of the desk in the home industry, from sales, to construction and design,” says Sharon. “I absolutely love real estate and I love what I do.”

One of the biggest challenges in the current real estate market is the low inventory of homes, yet Sharon says people are looking to move here from Canada, New York, California, Maine, etc. “The appeal of our low housing costs, no state taxes, and Florida’s beautiful weather is attracting buyers from all over the world to our state,” says Sharon.

“The retirees of today are also seeking homes and communities that provide an active and fulfilling lifestyle,” she says. “They are looking to enjoy popular amenities like bicycling, pickle ball, tennis, swimming, golf, restaurants, and traveling in golf carts. This area boasts several communities providing a Disney-like playground for mature adults.”

She adds The Villages’ neighboring communities of Del Webb, Spruce Creek South and Stonecrest often attract

buyers because of their lower price points on homes, yet those who move into these communities can still enjoy many of The Villages’ shops, restaurants, and attractions. “A two bedroom, two bath home in Spruce Creek South listed for $189,000 could sell for $289,000 in The Villages, a $100,000 difference,” she says, comparing the two communities.

In today’s market, Sharon notes real estate is a good investment since the value of the dollar has gotten weaker.

“People are looking to have something more tangible like a home because it is more stable than the stock market,” she says. “I have several clients wanting to invest in home buying versus the stock market.” The homes that sell the fastest are the clean, updated homes, including those on the water, which Sharon notes often spark bidding wars of multiple offers way over the asking price. “In the last year, we have seen a 25 percent increase in some areas,” she says, adding many homes have doubled in market value in the past five years.

Sharon brings vast experience and has an extensive array of designations highly regarded in real estate. Such as Senior Real Estate Specialist (SRES) and Military Relocation Professional (MRP), who can meet the needs of these clients when selling, buying, or refinancing residential or commercial properties. If you are interested in selling or buying in The Villages area, Sharon would love the opportunity to serve you.

352.307.2925 ≈ BassettPremierRealty.com Spruce Creek Professional Plaza ≈ 10935 SE 177th Place, Suite 201, Summerfield

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Kara

Wisely Realtor®, Berkshire Hathaway Realty Kara obtained her real estate license in 2016, just a few months after moving to Lake County from Pennsylvania.

“I enjoy the diversity of the different homes you get to see,” she says. “There are so many unique homes here in Lake and Sumter counties and each one is different in its own way.”

She says the larger homes on the lakes and houses with acreage for horses appeals to many clients. Eustis, Tavares, and Downtown Mount Dora are popular areas potential buyers enjoy seeing too.

“People are coming from all over,” Kara says, adding buyers moving here have been from California, a lot of people from South Florida, and even as far away as Switzerland, where one family wanted horse property.

“Because of the pandemic, you see a lot of families are conscious of family time,” says

Kara. “They want some time and space with their family and to still be able to work from home.”

Many buyers moving here from out of state appreciate the more affordable cost of housing in Lake County and the lower taxes. Those moving out of California to Florida told Kara the prices in California are “so high, just outrageous.”

She closed on 42 homes in 2021, a jump from the 35 homes she closed in 2020. Two of the most expensive listings in her career have been $2.9 million and $2.4 million properties, but she quickly notes that she’s shown a lot of homes with much smaller price points as well.

Kara believes prices in the real estate market will stay steady “until we have more inventory,” and as a realtor, she encourages her potential buyers to be patient and watch

the market, as she strives to keep them updated.

“When a house is priced right, we’ll get three to four offers on them,” says Kara.

“I feel we are going to be in the shortage until 2025, until the pandemic has leveled or until we figure out how to adapt to it.” She recalls her company recently listed and sold one house in The Villages. “It was crazy with 15 offers the first four days,” Kara says, adding the house was sold at $20,000 over the list price.

Kara notes the real estate field is a 24/7 business that calls for a lot of hard work and time.

“It’s always on my mind,” she adds.

Berkshire Hathaway Realty 352.729.1364 ≈ 100 W. 5th Ave., Mount Dora

Karen M. Riscinto

Broker / Florida Lifestyle Realty Group

Karen has been involved in real estate since 1977. She obtained her RE license in 1988 and started selling in Lake County in 2007, in 2017 she opened her own brokerage. Karen has been a Multi-Million Dollar producer every year since 2012. The past two years have been tough but amazing. “Even with all the madness with Covid, I still worked every day helping people find their perfect home,” Karen was grateful that Gov. Ron DeSantis deemed Realtors as essential workers while several other states called for Realtors to shut down.

Karen’s top priority has always been to help sellers get top dollar for their property and buyers to find their perfect home at the best price possible given the market conditions. She enjoys meeting and working with clients from all walks of life. “There is a home out there for everyone, you just have to be patient.”

Karen also owns an interior decorating company and feels her strength is helping buyers or sellers to see a vision of a homes potential and she is straightforward when she doesn’t think a house is ideal for them.

“I love helping somebody see beyond the walls that are there and to see the potential that the house has”, “There is no perfect home until you make it perfect for you and you put your stamp on it.”

In addition to giving customers ideas on how to “repurpose” the interior space of a home, Karen also has a property management company and can help customers buy, sell, rent, and manage their properties.

3103 Eudora Road, Eustis, FL 32726 Karen M. Riscinto: 352.250.3166

Yolanda Presley The Real Estate Lady / Keller Williams Elite Partners III Realty Realtor Yolanda Presley enjoys helping people with their real estate needs.

“What I enjoy most about real estate is being able to use it as a vehicle, to help families break generational curses and build generational wealth,” she says. “I'm proud to provide my clients with honest representation. I treat my clients like family.

It's important to me that I use all available resources, and current data, to ensure my clients receive the best deal possible.”

Regarding the current market, Yolanda says: “I just want people to know anything can happen. It's no secret that it's a seller’s market. Inventory is low and right now sellers

are getting above asking on their listings.

Buyers and their agents must be prepared to package the best offer possible. It's tough for first-time homebuyers in this market. Cash offers, and bidding wars, make it difficult.”

Yolanda is pleased to be an agent with a great company.

“Keller Williams Elite Partners III is all about building relationships and making decisions that are in the best interest of our clients,” she says. “Training and continual education is a top priority for all agents. My Market Center is committed to providing the best service and bringing deals to the closing table.”

352.461.7241 ≈ 1200 Oakley Seaver Drive, #109, Clermont

Jonathan Molzof, Salesperson (left) Tony Pagano, General Sales Manager (right)

Gary and Belinda Scoles

P L AZ A CA D I L L AC Jonathan was very thorough and helpful in telling us about our new vehicle. He introduced us to all the service staff.

A very friendly atmosphere. One of the better experiences we’ve had, shopping for a new car.

— GARY & BELINDA SCOLES

8893 US HWY 441 | LEESBURG, FL 34788 | 352.787.1323 | P L AZ A C A D I L L AC . CO M

Sherrita Smith, Salesperson (left) Tony Pagano, General Sales Manager (right)

David Smith

P L AZ A L I N CO L N I would definitely recommend this dealer. Excellent Sales and Service team and they followed through on all commitments.

Overall experience was 5 stars!

—DAVID SMITH

8925 US HWY 441 | LEESBURG, FL 34788 | 352.787.1255 | P L AZ A L I N C O L N O F L E E S B U R G . CO M

SHINING STAR, TAKE ONE! A young Mount Dora man is well on his way to making a name for himself in the game of real estate, filmmaking, and life, all while staying true to himself.

STORY: ROXANNE BROWN PHOTOS: NICOLE HAMEL DESIGN: VOLKAN ULGEN

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ith a high school diploma, college degree, steady job, and several short films he’s written, produced, and acted in, under his belt, one can say with certainty that Kyle Tetzlaff has accomplished quite a bit in his lifetime.

At the same time, however, he says he is just getting started.

Not bad for a 23-year-old.

“I think for the most part, the way my life is going is pretty surreal. Sometimes, I have to take a step back and consider what I’m doing,” says Kyle. “I don’t make it a habit to compare my life with anyone else’s, but when I get positive comments from my friends praising my accomplishments and what I’ve done so far, I feel proud about paving my own path, making my own way.”

Born and raised in Naples, Kyle spent a lot of time at the local zoo, which his family owned.

He and his brothers would help with various tasks, hanging out there and at home, then in their spare time, would find themselves making spoof commercials and acting out other scenarios to pass the time.

Kyle was also in awe of the writing talent that runs in his family. Both his grandmother Nancy “Safari Jane” Tetzlaff, and father David Tetzlaff are accomplished writers. Because of this, he would oftentimes pen stories himself growing up. Writing was also a way of coping with a condition he was diagnosed with and a season of bullying he endured in school because of it.

“Growing up with OCD was a challenge. The doctors thought I had asthma, but really it was a tick cough; just something I would do continually, and it was super embarrassing,” Kyle says. “It also made me an easy target for bullying.”

Kyle says even so, he got by with great family support, writing and what he calls, his comfort movies.

“Writing has always been a passion of mine. I’ve been doing it since I was a kid and that was partially because of my grandmother, who was an author. She wrote a book called ‘Jaguar in the Kitchen: My life with Jungle Larry,’ Kyle says, explaining that her stories center around their family’s life, the animals, and the Naples Zoo, which they owned. “Also, film has always been an escape for me. It probably sounds really, really corny but movies have always been there for me. It’s like no matter what, or if I’m having a bad day, I can put on one of my comfort movies and know that I’ll be fine by the time the credits roll.”

Fast forward to 2022, and movies are now a huge part of Kyle’s life, but in a slightly different way, and it all started in 2016, his freshman year at Stetson University, where he began dabbling in filmmaking with some of his newfound friends.

Kyle says he and another student, one of his best friends, Ivan Kaiser – whom he would later find out owned “Alabaster Effect,” an independent film group founded in 2011 – were in a film writing class together. With no pre-warning, it’s how what is now one of Kyle’s greatest passions was born.

“Ivan was already film making before I met him, but in that class, we did an extra credit project called ‘12 OZ. Under,’ and that was the first time I ever acted or was a part of filmmaking,” he says, adding that the project can still be viewed on the Alabaster Effect’s YouTube channel by clicking the ‘Films’ and ‘Stetson University Film Class’ tabs.

After that, Kyle was hooked.

“I enjoy every part of filmmaking, because like all versions of art, it’s a way to express yourself, to be creative and just be who you are,” says Kyle. “I was very drawn to it partially because even if you have a zero-dollar budget, you can still film any story you want as long as you’re passionate about it.”

Since then, Kyle has become even more involved in the Alabaster Effect, and aside from writing and acting, has tried his hand at producing and directing.

In fact, one of the short films Kyle wrote and directed – ‘Avocado Desperado,’ a story about smuggling drugs using avocados – in 2020, was selected in four film festivals: the American Golden Picture International Film Festival out of Jacksonville, the Tampa Bay underground Film Festival (TBUFF), FLICKFAIR, an On-Demand Film Festival out of Los Angeles, California, and the Jelly Film Festival, where Kyle’s film was deemed a semi-finalist.

During the lockdowns, Kyle was also inspired to write a short film called “Quarantine,” a story about five friends and five very different “trips” they experience.

Currently, he is working on two other film projects: “Avocado Desperado: The Road to El Dorado,” a sequel to Avocado Desperado, and a full-length feature film he has yet to release details about.

He and his friends have also finished filming “King Dumb,” a comedy sequel to “Quarantine,” they wrote, rehearsed, and filmed in one day, and recently posted to their channel, and more.

Kyle says his dream is to write scripts he could then sell to major movie studios and one day, possibly see on the big screen.

“I would like nothing more than that. It would be the biggest of honors,” Kyle says.

But while he is having the time of his life making movies, the movies continue helping Kyle get through the understandably overwhelming obstacles of life, since somewhere between high school and starting college, he was also diagnosed with anxiety.

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Kyle says staying involved in writing and filmmaking has been a life saver.

“I’ve always been one to plan everything out and that’s the worst thing with anxiety. You can have something planned out perfectly, then if one little thing goes wrong, it just throws you off completely. I’ve had to find ways to cope, and the writing and filmmaking is one of them,” Kyle says. “It’s also been a way to resolve childhood traumas, because it allows for a lot of self-reflection.”

In fact, Kyle says some of the scripts he’s written, and that he hopes to one day do something with, are about his childhood.

“I’ve written tons of scripts about events in my life or things that happened at school, good and bad,” Kyle says adding that to him, writing is like his own therapy. “While doing that, I figured out that for the story to be meaningful, it doesn’t have to be an exact duplication of something you went through specifically, but about the feelings associated with it, and that’s my thing.”

“I want to make a movie that makes me feel the same way I did at certain points, either to capture that time or to give myself resolution about a situation,” Kyle says. “The story can be different, but if you can re-capture something that you felt as a child, I think that’s really important; very special.

Aside from filmmaking, Kyle, in 2021, graduated from Stetson University with a bachelor of science degree and was promoted from receptionist to government affairs director, to director of operations and government affairs for the REALTORS® Association of Lake and Sumter Counties.

He also enjoys working with his younger brother Zane, who has taken up acting in Kyle’s films, something he says has brought them even closer together.

Additionally, Kyle says he is a big advocate for mental health awareness and film equality, things he’d like to enlighten people about through his works.

“So many people are forced to deal with struggles related to mental health every day, and I try to change the narrative of those who have anxiety, depression, or any of the mental health issues that millions face,” Kyle says.

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pursued what I am doing if it weren’t for my family helping me and making it possible,” Kyle says. “My parents Kelly and David are always there for me, always ready to promote anything I do, and even when I am being hyper-critical of myself, they are there to lift me up.”

“THE BEST PART OF FILMMAKING IS WHEN SOMEONE SAYS IT TOUCHES THEM.” —KYLE TETZLAFF

Set photos: Courtesy of Kyle Tetzlaff

He also says people need to have more conversations about what the film industry focuses on, because it seems that women and people of color are still getting snubbed, even in this day and age.

“When it comes to equality in film, what I want to say to anybody out there who’s filmmaking is that even if you don’t get recognition, keep doing it, keep making stories that are special to you,” Kyle says. “It’s hard sometimes, but people shouldn’t get discouraged. Critics don’t know everything, they don’t know why you made the story that you did, so it’s really important to stay true to yourself, to be yourself no matter what.”

Kyle says to him, filmmaking is all about making a difference.

“At the end of the day, when you make a movie, you’re going to make someone feel something and that’s what it’s all about.

The best part of filmmaking is when someone says it touches them,” he adds.

His advice: “Be who you are, be honest, because if a story is important to you, there’s a chance that it’s important to someone else. If something resonates with you, it’s going to resonate with somebody else because you’re not the only one going through what you’re going through or fighting the battle you’re fighting.”

With all that, Kyle says he is not sure what the future holds for him, but he is excited to see where he ends up.

He says he is proud of his accomplishments and credits his upbringing and family for where he is today.

“I’m going in a direction that I’m pretty happy about with my job, with my schooling, and filmmaking, but I couldn’t have

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agenda EVENTS. TRAVEL. PEOPLE.

Discover fun and hidden gems at Clermont’s Showcase of Citrus.

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THE TO-DO LIST

feb.

2022

FEB

5-6 OUTD O O RS

Happy campers Few things spell family togetherness like camping under the stars while roasting marshmallows and swapping ghost stories. Just don’t forget to bring your sleeping bags, tent, lantern, and bug spray to the Great Clermont Campout, held at Waterfront Park.

Feb. 5-6 / Waterfront Park / 330 3rd St., Clermont / 352.708.5975

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feb.

ON STAGE

FEB

12

Enjoy quality entertainment on the many stages of Lake and Sumter counties.

FESTIVAL

It’s party time

A BARREL OF LAUGHS

2/11

Prepare for nonstop laughter with comedian Dean Napolitano, who has an uncanny way of delivering jokes that makes the audience feel as if they have been through each experience with him. Dean is also a recognizable actor who has made over 50 television and movie appearances.

Clermont Performing Arts Center 3700 U.S. Hwy. 27., Clermont / 352.394.4800

Why not enjoy music, parades, floats, and never-ending excitement? That’s right, you can experience the magic of Mardi Gras without making the 642.3-mile drive to New Orleans.

This fun-filled party features street performers, stilt walkers, jugglers, tight rope walkers, fire eaters, and much more. The main parade at 7 p.m. features lit and beautifully decorated floats that embody the spirit of Mardi Gras. Be ready to catch beads and candy.

DOUBT

2/18-27 Bay Street Players’ Avant-Garde Series presents a limited engagement of “Doubt: A Parable”, the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning drama by John Patrick Shanley. The nine-act play tells the story of an inappropriate relationship Father Flynn, a beloved priest at the St. Nicholas Church School in the Bronx, New York circa 1964, is accused of having with a young male student and Principal Sister Aloysius’s suspicions about his guilt…or innocence.

Bay Street Players 109 N. Bay St., Eustis / 352.357.7777

Feb. 12 / Downtown Leesburg / 352.365.0053

FESTIVAL

FEB

19-20

CELEBRATE SCOTTISH TRADITIONS

NATURALLY 7

2/26

Visitors to Mount Dora’s 9th annual Scottish Highland Festival will discover that Scottish culture is alive and well in Mount Dora. The two-day event features a tartan parade, pipes and drum performances, bagpipers, Celtic music, dancing, and much more.

There will also be activities for kids, as well as food and merchandise vendors.

Declared by musical maestro Quincy Jones as “the best a cappella group in the world,” will perform live in Clermont.

This talented group has shared the stage with icons such as Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross, and Lionel Richie. Among their legions of fans are former President Barack Obama, Arsenio Hall, and Jay Leno.

Clermont Performing Arts Center 3700 U.S. Hwy. 27., Clermont / 352.394.4800

Feb. 19-20 / Gilbert Park / 310 S. Tremain St., Mount Dora 352.735.7183

ONGOI NG EVENTS Events are subject to change and cancellation.

EVERY SUN

EVERY SUN

EVERY MON

EVERY TUE

Clermont Farmer’s Market 9 a.m.-2 p.m.

Downtown Clermont

Downtown Mount Dora Village Market 9 a.m.-2 p.m.

Mount Dora

Webster’s Farmer’s Market 6 a.m.-2 p.m.

524 North Market Blvd., Webster

Lady Lake Farmer’s Market 9 a.m.-2 p.m.

250 Rolling Acres Rd., Lady Lake

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THE TO-DO LIST

feb.JAMS Move to the beat of one of your favorite performers at one of these great concerts or local venues!

FEB

25-27

EVENT

BY GEORGE, IT’S A CELEBRATION The City of Eustis will celebrate the 120th year of hosting GeorgeFest, which honors one of our nation’s founding fathers and the first president of the United States. The event is held in downtown Eustis and will feature a parade, carnival, fireworks, live music, food, and vendors. Eustis GeorgeFest is the second-longest ongoing festival celebrating George Washington.

Feb. 25-27 / Downtown Eustis / eustisgeorgefest.org

2/4 @ 6 p.m.

2/13 @ noon

DOCTOR PAUL Black Bear Country Club, Eustis

OFF WHITE BETTIES Lilly’s on the Lake, Clermont

2/4 @ 7 p.m.

2/13 @ 6 p.m.

THE ISAACS Orange Blossom Opry, Weirsdale

GREATER VISION Leesburg Church of the Nazarene, Leesburg

2/5 @ noon

2/14 @ 7 p.m.

CARL ADCOX Yalaha Bootlegging Company, Yalaha

JULIAN BLISS SEPTET The Sharon, The Villages

2/5 @ 2:30 p.m. and 7 p.m.

2/19 @ noon

NEAL MCCOY Orange Blossom Opry, Weirsdale

CARL ADCOX Yalaha Bootlegging Company, Yalaha

2/6 @ 2:30 p.m. and 7 p.m.

2/19 @ 2:30 p.m. and 7 p.m.

EXILE Orange Blossom Opry, Weirsdale

CRYSTAL GAYLE Orange Blossom Opry, Weirsdale

2/7 @ 7 p.m.

2/19 @ 7 p.m.

VIENNA BOYS CHOIR The Sharon, The Villages

PAUL ANKA The Sharon, The Villages

2/8 @ 8:30 p.m.

2/20 @ 2:30 p.m. and 7 p.m.

KAREN PECK AND NEW RIVER Lake Yale Baptist Conference Center, Leesburg

JIMMY FORTUNE Orange Blossom Opry, Weirsdale

2/26 @ noon CARL ADCOX Yalaha Bootlegging Company, Yalaha

2/11 @ 7 p.m.

DON MCLEAN The Sharon, The Villages

2/26 @ noon OFF WHITE BETTIES Lilly’s on the Lake, Clermont

2/11 @ 7 p.m.

CHICAGO REWIRED Royal Highlands, Leesburg

Let us help you get the word out!

To have an event considered for the calendar, send a short text description along with a color photo (if available) 45 days in advance of event to: calendar@akersmediagroup.com or Lake & Sumter Style Calendar, P.O. Box 490088, Leesburg, FL 34749

2/26 @ 2:30 p.m. and 7 p.m.

PAM TILLIS Orange Blossom Opry, Weirsdale

2/12 @ noon CARL ADCOX Yalaha Bootlegging Company, Yalaha

2/12 @ 2:30 p.m. and 7 p.m.

2/27 @ 2:30 p.m. and 7 p.m.

RONNIE MCDOWELL Orange Blossom Opry, Weirsdale

BLACKHAWK Orange Blossom Opry, Weirsdale

EVERY THU

1ST FRI

1ST FRI

2ND FRI

2ND SAT

4TH SAT

Lake County Farmers & Flea Market 8 a.m.- noon 250 Rolling Acres Rd., Lady Lake

Eustis First Friday 6 p.m.-9 p.m.

Downtown Eustis

Clermont First Friday Food Trucks 5:30 p.m.-9 p.m.

685 W. Montrose St., Clermont

Groveland Farmer’s Market 5 p.m.-9 p.m.

Lake David Park, Groveland

Plaid in the Park 5 p.m.-9 p.m.

230 W. 4th Ave., Mount Dora

Eustis Classic Car Cruise-In 4 p.m.-8 p.m.

Downtown Eustis

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LOCAL TALENT

PEO PLE

Riveting prose Eva Kovacs says ‘Zizi: A Historical Novel that will Shake America to its Roots’ is her most important work.

STORY: THERESA CAMPBELL

≈ PHOTO: NICOLE HAMEL

uthor Eva Kovacs of Howey-in-theHills has been speaking to local church groups and other forums about being raised in Hungary under Stalin’s Communist regime for the first 12 years of her life, and she believes history is repeating itself today.

“I am aware of the parallels to America’s apparent Socialistic pathway and want to open the eyes of Americans to this revelation. This is the reason why I wrote the book,” Eva says of penning “Zizi: A Historical Story That Will Shake America to Its Roots.”

The author was a victim of Russian communism, yet she changed the names of people in her book to protect those “still living there under scrutiny,” and Eva believes her book casts “a shadow on a very difficult and complicated matter, of the impact suppression creates in the soul of man.”

“The holy spirit told me to do this,” Eva says of penning her 473-page novel, published

by Sea Hill Press, which she wrote nonstop for five months, telling of Zizi’s premature birth during wartime and later when Zizi, her sisters, and mother, made a harrowing escape to the Austrian Alps after the 1956 Hungarian uprising.

The book opens with praise from Louise Garfinkle, a five-time Oscar winner and original writer of “The Deer Hunter,” which won Best Picture in 1978, and he tells of his 14-year friendship with Eva while praising her book.

He writes: “The story is told through the eyes of Zizi Novak, whose testament to the pain

Do you know of a talented person in our community?

and suffering in communism is reminiscent of ‘The Diary of Anne Frank’ and ‘A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.’”

“I have tried to make the early geopolitical events of Zizi’s life come alive as it happened,” Eva writes, adding she could only vouch for some recollections since her diary was confiscated under Stalin’s dictatorship. Despite that, Eva adds, she never lost the memory of his evil doings during her childhood in Hungary.

Her story begins in World War II, when Churchill and Stalin sliced up Europe and “Stalin’s communism spread like a plague, knocking down countries like a bowling ball,” Eva writes.

“I have never met anyone who can write so metaphorically,” says Dara Treadway, who was captivated by the timeliness of her friend’s historical novel. “When you read this book, you think ‘Oh my gosh, that’s happening in America right now.’”

“I hope it wakes them up,” Eva says of her audience. “I don’t care if you are on the left side or the right side, but you need to understand that socialism is exactly what happens before communism.”

One neighbor told Eva, “I read your book in three days and cried my heart out.”

Eva came to America at age 12, without speaking English and went on to become Miss Florida, Miss World, an international super model, entrepreneur, dancer, actress, and Pilates expert. She appeared on the cover of Style magazine in November 2018 and was listed as one of the area’s extraordinary people.

She is currently completing two more books, “Hollywood, Sodom and Gomorrah” and “Proof of Life After Death.”

Email their story to theresa@akersmediagroup.com

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ATTRACTIONS

D ESTINATIO N

HIDDEN TREASURES Most people can’t give their kids a million bucks, but how about something that will make them feel like they hit the jackpot?

STORY: ROXANNE BROWN

≈ PHOTOS: NICOLE HAMEL

he unmistakable delight in 4-yearold Bentley Pinizzotto’s laughter was visibly backed up by smiles and leaps of joy while recently sifting through dirt at Clermont’s Showcase of Citrus.

But it wasn’t just any old dirt, but dirt from a “Mother Lode” bag, filled with fossils, shark teeth, arrowheads, and gems in all shapes, sizes and colors just waiting to be uncovered, purchased for him at the venue’s Gem Mine Experience.

“When the kids find the gems, they are so excited like they’ve just won the lottery and it’s just so cute to see,” says Showcase employee Aly Sferrazza, explaining how the gem mining process works. “What we do is take whatever bag a customer purchases, and pour some of its contents into the sifter (or sluice box) that’s been placed in the trough and into the water. Then, as the water floats through, magically, the dirt will start dissipating and the gems and other goodies will appear.”

Bentley’s mother Nicole Hines says she was pleased to see her son so genuinely enjoying the experience.

“He likes rocks, digging in sand and things like that, but I didn’t think he’d have the attention span to actually sift and look for the gems, but he did and it was fun,” says Nicole.

Bentley, explaining that his favorite gem was “the rainbow one,” adds: “I like rocks and sand and I need toys.”

Showcase of Citrus Manager/Operator Tara Boshell says John Arnold, who she lovingly refers

to as her better half, owns Showcase of Citrus, which opened in 1989.

The two got together in 2012 and today, their blended family – which includes six kids between them – run the family ranch and one of the south Lake area’s few remaining active citrus groves.

In total, it all sits on 2,500 acres, also home to the Showcase of Citrus, a massive roadside attraction that in 2021 was officially trademarked “Florida’s Fresh Air Attraction.”

“We all live and work on site. Our girls work in the fruitstand and the boys work in the groves. It is truly family owned and operated, and those who are part of our great staff, and not actually part of the family, are like family,” Tara says. “We’re blessed.”

As for visitors, they can pick from an array of activities to enjoy with their own families, including u-pick citrus, monster truck tours of the entire property, two playgrounds, feeding farm animals, and most recently, the Gem Mining Experience, added just five years ago.

Tara says John was itching to add something new and fun, yet unique.

“It was literally an a-ha moment,” Tara says of the gem mining. “We started with the water wheel and we kept adding to it with the trough and everything. Then, when John came up with the mining idea, we went with it and it’s been great.”

Tara says the activity has sparked interest from tourists and local families, but also teachers looking for educational opportunities for their students.

“KIDS LOVE THE GEM MINING AND EVERYTHING ELSE WE HAVE BECAUSE THEY JUST GET TO BE KIDS AND HAVE FUN.” —TARA BOSHELL

“We do a lot of school field trips, so this is cool to have,” Tara says. “It incorporates some agriculture and geology aspects, and it does bring more students here because now they get to learn about mining, rocks and gems.”

“I really liked rocks when I was a kid. I would’ve loved it,” she adds.

Additionally, while at the Showcase of Citrus, people can purchase fresh-squeezed orange juice or bags of fresh oranges from the fruit stand. They can also enjoy a bit of shopping in the family’s old time country store, which resembles an open-air market, and that offers items like jewelry, beauty scrubs, small toys and trinkets and other souvenirs, plus orange inspired selections like candles, soaps, perfumes, honey, marmalade, salsa, wine, and more.

And if that’s not enough, there is a good variety of food trucks parked on site with offerings to satisfy anyone’s hunger.

Yia Yia’s Bakery offers authentic Greek pastries and breads, there’s a bar that serves a variety of beers, wines and mimosas (including orange-flavored), and a slushy stand featuring the Showcase’s signature orange creamsicle; a combination of frozen orange juice and vanilla ice cream that is to die for.

Either way, there is something for everyone.

“Kids love the gem mining and everything else we have because they just get to be kids and have fun,” Tara says. “We say we are the vacation from the vacation.

People come to Florida from all over the country and the world, and they are so regimented with their vacation plans, but when they find us, it’s like they can relax and just have a fun time without having to stick to any schedule or stand in any lines.”

The Showcase of Citrus’ website reads: “You may drop by thinking you will just pick up a bag of incredibly fresh fruit, but realize hours later that you have spent the entire day with us, walking through the grove, taking in the fragrance of orange blossoms, and strolling along the waterfront grounds. That’s the way we like it!”

Know of a cool local attraction you’d like us to feature?

Contact us at least three months in advance and provide all the details to roxanne@akersmediagroup.com

ROXANNE BROWN

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Skylar Cutter, Mykie Meadows, Heather Harris, and Sami Butler

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Bailey Treadwell, Emily Woods, Olivia, and Style Photographer Nicole Hamel

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Henry Baker

E 'S WHER ?!

M Y P IC

M E D I E VA L T I M E S ≈ PHOTOS: NICOLE HAMEL. The Lady of the Lakes Renaissance Faire was held in Tavares. Fairgoers stepped back into a time of romance and chivalry. They watched jousters in full armor fight like 16th century warriors and gasped while fire-eaters inhaled hot flames.

They interacted with musicians, comedians, and magicians. Money raised from the event went to the Educational Foundation of Lake County to provide much-needed programs and services throughout Lake County Schools. @ TAVARES

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Lake Sumter Landing Professional Plaza | 910 Old Camp Rd. Suite 142 | The Villages

LAKE SUMTER LANDING PROFESSIONAL PLAZA | 910 OLD CAMP RD., SUITE 142 | THE VILLAGES, FL 32162

HI, SOCIETY!

Amanda Mclea, Alissa Sustarsic, Ashley Bourgeois, Becky Dicus, Rhonda Boston, and Christina Butts

Sharon and Scott Greenacres

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E 'S WHER ?!

M Y P IC

M O T O R S R OA R E D , M USIC BLA RED ≈ PHOTOS: NICOLE HAMEL. Men and women clad in leather jackets roared into the Lakefront City for the annual Leesburg Bikefest. The event featured live entertainment, food, beverages stunt shows, and vendors selling motorcycle gear and accessories. Bikefest is dubbed as “the world’s largest three-day motorcycle and music event.”

@ DOWNTOWN LEESBURG

LIT

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villages PEOPLE. PLACES. EVENTS.

Living the good life Villages snowbird Bruce Ellis finds joy in family and doing the things he loves.

Happy retirement Nancy Stampahar gives tips to Villagers on happily managing their golden years.

Stepping it up Check out popular club that Villagers love for walking off the pounds.

IN THE VILLAGES

CO MMENTARY

Don’t be a lonely heart Yes, Valentine’s Day can be just as fulfilling for singles.

STORY: JAMES COMBS

alentine’s Day is fast approaching. Historically, it’s a day where two people madly in love exchange heart-shaped chocolates, floral arrangements, and jewelry.

Unless, of course, you’re single.

Residents of The Villages may have experienced the death of a spouse or recently suffered through a divorce.

They’d probably prefer sleeping the day away. Well, that or make gagging noises, roll their eyes, or wallow in their own single status.

For them, one truly is the loneliest number on this day.

There’s good news, though. This year, singles can take a different approach to Valentine’s Day. No, that doesn’t mean boozing it up or indulging in a 24-hour movie marathon.

Instead, they should come to the realization that love is not confined to just a romantic partner. Love extends to family members, friends, and acquaintances.

Therefore, singles can include these people in their Valentine’s Day activities and show how much they appreciate their companionship.

Here are a few ideas to consider.

• Make or buy treats and then deliver them to the homes of people you care about. Even if

it’s just a small box of chocolates, remember, it’s the thought that counts. Your companion will no doubt appreciate this special delivery and feel blessed you remembered him or her on Valentine’s Day. • Decorate your home with festive Valentine’s Day décor and invite family members and friends to your home. This way, instead of being alone and feeling sad, you’re enjoying camaraderie among the people you care about most.

• Invite loved ones to local attractions like a state park, a museum, or winery. Simply getting out of your home and being among friends will help you focus less on what you’ve lost and more on what you have. It will also serve as a reminder that you’re still valued and loved.

• If you cannot stand the thought of being around others on Valentine’s Day, then grab a notebook and pen and write down everything you’re thankful for in life. After all, holidays are a good time for introspection, and learning to be thankful is both therapeutic and productive.

There you have it, senior singles.

You’re free to make the most of this holiday how Riding solo on Valentine’s Day has its perks.

Do you have a topic that you'd like to see covered in The Villages?

Send in your ideas, via email, to james@akersmediagroup.com

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The finest things For one Villager, retirement is all about living life to the fullest, with a focus on people and things that matter most.

STORY: ROXANNE BROWN

fter eight years, Bruce Ellis says the two things he and his wife Sandra are still in awe about in The Villages, are close neighbors, and the number of restaurants to choose from.

“When we come down here, we like to go out to eat because there are so many places so close,” says Bruce, a winter resident from New Gloucester, Maine. “Back home, you have to travel at least 45 minutes just to get to anything, and sometimes, the most you see of neighbors is maybe their lights on in the distance.”

Bruce says he and Sandra love the life they are living since Bruce’s 2012 sale of ATA Piping, Inc., a highly successful and all-consuming pipefitting and welding company in Windham, Maine, where he worked at for 19 years, then owned for 11 years.

≈ PHOTO: NICOLE HAMEL

To celebrate Bruce’s retirement, the two took their RV on a road trip to visit friends in Florida, before their “big trip” to Alaska, and many other places over the years.

Bruce says they considered purchasing a home in Fort Myers where their friends live but didn’t care for the hustle and bustle. They went on to visit Sandra’s brother who had just moved to The Villages, and the rest is history.

“We liked the area, so contacted his Realtor and here we are. It was a spur of a moment thing,” Bruce says.

Since then, Bruce and Sandra are enjoying the snowbird life. They spend their days between their home in The Villages, and their log cabin in New Gloucester, Maine, not to mention their nearby yurt (a tent-like structure) located on a 153-acre tract of land they own and use for hunting, snowmobiling, and metal detecting.

In between, Bruce loves fishing, golfing, and aquaponic gardening, a hobby he took up during the pandemic.

Do you know an interesting Villager?

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Bruce says their overall goal is to continue making great memories together, and living peacefully, surrounded by family, friends and their 3-year-old boys – two cocker spaniels named Oakley and Onyx.

Bruce, reminiscing about people gone too soon, including his own father who was only 52 when he died (the same age Bruce was when he retired), says he plans on staying active and living a long life.

“I have multiple friends and family members who worked in the mills their whole lives and when they retired, were lost and within no time, died because they felt like they didn’t have a purpose, but I’m not going to be that person,” Bruce says. “I’m going to do the things I wasn’t able to do while working, like fish, hunt, hike, camp, visit all the National Parks I can, spend time with family, explore, and enjoy myself.”

“Life is too short not to,” he says.

Email roxanne@akersmediagroup.com

FEATURE

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Retirement

563

THE NON-FINANCIAL ASPECTS OF RETIREMENT LIFE

Home is where the “health” is.

STORY: NANCY STAMPAHAR, RETIREMENT LIFE COACH NANCY

uring our younger years, we learned “Home is where the heart is,” and “Home is where the wealth is.”

But as we age, and during our retirement years, we have come to realize that “Home is where the health is.”

Does your home and community provide the safety, access, comfort, and healthy lifestyle necessary for your well-being and natural aging changes?

According to the World Health Organization, there is a strong correlation between well-being and longevity, where approximately 25 percent of our health outcomes are determined by genetics, and 75 percent are obtained by lifestyle.

Well-being is a function of a healthy lifestyle, which is a compilation of physical health, mental health, emotional health, social health, and spiritual health. These components

are the non-financial aspects of retirement life.

The non-financial aspects of retirement life are obtained by the lifestyle we choose to live.

Most people spend their careers focused on financial retirement by planning to ensure their savings will carry them through their golden years. Most people do not invest their time or focus on the non-financial aspects of retirement.

Retirement is one of life’s greatest transitions that can last anywhere from 10 – 30 years or more. It could last the length of your adult role or career years. Retirement is the time in your life to be rewarded for your accomplishments.

You earned your retirement. You deserve a life of leisure and freedom. Let the good times roll!

Retirement brings excitement, fun, and freedom. But retirement can also bring disorientation and disenchantment. Due to changes in longevity, economics, and workplace dynamics, retirement is evolving into a new image and reality. According to Ken Dychtwald, psychologist, gerontologist, founder and chief executive of Age Wave, a consulting and research company, when someone retires, three substantial changes take place, “They struggle

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FEATURE

with their identity, relationships and activity,” he said. “Some people feel unsettled, anxious or even bored, but eventually they realize that relationships, wellness and purpose really matter — perhaps more than ever.”

Through the typical five stages of retirement, you will experience changes physically, emotionally, mentally, and socially. In addition to asking yourself, “How much money will I need to retire?” Soon-toretire or early retirees need to ask themselves questions like:

• “What will be my purpose?”

• “How will I feel as I age and change?”

• “Where will I live?”

These are just a few of many questions to ponder for non-financial retirement planning. Are you and your home prepared to embrace the various challenges that retiring can bring during the five stages of retirement?

Being aware of retirement realities and planning for the non-financial aspects of retiring, soon-to-retire or retirees, will ensure you are more prepared for a smoother transition and a healthy retirement lifestyle.

Retirement Life Coach Nancy is a life coach for seniors. Nancy helps soon-to-retire or retirees plan for smooth retirement transitions and get reoriented after experiencing retirement challenges. Nancy's mission is to do everything she can to ensure your "Golden Years" are truly golden. Life is getting shorter and going by faster. Now is the time to enjoy the retirement lifestyle you always dreamed of enjoying.

Visit: RetirementLifeCoachNancy.com

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Photo of Nancy Stampahar by Nicole Hamel.

• “Who will I be without my pre-retirement, career, or caregiver identity?”

• “What will I do for 10-30+ years?” “Who will I spend my time with?

relaxation after years of working demanding jobs that drained all their energy.

To help you with the transition, here is a look at the five common stages of retirement that most people experience at some point in their retirement journey.

Third Stage: Disenchantment

First Stage: Pre-Retirement The stage before you actually retire involves imagining your new life and planning for it. This stage can last five to 15 or more years before your actual retirement date.

Along with your finances, you need to consider where you will live and what will make you happy and fulfilled while you transition. By doing so, you can have a much smoother experience.

For many, this stage is a time of excitement and anticipation. But it can also be a time for worry and doubt, especially in the year or two before retirement. Anxiety tends to set in when people worry that they will not have enough money saved for actual retirement.

Second Stage: Full Retirement The liberation or honeymoon phase of retirement occurs at the official beginning and can last from one to two years after retirement.

The liberation phase includes feelings of excitement, relief, and freedom from the stress and responsibilities of day-to-day working life.

People in this stage are usually busy reconnecting with family, friends, and spouses, and spending time on hobbies, traveling, and starting new businesses.

Instead of a taking a honeymoon vacation-like path in this stage, some people choose to settle into a routine immediately, waking up each morning with a plan in place, and often continuing activities that were part of busy schedules during their working life. And others opt for rest and

SOME PEOPLE CHOOSE TO SETTLE INTO A ROUTINE IMMEDIATELY, WAKING UP EACH MORNING WITH A PLAN IN PLACE, AND OFTEN CONTINUING ACTIVITIES THAT WERE PART OF BUSY SCHEDULES DURING THEIR WORKING LIFE.

Once the emotional high of retiring has worn off, and the honeymoon phase is over, many people feel a sense of disappointment and disillusionment. They have spent so much time looking forward to retirement, so once it sets in, it can feel less exciting than it was hyped up to be. And they may end up feeling like something is missing in their lives.

There can be downsides such as boredom, loneliness, and feeling useless. And if not addressed, it can be easy to slip into depression during this stage.

Fourth Stage: Reorientation Often considered the most challenging stage, reorientation usually occurs after retirees quickly go through their retirement to-do list, feel a loss of purpose, and begin to evaluate their retirement experience.

Reorientation involves creating a new identity, and it can take time and effort to accomplish. But once you have built a new identity, you can gain a sense of closure from your working days and move on to enjoy retirement as it is meant to be.

To avoid falling into a rut and depression, it is crucial that you find something that gives you a sense of meaningful purpose later in life, such as pursuing a passion, volunteering, and adding new fun activities to your daily routine.

Fifth Stage: Reconciliation & Stability This final stage may start up to 15 years after the official start of retirement. Retirees in this stage are content and hopeful in their

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transition and will experience less depression and anxiety.

In this stage, retirees are settled into a fun and rewarding retirement lifestyle, doing things that make them feel fulfilled. They prioritize simplifying their lives and living relaxing lifestyles.

Health conditions may be more prevalent during this stage, so retirees focus on maintaining their health and independence, sometimes by moving to retirement communities where they can age in a place with access to healthcare, amenities, activities, and friends nearby.

It is important to note that everyone moves along their retirement journey in diverse ways, paces, places, and intensities. Retirement is not a one-path-fits-all journey. Retirement is based on each retirees’ unique needs, values, financial resources, and interests. The critical keys for a fulfilling and happy retirement life are to live your golden years with purpose, meaning, and a healthy lifestyle, wherever you live. Does your home and community provide you the lifestyle necessities to ensure your optimal well-being throughout the five stages of retirement?

Fortunately, The Villages and its surrounding communities provide a vast number of opportunities and amenities for the 55+ population to thrive. In The Sunshine State and other parts of the country, developers have been shifting to the needs

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RETIREMENT IS BASED ON EACH RETIREES’ UNIQUE NEEDS, VALUES, FINANCIAL RESOURCES, AND INTERESTS.

and desires of today’s older adults. They too are realizing that “Home is where the health is.” and creating new older, active adult communities and facilities. An aging person’s home design needs to accommodate mobility challenges with safety measures like grab bars and anti-slip flooring. The home also needs to be in a location conveniently accessible to health services and social connections. Needs change over time. You just need to explore your options and weigh the pros and cons for the type of home and community that best fits your needs and desires.

In addition to the abundance of leisure activities to enjoy, there are an array of volunteer and work-related opportunities to give your retirement purpose and meaning. According to a survey by the Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies, 66 percent of baby boomers plan to work or are working past age 65. Seniors continue to work longer than ever due to either needing or wanting additional income, purpose, mental stimulation, structure, socialization, or simply because they love what they do. It is said that more than 30% of Villagers work in varying capacities.

Your retirement is an opportunity for a new beginning or a new you. Whether you live in or outside The Villages, living in a home and community that provides you opportunities for a fulfilling and enjoyable retirement lifestyle will better equip you to enjoy the retirement you always imagined.

This is your time. You earned it.

You deserve it. Take diligent care of yourself and let the good times roll!

Sources: The 5 Stages of Retirement compiled by Eric Paquette, Wildpine Residence, Canada The 6 Retirement Lifestyle Options titled by Gail M. McDonald & Marilyn L. Bushey

The following six retirement lifestyles categories will spur your thinking:

TRADITIONALIST: The Traditionalist stops working and engages in a variety of nonpaid, mostly leisure activities.

ALTRUIST: The Altruist stops working and instead volunteers, as a board member or in other roles.

LIFELONG LEARNER: The Lifelong Learner stops working and pursues a nonpaid activity that requires significant practice and continued learning.

STAIR STEPPER: The Stair Stepper continues to work in the same career, while gradually cutting back.

BOOMERANGER: The Boomeranger takes a break and then returns to work.

THE REINVENTOR: The Reinventor continues to work in a new career or another role.

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SOCIAL CLUB SPOTLIGHT

PEO PLE

Get moving!

Walk Away the Pounds class provides Villagers a fun, fullbody aerobic workout.

STORY: THERESA CAMPBELL

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≈ PHOTOS: NICOLE HAMEL

t’s a new year, and if you’re looking for an enjoyable, easy way to get fit, check out Walk Away the Pounds.

This class is popular, given that there are around 80 Walk Away the Pounds groups that meet at different recreation centers. It’s a DVD-led, indoor, motivational walking workout created by Leslie Sansone, who reportedly has helped millions live active lives for over three decades.

In watching Leslie on the big screen, Villagers observe and follow her every move. Leslie enthusiastically turns walking into a full-body workout by changing up the pace, the speed, and the movements, allowing Villagers to walk in all directions—side to side, forward and back—and with some short, high-impact movements thrown in to provide low to moderate intensity cardio, which can be ideal for losing fat since it puts your body in the so-called fat burning zone. According to Leslie’s blog, one can expect to burn roughly 100 calories per mile walked.

“The class gets your heart rate going,” says Villager Kathleen Waddles. She attends five Walk Away the Pounds classes a week at different centers and she follows Leslie’s DVDs at home on the other two days.

“I do it every day, five miles a day,” says Kathleen, who keeps track of her steps on her Fitbit. “Sometimes I’ll do three miles at one time, and two miles another time.

Usually in a week’s time, I get around 120,000 steps.”

5 benefits of walking 1. Lower mortality risk. In a major study published in JAMA, researchers reported a 51 percent lower mortality risk for those who took 8,000 steps a day, compared with those who took 4,000. Even people who became fit later in life cut their risk of a potentially deadly stroke in half.

She likes that Walk Away the Pounds is done indoors, so bad weather outside doesn’t matter.

“It’s a very good aerobic workout and it has helped me,” says Kathleen, a former teacher, who notes her teaching job was sedentary without a lot of activity. “Walk the Pounds Away has improved my perseverance and endurance.”

Tommy Benefield started the Walk Away the Pounds group that meets 9 a.m. every Wednesday at Manatee Center, and he’s pleased his group usually logs five miles in an hour’s time.

“We have about 24 in our group and that is pretty typical. There are some groups in The Villages have less than that and some have up to 40,” he says, adding members are not required to share if they lose weight.

Kathleen knows of members who have shed five to 10 pounds, but she believes Villagers could lose even more by incorporating a diet of healthy foods or eating in moderation.

“I do the exercise because I want to be able to enjoy my chocolate,” says Kathleen. “I want to be able to eat the things I want to eat and not feel like I’m going to gain. I heard someone say coming to The Villages is like going to college, when you gain 15 pounds because you do eat a lot.”

Tommy says Walking Away the Pounds allows him to enjoy The Villages lifestyle and not gain weight, and he notes the main purpose of the class is to keep Villagers active and moving.

2. Bolsters the brain. A University of Maryland study of people 55 to 85 shows a single session of exercise increases activation in the brain circuits associated with memory.

Just 35 minutes of continuous walking three times a week, combined with a heart-healthy Mediterranean diet, improved the scores on thinking tests of subjects who had “verified cognitive concerns,” such as remembering or concentrating.

3. Trim extra inches. In a study of 27 obese women, researchers from the University of Virginia found that power walkers were able reduce abdominal fat (not just the outer flab but dangerous visceral fat, which surrounds the organs and puts you at risk for diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease).

Plus, they did so without dieting.

4. Help with sleep. If you’re among the 50 percent of people over age 65 with chronic sleep problems, walking can help you get more quality shut-eye — which is important for everything from preventing heart disease to staying sharp as you age. A study at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center found that postmenopausal women between 50 and 75 who walked briskly for 30 minutes in the morning were 70 percent less likely to have trouble falling asleep.

5. Ward off depression. A JAMA Psychiatry study found walking for an hour a day can reduce your risk of major depression. Also, doctors at the Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine found that just one hour of brisk walking a week — or less than 10 minutes a day — was enough to reduce the risk of disability in adults who already had osteoarthritis.

Source: AARP

Want to see your club in Social Club Spotlight?

Send your suggestions to theresa@akersmediagroup.com

THERESA CAMPBELL

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BOOK CLUB

REVIEW

Artisan tales ‘My Thirty Years Backstairs at the White House’ by Lillian Rogers Parks in collaboration with Frances Spatz Leighton.

STORY: KATHY PORTER

aggie Rogers, a black woman with two young children, was abandoned by her husband. She joined the all-black domestic staff at the White House, and eventually rose to the position of Number One White House Maid. During her 30 years at the White House, she kept extensive notes of what she saw and heard.

Lillian Rogers Parks was Maggie’s daughter. Lillian contracted polio at age four and was often at the White House with her mother. “Little Lillian” as she was known around the White House, was unable to do heavy maid’s housework so she became a first-class seamstress. Lillian

crafted many of the dresses worn by a number of First Ladies during her thirty years behind the scenes creating the beautiful gowns.

Among the amusing anecdotes Maggie recounts is that in her early days at the White House, she was assigned the chore of turning all the electric lights on and off because the other members of the household staff were afraid of them. Lillian is quite candid about her appraisals of the First Ladies because her personal interaction with them gave her a unique insight into their characters.

It was actually Eleanor Roosevelt who suggested that Maggie write a book about her time in the White House. Maggie, unable to write the book, implored her daughter Lillian to write “their stories.” Lillian enlisted the help of

Francis Spatz Leighton, who was an author, journalist, and ghostwriter.

Together they wrote this book which weaves a tapestry of their collective 50 years (ten of the years overlapped) of memories in the White House. When the book was published in 1961, it spent 29 weeks on the best seller list.

What the book does not tell is anything in the least scandalous.

However, it does recount some of the more famous feuds including the one between Truman and Eisenhower.

As seen through the eyes of two women who were fiercely devoted to serving them, this book is a fascinating look at life in the White House with its triumphs and tragedies from the days of President Taft and his family through President Eisenhower and his family.

Want to read about more inside presidential stories Maggie and Lillian were privy to?

“My Thirty Years Backstairs at the White House,” can be found on Amazon

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P EO P L E L OV E M A G A Z I N E S

PRINT 84% of what audience says they are more engaged when reading a print magazine than with any other form of content?

What % of US adults say they read magazines in the last 6 months?

18-64 YEARS OF AGE

THE HIGHEST OF ALL TIME

who regularly read one or more magazines.

This even includes 93% of those under 35 and 95% of those under 25.

(Bauer Media)

(GFK MRI)

The average time spent on a website is 2 minutes.

What is the average time spent reading a magazine?

(Digital First Content Marketing: the Return of Print - CMO by adobe, 2016)

Of all media, which do US internet users say they trust the most?

69%

61% 25% POP UP ADS

SEARCH

71%

OUTDOOR

76%

RADIO

PRINT ADS

(Nielsen Catalina Solutions, 2015)

80%

CATALOGUES

82%

With a $3.94 return for every $1 spent, a full 50% higher than the $2.63 average ROI from digital display and more than double the $1.52 from digital video.

TV ADS

When more than 1,400 US advertisers were asked which medium offers the highest ROI, which was on top?

MINUTES

(Marketing Sherpa, 2017)

Physical material is more “real” to the brain, invloves more emotional processing, is better connected to memory, with greater internalization of ads—all important for brand associations.

(FORBES)

A Lasting Memory It is our goal to help you say goodbye to your special friend in the most caring and understanding way.

“A way to provide the respect and loyalty after death that your pet freely gave in life”

Lisa Elliott

Crematory Director

Central Florida Pet Crematory has been serving Lake and Marion Counties since 2002.

352.307.2256 // 10725 SE 36th Ave www.cflpetcrematory.com

Providing relief Bryan Carter of Village Heart and Vein has 20 years of success in helping people get back on their feet.

PAID PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

eople with vein disease often complain of vague symptoms of heaviness and swelling to severe issues of pain, skin darkening with non-healing wounds to the unfortunate problems of blood clots.

If any of those symptoms sound familiar, there’s hope for relief. If you cannot relate, preventative maintenance is a good option for evading those feelings completely.

Either way, a visit to Village Heart and Vein to see Bryan Carter, PA might be in order.

“We have a full-time diagnostic center with ultrasound sonographers that specialize in venous disease, not just to look for blood clots, but to look for pathology and problems in the veins that can lead to blood clots,” says Bryan. “Our goal is to catch problems before the problems catches the patient.”

Should vein disease or problems occur, Bryan says there is an upside.

“There is no cure for vein disease but we can control it very easily,” he says, explaining that procedures are no longer done is a hospital operating room, that there is no downtime, and vein stripping is a thing of the past. “The procedures are all done in the office with local anesthesia. Patients are wide awake, and they can drive themselves,” Bryan says, adding that Before patients can even watch

the procedure in real time. The only thing Bryan urges is patience.

“The vein procedures of today are magical and a lot of times, people get quick results.” Bryan says.

“Depending on the severity of their issue it may take multiple treatments, but once we get the vein problem under control, the ulcers, varicose veins, the symptoms begin to resolve and patients tell me their legs look and feel much better, that they’re able to walk farther and do more things.”

Bryan says he is passionate about helping people get back on their feet, and with 20 years under his belt in the field, he has gained experience, and a great reputation for success.

As for his background, Bryan is a previous Army combat medic, who obtained his Master’s in Venous Disease and Treatment.

Bryan has personally trained physicians, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners throughout Florida and Georgia and is an active member of the American College of Phlebology.

He is also one of only a few to be inducted into the American Venous Forum.

After

352.674.2080 / villageheartandvein.com / 8575 NE 138th Lane, Lady Lake

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healthy living MIND. BODY. SPIRIT.

McKenna Wilkins is greatly inspired by the world of aerial and teaching her artform to others.

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INSPIRATION

PEO PLE

BIG TENT TALENT Aspiring circus artist McKenna Wilkins now teaches art of aerial acrobatics.

STORY AND PHOTOS: CINDY PETERSON

ver wanted to run away and join the circus? That’s just where 29-year-old aerial circus artist McKenna Wilkins’ journey led her, and now she’s inspiring others with her big tent talents.

McKenna was introduced to Acro Yoga in 2017 which evolved into partner acrobatics and aerial arts, something she just did for fun until she was given the opportunity to teach others.

“I became an assistant at my former training grounds and am currently a coach at SOAR Athletics in Eustis,” McKenna says. “I love aerial arts and the circus arts in general because it is always challenging and rewarding in so many ways. It has made me realize I’m capable of so much more than I could have ever imagined.”

In 2019, McKenna was asked to become a full-time circus performer

with Under the Big Top, a traveling tent show. She showcased her talents in partner acrobatics, utilizing her skills in hand balancing on top of her partner. This six-month contract ended in March 2020, just days before the first pandemic lockdown.

“It was perfect timing,” McKenna says. “I returned to coaching and continued to train with my personal coach, Csaba Szilagyi.”

McKenna specializes in the lyra (aerial hoop), trapeze, and her own creation, Circus Fit, an exercise class for people of all ages and experience levels. This one-hour class claims “you don’t have to be a circus artist to train like one.”

“It teaches strength conditioning and flexibility using objects like the lyra hoop, but you won’t be swinging in the air,” McKenna says. “My mom does it along with some of my aerial friends. It’s mostly

body-weight exercises and it has great benefits for overall strength, mobility, and flexibility.

You don’t even have to be able to do the splits.”

McKenna joined WeFlip Entertainment in October and performs in a variety of acts, including Sea World’s Howl-OScream, and as a chair-stacking elf during their Christmas celebration. She and her good friend Lydia Henderson are even starting their own circus entertainment industry called JDV Circus Arts, which can be found on her personal website, McKennaCircus.com.

“We are so excited to start this new venture,” McKenna says. “We started producing shows called ‘The Night Circus.’

Basically, we are performers for hire. I love how aerial has changed my life. It’s my entire life now and to think, it’s something I fell into by accident.”

Do you know someone who is a healthy inspiration?

Email your recommendations to editorial@akersmediagroup.com

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BODY

THE MASTER ANTIOXIDANT Glutathione, which is essential to help the immune system function properly, offers many health benefits.

STORY: JAMES COMBS

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L A K E A N D S U M T E R S T Y L E .C O M • F E B ' 2 2

GLUTATHIONE IS FOUND IN SOME FOODS, ALTHOUGH COOKING AND PASTEURIZATION DIMINISH ITS LEVELS SIGNIFICANTLY. ITS HIGHEST CONCENTRATIONS ARE IN: • Raw or very rare meat.

• Unpasteurized milk and other unpasteurized dairy products.

• Freshly picked fruits and vegetables, such as avocado and asparagus.

• Cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and bok choy.

• Allium vegetables, such as garlic and onions.

• Eggs.

• Nuts.

• Legumes.

• Lean protein, such as fish and chicken.

• Milk thistle.

• Flaxseed.

• Whey.

Source: Total Nutrition and Therapeutics

verybody touts the latest and greatest natural supplement to help with health problems.

Take Vitamin C to boost the immune system. Take fish oil to support a healthy heart. Take turmeric to help rid the body of inflammation.

Wouldn’t it be great if people could take just one powerful antioxidant to improve all these areas of health and more?

That’s not wishful thinking. There’s a natural detoxifier found in every cell in the body. It’s called glutathione, which

helps eliminate harmful toxins and supports the body’s major detoxification pathways, including kidneys, liver, gastrointestinal tract, and intestines.

No wonder Katie Gravante, a clinical nutritionist at Total Nutrition and Therapeutics in Lady Lake, refers to glutathione as “the mother of all antioxidants.”

“Most people are not familiar with glutathione,” says Katie, who became certified as a clinical nutritionist through the Academy of Natural Health Sciences in New Jersey.

“However, as far as providing health benefits,

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BODY

“AS FAR AS PROVIDING HEALTH BENEFITS, GLUTATHIONE TRUMPS EVEN VITAMIN C BECAUSE IT CAN PROTECT AGAINST A WIDE RANGE OF DISEASES” — K A T I E G R AVA N T E

Katie Gravante

THE MANY FUNCTIONS OF GLUTATHIONE: 1.

It makes DNA, the building blocks of proteins and cells.

2. It supports immune function.

3. It forms sperm cells.

4. It breaks down free radicals.

5. It helps with certain enzyme functions.

6. It regenerates vitamins C and E. 7. It transports mercury out of the brain.

8. It helps the liver and gallbladder deal with fats.

9. It helps control blood-sugar levels.

10. It helps support cardiovascular health.

Source: Medical News Today

oxidative stress and reduces cell damage for those who suffer from fatty liver disease. Glutathione also improves insulin resistance in older adults, increases blood circulation and reduces pain for people with peripheral artery disease, reduces symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, and works to protect cell mitochondria by eliminating free radicals.

“We know that the root cause of all disease is inflammation,” Katie says. “It we can keep inflammation under control, then we’re going to reduce our risk of disease.

We’re all going to have inflammation in our lives. How our body responds to that is really the key. Taking glutathione can do that for you.”

While the body makes its own glutathione, external factors such as poor nutrition, environmental toxins, and stress can rapidly deplete glutathione levels.

Moreover, as people age, the body’s natural ability to produce glutathione declines.

Fortunately, glutathione can be given intravenously, topically, or as an inhalant.

It’s also available as an oral supplement in capsule and liquid form.

“Taking an oral dose each day is beneficial, but I also recommend doing an IV push twice a month,” Katie says. “In capsule form you only get 100 milligrams per capsule. In liquid form you get 175 milligrams per teaspoon. With an IV push, you get around 1,000 milligrams.

Eventually, you can titrate that dose up to 2,000 milligrams.”

CAN GLUTATHIONE HELP WITH AUTISM? A clinical trial reported in Medical Science Monitor indicated that children with autism have higher levels of oxidative damage and lower levels of glutathione in their brain. An eight-week clinical trial on children ages 3 to 13 used oral and transdermal applications of glutathione. Children in both groups showed improvement in cysteine, plasma sulfate, and whole-blood glutathione levels.

Source: Medical Science Monitor

Sabrina Ciceri

Photo of Katie Gravante taken by Nicole Hamel. / Photo of Sabrina Ciceri taken by Douglas Tyler.

glutathione trumps even Vitamin C because it can protect against a wide range of diseases.”

Glutathione is made of three amino acids—cysteine, glycine, and glutamine— that play an instrumental role in detoxifying the body, protecting it from oxidative stress, and boosting the body’s immune system and overall functionality.

Katie says glutathione provides numerous health benefits. It reduces

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Sabrina Ciceri, owner of Immunity Health Spa, also sells glutathione in liquid and capsule form and administers it intravenously or through a nebulizer.

She, too, thinks highly of glutathione and has personally witnessed its beneficial therapeutics effects on patients.

“If I was told I could only take one supplement, it would be glutathione because of its versatility and varied benefits,” she says. “Glutathione reverses diseases and aging. It’s a powerhouse supplement that we use for patients of all ages.

Like Katie, Sabrina recommends receiving glutathione occasionally through an IV push.

“Unlike pills, IV injection of glutathione bypasses the digestive tract altogether and goes directly into the bloodstream,” Sabrina says. “Once in the bloodstream, glutathione is carried throughout the

entire body, allowing cells to benefit from its detoxifying and protective properties.”

However, she does caution those purchasing glutathione in pill or liquid form to research specific brands that provide evidence of their purity, potency, safety, and efficacy.

“Not all brands are created equal,” she says. “Glutathione is a very sensitive supplement and has to be processed correctly for good results to be achieved.”

THE MOST COMMON LOW GLUTATHIONE-RELATED DISEASES ARE: 1.

HIV/AIDS

2. Macular degeneration 3. Parkinson’s disease 4. Alzheimer’s disease 5. Diabetes 6. Hepatitis 7. Cancer

DID YOU KNOW? Surely, you’ve heard of Dr. Oz Mehmet, a cardiothoracic surgeon and host of the popular television program called “The Dr. Oz Show.” In one episode titled the “Superhero of Antioxidants,” Dr. Oz touted the health benefits of glutathione.

During the show, Dr. Oz described glutathione as “the most powerful antioxidant you have never heard of” and added “It’s one of the keys to fighting off diseases that you fear the most.”

8. COPD 9. Liver disease 10. Sickle cell anemia 11. Cystic fibrosis 12. Stroke 13. Heart disease 14. Infertility

*While supplements may be appropriate for some people, they may not be safe for everyone, and they could interact with other medications a person is taking. Speak with a doctor before starting glutathione supplementation to determine whether it will be safe or effective.

Source: coremedscience.com

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Keeping Our

Brains Healthy PA I D

PROM O T IO N A L

F E AT U R E

“W

hat doesn’t our brain do for our body?” asks Wendy Hall, LCSW at the Robert Boissoneault Oncology Institute. “Our brain does everything that’s important to our functioning.”

Speaking at RBOI’s We Can Week, a free community support event for adults facing cancer, survivors, and their families, Hall says that brain health involves much more than just memory. She outlines five ways that we can maintain a healthy brain.

1. Be socially active, whether in person or remotely. We Can Week and RBOI’s support groups have adapted during the Covid-19 pandemic, offering an online option that keeps people connected.

2. Stay mentally stimulated. Puzzles and reading engage our brains.

So do hobbies that involve handeye coordination, like knitting or woodworking.

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3. Get enough sleep. Insufficient sleep affects both our mood and our reasoning ability. The National Institutes of Health found that volunteers who slept 8 hours outperformed those who slept only 6 or 7 hours when it came to learning a task.

4. Engage in healthy eating habits and make sure you are well-nourished.

Writes Eva Selhub, MD, at Harvard Health, “[W]hat you eat directly affects the structure and function of your brain and, ultimately, your mood.”

5. Exercise is the most important way to maintain a healthy brain. “If we’re doing all the different things we can do to engage our brain, make sure to have a component of exercise,” Hall says. “It can be daily walking. Whatever we can start out with, whatever kind of exercise is what we should do.”

Journaling for Health “Sometimes we have a lot going on and we don’t really understand it ourselves,” says Amy Roberts, LCSW at RBOI. “We just know we feel stressed. We don’t know why.” Managing that stress is key to brain health and well-being. “I have been writing to help myself when I’m feeling overwhelmed, replaying the same thoughts over and over,” she adds.

Roberts advises writing in a free flow, paying no attention to grammar, punctuation, or spelling,

21

Days of repeating an activity until a habit becomes established in the brain’s neural pathways.

for ten minutes at a time. “I’m just going to dump all this stuff out on paper and get it out of my head,” she says. “By the time I’m done dumping out all that information, I start making connections. And then I have a better understanding of what I want to do and how to cope with it.” Insights can happen on the first day of journaling or later on.

“There’s a lot of research behind journaling as a way to get out all the stuff you’re carrying mentally, emotionally, and physically, onto paper and out of the body,” Roberts says. Your entries can be private. It can even be cathartic to shred, burn, or scribble on them afterwards.

Self-care is the bottom line.

By associating the writing with something pleasant, like the warm aroma of coffee or essential oils, journaling at the same time each day can help reinforce the habit.

“This is me investing in my life and taking a ten-minute step to creating a healthy habit for myself.”

Join Us RBOI provides support services, including We Can events, to our community free of charge. Call Wendy Hall (352-527-0106) or Amy Roberts (352-732-0277) for more information.

Wendy Hall, LCSW Citrus County, Timber Ridge

25%-35% Reduced risk of depression in people who ate “traditional” diets (e.g., high in fruits and vegetables) versus “Western” diets (e.g., high in meats and processed foods).

Amy Roberts, LCSW Ocala, The Villages

Our on-site Licensed Clinical Social Workers meet with each patient to help them and their family members navigate through the physical, emotional, and practical demands of a cancer illness and also help connect them to additional and appropriate resources, support, and services.

20 & 3 Writing in a journal for as little as 20 minutes a month for 3 months can benefit physical and emotional health.

Patient-centered radiation oncology close to home

More than

100

Types of dementia.

Practicing good brain health can help reduce your risk.

The Villages 352.259.2200 Ocala 352.732.0277 Timber Ridge 352.861.2400 Inverness 352.726.3400 Lecanto 352.527.0106 RBOI.com

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menu FOOD. DRINKS. REVIEWS.

Learn about the Suleiman family and what they bring to the table.

IN THE KITCHEN

RECIPE

TRIPLE THREAT DINING EXPERIENCE Suleiman family caters to people’s taste buds by running chain of popular restaurants in The Villages that serve the finest of foods.

STORY AND PHOTOS: CINDY PETERSON

rothers George and Joseph Suleiman and their cousin, David Suleiman, have made a name for themselves by way of three highly rated restaurants in The Villages—Legacy Restaurant, Havana Country Club, and their newest venture, Prima Italian Steakhouse.

Born in New York, the family’s journey hasn’t been an easy one, often taking a lot of perseverance, failures and learning experiences to create some of the top dining experiences in The Villages.

“We began working in restaurants when we were young with our father who opened his first restaurant in Gainesville,” George says.

“We were 14 or 15 years old and unfortunately we didn’t have a lot of knowledge in how to run

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a restaurant. It actually took two fails before we really understood it.”

But the Suleiman family persevered and continued to pursue their passion. They made their way to Tampa where they opened a Johnny Rockets that successfully served patrons for six years before they heard about new opportunities in The Villages.

“Once we got here, we knew this is where we wanted to be,” George says. “This is it. We are excited about all our restaurants and are continually looking to expand.”

The family began by opening Havana Country Club, located at 2484 Odell Circle, where they offer fine steaks, fresh seafood, and inspired pasta dishes. Their menu includes popular entrees like Havana’s famous Cuban, garlic parmesan surf & turf, New York strip, bourbon peach pork ribeye, stuffed flounder, coconut curry monkfish, wild mushroom marsala meatloaf and an array of brick oven pizzas.

With roaring success, the family opened their second restaurant, Legacy Restaurant at the Nancy Lopez Country Club, located at 17135 Buena Vista Blvd. It offers a different experience where fine dining and drinks are complemented by nightly entertainment. Here, they offer a

Matt Street, George Suleiman, and Dave Edelstein

special prime rib night, lobster night and a weekend brunch on top of their already impressive menu which includes short rib risotto, crispy duck, pear, and ricotta stuffed sacchettini, pan seared haddock with shrimp, maple pecan encrusted salmon and New Zealand rack of lamb.

Then in January 2021, while in the midst of the pandemic, the family made the daring decision to open a third restaurant.

“This has been one of most

nerve-racking ventures,” George says. “But we were ready for the challenge.”

They opened Prima Italian Steakhouse, located at 3660 Kiessel Road in the Brownwood Paddock Square, offering yet another fine-dining concept like the others, but with its own twist.

“That’s something we wanted to make sure to do,” George says. “Each restaurant has something different and unique to offer. They have different types of foods while maintaining our high standards. The response to this brand-new concept has been amazing. It’s not just what you serve, but how you serve it.”

According to George, Prima offers a finedining ambiance, high-quality food with attention to detail, fresh pastas and bread Chef Matt Street

IN THE KITCHEN

LIMONCELLO GROUPER Serves 2 INGREDIENTS

C AC C I U C C O

2

tablespoons olive oil

2

7-ounce grouper filets (skin removed)

1

tablespoon chopped shallot

INGREDIENTS

1

tablespoon chopped garlic

8

oz grouper (two 4 oz filet)

12

/

cup chicken or fish stock

4

6/10 sea scallops

14

/

cup limoncello

6

16/20 shrimp (peeled)

2

cups gnocchie

10

black mussels

Salt & pepper

4

tablespoons of olive oil

Serves 2

B L AC K B E R RY & FIG SALAD Serves 2 INGREDIENTS

1

cup of fresh blackberries

12

/

cup goat cheese crumbled

4

cups spring mix

14

/

cup candied pecans

/

cup of signature balsamic vinaigrette (see recipe below)

14

3-4 cloves of garlic, sliced DIRECTIONS

Boil water with salt to taste and cook gnocchi according to package. They are ready when they float. Set aside. Heat olive oil over medium heat, sear grouper for 3 minutes on each side or until golden. Add chopped shallot and garlic and sauté until fragrant. Deglaze the pan with limoncello and fish/chicken stock. Add salt and pepper to taste then toss in gnocchi and top with fresh basil and parsley.

12

/

cup white wine

12

/

cup clam juice

6

oz marinara sauce

16

oz Cappellini pasta Fresh basil and parsley to taste

DIRECTIONS

Toss together the spring mix and balsamic vinaigrette, then top with layers of goat cheese, candied pecans, and blackberries.

BA LSA M IC V I NA IGR ET T E

DIRECTIONS

INGREDIENTS

Peel, clean and pre-cook shrimp. Melt butter in frying pan over medium heat. Add shrimp and water and lower the heat.

Let simmer for a few minutes, stirring so the shrimp won’t stick. Add peppers and olive oil and season with seasoning salt, sea salt and black pepper. Let it cook for 10 minutes, flipping them every few minutes so they don’t stick and cook evenly.

Remove from heat, garnish with chopped chives and serve.

2

tablespoons honey

1

tablespoon dijon mustard

12

/

teaspoon fine sea salt

12

/

teaspoon freshly crushed black pepper finely ground

1

large garlic clove minced

/

cup balsamic vinegar

/

cup extra virgin olive oil

14 34

DIRECTIONS

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the honey, balsamic, mustard, salt, pepper, and garlic. Add the oil and whisk thoroughly to combine. Continue whisking until the dressing is fully emulsified.

SHORT RIB TORTELLI N I INGREDIENTS

2

tablespoons olive oil

1

tablespoon chopped shallot

2

cups cheese tortellini

1

tablespoon chopped garlic

12

/

cup sliced mushrooms

/

cup prepared brown gravy (mix is fine)

14

/

cup white wine

1

cup heavy cream

12

8

oz pulled short rib

IF YOU GO

DIRECTIONS

Boil water with salt to taste and cook tortellini according to package. Set aside. Heat olive oil over medium heat. Add chopped shallot and garlic and sauté until fragrant. Add pulled short rib and mushrooms and sauté for about 1 minute. Deglaze pan with white wine. Sauté over medium heat for 2 minutes to cook alcohol out of wine. Add heavy cream and brown gravy. Toss tortellini in your mushroom sauce mixture and thicken with parmesan cheese.

LEGACY RESTAURANT 17135 Buena Vista Blvd.

The Villages Hours: Sunday - Thursday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday - Saturday 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.

352.753.1475 legacyrestaurant.com suleimanlegacyinc@gmail.com

HAVANA COUNTRY CLUB

made daily with professional service. All this translates into something very special.

Prima offers lunch and dinner with a weekend brunch. Popular dishes include crab & lobster cakes, stuffed shrimp scampi, Delmonico ribeye, filet mignon, Cacciucco (Italian fish stew), veal parmesan and short rib tortellini.

To ensure the utmost success, the family has divided their expertise between the restaurants. George primarily operates Prima, Joseph operates Havana and Legacy, and David floats between all three. They can often be seen on the floor greeting guests, receiving feedback, and ensuring diners have the best experience possible. George and Joseph’s father even pops in from time to time to show his support of what his sons and family have accomplished.

The family is also big on giving back to the community through fundraisers, food

and toy drives, veteran, and first-responder events. But to George, giving back means not only contributing to events, but making sure their everyday service is on point.

“We have close to 400 staff members between the restaurants,” George says.

“We are always busy balancing the quality of service we are reaching for by getting guest comments and catering to that.

We want to give people of The Villages what they want.”

That’s where Head chef of Culinary, Matt Street, comes in. He creates, executes, and trains the culinary teams in each of the three restaurants to ensure the family’s high standards are met.

“We pride ourselves in top quality, fresh foods that not only taste good, but look amazing,” Matt says. “Each restaurant has their own unique touch so it’s important to us to keep the quality consistent between them.”

2484 Odell Cir. The Villages Hours: Sunday - Thursday 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. ; Friday - Saturday 11 p.m. to 9 p.m.

352.430.3200 havanacc.com suleimanrestaurants@gmail.com

PRIMA ITALIAN STEAKHOUSE 3660 Kiessel Road The Villages Hours: Sunday: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Monday-Thursday: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Saturday: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

352.391.9939 primaitaliansteakhouse.com suleimanrestaurants@gmail.com

Hey, readers! Do you have favorite recipes or know a chef we should profile?

Comment on this article or send story ideas to editorial@akersmediagroup.com

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FORK ON THE ROAD

REVIEW

Tantalize tastebuds The Crab Stop of Leesburg offers Maryland-style garlic crabs and hearty portions of seafood favorites.

STORY: THERESA CAMPBELL

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≈ PHOTOS: NICOLE HAMEL

alling seafood lovers!

If you crave and savor jumbo shrimp, seafood rice, Maryland-style garlic crabs, or other seafood favorites, than you may want to check out The Crab Stop of Leesburg, 2535 W. Main St., a colorfully painted eatery, which opened last November and has garnered a legion of fans.

Customers can order their food from the exterior back window of the restaurant for takeout orders. There’s currently no inside dining; however, there are plans for dining space in the future, as the eatery has a screened-in side area.

In addition to a wide array of seafood dishes at The Crab Stop, it’s also known for its tasty chicken wings with a variety of sauces, including hot honey, honey mustard, hot garlic, teriyaki, lemon pepper, etc.

Diners can get five wings and fries for $4.99, which is one of the daily lunch specials from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

“We get a lot of compliments on our wings, people love our daily specials, and our seafood rice is very popular,” says Stacy Bennett, one of the employees, who notes the seafood rice is white rice studded with shredded blue crab, snow crab, chopped shrimp, and a few vegetables.

The seafood rice is a favorite of Chef Jarvez Kizer and Manager Tanera Gaston, who also raves over the restaurant’s fried shrimp.

Style photographer Nicole Hamel and I found the Crab Stop’s seafood rice to be tasty and light, in comparison to fried rice dishes. We were amazed by the hearty portion of the seafood rice (packed in a medium container), which we enjoyed during a weekday lunch, and we were surprised by the large, hearty pieces in the Shrimp Special, which resembled a seafood boil. Both of our carryout containers were fully packed with several

Stacy Bennett, Manager Tanera Gaston, and Chef Jarvez Kizer

pieces of jumbo shrimp, boiled potatoes, sausage cut in angle slices, and one corn cobette, all topped with a spicy kick of seasonings.

We also sampled the eatery’s tasty wings, crab cake balls, and we had extras left of our carryout containers for more meals.

“We try to give a good amount of food because we know seafood can be expensive,” says Tanera.

The Crab Stop also offers a wide array of appetizers on its menu, including corn fritters, conch fritters, crawfish, crab cake balls, fried clam strips, oysters, crab poppers, calamari, onion rings, and gator bites.

Lobster bisque and clam chowder are the soups on the menu, along with sandwiches of fried catfish, fried tilapia, fried whiting, burgers, and there is a variety of offerings for lunch and dinner, everything from conch fritters basket, crab cakes with sauce, wing special, and combo meals of fried fish and jumbo shrimp with coleslaw, potatoes, fries, and a soda drink.

Large gatherings may want to go for the table combo meals. One of the table offerings on the menu is the Leesburg

Special of 12 medium blue crabs with one pound of potatoes, and two corn cobettes, or the Vezzy Special of four dozen medium blue crabs, 24 jumbo shrimp, two pounds of potatoes, and six corn cobettes.

Crab lovers can go ala-cart with medium to large orders of garlic blue crab or medium orders of Maryland crabs, all subject to availability and at market prices. A blackboard at the eatery’s entrance lists the day’s market prices for a variety of seafood, including fried oysters, Maryland crabs, fried crab, snow crab, and garlic blue crab.

Tanera, Stacy, and Jarvez say they love their jobs.

“At the Crab Stop Leesburg we are very family oriented, and we all get along. We meet new people that come here every day,” says Tanera, who breaks out in a wide smile when she hears positive comments about the food.

Stacy recalled being excited last fall when she rode her bike by the eatery and noticed the exterior being spruced up with paint and its colorful red crab motif. “I thought, ‘Oh, we’re getting a

new restaurant in town,’ so I stopped by and inquired about working here.”

She’s glad she made the stop, and she invites others to do the same.

IF YOU GO

CRAB STOP LEESBURG 2535 W. Main St., Leesburg, FL Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Monday to Thursday; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday; closed on Sundays.

352.460.0097 leesburgcrabstop.com

Let’s do lunch or dinner Tell us about a great restaurant by emailing theresa@akersmediagroup.com

THERESA CAMPBELL

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SPIRITS

REVIEWS

Cheers to the protectors!

A former 1942 Leesburg furniture warehouse now turned social club, offers drinks, food and fun—all to benefit veterans and first responders.

STORY: ROXANNE BROWN

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≈ PHOTOS: NICOLE HAMEL

here’s a place at 312 2nd Street in Leesburg John Sokol calls one of the area’s best-kept secrets, but he’s looking to change that.

After all, “The Warehouse” – officially the Warehouse Social Club of the Military Fire Police Association (MFPSA), the 501c3 that operates it – not only offers a full bar, delicious food, top-notch entertainment, and dancing, but it supports a great cause.

“The money we bring in, the whole foundation of what we do, goes back to support local fire departments, police and veterans’ organizations,” says John, who recently retired as the executive director of the MFPSA board.

John, also a firefighter with Umatilla FD and owner of Chicago Fire Brewery and Tap Room, located about a block away, says he purchased the 3,200 square foot building that houses the Warehouse for the offices, but didn’t want to waste the rest of the space.

He began thinking of what to use if for, and after contacting Johnny Nave, a friend, and retired police officer he was interested in collaborating with, the perfect idea came to him.

“At the time, we were with a motorcycle organization that instead of being about one cause, kind of encompassed military, fire and police altogether, so I thought, ‘Why couldn’t we do that with a bar?’” John recalls.

Shortly after that, the two presented their idea to city officials and were granted a temporary permit literally as Bikefest was setting up in 2019.

After a successful weekend, the two continued renovations and on July 4th that year, officially opened the doors to The Warehouse, and today, are still accepting members.

“Usually, people sign up right away. They like and understand the concept, but really, the only reason we have to have the membership is because like a VFW or an AMVETS, we are considered a private social club and our liquor license is based on that,” John says, adding: “To be a member, you have to support your police, your fire fighters and your veterans in your heart. It’s pretty simple.”

Memberships cost $20 annually. Lifetime memberships, which include a T-shirt, special events throughout the year, and buy-one-get-one (equivalent) drinks, are $100.

The Warehouse’s menu describes its food as “HandCrafted Home-Style Deliciousness,” starting with appetizers like cheese curds with raspberry sauce, hand-cut onion rings, fries, and fried okra, and entrees that include a half-pound hand-pattied burger, pork wings, chicken tenders, an Angus Dog and a Buffalo chicken sandwich.

John Sokol and Johnny Nave

“THE WHOLE FOUNDATION OF WHAT WE DO, GOES BACK TO SUPPORT LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENTS, POLICE AND VETERANS’ ORGANIZATIONS.” —JOHN SOKOL

As for drinks, Johnny says Warehouse bartenders can literally whip up any drink one can think of asking for. And they offer hard to come by whiskeys.

“Places around here have whiskeys, but they don’t have the high-end good stuff, but we do, and we’re reasonably priced,” John says.

While there, Style photographer Nicole, fellow writer Theresa and I tried what instantaneously became one of our favorite drinks of all time – a red velvet martini, made with a blend of whipped vodkas and actual red velvet cake mix, served in a round glass accented by a frosted rim with heart sprinkles we found perfect for Valentine’s Day. We also enjoyed an oatmeal cookie shot (my request), an old-fashioned, and a White Russian with butterscotch Schnapps and Bailey’s.

“Of all the places I’ve gone and drinks I’ve tasted, the delicious and beautifully-served red velvet martini is my favorite. I’ve never had anything like it,” says Theresa.

Marine Corps Veteran Joe McClenthen says he is happy to have found The Warehouse.

“The food Is great, and I like that this is a place that fully supports veterans.

There is no VFW here in Leesburg, and that’s what I belong to up north,” he says.

Entertainment-wise, the Warehouse offers an open jam night on Wednesday evenings, karaoke that features a fullblown house sound system with a bass cabinet Thursdays, live entertainment Fridays and Saturdays and more.

Events to benefit various causes are scattered throughout the year, including an annual Veteran’s Day picnic, and a special night for single women on Valentine’s Day, where they are treated to dinner, a rose, and the opportunity to bid on tuxedo-clad bachelors available for platonic dates.

Most recently, the Warehouse donated funds to help the Leesburg PD purchase kids’ bikes for Christmas, participated in National Night Out, donated towards the construction of housing units for homeless veterans in Umatilla, purchased vouchers for mammograms based off sales of a special drink they dubbed the “Yes, Mamm,” and bought cooling chairs for firefighters training at their new Leesburg facility.

In all, Johnny, says everything they do goes hand in hand with MFPSA’s mission: “Supporting those who have protected us past and present.”

John says, “When you come in, we’re not going to hit you up with anything.

Just by coming here and having a nice meal, which you’re going to do anyway, having a cocktail, or listening to some of the best entertainment in Lake County, you’re supporting us, and you’re supporting the community.”

IF YOU GO

THE WAREHOUSE SOCIAL CLUB OF MFPSA 312 S. 2nd St. Leesburg Hours: Tue.-Thu. 11 a.m. – 9 p.m;, Fri.-Sat. 11 a.m. – midnight; Sun. 12 p.m. – 8 p.m.; closed Mon. For more information call 352-616-1911 or visit The Warehouse Social Club & Eatery on Facebook.

Do you know a place where we can drink?

Comment on this article or send story ideas to roxanne@akersmediagroup.com

ROXANNE BROWN

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DINING GUIDE

dine

OUT

From classic diners and lakeside restaurants to fine dining and everything in-between, Lake County’s culinary scene is booming. Your favorite meal is sure to be served with a side of hospitality.

Denotes locations where you can find Lake & Sumter Style

A S TAT U L A Race Car Diner 25641 Monroe St. 352.253.6940 ASTOR Blackwater Inn 55716 Front St. 352.759.3802 Castaways Restaurant 23525 US SR 40 352.759.2213 Sparky’s Place Restaurant 24646 SR 40 352.759.3551 Williams Landing 55716 Front St. 352.759.2802 BUSHNELL Beef ‘O’ Brady’s 2586 W CR 48 352.568.7000 Darryl’s Diner 2237 W CR 48 352.444.2318 Howie’s Family Restaurant 840 N. Main St. 352.793.8582 TJ’s Family Restaurant 412 W. Belt Ave 352.793.8877 CLERMONT Akina Sushi Bar & Asian Fusion Bistro 4300 S. U.S. Hwy. 27 352.243.8988

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Cheeser’s Palace Café 707 W. Montrose St. 352.404.9431

Legends Grille & Tavern 1700 Legendary Blvd.

352.243.1118

Uncle Kenny’s BBQ 157 Hwy. 27 352.394.1225

Clermont Brewing Co. 750 W Desoto 321.430.2337

Lilly’s on the Lake 846 W. Osceola St. 352.708.6565

EUSTIS

Corelli’s Italian Restaurant 1042 E. Hwy. 50 352.989.5924

Oakwood Smokehouse & Grill 230 Citrus Tower Blvd.

352.394.0036

Crooked Spoon Gastropub 200 Citrus Tower Blvd.

352.404.7808

Robata Japanese Steak House & Sushi Bar 1500 Oakley Seaver Dr. 352.404.9688

Devenney’s Irish Pub 16909 High Grove Blvd.

352.432.3925 El Cerro Restaurant 811 W. Hwy. 50 352.241.9884 Friar Tuck 16640 Cagan Crossings Blvd.

352.404.6818 G’s NY Pizza 12346 Roper Blvd.

352.243.8900

Root and Branch Bistro and Bar 1200 Seaver Dr. 352.708.4529 Sanctuary Ridge Bar & Grille 2601 Diamond Club Road 352.243.0411 Sarah’s Greek Cuisine & More 16640 Cagan Crossings Blvd., Ste. 305 352.404.8031

Gators Dockside 1200 Oakley Seaver Dr. 352.242.1825

Southern on 8th Kitchen & Bar 801 W. Montrose St. 352.394.7777

Goomba’s Pizzeria 2395 S. Hwy 27 352.989.4403

The Outpouring Coffee 2560 E. Hw.y 50 352.989.4406

Green Mountain Pizza 303 Hwy. 50 352.432.3380

Troy’s Cuban Deli 1200 Oakley Seaver Dr. 352.241.4295

Guru Restaurant 2400 S. Hwy. 27 352.241.9884

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The Crazy Gator 402 N. Bay St. 352.589.5885 The Oyster Troff 936 N. Bay St. 352.357.9939

JB Boondocks Bar & Grill 704 S. Lakeshore Blvd.

352.324.3600

Tillie’s Tavern & Grill 31 E. Magnolia Ave. 352.602.7929

La Hacienda Restaurant 10400 CR 48 352.324.3910

Tony’s Pizza & Subs 2760 E. Orange Ave. 352.589.9001

Nicker’s Clubhouse Restaurant 10400 CR 48 352.324.2718

F RU I T L A N D PA R K

L A DY L A K E

Fruitland Park Café 3180 US Hwy. 441/27 352.435.4575 ibar-be-que Express 3170 Hwy. 27 352.315.4227 Legends Cafe 2468 U.S. Hwy. 441/27 352.728.0006 Mystic Ice Cream 1217 W. Miller Blvd.

352.812.1366

Jeannie’s Place 209 E. Gottsche Ave. 352.359.0027

NY Deli N Diner 3325 U.S. Hwy. 441 352.365.0051

Gators Dockside 15241 US Hwy 441 352.357.1255

Rae Rae’s Restaurant 2468 U.S. Hwy. 441 352.323.1595

Kiku Japanese Steakhouse & Sushi Bar 15211 U.S. Hwy. 441 352.483.8288

Stavro’s 3223 US Hwy. 441 352.315.0028

LaCabana Mexican Bar and Grill 2060 S. Bay St. 352.357.4600 Nalan Sultan Mediterranean Grill 1 N. Eustis St. 352.357.4444 NightOwl Caribbean Restaurant 929 S. Bay St. 352.589.0256 Stavro’s & Sons of Eustis 2100 W. CR 44 352.589.9100 Taki’s Pizza House 2824 S. Bay St. 352.357.0022 Thai Sushi America 925 N. Bay St. 352.357.1949

H OW EY- I N THE -HILLS

The Rose Plantation 200 Rose Ave., Fruitland Park 352.805.4340 G R OV E L A N D Coyote Rojo 214 W. Broad St. 352.557.8999 Ikaho Sushi Japanese Restaurant 7965 SR 50, #900 352.557.8988 James Barbeque 262 W. Orange St. 352.557.4050 Lil Anthony’s Pizza 7965 SR 50 352.429.7499 Red Wing Restaurant 12500 S. SR 33 352.429.2997

Bamboo Bistro 700 Hwy. 441 352.750.9998 El Ranchito 1 Lagrande Blvd.

352.750.3335 Harbor Hills Country Club 6538 Lake Griffin Rd. 352.753.7000 Mom & Dad’s Italian Restaurant 504 S. U.S. Hwy. 441/27 352.753.2722 OakWood Smokehouse & Grill 860 S. Hwy 27/441 352.751.5640 Takis Greek and Italian Restaurant 13761 U.S. Hwy. 441 N. 352.430.3630 LEESBURG Breakfast Station 2229 Citrus Blvd.

352.315.0291 Brick & Barrel 209 W. Main St. 352.431.3069 Brooklyn’s Pizzeria 27405 US Highway 27 352.728.2020 Coffee Snob 1101 W. North Blvd.

352.460.4570 Cousin Vinnie’s Family Sports Restaurant 10700 U.S. Hwy. 441 352.253.2442

God Café 300 W. Main St. 352.801.7447 Great Chicago Fire Brewery & Tap Room 311 W. Magnolia St. 352.474.2739 HP Grill 1403 S. 14th St. 352.314.0006 Ichiban Buffet 10301 Hwy. 441 352.728.6669 Kountry Kitchen 1008 W. Dixie Ave. 352.323.0852 La Palma Mexican Grill 1690 Citrus Blvd.

352.323.1444 Lilly’s Super Subs 2339 CR 473 352.343.4663 Magnolia’s Oyster Bar 201 W. Magnolia St. 352.323.0093 Main Street Cantina 205 W. Main St. 352.435.7279 Mamma Mia Pizza 755 North 14th St. 352.326.0101 Mammoth Oak Brewing Company 1107 W. North Blvd.

352.326.0100 Mrs. T’s Place, Southern Restaurant 305 Pine St. 352.431.3217 Mystic Ice Cream 314 W. Main St. 352.812.1366 Naples Italian Restaurant 1107 W. North Blvd.

352.323.1616 Oakwood Smokehouse & Grill 2775 U.S. 27 352.435.4633 Pine Street Bar-B-Que 408 Pine St. 352.728.1293

Donut King 708 S. 14th St. 352.805.4888

Plantation Oaks Restaurant 4720 Plantation Blvd.

352.530.2680

Frank’s Place 201 N. 1st St. 352.323.1989

Ramshackle Café 1317 N. 14th St. 352.365.6565

Gator Bay Bar & Grill 10320 CR 44 352.365.2177

Rodello’s Italian Restaurant 26736 US Hwy. 27 352.319.8093 San Jose’s Original Mexican Restaurant 1337 S. 14th St. 352.805.4174 Sully’s Smokehouse 10820 CR 44 352.483.7427 Takis Pizza Restaurant 1205 N. 14th St. 352.787.2344 The Florida Porch Café 706 W. Main St. 352.365.1717 The Mojo Grill & Catering Co. 9925 US-441 352.787.0494 The Old Time Diner 1350 W. North Blvd.

352.805.4250 Turners 114 S. 5th St. 352.530.2274 Wings Ranch Restaurant & Bar 10601 US 441, C12 352.901.6193 Wolfy’s 918 N. 14th St. 352.787.6777 MASCOTTE Napoli’s Pizzeria 556 S. U.S. Hwy. 27 352.243.7500 Rainbow Restaurant 704 E. Myers Blvd.

352.429.2093 MINNEOLA Lil Anthony’s Pizza 205 N. U.S. Hwy. 27 352.394.1516 Minneola Grill 117 W. Washington St. 352.394.2555 Napoli’s Pizzeria 556 Hwy. 27 352.243.7500 The Surf Bar and Grill 650 N. Hwy. 27 202.527.0100 Tiki Bar & Grill 508 S. Main Ave. 352.394.2232

MOUNT DORA

Shiva Indian Restaurant 140A W. 5th Ave. 352.735.4555

Lake Dora Sushi & Sake 227 E. Main St. 352.343.6313

Chengs Chinese Restaurant 4050 Wedgewood Ln. 352.391.9678

Palmer Legends Country Club 1635 Palmer Way 352.750.4499

The Mason Jar 37534 State Rd. 19 352.589.2535

Anthony’s Pizza 17195 U.S. Hwy. 441 352.357.6668

Lake House Bar & Grill 315 N. Highland St. 352.735.7433

Mary’s Kountry Kitchen 15945 CR 448 352.343.6823

China Gourmet III 343 Colony Blvd 352.750.4965

RedSauce 1000 Canal St. 352.750.5272

W I L DWO O D

Barnwood Country Kitchen & Smokehouse 3725 W. Old US Hwy 441 352.630.4903

Sugarboo’s Bar-B-Que 1305 N. Grandview St. 352.735.7675

O’Keefe’s Irish Pub and Restaurant 115 S Rockingham Ave. 352.343.2157

Chop House at Lake Sumter 1045 Old Camp Rd. 352.750.6000

Ricciardi’s Italian Table 3660 Kiessel Rd. 352.391.9939

Evans Prairie Country Club 1825 Evans Prairie Trail 352.750.2225

Sakura 265 Colony Blvd.

352.205.7393

1921 Mount Dora 142 E. Fourth Ave. 352.385.1921

Beauclaire Restaurant at Lakeside Inn 100 N. Alexander St. 352.383.4101 Café Gianni 425 N. Alexander St. 352.735.3327 Cody’s on 4th Cafe 111 E. 4th Ave. 352.735.8426 Copacabana Cuban Cafe 320 Dora Drawdy Way 352.385.9000 Fiesta Grande 421 N. Baker St. 352.385.3540 Frog & Monkey English Pub 411 N. Donnelly St. 352. 383.1936 Highland Street Café 185 S. Highland St. 352.383.1446 Jeremiah’s 500 N. Highland St. 352.383.7444 J.K. Thai Garden 116 E. 5th Ave. 352.385.4700 Let’s Do Lunch 426 N. Donnelly St. 352.735.4577 Magical Meat Boutique 322 N. Alexander St. 352.729.6911 Mount Dora Pizza & Subs 2718 W. Old U.S. Hwy. 441 352.383.5303 Olive Branch Grille 115 W. 3rd St. 352.729.6734 One Flight Up 440 N. Donnelly St., Ste. 100 352.735.1446 Pisces Rising 239 W. 4th Ave. 352.385.2669 PizzAmore’ 722 E. 5th Ave. 352.383.0092

The Bavarian Haus 433 N. Alexander St. 352.735.8387 The Country Club 1900 Country Club Blvd.

352.735.2263 The Goblin Market 331-B Donnely St. 352.735.0059 The Pizza Shop 925 E. First Ave. 352.735.3411 Vincent’s Italian Restaurant 5914 Orange Blossom Trl. 352.735.4578

Puddle Jumpers 111 W Ruby St. 352.508.5862 Ruby Street Grille 221 E. Ruby St. 352.742.7829 Sunrise Grill 462 E. Burleigh Blvd.

352.343.7744 Tavares Ice Cream 214 E. Main 352.508.5342 The Hideaway 11912 Lane Park Rd. 352.343.3585

Fiesta Grande Mexican Grill 297 Colony Blvd 352.751.0400

The Lighthouse Point Bar and Grille 925 Lakeshore Dr. 352.753.7800

Giovanni’s 3439 Wedgewood Lane 352.751.6674

Tierra Del Sol Country Club 806 San Marino Dr. 352.753.8005

Glenview County Club 3914 Glenview Rd. 352.753.0077 Habaneros Mexican Grill 3551 Wedgewood Ln. 352.633.2080

Whale’s Tale Fish House 2720 W. Old U.S. Hwy 441 352.385.1500

Tiki West Raw Bar and Grill 118 W Ruby St., Tavares 352.508.5783

Hemingway’s at Havana Country Club 2484 Odell Circle 352.430.3200

OX F O R D

THE V I L L AG E S

Pho Saigon 11707 N. US Hwy. 301 352.492.9423

Amelia’s 1105 Lake Shore Drive 352.750.8265

Legacy Restaurant 17135 Buena Vista Blvd.

352.753.1475

SORRENTO

Amerikano’s Grill 998 Del Mar Dr. 352.633.8027

Del Franco’s Pizza 31436 CR 437 352.383.8882 Lisa’s Kountry Cafe 23911 CR 46 352.735.3380 TAVA R E S Bella Nona Pizzeria 280 Silverado St. 352.508.9370 BTW (Burgers, Tacos & Waffles) 115 E. Main St. 352.508.9287 Fish Camp Lake Eustis 901 Lake Shore Blvd.

352.742.4400 Hurricane Dockside Grill 3351 W. Burleigh Blvd.

352.508.5137 Kalua Hale Beach Bar 181 S. Joanna Ave. 352.609.5910

Belle Glade Country Club 446 Moyer Loop 352.205.8208 BlueFin Grill & Bar 2738 Brownwood Blvd.

352.571.5344 Cane Garden Country Club 1726 Bailey Trail 352.750.0627

VKI Japanese Steakhouse and Sushi Bar 1004 Old Mill Run 352.259.9887 Wolfgang Puck Kitchen + Bar 3003 Brownwood Blvd.

352.626.1500 U M AT I L L A

Margarita Republic 1102 Main St. 352.753.4600 Mezza Luna Italian Restaurant and Bar 320 Colony Blvd.

352.753.3824

Combat Café 831 S Central Ave. 352.483.0250 Fish & Chix 100 N. Central Ave. 352.669.7145 Gators of Umatilla LLC 9 N. Central Ave. 352.669.6969

China Jade 420 W. CR 44 352.330.5913 Continental Country Club 50 Continental Blvd.

352.748.3293 Cotillion Southern Café 101 N. Main St. 352.748.1223 Los Magueyes Mexican Restaurant 346 Shopping Center Dr. 352.461.0577 Marco’s Pizza 5806 Seven Mile Dr. Ste. 101 352.571.2400 O’Shucks! Oyster Bar and Grill 1016 S Main St. 352.399.2200 Roberto’s Ristorante & Pizzeria 2468 Burnsed Blvd., 352.626.1059 Traditions Café 3107 Hwy. 44 352.748.1077 Woody’s Bar-B-Q 1220 S. Main St. 352.748.1109

Greg’s Haystax 526 Umatilla Blvd.

352.669.1555

NYPD Pizzeria 4046 Wedgwood Ln 352.750.1994

Old Crow Real Pit Bar-B-Q 41100 SR 19 352.669.3922

Orange Blossom Country Club 1542 Water Tower Circle 352.751.4501

Shang Hai Restaurant 531 N. Central Ave. 352.669.2004

GOOD GRUB

THIS MONTH'S EDITOR'S PICK

La Palma Mexican Grill At one time or another, you’re likely to develop a craving for Mexican cuisine. Fortunately, you don’t have to drive South of the Border to enjoy a delicious Mexican feast. La Palma Mexican Grill in Leesburg offers a menu full of flavorful and tasty dishes, ranging from enchiladas and fajitas to chimichangas and burritos. The restaurant’s steaks and seafood dishes are equally delicious. You’re sure to leave saying, “That food was muy bien!”

1690 Citrus Blvd., Leesburg / 352.323.1444

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DINING GUIDE

Claire’s Creperie 850.776.9820 | 100 E. 4TH AVE., MOUNT DORA FACEBOOK.COM/CLAIRESCREPERIE Claire’s Creperie in Mount Dora does “all things crepes,” offering a large selection of both sweet and savory crepes, weekly specials featuring locally sourced ingredients, as well as keto and gluten-free options. Owner Claire Ernst grew up making crepes with her dad, and her signature crepe is the Something Good, filled with cheesecake cream and fresh strawberries, and topped with powdered sugar and strawberry sauce.

You also can try the Monte Cristo, a savory crepe with turkey, ham and Muenster cheese topped with powdered sugar and raspberry glaze. The creperie also has specials, such as the Croatian and the Macedonian, inspired by international students who have been hosted by Claire and her husband.

La Palma Mexican Grill

Tuesday & Thursday 10am–6pm Wednesday, Friday & Saturday 10am–8pm

Open Daily 11am–9pm

1690 CITRUS BLVD., LEESBURG | 352.323.1444 | LAPALMAGRILL.COM The entire staff invites you to a delicious dining experience at La Palma Mexican Grill. The recipes used for the restaurant’s unique dishes are a blend of old-school traditions from Mexico, combined with culinary inspirations from California and Louisiana. Homemade Mexican entrees such as Tacos Azteca, carnitas, fajitas, Chori Pollo, tamales and more, are flavorful and prepared with only the freshest of ingredients. Sit comfortably in the beautiful dining room, the festive bar, or outside on the patio deck with a serene view of the grounds and of the fun wild animals that can be spotted in the trees. Enjoy fast and friendly service, reasonable prices, three-for-one margaritas all day, every day, and a party room, available by reservation, for large parties or meetings.

Full menu at lapalmagrill.com.

AK! Call for daily specials.

BWWAA

Lunch Specials 11am–3pm

Margarita Mondays!

Enjoy $5 margaritas all day every Monday.

’clock It’s five ohere! somew

Marco’s Pizza 5806 SEVEN MILE DRIVE SUITE 101, WILDWOOD 352.571.2400 | MARCOS.COM The most delicious dishes are made with lots of love. That’s certainly the case at Marco’s Pizza, which is owned by business partners Peter Hiles and Roger Mellen. They opened the restaurant last April off County Road 466A in Wildwood and already have plans to open five additional locations. And why not? Everyone loves pizza, but they appreciate a quality pizza much more.

At Marco’s Pizza, everything is made daily, including the dough and sauce. In other words, everything is fresh and never frozen. The popular three-cheese blend is another aspect that makes the pizza so satisfying. Marco’s Pizza also offers calzones, specialty pizza bowls, subs, salads, and wings. Expect to always be welcomed by a warm, friendly staff whether you dine inside the restaurant or call for delivery.

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Sunday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Wednesday-Sunday 4pm-9pm Closed Monday and Tuesday.

Full Gluten-Free Menu

Open Daily 11am-9pm

Mom & Dad’s Italian Restaurant 352.753.2722 | 304 US-441, LADY LAKE Mom and Dad’s Italian Restaurant in Lady Lake has the distinct honor of calling itself a true family-owned restaurant. In fact, five generations of family members have represented the restaurant since its humble beginnings in May 1962. As many generations of customers have dined there throughout the years thanks to the outstanding service and scrumptious dishes such as Spaghetti a la Bruzzi, Delmonico steak, and lasagna. This food savvy family prepares everything from scratch, crafting everything with love to satisfy your taste buds.

Rodello’s Italian Restaurant 26736 U.S HIGHWAY 27, LEESBURG | 352.319.8093 | RODELLOS.COM Chef Amadeo Avila invites you to enjoy authentic and fresh Italian cuisine in a friendly, comfortable dining environment at Rodello’s Italian Restaurant. The recipes used for his dishes are a blend of old-school traditions from Italy—the restaurant is named for a city in the old country—with new culinary inspirations that Chef Amadeo has learned during many years in the restaurant business.

Flavorful, homemade Italian entrees such as Pistachio Crusted Lamb, Salmon Saltimbocca, Lobster Ravioli, Shrimp Risotto, and many others are classics and prepared with only the freshest ingredients. The lunch menu features personal pizzas, calzones, subs, and pasta. Sit in the spacious dining room or enjoy drinks or desserts like delicious gelato in the cozy lounge, which features a full bar, wine menu, and an array of specialty cocktails. Always look for new features on Chef Amadeo’s menu, available on the restaurant’s website, Rodellos.com.

Custom-made, fresh sandwiches, salads, and flatbreads made right before your eyes.

The “healthy” alternative to fast food.

Subway SUBWAY.COM LADY LAKE | 208 W. GUAVA ST. | 352.750.4929 EUSTIS | 469 PLAZA DR. | 352.357.7827 MOUNT DORA | 18870 U.S. HWY. 441 | 352.735.4376 LEESBURG | 2013 CITRUS BLVD. | 352.787.6442 10135 U.S. HWY. 441, SUITE 4 | 352.326.3234 27405 U.S. HWY. 27, SUITE 4 | 352.314.8847 THE VILLAGES | 1580 BELLA CRUZ DRIVE | 352.750.9600 8796 S.E. 165TH MULBERRY LANE | 352.750.9991 1070 LAKE SUMTER LANDING DRIVE | 352.205.8535 349 COLONY BLVD. | 352.391.1657 WILDWOOD | 480 W. GULF TO ALANTIC HWY. | 352.748.8800

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DINING GUIDE

The Rose Plantation 200 ROSE AVE, FRUITLAND PARK | 352.805.4340 THEROSEPLANTATION.COM Enjoy an early 20th Century dining experience at The Rose Plantation, located in a home built in 1917. This charming and delightful restaurant on Fountain Lake serves up outstanding dishes with a side of elegant ambiance, starting with the glass-enclosed garden room and veranda, eclectic china, live piano, fine silverware, linen tablecloths, and the rose garden out front. The chefs are given creative freedom to make memorable dishes such as grilled scallops, half-roasted duck with sweet potato mash, rack of lamb, and crab cakes with cauliflower puree, black bean, corn relish, and key-lime avocado crema. All dishes are upscale in both quality and presentation. Customers can also choose from 140 varietals of wine. The restaurant, which seats 128 guests, includes private dining rooms for small parties. Four additional dining rooms will be added within one year.

Wings Ranch 10601 U.S. HIGHWAY 441, LEESBURG | 352.901.6193 The Wings Ranch restaurant, located at 10601 U.S. Highway 441, in the Publix shopping plaza near Lake Square Mall, is known for its cool western vibe and chicken wings Slavko Grguric has perfected over the years, but there’s more!

The menu includes international and unique food selections like Schnitzel and Chevapi, an eastern-European delicacy made from pork and beef, Lobster Bisque, Fish and Chips, specialty burgers, Pork Chops, Ribeye, Prime Rib, Peel and Eat Shrimp, and a variety of from-scratch soups. The Wings Ranch also sports a full bar with happy hour every weekday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., and live entertainment Friday and Saturday evenings from 4:30 p.m. to close. Hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. seven days a week. Carry out and dine-in are available. For more information, menu updates, and live entertainment schedules, visit Wings Ranch on Facebook or call 352.901.6193.

Lunch: Tuesday-Friday 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Dinner: Tuesday-Saturday Taking reservations from 4:45 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Open 7 Days a week: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Live Entertainment: Friday-Saturday 4:30 p.m. to close

Would you like to see your restaurant in our dining section?

CALL US AT 352.787.4112

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Leading the way for heart & lung health UF Health Cardiothoracic Surgery–Leesburg specializes in leading-edge surgical care with less recovery time, so patients don’t miss a beat.

T

he team at UF Health Cardiothoracic Surgery–Leesburg is composed of three board-certified, fellowship-trained thoracic and cardiovascular surgeons who take pride in working collaboratively to care for patients in Leesburg, The Villages and Ocala with simple and complex heart and lung conditions.

Drs. R. Duane Cook, Robert J. Richardson and Karen S. Thompson specialize in thoracic and cardiovascular surgery, a specialty that focuses on surgeries of the heart, blood vessels of the chest and lungs. Additionally, they treat arrhythmias and atrial fibrillation.

Over the more than 20 years the practice has served Central Florida, the physicians have sought to use the best possible treatments and the newest minimally invasive options available to help patients recover more quickly.

“There are a number of exciting developments in minimally invasive cardiovascular surgery, including transcatheter aortic valve replacement, or TAVR. With TAVR, we are able to replace heart valves by inserting them through the femoral artery and the vessel in the groin, eliminating the need to open the chest. This translates into significantly less recovery time for most patients,” says Dr. Cook. “Another minimally invasive procedure we now have access to is MitraClip™. This technology allows us to place a tiny clothespin on a faulty heart valve to discontinue leaking.

“Although these procedures are not brand new to the market, they are relatively new in our area,” he adds.

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Dr. Thompson says patients appreciate the combined experience the entire cardiothoracic surgical team brings to the table. They also work closely with UF Health cardiologists, who share the same outpatient practice to care for patients with heart failure and offer the latest in treatment options.

“We’re a pretty well-oiled machine and have been doing this together for more than 20 years combined, so we have a lot of the kinks worked out. We take pride in offering our patients a seamless experience from their office visit to the operating room and throughout their postoperative and post-discharge process,” Dr. Thompson says. “Our team is also very accommodating, with a keen focus on prioritizing the unique needs of each patient.

We have the positive outcomes of a big practice but still have a small practice feel.”

The surgeons have performed more than 16,000 lifesaving open-heart surgery procedures since 1998 and proudly joined UF Health Physicians in 2021.

With that, Dr. Richardson says the practice not only offers great benefits to area residents in need of superb care to treat any heart or lung problems they may be experiencing, but to the team as well.

“We serve a lot of the senior population in The Villages and we’re able to help them maintain their quality of life throughout their retirement,” says Dr. Richardson. “Serving the community and helping our patients is extremely gratifying.”

PAID PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

MEET THE TEAM at UF Cardiothoracic Surgery–Leesburg

R. DUANE COOK, MD, MMA

ROBERT J. RICHARDSON, MD

KAREN S. THOMPSON, DO

Dr. Cook attended medical school at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Texas. He then entered the U.S. Army, where he completed his general surgery residency at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio.

Dr. Cook served as a general surgeon in Landstuhl, Germany, later deploying to Saudi Arabia with the 31st Combat Support Hospital during Operation Desert Storm. He completed his cardiovascular and thoracic surgery residency in 1994 at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., and later earned an MBA from Carnegie Mellon University in 2018.

Dr. Richardson attended medical school at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. He completed a general surgery residency at Kaiser Foundation Hospitals in Oakland, California, and received his training in cardiovascular and thoracic surgery at Baylor College of Medicine Affiliated Hospitals, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, and Denver Children’s Hospital in Denver.

Dr. Thompson graduated with honors, earning her osteopathic medical degree from Midwestern University of Chicago, and was the recipient of the Dean’s Commendation Award. After medical school, Dr. Thompson completed her osteopathic internship at Illinois Masonic Medical Center in Chicago. Dr. Thompson’s postdoctoral training included a five-year general surgery residency at Jewish Hospital Kenwood in Cincinnati. She then completed her residency in cardiothoracic surgery at the University Hospital of Mississippi and continued to pursue a two-year adult cardiothoracic surgery fellowship at Emory University in Atlanta, finishing in 2008.

Prior to joining UF Health, Dr. Cook was part of the team that established a stateof-the-art heart surgery program to serve the residents of Lake, Sumter and Marion counties.

Prior to joining UF Health, Dr. Richardson was a faculty member at Baylor University in Houston, where he taught and practiced general, cardiovascular and trauma surgery at Ben Taub General Hospital and Methodist Hospital until he entered private practice.

In addition to her clinical and surgical expertise, Dr. Thompson has spent time as a clinical faculty member at Northwestern University in Chicago.

There she received specialty training in mitral valve surgery, working with nationally renowned valve experts.

352.630.6250 | 701 Medical Plaza Drive | Leesburg, FL 34748 | UFHealth.org

PAID PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

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2023 ROOKIE

Presents

2023 LAKE COUNTY ROOKIE TEACHERS OF THE YEAR

s e e n i m o N

PAIGE SALUDEZ KATHERINE STEVENS MICHEKA TINNILE-THOMAS SHANNON MORRIS KIMBERLY NAZARIO WILLIAM FOURAKER Astatula Elementary Beverly Shores Elementary Carver Middle Clermont Elementary Cypress Ridge Elementary East Ridge High

BRANDY RADA Eustis High

NICOLE JOHNSON Eustis Middle

JAVIER TORRES Lake Pointe Academy

TYLER BROOKS Lake Success Academy

KIM CAPSTRAW Mount Dora High

ALANA SMITH Mount Dora Middle

NIKOLE PARADIS Sorrento Elementary

JADE SCHNOVEL Spring Creek Charter

MADELINE MORROW JACKEE SWANSON East Ridge Middle Eustis Heights Elementary

MELISSA MCDONALD Gray Middle

HALEY GOZDOWSKI Groveland Elementary

TECIA JOHNSON Lake Hills

TARA NIEVES-TRUJILLO Lake Minneola High

SHARI BELL Leesburg Elementary

SARAH MCKINNEY Leesburg High

STEPHANIE FIGUEROA Lost Lake Elementary

MEGAN WILLIAMS Mascotte Charter

AARON PULLIN Minneola Charter

CHRISTOPHER ALCANTARA MYLENE MARTI Oak Park Middle Pine Ridge Elementary

CHRISTINE BUTTICE Rimes ELC

AMY SHEPHERD Round Lake Charter

ALEXA DEJARLAIS VANESSA VENTURA Fruitland Park Elementary Grassy Lake Elementary

DANIELLE BURT Lake Technical College

VOLENA SEASE Tavares Elementary

DOREEN RILEY Umatilla Elementary

RANA HALABI Tavares High

SHERRY COX Umatilla High

JACLYN SMITH TORI GRABLE Sawgrass Bay Elementary Seminole Springs Elementary

DONALD STOKEM RICARDO ROSA ALMODOVAR ALIX CYR Tavares Middle The Academy of Lake Hills South Treadway Elementary

LARRY CARLISLE Umatilla Middle

CHRISTINA WOODS Villages Elementary

AMY PERSAUD Windy Hill Middle

CHRISTYNE ECK Triangle Elementary

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Historic Downtown

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FINAL THOUGHT

CO MMENTARY

Enduring tough times Faith, inspiring quotes provide comfort and strength during painful moments of life.

STORY: THERESA CAMPBELL

y mind still drifts to people I don’t know—the victims in Kentucky and surrounding states who lost their homes, family members, places of employment in December’s deadly tornadoes—and I grieve for them and wonder how they are coping.

Really, how does one move on after everything in their world is gone?

Many of us have endured difficult moments in life, such as painful breakups, major illnesses, financial woes, the death of loved ones, and while those times can be painfully challenging, we must move forward because life goes on.

Faith, prayer, inspirational messages, and quotes have given me comfort and strength over the years when I was faced with challenging moments. One of my favorites is from author Elena Mikhalkova, who wrote:

“My grandmother once gave me a tip: In difficult times, move forward in small steps.

Do what you have to do, but little by little.

Don’t think about the future or what may happen tomorrow.

Wash the dishes.

Remove the dust.

Write a letter.

Make a soup.

“We must accept finite disappointment, but we must never lose infinite hope.”

– Martin Luther King, Jr. “Obstacles don’t have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up.

Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.” – Michael Jordan Use what you’ve been through as fuel, believe in yourself and be unstoppable!

–Yvonne Pierre

You, see?

Advance step by step.

Take a step and stop.

Rest a little.

Praise yourself.

Take another step.

And then another.

You won’t notice, but your steps will grow more and more.

And the time will come when you can think about the future without crying.”

I’ve felt comforted and motivated by other inspiring quotes from prominent, wise people over the years, and hopefully some of these will touch you, too.

“When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it.” – Henry Ford “It is only in our darkest hours that we may discover the true strength of the brilliant light within ourselves that can never, ever, be dimmed.” —Doe Zantamata “In times of great stress or adversity, it’s always best to keep busy, to plow your anger and your energy into something positive.”

– Lee Iacocca “Never give in. Never, never, never.”

– Winston Churchhill “The difference between stumbling blocks and stepping stones is how you use them.” – Unknown

Hey, readers! Is there a particular subject that you would like me to write a commentary about? Tell me, via email, at theresa@akersmediagroup.com

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THERESA CAMPBELL

CUSTOM CHANGES BENEFIT YOU

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KNOW YOUR BUILDER

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Don’t underestimate the importance of the relationship with your builder.

American Family Homes is Committed to Quality and 100% Satisfaction. We invite your inquiry today.” - Mike Neace

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