STYLE MAGAZINE, Village Edition, February 2016

Including

TOP PRODUCERS

February

2016

REALTORS WHO BRING HOME THE BACON

CONTRACTOR CHOICES

HOW TO SELECT THE RIGHT ONE FOR YOUR JOB

DISCOVER THE KEVCO DIFFERENCE KEVCO BUILDERS’ JOE ZILER SHOWCASES HIS CUSTOM HOMES AT THE 2016 PARADE OF HOMES * SEE OUR GATEFOLD INSIDE *

Care that meets the most discriminating criteria: Hers.

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CREATE A HEALTHIER YOU TA K E T H E F I R S T S T E P T O A H A P P I E R H E A LT H I E R Y O U

C R E A T I O N H E A LT H C L A S S E S Classes available at Florida Hospital Waterman’s Conry CREATION Health Center are designed to help you successfully begin and sustain a healthier lifestyle. In a few short weeks, you will begin to see and feel the difference, while learning tools that will help you maintain the new you.

Fitness for Life

This 10-session course, designed for beginners, progressively introduces physical activity and nutritional components to help students grow more fit and improve their aerobic capacity with each passing week.

When: Thursdays, Feb. 4 - April 7 5 p.m. - 7 p.m.

Cost: $50

Yum-Yum Club

This 3-session course will teach you how to prepare tasty, healthy meals with hands-on cooking demonstrations led by a professional chef and registered dietitian.

When:

Super Noggin

This 10-session course is designed to improve memory and keep your mind sharp. Daily strategies based on neuro-science enhance brain fitness and include Alzheimer’s prevention.

March 2, 16 & 30 6 - 8 p.m.

Cost: $35 per class or $85 for all 3 classes

When:

(includes food and cooking utensils)

(includes all classes and materials)

Thursdays, Mar. 3 - May 5 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Cost: $50

(includes all classes and materials)

Diabetes Self-Management

To register or for more information, call (352) 253-3965 or visit ConryCREATIONHealth.com.

This 5-session course will teach you how to manage your diabetes and make positive lifestyle changes.

When: Mondays, Feb. 8 - Mar. 7 5 – 7 p. m.

Cost: $35 (includes all classes and materials)

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FEBRUARY 9TH & 24TH All classes start at 10am

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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.

cont February

2016 // VO LU M E 1 2 N UMB E R 4

Featuring 30 TOP OF THE CLASS Colleen Donlevy-Burns can’t leap a house in a single bound, but she is REALTOR® OF THE YEAR in Lake County. STORY: MARY ANN DESANTIS

36 TOP PRODUCERS

If you’re looking to buy or sell a home, here’s the place to find the best sellers of Lake and Sumter County. These Realtors always travel the road to success.

52 BREAKING GROUND

The growth and development of Lake and Sumter counties continues, and here are some great places to look for that new home! STORY: MICHELLE CLARK+SHEMIR WILES

70 BUILDING THE DREAM

Don’t let the construction of your dream home become nightmare. Finding the right contractors and settling in this area is as easy as looking in the right place! STORY: LEIGH NEELY SPECIAL ADVERTISING FEATURE

43 TOP REALTORS

Meet the real estate professionals throughout Lake and Sumter counties who possess the necessary qualities, skills, and passion to be ultra-successful in their industry.

On the covers Including

Including

TOP PRODUCERS

TOP PRODUCERS

REALTORS WHO BRING HOME THE BACON

REALTORS WHO BRING HOME THE BACON

CONTRACTOR CHOICES

February

KEVCO MAKES DREAM HOMES A REALITY

CONTRACTOR CHOICES

February

NO PLACE LIKE HOME

2016

SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

2016

SELECTING THE RIGHT ONE FOR YOUR JOB

HOW TO SELECT THE RIGHT ONE FOR YOUR JOB

DISCOVER THE KEVCO DIFFERENCE KEVCO BUILDERS’ JOE ZILER SHOWCASES HIS CUSTOM HOMES AT THE 2016 PARADE OF HOMES * SEE OUR GATEFOLD INSIDE *

LAKE&SUMTER EDITION

MODEL: COLLEEN DONLEVY-BURNS DIRECTION: JAMIE EZRA MARK PHOTOGRAPHY: FRED LOPEZ PHOTOSHOP: JOSH CLARK

VILLAGE EDITION

MODEL: JOE ZILER OF KEVCO BUILDERS DIRECTION: JAMIE EZRA MARK PHOTOGRAPHY: FRED LOPEZ PHOTOSHOP: JOSH CLARK

February 20 16

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Departments

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FROM THE PUBLISHER

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FIRST THINGS FIRST 20 #TRENDING A new senior center, touch ups for Venetian Gardens and Ferran Park, and a ride on the “Woof” Bus are in the news!

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24 PERSON OF INTEREST She has a unique vision for housing growth in Lake and Sumter counties so Lisa Templin-Rayborn is settling in nicely as the new executive officer of the Home Builders Association of Lake-Sumter.

26 OUTSTANDING STUDENT Not only is he a cool guy, James Fuhrman can keep your house cool too! Meet an outstanding HVAC student from Lake Tech!

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ON THE SCENE 78 THE TO-DO LIST No wicked stepsisters to keep you from the ball— The Leesburg Mardi Gras Crowning Event—then party hardy at Mardi Gras!

I’ll drink to that at the Lake Ridge Winefest XXVI, and revel in the music of Florida Lakes Symphony Orchestra, plus many more activities.

82 LOCAL TALENT Lois Brandt Weber keeps the ancient art of quilling alive with her unique jewelry, shadowboxes, and other artwork.

84 SOCIAL SPOTLIGHT Grab the kids and head to Paquette’s Historical Farmall Museum for the 9th Annual Tractor Show & Pull, featuring everything from a Neil Diamond Tribute to the—DUCK— Ladies Iron Skillet Toss!

86 OUT+ABOUT It’s not too far away, and it’s always exciting—the International Speedway at Daytona Beach! Race over to see an iconic NASCAR home!

90 HI, SOCIETY!

111 EATS

114 IN THE KITCHEN It’s smooth, silky and when you walk in the door of Peterbrooke Chocolatier, the incredible aroma of chocolate will surround you.

See behind the scenes of this local candy store to find how they make the treats that will delight all your senses.

118 SALUTÉ There’s more than one fabulous holiday in February. If you don’t have Open That Bottle Night on your calendar, you make want to get a new calendar!

120 FORK ON THE ROAD Fine dining with a favorite golf pro at Nancy Lopez Legacy Golf & Country Club will delight, or watch seaplanes take off and land while your dig in to a bucket of shrimp or crab claws at Puddle Jumpers!

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FINAL THOUGHT Though it may be time, moving away from a home you love is never easy.

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AN INSPIRED LIVING EXPERIENCE FROM

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HOW TO SELECT THE RIGHT ONE FOR YOUR JOB

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The latest editions of Lake and Sumter Style, Villages Style, Healthy Living, Lake Business Magazine and Welcome to Lake County

Digitize your life.

Visit the Apple or Android app store today and download the Lake & Sumter Style or Healthy Living online magazine app for your mobile device. For the best in enhanced magazine entertainment, join us online for the media experience of a lifetime.

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SUBSCRIPTIONS: Order a subscription of

your favorite magazine to be delivered directly to your home for just $72. Each subscription includes 12 consecutive issues of Lake & Sumter Style, Village Style or Healthy Living. Choose 2 or more magazines for $85 per year. To order, call 352.787.4112 or mail us at: Subscriptions at Akers Media, P.O. Box 490088, Leesburg, FL 34749.

CHANGE OF ADDRESS: If you are a seasonal resident or have moved, send your address change request to general@ akersmediagroup.com or mail us at: Subscriptions at Akers Media, P.O. Box 490088, Leesburg, FL 34749.

BACK ISSUES: Order a single issue by

e-newsletter

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mail for $7, or 2 or more single issues for $9. To pick up a back issue from our office, please call 24 hours in advance.

From the publisher

Kendra Akers PUBLISHER/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF kendra@akersmediagroup.com

Doug Akers

VICE PRESIDENT doug@akersmediagroup.com

Jamie Ezra Mark CHIEF CREATIVE OFFICER jamie@akersmediagroup.com

EDITORIAL // DESIGN // PHOTOGRAPHY

James Combs Steven J. Codraro

STAFF WRITER CREATIVE DIRECTOR james@akersmediagroup.com steve@akersmediagroup.com

Leigh Neely Joe Deleon

STAFF WRITER/COPY EDITOR SENIOR ART DIRECTOR leigh@akersmediagroup.com joe@akersmediagroup.com

Michelle Clark Josh Clark

STAFF WRITER SENIOR DESIGNER michelle@akersmediagroup.com josh@akersmediagroup.com

Shemir Wiles Michael Gaulin

STAFF WRITER PRODUCTION DIRECTOR shemir@akersmediagroup.com michael@akersmediagroup.com

Rheya Tanner Fred Lopez

STAFF WRITER CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER rheya@akersmediagroup.com fred@akersmediagroup.com CONTRIBUTORS

Jarrod Clark Fred Hilton Mary Ann DeSantis Kathy Porter Tony DeSantis SALES // MARKETING

Tim McRae Mike Stegall

VICE PRESIDENT OF SALES AND MARKETING SENIOR ACCOUNT REPRESENTATIVE tim@akersmediagroup.com mike@akersmediagroup.com

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ACCOUNT REPRESENTATIVE ACCOUNT REPRESENTATIVE heidi@akersmediagroup.com lynne@akersmediagroup.com

Melanie Melvin Aubrey Akers

DIRECTOR OF CLIENT SERVICES ADVERTISING COORDINATOR melanie@akerscreative.com aubrey@akersmediagroup.com ADMINISTRATION

Deb Matlock

OFFICE MANAGER deb@akersmediagroup.com DISTRIBUTION

Scott Hegg DISTRIBUTION MANAGER scott.hegg@akersmediagroup.com

LEESBURG PARTNERSHIP

LEESBURG CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

TAVARES CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

SOUTH LAKE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

WINNER OF

LAKE EUSTIS AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

SUMTER COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Recently I sat down with three very important individuals to discuss topics for this particular issue. I wanted to hear directly the opinions of area leaders regarding where Lake and Sumter counties are heading. I met with Robert Chandler, Lake County’s director of economic growth. Secondly, I met with Lisa Templin-Rayborn, our newly-appointed director at the Home Builders Association of Lake-Sumter. Thirdly, I met with Brenda Rodgers, CEO of the Lake-Sumter Real Estate Association.

Each conversation was overwhelmingly exciting. Things have changed in this community, and it is all for the better. I have always known Lake County wouldn’t remain a small sleepy community. But to see it beginning to flourish— and hear our leaders confirm it—well, I think that’s just cool.

It has been many years since we’ve seen dirt being moved around, new homes being built, and new businesses coming into Lake and Sumter, other than in The Villages, where they just always seem to be growing and flourishing. However, the remainder of the community, not so much—until now.

In this month’s issue, we highlight many of the new home communities currently in development. We’re also listing the area’s top real estate producers, featuring a special article on Realtor of the Year, Colleen Donlevy-Burns, and offering helpful tips on what you need to know when building or remodeling your home.

We want to keep you up to date on what is happening here in this amazing community and celebrate its successes.

Lake and Sumter counties are on the verge of another boom, and while experts say it won’t be like it once was, improvement and growth are always a step in the right direction.

You can find me on the sidelines cheering us on and shouting, “Way to grow!”

Sincerely,

LAKE & SUMTER STYLE IS A PROUD MEMBER OF

FLORIDA MAGAZINE ASSOCIATION

AND AWAY WE GROW

100+ AWARDS

AMERICAN ADVERTISING ASSOCIATION FOR EXCELLENCE

Lake & Sumter Style, February 2016. Published monthly by Akers Media, 108 South Fifth Street, Leesburg, Florida 34748. All editorial contents copyright 2016 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” and “Special 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.

Kendra Akers, Publisher kendra@akersmediagroup.com

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First Things

f1rst #TRENDING PERSON OF INTEREST OUTSTANDING STUDENT JAMES FUHRMAN

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First things first // #trending Spotlighting the best of local people, places, and events

A New Lease on

[Apartment] Life

Cagan Crossings in Clermont holds the key to good resident service—literally. The 180-unit Glen 2 recently won the prestigious Golden Key Award for Best Lease Up Community of the Year from the Apartment Association of Greater Orlando. The association gives the award to companies and individuals who work to achieve the highest level of service and commitment in the industry. Winners in the past, Cagan Crossing obviously steps up to the challenge!

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DO YOU KNOW MISS KITTY?

Mutts Gone Nuts

E&M Theatrical brought a special show to the Clermont Performing Arts Center, “Mutts Gone Nuts.” Scott and Joan Houghton are the humans who help the hilarious pack of pooches give everyone a good time. A portion of ticket sales benefited the South Lake Animal League, which raised more than $2,000. The show may have gone to the dogs, but they weren’t barking for nothing!

JOSH TAKES ON: AN ADMITTEDLY ASKEW POINT OF VIEW FROM THE MIND OF ILLUSTRATOR JOSH CLARK

If you spend any time in downtown Leesburg, you’re bound to run into some familiar faces that you may greet with a smile, a friendly handshake, or a scratch behind the ears. Therefore, you can’t make a trip downtown and not meet Miss Kitty, a very confident and graceful white, orange, and brown calico.

Miss Kitty spends most days wandering from shop to shop, lounging in display windows and perching on checkout counters. She’s become somewhat of a fixture on Main Street. Miss Kitty is well fed, groomed, and beloved by all the businesses.

So, who actually owns Miss Kitty? We at Akers like to think we all do, whether she has an owner or not. One thing for sure: she’s a real cosmopolitan cat!

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First things first // #trending Spotlighting the best of local people, places, and events

BABETTE’S DOES IT BEST For years, Babette’s Furniture & Home has been celebrated locally for its commitment to excellence, but now the recognition has gone global.

The 27-year-old furniture store recently won Best of Customer Service on Houzz®, the leading platform for home remodeling and design. It was chosen by Houzz’s more than 35 million unique monthly users from among the more than 1 million active homebuilding, remodeling, and design industry professionals of the online community.

Customer service honors are based on several factors, including the number and quality of client reviews a professional received in 2015.

“At Babette’s Furniture, customer service is our No. 1 priority,” said Tim Cook, customer service manager. “We are here to take care of any issues customers may have with their merchandise. Our goal is to provide each customer with an incredible shopping experience and provide a level of service that will keep them coming back.”

“Anyone building, remodeling or decorating looks to Houzz for the most talented and serviceoriented professionals,” added Liza Hausman, vice president of industry marketing for Houzz.

“We’re so pleased to recognize Babette’s Furniture & Home, voted one of our Best of Houzz professionals by our enormous community of homeowners and design enthusiasts actively remodeling and decorating their homes.”

JAMES COMBS’

THE HIT

LIST

1 // DEPUTIES WITH THE TAVARES POLICE DEPARTMENT are now using golf carts to get around downtown. Will this new mode of transportation become par for the course?

2 // A LEESBURG MAN claiming

to be a pastor swindled an 89-year-old man out of $25,000.

Should we call him an impostor or impastor?

3 // A MAJOR DRUG BUST in Lake County involving crystal meth

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recently landed 117 people in jail. Perhaps the Food Channel can feature them on a reality show titled “Baking Bad.”

4 // A LAKE CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTE PRISONER was

caught with synthetic marijuana he reportedly obtained during visitation hours. We can only conclude that committing a crime in prison requires a “joint” effort.

5 // LAKE COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPUTIES recently charged

MAKING A SPLASH

The splash pad craze has hit Lake County, and no one is complaining. After the success of Tavares’ seaplane-themed splash pad, which opened in 2009, cities all over Lake County have added similar features to their improvement projects.

With half the liabilities and maintenance work it would take to run a city pool, splash pads have a lasting benefit that make the fad worth the investment. In August, the Venetian Isles Apartments were demolished to make way for improvements, and in December, the city confirmed plans to bring a splash pad to Venetian Gardens.

All systems are go for project splash pad, strategically tucked in near Roger’s Park. The new attraction will come with other lovely features: a new covered seating area for parents, a Kids’ Korner playground, a new pavilion, and additions and renovations to parking and bathrooms.

a Groveland woman with disorderly intoxication. Here’s the kicker: She was not wearing any pants at the time of her arrest. Apparently, someone tried to pickpocket her that same evening but missed by a hair.

6 // A BOMB THREAT AT WALMART in Mount Dora forced the evacuation of hundreds of shoppers. Why do people continue to try to turn Walmarts into Targets?

NEW BIZ YEAR, NEW DIGS!

BUZZ

At Style we know presentation is everything. Our younger brother publication, Lake Business Magazine, is growing rapidly and needs a new set of clothes. Expect a new tailored look for LBM this year, emphasizing “LAKE.” This magazine is intended for the benefit of those interested in Lake County commerce and development, and the new look will reflect where the publication’s focus is as it continues to grow.

A FACELIFT FOR FERRAN Anyone who’s paid a visit to Eustis’ beloved Ferran Park will notice some changes going on.

Phase Two of the Ferran Park Master Plan has been in progress for the latter part of 2015. Improvements include landscaping, beautification to the park’s entrances, a new LED monument sign, and wider, better connected sidewalks for a more pedestrian-friendly experience.

This month, construction begins on the new splash pad, expected to open in May. In addition, the city will solicit requests for proposals in either March or April for a farmer’s market vendor and a watercraft vendor for the park.

“We have two really big city docks and we want to increase their usage,” said Miranda Burrowes, public information officer for the city. “The vendor would have access to four slips and be able to rent kayaks, paddleboards, and even small johnboats.”

The Sumter County Chamber of Commerce recently joined The Bushnell Senior Center in celebrating its grand opening with a special ribbon cutting ceremony. The senior center is a place for individuals 60 and older to socialize, play Bingo, listen to live music, enjoy good food, and meet new people.

With much anticipation, Dr. Jeffrey Brabham recently opened the doors to Florida Oncology Tavares Radiation Treatment Center.

Dr. Brabham, who is medical director, opened the center to provide worldclass cancer care in an environment marked by both serenity and convenience. He brings together a highly trained and specialized team with the newest, most advanced technologies in radiation treatment, which includes the Varian TrueBeam™.

TrueBeam allows radiation treatments to be faster, more accurate, and more comfortable than any previous radiation therapy platform, and Florida Oncology Tavares is the only facility in the area to offer it.

Dr. Brabham is joined by Julie Muhr-Wilson, office manager; Ken Cashon, medical physicist; Paula Quincy, dosimetrist; Mary Barnett, registered nurse; Colleen Royle, chief radiation therapist; Yanara Chavarri, radiation therapist; and Michelle Landis, medical receptionist.

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First things first // person of interest

WHAT IS YOUR NO. 1 FOCUS COMING INTO THIS NEW POSITION? I’m all about creating engaging experiences and effective resources for our members. I want to make sure our members feel valued, that they know what we are doing is to help them be productive and to make their jobs easier.

WHAT EXCITES YOU MOST ABOUT LAKE AND SUMTER’S FUTURE? I think helping in creating the lifestyle and the landscape of an area people want to come to live in. It’s up to the people to decide what we become. We have lots of land, undeveloped land. We can create because the canvas is still pretty open.

I’d like to see more people be engaged in the process, and not just be told what it is going to look like. They can be part of the direction we take.

Executive Director, Home Builders Association of Lake-Sumter

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WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST HOBBY? Watching “Madam Secretary.” It’s my new version of “24.” I was a huge “24” fan.

FAVORITE PODCAST? John Maxwell. He used to be a minister but is now a motivational speaker. Nothing he says is earth shattering, it’s just a reminder to do the right thing.

COFFEE OR TEA? Coffee.

FAVORITE QUOTE? “Always take the high road, because there’s not a lot of traffic up there.”

PHOTO: FRED LOPEZ

LISA TEMPLINRAYBORN

WHAT DO YOU PLAN TO DO FOR THE BUILDERS? The No. 1 thing I have my eye on is taking programs that educate both our builders, as well as the community, and using them to raise the bar on the home building industry, altering people’s perception of it. We have a lot of really great, dedicated people, so we want to stop unlicensed activity, which fosters a bad reputation.

CHECK OUT MORE REVIEWS

HWY 441 / EUSTIS FL 32726 WWW.VGCHEVY.COM 352.343.2400

SEE OUR LATEST VIDEO

THANK YOU, PHIL! YOUR KIND WORDS CONTINUALLY INSPIRE US TO KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.

THANKS LAKE COUNTY FOR 35 YEARS OF SUPPORT!

d a water pump replaced that was under warranty and the service was very fast and we were kept well informed. • Our service rep, Bra iley was very efficient and courteous. • Quick service on Volt. Had a water pump replaced that was under warranty and the service was v t and we were kept well • Our serviceLIKE rep, Brad BaileyTHAN was very cient and courteous.

Quick service on Volt. Excellent jo WHERE THEinformed.

ONLY THING YOU’LL BETTER OUReffi PRICE IS THE BUYING• EXPERIENCE ITSELF ff is very attentive. • Lenny was great to work with and was on top of my service. • We have experienced all facets of your dealership. d our old car serviced there and Brad Bailey was great and the reason we came to VG when we decided to buy a new vehicle. Our salesm ke Bradner was outstanding and explored every option to get us the price we wanted. Tony, in Finance was also great. All in all the best ca ying experience we have had in a long while. We would highly recommend VG to anybody. • Service dept got the truck in and out in reco e. Everyone is always very professonal and friendly. • Doug Tutin always delivers, my father deals with him and so do I. Our family will al e him for our vehicle needs. • Wayne was amazing and I will go back to him and Vann Gannaway Chevy for future vehicles. Have already gan recommending to friends. Best dealership ever. • Doug Tutin is by far the most courteous and“I’ve helpful salesman I have met. purchased two Corvettes andHis kindn pressure tactics and great demeanor made for the most pleasant car buying/leasing experience. Great asset to your Will refer a my most recent fromcompany.

Vann Gannaway When I purchased l come back! • Rick and Tony made me feel very comfortable and confident about buying my newChevrolet. truck. They both went out my of their way WHAT I HAVE TO SAY one, a 2015 Stingray, an and I am ke it a great experience! Thank you Rick and Tony! • Roc did an excellent job on my car. • The second time was finally right for a me ABOUT VANN employee cameChevy to my as home and ppy with my purchase and GANNAWAY the experience. So much so that I brought my mother in today and we got her a new well.

Thank you introduced me to the technology PHIL WINKLER ug and Tony (finance) for making this a streamlined and pleasurable experience. • Rick was great with being patient on the amount of ti THE VILLAGES, FL that this car has. Vann Gannaway eded to make a purchase. • Wow! What a difference after visiting other dealers in the area. Everyone was very friendly and helpful witho employees go above and beyond to ing pushy to sell something. Thank you very much! • Great friendly service. They’ll get the job done when they tell you. • My husband a satisfy customers.” ded in our 2011 Silverado for a new 2015 Silverado. This is our 3rd purchase with Delores Herman at Vann Gannaway Chevrolet and as al s a great experience. I recommend this dealership for any car buying needs. • Awesome experience. Delores did an excellent job showin vehicles and helping us make a good decision. • Once again the tech at Vann Gannaway went out of their way to repair the shifter in my rvette. They got the parts overnighted and had me back in the car the next day. I was very pleased with the the sevice manager as well as hs. • I needed a new key FOB and didn’t have an appointment but Dwayne and Brad took care of me right away. Can’t say enough abou ality of service and the friendliness of sales at this dealership. I would highly recommend it. • Service was great! Brad in service took car and Melvin made sure I was taken care of. Yolanda in Accessories took care of getting my windshield tinted since my sunvisor was not lo ough. I love the great service I always receive at Vann Gannaway! I am so very glad I bought my car from them! God bless them all! • Thi

First things first // outstanding student Keeping his cool

WHY DID YOU GO BACK TO SCHOOL? I was working at Home Depot after I got out of the Army, and then I started helping family members with rental properties. When you’re dealing with rental properties, especially older rental properties, things break down all the time. I fixed broken windows and tried to fix air conditioners. That’s when God called me back to school. He opened doorways so I could go back when I wasn’t really doing anything.

WHY HVAC? I tried to work on units and figured being here in Florida there is really no shortage of jobs for air conditioner repairmen.

WHAT ARE YOUR HOPES WITH THIS NEW CAREER? I just want to have a good job and support my family.

WHAT IS THE MOST CHALLENGING THING YOU’VE LEARNED IN THE PROGRAM? There are a lot of things you learn that have to do with chemistry and electrical connections. You have to put a lot together to understand how air conditioners really work.

HOW LONG WERE YOU IN THE ARMY? Four years. I did one tour in Iraq.

HOW DID THE SERVICE PREPARED YOU FOR YOUR NEW CAREER? It helped in just about every situation, with adaptability, problem solving, and responsibility.

AGE 29/HVAC STUDENT AT LAKE TECH

JAMESFUHRMAN

FAVORITE QUOTE? “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6.

PHOTO: FRED LOPEZ

FAVORITE SONG? “Voice of Truth” by Casting Crowns.

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and Sensory Walk March 19th, 2016

LAKE SUMTER STATE COLLEGE

Sign up now!

To register:

To register: http://newvisionfl.org/events

Eye Care, I Run!

New Vision for Independence provides training to help people of all ages with visual impairment in Lake and Sumter Counties learn to adapt to and overcome vision loss. Join us at the annual EYE RUN proudly sponsored by Lake Eye Associates for a 5k run/walk, 10k run and 1/2 mile blindfolded sensory walk – all to benefit New Vision for Independence.

Shirts will be given to 5k and 10k participants who register by March 18th, and all finishers will receive a custom Eye Run medal.

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You can also opt for Transitions lenses with any package, so the choice is yours, always priced well below retail.

For the look that invite looks, come discover the affordable optical packages from Precision Optics, with two locations in The Villages速 community:

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DENT P RESI RS , R E L I J O E Z C O B U I LD E KE V

WHEN YOU’RE READY TO BUILD YOUR HOME…

KEVCO BUILDERS

Innovation Integrity Excellence

DISCOVER THE KE

EVCO DIFFERENCE

“THE STANDARD LIST OF FEATURES KEVCO OFFERS IS SUBSTANTIALLY MORE THAN WHAT OTHER BUILDERS OFFER. FEATURES OTHERS WANTED TO CHARGE FOR ARE STANDARD WITH KEVCO AND THAT MADE A MAJOR DIFFERENCE IN OUR IMPRESSION OF KEVCO AS WELL AS GETTING THE MOST FOR OUR INVESTMENT.

— Dr. Farhaad Golkar

For Dr. Farhaad Golkar, what started out as a desire to purchase a new home, quickly turned into a disappointment. Time after time he was finding it difficult to customize other builder’s existing plans, or he was running into additional costs for even the most basic upgrade. Until they met with Kevco Builders’ president, Joe Ziler. “We initially chose the Mona Lisa floor plan but Joe worked with us to completely customize that plan to fit our needs and lifestyle,” explains Dr. Golkar. “He was so flexible in accommodating what we wanted. Every change, every request, everything that was going to make this home our home, Joe and his team said, ‘OK, no problem.’ The standard list of features Kevco offers is substantially more than what other builders offer. Features others wanted to charge for are standard with Kevco and that made a major difference in our impression of Kevco as well as getting the most for our investment.

Scan the code to view a video featuring the Golkar’s story

Innovation

Integrity

Excellence

“WHEN WE REFLECT BACK ON THE PROCESS AND THE END RESULT, I THINK BUILDING OUR HOME WITH

KEVCO PROVIDED FOR A GREAT EXPERIENCE AND A TREMENDOUS VALUE.”

—Elizabeth and Daniel Heine

Elizabeth and Daniel Heine decided their growing family had outgrown their starter home. In designing a home that they could live in for years to come, they put a premium on space and upgrades. Elizabeth explains, “Our new home has granite counters, beautiful cabinets, warm lighting and gorgeous architectural features. Things we asked other builders to do, which they said would be really expensive, Kevco said, ‘We can make that happen for you.’ So when we reflect back on the process and the end result, I just think building our home with Kevco provided for a great experience and a tremendous value.”

Scan the code to view a video featuring the Heine’s story

While both Inc. Magazine and The Orlando Business Journal have recognized Kevco Builders for its extraordinary growth as a business, Kevco president Joe Ziler knows his company’s success, awards and recognition are entirely driven by customer satisfaction and their referrals.

Since 1980, Kevco Builders has been setting the standard for stability, flexibility, quality and value. As Central Florida’s most awarded custom home builder and remodeler, Kevco Builders prides itself in its approach to the process and, perhaps the most critical foundation of any customer relationship, communication.

Whether bringing your own architectural plans, building from or customizing Kevco’s extensive collection of standard and Energy Smart® floor plans, or starting from scratch with our in-house design team, Kevco can make your home a reality.

But we also believe in maximizing the value of your investment. From upgraded baseboard and trim work to granite counters, the list of Kevco’s “standard features” impresses all, especially the most cost-conscious homeowner.

From retirees to growing families, your lot or one of ours, your Kevco home is designed to suit your needs… your wants… your lifestyle… your budget.

“We never take for granted how we got here,” says Ziler. “Builders come and go. Homes are completed and turned over to the owners. But the experience of your custom home build or remodel will linger for years, if not decades, to come. When someone asks one of our homeowners about their Kevco experience, their answer will define our next client’s expectations and perpetuate a reputation of honesty and quality we strive for every day, on every project.”

That’s The Kevco Difference.

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2104 South Bay Street, Eustis, FL 32726 352.742.3398 KevcoBuilders.com Se habla Español CBC 1259012

REALTOR OF THE YEAR, 速

IS THE

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COLLEEN DONLEVY-BURNS

REAL DEAL From marketing croutons and cola in the corporate arena to selling homes in the world of real estate, Colleen Donlevy-Burns attributes much of her success to good communication skills. The Montverde resident’s career reached a pinnacle when the REALTORS® Association of Lake & Sumter Counties recently named her Realtor® of the Year.

STORY: MARY ANN DESANTIS PHOTOS: FRED LOPEZ

February 20 16

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When Colleen Donlevy-Burns helps you find a new home, don’t be surprised if you are still getting holiday or anniversary cards from her 12 years later. She’s been in real estate full-time since 2004 and she’s still in touch with her first clients.

“I consider myself their Realtor for life,” says Burns, a real estate consultant with Avalar Real Estate Services. “You never know when they will want to buy another house.”

Burns is devoted to her industry, having served on the board of directors for the REALTORS® Association of Lake & Sumter Counties for nearly seven years. She’s also made time to serve on numerous committees for the 1,800-member organization, as well as in professional leadership roles with the South Lake Council of Realtors. A multimillion-dollar producer, Burns has received many awards and honors over the years, but the recent Realtor® of the Year is something only a few real estate professionals ever achieve.

“Only the elite hold that award,” explains Brenda Rodgers, executive director for the REALTORS® association. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime honor given by peers who are past recipients. The winners are considered to be the ‘elite of the elite.’

“Our association has grown by leaps and bounds because of members like Colleen,” Rodgers continues. “She’s one of the people who looked to the future.”

The award honors association members who contributed the most to the profession, to fellow real estate agents, and to the community over time.

Criteria are based on ethics, business accomplishments, community involvement, character, and personality.

And Burns’ personality is something that shines through whether it’s selling houses, striking a pose for a photo shoot, or making a tongue-in-cheek YouTube video about a super agent. She was so surprised by the Realtor® of the Year honor that she wanted “to meet that person” when association president Jim Mariucci read the accolades.

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“It wasn’t until he mentioned that the winner lived in Montverde that I realized it was me,” she says with a laugh.

“I am very honored and appreciative of the recognition.”

Real estate seems to be a natural fit for Burns, who had a long and successful marketing and management career in the corporate world before joining Century 21 in 2004 and quickly becoming a Top 10 producer among 250 agents. It could be that real estate was her destiny. When she was a student at Manhattenville College in New York, she took a career assessment test and the results recommended real estate as a possible career. Instead of that career path, however, she went on to the University of Miami for a Master of Business Administration degree.

“Real estate was always in the back of my mind,” she says. “It was years later when I was at Chatham Village Foods and they sold out that I thought it was time to get my real estate license.”

The real estate career was put on hold awhile longer when a corporate headhunter came calling and offered her another corporate job making good money and a car.

“I did not think I could make that kind of money in my first year of real estate,” says Burns. “I kept my license and took the test every two years. When I was working with Farmland Foods and they got sold, I put my faith in God that I could succeed in real estate.”

“OUR ASSOCIATION HAS GROWN

BY LEAPS AND BOUNDS BECAUSE OF MEMBERS LIKE COLLEEN.

SHE’S ONE OF THE PEOPLE WHO LOOKED TO THE FUTURE.” — BRENDA RODGERS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, REALTORS® ASSOCIATION

Burns belied her own prediction about early real estate earnings and became a multimillion-dollar producer in her first year with Century 21.

She said getting an MBA degree gave her confidence in herself, but she attributes her success to her father, who worked his way up from driving trucks for Pepsi-Cola to being president of company plants.

“He always told me I could be whatever I wanted to be,” she remembers. “I also have never taken no for an answer.”

Her persistence and positive attitude helped her market everything from Kellogg’s cereals to King Cola (a venture developed by her dad and a friend) to pre-packaged croutons long before they were popular.

“Chatham Foods was the first one to bring ready-made croutons to market in about 1993,” says Burns, who was responsible for developing Chatham’s crouton business throughout the U.S. “I made calls and got us in with United, American, U.S. Air, and others. I learned a lot by getting something new off the ground.”

Today, all that experience has led her to be a successful realtor, serving clients in Lake, Sumter, and parts of West Orange. She says some people believe being a Realtor is easy, but it’s not always as smooth as it seems.

“The easy part is finding a house,” says Burns. “A lot goes on behind the scenes. You have to stay in touch with other realtors and sometimes they don’t do what they should do.”

She says being a good communicator is vital to a real estate career just as it is in any field.

“You have to be a good listener and stay in touch with your clients,” she adds.

Burns once had a prospective client in England who she sent listings to for six years before he finally bought a home.

“I have a lot of patience,” she says with a laugh. “I also have faith that when one door closes, God will open another that’s even better.”

For Burns, the most rewarding part of the job is helping families find homes.

“I’m very careful that they are getting a good investment, because it’s often the biggest investment in their lives,” she says. “It’s especially rewarding when they thought they couldn’t afford to buy a house.”

Trends that Burns is seeing in this area include more energy efficient homes and new development, especially in the Minneola area.

“Minneola is going to get hotter than ever…it’s going to take off like crazy,” she says. “The area has benefited from Lake-Sumter State College becoming a four-year school.”

She’s also seeing prospective buyers from northern Lake County retirement communities who still want 55-plus communities but want to be closer to Orlando’s theme parks for visiting grandchildren.

Burns’ downtime is spent with her family. Her husband, Glenn, is a town councilman for the city of Montverde and a Geographic Information System (GIS) consultant who wrote the grant for the Florida Scenic Highway. She often spends time driving around with him when he’s on assignment. The couple has two daughters: Megan, who graduated from veterinary school at the University of Florida last year, and Anna, currently a student at the University of South Florida.

She likes to read and play backgammon but thoughts about work are never far off.

“I love what I do…I don’t think of myself as a workaholic because real estate is not work to me,” Burns explains. “I see it as helping people.

After all, I consider myself your Realtor for life.”

EDITOR’S NOTE: People use the terms REALTOR® and real estate agent interchangeably, but that is incorrect. There are differences between REALTORS® and real estate agents. They are not the same. Although both are licensed to sell real estate, the basic difference between a real estate agent and a REALTOR® is a REALTOR® is a member of the National Association of REALTORS®. As such, the main difference that you hear a lot about—but are likely confused about —is that a REALTOR® must subscribe to the REALTOR® Code of Ethics.

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Celebrating 10 Years Of Success Thanks To Our Dedicated And Diversified Team

Proudly Servicing all of Central Florida’s Real Estate needs, Avalar Real Estate Services’ consistent growth can be attributed to its agents, support staff, and Broker’s dedication to providing superior service and ELEVATING EXPECTATIONS… ONE CLIENT AT A TIME. We strive to create “Lifestyle Opportunites” by offering all encompassing Service Solutions such as Residential, Commercial, Property Management, and Business Brokerage.

REAL PEOPLE…REAL SERVICE…REAL ESTATE 352-242-3939 Main // 352-242-3995 Fax // 888-244-3939 Toll Free

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Can’t wait to see the love of your life? ...come and take a look •

LAKEOB GYN ASSOCIATES OF MID FLORIDA LLC LEESBURG 352.787.1535 THE VILLAGES 352.259.5649

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Through motivation, determination and a can-do attitude, the following real estate agents have distinguished themselves as premier players in their profession.

THIS LIST WAS PROVIDED BY THE REALTORS ASSOCIATION OF LAKE AND SUMTER COUNTIES

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TOP 2015

PRO DUC February 20 16

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PLATINUM LEASE CLUB BNB REALTY, INC

PAULA PURVIS ERA® GRIZZARD REAL ESTATE

STEPHANIE FREDERICK

GOLD LEASE CLUB ERA® GRIZZARD REAL ESTATE

SHELLEY ANDERSON GLENN W. COWHAM, IV TWILA LARGENT RONALD RICKETTS DIANE SCHLOSSER HOWARD WHELCHEL

MULTIMILLION DOLLAR CLUB ARELLANO REALTY & INVESTMENTS, LLC

KARIN ARELLANO MARIE KAY THERESA KAY LINDA KILLORAN ASHLEY PUN

ARROW REALTY & INVESTMENTS INC

JAMES ROMEYN

AVALAR REAL ESTATE SERVICES

CELIA DAVIS COLLEEN DONLEVY-BURNS DOREEN LANDI TRACIE RUFFOLO ASHLEY TAYLOR BEACON REAL ESTATE & ASSOCIATES, INC

GERRI ROSENTHAL BLACK TIE REAL ESTATE & INVESTMENTS, INC

MARK DYER

BONJORN REAL ESTATE, INC

PAMELA BONJORN LESLIE CAMPASANO GENGER NAREHOOD BUD KEELER CONSULTING, INC.

RALPH (BUD)KEELER CAN REALTY, LLC

NICOLE MAY CARLINO COMMERCIAL GROUP, INC.

JEFF CARLINO

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CATHERINE HANSON REAL ESTATE, INC

GEORGE KITTLESON

CENTURY 21® CARLINO REALTY, INC

ALEX VONHARTMAN

CENTURY 21® JOHN C. THOMAS, INC

JOHN C. THOMAS

COLDWELL BANKER® CAMELOT REALTY

JUDY BLUNDELL ARTHUR BLUNDELL BILL CASEY PAUL COLLARD PHYLLIS DALLINGA PAULA GILBERT LINDA KELLERMAN SHANNON V. KING AUDREY MAINE JEANA R. MATTHEWS RAMONA MONTGOMERY ELLIOTT OWENS BREEZY OWENS ROBERT (BOB) PODELL BETTY SALAS LISA WEST ANA ZITNICK COLDWELL BANKER® TONY HUBBARD REALTY, INC

RICHARD BISAILLON DAWN GIACHETTI MARSHA BURTON GORDON KALEY HANSEN LISA HAYNES JANE KETOVER JEAN NUNN STACEY PADGETT BRANDI STEWART ANDREA SUMMERS VICKI THOMAS DONNA WALL LINDA WEBER COLDWELL BANKER® TYRE & TAYLOR

JEANNE H. SUTTON

COLETTI REAL ESTATE, INC

RONALD COLETTI CYNTHIA L. COLETTI CONNIE MAHAN REAL ESTATE GROUP

CONNIE MAHAN MARY ANN MERRITT CYNTHIA TOMPKINS DANA REALTY GROUP, LLC

DANA FASSETT

DAVE LOWE REALTY, INC

NOVA FULLER MICHELE LOWE PAMELA MYERS ANAMARIA NOLAN JANET SHATZER DISCOVER FLORIDA REALTY

SIMON AMBROSE CATHERINE MACKENZIE

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DUNN REALTY

MARY DUNN SEAN DUNN E-DIRECT REALTY, LLC

JANN KNIGHT

EMPIRE NETWORK REALTY

RETO C. BADRAUN NANCY PRUITT, PA

ERA® GRIZZARD REAL ESTATE

JEANNE ABERNATHY SUSAN AICHER RICHARD BATTS LIA BEIRO RICHARD BELIVEAU ANNA BRADY DOELENE BROWN TONI CHAPMAN CHRISTI CHARPIA DONNA CLINE-HANSARD WALTER COE, PH.D MARLENE COOK SHEILA DAVIS TIM DAVIS KRIS DILEVA IAN DRUMMOND DOUGLAS E. DUVARNEY TAMMY FREILICH TERRI GORDON BONNIE GRAHAM JESSICA GRAHAM CHRISTINA GRANT LINDA GRIZZARD RYAN HEITMAN JOEL HAMBLIN SANDY KELLY HOLEWINSKI SCOTT HUBBARD FELECIA HUMPHREY OLGA JAKUBOWSKI LISA JONES CAROL JULIANELLI CHRISTINA KEENE JUDITH KELLEY TAMMY KING TAMI KLINGENBERG DALEMARIE LAMB-WITTER LAURALYN LANE ROXANNE LOGAN LORETTA MAIMONE AUTUMN MAKIN MELANIE MAKIN JAYNE MARVIN DIANA MIGUEL IRA MILLER CRISTA MOFFETT LORI MORGAN MARILYN MORRIS MICKI MORRISON KRISTEN MYER JULIE (MISTY) NOLAND KATHLEEN O’BRIEN

ANGELA PARKER JEL PARKER ROBERT PAYNE KARA PURYEAR JIM RICHARDSON KATHY REEG-PARKER CAROL SCHMID REBECCA SHORT BRIAN SMITH MARGARET (ANN) SMITH SHARON SMITH GLORIA TABOR DANIEL TATRO JULIE TOWNSEND BEVERLY VAN DE VEER KENNETH WEBER SUSAN WELLINGTON CYNTHIA WHEELER CONSTANCE WILHELM LESLIE WILLIAMSON SHARON WOOTEN CRAIG YOX EXIT® REALTY TRI-COUNTY

GINA BEFUMO JESSIE KULPAN LEAH MASON SHIRLEY PEACOCK NICHOLAS POULSEN FLORIDA INVESTMENT REALTY SPECIALIST TEAM

MATTHEW WHEATLEY FLAMINGO REAL ESTATE & MANAGEMENT

MARGARET RODRIGUEZ ROBERT SHOEMAKER FLORIDA PLUS REALTY, LLC

CLAIRE BROOKS JOHN GREENSLADE LESLEY GREENSLADE NICOLA MARTZ JELIXA NOVO DON WILSON FLORIDA REALTY MARKETPLACE

JERI ANARUMO

FOUR STAR HOME BROKERS, INC

SHARON BACON GARNET EVERSOLE FOXFIRE REALTY, LLC

GARY ARNOLD BARRY COOPERSTEIN FRAN DANN-AKIN HOPE DESZELL SHEILA MCKATHAN MICHAEL RITZENTHALER JILL RUELL JOHN WALTER JIN WANG ROBERT WOODSFORD

THERESA A. MORRIS SCOTT STREM LENA WILLIAMS

JULIE CLAY KIMBERLY JONES RONALD PHILLIPS

TERZA REAL ESTATE

SEAN RICH ADAM RICH

NARROW ROAD REALTY

REAL LIVING® GOOD NEIGHBOR REALTY, LLC

THE FLORIDA PROPERTY SHOP SALES & RENTALS, INC

HOLLY CURLEY CHOICE REALTY, INC

NORTHSTAR REALTY SERVICES

FRONT PORCH REALTIES, INC

JOY ZAHN

HARBOR HILLS SALES, INC

HOLLY JANE CURLEY JOHN ROBERTS REALTY

MICHAEL ALBERSON KAROL MCDERMOTT KELLER WILLIAMS® CLASSIC III REALTY

REGINA CRUZ VIVIENNE CUNNINGHAM PATRICIA FLOOD KELLY FRENCH ELAINE GIDDENS CHERYL GLOVER SUSAN HALVERSON DEBBIE HAUERT TIKI JACKSON PATTI-JO JUNGREIS BRANDIE MATHISON-KLEIN SUSAN MOELLER APRIL RAGER STACEY RAY JUAN F. RODRIGUEZ GALE L. SPRINGER PAMELA (D.H.) TARVER KELLIE WHEELER CHAD WILLIAMS

KELLER WILLIAMS® CLASSIC VI REALTY

AUDREY BENASSI SABRINA DEEM STEVE ROBINSON JONATHAN WANBERG ANGELA WORKINGER EDDY WORKINGER LA ROSA REALTY, LLC

JOHN NAPIER PATRICIA TIVER LOWRY REALTY, LLC

SANDY TRZASKA MICKI BLACKBURN REALTY

PATRICIA DARIES

MISSION INN REAL ESTATE, INC

MARY JANE EASLEY JANET PRATT MIZZ REALTY GROUP, INC

DARLENE MISCIAGNO STEPHEN MISCIAGNO MORRIS REALTY AND INVESTMENTS

JO LEEN COOPER KIM DUCHARME LAUREN FICKETT VALERIE FOERST CAMIE KENNEDY LINDA MARSH

BRADLEY VERKAIK LILY BOUTROS GREGORY HOMAN MARY KELLY JOY RAY DEBORAH STUDER

OPTIMA ONE REALTY, INC

CALEB COX ANTHONY STANLEY AIMEE STANLEY PAL REALTY

DAWN BROOKS CARY FIER MARY JANE GRIMES RICHARD (KIRK) MOREL ADRIANA SKOLODA RE/MAX® NAVIGATOR

JANNIE GURNEY RE/MAX® PREMIER REALTY

LYNN BARTLETT BRENDA BELL BARBARA BUCALO JOHN BUXMAN PAUL CARRAWAY DEBBIE GENTRY THOMAS HELLER BRENDA HERR JARENE MATHIAS DENISE PIERCE LARRY PIERCE HOLLY STRATTON SHARON BASSETT CHRIS CANFIELD BUDDY CLARK TANA DARLEY SHARON KING BONNIE MANROSS ROSE ESPOSITO RUPE DIANE SIEFKAS ROBERT SLUTSKY CYNTHIA STEINEMANN ROLAND STULTS JOY WILSON DEBORAH WOODS RE/MAX® REALTY CENTER INTERNATIONAL

LISA CARTER CHRIS FEAMSTER COLLIE HENDRICKSON REECE ORLANDO LYNN RISCH MARGIE SMITH MARY JO WILLIAMS REALTEAM REALTY, INC

TRISH LEISNER

REALTY EXECUTIVES IN THE VILLAGES

KATHERINE ABRUZZO LAUREN ARCH ROBERT A. BERUBE NANCY J. BRITTON KAROL CLARK ELIZABETH DIETRICH LAURA JENSEN SALLY LOVE KARLA MASON FRANK MELINO JOHN MELLO JOHN (J.P.) PORTA JUDY ROWLEY LINDA SEARS PASQUALE SERAFINO BEVERLY SHIVE CYNTHIA WISE CAROL YOUKEY

REALTY PROFESSIONALS OF FLORIDA, LLC

NICHOLAS CLOUGH HARVEY ROSENBERG RLW REALTY

LOGAN WILSON ROBERT SLACK FINE HOMES LLC

MARY POILLION

ROCK SPRINGS REALTY, LLC

JOEL A. BORNSTEIN CATHY NANFELDT

SCATES REALTY & INVESTMENTS PROPERTIES, INC

EILEEN SCATES

SELLSTATE NEXT GENERATION REALTY

KEN PYLES JUDY TROUT MAUREEN WILSON

HEATHER HAMILTON ADDIE OWENS KIRSTY PITTS GUY SHIPLEY KENDALL VANSANT

SMITH & SMITH REALTY, INC

RE/MAX® RESULTS

STAKE YOUR LAND REALTY, INC

SABINE BAYONA JEARRI BUSH

HANK GOODWIN DANNY SMITH

SPRUCE CREEK REAL ESTATE, LLC

KATY CROUSE

KATINA HARGROVE

DELPHINE LAMPERT CINDY SAPP

SARAH GHOLAMI TRAVIS REALTY GROUP

CARA FITZGERALD SHELLY LINDER DIANE TRAVIS

According to the National Association of Realtors, buyers indicated the biggest factors influencing their neighborhood choice were:

Quality of the neighborhood

63

%

Convenience to jobs

48%

Overall affordability of homes

40%

Convenience to family and friends

38%

速

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SOURCE: www.yourhomeforsale.com/blog/posts/2013/11/04/fifteen-fun-real-estate-facts/

HOMEOWNERS % HAVE A 120 BETTER CHANCE OF SELLING THEIR HOME WHEN USING A REALTOR .

VANGIE BERRY SIGNATURE REALTY

RYAN BERRY JOHN R. COX DUANE LANIER TERASA MORGAN ANGELA PHILLIPS KAREN RISCINTO KEN ROBERTS JR MICHAEL TART SUSAN TINDEL

VIR INDEPENDENT REALTY

ALISTAIR BARRETT-POWELL ALEXANDER SCOPINO VISIONARY PROPERTIES, INC.

MARY BAKER

WATSON REALTY CORP. REALTORS®

CHERYL HILTY LINDA LAKE JO ANN LARSEN CHRISTINE TANGUSSO TERRY WARD DAWN WILLIAMS BRENDA ANGLADA KAREN GIEHL MICHAEL HAMMERT DENNIS HJORTEN NOEL LAWRENCE RON LAWSON ALLEN MATES MONIQUE MCGUIRE KRIS PERSAUD CAMILLE RUIZ COLLEEN TAYLOR MIKE TAYLOR DEENA THURMOND ELLEN TIDWELL RODELIE TIRONE-WINTERS WEICHERT REALTORS® HALLMARK PROPERTIES

MARGARET HENSINGER

MILLION DOLLAR CLUB

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CENTURY 21® CARLINO REALTY

STEVEN ANDELMAN DIANE BROWN JEANETTE EKBERG MARSHA K. YOUNG

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COLDWELL BANKER® TYRE & TAYLOR

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SUSIE WESTBROOK

ARROW REALTY & INVESTMENTS, INC

ALICIA MULLEN

AVALAR REAL ESTATE SERVICES

MOISES ALVELO JR. TRISHA BROWNE

BARBARA L. JOHNSON, INC.

JULIE HALL

DUNN REALTY

MICHELLE PARRISH ERA® GRIZZARD REAL ESTATE

JEANIE BAGGELAAR DELLA BARRETT DEBORAH BOONE DANA BRUNETTI KATHLEEN DERMODY LAVAE DIERKER SHERONA (SHERRY) DYE DAN FOSTER LAURI GRIZZARD THOMAS GRIZZARD

MICHAEL HERMAN BRANDY KELLY CARL MARTIN ERIC NELSON THOMAS PRICKETT MARY LOUISE STANCIL

OXFORD LAND COMPANY

EXIT® REALTY TRI-COUNTY

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STEVEN BOONE FRED BRACE EARL DUFFY LYNN GAGNON MARTY GOFF EDYE HOLT ANDY KEY JACK VOLLER

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JEFFERY HUFF JR. DAVID KENNEDY GAIL MITCHELL DOROTHY WISE

JIM MARIUCCI

RE/MAX® NAVIGATOR

BARBARA DOBBS LINDSAY GROSSHANS DEBRA PAYNE RENATA COCKBURN LILLIAN C. GAUVIN PAUL JACKSON RICK MCKEAN MARIE RICH KAREN SARTELE MARYKAY CANFIELD MONICA MOFFITT KOPEL THERESA OLESKE DEANNE PARKER BRADLEY W. SALMONS HOPE WILSON SANDY WINDHAM REAL LIVING® GOOD NEIGHBOR REALTY, LLC

ANDREA STRAUB

BILL BAZNER CHARLENE CONNOLLY LAURIE LAVENTHALL VICKIE LINGERFELT LYNN O’CONNOR DEBRA STEWART JUNE STIENSTRA

JOHN EDWARDS REALTY INVESTMENT

REALTY EXECUTIVES IN THE VILLAGES

FRONT PORCH REALTIES, INC

ABIGAIL CARR

HOMEQUEST FLORIDA

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JOHN ROBERTS REALTY

THOMAS MYSINGER CHERYL ROBERTS KELLER WILLIAMS® CLASSIC III REALTY

PATRICIA FLOOD TINA MARIE HAVEN SUSANNE LAWSON MARIA MARTINEZ ANNE SASSER DABNEY D. WAMSLEY

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CRYSTAL MCCALL LOWERY’S REAL ESTATE GROUP

JOHN ARDIZONE JR.

MICKI BLACKBURN REALTY

ANDREA EDGINGTON JANET GIBBS MIZZ REALTY GROUP, INC.

PIERLUIGI ARBINI-SALOM BRANDON MISCIAGNO EDWARD SLONIKER OPTIMA ONE REALTY, INC.

KIMBERLY KOSTERNO

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REALTY PROFESSIONALS OF FL,LLC

JEANNIE FOWLER CHRISTINA GURLEY

ROBERT SLACK FINE HOMES LLC

NICKY LERCH

SILVER BEACH REALTY, LLC

GEOFFREY F. PRESSON SMITH & SMITH REALTY, INC

JACQUELINE LOCKLEAR BILLIE FAYE TADLOCK REALTY

ARTHUR HOOTEN TERZA REAL ESTATE

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WATSON REALTY CORP. REALTORS®

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Meet your

REALESTATE PROFESSIONALS OF LAKE+SUMTER

There is nothing easy about being a Realtor or real estate agent. They have to be flexible with their demanding schedules, juggle multiple clients with family life, and answer those occasional early-morning or late-night telephone calls.

For many, however, the joy of helping clients buy or sell homes certainly trumps those small nuisances. In this special section, you can familiarize yourself with real estate professionals throughout Lake and Sumter counties who possess the necessary qualities, skills, and passion to be ultra-successful in their industry.

III PAID PROMOTIONAL FEATURE III

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CindyWHEELER REALTOR®

Cindy Wheeler became a Realtor in 1994 after beginning her career in banking and law.

“I enjoy successfully working with clients to ensure a positive experience in both the buying and selling of their home. I am hands-on with every aspect of the transaction from the initial viewing until closing. I truly enjoy getting to know my clients and listening to their wants and needs.”

1300 Citizens Blvd, Suite 150 Leesburg, FL 34748 352-787-6966 office 352-255-6032 cell www.ERAGrizzard.com

Cindy has been with the ERA franchise since 1998 and has received national recognition as a top multimillion-dollar producer.

Cindy has been married to her high school sweetheart for 41 years and the couple’s two children, Eric and Kristin, both live Jacksonville. When she has leisure time, Cindy enjoys golfing, dancing, yoga, and exercising.

Loretta MAIMONE THE “ONE TO GET IT DONE” IN LAKE COUNTY FLORIDA

Why do Loretta Maimone’s clients recommend her to family and friends?

Because her high-energy, customer-first philosophy, her take-charge attitude, and her drive to succeed, combine to turn her clients’ real estate goals into reality. Meanwhile, her fun-loving personality makes the process pleasant and clients become friends.

Having lived in Lake County for 34 years, Loretta is familiar with every street and development in her territory, as well as the people to see when problems need solving. Her knowledge and real estate expertise, combined with well-honed listening skills, an ability to understand clients’ needs and wishes, and a reputation for “telling it like it is,” have earned her a loyal following.

Meanwhile, more than $20 million in sales in 2015 attest to her ability to “Get it done.”

A full-time REALTOR® with ERA Grizzard Real Estate, Loretta was voted 2014 REALTOR® of the year by her peers in Lake and Sumter Counties. She’s also a member of the Rotary Club of the Golden Triangle, Home Builders of Lake and Sumter County, serves on several REALTOR® Association Committees, and actively supports local charities such as Deliver the Difference and The Open Door.

ERA Grizzard Real Estate 600 North Donnelly Street Mount Dora, FL 32757 352.357.2400

Addie

OWENS

REALTOR® CHSA, CDPE, SFR, A-REO Addie Owens is a powerhouse. In 2015 she was the number one agent for closed transactions in Lake County and produced nearly 18 million dollars in sales.

She credits her success to setting high standards for herself, and commitment to delivering a high quality product in everything that comes out of her office.

Addie Owens is on a mission for excellence.

She achieves this excellence by surrounding herself with her team of assistants, each equipped with their own special talents.

“My team and I work diligently to meet the standards I have set for my office. Whether our customers are moving up, sizing down, or relocating, my office staff is fully committed to providing top notch service and support. Our commitment to excellence ensures your home buying and selling experience will be both successful and enjoyable.”

During the course of her decade long career, she has stayed the course and is now recognized in the industry as an experienced and trusted professional.

RE/MAX REALTY CENTER 2801 S. Bay Street Eustis, FL 32726 352.223.0053 www.addieowens.com

YOUR 24/7 TEAM Individually, people know them as Carol Julianelli, Jayne Marvin, and Kris DiLeva, but together they are Your 24/7 Team; a well-oiled machine of real estate excellence available around the clock.

They are a “Realtor Team” that doesn’t rely on assistants, buyers agents, or list agents to get the job done. They are a hands-on, equally collaborative unit that’s available whenever clients need them. This makes them different from other teams because clients are guaranteed access to three highly skilled and experienced real estate profes-

sionals who deliver a full range of services for buyers and sellers.

Outstanding communication and exceptional customer service are the foundation of the Your 24/7 Team. In turn, they produce superior results for their clients and build genuine relationships that last.

It’s more than just buying or selling a home.

It’s about delivering a rewarding real estate experience that encompasses integrity, diligence, passion, vision, and innovation, and doing it as a team—Your 24/7 Team.

Your 24/7 Team 840 County Road 466 The Villages, FL 35159 352.751.0247 www.Your247Team.com

Terri L.

GORDON REALTOR®

If there is one thing Terri Gordon has learned in real estate, it’s the importance of being a great listener. She knows her job goes beyond just helping people buy or sell a house; it’s about discovering her clients’ particular needs and guiding them toward the results they want.

“A lot of times I can tell immediately from a person’s body language if this is the home for them,” she says with a smile. “However, it can actually be beneficial to see what you don’t want so you can have a better idea of what you do want.”

It’s the difference between selling them a house and finding them a home.

“I want to know what you want your home to be. Do you want the space to host Sunday dinners? Do you want to be close to the lake to go fishing?”

Terri says. “Buying a home is a very personal thing and should be handled with care, so I go further than just finding the right number of bedrooms.”

It’s why Terri feels the most rewarding part of her job is knowing she’s assisted them in finding the perfect place to call home.

“This is a relationship business and I have had the good fortune of meeting and working with some of the most wonderful people,” she says. “I care about them and I want to help them see their dreams come true.”

Terri has lived in Lake County since 1989. She received the Rookie of the Year award after her first full year in real estate and has been a multimilliondollar producer every year.

600 N. Donnelly St. Mount Dora, FL 32757 352.551.9104 www.tgordon.eragrizzard.com

Jessica Huey

GRAHAM REALTOR®

Jessica Huey Graham is a third-generation Realtor, who obtained her broker’s license at age 19, and has been in the business for 17 years. As a fourth-generation Floridian, Jessica knows the markets in Lake, Sumter, and Marion counties. A busy mother with three children, she understands the value of making priorities and efficient time management. In 2015, Jessica had more than 136 closed transactions and $10 million in sales.

1300 Citizens Blvd, Suite 150, Leesburg, FL 34748 352-787-6966 office // 352-504-7772 cell www.ERAGrizzard.com

Scott

HUBBARD REALTOR®

840 County Road 466 The Villages, FL 32159 352-259-4900 office 352-391-3688 cell www.ScottInTheVillages.com

Originally from Indiana, I’ve worked in real estate and insurance for more than 20 years. I started visiting The Villages and Central Florida in 2003 and decided to make The Villages my home in 2012. Though we’re not 55, my girlfriend, Brenda Skoczelas, a Physics Professor at Lake Sumter State College, and I live in The Villages and love it.

We are involved with the soccer, bicycle, SCUBA, waterskiing, and boat clubs. The Villages offers unlimited activities for the active person. In The Villages you don’t a home, you buy a lifestyle.

My business plan is very simple. I answer my phone, call people back, and treat people as I would like to be treated. Buying or selling a home is a stressful time. I pride myself on being knowledgeable about the local real estate market. I specialize in The Villages, 55-plus communities, and foreclosures. That combined with full use of technology makes the buying or selling process easy, efficient, and painless as possible. In 2015 I closed $10.9 million in sales in more than 70 transactions.

I want to be your real estate professional for your buying and selling transactions. I look forward to meeting you.

Annie

RAGAR REALTOR®

There are few things Annie Ragar is more passionate about than helping locals achieve their dream of home ownership.

A Realtor with Micki Blackburn Realty since the 1980s, she has found that maintaining open communication and keeping her clients’ best interest in mind are the keys to success in real estate.

In fact, Annie was Lake County’s top-producing real estate agent for seven years, and in 2015 she achieved $5 million in sales. The lifelong Lake County resident has also been a consistent multimillion dollar producer.

“We have it all in Clermont—rolling hills, beautiful lakes, and wonderful residential communities,” she said.

“That makes it very easy for me to sell a lifestyle. I have to give lots of credit to my boss, Micki Blackburn. She is a pioneer in the real estate industry who came up with many innovative marketing programs.”

Annie does not see herself leaving real estate anytime soon.

“I love meeting all types of people, ranging from first-time homebuyers to retirees. Seeing their smiling faces when they’ve discovered the perfect home will never get old to me.”

Micki Blackburn Realty 450 E. Hwy. 50 Clermont 34711 352.394.6611

RealLiving Good Neighbor Realty The Real Estate Professionals with Real Solutions "Don’t trust one of your most important purchases to just anyone….

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Call (352) 408-0035

Lake and Sumter is finally bouncing back, and with growth comes the need for more housing.

After years of inactivity, dirt is finally starting to stir, signaling the return of residential building.

Projects are popping up all over the place, so Style decided to take a closer look at the newest stock of developments you may need to put on your house-hunting radar.

BREAKING STORY: MICHELLE CLARK+SHEMIR WILES PHOTOS: PROVIDED+SHUTTERSTOCK

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LEESBURG

SILVER LAKE CLUB

Opened at the peak of the Florida land boom of the 1920s, Silver Lake once teemed with activity from those who enjoyed the popular golf and country club lifestyle that made it such a sought-after location.

TAVARES

ETOWAH

SILVER LAKE CLUB

However, a decline in revenue in the late 1990s and the closing of the golf course in 2008 left the future of Silver Lake unclear—until recently. Adopting the new name Silver Lake Club, the 104-acre vacant tract will eventually be home to 233 custom homes and 82 townhouses.

“Silver Lake Club will be a reflection of what the country club used to be,” said Lanny Husebo, who is handling the marketing for Silver Lake Club developer Jim Hartman. Husebo has resided in Silver Lake since the late 1970s. “There will be five to seven builders used to build the homes and it will be done in phases. Plus, there will be a new clubhouse that will reflect the original one. The community’s history will be tied to it.”

Silver Lake Club will feature plush landscaping around the perimeter, acting as a buffer between adjacent communities. In addition, homes will range between 1,800 to 3,000 square feet and lot sizes will vary between 10,200 and 19,800 square feet.

Speaking from a resident’s stance, Husebo says he’s excited about the future of Silver Lake Club.

“I welcome it. Hartman has a vision for what he wants to do for Silver Lake. He wants to make it a nice, quality development,” Husebo said. “People are speaking about how it will affect them personally, and granted, when I look out at my backyard I won’t have the fairways anymore. However, I have to look beyond myself and think about what’s great for the area.

We have to embrace that.”

Etowah isn’t new but with the recent activity in the new home building market, it is definitely on the path to expansion.

The KB Home, single-family community has 12 different floor plans with home sizes ranging from 1,443 to 3,550 square feet.

There are also options to build both one-story and two-story homes, and future homeowners can take their experience one step further with personalization options available through the KB Home Design Studio.

Amenities consist of an oversized pool, playground, tennis and basketball courts, a cabana, and a community dock on Lake Eustis. Homes are priced from $164,990.

EUSTIS

VALENCIA GROVE For working families looking to relocate to Eustis, Housing Trust Group’s Valencia Grove couldn’t come soon enough. Construction on the $21 million, 144-unit affordable housing community started in November and is to be completed in 13 months.

Located north of Huffstetler Drive, between Kurt Street and Dillard Road, the rental housing will contain a mix of

GROVELAND

EAGLE POINTE

This 310-home Royal Oak Homes development held its official grand opening in July.

Located off Silver Eagle Road and County Road 565A in Groveland, Eagle Pointe is looking to attract people who desire a bit of quiet, country living but still want to be close to all the fun activities South Lake has to offer, such as biking, fishing, golfing, and much more.

More than 120 homes are planned for the first phase of construction; 17 of them will sit on lakefront property, offering spectacular views of Cherry and Cook lakes. Residents may choose from plans featuring three to six bedrooms and two to four bathrooms. Home sizes range from 1,695 square feet to 3,237 square feet and prices start in the $180s.

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24 1 bed/1 bath units, 96 2 bed/2 bath units, and 24 3 bed/2 bath units.

Depending on a tenant’s income, rent could start as low as $358 a month for a 1 bed/1 bath unit and go as high as $790 a month for a 3 bed/2 bath unit.

Amenities include a clubhouse, playground, volleyball court, outdoor pool, dog park, and car wash.

FRUITLAND PARK

THE VILLAGES OF FRUITLAND PARK The Village’s crawl along 466A continues with some houses completed and

VENEZIA

HOWEY-IN-THE-HILLS

VENEZIA

Much buzz has been created around Pathfinder Development’s newest housing community in Howey-in-the Hills. Venezia is the company’s first exclusive community with 172 oversized homesites that are waiting to be developed.

Residents will have access to a beautiful boating lake, 13 golf courses, and the beloved Lakeridge Winery in Clermont. Standard features inside the home include sought-after specifications such as upgraded maple cabinetry, energyefficient elements, and stainless steel appliances. There are also four floor plans to choose from: Livorno (3 bed/2 bath home with an in-law suite), Salerno (3 bed/2 bath), Sicily (3 bed/2 bath), and Vicenza (4 bed/3 bath).

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sold, while others are still in process. A portion of the Windy Acres Farm, Fruitland Park’s rodeo, is the site of current development. The correlating section of 466A is still under road construction.

OXFORD

GRAND OAKS MANOR For a while, most of the development in Sumter County came by the way of The Villages expansion. However, this new development of luxury homes located in Oxford prides itself in maintaining the native landscape; in fact, it’s a part of the attraction for potential buy-

ers. The community’s 13,000-foot clubhouse sits in a wonderfully preserved grove of grandfather oaks, a feature that inspired the name. There are seven home styles featured: Azalea (2 bed/2 bath), Breeze (3 bed/2 1/2 bath), Jewel Box (3 bed/2 1/2 bath with the option of a spacious loft or fourth bedroom suite), Magnolia (3 bed/2 1/2 bath), Oleander (2 bed/2 bath), Serenity (2 bed/2 bath), and Willow (3 bed/2 bath); each with distinct layout features which make it perfect for different lifestyle needs.

Amenities include a resort style pool, a dog park, walking trails, playground, passive parks, and a pickleball court.

WILDWOOD

OXFORD OAKS Selling itself as a family neighborhood, this gated community is just a stone’s throw from The Villages Charter School. The development offers three kinds of homes: cottage, designer, and premier. Under each of these tiers are multiple home layouts, ensuring a divergence from the cookie-cutter community planning. The bulk of existing homes, numbered between 30 and 40 built, are located near the recreation area, but an array of beautiful plots are still available.

CLERMONT

THE CANYONS AT HIGHLAND RANCH As Clermont continues to grow, more and more housing developments are expected in the area.

One place to look out for is The Canyons at Highland Ranch.

These Taylor Morrison-built homes start from the $220s and come with a load of impressive features, including Energy Star appliances, sparkling granite countertops, tech-ready wiring, spacious master baths, and oversized walk-in closets with low maintenance shelving.

Family-friendly community conveniences include a park, pool, cabana, splash pad, mail kiosk, pet stations, and four miles of walking trails. Additionally, residents will also have access to the South Lake Trail.

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THE 6th ANNUAL 2016 LAKE-SUMTER

New Home&Remodeling Expo Saturday, March 5th, 8am to 3pm, Leesburg National Guard Armory In Historic Downtown Leesburg ~ 400 W Meadow Street ~ Admission is FREE and Parking is FREE

Over 50 Builders, Remodelers, and Suppliers on Display!

• Dunstan Plumbing • Gingerich Construction • Concrete for Less • Statewide Construction • Volthom Electric • Certi-Struct Construction • Holmes Construction Services • Ro-Mac Lumber & Supply

• EcoTech Pressure Washing • Curry’s Roofing • Fairwinds Credit Union • PSL Construction • Ro-Mac Doors • Great Lakes Carpet & Tile • White Aluminum • Bone Dry Roofing • Dibarco Building Corporation

• Franklin Construction Services • Waterman Construction • Mott Concrete • Citizens First Bank • Munn’s Sales & Service • Dr. Energy Saver Central Florida • T. Scott Roofing • Ro-Mac Truss • Mission Inn Resort

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Fortin Construction Ro-Mac Windows Bailey Design Studio Clear Drain Anchor Coatings RE/MAX Premier Realty 7D Wholesale Alpine BlueLinx Builders Hardware ClarkDietrich Building Systems

• Clopay • Custom Window Systems • Dealers Choice • Dixie Plywood & Lumber • The Empire Company • Fastening Specialists • Ro-Mac Design Center • Georgia Pacific • Great Southern Wood • GTO Access Systems • MI Windows & Doors

• Huttig Building Products • JamesHardie • Metal Sales • Ro-Mac Garage Doors • PGT Industries • PrimeSource Building Products • Simpson Strong-Tie • Trex • U.S. Lumber • Woodford Plywood

Plus seminars, live music, door prizes, BBQ and The American Heroes Walk.

• Door Prizes & Giveaways throughout the • American Heroes Walk sponsored by Special presentations will be made to those day and a $1,000 Grand Prize Drawing will Habitat for Humanity Lake-Sumter, FL 8am veterans who have served with valor. be held at 3pm for one lucky visitor. to 3pm. A 10 minute walk around Veterans • Help us support Habitat for Humanity’s • FREE Seminars on the “Incredible Edible Memorial Park adjacent to the Expo. Ro-Mac Veterans Village Project by purchasing Garden” and “No Lawn Landscape” at 10am Lumber has pledged a $5.00 donation per a raffle ticket for the gas bbq grill drawing and 12pm, presented by Jonathan Squires. person for the first 2,000 walkers. WALK FOR or buying a delicious barbecue lunch at • Enjoy the Leesburg High School Band THOSE WHO STOOD UP FOR US. The walk is FREE. Veterans Memorial Park. Both events are from 9am to 2pm and support the LHS Band Saluting our Veterans Program at 11am on sponsored by the Home Builders Association by having breakfast and lunch at the Expo. the main stage at Veterans Memorial Park. of Lake-Sumter.

The 2016 Lake-Sumter New Home & Remodeling Expo is hosted by Ro-Mac Lumber & Supply, along with Our Media Partners and Sponsors

For More Information contact Rebecca Ballash at at 352.787.4545 ext-325 or go to RomacLumber.com

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8576 Lakes of Mount Dora Blvd.

Mount Dora FL 32757

352-504-3798 medallionhome.com

24 YEARS SERVING ALL OF LAKE COUNTY

Showcase Furniture is family owned and operated by John Purvis and son; Chad. Their main line is Ashley, which is the number one selling brand of home furniture in North America. There is over 12,000 square feet of beautiful furniture for every room in your house in every style you could imagine!

Although Ashley Furniture is their main name brand, they carry many others as well. No matter what room in your house you are looking to furnish, you will be sure to find it at Showcase Furniture. There is also a separate showroom called the Sleep Zone and it is filled with complete bedroom sets and any

type of mattress that you prefer.

You will also be impressed with the large selection of accessories they have to add to the final touch: Lamps, candle holders, bar stools, T.V stands, rugs and many unique decorating pieces.

John and Chad would like to invite you to come in and look around. “We take pride in offering friendly, old fashioned service, but we never pressure our customers,” says John. “Once people do visit us and see the selection we carry, along with our modest prices, they become repeat customers.”

Recently Showcase Furniture has expanded to open a used furniture store next door to offer even more furniture

options. Perhaps you have a piece of furniture that you are tired of or perhaps doesn’t fit your décor. Now you can trade it in on a piece you will love! One new piece of furniture can make your home look totally different. Invest in yourself and your home, where you spend most of you time.

You can view some of their furniture selections at www.showcasefurnishings.com or better, stop in their showroom and look around financing is available with no credit check.

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in conjunction with the 2016 Lake-Sumter New Home & Remodeling Expo, is proud to sponsor the

American Heroes Walk AMERICAN

Take a 10 minute walk around Veterans Memorial Park

Walk for Those Who Stood Up for Us!

Ro-Mac Lumber & Supply has pledged a $5.00 donation for the first 2,000 people who make this 10 minute walk.

The American Heroes Walk Sponsored by Habitat for Humanity Lake-Sumter, FL

At 11am Habitat for Humanity Lake-Sumter, FL will present a special Saluting Our Veterans Ceremony on the Main Stage at Veterans Memorial Park to honor those veterans who have served with valor. Special presentations will be made to veterans who have served but have not been recognized for their sacrifices.

The Home Builders Association of Lake-Sumter will be sponsoring a Veterans Barbeque Lunch with all proceeds going to benefit Habitat’s Veterans Housing Program.

The American Heroes Walk hosted by Habitat for Humanity Lake-Sumter, Florida is an event to support veterans housing in Lake and Sumter Counties. The walk will be held Saturday, March 5th from 8am - 3pm in Veterans Memorial Park at 400 West Meadow Street in Leesburg. The American Heroes Walk is being held in conjunction with the 2016 Lake-Sumter New Home & Remodeling Expo at the National Guard Amory, adjacent to Veterans Memorial Park.

Ro-Mac Lumber & Supply has made a pledge of $5.00 per person for the first 2,000 people who make the short walk around the beautiful Veterans Memorial Park. Each walker will be presented with a beautiful “God Bless Our Troops” lapel pin showing they have completed the walk and support of our veterans. Sponsorship opportunities for companies, individuals, and groups are available and Habitat for Humanity Lake-Sumter, Florida welcomes all volunteers. To help or for more information on this event, call Danielle Stroud at 352-483-0434 x-133.

All events on this page are held in conjunction with the

Saturday, March 5th, 8am to 3pm Leesburg National Guard Armory 400 W Meadow St - Leesburg, Florida Admission and Parking are FREE

Additional Information can be found on the Habitat for Humanity Lake-Sumter, Florida website at www.HabitatLS.org The 2016 Lake-Sumter New Home & Remodeling Expo is hosted by Ro-Mac Lumber & Supply along with our Media Partners and Sponsors

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BUILDING A

DREAM

HOME without nightmares There’s something special about buying a plot of land and building a house. However, there is much to do before you open the door and say, “Honey, I’m home.”

STORY: LEIGH NEELY

A

ccording to reports from the Home Buying Institute, the rise in the job market could mean more home building for 2016. If rates go up, consider the overall cost of the mortgage and gauge the slight difference it will make in the end. You may decide the difference is negligible. It’s still a good time to build a home in Lake or Sumter counties.

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CONTACT THE CONTRACTOR

With the decision to build comes the time for research before hiring a contractor. Do due diligence so you don’t end up building your disappointment instead of your home.

The old saying “if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is” definitely applies to this situation. According to the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, there were 440 complaints filed in their office involving unlicensed contractors. Be sure you your builder or developer’s licenses. In November, a sting operation in Okaloosa County netted 11 arrests of unlicensed individuals.

Why is it important to hire a licensed contractor? Most importantly, it’s the law. Every contractor must have a license. This means that person has the necessary education, experience, insurance, and qualifications to apply for the license. Once an application is made,

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the contractor must pass a stringent examination to receive a license.

There are a number of websites available to verify licensing information, where you can search by name, license number, city or county, or license type.

All these records are public and accessible to anyone.

Just remember, a license is required for any work on homes or property— electrician, plumber, general contractor, and so on. There are no exceptions, whether you’re building, getting repairs done, or remodeling. A licensed contractor knows the proper procedures and permits needed.

To make this process easier, contact the Home Builders Association of LakeSumter. As executive director, Lisa Templin-Rayborn placed the issue of unlicensed contractors at the top of her priorities.

All the builders participating in the Parade of Homes are vetted, with no

exceptions. Chartered in 1973, HBA of Lake-Sumter includes Lake and Sumter counties. Members of this local association are also members of the Florida Home Builders Association and the National Association of Home Builders.

“They must pay dues and have a license,” Templin-Rayborn says. “It’s not just a matter of joining. They have to meet requirements. Associate members include the ancillary businesses like real estate companies, title companies, and so forth.”

To ensure the work done on your home follows proper guidelines, look for a licensed and bonded builder. A bonded contractor purchases a surety bond or a type of insurance policy that protects the homeowner. If the contractor fails to complete the job as required, the bond protects and compensates the owner.

Having these kinds of guarantees is essential. To find a contractor who is

IF I HAD A HAMMER Statistics from the Department of Labor indicate Florida added more construction jobs in 2015 than any other state except California. However, local construction companies say the need far outweighs the demand.

Dr. Diane Culpepper, director of Lake Technical College in Eustis, said the school is taking steps to meet these demands through education.

“When the recession came about, a lot of those tradespeople left. They went to Texas and other places,” Culpepper said. “We’re in the process of putting together a short program that would give students a basic introduction to the construction trade industry.”

The school received a small grant from the Florida Department of Education to fund the program. Culpepper said plans are now to create a 100-hour curriculum with recommendations coming from a local committee made up of construction industry leaders, including members of the Home Builders Association of Lake-Sumter.

There are also plans to incorporate studies for GED into the program for those who have the need. “Hopefully we can help them see the need for further education by using things like ‘construction math,’ which will give them something they’re interested in. This will help us introduce them to geometry and why it’s important,” Culpepper said. “Whether it’s reading blueprints, technical manuals, or

anything like that, we’ll cover it.”

Presently, Lake Tech offers training in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC). This will become a part of the curriculum, which will also include an introduction to electrical, carpentry, plumbing, and other skills for building trades. With the growth of the program, plans are to make it a complete Building Technology Program by 2017. The goal of Lake Tech, as always, is to prepare technicians for work in the community where they live.

Culpepper said the school also has a new curriculum developer to work with the construction leaders so the program fits the needs of local builders and developers and meets education standards.

“We have a small campus in Mascotte, an old elementary school, where the program will be housed. This is great because much of the new growth is occurring in the southern part of Lake County,” Culpepper said.

Right now, a plumbing apprentice program is held at the school, and it is headquarters for the maintenance team for the schoolboard, which Culpepper said they could help staff.

With the aging of those in the building trade, it’s imperative that younger generations step up to take their place. With the implementation of a building trades’ curriculum, Lake Technology College hopes to lay the foundation for success.

licensed and bonded, go to lakesumterhba.com and follow the tips offered for hiring a contractor. You’ll also be able to see and understand what is expected of a licensed contractor.

Verify that your contractor is insured, and don’t be intimidated into signing a contract. You are the head of your home-building project. You are the one in charge who has the ultimate say on decisions. Beware of contractors who offer “good deals” in exchange for free advertising.

“The builders in this area are building themselves back up after the housing crisis,” Templin-Rayborn explains.

“With the excellent leadership team we have, we now have the opportunity to provide great services for local builders.

We’ve seen a lot of growth in the area, and now most of it is planned growth.

Sumter County is one of the fastest growing counties in the country, and there are plans for thousands of new homes in Minneola.”

Most reputable contractors have websites and ready access to information about their business and its quality. Always ask for references. If the contractor is unwilling to provide references, or if the person you call doesn’t provide a good reference, look no further. These red flags mean it’s time to move on in your selection process.

This year’s Parade of Homes takes place Feb. 27 through March 6, featuring a variety of homes in various places to give residents a look at the work of local contractors.

TAKING THE NEXT STEP

Being a homeowner has its privileges, but it also means significant responsibilities. Property taxes are due annually and significant penalties can occur with late filing or failure to file.

Property tax is the only major tax common to all 50 states, and it is the oldest tax in the United States. According to polls of Americans, it is the second worst tax, but it has undeniable value to the community where you live.

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The Lake County Property Appraiser recently received an award from the International Association of Assessing Office for its website. The organization called it “a website that is transparent and easily understood.” Carey Baker, who was elected property appraiser of Lake County in 2012, has included information for prospective homebuyers, as well.

“One important item every homeowner should be aware of is what possible exemptions there are to minimize the tax burden,” says Baker. “If you’re a fulltime owner and residence, you get a homestead exemption.

Another exemption available is a possible disability or limited income senior disability.”

Other exemptions found on the website include the military/veterans and widow/widower exemption. Applications must be submitted by March 1 of the

year the homeowner exemption is requested to begin.

Apply by mail, in person at one of the two offices of the Lake County Property

Appraiser, or online for the homestead exemption. Carefully read the instructions regarding the exemption you seek to ensure you do

HELPFUL WEBSITES HOMEBUILDERS ASSOCIATION OF LAKE COUNTY

HOMEADVISOR

www.lakesumterhba.com

www.homeadvisor.com

FLORIDA HOMEBUILDERS ASSOCIATION

FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION

Publications for homebuyers and homeowners

www.consumer.ftc.gov

www.fhba.com

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF HOMEBUILDERS

Home improvement articles and tips

Consumer information site

FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL REGULATION To verify professional licenses online

Resources for consumers

www.myfloridalicense.com

www.nahb.org

FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND CONSUMER SERVICES

FREEADVICE Answers for legal question concerning construction

real-estate-law.freeadvice.com/ construction

freshfromflorida.com/DivisionsOffices/Licensing

2016 PARADE OF HOMES Feb. 26 – March 6

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exactly what is required.

For those purchasing a new home in the area, there is a wealth of information in one convenient location.

“Prospective homeowners should consider my website an excellent resource for almost everything that pertains to an individual home. If you’re looking for a particular home, from my website you can find out where the closest school, fire station, police station, or library is,” Baker says.

“You can find out when your trash is picked up or who provides your water and electric. All that information is available on the website for those shopping for a home.”

If you’re thinking of selling your home, Baker’s website can aid in that effort, too. “It can be used to determine the value of your home. We have a feature that shows the values of homes sold in your neighborhood for the past three years,” Baker adds. “You can do your own price comparison.”

Whatever you may encounter while deciding to build or buy a home in Lake or Sumter counties, there are places to find the answers you need.

THE 6th ANNUAL 2016 LAKE-SUMTER

New Home&Remodeling Expo Saturday, March 5th, 8am to 3pm, Leesburg National Guard Armory In Historic Downtown Leesburg ~ 400 W Meadow Street ~ Admission is FREE and Parking is FREE

Over 50 Builders, Remodelers, and Suppliers on Display!

ALSO AT THE EXPO, GARDENING AND LANDSCAPING SEMINARS BY

Jonathan Squires “THE BAREFOOT GARDENER”

The 2016 Lake-Sumter New Home&Remodeling Expo has something for everyone, so bring the whole family!

We have over 50 Builders, Remodelers and Suppliers displaying their products and services at this year’s New Home & Remodeling Expo. They will each be giving away door prizes throughout the day. You must register at their booth first.

The American Heroes Walk - Register and take a lap around Veterans Memorial Park, from 8am to 3pm. Ro-Mac Lumber & Supply will donate $5 per person for the first 2,000 people to complete the walk, to Habitat’s Veterans Village Project. It’s FREE to participate.

Veterans BBQ Lunch and a raffle for a GAS BBQ GRILL giveaway - sponsored by the Home Builders Association of LakeSumter. All proceeds go to the Veterans Village Project.

Music and Prizes and Cash — Oh My!

Jonathan Squires is the owner of Just Perfect Plants and a recognized lawn and garden expert.

Jonathan will be presenting two free seminars at the 2016 New Home & Remodeling Expo at 10am and Noon on Saturday, March 5th in front of the Expo. If last year’s crowd is any indication, you will want to come early to get a good place.

Jonathan will be presenting seminars on The Incredible Edible Garden, utilizing vegetable plants as a part of the home’s landscaping, and No Lawn Landscape where he will show homeowners how to have a beautiful yard without a traditional lawn. Jonathan will be available all day at the Expo to answer all of your gardening and landscaping questions. He will also be displaying some of the newest plant varieties available from Just Perfect Plants.

Jonathan Squires is a renowned expert on Florida-Friendly gardening and his techniques for weed and pest control help protect Florida’s sensitive ecosystem. The Barefoot Gardner believes chemicals are to be used very sparingly and he will show you how to enhance and protect your plants naturally. This is one of the area’s most popular seminars and it’s FREE to attend.

- LHS Jazz Band performing 9am - 2pm - Over 50 Door Prizes to give away -

$1,000 CA$H Grand Prize Drawing at 3pm!

The 2016 Lake-Sumter New Home & Remodeling Expo is hosted by Ro-Mac Lumber & Supply, along with Our Media Partners and Sponsors

For More Information contact Rebecca Ballash at at 352.787.4545 ext-325 or go to RomacLumber.com

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Featuring

TIME TO DOWNSIZE?

While some may view downsizing as a step backward, many in The Villages feel it’s a step toward freedom.

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MEET A VILLAGER Legacy of dance.

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IN THE VILLAGES Learn to LOL. PAGE 6

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meet a villager STORY: SHEMIR WILES

LEGACY OF

DANCE

Even though she’s retired, Marjorie Blakely shows no signs of slowing down when it comes to her first love: dance.

Anyone meeting Marjorie Blakely for the first time may pick up pretty quickly that she’s a dancer. She carries her self with poise, sophistication, and confidence. Plus, she’s a perfectionist at heart.

In many ways, dance is a part of her, and if it weren’t for her mother signing her up for dance classes in 1943, she may not have known it was her calling to be a dancer and later, a dance instructor. “My children ask me all the time, ‘Why are you still teaching?’ My answer is because I love it. Dance is in my blood,” Marjorie says and smiles. “As a teacher, I enjoy watching people improve.”

Marjorie has been teaching ballet, tap, and jazz classes at The Villages Lifelong Learning College for six years; however, her career began decades earlier as a dancer. All through high school, she performed with her brother Gary. They were known for their endearing duets and dramatic Apache dance routine.

In 1953, Marjorie and her brother opened Marge & Gary Dance Studio in Buffalo, New York. She was only 17 at the time.

“It was at the top of a three-story building and we had a floor for dancing, a staging area, and a piano,” she said. “We didn’t have dance records at that time.”

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When her brother went into the Army, she downsized her studio.

Then after a few years—and after marrying her husband, Harvey—she moved her studio to North Tonawanda, New York, where it’s still operated by her daughter, Lynda Cox, and granddaughter, Andria Harrington.

She reflects fondly on her time in New York, recalling the many summers that she went to New York City to learn the latest dance techniques and watch musical shows for inspiration. The city is where she learned jazz and disco, when it was a popular dance craze. It’s also where she perfected her acrobatic skills.

When asked if she had notable students, she quickly pulls out a newspaper clipping of a photograph that shows a small boy peering through her studio’s window.

“Do you know who that is?

That’s Michael Bennett. He’s probably best known for directing and choreographing ‘A Chorus Line.’

I was his first dance teacher,” she said. “I knew his parents didn’t have much money so I let him take classes for free.”

That is just one of the many memories she keeps neatly tucked away in folders and binders in her Village of Mallory home. But now, she gets to make new memories teaching adult dance classes three days a week in The Villages, as well as teaching liturgical dance at the First Presbyterian Church in Wildwood.

“I like that I get to teach people at their level. I have beginning, intermediate, and advanced classes,” she

says. “I especially love ballet because it keeps you strong, improves your posture, and keeps you toned. I find a lot of people in The Villages do it for exercise. But I also like to push tap, because it’s also good exercise.”

Marjorie is strict when it comes to making sure her students learn the technical aspects of ballet, jazz, and tap. However, at the end of the day, she tells them the feet aren’t nearly as important as style. She’s found teaching adults is much different than children; the techniques are the same but the approach is different. Nevertheless, she still loves teaching just as much as she did more than 60 years ago. That’s why there are no plans to hang up her dancing shoes.

“I’ll never stop,” Marjorie says and smiles, “as long as my legs will hold me up.”

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this ‘n’ that STORY: FRED HILTON

LET ME FIX YOUR COM-PUTE-OR Like many people in The Villages, I can remember the telephone as a much less-sophisticated instrument.

The first phone I used was the kind where an operator said “Number please” when you picked up. Our telephone number didn’t have 10 digits. It was simply 725-W. Our neighbors on the party line

ABOUT THE WRITER

Fred Hilton spent 36 years as the chief public relations officer/spokesman for James Madison University in Virginia and 10 years prior as a reporter and editor for The Roanoke Times in Roanoke, Virginia.

He is now happily retired in The Villages with his interior designer wife, Leta, their Cadillac Escalade golf cart, and their dog, Paris. (Yes, that makes her Paris Hilton).

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were 752-L and 762-J. Next came the rotary dial, then push-button phones. Later there were car phones, clunky bag phones, and cellphones the size of a small ham.

Today’s cellphones are smaller than a deck of cards and do everything but give foot massages.

The only exception to the superiority: telephone solicitors.

They are the scourge of the 21st century. They come at you in droves—a lot like lovebugs. You can squash a love bug but phone solicitors are considerably tougher.

Traditional methods of dealing with them seldom work. Don’t talk to me about the “Do Not Call List.”

It’s a typical government project—costs taxpayers a fortune and doesn’t work.

You can scream at them, curse them, hang up on them, or breathe heavily on the line. Nothing bothers them.

So I decided rather than struggle with telephone solicitors I would have some fun with them. Don’t get angry. Play with them.

For example, the most exasperating of all of them is the one who says he magically knows there is a problem with your computer. Lucky you, he’s willing to fix it if you just turn your computer over to him. Incidentally, the solicitor pronounces the word computer as “com-PUTEor” in a fashion that makes it clear he’s not from Texas or Alabama.

One way of enjoying your call with the so-called computer expert is to act stupid. Say, for example, “My computer can’t possibly have a virus; I’ve had my flu shot.” Other possibilities in the stupid response category include: “How do you spell ‘www’?”

“Is Dot Com her real name or is it

Dorothy Com?” “If you fix my computer will I be able to play the violin?” (I know it makes absolutely no sense but it throws the com-PUTE-or guy off.)

There are other options to try.

When the caller says he can repair your computer, give out a big whoop and exclaim, “Great! My computer was stolen a week ago and you’ve found it. When can you bring it back?”

You can do your best backwoods accent and say, “We ain’t got no computer but I got a sump pump that needs work.”

Finally, there’s the ultimate response: “Sorry, the dog ate my computer.”

Another telephone solicitor who is fun to play with is a recording.

You’ve all gotten these calls. The recordings are clever and for a minute or two, you believe you’re talking to someone.

The calls always begin with the recording saying, “My name is so and so. How are you?”

You semi-automatically say “Fine.”

The recording then says “Great” and proceeds with the pitch.

Try saying something like “I’m fine except for the arrow that just passed through my skull.” The computer program will pick up on the word “fine” and say “great” before making the pitch.

Another fun response is to answer the recording in a foreign language.

“No habla ingles” is a good response as is “Ich spreche kein Englisch.” Do this and sometimes the recording will just say, “excuse me” and hang up.

Cursing will often work for these calls, as will babbling like a caveman.

When all else fails there’s always the ever-popular “Sorry, the dog ate my phone.”

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Costs of trip including airfare and expenses will be reimbursed up to $500 after the buyer closes on a Minto home. Purchase must be made within 90 days of Stay & Play visit. Receipts for airfare and expenses must be submitted in order to be reimbursed for exact expenditures. The reimbursement cost is not to exceed $500. © Minto Communities, LLC 2016. All rights reserved. Content may not be reproduced, copied, altered, distributed, stored or transferred in any form or by any means without express written permission. Artist’s renderings, dimensions, specifications, prices and features are approximate and subject to change without notice. Minto, the Minto logo, LakePark, the LakePark logo, Sun City Center and the Sun City Center logo are trademarks of Minto Communities, LLC and/or its affiliates. CGC1519880 2/2016

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in the villages STORY: SHEMIR WILES

LOL LEARN TO

(LAUGH OUT LOUD) THE LAUGHING YOGA CLUB IN THE VILLAGES BELIEVES ACHIEVING GOOD HEALTH AND A POSITIVE ATTITUDE IS SOMETHING TO LAUGH AT. I’m known for a lot of things. I’m known for being quiet until you get to know me, having a unique name that’s hard to forget, and being too sarcastic for my own good. I’m also known for having a pretty distinct laugh. It’s a kind of high-pitched, obnoxious cackle, and I use it often and at the most inappropriate times.

Luckily for me during our interview, I fit right in with Ginger and Pona Das, two Villagers who love to “LOL” as much as I do. They are also the founders of The Villages’ Laughing Yoga Club, a group that promotes laughter as the best medicine—literally.

“Laughing releases endorphins that help with pain, stress, and depression,” says Ginger. “It also helps expel dead air so you can get more oxygen.”

The idea to form the club happened five years ago when Pona went to India to visit family. His sister went to temple every day with a crowd of people following her. Soon, he had to ask what was going on.

“She said they were having a laughing club. I was floored. Everyone was having such a good time and people became friendlier with each other,” he said. “So I came home and talked to my wife about it and we started studying and practicing.”

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Dr. Madan Kataria, a medical doctor from India, developed laughing yoga, or laughter yoga.

The concept is based on scientific evidence that the body benefits physiologically and psychologically from laughter, whether it is real or fake. Both proponents of self-healing, Pona and Ginger laud the health benefits of laughter. Ginger said laughter helped her cope with recent health issues and helped Pona rebound quickly when he suffered a stroke two years ago.

In addition to the physical benefits of laughter, Ginger explains that laughter is great for combating negativity. The couple believes in encouraging positivity. Even when they argue, which is rare, they try to diffuse the situation with laughter and lightheartedness.

Their infectious positivity may be the reason why since 2012, the Laughing Yoga Club has grown to more than 40 members. Many are physically challenged, explains Ginger, so they tend to do stretches and other low-impact exercises while sitting. However, the main idea is no matter what they do they must laugh and maintain their fits of laughter for 20 minutes.

To keep the giggles rolling, Ginger, Pona, and other members use jokes, funny skits, and various laughing exercises. By the end of the 20 minutes, everyone is exhausted but happier than when they came in. Even when the meeting is finished, Ginger says they urge everyone to continue laughing daily.

“Pona and I laugh every day at home. We don’t wait for class,” she says and smiles. “It’s been great because this club allowed us to meet new people and make new friends. We’re at a time in our life where every day is a blessing and laughing helps us get through each day.”

WANT TO JOIN?

The Laughing Yoga Club meets at 4 p.m. the fourth Saturday of each month at the Hibiscus Recreation Center. For more information, call 352.674.9212 or email ponaginger395@aol.com.

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352.775.4515

1064 LAKE SUMTER LANDING, THE VILLAGES www.dentistryonthesquare.com

Robert Pellosie DMD :: Linda Pellosie DMD :: Kenneth Cohrn DDS

DOWN IS IT TIME TO

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NSIZE? While some may view downsizing as a step backward, many in The Villages feel it’s a step toward freedom, and making the transition a trendy one is the increasing popularity of villas.

STORY: SHEMIR WILES

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wning a home means significant responsibilities. Keeping up the outside with landscaping and then taking care of the interior on top of that can be a lot on a homeowner’s shoulders.

Therefore, it isn’t surprising that more and more Villagers, as they age, are making the difficult but necessary decision to downsize.

Sometimes downsizing means getting rid of clutter, but for some, downsizing means moving into

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something a bit more manageable, like a villa.

According to Bob Woodsford, Realtor and manager at the Foxfire Realty office in Lady Lake,

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50 percent of his yearly sells are villas. It’s a trend growing among seasonal residents and those looking to downsize.

“People move three times in The Villages,” he says. “People will first come here and get in some type of villa because they’re only here during the winter. Then when they decide to move down here permanently, they’ll buy a ranch or designer home for more room and sit in it for about 10 to 15 years before deciding to downsize into a villa again.”

For Dianne Trenery and her husband Jack, they skipped the seasonal villa and jumped straight into a home. When they moved to The Villages in 2010, their initial idea was to buy a smaller home than what they had in Illinois.

However, when their home up North sold faster than they ex-

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50 percent of [his] yearly sells are villas. It’s a trend growing among seasonal residents and those looking to downsize.

‘‘

— BOB WOODSFORD, REALTOR AND MANAGER, FOXFIRE REALTY

TIPS FOR DOWNSIZING SUCCESSFULLY 1. PLAN, PLAN, PLAN. Don’t wait to decide what needs to go and when you should make the transition. Planning means less mistakes and better communication, reducing any conflicts between couples and families.

2. FIGURE OUT WHAT YOU WANT. Lifestyle needs need to be determined before downsizing.

For example, how much space do you want? Do you still want a good-sized yard? Do you want to stay in the same area or do you want to move some place new?

3. DETERMINE PURPOSE. When sorting through your personal items, be sure to edit yourself so you don’t bring too much to your new space.

4. KEEP OUT THE CLUTTER. No one needs five pairs of scissors or two cable cords. Trash the duplicates and implement smartstorage solutions to keep your new home from looking jumbled.

5. GO FOR QUALITY OVER QUANTITY. Sometimes it’s best to invest in a quality statement piece for a room than trying to cram several small pieces of furniture into one space. Also, if you are looking to buy new furniture, opt for multipurpose items. For example, if you want an ottoman, buy one that has a removable top for additional storage space.

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do all sorts of things to maintain our homes. However, now that we’re older our joints are painful and overall, it’s just more difficult to get things done.”

Therefore, the couple decided the best thing to do would be to downsize and begin searching for a villa. They knew they wanted a courtyard villa that was an end unit.

“We wanted to still have plenty of yard in case we wanted to a do a bit of gardening. We also knew we still wanted a three-bedroom

When you buy in The Villages, you’re buying a lifestyle and being active is part of that lifestyle.

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pected, they had only three weeks to find a place, and eventually settled into a designer home. “It was smaller than what we had up North, but it was still a nice-sized home,” says Dianne.

The 2,000-square-feet, 3-bed/2bath abode wasn’t their dream home, but they did a series of upgrades to make it into something they loved, such as adding granite countertops and additional landscaping.

Putting blood, sweat, and tears into customizing their home

— BOB WOODSFORD, REALTOR AND MANAGER, FOXFIRE REALTY

wasn’t anything unusual for the couple. However, Dianne said there were no plans to move again.

For four years, they lived happily in the home they thought would be their last until a series of health scares had them re-evaluating their living situation.

“We started thinking about what if something happened to one of us. It would be a lot more maintenance for just one person,” says Dianne. “Plus, our ability to do what we could in the past isn’t the same. We’ve always had huge yards with landscaping, and up North, we would shovel snow and

home and a cement block home,” says Dianne. “And the nice thing about an end unit is there was more space. There is about eight feet between your home and your neighbor’s home, so we didn’t want someone right on top of us.

We also knew we wanted a villa in a peaceful area that was still close to all the activities I like to do.”

It only took a couple of months before they found a courtyard villa near The Village of St. Charles. It wasn’t their initial choice of style but they liked the land. At 1,600 square feet, Dianne says it’s plenty of room for her and her husband.

After almost two years, they still love it.

“It’s centrally located for the things I want to do, and unless you entertain constantly or have family visit a lot, it’s just the right amount of space,” Dianne says. “I mean what do you need the space for? Why spend the time taking care of a house when you can spend it having fun?”

Woodsford says many Villagers echo Dianne’s sentiments. Villas are low maintenance, meaning there’s more time for extracurricular activities.

“When you buy in The Villages,” he says, “you’re buying a lifestyle and being active is part of that lifestyle.”

Woodsford explains that those considering a villa should really understand what they want. There are two villa styles: patio and courtyard. The main difference between the two is courtyard villas have enclosed backyards and patio villas don’t. For pet owners, Woodsford says a courtyard villa is best. In addition, patio villas tend to be smaller than courtyard villas, which go up to 2,000 square feet, and patios are wood frame and siding only while courtyards can be wood and siding or concrete block and stucco.

For those planning to be seasonal, Woodford says villas are great because locking up and shutting off the water is all that’s needed before taking off. With a home, there’s more property to worry about when away. An added bonus for seasonal residents is many choose to rent their homes while they’re away, which helps cover the villa’s costs.

Villas also foster a sense of neighborly love. “Neighbors tend to get a little closer and build a group when they live in villas,” says Woodsford. “They like the personal attention they get from their neighbors and they look out for one another.”

Dianne says the one thing she and her husband love about villa living is the fact they have a home and their independence. Her friends who have villas have nothing but great things to say about them.

“The ultimate decision to downsize is yours, but I can say for me, it has given me the time to focus on my health,” she says, “and be there for my husband.”

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book club STORY: KATHY PORTER

THE INVENTION OF WINGS FREEDOM-SEEKING AMERICAN WOMEN Charleston, South Carolina, in the early 1800s was a teeming port city and home to wealthy landowners and merchants. The Grimkés were a highly respected, wealthy family who owned a plantation, a mansion in town, and many slaves.

We meet Sarah Grimké on her 11th birthday when she witnesses the scourging of a slave.

She is forever traumatized by the act and develops a serious stutter. For her birthday, Sarah is mortified when presented with 10-yearold Handful as her personal slave, a gift she tries to refuse but is forced to accept.

The bond between Sarah and Handful grows.

They both suffer extreme consequences when Sarah teaches Handful to read despite it being against the law. Sarah becomes godmother to her young sister Angelina. Over the next three decades, Sarah and Angelina give up their family, religion, and the conventions of society to become abolitionists, Quakers, and a voice for women’s rights. Handful never stops trying to defy the system that enslaves her.

Although Handful is a fictional character, the Grimké sisters are actual heroines who were the first female abolitionists and champions of women’s rights. Sarah was an eloquent writer and Angelina a dynamic speaker despite being castigated by the Quakers who felt their public appearances, which drew huge crowds of both men and women, were highly inappropriate.

Facilitators Mary Jo Johnson and Kay DeRousse were outstanding with their research on the Grimké sisters and even procured pictures of them. Although purported to be beautiful Southern belles, their pictures did not corroborate that description.

The story is told in alternating chapters between Handful and Sarah. Some members felt that made the story difficult to follow.

Others had great difficultly reading about the inhumane treatment of slaves.

The group discussed the use of numerous

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BOOK CLUB

Club chairwoman Kathy Porter can be contacted at 352.259.8196 or kathyporter@comcast.net.

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It is a fascinating read about the two most famous and infamous women of their time.

—Carroll Allen Buttonwood

symbols in the novel and had definitive ideas as to the meaning of each. They felt the black triangles on the story quilt made by Handful’s mother represented wings and a flight to freedom. Handful’s “spirit tree” in the backyard meant safety, comfort, and family history. Sarah’s silver button represented her hopes and dreams. The ocean provided a way for both Handful and Sarah to escape and be free.

When asked about their favorite quotes from the book, members jumped at the chance to read a passage they felt was meaningful.

The group felt the title perfectly conveyed the essence of the book and this carefully crafted, historical novel should be on everyone’s must-read list.

About the Author Born in 1948, Sue Monk Kidd grew up in Georgia during the civil rights movement and those experiences helped shape her as a writer. She earned her B.S. in nursing from Christian University and later took creative writing courses at Emory University and Anderson College.

Kidd was in her 40s when she turned to writing fiction. Her first novel, “The Secret Life of Bees,” spent two-and-half years on the New York Times bestseller list.

In addition, she authored several memoirs, including one with her daughter Ann Kidd Taylor. “The Invention of Wings” is her third novel. Kidd says, “Race matters to me, as does gender. There is something about these kinds of social injustices that go to the deep of me.”

Kidd also has a son Ben and resides in southwest Florida with her husband Sandy.

FICTION BESTSELLERS AS OF JAN 22

1. THE FORCE AWAKENS

by Alan Dean Foster

2. THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN

by Paula Hawkins

3. ALL THE LIGHT WE CANNOT SEE

by Anthony Doer

4. SCANDALOUS BEHAVIOR

by Stuart Woods

WHAT CLUB MEMBERS THOUGHT The book gave me faith in womankind; that even back in those dark, slavery ages there were moral, courageous people who stood up against society. I posted this quote from the book on my refrigerator for my husband, who is dealing with prostate cancer: “You can capture my body but not my soul.”

—Judy O’Hara, Belvedere Sue Monk Kidd was living in Charleston, South Carolina, in 2007 when she learned of two sisters who lived there during a different time. This book chronicles their lives and those of the slaves in their household. It is a fascinating read about the two most famous and infamous women of their time. I especially like the author’s notes at the end where she tells you how she came to this story, her research, what was real, and where she embellished it. A very good read.

—Carroll Allen, Buttonwood Many of us were surprised to learn the novel we read was based on the true-life abolitionists/women’s rights activists Sarah and Angelina Grimke. The South Carolina sisters were prominent in U.S. history some 30 years prior to the Civil War and years before the well-known “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” was published. Not to mention decades

ahead of the Seneca convention that marks the beginning of women’s rights. Unfortunately, they have faded into obscurity. Hopefully, Sue Monk Kidd’s novel will correct that. Her moving and elegant descriptions of the horrors of slavery bring the early 1800s vividly to life.

—Jo Fenstermaker, Winifred Yin and yang Sarah and Handful White and black Love and hate Good? And evil?

Flight and fright “The Invention of Wings”

5. MY NAME IS LUCY BARTON

by Elizabeth Strout

6. ROGUE LAWYER

by John Grisham

7. THE NIGHTINGALE

by Kristin Hannah

—Anne Uhler, Duval I learned something as a result of reading “The Invention of Wings.” I was born and grew up in Philadelphia, went to Philadelphia public schools K through 12, graduated from Temple University, a Philadelphia college. Although I had a fair knowledge of the Quakers and their abolitionist stance, I had no idea they were so restrictive toward their female members. My education continues. Thank you, Sue Monk Kidd!

—Nancy Molnar, Winifred

8. SEE ME

by Nicholas Sparks

9. THE GUILTY

by David Baldacci

10. THE BITTER SEASON

by Tami Hoag

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Central Florida Pet Crematory offers a way for pet owners to provide the respect and loyalty after death that their pet freely gave them in life.

– Janet Erwin

For the love of

ANIMALS Lisa Elliott Crematory Director

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On the

scene THE TO-DO LIST LOCAL TALENT SOCIAL SPOTLIGHT OUT + ABOUT HI, SOCIETY!

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On the scene // the to-do list

FEBRuar 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

EVENTS FEB. 3

LEESBURG MARDI GRAS—REVERSE DRAW

The final dash for King Rex and Queen Divine votes occurs this evening. Raffle winners announced and prizewinners revel publicly in their stupendous luck.

Held at the lovely Opera House in downtown Leesburg, it’s sure to be a night of good fun. Get your fill of food, drink, and dancing. No cover charge for this event; save your money for raffle tickets.

For more information, call 352.365.0053. 6 p.m. 108 S. Fifth St., Leesburg.

FEB. 5

LEESBURG MARDI GRAS—CROWNING EVENT In its 19th year, this ball is the center of Leesburg Mardi Gras festivities.

King Rex and Queen Divine are crowned with plenty of pomp at the Leesburg National Guard Armory.

This is a formal affair, so dress with plenty of flair.

For more information, call 352.365.0053. 7 p.m.

400 W. Meadow St., Leesburg.

FEB. 6

19TH ANNUAL MARDI GRAS— PARTY IN THE STREET

The jazziest street party this side of Lake Pontchartrain comes to Main Street Leesburg for the 19th consecutive year.

Twelve hours of parades, beads, and performers.

There will be food vendors, live music, and all of your friends. Make sure you don’t miss it! For more information, visit leesburgmardigras.com or call 352.365. 0053. 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Main St., Leesburg.

FEB. 6

12TH ANNUAL TAVARES AFRICAN AMERICAN HERITAGE FESTIVAL & PARADE

A true celebration, this local tradition honors the contributions and achievements of African Americans in and for our community. There will be food and vendors of all sorts. Come to Wooton Park and spend your day at this free cultural event. For more information, call 352.406.9608. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 200 S. Rockingham Ave., Tavares.

FEB. 11

LEESBURG CHAMBER OF COMMERCE RIBBON CUTTING That! Company has a new location, and it’s ribbon-cutting time. Join local dignitaries and the Leesburg Chamber of Commerce for the grand

opening of the Internet marketing company’s new site. Call the chamber at 352.787.2131 for more information. 5 to 7 p.m., 4046 Via Del Medico, Leesburg.

FEB. 13

“A LURE FOR LOVE” PET EXPO AND FUNDRAISER

Mount Dora’s Elizabeth Evans Parks is going to the dogs...and their owners couldn’t be happier.

This is the second year Paws for Mount Dora is downtown. This year it features a Swift Paws automated dog lure course and an agility course.

It’s a free event with food and other vendors.

Visit their website, pawsformountdora.com for information, and to see which downtown establishments welcome pooches during the event. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. 100 N. Donnelly St., Mount Dora.

FEB. 12

Winefest XXVI

As if you need a reason to raise a glass, Lakeridge Winery is hosting their beloved wine fest, a three-day procession of the best our area has to offer. Come try their award-winning wines.

Lakeridge events always have a great selection of food and showcase unique artisans. Winery tours are available during events and since it includes tastings, don’t neglect having a looksee. Entry comes with a $2 donation. For more information, call 352.394.8627 or email jiceberg@lakeridgewinery.com. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 19239 U.S. Hwy. 27 N., Clermont.

music at the Trout Lake Nature Center. Tickets are $50 per attendee. To register, go to universe. com/rookeryFeb.2016 or for more info, call 352.357.7536. 4:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. 520 E. County Road 44, Eustis.

FEB. 13

SUNSET ON TROUT LAKE

Looking for an easy way to spend a late winter night?

Come watch the birds return to roost against a beautiful Trout Lake sunset. The bonfire and a glass of wine will keep you nice and toasty.

Follow up with a good meal set to Florida folk

FEB. 18

9TH ANNUAL TRACTOR SHOW & PULL

Paquette’s Museum has planned three days of tractor-related fun. There is something for everyone at this event that feels like an old-timey county fair with tractor competitions and frying pan tosses, among other fun activities. A Neil Diamond tribute concert and a barbecue dinner are also on the weekend’s roster. Tickets are $15 daily. For a full look at the event, visit stewsihstuff.com or call 352.728.3588.

8 a.m. to 5 p.m. 615 S. Whitney Rd., Leesburg.

ry

show coming to you from Mount Dora’s initiative to bring nationally recognized live entertainment.

Tickets are $25 - $75. For more information, visit mountdoralive.com. 7 p.m. 520 N. Baker St., Mount Dora.

FEB. 18

BUSINESS AFTER HOURS

Business After Hours is hosted and sponsored by Occupational HealthLRMC. This is a great way to network and meet people from other area businesses. Call the chamber at 352.787.2131 for more information.

5:30 to 7 p.m., 550 E Dixie Ave., on the campus of LRMC, Leesburg.

FEB. 25

LEESBURG CHAMBER OF COMMERCE SUNRISE BREAKFAST

The monthly Sunrise Breakfast is today! Don’t miss a dynamic speaker and good fellowship with local businesspersons.

Call the Leesburg Chamber of Commerce at 352.787.2131 or visit www.leesburgchamber. com for more information. 7 to 8:30 a.m. at Leesburg Community Building, 201 E Dixie Ave., Leesburg.

MUSIC+THEATRE FEB. 2

AMBROSIA IN CONCERT

This event may make a great date-night surprise for the “biggest part of you.” Take a dose of nostalgia and join the popular 70s rock band at Mount Dora’s Community Building. Another great

FEB. 3

CALENDAR GIRLS

Sometimes a good cause requires you to bare all and Calendar Girls is a play just about that. It’s based on the true story of a group of women who disregarded what might be scandalous to pose nude for a calendar that benefited leukemia research. The Bay Street Players invite you to question what heroism looks like. Join them on Feb. 3 or check out some of their other dates by going to baystreetplayers. org. Tickets are $18 to $21.

For more information, call 352.357.7777 or email boxoffice@ baystreetplayers.org.

8 p.m. 109 N. Bay St., Eustis.

FEB. 4

FUNNY MONEY

You may remember the 2006 Chevy Chase film, but this farce was originally a British stage comedy written by Ray Cooney.

It’s a classic case of the switcheroo. After Henry Perkins finds his briefcase holding his cheese and chutney sandwich replaced with one stuffed with money, mayhem and hilarity ensue. The IceHouse Theatre invites you for a good laugh throughout February. For more information, call 352.383.4616 or email info@icehousetheatre. com 8 p.m. 1100 N. Unser St., Mount Dora.

FEB. 18

FLORIDA LAKES SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA SCOTTISH FANTASY

An unparalleled night of music is coming your way.

Fittingly hosted at St. Patrick Catholic Church, the performance features violin virtuoso Konstantin Dimitrov. Tickets are $42 in advance, $45 at the door, and $15 per student. For more information, call 352.589.1500. 7:30 p.m.

6803 Old Hwy. 441 S. (Highland St.), Mount Dora

FEB. 25

A CARPENTERS TRIBUTE

Paquette’s invites the public to this night of music from days gone by. Celebrate one unforgettable voice and one unforgettable duo with the sounds of The Carpenters Once More.

From the debut of this dynamic duo to the last of their public performances, this heartwarming show highlights hits like “Yesterday Once More.”

Tickets are only $14. For more information, call 352.728.3588. 6 p.m.

615 S. Whitney Road, Leesburg.

FEB. 6

Bird Count & Nature Walk

It’s great weather for a nature outing! Join expert birders Bob and Mary Wexler on this month’s bird survey at Trout Lake Nature Center. See nature at its finest! Florida during the cooler months is a perfect time to see birds in large numbers. Catch them before they leave in the spring. The duo has a lot to share about patterns and local wildlife.

For more information, call 352.357.7536 or email tlnc. info@gmail.com. 8 a.m. 520 E. County Road 44, Eustis.

ARTS+EXHIBITS FEB. 6

LADY LAKE ART IN THE PARK

Join the City of Lady Lake for a two-day showcase of local artists. This event is at Veteran’s Park. Look for the log cabin they call the red caboose. Browse the booths that display fine art and excellent craftsmanship. You’re sure to find a treasure.

Food vendors and live entertainment complete the experience. For more information, call 352.344.3440. Saturday, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. and Sunday, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Veteran’s Park, U.S. Hwy. 27/441, Lady Lake.

FEB. 12

39TH ANNUAL LEESBURG ART FESTIVAL

It’s been almost four decades since The Leesburg Center for the Arts introduced this beloved cultural event.

Come be a part of the tradition and enjoy beautiful downtown Leesburg. It’s a two-day affair with free admission.

For more information, call 352.365.0232. 10 a. m. - 5 p.m. Towne Square, Leesburg.

FEB. 19

RENNINGER’S ANTIQUE EXTRAVAGANZA

I’m certain you haven’t been to anything bigger.

With more than 800 booths, it’s Florida’s biggest antique show.

If you’re looking for a treasure, odds are in your favor. Vendors come from all over the U. S. offering varieties that ensure finding unique pieces. Friday to Sunday at Renninger’s Antique Center.

For more information, call 352.383.8393. 8 a.m.

- 5 p.m. 20651 U.S. Hwy. 441, Mount Dora.

FEB. 19

GUN SHOW

The gun show has come back to the Lake County Fairgrounds. This yearly event puts you in front of sellers and experienced firearm experts. Concealed weapons classes are offered both days for $69 and last about two-and-ahalf hours. Entry each day is $5. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 101 County Road 452, Eustis.

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INCONCERT

Loretta Lynn

PHOTO COURTESY OF CMT

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2/4 2/5 2/5 2/6 2/7 2/8 2/10 2/11 2/11 2/12 2/12 2/13 2/13 2/14 2/14 2/14 2/15 2/17 2/18 2/18 2/18 2/19 2/19 2/20 2/20 2/21 2/21 2/22 2/22 2/24 2/25 2/25 2/26 2/26 2/26 2/26 2/27 2/27 2/27 2/28 2/29 3/2

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7:30 p.m.

Tyler Haney Three Tenors Plus One Liquor Box Liquor Box Jon Cabrera Smooth Country Band Jeff Whitfield Tyler Haney Kelly Jarrard Kings County Chicken Train Da Boys Chicken Train Dennis Gallo Peter Nero Defenders of Daisies Smooth Country Band Jeff Whitfield Neil Diamond Tribute with Keith Allynn Florida Lakes Symphony Orchestra Kelly Jarrard Roxx Florida Lakes Symphony Orchestra Kings County Roxx Jon Cabrera Defenders of Daisies Loretta Lynn Smooth Country Band Jeff Whitfield Tyler Haney Kelly Jarrard Travis Tritt Grateful Hearts Mark Z Missin’ Piston Felix Cavaliere’s Rascals Da Boys Missin’ Piston Jon Cabrera Smooth Country Band Jeff Whitfield

1884 Restaurant and Bar, Eustis The Sharon, The Villages Shamrock Lounge, Leesburg Shamrock Lounge, Leesburg Ruby Street Grille, Tavares Olympia Banquets and Events, Mount Dora Ruby Street Grille, Tavares 1884 Restaurant and Bar, Eustis Ruby Street Grille, Tavares Ruby Street Grille, Tavares Shamrock Lounge, Leesburg Ruby Street Grille, Tavares Shamrock Lounge, Leesburg Ruby Street Grille, Tavares The Sharon, The Villages Ruby Street Grille, Tavares Olympia Banquets and Events, Mount Dora Ruby Street Grille, Tavares Paquette’s Farmall Tractor Museum, Leesburg St. Patrick Catholic Church, Mount Dora Ruby Street Grille, Tavares Shamrock Lounge, Leesburg Family Christian Center, Clermont Ruby Street Grille, Tavares Shamrock Lounge, Leesburg Ruby Street Grille, Tavares Ruby Street Grille, Tavares The Sharon, The Villages Olympia Banquets and Events, Mount Dora Ruby Street Grille, Tavares 1884 Restaurant and Bar, Eustis Ruby Street Grille, Tavares Mt. Dora Community Center The Sharon, The Villages 1884 Restaurant and Bar, Eustis Shamrock Lounge, Leesburg The Sharon, The Villages Ruby Street Grille, Tavares Shamrock Lounge, Leesburg Ruby Street Grille, Tavares Olympia Banquets and Events, Mount Dora Ruby Street Grille, Tavares

Bands subject to change. Email inconcert@ akersmediagroup.com to submit an event for In Concert. Submissions must be received by the ninth of the month prior to month of the event (example: February 9 for March issue).

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Kelly Jarrard

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Peter Nero

PHOTO BY DONNA BILLINGSLEY, COURTESY OF THE SHARON.COM

Travis Tritt

HOOPS Life

HOOPS Life is a fun and challenging youth program that uses the sport of basketball to bridge home, school, and life. From the child who has never dribbled a ball to a player with experience; The HOOPS Life program is designed to introduce how a team works with each individual involved becoming their best.

Sound too good to be true? Our HOOPS Life families have shared their surprise in how much impact that this program has made, not just on the court, but more importantly off the court.

Is it right for your child? Our HOOPS Life kids have shared, ‘The coaches make it fun and support us in getting to the next level. Each season we make more and more friends and enjoy playing together’.

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LOCAL TALENT

LOIS BRANDT WEBER

THE MEDIEVAL ART OF QUILLING STORY: LEIGH NEELY PHOTOS: FRED LOPEZ

Quilling is an ancient art form that dates back to the 15th century and may have started even earlier. For local artist Lois Brandt Weber, it’s a way to express herself and share her artistry with the world. However, that wouldn’t have happened if they hadn’t decided to end tap dancing class at Hawthorne at Leesburg.

“The gals here had been tap dancing for so long that at the end of the season, they said they weren’t going to do it anymore,” Lois said. “I knew I had an hour every day and I wondered what I was going to do. I went by the quilling room and I remembered I’d done that.

So when I went back up North, I went to Ben Franklin Crafts and Frame Shop and bought all the papers in all the colors. In six months I had 35 pictures done.”

The art of paper filigree, or quilling, is rolling or coiling thin strips of paper into various shapes and using the tiny pieces to create a design. Like doing tapestry, it was considered a fine art for the women of the 18th century. Because the designs are made with paper, not many of them are still around today, except in museums in New England and New York City. In an effort to have the art last longer, artists today use acid-free paper.

Lois always had an artistic nature.

She took classes in elementary and high school and got back into art as the mother of five children. “The doctor said the kids are driving you crazy, get out of

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the house. I took a class in oil painting at the YWCA, which was two blocks away,” Lois said.

With growing children, however, that venture didn’t last as long as the doctor hoped. She was soon busy being ‘Mom’s Taxi Service.’ Lois is also an avid dancer.

She did clogging and tap dancing.

“I taught country couples ballroom dancing, and at one point, line dancing.

I’m a dancer from way back when.”

Unfortunately, arthritis put an end to dancing for Lois, though she still serves as a mentor for the clogging group at Hawthorne. Painful wrists kept her from being able to knit or crochet, but the finger work involved in quilling is still manageable, and she generally works six to eight hours a day on her quilling. At 81, she’s not able to go to craft shows like she once did, though she still does the Leesburg Partnership’s Christmas House.

In addition to making ornaments, shadow boxes, and pictures of all sizes, Lois makes all kinds of jewelry— necklaces, earrings, designs in watch faces, bracelets, and pins. Lately, she has been duplicating designs from quilts for her ornaments and jewelry. She proudly displays her “no-man” bracelets that are easy to put on without assistance. They are wraparound and made with elastic.

Her jewelry is available at Gallery East

Art Center in Belleview.

Lois does her work as Ladybug Creations, and every piece she does has a little red ladybug on it somewhere. She received best in show at the national quilling conventions three times. “When I won best in show, others were doing butterflies, but they did them all in a row, like specimen. I did mine in 3-D on a field of green.”

The last piece she entered for competition was called Butterflies on Purple Thistle.

“I said if this one wins, I’m giving it to the church because God gave it to me, and I’m giving it back,” Lois said. The 3-D picture hangs in Lakes and Hills Covenant Church in Howey-in-the-Hills, where Lois attends.

She truly enjoys making unusual pieces for family members, too. For her grandson, who is a commercial pilot, Lois did a Hat in the Ring plane from World War I, and for her granddaughter, the advanced math teacher who married on Pi Day, she did the wedding announcement in a frame with roses and a pi symbol. There’s also the grandson who loves “Star Wars” and got R2D2 and C3PO in metallic paper.

Lois leads the classes in quilling at Hawthorne now. “I keep teaching and passing it on. Things just fall into place when I’m working.”

Our team… …has the highest level of education and skill. …uses top-notch technology and equipment. …provides the best possible care to our patients. …is getting bigger.

Meet the newest team members.

DR. ROBERT L. PURDON

Dr. Robert Purdon, a radiation oncologist for 30 years, loves being part of RBOI. While he feels honored to offer patients advanced technologies and techniques, the most rewarding part of the job is interacting and forming genuine relationships with patients.

DR. HERMAN FLINK

We’re excited to announce the addition of Dr. Herman Flink, a radiation oncologist for nearly 40 years who is board-certified in both radiology and radiation oncology. He completed his residency and fellowship at Johns Hopkins University.

THE VILLAGES 352.259.2200 OCALA 352.732.0277 TIMBER RIDGE 352.861.2400 INVERNESS 352.726.3400 LECANTO 352.527.0106 RBOI.COM

On the scene // social spotlight Where you want to be

THE THRILL OF THE

PULL

Three days of tractor pulling, parades, prizes, and plain ol’ fun at Paquette’s.

STORY: LEIGH NEELY PHOTOS: FRED LOPEZ

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bought a professional sled. He uses it up there in the summertime, and we use it here in the wintertime.”

The tractors compete in various class levels: stock antique, super antique, open gear, farm stock, modified farm, open gear farm, and V-8 modified. The tractors pull a set weight in the sled.

When a tractor makes it to the end of the 100-meter track that’s considered

You’ll find a carnival atmosphere at Paquette Historical Farmall Museum this month. Days will be filled with music, food, games, and a tractor pull.

“We’ll have pulling for three days,” owner Stewart Paquette said. “There will be music during the day, a barbecue dinner on Friday night, the antique car club, and an antique truck show.”

The museum is Stewart’s passion. Ask him almost anything about the famous International Harvester tractors and he can tell you about it. “It was pretty much the tractor of Florida,” Stewart said.

“Until we had the big freeze in the ’80s, they were all over this area. They went out of business in ’85.”

Stewart became interested in International Harvester (IH) because of its history and longevity. Back in 1830, Cyrus Hall McCormick field demonstrated his version of a horsedrawn reaper, which was patented in 1834. He and his brother, Leander, moved to Chicago and started McCormick Harvesting Machine Company. Famed financier, J.P. Morgan, merged with the company and it became International Harvester, which lasted until they began experiencing deep losses in the 1980s.

Today, collectors around the world keep the tractors visible and, like Stewart, rebuilt and working.

This three-day event provides a great opportunity to enjoy not only exciting events like the tractor pull, but the amazing ladies’ frying pan toss, cornhole beanbag toss, a bouncy house, daily tractor parades, and lots of other fun-filled activities. There will be vendors, kettle corn, a food truck with Mexican food, ice cream, and many other goodies.

The ladies’ frying pan toss is always an enjoyable event. “They used castiron skillets, and they kept breaking,” Stewart said. “So we made steel ones.

They’re all the same size so everybody has an equal chance, and we give out prizes. There will be prizes and trophies for everything.”

Stewart thinks the antique truck show and display of antique cars should be of special interest to history buffs. The trucks are part of Vintage Trucks of Florida and include everything from semis to farm trucks to fire trucks and their apparatus.

Though it’s not a sanctioned event, the tractor pull is governed by National Tractor Pullers Association (NTPA) rules.

“We have a track and a sled, which is like those used in events in Inverness and Ocala,” Stewart said. “We didn’t have a professional pull in the beginning, so our events were just local drivers. We got together with a guy from Ohio and

a “full pull.” More weight is added to the sled and competitors who moved past 300 feet have a “pull off,” and the winner is the tractor that pulls the sled the longest distance.

Jennifer Sidelinger, Stewart’s niece, runs the offices of the museum. The store offers an assortment of parts for IH vehicles; they receive orders from places across the pond like the United Kingdom and as far away as Australia and Japan.

There’s plenty of parking for cars and for self-contained campers. “We have places for tents and RVs,” Jennifer said.

“We’ll have new events and activities every day,” Stewart said.

“Normally it’s $15 to tour the museum, but that’s included in the $10 daily ticket for this event.”

Don’t miss the ninth annual Historical Farmall Tractor Show & IH Chapter 27 State Show, Feb. 18–20, 8 am. – 5 p.m., at Paquette’s Historical Farmall Museum, 615 S. Whitney Road, off U.S. Highway 27. For information, visit stewsihstuff.com or call 352.728.3588.

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On the scene // out+about A travel companion for points near and far

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DAYTONA RISES TO FAMILY FUN The Daytona 500 is an event of mythical proportions, especially with all the new “Daytona Rising” changes at the International Speedway. Even if you are not a racing fan, you most likely know something about this annual meetup of NASCAR competitors. Although racing will permeate almost every corner of Daytona Beach on Feb. 21, the city has a lot more for visitors than just the “Great American Race.”

STORY: MARY ANN DESANTIS PHOTOS: TONY DESANTIS+PROVIDED BY DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY

L

et’s just get this out of the way first: A trip to Daytona Beach isn’t complete without a tour of the International Speedway—especially this year as the world’s first “motorsports stadium” has just been unveiled. The location is the same (after all, you can’t miss it when you are headed to the beach), but a $400 million reimagining of the iconic Speedway has turned it into more than a racing venue. It’s a small city within itself, complete with its own solar plant and enough steel to represent one percent of the entire U.S. steel production.

Promoted as “Daytona Rising,” the new construction on the speedway began in July 2013 and was completed

last month in time for the 2016 Rolex 24. Changes to the 58-year-old structure include five expanded “injectors,” the 21st century name for the redesigned entrances that lead fans to a series of escalators and elevators. They are then transported to three different concourse levels, each featuring spacious social areas, or “neighborhoods,” along the nearly mile-long frontstretch. New, wider, and more comfortable seats accommodate 101,500 fans along with twice as many restrooms and three times as many concession stands.

“The International Speedway is much more of a social experience now,” says Lori Campbell Baker, Daytona Beach’s director of public relations.

“It’s also more than the World Center of Racing…it’s now the World Center of Entertainment.”

In addition to racing and other events, the speedway will host the inaugural “Country 500” music festival May 27– 29 featuring some of the top names in country music, including Luke Bryan, Kid Rock, Lady Antebellum, Willie Nelson, and dozens of others. Three huge performance stages—all specially designed and built for the festival—will be set on the infield.

And that infield is something to see

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up close and personal. A 30-minute speedway tour by shuttle is available ($16, adults; $10, ages 6-12), but my husband and I opted for the 90-minute all access tour ($23, adults; $17, ages 6-12). If your time allows, the extra $7 is worth the price because you can exit the shuttle and get a behindthe-scenes view of the International Speedway. I must admit I’ve never been to a NASCAR event, but touring the Daytona International Speedway was a cultural experience I will not forget. It also laid the groundwork for understanding and appreciating how many of the city’s other attractions relate to the racing tradition.

For example, Florida’s tallest lighthouse, the Ponce De Leon Lighthouse, is a landmark not just

TRIP

TIP

because it was built in 1887. Early stock car races took place along a 4.1mile stretch from Ormond Beach to the lighthouse. Today, the Inlet Light Station is on the National Register of Historic Places and is surrounded by several dwellings that explain life as a lighthouse keeper in the 1800s.

Climb the 203 steps to the top for a breathtaking panoramic view of the inlet and Daytona Beach. Take a deep breath of salty air, release all of your tensions and just imagine what it looked like when those drivers came hauling down the beach.

Within walking distance of Lighthouse Point Park is the Marine Science Center, where youngsters as well as the youngat-heart can explore the area’s diverse ecosystems, touch stingrays, and learn

If the boardwalk area is too noisy for you, head just a couple of miles south on A1A to Daytona Shores, where beaches are less crowded and the race car drivers often stay. The Shores Resort, where you might bump into a few of the drivers and crews, offers relaxing amenities, such as its nightly “S’mores at the Shores.” Sit around the fire pits with your own s’mores kit provided by the hotel—a great treat on a cool February night. The Shores also features a gallery of historic racing photos that will surely bring back memories for longtime fans.

about the bird rehabilitation program in Volusia County.

The Marine Science Center is just one example of how Daytona Beach is a family friendly destination—even when it’s too cool to sunbathe on “America’s Original Beach,” as the folks in Daytona call it.

Take advantage of winter’s less-thanideal beach weather and head into town. Tourists often fail to discover the city’s world-class museums located across the Halifax River on Nova Road.

The newest offering is the Cici and Hyatt Brown Museum that showcases paintings spanning nearly 200 years of

Florida history from the 1800s into the new millennium. Well-known artists John James Audubon, Thomas Hart Benton, and N.C. Wyeth are among those who traveled to Florida to paint, and their works are displayed in the unique cracker-style facility.

Located in the same 90-acre nature preserve as the Brown Museum is Daytona Beach’s Museum of Arts & Sciences (MOAS), which houses American, African, and Cuban art collections, as well as a prehistoric Florida gallery where a giant ground sloth skeleton hovers over visitors. We elected to visit MOAS late in the day so

we could stay for the electrifying laser show in the museum’s planetarium.

The state-of-the-art astronomy facility features dynamic and educational programing and a rocking light show with music.

One of Daytona’s “sweetest attractions” is the Angell & Phelps Chocolate Factory, where free 20-minute tours are offered Monday through Saturday on the hour. Located on South Beach Street, the factory is known for high quality, handmade chocolates made fresh daily.

Of course, no trip to Daytona Beach is complete without a stroll or two along the famous Daytona Beach Boardwalk and Pier, a combination of history and fun. The historic bandshell is the site for seasonal weekend concerts and special events while the Joyland Amusement Center is the place for family Go-Kart races. Take time to explore the boardwalk’s historic markers that offer lasting tributes to races of the past.

Seeing all Daytona Beach has to offer in a weekend is a race to the finish, but we gave it our best try. And the good news: it was just a trial run until our next visit.

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On the scene // Hi, society!

WE’RE IN BUSINESS

There’s no shortage of wonderful businesses in Lake County. Those companies and their products were on full display at the 2nd annual Business Expo, held at Lake Receptions in Mount Dora. Not only did attendees have an opportunity to interact with business owners; they also enjoyed food and drinks. The free event was organized by the Tavares Chamber of Commerce and the Mount Dora Chamber of Commerce.

PHILLIP BOWMAR

TARIN LAWRENCE, CIERRA JACKSON AND GINO MORALES

ANN MAN AND SUSAN LYNN

GLORIA SAVANNAH-AUSTIN ANGILA CHAMBLISS AND TIM PICCIRILLO

BRYAN FETTER AND ORLANDO GREEN

ROBIN AUSTIN AND LESLIE LIGHTBOURNE

ELIZEBETH CLARK AND RUTH BRUNNER

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PHOTOS: AUBREY AKERS

JOANN KELLER ARNP

Together we can make a brighter future.

The Miller Grimes Group Financial Advisors SunTrust Investment Services, Inc. 352.227.5085 352.561.3393 millergrimes@suntrust.com

For 17 years, The Miller Grimes Group has been helping clients make the most of their financial situation. That experience, paired with the broad range of products and solutions offered

by SunTrust Investment Services, will help them develop and implement a personalized investment strategy for each of their clients. Because their goal, just like ours, is to help you shine.

Investment and Insurance Products: Are not FDIC or any other Government Agency Insured • Are not Bank Guaranteed • May Lose Value Securities, insurance (including annuities) and other investment products and services are offered by SunTrust Investment Services, Inc., an SEC registered investment adviser and broker-dealer, member FINRA, SIPC, and a licensed insurance agency.

SunTrust Bank, Member FDIC. ©2015 SunTrust Banks, Inc. SunTrust and How can we help you shine? are federally registered service marks of SunTrust Banks, Inc.

On the scene // Hi, society!

POP THE CORK

Main Street Leasing recently celebrated the arrival of an exhibit called “escherick to NAKASHIMA,” with a champagne reception at the Modernism Museum. The event, which provided support for the culture of fine arts, crafts, and education in Mount Dora features dignitaries such as David Rago, Suzanne Perrault, and John Sallo of “Antique Roadshow” along with Nakashima expert, Robert Aibel. Paul Eisenhauer, former director of the Wharton Esherick Museum was also a guest.

JULIETTE DAVIS, JOHN SOLLO, DAVID RAGO, PAUL IESENHAUR, KEN MAZIK, DONNA BROWN, ROBERT AIBEL, SUZANNE PERRAULT AND LARRY BAKER

KEN MAZIK AND PAUL EISENHANER

JOSH AIBEL AND ROBERT AIBELA COHEN

(CHIEF OF POLICE) JOHN AND MAUREEN O’GRADY JOHN SOLLO

MAYOR CATHY HOECHST AND BRET LIVINGSTON SUZANNE PERRAULT AND MMERRY HADDEN

MICHELL MIDDLETON AND JULIETTE DAVIS

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PHOTOS: JARROD CLARK

(PIANO PLAYER) JAMES POWELL

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On the scene // Hi, society!

A ‘STRONG’ COMMITMENT

A large crowed gathered as King Rex and Queen Divine candidates of the Leesburg Mardi Gras showcased their unique talents while vying for votes. The “Talent Party” event held outside the Leesburg Partnership LINDA SHEPHARD-MILLER AND building included a cash bar, dancing and buffet. JULIE ROBINSON-LUEALLEN DEAN SIMMONS, AUBREY AKERS, AUSTIN SIMMONS, DEAN SIMMONS, AND DAVID BOOTH

ALLAN SEABROOK AND JORDAN HAWKINS CARMAN CULLEN-BATT, CORY GIBBS, STEPHANIE STRONG, AND DEAN SIMMONS

STANLEY GETTY, ANDREW ENTWISTLE, JAMES CALLAHAN, AND GREG SHAFFER

TOM GRIZZARD, TED WOLFE, AND MARK BRIONEZ LISA STRONG, LORI STRONG RICKETSON, AND STEPHANIE STRONG

PHOTOS: AUBREY AKERS AND LYNNE KELLY

BARBARA WITSON SMITH, DOUG MAJOR, ROSEANNE BRANDEBURG, AND MARIAH DELGADO

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What does The Lake Sumter Group at Morgan Stanley do?

We proactively serve a select group of families with the distribution phase of their retirement by offering rigorous, relentless discipline seeking to bring a higher level of predictability.

How does your group achieve that?

With financial planning tools and discretionary portfolio management, we build plans based on our client’s risk tolerance. As portfolio managers, we manage our clients’ portfolios on a daily basis and guide their objectives, which range from developing a health care strategy to attending to estate planning needs.

How do you help your clients achieve their objectives?

Focusing our attention on our clients’ financial details means working toward their goal of living the lifestyle they have always envisioned. Having the resources in place to enjoy the next stage of their lives is important in achieving those goals. Perhaps they want to master a new language or travel to see family.

Moving financial worry away from the front of their minds can put big concerns to rest.

What specific strategies do you offer your clients?

Our focus is on financial planning which includes retirement planning, retirement income planning, estate planning strategies, college education planning, custom portfolio management, long term care planning and life insurance planning.

Michael Monteith

Financial Planning Specialist Portfolio Manager Financial Advisor michael.monteith@morganstanley.com

Nicole Silberstein

Client Service Associate nicole.silberstein@morganstanley.com

Gregory Prevatt, CLTC, CFP® Senior Vice President Portfolio Management Director Financial Advisor gregory.prevatt@morganstanley.com

The Lake Sumter Group at Morgan Stanley

832 Lake Sumter Landing, The Villages, FL 352.751.7845 • Toll free 800.447.6036 morganstanleyfa.com/LakeSumter

What makes your group passionate about what you do?

Our clients have spent their working years building a legacy. We enjoy helping them build the next phase of their lives. Having an advisor who can walk that path with them can mean the difference between living, and enjoying, their retirement.

Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC offers insurance products in conjunction with its licensed insurance agency affiliates. This material is intended only for clients and prospective clients of the Portfolio Management program. It has been prepared solely for informational purposes only and is not an offer to buy or sell or a solicitation of any offer to buy or sell any security or other financial instrument, or to participate in any trading strategy. The individuals mentioned as the Portfolio Management Team are Financial Advisors with Morgan Stanley participating in the Morgan Stanley Portfolio Management program. The Portfolio Management program is an investment advisory program in which the client’s Financial Advisor invests the client’s assets on a discretionary basis in a range of securities. The Portfolio Management program is described in the applicable Morgan Stanley ADV Part 2, available at www.morganstanley.com/ ADV or from your Financial Advisor. Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC does not accept appointments nor will it act as a trustee but it will provide access to trust services through an appropriate third-party corporate trustee. Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER and Federally registered CFP (with flame design) in the US. © 2015. Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC. Member SIPC Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (“Morgan Stanley”), its affiliates and Morgan Stanley Financial Advisors or Private Wealth Advisors do not provide tax or legal advice. CRC 1386730 01/16

On the scene // Hi, society!

STRUT YOUR MUTT

Pooches with pizazz walked the runway at the Eustis Community Center in the Strut Your Mutt Fashion Show to raise money for the Lake County Animal Services. Every breed and trend were represented. From Labs in jerseys to poodles in – ahem – poodle shirts. Let’s just say the catwalk went to the dogs.

SARA WATTINS, JESSICA WHITEHOUSE AND JOSHUA PROCTOR

BOB AND BONNIE FIELD ELLEN TIDWELL, BARBRA THOMPSON AND PETE CRAFT

WITTNEY LUCKART, LISA RICHARDSON AND MICHELLE BALLINGS ANNA AND STEVE ZITNICK WITH MEL JOANN HOLLAND, JANE STROPES HORBAL AND GENEVIEVE MATOS AND MARY RHODES

J SCOTT BERRY

MICHAEL MCDUFFIE AND PENNY JENNESS BOBBY BAKER AND JERRY COBBS

KAREN AND CHIEF THE BOXER

NATALIE HEDBERG ANNMARIE FINNEGAN

PHOTOS: FRED LOPEZ

ED AND MICHAEL MARGIE SMITH MAYOR HOLLAND

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“In my religious belief, saving one soul is like saving the entire humanity,” Dr. Bakdash said. “That is why when the Emergency Room calls me for a stroke

drill, I am prompted to see the patient and make critical, life-saving decision by providing accurate and immediate treatment.”

Dr. Bakdash has privileges at Leesburg Regional Medical Center and The Villages Regional Hospital, which make up the Central Florida Health Alliance.

In addition to being board certified in psychiatry and neurology, Dr. Bakdash is certified in neuromuscular care, a subspecialty that is relatively new.

III PAID PROMOTIONAL FEATURE III

Neuromuscular disorders affect the nerves controlling voluntary muscles, like those in your arms and legs.

These diseases are often rare and genetic or inherited. That’s why it’s so important for Dr. Bakdash to have a personal relationship with each patient and their families.

“I can’t just focus on the brain. I have to focus on the entire aspect of the nervous system,” Dr. Bakdash said. “I’m on a mission with a patient to learn everything I can to define what the problem is.”

First, he makes the patient feel comfortable by letting the patient know he is focused on that particular area.

“Sometimes when a patient comes here, they really don’t know why they’re seeing a neurologist.

I acknowledge all the patient’s complaints and put together their symptoms and other medical history to make a clearer diagnosis,” Dr. Bakdash said. “This patient has several problems and has probably seen multiple doctors before coming here.”

Dr. Bakdash studies the patient as one who would study a puzzle, putting all the pieces together to create the perfect picture of that patient. “What I do is acknowledge, listen, and analyze the entire problem.”

“I had a patient who was a flight attendant in her 50s, and she had what was termed a ‘nervous breakdown.’ She was diagnosed with dementia,” Dr. Bakdash said. “When she came to us, she did not behave like someone with Alzheimer’s. While there was anxiety, there was no continuing evidence of dementia.”

Dr. Bakdash sees the patientphysician relationship as precious, confidential and deeper than a family relationship. The patient provides confidential medical history and personal life experiences that aid in diagnosis. “Doctors often spend more time with the patients than we spend with our family. That means if I’m not there for my patient, that relationship is inefficient.”

After careful examination and developing a relationship with the flight attendant, Dr. Bakdash was sure her problem was not dementia. Rather, he believed she was experiencing anxiety; a problem treatable with medication and talk therapy. His deeper understanding of her personality and her physical issues helped him reach this conclusion.

Extensive dialogue with the patient is imperative to finding an accurate diagnosis, so Dr. Bakdash makes it

a point to take the time to see his patients. “Poor communication with the patient is a major failure of the physician-patient relationship that we value and are keen to maintain in neurology at Central Florida Health Alliance,” Dr. Bakdash said.

He compares giving a diagnosis of this nature to the verdict a jury presents after reviewing all the evidence. “Like a responsible jury, I am very keen to provide the patient with the accurate and fair verdict/diagnosis.”

told her she could take it orally.” The problem came when the doctor didn’t explain the correct dosage of the oral vitamins to the patient, which confused her. “She was taking less than what was needed, but it was a problem that was very simple to fix.”

Dr. Bakdash wants patients to know he is there to help. “People come to a doctor for answers,” he said. “I take the time to choose what needs to be done with care because I am dealing with human beings.”

“As we get older, we have issues, things that need attention, just like a vehicle”

FOR MORE INFORMATION

“As we get older, we have issues, things that need attention, just like a vehicle,” Dr. Bakdash said. “Things in a car get older and must be attended to, like changing the oil and lubing various parts or tuning the engine. It’s the same with our bodies.”

In order to provide optimal care for his patients, Dr. Bakdash has chosen to practice the entire field of neurology and its disorders of the brain, spinal cord, muscles, and nerves. “For example, a patient with Parkinson’s disease, whose illness involves the brain, can also suffer from nerve or muscle disease. It is imperative that the neurologist care for both conditions,” Dr. Bakdash said.

Dr. Bakdash believes that helping a patient is as simple as explaining in detail how the medication is taken. “One of my patients needed to take B-12 shots, but when she went to her primary care doctor, he

III PAID PROMOTIONAL FEATURE III

________________________________

TAREK BAKDASH, MD

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The Villages Facelift Specialist You Can Trust Surgical or Non-Surgical.

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Free ImageLift seminars are being held at the following locations in November and December. Meet the doctor and enjoy free food, books, *drawings and door prizes. *RAFFLE DRAWINGS AWARD FREE FILLER TREATMENTS, A $1200 VALUE!

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*Patient and any other person responsible for payment has a right to refuse to pay, cancel payment, or be reimbursed for payment for any other service, examination, or treatment that is performed as a result of and within 72 hrs of responding to ad for the free, discounted fee, or reduced fee service, examination, or treatment.

Dr. Castellano

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Compassionate Care.

Buffalo Crossings Assisted Living Community is NOW OPEN and serving the Village Community.

When its time for Assisted Living, those you love deserve compassion, dignity, independence & a place they can call home - with staff who become like family. We have all that and so much more.

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THE 6th ANNUAL 2016 LAKE-SUMTER

New Home&Remodeling Expo Saturday, March 5th, 8am to 3pm, Leesburg National Guard Armory In Historic Downtown Leesburg ~ 400 W Meadow Street ~ Admission is FREE and Parking is FREE

Over 50 Builders, Remodelers, and Suppliers on Display!

New Home Design & Construction If you’re planning a new home in the near future, you’ll want to visit the Expo and visit with some of Central Florida’s finest residential contractors... all in one spot!

Your Next Remodel Over 50 booths featuring the latest in home construction, home maintenance, and exciting new trends. Some of the industries represented will be: new construction builders, remodelers, plumbers, electricians, heating and air, windows, doors, aluminum and vinyl siding, sunroom providers, cabinet makers, lighting, roofing, painters, home finance experts, real estate, and much more! Many of the booths will be offering door prize drawings and special price offerings.

The finest minds in residential remodeling will be at the Expo, and they would love to discuss your ideas with you.

The Barefoot Gardner Johnathan Squires will be giving his two popular seminars, The Incredible Edible Garden and No Lawn Landscapes at 10am and 12pm. Get there early for a good seat!

This is one of the largest new home and remodeling shows in Central Florida!

The 2016 Lake-Sumter New Home & Remodeling Expo is hosted by Ro-Mac Lumber & Supply, along with Our Media Partners and Sponsors

For More Information contact Rebecca Ballash at at 352.787.4545 ext-325 or go to RomacLumber.com

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English: 352.771.5559 // Spanish: 352.394.3464 ext. 3002 USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer

Your heart is amazing!

Give it some extra love this February.

February is American Heart Month Join us as we celebrate the month with education and fun by attending one of our many events.

Women’s Hot Topic Breakfast Friday, February 5, 8:30 a.m.

Tavares Pavilion on the Lake

Enjoy a heart-healthy breakfast and an open discussion of women’s health topics from heart disease to hormones, nutrition, stress and more.

NATIONAL WEAR RED DAY, SHOW YOUR SUPPORT BY WEARING RED!

Amazing Heart Day

Friday, February 12, 7 to 9 a.m.

Florida Hospital Waterman Main Atrium

Featuring free health risk assessments (includes glucose, full lipid panel and lifestyle assessment) and a tour through the MEGA Heart, a walk-through, inflatable, interactive, educational model of the human heart.

Registration and fasting required for screenings.

Cooking for a Healthy Heart Wednesday, February 17, 5 to 6 p.m.

Florida Hospital Waterman Conry CREATION Health Center

Join us for a heart-healthy cooking demonstration in the CREATION Health Kitchen.

Treatment for Heart Arrhythmias Presented by Miguel Bryce, MD

Thursday, February 25, 1 to 2 p.m.

Florida Hospital Waterman Mattison Conference Center

All events are free and open to the public. However, space is limited.

Please register by calling (352) 253-3635 or visit FHWatermanHeart.com

eats QUICK BITES IN THE KITCHEN SALUTE FORK ON THE ROAD DINING GUIDE

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EATS // QUICK BITES Bits and Bites of Food in the News

A Place to Enjoy Salad Days

Where can you get 15 different varieties of chicken salad? At the new Chicken Salad Chick located at 996 La Plaza Grande in Spanish Springs Town Square in The Villages. The company has franchises in several places in Florida, including Orlando, Tallahassee, and Gainesville. The menu features fresh, healthy food and nothing fried. Previously the site of Mario’s Pizza, the new business will be open Monday to Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

A Taste of Italy!

There’s going to be a new Italian deli in town thanks to Giovanni Manco, owner of Giovanni’s Ristorante & Pizzeria in Southern Trace Plaza. The commercial complex will house six small buildings, in addition to the deli, and is located just north of the Oxford Post Office on U.S. Highway 301.

Customers can buy sausages and other ingredients included in the tasty Italian dishes served at Giovanni’s, and there’ll be space for tables and chairs.

WAVE OF GOODNESS

If you drive anywhere in the tri-county area I can bet you’re near a Darrell’s Diner. This small-town diner has become a chain, with seven established locations and the newest one, No. 8, going into a long-boarded-up building in Wildwood. Darrell’s “Doggone Good” Diner’s golden Retriever logo was spotted on the corner of 301 and 462. Renovations of the location continue, but it sure is a welcomed sight!

FEBRUARY 2016

GRAB A FORK AND CELEBRATE Holidays don’t always have to be about presents and spending time with the family. Sometimes it can be as simple as celebrating something you love, and since this is Quick Bites, we’re talking about food. Here are some odd yet delicious food holidays to mark on your calendar this month, according to Foodimentary.com

National Fettuccine Alfredo Day

7 National Bagels and Lox Day

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BYE , Trace on down to Tillie’s BYE Foodies are singing the praises of downtown Eustis’ newest hotspot, Tillie’s Tavern & Pub on Magnolia Avenue. This hometown restaurant is quickly gaining a reputation for its generous portion sizes and laidback, friendly atmosphere.

If you want some suggestions on what to try, people are raving about Tillie’s wings, the homemade mac and cheese, and the variety of massive burgers.

You may have noticed on an early morning biscuits-andgravy run that Bojangles, the beloved restaurant known for its Southern-style fast food, closed its doors throughout Central Florida. Quite inexplicably, the owner of the chain decided to leave the business behind— effective immediately, For Bojangles lovers, this means

SO LONG, SONNY’S

Longtime Leesburg favorite, Sonny’s BBQ on Griffin Road, closed its door forever Feb. 1. Though it was the No. 1 Leesburg location for many years, the decision not to renew the franchise agreement came about for a number of reasons. Employees were offered positions with other Sonny’s restaurants in the area.

National Plum Pudding Day

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no more delectable chicken biscuits, or scrumptious sweet potato pies. If that wasn’t sad enough, it also put a sour taste in the mouths of numerous former employees, who were only given a three-day notice. It is now projected that Chick Fil A and Starbucks will be taking over many of the former locations.

National Muffin Day

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EATS // in the kitchen

PHOTO, THIS PAGE: Shutterstock

Out of the frying pan and onto the page

LUSCIOUS, RICH

CHOCOLATE

When you open the door of Peterbrooke Chocolatier in Lake Sumter Landing, you are enveloped in the luscious aroma of chocolate. For this special season, when chocolates make the perfect Valentine for the one you love, Style visited in the kitchen with the staff of Peterbrooke.

STORY: LEIGH NEELY PHOTOS: FRED LOPEZ + SHUTTERSTOCK

“The process in the kitchen begins every day with tempering the chocolate,” said Sarah Bowersox, confectioner for the candy store. “Just to temper the chocolate takes an hour and a half every morning. That’s the process of pouring it and heating it to the proper temperature so it’s presentable.”

The glossy, firm finish you see on premium chocolates and candy bars is the result of tempering. Time and temperature differ for tempering dark, milk, and white chocolate.

Sarah said chocolate tastes good no matter how it looks because nothing alters the flavor. “When you [work with it] out of temper, it can be very streaky or speckled,” Sarah said. “It

doesn’t look pleasing to the eye. You have to temper it right to get it to look right so that it cools properly.”

Passionate about the candy the store offers, Sarah takes her responsibilities very seriously. Each day brings a new set of activities that she finds enjoyable and rewarding.

Peterbrooke Chocolatier built its foundation on recreating the look and taste of fine European chocolate with only the best ingredients and Old World techniques to create the perfect complement with American comfort food such as popcorn and Oreo cookies. The chocolate ships to the stores directly from the factory in Jacksonville, but Sarah prepares and creates

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EATS // in the kitchen Out of the frying pan and onto the page

many of the items sold on site.

Owners Veronica and Roger Barnes came to the area at the suggestion of her parents, who live in The Villages.

“My parents lived here, and when we decided to open the store, they said we needed to see Lake Sumter Landing,” Veronica said. “At the time, we lived in the Heathrow area. We’re both Christians, and when we saw it, we felt like God was telling us, ‘This is the place.’”

*

Sarah’s work in the kitchen requires careful attention to detail. Her artistic side comes out, especially when working on novelty items like the ladies’ high-heeled shoe or purse…

Veronica said people warned them it would take six to eight months to get the business up and running, but they did it in three. “We opened in March 2008 right before Easter. I’ve never made so many bunnies in my life.”

Prior to opening the chocolate shop, Veronica worked as a convergence engineer, where she combined voice and data networks in information technology.

“It took some adjusting for me to work here because I just wasn’t used to this environment after working in an office for so long,” Veronica said. “It has been an amazing journey.”

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FUN FACTS FOR

VALENTINE’S DAY

48

%

of people hope to receive chocolates on Valentine’s Day At any given time, roughly 91 percent of households have chocolate in them.

That number bumps up to

Each season brings a new focus for molds, gift baskets, and original designs.

“I do more than 80 percent of the chocolate in the store,” Sarah said. “There are just a few items I don’t do. I do the ginger, all the pretzels, the orange peels—pretty much everything except the bin items up front, which come from Jacksonville.”

Sarah’s work in the kitchen requires careful attention to detail. Her artistic side comes out, especially when working on novelty items like the ladies’ high-heeled shoe or purse, unique gifts with corporate logos on them, seasonal items, and the ever-popular popcorn and array of chocolate assortments. Almost anything you’d like covered with chocolate is accommodated in this kitchen, including wine bottles.

“Everything is prepped differently, so it takes different time to prep,” Sarah said. “I have two temper machines now so I can do two at a time. If I do both, I do more than 60 pounds of chocolate a day. That takes about six to seven hours a day, not including tempering.”

Veronica originally learned the process with representatives from the Jacksonville factory. Sarah began her career working the floor of the store. She demonstrated an avid interest in the preparation process, much to Veronica’s delight, and now keeps the kitchen running smoothly.

97 % 62

%

during holiday seasons.

According to Candy & Snacks Today,

of people study the “map” included in their box of chocolates before eating; 24 percent randomly select a piece of candy; 9 percent will take a bite to get to the middle; and 5 percent poke the bottom to check inside the chocolate.

53

%

of women dump their boyfriend if they receive no Valentine’s Day gift.

“The people who work for me are a huge blessing,” Veronica said. “A lot of them have been with me seven years plus and I’m just grateful for every one of them. I’m also extremely grateful for those who support us.”

Oreo and Nutter Butter are among the most popular cookies. However, you can get them encased in the creamy Peterbrooke milk or dark chocolate. “If I’m doing the enrober line with the cookies and crackers, that doesn’t take as much prep work because the cookies are premade,” Sarah said.

“We use Oreos and Ritz crackers. However, we do make the turtles and peanut butter Ritz back here, which is great but very time consuming.”

Enrobing is the process of covering a cookie, pretzel, cracker, fruit, or other item in creamy chocolate. Sarah said the machine has taken considerable time off this process.

Hand-dipping each item made it a lengthy process.

Chelsea Riley works on the floor, and when asked if she gets overwhelmed with chocolate, she just smiled and said, “I have days when I really want chocolate and some days when I don’t. I really love the chocolate here because it’s so good.

The dark sea salt is my favorite and it’s a favorite of Villagers, too.”

Buying a candy assortment always leaves you vulnerable to that one person who pokes a finger in the array to see what’s in the middle. With Peterbrooke Chocolatier that won’t be a problem. You’ll not only be able to choose each piece to go into your box, you’ll be able to pick the perfect box. There are the traditional heart-shaped boxes along with others of various sizes and designs.

“We also have a box that looks like a little book,” Sarah said. “When you open it, there are your truffles.”

But there’s more…

“One special thing we do for Valentine’s Day is the strawberries,” Sarah said. “Customers can call us or come in the store, and we do a preorder, maybe a week before Valentine’s Day, and they’ll get a discount.”

Keep an eye on peterbrookethevillages. com for details.

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EATS // saluté A worldly look at wine

CELEBRATE FEBRUARY’S OTHER WINE HOLIDAY Open That Bottle Night has become an international phenomenon since two enterprising wine columnists created it in 1999. What will be your special wine on Feb. 27?

STORY: MARY ANN DESANTIS

D

ig deep into that wine fridge or cabinet for a bottle of wine you’ve been holding onto for a while. Open That Bottle Night (OTBN) is just around the corner, and it is time to pop the cork on a special bottle. The last Saturday in February is the official Open That Bottle Night, but the nice thing about this holiday is you can celebrate any time you are ready to open a wine that is significant to you. Moreover, it doesn’t have to be an expensive or rare vintage either.

If you’ve never celebrated OTBN, then you probably need a little history about how the idea began. Florida natives Dorothy J. Gaiter and John Brecher, a husband-and-wife team that began their journalism careers at The Miami Herald, wrote the wine column “Tastings” in the Wall Street Journal for 12 years. Like many other writers, they probably struggled occasionally to find interesting topics that hadn’t already been written ad nauseum. After all, how many times do you want

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SOURCE: https://grapecollective.com/articles/this-pinot-changed-his-world-perfect-for-open-that-bottle-night; PHOTO: Courtesy of Dorothy Gaiter

DOROTHY J. GAITER AND JOHN BRECHER

to read about wines and chocolate for Valentine’s Day? More importantly, they were also getting hundreds of letters from readers asking “when” to drink a particular wine.

“Not a week went by that we didn’t get a letter from someone telling us about a wine they’d had for a long time and asking when it would be at the peak of aged perfection,” Gaiter wrote recently in her new role as a senior editor for Grape Collective magazine. “Sometimes the wine had been brought back from a marvelous vacation…or it had been the gift of a departed relative or friend…In one instance, the wine was from a case a mother had bought for her son’s wedding, and many years had passed without him getting close to getting hitched—she was ready to drink.”

The columnists answered those queries with the same advice throughout the year: Prepare a special meal on a Saturday, gather some loved ones, and open that bottle. They believed the wine’s peak moment would be when it was shared and discussed.

Then, in 1999, Gaiter and Brecher had a brainstorm and created the OTBN wine holiday. They encouraged their readers to open a symbolically significant bottle and then share

stories about why the bottle was important and how it tasted.

Thousands of readers responded every year with hilarious, thoughtful and, most often, poignant comments.

In a recent email to me, Dorothy shared a reader’s comment that touched her deeply after the very first OTBN. A gentleman in Pennsylvania wrote, “I can only express one regret.

Had we found an occasion last year to open this great ‘gift of the grape,’ my bride of over 50 years could have been present to enjoy this event in person rather than in spirit only.”

Similar if only…stories were repeated every year. Others found a bottle tucked away that they had long forgotten or had inherited. Some people had Bordeaux Grand Crus but were too intimidated to open them; others decided it was a good night to commemorate an event, even if that event was successful knee replacement. Many prepared elaborate meals while others had pizza or hot dogs. Nevertheless, the wine holiday encouraged people to savor life and friendships. The reasons for finally opening a special bottle became more important than the wine itself.

Although Gaiter and Brecher moved on to different publications, they continue to celebrate OTBN

in their adopted hometown of New York City, where they invite folks to join them at a local café. Since its inception, OTBN has become a signature fundraising event for many charities, including some in Florida.

Some restaurants around the country waive their corkage for the night, and wine stores use it to promote special varietals or vintages.

I began reading “Tastings” in the early 2000s, and the OTBN follow-up columns were among my favorites. I was fascinated by the reasons people had for saving their wines. My husband and I had our own stash of 1996 vintages—the year we married.

After a few years, we ran out of “our” vintage, but we’ve managed to always have a special bottle tucked away. We learned that OTBN wasn’t always about the wine, though. The evening was more fun with friends who brought their own special bottle of wine along with their stories and memories.

As one of Gaiter’s and Brecher’s readers wrote after the first OTBN, “Drink it, don’t revere it!” I can’t think of more appropriate advice.

If you celebrate OTBN this month, please share your experience with me by sending a brief email to maryann@ akersmediagroup.com with OTBN in the subject line. I would like to share your stories about your special wine evening in a future “Salute!”

Until then, happy OTBN!

ABOUT THE WRITER Living in Italy was the catalyst for Mary Ann DeSantis to understand more about wine, and she now enjoys sharing what she’s learned.

Since 2010, Saluté has covered topics for oenophiles of all levels — from novice wine drinkers to experienced connoisseurs. The column received a 2014 Florida Magazine Association Silver Award for Best Department and a 2012 Florida Press Club Excellence in Journalism Award for Commentary.

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EATS // fork on THE Road Tasty insights and observations

PUDDLEJUMPERS IT’S NOT AIRPLANE FOOD! STORY: LEIGH NEELY PHOTO: FRED LOPEZ

Puddle Jumpers Lakeside in Tavares offers a fantastic combination—great food and a view that’s always exciting. You can enjoy fresh seafood, a tender steak or a delicious burger while watching the seaplanes on Lake Dora.

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No matter where you sit in the glassfronted restaurant, you have a great view to enjoy with a delicious meal. I had the Puddle Jumpers burger sliders, which aren’t your typical tiny burgers. These juicy steak burgers, grilled fresh with all

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the trimmings, were wonderful. The fries were hot and crisp. Since they have a full bar, I also had a Malibu rum and pineapple juice with my lunch.

My husband had fish and chips, skipping the French fries and going instead for the house kettle chips, which he thoroughly enjoyed. The lightly breaded fish was cooked to perfection, served with fresh tartar sauce, and enjoyed with an Absolut screwdriver.

Our only problem was we didn’t have room to try more menu items, such as the jalapeno cornbread BLT or buffalo ranch chicken sandwiches. The dinner looked

even more enticing with fresh Norwegian salmon, ribeye steak or the Pilot’s Platter with its center-cut Angus sirloin, fried shrimp, and homemade lump crab cake.

During our lunch, we had an active view. There were jet-ski races and boat races going on while the planes were coming in and out. We strolled along the water’s edge after lunch and visited the Tavares Prop Shop, which has lots of cool T-shirts and other goodies with the airport logo on them.

If you’re looking for a place to enjoy a lazy lunch, dinner with a touch of elegance or a Seaside Bucket with snow crab cocktail claws and peel-n-eat shrimp, Puddle Jumpers is the place to go.

4 FORKS

(OUT OF POSSIBLE 5) PUDDLE JUMPERS

111 W. Ruby St., Tavares 352.508.5862 www.puddlejumperslakeside.com

FORK REPORT:

Casual dining // $$ // Seated immediately (late afternoon) // Wait for meal: 15 minutes OUT-OF-THE-ORDINARY STARTERS ($8.99-$24.99): The Seaside Bucket: Includes peel-n-eat shrimp and crab cocktail claws; Crab Cakes: made with lump crab, served with rémoulade sauce; Chicken Pitadillas: Soft pita bread stuffed with grilled chicken, toasted, served with homemade ranch dressing.

ENTREES: ($8.99-$24.99) Pilot’s Platter: 8 oz. Angus center-cut sirloin, fried shrimp, and homemade lump crab cake with garlic mashed potatoes and a vegetable medley; Seafood Medley Pasta: Sautéed shrimp and Mahi tossed in special seafood sauce garnished with snow crab claw; Steak Burgers: Served on a toasted bun with lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, onions, and mayo along with fresh-cut fries or kettle chips.

HOW FORK ON THE ROAD WORKS

Our reviewers are objective and unbiased. This is not a paid feature. Our reviewer makes one unannounced visit and we pay for our meals.

LEGACY RESTAURANT

AT THE NANCY LOPEZ COUNTRY CLUB Where fine dining meets country club living STORY: SHEMIR WILES

The Villages is known for its array of fine country club dining establishments. However, some stand above the rest, and such is the case with Legacy Restaurant at the Nancy Lopez Country Club.

With four elegant, well-sized dining rooms, Legacy accommodates parties of all sizes. It also has enough intimate seating for a romantic night out with a special someone, and the staff’s attentive, friendly nature makes you feel right at home.

I was lucky enough on the evening I dined at Legacy to be seated right away. By 6:30, the early evening dining crowd had left and my friend and I found a cozy booth in the corner of the main dining area. Once settled, we promptly looked over the dinner menu.

My friend suggested I try the mushroom brie soup, which is a favorite among her friends in The Villages. I decided to order the soup to start and settled on the filet blanco y negro for my main course. My friend, however, choose my second choice for an entrée: the grilled salmon Mateo. She paired it with a half serving of the cranberry and walnut salad.

As we waited for our food, we pored over the wine menu. My guest, who is more knowledgeable about wine than I am (and happens to write Style’s Saluté wine column), had a glass of Mark West pinot noir. I, on the other hand, wanted something different and eventually settled on a glass of Diseño Old

Vine malbec. The wine was smooth and velvety in texture, and paired well with my mushroom brie soup. A fan of brie, I found the soup silky and rather rich but not heavy, and the mushrooms added some earthiness.

When my main course arrived, I was dying to try my 8-ounce filet that was served in a lovely peppercorn sauce and peppercorn demi glace. The steak was extremely tender and juicy and both the peppercorn sauce and demi glace were nice accompaniments, but the steak could have easily stood alone.

My sides—mashed red potatoes and green beans—were both delicious and cooked to perfection.

I also sampled my friend’s dishes and found her cranberry and walnut salad was absolutely delightful. The spring mix was fresh and the raspberry vinaigrette was light and tangy. Her grilled salmon Mateo was also very tasty. It is marinated for eight hours in bourbon and brown sugar and then finished with a delightful sesameginger glaze. The glaze reminded me of teriyaki, but less sweet and subtler.

For dessert, I ordered a slice of raspberry white chocolate brûlée cheesecake. It was almost too gorgeous to eat with its bold red raspberry swirls, but it tasted as good as it looked. The cheesecake was pure bliss, as each bite melted in my mouth. And the hand fired, glazed crème brûlée topping added a bit of crunch that was pleasantly unexpected.

If you plan to visit Legacy, be prepared to spend a good chunk of change.

Most of the entrees are in the $20 to $35 range. However, if it means excellently prepared food and impeccable service in a relaxing, five-star setting, then it is worth every penny.

LEGACY RESTAURANT AT THE NANCY LOPEZ COUNTRY CLUB

17135 Buena Vista Blvd., The Villages 352.753.1475

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EATS // dining guide Destinations of good taste

1884 RESTAURANT AND BAR

OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK: 11A.M.–12A.M. // LUNCH, DINNER, LIVE ENTERTAINMENT 12 EAST MAGNOLIA AVENUE, EUSTIS // 1.800.856.1884 // WWW.1884RESTAURANTANDBAR.COM Located in the historic Ferran’s building in downtown Eustis, 1884 Restaurant and Bar is a must for all to discover. The restaurant, which is open from 11am to Midnight 7 days a week, has everything from Boar’s Head wraps and pressed sandwiches at lunch to hand-cut filets and the signature double-bone, two-inch thick pork chop at dinner. Sushi Bar 7 days a week, lunch and dinner! With more than 10,000 square feet, 1884 can accommodate an intimate dinner for two to a private event in one of the 3 semi private rooms. Diners can also enjoy the full-service bar while ordering custom craft cocktails and eight rotating beers on tap. “Wine Down Wednesday” features $4 house wines. By using the most local and fresh ingredients, the chefs and bartenders will amaze you with their talent. Dinner and daily specials begining at 5 pm with happy hour from 4:30 - 6:30. No doubt, there’s something for everyone at 1884. This restaurant has won in 4 categories for the 2015 Lake and Sumter Style’s Hot list: Best server - Shelly Jaggers, Best bartender - Chelsea Harkness, Best Cocktail, and Best Girls Night Out. They were also named as Open Table’s Restaurant of the Month.

Call 1.800.856.1884 to reserve your table or book your party now. Join the email list at www.1884restaurantandbar.com to be the first to know of all specials, entertainers and events.

BARNWOOD BBQ AND COUNTRY KITCHEN 50 W. ORANGE AVE., EUSTIS. // 352.630.4903 // WWW.BARNWOODBBQ.COM

Mouth-watering barbecue. A family-like atmosphere. Old-fashioned service. Those are three qualities that patrons of Barnwood BBQ and Country Kitchen in Eustis experience upon each visit. Owners Dan and Elaine Backhaus have discovered that the recipe behind delicious barbecue is cooking meats low and slow over smoldering wood. That method has served them well, both for their restaurant and food truck business. Diners can also purchase Barnwood’s delicious, award-winning barbecue sauces and special seasonings. Popular breakfast items include a ham-and-cheese omelet, smoked sausage omelet, pancakes, biscuits and gravy, and a variety of breakfast combinations, which are served all day. The restaurant’s equally delicious lunch items include a three-rib sandwich, pulled pork sandwich, beef brisket platter, smoked country sausage platter, mushroom Swiss burger, and grilled Reuben sandwich. Burgers, soups, and salads are also available. Be sure to top off your meal with one of Barnwood’s popular desserts, which include fruit cobbler and dark-chocolate brownies.

Judges Choice Best Entree for our pulled pork 2014 and 2015 at the Taste of Triangle Food Event.

HOURS OF OPERATION: MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY FROM 7A.M. TO 3P.M. LOCATION: 50 W. ORANGE AVE. IN EUSTIS. CONTACT: 352.630.4903 OR VISIT WWW.BARNWOODBBQ.COM.

COUSIN VINNIE’S FAMILY SPORTS RESTAURANT OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK: 11A.M.–9P.M. // FOOD, SPIRITS, MUSIC, SPORTS 10700 U.S. HWY. 441, LEESBURG // 352.253.2442 // WWW.CVINNIES.COM

Cousin Vinnie’s is located on U.S. Hwy. 441 across from Lake Square Mall. Owner “Cousin” Vinnie Vittoria and his family have created a unique atmosphere by combining a sports bar with a family restaurant. As soon as you walk into Vinnie’s you will immediately notice why they are famous for outstanding comfort food and service! They also have been voted BEST WINGS in Lake County 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014. Additional menu items offered are killer ½ lb. burgers, personal pan pizzas, amazing ribeye cheese steaks, healthy wheat wraps, fresh homemade salads, chicken strips that totally melt in your mouth, 16 awesome appetizers and their signature deep fried Ice Cream and Snickers Bars! Every Monday is “Texas Hold’em” from 6–10p.m. Tuesday night is “Family Night” from 4–8p.m. when kids 12-and-under eat free.

Wednesday night is “Trivia Night” when the fun starts at 6:30p.m. with prizes given to the top 3 teams.

Thursday night is “Karaoke Night” where everyone is a star! There is no better place on the weekends to see who hoists the trophy or takes home the checkered flag. Cousin Vinnie’s also offers, free Wi-Fi, great music and an enthusiastic staff, ready to exceed your expectations. Vinnie’s has been open almost seven years, if you have never been there… it is absolutely time for you to check it out!

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EATS // dining guide Destinations of good taste

THE GOBLIN MARKET RESTAURANT & LOUNGE 331-B DONNELLY STREET (REAR ALLEY), MOUNT DORA 352.735.0059 // WWW.GOBLINMARKETRESTAURANT.COM

Nestled on a back alley in downtown Mount Dora, the Goblin Market Restaurant has been charming locals and tourists alike since 1996. The restaurant, housed in a renovated warehouse, features three intimate, book-lined dining rooms and a full-service lounge furnished in soothing, muted tones with tasteful modern art. The private, tree-shaded courtyard and garden patio are open year-round for al fresco dining. Low lighting and “new age” music add the finishing touches to the restaurant’s casual elegance. Owners Vince and Janis Guzinski embrace a simple philosophy of offering the highest-quality products, served in a unique and romantic atmosphere by a personable and attentive staff.

The Goblin Market’s wine list and menu represent a refreshing mix of ideas from its culinary team. The diversified origins and background of each member ensure exciting menu offerings and nightly selections.

HOURS OF OPERATION: LUNCH: TUESDAY–SATURDAY 11A.M.–3:00P.M. DINNER: TUESDAY–THURSDAY 5–9P.M., FRIDAY–SATURDAY 5–10P.M., SUNDAY 11A.M.–3:30P.M.

JOIN US FOR OUR NEW “LIGHTER FARE” DINNER MENU, GOURMET SOUPS, SALADS, AND SANDWICHES. TUESDAY– THURSDAY FROM 3–9P.M. (REGULAR DINNER MENU ALSO AVAILABLE).

SUBWAY

WWW.SUBWAY.COM Custom-made, fresh sandwiches, salads, and flatbreads made right before your eyes. The “healthy” alternative to fast food.

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 HOURS OF OPERATION: MONDAY–SATURDAY SUNDAY

10A.M.–10P.M. 10A.M.–9P.M.

TIKI WEST RAW BAR AND GRILL 118 WEST RUBY ST. TAVARES // 352.508.5783

A fun-filled dining experience and delicious food await patrons at Tiki West Raw Bar and Grill. Owner Chris Clark serves up tasty Key West-inspired food such as homemade crab cakes, mahi tacos, fresh oysters, and our famous chargrilled oysters. We now offer all you can eat specials everyday on crab legs $37.99, peel and eat shrimp $24.99, fried shrimp $24.99, crawfish $19.99, fried mahi mahi $ 16.99, fried clamstrips $15.99, and fried tilapia $11.99. Choose an all you can eat and you get any of the others of equal or lesser value!

Daily specials are also offered, including .60¢ wings on Monday, $2 off dozens of oysters on Tuesday, peel-and-eat shrimp for $9.99 on Wednesday, $16.99 Angus Choice Prime Rib dinner on Thursday, and discounted buckets of oysters on Sunday. Happy hour is all day, everyday. Diners can also sit at the horseshoe-shaped oyster bar and see how shucking oysters is an art form.

HOURS OF OPERATION 11 A.M. TO 10 P.M. SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY 11 A.M. TO 11 P.M. OR LATER FRIDAY AND SATURDAY

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ZAC’S PRESSED FOR TIME CAFE 505 W. MAIN ST., TAVARES 352.253.4663 // WWW.ZACSPRESSEDFORTIME.COM

Situated in beautiful downtown Tavares across Main Street from the Lake County Courthouse, Zac’s Pressed for Time Café is a popular casual dining restaurant serving breakfast and lunch. Zac’s offers indoor and outdoor seating to accommodate every season and the widely diverse menu is flavored to suit all tastes. Homemade biscuits with sausage gravy, breakfast skillets, burgers, Cuban sandwiches, quesadillas, turkey melts and fresh salads are a few of the customer favorites. Daily specials are available including the crowd-pleasing pot roast sandwich with mashed potatoes, black beans & rice and steak tacos! Have a group to feed? Zac’s has a private dining room, which can hold up to 20 of your closest friends or business associates.

HOURS OF OPERATION: OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK FROM 7:00 A.M. TO 3:00 P.M.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE YOUR RESTAURANT IN OUR DINING SECTION?

CALL US AT 352.787.4112

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MEMBER OF American Society of Plastic Surgeons

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Our practice is dedicated

to providing exceptional plastic surgery and achieving a beautiful, natural-looking result for our patients. We strive to combine surgical expertise, artistic vision, and outstanding service to make your visit with us a positive, rewarding experience. We offer a complete range of modern procedures that include non-surgical and surgical techniques.

Each of our surgeons is board certified in plastic surgery. They are all fully trained and experienced in cosmetic surgery, plastic surgery and reconstructive surgery. Our surgeons are always on site and are directors of our medi-spa and ancillary procedures.

In addition, we have registered nurses assisting the physicians with your care.

This cadre of dedicated professionals ensures that all your questions are answered and that your experience is personal and complete to your satisfaction.

So, if you are seeking a more youthful face, enlarging your breasts, a flattering figure, the solution to a problem area, or guidance to help beautify and rejuvenate your skin, our practice can help you achieve your goals.

GET TO KNOW OUR James Rogers DMD, MD

Dr. Rogers is a native Floridian.

He is a graduate of Emory University, and completed his dental and medical degrees from the University of Florida.

He trained in surgery at Shands Hospital at the University of Florida, and completed his plastic surgical training at Tulane University and Ochsner Clinic in New Orleans. Dr. Rogers is a member of the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, and has performed Cosmetic and Reconstructive Procedures in Ocala for over twenty years. He is one of the most experienced surgeons in Central Florida.

Board Certified Plastic Surgeons

Navinderdeep Nijher MD

Dr. Nijher is a native New Yorker who now resides in Ocala with his wife who is a pediatrician. He completed his plastic surgery training at the prestigious New York Hospital of Cornell and Columbia Universities and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. He provides the latest cutting edge techniques in minimal scar surgery of the breast, face, forehead, and eyes. He also specializes in all facets of body sculpting including but not limited to liposuction, abdominoplasty, and post bariatric body contouring. Dr.Nijher lectures extensively trying to educate patients on plastic surgery and has subsequently become one of the most sought out plastic surgeons in Central Florida.

Leonik Ahumada MD, FACS

Dr. Ahumada specializes in cosmetic and plastic surgery. He is trained in the latest plastic surgical techniques of the face, eyelids, breast and body with emphasis on minimal scarring. This includes non surgical (fillers,botox,fat grafts,sclerotherapy) and surgical procedures (facelift, eyelids, nose, breast,tummy tucks,liposuction). He graduated from Harvard with a degree in biochemistry and completed medical school at the University of Miami. He was awarded many honors while completing Plastic Surgery training at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and has authored and co-authored papers in plastic surgery. He prefers a personal approach to his patients and will listen to your concerns when suggesting procedures. Dr Ahumada’s family is from South America; in addition to English he is also fluent in Spanish and has an international clientele. He is married and father to three girls; when not seeing patients he enjoys time with his family.

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“Men no longer need to suffer from frequent urination because they are getting older,” says Dr. James Young, a down-toearth urologist with 33 years of experience in treating men with prostate problems in Lake County. Although the cause of these symptoms is most likely an enlarging prostate (BPH), a normal part of the aging process in men, treatment options are more numerous and less invasive than those offered to our fathers and grandfathers.

Years ago there were two options for treating an enlarged prostate: surgical excision via an open operation (knife) or much more commonly by performing a transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP), commonly referred to as a “roto-rooter” by patients and physicians. Both required hospitalization as well as major anesthesia and could be fraught with complications such as bleeding, infection, loss of bladder control and even death.

“In my career I have performed over 3,000 TURPs; however, I no longer perform any,” says Dr. Young. “There are presently too many excellent alternatives to consider a hospital operation for the vast majority of patients with BPH.” “When I see a new patient I perform a physical examination and properly evaluate the patient’s symptoms, thus diagnosing the underlying problem(s),” he says. “Next, I describe to the patient what’s normal and then explain what is abnormal with him.

Lastly, I teach him his treatment options.

If I’ve done a good job of teaching, he will select the correct option for himself.”

While prescribing medications for BPH can be done by primary care physicians, only urologists are trained to thoroughly

evaluate the bladder and prostate (including ruling out prostate cancer), as well as providing extremely effective minimally invasive, office-based therapies as alternatives to lifelong medical therapy.

One such option is Prostiva-RF Therapy, a procedure performed by Dr. Young in his office under local anesthesia that usually takes less than 30 minutes. Prostiva utilizes low level radio frequency energy to ablate (destroy) the obstructing component of the enlarged prostate. “I am very happy with the results I have achieved for my patients using Prostiva-RF Therapy,” says Dr. Young, who has successfully treated more than 2,400 patients with this procedure.

“Medtronic is a $13 billion-a-year, publicly traded corporation that perfected the technology for Prostiva and produces the necessary hardware. Recently, Medtronic produced an educational DVD for international distribution to inform patients and physicians worldwide regarding the benefits of Prostiva therapy. Seven of the eight patients featured on the DVD are my patients. I am very proud Medtronic selected my practice to feature the benefits of Prostiva-RF Therapy. However it is sort of a bad news/good news thing. The bad news is neither my patients nor myself received a penny for our participation. The good news is Medtronic gave us all the DVD’s we want, so if anyone wants one all he needs to do is drop by my office at 801 Northshore Drive in Eustis, and we will give him one!”

And with an office staff with nearly as much experience as the doctor, (many have worked with Dr. Young more than 20 years)

you don’t spend a great deal of time waiting to see him. “We pride ourselves in being timely in seeing our patients. We respect our patient’s time as much as we do our own,” adds Dr. Young. “Patients appreciate this; many of our patients tell me I have the best office staff on the planet. I consider that a huge compliment.”

So if you are getting up at night and can’t get back to sleep because you are thinking about what may be wrong with you, it’s time to check in with Dr. Young and have him check you out.

“Many men accept frequent bladder urges as part of aging. And while it is part of the aging process, it’s not like death and taxes. There is something you can do about it,” he says.

JAMES W. YOUNG III, M.D. Board Certified Urologist Practicing in Lake County for over 33 years with extensive experience in evaluation and management of prostate problems.

For more information, contact

PHYSICIANS FOR ACCOUNTABLE CARE 920 Rolling Acres Road, Suite 201 Lady Lake, FL 32159

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UF Health Cancer Center – Orlando Health Clermont Office is Now Open!

UF Health Cancer Center – Orlando Health is Central Florida’s only Cancer Center of Excellence. We are pleased to be a part of the South Lake County community.

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Life One of the most important decisions made in life, is how to handle its end.

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Final thought // Rheya Tanner

THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME. ANYWHERE. SERIOUSLY. I have recurring nightmares about house hunting.

Riding with my mother through that cookie-cutter subdivision for the third time in a week. Attempting to navigate cul-de-sacs and looping streets all called “Oak something,” as if that’s cute and not confusing. Successfully following the open-house sign breadcrumbs to find a house that looks exactly like the first two houses—but the flooring is linoleum instead of carpet and the faucets are newer. I remember it like it was yesterday.

Because it was.

I’ve had enough.

I admit it: I’m only going to open houses for the baked goods at this point. Who can blame me? After being dragged through the Lake County housing market for two and a half years, the sweets are all that keep me sane. It’s not that I don’t have the patience for it. I’m just not exactly warm to the idea of moving.

See, I’ve lived in the same house for 20 years. Not just the same city or even the same neighborhood. I’m talking same street address, same home phone number, same pine trees towering over my front lawn — for two decades. Consider that I myself am 20 years old and you connect the dots: I’ve never known another home in my entire life.

That’s not to say my house never changed. Being the daughter of a career construction worker and a mother who watches HGTV like your grandma watches the soaps made very sure of that. The one-story house with robin’s egg trim that

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stood behind the towering pine trees in 1996 didn’t know what it had coming when the Tanners moved in with their lumber and nails and wallpapers and dreams. Twenty years’ worth of weekends later, our two-story house boasts dark red trim and a brick façade. Not a single square foot of the original interior remains untouched—if not touched, retouched, and touched again—by my parents’ unique, homey charm. Now that the dust has settled, literally, what we’re left with is the perfect house… that’s too big.

It’s time to move out and start fresh.

Therein lies the problem. I love my house’s quirks and nuances, and I don’t want to give them up. A different address? A new number? There might not even be any pine trees. How could I accept anything other than that perfect home that Mom and Dad built?

Fortunately for me (or unfortunately, depending on how many houses I’ve seen when you ask me), it seems

.com

that my mother’s “ideal downsize” doesn’t actually exist. She checks Realtor.com with the same frequency and dedication that business brokers check their stocks. She runs real estate agents ragged with showings and open houses and questions about property value and inspection history and HOA fees—why would you charge $340 per quarter if you don’t even offer lawn care? Still, we come away empty-handed.

This fruitless struggle of two and a half years has taken its toll on my psyche. What if we never again find our unique homey charm and our towering pine trees? What if we can’t find a place that feels like home?

In the midst of all my complaining and cookie consumption, my alwaysinsightful mother offered a piece of advice that struck me: “Don’t sacrifice anything for comfort in a home. If you can’t pull up to the driveway and feel safe, if you can’t close the door behind you and feel peaceful, then don’t pay money for it. All the things we’ve done to our house…we can do them again.

No place will be perfect when you first meet it, but it will be close. Find the home that feels good in its bones, one you can make your mark on as you go, and it’ll do the job just fine.”

After living in the perfect house for so long, no new place will feel quite like it. For me, it seems, turning a house into a home will take time, history, creativity, and care. And while it won’t be easy, maybe if I can let go of the past, I’ll give myself a chance to embrace the future.

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