December Shines Bright in Downtown Avalon Park Wesley Chapel
December is one of the most anticipated months of the year in Avalon Park Wesley Chapel, as neighbors come together to celebrate the season with events that bring joy, community, and tradition to the heart of Downtown. This year, the excitement is even greater with the addition of a brandnew holiday tradition: the Frosty 5K, presented by ISI Elite Training.
Kicking off the festivities on Saturday, December 13th, the Frosty 5K invites runners, walkers, families, and friends to “run, jog, walk, stroll or roll through Downtown Avalon Park,” as shown on the event flyer. Onsite check-in begins at 7 a.m., and the race starts at 8 a.m. The first 150 runners will receive a medal, making it a fun and inviting experience for participants of all ages. With festive energy and a community-focused atmosphere, this inaugural run is expected to become a cherished annual tradition.
Later that afternoon, the community gathers once again for Avalon Aglow, from 5–9 p.m., filling Downtown Avalon Park with holiday magic. Families can enjoy bounce houses, food trucks, vendor booths, community performances, pictures with Santa, and the popular real snow slide. The evening concludes with a spectacular fireworks show at 9 p.m., lighting up the sky in celebration of the season. The event will also feature the Children’s Entrepreneur Market, showcasing the creativity and hard work of young local makers.
December also brings opportunities to support local businesses and artisans through the Avalon Park Farmers
Market, held the 1st and 3rd Saturdays of the month. Fresh produce, handmade goods, local food vendors, and familyfriendly charm make the market a favorite weekend stop for residents.
From the early-morning start of the Frosty 5K to the sparkling finale of Avalon Aglow, December in Avalon Park Wesley Chapel is filled with the traditions, connections, and community spirit that make this town feel like home. Whether you come to run, shop, celebrate, or simply enjoy time with neighbors, there is something for everyone this holiday season.
Coffee with Beat - Supporting Small Businesses This and Every Season
As the year comes to a close, I always find myself reflecting on the places that make me proud. Avalon Park Wesley Chapel is one of them. Even though my work often takes me across the country and around the world, there is something very special about watching a community grow from the ground up— something that cannot be replicated in any boardroom or business meeting.
When we first envisioned Avalon Park Wesley Chapel, we imagined a place similar in spirit to the towns and villages I knew growing up in Switzerland—walkable, connected, and filled with the kind of gathering places where neighbors become friends. Over the past several years, I have watched that vision take shape. New homes, new businesses, new parks, and new traditions have emerged, but more importantly, the sense of community has continued to strengthen.
This past Small Business Saturday, local media highlighted the importance of supporting small businesses, and it reminded me how fortunate we are to have entrepreneurs who choose to invest their time and talent here in Wesley Chapel. The shop owners, food vendors, service providers, and home-based creators are the backbone of this emerging downtown. They take risks, work long hours, and bring their passion to the heart of our community.
While Small Business Saturday is a wonderful spotlight, supporting local businesses cannot be a once-a-year effort. When you pick up a meal from a local restaurant, purchase a handcrafted item at the Farmers Market, or choose a Wesley
Chapel business for your services, you are doing more than making a purchase. You are helping to build a strong, resilient community, one where families can thrive and dreams can take root.
December is one of the best times to experience this firsthand. Our community calendar is filled with seasonal gatherings, opportunities to shop local, and family-friendly events that bring neighbors together. Whether you attend a holiday market, enjoy an evening at a local restaurant, support a vendor at a street fair, or participate in one of our neighborhood traditions, each moment is a chance to strengthen the bonds that make Avalon Park Wesley Chapel special.
As we prepare to welcome a new year, I am grateful for every resident, every volunteer, every business owner, and every family who has chosen to make this community part of their story. Your support, involvement, and commitment are what transform a development into a hometown.
I wish you and your loved ones a joyful, peaceful, and meaningful holiday season. Thank you for being part of the continued growth and heart of Avalon Park Wesley Chapel.
Making Your Space Merry: Festive Holiday Decorating Tips for Life at The Flats Wesley Chapel
The holiday season is the perfect time to make your apartment at The Flats Wesley Chapel feel warm, inviting, and full of seasonal cheer. Whether you are celebrating your first winter here or continuing cherished traditions, a few thoughtful touches can transform your space into a cozy retreat for the holidays.
One of the simplest ways to bring the season indoors is through lighting. Soft, warm lights—whether string lights on a balcony railing, a small tabletop tree, or battery-powered candles—add a gentle glow that feels comforting and festive without overwhelming smaller spaces. A wreath on the door or a garland draped along a shelf can also set the tone and create a welcoming atmosphere the moment you walk in.
If you love the scents of the holidays, consider diffusers or stovetop simmer blends with cinnamon, citrus, or evergreen notes. These options fill your home with nostalgic aromas while keeping your space safe and apartment-friendly.
For those who enjoy hosting, a few simple décor pieces can make your gatherings feel special. A small centerpiece, festive table runner, or twinkle lights on the balcony can elevate your space without needing much room. And if you are decorating on a budget, The Flats’ proximity to community events and local markets offers plenty of opportunities to find handmade, affordable pieces from local vendors.
Finally, remember that decorating is about creating a space that reflects you. Whether you prefer a minimalist winter look or love filling your home with glittering ornaments and cheerful colors, the goal is to make your apartment feel like a place to unwind, celebrate, and enjoy the season.
From all of us at The Flats Wesley Chapel, we wish you a warm, bright, and joyful holiday season.
To learn more about living at The Flats or to schedule a tour, call us at 813-851-4228 or visit us online
Textiles are another easy way to add seasonal warmth. Layering throw blankets, switching out pillow covers for deeper seasonal colors, or adding a soft rug creates a cozy environment for evenings at home. Even small touches—like a decorative mug for hot cocoa or a holiday dish towel—can bring joy to everyday routines.
Redefining Life at the Halfway Point: Why Moving in Midlife Isn’t Just a Change — It’s a Reset
Somewhere between chasing promotions and sending your kids off to college, a quiet question shows up: Is this it? For many, midlife isn’t a crisis — it’s a whisper of potential. The job that once fit feels restrictive. The city you hustled through starts to blur into noise. And then, maybe on a morning jog or after another Zoom call, the answer hits: You need to move. Not just to a new zip code, but into a version of life that makes more sense now — now that you’ve lived enough to know what you won’t tolerate and what you quietly crave.
The Midlife Advantage: You Know More Than You Admit
There’s a confidence that creeps in during your 40s and 50s that can’t be faked or taught. It’s in your voice when you say no. It’s in the way you choose what matters. That’s the advantage — this isn’t reinvention from scratch. It’s redefinition with substance. People underestimate how powerful it is that we know who we are by this stage. You’ve seen what burns you out, what recharges you, and what feels like a waste of time. And when you combine that with a willingness to pull up roots and choose better soil, everything shifts.
Career Change Hits Different When You’re
Experienced
Midlife is no longer a dead end for career shifts — it’s increasingly the ignition point. Whether you’re swapping boardrooms for backyards or finally chasing that degree, the move can synchronize with a broader career realignment. A midlife career shift benefits from one thing younger jobseekers often lack: accumulated wisdom. You’ve led teams, navigated office politics, managed crises. That context makes you not just a candidate but a stabilizer — someone who doesn’t flinch when variables change.
The Leap Requires Clarity, Not Certainty
It’s easy to confuse stuckness with stability. Staying where you are might feel responsible, but if it costs you clarity, the trade-off isn’t worth it. Midlife offers a rare convergence of self-awareness and courage — and that can unlock new job flexibility and mindset that younger professionals haven’t earned yet. You’re not looking for flashy; you’re looking for frictionless. The dream isn’t about climbing anymore — it’s about fitting.
Balancing Risk and Reward with a Geographic Reset
Relocating at this stage hits harder than a spontaneous twenties move. The calculus is different. But so are the gains. Shifting locations often means cutting loose from decades of unexamined obligation — social ties that no longer nurture, commute patterns that exhaust, architecture that doesn’t reflect who you’ve
become. And often, relocating offers new job opportunities that simply didn’t exist in your previous environment. Sometimes, the life you want isn’t unavailable — it’s just somewhere else.
What Your Neighborhood Must Do for You Now Forget curb appeal. Midlife moves are less about aesthetics and more about alignment. You need your neighborhood to reflect your energy — not drain it. Walkability might matter more than square footage. Proximity to independent cafes or quiet trails might beat out any HOA perk. Because now, the place you live has to hold more than your stuff — it has to hold your pace, your rhythms, your rituals. That means rethinking major factors of your life before you ever tour a listing.
Future-Proofing the Locale You Choose
You’re not just buying into a home — you’re buying into a trajectory. One that’s still unfolding. It’s not enough to like how a neighborhood looks now; you’ve got to understand how it’s planning for its future. That means reading between the lines: zoning, infrastructure investments, local politics. It’s about whether the area makes room for change without erasing character. Before you sign, research development plans for that area. Is it growing in a direction that still fits you five years from now?
Rerouting Into Purpose: One Paragraph for the Pivoters
One of the quiet truths about starting over is that it can be deeply vocational. It’s not just about where you live, but what you give your hours to. Many midlife movers use this momentum to choose a career with real weight — like nursing. For those who already hold an RN license, the benefits of online RN to BSN programs are clear: asynchronous classes, respected credentials, and a smoother path toward leadership roles. It’s work that moves with you — and grows as you do.
This isn’t a reckless reinvention. It’s a surgical reshaping. Midlife doesn’t have to be reactive. It can be designed. Your move, your work, your neighborhood — they can all bend to fit who you’ve become, not who you were trying to be. The freedom lies not in escaping the past, but in realizing you’ve earned the right to choose again — wisely, boldly, and without apology.
Discover the vibrant community of Avalon Park Wesley Chapel, where you can live, learn, work, and play. Visit our website to explore upcoming events, local attractions, and leasing opportunities today!
LEARN
By ROSY DE LEON DECEMBER 2025
Love Was Born Among Us A Christmas Devotional
We live in a world that is suffering, a world crying out to be seen, heard, and cared for. Yet long before our cries ever formed, Love Himself heard us. And in His mercy, God stepped into our story. He came in human form: Jesus, Emmanuel, Love born among us (Matthew 1:23).
He came to redeem us, to rescue us, and to show us a new way of living, a way shaped by compassion, truth, and Spiritempowered love. Jesus walked among the broken, embraced the hurting, listened to the forgotten, and lifted the weary. His life was a living invitation: “Follow Me… walk in love” (Ephesians 5:2).
Christmas reminds us that God keeps His promises. The God who is Love became human to dwell with us, to save us, and to make a home in our hearts. His love is not distant, conditional, or fragile. It is steadfast, redeeming, transforming.
And when we receive His love, when we surrender our hearts to Him, something miraculous happens: “Whoever is united with the Lord is one with Him in spirit.” 1 Corinthians 6:17
We become one with Jesus… one with Love. His presence fills us. His compassion begins to flow through us. His Spirit empowers us to live differently, not in our own strength, but in His.
Through the Holy Spirit, we are shaped into His hands, His feet, His voice, carrying His love into a hurting world. We become vessels of grace, serving without judgment, seeing people through His eyes, and extending the same acceptance we have received.
Because everyone carries a story. Everyone has experienced pain. Everyone is longing for love.
This Christmas, may we remember: Love came down to transform us, so His love could flow through us.
Let us surrender again to His love and allow Him to continue His beautiful work of transformation within us.
Prayer: Jesus, thank You for coming near, for stepping into our broken world and bringing healing, hope, and redeeming love. This Christmas, soften our hearts and help us receive the fullness of Your transforming love. Holy Spirit, fill us and empower us to walk as Jesus walked with compassion, humility, courage, and grace. Make us vessels of Your love in a hurting world. Teach us to see people through Your eyes, to serve without judgment, and to extend the same mercy You have shown us. Let Your love flow in and through us, so that everywhere we go, others may encounter the One who was born among us. Emmanuel, stay with us, lead us, and transform us. In Your precious name, Jesus. Amen.
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
WORK
Pasco County High Technology Company Expands in Wesley Chapel
Pasco Economic Development Council (Pasco EDC) is excited to announce VantagePoint AI, LLC (VantagePoint) is expanding their footprint in Pasco County. VantagePoint is a trading software company that has established itself as a leader in artificial intelligence-driven financial market forecasting. The company is investing over $4.6 million in land acquisition, building renovations, and equipment/ technology infrastructure. VantagePoint will begin renovations on its new location in Wesley Chapel, Florida in January 2026. Over the next three years, they will be hiring 60 new full-time positions, more than doubling their current team of 51 employees.
“We’re thrilled to see VantagePoint AI continue to grow and invest right here in Pasco County,” shared Bill Cronin, President/CEO, Pasco EDC. “Their expansion not only reinforces our region’s reputation as a hub for innovation and technology, but it also highlights how Pasco County companies are at the forefront of artificial intelligence. VantagePoint’s continued commitment to our community will bring high-quality jobs, cutting-edge technology advancements, and lasting economic impact to the area.”
The company was founded in 1979 by Louis B. Mendelsohn, a renowned technical analyst and trading software pioneer, and has been headquartered in Wesley Chapel since 1987. VantagePoint was the first company to make commercially available AIbased trading software accessible to retail investors, and they now serve over 160 countries globally. They have been recognized as a “Great Place to Work” by regional outlets such as the Tampa Bay Business Journal and Tampa Bay Times and are committed to
giving back to the community by making quarterly charitable contributions to local nonprofits as part of their culture of accountability and community investment.
“After 38 years in this community, we’re more invested than ever in Pasco County’s future and ours is intertwined with it,” shared Lane Mendelsohn, President, VantagePoint AI. “VantagePoint AI is experiencing growth, and we’re committed to ensuring that growth benefits Pasco County. With support from the Pasco EDC, we’re expanding our facilities and creating new opportunities for local talent.”
Today, the Pasco Board of County Commissioners approved an Economic Incentive Agreement which includes a Job Creation Incentive for up to $240,000 for 60 new to Pasco County full-time jobs with salaries equal to or greater than 150% of the 2025 Pasco County average annual wage. Additionally, the agreement includes a High Impact Job Creation Bonus not to exceed $61,047 over a ten-year period and Discretionary Training Funds up to $30,000, which help to reimburse employers for training and upskilling their employees.
“Pasco County is proud to provide these types of economic incentives that support job creation and grow our property tax base,” says Pasco County Commissioner Seth Weightman. “This agreement will help VantagePoint AI expand its economic footprint in Pasco through capital investment, high-paying, full time jobs and a significant return on investment. I’m happy to support a local, family-owned business that’s such a great example of entrepreneurial heritage here in our business community.”
Pasco Tax Collector Mike Fasano Announces the “Tax Collector’s Adopt a Senior for Christmas” Gift-Giving Opportunity!
Tax Collector Mike Fasano is pleased to announce a new Christmas giving opportunity! The Tax Collector’s Adopt a Senior for Christmas features a “giving tree” in each of the five tax collector offices in Pasco County. Each tree is adorned with paper ornaments that have a gift request from a resident of a local nursing home. The nursing homes and residents have been chosen based on their economic situation and lack of family/ friends who normally would bring them a gift for Christmas.
“Please help the Pasco Tax Collector’s Office make the holidays a little nicer this Christmas season!” comments Tax Collector Mike Fasano. “We know that there are many people who no longer have family or friends to help them feel special during the holidays. With your help we can be a part of helping these lonely people, all who are living out their lives in nursing care, have a little brighter holiday season.”
If you choose to give a gift, please sign out the ornament at the front counter so that our staff can track the ornaments/ gift requests. We want to make sure that when the holidays come, every
resident who requested a gift receives a gift. We are asking that all gifts be returned no later than December 15, 2025. The ornament should be attached to the package and returned to the office you picked it up from.
Here are the nursing homes each office will be collecting gifts for:
Gulf Harbors – Madison Pointe Nursing Home
New Port Richey – Bear Creek Nursing Home
Land O’ Lakes – Baldomero Lopez State Veterans Nursing Home
Dade City – Royal Oak Nursing Home
Wesley Chapel – Hillside Nursing Home
(Zephyrhills)
If you have any questions about the Tax Collector’s Adopt a Senior for Christmas giving opportunity, please contact Assistant Tax Collector Greg Giordano at (727) 847-8179. You may also visit our website for information regarding our offices, locations, contact information and other giving opportunities we offer throughout the year at www.pascotaxes.com
PLAY
Coming together to create a healthy community
COMMUNITY CORNER
