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JANUARY 2018
HAPPY NEW YEAR! 941.349.0194 | ISLAND VISITOR PUBLISHING, LLC
SALUTE TO VETERANS
Capt. Gordon Garrett served during the Cuban missile crisis
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LANDINGS LEARNING GROUP The Landings Learning Group will open its 18th season on Wednesday, January 17th
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FREE COLLEGE The Landing Free College has put together an exciting program for 2018
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KIDS CORNER
Meet four year old Aria Hoang
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www.THELANDINGSOFSARASOTA.com
Holiday Cheer Program Was Successful Again This Year Dear Fellow Landins, Wonderful news! The generosity of our community again exceeded the expectations of The Landings Holiday Cheer community program committee members. We had hoped to increase the number of children served. This year, residents provided donations and gifts to 91 children this holiday season fulfilling wish lists from the children. The overwhelming generosity of our community towards those that are struggling is something that we can all be VERY proud about. This program began four years ago with a phone call about seven families who were not going to have Christmas without some help. I reached out to a few friends and the word spread. Each year the participation grew and now four years later we have 90 residents that participate. The original premise was to help those families with children fighting cancer, which expanded last year to include Hannah’s House, a home for battered women and their children and this year to include kids fighting cancer from Lee Memorial Health System. Children Cancer Center (CCC) from
Tampa has been our partner since the beginning and will sponsor a party for families when they pick up gifts on Sunday, December 17, at the Landings Racquet Club. Additionally, we have hosted the quarterly meeting of local CCC families at the LRC, where families have fun together and the parents get to enjoy each other’s company in a nontreatment environment. The feedback we receive from those that participate warms the heart; from Janet Heijen’s writers group that gave children books and toiletries, widows that “felt the spirit again”, grandparents that are reminded how “lucky” their families are, to families that had parties to spread the news and hats off to all who shopped especially Lisa Bradley who volunteered to purchase gifts for 11 children two days before gifts were to be distributed. We also received 30 turkeys donated by our Publix neighborhood supermarkets to share with our sponsored families. We extend our sincere gratitude for their continued generosity.
Much appreciation and congratulations for this year’s success go to the Elves Coordinating Committee: Carmen Lawrence, Bob Kueppers, Heidi Bodor, Deirdre D’Silva, Jim Goldman and Karl Maggard. With deep gratitude, Henry Rhodes
Additional photos on page 18
Election of LMA Board Members and Process By Larry Lawrence
The LMA Annual Meeting will be held February 1st at 7pm in the LRC Lakeside Room. It will be immediately preceded by the normal monthly meeting which will begin at 6:30pm. The primary agenda of the annual meeting is the election of board members. As detailed in Michael Knupp’s article in the December edition of The Eagle, the presidents of the constituent associations, or their designees, vote for the board members. The representatives have to be present to vote so encourage your president to attend and the constituent associations should discuss their candidate preferences in advance. A meeting will be held on January 18 at the LRC Poolside Room for the presidents to hear the candidates’
presentations and ask questions. It is requested that all presidents or their designees attend. The three goals of the nominating committee this year are: 1) to enhance the gender balance, 2) have a strong proportion of year round board members and 3) select representatives with the skills sets to deal with the LMA issues. This year the presidents will vote to fill four of the nine board seats. There are six highly qualified candidates and their bio-sketches are included herein. The board responsibilities have been discussed with each of them. As mentioned in the December Eagle article, qualified nominations received in writing by the LMA Manager, George Niel, 30 days prior to the election will appear on the ballot sent
in advance to the constituent association presidents. Nominations can also be made from the floor at the meeting. This year’s nominating committee consisted of Carol Furlong, Susie Golden, Michael Knupp, Henry Rhodes and myself. Your support of the LMA election process will be greatly appreciated. The six candidates are: Richard Bayles, Kristy Bower, Elena Darden, Roger Kidder, Norman Olshansky and Richard Stern.
Meet the candidates on page 26