Harmony Life January 2026

JANUARY 2026

THE PUBLICATION FOR THE RESIDENTS OF HARMONY Image from Notes of Harmony Journal, courtesy of authors Cherry Heck and Sandy Weishaupt

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Letter From the Publisher

JANUARY 2026

A Publication of Harmony Neighborhood Magazine LLC

Hello Harmony!

Contact Info for Residents

Welcome to the January 2026 issue of Harmony Life Magazine!

CDD Email: askharmonycdd@pfm.com Maintenance: cddmaintenance@bermancorp.com Website: www.harmonycdd.org

As we step into a brand-new year, there’s something refreshing about these early January days—the cooler mornings, the return to routine, and that sense of a clean slate after the busyness of the holiday season. With decorations coming down (or slowly making their way back into storage—no judgment here!), it’s the perfect time to reflect on what an incredible year 2025 was for our community.

Harmony once again proved it’s more than just a neighborhood. It’s a place where people show up for one another, celebrate life’s milestones, and create memories that make this town truly feel like home.

This month’s issue is filled with inspiration, creativity, and stories that shine a light on the amazing people who make Harmony such a special place to live. We’re especially excited to feature two talented residents—Sandy Weishaupt and Cherry Heck—whose artwork appears on this month’s cover, along with their beautifully crafted Harmony Journal, designed to encourage reflection and creativity throughout our community. Be sure to check out our in-depth interview with County Commissioner Ricky Booth, who offers meaningful insight into transportation, infrastructure, and the challenges Osceola County faces as we continue to grow. It’s a must-read for anyone interested in the future of our region.

This month, we’re also excited to welcome two new sponsors to the Harmony Life family: — Soldier Refuge, a faith-based nonprofit dedicated to restoring Veteran families through the pillars of Faith, Family, and Freedom.

— Ashton Insurance Agency in Saint Cloud, offering trusted Home, Auto, and Business Insurance to families and local businesses throughout our area. We’re proud to partner with an agency that values service and community as much as we do.

Before you turn the page, don’t forget to follow our Harmony Life Magazine Facebook group! It’s the best way to stay up to date on events, features, and everything happening around Harmony.

As always, if you have a story idea or know a neighbor worth shouting out, feel free to email me at flharmonylife@gmail.com.

Dan Leet boardmember1@harmonycdd.org Jo Phillips boardmember2@harmonycdd.org Brittany Coronel boardmember3@harmonycdd.org Lucas Chokanis boardmember4@harmonycdd.org Julie Williams boardmember5@harmonycdd.org SHERIFF, NON-EMERGENCY 407-348-2222 HROA Association Solutions 811 Mabette St., Kissimmee 407-847-2280, www.MyHOASolution.com CONDOS HOA Association Solutions, 407-847-2280 TOWNHOMES HOA Association Solutions, 811 Mabette St., Kissimmee, 407-847-2280, www.MyHOASolution.com SPECTRUM CABLE / INTERNET 877-892-3279 CENTURY LINK CABLE / INTERNET 866-314-4148 OUC ELECTRIC 407-957-7373 ADVANCED DISPOSAL – OSCEOLA 407-605-3892 3501 Pug Mill Rd., Kissimmee, FL 34741 OsceolaFL@advanceddisposal.com OSCEOLA COUNTY Osceola.org - “Citizen Action Center” COUNTY COMMISSIONER RICKY BOOTH ricky.booth@osceola.org

Wishing you a year filled with peace, joy, and new beginnings!

Warmly, Brady Evans The opinions expressed in the Harmony Life Magazine articles are those of the author(s) and do not reflect the opinions of Harmony Neighborhood Magazine LLC, Harmony Life Magazine, or the Publisher. Harmony Life Magazine, Harmony Neighborhood Magazine LLC and the Publisher can, in no way whatsoever, be held responsible for the content of such views, nor can it be held liable for any direct or indirect damage that may arise from such views. All rights reserved. No part of any Harmony Neighbor- hood Magazine LLC published work may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the publisher.

January 2026 | Harmony Life Magazine 1

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his month, we’re excited to introduce the Jacksons— an adventurous, well-traveled family who’ve called many places across the country home. When the time came to return to Florida and be closer to loved ones, they searched for a community that offered both warmth and wide-open spaces. Harmony’s blend of southern charm, outdoor amenities, and laid-back living made it the perfect fit.

Now happily settled in, the Jackson family is embracing everything that makes Harmony feel like home.

What are your names?

Torrell Jackson, Angenique Jackson, Deshawne Jackson, Elona Jackson and Torrell Abram Jackson.

What hobbies and activities do your family enjoy?

We are a track & field family, as Torrell was a volunteer track coach for our California community before moving to Harmony. So, we love to run. Having lived in the Carolinas and Southern California, we also love a family hike when we can find the time.

Can you tell us a little bit about your family and how long you’ve lived in Harmony? Where did you move from?

My husband and I are Florida natives. We met at DeLand High School and went on to attend the University of South Florida. Marrying after college, we have lived all over the US while pursuing our graduate education and elevating our careers.

We had our first child, Deshawne, in Atlanta while Angenique pursued her chiropractic education. Then, Torrell’s graduate education at Carnegie Mellon University led us to Pittsburgh, PA where we welcomed our daughter, Elona. From there our careers led us to spend a few years in South Carolina, Northern Illinois where we welcomed our youngest child, Torrell, as well as Southern California before relocating back home to Florida and discovering Harmony in June 2025.

What brought you to the Harmony community?

After moving many times for education and career it was finally time to move for us. We came to a point where it was time to bring our family back home to our roots to allow our children to grow up close to grandparents and family. Having purchased several homes, we were very analytical in our search for a blend of the perfect house (size, features, layout, etc.), good public schools, proximity to airports/ amusement parks, and a community feel/amenities. This dynamic search led us to discover Harmony. We had never heard of Harmony prior to our search, but after leveraging a spreadsheet that we created, the Harmony home ranked as the #1 home for us.

What do you love most about living here?

We love the blend of nature and active outdoor living but still having convenient proximity to the entertainment of Orlando and beaches of the Space Coast. We have also fallen in love with the sense of community and engagement Harmony has brought so far.

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What advice would you give to someone moving here?

We would tell others to be ready to jump into community engagement, ask your neighbors questions because they are likely to have the answers, and make sure you join the neighborhood Facebook forum as it is a wealth of knowledge.

What are some of your favorite things to do together as a family?

Having been away from family and childhood friends for so long, we have really been enjoying hosting cookouts and pool parties at our new home.

How do you usually spend your weekends in Harmony?

So far, the weekend mornings have been full of Harmony youth cheer and football games, cross-country meets and trying new churches on Sundays. Most Saturday and Sunday afternoons have ended in cookouts, family walks or just watching the kids play with others in the neighborhood.

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Do you have a favorite story or moment that made you feel like “this is home?”

After 15+ years of living throughout the United States (away from Florida), there are a few things that we rarely experienced such as having friends and family frequently visit. We have always been so far away that it has been a bit surreal to have our grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and childhood friends stop by on a random weekday or weekend to spend time with us. It is those moments that remind us that having a strong support system is the greatest blessing. Family is the cornerstone of our lives, the foundation upon which we build our identities, memories, and future. There is nothing like the feeling of unconditional love and support we receive when being around those we care about. It is those moments that remind us that we are home.

“Life’s better in Harmony” Scan Here Scan Here

We look forward to getting to know you all even more and having the opportunity of sharing laughter around the dinner table, celebrating milestones together, and enjoying each other’s company.

January 2026 | Harmony Life Magazine 3

Forging Hope The Davidsons and Their Mission to Restore Veteran Families BY: BRADY BRADY EVANS EVANS BY:

Since taking over Harmony Life Magazine this Since taking over Harmony Life Magazine this past July, I’ve had the privilege of meeting some past July, I’ve had the privilege of meeting some truly extraordinary people—neighbors whose truly extraordinary people—neighbors whose compassion, creativity, and dedication quietly compassion, creativity, and dedication quietly strengthen the fabric of our community. Among strengthen the fabric of our community. Among them are two Harmony residents whose them are two Harmony residents whose commitment to service extends far beyond their commitment to Eric service far beyond their own front door: and extends Meg Davidson, founders own front door: Eric and Meg Davidson, founders of the faith-based nonprofit Soldier Refuge. of the faith-based nonprofit Soldier Refuge.

What began as a calling has grown into a mission What began a calling hasFamily, grown into a mission threeaspillars: Faith, and Freedom. built on built on three pillars: Faith, Family, and Soldier Refuge exists to restore veteranFreedom. families Soldier Refuge existsmembers to restore families and equip service to veteran thrive through and equip service members to thrive adversity—emotionally, spiritually, through and adversity—emotionally, and practically. Grounded in the spiritually, belief that “strong practically. in the “strong families are Grounded the foundation of abelief strong that nation,” the families are the foundation of a strong nation,” the organization focuses on helping veterans and their organization focuses on helping veteranslong and after their loved ones heal, reconnect, and succeed loved ones heal, reconnect, andapproach succeed long after the uniform comes is simple off. Their the uniform comes off.

Their approach is simple but profound: stand together, uplift one another, but stand together, and profound: create a community where uplift no oneone has another, to walk and create a community through hardship alone. where no one has to walk through hardship alone.

A Soldier’s Story A Soldier’s Story Eric Davidson is no stranger to sacrifice. Serving in theDavidson U.S. Army from 1995 to his military Eric is no stranger to 2007, sacrifice.

Serving career tookArmy him from the Middle East in the U.S. from Korea 1995 toto2007, his military during took bothhimOperation Iraqi Freedom and career from Korea to the Middle East Operationboth Enduring Freedom.

AfterFreedom being injured during Operation Iraqi and in combat Enduring in 2003, he was medically retired—an Operation Freedom.

After being injured abrupt shiftinthat forced him medically to confrontretired—an the same in combat 2003, he was challenges so forced many him veterans facethe when abrupt shift that to confront same transitioning so back many into civilian life. face when challenges veterans

transitioning back into civilian life.

But in that hardship, Eric found purpose. He But in that hardship, Eric found purpose. He pursued education in Executive Leadership, pursued education in Executive Leadership, Business, Theology, and Military Resilience, Business, Theology, and Military Resilience, eventually counseling veteran families as a eventually counseling veteran families as a chaplain. His years of leadership—including roles chaplain. His years of leadership—including roles in veteran affairs across Central Florida—have in veteran affairs across Central Florida—have given him a unique ability to connect with service given himcarrying a uniqueinvisible ability to wounds. connect with service members Today, he members carrying invisible wounds.

Today, uses his own experiences with traumatic brainhe uses his own experiences injury, combat trauma, andwith the traumatic long road brain of injury, combat trauma,support, and the road toof reintegration to guide, andlong minister reintegration guide, support, and minister to others walking to similar paths. others walking similar paths.

With backgrounds in Psychology and Biblical With backgrounds in Psychology and Biblical Studies, she brings a compassionate, strategic, Studies, she brings a compassionate, strategic, and deeply relational approach to her work. and deeply relational approach to her work.

As a military spouse, mother of three, As a military spouse, mother of three, entrepreneur, and mentor to countless women and entrepreneur, and mentor to countless women and caregivers, Meg understands the unique pressures caregivers, Meg understands the unique pressures that ripple through a veteran’s home.

She carries a that ripple through a veteran’s home.

She carries steady belief that healing is possible—for the a steady the belief that the healing is possible—for veteran, spouse, children, and the entirethe veteran, the spouse, the children, entire family system.

Her leadership ensuresand thatthe every family system.

Her leadership ensures that every retreat, resource, and program Soldier Refuge retreat, resource, and program Soldier Refuge offers reflects their mission to restore families offers mission to restore families with bothreflects faith andtheir practical support. with both faith and practical support.

A Community of Warriors A Community of Warriors At its core, Soldier Refuge is more than an At its core, Soldier RefugeAisfamily. moreA than organization—it’s a community. place an organization—it’s community.

A family.

A place where veterans and atheir loved ones can breathe wherereconnect, veterans and find their strength loved ones can breathe again, in both faith again, reconnect,Through and find spiritual strength inguidance, both faith and fellowship. and fellowship. spiritualtools guidance, counseling, retreats,Through and practical for counseling,personal retreats,or professional and practical tools for overcoming challenges, or professional challenges, theovercoming Davidsons personal are building a network of “likethe Davidsons areTo building a network of get “likeminded warriors”. find out more or involved them atToinfo@soldierrefuge.org minded email warriors”. find out more or get them at info@soldierrefuge.org orinvolved visit theiremail website www.soldierrefuge.org or visit their website www.soldierrefuge.org

A Heart to Restore

A Heart to Restore Alongside him is his wife, Meg, the Executive Director andhim co-founder of Soldier With Alongside is his wife, Meg, Refuge. the Executive more thanand 20 co-founder years in theofnonprofit world, Meg Director Soldier Refuge.

With has dedicated life in to the strengthening more than 20her years nonprofit families— world, Meg whether through programs, counseling, has dedicated her youth life to strengthening families— ministry, or business consulting. whether through youth programs, counseling, ministry, or business consulting.

“my salvation and my honor depend on god; “my salvation and my honor on god; he is my mighty rock, my depend refuge.”

PSALMrock, 62:7 he is my mighty my refuge.”

4 Harmony Life Magazine l January 2026

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6 Harmony Life Magazine l January 2026

Motherly Moments

NEW YEAR,

grace

PHOTOS COURTESYKRISTA KNAPPINS

SAME MOM

—Just a Little More

BY KRISTA KNAPPINS

A

s the calendar flips to a brand-new year, we’re all flooded with talk of resolutions. Eat better, get organized, exercise more, etc. As a mom, resolutions often come back to one thing: How can I do better for my kids? Keep this in mind. It’s about presence, grace, and growth for both you and your kids. So instead of lofty promises, try these realistic and refreshing ways to embrace motherhood in the new year.

Fill your own cup first. You can’t pour from an empty cup, and you deserve to feel good too. Kids learn self-worth from watching how you treat yourself. So, take the walk, schedule the coffee date, or read that book guilt-free. When you care for yourself, you’re teaching your children that their own well-being matters too.

Set boundaries without guilt. Saying “no” doesn’t make you a bad mom, it makes you a healthy one. Protecting your time and energy allows you to show up fully where it counts. Whether it’s a “no” to one more activity, one more volunteer role, or even one more playdate. Protecting your energy doesn’t mean you’re selfish; it means you’re smart. When you say “no” to what drains you, you’re saying “yes” to being present for what truly matters.

Celebrate the little wins. We’re so quick to notice what we didn’t do, but what about all the tiny wins? The lunches packed, the hugs given, the tantrums survived. Every day you show up, even when you’re exhausted, is worth celebrating. You’re doing better than you think.

Remember who you are. It’s easy to get lost in the roles we play: mom, partner, chauffeur, chef, counselor. But underneath it all, you’re still you. This year, make space for the things that light you up, whether that’s painting, journaling, working out, or starting a little side dream. Your kids deserve to see you happy and fulfilled, not just running on autopilot.

The truth is, your kids don’t need a perfect mom — they just need you, fully present and full of love. That’s the best resolution of all.

You don’t need a complete life overhaul, just a few gentle shifts and a whole lot of self-love. Here’s to a new year that feels a little lighter, a little slower, and a lot more you!

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January 2026 | Harmony Life Magazine 7

COVER STORY

Crafting Harmony:

The Story Behind the Harmony Journal

BY BRADY EVANS

W

But like most things in Harmony, it began with simple connection — a wave between neighbors, a love for wildlife, and the feeling that this place is more than a neighborhood. It’s home.

A Friendship Born From Nature and Creativity

Pages from Harmony Journal (left); Authors Sandy Weishaupt and Cherry Heck (above)

Sandy moved to Harmony six years ago and immediately fell in love with the very things that define the community — the cranes that stroll across the sidewalks, the sunsets glowing over the ponds, and the quiet comfort of conservation land surrounding it all.

sioned a handcrafted journal featuring the wildlife and scenes that make Harmony so special. When she shared the idea with Sandy, the excitement was mutual.

“I enjoyed our wild friends… even the alligators from afar,” Sandy said. “I’d take pictures on my walks and bike rides. The cranes are my favorite.”

Around that same time, Cherry — who has lived in Harmony for 13 years and considers it her forever home — was capturing her own photos of local wildlife and scenic moments. When Sandy noticed Cherry’s pictures online, something clicked. The two discovered they shared not only an appreciation for Harmony’s natural beauty but also a creative spirit that ran deep.

Cherry says, “we’ve carried with us in our hearts.”

They both loved crafting, whether it was Sandy’s handmade teddy bears and one-of-a-kind wind chimes or Cherry’s years of paper crafting and art projects.

Both grew up in the “Peace, Love, and Flowers” era — something that, as

The Birth of the Harmony Journal

8 Harmony Life Magazine l January 2026

From there, a friendship sparked — and a project began.

The idea started with Cherry, who envi-

“It was a natural progression to include a Harmony journal,” Cherry explains. “We just tried to choose pictures that said ‘Harmony’ to us.”

Using Cherry’s photography and design skills, and Sandy’s eagerness to learn and craft, the two began building journals page by page. Cherry handles the digital design and printing, teaching Sandy the computer process along the way. Together, they organize, assemble, and handcraft each journal.

And these aren’t mass-produced pieces — Each journal is completely unique.

No two are ever alike.

ABBEY EVANS PHOTOGRAPHY (TOP RIGHT); COURTESY OF AUTHORS CHERRY HECK AND SANDY WEISHAUPT (CENTER)

hen Harmony residents Sandy Weishaupt and Cherry Heck first crossed paths, neither imagined their shared love of nature, creativity, and community would evolve into one of Harmony’s newest handcrafted treasures: The Harmony Journal.

Many buyers choose them as gifts, especially the boxed version, which includes: • An engraved pencil made by a Harmony resident • A matching handcrafted bookmark • And a beautifully decorated gift box The boxed set reflects exactly who Sandy and Cherry are — community-minded creators who value the small touches, the personal connections, and the joy of making something meaningful.

“We enjoy the thought process and the challenge of creating something different,” Cherry says. “And we have so many ideas for future journals.”

A Gift for Yourself or Someone You Love

COURTESY OF AUTHORS CHERRY HECK AND SANDY WEISHAUPT (TOP LEFT); ABBEY EVANS PHOTOGRAPHY (BOTTOM RIGHT)

Sandy and Cherry hope their journals become a place for people to preserve their own Harmony stories — whether “Our days are sometimes long, with some trial and error,” Sandy says, “but we pass the time chatting and laughing.

We’ve found that we share many common interests and creativity.”

as gifts, keepsakes, or a special place to jot down memories of life in this one-ofa-kind town.

“I hope people enjoy the beauty of Harmony,” Sandy says. “They can keep the journal for themselves as a keepsake or give it as a gift.”

With plans for more designs and future projects, this creative duo is just getting started. Their friendship, and their shared love of Harmony all shine through on every page.

HOW TO PURCHASE Harmony Journals: • $25 — Standard handmade journal • $39 — Boxed version with engraved pencil & bookmark To purchase, contact: Cherry - (407) 669-6992 or visit their Facebook crafting page: Wild Cherry and Sandy Beach

What started as a small idea has grown into a true collaboration — and a heartfelt gift to the community.

More Than Pages — Capturing the Heart of Harmony

The Harmony Journal isn’t just a notebook. It’s a keepsake — a carefully curated snapshot of what it feels like to live here.

Inside, residents will find: • Local wildlife photography • Scenic Harmony landscapes • Pages meant for notes, memories, and reflections

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New Year, New Wag

January Resolutions to Share With Your Dog

BY APRIL COX Professional Dog Walker & Pet Sitter, Founder of Harmony Pet Nanny

January Reset for Dogs New year, new routine — January is the perfect time to get back to consistent walks and healthy habits.

Including your pup in your New Year’s resolutions can make them easier — and more fun — to keep. Here are a few simple, January-friendly ways to start the year strong together.

1. Reset the Routine After holiday schedules, travel, and visitors, many dogs are craving structure. January is a great time to reestablish consistent walk times and daily movement.

Even a short morning or evening walk can help burn off energy, improve behavior, and create calm at home.

2. Start the Year Moving Instead of big fitness goals, think small and sustainable.

Add an extra loop to your usual walk, explore a new neighborhood path, or commit to getting outside once more each day. Fresh air and movement benefit both humans and dogs.

3. Add Purposeful Play Mental stimulation is just as important as physical exercise. Use walks to practice basic training skills, allow sniff breaks, or introduce gentle enrichment activities.

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Meet the County Commissioner of Osceola County:

RICKY BOOTH What inspired you to serve as County Commissioner?

What’s been the most rewarding part of your work so far?

There is a saying in politics that, “someone else always gets to cut the ribbon." It's true. Though I truly enjoy addressing concerns for constituents and seeing those 12 Harmony Life Magazine l January 2026

immediate results.

My passion is setting the foundation for an even better future for Osceola through long-term strategy and planning. When I'm fighting for more roads and less houses, I know the folks in my district support me.

What do you enjoy most about living in Osceola County?

I value our sense of community the most.

My wife, your State Representative Erika Booth, spent most of her teaching career in Harmony and all 3 of my children attended Harmony schools. It is a blessing to have great public schools in our area. Harmony and east Osceola show that it is possible to have real community connections and that small-town feel even as we grow. We have a unique identity that’s hard to find elsewhere — our proximity to both coasts, bigcity amenities just to our north, folks that have been here for generations living, work-

ing, and building friendships with folks that just moved to town. Osceola is an amazing place, and it is no secret.

What are some of the biggest accomplishments for Osceola County this past year (2025)?

This past year has been a big one for Osceola County. I’d say some of our biggest accomplishments were the major road projects we pushed forward to ease congestion and improve safety. We also made exciting progress for Osceola Heritage Park, partnering with Orlando City Soccer ownership for upgrades that make it an even stronger hub for community events, culture, and tourism. I supported continued investment in our Osceola Prosper program, which allows all Osceola County high school graduates to attend Valencia College or OTech at no cost.

We passed a responsible budget that kept the tax rate steady while still funding improvements in public safety, infrastructure, and economic development. And we saw record tourism revenues, which help us reinvest in parks, recreation, and services for residents.

COURTESY OSCEOLA COUNTY

To whom much is given, much is expected.

I come from a long line of cattle ranchers in Osceola County, and I’ve always felt a deep sense of responsibility to preserve our community’s heritage and rural character, while balancing our inevitable growth. After graduating from the University of Florida I returned home to work on our family’s beef cattle operation, which gave me a firsthand perspective on how growth and development can affect natural resources and quality of life. The agriculture industry provided many opportunities to serve in leadership roles, and I jumped in with both feet gaining valuable experience in dozens of volunteer roles. In 2014, I began my public service on the School Board.

Both my parents, and my wife are long-time Osceola educators. Education is a passion in my family as well. We saw substantial academic gains and a complete shift in our school district culture during my time as a School Board member. I am proud of the work we did there. When the opportunity arose to serve as County Commissioner in 2020 I saw it as an opportunity to work to protect what’s special about Osceola and guide smart growth. As someone whose ancestors served this county in public office, it is an honor to represent my neighbors and safeguard our shared future in a time of rapid change.

What are your main priorities for the county going into 2026?

My number one priority is to stay focused on transportation and infrastructure by continuing the major road projects we started, working with the Florida Turnpike to expedite their additional on ramp south of St. Cloud and complete their expansion of lanes from the county line southward, and get the relief route for Narcoossee Rd. into design. Another big priority is public safety. As our population grows, we need to ensure our sheriff’s office, fire rescue, and emergency services have the resources to keep people safe. That’s non-negotiable for me. I’m also committed to strengthening economic development by supporting local businesses, attracting high-wage jobs, and making sure our kids and grandkids have opportunities here at home.

Saint Cloud and Harmony have seen a lot of growth in recent years—how is the county preparing for continued expansion?

COURTESY OSCEOLA COUNTY

Saint Cloud and Harmony have seen tremendous growth, and that pace does not seem to be slowing down. I've been here long enough to remember when Harmony was a cow pasture. The county is preparing by taking a proactive approach, most importantly through the Southeast Area Transportation Study, which is helping us plan long-term improvements to roads, intersections, connectivity, and mobility options in one of the fastest-growing parts of Osceola. We’re also working with the City of St. Cloud to make sure our planning is coordinated. It’s critical that the county and city are aligned on infrastructure, land use, and services. That collaboration means we can deliver projects that actually meet the needs of families living in Saint Cloud and Harmony. At the end of the day, our goal is to stay ahead of growth, so residents see safer roads, less congestion, and stronger community amenities. By combining careful planning with strong partnerships, we’re making sure expansion strengthens Osceola without losing the character that makes these communities special.

What steps are being taken to improve traffic and transportation infrastructure?

Federal and State transportation dollars flow through MetroPlan Orlando. For the first time Osceola will be receiving the greatest share of those funds. Billions of dollars will be invested in transportation over the next decade in County projects and through the Central Florida Expressway and the Florida Turnpike projects.

What are some of the challenges the county is currently facing, and how is your office addressing them?

Our biggest challenge is balancing state mandated population growth with infrastructure — roads, public-safety services, schools, and community amenities. That’s why I supported our increased mobility fees on new development to help create a funding source and I continue to vote against new housing developments. Another challenge is preserving rural character and agricultural lands. Most residents don't know that several decades ago the County created an urban growth boundary. Approximately two-thirds of Osceola is outside the boundary and high density development is prohibited there. There’s also the issue of maintaining affordability. Each year I have served as your County Commissioner I have made it a priority to not raise the general millage rate. I am committed to keeping our taxes and fees low. Finally, emergency preparedness and public safety must scale with growth; we’re supporting expansion of fire/ EMS, law enforcement, and disaster readiness to keep residents safe and secure. Last year I made a successful bid to bring a rescue truck to our fire station in Harmony and I know it has been put to use.

How do you balance growth and development with maintaining Osceola County’s character and community values?

We must continue to protect our urban growth boundary by keeping development inside of it. The growth in our east corridor also needs to match the high quality of places like Harmony. I fought to implement upgraded design standards on the east side of the County and we have added those to new developments.

How is the county approaching affordable housing and workforce housing concerns?

2026 budget to support affordable-housing efforts, including a mobility-fee buy-down program to encourage affordable housing development. Those efforts are focused on the west side of Osceola. Affordable/workforce housing units are successful when they are constructed near employment centers with public transportation options.

That is not on the east side. I also continue to encourage our regional municipal partners, like Orange County, to do more. They are more equipped to handle the problem.

How do you envision Osceola County five years from now?

I see Osceola County as a balanced community where growth and prosperity coexist with rural character, natural lands, and heritage. I envision improved transportation networks, better connectivity, and infrastructure that supports both residential neighborhoods and economic development without losing our sense of community. I will continue to work to increase high-wage job opportunities and workforce-ready residents. I envision safe, vibrant neighborhoods, new community spaces, strong public safety, and a county that remains fiscally responsible while providing high-quality services to all residents.

What message would you like to share directly with Osceola County residents as we enter the new year?

As we step into the new year, my message to the people of Osceola County is simple: Thank You. Thank you for your trust, your resilience, and your commitment to making this community such a special place to live.

Looking ahead, we know growth will continue to bring both challenges and opportunities. My promise is that I’ll keep working hard to fight over development, protect the heritage that defines us, and to make sure Osceola remains a place where families can thrive for generations to come.

The county has committed funds in the FY January 2026 | Harmony Life Magazine 13

CDD Update

BY LUCAS CHOKANIS Hello, my fellow Harmonians, First and foremost, I hope you and your families had a wonderful holiday season, and Happy New Year! Cheers to 2026! My name is Lucas Chokanis, Vice President of the Community Development District (CDD). I’ve been serving on the board since 2023 and have been a resident of Harmony since 2013.

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I want to take this opportunity to provide some updates on the CDD’s landscaping improvements, how to access our CDD website and reserve amenities such as a boat, and some focus items in Harmony that we are currently tracking.

United Landscaping Services (ULS), led by Nick Lomasney, who is a Harmony resident (and they do a fantastic job, might I add), is installing 1,600 yards of brown cocoa mulch in all common areas throughout Harmony. They have completed a site audit on all parks and CDD squares and have approval to begin enhancements at the dog park on Cat Brier and Gopher Apple Way. All year long, they have been upgrading our irrigation systems and identifying problems from the original installation, bringing those areas up to date. Broken sprinkler heads will occur due to the nature of having miles of irrigation throughout our community, but they monitor these and address them as they pop up. No pun intended…

The oak trees along 192 have been trimmed on the fence line. Oak trees in Harmony Square, Buck Lake Park, and seven residential roads have also been trimmed. ULS is excellent at maintaining these trees—especially before hurricane season.

Moving on to our CDD website—its usefulness and the process to reserve boats on our amazing Buck Lake. If you go to harmonycdd.org, you will find a page that describes the purpose of our CDD and who we represent.

You will also find a schedule of our past and future CDD meetings. If you click on the three horizontal lines at the top right, it will provide a dropdown. There you can select “Calendar,” “Documents,” “Information,” “Links,” and “Contact.” For the boat reservation, click “Information” “Amenities” “Boat Reservation System,” which will take you to a website where you can sign in/sign up and reserve your boat. For full transparency, with our new field service management company, Berman, we did have some communication issues with residents showing up for their boat reservation with no one there to give them access. We have addressed that issue and implemented

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a more efficient process with Berman to ensure that doesn’t happen in the future.

On to Focus Items… Sidewalks, the RV Lot, and the Maintenance Facility. At our November meeting, the board agreed to evaluate sidewalks on Cat Brier, Schoolhouse Road, and Five Oaks, going back to the roundabout—the “triangle,” if you will. Sidewalk grinding was completed on Cat Brier a couple of months ago by Precision Sidewalk, but there are still a few areas that need full panel replacements. This evaluation will give us a comprehensive scope of what panels can be ground down and which need to be replaced.

The RV lot is being evaluated by our District Engineer, David Hamstra with Pegasus Engineering. There has been some confusion as to why this lot was closed, but it was legally closed by the county due to code violations— specifically, not having a road durable enough for a fire truck and insufficient space for a full three-point turn at the entrance. Additionally, there are gas pipelines that run parallel to the rocky road leading back to the RV lot/ Garden area. More updates will be provided at our next meeting. The maintenance facility—which will provide our field service management company a place to work and a secure location to store all of our equipment instead of using shipping containers, which have a short shelf life in Florida’s environment—is progressing. The blueprints are almost complete, but that is all I can say on this forum…

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I encourage all of you to stay involved in the CDD meetings and to participate in the evolution of our community. We love it here and hope you all do as well.

Best regards, Lucas Chokanis

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK Harmony Life Magazine January 2026 | Harmony Life Magazine 15

HEALTHCARE

What is Minimum Essential Coverage?

BY KIM KIRSCH National Marketing Director Healthcare Solutions Team

M

EC, or Minimum Essential Coverage, is a term you’ll encounter frequently in the world of health insurance, especially when discussing compliance with the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Essentially, MEC refers to any health insurance plan that meets the ACA’s requirements for providing essential health benefits.

This means that if you have MEC, you’re in compliance with the ACA’s individual mandate, which was designed to ensure that everyone has access to healthcare.

So, what qualifies as MEC? Some examples include employer-sponsored health plans, government programs like Medicare and Medicaid, and individual health plans purchased through the Health Insurance Marketplace that meet the ACA standards. For instance, if you work for a company that offers health insurance and you enroll in that plan, you typically have MEC, as these plans are designed to cover a wide range of essential health services, such as emergency services, hospitalization, preventive care, and prescription drugs.

Understand that there are new and innovative plans in the private market that do meet the government’s guidelines for MEC, and they are definitely worth checking out.

Understanding MEC is vital, especially as you evaluate your health insurance options. If you’re considering a new plan or unsure whether your current coverage qualifies as MEC, don’t hesitate to reach out! We’re here to help you navigate through the complexities of health insurance and ensure you have the right coverage for your needs.

Call us today at 407-870-3462, and let’s talk about how to find the best health insurance solutions for you!

It’s important to note that not all health plans qualify as MEC. Short-term health insurance plans and certain limited benefit plans do not meet these requirements. For example, if you purchase a short-term plan that only covers catastrophic events, you might find that it doesn’t provide the comprehensive coverage needed to meet the MEC standard. This could result in potential penalties if the individual mandate were still in effect, though it's worth noting that the federal penalty for not having insurance was eliminated in 2019, Health • Disability • Long Term Care Kim Kirsch leaving some states to impose their own penalties.

407-870-3462 • kkirsch@myhst.com Short Term Insurance • Supplemental • Life • Medicare

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16 Harmony Life Magazine l January 2026

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designed to create community with the people around you.

IT TAKES

A Village

BY JENNA RAGO

G

rowing up for the majority of my life in the Saint Cloud area, I thought I had seen all there was to offer and I was certain this is not where I would stay and raise a family. I was always grateful for the town I came from, I just thought there could be more elsewhere. My husband was also raised in the Saint Cloud area and when we started a family, we lived in town for a while before following a job opportunity to South Georgia then West Melbourne, and finally back to Saint Cloud.

In each of these towns we were in search of one thing that we just couldn’t quite put our finger on. We tried to join churches, start new hobbies, put our children in different sports, and still felt a certain element missing from each phase of our life. We can confidently say now that the element that was missing from all of our previous homes was true community.

As I said before, both my husband and I have been in Saint Cloud for the majority of our lives and my husband even graduated from Harmony High School but we never discussed moving to Harmony.

We never truly considered moving here until about a year or two ago when our close friends purchased their first home in Harmony. We visited their new house 18 Harmony Life Magazine l January 2026

frequently as they moved in and came over for dinner parties, birthday celebrations, and game nights. Slowly we started to realize there was something different about this neighborhood and the people in it.

My family and I still currently live in Saint Cloud but we have set a goal to move to Harmony in the springtime. I see so many things within this community that are different and have drawn us into making this the place where we want to raise our children.

The most simple and perfunctory reason that we want to move to Harmony is that this neighborhood is always stunning. Every person in the community takes care of their home in a way that you don’t see in other communities. It is such a joy to drive through Harmony in the holiday months because of all the immaculate decorations. One of our favorite holiday traditions are golf cart rides with our friends in the evenings to see both the Halloween, and then later, Christmas decorations. It truly says so much about Harmony that so many people have the desire to decorate their home simply for the enjoyment of others. This neighborhood also seems to be designed for families that don’t just want to live a life shut indoors. There are large sidewalks, trails, parks, and pools that are made and

Harmony is the type of place that has true community which I think is missing from most of society currently. There seems to be a mutual understanding within Harmony that we are all watching out for each other's kids and each other's well being. Everytime I visit, there are children running around outside playing with their friends. While that may seem so simple, I can’t recall even one time where my kids have gone outside to play with neighborhood kids in our current home. As social media and technology take over our kids' brains, it is so refreshing to see children still being children and playing outside until the very last second that the sun is up. When my kids are playing outside with their friends in Harmony I can feel my helicopter-mom tendencies disappearing. I know that we are surrounded by good kids from good families where people don’t speed down the streets with no consideration for others.

Another important reason that we want to move to Harmony is that we feel we can build on the community we already have. I have every intention of recruiting my entire family to come with us to Harmony. I want my sister and her family to be our neighbors so my nieces and nephews can knock on my door every single day. And I want my mom and dad to move down the block so they can come over for dinner whenever they want. We have also graciously met so many amazing families while visiting our friends here and we can not wait to continue those relationships and build on them with evening golf cart rides, progressive dinners, and summer time pool play dates.

After each and every visit to Harmony, my family leaves feeling refreshed, excited, and filled with community. My husband and I just couldn’t denote those feelings when we were making the huge decision of where we want to take our family next. We want to be a part of a community that understands that real life isn’t on social media, it's with the people around you, it's with the person next door, the mom that you walk your kids with to school on Monday morning, or the neighborhood kid that you invite in for dinner for the hundredth time.

Because it takes a village to raise a family and we believe our village is in Harmony.

PROMOTE YOUR BUSINESS TO HARMONY RESIDENTS Contact Brady Evans for More Information Brady Evans flharmonylife@gmail.com

January 2026 | Harmony Life Magazine 19

Susan Donnelly

Taco Ring

Ingredients 1½ lb (700 g) lean (90%) ground beef 1 pkg (1–1.25 oz/30–35 g) taco seasoning mix 1¾ cups (7 oz/200 g) shredded cheddar cheese, divided 2 tbsp (45 mL) water 2 pkg (8 oz /250 g each) refrigerated crescent rolls 1 egg white, lightly beaten Optional toppings: salsa, shredded lettuce, chopped onion and tomato, sliced olives, and sour cream Directions 1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Cook the ground beef in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat for 10–12 minutes or until it’s no longer pink, breaking beef into crumbles, then drain. Transfer the beef to a large bowl.

Stir in the taco seasoning mix, 1 ½ cups of the cheese, and water.

2. Unroll the crescent dough and separate it into 16 triangles. Arrange the triangles, slightly overlapping, in a circle on a Pizza Stone with the wide ends of the triangles overlapping in the center and points toward the outside. There should be a 5" (13-cm)-diameter opening in the center of the stone. The narrow triangle points of dough will extend off the edge of the baking stone.

3. Scoop the filling evenly over the dough in a continuous circle. Bring the points of triangles up over the filling and tuck them under the dough at center to form a ring.

(Filling will show.) Brush the top with the egg white.

Sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake for 25–30 minutes or until it is golden brown. Cut into wedges with the Pizza & Crust Cutter. Serve with toppings.

“I love to cook and it brings everyone together; it's the common denominator in fellowship.”

20 Harmony Life Magazine l January 2026

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