Master POA Report
As I pen this letter it is the middle of September, and the “Windy Season” has been very quiet…so far. We have used only 5 letters of the hurricane alphabet so far which means that we are still several letters from the “i”s (such as Ian, and Irma) that ravaged our shores in recent years. Let us hope that we do not use the entire alphabet this year even though it has been predicted to be busier than normal!
Your Master (and probably your neighborhood’s) boards have been preparing for the usual hectic fall schedule. Driving around the community on trash day discloses that many of our neighbors are probably taking late summer vacations as they have, at last, no children to get off to school.
The Master Board Treasurer, Mickey Wheeler, along with the other Master Board Directors, are putting the final touches on our 2025 assessment budget which will be presented to the Master Board for approval in October. This is billed quarterly
starting January 1 along with your neighborhood assessment. The Master assessment covers the expenses for the property and services used by all the Grandezza residents such as Comcast cable/ internet; landscaping for the common areas such as along Grand Oak Dr.; the access control services at the gate house; and our vehicle patrol along the community streets. My thanks to Mickey and the other Directors for their work to produce the annual budget. As you know, our budget does not cover the services and facilities provided by the Club which are billed by the Club in December. It is interesting that the Club pays the Master Association over $200K/year for the Club’s share of the expenses to maintain property that is jointly owned/used by the Club.
In November, the Master Association will host our annual reception to honor and thank our residents who serve us as directors on various Grandezza community boards including
Some Perspectives of Halloween
By Susan Sherwin
Many of us Grandezza residents recollect Halloween of years past as one of our favorite holidays of the year. Celebrated annually on October 31st, Halloween has its roots in ancient Celtic traditions although today it has evolved into a fun-filled, family-friendly occasion where creativity, community, and spookiness come together. From trick-or-treating for candy to elaborate costumes and haunted houses, customs vary, but children, teens and the forever-young often enjoy this holiday.
I have always thought that the best Halloween custom is trick-or-treating, where children dress up in costumes and go door-to-door, collecting candy from neighbors. This tradition originated from the medieval practice of “souling,” in which villagers would go from home to home offering prayers for the dead in exchange for food. In its modern form, trick-or-treating has become a delightful activity for kids, as they transform into their favorite characters—sometimes spooky, funny, or fantastical—and visit homes decorated with pumpkins, ghosts, bats, black cats, and cobwebs. This writer grew up in Jersey City, New Jersey, where my friends and I rang every doorbell on every door in our apartment buildings and collected our copious goodies in pillowcases. Those stashes of candy would last for months afterwards.
Today, parents often accompany their younger children, and neighborhoods that are particularly enthusiastic about
Energy Check
By Yvette Bernosky, B.Ms., Director of Fitness & Wellness, The Club at Grandézza
Not long ago, I came across this sign posted at the entrance of Indiana University Health. I smiled as I thought how brilliant it was to ask people to pause and reflect momentarily on the energy they were carrying and shift it before entering, if necessary. A center of health is certainly a place where you want an environment free of “dis-ease.”
Halloween will go all out with their decorations, creating eerie environments with lights, sound effects, and life-size props. Sometimes entire streets are turned into haunted villages and compete for the best decorated award.
Costume parties and dressing up are absolutely essential to Halloween festivities. The practice of wearing costumes is rooted in the ancient belief that during Samhain, a precursor to Halloween, that the veil between the living and the dead was at its thinnest. So, people lit bonfires and wore costumes to disguise and protect themselves from any spirits that might be lurking. Today Halloween costumes may range from traditional vampires, witches, and skeletons to pop-culture inspired superheroes, movie characters, and famous or infamous personalities.
Believe me that dressing up is not only limited to kids as adults join in the festivities too. My friends and I were always up for showing off our wild, creative, and sometimes outlandish costumes, and if it involved a Halloween costume contest, all the better. What fun it was to be a princess, to be transformed into Sinbad of the Seven Seas, or to pose as a box of M & Ms.
Another enjoyable Halloween custom is pumpkin carving. This tradition of carving pumpkins into jack-o’lanterns comes from Irish folklore. Originally, turnips and potatoes were carved with faces to ward off evil spirits, but after Irish immigrants brought the custom to America, pumpkins became the preferred medium. Let’s face
Coincidentally, at the entrance to The Studio, I have a doormat with the message, “We are so happy you are here.” And, inside, a sign that reads, “This is our happy place.” These simple yet powerful words create an inviting atmosphere, signaling for people to leave their stressors and worries outside. Inside, it’s their time to unplug and focus on their health and well-being.
the Master and neighborhoods. It is an opportunity to recognize them for their efforts to maintain our community as an attractive and inviting place in which to invest your significant residential funds. This is very important, as we are competing with other established and new communities to attract new residents when we are selling our homes. I find it interesting how many of our residents who are downsizing / upsizing their residences elect to stay in Grandezza doing a “Grandezza Shuffle” where they feel at home!
How about sharing your experience and talents to assist your community? We are approaching the Member Annual Meeting time. Why not submit a nomination to serve on your Master or neighborhood Board? The procedure is detailed on the Annual Meeting notices you will receive well before the meeting date.
Master POA Report on page 3
it. Carving or painting a pumpkin has to be preferable to decorating a turnip or a potato. Once the pumpkin is carved, a candle or small light is placed inside, creating an eerie glow that adds to the Halloween atmosphere.
For those who enjoy a good scare, haunted houses and other spooky attractions have been a Halloween favorite. These may range from small, homemade haunted garages to large-scale commercial haunted houses complete with actors, animatronics, and sometimes terrifyingly realistic sets. Some towns and communities also offer hayrides or corn mazes designed to scare at every turn. Personally, I never liked braving corn mazes, but to each his own. Boo!
Last, Halloween parties are a staple for both kids and adults. Traditional Halloween games such as bobbing for apples, pin the hat on the witch, and scavenger hunts keep the spirit of light-heartedness alive. Parties may even include activities like horror movie marathons, costume contests (of course) and spooky-themed snacks like ghostshaped cookies and candy apples.
Think of all the times when you have seen someone so worked up that they project unnecessary anger on personnel who had nothing to do with their actual issue. Or, when you arrive at a social event and sit next to someone who spends the evening complaining about everything. In the article, “Human Energy is Contagious: Whose Vibes Are You Catching? Susan Kohn Taylor, founder of The Mental Fitness Company, shares that a person’s energy is a combination of their past, their mindset, their dominant thoughts and their perception of the world. Sometimes, that energy is easily felt; other times, it manifests subtly and subconsciously. This negative energy can
Halloween is nearly upon us later this month. Whether you are planning to celebrate or just to remember the fun that you, your family, and friends enjoyed in celebrating the holiday in the past, I hope you will find joy! Happy Halloween!
“Do not grow old no matter how long you live. Never cease to stand like curious children before the great mystery in which we were born.”
~ Albert Einstein
Meet the Resident: Sharmin Fairbanks McKenny
By Susan Sherwin
Grandézza has myriad residents with fascinating backgrounds and lives prior to their locating to our community. Sharmin Fairbanks McKenny was born and raised on a traditional family farm in a small town in Northwest Missouri. Like her predecessors who were early settlers of the Massachusetts Bay Colony in the early 1630s, she lived history on a traditional farm. She did all of the women’s chores including cooking, cleaning, sewing, gardening, canning, milking, and making cider. Additionally, she helped raise and shear sheep. (Sheep and wool manufacturing was a mainstay in all of Colonial England and into the Industrial Revolution.) Other farming experiences included helping with all of the farm animals, field work, butchering, and being anywhere she was needed on a working farm. Those early experiences helped give Sharmin an understanding of the lives of the Fairbanks family in 17th Century New England.
Having spent her entire life studying her family’s genealogies and stories, Sharmin has visited all the lands where the family lived, picking up a stone from each place. She even acquired a stone from a 1500s house in England that the Fairbanks likely owned in the very early 1600s. And, thanks to the generosity of the current owners, she had the opportunity to stay there overnight.
Essentially, Sharmin’s ancestors were pioneers and were the first settlers everywhere they moved. Many were on the cutting edge of industry and invention. On Sharmin’s paternal grandparents’ side, the Fairbanks helped found Dedham, Massachusetts and the Prescotts founded Lancaster, Massachusetts. Her mother’s family, the Schweizers, came over from Switzerland much later.
Energy Check from page 1
impact everyone in that space, as our energies are often contagious. In simpler terms, negativity breeds more negativity.
I have always thought of our energy as a radio frequency broadcasting out into the world. Our energy introduces itself before anything else. You may have noticed this when you are around someone broadcasting a positive vibe, and naturally, you feel more at ease. However, on the other hand, being around someone with negative vibes can cause you to feel unsettling emotions.
Before opening the door to training sessions, workshops, meetings or outings with friends, I am always conscious of the energy I bring to the room. I pause, take a deep breath and ask myself if my mind is clear and if my heart is in a good place. Then, I reflect on how I want the experience to go, as I know my energy is essential to the outcome.
I’d like to encourage you to do the same. It’s inspiring to see how the power of positive energy can transform an entire environment. Positive energy is a form of love we can share. Given the choice, what energy would you want to broadcast?
Sharmin’s own pioneer life started with soloing in an airplane even before she received a driver’s license. Her nursing career began in a large general hospital in Kansas City, Missouri, where she worked with early kidney transplant and radiation therapy patients. As part of St. Joseph Hospital Life Flight of Kansas City, she helped initiate one of the first six programs of civilian air transport systems in the United States to put civilian nurses on helicopters. She provided rescue, transport and care of critically ill or injured patients by helicopter from scenes of accidents and small rural hospitals to level one facilities. Not one to slack, on the day she delivered her first child, Aaron, Sharmin submitted her Master’s Thesis in nursing.
Over the last seven years, Sharmin has authored a website and blog dedicated to “traveling” back in history. Included is information about the family and their contributions to this country’s history. As early settlers beyond Massachusetts in Vermont, Ohio, and Kansas, the Fairbanks were a crucial part of the United States’ rich past. They fought the country’s wars: the French and Indian Wars, Revolutionary War, Civil War, WW I, and WW II.
Currently, Sharmin is a Board of Director of the Fairbanks Family of America which operates the Fairbanks House Museum
THECLUB AT GRANDÈZZA GRANDÈZZA
INWELLNESS INWELLNESS
GOLF FITNESS WALKS
LEE HEALTH WORKSHOPS
3pm in the Formal Dining Room or via Zoom
October 17: Navigating Breast Cancer with Confidence
November 5: Rehab Your Golf Swing
November 7: Superfoods & Your Health
ROLL IT OUT FOAM ROLLING & MASSAGE STICK WORKSHOP
October 26 at Noon in The Studio LEARN TO
WITH A COP November 14 at 9am in the Formal Dining Room 2040 DOCUMENTARY & DISCUSSION
November 19 at Noon in the Formal Dining Room BLOODMOBILE
November 21 at 8am in the South Parking Lot FAMILY FUN DAY WITH ICE CREAM TRUCK
November 30 at 9:30am in front of the Clubhouse with an Ice Cream Truck & complimentary Massage
KID’S ACTIVITIES AREA adjacent to membership office
November 25 through Saturday November 30
CONTACT YVETTE AT 941-999-1331
A top team
I am proud to announce, our team, Touchstone Wealth Partners has been named one of Barron’s 2024 Top 250 Private Wealth Management Teams. The Barron’s rating is awarded annually in May based on information from the prior year Q4. Eligibility is based on quantitative factors and is not necessarily related to the quality of the investment advice. In excess of $2.5 Billion* assets under management. Contact us for a Second Opinion.
in Dedham, MA. The Dedham House, built in 1637, is the oldest timber frame house still standing in North America. She is a member of Gulf Coast Writers Association and Historical Fiction Writer’s Society, the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, and the Dedham and Lancaster Massachusetts Historical Societies.
Furthermore, Sharmin hopes to continue to inspire readers about the the stories of her diverse ancestors across North America in her soon-to-be book publication of Made to Last Forever, the first in a series.
Sharmin’s family, both past and present, are the center of this Savona resident’s life. Her current day family consists of husband John, their children Aaron and Macy, daughter-in-law Angel, and granddaughter Em. One of the family’s most unusual pets, by the way, has been a capuchin monkey named Tiki. This busy woman enjoys playing golf, reading, painting, biking, walking, and is Savona’s Neighborhood Watch coordinator. Sharmin may best be known around Grandézza, though, for her Orphan Orchid Program. In her management of “orphan” orchids and attaching them on trees, the golfers and other residents here are able to enjoy the beautiful blooms year after year. Thank you, Sharmin!
For further information about Sharmin Fairbanks McKenny, feel free to read up about her online at: https://www. fairbankshistory.com or Facebook.com/FairbanksHistory.
Master POA Report from page 1
Please remember that floor nominations are not allowed so members have an opportunity to research their vote choices. Speaking about new residential construction, the developments to our east continue to deliver quite a few new homes even during the recent mortgage interest rate increase. Through June, they have delivered over 350 new homes this year principally in Verdana and River Creek. There are still over 1,000 vacant lots approved for the east Corkscrew area excluding the Kingston development that is expected to have its initial approval in early in 2025. Kingston is planning a 6,000-acre development with about 10,000 lots near the junction of Corkscrew and Route 82. If you have a reason to travel east on Corkscrew, stop in to view the new Publix store about 10 miles east of Grandezza in front of Verdana. It appears to be a possible new style of Publix store with significant different interior finishes and services including an area that will cook a takeout meal for a ready to eat dinner (that you may need by the time you drive that far on Corkscrew through the Phase 2 construction area).
All for now! Next month watch for a significant new Gazzette format that our new Editor, Susan Sherwin is planning to introduce with the November issue!
~Fred Thompson
Gazzette
Grandezza GirlFriends
By Cindy Fitzpatrick
For the final reciprocal of the summer, the GirlFriends lunched at The Colony where they celebrated the birthdays of Joyce Buchanan and Jill Burnside. The GirlFriend’s bracelet was presented to Debra McAlister-Brown.
The Rounders group continues to stay busy. Their latest adventure, arranged by Michelle Wright, was sailing around the Fort Myers area on the Tipsy Tiki and the ladies met beforehand to enjoy a bite at Snug Harbor. Can’t wait to see what they do next!
Reader’s Corner
By Faina Menzul
From the award winning author and journalist Stephen
, an uplifting story of hope, healing, and redemption set in the post-World War
Inc for the most up
If you are a member of Grandezza GirlFriends, follow us on Facebook at Grandezza
to date information and photos. This is a private group for members only.
GRANDEZZA PAWS OF
II France. After exuberant parades and celebrations end, the French people realize how much work will be needed to restore their country from the destruction brought by the endless years of war. Although the war is over, fighting is still going on. Resistance fighters, emerging from hiding, seek vengeance against their former neighbors who collaborated with Germans.
In a small seaside village in the Champagne-Ardenne region, a young Jewish man named Asher emerges after fighting for four years with the Resistance. His parents, grandparents, and four brothers are all gone, transported East by the Germans. His beautiful wife and a baby daughter were shot on the street by a German officer. His house is in ruin, and the village’s synagogue burned to the ground.
logs to feed the furnace. Pleased with his hard work, Mark, the glass studio master, allows Asher to stay for supper and later gives him a place to sleep.
Mark and Brigitte, owners of the 450-year old Chateau Guerin famous for its glass works, are determined to restore the studio that was almost destroyed during the war. Devout Christians, they turn the Chateau into a sanctuary for men who are emotionally scarred by the war. Realizing that all of the Chateau residents are Christians, though, Asher decides to hide his Jewish identity for fear of being cast out.
Let’s
Before the war Asher was an artisan cobbler renowned for his high quality and intricately designed boots. Asher finds his shop destroyed and his instruments gone. All alone, desperate, and hungry, Asher feels he has nothing left to live for, when an old woman tells him “something good” is going on nearby. When Asher turns to ask her for directions, the old crone is gone.
After wandering the countryside for days Asher finally stumbles upon an old Chateau set high on a hill. A woman in a courtyard tells Asher “there is no place for him” at the Chateau, but leaves him a plate of food. Famished, Asher wolfs down the food. Grateful for the first meal he has had in days, Asher enters a large workshop where several men work in front of a scorching furnace. He helps carry heavy
The men work long hours in front of the blazing furnace that turns sand into glass. They are weary and distrustful of each other, guarding terrible secrets of the recent past. Asher finds that creating images in stained glass is similar to cutting intricate designs in leather. Seeing his work, Mark assigns Asher the task of creating new altar windows for the village church that were destroyed by the Germans. Searching for an appropriate theme, Asher recalls Torah stories he learned as a boy. He creates images of peace and forgiveness, even though he is fearful that they may reveal his Jewish identity. Working on the stained glass designs helps Asher regain the Faith he had lost during the war. Also, his images enable other Chateau men come to terms with their past failings, and to search for resolutions to their personal struggles. The men begin to care about each other, even as their identities are revealed.
In The Glass Chateau the author delivers a poignant and complicated story of hope and renewal enabled by the power of art. Marc Chagall, a famous French-Jewish artist, served as inspiration for this novel after the author discovered that Chagall literally “revolutionized” the art of stained glass, and designed many stained glass windows throughout Europe and the United States. In 1968 Chagall was commissioned to design stained glass panels behind the main altar at the Reims Cathedral, a magnificent ninth century church that was a coronation site of the French kings for hundreds of years.
Jessica Porvasnik Earns LPGA Tour Card for 2025 Season
By Cory Titensor, PGA Director of Golf, The Club at Grandézza
While most dream about making that winning stroke to win a golf championship, few will ever have the opportunity. To put things into perspective only 1 out of 51,436 golfers reach the professional tours. Earlier this month, Jessica Porvasnik secured her playing status for 2025 on the LPGA Tour. Jessica is the granddaughter of Ray and Noreen Wilk.
Jessica has spent many hours playing and practicing at Grandézza while visiting and staying with her grandparents. After she graduated from Ohio State University, she worked for us in the pro shop while she launched her professional career in 2017. At first, she played events on several winter women’s mini tours. She gained valuable knowledge and experience but struggled in her attempts to get her LPGA tour card. However, it did not get her down. She was determined, more focused, and worked even harder.
This led to a couple of victories in the Ohio Women’s Open in 2017 and 2018, the 2018 DCM PGA Women’s Championship of Canada, and the 2019 Florida Women’s Open. As she began to achieve some real progress Covid stalled her headway.
Just like before, Jessica focused and worked harder. Covid was good for women’s professional golf. It created a merger of their smaller mini tours into a larger developmental tour, WAPT Tour. The purses and opportunities were expanded for the players and Jessica earned player of the year from that tour in 2021. This got her exempt status on the Epson Tour.
While she did not have the same level of success on the new tour right away, Jessica was able to keep her playing status. She focused again and worked even harder. In 2024 she has played very consistently and was the leading point earner through August. With a couple of events remaining she has earned one of the 15 LPGA Tour Cards for 2025.
Congratulations Jessica! We hope that your hard work and determination continue to bring you success on the big stage.
Girlfriends
P. Kiernan comes The Glass Chateau
Travel Corner
Exploring the Arctic in Search of Polar Bears
By Mei-Mei Chan Kirk
Since my retirement in 2015, I have embraced “carpe diem” with a passion, checking off my bucket list one by one.
In May, I was thrilled to observe polar bears in the Arctic with Quark Expeditions. My daughter and I happened upon a last-minute deal and signed up for our first expedition voyage, and our first very cold weather journey.
We boarded the beautiful Ultramarine, launched in 2021, in Longyearbyen, Norway. It’s the northernmost inhabited town in the world, on the island of Spitsbergen in the Svalbard archipelago, just 800 miles from the North Pole.
Over twelve days, we saw seven polar bears, oodles of walruses, four Arctic foxes, some seals, a large pod of beluga whales, herds of reindeer, and seabirds galore. We walked on frozen sea ice in front of an ancient glacier and were among the first to do so this season as ships can’t get through until the ice thaws. Our guides said this ice would be gone in a week.
And we sailed north until we hit the Arctic pack ice. Around midnight on May 15, under the bright midnight sun, our ship was the furthest north of any in the world, only
635 miles from the North Pole. It was bitterly cold at seventeen degrees with twenty-five mph winds, but we were jubilant at being at the top of the world, imagining carving through the ice, going straight on until morning.
With no pollution, lights or crowds, the sense of untouched solitude and bleak tranquility was surreal. We marveled at vast, pristine landscapes, snow-clad mountains, sparkling glaciers, and fascinating sheets of ice that soon will be gone—faster each year.
Every day, we would don our many layers, and bop in and out of Zodiac rafts for cruising or shore landings or hikes. The daily anticipation of discovery was exhilarating, and exhausting. Each night, we would learn about mammals, birds, geology and more. Expedition leader Ryan McDevitt (from St. Petersburg, Florida!) would give a debrief and the plans for the next day based on weather, winds, and ice conditions.
Then we would “pivot” as needed. One day we planned to visit walruses at Moffen Island, but while Ryan was scouting, a large walrus swam out and swung his tusks at the Zodiac raft! The risk was too high so we did not visit. Another day, we left a large guillemot bird colony at Alkefjellet early because of high winds. On our second day out, we were waiting our turn to walk on a glacier when called back to the ship: a polar bear had been sighted!
By her smaller size and monitoring collar, the staff knew it was a female. This bear had just taken down a reindeer so we got to enjoy her for about three hours as she gnawed, wandered and rolled like a pooch. From a half mile away (ships can’t get very close to land due to regulations and shallow shoals) she appeared fuzzy and cute!
Marine mammal specialist Grigory Tsidulko said there are may be 20,000 polar bears worldwide with 300-400 in the Svalbard archipelago and up to 3,600 from Norway through the Russian region. There hasn’t been a coordinated survey since 2004, when the count was 22,000 to 24,000.
Bears are struggling as ice melts more rapidly and frequently. It’s more tiring for them to hunt seals on land and water, and that’s why some are resorting to hunting reindeer— which provide very little blubber for the effort.
In all, we saw seven “binocular bears”—two were really just specks. But we got to track two for more than four hours as they walked steadily with purpose, climbed rocks, slipped on ice mounds, swam doggy style, eyed reindeer, and waited patiently at ice holes for a seal to surface, ignoring the foxes walking by.
The hope is that a polar bear will stroll on ice toward your ship for a close encounter. Alas, this never happened for us. But we still feel so fortunate, and privileged, to have seen these majestic beasts in their natural habitat.
The details:
• Travel: We flew to Oslo, Norway, onto Tromso, then Longyearbyen.
• Weather: Usually about 25-35 degrees and sunny, with some snow, and some days of high winds 20 mph and up.
• Garb: Quark gifts you a “free” polar jacket and provides excellent knee-high rubber boots. We were glad to have invested in extra wool layers and face coverings.
• Onboard: It’s a luxury expedition ship! We had 128 crew and 178 passengers (200 max), with about a third Americans and a third repeat Quark guests. The expert expedition staff of twenty-five were fabulous.
• Zodiacs: These motorized rafts are used frequently for cruising or shore landings. The loading platforms are easily accessed and there are a lot of helping hands.
• Tourism changes: Starting in 2025, Norway is imposing more stringent restrictions to manage tourism, which will impact wildlife encounters.
Interested in more? Check out our top photos: https:// photos.app.goo.gl/nrM7aE43uvYzTVGu6
Pet Corner Featuring Charlie
By Susan Sherwin
This month’s pet is Charlie, also known as Prince Charles of Thoroughbred the Second. Charlie lives in Villa Grande with Philly Zollner and Gary Sutherland, and the reasoning behind the genesis of his name is twofold. Philly’s parents were fans of the film The African Queen starring Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn, whose characters were named Charlie and Rose, and her parents dubbed themselves by those names. Thus, this male cat was given the name Charlie.
Community Boards and Officers
As far as the rest of Charlie’s proper name, Thoroughbred happens to be the name of the street that Gary lived on back in the day.
This friendly feline with his black and white pattern is now about four years old and weighs thirteen pounds. Known as a tuxedo cat for his bi-colored markings that are reminiscent of human formal wear for men, Charlie is strikingly handsome with his shiny black coat, white chest and “spats,” i.e. white boots/paws. With white fur around his chin and nose, and big green eyes, Charlie is a dramatic ‘Tuxie.” By the way, he has a signature wardrobe of bow ties to complement his tuxedo and is always dressed to the nines.
Charlie’s early history was as a dumpster cat in Ohio, and luckily for him he was saved from that lifestyle when he was a six week old kitten. Gary, who grew up on a farm, claimed “I hate cats,” since his early exposure to cats was to those kept in the barn to serve a purpose, not cats as pets, and he has since changed his opinion. The requirements of Ohio’s pet rescue program is strict, and Philly and Gary met the qualifications. Plus, Charlie climbed the cage at Pet Rescue to choose Philly, and the rest is history. Neutered and chipped, Charlie headed to his new forever home.
Who ever said that cats cannot be trained? Not so. Philly has trained Charlie to follows commands to sit, roll over, and shake human hands with both paws, and Charlie especially enjoys being rewarded with liver and chicken treats for his efforts. He also understands and responds to several baby sign language commands such as “all done” and “help / do you need help?” Prior to the pandemic, Charlie
would accompany Philly by walking on a leash like a dog, though he is not recognized as a service animal. He would go shopping with Philly and remain in the cart but without further reinforcement, that has gone by the wayside.
Charlie’s early food drop is at 6:00 AM and Gary fills an automatic food feeder that gives the cat the security of knowing food is always available. Charlie knows intuitively when it is 9:15 PM and paws Philly for his wet food. He drinks most of his water at night from a cup from which his humans have drunk. Unlike many animals who do not wish to be bothered while they are eating, Charlie loves to be brushed by Philly then. However, 10:30 PM is the time that Charlie calls his humans to go to sleep and he guards them outside the bedroom door. He finds a centralized spot to retreat to protect Philly and Gary when visitors are in the house. He is calm, not skittish like some cats, does not mind dogs at all, and welcomes people. Rather than meowing, he growls if he is wary or unhappy with something.
According to his owners, Charlie likes being included in human activities, and they refer to him as a “working cat.” He plays with the rummy cube tiles and when they are playing it is the only time Charlie is permitted on the table. His owners reading the newspaper is time for him to study the stock market pages. He is amused by playing with his toys and grooming himself. One of his favorite spots is on Philly’s shoulder when she is making the coffee. He happens to be a good traveler and has traveled with the family to Kansas, West Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. Philly harvests monarch butterflies in her butterfly garden, and Charlie is curious (a “Nosy Parker”) and helpful as he encircles the butterfly hampers. Aside from walking around on the patio, Charlie is an indoor cat with a loving personality and never escapes outside the house. This pet feline obviously understands that he is charming, loved by his owners, and anything but ordinary.
Neighborhood Watch Coordinators
Remember-
• Call 911 for a crime-in-progress (emergency) or
• Call the police at 239-477-1000 to report suspicious activity/behavior (non-emergency)
• Call the Grandezza Gate at 239-498-8895 to inform them that the police may be coming and why.
• Notify your Neighborhood Watch Coordinator
Happy 99th Birthday, Paul Edwards!
Grandezza’s oldest resident Paul Edwards recently celebrated his 99th birthday on September 23.
To place a classified ad Grandezza residents may e-mail sjsherwin18@gmail.com. An ad will run for THREE (3) MONTHS beginning with the first submission. Please inform us when the item has been sold or if you wish to have it deleted from the column. Also, you must notify us to continue an ad for an additional cycle after the initial 3-month period has expired or it automatically will be deleted. (Ending cycle of the ad running is noted at the end in parentheses.)
Items for Sale
Two Front Door Sidelight Shutters: White 82”L x 11”W for sale. Excellent condition $400.00. Call or text 954-242-4553. (Expires 11/24)
Service Offerings
Concierge Services including Airport Transportation, Home Watch, & Grocery Delivery by Full Time Resident/ Retiree Lori Santillo. Call 612-916-1107. (Expires 11/24)
Paul is a WWII and Korean War veteran who served in Australia, the Philippines and Japan more years ago than many of us were born. He came to Grandezza in 2014 following the death of his wife of sixty-eight years to winter near his daughter and son-in-law Dennis and Paula Noice. Upon moving here his first project was to convert a golf cart into a fishing cart, adding racks for polls and coolers for bait. Paul can be found almost daily fishing in Grandezza ponds, and his favorite fishing days are those spent with his grandson and great grandsons.
Happy 99th Birthday, Paul, and we wish you many more!
Grandezza Classified Ads
Travel Concierge: Serving clients since 1976. Cruises, Expedition ships, Tauck Tours, Safaris, Kensington Tours and other independent travel programs, multigenerational vacations. No fees, just first class service. Ask any Grandezza member who has booked. IATA approved agency. Email Larry @ ljackman1@icloud.com. (Expires 11/24)
Wanted
Condo Rental Wanted: Retired couple, former condo owners in Sabal Palm would like to rent the month of February, 2025, and possibly months of October, February and March, 2026. Call or text Frank at 330-575-1643 or email at frank.ranalli@gmail.com or wjgreenwald45@ gmail.com. (Expires 11/24)
Magnolia Breast Center delivers the area’s only comprehensive breast health program. Our uniquely qualified team of Top Docs is board-certified in breast surgical oncology
