Villages News
The traveling Wall came to Lady Lake / The Villages. Opened Nov 2 and closed Nov 4th. The Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall was open to the public for three days at the Soccer Fields on Rolling Acres Road.
Nothing But Networking was the last networking event of the year. It was well attended and was held at the Waterfront Inn in The Villages. I met some new business people. Several said they were expanding because business was so good. Business is good for us right now and I hope is for you also.
Christmas in the Villages held its annual celebration / Expo with as much as 75 vendors exhibiting their businesses and talking to people about what services or products they offer. Many gave out free gifts like pens, candy, pill boxes, scratch pads and many small promotional items. Some food samples were available and lots of entertainment. The weather was perfect and the people were friendly. A good time was had by all.
Nicholas Holmes, a senior in the EMIT (Engineering and Manufacturing Institute of Technology) program at Forest High School, has achieved the rank of Eagle Scout, the highest rank in Boy Scouts. This accomplishment is the culmination of over six years of adventure, fun, work, and dedication to the Boy Scout program for Holmes, a member of Troop 200 in Ocala.
For his Eagle Project, Holmes worked in conjunction with other community volunteers to build “Charlie’s Garden” at Interfaith Emergency Services’ “Center for Life.”
The concept for Charlie’s Garden, a place for parents to honor the memory of their unborn children, came about because the father of a child who was aborted without his consent wanted a place to grieve the loss of the child he called “Charlie.” When the old abortion clinic in downtown Ocala came up for sale, he donated funds to purchase it and convert it into a “Center for Life.”
Holmes led his group of over 25 volunteers in the building of three planter benches, a fountain and a free-standing circular waterfall wall. His project involved a total of 273 volunteer hours and over $1,400 worth of materials and supplies.
Holmes and his volunteers didn’t stop upon completion of his approved Eagle Project. They also pitched in to help ready Charlie’s Garden for its dedication by planting new bushes and flowers to replace ones killed by frost, building the archway entrance to the garden, pressure washing the sidewalks and seating areas in the garden, and refinishing the donated cast iron tables and chairs. Continue reading
The Lady Lake Chamber Hob Nob was a great success. Sue Kelly, executive director of the Lady Lake Chamber of Commerce introduced and thanked the sponsors and thanked everyone for coming. The sponsors for the event were Cubicles Plus, Primerica and Clear View Optix. Demshars. Food was great, lots of socializing and business discussions. Door prizes were given out by drawing business cards collected at the door. As you can see by the pictures everyone was busy and enjoying the HOB NOB!
Each holiday season, I reflect on the year past and give thanks for all life has provided. I also wake up every day humbled and grateful to serve the good people of Lady Lake in the greatest job in the world.
For many, however, the holidays are far from joyous. Sadly, many in our community struggle with day-to-day needs and are unable to put food on their tables – let alone buy gifts for their kids. No child should spend Christmas hungry. No parent should have to explain to their children why they didn’t receive a gift for Christmas.
This holiday season, as in years past, the Lady Lake Police Department is planning to once again coordinate with other law enforcement agencies and host the “Santa’s Shop With A Cop” Event. School-aged children, chosen by their school guidance staff, will be given a special invitation to go shopping with law enforcement officers. The event allows deserving children and police officers a chance to make some fun Christmas shopping memories. Continue reading
From published novelists to writers of how-to books or memoirs—anyone can be intimidated by the writing process and plagued by questions like these: Where do I begin? How can I avoid common mistakes? How can I make my project sound more professional? What’s my next step?
Developmental editor Karin Nicely, owner of Writing Nicely, will be helping local authors address these and other questions in her upcoming Ti
ps from the Editor—Introductory Workshop on November 12, 2018, from 10:00 a.m. to noon at the The Villages Hampton Inn.
“Writers of all levels and varied genres can learn ways to overcome their writing challenges in a casual, welcoming atmosphere while enjoying the opportunity to interact with other authors. Writing should be fun—not scary!” said Ms. Nicely, who has worked with international publishing houses such as Prentice Hall and Wiley and now specializes in editing works of independent authors of fiction and nonfiction. Continue reading
Mark DuShane of DuShane Management, Inc. invited friends and family to a meet and greet with Senator Dennis Baxley. It was held at Recreation Plantation RV Resort. Upon arrival I was greeted by the Owner of Recreation Plantation Grant Gore, Sue Kelly the director of the Lady Lake Chamber was there promoting the event and of course Mark DuShane himself. It was one of the most laid back meetings I have ever been too. It started out with a talk about what was going on in Tallahassee but it was not long before I realized Senator Baxley was sitting comfortably in the middle of the group and everyone was listening, then later asking questions. No smart phones, everyone was paying attention. It was a good event. Thank you Senator Baxley for your service. He is OUR State Senator!
Nothing but networking was held this month at the Waterfront Inn. At the end of the meeting I give out my newspapers. This table held up the newspaper while a photographer snapped the photo. I was in the picture if you can see my hand holding a newspaper, bottom left.
The term “Multi-modal” is commonly used to describe shared use paths since it accommodates multiple forms of transit.
Multi-modal or Shared Use Paths are paved, off-street travel ways designed to serve nonmotorized travelers. Across our community, golf carts and bicyclists are typically the most common users of shared-use paths. However, shared-use paths are frequently also used by pedestrians, roller skaters, skateboarders, wheelchair users, and users of many other modes except automotive.
Diamonds painted on the road indicate a restricted lane, which means only vehicles meeting certain criteria may use the lane. This is usually further indicated by a sign with the same diamond on it, displayed overhead of the lane or at the side of the road, or painted on the lane, which describes the restriction.
Local government agencies are frequently asked who is allowed to use the Multi-modal paths.
Within the Town of Lady Lake, Avenida Central, Del Mar Drive, Rio Grand Avenue and Chula Vista Avenue all have side lanes with the diamond painted on them. These are designated as PED or pedestrian lanes. It is a common misunderstanding that these lanes are dedicated for golf carts use only. These are considered “Shared Use” lanes since pedestrians, bicycles, and golf carts may utilize them. Continue reading
