VOL. 16 NO. 12
www.seabreezecommunications.com
DECEMBER 2023
Report from Your Master POA By the time you receive this letter it will be the Holiday Season so let Joan and me wish you all a great holiday season and fun times visiting with your family and friends. It also means that we have completed another Hurricane Season without suffering a direct storm. We did not even exhaust the storm alphabetical listing for the year. But do not fret, the” hurricane gods” will recycle this year’s names again in the future. Actually, it was a blessing that we did not have a major storm this year as there is still a lot of Ian damage left in SWFL, especially on the barrier islands such as Ft Myers Beach and Pine Island. There has been a lot of progress and driving around the mainland you have to look hard to see remaining damage. Our last significant structure damage, the roof on the 5th hole rest room building, was finally repaired last month. The month of November is the Annual Members Meeting of the Master Property Owners Association. This year we bid a farewell and thanks to two directors: Susan Baker and Steve Borley. Susan was the Chair of
the Communications Committee while Steve was our Board “construction expert”. While Susan is leaving the Board, she has agreed to become the Editor of the Gazzette. She succeeds Bob Pinnell who is moving to a Life Plan community, Cypress Cove on the campus of the Lee Health Park Hospital. We wish him and Sandy a wonderful life there and thank them for all of their contributions to Grandezza since moving here as an original homeowner. Jack Jones (Savona) and Sarah Hartman (Ville Grande) are our 2 new directors. We appreciate their volunteering to assist in managing the Master assets in Grandezza. At the Board meeting following the Annual Members meeting the Board elected the following as officers: Fred Thompson (President); Peter Dersley (VP and Infrastructure Chair); Mickey Wheeler (Treasurer and Finance Committee Chair): Nancy Reilly (Landscape Chair); Sarah Hartman; (Secretary); Jack Jones (Communication Chair); and Mike Patricelli (Access Control Chair).
Grandezza GirlFriends By Cindy Fitzpatrick, Social Media Committee Our November luncheon was all about decorating for the holidays. Many of us wanted to go home and start decorating. It was inspirational! Longtime girlfriend, Shirley Cook, started her floral career in 1993, after retiring as a cosmetologist, and still works part-time at a flower shop in the summer. As a floral designer, she enjoys creating beautiful arrangements for others that always bring joy, whether it’s a fresh flower or custom silk arrangement. There are so many tips and tricks to make arranging flowers
a little easier and affordable, and she shared many of those with us at the event. Shirley and her team of Liz Taylor, Dolores DeLong, Laura Summy and Judy Carter did four different tablescape designs for the tables. As usual, they did a fabulous job! Thank you, ladies! Our second speaker, Liz Flowers, is an interior designer, originally from the southwest suburbs of Chicago. She completed design portfolio at the Art Institute of Chicago and graduated from Illinois State University with degrees in Art
During the meeting we highlighted the main projects the Board completed during 2023. These included: the planning for the repaving of about 80% of our roads; arranging with the Audit committee for the tri-annual fiscal audit; contracting for the capital asset reserve study and calculating the new capital asset assessment; continuing with the final cleanup of the Ian landscaping damage; identifying and renting the office for our Property Manager, Cheryl MacFarland; and arranging for the new Gazzette Editor. Virtually all of these projects required the coordination between various directors. Report from Your Master POA on page 5
Note from the Editor The holiday season in Southwest Florida is upon us and it’s all lit up! Beautiful landmarks are decorated with holiday lights for all to enjoy. Some of the free events in the area are: • Naples Holiday Boat Parade – Dec. 10 • Bonita Springs Holiday Stroll, Bonita Springs, through Jan. 1, 2024 • Holiday Lights at Calusa Nature Center & Planetarium, Fort Myers – Dec. 9 to11, 16 to 18, 21 to 24, 26 to 30 • Lighting of the Lighthouse, Boca Grande -- Dec. 10 • Irving Berlin’s White Christmas at Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre, Fort Myers – Nov. 18 to Dec. 30 • Holiday Nights Celebration at Edison and Ford Winter Estates, Fort Myers, Nov. 25 to Jan. 1 (Closed Dec. 24 and 25) Enjoy and happy holidays! Susan D. Baker PhD., suzbakgranmb@gmail.com
Grandezza GirlFriends on page 4
Exploring Membership…One Day At A Time By Sally Watts, Director of Membership, The Club at Grandézza As the holiday season draws near, The Club at Grandézza is thrilled to offer a jam-packed December filled with festive events that are sure to ignite your holiday spirit. Get ready to come together for a month filled with cheer, merriment and unforgettable memories with fellow club members. A few December highlights include but are not limited to: • Thursday, December 7th: Men’s Fall Classic is a chance for our golf enthusiasts to showcase their skills and enjoy some friendly competition on our magnificent course. • Thursday, December 7th: Hanukkah Candle Lighting Ceremony honoring the Festival of Lights with music, traditional treats and the lighting of the menorah. • Tuesday, December 12th: Ladies’ Holiday Classic is a spirited tournament that promises lots of fun and laughter. • Sunday, December 17th: Brunch with Santa where little ones can share their holiday wishes with the man in red while
enjoying a delicious family-friendly feast. Don’t forget to capture the magic of the holidays! • Thursday, December 21 st: Gingerbread House Extravaganza calls for all bakers and craft enthusiasts to build a gingerbread masterpiece while enjoying a delightful holiday show that’ll have everyone singing along to their favorite carols. • Sunday, December 31st: As we bid farewell to 2023 and welcome 2024, join us for our New Year’s Eve Glitz & Glam Dinner Dance for a night of dancing, live entertainment with O-Town Motown, gourmet dinner and celebratory midnight champagne toast with friends new and old! Don’t forget to grab a calendar in the clubhouse to keep up to date on all the exciting December happenings from Movies at the Grande, Sip & Shop at The Mark, a host of fitness programs and workshops along with many other special offerings. We look forward to celebrating the season with our new and returning members. Here’s to a joyful and festive December at Grandézza!
Dear Grandezza neighbors, The Season of Giving is upon us, and the Grandezza United Way Committee would like to express our gratitude to all of you that continue to support our annual campaign. Our campaign goal this year is $205,000, and we hope you will join us in raising funds for the needs of our community. Your tax-deductible United Way gift stays local and 95.5% of all money raised goes directly to programs and initiatives that make a difference in people’s lives. We are planning another fun filled schedule of events for February 2024! Look for details and how to sign up! Best wishes for a wonderful holiday season and a happy, healthy 2024! Grandezza United Way Campaign Committee: Pat and Bill Motzer, Committee Chair Peter Dersley, Mary Kay and Deemer Durham, Dennis Noice, Don Platt, Patty and John Polczynski, Winnie Powel and Pat and Neal VanDuyn.