Happy the
Landings Yacht, goLf & tennis cLub
VOL. 37 NO. 1
S IS I H T IN
Another Seabreeze Publication
Happy Landings on line www.LandingsYGTC.com
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See What He Saw!
See Fishing Club page 3 Better Ball Golf Event
See LMGA News page 5 Art Competition: Seasons
See info & details page 9 Skiing in Florida?
See Windjammer page 12 Meet New Reporter
See Flagship Village page 12 Happy Landings
Landings JANUARY 2024
Person of Interest – Gerald Ziedenberg and The Landings’ Lecture Luncheon Series Steamboat Bend member, Gerald Ziedenberg, believes that expanding one’s knowledge is a lifelong endeavor. Just as a healthy diet and exercise are known to extend a body’s lifetime, the expansion of knowledge keeps the brain and mind active. Have you ever heard anyone say, “I am turning off my brain now. I know everything there is to know.” Of course not. New information arises daily, and it is always personally rewarding to say to yourself, “I learned something new today.” A retired pharmacist, Jerry learned the chain retail pharmacy business starting from
Gerald Ziedenberg the ground floor. During his career, the company began a “Lunch and Learn” program for its employees. According to Jerry, the program was extremely successful. The subjects were not always pharmacy-related but covered a wide range of topics.
Long Range Planning, Steering Committee Whac-A-Mole Will Only Get You So Far By Becky Ross, Co-Chair Long Range Planning Steering Committee Whac-a-Mole can be a lot of fun at an arcade and the real life version of Whac-a-Mole can seem so fulfilling as we tackle those problems one by one and check them off our to-do list. But day-to-day problem solving can easily gobble up our time
and energy and become an obstacle to pursuing longer term opportunities or solving long-term problems. That’s why most effective leadership teams set aside dedicated time for long-range planning so they can consider the future, emerging ideas, issues, opportunities, innovations, and potential threats. As a bonus, not only does the team come away from this process with a roadmap for the future, but the process itself results in a shared understanding of how to successfully navigate through the next three to five years. In February 2023, an audit presentation emphasized the need for The Landings to continue to upgrade our amenities. This led the Landings Board to create the Long Range Planning Steering Committee and that set the course for seeking out a professional resource to assist. While The Landings has had member surveys in the past, they have not previously engaged professional resources to gather community input using focus groups and surveys, analyzing and benchmarking the results, or leading the Board through a long-range PRSRT STD planning process US POSTAGE that is based on PAID the desires and FT MYERS FL PERMIT 751 priorities of the community as identified during the research stage. Long Range Planning on page 2
Jerry and his wife, Sheila, purchased their home in Steamboat Bend in 1983, when their children were 15, 13, and 10. At that time, they were snowbirds. The family spent its summers at their home in Toronto, Canada, and their winters in Fort Myers, enjoying all the amenities The Landings offers. Approximately fifteen years ago, Jerry began thinking that The Landings population might benefit from brain exercise in addition to all the physical exercise opportunities enjoyed here. While he enjoyed running, cycling, and other outdoor activities, something was missing. Fondly recalling the “Lunch and Learn” program, he presented the idea to The Landings’ Board and the administration, and he received approval to begin a similar program. Given permission, Jerry consulted with the other Landings’ members who supported the informational luncheon program.
Not only would speakers have to be recruited, but the program needed a name. Jerry didn’t want anything that sounded too academic, feeling that might conjure images of classroom study. Trawler Village member, Pat Daniels, suggested the name, “Lecture Luncheon Series,” and the name was decided. The series was off and running. Since the program began, it has run continuously for 15 years. Even when the Helm Club was remodeled several years ago, the luncheon lectures continued, meeting at a church on Cypress Lake Drive. Over the years, about half of the speakers have been from inside The Landings, and the other half from outside the community. As we know, there is a wealth of information residing inside The Landings’ gates. Person of Interest on page 3
Pickleball Coach Pete has set his lesson and clinic schedule for the season. He can set up private, semiprivate or group lessons or has set clinic times. Private lessons are available on Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays. Call Pete directly
at 239-848-6943 or email him at pbpro@lygtc.com. B e g i n n e r, I n t e r m e d i a t e and Advanced clinics are also available on Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays. You can register for them on Foretees.