Village News

ARIEL, CLIPPER COVE, FLAGSHIP, HARBORTOWN, LIGHTHOUSE, LONGBOAT, MARINER’S COVE, RIVERSIDE, SCHOONER, STEAMBOAT BEND, STEAMBOAT BEND EAST, SUNSET COVE, SUNSET HARBOR, TRAWLER, WINDJAMMER

TRAWLER

Trawler Village Kicks off new season with Halloween Party Trawler Village had a wonderful Halloween party at the Trawler pool on Halloween. Thanks to Ann Collier, Marylou Longworth and Pat Daniels. And the men of Trawler who helped with set up. Congratulations to Doug. and Shery Craig for the fantastic costumes.

Trawler Notches another Hole In One Jon Box had a hole in one on hole #2 last Sunday. Having a hole in one on the 2nd hole is a great feat. Way to go Jon.

Appreciation for Our Volunteers Thanks to all the Trawler Owners who volunteered their upper floor units to first floor residents who were here during Hurricane Milton. Luckily, we came through with no serious problems, but being on higher ground gave them a sense of relief.

WINDJAMMER

Oktoberfest

On Sunday, October 20, 2024, 55 Windjammer residents had a fun time enjoying a great meal, trivia and authentic oompah music. The association provided brats, condiments and buns. The attendees brought outstanding side dishes. We had sauerkraut, cheese spaetzle, red cabbage, homemade pretzels, German potato salad, party sausage, and beer cheese soup, just to name a few of the wonderful side dishes. The desserts were amazing: apple strudel, German chocolate cake, and honey cookies. Dennis Clark provided a special treat in a glass, “Apple Pie on the Rocks.” Thank you all for contributing your delicious delicacies.

The best part was how much everyone enjoyed the day. Thank you to the volunteers for all the help moving the furniture and setting up tables and chairs. Thank you especially to the Social Committee: Eva Bell, Julie Iverson and Betty Kolar. Also, a big thanks to Tom Bell and Betty Kolar, and the Trivia Master for grilling and serving the brats. Great event!

We can’t wait for the November Sunday Funday. Wear your favorite team colors and enjoy different pulled pork sliders and banging side dishes. Be sure to save room for dessert. “We’re going Cold Turkey” is the theme for this party.  At this event we are asking for donations to the Gladiolus Food Pantry. Please be generous.

ARIEL

Ariel shares Hurricanes Chris Duca, president of the Ariel Board, joined Board member Rick Brown in hosting a party to mark the second anniversary of Hurricane Ian. They prepared and donated all the ingredients for two gallons of Hurricane cocktails, filled with enough booze to reach Category 5 strength. The cocktails were garnished with an orange slice holding a Traverse City whiskey cherry.

Every drop of the cocktails were consumed and just three of the 60 garnishes remained.

The Hurricane cocktails weren’t all that was provided. Both Chris and Rick smoked pork tenderloins to share with the attendees. One was smoked with red wine and pork seasoning. The other featured smoked cherry wood chipotle with an Asian glaze that provided a contrasting hot and sweet taste.

Another Board member, Steve Smith, made a hot queso dip that was served with crunchy tortilla chips that went well with the drinks. All the food was delicious.

Ariel residents are lucky to have chefs and mixologists who share their talents. Everything at this party was not only prepared but also donated by the generous Board members.

All those who attended appreciated the time they spent together. Owners are grateful that the repairs and refurbishment at Ariel are nearing completion and the building is becoming more beautiful as work is done.

CLIPPER COVE

POOL PARTY Clipper had its first pool party of the season. Great fun. Great attendance. Everyone enjoyed meeting our new residents Guy and Donna Hughes from Indiana.

TRAVELS Cheryl and Ken Creasey celebrated their tenth anniversary on a Viking Ocean cruise. They traveled to Montreal, Quebec City, Prince Edward Island, Portland, Bar Harbor and New York City.

Dennis and Dana Hahn spent a month cruising from Kentucky to Fort Myers through the rivers, Mobile Bay, Florida Panhandle and the Gulf of Mexico on their 34-foot Nordic Tug. Seeing everything and meeting like- minded friends are part of the Great Loop adventure. Dennis especially enjoys the challenges: when one must go with plan B, for instance, when your generator needs a new part; when your wife cannot lasso a tall stationary dock pole; when wind makes you hustle to the Gulf to wait for two great weather days to cross; when a raccoon comes aboard; when hurricanes change your plans and close marinas; when you have left the dock and are almost out in the marina channel and Dana says, “Oh no, we forgot to load the bikes!” Oh, the joys. The Hahns would not trade this experience for anything!

ADVENTURES Jeff and Angie Leonard finally used a Christmas present from two years ago. They took a balloon trip and had a fabulous morning with a beautiful sunrise.

FLAGSHIP

As our snowbird neighbors continue to return to our community, we enjoy hearing about everyone’s summer and fall adventures. Hiking to the summit of Mt. Etna was one of the highlights that Jean Hokana (4604) and Colleen Maloney experienced on their travels to Sicily late September. The trip began in the beautiful seacoast city of Taormina followed by a week of bicycling in the southeastern part of the island which included Scicli, the Noto Valley and ending in Siracusa after reaching the southernmost part of Sicily, with other stops in between. Aside from bicycling, the tour included black truffle hunting, cheese making, a cooking class on making arancino, a tour of a bee farm with honey tastings, witnessing the olive harvest in progress, swimming in the Ionian Sea and the Mediterranean Sea. They also enjoyed dining on delicious Sicilian food, many scoops of gelato and drinking a little bit of wine.

We all know that in the Fall, love is in full bloom, just like autumn flowers. Bryce and Lanna Christensen (4612) celebrated two of their children’s weddings this fall. Their son Sterling had an intimate ceremony at the family campground in Spearfish, SD, on a beautiful, sunny afternoon, and daughter Bryanna married the love of her life in Oklahoma City, surrounded by many families and friends.

We had a bootiful pool party just before Halloween. There were twenty-some attendees who shared some fabulous appetizers and desserts, including chocolate mice and green shortbread finger cookies that looked creepy, but tasted delicious! What a great way to kick off the season! We even caught Becky Ross (4604) flirting with one of the guests!

It is with sadness that we say farewell to two of our favorite neighbors, Len and Karen Titone. They have been neighbors for 5 years, bringing joy to all passersbys with their friendly greetings and stunning photos on our Facebook page. Best of luck on your new adventures and come back and say hello when you’re in the neighborhood!

LONGBOAT

Longboat Village Budget Meeting – The Longboat Village Budget Meeting was held on October 30th in the Bridge Room of the Helm Club. Both the President, John Naifeh, and the Treasurer, Alan Power, worked hard to keep our costs down for the coming 2025 budget.

Alan and Ann Power – Took two trips to Wisconsin this summer. The first one was to Stevens Point, and the second one to Wausau, where they finally made the decision to purchase a summer home in Rib Mountain, WI (an independent suburb of Wausau). They are looking forward to spending summers there starting next year and returning to their old habit of being snowbirds.

Longboat December Pool Party – The party is scheduled for 5 p.m., December 2nd, and will be held at the McCoy Pavilion (aka Picnic Pointe). We ask that you bring a dish of your desire to share.

New Longboat Residents – Meet Mark and Suzanne Grantham. They recently purchased 4506 Longboat Lane. The couple is not new to The Landings; they have a unit in Steamboat Bend East, and family in Trawler, Riverside, and Longboat. Suzanne is from Michigan, and Mark is from England. They love sports, BUT really enjoy food and travel, and look forward to swapping stories of travel, food, and adventure when they are available.

Welcome New Residents – We welcome Elizabeth and Michael O’Sick who purchased 4596 S. Landings Drive. They have moved here from Windjammer Village and perhaps some of you already know them. For those of you that do not, let’s give them a hearty welcome to our village!

MARINER’S COVE

Our newest MCV neighbor, Dale Ruthenberg, who was born and raised in Newark, New Jersey, comes to us from Baltimore where she recently sold her house and her boat to live full time in The Landings. Dale found The Landings through Landings friends who were her neighbors in Baltimore and invited her to visit. She put a bid on a condo in Harbortown but lost out and ended up buying a condo in Windjammer. She was in the midst of decorating when she found the house in Mariners Cove.

Dale has had a myriad of careers: personal trainer, seller of yellow pages ads, and graphic artist. She stopped working to care for her parents and her in-laws and later her husband. She is blessed with two stepchildren and six grandchildren.

Her hobbies include tennis, Mahjong (which she has also taught) and boating. She will be spending part of the time living on her boat moored in Islamorada in the Keys, which she discovered when she and a friend sailed their boats from Baltimore to the Keys. Dale is excited to be here and will be a great addition to our MCV family.

Barbara and Pat Shields will be traveling to Texas over Thanksgiving to see their grandson (and his parents) and will be celebrating the news that they will have a granddaughter in May.

Mariner’s Cove Village has lost two of our longtime, original owners. Gretchen Howard has moved to Amavida here in Fort Myers where she will be getting the help that she needs. Kathy Petrone has left to be with the Lord. She was struggling with her 4th bout of cancer and developed pneumonia and an infection in her chemo port. She will be greatly missed by all of us who knew and loved her and especially her beloved companion, Ray. She was a strong woman and fought so hard. May she rest in God’s peace.

On a happy note, we would like to welcome home Dee Hedges who spent over 40 days in either the hospital or rehab.

SCHOONER

Welcome back, snowbirds! We know it is the season as we see Renelle Nelson back on plant patrol and appreciating that Larry Wagner has been filling in the post well in the off- season. He also did an excellent job celebrating Jackie’s 82nd birthday presenting her with 82 carnations. It is nice to see Jackie celebrated as she does so much to celebrate everyone else!

We are still catching up with folks’ travels over the summer and early fall. In September, Mike and Kathy Armstrong took a long-awaited trip to visit friends in Kentucky and explore the infamous Bourbon Trail. Mark David & Becky Goss and Brad & Laurie Boone (Steamboat Bend) were full of Kentucky hospitality and shared their homes and lives during the visit. The Armstrongs toured Lexington, Bardstown, and Louisville (we are all learning to pronounce Lou-vul!), and visited 7 distilleries, the beautiful horse farms, Louisville Slugger Museum, and even saw a race at Churchill Downs. They reported great food and bourbon everywhere! The travelers had an amazing trip and can’t wait to return.

Mary and Ric Tauson cancelled their Fall trip north, but Ric was bound and determined to make it to a reunion with three of his four children and his granddaughter at Morgan’s marriage to Aulston Marchant. The couple’s first dance was a spectacular tango. The venue was the beautiful Arabella Farm in Sunset, SC.

A note to those who knew Len Howell: The Celebration of Life for Len is on Sunday, January 19th in the Garden Room from 1-3 p.m.

STEAMBOAT BEND EAST

How did it get so late so soon? It’s night before it’s afternoon. December is here before it’s June. My goodness how the time has flown. How did it get so late so soon? Dr. Seuss As I write this column in early November, actually the day before the election, it helps for me to jump into the month of December realizing it will be over and hopefully a peaceful acceptance of whoever wins.

December is always sparkling with decorations and lights, parties to look forward to, and the year coming to an end. One of the quotes I saw was, “December is the Friday of the year.” I like to take time to reflect on the past year and think of a word to guide my life in 2025. This year my word will be “River.” It conjures up the idea of being in the flow, ever evolving, and flowing into the Gulf/Ocean where we are all one. It brings me the physical sense of floating which calms my nervous system. How lovely that we have the shores of the Caloosahatchee River right next the The Landings. May your 2025 be filled with fun, friends, and good health.

Next January, I will offer a watercolor painting/tea/wine party for our village residents on any rainy/cold days we might have in Fort Myers. Let me know if you’d like to be put on the list. Contact: Carol, [email protected]. Fees for supplies: $10/class. Will need to purchase the watercolor workbook by Sarah Simon: Café in Bloom. $20.99 through Amazon Prime.