November - December 2021

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Manager's Corner

Dear Residents,

On behalf of the entire Del Tura Country Club Staff, I would like to wish all residents a very happy Holiday Season! It is a time to slow down a bit and reflect on the memories of another year, decorate your home, see some lights, and visit family and friends.

While the Holiday Season is full of joy for most, it can also be lonely for others. Regardless of where you spend this season, I encourage you to reach out and uplift these people in your local community and within Del Tura. If you know someone who might be alone this year, reach out to them and invite them to your celebration or simply remind them they are loved.

If you find yourself down, they say the best way to help yourself is by helping someone else. A handwritten note of encouragement to someone else can change their day and yours.

Here at Del Tura, we’re a family – during this time and throughout the entire year. From my home to yours, I wish you all a wonderful Holiday Season and a happy and healthy New Year!

Sincerely,
Fred Taylor
Community Manager

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Sales Update

Thinking of selling your home? Now is the time in this red-hot real estate market! While we’re sad to see you go, we’re here to help you every step of the way. Below are a few tips to help get your home looking its very best:

First impressions are everything! While no two homes are the same, many have similar features, so you will want your home to stand out.

Buyers look at:

• Curb appeal – clean the exterior of your home, organize any clutter outside, trim the bushes, etc.
• If the inside of your home is neat, clean, tidy, and odor-free from pets, smoke, etc.
• Organized closets & cabinets – use this opportunity to think about donating items you don’t need anymore.
• Updates and renovations – it can be a good idea to make minor repairs, including touching up painting, patching holes in walls, fixing leaky faucets, replacing burned-out light bulbs, fixing doors that don’t close properly, etc.

It’s important to not get discouraged if an offer is made that is lower than your asking price. Our Sales Agents are here to help you to navigate and will work with you every step of the way.

Feel free to contact us in the Sales Office at (941) 621-6197.

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Atlantic City Boys Concert

On September 25, over 300 residents enjoyed a live performance by the Atlantic City Boys in the Starlight Ballroom. The dynamic quartet wowed residents for the evening with 60s rock and roll songs from The Drifters, Four Seasons, Beach Boys, and more. This was an HOA-sponsored event and a great way to begin the fall season here at Del Tura!

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Capital Improvements

Del Tura is always working to improve the community. Here are a few of the projects we’ve been working on recently:

• In September, the roads of Catalina Drive and Sierra Madre were milled and newly paved.
• Throughout the fall, numerous deteriorated mailbox station posts were replaced, and all 360 mailbox station posts will be freshly painted by the end of the year.

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Yard of the Quarter

Del Tura Community Management is happy to congratulate Kenneth and Regina Scott of 4306 Via Los Angeles as the 4th quarter 2021 winner of the community Yard of the Quarter!

Kenneth and Regina are year-round residents here in Del Tura. Since purchasing their home just over one year ago, they have completely redesigned their landscape beds, installed all new landscaping, and finished the yard off nicely with a new flagpole proudly displaying the American flag.

Hometown America would like to recognize and thank Kenneth and Regina for maintaining such a beautiful yard!

They received a $50 gift card from Home Depot as a token of our appreciation.

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Upcoming Events

Holiday Craft Fair and Bake Sale
Location: Starlight Ballroom
Friday, November 5 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. (residents only).
Saturday, November 6 from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. (open to the public).

Del Tura’s craft fair is considered one of the best in the area. Come shop and support 50 local vendors showcasing handmade jewelry, art, sewn creations, and many other types of homemade goods. This is a perfect opportunity to find unique gifts for birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, or just as a treat for yourself!

For further information, you can email or call Darlene Fincham at dfincham@comcast.net / (609) 617-6869 or Wendy Wells at kwltr11@gmail.com / (309) 264-9147.

Mowvember Fundraiser & Laser Light Show
Location: First fairway of the South golf course
Date & Time: Saturday, November 13 at dusk
For detailed information and to purchase tickets, contact Bart De Graaf by email at bjdg@comcast.net or by phone at (239) 599-4404.

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Resident Spotlight

Family is what brought Hassell and Sandra Shopshire from Ocala, Florida, to North Fort Myers and Del Tura Country Club in July of 2021.

Hassell and Sandra have two children, two grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren here in the local area. They recently found out their third great-grandchild will be born soon, and Hassell and Sandra wanted to be near them so they can enjoy family beach days on Sanibel Island.

The Shopshires met in Lakeland, FL in 1984 and have been married for 35 years. Hassell is a proud graduate of the University of South Florida and spent his career working as an engineer. He fully retired this past December. Sandra worked as a realtor in West Virginia and then spent a portion of her career as an accountant. She retired in 2011.

While looking for communities online in the Fort Myers area, they were looking for a community with mature trees and landscaping. They also wanted to live in a community with space between homes. They found what they were looking for here in Del Tura. Hassell and Sandra love the trees and extensive landscaping throughout the community. Both were impressed with the quality of the homes and love having a garage. The couple lives on Las Palmas Norte.

As they continue to get settled here, Sandra looks forward to getting involved with the community quilting group. They have a golf cart and now that the weather is cooling a bit, they look forward to playing golf through the winter months.

On behalf of the entire Del Tura staff and all residents, I would like to publicly welcome Hassell and Sandra to the Del Tura family!

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Leon Buss Tribute

A Holiday tribute to the life of Leon Buss

Any resident that has lived in Del Tura for a while knows that you cannot mention the word “holiday” without thinking of the name Leon Buss. For the past seven years, Leon and his resident elves have volunteered over 500 hours to help coordinate and decorate the entrance drive of Del Tura each holiday season.

Unfortunately, Leon passed away this past summer. Due to his significant contribution to growing the front entrance holiday lighting into what it is now, I felt it appropriate to take a moment to recognize and celebrate Leon’s accomplishment along with his long record of volunteering.

In 2012, Leon and his wife Mary Lou bought their home here in Del Tura as snowbirds. After spending some time here that year they returned north to Minnesota for the holidays. Mary Lou vividly remembers Leon coming inside after holiday decorating one day frustrated because his mustache was frozen.

In 2014, Leon decided to help Del Tura resident Jim O’Brien with Christmas lights and decorations at the front entrance of the community. That year they received donations of $300 and had a total of approximately 15,000 lights. Leon loved that he could decorate in the warm seasonal air and head to the pub for a beer afterward!

In 2015 and 2016, Leon assisted Jim again at the community entrance and in 2016 helped decorate the North Pool area.

In 2017, Leon took the lead and established a group of resident elves for the community entrance Christmas lighting and decorations. That year, a total of $500 in donations were received. The exterior of the community gatehouse was decorated as a gingerbread house. The Christmas Forest was introduced with a total of 12 trees, and the lighting grew to 25,000 lights. Residents were invited the day before Thanksgiving to watch the lights turned on for the season.

In 2018, Leon reached out to me in the Del Tura Management Office to see if Hometown America would contribute to the cause with an annual contribution. In addition, the HOA joined in to assist with donations as well. That year, $800 in donations were received. Again, the community gatehouse was decorated as a gingerbread house. The Christmas Forest grew to 18 trees and reindeer were introduced in the forest. The Florida scene was added by lighting the nine palm trees in the southern landscaped bed. The lighting continued to grow with 35,000 lights installed, and for the first time, live music was added for the ceremony of turning on the lights.

In 2019, Hometown America had electrical upgrades installed that allowed for increased lighting capabilities. The Snowman Village was introduced as well as a 20-foot tree. The Christmas Forest grew to a total of 25 trees. A resident Christmas Wreath Contest was added as well where residents decorated wreaths that represented the states they were from. The wreaths were displayed on the iron fence along the community exit lane. Additionally, there was a significant increase in lighting with over 84,000 lights.

In 2020, Leon and his elves made a change and decorated the community gatehouse with an igloo and penguins. HTA, the HOA, and residents donated a total of $2,500. One of the large oak tree’s lightings was programmed to computer music. The Christmas Forest grew to over 30 trees, the resident elf volunteers grew to over 40 residents, and the second wreath contest was held. Total lighting grew to over 100,000 lights and over 300 residents attending the lighting ceremony.

Because of Leon’s passion and vision, the Del Tura holiday entrance lights and decorations have become a well-known annual tradition for Del Tura residents and the greater community of North Fort Myers. Each season the management office receives calls from locals who travel by on Highway 41 who are thankful for the festive atmosphere they see as they pass by.

This fall, the resident elves have stepped up to ensure this amazing tradition continues this holiday season. This year as we drive under the lights, we will celebrate Leon’s holiday spirit and a life well lived!

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Wrap Things Up

‘Tis the season for endless parties, gatherings, and holidays galore. No matter what you’re celebrating, chances are you’ll be wrapping a gift or two. Maybe your wrapping skills need work, or maybe you’re looking to get creative. Either way, check out these tips and tricks that will make the outside of your gifts almost as good as the inside.

If you’ve never been a fan of wrapping gifts – whether you find it unnecessarily complicated or just too time-consuming – these life hacks may just change your opinion. Before you even get started on that pile of unwrapped gifts, it’s important to get organized. Things like ensuring you have sharp enough scissors and quality tape make a big difference in the long run. To cut down on your time more, create a gift-wrapping station that has everything you need in one convenient place. Make sure you have enough space to properly measure the wrapping paper for your presents. Everyone hates the dreaded moment when you realize you accidentally didn’t cut off enough, but don’t start over! Cover the gap with a “belly band” of ribbon or folded paper instead.

If you’re already a pro, why not challenge yourself this year with some new gift-wrapping techniques? Level up your gift tags and use the wrapping paper to create an extra fold where a personalized card can go. If you’re giving a bundle of gifts, consider an alternating theme of two coordinating wrapping papers, tied up with a matching bow. For those who are tired of the designs offered in stores, get creative and make your own wrapping paper! You can purchase plain paper and customize it with watercolors, drawing on handmade bows or decorations, or you can even use patterned tape to make unique designs.

No matter how you give your gifts this year, we hope you find a little extra joy in doing it!

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Giving is the Greatest

When was the last time you cleaned out your closet? As the year comes to a close, consider going through your home and donating to those in need. If you don’t have items to donate, donating your time is another wonderful way to give back.

If you have bags of gently-used clothes and no idea where to bring them, there are plenty of nationally recognized donation centers that help get them to those in need, and usually help another cause at the same time. Just a few of these organizations include Dress for Success, Goodwill, One Warm Coat, Planet Aid, and more.

Maybe you don’t have clothes to donate but have an excess of canned or dry goods. Even if you don’t, taking advantage of grocery store’s BOGOs and donating the extra item is an excellent way to help. If either situation could apply to you, Feeding America offers a useful resource to help you find your local food bank.

Finally, if you prefer to donate your time, many organizations could use your help. With so many options of where to give time, you can choose one that feels most important to you. Whether you want to help out rescue puppies and kittens at your local animal shelter, help with children’s programming like storytime at the local library, or get outdoors and help your Parks and Recreation Department, there are options for every interest and lifestyle. The holiday season is about giving, so take time to give back to your community this year.