March - April 2021

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Manager's Corner

Greetings Friends,

Spring is around the corner! We all hope the pandemic will be in the rear-view mirror for us sometime soon. As we enter the spring season, our team will continue our commitment to be diligent about your safety and wellness with good practices outlined by our public health agencies. As changes come from Governor Pritzker regarding Restore Illinois, we will keep you updated through our OneCall system with impacts to the Fitness Center and Lake Lodge.

The staff and I are ready to serve you in any capacity as we enter the new season.

• The service team has an additional technician, Juan, who many of you have already met.
• The maintenance team is ready to perform the spring enhancements and get up the hanging baskets that Lupe makes look so great!
• Our sales team is at the ready for you and your friends to answer questions and share in the Saddlebrook experience.
• The Community Office team is here for you as well to discuss any concerns or questions.

We value all of you as our Residents and appreciate the opportunity to help you to continue enjoying living at Saddlebrook Farms. Thank you and stay safe!

Yours Truly,
Larry Waco Jr.
Community Manager

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Capital Improvements

With 2020 behind us, we’re looking forward to a productive 2021! We will continue to employ safe social distancing practices by our employees and outsourced partners while completing our projects.

Here are some of the projects scheduled for this year:

• Replace the front entrance planting bed in the median and install new flagpoles.
• Replace the front entrance fountain.
• Lake Lodge parking lot repairs, sealcoat, and striping.
• Curb repairs.
• Various drainage projects.
• Walking path repairs and modification.
• Road repairs.
• Seawall replacement and repairs.
• Redesign and reconstruction of the Lake Churchill spillway.
• Replace retaining wall on Maywood Court.
• Repair the chimney and fireplace at the Lake Lodge.

We will provide more updates about our 2021 Capital Improvements in the May/June newsletter!

Hometown America continues its commitment to provide new amenities and improvements to the Saddlebrook community.

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Yard Waste Collection

Yard waste collection will begin on Thursday, March 25 and continue until the end of fall. Please have your yard waste in paper, recyclable bags at the curb by 7 a.m. Recyclable bags can be found at most home improvement and grocery stores. Plastic bags will not be picked up.

Yard Waste Guidelines:

• Yard waste consists of leaves, grass clippings, pieces of sod, small dead branches, flower debris and small bush or tree trimmings.
• Root balls and large branches must be cut and tied into 3’-4’ sections and placed on the side of the driveway for pick up.
• Do not include plastic bags, containers, pet feces or food scraps.
• Dirt and clay should be placed in separate bags from yard waste.
• Do not dump yard waste in the wetlands, lakes, or by the Victory Gardens.

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Victory Gardens

Every year we set aside an area for residents to enjoy their gardening skills and get some exercise at the same time. Whether you had a garden last year or are a first-time gardener and wish to take advantage of this opportunity, you will need to complete a Victory Garden request form.

Completed forms may be placed in one of the green Saddlebrook drop boxes located at the Community Office under the canopy, in the median on Saddlebrook Drive across from the entrance to the Community Office, or in the parking lot on the west side of Saddlebrook Drive as you are leaving the Community’s front entrance. Forms must be turned in by March 12.

There is no charge for a garden plot, and tools and fill will be available for gardens.

If you would like Saddlebrook to assist with rototilling and additional fill, please request this on the bottom of the form. Please note there will be a fee. Work should be completed by May 12, depending on the weather. First-time gardeners will be able to pick their plots after April 23 but must turn in a new garden form by March 12.

Along with those who are first-time gardeners, those who are exchanging a plot or would like an additional plot will also be able to choose their garden plots after April 23. The process for choosing a plot is as follows:

• Available plots will be marked with a white flag for a 10x10 plot, a pink flag for a 10x20 plot and an orange flag for a 20x20 plot.
• When you choose a plot, please remove the colored flag and place in shed #1 or #3.
• Call the Community Office at (847) 223-2212 and give your plot number on the upper left corner of the garden plot by Monday, April 26.
• Decide when calling if you want the garden plot rototilled, or additional dirt, sand, or mulch added by Saddlebrook. Otherwise, fill and rototillers will be available by the gardens at no charge.
• Begin working in your garden.

We ask that anyone requesting a garden plot please read the garden guidelines.

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Fertilizer Program

If you would like to sign up for the Saddlebrook Farms fertilizer program, please click on the link below. There are a total of 5 applications, 4 that cost $25 per application for a small lot and $32 for a large lot. You may choose one application or all 4. If you are on the Amenity Package, you do not need to sign up. If you have any questions, please contact the Community Office at (847) 906-2758.

April 9 will be the last day to sign up for the Early Spring Fertilizer with Crabgrass Preventative. Complete this form and place it in one of the green drop boxes, bring to the Community Office, or e-mail us at saddlebrook@hometownamerica.com.

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Busy Hands

Chilly days can be brighter by visiting us at the Lake Lodge on Fridays from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. and enjoying a cup of coffee and conversation. Our meetings aren’t as crowded these days as many of our members choose to work from home knitting, crocheting, or sewing squares together for lap robes. We provide yarn and fabric if you desire to help us provide warm hats, scarves, lap robes, and baby items for those in need in our community. We have simple patterns if needed.

Besides sending scarves and hats to service members in Operation Gratitude in California, a box of scarves was sent to a local USA Army Lt. serving in Lithuania for his group.

Additionally, we provide walker bags and masks free of charge for Saddlebrook residents. Just call Jackie at (224) 558-1735 for more information.

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Landscape Program

The Landscape Maintenance Program is a seven-month program beginning in April and ending in October, with an option to add November. Please carefully read the program details below before submitting your request to see if this program is right for you.

If you have not been on this program before, select “yes, I would like a consultation” on this form. A Saddlebrook staff member will come out and let you know what the monthly fee will be. At this time, you can accept or decline. If you were on the program last year, your current cost will remain the same. You must fill out a new form to be included in this year’s program. Due to the program starting in April, forms must be turned in by March 12, with no exceptions. Please place your form in the one of the green Saddlebrook drop boxes. As a reminder, each month’s maintenance must be paid in full before the next month’s maintenance will be completed.

Lawn fertilizer is not part of the Landscape Maintenance Program.

If you do not wish to be on this program, you can always submit a work request or email the Community Office at saddlebrook@hometownamerica.com with your request for landscape needs such as weeding, trimming of bushes and trees, stone, mulch, plantings, edging, etc. and an estimate will be provided. If you have any questions about this program, please call (847) 223-2212.

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Trotter Programs & Rewards

Congratulations to our Trotters who have made it to another level of rewards.

• Jim Bukovec: 3,0000 miles
• Nancy Nowaczek: 50, 100, 500, 750 miles
• Chuck Russell: 50, 100 miles
• Patricia Russell: 50, 100 miles
• Ginger Salihovich: 3,000 miles
• Karin Schreurs: 50, 100 miles
• Jim White: 5,000 miles

If you are interested in the Trotter program to receive rewards or give donations to Save-a-Pet, PADS, or Fremont Food Pantry, just stop by the Fitness Center or Community Office and pick up a form. Instructions along with rewards/donation are on the back. Keep walking, running, and working out for your health!

Donations rewards from 2020 were made by the following residents:

• Susan Bishop
• Jim Bukovec
• Chuck Crisanti
• Frank Curin
• Pat Green
• Al and Judy Jacobson
• Nancy Nowaczek
• Theresa Thacker

Thank you to all who donated!

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Women's Bible Study

All of us at Saddlebrook are tired of the cold and dark skies of winter, especially during the pandemic. However, those of us in the Stonecroft Women's Bible Study enjoy warmth and sunshine on Friday mornings as we meet at the Lake Lodge. It's always good to see our friends and encourage each other with smiles and prayers. We're continuing our study on encouraging one another. As always, it is based on scripture passages. Whether you're new to our community or have lived here for many years, we'd love to have you come for a visit or join our group. We follow all COVID-19 guidelines and meet from 9:45 a.m. to 11:15 a.m.

If you plan to attend or if you have questions, please call Sarah at (847) 543-1789 or email Kathi at makajohnson@sbcglobal.net.

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Your Guide to Nut Butter

The days of peanut butter reigning as the sandwich spread champion are over as new alternatives step up to the plate. While it can seem impossible to keep track of all the different health benefits, we’re here with the ultimate guide to finding the nut butter best for your lifestyle - from flavor to protein content.

While classic peanut butter remains a good option for protein, other types of nut butter may be best for your diet depending on what you want more of. For example:

• Almond butter has a higher amount of nutrients like Vitamin E and healthy fats.
• For a delicious, lower-calorie option, try pistachio butter.
• Walnut butter offers an additional perk of omega-3 fatty acids, which help reduce your risk of heart disease.
• To lower your sugar intake and still satisfy your sweet tooth, try cashew butter.
• Sunflower butter is a great option for those with nut allergies, as is hazelnut butter.
• For something more exotic, Tahini, another seed butter, is extremely high in nutrients, as is coconut butter.

If none of those sound like your cup of tea, there are easy homemade options that can help reduce preservatives, and you can use your favorite type of nut! All you have to do is roast your choice of raw nuts in the oven, seasoned or plain, and then blend them until smooth for creamy, fresh nut butter. The only question left is, which one will you choose?

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No Coupon Necessary

There are plenty of guides out there to show you how to save money with coupons, but what if you didn’t need them? Paper coupons are a hassle to cut and easy to forget, and online coupons can be difficult to find and use. With these tips, you can start saving money on your weekly shopping in no time.

There are two strategies for saving money on groceries. The first strategy revolves around planning before you even step into the store. Methods for doing this can include tracking your family’s most expensive items, and then learning which stores have them on sale. Many stores have cyclical sales, so buying these big-ticket items in bulk when they’re marked down can save you big time in the long run. Also, even though you may feel loyal to your usual grocery store, it may be worth it to price check other stores, or even discount grocers, for better deals.

The other strategy is how to use the groceries you buy most effectively to prevent waste and unnecessary spending. Buying in bulk is great in theory, but without planning it can lead to even more wasted money than before. Try freezing and dating things like meat, produce, and bread, or buying things in bulk that last longer like eggs, coffee, and snacks.

If you’re sick of spending time looking for coupons only to find you’re not saving money, these strategies are great options - happy shopping!