May - June 2023

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Manager's Corner

Many of our northern friends have already fled for cooler temperatures, and many more will be heading north this month. We wish you all safe travels and look forward to seeing you in the fall.

Even though many leave us during the hot summer months we still have a lot of events and activities going on at Tara Woods. I’m most looking forward to our Saturday Night Dance on June 17 with Colton James and “A Lil’ Mixed Up” entertaining us! Put on your dancing shoes!

We continue to work on our Hurricane Ian aftermath efforts. It is hard to believe we are now going into another hurricane season. Please have your hurricane plan in place before, during, and after the storm. We all know how devastating it can be to get caught off guard.

Your management team, HOA, and CERT Team are all working together again to ensure we have a solid emergency plan for our community. Please see the Hurricane Awareness article this month for some great tips!

Until next time, be kind and love one another!

Sincerely,
Angi
Community Manager

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Past Event Recap

What a jam-packed start to the year we have had! Over 200 residents came out to enjoy our Resident Appreciation Dance in February, where everyone had a great time and won amazing prizes in our exciting giveaways!

The Community Opportunity Fair was a great experience for all of our residents. It spotlighted all the amazing groups/volunteers that make the magic happen at Tara Woods. Bringing all of the groups and committees together gave everyone a one-stop shopping experience for volunteering or joining a new fun group.

The number of pickleball players at Tara Woods continues to grow! This year they hosted their first Annual Pickleball Tournament! What a great turnout!

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Sales Update

A big thank you again to all of you who listed your home for sale through our Sales Office! Because of you, we have sold 26 homes since January 1 of this year.

We have some wonderful new listings and would love you to share our website with your friends and family, www.hometownamerica.com/tarawoods, so that they will have the first choice if they are in the market for a home with us.

We are also looking for lower-priced homes to sell that need renovating or remodeling if you know of anyone who needs or wants to sell.

Wishing you all a happy and healthy Spring!

Kindest Regards,
Your Sales Team at Tara Woods

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Capital Improvements

We are excited about some of the bigger projects we have planned this year. These ideas came from you and your HOA.

We agree that these things are important to your quality of life here at Tara Woods, and we keep an ongoing wish list so that each year we can choose, together with your HOA and Hometown America Approval, which are the most important items. If you have suggestions for any type of larger project you feel would enhance our community, please provide those ideas to your HOA.

So far this year we have completed or are working on the following:

• Replaced shuffleboard lights
• Replaced all pool and hot tub heaters
• Purchased new equipment for pool cleaning
• Entered into a contract to purchase a new trash compactor
• Entered into a contract to purchase four new pieces of fitness equipment for our fitness room
• Street signs replacements are in process for those damaged during Hurricane Ian
• Entered into a contract to upgrade additional landscaping around the Clubhouse and Ceramics buildings as well as the Office parking lot area.

As always, we will keep you posted on all upgrades and improvements at Tara Woods.

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Upcoming Events
 

Your resident committees and HOA have a ton of great things planned for May and June. Watch The Columns and the HOA website for more information.

Kentucky Derby
Saturday, May 6

Get your fanciest hat ready for Tara Woods’ own “Kentucky Derby”

Monthly Pancake Breakfast
Saturday, May 13

Be sure to sign up in the Clubhouse!

Saturday Night Dance
Saturday, June 17

Get your dancing shoes ready!!

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Resident Spotlight

Our Resident Spotlight this issue is so very well deserved! Mike Hoard is always out helping others in the community. Since arriving back in Tara Woods this past fall, he has been working to aid his neighbors almost every day!

Mike is one of the original “Neighbors helping Neighbors” and even though the program has been changed, he is still out there helping his neighbors. Recently, Mike came to me about a less fortunate member of our community who hasn’t been able to get any repairs done from Hurricane Ian. Mike is volunteering his time to help get this resident’s home back in shape!

He is always the first to offer his help whenever we are having a Hometown sponsored party or to help man the Tiki Hut for a pool party. He, along with his lovely wife Vicki, makes amazing margaritas.

Mike – your contributions to our community are so very appreciated! Thank you for all you do!

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Crispy Cheesy Dill Pickle Chips

These delicious chips couldn’t be easier to make. From start to finish, you’re looking at three ingredients and 20 minutes.

1. Preheat your oven to 400F. Take 24 – 36 dill pickle chips and pat them dry on a few paper towels.
2. Grab a non-stick 12-cup muffin tin. Fill each cup with a big pinch of shredded cheese. Top each cheese cup with two or three dill pickle chips. Next, you’ll sprinkle on your favorite seasoning blend into each cup and top with more cheese to cover the pickles.
3. Bake for 15 minutes, or until cheese has melted and browned.
4. OPTIONAL: After they have baked, removed each cheesy pickle chip from the muffin tin and place them in the air fryer at 400F for 5 minutes for extra crisp.
5. Serve immediately with your favorite dipping sauce. I love these with ranch!

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Hurricane Awareness

Hurricane Ian was the deadliest hurricane in nearly 90 years. We were blessed at Tara Woods as we had no loss of life due to the hurricane. Still, we are working diligently on recovering from Hurricane Ian, which shook our world hard on September 28, 2022.

We must be aware that Hurricane Season 2023 is just around the corner. Our success in the aftermath of Ian was in our months of planning and being prepared PRIOR to ever hearing the name Hurricane Ian. Your management team, HOA, and CERT Team continue to meet regularly all year long to ensure we are tweaking things that didn’t work as we had hoped. We are also finding ways to improve all areas of our plan for ANY disaster that could strike our homes again.

This is what your community needs from you:

• Please complete an emergency update form. These are available on the HOA website and in our office.
• If you are leaving for the summer months, PLEASE notify the office and do not leave ANY items outside that are not secured. As we all found out during Ian, even the heaviest of planters can become projectiles.
• Have you created your “Before, During, and After plan”?
• Our goal this year is that if we are required to evacuate that EVERYONE in Tara Woods evacuates the community and follows their disaster plan.

It is our hope and prayer that we do not have to use our hurricane plans this year, but it’s always better to be safe than sorry.

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Be Prepared

June 1 officially kicks off hurricane season in Florida. Are You Ready? To be better prepared in the event of a hurricane, the Hometown America team has organized and put together this information to help you, our residents, and the HOA in understanding areas of responsibility in preparation and clean up when a disaster strikes.

It is easy to expect Hometown America to assume responsibilities when a disaster strikes. However, many of the responsibilities in preparation and clean up belong to the homeowner. This memo clearly defines what areas of responsibility are those of our residents, the homeowners, and what areas are the responsibilities of Hometown America. It also provides you with guidance on specific content, that you and your family will need to develop and include in your own personal emergency plan.

First, as a resident of a Hometown America community, we are asking that you provide us with emergency contact information in the event we need to reach you or someone in your family in the event of an emergency. Although you may have filled out a similar form in the past, it is critical that our records be updated with the most current emergency contact and insurance information. Please ask your office for an Emergency Registration Form to fill out and return to the community manager as soon as possible.

There are many resources and guides available to help all of us be better prepared for hurricane season. Based on previous year’s experiences, Hometown America has put together a handout for our residents which lists four important safety and preparedness steps that you, the homeowner, are urged to follow prior to the event of a hurricane.

• Step 1: Create a Family Emergency Plan
• Step 2: Assemble an Emergency Supplies Kit
• Step 3: Family Evacuation Plan
• Step 4: Prepare for High Winds

In addition to the handout, and as expressed above, Hometown America has outlined below the responsibilities of the residents, the homeowners in our community, as well as the responsibilities of Hometown America, the community owner.

The homeowner/resident is directly responsible for the following:

• Prior to going North, remove all yard debris, ornaments, patio furniture or any lose items
• Once a storm is being tracked it is the resident’s responsibility to remove all yard debris, ornaments and patio furniture to prevent them from blowing around (for year-around residents)
• If mandatory evacuation is ordered, all residents and community personnel must leave the property and not return until the County clears any curfews and roadways have been cleared
• Residents must complete an emergency registration form (available in the office)
• Residents should keep all important papers (including insurance information) with them (not left behind in the home during an evacuation)
• Residents should have temporary housing and food in the event their home is damaged and/or the community does not have utilities or facilities
• Residents will be responsible for the immediate clean up and debris removal of their home site
• Residents will be responsible for the timely repairs to their homes should they become damaged
• Residents will be responsible for the removal of their home should it be destroyed
• Residents will be responsible for the immediate removal of trees, stumps or debris that is located either on their home or on their home site
• Residents will be responsible for the immediate removal of any loose aluminum or sharp debris to prevent injuries
• Residents should report to the office after the storm to ensure their safety and to assist with accessing property damage and collection of insurance information
• Residents are responsible for contacting FEMA, insurance companies, and other social and county organizations for assistance
• Residents are responsible for tarping their roofs and for making immediate emergency repairs in order to prevent further damage to their homes
• In the event of a disaster to their property and/or community property, residents are responsible for their lot rent and all monthly obligations until the home site it totally cleared if home is destroyed
• Residents are responsible to hire only licensed and insured vendors to make necessary repairs to their damaged property, as well as pull all required permits

Hometown America will be directly responsible for the following items and/or will assist with in the event of a disaster:

• Establishment of ongoing communications channels for residents and employees and their relatives and friends
• Clearing of debris from the streets and common areas to facilitate access by emergency vehicles as well as resident and staff ingress and egress
• Assessment of damages to facilities and community structures
• Restoration of community-owned utilities on a temporary basis and as soon as possible, on a permanent basis
• Establishment of patrol (employee, volunteer and/or paid contractor) where deemed appropriate to prevent looting
• Removal of debris from common areas
• Evaluation and repairs to community facilities and equipment
• Outreach to federal, state, and local relief agencies for the benefit of residents and the company
• Positive response to media inquiry and adverse publicity
• Timely repair of company-owned facilities, improvements, vehicles and equipment
• Timely restoration of company-owned landscaping

Hometown America is not responsible for but may assist to the extent reasonably feasible with:

• Assistance locating temporary housing, food, and medical treatment for residents in need
• Assistance organizing homesite clean-up with resident authorization and assignment of insurance benefits applicable to the clean-up
• Home repair by creating a forum for residents to deal with licensed and insured contractors
• Destroyed home removal by creating a forum for residents to deal with licensed and insured contractors and/or by directly arranging for removal with homeowner approval and payment or assignment of insurance proceeds for removal
• Spontaneous outreach with occasional assistance, such as drinking water, coffee, food, and other events or services

If anyone has any questions concerning the information provided and listed above, please contact your community office during business hours.

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Get Smart with your Smartphone

Smartphones have a world of capabilities that can make your life easier; however, many people don’t make the most of their devices, mainly using them to make calls, send texts, and browse social media. By taking a closer look at your device’s features, you can optimize the time spent on your phone to become more productive and master your mobile device.

Whether you have an iPhone or an Android, some simple tips can help you accomplish your day-to-day tasks with ease. You can use your camera app to help you remember important information: snap a picture of your refrigerator before grocery shopping and never again wonder what you needed to buy. Better yet, you can use the notes app to write down your grocery lists, keeping them handy and convenient for you. Additionally, try activating Do Not Disturb mode when you need to focus, or when you see a movie or play and want to avoid interrupting the show. Use your calendar app to plan ahead and remember important dates, and add your credit card to your wallet app to use contactless payment around town.

If you have an iPhone, these Apple-specific tips will help you. For Android users, check out these tips for Androids instead. Remember, if you still have unanswered questions or unsolved problems, you can use the internet on your smartphone to make your device work for you! Next time you unlock your phone, unlock its full potential.

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You Learn on YouTube

Have you ever wanted to try a new recipe, learn how to fix something, or go on an adventure in a faraway place? You can do all these things, and more, by visiting YouTube. This website is a great place for people of all ages to learn something new—and its free!

Follow along an exercise routine, learn about history and science, or watch a tutorial for a craft or project. There are hundreds of educational channels on YouTube that can help you learn anything from managing money to making a fire.

Beyond learning, YouTube is a great place to seek out some good old-fashioned entertainment. You can search for clips of your favorite old TV shows, watch free documentaries, or enjoy a laugh, whether you prefer stand-up comedy or funny cat compilations. Whatever you’re interested in, there’s something for you on YouTube.