Editors: Chris Weegar, Vicki Rudegeair

“For the Residents by the Residents”

OCTOBER VOL 16, ISSUE 10

The Highlands Highlights Our website is:

www.floridahighlands.com Our e-mail is :

newsletter@floridahighlands.com

Where occupancy limits apply, there will often be a sign-up sheet on a first-come-first serve basis. Many lists will be posted with some names already listed to ensure that those producing the event are included within the occupancy limit.

The instructor-led water aerobics led by Joan Rodier is already underway.

COVID precautions of special importance:

⇒ Social Distancing . . . Social distancing . . . Social Distancing.

⇒ Disinfecting contact points before and after aerobics session.

COVID precautions of special importance:

⇒ Limit of 50 in attendance.

⇒ Social distancing is required during the meeting.

⇒ No refreshments provided. You can eat/drink things you have brought.

⇒ Masks worn at all times, the only exception being while actively eating.

All of our activities are still

adhering to all applicable

Highlands COVID

precautions. If you are

unwilling to comply with any

of the precautions, we ask

that you do NOT attend

and thereby respect

your neighbors’ right to

participate in

community events

that are as safe as

reasonably

possible.

COVID precautions of special importance:

⇒ Limit of 50 in attendance. You must sign up to attend.

⇒ Hands must be sanitized before entering, and upon every re-entry into the Bingo hall.

⇒ Limit of 4 people to a table. Social distancing must be practiced wherever you are in the room.

⇒ All tickets (including speedy) will be sold only at the beginning of the night.

⇒ Winners will be given a voucher which will be redeemed for cash at the end of the evening’s play.

⇒ BYOB. While no food or drink will be offered, you can eat/drink anything that you bring with you.

⇒ Masks must be worn at all times, except while actively eating or drinking.

⇒ Also, while calling and socially distanced on the stage, the caller will not wear a mask.

⇒ If you feel sick or have been around anyone who isn’t well, PLEASE do NOT attend.

On Veteran’s Day there will be a short ceremony by our Veterans Garden to honor

and thank brave Veterans and First Responders for their service to our country.

Ladies Bible Study

We have resumed out gatherings and are meeting every Tuesday at 10:00 a.m., but now in the main hall of the clubhouse to facilitate social distancing. We are once again enjoying great questions and stimulating discussions. Ours is a real study into spiritual maturity and I’m sure our God is smiling as he watches us trying to apply what we are learning!!!!

Any questions, please call Maureen Russo

If we missed you, we’re sorry, To ensure that you are remembered, please submit

your birthday and anniversary information to either

newsletter@floridahighlands.com or Terry Pawlicki.

Barb & Jack Harrop 10/1 Carolyn & Leroy Fuller 10/10 Lorie & Preston Maseda 10/12 Margie & Carl Davis 10/14 Tracy & Jeffrey Stevens 10/14 Fran & JJ Mahany 10/15 Gail & Gene Lally 10/18 Tamara & James Donaldson 10/24 Denise & Jeff Hamilton 10/26 Sherry & Dan Hadd 10/27 Nancy & Jack Willard 10/31 Karen & Jack Doherty 11/3 Betsy & Al Higgins 11/5 Joan & Larry Imburgia 11/5 Emmy & Ricky Romyn 11/6 Barb & John Geiling 11/9 Nancy & Chick Meech 11/12 Lorraine & Joe Ceglia 11/12 Joyce & Ron Flesner 11/16 Dee & David Bruni 11/20 Nancy & Ed Rine 11/22 Eva & Greg Sautter 11/22 Diane & Phil Sabatine 11/24 Vicki & Phil Rudegeair 11/26 Cindy & Chip Barlow 11/27

Jaqueline Hubbard 11/8 Glenn Bowman 11/8 Linda Slekes 11/8 Karen Conley 11/9 Bruce Carey 11/11 Carol McCaslin 11/11 Laurie Daniels 11/11 Charles Pflugh 11/12 Anne Traub 11/13 Leroy Fuller 11/15 Maggie Harris 11/15 Pamela McGuire 11/16 Jeanne Plecenik 11/16 Tamara Donaldson 11/16 Rick Maris 11/17 JoAnna Piazza 11/19 Barb Harrop 11/20 Dave Pflugh 11/22 George R Reed 11/24 Mario Rizzo 11/24 Jo Reynolds 11/24 Ken Gaver 11/25 Donna Hills 11/25 Anne Lafontaine 11/26 Greg Anderson 11/28 Barry McCafferty 11/28 Lynda Chynoweth 11/28

John Silva 10/1 Christine Rock 10/3 Al Kunta 10/4 Betsy Schleyer 10/5 Douglas Hartman 10/9 Donald Curtis 10/11 Jeannie Patterson 10/12 Greg Sautter 10/12 Gail Lally 10/13 Joe Ceglia 10/16 Marty Taylor 10/17 Peggy Lewis 10/21 Phil Rudegeair 10/21 Rich Shaia 10/22 Drew Madajewski 10/23 Gloria Marden 10/24 Rosalia Muza 10/24 Albert Gregory 10/29 Ed Luck 10/29 Scott Daniels 10/30 Henry Simonetta 10/31

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Paul Smith 11/2 Nancy Willard 11/2 Pat Haynes 11/4 Jack Willard 11/6 Linda Prince 11/6

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Ann Lafontaine

Lorraine Davenport

Sue Sullivan

Marie Garfinkel

Karyn Liberty

Beth Impson

Jan Curtis

Peggy Lewis-Enfield

Ken White

Charlie Basile

Barb Snell

Chuck Taylor

Chair

Vice Chair

Secretary

Comptroller

Publicity

Catering

Decorations

Entertainment

Tickets

at large

at large

at large

2 0 1 9 - 2 0 2 1

Committee Members

The Social Committee normally meets in the clubhouse library at 1:00 PM on the Thursday before the Community Meeting.

Upcoming Social Committee Events

Halloween Golf Cart Parade

Veterans Day Observance

Christmas Gatherings

We’ll will meet at the Club House Parking lot at 5:45 pm for judging of the carts and costumes. There will be prizes awarded for Best Cart and also Best Halloween

costume.

At about 6:15 we will leave the parking lot and proceed to the community entrance at the top of the hill. From there we’ll

turn around and follow the parade route through the community. (see map on next page).

Children and Grandchildren of Community Residents are welcome to participate.

Community Residents are more than welcome to hand out treats to the participants in a safe way (you figure it out)!!!

Halloween Golf

Cart Parade

Saturday

October 31st

5:45 Gather & Judge

6:15 Parade start

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September 19, 2020 Highlands Community Business Meeting Minutes

The meeting opened at 9:00 a.m. with Charlie Basile as moderator. He also led the Pledge of Allegiance and Bob Worth gave the invocation.

We had a total of 24 residents attend the meeting.

• The Treasury report was given by Dave Rennie. There is nothing to report as we haven't had any activities that generated revenue or anything we had to pay for.

• The Garden Committee report was given by Geanne Raker. Balance is currently $520.23.

• The Social Committee report was given by Anne LaFontaine. Events for which we have made deposits have been rescheduled for 2021 or 2022.

• Upcoming Events that are in the works are:

⇒ October 31st, Halloween Golf Cart Parade

⇒ Veterans Day, Ceremony outside

⇒ December 12th Christmas celebration in the works

• Via Charlie, Ned Sponsler shared that he is planning on "something" to enable the restart of Hot Dog Nights -- stay tuned for updates.

• Rich Shia stated BINGO is starting in October. Signup sheet is in the clubhouse, 50 people (including workers) max.

• Bob Worth mentioned HomeTown America is planning to be heating the large pool to no higher than 85 degrees starting in December.

• Marie Garfinklel stated that mobile home registration stickers can now be purchased for 2 years versus just annually.

There was no additional business. The meeting was adjourned at 9:11 a.m.

Linda Prince, Community Secretary

Contributions for Causes

Candy will be collected for the Meals on Wheels program for the Month of October. We are targeting October 19th as when we will drop off the goodies for Meals on Wheels to distribute to their clients. As usual, the goodie bag will have a card in it, stating the candy and bags came from the residents of The Highlands at Scotland Yards. We hope to give them approximately 150 bags of candy for their clients, 50 of whom are diabetic.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

The crochet group is sponsoring a sock drive. The socks are needed for children in the Dade City

schools. In spite of cooler weather approaching (50-60 degrees and less) there are many children who attend school with no socks. All too often children in poorer families and their parents find items we consider necessities are not affordable to them. In the past we have given schools money so the school principals and nursing staff can purchase shoes. This year we are targeting socks. Boys’ and girls’ socks and men’s and women’s socks are needed. Donations should be dropped in the box on Judy and Ed Vesely’s porch, 38521 Callaway Blvd. Thank you very much for your donations supporting the crochet group’s charitable efforts.

Thank you for all you do in contributing to these projects. You are a great Community with a big Heart!!

Jan Curtis 5

Thanks go to Hometown America for sponsoring our newsletter. HTA pays for all printing and web publication charges.

Barb Geiling, Faye Broughton,

Anne Traub, Joan Clapper, Betty Thibault,

Barbara O’Neill, Joan & Rich Shaia, Donna Hills,

Chris Weegar, Diane Sabatine,

Nancy Meech, Lynda Chynoweth, Gloria Klotter,

Sharon Proue, Terri Pawlicki, Marty Taylor,

Carol McCaslin, Carolyn Fuller, Marie Garfinkel

The Sunshine Committee lends support and a helping hand to residents experiencing health challenges or dealing with grief. We are prepared to make hospital and home visits, send cards, bring home-made soup, provide transportation for doctor visits, and help with pets in absences due to crises.

A collection basket is in the clubhouse for the Shepard of the Hills Food Pantry at Clinton & Ft. King. Donations can be left anytime. The basket is located on a table to the right of the craft room door. The Sunshine Committee

accumulates donations and delivers them periodically to the Pantry for distribution.

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October Food Drive - Tuesday, 10/6

We will again be collecting food and cleaning supplies and paper products for the food bank managed by the small congregation of Shephard of the Hills in Dade City. The donations our community have been making are a significant helping hand to their food sourcing for the approximate 28 families they support. The Food Bank distributes items on the third Saturday of each month.

On October 6th before 10 am please leave your donations at the end of your driveway. We will start picking up your donations once they are all set out. Donations of any size are appreciated. All donated cash or checks are turned over to the food bank to purchase what they need.

Questions or issues? Contact Jan Curtis.

A Chance to Recycle Some Glass Jars During October

The Social Committee Decorations team needs some glass jars and their lids in order to create a new set of centerpieces and party favors. They seek a variety of jars close to the shape and size (from 22 - 24 oz) of retail spaghetti sauce jars. If you have any to

donate, please clean all food from them and drop them off at Jan Curtis’, 38339 Tee Time Road. A box will be set out for the jars on her front porch until the 1st of November.

Thanks in advance for taking the time to help out.

Collection Box for Old Books If you have old books that you are planning to simply discard, please consider donating them

for charity. Our current Highlands housekeeper Sandy helps to recycle books and appreciates any and all contributions. A white wire rectangular container is in the craft room with a sign “Sandy’s Books”. You can place books in the container any time and Sandy will collect them.

Thanks.

Pasco Sheriff’s Office, Contact Numbers in Pasco County For Non-Emergency Calls in Dade City ………(352) 518-5000

Toll Free…………….(800) 843-2861 EMERGENCY ………… 911

Trash Pickup and Recycling

Trash Pick-up: scheduled for Mondays and Thursdays. Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day are holidays when pickup isn’t scheduled. When there is no pickup, customers may put out double the amount of trash on the next scheduled pickup day.

Recycling (curbside program): Aluminum & metal cans, NO glass, all plastic (except #6), paper, and cardboard may be left in labeled, rigid, reusable containers at the curb very early every Wednesday morning.

Highlands recycling option for printed materials only: A recycling bin stands outside near the clubhouse kitchen for recycled paper, newspapers, phone books, catalogs, and hard cover and paperback books. Cardboard from boxes is also acceptable as long as the box is broken down so that it lies flat.

Yard refuse: Call the Highlands Management office if you wish to have HTA staff do a Monday or Friday pick up of lawn refuse you’ve created during a yard clean-up. If you’ve had professionals clean-up your yard, they should remove the refuse as part of their service. Please, do NOT put yard waste in the dumpster by the clubhouse.

Submitting Items for Publication: As always, thanks are extended to those who contributed information for this month’s issue. All articles and updates should be sent to newsletter@floridahighlands.com or either of the newsletter editors no later than the 20th of the month preceding publication. Every effort is made to include all submissions, but occasionally omissions will occur. Your understanding is appreciated. Comments and articles

submitted anonymously are ignored. Please note that items submitted for the newsletter are subject to editing for clarity, spelling, grammar, brevity and propriety. Because we publish unsecured online where any internet

participant can see it, you are discouraged from including your phone number when you are organizing something. Referencing our directory is recommended. However, if an article submitted to the newsletter for inclusion

directs readers to call a specific number, the number will be published.

Newsletter Delivery Via Email: For the safety of our distributors, distribution of printed copies of the newsletters was suspended when the COVID-19 lockdowns were declared in March. We’ve been listening to government and scientific advice as well as HTA’s direction. When our distributors are unified in feeling safe with resuming delivery, we will restart printing and doorstep delivery. If, however, you have become comfortable with email delivery and want it to continue, please let us know via a call to Chris Weegar or Vicki Rudegeair, or sending a request by email to newsletter@floridahighlands.com. If you were already signed up for email delivery before the shutdown, it is not necessary to make another request. You will remain on email delivery.

ARTS and CRAFTS Sessions

2020-2021 Season

Thursdays 9:30 - Noon

thru March 2021

Something New Every Week

Fun Learning Experiences!

Watch the clubhouse bulletin board for sign-up sheets.

Class lists are posted several weeks before a project.

Prices differ per craft Payment always in advance

10/29 - Pilgrims

Contact Joan Rodier with

suggestions or questions.

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Our chit chat lounge is a place where residents of the Highlands share photos, ask and receive recommendations, and remind each other of upcoming events. While dealing with the Corona virus

restrictions we have come together to add virtual games, dance lessons and brain teasers! Virtual safe socializing

with neighbors is always fun!

Our marketplace is a interesting place to visit on a regular basis! You can post items you have to sell as well as items you are in search of!

Safe Shopping and Selling within our Highlands community!

The Helping Hands page was created to help our neighbors with any needs they have. If you need a hand with anything please reach

out to us.

Our recipe exchange is a great place to share dishes you have enjoyed and a FANTASTIC

place to find new recipes to try!

Close Pool Umbrellas Before Exiting the Pool Area

We are still in hurricane season through the end of October so we need to continue to be diligent about protecting items left out around your home and in the pool area. If umbrellas are going to be kept by the pool for your comfort, we need your help in protecting them. Even if you didn’t open them, please take any open umbrellas down before you exit the pool area. Our daily afternoon rains and winds can be very destructive.

Thanks for your on-going cooperation.

Information for the 2020 - 2021 HTA Directory

The data for the next Hometown America supplied annual Highlands directory has been sent to the publisher. The directory updates on the last page of this newsletter plus all previous changes

published in newsletters were included in the submitted data.

Distribution of the new directory is targeted for the first of November, 2020.

The data for all our Highlands resident directories is currently maintained by Terry Pawlicki.

By mid-October a new edition of our “homegrown” directory will be emailed to every resident for whom we have a valid email address. That emailed directory will reflect the same data as was just sent to HTA for their directory.

The new homegrown directory will be downloadable from a secure section of our website after copies are emailed. The URL is specific and appears on the last page of this emailed version of October’s newsletter. (But the URL won’t work until the emailing.) For your privacy the last page of this newsletter does not appear on our website.

Call Chris Weegar if you can’t receive emailed documents and ask her to print a hard copy for you.

Mahjongg Players

When the clubhouse is open to all residents there is normally open organized mahjongg play on Monday, Tuesday and Friday. Players meet at 1:00 PM on Monday and Friday and at 9:30 AM on Tuesday. On the first Monday of each month a marathon is held. All mahjongg players are welcome. If you are interested in learning to play mahjongg, contact Nancy Meech.

Since the closure of the clubhouse, over a dozen of our regular players regularly play on-line with one another at

realmahjongg.com. When they start a game, they search for each other’s pseudonyms in the "Active Games"

section (or they can search for you if you are playing). By simply pressing on their name and asking to join you could be playing with some of our mahjongg players. It's that simple!

You can play with up to 3 other friends at the same time, or mix and match with computer players, or simply play against computer players only. If a game is in progress, others can jump in and replace a computer player, and if somebody leaves, the computer will take over. There's also a chat feature so you can message other players at your table while you are playing by simply pressing the chat icon on the bottom right of the screen.

RealMahjongg offers a two week free trial which provides an opportunity to discover whether you are comfortable playing in an on-line environment. Currently you can play with either the 2019 or 2020 cards. If you choose to continue to play beyond the free two weeks, there is a monthly fee of less than $10. If you decide you want to learn the pseudonyms of Highlands players, give Chris Weegar a call and she’ll direct you to some of those who are playing.

Marathon’s are suspended as long as the clubhouse remains closed. A sign-up sheet will be posted to resume play on the first Monday of the month after the card/game room is open once again and table games are allowed.

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