From the Desk of Anthony Riley

Summer turns to Fall or in Florida…Summer turns to what passes as summer in most reasonable parts of the country. But if it’s fall, that means football, school events, the changing colors of the palm fronds. And the holidays. Star Wars lawn guy hung up ghosts today. Thoughts have turned to pulling out decorations after that turkey meal. But hold up! First things first…

On Thursday, October 3^rd,WWHOA presents Neighborhood Night Out! This is our annual Fall event designed to get out and meet some neighbors. Besides the bouncy house, the brave men from the Sheriff’s Office and Fire Department, the food truck, the doggie treats and some neighborhood businesses, we will have an HOA booth where we hope you will test our new QR Code technology. If we figure it out.

But let me take a moment to reflect on the true reason for the Neighborhood Night Out. This is not just a really fun time for the kids and pets, this is where we can build some new casual relationships that transcend differences of sports teams and pizza toppings. Why? Because the Neighborhood Night Out is for the benefit of the security of the neighborhood. Neighbors who know neighbors keep an eye out for each other. Neighborhood safety is the key to maintaining homes with pride and retaining strong property values.

Another very important event coming up is the General Membership Meeting on October 10. The South Seminole Church of Christ on Lake Howell Rd will host the night, and we are available online via zoom at 7:00pm. There is a big road construction project coming up on Nottingham Dr and we will have a guest from a contract consultant to give us more information.

Speaking of scary consultants, Halloween is coming with all the tricks and treats that go with it. Here in the neighborhood, there will be a decorating contest, a haunted house, a haunted car and a spike in chocolate stock.

And for you thrifty people looking for a bargain, we have the Neighborhood Fall Garage Sale coming up onNovember 9^th where I hope to finally part ways with my Dancing With the Stars bobblehead collection. Should be a great shopping day too!

We are a little behind on collecting dues from last year, I squarely place the blame for that on the QR code. We need the dues to pay for the bouncy house and this newsletter. I don’t believe anyone reading this column has not paid. The hope is that the unengaged who reap the benefits of a connected group one day see that our events and efforts to create community are worth the meager participation contribution of $25.

If you did not read this before our Neighborhood Night Out on Thursday October 3^rd, I hope you made it out anyway, and if you didn’t you missed a spectacular event!

3…2…1…And We’re Back! Back to the printed newsletter, back to in-person HOA meetings and back to fun in the streets with your Winter Woods Homeowners Association. Back to where we once belonged.

The first week in August, we shut down King James Ct for a Thursday evening and spent time with neighbors enjoying refreshments and full contact bouncy house. The event was brought to us by The Somers Group, The Apex Group at Guaranteed Rate, Guardian Inspectors, Liberty Mutual Insurance, and Performance Title.  The kids took away useful school supplies loaded in backpacks and another memory of growing up in Winter Woods. We dodged the rain and want to thank everyone that attended, helped set up, and stayed late to bring the big tent down at the end of the show. But we’re not done…

WE’RE DOING IT AGAIN! Circle Thursday, October 3on your calendar because that is when the WWHOA presents Neighborhood Night Out! We are pulling out all the stops (a phrase that describes playing an organ wide open) to celebrate all our neighbors and have some fun. We will have the extra bouncy house, a big Fire Truck from the Fire Department (if not otherwise occupied), representatives from neighborhood businesses, and a food truck. Dogs are welcome and we plan on special treat stations for the furry ones. Plan to attend by golly.

Anyone that wants to promote their business at the October 3rd Neighborhood Night Out is welcome to set up a tent or table and present your goods.  All wanting to participate should contact the board, so we know how many balloons to bring.

Do not forget to attend the General Membership Meeting on October 10. We will meet at the regular location, the South Seminole Church of Christ on Lake Howell Rd and online via zoom. We will be there on September 12 also. Our meetings are at 7pm and the mood is light.

We need Volunteers! The HOA is always looking for people to help with events and we are a generally nice group of people to work with. We would also encourage every neighbor to attend the monthly HOA meetings and consider joining in to make this a great neighborhood!

As for service: there is a group of fine neighbors that congregate at 7:30am on Saturday mornings to mow and trim the “islands” that are part of the long entrance off 436. They volunteer and they do not even know there is an HOA in the neighborhood! I’m not going to tell them, we need the foliage tended.

Back to our regularly scheduled programing, hope we passed the audition…