December - January 2019

Manager’s Corner

Happy Holidays from everyone here at Fairways! It’s hard to believe this year is coming to a close. While we all begin to celebrate with friends and family, please remember those who aren’t as fortunate. Tis the season for giving, of ourselves, our time, our talent and our blessings, to those who need it most. We’d also like to take a moment to thank our brave military men and women, in all parts of the world, who won’t be able to come home for the holidays. We send them all our love and gratitude.

We Rocked the House
Our residents had an amazing time at October’s Casino Night, put on by our fantastic Activities Director, Ted Weigman. With our northern friends returning shortly, we’re gearing up for some fabulous new events. Who knows? Maybe Casino Night will make a comeback. As we begin preparing for new events, we want to hear from you. Do you have an entertainer you’d love to see at Fairways? Are you a country music fan or is Motown more your style? Let us know!

Home Improvements
I’d like to thank a few of our residents who have been making improvements to their homes and yards over the last few months. Thank you for going above and beyond by painting in the heat of the summer, it is certainly a daunting task. Thank you: Reino Koitto, Rafael Colon, Billy Emerson, Leslie Jenkins, Deborah Santucci, Armond Perrone, and Michael Dellaratta.

2019 Planning
A new series of Lunch and Learns are planned for 2019. In addition, we will continue offering Movie Nights once a month. As more of our snowbird friends return, we will begin scheduling bocce ball, shuffleboard, and pickleball tournaments with other 55+ communities in the area.

Sincerely,

Priscilla

Sales Update

New home sales are in full swing here at Fairways! We have a few models available, with more coming in over the next few months. If you haven’t checked out the new models yet, make an appointment and we’d love to show you around.

You can’t go wrong with an open floor plan and a stunning kitchen. Take a look at two of our featured homes, both with incredible layouts and locations:

1679 Cedar Ridge Drive
This 3-bed, 2-bath home is nestled on a corner lot at the front of the community. Highlights include a stunning screened-in back porch, large open kitchen, and a two-car carport.

1685 Cedar Ridge Drive
Also situated on a corner lot at the front of the community, this 3-bed, 2-bath home is an open concept stunner. From the upgraded kitchen to the two-car carport, this home won’t be on the market long. Tour today!

New Bundle Deal

Exciting things happened at the Fairways while our snowbird friends have been away. Hometown America recently negotiated a fantastic cable and internet bundle for our residents.

You can now have 200+ channels with high speed internet for only $40 a month – what a steal!

Thank you all for your patience as we roll out this exciting new program. We understand these changes may be confusing in the beginning, but now you can sit back and enjoy all of the expanded channel options. If you have any questions or need additional information, please stop by the office and we will be happy to help you.

Sales Programs

Do you know anyone looking to start living the Florida lifestyle?

For a limited time, if a resident refers a customer who purchases a new HTA home, that referring resident will receive $1,000! If the customer purchases a used inventory home, the referring resident will receive $500! This program allows you to pick your neighbor and get some holiday spending cash. It’s win-win!

Thinking of selling your home? We are the resale authority for Fairways. When you choose to sell with us, we not only understand the Fairways lifestyle but we will employ the right kinds of media to sell your home. Plus, we can even give your buyer a full-year golf membership!

Don’t forget about our Trade-in/Trade-up program! All you have to do to get started is call Datacomp to appraise your home and HTA will give you 70% of the value of that appraisal. You only pay sales tax on the difference and never pay commissions. We take your home into inventory, and you get to live in a brand new, warrantied home. But that’s not all! We reimburse you the $300 appraisal fee when you purchase the new home.

Casino Night

Residents had an amazing time at Fairways’ Casino Night on October 6. Our Activities Director, Ted Weigman, organized the entire event from the host of games like blackjack and roulette to the DJ and dancefloor – the Masters clubhouse truly became Monte Carlo. A few of our lucky residents even went home with prizes like gift cards and casino boat trips! If you missed out on this Casino Night that’s okay, we hope to schedule another one in the future.

Trunk or Treat

On Sunday, October 28 the Fairways team participated in Trunk or Treat at the Waterford Recreation Area. Over 2,000 people came out to enjoy trick or treating for the kids, along with fun games and music from a local DJ.

The Fairways team arrived in their very own Mobile Ghost Containment Unit from the Ghostbusters franchise! Judith, Priscilla, and Madeline were all decked out in their spookiest gear. They chatted up parents who might be looking to relocate their own parents closer to grandchildren, while handing out candy to the kiddos. They even met a few high school students and told them all about careers in the manufactured home industry. All around, it was a great afternoon!

Check out the photos to see what the kids found when they looked in the Ghost Containment Unit.

Wanderlust Without Hassle

In recent years, the number of Americans going camping has steadily risen. Remember when camping meant sleeping in a tent, getting covered in dirt, and struggling to start a fire? They made for great memories, but now you can enjoy the great outdoors with much more ease.

Camping with an RV allows you to experience the comfort and amenities of home, while enjoying the beauty of nature. Staying in a pricey hotel often limits your ability to explore nature, which is why renting an RV can be the best way to explore the outdoors.

You can either drive your rented RV to your destination or pick it up and start vacationing upon arrival. The latter option is great for those who want to go to a specific location without making the drive. And as a bonus, you don’t have to camp in a tent.

Travelers who want an upgraded version of camping can also try “glamping.” This glamorous camping option features all the comforts of home and additional amenities to make it a truly memorable vacation.

The Russian River Valley in Northern California’s Wine Country, provides a fully stocked Airstream nestled amongst a sleepy grove of redwood trees. Take a step outside your door and you’re exactly where you want to be, plus sipping world-class wines and eating at Michelin-star restaurants are both minutes away.

Airstreams are only the beginning. From cabins to teepees, glamping provides an unforgettable experience, especially when held at resorts. These luxurious getaways offer a wide range of amenities, from infinity pools to spa-like bathrooms.

Where will your next outdoor adventure take you?

1968 and the Boomer Impact
 

A lot can change in fifty years. Technology has evolved, politics and policies have changed, and the day-to-day structure of normal life looks very different now than it did before.

Let’s reflect on some of the major moments in American history that took place in 1968.

Pop-Culture

• • The game Kerplunk became widely popular after only being around for one year.
• • Classic hits such as “Born to be Wild” by Steppenwolf, “Revolution” by the Beatles, and “Street Fightin’ Man” by the Rolling Stones were released.

Television

• • An episode of “Star Trek” aired the first interracial kiss on television in American history.
• • The television show “Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood” debuted on a U.S. television network.

History

• • The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee. This led to civil disturbances, including riots, in over 100 cities.
• • The USS Pueblo was captured by North Korea and held captive for 11 months. This threatened the high-tensions that already existed from the Cold War in that region.

Technology

• • The first “Jumbo Jet” was introduced. The Boeing 747 Jet could seat 374 passengers and changed travel industry forever. After this, the exclusive luxury that was airfare became the standard way of international travel.
• • Jim Lovell, Bill Anders, and Frank Borman helped solidify the United States’ place as first in the space race. Apollo 8 was the first manned spacecraft to travel to the moon and orbit it ten times! This was also the first time the moon was broadcast on live television.

Sports

During the 1968 Summer Olympics, two African-American medalists, Tommie Smith and John Carlos, staged a silent demonstration against racial discrimination. They bowed their heads and each raised a gloved fist when the Star-Spangled Banner played. Two days after the fact, they were stripped of their medals and expelled from team USA.

If you look at the 1960s as a whole, 1968 was by far the most transformative year of them all. While there were tumultuous moments, there were also groundbreaking times that got us to where we are today. Although 50 years feels like a long time, the effects of these moments will never fade.

Space – The Final Frontier
 

Life beyond ours might be a real, provable possibility now thanks to the Curiosity rover. We may finally determine whether or not there has ever been, or could ever be, life on Mars.

The Curiosity rover has identified the building blocks for life on Mars: organic molecules containing carbon, a chemical element central to life. This doesn’t mean that there is evidence of life, but it does provide important clues about Mars’ mysterious history.

Molecules from a pair of Martian rocks prove that there was once something on the planet that an organism could eat. If a food source exists, maybe the existence of an intelligent life form isn’t too far of a stretch. Especially because methane concentrations are seeping out from underground reservoirs. Here on Earth, this gas is only produced by living organisms.

This proves exciting for future examinations of Mars as well. These samples were found only a few centimeters below the surface. Since the surface of Mars is constantly bombarded with radiation that can break down organic compounds, there may be more material buried deeper.

If you want to learn more about the Curiosity rover’s findings, click here!