July - August 2020

Manager's Corner

Dear Residents,

We had a few awesome and active months at the beginning of this year! From our 50s Dance to the AARP driving course, there was record attendance from our residents ready to get out there and have fun. The annual Resident Appreciation Day event had everyone ready to start roping and riding with our western theme. The all-day event started with breakfast, followed by a scavenger hunt, competitive sporting events, and bingo. We closed out the day with an evening dance and a special gift give away. Everyone had a great time hitting the dance floor!

Our residents always take away wonderful memories with neighbors and friends from events like these. We are so happy that everyone loves Tara Woods as much as we do. This is truly an amazing, active place to call home.

It is with very mixed emotion that I will be leaving Tara Woods as Manager and as a resident. I have a great opportunity to make my way back to California to be near my family.

It has been my true honor to serve all of the wonderful residents who call Tara Woods their home. I will miss everyone.

Wishing you health and happiness,
Cathy Winfree
Community Manager

Thank You, All!

On behalf of the Tara Woods team, we’d like to thank everyone who joined us for our community events in January and February. We can’t wait to celebrate with you all again soon! We busted a move during our Resident Appreciation Day celebrations thanks to our fantastic DJ that closed out the day’s festivities. Everyone also enjoyed the 50s Dance and Magic Softball events that took place in the Clubhouse. We finished up these two months of events with the AARP Driving Course that made a stop through Tara Woods. Those who completed this course received a discount on their car insurance. All in all, we had a great time at the beginning of the year and are excited to get back to our normally scheduled activities. In the meantime, relive the fun by flipping through the photos below.

Reopening Procedures

We hope you and your families are staying safe and healthy during this challenging time. As the COVID-19 outbreak continues, it’s important that we do our part to flatten the curve and help maintain the health and wellness of our communities. Hometown has been adhering to all local, state, and federal guidelines and we’re making decisions about day-to-day operations that align with those guidelines to mitigate the risk of spreading the virus within our communities.

As states continue the reopening process and businesses and other non-essential services come back online, we will be monitoring their guidelines and making adjustments to community operations accordingly. Availability of cleaning supplies and personal protective equipment as well as creating and training team members on revised operational protocols are also factors that impact the timing of reopening.

With that being said, we are proud to announce as of July 1st our indoor amenities will reopen for small groups with reservations only. Hometown America is proud to be taking a methodical way of opening various amenities and facilities with a well thought out, safe plan. Pools, outdoor amenities, fitness centers and now indoor facilities will be opened for your use. It is very important to us that you have access to the amenities you enjoy, while staying smart and safe. We love seeing so many happy faces as we slowly get back to a bit of normality.

We thank you for your continued patience and look forward to the future!

Happy Birthday, Helen!

On May 24, residents gathered outside the home of Helen Boettger to celebrate her 102nd birthday. All maintained social distancing to serenade her with “Happy Birthday” and present a special gift from Deputy Sheriff Mark and the Lee County Sheriff’s office. Scroll through the photos below to see the celebration!

Stimulus Check Tips

As government stimulus checks begin to roll in, you may be thinking about what you should do with yours. Whether it’s paying bills, investing, or spending it on that special wish list item, it all comes down to what is best for your wealth health.

NBC News recently compiled a helpful list of 5 must-know tips before spending your stimulus. Read through them below before making your spending decision, you might just change your mind.

• 1. Make sure you have the necessities. First and foremost, make sure you are stocked up on the things you need like food, medicine, and other additional supplies. If you’re not, it can be a good idea to use your stimulus check to restock these items.
• 2. Work with financial institutions. If necessary, you can use your check to pay any debts you might have, but check with your financial institutions first. Many banks and credit card companies are deferring payments and waiving fees, so make sure to check with them first before dropping a large payment.
• 3. Save your money. If you have no immediate need for your stimulus check, consider saving it or using it to get yourself out of debt. This can be a great way to reduce future financial strain.
• 4. Deal with your finances now. It can be tempting to avoid your financial problems until they become an immediate issue, but that will only lead to future stress. Get your finances in order now and figure out the best use for your stimulus money rather than wait until an issue arises.
• 5. Give your money. If you are in a stable place financially, consider giving the money to someone in need. Many charities are readily accepting donations, or you could even consider helping a friend or family member who is struggling right now.

We hope these tips helped give you some viable options on how your stimulus check can go to good use. Stay safe and stay healthy!

Online Book Clubs

There’s nothing quite like starting a brand-new book. With new characters to get attached to and fresh worlds to immerse yourself in, there’s no better time to find your next obsession. Many online book clubs are now allowing readers the opportunity to connect, hear from the writers themselves, and try out new genres. There’s truly something for everyone!

Whether you are a woman looking for a casual group to talk to other female bibliophiles, someone looking to broaden their knowledge with award-winning titles, or looking for novels to help you make sense of the world itself, there’s a book club for it.

Another great feature of virtual book clubs are that they offer different levels of interactivity. If you’re simply looking for a list of recommended books on the same subject, you can find a club for that. If you enjoy reading or listening to what others have to say about a book but you’re not looking to discuss yourself, you can. If you like the best of both worlds, you’ll easily be able to find a host of groups that will allow you to share your opinion and converse with your fellow readers.

While it can be difficult to find people with similar interests to you, online book clubs might be the answer. They are a great way to immerse yourself in new literature and conversations with people across the globe without leaving the comfort of your home.