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L.A. TIMES Lake Ashton Community Newsletter April 2024 “Small acts, when multiplied by millions of people, can transform the world.” –Howard Zinn Simply the Best! + Celebrate Earth Day & Support the Garden Club at their Plant Sale April 10 + Volunteers make Lake Ashton Go 'Round! Volunteer Appreciation Spring Fling is April 19 + + 4141 Ashton Club Drive Lake Wales, FL 33859 Lake Ashton is a 55 & Older Deed Restricted Community 863.324.6032 863.324.5457 www.lakeashtoncdd.com

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NEWSLETTER STAFF Christine Wells Editor cwells@lakeashtoncdd.com 863.324.5457 Valerie LeBlanc Advertising Sales, Layout & Design valerie@lakeashtoncdd.com SUBMISSION GUIDELINES May Issue Deadline: April 12 • Articles can be submitted on behalf of Lake Ashton clubs/ groups/organizations to promote lifestyle enhancing, opportunities, and must be approved by the group leader prior to publication • Email articles to: valerie@lakeashtoncdd.com • 150 word limit. Articles will be edited for length, clarity, and to ensure compliance with districts’ media policies • Include your club contact and phone number • The writing style is third person — avoid using I, me, my, we, our, or personal pronouns Photo Specifications: • All photos must be high-res digital images in “jpeg” format and submitted via email or CD/flash drive • Space will generally allow only one photo per article • The designer and printer will make the final determination as to the print quality of photographs for publication THE LAKE ASHTON COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT DOES NOT ENDORSE OR SUPPORT ANY PARTICULAR POLITICAL CANDIDATE, PARTY, MEASURE OR ISSUE, OR ANY PRODUCT OR SERVICE. APRIL 2024 Lake Ashton employees are at your service. We want your experiences in the Clubhouse, Golf Course and HFC to be as pleasant and memorable as possible! Do not hesitate to contact any of the below with comments, questions or concerns. Lake Ashton Clubhouse 4141 Ashton Club Drive Lake Wales, FL 33859 Phone: 863.324.5457 Fax: 863.324.5829 LACDD Community Director: Christine Wells cwells@lakeashtoncdd.com Clubhouse Activities Assistant: Caroline Lane 863.324.6032 clane@lakeashtoncdd.com Clubhouse Office Manager: Sheila Moreland 863.324.5457 smoreland@lakeashtoncdd.com Clubhouse Operations Manager: Matt Fisher 863.956.6207 mfisher@lakeashtoncdd.com LW Homeowners Association (HOA) Golf Club - Ron Lavoie, General Manager Ian Peterson, Head Golf Professional Eagle’s Nest - Sandra Goodwin, Manager RV & Storage Center Charm City Nik Minadakis, Owner ___________________________________________________________________________________________ In case of emergency, dial 911! Police Non-Emergency Numbers: Lake Wales: 863.678.4223 Winter Haven: 863.291.5858 Polk County Sheriff: 863.298.6200 3 Lake Ashton Health & Fitness Center (HFC) 6052 Pebble Beach Boulevard Winter Haven, FL 33884 Phone: 863.595.1562 Fax: 863.595.1567 LAIICDD Community Director: James Margeson Phone: 863.595.1562 jmargeson@lakeashton2cdd.com HFC Activities Office Manager: Krystle Funk 863.595.1562 kfunk@lakeashton2cdd.com Gate Houses & Security Officers: Thompson Nursery Rd. (LW): 863.324.7290 County Road 653 (WH): 863.318.0237 863.325.0065 directors@lakeashtonhoa.org lakeashtonhoa.com 863.326.1032 863.326.1032 rlavoie@lakeashtongc.com ipeterson@lakeashtongc.com 863.326.1085 sgoodwin@lakeashtongc.com 863.326.1304 dholmes@lakeashtonstorage.com 863-662-3300 charmcityfl@gmail.com

MONDAY COFFEE Meet new neighbors and to hear about local community happenings, community events and receive information on current projects within Lake Ashton. Meet local vendors personally and even snag a few free items or win services or products. Mondays at 9 am in the Clubhouse Ballroom — coffee & donuts available for $3 (please note price change). APRIL 1 • Birthdays and Anniversaries • LA Woodworkers Project of the Month • Featured Speaker: Coffee with the City of Lake Wales Mayor Jack Hilligoss • Featured Vendors: Christine Graves Insurance, Horizon Wealth APRIL 8 • Bite Me Monday — Donations of pet food and/or supplies for the Humane Society of Polk County • Featured Speaker: Polk County Roads Updates • Featured Vendors: Edward Jones - Matt Simpson, TECO APRIL 15 - NO MONDAY COFFEE - LACDD BOARD MEETING • Peanut Butter Monday — Donations of nonperishables will go to the Havendale Food Pantry. Monetary donations can be dropped off at the Clubhouse Activities Office. APRIL 22 • Featured Speaker: Coffee with City of Winter Haven Commissioner Brad Dantzler and the WH Economic Development Council. • Featured Vendor: Edward Jones - Melissa Kincaid APRIL 29 • Featured Speakers: Polk Museum of Art and AdventHealth • Featured Vendor: TECO IN THIS ISSUE NEWS 5 LA LOOKS 14 SAFETY 16 MOVIES 18 EVENTS 20 MIND & BODY 32 CLUBS 38 GOLF 44 BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETINGS LAKE ASHTON (LW) CDD April 15, 9 am Clubhouse Ballroom LAKE ASHTON II (WH) CDD April 19, 9 am Health & Fitness Center CIT Y COMMISSION MEETINGS LW: 1st & 3rd Tuesdays at 6 pm, Commission Chambers, Municipal Administration Bldg., 201 W. Central Ave., Lake Wales WH: 2nd & 4th Mondays at 6:30 pm, John Fuller Auditorium in City Hall, 451 3rd St. NW, Winter Haven POLK COUNT Y BOCC MEETINGS 1st & 3rd Tues. , 9 am, Board Room, 330 W. Church St., Bartow

HOURS OF OPERATION CLUBHOUSE: 6 am – 10 pm daily CLUBHOUSE & ACTIVITIES OFFICES: 9 am – 5 pm Monday through Friday HEALTH & FITNESS CENTER: 5:30 am – 10 pm daily HFC OFFICES & ACTIVITIES DESK: 8 am – 4 pm Monday through Friday MONTHLY MARKET Shop local without leaving the community on the second Wednesday of the month from 10 am to 2 pm. Vendor recommendations and resident vendors are always welcome - contact clane@lakeashtoncdd.com. BAXTER’ S QUAL ITY MEATS Get fresh poultry, fish, and beef every Wednesday in the Clubhouse West parking lot from 10 am to 2 pm. There are always new specials on the board! BOOKMOBILE Second & fourth Wednesdays, 9:30 am to 4:30 pm (closed for lunch 12:30 to 1:15) in the Clubhouse West Parking Lot. Polk County library card holders can check out and return books, movies, and more! SEASONAL RESIDENTS AND SUMMER TRAVELERS If you will be away for the summer, please stop by the Clubhouse Activities Office to sign up and pay for a seasonal subscription ($5 monthly; $8 monthly international). The newsletter is also published electronically on lakeashtoncdd.com and sent out via 5 Mental sharpness comes from being around wise people. A meeting of the minds can help people see their ideas with new clarity, refine them, and shape them into brilliant insights. This requires discussion partners who can challenge one another and stimulate thought. People who focus on the idea without involving their egos in the discussion; people who know how to attack the thought, and not the thinker. Two friends who bring their ideas together can help each other become sharper! - Alex Fuertes, Maintenance Supervisor email blasts weekly. There is also a Summer Checklist at the Clubhouse Media Center to assist in making sure everything is taken care of before departure. NEW RESIDENT ORIENTATION The next new resident orientation will be held in the Clubhouse Ballroom on April 3 at 2 pm. Get introduced to the community and meet other new residents and community leaders. Sign up online or at either Activities Office. Club, group and organization facilitators who would like to set up an information table at the New Resident Orientation should email Christine Wells at cwells@lakeashtoncdd.com to reserve a table. LOST AND FOUND Lost and Found is located at the Clubhouse Office in the Clubhouse and can be accessed during office hours. Items are donated to local charities if not picked up after 3 months. HIGHLIGHT YOUR CULTURE Lake Ashton is full of vibrant cultures, which is one of the many things that makes this community so great! We are reaching out to the groups in the community to see if they would like to work with Clubhouse and HFC staff to put together activities highlighting the culture they represent. Interested in participating? Contact Caroline Lane (clane@lakeashtoncdd.com) and Krystle Funk (kfunk@lakeashton2cdd.com).

JOINT AMENI TY POL ICY HIGHLIGHT GUESTS (CHANGES EFFECTIVE 1/19/24) • All Guests, regardless of age, must register with the office of the Amenity Manager and sign a waiver of liability prior to using the Amenity Facilities. • The Patron inviting the Guest must be present upon registration, unless other arrangements have been made with the Amenity Manager’s office. • A Guest is limited to 12 Guest Registrations per year. • Guest passes may be issued for a maximum of fifteen (15) consecutive days as correlated with the guest’s length of stay and may only be extended once for a maximum of thirty (30) total consecutive days. • A Guest cannot be registered for more than sixty (60) total days in a 365-day period. • A Guest’s ability to be registered may be reviewed by an Amenity Manager if exceeding the standards listed above. • All Guests under eighteen (18) years of age must be accompanied at all times while using the Amenity Facilities by a parent, guardian, or adult Patron over twenty-one (21) years of age. • Patrons are responsible for ensuring that their Guests adhere to the Policies set forth herein and any and all actions taken by said Guest. Violation by a Guest of any of these Policies as set forth by the Districts could result in loss of that Patron’s privileges and membership as set forth in Section VI – Suspension and Termination of Privileges. The full Joint Amenity Policy can be found online at lakeashtoncdd.com or lakeashton2cdd.com. If you have any questions or concerns, you may contact LA (LW) CDD Community Director Christine Wells at cwells@lakeashtoncdd.com or LA II (WH) CDD Community Director James Margeson at jmargeson@lakeashton2cdd.com. 6 PARKING REMINDER The Clubhouse circular driveway is a drop-off only area. Under no circumstances should vehicles be left unattended. An unattended vehicle in the driveway makes it difficult for emergency vehicles to access the Clubhouse in an emergency situation, which delays getting help getting to the person in need and every second counts. Under no circumstance should vehicles park in the circular drive. It is for golf cart parking only. SECURITY TRANSITION UPDATE Don't worry, you haven't missed anything! Please stay tuned to email for details on an upcoming informational session for residents to get more information on the new system and to get some of your questions answered. Although we understand it is hard to ask questions about a system that is new, to help prepare for this informational session residents are encouraged to send any questions they may have at this time to smoreland@lakeashtoncdd.com. These questions will be sent to Securitas to ensure they are addressed during the informational session. Any questions that are personal in nature will be addressed outside of the informational session. There will be a limited amount of time for questions during the session. Securitas is continuing to install the equipment needed for the system to function. A sample of the RFID tag and Amenity Access Card is on display in the Clubhouse Media Center and HFC Activities Desk. We understand this is a big change for residents and we are here to help with this transition. Please feel free to reach out to Supervisors or Staff with any questions. Contact information for Supervisors can be found on pages 10 and 12. Residents can also contact LA (LW) CDD Community Director Christine Wells, or LA II (WH) CDD Community Director James Margeson with questions.

KNIFE SHARPENING Bring your knives and scissors to the Wood Shop (near the construction office/RV storage area off Dunmore Drive) between 8:30 and 10 am on April 8. Please wrap in newspaper & identify with your name and phone number. Thank you for supporting this fundraising project. RESIDENTS TO RESIDENTS By Tom Scali Lake Ashton is a great community with more options on living our lives than we’ve ever imagined. As we get older, we are starting to think about the next step. Do we move into a continuing care health facility or can we stay here at Lake Ashton as we age? It would be nice to have a forum of residents with similar thoughts to try and put together a list of needs as we become less able to help ourselves. Such items as what kind of in-house care options are available and the cost? Is there a public transportation network to take us to doctors or grocery shopping? What are the costs? There are many more items; some unique to the individual, couple, or widow/widower. All of these needs have to be identified. I was hoping that a forum of concerned residents could identify these needs and then, hopefully, a core group of residents could help find answers and contacts. Maybe vendors with the right qualifications could give us presentations on the products and costs. If anyone is interested in working with us to get this program started, please contact us at: tscali41@gmail.com or 561-512-2961. An organizational meeting has been set up for April 11 from 4 to 5 pm in the Clubhouse Card Room. 2024 CITY OF LAKE WALES COMMISSION ELECTION Lake Wales residents can vote in the next Commission election on April 2 in the Clubhouse Ballroom. 7 VOLUNTEERS WANTED! Are you interested in meeting new people? Are you interested in helping residents with signing up for events on Ticketleap? If you answered yes to these questions, we would love to have you complete an application to be an Activities Desk volunteer at the Clubhouse. Stop by Monday- Friday from 9 am - 5 pm to complete an application for review. LARGEST SELECTION OF INDOOR & OUTDOOR FANS ANYWHERE! TRADITIONAL MODERN CONTEMPORAR ANS 39999 60 DC Mot WiFi Enabled Lighe Included Design Y an Parts & Services Aailable In-Store Warranes Winer Haen 1104A Cypr d SE (Lampligh a) wancityom (863) 299-2777

HOMELESS GRADUATING SENIORS By Doris Reisinger April 15 is Tax Day, and the last day to collect donations for these deserving students. We are still in need of donations of money or gift cards or domestic items. The Clubhouse and HFC have items listed on papers in both activity racks. No donation is too small. Your donations so far have proved your generosity. But the demand keeps growing as I write this. As Dr. Caba stated at Monday Coffee on March 4, "because of YOU these youths will SUCCEED!” Their graduation party will take place April 24th. Hopefully they will all leave with a laptop to start college, domestic items to help them through the summer and gift cards for food, and some scholarships if enough donations. Contact Doris at 217-652-6636 with questions stop by Monday Coffee through April 8. In closing, enjoy all your families parties for a true accomplishment of graduation. SHUFFLIN’ SQUARES HELP AREA HOMELESS HS SENIORS Keith Stevens (left) writes a check for $750 from Shufflin’ Squares Monday Coffee sales to Polk County Schools for the benefit of homeless High School seniors. Shufflin’ Squares has been contributing annually to this project for more than five years. A portion of the proceeds of Monday coffee sales goes to the project. Receiving the check are Vickie Griffis from the Polk County Schools and motivational speaker Dr. Julio Caba at Monday coffee on March 4. BLOODMOBILE A total of 13 units of blood was collected in February. Each blood donation can save up to three lives so that means 39 patients will benefit from blood donations by donors at Lake Ashton. Next date: April 15 in the Clubhouse West Parking Lot from 8:30 to 11 am. Home Instead® Care Professionals can provide the care needed to ensure your loved one returns home safely . Call (863) 294-9141 or visit HomeInstead.com/333 FL Lic# 299994096 PERSONAL CARE | TRANSPORTATION | MEALS & NUTRITION | MEMORY CARE Each Home Instead® office is an independently owned and operated franchise of Home Instead, Inc., an Honor Company. © 2022 Home Instead, Inc. 8

Tax-efficient withdrawal strategies from retirement accounts Managing Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) Estate planning considerations for retirees Exploring Roth conversions for tax diversification and potential long-term benefits Tuesday 4/9/24 Smokin Ox BBQ *Lunch Provided 1pm Lake Ashton HFC 6052 Pebble Beach Blvd, Winter Haven, FL 33884 SPEAKER: Michael Kennedy Financial Advisor REGISTER TODAY 863-340-6225 Horizon Wealth Planning 1950 Cypress Gardens Blvd Suite C Winter Haven, Fl 33884 Tasha.Saca@horizonwealthplan.com Raymond James and its advisors do not offer tax advice. You should discuss any tax matters with the appropriate professional. Securities offered through Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., member FINRA / SIPC. Investment advisory services offered through Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc.. Horizon Wealth Planning is not a registered broker/dealer and is independent of Raymond James Financial Services. 9

LACDD NEWS By Christine Wells, LA (LW) CDD Community Director Supervisors and Staff would like to wish residents a belated Happy Easter and Happy Passover. Staff welcomes guests visiting for the holidays and wishes safe travels to those leaving for the summer. Residents leaving can remain in touch with their community while away by reading the electronic version of the newsletter, participating in CDD meetings via Zoom, and keeping up to date with community happenings through email blasts. For those remaining in Lake Ashton throughout the summer, Staff is working hard to create a fun summertime activities schedule including our first ever Summer Locals Concert Series featuring local bands playing at the Clubhouse and HFC from May - September. Check out the schedule on page 28. April is National Volunteer Appreciation Month, a time to celebrate those who dedicate their time to be stewards of this community. This is a perfect time to recognize and say thank you to the volunteers who work hard to ensure Lake Ashton maintains its reputation of being “Simply the Best.” When you are bowling in a league be sure to thank the volunteer pinsetter. Next time you grab a book from the Media Center, thank a member of the Library Committee for ensuring this amenity is well organized and ready for use. When purchasing a ticket at the Activities Desk, thank the volunteer that helps you find a perfect seat. Next time you attend a Club, Group, or Organization function be sure to thank the facilitator for their hard work. There is so much more that goes into planning activities and events than is realized at times. These volunteers, among hundreds of others, work hard to ensure residents, like themselves, have an enjoyable experience at Lake Ashton. See page 22 for information on a special event for volunteers. A budget workshop and regular board meeting was held on March 25. The board reviewed the updated Reserve Study. During this time of year Supervisors and Staff are actively working on the preliminary 2025 budget. Residents are encouraged to attend both LACDD and LAIICDD meetings to be part of the budgeting process and let your opinions be heard. A wrap up report of actions taken at the March meeting was sent out on March 28. LACDD BOARD OF SUP ERVISO RS CONTA CT INF O Lloyd Howison, Chairman 704-302-6555, lhowison@lakeashtoncdd.com Brenda Van Sickle, Vice Chair 863-324-6191 brenda.vansickle@lakeashtoncdd.com Michael Costello, Assistant Secretary 863-875-9228 or 732-718-7431 mcostello@lakeashtoncdd.com Debby Landgrebe, Assistant Secretary 863-268-8193 dlandgrebe@lakeashtoncdd.com Steve Realmuto, Assistant Secretary 863-949-0304, steve.lacdd@gmail.com Office Hours After Monday Coffee in the Clubhouse Ballroom The 2024 Entertainment Series is now complete and WOW, what a season! Staff and the Lake Ashton Activities Advisory Group are working hard on picking entertainment for the 2025 season that is just as good, if not better, than this season (although that will be a difficult task). March was full of many resident events, from the 16th Annual Fine Arts and Photography Show to the LA Purple Stars Walk for a Cure and St. Patrick's Day Fundraiser and LAPAC's Annual Community Showcase, to name a few. Lake Ashton residents are truly amazing, not only because of their immense amount of talent, but their willingness to help those in need. I am so grateful to be your Community Director! Lake Ashton is and will always be "Simply the Best.” 10

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LAIICDD NEWS By James Margeson, LAIICDD Community Director LA II CDD BOARD OF SUP ERVISORS CONTA CT INF O Jim Mecsics, Chairman Public Safety & District Operations/Programs Office Hours: Tuesdays 9:30 am to 12 pm 863.875.4554, mecsicsj@msn.com Bob Zelazny, Vice Chairman Golf Course, Pro Shop, Eagle’s Nest, Facilities and Field Operation, Transportation System (roads, bridges, paths, etc.) Office Hours: Mondays 1 to 3 pm 863.325.8098, bzelazny@lakeashton2cdd.com Mary C. Clark, Assistant Secretary Public Works & Infrastructure, Including Roadways 252-503-7087, maryclark725@gmail.com Angela Littlewood, Assistant Secretary Special Projects, Landscaping Area including Pet Play Parks Office Hours: Thursdays 9 to 10 am 352.250.9707 alittlewoodlakeashton2cdd@gmail.com Roy Aull, Assistant Secretary Facilities/Amenity Management Office Hours: Friday 9 to 10:30 am 973-670-2709, raull@lakeashton2cdd.com April has arrived, and Spring is upon us, with higher temperatures and longer days! March was a very busy month that had many activities all our residents enjoyed. One of which was the Lake Ashton Neighborhood Watch, who presented an Afternoon with Sheriff Grady Judd at the Health and Fitness Center. This standing-room-only event gave our residents a chance to hear issues involving public safety from the county’s Chief Law Enforcement Officer. Our thanks to the Neighborhood Watch for hosting this event at the HFC. The Lake Ashton LA Purple Stars Cancer Group hosted a sold-out “St Paddy’s Day” dance, where everyone displayed an extensive “wearing of the green” and revelry for all. We also hosted two outstanding seminars: Vertigo and Balance, and Safeguard Your Retirement. Both seminars were well attended and, in fact, the Vertigo Seminar has been scheduled again due to the overwhelming response. April is promising to be a busy month as well with a repeat of the Vertigo and Balance Seminar on April 23, which was so successful in March. Elvis will be returning to the HFC on April 12, for an evening of great entertainment. This is an excellent opportunity for all Lake Ashton Elvis fans to relive some of the great songs of the “King” himself. So mark your calendars, as Elvis will be in the building! April is also Volunteer Appreciation Month, and our Community Directors, James and Christine, are planning an event to recognize all of our resident volunteers. Many activities, programs, or services, would not be possible without the outstanding support of all our volunteers who freely give of their time. We salute you! The Lake Ashton II Community Development District Board met and approved the repair and rehabilitation of the indoor pool ceiling. We will notify residents well in advance when this will be done as it will impact usage of the pool. Residents are also reminded the District will be entering our budget cycle, and the meetings are an excellent forum for you to receive updates and voice your opinions on Board issues. April brings Easter and Spring Break, with many family members visiting. We remind you all to register your guests, and to remember the age restrictions for operating golf carts in our community. We look forward to seeing all of you at the HFC to enjoy the many events that have been planned for the month of April! 12

EAL RO PAVER SEALING FREE ESTIMATES 863.272.0746 Before Restoring & Sealing Pavers sealproorlando@gmail.com Aſter Restoring & Sealing Pavers Benefits of Restoring and Sealing Pavers with Polymeric Sand • Inhibits weeds and grass in joints. • Reduces moss growth. • Deters ants and other insects. • Prevents loss of sand in joints. • Helps repel oil, grease, grime and stains. • Easier routine cleaning, enhances color, texture and brightness. • Resists the effects of harsh weather conditions. • Keeps the under base materials dry to prevent pavers from sinking and dipping. Patios & Walkways Benefits of Proper Drainage Installing Channel Drains • Removes water from flooded low areas where water accumulates causing weeds, mildew and mold growth. • Keeps entire paver area looking consistent without stains or permanent embedded darkening in pavers. • Prevents water entering pool or other unwanted areas. Avoids slip areas from forming. • Directs water in correct direction allowing drains to stay washed and functional. • Paver Installation • Pressure Washing • Travertine Sealing • Paver Repair • Polymeric Sanding Installing Channel Drain Steps for Sealing 1-2-3 1 Commercial pressure wash removing dirt, mold, mildew, weeds and contaminates. 2 Re-sand with polymeric sand locking deep inside joints. 3 Heavy multi-application of sealer to renew the original look of newly installed pavers (color added in sealer optional). FREE ESTIMATES 863.272.0746 sealpr oorlando@gmail.c om CONTACT KALEB TODAY AT 863.272.0746 TO GET A FREE ESTIMATE! Repair Low Areas & Root Liſt Stress Areas • Extend Driveways/Walkways • Install New Walkways, Patios & Planter Walls

L.A. LOOKS Central Native Plants of Florida By Lynn Davis Gaillardia pulchella is an excellent pollinator flower. It attracts bees, butterflies and birds. to be engaged and volunteer to maintain its beauty. Interested in ARC? Contact Mike Wilson at arc@lakeashtonhoa.org or 863-325-0065 option 2. Interested in Compliance? Contact: David Muller at vp@lakeashtonhoa.org or 863-325-0065 option 3. Known most commonly as the blanket flower, this daisy like flower can grow to the height of 12 to 18 inches and easily spreads. It is easy to grow and has a long blooming season here in Central Florida. Its red or yellow petals are best from midspring to late summer. Dividing this plant will encourage it to become fuller and last longer. Blanket flowers thrive best in full sun. Gaillardias sold at many retail outlets usually are nonnative. It’s best to purchase from a catalog or nursery specializing in Native Species. This species tolerates the sandy soil and dry conditions in our area. You’ll also find that it’s a winner in hard to grow spots. Make sure to plant where it can easily spread for the best “wow” factor. You’ll be rewarded with beneficial visitors of butterflies, bees and birds because of it’s excellent nectar. LA (LW) HOA CORNER - FIRST QUARTER REVIEW By Brenda Jackson Happy Spring everyone! April sees the beginning of the annual migration of our snowbirds and we wish you safe travels, you will be missed! ARC and Compliance committees need volunteers. Did you know the ARC committee is required by our bylaws? We have to have one and if we cannot fill it with volunteers, we would have to hire a 3rd party company, who does not know us, to come in and manage this process. We have tried this before and it did not go well. Our Compliance committee is here to help us understand and know the CC&Rs and ARC guidelines. Remember, this is your community and requires all of us Our Annual Meeting was scheduled for February 25. Unfortunately, we did not have the attendance to reach a quorum so the meeting did not occur. Let’s thank our new Board members listed below for volunteering their time and efforts in helping us and our community: There is one board seat open. If anyone is interested in learning more or joining, contact president@lakeashtonhoa.org. Didn’t receive an email invite to sign up for the website? Email admin@lakeashtonhoa.org or call 863-325-0065 option 1. LA (LW) HOA BOARD • Marti Schmidt, President & Treasurer treasurer@lakeashtonhoa.org president@lakeashtonhoa.org • David Muller, Vice President vp@lakeashtonhoa.org • Tim Doyle, Secretary secretary@lakeashtonhoa.org • Harold Jackson secretary2@lakeashtonhoa.org • Mike Wilson arc@lakeashtonhoa.org • Website: lakeashtonhoa.com • ARC Requests: arctracker.com/lakeashton/la LA II (WH) HOA BOARD • Dave Bishop, President presidentla2hoa@outlook.com • James Akridge, Vice President/HOA Liaison vparcla2hoa@outlook.com • Claude Browne, Secretary secretaryla2@outlook.com • Bill Martin, Vice President & Assistant Treasurer vptreasurerla2hoa@outlook.com • Connie Strassberg, Treasurer treasurerla2hoa@outlook.com • Pierre Duquette, LAII ARC Chair A6lawharc2@gmail.com • ARC requests: arctracker.com/lakeashton2 14

Wildlife Corner Photo & Article By Barbara Ann Comer Vultures are Florida's clean-up crew. At Lake Ashton we have both Turkey Vultures (above) and Black Vultures (left); and they can be seen soaring high above on thermals. On the ground they appear large and homely. The Turkey Vulture gets its name from a vague resemblance to a Wild Turkey with its red head and large body. In flight it can be identified by its two-toned wing pattern held in a shallow V (right). The Black Vulture has a black head and appears to be wearing formal white gloves in flight (left); its white legs and feet are easily visible when perched. The Turkey Vulture is the larger of the two. The Black Vulture has a shorter tail and shorter, broader wings. The Turkey Vulture rocks side to side in flight seldom flapping whereas the Black Vulture does a lot of flapping with short glides. Both feed on carrion and Black Vultures scavenge in garbage dumps. WHAT FISH ARE LIVING IN LAKE ASHTON PONDS? Many Lake Ashton residents enjoy fishing in the community's ponds. Because of the frequency of herbicide and fertilizer treatments that may cause run-off into the ponds, the district has a catch and release policy for all fish caught. Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, channel catfish, and Tilapia are the most common fish species in ponds. Largemouth Bass are fun to catch and are a popular sport fish in the community. These fish are predators that need a lot of small fish to eat in order to stay healthy and grow. A Bluegill is an example of a prey species. Tilapia is an invasive fish native to Africa. This species is a warm-water fish that cannot survive in water temperatures below 55 degrees Fahrenheit. Residents may notice dead Tilapia along their pond's shore line during cold spells. If there are any questions or concerns, email Matt Fisher at mfisher@lakeashtoncdd.com. WILDLIFE ALERT - WATCH FOR ALL IGATORS Alligator courtship typically begins in early April, with mating occurring between May and June. Residents may notice male gators lifting their tails high and slapping the water with their jaws to create vibrations throughout the water during mating season. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) reminds residents to be cautious when having fun in and around water. The FWC recommends keeping pets away from the water. FWC's Nuisance Alligator Hotline: 866.FWC.GATOR (392-4286). They will give you a reference number that will need to be provided to staff at the Clubhouse if the alligator is in a body of water in Lake Wales or to staff at the HFC if in a body of water in Winter Haven. Alligators and crocodiles are an important part of Florida's heritage and play a valuable role in the ecosystems where they live. Remember, it is illegal to feed or harass alligators. • Always give these reptiles a respectful distance — at least 10 feet — and always leave them alone. • Alligators are nocturnal (more active at night). After dark, avoid fresh and brackish bodies of water, though alligators sometimes lurk in salt water. Unprovoked bites will often occur at the edge of the water. • Never feed alligators; it encourages them to lose their natural fear of people. • Small animals, like pets, and small children are generally more at risk than large adults. • Female alligators protect their nests by hissing and opening their mouths; this does not mean they are preparing to attack. • Alligators under four feet in length are not considered a threat to humans. 15

SAFETY NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH By Fay Wood, NW Chief We all know what an amazing community we have here in Lake Ashton and I could not be prouder of who we are and what we do as community. Neighbors helping neighbors. There is no better proof than statistics. The stats below are provided by our partners in Law Enforcement, Chief Velazquez (LW) and Chief Brannan (WH) for the year 2023. The stats at left show why we have the lowest crime rate as well as serves as proof why our police departments love us! This is only accomplished due to the efforts of our Security Guards and the selfless acts of our volunteers on CAP, CERT, etc. and last but never least all of you as part of Neighborhood Watch. You should all be proud of yourselves for your efforts in keeping all of Lake Ashton safe, secure, and respected. With that said, if you are interested in helping out your community; Neighborhood Watch could use you. The tasks are easy and the rewards are great! Contact NW Chief Fay Wood at 714-423-8966 or fswperson@aol.com if you are interested in joining or just want to learn more. 16

MOVI ES APRIL 3 — 4 (NO SHOWINGS APRIL 2) 11 AM, 3 PM, 7 PM WONKA 2023 | PG | 1H 56MIN Based on the extraordinary character at the center of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Roald Dahl’s most iconic children's book and one of the best-selling children's books of all time, "Wonka" tells the wondrous story of how the world's greatest inventor, magician and chocolate-maker became the beloved Willy Wonka we know today. APRIL 9 — 11 11 AM, 3 PM, 7 PM NAPOLEON 2023 | R | 2h 38MIN A spectacle-filled action epic that details the checkered rise and fall of the iconic French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, played by Oscar winner Joaquin Phoenix. Against a stunning backdrop of large-scale filmmaking orchestrated by legendary director Ridley Scott, the film captures Bonaparte's relentless journey to power through the prism of his addictive, volatile relationship with his one true love, Josephine, showcasing his visionary military and political tactics against some of the most dynamic practical battle sequences ever filmed. APRIL 16 — 18 11 AM, 3 PM, 7 PM DAMSEL 2024 | R | 1H 47MIN The damsel in distress story gets turned upside down as the dutiful Elodie (Stranger Things star Millie Bobby Brown) agrees to marry the handsome Prince Harry (Nick Robinson), only to find out that the royal family 18 has only recruited her as a sacrifice to repay an ancient debt. Now, Elodie is at the bottom of a deep cave, trapped inside with a fire-breathing dragon with only her wits and will to make it out alive. APRIL 23 — 25 SPACEMAN 2024 | R | 1H 48MIN Six months into a solitary research mission to the edge of the solar system, an astronaut, Jakub (Adam Sandler), realizes that the marriage he left behind might not be waiting for him when he returns to Earth. Desperate to fix things with his wife, Lenka (Carey Mulligan), he is helped by a mysterious creature from the beginning of time he finds hiding in the bowels of his ship. Hanuš (voiced by Paul Dano) works with Jakub to make sense of what went wrong before it is too late. APRIL 30 — MAY 2 11 AM, 3 PM, 7 PM PRISCILLA 2023 | R | 1H 53MIN When teenage Priscilla Beaulieu meets Elvis Presley at a party, the man who is already a meteoric rock-and-roll superstar becomes someone entirely unexpected in private moments: a thrilling crush, an ally in loneliness, a vulnerable best friend. Through Priscilla’s eyes, Sofia Coppola tells the unseen side of a great American myth in Elvis and Priscilla's long courtship and turbulent marriage, from a German army base to his dream-world estate at Graceland, in this deeply felt and ravishingly detailed portrait of love, fantasy, and fame. CLOSED CAPTIONED SHOWINGS: ALL TUESDAY SHOWINGS 11 AM SHOWINGS ON WEDNESDAYS, THURSDAYS & FRIDAYS CINEMA CAPACITY: 55

MAY 7 FEATURE FILM FRIDAYS — 11 AM SHOWTIME IS CLOSED CAPTIONED APRIL 5 11 AM, 3 PM (NO 7 PM SHOWING) FRIDA 2024 | R | 1HR 28MIN An intimately raw and magical journey through the life, mind, and heart of iconic artist Frida Kahlo. Told through her own words for the very first time -- drawn from her diary, revealing letters, essays, and print interviews -- and brought vividly to life by lyrical animation inspired by her unforgettable artwork. APRIL 12 11 AM, 3 & 7 PM TRUE STORY 2015 | R | 1H 42MIN New York Times journalist Michael Finkel (Jonah Hill) loses his job when it's revealed that he was not entirely truthful in a cover story he wrote on contemporary slave trading in Africa. His world collapses even further when he learns he's a victim of identity theft; a man named Christian Longo (James Franco) assumed Finkel's name and stood accused of murdering his own family. Seeing a way to rebuild his shattered reputation, Finkel meets with Longo to hear his story. APRIL 19 11 AM, 3 PM (NO 7 PM SHOWING) THE STING 1973 | PG | 2H 9MIN Following the murder of a mutual friend, aspiring con man Johnny Hooker (Robert Redford) teams up with old pro Henry Gondorff (Paul Newman) to take revenge on the ruthless crime boss responsible, Doyle Lonnegan (Robert Shaw). Hooker and Gondorff set about implementing an elaborate scheme, one so crafty that Lonnegan won't even know he's been swindled. As their big con unfolds, however, things don't go according to plan. APRIL 26 11 AM, 3 PM (NO 7 PM SHOWING) THE GOOD SHEPHERD 2006 | R | 2H 47MIN Discreet, idealistic and intensely loyal, Edward Wilson (Matt Damon) finds that service in the OSS and later as a founding member of the CIA is the perfect career for a man of his talents. His methods become standard operating procedure for the CIA while he combats his counterparts in the KGB. But, as the country slips deeper into the Cold War, he finds that dedication to duty above family has a price. SPECIAL RESTAURANT ADVERTISING SECTION ALL STAR GRILL 2019 SR 60 E., Lake Wales, FL 33898 (833) 679-9689, allstargrillfl.com Hours: Sunday - Thursday 11 am - 10 pm Friday & Saturday 11 am - 12 pm Happy Hour 2 - 7 pm Two time champions for best wings! Dine in or take out. Full bar with TVs, NFL Ticket, pool tables, darts, games. CHERRY POCKET STEAK N SEAFOOD SHAK 3100 Canal Rd., Lake Wales FL 33898 (863) 439-2031, cherrypocket.com Hours: Sun-Thurs 11 am-9 pm, Fri & Sat 11 am-10 pm. We offer Indoor & Outdoor Seating, Pick-Up, & Delivery THE CROOKED BASS GRILL & TAVERN 1010 N. Scenic Hwy., Babson Park, FL 33827 (863) 589-5887, crookedbass.com Hours: Mon - Thurs 11:30 am-8 pm; Fri & Sat 11:30 am-9 pm; Sun 12-7 pm We serve delicious Seafood, Steaks (including Prime Rib), Burgers, Pizza, Salads, Chicken, Pork Chops, Pasta, Wings, AYCE Specials & a Full Liquor Bar. OVATION BISTRO & BAR Locations in Winter Haven, Lakeland & Davenport ovationbistro.com Offer 1: Free appetizer or dessert with the purchase of 2 entrees/drinks Offer 2: $10 off the purchase of $60 or more Offer 3: Lake Ashton Residents get a free glass of house wine, beer or cocktail with any purchase. Bring this coupon to redeem.

EVENTS Things: First: Larry Hillock Second: Jane Storrs Third: Joanne Hillock Creative: First: Julian Polgar Second: John Garner Third: John Garner Best In Show: John Candler 16TH ANNUAL LA FINE ARTS & PHOTOGRAPHY SHOW By Larry & Joanne Hillock We wish to thank all 470 residents who came to the show and hope you enjoyed it. You couldn’t have had free admission, entry, iced tea and cookies without the generosity of our sponsors: Bernie Pruitt, Hill Nissan sales consultant, Boyett Family Dentistry, The Gallery & Frame Shop, Kevin Weltlin, State Farm Agency, Snowbird Heating & Cooling, and the Tessier Law Firm. Our hardworking committee members and volunteers worked very hard to give you a pleasant experience: Steve Bachleda, Ann Boogher, Nancy Hallfin, Charles Inman, Sharon Makela, Marilyn Noffsinger, Lyn Rogers, and Larry and Joanne Hillock. PHOTOGRAPHY WINNERS Pictorial: First: John Manifold Second: Alice Weissman Third: Steve Bachleda Honorable Mention: Carolyn Bishop, Julian Polgar Nature: First: Shelly Brodka Second: Barbara Comer Third: Shelly Brodka Honorable Mention: Brad Kirwan, John Candler, Barbara Comer People: First: Shelly Brodka Second: Sheri Garner Third: Carolyn Bishop Honorable Mention: Larry Hillock 20 FINE ARTS WINNERS Painting – Oil or Acrylic First: Cathy Libra Second: Linda Liabraater Third: Quinton Franklin Hoover Honorable Mention: John Kinch, Cynthia Kuibissa, Carol O’Brien Lyn Rogers Painting – Watercolor First: Patty Wallner Second: Barbara Staschke Third: Sill Wells Honorable Mention: Sil Wells Painting – Mixed Media First: Patty Wallner Second: Laura Borckardt Third: Kathy Williams Drawing/Illustration (pastels; colored pencils, pen & ink & graphic art) First: Becky Mistretta Second: Karen Knaub Third: Lyn Rogers Honorable Mention: Daniel Kjellsen Best In Show: Cathy Libra Again, thank you for attending and participating. We’ll see you next year.

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COMMUNITY SOCIAL JOHN MOORE'S RETIREMENT PARTY Please join us in celebrating John Moore's 18 years of POTLUCKS The best way to meet new friends is over a good meal! Join friends and neighbors at the monthly potlucks held at the Clubhouse and HFC. Bring a dish to share! Sign up online or at either Activities Desk. Clubhouse: April 16, June 11, August 13, October 8 December 10 BOOK TALK Have a conversation with Jeffrey Wilkinson PhD, one of the authors of the new book “The Wall Between” and Lake Ashton resident, April 5 at 11 am in the Clubhouse Card Room. This will be a FREE 90-minute session facilitated by another Lake Ashton resident, Dr. Gary Goldetsky. No need to have read the book prior to coming to the talk. If you don’t already have the book, they are available for $20 (email Jeff at drjeffreywilkinson@gmail.com) or pick one up at the Book Talk. Limit: 20 people. Sign up online or at the Clubhouse Activities Office. VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION SPRING FLING We love our Lake Ashton Volunteers! YOU make Lake Ashton the wonderful place that it is! We have planned a wonderful invitation-only event on April 19 to show our heartfelt appreciation. Volunteers should have received an invitation via email with a link to sign up for a free ticket. You must sign up by April 15. Thank you for ALL that you do for Lake Ashton! Thank you to the following sponsors: Performance Golf Carts, ClimateGuard, Mortellaro Law, Waters Edge, WCM Construction and Roofing, Arts Golf Cars, Charm City, Yellowstone, and Dyer Kia. HFC: May 16, July 18, September 19 November 21 teaching us line dancing on April 20 from 1 to 2 at the Pavilion. Stop by and let John know how much we appreciate all his hard work. PASSOVER SEDER By David Harrison The Jewish community of Lake Ashton would like to invite all residents to share a Passover Seder at the Eagle's Nest on Monday, April 22 at 4:45 pm. Garden salad, choice of pot roast or 1/4 roasted chicken, glazed carrots, roasted potatoes, coffee and iced tea are included for only $23/person. Matzoh, ceremonial kosher wine and dessert will be provided for each guest. Make an entree choice when signing up at the Clubhouse Activities Office no later than April 12. Make check payable to David Harrison. Call 863-326-6418 with any questions. 22

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TRIVIA By David Fix Join your neighbors for an evening of fun and the chance to win some cash. Just $1 to play. Maximum of 8 per table. Come with your team or come join an open table. Note: Tables are not reserved and are available on a first-come first-filled basis. Doors open at 6 pm and Trivia begins promptly at 7. To be kept up-to-date on Trivia Nights, email lakeashtontrivia@gmail.com to be added to the database and receive e-mails announcing Trivia Night. Trivia will be held on April 7, 14 and 28. Hope you come join the fun! DENIM & DIAMONDS It’s time for the Clubhouse to host the annual ladies’ luncheon! Don your denim & diamonds and celebrate friendship, fellowship, and food May 17 at 11 am. There will be an array of female-owned businesses in attendance. All vendors will offer a discount for purchases made that day and there will be raffles throughout the event. A light lunch of a turkey croissant, spring berry salad, and petite desserts will be served along with non-alcoholic beverages. Comedian Shay Lowe will also perform. Purchase your tickets for $20 starting April 2. LAVA ARMED FORCES DAY GOLF TOURNAMENT By Bob Zelazny, Tournament Director Save the date! The Lake Ashton Veterans Association (LAVA) is sponsoring the 4th Annual Armed Forces Day Golf Tournament on Saturday, May 18. The tournament Is a scramble format, and open to all residents and guests regardless of if they have served in the military. Make your own team - all men, all ladies, or a combination. All members of a team do not have to identify with the same service. If you do not have a team, the Pro Shop will put one together for you. The cost is $40 for members and $50 for guests. The price includes your entry and lunch following the event. Proceeds will be used to fund LAVA activities and charitable donations throughout the year. Past years 24 have seen the chapter support a scholarship program for Junior ROTC cadets at Winter Haven and Lake Wales High Schools, Freedom Flights to Washington DC, “Wreaths Across America,” local veterans’ charities, “Last Mission,” “K9s for Vets” and goody packages to deployed service members. Additionally, these funds support Lake Ashton programs such as expansion/maintenance of the Memorial Park, flags on the boulevard program, and annual ceremonies on Memorial Day, Veterans Day, and Independence Day. Please come out and join us to honor our country and veterans. Sign up at the Pro Shop beginning May 1. JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION By Lynda Hadley The Lake Ashton Black Heritage Club is very excited to host Lake Ashton’s very first Juneteenth Celebration on June 21, 2024! Juneteenth, also known as Juneteenth Independence Day or Freedom Day, is an American holiday that commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African Americans. It serves as a day of reflection, remembrance, and celebration of African American culture and history, as well as a reminder of the ongoing struggle for racial equality and justice. You won’t want to miss this celebration of freedom, prosperity and unity as we come together and enjoy exquisite soul food, great music and speakers who will shine a light on African American history, culture, and perseverance. Stay tuned for more details of this day of celebration that will benefit The African American Museum and underprivileged local school children. SCAN THIS QR CODE WITH YOUR SMARTPHONE TO SIGN UP FOR EVENTS LIS TED IN THIS ISSUE. UPCOMING EVENTS AT THE CLUBHOUSE & HFC September 18 - CPR & AED Class at the Clubhouse September 27 - Line Dance-Palooza! At the Clubhouse November 2 - Fall Festival at the Clubhouse December 31 - New Year's Eve at the Clubhouse w/ 99 in the Shade

Changes in Latitudes 2024 SHOWCASE THANK YOU By Karen Nelson Thank you Lake Ashton for your exuberant support of the Lake Ashton Performing Arts Corporation's (LAPAC) presentation of the 2024 Showcase, Changes in Latitudes. This Showcase was a celebration of fun, friendship, chilling out, and good times. Thank you to the Lake Ashton residents who participated in Changes in Latitudes - the performers, the technical, sound, light, backstage, set, construction, painting, costuming, ushering, hair and makeup crews, the vocal coaches, dance coaches - it actually takes more than a village to bring a Show like this to the stage. And a lot of dedicated time. Thank you to our Lake Ashton friends and neighbors who supported Changes in Latitudes by attending the Shows, hearing your applause just encourages us to continue! Thank you to sponsors. Thank you to the families of our Cast and Crew, your contributions may be unseen by most, but we know they are significant. Thank you to the Clubhouse Activities staff - Christine, Sheila, Caroline, Matt, Alex, and Angel. We make a great team. Thank you for allowing LAPAC to produce Changes in Latitudes, and showcase the vast talent of our Lake Ashton residents. Lake Ashton is, indeed, Simply the Best. BOLLA’ S 20TH ANNIVERSARY By Diane Dillon The members of BOLLA, Blankets of Love at Lake Ashton, celebrated 20 years and their impressive achievements with an Anniversary Luncheon on February 27. Members were greeted at the door by Treasurer, Amity Kokochak and Secretary Carolyn Stahl. Before a 26 delicious lunch, Chris Crane delivered a prayer, specially written for the occasion. After lunch, President Linda Warden started the festivities by thanking the members of BOLLA for their hard work giving special recognition to those with additional duties. Linda then read a note from Yvonne Makowski, founder of Binky Patrol, BOLLA’s predecessor organization. Yvonne provided a brief history of her experiences starting the Binky Patrol chapter in Lake Ashton. At that time, the group was totally self-funded by members. They later received a grant from Mr. Maxwell and from A.G. Edwards. This was ultimately followed by the first Trash to Treasure sale at Lake Ashton. Trash to Treasure, a popular and successful endeavor, continues as BOLLA’s major fundraiser today. After Linda’s remarks, and the important announcement that BOLLA has donated almost 18,000 blankets to children in need during the past 20 years, members were treated to a special surprise. Pat Neaves, BOLLA’s president for 11 years, joined the luncheon via Facetime! Pat talked about the change from Binky Patrol to BOLLA. She described the process of becoming a 501c recognized charity due to the painstaking efforts of BOLLA’s long time treasurer, Annabel Booger. Pat was thrilled to be able to ‘visit’ with members all through the ballroom, much to their delight. It was an enjoyable and memorable afternoon for all while continuing to emphasize BOLLA’s mission to provide warmth and comfort to Polk County’s children in need. In recognizing BOLLA’s past 20 years, a picture display was created. It is located in the Clubhouse Lobby for all to see.

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SUMMER LOCALS CONCERT SERIES Clubhouse & HFC Jam out to these rad local bands with your friends & neighbors! 7 TO 10 PM MAY 24 ALMOST THERE JUNE 7 BIG TIME JUKEBOX JULY 26 HWY 41 AUGUST 30 RUSTY WRIGHT BAND SEPTEMBER 6 EKLECTIK HAZE 28 MAY 10 PRESSURE POINT JUNE 14 BAD HABIT AUGUST 9 TWO SMOOTH AUGUST 23 GOOD STUFF Ticket sales begin May 9. Purchase at corresponding Activities Desks. Clubhouse tickets can also be purchased online. $15 Tickets: CLUB HOUSE HFC

Using Life Insurance to Create Intergenerational Wealth generations. Have you ever wondered how some families maintain their wealth over several generations? What’s their secret sauce? The answer may lie in using life insurance to establish a legacy that lasts over multiple generations. Determining if life insurance as an intergenerational wealth-building strategy is suitable for your family is the first step. Here are some other things to know about life insurance: Understanding Term vs. Permanent Life Insurance Term life insurance- Many people purchase a term life insurance policy because it’s cheaper. But term life insurance won’t help create wealth since it lasts only for a predetermined period. Once you outlive that term, the policy doesn’t exist anymore. Permanent life insurance- Permanent life insurance is a permanent, lasting insurance that lasts until death as long as premiums are paid. It’s more expensive but also has a cash value accumulation feature. The cash value grows over time, and when you pass away, your beneficiaries receive the policy’s face value and accumulation tax free. The cash value of permanent life insurance can be a source of retirement income when taken through policy loans. When you pass away, your beneficiaries receive the policy’s face amount minus any policy loans – taxfree. Commitment. Creating intergenerational wealth through life insurance is all about long-term commitment. If you start your policy at a younger age and consistently pay your premiums, the policy’s cash value may become a significant financial resource. You could use it for retirement or let it grow, leaving behind a substantial death benefit for your heirs. The premiums for permanent life insurance can be significantly higher compared to term life. However, if your goal is to build intergenerational wealth, the cost may be justified since it’s a strategy for building wealth for future Contact me today! Jim Cooper Certified Financial Fiduciary P: (863) 589-6850 E: jimcooper@newinsightfinancial.com Lake Ashton Resident 99 6th St SW Suite 109 Winter Haven FL 33880 29 Understanding policy loans. Policy loans are the funds you can borrow against the cash value of your permanent life insurance policy. For instance, if a financial need arises, you could take up a policyholder loan instead of withdrawing from your retirement savings. The interest rate may be lower, and you may have flexibility over the repayment schedule. However, the death benefit may be reduced if the loan is outstanding and the policy owner dies. Irrevocable life insurance trusts (ILIT). Using life insurance as a wealth creation strategy may involve irrevocable life insurance trusts. An irrevocable life insurance trust (ILIT) is a trust created during an insured’s lifetime that owns and controls a term or permanent life insurance policy or policies. We’ve already established that one life insurance benefit is its tax-free death benefit. However, if your estate is considerably large, it may be subject to estate taxes, including your life insurance proceeds. An ILIT can help keep your life insurance out of your taxable estate. Using this strategy, you can pass on more wealth to your heirs. Life insurance as part of your estate plan may be an appropriate strategy for creating intergenerational wealth. With your financial, legal, and insurance professionals’ help, you can objectively determine how to leverage life insurance for your intergenerational wealth creation goals. Just remember, as with any wealth-building plan, starting early is essential. SWG3054142-0823c The sources used to prepare this material are believed to be true, accurate and reliable, but are not guaranteed. This information is provided as general information and is not intended to be specific financial or tax guidance. When you access a link you are leaving our website and assume total responsibility for your use of the website you are linking to. We make no representation as to the completeness or accuracy of information provided at this website. Nor is the company liable for any direct or indirect technical or system issues or any consequences arising out of your access to or your use of third-party technologies, websites, information and programs made available through this website. Questions? Scan this QR code to book a 15-minute appointment.

CONGRATULATIONS SENIOR GAMES PARTICIPANTS! Left to right: Doug Epler: Gold, tennis, mixed doubles. Silver, men’s tennis doubles Al Walker: Silver, men’s tennis doubles #2 #3 Below: Doug Epler and Deb Louder: Gold in Tennis Robbie and Left to right: Doug Epler: Silver in singles table tennis, bronze in mixed doubles Gina Krall: Silver, mixed doubles table tennis Tom Pavel: Silver, mixed doubles table tennis Pictured left to right: Coach Sandy White, Sharon Swanson, Sandy Papineau, and Cathy Liska, who earned 14 medals in 3 age brackets in various swim events. See page 43 for more info. 30 Tammy Shields: Gold in Bocce LA Chess Club members Gary Winfrey (left) and Howard Mayne each brought home bronze medals in their respective age categories. The Chess Club meets every Thursday at 1:30 pm in the Poker Room at the HFC. For more information, contact: Howard Mayne, howard.mayne@gmail.com, 603-285-5640.

MIND&BODY SCAN THIS QR CODE WITH YOUR SMARTPHONE T O SIGN UP FOR EVENTS LIS TED IN THIS ISSUE. THINK & DRINK: PLATELET RICH PLASMA Learn about Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP), the amazing “liquid gold” that every person has flowing through their veins at this very moment, on April 12 at 6:30 pm. Carey Coco, nurse practitioner at Keep Moving Health, will explain how PRP is a widespread and very popular treatment for a variety of conditions including joint pain. She will explain the process behind this innovative treatment and answer any questions that you may have. You don’t want to miss this very intriguing medical Think & Drink, so sign up online today! Everyone will receive a free glass of wine at the event. Tea and water will be available as well. GENTLE YOGA WITH GINA Instructor: Gina Krall Thursdays, 11 to 11:45 am at the HFC. Everyone welcome. No charge. Mats or chairs available or bring your own. Slow, gentle poses with long holds. Positions shown for beginners, intermediate and experienced. YOGA SHARE Facilitator: Sally Winfrey (316-516-2815) Come join us in the Clubhouse Ballroom at 8:45 am Wednesdays for a relaxing hour of stretching, strengthening, and meeting new friends. There is no charge. WATER AEROBICS Facilitator: Mary Dornhecker Tuesday through Saturday, 8:30 am. Returns to the Clubhouse Pool April 2. 32 Know Thy Health By Lynda Hadley Diet and exercise are the main staples for maintaining health and fitness, but there has always been some debate on which helps to maintain health and fitness better. Most of us view exercise as a way to build muscle strength and endurance. We don’t appreciate the additional benefits of exercise, like increasing bone density. This means we are less likely to break or fracture a bone if we should trip and fall. We also don’t appreciate the hormonal balancing aspect of exercise that will help us sleep better, reduce stress, and contribute to an overall feeling of wellness. Exercise also stresses the body in a way that causes it to become more resilient to infections and diseases. On the other hand, a nutrient-dense healthy diet leads to easier weight management and a plethora of health benefits to boot. From gut health that reduces bloating, gas and constipation, to immune function benefits that minimize allergic reactions and infections. Just about every body function will benefit from a healthy nutritious diet. Ideally, we should incorporate a balanced diet and exercise to support a healthy mind and body. But which one helps the most to maintain an ideal body weight? For most, diet is the most influential part of maintaining a health body weight. Because of the calorie-dense foods we consume; we tend to see faster results from dieting. The reason is simple when we look at the caloric value of typical food choices. For example, a morning donut can pack a whopping 300 calories. A burger and fries can easily contribute 500 or more calories to your diet. Conversely, walking a mile on a treadmill will burn an average of 100 calories. So, many will soon give up on exercise without appreciating the many health benefits to be gained. We should aim to balance nutrition with exercise in a way to fits our daily schedule. Save sweet treats for special occasions and do some level of exercise that increases your breath and heart rate for 15 minutes daily. Our goal is to ensure that what we do today will benefit us in the days to come. Keep moving!

Brad Kirwan’s Lake Ashton Customers Discuss His Real Estate Work Complete Service You could not ask for a better agent. Brad followed up on every little issue, was present for all needs and even printed out documents for us when our printer was down. He is also a very nice guy to be around! Judy Saint-Sommer & Michael Hays 05 March 2024 Verified by RateMyAgent Curious about your home’s current market value? Call for a free Comparative Market Analysis. BRAD KIRWAN 863.280.0390 33

FUSED GLASS WIND CHIMES Friday, April 12, from 10 am to 1 pm & Friday, April 19 from 10 am to Noon at the Clubhouse Craft Room. During the first session you will create a beautiful set of wind chimes like those pictured. After Jill fires your creation, you will come back the next week to put your chimes together. (the 2nd class is optional if you want to put them together on your own) Sign up at the Clubhouse Activities Office with a check made out to Jill Groves for $40. Pre-registration is required. All materials included. No previous experience is necessary. CATCH A WAVE Wednesday, April 24 from 6 to 9 pm at the Health & Fitness Center Craft Room. Create a truly unique 7” round fused glass wave suncatcher. Sign up at the HFC Front Desk with a check for $40 made out to Jill Groves. Pre-registration is required. All materials included. No previous experience is necessary. CREATE A CARD April 16, 10 am and 12:30 pm pm in the HFC Sports Court. A guest expert will provide instruction, from beginner to expert, all supplies and equipment, and three beautiful cards to take home. No experience needed. Cost is $12. Sign up at the HFC. Call Karen at 262-497-3272 with questions. CARDS FOR ALL AGES Facilitators: Judy Ridpath (650-678-1174) and Marianne Morcone (860-712-9440) Join in the fun making cards on April 3. This class is for all levels. If you’ve never made cards before 34 BEADED FLOWERS Make two beautiful beaded flowers on April 30 in the Clubhouse Ballroom! The Art of Beading will give you step-by-step instructions as well as handson help at the class. All supplies and instructions will be included for $10, which will be announced via email blast. Sign up online or at the Clubhouse Activities Office. come try something new. All card materials to make 2 cards are provided for $5. Meet the first Wednesday of each month in the Clubhouse Craft Room from 2 to 4 pm. You must register to attend, space is limited. Contact Marianne at mkegolfer@aol.com at 860-712-9440 or Judy at judy@judyridpath, 650-678-1174. CRAFTING WITH CARMEN Make use of an old t-shirt you no longer wear while also celebrating Earth Day! On April 9 at 11:30 am Carmen will show you how to make reusable tshirt bags. If you don’t have a T-shirt, one will be provided for you at the class. All supplies and instructions will be included for $8 per person. Space is limited to 20 people, so don't wait to sign up online or at the Clubhouse Activities office by April 2. BOB ROSS OIL PAINTING Instructor: Kay Lenherr April 13 at 1 pm Clubhouse Craft Room Bluebird & Dogwood $35 (payable at class) — sign up online or at the Clubhouse Activities Office by noon on April 12

SEASONAL FLORAL FRAMES Join resident crafter and floral enthusiast Pam Klawinski on May 7 at 11:30 am to make your very own unique seasonal décor! In this class, you will learn how to arrange seasonal colored florals on an 8x10 picture frame that will be interchangeable for every season and holiday! This month’s class will be for the Spring and Patriotic holidays. If you participated in the last class and received a frame, be sure to bring that frame back to the class, you’ll need it! All instructions and needed materials will be provided for $16. Sign up by scanning the QR code on page 24, online, or at the Clubhouse Activities Office by April 30. LUNCH & LEARN Annuities Unveiled & What Your Advisor Isn’t Telling You. Have annuities left you with questions that you would like answered? Get those questions answered while enjoying a delicious lunch in the Ballroom on April 10 at 12 pm. Free! Sign up online or at the Clubhouse Activities Office today! LUNCH & LEARN Long-Term Care without Going Broke. Do you have a plan in case you need long-term care? Learn how to put financial plans in place for such an event on May 2 at noon in the Ballroom while eating a scrumptious lunch. Free! Sign up online or at the Clubhouse Activities Office. BEGINNERS L INE DANCING Instructor: Christine Baxter Tuesdays: 7 pm - Absolute Beginners Line dance (no experience needed) 8 pm - Beginners Line dance (Basic steps known) Thursdays: 9 am - Absolute Beginners Line dance (no experience needed) 10 am - Beginners Line dance (Basic steps known) Come out for the first hour, stay as long as you like. Our main goal is to have fun! TAP JAMMERS Instructor: Julie Bombard (jbombard73@gmail.com) Fridays at 10 am on the Clubhouse stage. All levels of tappers welcome. Not designed for beginners. 35

LA DANCE CLASSES - EAST COAST SWING Instructor: Connie Wilkinson, certified DVIDA Instructor (863.875.6728) TAKE CHARGE OF LIFE’S TRANSITIONS <#$3$* @4311"12 6"7"12 A('#$# 5 )"44# 6&12 A*(0 B3(* C*="/3"= @4311"12 D##*$ @(&$*/$"&1 @(&+3$* 63E* D#F$&1 >*#"=*1$ !"#"$ &'( )*+#"$* ,&( -./&0"12 !"($'34 5 6"7* 8*0"13(#9 :*;# 5 <='/3$"&134 >*#&'(/*#? Denise R. Tessier, Esq. 863.220.7927 Office | 863.225.2244 Direct Info@TessierLawFirm.com !!!"#$%%&$'()!*&'+",-+ 1375 Havendale Blvd. NW | Winter Haven, FL 33881 Mondays, 4:30 to 5:30 in HFC Community Center FREE! No partner needed. CHAIR YOGA New - a second class option! Classes offered at 9 am Tuesday and 11:30 am Thursdays in the Clubhouse Ballroom. $5 per person, payable to Kim, the instructor. Sign up online or at the Clubhouse Activities Office. AQUA ZUMBA Water Zumba at the HFC begins Friday, April 5 from 5:30 to 6:15 pm. Take all your energy and work it in the water It’s easy on the body, plus its a great resistance exercise. Tell your friends. The cost is $5 per person, payable to Nicki, the instructor. Sign up on the HFC TicketLeap link. VIBES! This special class is a mash-up of mental health education, growth and development, socialization, healthy snacks, and FUN! The MORE is Drumming! Instructor Kim is a certified Holyoake Drum Facilitator. We’ll share and learn how to develop intentional segments of joy and increase overall life satisfaction. Join us on Thursday, April 25 at 10 am at the Clubhouse Pavilion. Session 1: The Rhythm of Life. Rhythms around us impacting behavior, interactions & relationships. BALANCE , VERTIGO AND POSTURE PRESENTATION Tuesday, April 23 at 1 pm at the HFC. Sign up on the HFC TicketLeap. Do you ever feel a little “off-balance,” “shaky” or experience vertigo? Do you notice yourself leaning forward when you stand or walk? Falls can change your life irrevocably. So why not strengthen your stability while you can? Come to this gathering of your neighbors and hear how to enhance your balance and even “cure” vertigo. Dr. Lakota Hillis from EmpowerMe, the Physical Therapy group at the HFC, will be our speaker. Her passion is keeping adults moving safely so they can be involved in activities they enjoy. 36

BODY MIND SOUL CLUBHOUSE WATER AEROBICS: TUESDAYS — SATURDAYS AT 8:30 AM FREE VIRTUAL MEDITATION SESSION: MONDAYS AT 3 PM — EMAIL YOGAWINTERHAVEN@GMAIL.COM TO RECEIVE ZOOM LINK CHAIR YOGA: TUESDAYS AT 9 AM THURSDAYS AT 11:30 AM $5/CLASS (PAYABLE AT CLASS) NO EQUIPMENT REQUIRED VIBES DRUMBEAT SESSION APRIL 25 AT 10 AM AT THE CLUBHOUSE PAVILION BALANCE, VERTIGO & POSTURE PRESENTATION: APRIL 23 AT 1 PM HFC ZUMBA AT THE HFC SPORTS COURT - WEDNESDAYS AT 5:30 PM. $5 AQUA ZUMBA - APRIL 5, 12 & 26, 5:30 PM $5 BEGINNING CHAIR & BALANCE: MONDAYS AT 10 AM CLASSICAL STRETCH: MONDAYS & THURSDAYS AT 11 AM AQUA RELOADED: MONDAYS AT 12 PM, WEDNESDAYS & FRIDAYS AT 10 AM CARDIO SWING & YOGA COOL: TUESDAY & THURSDAYS AT 9 AM TRIPLE B (BAT WINGS, BELLIES, & BULGES): WEDNESDAYS AT 9 AM 37 BASIC FITNESS & CARDIO: TUESDAYS & THURSDAYS AT 10 AM AQUA MOTION: TUESDAYS & THURSDAYS AT 4 PM BACK TO BASICS: FRIDAYS AT 9 AM GENTLE YOGA WITH GINA: THURSDAYS, 11 AM international, and contemporary music. The routines use simple, repetitive dance moves that are easy to follow. Every dance move can be modified for a low or high impact workout for any skill level. ZUMBA is a dance fitness class using Latin, AQUA ZUMBA integrates the Zumba formula and philosophy with traditional aqua fitness disciplines, blending it all together into a safe, challenging, waterbased workout that’s cardio-conditioning, body-toning, and most of all, exhilarating beyond belief. simply HEALTHY

CLUBS CLUB, GROUP, AND ORGANI ZATION UPDATES Has the leadership for your Club, Group, or Organization changed recently or is your group planning to take a summer hiatus? Contact Sheila, Clubhouse Office Manager, at 863.324.5457 or smoreland@lakeashtoncdd.com to make these updates. This is very important in order to keep the database, scheduling and media up to date. NEW — BOOK CLUB The Bookmobile is bringing an exciting new book club to Lake Ashton on the second and fourth Wednesdays in the Craft Room! This group is limited to 10 residents per month. Format: Come to the first meeting, receive the book, discuss some background information and do some get-to-know-you questions. Take the book home and read, then come to the second meeting and do group discussion questions. First meeting is April 10. April & May’s book: A Man Called Ove. Sign up online or at the Clubhouse Activities Office. GARDEN CLUB By Lynn Davis Lake Ashton’s Garden Club’s toured Dennis Krupinski’s backyard on March 13. Dennis has a huge love of pollinating plants. The club is fortunate to have such talent. A special thank you to Dennis. The Garden Club Plant Sale is April 10 from 10 to 11:30 am in the Pavilion. Everyone in the community is welcome. This will be the Garden Club’s third annual fundraiser. Each year the club has expanded the plant inventory. This year there will be pots, gardening books, planters, besides succulents, herbs, perennials, and tropical plants. A silent auction will be held from 10 to 10:30 am. Please help support Lake Ashton’s Garden Club! The support received helps maintain gardening projects the group has done within the community. 38 CAMERA CLUB By Larry Hillock This month’s camera club meeting is Monday, April 8th at 10:30 pm in the cinema. Anyone with an interest in photography is welcome to attend. This month we will welcome back professional photographer Reinier Munguia as our guest speaker. He will share with us some easy photo editing tricks such as photo stacking. Members are encouraged to bring along a few pictures to share with the group on a flash drive. Remember to visit the club’s Facebook page for further information and activities. This should be a good month to get out and capture some great pictures. SINGLES CLUB By Carol Corley Many residents of Lake Ashton have found friends through a fun club — the Singles Club. Some residents have been single for a long time, others for a very short period of time. Doing activities together can make being single a bit happier. The club meets the first Sunday of every month at 2 pm. Usually it is in the Clubhouse Ballroom. However, if that space has been booked, we meet in the Card Room. The April meeting will be April 7. At that meeting, we will discuss activities we might want to do that month or in the near future. We also play cards after the meeting (Five Crown, but feel free to suggest another favorite). And we go out for dinner at about 4:30 — location changes each week. Every other Sunday at 2 p.m. we meet in the same room for cards, then go for dinner after. You will be most welcome. Activities being considered for future include a lunch at The Crooked Bass Grill and Tavern in Avon Park, Catfish Country in Bartow, and several others. Also, Bok Tower and Circle Bar B visits are possible. LA BELLES By Raylene Freedman Spring has sprung! Celebrate together at April’s LA Belles luncheon, at Ruby Tuesday (5995 Cypress Gardens Blvd., Winter Haven) at 11:30 on April 24. Contact Raylene at 586-214-4895 with questions. Hostesses are Raylene Freedman and Diane Struble. Sign up online or at the Clubhouse Activities Office.

LA PICKLEBALL CLUB By Earl Schley The LA Pickleball Association held a Sadie Hawkins tournament on March 3. Over 50 people participated in the event and many people got in the spirit and dressed for the occasion. As each women’s name was called, she had to pick her partner from a bag with all the men’s names in it. Mother Nature decided to end the event a little early but everyone went in the HFC to share snacks and fellowship until the rain stopped. Dennis Santino had another successful beginner’s clinic on March 11. If you would like to check out pickleball and find out why it’s the fastest growing sport in America, then Dennis’s clinics are a great place to start. His next clinic in on April 15 and April 22 (must be able to attend both). The Social committee is planning many more events for this year. Besides great exercise, pickleball is a wonderful way to meet people and have fun. It’s easy to join in the fun. Just go to the HFC and there is a sign up sheet. The dues are only a dollar a month — $12/year. Hope to see you on the courts. GENEALOGY CLUB By Jane Imparl The next Genealogy Club meeting will be held on Wednesday, April 10 at 2 pm in the HFC Craft Room. We will be discussing our “brick walls”, interesting stories we found about our ancestors, and answering participants’ questions that have arisen while they have done research. Come join the fun and enjoyment of meeting and working with your fellow Lake Ashtonians. Any questions? Call Jane at 815-545-6655. Hope to see y’all there. 39

LA DEMOCRATIC CLUB By Paul Ritz The Lake Ashton Democratic Club is holding their monthly meeting April 4 in-person only at HFC Community Center. Social time with snacks will be from 6:00 to 6:30 pm. Please bring your own beverage. The in-person General meeting will start at 6:30. Speaker will be Lori Edwards, Polk County Supervisor of Elections, to discuss the processes for the upcoming elections. Email lakeashtondemocraticclub@gmail.com for more information. LA REPUBLICAN CLUB By Bud Colburn The Lake Ashton Republican Club will meet Wednesday, April 24 in the Clubhouse Ballroom at 3:30 pm for sign-in and social time. The meeting will start at 4. Guest speaker is Lake Wales Mayor Jack Hilligoss. He was enthusiastically received last year after providing an informative and inspirational speech. We will provide detailed results of the Lake Wales municipal bring neighbor egister Republican). We look forward to seeing everyone there! LA ROCKERS By Annie Lutz LA Rockers is a wonderful group of residents that spreads acts of kindness to our LA Community. By painting and hiding rocks here at Lake Ashton we hope to provide the right message at just the right time. We are also continuing our service project at Waters Edge by teaching a rock painting workshop for residents just in time for Easter. As our group grows, we’ve had an average of 28 members at each meeting. Come give the group a try! You don’t need to be an artist to create beautiful rocks. There has been a change to our meeting times — meetings are held in the HFC Community Center from 1 to 4 pm on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month. The 1st Wednesday is for current members to learn new skills and techniques. The 3rd Wednesday is a “Free Paint and Newcomers Session”. Newcomers are welcome! (continued) 40

Newcomers will be lent the supplies they need for their first session so it’s very important to contact MJ Richards (mjmrichards517@gmail.com) at least five days before their first meeting so that supplies can be provided. If you are lucky enough to find a rock, please post a photo of your rock on Talk of Lake Ashton’s (TOLA) Facebook page. It means a lot for us to see where our rocks go. SANDY ’ S NYS GROUP By Joyce Notarnicola The April gathering will be on the 10th at Cherry Pocket Steak & Seafood 3100 Canal Rd, Lake Wales. 5:30 pm. Social Time is 6 pm, order dinner off the menu. The room that we have reserved will accommodate 34 people. We hope that there is room for everyone that would like to come but otherwise it’s first come, first serve. Please RSVP to Deirdre at auntdeda@hotmail.com. Going forward, our monthly get-togethers will be mostly held in the Clubhouse ballroom on the third Friday of the month at 6:30 pm. Traditionally these will be potlucks, but we welcome any other suggestions (such as pizza nights, caterers, themes, etc). Please note the following dates for the clubhouse events: May 17, August 16, September 20, October 18. Newbies: Please send your contact information (name, address in LA, phone number, email and where you’re from/live in NY) to Deirdre Knapp (auntdeda@hotmail.com). We look forward to seeing lots of “old” and new faces on April 10th at 5:30 pm at Cherry Pocket. ITALIAN/AMERICAN CLUB By Susie Escoda Please join us on Thursday, April 18th at 6pm for our Italian club potluck. We meet at the HFC. Bring a dollar to cover costs, a dish to share (desserts are taken care of and a beverage of your choice. Come and meet some new friends and we look forward to seeing you there. Any questions call Susie Escoda 863-206-6566 41

DUPLICATE BRIDGE By Don Fuller & Liz Leigh Duplicate bridge is played every Monday at 12:45 pm in the Clubhouse Card Room. The game is open to all residents regardless of skill level. Participants should have some experience playing bridge plus a partner is required. We have approximately 60 players in the group and can assist new players in finding a partner. Advance registration is encouraged and can be done by using the Red book in the Card Room or by contacting Don Fuller at dfuller627@yahoo.com to register or receive more information. February 19: 1st North-South 1st James Ford & Don Fuller; 2nd Chris Verges & Karla Gengler; 3rd Liz Smith & Keith Stevens; East-West 1st Janice Fleming & June Clark; 2nd Dana Griffiths & Marge Kniat; 3rd Ralph Ritter & Nancy Golding February 26: North-South 1st Marion Nelson & Roger Nelson; 2nd James Ford & Don Fuller; 3rd Pat Foster & Sonny Robinson; East-West 1st Graham Littlehales & Tom Fleming; 2nd Nelda Sedlacek & Pauline Pare; 3rd Dee Mayne & Jeannine Connors March 4: South 1st Don Fuller & Jim Ford; 2nd Pat Foster & Sonny Robinson; 3rd Dick Dole & Lois Dole; East-West 1st Nelda Sedlacek & Pauline Pare; 2nd Ralph Ritter & Judy Robertson; 3rd Char Walters & Liz Leigh March 11: North-South 1st Keith Stevens & Colette McKie; 2nd Don Fuller & Ralph Ritter; 3rd Marion Nelson & Roger Nelson; East-West 1st Graham Littlehales & Howard Mayne; 2nd Nelda Sedlacek & Pauline Pare; 3rd Dee Mayne & Jeannine Connors LAVA AUXILIARY By Chris Graves All are invited to join us at the next meeting of the LAVA Auxiliary on Wednesday, April 17 at 6:30 p.m. near the stage at the Clubhouse. UPCOMING EVENT:: It is going to be a “bowtiful” patriotic month in May. Beginning the beginning of April the beautiful red, white and blue bows will be for sale at the Monday Morning Coffee Talks as well as at the Golf Pro Shop. Please feel free to call me for more info: (Chris Graves 863-514-5368). Check out this note and picture from our local Girl Scout Troop. It shows how “something sweet” like Girl Scout Cookies can make a difference. “Last night LAVA Auxiliary, LAVA, and their members donated $1,440 towards the Gift of Caring program! That is 240 cookies that will be donated to our military troops overseas! We also sold 74 boxes of cookies during the meeting and will be delivering 16 additional boxes this weekend. Thank you for your continued support of the Girl Scout program and the Gi f t of Car ing Sponsorship.” The Girl Scouts at the meeting had a chance to mingle with the veterans as well. God Bless A m e r i c a a n d G o d B l es s ou r Ve t e r a n s and Active Military. 42

LA SWIM CLUB By Sandy White Pictured are Lake Ashton swim team members: Sandy Papineau, Cathy Liska, Sharon Swanson, Carole Scites, and coach Sandy White at the Polk County Senior Games in February. Together, they won 14 medals, Sandy P. set a personal best time, and Cathy set a new Polk County games record. The team is part of the Lake Ashton Swim Club, which was formed 5 years ago as a way for residents to get and stay fit. The club has a fitness group and a competitive group that meet three times a week. The fitness group has a suggested workout, which is individually modified based on need. The competitive group has workouts tailored to competition, and each participates in one or more Senior Games swim meets each year. The program has no charge and members do not have to commit to three times a week. Technique instruction is provided by the instructor/coach, if desired. Some fellow residents have asked what it takes to be part of the team. If you can swim two lengths of the indoor pool and are interested in improving your endurance, strokes, and speed, you can be part of the team. All you need to do is show up at the HFC indoor pool (with bathing suit and towel) on Mondays at 6 pm, Wednesdays at 1 pm, or Saturdays at 10 am. Goggles are highly recommended. For more info, email sandyw1994@aol.com. LAKE ASHTON FRIENDS OF MEALS ON WHEELS By Marcia Santino Meals on Wheels of Polk County receives no state or federal funding. It relies heavily on revenues generated by its thrift store sales for approximately 40% of its income. To make donating more convenient, beginning in April, LA FOMOW is establishing “MOW Second Chance Donation Day”. On the third Thursday of each month, 43 Lake Ashton residents may drop off quality donations* at either the south dressing room in the Clubhouse Ballroom or the the HFC between the hours of 9 am to 3 pm. Donations will be collected at the end of the day and delivered to Meals on Wheels for you. Please mark your calendar: April 18 is donation day this month. *Acceptable donations include anything of quality in resellable condition except large furniture items (such as sofas and recliners) and no mattresses. Their bestselling categories include home décor, name brand clothing and accessories, kitchen items and shoes. All donations are greatly appreciated. Interested in shopping? The MOWPolk Thrift Store is located at 620 6TH St. NW in Winter Haven behind the main building. It is open Monday — Saturday from 9 am to 3 pm. Join our club! Email: lafomow@gmail.com for information. LA TRAVELERS By Carolyn Bishop The Lake Ashton Travelers have entered their busy season with gatherings and rallies in full swing. In February we held our annual Potluck with over 150 in attendance. Potlucks are an integral part of almost every rally with everyone coming together for a feast and fellowship. March will take us just down the road in lake Wales to Canopy Oaks RV Park. A unique gem of a campground with an Island Tiki Bar and activities galore. April will find us in Sarasota at the Sun Outdoors RV Resort. Sunset cruises, the Ringling Brothers Museum and the prettiest beach in all of Florida, Siesta Key, are a few of the highlights to come. And then in May before our Snowbird Travelers head out on their Summer trips, we will convene in Savannah, Georgia at the lovely Creekfire RV Resort. This rally is focused all around the beautiful Savannah and even includes our very own private Mystery Dinner Theater performance. As a group we definitely stay busy and welcome all interested Rvers to come to our weekly socials from 3:30 to 5 pm every Tuesday in the Clubhouse Ballroom.

GOLF LAMGA By David Kubissa A lot of happy golfers walked away from the annual LAMGA Member-Guest tournament held from March 7-9. Many of the smiling faces belonged to top finishers in the three-day tournament, while others cheerfully settled for a good time amid great weather, tasty meals, a wide array of top-notch raffle prizes and the joy of golfing camaraderie. In all, 120 golfers participated in an event made possible by about 70 businesses and services whose sponsorship signs decorated the golf course at each tee. Sponsors were not the only source of success for the tournament. Invaluable help from the pro shop team, volunteers and the Eagle’s Nest staff played a big part in the event. Here are the results of the 10 flights in order of finish, from first place through third. The member’s name is first and the guest second: Flight 1: Bob Dupuis/Tim Dupuis; Stan Scheffen/Jerry McDonough; Frank Svarczkopf/ Dave Wampler Flight 2: Tom Fleming/Jeff Fleming; Rolly Geyer/Burris Warner Jr.; Bob Plummer/Kelly Shafer Flight 3: Bill Ferrieri/Bill Moore-Gough; John Candler/Ed Bennett; Bill Winchester/ Mark Hogan Flight 4: Steve Morgan/Ken Geissler; Tim Wayt/Carl Maenza; Frank Vasquenza/R.J. Dominic Flight 5: John Reed/Chris Bruser; Jim Phillips/Tony Dixon; Dan McGurren/Mike McGurren Flight 6: Dennis Dillon/Vince Notaro; Mike Brennan/Robert Catapano; Bob Zelazny/ Burris Warner Sr. Flight 7: Dave Akers/Matt Lambert; Denis Lussier/Robert Martel ; Mike Krigelski/Wally Hoeft Flight 8: Don Connors/Jay Weber; Harry Krumrie/Gregg Forsyth; Jerry Ryan/Patrick Ryan Flight 9: Tom Schoendorf/John Grebe; Jacques Fleischmann/Ronnie Langston ; Jim Kutsch/Eli Morrow Flight 10: Tom Williams/Terry Byle; Pat O’Neil/Randy Rochefort; John Milsom/Dan Trudgen Update: The second month of the annual Red Hoagland Hyundai Challenge closed with the following leaders as of Feb. 29: 1) Alan Gasner, $58.75; 2) Mike Krigelski, $50.25; 3) Tie. Tom Murphy and Darrell Reid, $49.25; 5) Pat O'Neil, $48.25. The figures represent their accumulative 2024 winnings, paid out in pro shop credits. Sponsors’ salute --The following were signature sponsors of the Member-Guest Tournament: Amerity Financial/Burris Warner; Chris Bruser, Mutual of Omaha reverse mortgage specialist; Art’s Golf Cars, Red Hoagland Hyundai, Huston Cadillac Buick Pictured clockwise left to right: Burris Warner of Amerity Financial was a major sponsor and a tournament participant. Chris Bruser of Mutual of Omaha sponsored the welcome party and participated as a guest in the tournament. Volunteers Kathy Geyer, Esther Wilson and Diane Struble teamed up to serve Bloody Marys. The Red Hoagland Hyundai Shootout gives golfers one shot to get closest to the hole on No. 18 West.

LA NINERS By Marti Schmidt Help us celebrate Carolyn Alvero for her Hole-In-One on 12 West of February 26, 2024 – WAY TO GO! We had a great turnout for our February 19-20 Pick-Your-Partner Two Person Scramble Ringer, followed by a delicious lunch of either shrimp tacos or pulled pork sandwich at Charm City. April’s Closing Day has arrived with a Tropical Tuesday Theme on April 2nd, including free luncheon for all (buy your own cocktails.) Looking forward to seeing everyone there! Hard to believe that our “traveling” members will be leaving for parts unknown (or their other homes) this month and the summer season will start April 9th. Safe travels for those leaving for a while, and please continue sending healing thoughts to our members and/or their families who continue to struggle with health issues. Still have questions? Ready to join? Contact Denise at denisepops23@aol.com for more info! LALGA By Beverly Hines LALGA Play Day and Closing Luncheon is April 9th. The play should be fun with a 1-2-3 Shamble format. The primary purpose of the closing luncheon is to present awards to the members for accomplishments in golf and to formally announce the elected officers for the upcoming season. We are appreciative of all the work our Board, volunteers, Golf Pros, and Eagles Nest staff do for our league. Elections for the office of President and Secretary were held in March. Margie Desham was nominated for President and Sandra Lancaster for Secretary. President and Secretary are elected in even years for a 2-year term. New officers will begin their terms on June 1. LakeAshtonLiving.com/community/golf/lalga has a complete list of Board members as well as other information about the league. LALGA Play Days will continue during the spring and summer months. 18-Holers Ladies Golf every Tuesday - Shotgun Start at 9:00 am. Our summer tournament will be held July 8 & 9. Many ladies will be leaving soon for their summer homes but are expected to be back in the fall. Until then, safe travels and have a great summer. Red Hoagland Challenge (top money winners so far this year): 1st - Liz Leigh, 2nd - Bev Hines, 3rd - Kathy Reed, 4th - Mafie Walker. LAKE ASHTON WOMEN’S INTERCLUB PLAYOFFS By Liz Leigh (Team Captain) The Lake Ashton Women’s Interclub team is headed to the State Women’s Interclub Championship in early April as we have just won our final play off match against Pasadena Yacht and Golf Club in Gulfport, FL. This is a 6 week season, with two rounds of playoffs, and a state championship. It is a state wide NET competition between clubs in our area. 46

DENIM + DIAMONDS 11 am Ladies’Luncheon May 17 at Clubhouse ballroomlunch ~ shopping ~laughs Tic k e ts: $2 0 on sale April 2 at the clubhouse activities office & online

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