Yet Another!

Not a day has passed and yet another roof was lost in tonight's evening storm, the third night in a row. This time, a home on Sunset Blvd suffered. Within moments, several good samaritans came out into the pouring rain and ankle deep water, to clear the street of the foam and wood debris. A neighbor's house across the street was pelted with two by fours, and foam littered the streets into the canal and down to Canal Blvd.
There was a tremendous lightening blast around the time with an immediate thunderclap. Someone thought that there may have been a small tornado involved. I don't know if anyone is certain as yet. Before the evening was over, someone's dock box was rescued from the canal. Wow, what a storm!

Summer Storms cause Roof Damage

The last two evenings have brought pop-up storms just around sunset. Wind gusts were measured at Tampa airport last night no higher than 35 mph. Other weather stations around the city reported gusts slightly higher.

Residents of Blvd 3 were surprised to wake up to a carport roof in front of a house near the Sunset intersection. The wind tore the carport roof off a house on Blvd 2, which apparently struck the antenna on the house before it flew over to Blvd 3.

No one was reported injured. The house suffered damage to the main roof as well.

Ed Scobee asks all residents to check their roofs, and awnings for rusty fittings before the hurricane season goes into high gear. Also trim trees and shrubs away from your roofline to avoid wind damage. Its a shame to see the power of just a little ol' thunderstorm.

Back in the Saddle

After 25 days on the road, Living in Paradise is back at home. We had a great trip out West, visiting New Orleans and then family in Austin TX. Crossing the desert, the heat registered 114 degrees. The sights of Santa Fe, Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon in Utah were outstanding! We thoroughly enjoyed Salt Lake City, the Mormon compound was quite beautiful, and we were able to hear the choir rehearse. Crossing the continental divide in Wyoming on the way back brought a horrible snow blizzard, which caught everyone on the road in tank tops, shorts, and sandals. The truck stop was a zoo!
Its good to be back. The heat is pretty awful. The maintenance crew continues with the roadwork, they are getting Blvd 7 prepped as I write. The park looks beautiful!

New Surface for Common Areas

Ed Scobee and his maintenance crew have been sealing Sunset Point, the parking lot, and Pelican Point. Last night Ed was out there til dinnertime sealing the parking lot and Pelican.

Today Ed and Richard are finishing up with the parking lines. They have used 1100 gallons of seal coat for the project in these two areas alone.

Many other areas of the park have had repairs made, in anticipation of this coating. Ed estimates that they are saving the park around $30,000 by doing the work themselves. By tomorrow the parking lots will be open for use. Sometime after the holiday weekend the crew will begin sealing

the streets. Residents will be notified in advance when their block is being done. Do not park if barricades are set up. Every other block will be scheduled, so parking will be accessible.

Beautiful job, guys!

Help with Medicare Costs

With health care costs on the rise, Extra Help and Medicare Savings Programs offer help where it is needed most…in the wallet!

More than 90,000 Medicare beneficiaries in Florida may be eligible for Extra Help. For those who qualify, this program will help pay prescription drug costs for beneficiaries enrolled in a Medicare Part D plan. This can include drug plan remiums, deductibles and co-pays.

Extra Help may save you up to $3,900 per year! Many people may also be eligible for help paying their Medicare Part B premiums.

Can you use some Extra Help? To find out if you qualify and to get help with the application, call the Elder Helpline at 1-800-963-5337.

From Senior Lifestyle (Spring 2010)
A Hillsborough County Department on Aging Services Publication

2010 Disaster Packets Distributed

Block captains and summer alternates are in the process of distributing Disaster Preparedness Packets to all residents currently in the park.

PLEASE fill out the response form and turn it into the Office ASAP.

One form is for signing up with the Comfort Inn on Busch Blvd, to evacuate with the park. Read page 3 of your packet for information and prices.

The other form is to be used if you plan to evacuate on your own. (I noticed that this form never asks for your name... maybe it is being filed by address only).

In the event of a catastrophe and we are unable to return to the park, the Office must know how to contact you. In 2004 when Hurricane Charlie hit parks in Punta Gorda, it was over a month before electricity and telephone service was restored to the area.

Anyone wishing to help out as a temporary block captain during the summer should give Ruth Paruszkiewicz a call. Many volunteers did multiple streets for this distribution. We always need alternates during the summertime.

A reminder from Ruth Paruszkiewicz: Please be aware of frequent power failures that occur in the summertime. Please empty your freezers if you are going to be gone for longer than a few days. In 2004, she and a few other had to literally scrape clean the freezers of friends who were gone while the power was out for several days. No one wants to return home to a science project growing in their Frigidaire. Take a few minutes and give your food away or discard it.

Branson Trip Cancalled

The Regency Cove Branson trip scheduled for October has been cancelled. Linda was forced to discontinue plans for the Fall event due to a scheduled surgery for her husband Rich. We wish him well with his eyes. Our prayers are for your speedy recovery.