IRT April-May 2016

Vol. 35, Issue No. 6, 2015-16
ISLAND REEF
TI
M E
April/May, 2016
S
Published since 1981 by the Island Reef Owners’ Association • 8770 Midnight Pass Road • Sarasota, FL 34242 • 941-349-2844
Featuring the Bay-side “Grandes Dames” of Island Reef!
by Kay Maier, editor
Judy Brand (404F) had a terrific idea when she asked for a gathering and photo of the 80– and 90-something year old ladies of Island Reef, Bay-side! Here is what we discovered from these 7 ladies, pictured at left. Top photo—seated, Marion Mitchell (301F),
Daria Vrabec (102H), and Helen Merrill (306H); standing, Bea
Newman (407F) and Dora Bernstein (406G). Bottom photo —
left, Patsy Head (401F), and right, Mary Joan Blum (501F).
They ’eagerly’ shared their ages with me — Mary Joan (97), Marion
(91), Daria (91), Bea (90), Dora (89), Patsy (84), and ‘the baby of
the group,’ Helen (81). The very day we photographed them, I ran
across this Face Book post, a Tibetan Proverb: “The secret of living well and longer is: eat half, walk double, laugh triple,
and love without measure.” I can personally attest to the fact
that these ladies are always out and about — walking, swimming,
and/or doing water exercises, helping their neighbors, interacting
with friends, going out to lunch or dinner, participating in activities,
etc. They also attribute their longevity to: eating a healthy diet;
good genes; faith; hard work; having a 5 p.m. cocktail each evening; growing up in a loving family (parents, siblings, grandparents,
aunts and uncles); supportive spouses and loving children; being
grateful for and content with what you have; surrounding yourself
with positive people; and determination in spite of occasional setbacks. One of our 91-year olds played tennis until she was 78 and
she walked the golf course, pushing her own clubs, until 86! What do these 7 ladies have in common?
Aside from their ages, they are now facing life’s joys and challenges without their spouses by their side.
Kudos to each of you, Grandes Dames of the Bay-side here at Island Reef! We are honored to have
your wisdom and your ‘joie de vivre’ so present here! Here’s to many more years of good health, much
happiness, friendship, and prosperity. You are all beautiful ladies, inside and out!
An IR
Baseball
Outing to
Ed Smith
Stadium
March 30
to see the
Baltimore
Orioles
take on
the Detroit Tigers! Longevity in the Social Department
honors 4 dedicated persons who help us have fulfilled and
active lives here at Island Reef. A standing ovation to (l-r),
chef Skip Krause (303F) and his wife Ann (who says she
‘just shows up!), Diane Wulterkens (506H), social chair,
and her husband Rick who doubles as IR Board President.
Thanks for another memorable year! You are all the best!
Can you top this? One of my neighbors here in
the H Building, Earl Beyers (105), informed me
that he purchased here at Island Reef 35 years
ago. Talk about longevity! Has any owner been
here any longer than Earl? If so, please let us
know ([email protected]).
HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY on Sunday, May 8,
to all the women here at Island Reef. You
nurture those around you in so many ways!
Be sure to read our Property Manager’s
beautiful tribute to her own Mom on Page
7. And, to all our Dads and Grandfathers
and Godfathers, we wish you a HAPPY FATHER’S DAY on Sunday, June 19. Enjoy this
special day set aside for you too!
2
Messages and
reminders from our
IR Property Manager,
Kathy Barshinger . . .
C
hanges are in the
works! We have the
following projects slated to begin in midApril and carry on through the
summer:
Building H roof will be repaired and recoated –
Unicoat;
Building A will be re-roofed
with a single ply membrane
product – Envirotech;
Gulfside Pool will be resurfaced – Galaxy
Pools; Bayside Pool will be resurfaced in 2017;
Bayside Walkways will be repaired, recolored
and resealed – ProTile;
Building F elevator – shaft will be reworked
to prevent failure – Florida Elevator;
C building card room – new furniture;
Carport roofs will be pressure cleaned, possibly painted or panels replaced if necessary –
by staff;
Shuffleboard Court – gulf side – crack will be
repaired.
Just a reminder to all owners: If you are considering renting your unit, currently utilizing
the services of an outside agent, or doing all of
the work yourself, why not call the office regarding the onsite rental program? We have
software in place, an overflow of tenants who
we haven’t been able to place, a cleaning crew
that is second to none….we take care of everything for you, including collecting sales tax
from the tenant and paying to the taxing authorities! Our commission rates are competitive and lower than most outside agents. It’s
worth it to have peace of mind that the tenants
will be coordinated through the office and you
don’t have to worry about a thing. If there are
problems in the unit during the guest stay, we
contact the owner to receive approval prior to
contacting vendors to make repairs when necessary.
Regarding last month’s newsletter article about
air conditioning, I’ve learned that vinegar can be
just as effective as bleach in the drain lines, and
keeping your filter clean is the most important
thing you can do to prevent a/c problems!
I closed my last article with mention of my vacation getaway plans at the end of season…
well, I was able to take a five day weekend
and really enjoyed the time spent with family,
and then relaxing on the beaches of St. Augustine. Of course, my grandson was the
highlight of the trip (see our photo at left), but
I also enjoyed a visit to The Fountain of Youth
and the San Sebastian Winery Tour in historic
St. Augustine.
Editor’s note: The first
stop on Kathy’s getaway was spending
time in West Palm
Beach with her little
grandson Eli (pictured
at far left with Kathy),
her son Dan
(immediate left), who
is Eli’s dad, and with
daughter-in-law Christina (pictured at left).
Kathy reports that
she had a
marvelous
time away
from the office and so
enjoyed being with
family!
A P.S. — I regret having to close my article
with this message, however . . . this is the 7th
broken rope at the bayside pool (left below).
I am dismayed at the lack of respect being
shown to our property. This occurred recently, which was after our renters left, and so,
the blame must be placed on someone’s children and/or grandchildren.
Rules aside, it’s a matter of
consideration for others
and respect for property.
Please act responsibly and
teach the children to make
note of and follow the
rules.
Thank You.
Kathy Barshinger,
Property Manager
Owners, don’t forget to register your name and
password on the new and improved Island Reef
website — www.islandreef.net! Do it today!
3
President Rick Wulterkens’ Message
M
y
wife
had
to
drag me to Florida
and Island Reef
kicking and
screaming.
Her parents had
bought a unit here
and had owned for
RICK WULTERKENS
several years, and
Your Island Reef Board
President, circa 1958
Diane had tried to
convince me we
needed to bring
our two young
boys for a visit. I
Pictured above is our
explained
that I
Board President, Rick Wulterkens,
wanted our kids to
with a trophy-sized northern pike.
be a bit older so
they could enjoy it and would remember it better.
When Sam was five and Stuart three, she finally
talked me into it.
I’ll never forget when we finally got to Island
Reef after flying into Tampa Bay late at night. I
opened the door of our rented Camaro (not making this up!) and was immediately struck by the
alluring salt-water scent, something I had never
experienced before. That was merely one of
many stimulating brand new experiences, from
fishing in ocean for the first time to breath-taking
views from my father-in-law’s unit 506H. I was
smitten. Let’s just say I never had to be coerced
into coming down again. I couldn’t wait to get
back!
When Ray Genisio, Diane’s Dad, passed and
her Mom decided to sell the place, we were devastated. No more Siesta Key and Island Reef?!
Unthinkable! Diane decided we were going to buy
it, and while I didn’t know how we were going to
finagle that with three young boys and college
looming plus a mortgage on our house, I didn’t
dismiss it out-of-hand either.
Turns out it was the best decision we ever
made! We were able to get into the rental program and update the place a little at a time. Our
plan was always to come down and live here
when we both retired from our teaching careers,
and that’s exactly what happened, albeit a little
before we expected. By far, the most pleasant
bonus of being full-time residents was the wonderful people we met and continue to meet. As
summertime-only visitors, we rarely had a chance
to meet many owners or renters before we became Floridians. Now our sense of belonging to a
great community has made our purchase even
that much more rewarding.
Sometimes I’ll be sitting down on the patio by
the BBQ area, sipping one of my signature manhattans while grilling steaks or burgers, marveling at the gorgeous landscaping and view of
the bay and taking stock of just how fortunate I
am.
I’m very proud of Island Reef and happy to
serve on the Board of Directors, this year as
your president. I look forward to many more
years here at Island Reef.
Rick Wulterkens
There’s quite a bit about family in this issue! I had
several Face Book posts this week, some of which celebrated National Sibs Day! One of our readers’ concerns
is that they hardly ever see pictures of the editors! So,
here you go! The top picture is of your beloved Island
Reef photographer, John Maier, flanked by two of his
sisters, Jane Maier Otten (left) and Judy Maier Connelly
(right), who both spent time here at Island Reef this
spring — Janie as a guest and Judy as a renter (with her
entire family here at one time or another!) The Maier
Family has great memories of their days here at Island
Reef, sharing life in Paradise with their Mom & Dad/
Grandma & Grandpa, Greg & Jane Maier (302C) and all
their children.
Also, Kay Maier, co-editor, is pictured below with her
two sisters, Ann
Schnelle Miller (left) and
Marie Schnelle (right),
both of whom have also
visited here! So, HAPPY SIBS DAY, one and
all, a bit belatedly!
Kay adds a giantic
THANK YOU to all those
who have contributed
to the newsletter content this year. Your
photos, story ideas, and
suggestions are so appreciated and make the
newsletter what it is
meant to be — a vehicle which promotes this
wonderful place we all
share in common! John
and Kay wish everyone
a summer full of wonderful memories with family and friends, good health,
and a safe return to Island Reef. Until then, remember to
preserve your summer memories in ‘Kodak moments’ to
share with us too!
John & Kay
Missing from the photos are John’s sister Kathie Maier Griffin and his brother Tom Maier and Kay’s brother Joe Schnelle.
4
You’re invited to an XFINITY Communities Event
with your dedicated Community Account
Representative Brenda Radford,
[email protected]
A chance to be with with your fellow neighbors
and learn more about XFINITY services and
products!
WHAT:
Meet & Greet
WHERE:
Island Reef
Clubhouse
WHEN:
April 20th
2:30-3:30
Can’t make it to the event? Visit us at
xfinity.com for the best offers available today!
Cherish the
memories
of a season
of fun, relaxation,
friendship,
beautiful
sunsets,
sunrises,
and more!
See you in
the fall . . .
ISLAND REEF MISSION STATEMENT
Island Reef is a privately owned, residential
condominium complex designed to meet the living, recreational, and social needs of both individuals and families.
While not a resort property, Island Reef provides a casual and friendly atmosphere and strives
to maintain the highest standards for facilities,
landscape, care, and service in order to sustain
owners’ enjoyment and protect property values.
There was a small, intimate group
of women gathered for the April 1
Ladies’ Luncheon which took place at
Capital Grille in the University Town
Center Mall. The ladies had a fantastic
time, especially noting the attentive
service provided by their waiter (photo
at right), who took their picture above.
Thanks, Marlene Marshall, for organizing these monthly outings during the
season, and thanks, Judy Hain, for
orchestrating this picture!
Ladies of IR, look forward to a GREAT next season!
It’s been
fun watching ‘big
boys on big
toys playing in the
sand’ to
renourish
our beach!
What a
transformation!
The ISLAND REEF TIMES is published approximately monthly
(during the season) and otherwise approximately every other
month by the Island Reef Owners’ Association (IROA) at 8770 Midnight Pass Road; Sarasota, FL 34242; Phone—941-349-2844.
Editors: JOHN & KAY MAIER (401H). Suggestions for articles
and digital photos may be submitted to John or Kay Maier at
[email protected]. John also serves as the official
photographer for this publication, although your digital photos are
welcome and may be emailed to the above address.
Thanks, Kathy Barshinger, Charlie Graney (sunset pictures), Judy
Hain, Mary Hummer, Bob Jamieson, Donna Lenhof, John & Kay Maier,
Bonnie Rowley, Mary Kay Shaw, Ralph & Ruth Wuest, and Rick & Diane
Wulterkens, for your submissions for this current issue. Neither the
editors nor the IROA are responsible for material submitted for
publication or copied from other sources. Articles may be edited
for clarity and length. The deadline for our next edition (the very
first of the of the 2016-17 season) will be late September so that
we can continue to pass IR’s latest news onto our readership!
5
THE SOCIAL SCENE UPDATES
by Diane Wulterkens, Chairperson
Another month has flown by and the season
has begun to slow down. Still, there were plenty of
things happening around Island Reef in March. On
the eve of St. Patrick’s Day, an enthusiastic group
gathered to enjoy an Irish celebration. In spite of
the large number of participants, the tents on the
patio gave us plenty of space. We couldn’t have
asked for better weather, and the menu for the
evening was a hit! Corned beef and cabbage was
paired with a more modern Salmon with Irish butter
sauce, boxti potatoes, homemade Irish dark bread,
and other culinary delights. Mary Hummer brought
in a group of Irish dancers to demonstrate traditional
footwork. The group included both young and more
senior ‘Riverdancers,’ and our very own Mary even
got into the act! It was quite an aerobic workout,
and all our Island Reef participants really enjoyed
the program.
As usual, the majority of the cooking was the
work of Skip Krause, but we had plenty of help from
other committee members, Mary and Richard Hummer, and our board liaison, Judy Hain. I even tried
my hand at baking bread, a first for me.
Our Island Reef neighbors clearly outdid
themselves by pitching in to help. Mary Hummer is
never shy about putting people to work, but we marveled over how so many unexpectedly stepped right
up and assisted. At risk of missing any names, we
owe a giant Thank You to Marla & Jim Walsh,
Claudia & Tom Gallahue, Charlene & Russ Morgan,
Sue Swank, Ann Krause, Betty Dowling, Mary Ann
Laritz, Janice Dayton, Jan & Mike Day, Marty & Jerry Rosen, Lynne Nahmias, Janet Hepner, Mary Lou
Webber, Laurie Rossi, Bill & Kay Heckert, Bob Jamieson, and Jeff Weyeneth.
Later in the month on March 30, just under two
dozen of us attended Baltimore Orioles vs Detroit
Tigers evening game at Ed Smith Stadium. It wasn’t
the most exciting game, but it was a comfortable
evening and the refreshments were, as always, interesting. I never would have expected to find crab
cake sandwiches at a ball park!
There is still more on the agenda before summer arrives. Signs are currently posted regarding
three events over the next five weeks. These
events include:
A sunset, full moon cruise on LeBarge takes
place Thursday, April 21. We should plan to meet
at the waterfront, (near Marina Jacks) just off of Tamiami and Ringling Blvd. at around 6:00 p.m. We
can board at 6:30, and will depart around 7:00 p.m.,
but we should plan to be in line together if we want
to be able to sit together.
A Brunch in the Club House from 10:30 until
noon on Sunday, April 24. Cost of admission is a
donation of non-perishable or frozen food items that
we will share with a local food pantry. We will have
omelet and waffle stations, along with other break-
fast items. If you can’t make it, please consider
dropping off some food in the C building Card
Room. Better yet, if you are cleaning out your cabinets before departing for your off season residence, share your unopened food with those who
are less fortunate than we are.
Saturday evening, May 14 is the Sarasota
‘Symphony in the Outfield,’ at Ed Smith Stadium. I will
need to call in our numbers soon, but will probably be
able to take a few more neighbors along. If you are
interested, check with Anna in the Island Reef Office. If
you are paying for an event with a check, please make
sure it is to “Island Reef.”
After these events? We’ll probably plan a simple
repast on the beach. It’s looking great, so we should
take advantage of the wonderful space. And if any of
you are around for the summer, we normally have
something happening on those three summer holidays.
What, you ask? We’ll have to see. Keep an eye on
Women Golfers Gather. Ladies, keep your golfing skills
up to par this summer, and
plan on joining in the fun
(Mondays and Thursdays) with
other Island Reef ladies when
you return for the new season!
Thanks, Mary Kay Shaw, for
this photo. Pictured left to
right are: Judy Jamieson,
Mary Ann Laritz, Mary Kay
Shaw, and Carrie Bowman.
An informal
Friday night
gathering on the
Gulf side to enjoy each other’s
company along
with good food
and libations.
Come to experience this vibrant, caring,
fun-loving
community here at Island Reef.
Enjoy life to the fullest during your
retirement years in this beautiful
corner of Paradise!
6
Kicking off St. Patrick’s Day with great partying on the 16th!
GREEN was obviously the color of
the day, and many
leprechauns were
out in full force!
The festive atmosphere in the club
house — complete
with green beer,
green punch, hors
d’oeuvres, a traditional Irish, sitdown dinner, dessert, and more! —
spilled over onto
the bay-side patio,
where all guests
enjoyed each other’s company along
with some fantastic
entertainment!
Thanks, Mary
Hummer, for
bringing in the
Irish Dancers so we
could all witness
this energetic and
well-choreographed dance
performed by
women who have
‘feet of fire and
bodies of ice!’ See
Diane Wulterken’s
summary of the
event on the previous page, and
thanks too to Donna Lenhof for taking these pictures!
May your blessings outnumber
the shamrocks that grow, and
may trouble avoid you wherever
you go!
Irish Blessing
Mark your calendars for our next IR Board
Meeting—beginning promptly at 1 p.m. in
the Club House
on Wednesday, May 4.
The fall meeting AND Annual Meeting will
be scheduled at this May 4 Meeting.
7
A beaufiful story from Kathy Barshinger . . .
A MOTHER’S DAY TRIBUTE TO MY MOM
Marie Ege (nee Smet) was born in 1926 in
the small town of Bevren Waas, Belgium,
which is near Antwerp. Her parents, Emil and
Sylvia Smet, travelled to the US in 1932 to establish a life for their family. They returned to
Belgium in 1933 to pick up their only child Marie and boarded a ship that was part of the Red
Star Lines travelling back to their new home in
Moline, IL.
In 2005, I had the pleasure of accompanying
my mother to Belgium where we arrived at the
Brussels airport and I met my second cousin,
Bertina and her husband Robert. We boarded
the train and were bound for the seaport town
of Ostend which is in the West Flanders region
of Belgium. My mother was reunited with her
childhood friend and cousin, Lucienne. The trip
was filled with of a lifetime of memories for
mom and formed a bond for me with family
members that had not existed in my life before
that trip. It was also a trip into my heritage.
We had family dinners in the garden of my
cousins whose home was located in the Bel-
gium countryside. It was beautiful and the European way of life had a profound impact on
me. They do not have large grocery stores,
but instead visit the various markets on almost
a daily basis, gathering fresh breads, produce
and meats. And, we must not forget the chocolatier! Fresh Belgian chocolates are my weakness!
Above, Kathy is pictured with her dear Mother
during that 2005 trip to Belgium.
The Belgians are a very happy group. I remembered that about my grandmother who
was rarely downtrodden, no matter what life
threw at her. She took great joy in family,
laughter and sharing meals. She did not think
twice about what someone else might think,
and often times would start singing something
in a language that my siblings and I could not
understand, but we would end up caught in her
contagious laughter as the song apparently had
some very funny lyrics!
In 2013, Mom left this earth to join my father in heaven as he had passed 10 years prior.
I miss them both, but feel angel wings around
me as I move through this life. As stated on
their epitaph, ”Their love lives on through family.” Marie raised 7 children (2 girls and 5 boys)
during the couple’s 58 years of marriage — with
a 20-year span between the oldest and the
youngest!
And to think this all started with 2 people, our own Ralph and Ruth Wuest!
Could Ralph and Ruth Wuest (503F) have ever imagined on that 2nd day of September in 1950, in
Lakewood, OH (when they exchanged their “I do’s”),
that 65 years later, they would have such a beautiful
family of 3 children (2 daughters and 1 son), 6 grandchildren, and 6 great-grandchildren? Or that they
call Island Reef ‘home’ from the first week in October until the first week in May each year? They
make the trip back and forth to their home in Rocky
River, OH, driving, but always fly back during the
holidays for the annual Christmas Eve gathering
they host for ALL the family at their northern home!
As Ralph exclaimed, “It’s been 65 years of a wonderful marriage, and we are ready for #66!”
8
ISLAND REEF OWNERS’ ASSOCIATION
8770 Midnight Pass Road
Sarasota, FL 34242
(941) 349349-2844
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.islandreef.net
WELCOME TO ISLAND REEF, NEW OWNERS!
assembled by Bob Jamieson
David Ossi has moved to Sarasota with his
wife, Maria, to become the General Manager at
Germain Toyota of Sarasota. Five years ago, they
moved to Greenville, SC, from Tampa, FL. They
have three daughters — the oldest one, Kayleigh,
lives with her husband in Tampa; Amelia, the middle one, will be staying in Greenville, SC; and the
youngest one, Julia, will be attending the University
of Florida this fall. In his spare time, David enjoys
golf, and both David and Maria love to travel! David and Maria purchased 502 G.
Bill & Kay Heckert live in Okemos, Michigan
and have a summer house in northern Michigan
near Traverse City. Both have recently retired—
Kay from teaching and accounting and Bill from his
dermatology practice. Kay is an avid tennis player
and also enjoys pickle ball, theater, and traveling. Bill enjoys pickle ball, boating, kayaking, and
biking. Both look forward to being at Island Reef
and in the Sarasota area. They have been longtime renters in 302H (Marge Tichy’s unit), and
when Marge decided to sell her home in Connecticut and move full time to FL, the Heckerts decided
to purchase here! Their new ’home’ at Island Reef
is 402H. Bill went to school with Don Brand
(404F), and they have remained good friends over
the years!
Let’s welcome Eric Egan, our new Island Reef
owner in (205F) who is in the process of moving in
this April. Eric was kind enough to honor a
rental commitment in February and March and
delay his start at Island Reef. Eric is a retired
New York policeman and firefighter who has
expanded his career interest into real estate. He loves the beach, kayaking and biking.
Stanford (Stan) & Claire Shulman of
Evanston, IL, are new owners of 206C here at
Island Reef. Claire is a retired Professor of
Creative Writing at Columbia College Chicago
and an authority on the Florida AfricanAmerican author Zora Neale Hurston. Stan is
a semi-retired Professor of Pediatrics at
Northwestern University Feinberg School of
Medicine and past Chief of Infectious Diseases
at Lurie Children's Hospital (formerly Children's Memorial Hospital), Chicago, past President of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society. He is particularly interested in Kawasaki
Disease, Streptococcal infections, and Infective Endocarditis.
The Shulmans have been married 51 years
(they met in high school in Toledo, OH) and
have 3 children (Debbie, Liz, and Edward) and
2 grandsons (Max and Levi). They enjoy international travel and their main hobbies are
reading (both), stamp collecting (Stan), and
traveling (both). Stan is a
rabid congenital Detroit
Tigers fan and an adopted
Chicago Bulls fan.