Letter from the General Manager Thank You, Mirasol Kids! Mirasol

MIRAKIDS
T H I S I S N O T Y O U R PA R E N T S ’ N E W S L E T T E R
VOLUME 1 | ISSUE 1 | OCTOBER 2008–DECEMBER 2008
Thank You, Mirasol Kids!
Over 30 Mirasol kids participated in our “Name the New Kids’ Newsletter” contest, and we are very grateful for the
creativity and time that was put into each name we received.The name Mirakids was selected because it best
represented the spirit of the Mirasol community that we hope your new newsletter will convey with each issue!
It was a great surprise to have received the name Mirakids from six different people! The winners of our contest are:
Letter from the
General Manager
Hey Kids!
I hope you enjoy the first ever
issue of Mirakids.This is not your
parents’ newsletter. But before I
begin, let me just explain that by
saying, “kids,” we don’t mean to
offend anyone. I know some of
our teenagers are probably saying,
“I’m not a kid.” Just like my 7-year
old-son, Jack, says he doesn’t want
a “babysitter” because he is not a baby. So our definition
of “kids” is anyone who is not OLD. And to the parents
and grandparents who may be reading this, my three
(soon to be four) kids think I’m old also, so you are
not alone.
So kids, did you know that when we printed this newsletter,
there were 1,044 homes built within Mirasol? In those
1,044 homes, there are 1,950 old (over the age of 23)
members and 607 kids! That is why you are now getting
your own newsletter – because there are a lot of you,
and as a parent, I know that if the kids are happy, so are
the adults!
The purpose of Mirakids is to tell you what is happening
for YOU and your family around the Club. And if there is
something we should know, or you think other kids want
to know, tell us!
We hope you enjoy reading this newsletter, and make
sure you ask your parents nicely to bring you to all of the
cool events that are coming soon to Mirasol.
See you around the Club,
Alexandra Banner, 6, Emily Locke, 8
Vizcaya
(granddaughter of
Richard and Alice
Weinstein of Porto
Vecchio)
Dylan Pollak, 9,
Quantera
Akhil Ramani, 9, and Leena
Ramani, 11,Talavera
Matthew Vogel, 11,
Tranquilla
Thank you to the other Mirasol kids who shared their great ideas with us:
• Lauren Bartl, 5, and Stefan Bartl, 9,Tranquilla
• Ivy Boockvar, 2, Daphne Boockvar, 3, Charlie Boockvar, 5,
Nathan Boockvar, 7, Brooke Garmisa, 4, and Max Garmisa, 4
(all grandchildren of William and Iris Garmisa of Porto Vecchio)
• Olivia Charney, 8, and Phoebe Charney, 10,Vizcaya
• Brody Kretz, 3, Regan Kretz, 6, and Skyler Kretz, 7,Vizcaya
• Carly LaFlamme, 8, and Christy LaFlamme, 9,
Monte Carlo
• Juliette Levet, 7, and Greg Levet, 9, Quantera
• Sophia Liporace, 4,Vizcaya
• Matthew Pollak, 3, and John Pollak, 6, Quantera
• Earl Quade, 6 (grandson of John and Lucilla Quade
of Tranquilla)
• Velvet Sahm, 9, Quantera
• Sydney Schultz, 11,Vizcaya
• Jax Smith, 11, and Rachel Smith, 13, Quantera
• Nicky Stern, 7,Tranquilla
• Taylor Tuscai, 7, Siesta
Mirasol Superstar Spotlight
Quantera resident,Thomas Szapucki, shined in this summer’s Cal Ripken Southeast
Regional Championship Tournament! Thomas, age 12, had five home runs in the
tournament, including one solo homer, two 2-run homers, and two grand slams. He also
led the team in RBIs and pitched six scoreless innings, among his other achievements
during the series that was played against a team from Buckhead, Ga.
Great job,Thomas.You’re a superstar!
Matt
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Mirasol 411 – You’re Invited!
Have an adult contact the reception desk at 776-4949, ext.100 or [email protected] to sign you up for any of these awesome Club events:
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER
Mirasol Halloween
Family Spooktacular
5th Anniversary
Celebration
Saturday, October 25, 2008
7 p.m. in the Main Dining Room.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Breakfast with Santa
Saturday, December 20, 2008
9 a.m.-11 a.m.
Santa is coming from the
North Pole to share a
special holiday breakfast
with our Mirasol kids. Also,
make sure to design your
own gingerbread house
with all the trimmings!
Each year, your parents get to have
all the fun as they celebrate the
Club’s anniversary.This year, you’re
invited too!
Join us for a swim relay (pick up your sponsorship form
at The Esplanade) at 10 a.m., then come back to the
Club for a huge bash at 5:30 p.m. We’ll have an awesome
band, a bounce house obstacle course, a rock wall, lots of
great food, and best of all – fireworks! You will definitely
want to be there!
Drive-In Movie Theater
Friday, November 28, 2008
Don't be afraid to bring your family out for the spookiest
night of the year! Join us for a haunted house, dinner
buffet, and Halloween movie. Come dressed
in your best costume!
Halloween
Dog Parade
Join us on the driving range to watch a great movie
under the stars. Bring lawn chairs and blankets, or come
early to get one of
our golf carts that
will be staged in front
of the big screen.
Popcorn is included,
and drinks and candy
will also be available.
The movie will start
at 7:30 p.m., so be
sure to be there by
7 p.m. to reserve
your seat!
Sunday, October 26, 2008
from 4 p.m.-6 p.m.
Dress your dog up and
join us in the parking lot
by the tennis courts. We
will have prizes for the
dog with the best
costume!
Trick or Treat at the Club!
Third Annual Mirasol Carnival
Saturday, November 29, 2008
3 p.m.-7 p.m. in the parking lot outside The Esplanade.
Join us for rides, games, food, music, and more. Bring your
whole family!
Family Fun Night Buffet
Friday, December 26, 2008
Reservations begin at 6 p.m.
We’ll have face painters, clowns, balloons, and much
more! Separate special buffets will be offered for you
and your parents.
Game Night
Monday, December 29, 2008
6 p.m.-10 p.m.
Bring your whole family out for an evening of fun and
games. We’ll have a buffet dinner, air hockey, pool tables,
arcade games, basketball shot, and a lot more!
Kids’ Pool Olympics
On Friday, October 31 from 12 p.m.-4 p.m., the
Membership Office, reception desk, Grille Room, and
Activities Office will be giving out candy to all trick-ortreaters. Come dressed in your best Halloween costume!
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Saturday, December 27, 2008
If you're between the ages of 4 and 12 and know how
to swim, join us at the pool at 10 a.m. for relay races,
water scavenger hunts, and big splash contests. Have your
mom and dad call The Esplanade at 721-2994, ext. 200
to sign you up for all of the wet and wild fun!
Attention Moms and Dads!
Number Puzzle
When your child turns 14 years old, bring them into the
Membership Office to receive their own membership card
and a certificate for a special birthday ice cream swirl!
Nine digits (1 through 9) are arranged in the 3x3 square
at right in such a way that the number in the second row
is twice that in the first row, and the number in the
bottom row is three times that in the top row.There are
three other ways of arranging these digits so as to
produce the same result. Can you find them? Visit
www.puzzles.com to see if you’re right!
• All children under the age of 14 must be accompanied
by an adult in all Club facilities.
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• Children under the age of 16 must be accompanied by
an adult to use the golf facilities.
Please inform the Membership Office of all new additions
so we may continue to build the Club database to better
meet the needs of your family. You can contact the staff
via e-mail at [email protected] or lesper@
mirasolcc.com.
Search and Find, Win a Prize!
We have hidden three member numbers in this issue of
Mirakids. If you find your member number, stop by the
Membership Office to receive your prize!
Did You Know…
How Fit Are You?
That Mirakids is printed on
recycled paper? When you’re
done reading it, put it in your
family’s yellow recycling bin
for an extra way to help the
environment!
You hear it all the time –
in school, from your family,
on TV – but do you know
what it means to be fit?
Being fit means eating well
and being active. When
you’re fit, you feel good
and your body works well,
and that means you’re able
to do whatever activities
you like best!
Fall Back!
Don’t forget to set your clocks back an
hour on Sunday, November 2 at 2 a.m.
The idea of daylight-saving was first
conceived by one of this country’s
founding fathers, Benjamin Franklin, in
1784.The purpose of daylight-saving
time is to make better use of daylight.
We change our clocks during the
summer months to move an hour
of daylight from the morning to the
evening, and now in the fall, we will move the hour back
to the morning.
Fun with Chef Jason!
You will need help from your adult assistant to make our
Halloween Kitty Litter Cake!
Ingredients:
1 spice or German chocolate cake mix
1 white cake mix
2 large packages vanilla instant pudding mix, prepared
1 large package vanilla sandwich cookies
green food coloring
12 small Tootsie Roll candies
“A journey of a thousand miles
begins with a single step.”
– Chinese proverb
1 new kitty litter box
1 new kitty litter box liner
Instructions:
Prepare pudding mix and chill until ready to assemble.
Kids’ Night
Wednesdays are your nights in the Grille Room! Join us
for face painting and balloon animals, as well as the yummy
Grille Room food that you know and love!
P3 Program
Friday nights are for P3! The “P” is for Pizza, Pictures,
and Pool, but it’s also a great Party with fun People and
sometimes Popcorn!
Crumble white sandwich cookies in small batches in
food processor, scraping often. Set aside all but about
1/4 cup. To the 1/4 cup cookie crumbs, add a few
drops of green food coloring and mix until completely
colored.
Mirakids Quarterly Question
For more information or to register, please visit the front
desk at The Esplanade or call 721-2994, ext. 200.
Hey Girls, This Party’s for You!
Was your summer vacation stressful? Since school started
are you and your friends in need of your own special day
at the spa? Are you between the ages of 6 and 17? Yes?
Well, what are you waiting for?
When cakes are cooled to room temperature, crumble
into a large bowl.Toss with half the remaining white
cookie crumbs and the chilled pudding. Important: Mix
in just enough of the pudding to moisten it.You don't
want it too soggy. Combine gently.
Line a new, clean kitty litter box. Put the cake/pudding/
cookie mixture into the litter box.
Put 3 unwrapped Tootsie Rolls in a microwave-safe dish
and heat until soft and pliable. Shape ends so they are
no longer blunt, curving slightly. Repeat with 3 more
Tootsie Rolls; bury them in the mixture. Sprinkle the
other half of the cookie crumbs over the top. Scatter
the green cookie crumbs lightly on top of everything –
this is supposed to look like the chlorophyll in kitty litter.
Join The Esplanade staff and your neighborhood friends
each Friday from 6 p.m.-9 p.m. P3 is for kids ages 4 and
older. Sorry mom and dad – this party is for kids only!
Sign up to learn more about the Fitness Studio and its
equipment, and learn different exercises and safe behavior.
If you successfully complete the program, you may be one
of the first kids in your neighborhood to enjoy accompanied
access to the Fitness Studio!
1 new pooper scooper
Prepare cake mixes and bake according to directions
(any size pans).
There’s Something Fun
Here Every Week!
Eating right starts at home,
so be sure you’re eating a
variety of foods, especially
fruits and vegetables, and
drinking lots of water and
milk. Did you know that Mirasol’s Fitness Department can
help you with the “being active” part of being fit? Over
the summer, we started offering a fitness program in the
Fitness Studio just for kids ages 10-13, and we have
already had a bunch of graduates of the program!
Heat 3 Tootsie Rolls in the microwave until almost
melted. Scrape them on top of the cake; sprinkle with
cookie crumbs. Spread remaining Tootsie Rolls over
the top. For a final touch, take 1 Tootsie Roll and heat
until pliable, hang it over the side of the kitty litter box,
sprinkling it lightly with cookie crumbs. Place the box
on a newspaper and sprinkle a few of the cookie
crumbs around for a truly disgusting effect!
Let's get the party started!
Come glam, glitz, and giggle at your very own Gen-Y
Spa Party at The Esplanade.
All you need to do is:
• Choose a party time and date
• Invite your friends
• Select a special party package
• Customize your own goody bags
• Let the Gen-Y staff do the rest
What would you do if you were President?
We want to know!
For more information, contact Wendy on the Gen-Y Party
Line at 721-2994, ext. 204 or e-mail her at wvandercook@
mirasolcc.com. Don’t let adults have all the fun!
You can send us your answer in one of three ways:
Warning: Spa parties have been known to be addictive!
• Snail mail it to 11600 Mirasol Way, Palm Beach Gardens,
FL 33418.
• E-mail it to [email protected].
• Bring it to us in person! Drop your answer off at the
reception desk.
Send us your name, member number, and a photo of you,
and we may include your answer in our next issue. No
helping, mom and dad!
Weekend Golf Clinics
After-School Junior
Tennis Program
Your parents are always telling you to get off the computer or put down your video games and go outside, right?
Why not go out and play some golf?
Red Group – 5-8 years of age
Saturdays from 9:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m.
The After-School Junior Tennis Program schedule is out!
If you were part of one of our summer camps, continuing
with this program will help you retain and build upon
the tips and techniques you learned. If you were not able
to join us for camp, this is a great way for you to build
some skills!
This Red program is designed for you if you are new to
the game and have never played before. You will learn
the basics of the game through instruction that is based
on solid technique which will allow you to advance to the
next level.
– Golf Safety
– Basic Golf Etiquette
– Developing a Pro-Shot Routine
– Full Swing Lessons
– Short Game Lessons (Chipping, Putting)
The program will run through the end of the school year,
so take a break from your homework and get out on the
courts! Have an adult contact Chris at 721-2994, ext. 203
with any questions or to register.
TUESDAYS
4-5 years old
4:30 p.m.-5:30 p.m. Beginner/Intermediate
5-11 years old
5:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m. Advanced
12-15 years old
Blue Group – 9-13 years of age
Saturdays from 10:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m.
WEDNESDAYS
Tournament Elites
The Blue program is for you if you have been playing golf for
a few years and have already learned the basics of the game.
Instruction is focused on your setup and incorporates swing
techniques, and you will receive more detailed instruction in
all areas of play.
– Review of Golf Safety
– Golf Etiquette
– Full Swing Lessons (Driver and Iron Play)
– Short Game Lessons (Putting, Chipping, Pitching, Sand)
– Professional Video Analysis
– On-course Experience
5-11 years old
THURSDAYS
3:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m. Beginner/ Tiny Tots
4-5 years old
4:30 p.m.-5:30 p.m. Beginner/Intermediate 5-11 years old
Mirasol Critter Corner
Mirasol is made up of 2,300 acres of land with natural preserves and protected
wildlife. One of the “critters” we see most often at Mirasol is the sandhill crane,
the most abundant of the world’s cranes.The Florida sandhill’s subspecies name
is Grus canadensis pratensis.
A sandhill crane’s forehead and crown are covered with reddish skin.Their face,
chin, upper throat, and nape are white to pale gray. Adults have a white cheek
patch, and their legs and toes are black.
Holiday Junior Tennis Clinics
Join us for two special tennis clinics.They’re a fun way to
spend your school vacation!
Wednesday, November 26 through Sunday,
November 30
Monday, December 22 through Tuesday, December 30
Kids ages 5-9: 10 a.m.-11 a.m.
Ages 10-13: 11 a.m.-12 p.m.
Call Chris to register at 721-2994, ext. 203.
Mated pairs of cranes engage in unison calling, a complex and extended series
of uncoordinated calls. While calling, cranes stand in an upright posture, usually
with their heads thrown back and beaks skyward during the display. All cranes
engage in dancing that includes various behaviors such as bowing, jumping,
running, stick or grass tossing, and wing flapping. Dancing is generally believed
to be a normal part of motor development for cranes, and also thwarts
aggression, relieves tension, and strengthens the pair bond.
All cranes are omnivorous, meaning that they eat both animals and plants.They feed on a variety of grains, small
vertebrates such as mice and snakes, and invertebrates including insects or worms.They do not eat golf balls! The
cranes in the picture at right, which was taken on the putting green here at Mirasol, were confused!
If you see a sandhill crane or any other Mirasol “critter,” be sure to stay a safe distance away. And remember, the
wildlife in and around Mirasol should never be fed in order to preserve their habitat and natural instincts.
Thanks to www.savingcranes.org for the great information on sandhill cranes!
Have an idea for a future issue of Mirakids?
11600 Mirasol Way
Palm Beach Gardens, Florida 33418
561.776.4949
Send an e-mail to [email protected] and let us know!
c Printed on recycled paper with vegetable-based inks.
3:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m. Beginner/Tiny Tots
4:30 p.m.-6 p.m.
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