Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Saving Water, Saving Money by Robert Colen

"How did I use so much water?" That is the one question heard over and over again when community water conservation audits are performed. On Top of the World Communities (OTOW) offers a water conservation audit for all residents. For a small fee, an analysis of where and how much water is being used in the household is determined.

The answer to "How did I use so much water?" is almost always the same...the irrigation system. Trained water conservation specialists frequently find irrigation systems for the yard set to run at intervals the homeowner never realized. "We've seen irrigation timers set to run two times per day, every day of the week. That translates to a tremendous amount of water spraying out onto the yard." explains an auditor.

So let's do a quick calculation. If an irrigation system is running two times per day, every day, that comes to a little more than 60 times per month. Using an average of 2,700 gallons per cycle or 5,400 gallons per day, that comes out to a whopping 165,000 gallons per month. That is a lot of water and a lot of money wasted!

There are many reasons why a timer is set to run so many times per week. One may be the homeowner accidentally set it that way or their landscaper reset the timer. Regardless of the reasons, inspecting the irrigation timer should be something every homeowner should do regularly, especially if their water usage is unusually high. If the homeowner is not sure how to set the timer or wants a refresher course on how to operate it, Master the Possibilities Education Center located at OTOW routinely schedules classes to help.

Water conservation is vital for decreasing water pollution, increasing energy savings, and creating more efficient use of our water resources....and is easier on the wallet too!

Robert Colen is the Warranty Supervisor at On Top of the World Communities.

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Resident Club Showcase: Lions Club

The On Top of the World Communities Lions Club is an extremely active club that supports the following charities through fundraisers and/or direct service: Lions Club International Foundation (LCIF); Florida Lions Foundation; Florida Lions Eye Bank; Florida Lions Guide Dogs; Lions Project for Canine Companions for Independence (LPCCI); Conklin Center for the Blind; Florida Lions Sight Van; Florida Center for the Blind; Interfaith Emergency Services/Food for Kids Backpack program; and KidsSight.

Other annual club activities include: white cane day; emergency light switches; trash to treasures sale; Christmas golf cart parade; Memorial Day ceremony; veterans activities; the annual Fashion Show and Luncheon; and the Italian dinner fundraiser. Additionally, the club supports the Ocala Ritz Veterans Village and has created and completely furnished two living quarters for homeless veterans. The club is pleased to announce that one of these two quarters will have its first homeless veteran occupant this month!

The OTOW Lions Club is always looking for new members who have a desire to serve those in need!

Monday, July 16, 2012

Get to Know: Linda Ford

Linda Ford is a role model for living an active, healthy lifestyle! She has been employed at the On Top of the World Communities' (OTOW) Health and Recreation Fitness Center since March of 2006. She is a wonderful fitness attendant, encouraging and supporting OTOW residents to engage in wellness activities...something she does herself every day. Linda "talks the talk and walks the walk"...literally! She walks four miles every morning and then five miles every night (on days she is not working). To keep busy and engaged during her morning walks, Linda tosses all the delivered newspapers from the street to her neighbors' front doors providing a grand neighborly gesture.

Although she logs lots of walking miles, this is still not enough to satisfy her fitness needs. Linda recently joined The Ranch Fitness Center & Spa and loves the Zumba and Power Pump classes they provide. She has a unique quality that has gained her lots of attention and the reputation of "fitness fashionista"! Where she's "working" or "working out", Linda is always dressed to impress!

Linda eagerly jumped at the opportunity to cross train and take an additional shift as a fitness attendant when she accepted an employment need at The Arbor Club, OTOW's recreational and fitness facility. She currently works at both facilities as well as assumed the role as OTOW's Safety Representative.

Linda will soon be celebration her 20th wedding anniversary with the husband Dan. She has two grown children, a son and a daughter and 4 gorgeous grandchildren. She also has an adopted "Shi-Poo" named Lily. Linda is a valuable member of our fitness team and lives a vibrant, active life demonstrating that OTOW has workers with Well-Power!