April Riverwood Heron - Riverwood Community Association, Port ...

The
Riverwood Heron
Project Detect
The 2012 Riverwood Ladies Golf Association’s Project Detect
fundraising auction took place February18 at the activity center.
Over 200 residents attended and a good time was had by all.
Combined fundraising from the auction, neighborhood donations,
and golf and tennis rallies exceeded $46,000. 100% of the
net proceeds provide screening mammograms for local uninsured
and underinsured women and men.
The generosity of individuals in our community and area merchants
was heartwarming. Our deepest gratitude also goes to our
primary benefactors and corporate sponsors.
None of this could have been possible without Mike Burton and
the staff at The Riverwood Golf Club and Grille, activity director
Cheryl Dukarski, and especially all the dedicated Project Detect
committee members.
RIVERWOOD
APRIL 2012
Riverwood Tennis Fundraiser
For Project Detect
The Riverwood Tennis Association
raised nearly $500 for Project
Detect with a fun-filled morning of
events Sat., Feb. 18 at the Riverwood
courts. Activities included Cardio
Tennis, a mixed doubles round robin
tournament plus drawings for a variety
of pink-themed donated items
including a tennis bag, hats, grips,
and racket restringings. More than
forty tennis players participated to support breast cancer screening
detection for Port Charlotte area residents.

Directors’ Corner
Submitted by Trish Montgomery, RCA Secretary
RCA COMMUNICATION COMMITTEE
The mission of the RCA Communication Committee is to develop and maintain effective, timely
communication venues between the RCA and Riverwood residents. Major goals are to obtain
information on issues or areas of concern from residents and to provide residents with information
on actions and rationale for RCA decisions. Options or methods of communication between
the RCA and residents include e-mail blasts, the RCA website, the community newsletter (the
Heron), and town halls/resident forums. Cheryl Dukarski, Activities Director, is the staff liaison
to the Committee and is responsible for sending e-mail blasts and coordinating information on
the website and in the Heron. There are eight resident members on the Committee: Markie
Harms, Sandy Koehler, Steve Lineberry, Carl Ludwig, Lya O’Neill, Bob Novic, Hugh Vallely, and
Ed Watson. The Committee meets quarterly with additional meetings as necessary to address
specific issues. During this past year the Committee has recommended several communicationrelated
policies that have been adopted by the RCA Board. Orientation sessions for new residents
and renters have been offered and an Open Forum on Modification policies was held. Residents
are welcome to attend Committee meetings and can also provide input to individual Committee
members regarding Communication-related issues. More information on the Communication
Committee can be found on the Riverwood website (www.riverwoodflorida.org).
SAFETY/APPEARANCE UPGRADES PARKING LOT
Low level foot path lighting was installed along the center promenade concourse near the Activity
Center to improve visibility for those who pass through that area in the evening. The concrete tire
stop blocks were painted bright traffic yellow so they will also be more easily seen. Landscaping
hedges were planted where the gravel was located to direct foot traffic to the brick paver walkways.
These measures improve safety and eliminate tripping hazards in transitioning from various surfaces
(pavement to drain covers to gravel to pavers) in a very short distance.
By Milan Fiser
Riverwood Tennis Corner
Tennis lessons and drills will continue thru May. As residents start to head back up
north we will combine drills and continue the tennis program throughout the spring
and summer. I will also offer early morning cardio classes for all levels throughout the
week.
For the year round residents this is a great time to start taking lessons if you have
never played before or want to get back into the game. I will be available for group
or private lessons Mon. -Fri. There will also be round robin play available for all levels
to continue with competitive play. Please contact Milan if you are interested in any
programs or just sign up on the tennis bulletin board outside court 6. Have a great
summer season and I look forward to seeing everyone when you return in the fall.
2
The Riverwood Heron
Modification
Committee Update
By Rita McSharry
Back Flow Preventers Landscaping
Now that Back Flow Preventers (BFP’s)
installations are underway, many residents are
asking about landscaping to create a better
appearance around these rather ugly pipes, as
well as to protect them from lawn mowers.
At the last RCA meeting, the Board approved
an addendum to Section 10 (Landscaping)
of the Modification Policies and
Rules. Modification Committee (MC) approval
is required since it necessitates either
creating new landscape beds or, in some cases,
enlarging existing beds.
The following are requirements:
1. At least 18 inches must be left on the side
where the testing “ports” are located
so that yearly testing can be done.
2. Plantings cannot be undertaken until all
inspections and approvals have been completed.
3. Outlining of the planting beds with
stones, rocks, curbing or other material is
prohibited; this is consistent with current
landscaping restrictions.
4. MC requests must include the specific
types of plants to be used. The Management
Office has a list of plants considered
appropriate for this purpose.
5. Maintaining the plantings is the responsibility
of the individual homeowner.
Additionally, for “Maintained” neighborhoods,
landscaping/planting must be done by
the homeowners or the contracted landscape
company that maintains the neighborhood.
Some neighborhoods are electing to use
some of their Landscape Budget towards
having the landscaping done for all homes in
the neighborhood. In such cases, a “blanket”
approval can be requested. The MC request
must include the types of plants to be used
and be signed by the neighborhood President.
As in the case of individual requests, in
“Maintained” neighborhoods, the work must
be done either by homeowners or the contracted
landscape company that maintains
that neighborhood.
The Addendum can be found on the Riverwood
web site: www.riverwoodflorida.org.

Snakes of Riverwood
Not all that slither are poisonous
By Jack Lyons
Chair, Environmental Committee, CDD Supervisor
Everyone who lives in Riverwood at one time or another has encountered
one of our slithering reptilian neighbors, be it on the cart
path or in the backyards.
You look down and at first glance see what appears to be a stick.
It suddenly takes off through the undergrowth and disappears into
the brush. Even though I’m an avid reptile enthusiast, that first glance
always makes me jump. Our instinctual “fight-or-flight” reflex kicks
in to warn us. In the wink of an eye our sociologically-ingrained fear
of snakes kicks in.
I hear countless stories from residents and visitors of their encounters
with Riverwood snakes. The first question I’m always asked is
whether there are poisonous snakes in Riverwood. Yes, we have eastern
diamondbacks and pygmy rattlesnakes in the area. The best advice
I have is to give it room and leave it alone.
There are three main species of snake that I encounter on a regular
basis here, and they’re all pretty common throughout this part of
Florida, and they are non-poisonous.. The first and most common is
the black racer. It is a beautiful snake that normally is between 2 and 4
feet long. They are harmless to humans, but if you try to muck around
with him he’ll stand his ground, strike and vibrate his tail. Many
people immediately will think he’s a rattlesnake. His bite, however, is
nothing more than two pinpricks.
Black racers feed on lizards and frogs, insects and small snakes.
The second most-common snake would be the absolutely beautiful
little ringneck snake. These guys only grow to maybe 12 inches long.
They feed on worms, insects, and only the tiniest of other snakes and
lizards. Their top color is blackish, with a little yellow ring around the
neck. Its scales are beautiful, multi-colored red and yellow.
Their first line of self-defense is to try to hide. If that doesn’t work,
they will coil their body to show off their red and yellow underbelly,
in hopes that would-be attackers would mistake it for a deadly coral
snake.
The third most common snake that I encounter is the yellow rat
snake. Yellow rat snakes are arboreal snakes that do come down to the
ground to hunt, but their favorite place to be is in the trees, shrubs or
buildings.
The yellow rat snake can get pretty long. The largest one that I’ve
seen here pushing 6 feet, and she was an absolute sweetheart. As their
name indicates, they are yellowish in color. A lot of them also have
what appear to be two lines, muted tan in color, running down their
backs. They feed on rats that they dispatch by constriction, but they
also eat birds and eggs.
I ask everyone who encounters any snake to just leave it alone, and
to not harm it. We live in a Preserve, and it would literally be overrun
with rats and mice to an extent that would seem biblical.
There are a few species of snakes around here that I occasionally
encounter, and one of them is a corn snake. It’s a pretty snake with lots
of oranges and reds, with a white-and-black checkered belly. They are
also constrictors, and feed on mice and rats, small lizards, birds and
bird eggs.
3
The Riverwood Heron
Black Racer Snake Corn Snake
On a very rare occasion, we might encounter a coach whip. They’re
a beautiful, highly-active animal that can reach 8 feet in length, with a
black coloration, which extends from the head to roughly one-fifth of
the body length. The rest of the body will be either a cream color or a
beautiful coral color with salmon highlights. That is why the snake got
its name, because that black head and neck make it look like the handle
of a whip. Coach whips cruise for small prey such as frogs, other snakes,
small lizards, the occasional bird egg and large insects such as palmetto
bugs.
Many snakes are needlessly killed because it is feared they are poisonous.
If you take time to research the wildlife we have here, you can
educate yourself. With education comes understanding, and with understanding
comes less fear.
Snakes are wrongly-persecuted creatures. They are an essential part
of the healthy ecology of Riverwood. They play a huge role in our biodiversity
by naturally controlling pests that could otherwise be a nuisance,
or possibly even a health hazard for the humans of the island. Remember,
please treat all wildlife respectfully.
Activities Corner
Submitted by Cheryl Dukarski, Activities Director
If you have an Activity that is a regularly scheduled event at the
Activity Center you will need to re-book your day and time with
the Activity Director. If you have suggestions for Activities for
next season please submit them in writing by May 1st or you may
bring them to the Activities Advisory Committee meeting. The
Committee meets Tues., Apr. 10 at 10:00am.
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Large selection of stones:
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Unit D
Port Charlotte FL 33948
941-391-1187

From the
General Manager
It’s been Rocky Balboa vs. Apollo Creed at
Riverwood for the last two months! Match Play,
Stroke Play, Mixed Best Ball and our RMGA
and RLGA Championships. Competition has
been running wild and now it’s time to crown our
Champions! Congratulations to our stroke play
Champions for 2012, Ian Dinning and Marcia
Vincent! Mr. Dinning shot a 158 to end in a tie, and
then squeaked out the win on the third playoff hole
over Larry Jones. Mrs. Vincent captured her third
title in as many years with a two day total 170 to
win by four shots over runner-up Diane Paoli. Also,
congratulations to all the flight winners, we look
forward to seeing you at the annual Champions
dinner scheduled for Monday April 2 nd .
The local Reciprocal season begins May 1 st and
club lists will be out on Monday April 23rd, please
remember that all reciprocal times must be made
thru golf shop team members. Listings with club
names, available days and rates, as well as how many
days in advance you may book, will be posted in the
golf shop for your review.
In addition, as a Riverwood Full Golf Member,
you have the opportunity to enjoy the Hampton
Golf Reciprocal Program. You can play other great
golf courses that are nearby such as River Hall,
The Quarry, The Plantation or Southern Hills for
just $25 plus tax on a space available basis. Please
remember you must make your tee times thru the
golf shop staff. For a complete list of Hampton Golf
reciprocal clubs, please visit www.hamptongolfclubs.
com/reciprocal-program. We hope that you will
appreciate the opportunity to play at some of
these fine reciprocal courses throughout southwest
Florida and abroad.
From the Head Golf Professional
Golf Shop
Golf Shop Credit will expire on April 15th so shop away!
Pace of play
We would like to thank all the members and their guests for keeping up with the pace of play during the
busiest time of the season. A few times the pace of play was not up to Riverwood standards which we tried
to correct as soon as possible. Fortunately, we have not had to move a group ahead a hole this year as we
have in the past. Remember to always be ready to play when it is your turn, park your golf car so you do not
have to walk back towards the fairway when you have finished the hole and please do not hunt for lost golf
balls. Keep up with the group in front of you not ahead of the group behind you.
Rally for a Cure
Over 220 players played in the 2012 RLGA Rally for a Cure tournament February 16 th . Playing in
almost perfect weather the participants played a scramble format with total team handicaps determining
each flight. Hole in one prizes, mulligans, and golf professional tee shots to the green were just some of the
unique features of this event.
There were 4 flights in the morning wave and 4 flights in the afternoon wave.
AM Wave
Flight 1 Flight 2 Flight 3 Flight 4
1 st Joanne Jones 1 st Ann Cea 1 st Phyllis Sadoff 1 st Romona Elden
Jona Hinriksson Leslie Patterson Lenore Conenello Beth Spencer
Ana Mandragouras Sara Ogg Gail Browne Susan Limpinsel
Margee Conroy Mary Rollins Tracy Grafton Patricia Richards
PM Wave
Flight 1 Flight 2 Flight 3 Flight 4
1 st Janice Iannuzzi Shirley Osburn Mike Burton Marc Lasky
Sheri Racster Barbara Code Howard Corr Mac Mackie
Gwen Braun Jean Ottalagana Dave Bonadio Otto Ottalagana
Cathy Sloan Mary Mackie Mike Harris TJ Vaughn
Match Play Championship
The Riverwood Golf Club Match Play Championship crowned champions in 5 flights this year. Lance
Melik, 2010 & 2011 Club Champion, defeated Ian Dinning 2&1 to win the Scratch division. Frank Vincent
defeated Alex Carnahan 1up in the Blue/White division. Bill Hopper won his first ever Championship
by defeating John Gallatig 7&6. The Gold Flight was won by Gary Thomas over Harry Weightman 2&1.
The ladies Red/Gold Championship was won by Marsha Vincent. Vincent, the current Club Champion
finished second in last year’s event.
4
The Riverwood Heron
April Golf Events
April 1 Men’s Member Guest Final Day AM Shotgun
April 2 Champions Dinner 6:00pm
April 7 Special Guest Day $40.00/guest AM & PM Shotgun
(Guests of your choice no restrictions)
April 11 RMGA Closing Scramble 8:30am Shotgun
April 12 RLGA Closing Scramble 8:30am Shotgun
April 14 Suncoast Humane Society Event 8:30am Shotgun
April 15 Couples Event 1:30pm Shotgun
April 21 Community Christian School Event 8:30am Shotgun

Food and Beverage
Spring has arrived and warmer days are here. Pub nights
are every Tuesday and Thursday night from 5 to 7:30
p.m.! Happy hour drink specials are available from 5
to 7 p.m. followed by Colin’s distinguished Pub Style
menu. Reservations are accepted for members 14
days in advance. Non‐members may fill available slots
7 days in advance. Reservations are strongly encouraged
for Pub Nights, but not required. If applicable, once
the grille room is full, we will utilize a wait list for the next available table.
Call (941)764-6662, option 2 for reservations.
• • • •
April 8 th is Easter, and there will be two Seating’s for our
Holiday Buffet, 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Reservations
are required for this day. Call (941) 764‐6662, option
2 for reservations. Also please remember that breakfast
is served every Saturday and Sunday from 8
a.m. to 12 p.m. and the club offers a lounge menu after
3:30 p.m. daily for your enjoyment.
• • • •
To All of You that are leaving soon; A Special Thank You from your
Grille Room Staff and have a Great Summer!
RLGA Derby Day
The 5 th Annual Derby Day, hosted by the Ladies Golf Association, was held
on February 23 rd . A record field of 78 fillies (ladies) and 26 colts (men) enjoyed
a Wednesday evening pairings party complete with a Derby style hat contest
followed by a great day of golf.
This event pairs three ladies with one of our lower handicap male members.
The 104 participants played a format that had the ladies playing a scramble while
the men played their own ball. The ladies could use the man’s tee shot if needed
and or the man’s score if it was lower than their scramble score. The male players
were blind drawn and paired with the ladies into two flights. Then the teams were
auctioned off to the highest bidder.
1 st Place Sue Hogan 2 nd Place Barb Schulze 3 rd Place Marsha Vincent
Mary Rollins Becky Kreuzberger Sara Ogg
Betsy Bonde Alice Duston Kathy Graham
Peter Fraser Phil Norton John Misiak
Ladies’ Member Guest
The largest field in RLGA Member Guest history was played March 3 rd . The
event had 53 two person teams competing in a 1best ball gross and net event. The
“Riverwood in Paradise” themed event began on Friday afternoon with a practice
round. Members and guests were treated to a Caribbean themed cocktail party and
style show that night.
Saturday began with a light breakfast, followed by 18 holes of golf and lunch.
1 st Flight
1 st Net Susan Harris, Mary Glidden 2 nd Net Sylvia Patfieldv, Kathy Hewett
2 nd Flight
1 st Net Joanne Jones, Carole Robel 2 nd Net Sandy Bethanis, Bev Beaucage
3 rd Flight
1 st Net Tie Judy Taylor, Penny Wolfe 1 st Net Tie Barbara Bouchard, Brenda Joy
4 th Flight
1 st Net Pat Neverett, Peg Rabideau 2 nd Net Joan Dinning, Marni Pryzbylski
Men’s Brown Jug Tournament
88 players played in the 2 day RMGA Brown Jug Tournament this year. The 2
day event began with a pizza and pairings party Tuesday night. The first day the
teams played a 4 person scramble followed by a 2 best balls of 4 the second day.
1 st Place Brad Rogers, Vic Renna, Lars Carlson, Kevin Gillespie
2 nd Place Ken Mann, Larry Lancette, Sal Lopriore, Gary Rutherford
5
The Riverwood Heron
Turf Talk
Summer seems to have arrived early this year. Temperatures were much
higher than normal during the month of March and they are here to stay. As
the seasons change from winter to spring/summer so do the grasses. During
March, the above average temperatures, gusty winds and lack of rainfall all
combined to help start our annual “transition” from overseed back to warm
season Bermuda grass a little earlier than normal. Over the next few weeks as
temperatures continue to rise we will begin to see less and less of the overseed.
During this time we will be applying fertilizer to insure that the Bermudagrass
is healthy and looking good for the summer season.
Greens Aerification Dates:
• June 5th • July 17th • August 28th
Water Conservation
As we head into the dry season we all need to do our part to conserve
water. Remember we are still under water restrictions, not severe, but
moderate restrictions that should be followed. Here is a bit of information
taken from the Southwest Florida Water Management District web site. You
can visit the site yourself at http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/ to keep up on the
latest water restrictions for our area.
Phase I Water Shortage Restrictions
Lawn Watering Schedule and Times
• Lawn watering is limited to twice per week
• Lawn watering days and times are as follows unless your city or county has
different schedule or stricter hours in effect:
o Even addresses may water on Thursday and/or Sunday before 10 a.m.
or after 4 p.m.
o Odd addresses may water on Wednesday and/or Saturday before 10
a.m.or after 4 p.m.
o Locations without a discernable address, such as rights-of-way and
other common areas inside a subdivision, may water on Tuesday and/or
Friday before 10 a.m. or after 4 p.m.
Irrigation Systems
• Under Phase I, residents are asked to check their irrigation systems to
ensure they are working properly. This means testing and repairing broken
pipes and leaks, and damaged or tilted sprinkler heads.
• Residents should also check their irrigation timer to ensure the settings are
correct and the rain sensor is working properly in accordance with state.
Landscape Watering Schedule and Times
• Hand watering and micro-irrigation of plants (other than lawns) can be
done on any day and at any time.
New Lawns and Plants
• New lawns and plants have a 30-30 establishment period, which allows
any-day watering during the first 30 days.
• During the second 30 days, watering is allowed three days per week: evennumbered
addresses may water on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday; oddnumbered
addresses may water Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Hole in Ones
Since the last newsletter we have had 6 hole in ones, more than doubling our
total for the year.
Chuck Sanders Hole #13 139 yards 6 Iron 2/10/2012
Johanna Campagne Hole #16 108 yards 7 Wood 2/25/2012
John Godfrey Hole #13 136 yards 9 Iron 2/26/2012
Sal Presenzano Hole #13 128 yards 6 Iron 3/2/2012
Judy Taylor Hole #7 122 yards 5 Wood 3/3/2012
Anne Cea Hole #5 100 yards 8 Iron 3/11/2012
That’s the second hole in one this year for the Judy Taylor/Bill Murphy home.
Anne Cea made hers during the pressure packed Club Championship.

941-743-9663
Talk to me about Golf Cart Insurance.
Did you know that you can get a policy
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your needs and your driving preference.
HITT TEAM AGENCY
(941) 627-9899
1225 Tamiami Trail Ste A1
Port Charlotte
JIMHITT@allstate.com
Average monthly premium based on Florida customer data for policies written in 2008.
Actual premium will vary based on amount of insurance purchased and other factors.
Insurance subject to terms, conditions and availability. Allstate Property and Casualty
Insurance Company: Northbrook, IL © 2009 Allstate Insurance Company
To advertise in The Riverwood Heron,
contact Cheryl at 941-764-6663 Ext. 222
or email riverwoodactivities@comcast.net
RIVERWOOD REALTY
Mark Fanstill (Rental Coordinator), Jan Fanstill (Agent), Anne Fowler (Agent),
Anita Baltierra (Broker/Owner), Debbie Venezia (Agent), Gina Iacone (Broker Associate), Greg Fabos (Agent)
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RIVERWOOD
Riverwood Golf Club
4250 Riverwood Drive
Port Charlotte, FL 33953
530 Rusty Marshall Drive
Englewood, FL 94243
(941) 473-3800
Brian’s Cell 941-276-0558
State Cert. CPC# 1457537
PRSRT STD
US Postage
Paid
Permit # 7926
Atlanta GA
SERIOUS ABOUT
SUSTAINABILITY. Home Inspection/Home Watch