The Southbridge Board of Directors continues to upgrade the community and enhance property values. Residents from other communities in Pelican Landing regularly walk through Southbridge, admiring the landscaping and creek area and requesting information re: landscapers, roofers and paving contractors to enhance their own communities.

Local realtor Ken Hoover, commented, "I enthusiastically bring buyers to look at Southbridge listings because they offer very spacious floor plans, large lanais with great views, attractive new paver driveways and walkways, new roofs, wonderful landscaping, the largest pool in Pelican Landing and a very welcome and friendly atmosphere."

• Restoration, painting and re-installation of the stop signs at the intersections within the community has been completed. 
• The canary palms on the bridge received a vitamin nutrient drench; the bridge does not have enough soil to feed the palms naturally, so they need a boost occasionally to keep them thriving.
• Unusually strong storms and heavy rains have hindered the removal of the trees as scheduled, but they will be taken out as soon as possible. A powder puff tree near the pool house was struck by lightening, and will be replaced.
• Custom bookshelves have been ordered for the library.

• Pelican Landing Board of Directors approved the installation of additional security fencing by the perimeter of Southbridge along Burnt Pine Drive and along the sidewalk bordering Banbridge Court. The Southbridge BOD has ordered a survey of the area to determine where the fence can be located; additional shrubbery will be installed to disguise the fence and to add to a sound barrier.
• Cameras and keycard fob hardware will be installed at the pool on Thursday and Friday, Sept 10-11, but will not be activated until later in the month. At a special meeting, the Southbridge attorney upheld the board's decision to install the safety features. Recently, the large front gates at the pool house were wrenched open in an apparent effort to steal the grill; the gates were repaired. Pelican Landing Privacy was notified. Camera surveillance signs will be posted. The next Southbridge newsletter will have more information about safety and security at the pool, including the distribution of entry fobs to residents.

Ginny Gilmore, Southbridge resident, and co-author Duane Trammell's book, Wisdom from the Woods, receives five stars from reviewers on Amazon.

Twenty-five years ago, when dealing with wrenching personal challenges, Ginny rented a cabin in Door County, Wisconsin, to provide solitude for reflection. During her two-months of autumn isolation, she documented the steps she went through in accepting the changes in her life, in a journal she later named the "Healing Journey."

Years later, Duane, an educator and leadership developer specialist from Dallas, was going through his own personal crisis, and used the "Healing Journey" to help him deal with the changes.

Now they have collaborated to write Wisdom from the Woods about "Navigating Life's Unexpected Challenges." Ginny and Duane have distilled their experiences into twenty practices that helped them. Three other contributors explain how these steps in self-revelation enabled them to change their lives.

To find out more about the book and the authors, visit Ginny and Duane's Website. To purchase the book, go to Amazon.com. 

Southbridge continually demonstrates its community spirit. The Board thanks the residents who provide the sanitizing spray for the pool chairs and tables, water the plants in the containers, maintain the library, keep the kitchen clean, remove the recycling and trash, and generally keep watch over the community.

The Social Committee looks forward to planning 2020-2021 events when social distancing is no longer necessary!

The Long-Range Landscaping Committee looks forward to sharing JRL's vision for even more beautiful surroundings. 

Like the gator in the last issue, a giant blue heron is strolling the creek ... and wondering what happened to the BOYE (Bring Your Own Everything) Happy Hour nights from April-June!