President’s Corner – February 2023 – Love Where You Live

“Love is in the air”… Does anyone else have Tom Jones singing in their head when they hear this? No? Just me? Cool, moving on. 🙂 

A few years ago, I met an awesome author who lives in Florida and writes about creating community and special places, Peter Kageyama. One book of his in particular, Love Where You Live: Creating Emotionally Engaging Places is a primer for creating those special places and spaces that make you really embrace and love your community. He says, “love of place matters”, and it really does. For a while now, my Community Management team has been brainstorming about what we can do to contribute to this “love of place” and start creating special places right here in Viera.

We have landed on our first project and will be working on this space at the February 25th Campout event at North Solerno Park. At that time, we will reveal “Ana’s Garden”, which is a decorated rock garden at the gazebo located adjacent to the tennis courts. Ana was Andrew Duda’s only daughter and eldest child. She is a part of Viera’s history and legacy so it makes perfect sense that we would start with a project in her honor. Her brothers, the Three Seniors, often get all the glory when it comes to company history so we wanted to recognize her contributions.

With this rock garden, we hope the community will help grow our “garden” by contributing their painted rock art and leave it in Ana’s Garden for all to enjoy. If you find one that speaks to you, you can take a rock and make it special for you. Keep it or return it – we will leave that up to you. Finally, share this rock garden and painting activity with your friends and neighbors and help us “grow our garden”. Have get-togethers and “rock parties” to create unique and magical rock art to add to the garden. This garden will grow organically without rules or limits. We just ask that you be respectful of others and the garden and do not leave behind inappropriate words or content. Also, make sure the rocks are placed in the designated area to ensure they do not interfere with mowing or maintenance.

So, until next time, please remember … “The one thing we can never get enough of is love. And the one thing we never give enough is love.” (Henry Miller)

Eva M. Rey, President
Central Viera Community Association, Inc.