The Villages: The ‘Non' Final Frontier

I have a personal connection to this month’s cover story, “Endless Horizon” (p. 52) by Associate Editor Michael Fechter. It has been nearly 12 years since my parents bought their home in The Villages. At first it was their “second” home as they split time between Wisconsin (where they had lived their entire lives) and The Villages. Each year, the time they spent in Florida became longer and longer, until they decided to sell their home up north and make The Villages their permanent residence.

The growth of The Villages during the past 12 years has been nothing short of amazing: developments with home options of all sizes and price points; the beautifully manicured and meticulously maintained parkways; common areas, parks and neighborhoods; the building of downtown squares, neighborhood recreation centers, golf courses, restaurants, shopping complexes and health care facilities — the list goes on and on.

The feeling of belonging, safety and security that The Villages provides my parents and so many others is quite remarkable. The options for personal involvement are truly endless: clubs and activity centers; health care and fitness activities; churches, music groups, theaters; continuing education programs, community watch groups, sports teams, travel adventures and so many others.

As I look at the quality of life that The Villages has offered to my parents (both turning 82 this year), there is no question of the impact the community’s lifestyle has had on their overall health and wellness. I joke with my parents that their weekly calendar filled with activities and events is busier than mine. My siblings and I have seen the positive results The Villages lifestyle has had on my parents, so much so that my sister and her husband, who are in their late 50s and nearing early retirement, purchased land in The Villages a few years ago and built their dream home there. Others in our family also are considering future home purchases there too.

In my estimation, The Villages have gotten it right. As the development has grown and continues to invest in the community and region, they are being conscientious to make sure they don’t lose what has made the place special while continuing to grow and enhance it.

Additional editorial features you will not want to miss in this issue:

• Cardiac Care (p. 12), in which FLORIDA TREND'S editorial team shines a light on screenings of student athletes and at-risk mothers, and looks at advancements in surgical treatments and stem cell research.
• Artificial Intelligence (p. 64), which explores the impact AI is having across various business sectors.
• Part II of our special Legislature 2024 Preview: Florida’s Childcare Crisis (p. 76), which examines the rising costs and shortages of high-quality childcare for moderate-income, working families and potential legislative fixes.
• Climate, Sustainability & Energy (p. 82), highlighting the work of University of Miami researchers who are creating artificial reefs to help Florida’s coastlines become more sustainable.
• Leadership Insights (p. 91), featuring executives from some of Florida’s top associations who share their vision for success.

I hope you enjoy the full scope of our February issue.

— David G. Denor, Publisher ddenor@floridatrend.com

Tags: Publisher's column