Good Monday morning! We're kicking off the week with a new poll about something a lot of you can probably relate to, an open house in one of The Villages' newer communities, and a free outdoor escape that's practically in your backyard. Plus — Battle of the Bands voting starts TODAY. 🎸

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On This Day in 1959 — The first Grammy Awards were held, honoring the best music of the year. Best Record went to Domenico Modugno's Volare. Frank Sinatra didn't win a thing. He was not pleased. 😄

— Kevin Rogers, Publisher

Poll of The Week

Ten years ago, how many of your neighbors did you actually know? How many standing plans did you have every week? How many clubs, courts, or happy hours were on your calendar? For a lot of us, the answer was: not many. Life was busy in a different way.

Something changes when you get here. So this week's question is a simple one — but the answers might surprise you:

🏡 Open House of The Week

Built in 2022 and loaded with upgrades, this Alder model in the Village of DeLuna sits right on the Marsh Bend trail — and it's ready to impress at $389,000.

💲 $389,000 | Open House 📆 Monday, May 4 | ⏰ 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM
📍 4290 Collerette Ct, Village of DeLuna | 📐 1,539 sq ft

Why it stands out:
🏡 Under-air Florida room — perfect den, media room, or home office
🍳 Chef's kitchen with quartz counters, gas cooking & oversized island
🌿 Screened lanai & extended paver patio overlooking the Marsh Bend trail
🚿 Spa-style primary bath with walk-in tiled shower & dual sinks
💧 Nova whole-house water filtration + surge protection already installed
🎯 Close to DeLuna pool, Brownwood, and new Eastport Town Square

Nearly new construction with all the hard decisions already made — just move in and start living. At $389,000, this is one of the cleanest 2022 builds you'll find in the newer Villages neighborhoods.

🌿 Villages Walk of the Week

Lake Okahumpka Park, Wildwood

This one's practically in your backyard — and most Villagers have never been.

📍 6085 E. SR 44, Wildwood — free parking, restrooms on-site.

• Three clearly marked trails with exercise stations along the way - pick your distance and go

• Old Florida interior with natural plants and ecosystem intact — not manicured, not crowded, just real

• Boat ramp, fishing dock, and a restored pond with a viewing stand

• Dogs welcome on leash 🐕

Pick your walk: 🟢 Short loop — ~1.1 mi, flat, shaded, easy 25-minute stroll 🔵 Main trail — ~1.4 mi, great for birding 🟠 Full explore — mix the trails for up to ~2.5 mi

Free. Easy. 10 minutes away. Go before the heat wins. ☀️

🌴 Villages Pulse Lifestyle

Presented By Life Line Screening - Catch silent risks before they become serious problems — Life Line Screening gives you quick, non-invasive health screenings that can spot issues early, when they’re easiest to treat and most likely to save your life.

🕒 Why You Wake Up at 3am (And What's Actually Causing It)

You fall asleep fine. Then 3am hits and your eyes pop open like someone flipped a switch. Sound familiar? You're not imagining it — and you're definitely not alone.

Here's what's actually happening inside your body:

Your sleep cycle math. Sleep runs in roughly 90-minute cycles. By 3am, most people have completed their deepest sleep stages and are cycling into lighter REM sleep — making wakeups far more likely.

Cortisol starts rising early. Your body begins ramping up cortisol (your wake-up hormone) in the early morning hours — sometimes too aggressively, pulling you out of sleep before you're ready.

Blood sugar dips overnight. If blood sugar drops too low while you sleep, your body releases adrenaline to correct it — and that's a guaranteed wake-up call. A small, balanced snack before bed can help.

Stress and anxiety finish the job. Once you're awake, a racing mind locks you in. Worries, to-do lists, and 3am catastrophizing make it nearly impossible to drift back off.

The fix isn't one-size-fits-all, but understanding the cause is the first step.

📖 Why We Wake at 3am — Sleep Foundation 📖 Cortisol and Sleep — Cleveland Clinic 📖 Blood Sugar & Sleep Disruption — Healthline

Villages Pulse Battle of The Bands

🎸 It's Time to Vote — Villages Battle of the Bands, Round 1!

The bracket is set and the competition starts NOW. We're running 4 head-to-head matchups in the next 4 newsletters to get to the sweet 16 — one poll per matchup, just pick your favorite. Winners advance, losers go home. Four more matchups come Thursday, so check back and keep voting. Let's find out who rules the squares! 👇

Upcoming Events

Want a Featured Event with a poster/image? Reach out.

Shirley’s Senior Texas Holdem Tourney | Oxford Downs | Today | 11:15 am

🎸 Sandra & Alex LeKid | Hotel Eastport | May 5 | 5 - 8 pm | Details

Low Chip Shots Clinic | Legacy | May 6 | 8:30 am | Details

Joaniefit Kickboxing | Sawgrass | May 6 | 10 am | Details

🏌️ Short Game Pitching Clinic | Sarasota | May 7 | 7:30 am | Details

The Mudds | Eastport Sunset Island | May 7 | 9 - 10:30 am |  Details

Lynyrd Skynyrd Tribute Show | Whispering Oaks | May 21 | Details

Have an event you want to announce to 9,950+ local Villagers? Email us the details and a link to [email protected]

Live Music Lowdown

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Thanks!

Thanks for reading! If you found it interesting, forward it to someone who likes to say Okahumpka. It's free, it's fun, and frankly, they'll owe you one. 😉 

P.S. Want to get your business in front of 9,950+ local Villagers? Reach out here.