S OA R
SANDESTIN OWNERS ASSOCIATION REPORTER
May 2015
Fishing Rodeo 2014
SOA 2015 Board
of Directors
Dave Stowe, President
Roger Ganger, Vice-president
Robert Kamm, Secretary
Rusty Decker, Treasurer
Ralph Abraham, Director
Mark Hodgdon, Director
Bev Norment, Director
Hollis Risley, Director
Kitty Whitney, Director
2nd Shift Security Goes Above &
Beyond
We would like to recognize SOA 2nd
Shift Security staff for a job well done!
On the evening of April 16th, while
working the north gate, Corporal Gunn
noticed something didn’t seem right
with the manner in which a vehicle was
approaching the gate. As the vehicle
got closer to the gate, it hesitated,
and then began rolling forward. As it
passed, Cpl Gunn realized the driver
was unconscious. Cpl Gunn and Lt
Freeman chased the car on foot and were
able to gain access through the window
to stop it before hitting the north gate
fountain. The driver was pulled out of
the car and the officer’s immediately
began CPR. In the mean time, Officer
Macedo, Security Dispatcher, had
contacted 911 and the ambulance was
shortly in route. The Security officers,
along with the assistance of two doctors
that were coming through the gate
during the incident, performed CPR
until paramedics arrived. When the
driver was transported to the hospital,
he was alert and awake. Additional staff
members stepped in to work the gate and
direct traffic through the area to avoid
interference with the first responders.
Assistant Director of Security Robert
Booker was also on site and was amazed
at the seamless team reaction from all
officers involved. When telling the story,
he is almost left speechless as he tries to
describe how each staff member reacted
swiftly without questioning what needed
to be done. Shortly after the incident, the
South Walton Fire Department contacted
Asst. Director Booker and wanted to
express how impressed they were with
the “above and beyond” assistance from
SOA Security.
Great job to all involved on 2nd shift
for keeping calm, reacting quickly,
and demonstrating teamwork when it
mattered most.
What’s Inside
Page 2
• 15th Annual Bill Dowdle Fishing
Rodeo
• Happy Anniversary Victor Malabet
•Page 3
• SOA Employee of the Quarter
2015
• Memorial Day Ceremony
• Chief’s Corner
Corporal Connor Gunn, Security Officer Steven Reed, Asst. Director of Security
Robert Booker, Dispatcher Chris Macedo, Lieutenant Brian Freeman
15th Annual Bill Dowdle Fishing Rodeo
Ready – Set – Fish! Come join us for the 15th annual Bill Dowdle Fishing Rodeo scheduled for
Saturday, May 23rd at the lake on Audubon Drive.
The SOA provides the fishing poles, worms, a freshly stocked lake, and volunteers to help with
baiting, unhooking, and golf cart rides to weigh in your catch! The event is free and open to
children, grandchildren, and other family members under age 12 of all owners, guest of owners,
and employees of the Sandestin Owners Association or Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort.
Registration begins at 8:00 a.m.; lines will drop at 9:00 and the kids will fish until 10:00. Prizes will be awarded immediately
following the event in each age group for most fish, largest fish, and many other categories. Mark your calendar now and come join
the excitement!
Last year the event moved to this new location on Audubon Drive. This area allows for a safer environment for the kids and
improved parking as well as more space for the kids to fish! Please see the map on the back of this newsletter if you are not familiar
with this new location.
2014 Rodeo Fun!
Happy Anniversary Victor Malabet
We would like to congratulate Victor Malabet as he
celebrated 30 years with the Sandestin Owners Association
on April 14, 2015. Victor began working for Sandestin in
1985 with the Security Department. Victor has worn many
hats during his tenure, assisting in security as traffic officer
and working as beach security when needed. Most of our
members know Victor as the Architectural Review Board
Compliance Officer, cruising the streets and keeping the
contractors in line as the community continues to grow. He
has watched the Association and the Community develop
over the years, with many memories of great times and
of course challenges along the way. Victor’s historical
knowledge is invaluable and we appreciate his dedication to
the Association. Congratulations Victor and thank you for
your many years of service.
p2
Victor Malabet presented with Award from Tom Cooper
SOA Employee of the Quarter 2015
Please join us in congratulating Mae Harless, ARB Administrator, as the SOA
Employee of the Quarter for the first quarter of 2015! After reviewing nominations
for five employees, Executive Director Tom Cooper chose Mae for this award due to her great
initiative and pride in the ARB Administrator position.
Mae Harless
ARB Administrator
Mae joined the SOA in April 2014 and quickly learned the ever evolving schedule of
the ARB department. Her excellent organizational skills have enabled her to keep the
department moving forward without skipping a beat! Positive comments regarding the
department’s improvements in efficiency are received on a regular basis by all customers she
comes in contact with – coworkers, committee members, owners, and contractors. Mae is a
classic example of taking something from good to great and has proven to be an asset to the
SOA!
Congratulations Mae – keep up the good work!
Memorial Day Ceremony
The SOA and the Village of Baytowne Wharf will host a
Memorial Day Ceremony on Monday, May 25th at 7:00 pm
in the Village Events Plaza.
Please join us as we welcome guest speaker Lt. Col. Jason
Fick, Commander 1st Special Operations Communications
Squadron, Hurlburt Field. Other participants include local
CHIEF’S
CORNER
community organizations such as the Walton High School
JROTC Cadets, Walton County Sheriff’s Department Honor
Guard, and members from the Ft. Walton Beach High School
Viking Band.
The ceremony will begin promptly at 7 pm. Limited seating
will be provided, so please bring a lawn chair if available. We
hope you will join us as we honor the many service men and
women that lost their lives while serving our country.
ADDRESSING: WHAT’S
YOUR NUMBER?
As you travel throughout the community you may notice
that the addressing is a little different than most. Rather than
house numbers being odd on one side of the road and even
on the other, the numbering is sequential down each side.
This unique addressing can be a challenge for not only guests
that aren’t familiar with this system but more importantly for
emergency responders!
The SOA ARB Guidelines require that address identification
be in compliance with the Walton County Ordinance. Here
are some items to pay attention to:
• Address identification should be plainly visible from the
middle of the street and be no less than 3” in height.
• If your home is more than 50’ from the edge of the road,
be sure your house number is placed at the property
line or access drive.
• If your house number is on a placard in your yard, make
sure it includes landscape lighting to ensure it is
visible at night.
• House numbers located by the front door are convenient;
however, be sure it is lit, faces the roadway, and is not
obstructed by landscaping.
• If your house numbers are on a lit exterior light,
make sure the bulb works and the light is on at night.
• House numbers above the garage should be in a
contrasting color to the home and lit at night.
• If your home has a screened front porch, please be
sure the numbering is outside of the screen enclosure.
Often times the support beam blocks the numbers
from being visible from the street.
Security staff is currently working on a campaign to contact
owners who are not in compliance in order to correct this
issue. We appreciate your assistance with ensuring this
important safety measure is “addressed”!
Traffic Volume Stats as of
April 30th 2014 vs 2015
North Gate: 435,955 vs 428,672
South Gate: 326,871 vs 329,145
East Gate: 336,504 vs 354,872
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PRST STD
U.S. Postage
PAID
Permit #126
Ft. Walton BCH, FL
185 Grand Blvd.
Sandestin FL 32550
(850) 424-5950
Visit us on line at
www.sandestinowners.com
15th Annual Bill Dowdle Fishing Rodeo – May 23rd, 8:00 a.m.
A
Sandestin Golf