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| New Neighbors |
Today's Tips |
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 Welcome Home!
The neighborhood would like the opportunity to get to know you and welcome you to your new community. If you are a new resident or know of someone who has just moved into the community, the neighborhood would love to hear about it!
Please take a moment to share your information with the residents of your new community. |
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Hal and Barbara Cosgrove
Barbara and Hal Cosgrove enjoyed their M-block second home at the Lake so much when their kids were growing up that they decided to do it again--this time with grown children and grandchildren in mind. Hal says, 'Barb told them if they ever came back to Kansas City, we'd get a place at the Lake. That's not what got them back here but it certainly didn't hurt.'
The Cosgroves bought their G-block property in October of last year. A busy Mission Hills couple, they enjoy relaxation at the Lake nearly every weekend and that's year around. They agree that Christmas 04 was one of the best the family ever had-- and they celebrated it here.
Hal is chief pilot for a real estate and life insurance holding company. Barbara maufactures 'high-end lamps which are distributed all over the United States.' The lamps have been featured on the cover of the Neiman-Marcus catalog and by the Kansas City Star and are carried by Halls. They also are visible on the TV show 'The Apprentice.'
Besides enjoying time with their family at the Lake, Hal is enjoying learning to race his C Scow, MO 101. He appreciates the helpfulness of long-time sailors. 'I'm overwhelmed with how helpful people are,' Hal comments. Both have 'been skiing since we were little and are switching over to wakeboards.' Their three-year-old grandson loves fishing at the Lake.
Things have changed since the Cosgroves had their first place here. 'There are more politics out here now. When we were here before, doing an improvement was nothing. We used to call it Lake Lot-a-work-a. Now it's Lake Lot-a-rule-a.' Both feel it is a prettier place now and in the long run the rules are for the good of the community--even if getting their sailboat lift was a hassle.
There are a lot of people they remember from the past. They have joined the Missouri Yacht Club. They love their house and the fact that the lake is private. Barb says, 'There are lots of friendly people. We have great neighbors.'
Welcome to Hal and Barbara and their family!
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Joan and Doug Carlson
Joan and Doug Carlson liked their lake cabin and the atmosphere here so much that they had Greg Smetanka build a larger place. The Carlsons became full-time S-block residents in April. Even with commuting through the Grandview triangle and the abundance of rules for lake living, they are still happy with their decision.
They have 'started to sail. We're excited about that. We just joined the Yacht Club,' comments Doug. They also enjoy swimming, canoeing and tennis. Being here during the week is a treat for them. Joan says, 'It's like we're on vacation all the time.' They also both mention the peacefulness that the Lake provides.
'We have great neighbors and that's really neat,' says Doug. The Carlsons like having a place where people can gather. They have two adult children--Amy Marin, who lives with her husband, Antonio, in the Waldo area of KC, and Sarah, who lives in Minneapolis and is marrying next spring.
Joan is an R.N. for Odyssey Hospice and Doug works as a manufacturer's rep for C & O Electrical Sales Co. Welcome full-timers!
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The Clemow family
Janie and Jeff Clemow and their children Sara 26, Drake, 13, and Logan, 11, have been Lake lovers since 4th of July, 2004 when they began their new lifestyle in their T-block home. Residents of Overland Park, they look forward to the day they can call Lotawana home full time. In the meantime they appreciate the short drive.
The Clemow family bought a boat the year before they purchased in T-block. Janie says, 'I hated trailering the boat and packing up all the gear. We also tried a couple of camping trips.' On one of these trips they experienced wind, cold and a tornado. Since Janie drives 1,000 miles a week in her job traveling five states as a sales representative for Hanna Steel Corporation, she wasn't interested in driving to Lake of the Ozarks. Jeff works for Sprint and coaches soccer, so he loves the short drive and not having to haul the boat from one lake to another.
So the family chose Lotawana where they love to ski and tube as well as kayak. When they started looking for a lake house, they were unfamiliar with the Lake and Janie says, 'Peggy Rudder was our real estate agent. We were so pleased that we used someone familiar with the Lake so we had no surprises. She informed us of all the rules and regulations.' The Clemows have no problem with the rules and regulations, which make the lake safer for all.
They converted the master bedroom, which had formerly been a double car garage, into a bunkhouse for the kids. Now the boys can have friends out, which they frequently do. Both boys are active in soccer and Janie says, 'We can do a couple of soccer games and head straight for the Lake. They can still be involved in their normal activities. The lake is so peaceful and relaxing. When we walk out the door (i.e. in Overland Park), we're instantly on vacation. We love having friends to our vacation spot and the boys love the water.' They quickly learned that “T-Block ROCKS” and have met some great neighbors.
Welcome Clemows!
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| The Valmassei family
Amy and Scott Valmassei and their children, Daniel and Annica, moved to their H-block home in May. They are no strangers to the Lake, however, as Amy Chinnery-Valmassei grew up here and says, 'We've spent the last 12 years getting ready to live at the Lake. We have all the water toys!'
The couple has been impressed with the greeting they have received. And, even though they have been here just a bit over two months, they already are involved in lots of Lake activities. Six and ˝ year- old Daniel did Optimist sailing and took swim lessons at the Van Hook pool. Two and ˝ year-old Annica was a VanHook pool baby. Daniel is enrolled as a first grader at Mason School. Amy crews on a C-scow and sails with the Socials. The whole family is in the ski club. “We've been able to meet people who have kids our age. That's been a great way to meet other families,' says Amy. Scott enjoys 'everything' about the Lake including 'water skiing, fishing, canoeing, the whole atmosphere, the friendliness of everybody at the Lake.' A surprise for him was the ease of transition of having two young kids and moving. 'The Lake is full of so many families and kids that the kids haven't mentioned where we used to live once. It shows how much the Lake has to offer. And for us, as parents, we enjoy the Yacht Club, float boat parties, sailing, and racing.'
They came to Lotawana from Troy, Michigan to be close to family. Much of the Chinnery family is in the Kansas City area. Being close to the grandparents was the primary motivation for moving across the country. Daniel and Annica love spending time with Papa Carl, Jean, Zizi, and Uncle Ben. Further, the lake family has offered a warm welcome to the family. Amy says, 'It certainly has been a wonderful welcome back from everyone I knew previously. Everyone is gracious, welcoming, friendly and helpful.'
One of the primary changes Amy has noticed is the increase in rules. 'There are a lot of rules. I'm definitely noticing that. I don't remember so many from growing up. It was a lot of work in the first month making everything compliant. It was stressful to get everything right-and a lot of work.' Still, they love the community and all it offers.
Scott is in laboratory service sales for Viracor in Lee's Summit. Amy is a full-time stay-at-home-mom and independent beauty consultant for Mary Kay.
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| The Miller family
The Millers, Mike, Shelly, Joshua, Olivia and Zachary, are part time residents at the Lake. They currently reside in Overland Park. Prior to living in Kansas, the Millers lived in Southern California for 10 years.
Mike is a Regional Sales Director for the San Francisco based Biotechnology company, Genentech, Inc. He travels extensively but sees the Lake as a quiet respite and getaway from the airports. Shelly's job is tougher yet in that she works at home with the Miller children.
Shelly's dad and wife, Jack and Helen Hardgree, have been long time summer residents of the Lake. After many years of visiting and enjoying all that the Lake has to offer, it was an easy decision to begin looking for property.
We want our kids to experience all of the wonderful learning and growth that comes from being around the Lake. We believe being around water helps build confidence and responsibility even at an early age. Kids learn rules fast! Especially if they want to swim, fish, or be near the Lake and not in the house!
Joshua, 6, is learning how to fish. He's already caught plenty of blue gill, catfish, sun perch, and a bass! One of them was so big it pulled him off the seawall and into the Lake (at least that's his story and he's stickin' to it!) Olivia, 4, is enjoying the worms and petting the fish more than the fishing. She has met enough new friends to declare that she wants to, 'live here all the time!' Zachary loves the pontoon 'catnaps' that come with a boat ride. They all love to have the occasional baby sitter so mom and dad can sneak away for a boat ride to the Marina for dinner! All 3-kid eligible baby sitters drop a note in our mailbox!
We plan on doing a lot of fishing and boating over the next few years. The Miller fleet even includes a kayak! We really enjoy having friends and family come to visit. As the kids get older we'll get them involved in other activities as well.
We have been pleasantly surprised by the number of young children that live near us (both full and part-time residents). Everyone is so nice and easy to get to know. Our full time neighbors really watch out for our house and boats. They also tell us a lot about what is happening in the community that we need to know.
We have been here long enough to have a 'least enjoyed' issue. The rules are a little tough but we believe those serve a purpose. One surprise has been all of the development that has taken place around the Lake and other cities. We love the options as long as the Lake is protected so we and our children can enjoy the Lake for a long, long time to come.
While we are part-time residents now, we cannot rule out enjoying the Lake Life to a point of becoming full-time residents. There is already one 'Yes' vote in the family!
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The Marshall family
The Marshall family moved from Blue Springs to their X-block home in July. They are full-time residents. Renee says, 'We had always liked the Lake. We started looking in May and kept looking until we found something we loved.' Renee is a teacher at Valley View High School, Blue Springs' alternative school for kids at risk of dropping out. Husband Kenny is a painting contractor and musician with the Al Fitzmorris Band.
Alex Marshall is a freshman at M.U. and Andrew is in 8th grade at Campbell.
Other than the mole in the yard and the inconvenience of Colbern Road construction, the family is loving Lake life. 'Being right on the water is so relaxing. You look out on the water and it's so beautiful!' says Renee. They enjoy the sense of community and appreciate the friendliness and helpfulness of Lotawanians.
Their love of the water extends to skiing and wakeboarding. The Marshalls are looking forward to learning to sail next season.
Welcome Marshalls!
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Burton and April Freeman
To say that April and Burton Freeman are happy with their move to Lotawana would be an understatement. The L-block residents have lived all over the country, most recently in Hershey, Pennsylvania. They lived in a downtown KC loft for a year before settling into their Lake home in late October. They have lived on water before and both are avid water skiers. Burton is competition level and accomplished in barefoot. They look forward to helping teach Lotawana's kids.
Burt is the General Manager for Zegera Pasta Co. in Lee's Summit. April is involved in renovating their home and redoing the landscaping. They eagerly anticipate visits from their four grown children, all avid water skiers and wake boarders, and two grandchildren. Their three-year old grandchild has already 'skied on the front of Granddad's skis,' says April
April and Burt are impressed with the community. 'We hope to sail and join the Yacht Club. We enjoyed meeting vibrant, active people of all ages. We like the sense of community and the excitement. We have been away from that for so long.'
Fifteen years on the east coast has given them a heightened appreciation for the people here. 'People are extremely helpful. There is such vibrancy. We enjoy the beauty of the area and the magnificent landscapes.'
With a degree in Fine Arts and a background in art including pottery, April looks forward to meeting other artists in the community. She intends to join the Book Club also. Both are private pilots and have a six-person plane. In addition, April belongs to a club that flies smaller planes.
Welcome to these new full-time residents!
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Cullun and Leanne Culp
Cullun and Leanne Culp would like to introduce themselves to the Lotawana community. They have moved to 41 I from Parkville. Recently the couple returned from a 2.5 year work assignment in London, England with Cerner Corporation of Kansas City. This gave them an opportunity to travel around Europe and a few places outside, plus working and socializing with different nationalities.
Cullun has a bachelor's degree in Computer Information Systems and German from Missouri State University and an MBA in International Management and Entrepreneurship from University of Missouri. He is a Software Architect for Cerner. Cullun is getting his Realtor's license and owns 8 rental units in the Northland.
Leanne has a bachelor's degree in Management Information Systems from Iowa State University and is a Massage Therapist. She is a System Engineer at Cerner. She is looking forward to joining the gardening club amongst other community activities.
They have several projects around the house and keep their website (fairly) up to date with travels and happenings, www.OurLifeInProgress.com. We look forward to meeting you.
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| New Neighbors
The McDonalds, Hilton and Kathy are new owners of 5 E. They moved here from Tulsa, OK area. Daniel 13, is in the 8th grade and is a soccer player, Kate is 19, is attending college at Oklahoma State as a freshman, Lea 22, a freshman in medical school at Virginia Tech, married Chad (Just graduating from OK state this December) this summer.
They love watersking, wakeboarding and barefooting are very excited about living at Lake Lotawana!
kathymc58@yahoo.com 816-774-9833
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Meet Your New Neighbors
The McDonald family moved into their E-block home from Claremore, Oklahoma, in November 2006. A “skiing family,' they look forward to becoming involved with Ski Club next season.
Kathy says, 'We love to water ski. We have always wanted to live near or on a lake. We also wanted to be near Lee's Summit because we heard how good the school system is.'
Hilton is an ENT surgeon who joined a practice in Warrensburg. Kathy is a 'stay-at-home Mom.' Two of the McDonald children are away from home--daughter Lea and her husband, Chad, live in Virginia where Lea is in her first year of med school at Virginia Tech. Kate is a freshman at Oklahoma State in Stillwater. And 13-year-old Daniel is in 8th grade at Campbell.
The family has been enjoying the peace and quiet of the Lake and the friendliness of their neighbors. The only surprise so far is that 'it's a lot colder than where we came from although Oklahoma is getting winter weather now also.' They are loving their home and looking forward to spring and summer while enjoying the serenity of the quiet season.
Welcome to the McDonald family!
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Nick Calkins
Nick Calkins, co-owner of the Canoe Club at Gate 2, is now an official lake rat with the purchase of his N block home in February. Nick and his parents are all excited about the summer possibilities.
Nick says, 'I shopped around for awhile. This house was a surprise because it came on and we saw it before it was even advertised or on line.' We laughed about the 10-year-old house being quite new in Lotawana terms.
Nick works lots of hours at the restaurant so he is looking forward to his time at home. 'I am looking forward to having a dock and getting a boat. Doing some fishing and just hanging out. Having people over and grilling.'
The Canoe Club co-owner said that owning a home was exciting. 'I am so excited to be a homeowner in the community. I feel more tied in now. My parents are excited about coming out to the lake.'
A Missouri native, Nick graduated from Oak Park High School and CMSU in Warrensburg. He met his future business partner, Andy Manz, while at CMSU. Nick worked in the restaurant and bar industry prior to opening the Canoe Club with Andy.
Congratulations on your new home, Nick!
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| Family new to the neighborhood
Hello,, our family moved into 45 T, in mid Oct.
We haven't seen many kids in our area, but don't know if they are indoors, since the weather has been getting cooler. Our son is 12 & our daughter is 10. They are the last bus stop on & the first bus stop off, so they don't know where other kids are located. Hope to meet you in the future, The Harvey Family
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| New to T Block
My wife Jennifer and daughter Sedona recently moved into 120 T St. We will be living there full time and look forward to getting to know getting involved in the community.
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| We are moving from Charlotte, NC to 69L on November 19.
We are excited to become part of the Lotawana community!
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Welcome to the Harvey Family
The Harvey family moved into their T-block home in October. They are looking forward to nicer weather when they can be outdoors and the kids can meet new friends.
Formerly Excelsior Springs residents, Leo commuted an hour each way to his job at Signature One Mortgage. Being closer to work and family as well as being in a top notch school district were all reasons behind the Harvey's relocation.
Jennifer is on the wait list for the nursing program at MCC. Thirteen-year-old Alex and 10-year-old Julia both attend Mason School.
Jennifer grew up around lakes with her folks place at Lake of the Ozarks and a friend's place at Waukomis. The entire family loves to fish.
The Harveys are looking forward to meeting new friends to add to the kids who already have found their home to be a welcoming place.
Welcome Jennifer, Leo, Alex and Julia Harvey!
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| Paul E Walnuts
I just love living at the lake and we have met some great people, people like Shawn Morse. He is really a great guy and has shown us all of the lake traditions. We moved in C-42 and have a great time at the Marina, Lakehouse and Canoe Club.
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Zane, Dana and Haley Russell
Words cannot express how happy we are to be living back at Lake Lotawana.
Originally lived at C22 in 1986 and sold it in 1993. Our daughter, Haley, was
born in 1991. My husband’s job took him (and us) to Bentonville, AR, Chapel
Hill, NC, Columbia, SC, Big Canoe, GA (45 min. North of Atlanta) and back
to Lee’s Summit in 1997. We weren’t able to find a property at Lake Lotawana
at the time so we settled down in Lakewood where Haley attended Hazel Grove
Elementary, Bernard Campbell Middle School and Lee’s Summit North. She
will begin her Junior year at LSN next week. I had forgotten how fabulous a full
moon sparkling on the water can be, or sail boats silently drifting by in the early
morning.
As a good friend and long time resident of the lake said to us, “Welcome Home.”
We are home and so glad to be here.
Zane, Dana and Haley Russell M6
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New Neighbor
Just moved to Lotawana and my son and I love it. Thanks for all the hospitality. Looking forward to being on the lake this fall and winter.
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