Cleanup Day Rescheduled to Oct. 7

Due to the heavy rains forecast for this weekend, as well as the number of residents who informed us they would not be able to participate this Saturday due to the Jewish holiday, we are rescheduling the Cleanup Day to OCT. 7.

The International Village Cleanup Day will now take place on Saturday, October 7 from 7:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The first group of volunteers will meet at 7:00 a.m. and the second group will meet at 10:00 a.m.  Just show up at the clubhouse at either time to begin, or look for your neighbors cleaning up and join in.  You may also leave your name and number on the signup sheet at the clubhouse and office any time before Cleanup Day.

Between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., free hot dogs/burgers and refreshments for volunteers will be served in the BBQ area next to the tennis courts courtesy of John Galt Insurance Agency, which will also be sponsoring a RAFFLE for three $25 gift cards.

While tremendous progress has been made since Hurricane Irma left our entire community littered with leaves, branches and debris, we still have a way to go.  So please join your neighbors and roll up your sleeves on Oct. 7 to help make International Village look better than ever!

View the updated flyer HERE.

Cleanup Day this Saturday

As requested by a number of residents at this week’s Board of Directors meeting, International Village will be hosting a Cleanup Day this weekend for the whole community to volunteer and pitch in.

The Cleanup Day will take place this Saturday, September 30 from 7:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The first group will meet at 7:00 a.m. and the second group will meet at 10:00 a.m.  Also, free hot dogs/burgers and drinks courtesy of our insurance agent John Galt Insurance will be served in the BBQ area between 11 am & 1 p.m.!

While tremendous progress has been made since Hurricane Irma left our entire community littered with leaves, branches and debris, we still have a way to go.  So please join your neighbors and roll up your sleeves to help make International Village look better than ever!

Volunteers should meet us at the clubhouse at 7:00 a.m. or 10:00 a.m. If joining us later, just look for your neighbors cleaning up.

Rakes, etc. will be provided by maintenance.

To those unable to join us this weekend due to the Jewish holiday: We will be holding a second Cleanup Day in the near future. Stay tuned!

John Labriola
International Village President

Hurricane Irma update

Due to Hurricane Irma’s widespread impact on cell phone towers, cable lines and Internet service, a number of owners who were not in International Village during the storm have had trouble contacting friends, relatives and office staff over the last few days for news about the hurricane’s impact. During the storm, International Village lost cable, Internet, email and landline phone service (but unlike about 75 percent of Broward residents, most of the community fortunately never lost electricity). Cell phone service was also very spotty for many residents, including myself, for the first couple of days after the storm, and it may remain spotty for some. The office and guardhouse phone lines and the office email server, as well as our property manager’s work cell phone and the rover’s cell phone, have been working sporadically, so if you have any hurricane-related damage or other issues to report and are concerned that your message may not be getting through to the manager, please copy me on the email and I will verify that he got it.

Thank God Hurricane Irma’s impact on International Village was far less than it would have been if the storm had remained on its originally forecast track, but the storm has been our community’s most significant event since Hurricane Wilma, and cleanup and repairs will continue for at least the next few weeks. We also send our thoughts and prayers to all those living in those parts of Florida that were hit hardest as they recover from the devastation.

The biggest impact on International Village was the number of trees and limbs that were downed by the strong winds, which swelled to gusts of over 100 mph. A couple of windows on the lake side of the Heidelberg building were smashed   by   the   limbs   of    an uprooted tree, and several cars were damaged by downed trees or snapped branches.  Several   leaks also have been reported, a number of lamp posts were damaged, and sections of the wooden fences around the clubhouse and next to the resident entrance were toppled. However, a makeshift fence has been put up at the entrance to prevent unauthorized walk-ins. Two elevators are down, but the elevator contractor has been contacted and they should be serviced shortly. Both pools are closed pending maintenance by our pool contractor, but should reopen today or tomorrow. Garbage pickup also has been delayed as the city’s waste collection crews have been diverted to address the large amount of debris on the roads. As for the surrounding Broward community, a large percentage of traffic signals are still out of service and many tree limbs remain on the roads, but signs of normalcy appear to be returning, with more gas stations, stores and businesses beginning to reopen.

A big thank you to our International Village maintenance crew, who got quickly to work the morning after the storm cleaning up the extensive debris, leaves and branches that littered the entire property and clearing trees that were blocking roads and walkways. I would also like to thank our security chief Austin Freeman for keeping an eye on the property throughout the duration of the hurricane, as well as all the owners and residents who heeded the warnings to secure their properties, and especially all those I personally observed chipping in to help after the storm without being asked – whether by raking leaves in front of their buildings or checking in on neighbors and absent owners’ properties. 

 

Hurricane Irma is the biggest test International Village has faced since Wilma, but it has demonstrated that when put to the test, we truly rise to the occasion and come together as neighbors to help each other and show our love for this community we call home. Irma was also a sobering wake-up call, reminding us that even though we went more than 10 years without a hurricane following Wilma, we still live in Hurricane Alley and may have to start considering ways to better protect ourselves and our properties from nature's fury.

John Labriola

International Village President

Hurricane Irma alert

Dear International Village Owners and Residents:

With the very powerful and dangerous Hurricane Irma likely headed our way, we urge all owners and residents to take all the necessary precautions to protect your own safety and property and that of your neighbors, and to do so as soon as possible. 

Notices have been posted on all the building entrances advising residents to park their cars away from trees and to remove all objects from their balconies and patio areas and bring them indoors –  including patio furnitures, plants, planters, ornaments, etc., so that they don’t become dangerous projectiles in the event of high winds. Objects such as pots and planters that are left outside will be thrown away by maintenance. Also make sure all your windows and sliding glass doors are completely shut. If you are out of town but someone has access to your unit, or if you have a tenant, please ask them to secure your property for you. If you know a neighbor who is handicapped or elderly, let the office know so we will be able to check on them after the storm. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to call the office at 954-484-9106, or call the manager directly on his cell at 954-225-7815 after hours or on the weekend in case of emergency. If the guardhouse phone loses power, you may call the rover at 754-302-4649.

Our maintenance crew has been working to secure the common areas, including securing the pool area and tennis courts as well as ensuring that drains and gutters are clear of leaves to allow for proper drainage. But we need all owners and residents to do their part as well. Be responsible by following the above precautions, stay tuned to the forecasts, and stock up on water, canned goods and batteries. You're also encouraged to check out the Broward County Hurricane Guide at www.broward.org/hurricane/Pages/DefaultEvent.aspx

Forecasts indicate that this could be one of the most powerful hurricanes in history, so please take it extremely seriously. Take all the necessary steps to protect yourself, your family and your neighbors, and most of all, pray that we get through this safely. God bless everyone, and be safe!  

John Labriola
International Village President