Clermont, FL

As I was reading through one of the local newspapers here in Clermont, I saw an ad that really caught my attention. It is an ad for New Beginnings. New Beginnings is a 501c3 non profit ministry.

New Beginnings was incorporated in 2007 as a non profit transition house for men in the South Lake County area. They offer a nine month work/study program that helps homeless men regain their self esteem and recover from any addictions they may have. Most of the men in the program are from the construction industry, which as we know, has taken a major hit all across the country. These men are brought in and are being retrained for jobs that actually have a demand right now.

To generate a little income for these men while they are being retrained, New Beginnings has a DBA called Weeds to Go. The Weeds to Go Program lets these gentlemen pull weeds, mow grass, re-mulch, etc...just general yard cleanup. They will soon be starting other small businesses to help these men generate income also.

On their website, New Beginnings states that their hope is to transition these men back into the workforce and get them off of welfare.

Here are a few jaw dropping statistics from the New Beginnings website:

As of January 2008, there are over 1000 homeless in Lake County.

Of the 106 beds that are available for emergency, transitional or permanent use, only 8 are in Clermont.

If you would like to help New Beginnings by offering a donation, please visit their website at www.newbeginningslake.org

Until Next Time,

Johnny Davis

Davis Signature Realty LLC

www.davissignaturerealty.com

Grand Highway Baptist Church in Clermont, Florida will be conducting a six week, Bible based parenting class, beginning Thursday, January 22, 2009. The class will be taught by Pastor and Mrs. Shackleford. This study will help parents gain a better grasp on disciplining their children in a positive way by doing what is best for them. Meeting will be at the church on Thursday's from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm (Jan. 22 through Feb. 26). Please contact Mrs. Shackleford in the Church office to register for the class (the fee is $25/couple and includes two workbooks). The deadline for registration is Monday, January 19th. Whether you are parenting infants or teens, you are sure to receive a blessing from this important, inforamtive study.

Here is a link to let you more about the study: Making Your Children Mind Without Losing Yours.

Grand Highway Baptist Church is located at 100 South Grand Highway, Clermont, Florida. 34711

352-536-2824

I have recently switched my email over to a Gmail account. For those of you who don't know what Gmail is, it is an email account through Google.

During the course of just writing all of my emails, I have never wanted or needed to insert pictures, videos, etc...until now. Since it is Christmas, I just wanted to send everybody I know a little Merry Christmas picture, like the one seen below. However, Gmail doesn't have the option to insert pictures!!!

For those of you using Gmail, don't worry, I have it figured out for you! In order to insert pictures into your Gmail, go to www.iclippy.com and get the free download. Once you have the download, you will then be given an iclippy toolbar. Whenever you see a picture on the web that you would like to have included in your email, simply click the appropriate button on your iclippy toolbar and then hit Ctrl+V in your email. The image will then appear and you are ready to send out your email. Note: Simply trying to copy and paste WILL NOT work with your Gmail account.

Once you know how to do it, it is really simple! Knowledge is wonderful!!!

Merry Christmas to all. I hope you have a very prosperous 2009.

Well, I finally made it over to the new Olive Garden Clermont has. The service was great, the food was good and was brought to our table very quickly. The only thing I don't like about this new Olive Garden is the atmosphere. If you are looking for a nice quiet dinner or a nice romantic dinner, this Olive Garden in particular is not the one you should go to. To be honest with you, the noise reminded me of an elementary cafeteria. At this Olive Garden, you are more out in the open than you are at other Olive Gardens I have been to. Despite the noise factor, it was a pretty nice evening. Let me know what you think of it!

Many couples embark on the purchase of a new home soon after they are engaged or married. It’s a hectic time, but these tips should help new homebuyers be proactive and make educated real estate decisions.

• Location -- Proximity to employment and the quality of the schools are common factors in determining whether a location is suitable; so scan community web sites for more information about the area. Local Realtors® have access to extensive data regarding the community and its amenities, and are a wonderful resource for this information.
• Factor in maintenance costs -- All homes require constant care. Many homebuyers take into consideration the cost of paying the home’s mortgage, taxes, and utilities, but fail to factor in cost and time investment of home repairs and maintenance. Estimates indicate that every home will require between 1% and 3% of the homes value in annual maintenance costs.
• Be an educated consumer – Get your prospective home inspected before closing. A proper inspection can help you avoid unexpected expenses in the future. Make sure the inspector you use has been formally trained, has access to ongoing technical support and education, and will stand behind his findings in writing.
• Participate -- Reputable home inspectors prefer it when the prospective homeowners accompany them during the process. The home inspector will take the opportunity to educate them on home’s basic operations as well as the overall condition of the home’s major systems and components.

Remember, these tips are only general guidelines. Since each situation is different, contact a real estate professional if you have questions about a specific issue.