Originally Posted by jane032657 (Post 1116270)

Have you gotten your tickets yet for the VHA Community Foundation annual big bash on Tuesday, October 20th from 5-9 pm at The Savannah Center? Tickets include Rocky and The Rollers, dinner catered by Sakura (bring your own beverages). Proceeds go to support The Helping Hands Program which provides durable medical equipment at no charge to Villagers in need as well as toward the SPARKLE Scholarship which recognizes students who promote inclusiveness of all their peers. Tickets are $65 each and can be bought at the Villages Box Office or at Home - The Villages Entertainment * Special Events * Box Office - The Villages Entertainment * Special Events * Box Office

If you would like to reserve a table of 8, or have questions, please call Jane at 352 391 0899

Thank you!

Originally Posted by Advogado (Post 1116486)

Before anyone buys a ticket for a VHA Foundation-sponsored event or supports the VHA in any way, one should know some facts about the VHA and its Foundation.

First, as I have pointed out in other posts, with substantiation, the VHA is not really a "homeowners" organization, but functions essentially as a front organization for the Developer.

Second, the VHA Foundation was established by the VHA as a charitable foundation. As a 501(c)(3) corporation, the VHA Foundation is, I believe you will find, prohibited from using its funds to make political contributions. Nevertheless, as shown by Sumter County Board of Elections records, the Foundation made a monetary contribution to the political campaign (which was also supported by the Developer) of one the VHA's ex-Presidents when he successfully ran for County Commissioner. Search Candidate Reports

Originally Posted by Mleeja (Post 1116626)

I would not have expected anything less from the poster. I believe this posyer is an official in the POA. Why else would they care and speak so ill of the VHA.

Originally Posted by Mleeja (Post 1116680)

Problem I have is the poster is part of an organization that has an ax to grind with any organization that might be favorable to the developers of The Villages. To the point of making a veiled allegation of impropriety by the VHA. Considering the cost of the failed lawsuit by the POA and the cost foisted upon its members and the residents of TV, I would think the poster would be wary of making such statements.

Originally Posted by Advogado (Post 1116707)

I would first like to clarify two things:

1. As I have said in previous posts on the subject, I am a member of the POA, but I have never been an officer or director thereof. I am a former member of the VHA, having joined shortly after moving here. At the time of joining, I mistakenly thought that I was joining a "homeowners'" association. After learning more about what was really going on, I dropped my membership. In any event, the subject here is the VHA and not my relationship to the POA or to the VHA, and I think the posts on this thread should be directed to the subject and not to other posters.

2. Contrary to your post, my "allegation of impropriety by the VHA" has not been "veiled".

To the extent that it is relevant, my motivation in bringing to light FACTS about the VHA is that I find its existence and its relationship to the Developer offensive, and I think many Villagers are not aware of those facts. I would not feel this way if the VHA did not hold itself out as a "homeowners'" association. If it simply called itself something like "The Villages of Lake-Sumter Inc. Boosters Club", my objections would disappear--except my concern about the political contribution by the VHA Foundation.

I will reiterate some basic facts about the VHA, all based on publicly available, but not widely known, information:

1. VHA consistently sides with Developer. In no case where Developer's interests have conflicted with those of the residents has the VHA sided with the residents. The latest example is the VHA's verbatim republication, on its home page, of the attacks on the POA, regarding the recent class-action lawsuit, that were contained in the Developer's newspaper, the Daily Sun. The following may help explain why the VHA acts the way it does.

2. VHA established in collaboration with the Developer. The VHA was established, in collaboration with the Developer, to attempt to weaken or destroy the POA, which had been an occasional thorn in the Developer's side. The VHA's own "history" on its website pretty much admits this. Read the history carefully and you will note that, even before the VHA's first meeting, the group had pledged cooperation with the Developer. Think about the Developer's motivation in assisting in the establishment of a rival organization to the POA. The POA was an organization that ended up winning a class-action lawsuit against the Developer that netted $40 million for Villagers.

3. VHA newsletter printed and distributed by the Developer's newspaper. The VHA newsletter, The Villages Voice, is printed and distributed by the Developer's newspaper, The Daily Sun.

4. Past VHA Presidents personally rewarded by the Developer. Two of the VHA's past presidents have been rewarded by the Developer by receiving the Developer's political and financial support in their campaigns for County Commissioner. See: Search Candidate Reports

5. Another VHA President on the Developer's payroll while serving as such President. Another of the VHA's past presidents was actually on the Developer's payroll while serving as VHA president and may still continue to be on the Developer's payroll. See: Roger Kass | Lifelong Learning College | ZoomInfo.com

These facts are just ones available from the public record. I have no way of knowing about any non-public dealings that underlay the decision of the Developer to back the political careers of two VHA ex-presidents or that account for the VHA's siding with the Developer on issues involving residents. Lest it be said that I am anti-Developer or anti-Villages, I am not. This is a great place, and the Developer has done many things to be proud of here. Unfortunately, the Developer's involvement with the VHA is not one of them.

Originally Posted by jane032657 (Post 1116270)

Have you gotten your tickets yet for the VHA Community Foundation annual big bash on Tuesday, October 20th from 5-9 pm at The Savannah Center? Tickets include Rocky and The Rollers, dinner catered by Sakura (bring your own beverages). Proceeds go to support The Helping Hands Program which provides durable medical equipment at no charge to Villagers in need as well as toward the SPARKLE Scholarship which recognizes students who promote inclusiveness of all their peers. Tickets are $65 each and can be bought at the Villages Box Office or at Home - The Villages Entertainment * Special Events * Box Office - The Villages Entertainment * Special Events * Box Office

If you would like to reserve a table of 8, or have questions, please call Jane at 352 391 0899

Thank you!

Originally Posted by graciegirl (Post 1116721)

Boy oh boy. Really?

Originally Posted by Advogado (Post 1116707)

I would first like to clarify two things:

1. As I have said in previous posts on the subject, I am a member of the POA, but I have never been an officer or director thereof. I am a former member of the VHA, having joined shortly after moving here. At the time of joining, I mistakenly thought that I was joining a "homeowners'" association. After learning more about what was really going on, I dropped my membership. In any event, the subject here is the VHA and not my relationship to the POA or to the VHA, and I think the posts on this thread should be directed to the subject and not to other posters.

2. Contrary to your post, my "allegation of impropriety by the VHA" has not been "veiled".

To the extent that it is relevant, my motivation in bringing to light FACTS about the VHA is that I find its existence and its relationship to the Developer offensive, and I think many Villagers are not aware of those facts. I would not feel this way if the VHA did not hold itself out as a "homeowners'" association. If it simply called itself something like "The Villages of Lake-Sumter Inc. Boosters Club", my objections would disappear--except my concern about the political contribution by the VHA Foundation.

I will reiterate some basic facts about the VHA, all based on publicly available, but not widely known, information:

1. VHA consistently sides with Developer. In no case where Developer's interests have conflicted with those of the residents has the VHA sided with the residents. The latest example is the VHA's verbatim republication, on its home page, of the attacks on the POA, regarding the recent class-action lawsuit, that were contained in the Developer's newspaper, the Daily Sun. The following may help explain why the VHA acts the way it does.

2. VHA established in collaboration with the Developer. The VHA was established, in collaboration with the Developer, to attempt to weaken or destroy the POA, which had been an occasional thorn in the Developer's side. The VHA's own "history" on its website pretty much admits this. Read the history carefully and you will note that, even before the VHA's first meeting, the group had pledged cooperation with the Developer. Think about the Developer's motivation in assisting in the establishment of a rival organization to the POA. The POA was an organization that ended up winning a class-action lawsuit against the Developer that netted $40 million for Villagers.

3. VHA newsletter printed and distributed by the Developer's newspaper. The VHA newsletter, The Villages Voice, is printed and distributed by the Developer's newspaper, The Daily Sun.

4. Past VHA Presidents personally rewarded by the Developer. Two of the VHA's past presidents have been rewarded by the Developer by receiving the Developer's political and financial support in their campaigns for County Commissioner. See: Search Candidate Reports

5. Another VHA President on the Developer's payroll while serving as such President. Another of the VHA's past presidents was actually on the Developer's payroll while serving as VHA president and may still continue to be on the Developer's payroll. See: Roger Kass | Lifelong Learning College | ZoomInfo.com

These facts are just ones available from the public record. I have no way of knowing about any non-public dealings that underlay the decision of the Developer to back the political careers of two VHA ex-presidents or that account for the VHA's siding with the Developer on issues involving residents. Lest it be said that I am anti-Developer or anti-Villages, I am not. This is a great place, and the Developer has done many things to be proud of here. Unfortunately, the Developer's involvement with the VHA is not one of them.

Originally Posted by graciegirl (Post 1116698)

Jane. Thank you for your original post. I hope that most people reading this can see through the negativity and know that The Foundation does a lot of good and is worthy of support.

Originally Posted by Advogado (Post 1116725)

Could I suggest that we stick to a discussion of the facts?