Ave Maria Living.com
Ave Maria, Florida – the town with a Catholic heart.©™ Stories & information for residents & visitors.Archive for Ave Maria resident
Legal Corner: Need a Will? Does Your Attorney Make House Calls?
Many people know they need a will, but have a hard time getting it done. Who wants to guess what documents the attorney will need, spend an hour in the car, and wait at his office? And who wants to trust one of those online legal services where you don’t even get to meet an attorney face to face?
That is why some attorneys make preparing a will and other documents easy by offering to bring some or all of the process to you at the location of your choice. And some attorneys will work to minimize or even eliminate any extra costs associated with a house call.
The attorney can visit the client to conduct an interview, start drafting documents, contact relatives or others whose input is desired, and plan the rest of the process. Then on a return visit there is a signing ceremony during which final documents are executed in the presence of a mobile notary.
This service is ideal for seniors and people with limited mobility, but it is also ideal for those who work and have difficulty making daytime appointments, or for others who simply want to be served in the comfort of their home.
Sometimes life events force people to think about the urgency of having a will — those who have purchased a new home and realize their out-of-state will is not valid in Florida, or whose marital status has changed, or who want to provide for grandchildren or pets, or who face a medical event or other transition.
Planning your estate doesn’t have to be difficult or time-consuming. It can be quick. It can be informal and relaxing. And it can give you peace of mind so that you never have to think about it again.
Attorney Robb Klucik has been practicing estate planning law in Ave Maria, Florida, since 2009. Originally published in the inaugural issue of the print magazine Ave Maria Living, Issue #1, September 2016.
Ave Maria Stewardship Community District Golf Cart Policy and Map
Click this map to read a copy of the ordinance and resolution that govern golf cart use within Ave Maria, and the registration materials.
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Video: How Ave Maria Became the Town with a Catholic Heart – Architect Discusses Town’s Catholic-Inspired Design
She was there in the beginning, so her words are an important part of the historical chronicle of the town of Ave Maria. Architect Elisabeth Perreault, Vice President at Cannon Design, delivered a detailed presentation about Town Planning and the Oratory at Ave Maria, Florida, at Judson University’s James Didier Symposium on Christ & Architecture.
This video is a great piece of history, and is “must see TV” for anyone who has more than a passing interest in the town. Ms. Perrault, who was integral in the master plan of the town, recounts what her clients hired her firm to create.
In the video she reveals that in fact her job was to design a “Catholic town” – meaning the very design of the town was intended to evoke, represent and encourage the Catholic culture of the town. That is NOT to say that it was ever intended to be a town just for Catholics, of course. However, Ms. Perrault’s words underscore the faith-based historical inspiration and genesis of the town, which remain the key reason so many people choose to live in Ave Maria.
Some interesting highlights:
- Client Barron Collier Companies thought there was a market for a Catholic community;
- Her firm understood they were being asked to design an ideal Catholic community;
- There was a Catholic faith-based foundation for the community;
- To come up with the plan, she and her colleagues looked back to a time in Italy when church and state weren’t divorced;
- The Oratory church was intentionally designed as the center and cultural heart of the town;
- They were designing a town whose identity was to be Catholic;
- The Church was front and center as a landmark and symbolic heart of the community;
- The church was placed and designed so that it would literally shout to everyone, day and night: “this is what we are all about as a community”;
- The church was designed so a person approaching the town sees the towering oratory from miles away and immediately discovers the faith based origin of the community.
After watching this video, we can be even more confident when we describe Ave Maria, Florida, as “the town with a Catholic heart.”™©. And the town where all persons of good will are welcome.
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Patience and Feasting: Annunciation milestones in Ave Maria
It takes time. And God has all the time in the world. Just look at Barcelona’s Sagrada Família Basilica Church, which remains unfinished more than a century after construction commenced in March of 1882.
As Ave Maria prepares to celebrate the town’s patronal feast day, the Feast of the Annunciation, on March 25, it is fitting to recall the milestone events that have occurred on Annunciation days in the history of the still unfinished Ave Maria Oratory:
– In 2006, the Oratory’s cornerstone was laid prior to the town’s construction.
– In 2008, the Oratory was dedicated by Bishop Dewane on the town’s first Annunciation day celebration.
– In 2011, Márton Váró’s magnum opus Annunciation sculpture was unveiled.
– In 2013, the annual Grand Annunciation Feast celebrations were inaugurated by Ave Maria University, during which the university and the townspeople celebrate with Mass, procession, wine, food, song and dancing, under the backdrop of the magnificent Annunciation.
One future milestone will be the installation of the two side sculptures planned to accompany Váró’s Annunciation. We don’t know when that might be – and in fact there is no plan for the completion of these sculptures. But that is how it is with churches – it takes time and patience. When these sculptures are completed, their blessing and unveiling will be another great way to mark the town’s feast day.
This year the Annunciation celebrations will fall on Wednesday, March 25.
Rendering of the Ave Maria Oratory with side angels by Márton Váró – Photo courtesy of Márton Váró
Ave Maria Oratory left side maquette by Márton Váró – Photo courtesy of Márton Váró
Ave Maria Oratory right side maquette by Márton Váró – Photo courtesy of Márton Váró
Scythian delights a dancing crowd at the Grand Annunciation Feast in 2013
Robb Klucik has lived with his family in Ave Maria since it opened in 2007. In addition to running his law practice in Ave Maria, Robb edits this blog, administers a facebook forum for 1000 Ave Maria residents, serves as the President of the West Point Society of Naples, and enjoys spending time with his family and friends.
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No Surprise: Ave Maria is a rapidly growing traditional college town with a Catholic heart
Those who haven’t been paying attention might not realize just how nice Ave Maria is and why it has attracted several hundreds of homebuyers in the past two years. The latest video about the town is very well done. It hits all the points. The tag line is: “Ave Maria. Life. Made Simple.”
And it’s all true. Ave Maria is a rapidly growing traditional college town with something for all ages and for everyone who loves family, friends, faith, sports, art, education and old fashioned hometown values. And one drive or stroll through town will help you see that Ave Maria is the town with a Catholic heart. And, as the video reminds us, Ave Maria has 100 miles of trails!
Ave Maria is the home of Ave Maria University, the Donohue Catholic prep school, the Ave Maria Montessori School and a homeschool co-op. The town is also home to Arthrex‘s large (and expanding) medical device factory, as well as many other businesses including a Publix grocery store. Five health care providers offer services in town: the Braden Clinic offers primary care physician appointments onsite five days a week and can also make house calls, Ave Maria Chiropractic provides services in town, physical therapy is offered by ResultsCare, dental and orthodontic services are offered by Ave Maria Dentistry, and massage therapy is offered 5 days a week via house call or at the Oasis Club by Ave Maria Massage.
Recently Ave Maria was named one of the top 50 master planned communities in the country, and was also named one of the top 20 communities for those who are retiring.
Robb Klucik has lived with his family in Ave Maria since it opened in 2007. In addition to running his law practice in Ave Maria, Robb edits this blog, administers a facebook forum for 1000 Ave Maria residents, serves as the President of the West Point Society of Naples, and enjoys spending time with his family and friends.
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Ave Maria Community Alliance Announces the Creation of the Ave Maria Business Council
Ave Maria Community Alliance, Inc.
The purpose of the Business Council is to identify and promote types of economic development in Ave Maria which are most consistent with its original plan and with its being a university town. Over time the Business Council aims to work with Ave Maria Development and local government to put in place specific economic incentives for entrepreneurs, small businesses, and telecommuters to relocate to Ave Maria — on account of its community life, its beauty, its appeal for raising a family, and its suitability for doing business.
Dr. Pakaluk asks all interested residents to contact him at info@avemariacommunityalliance.org. He particularly welcomes the participation of retired residents of Dell Webb and Bellera. “There are lots of programs where retired businesspersons contribute their expertise to help the local community. Retirees who serve on the Business Council can have confidence that their efforts will contribute to a successful and flourishing Ave Maria community for generations to come.”
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Philosophers on a Mountain Top
These two are among the men who call Ave Maria home. It will be interesting to hear more about their escapade over a bourbon or some wine. Let us pray they came back refreshed and ready to inspire their students and contribute to the Academy.
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Grapplers’ hard work on display at first Ave Maria tournament
The Shamrock Wrestling Club held its first tournament on May 24. Pictured are the wrestlers and their coaches, Bob Klucik, Lon Juricic, and Joe Chmielowski.
On Saturday morning, parents and friends got to see the hard work of the Shamrock Wrestling Club pay off. The club has been practicing twice each week for the past two months at Donahue Catholic. The program was led by Ave Maria town resident Bob Klucik, who has a wealth of experience coaching youth and high school wrestling.
According to Tim Donohue, the Shamrock father who spearheaded the idea, the club plans to run more clinic and competition programs in the near future. The interest in wrestling was sparked when several families in town began participating in a different youth wrestling club that held practices all winter at Palmetto Ridge High School. The goal is to develop the boys’ skills so that eventually they can feed into a school team at Donahue Catholic.
More photos here => Read the rest of this entry »
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Ave Maria’s Paul Adams: To aim at virtue and fall short does not a hypocrite make
Ave Maria is teeming with thoughtful writers, scholars and bloggers. Our neighbor and friend Paul Adams is an impressively-credentialed scholar (MA from Oxford, PhD from Berkeley) and convert whose writing is always edifying.
Today he has written about the absurd yet common phenomenon of Christians being called “hypocrite” in internet com boxes because they sin. Here is an excerpt:
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Sunrise in Ave Maria
Ave Maria’s lakes and trails are a great place for a morning walk or run.
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Fitness Center Buzz
Computer model of Ave Maria’s new fitness center
We all know that the new fitness center is under construction be- cause we have read about it and we have seen it unfolding on Annunciation Circle. Unnamed sources indicate things are going according to plan and the opening will be in the first week of April, and that children age 14 and above will be able to use the new facility if they are with their parent or guardian. Currently the age is 16 – kudos to the Ave Maria Master Association for responding to the members’ request for this change.
UPDATE 4/11/2014: While it is clear much of the work is complete, the opening has been delayed.
UPDATE 4/29/2014: Opening is slated for May 10 – click on the image to read more.
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Recent Herald stories: Ave Maria Water #1, Veterans home proposal, more
Since its founding in 2007, the town of Ave Maria has been able to consistently rely on one solid source for news: the Ave Maria Herald, a project of Pat Sette and David Shnaider, who moved their family to town in the beginning. We are fortunate to have them as part of our community. These are some of the stories in the Herald recently about Ave Maria:
Ave Maria Is a Potential Site for VA Nursing Home
Ave Maria Water Judged Florida’s Best for 2nd time
Travis Curtright Honored with 2nd Laub-Novak Award
Laura Mastandrea Named to All-Area HS Soccer Team
Donahue Football Players Receive State-wide Awards
Former AMU Student Remembered as “Everyday Hero”
Ave Herald continues to deliver the news about Ave Maria
Since its founding in 2007, the town of Ave Maria has been able to consistently rely on one solid source for news: the Ave Maria Herald, a project of Pat Sette and David Shnaider, who moved their family to town in the beginning. 
We are fortunate to have them as part of our community. In the past week alone the Herald reported the following important news stories:
Seminole Tribe Reported Planning Hard Rock Hotel for Immokalee
Contributions of AMU Community Acknowledged at Former AMU Nicaragua Campus
Ave Maria Law School Names New President
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New in Town: Ave Maria Car Wash
Last month a custom car wash opened at the Mobil station in Ave Maria.
They have a facebook page, which offers this information about their services:
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Sunset – last night in Ave Maria
Who remembers the sky-blue pink crayon in the big green and yellow Crayola box (with the sharpener on the back)?
Photo by Linda, an Ave Maria resident.
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Sharing Ave Maria 16,000 times in One Year
The graphic below shows our website traffic statistics for the last 365 days. If you like what we are doing here to provide people with information about Ave Maria, then please let your friends know about us. We can always use a boost.
For the las
t seven days the statistics are even better – we had almost 1300 page views in just one week:
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Things to do in Ave Maria
There’s always something going on in Ave Maria. Here are some suggestions. And the Herald is always worth a look:
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In case you missed it: Ave Maria’s Waldstein reacts to Pope Francis
Did you miss this, too? Last summer Ave Maria University theology professor Susie Waldstein and resident Bill Dunstan superbly answered media inquiries about Pope Francis. Dr. Waldstein and her husband, professor Michael Waldstein, previously served on the Pontifical Council for the Family.
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Beautiful: The 7 minutes after “This Mass has ended. Go in peace.”
Artist Rylan Steele, whose work we have linked to for many months, gives us a creative and beautiful look at the 7 minutes following the dismissal of two Masses at the Ave Maria Oratory.
I spy FOCUS missionary Trey Johnson…
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