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October can be a transition month when our temperatures become less severe, and we are able to spend more time outside. In many parts of our country, October is the time when leaves change color, becoming bright yellow and red in some cases. Why does this happen? It's not the temperature change, but the lack of daylight. As the autumn days shrink, the reduced daylight tells plants that it's time to get ready for the dormant season — winter. e chlorophyll in the leaves begins to break down, and the green color fades. We live in an area where our seasons may not be as distinctive, so it's sometimes dicult to see these changes. Last month, we mentioned the re mitigation behind Parry Drive, extending behind Zaharias Circle to the EVA (Emergency Vehicle Access) Road. We thank the city of Hemet which completed this work with the help of several young people from the Conservation Corps. We will continue to be proactive, working with our Emergency Preparedness Committee and the city to minimize our re hazards. e 2025 Budget was approved in September. To help maintain a balanced budget, the pool will not be heated during the winter months of November, December, January, and February. ere will be no dues increase for 2025. We are in good nancial shape, but every year our operating expenses will continue to increase because of ination and because our community is over 20 years old. Safety and security will continue to be our priorities. With the upcoming election in November, it will be a time of emotion and anxiety. One word that may be appropriate is empathy. e denition of empathy is "the ability to understand and share the feelings of another." is is shown in how much compassion and understanding we can give to another. ere is a dierence between empathy and sympathy. Being empathetic is putting yourself in another person's shoes. Being sympathetic is showing concern for someone when something bad happens to them. Some ways to show empathy are the following: 1. Become curious about people you don't know. 2. Focus on similarities rather than dierences. 3. Put yourself in someone's shoes. We all have our likes and dislikes, but we usually focus on being good neighbors and helping one another. is attitude is so important in our 55+ community and binds us together. Stay positive and enjoy everything Four Seasons has to oer. "I think we all have empathy. We may not have enough courage to display it." Maya Angelou Finally, to those who do not read the Herald completely, here is a reminder that it contains a lot of useful information from our committees. For example, in September's Herald, did you learn about projected electric rate increases and how our HOA Architectural Standards and Regulations comply with the California Solar Right Act and supports Solar Panel installations? Did you know that we have engaged a system (Everthrive) to audit our current irrigation systems to maximize our water savings? Did you know that our CERT (e Community Emergency Response Team) Program is recognized by FEMA (e Federal Emergency Management Agency) as an important part of a community's disaster preparedness readiness? We thank our many committee volunteers. Message from the Board of Directors 2 | Four Seasons Hemet Herald | OCTOBER 2024 | Sincerely, and on behalf of your Board of Directors, Barbra Balser, Cli Post, Roxy Snider, Fred Kydd, Mary Reyna, and Rick Adkins Jim Crase President