Construction is progressing on the first single-family homes in Runaway Bay at Fiddler’s Creek. Offered by national homebuilder Lennar Homes, Runaway Bay will feature 98 luxury single-family residences situated along The Creek and The Creek Course. Construction commenced on the first homes three months ago and is anticipated for completion around the end of summer.

Runaway Bay offers four floor plans, extensive standard features plus a luxury features package, green features as well as additional options to make your semi-custom home perfect for the Florida lifestyle.

Though the calendar may show it is summer and seasonal residents have returned north, there is a great line-up of social activities and events available for Year Rounders at Fiddler’s Creek, which kicks off with Memorial Day Poolside festivities for the entire family.

The luxury, master-planned residential community located between Naples and Marco Island offers an extensive social calendar during the summer months to entertain its full-time residents. These include special dining events, educational seminars, cooking classes and wine tastings, jewelry classes for the artistic, historic and nature tours, and VIP shopping excursions.

The “Dine Around” events are very popular with Fiddler’s Creek residents. Among the restaurants residents have been exploring this year is Sasso’s International Cuisine & Seafood on Marco Island and the relatively new Alberto’s on Fifth Avenue South in Naples. These special evenings include Happy Hour drinks, complimentary hors d’oeuvres and special dinner pricing.

Residents also are enjoying complimentary educational seminars. One fascinating presentation on “Britain in America and America in Vietnam” at The Club & Spa examines the remarkable parallels of two conflicts over 200 years apart – The American Revolution and Vietnam War.

Among the educational field trips this summer was the Rookery Bay Outing where residents joined the naturalist as they explored the coastal habitats, exhibits, films and art gallery; and a docent-guided tour of the Norris Gardens at Palm Cottage in old Naples as they step back in time and learn about early Naples history and explore Neapolitan life through five historic gardens.

The ladies of Fiddler’s Creek will enjoy a special shopping social hosted by Charming Charlie’s at The Mercato in North Naples. Complimentary cookies and coffee will be served as the ladies search for that very special outfit or essential accessory in their quest to shop until they drop.

Summertime also brings with it special evenings at the Caxambas Restaurant at The Club & Spa at Fiddler’s Creek. One favorite among the Year Rounders is the “Wine Tasting at Caxambas,” followed by the “Bring Your Own Wine” night. Residents also have an opportunity to sample an array of refreshing summer cocktails and martinis specially concocted by the bartenders.

The summertime social activities and events are part of an extensive social calendar provided annually for Fiddler’s Creek homeowners. For many of the community’s residents, these special events and activities are a key factor in their decision to purchase a home at Fiddler’s Creek.

Residents of the luxury, master-planned community of Fiddler’s Creek are active volunteers, giving back to the local community by supporting and participating in many worthwhile causes.

Among the most eagerly anticipated volunteer activities is the annual Toy Drive, which collects toys, games and other gifts for less fortunate children at Manatee Elementary School. This past year, a record number of items – about 400 – were delivered to the school. What makes this drive extra special is that it is a combined effort of residents and employees of Fiddler’s Creek.

Residents also are involved in the Adopt-A-Highway program, which comprises a two-mile stretch of State Road 951 from the entrance of Fiddler’s Creek to Manatee Road. These volunteers regularly pick up, bag and discard all the litter found on both sides of the roadway. On any given clean-up day, it’s not uncommon to fill more than a dozen trash bags with debris.

Homeowners also have the opportunity to learn vital safety information by participating in the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT). Under the instruction of the East Naples Fire Control & Rescue District, the volunteers learn about disaster preparedness for hazards that may impact the community. They also receive training in basic disaster response skills such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations.

A special program that draws Fiddler’s Creek residents out to volunteer their time is the Tutor Corps. Under the Tutor Corps, residents act as personal mentors to assist high school tutors who are hired by the Guadalupe Center’s Early Childhood Education Program. This important program helps at-risk children of Immokalee break the cycle of poverty through education.

Another cause that is near and dear to the hearts of Fiddler’s Creek residents is breast cancer awareness. The ladies of Fiddler’s Creek recently hosted a “Think Pink” golf event and sold raffle tickets with proceeds going toward the Bosom Buddies Foundation. Participants wore pink outfits to show their support for all women affected by breast cancer and The Club was decorated in pink.

By actively volunteering in the community and giving back of their personal time and talents, Fiddler’s Creek residents often discover that they are the ones who “receive” by helping others.

D.R. Horton has selected One of a Kind Design Inc. as the interior design firm for its Washington model home in Chiasso, a village of 59 single-family residences amid lakes and waterways in Fiddler’s Creek.

The One of a Kind Design team will fully furnish the model to highlight prestigious living, overseeing space planning, material specification, interior detailing and furniture acquisition.

The project will be led by Mercedes Lopez, founder and president of One of a Kind Design. An experienced interior designer, Lopez founded the full-service firm in Fort Lauderdale in 1991.

Lennar Homes has completed its model home within Millbrook, a Mediterranean-style village with 56 single-family residences nestled between meandering waterways at Fiddler’s Creek.

With sunset views overlooking the namesake Fiddler’s Creek, Millbrook offers a choice of four unique floor plans, ranging from 1,649 air-conditioned square feet to 2,246 air-conditioned square feet. There are currently four move-in-ready single-family homes available and four homes under construction within the neighborhood. The base price in Millbrook starts at $371,990.

The Isabella is the largest of the floor plans within Millbrook, offering 2,246 air-conditioned square feet. Fully designed by the firm of Soco Interiors, the model home features three bedrooms, two baths and a den with a spacious great room just off the kitchen and dining area.

The one-story model home features an open floor plan that has been accented by dramatic interior wall and ceiling details along with a cool coastal palette. The interior furnishings throughout are very eclectic and contemporary lighting provides each room its own personality.

The colors found in nature are reintroduced in each of the bedrooms, showcasing mirrored nightstands, hand-painted finishes and custom bedding. Accessories in the coastal theme are scattered throughout the model and a collection of abstract art pieces punctuates each wall.

The home office is professionally designed and boasts a built-in accent wall featuring grass cloth wallpaper and a custom roll-up desk. The summer kitchen offers a dramatic view of the swimming pool and lanai and provides seating for summer grilling and lounging by the pool.

While most kids search for ways to spend their vacations, those within the master-planned community of Fiddler’s Creek enjoy an abundance of fun activities and programs.

The residential community host special events for kids of all ages especially during the holidays and vacation times throughout the year, including bounce houses and slides, laser tag, competitive and poolside games, simulated shark riding and even a blueberry pie eating contest.

The kids programs are part of the very active social lifestyle offered at Fiddler’s Creek. The community regularly hosts elaborate themed parties for homeowners, including the Welcome Back and Farewell to Fiddler’s Creek Parties as well as parties to celebrate the Holidays and New Year’s Eve.

There also is the annual Passport Party, which treats residents to a diverse buffet of international cuisine from the Pacific Rim, Latin America, the Caribbean and more. Other special activities and events hosted throughout the year for Fiddler’s Creek residents include ballroom dance classes, writing classes, a book club, wine dinners, beginners and advanced Bridge courses, cooking classes, ladies’ fashion show with luncheon, art exhibits, jewelry classes, poolside music, spectacular dinner shows and other themed events.

For example, the children celebrated the Easter holiday with their families at Fiddler’s Creek. Events included Breakfast with the Easter Bunny, a traditional egg hunt and an Easter Brunch.

The Game Day on the tennis lawn of The Club & Spa was another highlight for kids of all ages. The day featured Big Foot Races, Musical Chairs, Hot Potato and an inflated bounce house.

Kids were able to battle with their friends in an outdoor Laser Tag. In this event, kids used infrared beams to tag their opponents while navigating around obstacles.

Another fun day for kids of all ages featured a pirate ship bounce house with slide and artificial bull riding activities on the tennis lawn. The kids also competed to see who was the fastest during the blueberry pie eating contest with their hands behind their backs and no utensils.

Most of the kids’ activities and programs at Fiddler’s Creek are offered complimentary and are designed for the kids to enjoy spending time socializing with other children in the community. They also feature tasty treats, including snow cones, frozen bananas, ice cream and more

The luxury, master-planned community of Fiddler’s Creek has been chosen by readers of the Naples Daily News and Bonita Daily News as Best Community, earning it the Champion award in the 2012 Southwest Florida Readers’ Choice Awards.

Each year, readers of the Daily News submit literally hundreds of thousands of votes in 122 categories, ranging from best butcher shop to best car wash. This year, more than 300,000 votes were cast by the readers who logged in online to let their voices be heard.

Two awards are given in each category. The Southwest Florida Choice Champion awards are bestowed on those businesses that received the most votes. The Southwest Florida Choice Star is awarded to those businesses receiving the second most votes.

Congratulations Fiddler’s Creek! Thank you for voting for us!

Stock Construction has selected Soco Interiors as interior designer of the Chatelaine model at Isla del Sol, an exclusive enclave of 34 Mediterranean-style custom homes in Fiddler’s Creek. The team at Soco Interiors will inspire luxurious living throughout the single-family residence, overseeing space planning, material specification, interior detailing and furniture acquisition. The project will be led by Jill Cotton, cofounder and principal of Soco Interiors. A graduate of Purdue University, Cotton has worked in the luxury design industry for more than two decades.

Residents of the master-planned community of Fiddler’s Creek honored the men and women of the United States Armed Forces with a patriotic Memorial Day Celebration at The Club & Spa.

The Memorial Day Celebration is one of three large summer gatherings at Fiddler’s Creek, joining the Fourth of July and Labor Day. These annual events are popular among the families in Fiddler’s Creek, featuring red, white and blue table decorations and wraps around the building columns. The poolside area also is adorned with an assortment of American flags of all sizes.

Spanning nearly 4,000 acres between Naples and Marco Island, the masterplanned residential community of Fiddler’s Creek was designed with an emphasis on environmental preservation.

The community is zoned for approximately 6,000 residences, or just 1.6 homes per gross acre. Less than a third of the land will be developed for residential use, while the remainder of the acreage is dedicated primarily to nature reserves, lakes, parks, golf courses and recreational areas.

Since sales commenced in 1998, Fiddler’s Creek has been committed to using healthy and environmentally friendly practices. The mission is to inspire, educate and support residents and employees in becoming more “green” and having a positive impact on the local environment.

To help conserve water, faucets and other restroom fixtures throughout the Club & Spa were changed to low aerators and power rinsers were installed in the kitchen, reducing water consumption considerably. Only full loads are washed in the laundry and reclaimed water is used for washing down golf carts and other equipment in the cart barn and marina facilities.

Employees are encouraged to save energy by turning off lights when not in their offices or in low-traffic areas and computers are shut down in the evening.Energy-efficient florescent light bulbs and motion sensors are gradually being installed in various club areas.

Fiddler’s Creek employees also reduce waste by supporting a broad range of recycling practices, including cardboard, paper products, appliances, electronics, ink cartridges, and kitchen cooking oils and grease. Biodegradable garbage bags and to-go containers are widely used and compostable napkins, plates and utensils are provided in the employee cafeteria.

To further educate residents and staff on how to be more environmentally responsible, the Fiddler’s Creek Green Committee hosted its first Earth Day event for the entire family.