The focus of Decorating Divas South is home design, decor, and almost anything else that revolves around living in a Villages home.
We meet monthly – usually the first Monday of the month at noon – at Rohan Recreation Center located just north of Rt 44. We have approximately 325 members, most of whom reside in area neighborhoods. Many are brand new to The Villages, some even new to Florida.
The Decorating Divas South club believes in giving back to our community.
We support local charities on an annual basis. In 2021 Decorating Divas participated with Villagers for Veterans in presenting Sgt. Pam Kelly’s new home, custom built to accommodate her disabilities.
You can read Pam’s story posted June 30, 2020 in The Villages Daily Sun (see below).
In 2022-23 DDS participated in the design and decor of Ashley’s Cottage, a group home for female veterans which celebrated its ribbon cutting May 20, 2023.
Board Members
President: Kathy Barrett
Program Director: Linda Dailey
Secretary: Bev Siano
Treasurer: Kathleen Smith
Membership: Joannie Butler
Outreach Liaison: Diane Nettles
Our Current Outreach
Women Veteran’s Transition House
A Gift of New Beginnings / Ashley’s House
Many veterans find it extremely difficult to transition from military to civilian life.
They miss the camaraderie and structure of military life and often find themselves facing severe financial hardship and frequent bouts of PTSD. Homelessness is a constant threat that can easily lead to depression and suicide.
Villagers for Veterans’ next major objective is to procure and then remodel a
Lake County property into a transition home – a home that will provide a temporary safe haven for eight deserving women vets. Job training, counseling and much needed female camaraderie will be provided as they work towards self-sufficiency in a secure and loving environment.
Although there are established transition programs provided by the military, those programs are predominately geared towards men. Female veterans find themselves isolated, with fewer options than their male counterparts and face challenges that are unique to women.