Meet the Team - Sawgrass Southsiders

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Paul Holland - Chairman

Growing up in the Air Capital of the World, Wichita Kansas, it was natural that Paul decided to join the US Air Force soon after high school. He started his career as an aircraft mechanic for a few years, worked as a private cook to 4 star general, and then cross-trained into Air Traffic Control, which he did for the next 28 years. He also sold real estate for 11 years in the Kansas City metropolitan area before moving to The Villages, where he now works as a sales representative.
In 2021 Paul convinced his wife to put their house in Kansas City on the market and take a leap of faith by moving to The Villages, sight unseen! Several of his friends thought he was crazy or would be moving back within a year or two, but the only regret he has is that they didn’t move here sooner!
Paul is very active in living The Villages Lifestyle. He enjoys playing water volleyball, golfing occasionally, playing pickleball and of course dancing on the squares! If he has a free night there’s a really good chance you’ll see him & his wife out dancing in the crowd. Paul is also a fan of BBQ and smoking meats. Brisket and ribs are some of his favorite things to smoke. Paul and Clarie each have two daughters from previous marriages and they are blessed with seven grandchildren that love visiting The Villages and riding around in the golf cart to a swimming pool or gator spotting.

Darla Brown - Co-Chairman

My name is Darla Brown, and I was born and raised in Indianapolis, Indiana. I have been married to Michael Brown for seven years. I have two boys, and Michael has two girls and one boy from a previous relationship, along with one grandson. All the children reside in the Indianapolis area.

I have been a member of the Sawgrass Southsiders for over two years, dating back to a time before there were board members. In the beginning, my responsibilities included organizing potlucks and helping to plan new events.

Throughout my career, I ran a before-and-after-school program for children ages 5 to 10 for over twenty years. The program focused on child development, communication, teamwork, and problem-solving.

I discovered The Villages about ten years ago and knew it would be perfect for my retirement. I enjoy bike riding, water volleyball, listening to music, golf cart rides, and spending time with friends. I love traveling around Florida and beyond, with my favorite destinations in the western U.S. and the Caribbean. I'm also a fan of camping, keeping up with my sports teams, and I love to cook.

Donna Smith - Secretary

My name is Donna Smith and I am happy to serve as the Secretary for the Sawgrass Southsiders. It’s great to be a part of an organization from the grass roots of having dinners with friends because our families were so far away. Now this group is family. I've been happily married to Richard for almost 37 years and we have two amazing children, a wonderful daughter in law, and two awesome granddaughters. Family is everything.

I was raised in a small town located in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, near the Tahquamenon Falls, called Paradise. I grew up playing basketball against our rival school, Mackinac Island. Perhaps you’ve heard of it? I was a middle school teacher and basketball and volleyball coach in my working days in Walled Lake, Michigan. When we retired, we moved to Cheboygan and made that our home for almost six years. The harsh winters of the north took its toll. We sold most everything we owned, moved to The Villages, and this was the best decision we have ever made..

I love to participate in many different activities, including water volleyball and playing cards. My granddaughters mean the world to me. We enjoy traveling just as much as staying here in the Bubble. The best part of being a part of this group is the many opportunities we have to spend time with friends - and that’s what I like the most about Sawgrass Southsiders.

Shari Wolf - Treasurer

Hello, my name is Shari Wolf and I am the Treasurer of Sawgrass Southsiders. My husband, the Club’s Cash Cowboy, and I live in the Village of St. Catherine. We lived all over the state of Ohio for our careers but spent the last 20 years raising our children in Hilliard, Ohio prior to moving to Florida. I have been married to my husband, Tim, for 34 years but together for almost 40. We have 3 beautiful children. Our oldest daughter lives in the area with her husband and 3 grandchildren. Our middle daughter still resides in Ohio with her husband and our youngest grandson. Our son is a senior in college with our grand puppy, Zeus. We love all of them to the moon and back.
I worked my entire career in Juvenile Corrections. I started as a college intern, was promoted to many positions, and ended my career as Superintendent of a 144-bed juvenile facility. After 32 years and all the children out of the house, we decided to say goodbye to the snow and cold weather and move closer to our grandchildren in Florida. The Villages was the only community that was a great fit for us. After 1 year of retirement, I decided to go back to what I enjoy doing and am currently a consultant for a national juvenile justice organization. My husband has to work for a few more years. 😊
Tim and I joined the group prior to it being an organized club. We made many new friendships and invited many of our friends to join the club. Working with people is what I love to do. I have over 10 years’ experience as a conference coordinator for a state organization in which we had yearly 3-day conferences for over 300 people. So, stepping into the Treasurer position was an easy decision. Please know I am committed to being a good steward of membership monies.

Clarie Holland - Special Events Coordinator

My name is Clarie Holland and I am 1 of the special events coordinators for the Sawgrass Southsiders. This group of friends has become like family to us (Paul and I) . If we need something they are there and if you want to do something fun it's just a text or a call and let the adventure begin. I have been married to Paul for 14 years. We met a very long time ago in high school and our paths crossed again later in life and we never looked back. We each have 2 daughters from previous marriages and now have 7 grandchildren ages 12yrs to 8 months. We also have a 13 year old Pitbull named Roscoe, known for his toothy grin.

I was born and raised in Wichita, KS. Some of my family still lives there. I went to college in Salina, Ks and that is where I got my start in event planning. I was on the executive board of the activity committee for Kansas Wesleyan University. Where I got my degree in Physical Education, Recreation and Health. I planned homecoming activities, intramural sports and the end of year formal dance. So this position is a good fit for me and the range of things to do in The Villages is endless!

We moved to The Villages in 2021 after living in Kansas City for many years. We bought our house after our realtor did a video walk through. We knew it was the place for us even though we had never been here! We were right!!

I love the variety of things to do and people to meet. I enjoy water volleyball, beach tennis,swimming, water aerobics, riding my bike and dancing with my husband at the square. I love our community and our group of friends that has grown incredibly fast. It's always a great day to be a Southsider.

Carolyn Opper - Special Events Coordinator
My name is Carolyn Opper, I have been married to Steve for 28 years. We have 5 children between us. I have 2 sons & now I’m blessed to have a bonus son & 2 bonus daughters. Together we have 10 beautiful grandchildren & we are so excited to welcome our first great grandchild due in April 2025.

We moved to The Villages from Illinois part time in August 2018 after retiring from Ameren Illinois. I retired as a Shop Tester & my job was to test & calibrate electric meters & high voltage test the protective equipment for our power linemen. We moved here permanently in July 2022 after 2 of our children moved to different states.

I truly enjoy being part of the Sawgrass Southsiders. I was part of the founding group and now get to enjoy helping out as an Events Coordinator as we continue to grow. The new friendships I have made since moving here are priceless. I also love playing water volleyball & traveling to see all my kids & grandkids. That keeps us extremely busy but I love every minute of it.