The curtain has closed on another spectacular season of Cove’s Got Talent with a repeat competitor winning! Kenny Wieland, of Camelot Lakes Village, sang his way to a championship and $2,500 on Wednesday, March 26.
The stage was set for the grand finale after a thrilling series of preliminary competitions across our communities. It’s more than a talent show, however. Communities raise money leading up to the talent show for DAV (Disabled American Veterans). At the current count, fundraisers within the communities have raised more than $50,000+, with a $50,000 match promised by Cove Communities.
With unforgettable performances that left the audience in awe, we are proud to announce our top three winners!
First Place: Kenny Wieland
Second Place: Grackle Loop Birdettes
Third Place: Beverley Terzian
A Showcase of Musical Talent and Community Spirit
The competition featured nine unique performances from residents across our communities.
Each act brought something special to the stage, whether it was a solo performance or a lively group number. From Broadway medleys to original dance routines, the audience was treated to an afternoon of entertainment.
A distinguished panel of judges, including Judith Sachs from Carrollwood Players Theatre, Kati Deshler from DAV, and Richard Rubin, President of Maximum Bands, had the difficult task of selecting the winners from our talented pool of performers.
Meet the 2025 Finalists
Mike Polise
Camelot East Village – Sarasota, FL
Mike Polise from Sarasota, Florida returned to the Cove’s Got Talent stage with a Broadway piano medley. The former music teacher competed in the 2023 Cove’s Got Talent Finale.
The Brooklyn, New York native began playing at 12-years-old. He eventually turned his talents into a 30-year teaching career gracing public school classrooms from Harlem to Elk County, Nevada.
But the weather, not music, brought Polise to Camelot East Village to retire.
“Let’s face it, Florida has no winter and no state income tax,” said Polise during the Cove’s Got Talent Finale.
Polise and his wife spotted an advertisement for Camelot East’s resort amenities during a trip to Sarasota. The rest is history.
“It’s beautiful. It’s totally safe and our monthly rent includes water, sewer, garbage pickup, and somebody mows the grass every Tuesday. So it’s a great deal.”
“We just love living here.”
There’s plenty of entertainment beyond Camelot East too. Sarasota offers a rich arts scene keeping Polise busy.
“We go to the Florida Studio Theatre, the opera house. There are so many concerts, there’s a classical music radio channel. I listen to it all the time – Beethoven, Mozart, it’s terrific.”
Kenny Weiland
Camelot Lakes Village – Sarasota, FL
Kenny Weiland won first place by performing his original song, “I Wish My Dog Could Drive.” The song was inspired by his black labrador, Maggie. The pair would take road trips from New Hampshire to Vermont to visit friends.
“We’d have the windows down. There’s nothing happier than a dog doing 70 miles per hour with its face out the window, and everything is flapping the breeze,” explained Weiland, who went on to ponder what it would be like to trade places with his dog.
“It would be cool if I could teach my dog to drive. I could sit in the back seat and do all those cool dog things.”
Weiland wrote the song 15 years ago during one of his drives. It was eventually featured on NPR’s comedy talk show before wowing the Cove’s Got Talent judges.
“I’m happy. This is cool stuff,” said Weiland following his win.
“I wish my dog was around to see it. Maggie would be proud.”
It’s not Weiland’s first time competing in Cove’s Got Talent. He won the Camelot Lakes preliminary in 2020 as part of a musical duo. Yet he never reached the finale because the pandemic canceled the event.
Weiland and his wife moved to Camelot Lakes Village in Sarasota, Florida almost eight years ago. The couple traded New Hampshire’s cold weather for Florida sun.
“We said, ‘We gotta get out of the snow and ice and started doing some research online,’” explained Weiland who said they visited Florida three times before finding Camelot Lakes.
The couple explore retirement communities in Tampa, Safety Harbor, and Lakeland.
They found Camelot Lakes during their third visit, saw the stunning oak trees, and knew it would be home.
“It was a beautiful location. We’re close to the beach, and it offers everything else we’d been looking forward to.”
But that doesn’t mean Weiland spends all day sitting poolside at the Camelot Lakes Clubhouse. Weiland still performs as a musician part-time. He’s part of a four-piece band playing gigs around Sarasota from January to May.
“I’ve been playing music for 50 years, but now I can call this an award-winning song.”
The Grackle Loop Birdettes
Cypress Lakes Village – Lakeland, FL
Coming to the stage with energy and flair, The Grackle Loop Birdettes showcased their incredible vocal talent with an homage to the Lakeland retirement community that brought them together.
The group belted out “I’ve Got the Music in Me” made famous by Kiki Dee in 1974.
Marian “Mo” Duemler, Robin Debeau, and Davida “Dee” Kaufman all live around the corner in Cypress Lake Village. Their neighborhood inspired the trio’s name since they live on Grackle Loop in the manufactured home community.
It’s a community that’s been life-changing for all three women.
“We‘ve found friends we would have never met if it weren’t for moving to Cypress Lakes,” exclaimed Marian Duemler who moved from Michigan in 2022.
“I feel ten years younger coming here. I feel very young, it’s like the fountain of youth.”
Marian Duemler
The three friends say the song “I’ve Got the Music in Me” really describes how they feel about living in the friendly 55+ community. The trio was driving home from an event with the 19th Holders Women’s Organization (a group within Cypress Lakes) when the song came on the radio. They immediately started singing and that was it.
“None of us are professional musicians. We’re not singers. We really love what we’ve found here at Cypress Lakes,” said Duemler. “We have golf clubs, pickleball, theater, choir. We have so much to do here every day. I’m never bored.”
Davida Kaufman and Robin Debeau echoed Duemler saying that the welcoming community brings everyone together.
“Everybody looks after everybody. If someone is in trouble, we all pull together no matter where we are in the community,” added Debeau.
Danny Insley – Holiday RV Park
Leesburg, FL
Danny Insley took the stage with a soulful rendition of Chris Stapleton’s “Tennessee Whiskey.” Insley began singing as a senior in high school. He continued singing beyond high school choir and is now a karaoke staple at Holiday RV Park in Leesburg, Florida where he snowbirds every year.
It’s his second time competing in the Cove’s Got Talent Finale. He placed second in the 2024 competition representing Holiday RV Park.
Insley and his wife began spending the winter at the lakefront RV park known for its busy social calendar five years ago.
“We have a great family down at Holiday RV and a community of great people.”
The couple brought their RV down from Ohio based on a friend’s Facebook recommendation. Now Insley can’t imagine spending his winters anywhere else.
“We miss each other when we leave and can’t wait to get back when we’re gone. It’s like a family.”
Maia Millard (feat. Joshua Shaughnessy)
Point Sebago Resort – Casco, Maine
Strangers became friends during the Cove’s Got Talent preliminaries at Point Sebago Resort in Casco, Maine. A mutual friend arranged the musical pairing of Maia Millard and Joshua Shaughnessy.
“Our mutual friend Aiden knew that Josh played guitar and I sang. So at Point Sebago, he was insistent we enter the Point Sebago talent show.”
Both Millard and Shaughnessy insisted they weren’t going to enter.
Aiden’s persistence paid off and the duo won with an acoustic version of “Don’t Stop Believin’” at the lakefront campground in Maine.
The duo traveled to Florida to perform a heartfelt cover of “The Climb” by Miley Cyrus during the Cove’s Got Talent Finale.
Originally from Rhode Island, Millard’s been visiting Point Sebago Resort since she was thirteen.
“We are never bored. There’s always something to do. Just unplug, put down your phone, and kayak.”
Maia Millard
It was Shaughnessy’s first visit to the Maine campground.
“The whole energy of the entire resort. It’s almost homey. It’s like going back to summer camp when you were a kid,” described Shaughnessy.
The lakefront all-ages resort holds weekly talent shows and picks a winner at the end of the season. Point Sebago is owned by the same parent company, Cove Communities, as the retirement communities that compete in CGT.
Beverley Terzian
Rolling Greens Village – Ocala, FL
Beverley Terzian impressed the Cove’s Got Talent judges with her rendition of Patsy Cline’s “Walkin’ After Midnight.” Singing is in Terzian’s blood. She sang in school choirs, church, a gospel band, and is a fixture at karaoke in Rolling Greens Village in Ocala, Florida.
She even competed in the American Idol Experience at Disney World.
Originally from England, Beverley moved from Texas to Florida in 2024. The Florida move started with a road trip where Terzian was on the hunt for her must-haves which included a 55+ community north of Orlando.
It was an easy decision once Terzian discovered Rolling Greens Village.
“I took probably a good hour going down every street,” said Terzian.
“I told my friend, ‘I found my community, I just need to find my house.'”
Three days later she found the perfect manufactured home to call her own.“Everyone was so friendly, they waved and the amenities were plentiful,” she added while talking about the golf course community’s massive aquatic center and sports complex.
Frank Beams
StrawBerry Ridge Village – Valrico, FL
Frank Beams took us on a nostalgic journey with his powerful performance of “Fame & Fortune” by Elvis Presley. Beams is a proud grandfather who moved to StrawBerry Ridge Village to be closer to his grandkids.
Plus StrawBerry Ridge has karaoke. I do a lot of Elvis, Roy Orbison, Neil Diamond, Johnny Cash.”
Beams is originally from New York.
He eventually moved to be closer to his daughter’s family. But the drive from his first Florida home in Sanford proved to be a two-hour commute. Beam relocated closer when he bought a manufactured home in StrawBerry Ridge.
“The amenities are great – the indoor pool, the outdoor pool. All the friends we’ve made.”
Marvin Collins
Sun Valley – Tarpon Springs, FL
Marvin Collins returned to the stage for his second year in the Cove’s Got Talent Finale. He competed in 2025 and 2024 singing Willie Nelson’s “Always on My Mind” with passion and heart.
“I’m a singer. As long as I’ve got a karaoke machine in front of me, I can sing anything,” laughed Collis who represented the Sun Valley community in Tarpon Springs, Florida.
Collins, who turned 83, the day before the finale said he’s been singing his whole life. He even performed with the choir at Billy Graham’s 1962 rally at Soldier Field in Chicago.
He moved to Sun Valley in 2010 to marry his sweetheart Tina, who was the community manager at the time.
“I lived across the street. I kept chasing her until she finally said ‘yes’ and I moved in with her over there.”
The couple married in 2011. Since then, Marvin has gone on to win a gold medal in bowling at the 2023 National Senior Games alongside astronaut Lawrence Delucas. He also earned his 800 series ring.
Helen “Pat” Kapsar
The Waters – Melbourne Beach, FL
A lifetime of singing led the oldest Cove’s Got Talent contestant to the stage at 90 years old representing The Waters. Pat Kapsar took to the stage to sing “Till There Was You” which was originally recorded by Eileen Wilson and later The Beatles.
Kapsar began singing as a kid but took 30 years off from performing to raise her children.
“I sang to my kids so I kept my head going with my music all those years,” explained Kapsar.
Her daughters also played a role in her move to Florida. She moved to The Waters to be closer to her girls and to enjoy the warmer weather.
“I really couldn’t handle the winters anymore up in Saint Louis, MO.”
Kapsar upgraded to The Waters, a manufactured home community between the Indian River and the Atlantic Ocean.
“I chose the river to live by and I love it.”
The retirement community offers a busy calendar for activities and entertainment and Kapsar volunteers her time as a community ambassador.
The Waters manager said they are all “amazed by her determination and spirit, especially in the face of personal hardships, including the loss of loved ones and her health challenges.”
$100K Raised for Disabled Veterans at Cove’s Got Talent
Beyond the unforgettable performances, Cove’s Got Talent is about something bigger.
Each year, we come together not only to celebrate the talent in our communities but also to support a cause that truly matters—giving back to the Disabled American Veterans (DAV).
The DAV is dedicated to helping veterans and their families navigate the challenges after serving our country. Through free, professional services, veterans get the support they need—from assistance with benefit claims to transportation for medical appointments and even help transitioning back to civilian life.
Thanks to the efforts of our residents, team members, and volunteers, this year’s competition raised $50,000 to support this life-changing organization.