Forest Creek Estates HOA Newsletter
www.forestcreekestates.net Forest Creek Estates HOA Newsletter Letter from the President Steve Zuhoski Happy New Year! I hope that everyone enjoyed the festive atmosphere in our neighborhood during the holidays. Many thanks to Shannon Martin for updating our holiday decorations this year, and to all the homeowners who decorated for the season. The winners for best holiday decorations were: First Place—Holly and Chad Smith, 3500 Michael Drive; Second Place—Terry and Rick Wade, 3505 Michael Drive; and Third Place—Maria and Anthony Giglio, 3429 Gary Drive. Congratulations to all! Kudos to Shannon Martin and Lynn Brule for the Holiday in the Park event. We had a terrific turnout and great weather. I’d also like to thank our special guests, Santa and Mrs. Claus. Who knew that Santa rides a Harley in his spare time? Mark your calendars for the General Meeting, which will be held at Davis Library on March 30th, from 7:00—8:00 PM. The General Meeting is open to everyone and is a great opportunity to hear what the HOA has accomplished over the past year. We will present the 2015-2016 budget and introduce the HOA Board of Directors. We hope that you will be able to join us! Membership Jim Deen We were blessed to have over 80% of the homeowners join our HOA in 2014 which only goes to prove again that Forest Creek Estates is a unique Plano neighborhood. Without member support, this area would be nothing like the wonderful place that we all call home. In February our HOA starts our annual membership drive with an email message that current members will receive by the middle of the month. It is very helpful when our memIn February the HOA starts our annual membership drive with an email message to current members. bers respond to the email reminders because it saves the HOA the time and cost of contacting residents by mail. Members will also have the option of going to our web site and downloading the membership form. To make things even more convenient and a tad bit less expensive, you can bring your forms and check to 3401 O’Malley Court (home of our Treasurer Judy Paulson) where she has placed a container under the bench on her front porch. Or you can mail the forms and check to us at 3948 Legacy Drive, Suite 106; Box 318, Plano, TX 75023 Again, thank you for your support of Forest Creek Estates HOA February 2015 Inside this issue: Letter from the President 1 Membership 1 Social Committee 2 Board of Directors 3 Late Winter Gardening 4 Liaison to FCWC 4 Hats off to… 4 Rose Rosette Disease 5 Home Inventory 6 Crime Watch 6 Treasurer’s Report 7 Beautification 7 New Resident Coordinators 7 Communications 7 Pet Corner 8 Interested in Advertising? BUSINESS CARDS—$ 5O.OO FULL PAGE ADS—$ 1OO.OO If you have a business or a service that you want to advertise, or if you know of a business that should advertise in our neighborhood, please contact [email protected]. www.forestcreekestates.net Social Committee Shannon Martin & Linda Brule What a difference a year makes! Those of you who braved the winds and freezing temperatures during 2013’s Holiday in the Park festivities know this December’s was the complete opposite. With the high temperature for the day topping in the low 70’s and only getting into the mid 60’s when the sun went down, well, it was not quite that “winter weather” that makes one think of hot chocolate and hay rides. It did, however, make it more comfortable. The good news is that more of our neighbors were able to come out and join us in the park, making for a wonderful evening of fellowship, cookies, marshmallows over the fire, hot chocolate and cider and of course, pictures with Santa and Mrs. Claus. It also allowed the hay rides to take a little more leisurely tour since there were so many wonderful decorations out this year. (I think it may be the best display of lights and decorations in our 6 years here in Forest Creek Estates!) 2 www.forestcreekestates.net 2014 - 2015 Board of Directors Steve Zuhoski President [email protected] AndrewBrown President-Elect [email protected] Dan McCurley Beautification [email protected] Lisa Chill Education/Community Awareness [email protected] Jim Deen Membership [email protected] Judy Paulson Treasurer [email protected] Paul Brule Secretary [email protected] Mary Helen Culbertson Crime Watch [email protected] Debbie & Gary Shafer New Resident Coordinator [email protected] Denise Provencher Communications [email protected] Shannon Martin, Lynn Brule Social [email protected] 3 www.forestcreekestates.net Late Winter Gardening Jim Watson, Collin County Master Gardener We have had a wonderfully mild winter so far! And with the average freeze date for Collin County of March 15, more than half of winter is over. Good news? Maybe not! Many insects such as crickets and grasshoppers lay their eggs in the top 1-2 inches of the soil. A winter with no freezing temperatures means those eggs will hatch in abundance—and we will see the result beginning in late spring and through the summer. Two to three days of 20 degrees or lower would make a big difference. Let’s hope! While we wait, there are some late winter, early spring chores that will pay off nicely this spring and summer. One is pruning flowering plants such as salvia, pomegranate, turk’s cap, black-foot daisies and others to get new wood as the plants come out of dormancy. A good rule is 4-6 inches above the ground at or just above a bud or stem branch. And, with some sadness, it’s time to prune roses back to 3-4 strong stems just above a bud or branch. Sadness? Elsewhere in the newsletter we discuss a serious, potentially devastating disease, Rose Rosette, that is spreading rapidly throughout North Texas. Be sure and read about this disease, its symptoms, and actions to help eradicate the virus and the tiny mite that helps spread the disease. If you haven’t applied a winterizing fertilizer this year, it’s not too late. A fertilizer containing nitrogen and phosphorous (the first two numbers) will give an early boost to lawns as they come out of their dormant period. The phosphorous will be especially beneficial to good root growth. And, after March 15, (maybe delay an extra week or two) you can cut your lawn to about ½ inch to prepare it for a good start. That is also the time to plant radishes, peas, lettuce, cabbage, and onion sets if you are into vegetable gardening. As a Certified Master Gardener I am available for questions and ideas. Any service I provide is at no cost. You can also get information at the Collin County Master Gardener Web Site, www.CCMGATX.org or by calling the Help desk at 972-548-4232. So as the days get longer, the temperatures warmer, and we see the birds getting active with their family chores, we know we’ll soon be out and about. Have a great late winter and early spring. Jim Watson, 3404 Gary Drive, can be reached at [email protected] Liaison to FCWC Linda Brule Hats off to… The Forest Creek Woman's Club will be hosting our Spring Social at Top Golf on March 28th. The cost is $44.00 per person, including dinner! If you are a member of the Woman's Club and would like to attend, you may pay by PayPal, pay cash or send a check to Shannon Harris, and please bring your spouse! This should prove to be a great night out! Reservations must be in by March 14, so don't delay! Pat and Jack Kempf for being elected Secretaries of the Texas Reelers Square Dance Club in Richardson, TX. Ask them about becoming a member yourself! The HOA Board would like to remind everyone that the speed limit in our alleys is only 10 MPH. Please watch your speed! 4 www.forestcreekestates.net 5 www.forestcreekestates.net Home Inventory—Why is it Important? Frank J. Gallovich, Farmers Insurance Agent Let’s paint this picture: You have a major fire at your house and many of your possessions are destroyed. You and your family are living in a hotel for the next few months. Your life has been turned upside down. The insurance adjuster comes to your hotel room and slides a yellow note pad in front of you, asking you to write down all the contents in your home that were destroyed. Besides your insurance agent, there are many resources on the internet to help you with home inventory. Just type “home inventory” into Google and hundreds of options will pop up. There are also apps for your iPhone or Android device. If you have any questions or would like a copy of our home inventory checklist, email me at [email protected] or call 972-398-0001. One of our licensed staff members or I will send it right over to you. You start writing and have no problem remembering the leather sofa from Weir’s or the 60” Samsung TV from Sam’s Club, but then you start to realize that you are forgetting things like the kid’s coats in the closet, the blanket your grandmother made, the classic 35mm Nikon camera your father gave you when you were 16. Your mind starts spinning and you start thinking, “Did I get it all? How can I possibly remember everything I had?” Frank J. Gallovich is located in Plano; his ad can be found on page 11 of our newsletter. Crime Watch At a minimum, I suggest you do a walkthrough with video Mary Helen Culbertson or take pictures of every wall in your home Several people in the neighborhood, myself included, have been using the Nextdoor website and mobile app to exchange information of interest to our neighborhood. Nextdoor was brought to the attention of the board by an HOA member, and I joined to see if it would help me gather information about local crime to share with HOA members. As a Farmer’s Insurance agent, one of the most often asked questions I get is “How can I possibly remember everything that is in my house?” The answer is easy: Home Inventory. Having a home inventory is the best way to make sure the claims process goes quickly and smoothly after a loss like a theft or fire. Nextdoor is a private social network that is used among neighbors to exchange information about crime and safety, recommend businesses and service providers, list classified ads and advertise local events. It can also serve as a forum for discussing community issues. Nextdoor members must use their real name, verify their street address, and follow basic guidelines for neighborly behavior. Ideally, a home inventory should include an item description like the make, model and serial number and have a value and purchase date. You can create a spreadsheet of your own or use a home inventory checklist. At a minimum, I suggest you do a walkthrough with video or take pictures—not of individual items, but of every wall in your home. This will pretty much guarantee you have a visual log of most items in your household. Then electronically store the pictures or video in email or to a memory cloud so you have it in the event of a theft or tragedy. The pictures and video will be a helpful reference for that moment when you have the yellow note pad put in front of you. Although I was initially skeptical, over the last few months I have found Nextdoor to be extremely useful. The Plano Police Department is very active on Nextdoor and provides detailed information, including photos, about current crime alerts. The The Plano Police Department is very active on Nextdoor and provides detailed information about crime alerts. Also, take extra care with your most important valuable items like antiques, jewelry and art. Sometimes these kinds of items have limitations on your insurance policy. Contact your agent to make sure you have the proper coverage in place. Plano Police have also posted helpful safety information such as securing your home and protecting yourself in the event of a home invasion. Keeping copies of important receipts and appraisals is a good idea too. Pictures or video of these items should be stored in the same place you keep your spreadsheet and pictures of your items. More information, including Nextdoor’s privacy policy, can be found at nextdoor.com. Please note that the HOA will continue to use email to inform members of Crime Watch alerts, and we are not requiring that members join Nextdoor . 6 www.forestcreekestates.net Beautification Dan McCurley Treasurer’s Report Judy Paulson Not a lot going on with beautification; the winter has been easy on the plants and trees. I’m working on enhancement plans for the coming year. Hopefully we will have mild weather and plenty of rain this year. Each and every month the board monitors its expenses to make sure we stay within our budget and to make sure we are making the best use of your HOA dues. Please let us know if you have any thoughts or ideas about improving our Forest Creek neighborhood. We are always striving to continue to make this the best neighborhood in Plano. Communications As you have companies in your homes for repairs or updates consider asking them if they would like to have an ad in our directory and on our website. We would like to support companies you have used and whose work you are completely satisfied with. Denise Provencher Hooray! Jim Watson has volunteered to write a landscaping column on a regular basis. I’d also like to thank Jim for the insert on Rose Rosette disease. If other HOA members would like to contribute to the newsletter, we would love to have your articles. Let me know! Thanks, as always, to the behind-the-scenes communications team: Sandy McCurley, Monique Vandamme-Wildt, and Dan McCurley. Send your ideas and comments to [email protected]. New Resident Coordinators Debbie & Gary Shafer Forest Creek HOA General Meeting A warm welcome to our new neighbors! 3313 San Simeon Way 3509 Nancy Court 3217 Melanie Lane 3400 Melanie Lane Monday, March 30, 2015 7:00—8:00 PM Davis Library Currently on the market: 3517 Gary Drive Watch your email for details Homes continue to sell for an average of 99% of the asking price. Don’t forget to check the website for more information about the Homeowner’s Association: www.forestcreekestates.net 7 www.forestcreekestates.net Forest Creek Estates Pet Corner Honey Su is a 5 year old Rhodesian Ridgeback Hound who is very high energy. She insists on running/walking every single day, no matter the weather. She knows how to greet visitors by sitting & shaking hands, especially if she thinks you have a treat for her. Honey Su is always the “Blue Ribbon Champ” at “chase” when playing at the dog park. When her humans, Suzanne and Tom Burns, are away, she devotedly watches for them from the upstairs office or downstairs dining room window. If you walk on her street, she assuredly will bark “Hello.” This is just to let you know she sees you, and to warn you not to sabotage her “palace.” Honey Su Burns Sophie and Chloe Boudreau The “Sweater Girls,” Sophie and Chloe, live with Eileen and David Boudreau on O’Malley Court. They are now 7 and 8 years old, Maltese mix, adopted 3 years ago when their previous owner was going into a nursing home. She wanted them to stay together, and we wanted two dogs. It was a perfect match! You will see them walking around the neighborhood in a variety of colorful sweaters—that’s how most people recognize them. Dixie Deener Teddy Mappes Dixie is the 8 year old Maltese of Kathy and Mark Deener. She is one of a kind! Dixie is a lover girl and has brought the Deeners great joy. Mark calls her his Paris Hilton puppy...she is pretty to look at but can’t hunt or fish! Dictated by Teddy and relayed by Cristina and Philip Mappes: Hi, I’m Teddy! I’m a 7 month old mini-goldendoodle. I just earned my “Canine Good Citizenship” certification which is the first step toward becoming a licensed therapy dog. I enjoy walks by the creek, meeting new people, and “stealing” shoes! If you see me on the trail, be sure to say hello! Do you have a pet who should be featured in our pet corner? If so, please email me at [email protected] or [email protected]. 8 www.forestcreekestates.net 9 www.forestcreekestates.net 10 www.forestcreekestates.net 11 www.forestcreekestates.net 12 www.forestcreekestates.net 13 www.forestcreekestates.net 14 www.forestcreekestates.net 15 www.forestcreekestates.net 16 www.forestcreekestates.net 17 www.forestcreekestates.net 18 www.forestcreekestates.net 19 www.forestcreekestates.net Proud sponsor of our Annual BBQ Cook-off 20 www.forestcreekestates.net 21 www.forestcreekestates.net 22 www.forestcreekestates.net 23 www.forestcreekestates.net 24 www.forestcreekestates.net 25 www.forestcreekestates.net 26 www.forestcreekestates.net 27
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