Sunday, December 20, 2009


ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL CAROLING FOR CANS EVENT
Despite the weather, many families participated in the Second Annual Grande Park Caroling for Cans Event! Much thanks to the Plymires and Comatas' for caroling with me! I brought the goods to the Rescue Mission today and as usual, they were soooo appreciative!
I hope we can have another good event next year! Thanks!

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

SAFETY FIRST! BREAK-INS REPORTED OUTSIDE OF GRANDEPARK

There have been several break-ins up and down Umstead Road recently, one as recent as Sunday night right across Umstead Rd at QueenFerry! They stole between 8-9k worth of equipment from a resident who owns his own yard work business; the merchandise was stole from his locked trailer.

To my knowledge no break-ins or attpems have been made in our neighborhood, but tis the season!!! Please keep your doors locked to our house and vehicles! Keep your garage door closed unless you are outside watching! If there is any opportunity, thieves will try them!

Thursday, December 3, 2009


Please join the Second Annual Grande Park Caroling for Cans event

to benefit the Durham Rescue Mission.

On Saturday, December 19, 2009, please place a donation of canned food or other needed items beside your mailbox. A group of Grande Park Carolers will be Caroling at those houses that have put a donation out. We will collect the items and bring them to the Rescue Mission for those that can really use them at this time.

We will be Caroling around sunset, so please have your cans out by 5pm that evening. If you would like to place luminaries out to light our way, please do so!


I will be sending out a flier with all this information as well as a list of needed items hopefully next week!!!

We will also be scouting out the BEST HOLIDAY DECORATED HOME again this year! A $25 gift card to Lowes will be awarded by the HOA to the home with the most spirit this holiday season!

If you would like to ‘Carol’ with us, or if you have any questions about Caroling for Cans or Holiday decoration contest, call Carol at 341-1174.

We would love to have as many people join us as possible!


Thank you and have a joyous holiday season!

Monday, November 16, 2009

Need a Mailbox Makeover?


BEFORE

Is your mailbox faded, rusted, or dented? Want a new one?
For the low low cost of $35, you can get a brand new black with gold band mailbox that matches the rest of the neighborhood!
Just contact one of the HOA board members and we can order you one through our property management company. We can even help you install it! Just ask!

AFTER

Monday, November 2, 2009

Fall Back One Hour , Check Smoke Detectors

Use this semi-annual event as an opportunity to check and change the batteries in home smoke detectors. A working smoke detector in the home saves lives and doubles one's chances of surviving a home fire.

Tuesday, October 27, 2009



The air is cool the season fall
Soon Halloween will come to all
The spooks are after things to do
In fact, a spook may be looking for you
"BOO" is a shield from witching hour
Just hang it up and watch its power
On your front door is where it works
It wards off spooks and scary jerks
The treats will come with a crypted note
Are yours to keep, enjoy them both
The power comes when friends like you
Will copy the note and make it TWO
Then others here among our friends
Will give warm fuzzies that do not end
We'll all have smiles upon our faces
No one will know who "BOO"ed whose places
Just one short day to work your spell
Or a big ZAP will strike your tail
And don't forget a nifty treat,
Like something cute or something sweet
Please join fun, let's really hear it
And spread some "BOO"s and Halloween spirit.

Friday, October 23, 2009

The Durham County Sheriff's Office has issued the following series of tips for children and adults regarding Halloween trick-or-treating.

The major dangers are not from witches or spirits but rather from falls and pedestrian/car crashes.

Motorist tips:
Watch for children darting out from between parked cars.
Watch for children walking on roadways, medians and curbs.
Enter and exit driveways and alleys carefully.
At twilight and later in the evening, watch for children in dark clothing.

Parental tips:
Make sure that an adult or an older responsible youth will be supervising the outing for children under age 12.
Plan and discuss the route trick-or-treaters intend to follow. Know the names of older children's companions.
Instruct your children to travel only in familiar areas and along an established route.
Teach your children to stop only at houses that are well-lit and never to enter a stranger's home.
Establish a return time.
Tell your youngsters not to eat any treat until they return home.
Review all appropriate trick-or-treat safety precautions, including pedestrian/traffic safety rules.
Pin a slip of paper with the child's name, address and phone number inside a pocket in case the youngster gets separated from the group.

Costume design tips:
Only fire-retardant materials should be used for costumes.
Costumes should be loose so warm clothes can be worn underneath.
Costumes should not be so long that they are a tripping hazard.
If children are allowed out after dark, outfits should be made with light colored materials. Strips of retro-reflective tape should be used to make children visible.


Trick-or-treating tips:
Do not enter homes without adult supervision.
Walk; do not run, from house to house. Do not cross yards and lawns where unseen objects or the uneven terrain can present tripping hazards.
Walk on sidewalks, not in the street.
Walk on the left side of the road, facing traffic if there are no sidewalks.
Give children an early meal before going out.
Insist that treats be brought home for inspection before anything is eaten.
Wash fruit and slice into small pieces.
When in doubt, throw it out.

Homeowner tips:
Keep candles and Jack O' Lanterns away from landings and doorsteps where costumes could brush against the flame.
Remove obstacles from lawns, steps and porches when expecting trick-or-treaters.
Keep candles and Jack O' Lanterns away from curtains, decorations and other combustibles that could catch fire.
Do not leave your house unattended.

Tuesday, October 20, 2009


HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

BE SAFE AND HAVE FUN!

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

WHAT BOOK GOT YOU HOOKED??

First Book is giving away 50,000 new books to children in need! The state with the most votes wins - it takes just a couple of minutes to make a difference.

Simply go to the website, Firs t Book and vote. NC is now ranked 4th! We are so close!

The Kids Connect listserv now reaches over 1200 folks - think of the impact we could make if each of us took a minute to vote!!

Please forward this email to friends, teachers, group leaders - ask them to vote and to help spread the word. It would be amazing if we could make the difference and push NC to victory!

Voting ends September 30th - and you can vote more than once! Please take a couple of minutes to help NC's children experience the joy of reading!

http://booksforkids.firstbook.org/whatbook//index.php

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Looking for something to do??

Check out the City's Parks and Rec site. They provide programs for the whole family. These include preschool classes, pre-teen programs, and free public programs. Some of the programs they offer are night hikes, constellation and paddle programs.

http://www.durhamnc.gov/departments/parks/education.cfm

Sunday, September 13, 2009

FALL FESTIVAL 2009 ~ Cancelled

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Tips on Keeping Your Home Safe

I was coming home the other night around 10pm. There were 2 other cars on Guess Rd. You would’ve thought it was 2am! The light on the Grande Park sign was on as I drove into our neighborhood. The 2 street lights were on Mystic, glowing dimly. There was no one around and it was DARK! There were no house lights on at any of the houses I passed. I looked down one cul-de-sac and it was pitch black!

We have had numerous instances of petty theft from vehicles in Grande Park in the past few years. There have also been some more bold criminals attempting to get into the houses. I began my career 15 years ago working with juvenile delinquents and know first hand what they target. I must say that if I was a criminal, that cul-de-sac would be a lot of fun! With some dark clothes on, someone could move from house to house, checking for open car doors, back doors, or even take their time to assess whether they should attempt to get in through windows or a door.

I don’t want our neighborhood to become an easy target!!!

There are a lot of simple things you can do to help keep you, your belongings and Grande Park safe!!!! Please help!!!

One of the most important things we can do to help keep our neighborhood safe is to look out for one another. If you see anything suspicious or out of the ordinary call 911. Know your neighbors and keep an eye on one another.

Home Safety
If you were locked out of your house, would you still be able to get in? Maybe you keep an unlocked window in the back, or a hidden key in your mailbox or on top of a window ledge? You may think this is a good idea, but remember if you can break in, you make it that much easier for a burglar to break-in.

Nationally one out of six homes will be burglarized this year. For a small amount of time and money you can make your home more secure and reduce your chances of becoming a victim. Many burglars will spend no longer than 60 seconds to try and break into a home. Good locks – and good neighbors who watch out for each other – can be an effective deterrent to burglary.
Check your Locks
Did you know that in almost half of all completed residential burglaries, thieves simply walked in through unlocked doors or used unlocked windows?

• Make sure every external door has a sturdy well installed deadbolt lock. Key-in-the-knob locks are not enough.
• Sliding glass doors can offer easy access if they are not properly secured. You can secure them by installing commercially available “Charlie bars” or simply putting a piece of wood or broomstick in the track. To prevent the door from being lifted off the track drill a hole through the sliding door frame and the fixed frame. Then insert a nail in the hole.
• Lock double hung windows with key locks or “pin” windows by drilling a small hole into a 45 degree angle between the inner and outer frames, then insert a nail that can be removed. Secure basement windows with removable grills or grates.
• Instead of hiding keys around the outside of your home give an extra key to a neighbor you trust.
• When you move into a new house or apartment, re-key the locks.

Check the Doors
A lock on a flimsy door is about as effective as locking your car door and leaving the window down.

• All outside doors should be metal or solid wood.
• If your doors don’t fit tightly in their frames install weather stripping around them.
• Install a peephole or wide angle viewer in all entry doors at a height everyone in the home can use, so you can see who is outside without opening your door. Door chains break easily and won’t keep out an intruder.
Check the Outside
Look at your home from the outside. Make sure you know the following tips.

Thieves hate bright lights. Install outside lights and keep them on overnight.
• Keep your yard clean. Prune back shrubbery so it doesn’t hide doors and windows. Cut back tree limbs that a thief could use to climb into an upper level window
• Clearly display your house number so police and emergency services can find your home quickly.
• If you travel create the illusion that you’re home by buying timers that will turn lights on and off in different areas of your home throughout the evening. Lights burning 24 hours a day signal an empty home.
• Leave shades, blinds, and curtains in normal positions. Don’t let your mail or newspapers pile-up. Have a neighbor pick them up.
• Make a list of your valuables and use an engraver so you can engrave your driver’s license number on the item.
• Ask a member of the police department to stop by and offer a free home security survey.
Consider an Alarm
Alarms can be a good but be wary of getting a false sense of security or being sold a system you don’t need.

• If you do want an alarm do business with an established company and make sure everyone in your home knows how to properly set your alarm. The City of Durham requires companies installing alarm system to be registered with the City and hold a state license.
• Alarm companies count on a police response. False alarms are a major problem for the police. They tie up resources, take officers away from other duties, and leave other areas unprotected. The City of Durham requires residents and businesses to acquire a permit to operate an alarm system after the first false alarm report and imposes civil penalties for the failure to have a permit when a second false alarm occurs.
• Other good options are sirens, strobe lights, and motion sensors with floodlights that will activate when tripped. They will attract attention and possible witnesses. Photo cell lights that turn on and off at dusk and dawn are another good option.
Burglars do more than steal
They can commit rapes, robberies, and assault if they are surprised by someone coming home or pick a home that is occupied.

• If something looks questionable – a slit screen, a broken window, or an open door – don’t go in! Leave. Immediately call 9-1-1 from a cell phone or neighbor’s phone.
• At night if you think someone is breaking in leave safely if you can and then call 9-1-1. If you can’t leave lock yourself in a room with a phone and call police. If an intruder is in your room pretend you are asleep.
• Guns are responsible for many accidental deaths in the home every year. Think carefully before buying one and keeping it in the home “for protection”. If you do want to have a gun in your home, learn how to store and use it safely. Free gunlocks are available from theThe Durham Police Department.

PLEASE WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE GRANDE PARK SAFE, ESPECIALLY AS WE MOVE INTO THE HOLIDAY SEASON!


Monday, August 17, 2009

TOXIC FREE NC


OK, so I am not a very green person. I recycle and have a very small garden that has produced tomatoes, but not much more. However, I recently attended a conference that included a short presentation from Toxic Free NC, a non-profit organization whose mission is to fight pesticide pollution in North Carolina by advocating for common-sense alternatives that protect our health and environment.

They have some interesting information about toxins and chemicals that effect our daily lives and alternative to toxins that are easy and cheap! Thought you might be interested.

http://www.toxicfreenc.org/

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

and the AUGUST YARD OF THE MONTH goes to.....




1807 REDDING LANE







CONGRATULATIONS!

Thursday, August 6, 2009

Grande Park Yard of the Month Program!


The Yard of the Month program is intended to inspire residents of the Grande Park community to take pride in the appearance and upkeep of their yards and the exterior of their homes. The Program will run each June, July and August.
A $25 gift card will be awarded to the nicest looking house/yard each month of the program. Not only will the winners win a gift card, but a specially designed “Yard of the Month” sign will be placed in their front yard until the announcement of the next month's winner!
Judging factors include the overall appearance, tidiness and neatness of the property as evidenced by:
1. Neatly mowed lawn;
2. Lawn and flowerbeds are free of leaves and grass clippings; area walks swept;
3. Sidewalks and driveways edged;
4. Very few weeds in lawn and cracks of sidewalks/driveway;
5. Mulching flowerbeds/bushes/trees;
6. Whether there are flowers, rocks or some type of display to make the yard stand out;
7. Bushes trimmed neatly;
8. Front yard clear of clutter, garbage cans, litter, etc. (most visible area from street);
9. Overall appearance of yard and house is neat and clean.
10. Homeowner is current on their monthly dues.
If you would like to nominate a home for AUGUST Yard of the Month, please contact one of the HOA board members!!!!
THE YARD OF THE MONTH WILL BE ANNOUNCED BEFORE AUGUST 10, SO GET YOUR VOTES IN NOW!


Saturday, August 1, 2009




TUESDAY AUGUST 4, 2009
GRANDE PARK PLAYGROUND 6:30-7:30PM
COME OUT TO MEET YOUR NEIGHBORS!!!


Hello Neighbors! GRANDE PARK will be participating NATIONAL NIGHT OUT, an annual event designed to strengthen our neighborhoods though police-community partnerships. The goal is to heighten crime and drug prevention awareness, build support and participation in local anti-crime programs and, most importantly, send a message to criminals that our neighborhood is organized and fighting back. It's also the perfect opportunity to get to know your neighbors even better!

Refreshments will be provided. Please plan to stop by, meet some neighbors and get information about GRANDE PARK's NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH PROGRAM. Learn who your block captain is and provide your contact information so that your block captain can contact you in the event of a crime event in the area.

Also, we will have information on the Yard of the Month Program and you can vote for the August Yard of the Month, so go check out your neighbors' yards and decide who you think is worthy!
IT COULD BE YOU!

We look forward to seeing you and your family at GRANDE PARK's NATIONAL NIGHT OUT EVENT
TUESDAY AUGUST 5 FROM 6:30-7:30
AT THE GRANDE PARK PLAYGROUND!

Sunday, July 12, 2009

THE JULY YARD OF THE MONTH......
1715 MYSTIC!





Monday, June 29, 2009

SECURITY ALERT!!!
~LICENSE PLATES AND STICKERS STOLEN~

PLEASE BE CAUTIOUS, AWARE AND PROACTIVE!
IF YOU SEE ANYTHING SUSPICIOUS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, PLEASE PLEASE CALL 911 OR THE NON-EMERGENCY POLICE NUMBER : (919) 560-4600!!!!

HERE ARE A FEW REPORTS FROM THE WEEKEND I JUST RECEIVED TODAY:

Last week my registration sticker was stolen from my car . I didn’t notice it, my husband did, only b/c the color was different than his. I spoke to the DMV about it & they have had numerous people to report stolen stickers. She stated that when updating your old sticker, it is a good idea to completely remove the previous ones, clean the plate area very well & make sure you rub on well afterwards.

Around 3 to 4 AM today (6/29) a resident heard a noise outside of her home on Accura Court. The noise was loud enough to wake her husband who is a deep sleeper. When they checked outside no one was there and they went back to bed. This afternoon she noticed her license plate was missing.

You can purchase a plastic cover with special screws . While this will not guarantee that they will not still get them but like locks it will be a little harder.
The police have been notified about these incidents.


If your plate is stolen, here is a link to DMV with instruction on what to do::
http://www.ncdot.org/DMV/vehicle_services/licenseplates/plateLostStolen.html

Alos, on Friday night (6/26) around 9pm an unidentified vehicle pulled in front of a house on the corner of Mystic and Carey. The car sat there with its lights on for about 10 minutes. When the vehicle finally drove off the man kept his face turned away from my house. However, I could see his side view from the light. On Saturday afternoon, I saw a gentleman walking up the street with a bag on his shoulder. He looked like the guy that was in the car the night before. He isn't someone I recognize from our neighborhood. Though no incident occurred to my knowledge this is suspicious activity.

It would probably be a good thing for everyone to keep an eye on their neighbor’s property, especially if you are going to be in town this weekend & they’re out of town. People are getting a little crazy & bold.

Please have a safe & happy 4th of July!

Monday, June 15, 2009




AND THE YARD OF THE MONTH AWARD GOES TO....




5503 Carey Place!




Please check it out! The house looks great!


Monday, May 18, 2009





Durham Adopts Year-Round Water Efficiency Ordinance


Effective June 1

Outdoor Watering to be Allowed Up to Three Days Per Week


Beginning Monday, June 1, 2009, the City will implement new year-round water efficiency measures for all Durham water customers.
The new outdoor irrigation schedule applies to all spray irrigation systems and allows customers to irrigate on the following schedule:

• Odd-numbered addresses may water once on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays either before 10 a.m. or after 6 p.m.
• Even-numbered addresses may water once on Sundays, Wednesdays, and Fridays either before 10 a.m. or after 6 p.m.
• No watering will be allowed to occur between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. on allowed watering days.
• No customers will be permitted to water on Mondays.
• Temporary licenses will be allowed to establish new landscapes.
• Hand-watering and drip irrigations systems are not restricted.

Thursday, May 14, 2009





SATURDAY MAY 16

GRANDE PARK NEIGHBORHOOD YARD SALE!

The HOA will advertise the sale in the newspaper, as well as WRAL.com and other free resources. Get your stuff out early to take advantage of the early bird yard sailers! Good luck, I hope you make lots of money!!!

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

HOA meeting rescheduled

NEXT HOA MEETING will be this WEDNESDAY MAY 6, 2009 @ 7pm at the President's house 1811 Mystic.

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Today is Earth Day 2009! Earth Day, recognized around the globe on April 22, is designed as a time to raise awareness and appreciation for our precious environment. Visit http://www.greendurham.net/ for activities and events that celebrate this great day!
There is also a good article on tips to conserve money and energy! Here's a link!


http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/GlobalWarming/Story?id=7395740&page=1

Monday, April 20, 2009



The 2009 Easter Egg-stravaganza was a great success, thanks to all the volunteers and families that participated! I thought the playground looked good too, with new mulch and the benches and tables relocated to be more user friendly! Check it out if you haven't lately!


Our next event is the Neighborhood Yard Sale, May 16! Mark your calendar and start cleaning out your closets and garages!


Tuesday, March 24, 2009



IT’S TIME FOR THE….The 7th Annual Grande Park Spring “Egg”stravaganza!


WHEN: Saturday, April 11, 2009 @ 11 AM (weather permitting)


WHERE: The Grande Park Playground!


WHAT: The Grande Egg Hunt for children of all ages! There will be bags/baskets to decorate, or kids can bring their own egg baskets! The hunt will be divided up between the ages. Light snacks and refreshments will be available!

Parents: For each family who wishes to participate, please donate at least one bag of individually wrapped candy to fit in an egg by Thursday, April 9. Please label the bag(s) with the number of children participating and their ages. There will be a drop box on the porch of 106 Accura Ct.


NOTE: You do not need to provide filled eggs since we’ve saved the eggs from previous years. The social committee will stuff the eggs with the donated candy.


All children must be accompanied by an adult.If you would like to donate refreshments or for general questions, please contact Carol or Shinnette (e-mail addresses below).


Check your mailbox for the flyer and check this site for updates! THANKS!

Friday, March 6, 2009

THE HOA BOARD MET LAST NIGHT for our monthly meeting. We planned a few things for the coming months so I wanted to update the Blog with the news.


1. APRIL 11 – SAVE THE DATE! The annual EGG-STRAVAGANZA will be held at the Playground again! We will have a large egg hunt with prizes and activities for the kids. VOLUNTEERS are needed! Please contact me or Shinnette if you would like to help out! We will send out a flyer closer to the date to request help and candy for the eggs! I have tons of eggs from prior years, so we should just need the candy and prizes if anyone has something cool to donate!

2. MAY 16 – SAVE THE DATE! The Annual Grande Park COMMUNITY YARD SALE. We will place ads in the Herald Sun and other media. It’s a great time for everyone to downsize and make some money! The community aspect really brings in the traffic and buyers $ $ $ !

3. JUNE-AUGUST- We are starting a YARD OF THE MONTH contest during the summer months! We will be looking for the best looking yard/house in the neighborhood! The winners each month will be awarded a $25 gift card to Lowes and the chance to place the YARD OF THE MONTH WINNER sign in their yard that month!! WOW! This should be a great way to motivate residents to look their best and outshine their neighbors! I love a little competition!

4. Playground maintenance. The Playground will be re-mulched before April 11. We are also getting quotes to have the play set cleaned and sealed, a much needed maintenance item that we have not done in a long time, if ever!

5. MAILBOXES AND POSTS! We’ve noticed, as I am sure you have, that some residents are not keeping up with the maintenance of their mailboxes. It seems like a trivial thing, but it’s actually a real eyesore driving through the neighborhood. It doesn’t take that much effort especially when Morgan Property Management is able to purchase the mailboxes at cost for $35!!!! If you are one of the residents with a mailbox in need of replacement, please contact Sheryl at Morgan Property Management (see her contact info at the bottom of the blog) and order a new one! Perhaps you just need some black spray paint and new brass bands to make your mailbox sparkle?? You can buy just the bands from Sheryl too!

Speaking of sparkling! The original wooden mailbox posts are really starting to get old and in some cases rot! We have found a PVC post that looks similar and needs little to no maintenance. We found them at Lowes for $79! Here is a picture; you don't have to attach the flower pot in the back if you don't want to.




Otherwise, a quick fresh coat of white paint does the trick! If you need assistance with mailbox maintenance, please contact one of the HOA Board members, we may be able to help !

6. New Officers. We elected the new officers last night too. They are:
President – Don McFarland
Vice President – Casmir (Caz) Duval
Secretary – Cynthia Duval
Treasurer – Carol Hammett

As always, if you have any questions, comments, suggestions, or concerns or would like to post something to this blog, please call one of the HOA Board members below!

Monday, March 2, 2009

SECURITY ALERT:

A woman today was robbed of her purse today at 5p at the Food Lion on Guess Rd. Thankfully, she was not personally assaulted or injured. A small (ie, Honda Civic, Mazda, Toyota Corolla) dark colored, she thinks it was two-door, drove up beside her while she was loading groceries into the front passenger seat/floorboard of her car. There were two men in the car. Her purse, including all ID, credit cards, cell phone, check book, etc was in the front passenger seat. The driver of the vehicle jumped out of his car and reached over her shouldar and grabbed her purse, jumped back into his car and drove off on Horton Rd towards Duke St. Sarah was able to obtain a portion of the vehicle's license plate #, however, the plate was literally a plate - an "unofficial" temporary, paper plate affixed to his car. A police report was filed on the scene. As the thief stole her driver's license with her address, she wanted everyone in the community to be especially vigilant of any strangers/strange vehicles in our neighborhood.

Monday, January 19, 2009

~HOA Board President’s 2008 Annual Report ~

The year 2008 marked the 6th year for the Grande Park Homeowners Association. The Homeowners Board has continued the established programs that were in place during previous years. The board consist of 5 members. Morgan Property Management continued to represent Grande Park and their contract was renewed for another year.

Newton’s Landscaping contract was renewed for another year. Newton’s Landscaping has done an excellent job and based on reports received everyone seems satisfied. The Social Committee. Carol Hammett and Shinnette Richmond co-chaired the Social Committee. They continued with events and programs such as the Easter Egg Hunt, yard sale, National Night Out, and fall festival. The December Lumination was left up to each individual homeowner. Everyone enjoyed the Christmas Caroling and the donations of food for the Durham Rescue Mission was a success. The $25.00 gift certificate was given to Jill Hoffman on Carey Place for the best decorated house during Christmas. These events were successful due to the tireless efforts put forth by the Social Committee. Our community owes this committee a great deal of thanks. Ann McCracken, Amy Kujawa, Kristen Barnhill and Lenore Plymire helped in some of these events and their assistance was greatly appreciated. Thank you on behalf of our community!!!!

The Block Captains, established in 2004, continued to play a role in representing the neighborhood and making sure needed information was distributed to their respective groups. As of this time all nine Block Captains positions are filled. Some of the older Block Captains would like someone else to step up and give them a break. It is not in the best interest of Grande Park to keep the same ones without giving them a break. The Grande Park Newsletter, edited by Don McFarland, was discontinued. The reason for the stopping the newsletter was the implementation of the Grande Park Blog. This web page was set up and maintained by Carol Hammett. This Blogs offers the community an instant update on current events and other useful information. Every resident should earmark this web site on their computers because if you want to know what is happening or need help this is where you go.

Comments and suggestions are always welcome. The Architectural Improvement Committee (ARC) continues to keep our neighborhood in compliance with the Architectural Guidelines that were established and then revised in August 2003. This committee is composed of Cas Duval. Cas has done an exceptional job and our thanks go out to him. Cas can use some additional help and if you are interested in serving please give him a call.

The additional light in the playground was finally installed. This additional light was needed and provided the light necessary to make everyone feel safe. Along with the new signs pertaining to the playground rules seems to have helped decrease the late night activities.

Appearance: Thanks to each homeowner for the way they have maintained their property’s appearance. I have continued to receive complaints from some homeowners within the neighborhood itself concerning animal waste. Each person is responsible for the cleanup of their animal’s mess.

Stolen Property and Malicious Vandalism: There has been a few instances where some items were stolen from cars and garages. Most of the time the cars were unlocked. These problems and some other incidents have created the need for the Neighborhood Watch Program to be escalated. Anyone seeing someone stealing, vandalizing property or suspicious activities should call 911 immediately. You may request that you not be identified if that is your desire. Each Block Captain is requested to update their telephone tree and make the necessary contacts when the need arises.

Neighborhood Needs: The HOA Board is considering a spring cleanup of the neighborhood. Particular interest is the poor condition some of the mail boxes and mail box post are in. There is always a need for people to serve on our different committees. These committees are there to make sure that your investment in your home remains solid. I hope your desire is to have a beautiful and a safe neighborhood. Without your help it is difficult to get everything done.

Thanks to each member of the board and committees during the past year. Your tireless efforts did not go unnoticed. Without your time and efforts this neighborhood would not be the fine place it is. It has been my pleasure to serve as your HOA Board President for the past year. I appreciated your support and input.

~Donald McFarland, Board PresidentGrande Park Homeowners Association

Monday, January 5, 2009

GRANDE PARK ANNUAL MEETING
Wednesday January 14, 2009
7pm @ Aldersgate Church, 2nd Floor
You should have received your annual notice and proxy (if you won't be attending the meeting) in the mail this week. Please come!!!!!