Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays to All Online Magazine for Aquia Harbour Residents Aquia Harbour Living December 2014 Policies of Aquia Harbour Living TM Unless written by Aquia Harbour Living articles and editorials do not reflect the opinion of the owner or publisher of Aquia Harbour Living, residents, the BOD (Board of Directors) for Aquia Harbour or Aquia Harbour Property Owners Association. Committees and clubs are encouraged to provide jpegs of photos to accompany their article. Use will be determined based on their article size. We will make every effort to allow ½ page for committees and ¼ page for clubs each month. Harbour Committees and Clubs are not charged for their space. We have a read more button available for articles needing additional space. Click here for advertising information. Deadlines Articles and ads must be submitted no later than the 15th of the month for publication in the next issue. A subscriber may print 1 copy of an article for their personal use only. Any other reproduction of articles, photos, or advertising is strictly prohibited without written permission of the publisher. You may contact No Ink Publishing here. Copyright ©All rights reserved 2014 No Ink Publishing LLC. Important Aquia Harbour Numbers Front Gate (540) 659-5224 AHPOA Business Office Hours: M-F 8 -7pm Emergency AHPOA Police Rescue Squad (non-emergency) Country Club Restaurant Golf Course Pro Shop Marina Stables Pool Country Club Pool Harbour Inn Preschool (540) 659-3050) 911 (540) 659-4600 (540) 659-8911 (540) 288-0091 (540) 659-4478 (540) 659-4232 (540) 659-5024 (540) 659-1258 (540) 659-4003 (540) 659-5771 Aquia Harbour Board of Directors President, Chip Collins (540) 659-3691 email: ccccpa@aol.com Treasurer, Barb Cole (540) 842-1033 email: barbcole.ahpoa@verizon.net Director, Christopher Greene (540) 437-4590 email: cgreeneahpoa@gmail.com Director, Robert Stephens (540)657-0865 email: robert_175@hotmail.com Director, Mike Shepherd (540)659-0032 email: vettemike@1959verizon.net Director, Don Winter (540) 659-6886 email: decwinter@comcast.net Director, Deb Caldwell dcaldwell.ahpoa@gmail.com Aquia Harbour Living November 2014 2 TM Goals Of Aquia Harbour Living: In This Issue page Articles AH Rescue AH General Manager AH Golf and Clubhouse AH Preschool AH Calendar Calendar For Homeowners Christmas Poem Corvette Club Compliance Officer Desk of the Chief Gardner’s Corner General Manager Golf Holiday Safety Tips Host Lions Club Hot Topic Rescue Squad Land In This Issue/Policy Neighbor to Neighbor Preschool Recipe Corner Rescue Squad Unofficial BOD Minutes Stafford County What’s Up With This? Women’s Club 26 8 10 20 12 28 19 22 6 21 7 8 11 14 4 15 2-3 16 20 24 26 41 18 18-19 27-28 We appreciate those committees, clubs, and residents who took the time to send articles for inclusion this month. We wish to thank all for the positive feedback and encouragement! Thank You Neighbors in the Harbour! To help raise awareness in residents about the changing needs of our community. Facilitate communication to residents regarding Harbour events, committees, schools, and clubs. To keep residents informed about “Hot Topics” of the AHPOA and BOD actions. Provide articles/tips on home maintenance and DIY landscaping/gardening ideas. To showcase amenities. Have “the talk” about “curb appeal” in the Harbour. Provide discussion on the best ways to maintain our property values; our homes and our community. Provide quality business information to residents. TM Our Style: Aquia Harbour Living (AHL) is owned & published by No Ink Publishing LLC. The owner is a current resident, Phyllis Filoso. It is written in an informal, conversational style. All articles and photos are written/taken by the owner unless there is a byline for an article or photo credit. AHL encourages comments and articles written by other Harbour residents. Use our contact form found here. Articles selected will be in keeping with the goals stated above. Be sure to sign up for your free subscription before you leave today. It’s a monthly reminder sent to your email when our next issue is available. (1st of each month) A couple of pieces of information- words underlined or that say website are hyperlinked. Please allow your browser to open them. We don’t use cookies or collect data on you other than your email when you subscribe. Please make sure you have confirmed your subscription. And we never share email addresses! Aquia Harbour Living November 2014 3 Host Lions Christmas Tree Sale Aquia Towne Center Starting Friday th Nov.28 til sold out! Aquia Harbour Living December 2014 4 Hours 3pm -7pm Monday-Thursday Friday, Saturday, and Sunday - All day Bring the family and make a Christmas memory! Concepts Diamond Custom Jewelers Groups can enjoy a dinner cruise or wedding reception aboard the Fredericksburg River Boat. website “Jewelry Custom Floral Arrangements & Bouquets For Your Wedding Day Affairs by Ayres that defines you.” Click for 20% off Chamilia coupon Professional Jewelry Services Include: (703) 994-8557 Website Give a gift your friends and family will be sure to enjoy year after year. White House Ornament 100% of proceeds benefit our community! See their ads in this issue for more information. That’s My Dress Bridal and Prom CHAMILIA Large Selection of Diamonds (GIA-EGL) Certified Custom Designs Jewelry & Watch Repair on Premises Free Jewelry Inspection (checking prongs) & Cleaning Appraisals We Buy Gold Jewelry Engraving 296 Garrisonville Road (Rt. 610) Suite 103 Stafford, Virginia 22554 (540) 628-2761 Mon.-Sat 10am-6pm Website Aquia Harbour Living December 2014 5 is a must visit boutique for: Bridal Gowns Prom and Homecoming Galas & Balls Pageants Gowns Located at 1 Towne Center Blvd. Fredericksburg, VA 22407 (540) 370-8574 Website Hours Mon-Fri 10am-6pm Saturday 10am-5pm Sundays Closed/Appt. only Visit their “sister store” for all your cosmetic needs. 5759 Plank Rd. @ Harrison Crossing The Thankless Job of the Compliance Violations Officer (CVO) If the CVO stops in front of your house, he's insulting. If he doesn’t see it, he’s blind as a bat. If he issues a violation, he's showing how rough he can be. If he overlooks what he sees, he’s not doing his job. If he labors day and night to enforce the law, he's a tyrant. If he relaxes at all, he's a shirker or plays favorites. If he talks about how the Harbour used to be, he's maudlin. If he keeps quiet, he's not interested in his work. If he accepts suggestions or advice, he's incompetent. If he follows the rules, he's a know-it-all. If he acts like a gentleman, he's too easy. If he acts firm, he's unfair and a rascal. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust If a resident doesn’t police their own property, the CVO must. So what exactly is the job of the CVO? The CVO is responsible for ensuring the rules regarding the condition, appearance, and building standards of your property are enforced according to the AHPOA controlling documents. When violations are either spotted by the CVO or brought to the attention of the CVO a visual inspection follows. If indeed there is a violation, a letter is sent to the lot owner. The owner then either takes care of the problem or follows the procedure outlined in the letter if more time is needed or they disagree with the violation. Click here for more information. Please remember, the purpose of the CVO is to ensure the AHPOA standards are maintained. The appearance of each home and their yard factors into the property value of all our homes in the Harbour. “Unsightlyitis” not only affects your property value, but the value of all our homes. Aquia Harbour Living December 2014 6 Gardner’s Corner Our friends from Aquia Harbour Volunteer Rescue remind us of hidden dangers from beautiful holiday plants. Mistletoe is potentially dangerous for kids and pets. There are several with slightly different chemicals which can cause blurred vision, nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhea, blood pressure changes, and even death. All parts of the mistletoe plant are poisonous. Kids are attracted to the berries. Eating 1-2 berries probably will not cause a problem for a child, but a small pet could be endangered by eating a few leaves or berries. If your child or pet eats mistletoe, it's a good idea to seek medical advice. The holly is another potentially harmful plant. Kids eating 1-2 berries little harm but 20 or more could be deadly. Amaryllis, daffodil, and narcissus bulbs when ingested can cause abdominal pain, cardiac arrhythmias, and convulsions. The plants are more likely to be eaten by pets than children, but the alkaloid poison lycorine is considered toxic to humans, too. The Jerusalem cherry (Solanum pseudocapsicum) is a species of nightshade that bears poisonous fruit. It can cause gastric upset and vomiting in people, but generally is not life-threatening. However, the fruits are extremely toxic to dogs and cats and some birds. The fruit resembles a cherry tomato, both in appearance and flavor, so kids and pets may eat enough to cause illness, or in the case of pets, even death. If your child or pet eats any of these holiday plants, it's a good idea to seek medical advice. Happy Holidays! Reference – chemistry.about.com Aquia Harbour Living December 2014 7 PROPERTY APPEARANCE: I would like to encourage all residents to a survey of their property and take From the desk of the General Manager, Ken Langer care of the items that do not meet the requirements of the Harbour’s. controlling documents. Typical items includehas grass tree trimming, untidy ditches, and inoperable vehicles. Where thecutting, time gone! By the mold time on youhouses, read this Thanksgiving will have come andThe Code Violation Officer will be continue to make inspectionI do andhope will issue necessary. gone and Christmas is just around the corner. thatcitations each ofasyou had a It protects our wonderful property values if we keep the in good repair. . thanksgiving andHarbour will have a very merry Christmas. New Business Office: The Contractor is making excellent progress on the construction of the business office. The outside of the building is near completion with the exception of the stone work and the store front. The exterior of the building should be completed within the next two weeks. All of the drywall has been hung and prepped for painting which will start next week. The two major hurdles left is the installation of the water and sewer and the outdoor lighting. I did request a waiver for the outdoor lighting and the County did relax the requirements which should save us a significant amount of money. Budget Cycle: We are beginning the formulation of the FY-16 budget. Each department is required to prepare a budget and submit it to the General Manager for review. The next step in the process is to present all of the department budgets to the Finance Committee for review and approval. The final step is to submit the proposed budget to the Board of Directors for approval. New Board of Directors: At the annual election of Board Members, Chris Greene was re-elected and Mike Shepherd and Don Winter were elected. Shortly after the election, Tina Talley resigned from the board due to relocation of her job. At the next meeting, the Board selected Debe Caldwell was select to finish out Tina’s term on the Board. New Phone Directory: The Lady Lions and the Women’s Club are making preparations to print a new phone book for Aquia Harbour residents. If you do not wish to have your name, address or phone number listed in the Directory you will be given the opportunity to opt out. The books will probably be published at the fall of next year. Reminder: AHL knows it’s a hassle and tempting just to ignore but a significant rainfall or snowfall (and the melting) with piles of leaves in ditches could cause significant damage to our roads and property in the Harbour. Waste Management will remove unlimited bagged yard waste each Monday in December. Aquia Harbour Living December 2014 8 Join us Monday and Wednesday mornings @ 9:30 for Pilates at the Country Club. $5/class Allow the Love Smith Team to take care of all your home needs. Whether you’re buying or selling we treat you like family. For more info email Terry Hudson at Terryhudson413@ hotmail.com or Text/call 540-850-6091 Weddings by Ginny Full Service Planner-Coordinator, Florist, Decorator, Venues Manager Virginia B. Chilton Marriage Commissioner For All Your Real Estate Needs 321 Wallace St., Suite 7 Fredericksburg, Va 22401 Give the Love Smith Team a call at 540-657-7981 or visit our website today! Website (540) 710-1230 The Love Smith Team Wish You and Yours A Merry Christmas and Safe and Happy Holidays! 6:3 Networking Stafford As small business owners we network each Friday at the Quantico Regus Corp. Center. Located at 800 Corporate Dr., 3rd floor. Join us for meetings at 8 :30 am. Visitors are always welcome. Visit us on the web for more information. Website Aquia Harbour Living December 2014 9 News from the Aquia Harbour Golf Club by: Scott Marshall, Manager. Winter Rates Beginning on Monday, December 1st winter golf rates will be in effect. Monday through Friday, 18 holes of golf with a cart is only $19.00. The rate drops to $16.00 at 12:00 noon. Saturday, Sunday, and Holidays, the rate is $21.00 or $18.00 after 12:00 noon. So put the jacket on and head to the course for an inexpensive round of golf. The golf course will be closed on Christmas Day, but will be open on New Year’s Day, weather permitting. Holiday Discounts on Pro Shop Merchandise As a reminder, all pro shop merchandise is discounted 10% for the month of December. Gift cards are also available for this holiday season for your favorite golfer. Happy Holidays! 204 Bow Cove Sunday Brunch in the Harbour Pasta Night Thursday December 11th We will be closed Christmas Day Special Menu for New Year’s Eve No Maid 20% off lunches in December when you mention you saw the ad in AHL! Reservations Accepted! 540-288-0091 Aquia Harbour Living December 2014 10 The annual Children’s holiday party will be held Sunday December 7th at the Episcopal Church parish hall from 5:00-6:30 pm. The church is located just outside the entrance to the Harbour. We had previously announced the party would be held at Lion’s Park due to a lack of available indoor space within Aquia Harbour. Since then, the Aquia Episcopal Church has graciously offered the use of their parish hall. There will be crafts, refreshments, music, and of course, a visit from Santa! Come kick off the holiday season with your Harbour friends and neighbors at this popular annual event. The event is free to Harbour families, but we are asking for donations of canned or packaged food to donate to SERVE for the holiday season. Our November meeting was held at Art from the Heart Studio. Thanks to Dolena for opening up her studio. Members showed their creative side by painting pottery. We made plans for our December service projects and December meeting. The December meeting will be held Tuesday, December 9th at the home of Dolena Sinclair. This is a member’s only meeting. Members are reminded to bring a dish, a 20.00 value gift to participate in Pirate Santa, and their adopt-a-family gifts. The women’s club annual coat drive is now underway. Please drop off new or gently used coats and jackets at the business office. All sizes are needed – children and adult. The coats will be collected through the end of January and then donated to Stafford county’s Head Start program. Signboard Contact Information: If you need to post a community message on the signboard in December, please contact: Betty Walker at walker.elizabeth7@gmail.com. For January, contact Dawn Teague at: teague12003@yahoo.com If you encounter problems contacting any of the above, please email cschmidt@crrl.org or contact the Business Office at 540-659-3050. Aquia Harbour Living December 2014 11 Brought to you by: Brought to you by: Mark Your Calendar for December Cruise Planners Happenings: Choose your Freedom. Royal Caribbean Freedom of the Seas Sailing May 3rd 2015. Seven night eastern Caribbean including Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas and Phillipsburg, St. Maarten. Balcony stateroom only $702.40(cruise only) per person based on double occupancy. Deposit must be made by 25 Dec. 2015. Price is based on availability and subject to change until booked. For more information and dates give Mindy a call (540) 220-2775 or visit Pro Shop Sale- Save 10% on all merchandise through December 31st Dec. 1&2 Business office closes at 5:00 p.m.. Dec. 3rd Board work session at the Harbour Inn, 7:00 p.m. Dec. 1-15 Food drive for S.E.R.V.E. Please drop cans and packaged items off at the business office. Dec. 6th- Breakfast with Santa– Saturday, December 6th at 9:00 a.m. at the Country Club. $7.00 per person. Reservations are required. Call (540) 657-6656 or (540) 657-0865 or e-mail teague12003@yahoo.com or susieq200@hotmail.com. Dec. 7th- CHILDREN’S CHRISTMAS PARTY – Sponsored by the Aquia Harbour Women’s Club. 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Aquia Episcopal Church parish hall. Santa will be there and refreshments served. December 8th through December 12th. AQUIA EVENING LIONS CLUB SANTA VISITS –See Ad for further information. Dec. 10th REGULAR BOARD MEETING – A combined November/December regular board meeting will take place at 7:00 p.m. at the Country Club. Dec. 12th BUSINESS OFFICE CLOSING EARLY – On Friday, December 12th the business office will close at 1:30 p.m. Dec 24th -The business office will close at noon on Wednesday, December 24th for the Christmas holiday and will re-open at 8:00 a.m. on Monday, December 29th. December 29th and Tuesday, December 30th, the business office will close at 5:00 p.m. and on Wednesday, December 31st the office will close at noon for the New Year’s Day holiday. (540) 220-2775 Additional Reminders: AEL Poinsettias delivery date Dec. 2nd Coat Drive underway- drop off at the business office Host Lion’s Club White House Ornament Sale (A Perfect Christmas Gift) Please drop off canned goods for S.E.R.V.E at the business office Aquia Harbour Living December 2014 our website 12 Nationwide Insurance Auto Home Annuities Life Retirement Boats & RVs Cakes Truffles Cupcakes and more… For All Occasions Lovely Sweets & Treats (570) 886-0822 website (540) 659-5433 Website Looking for stocking stuffer ideas or anytime gifts for special friends? Donate Canned Goods to S.E.R.V.E. Help make a families’ Christmas a little merrier. Drop off is at the business office December 1-15th. Start With Our Local Small Business Here are a few ideas: Got a coffee lover? Pick up a pound of coffee from Rick’s Roasters LOVE COFFEE? You haven’t had great coffee until you’ve enjoyed a cup using fresh roasted coffee beans from Rick’s Roasters. Website Affairs by Ayres Custom floral designs for your special occasions! (703) 994-8557 Call today for a free policy review to see if you’re up-to-date on needs or if Nationwide can save you money. Mark Smith available at the Olde Virginia Gourmet and Gifts at 261 Garrisonville Rd. Weddings, Senior Portraits, Special Occasions with a Fine Arts Flair (540) 300-1385 website Love sweets? Order a pecan pie or other delicious cake…even gluten free available! Lovely Sweets and Treats Diamond Concepts on Garrisonville Rd. offers a beautiful selection of fine jewelry for that special someone in your life! Stafford Farmer’s Market Join Us Each Sunday at the Stafford Hospital Medical Back Parking Lot 10am-1pm Website website Aquia Harbour Living December 2014 13 Courtesy of the Stafford County Sheriff’s Office The organization best known for its icon, McGruff the Crime Dog, has tips to help you shop safely while getting those great holiday bargains. Shopping in Stores: Do not buy more than you can carry. Plan ahead by taking a friend with you or ask a store employee to help you carry your packages to the car. Save all receipts. Print and save all confirmations from your online purchases. Start a file folder to keep all receipts together and to help you verify credit card or bank statements as they come in. Consider alternate options to pay for your merchandise, such as onetime or multiuse disposable credit cards or money orders, at online stores and auction sites. Wait until asked before taking out your credit card or checkbook. An enterprising thief would love to shoulder surf to get your account information. Tell a security guard or store employee if you see an unattended bag or package. The same applies if you are using mass transit. Walking to and from your car: Deter pickpockets. Carry your purse close to your body or your wallet inside a coat or front trouser pocket. Have your keys in hand when approaching your vehicle. Check the back seat and around the car before getting in. Do not leave packages visible in your car windows. Lock them in the trunk or, if possible, take them directly home. Shopping With Small Children: If you are shopping with children, make a plan in case you are separated from each other. Select a central meeting place. Teach them to know they can ask mall personnel or store security employees if they need help. Aquia Harbour Living December 2014 14 cont. Shopping Online: Before surfing the Internet, secure your personal computers by updating your security software. Everyone’s computer should have antivirus, antispyware, and antispam software, as well as a good firewall installed. Visit: www.bytecrime.orgfor free software downloads. Keep your personal information private and your password secure. Do not respond to requests to “verify” your password or credit card information unless you initiated the contact. Legitimate businesses will not contact you in this manner. Beware of “bargains” from companies with whom you are unfamiliar if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is! Use secure websites for purchases. Look for the icon of a locked padlock at the bottom of the screen or “https” in the URL address. Shop with companies you know and trust. Check for background information if you plan to buy from a new or unfamiliar company. To find more useful shopping tips and personal safety information, visit the National Crime Prevention Council’s website. Wishing Everyone A Very Merry Christmas! Safe and Happy Holidays to ALL! Aquia Harbour Living December 2014 14a AH Fire and Rescue Squad In case you didn’t get a chance to attend the town hall meeting, there was a nice turnout (by Harbour standards). Click here for the first community meeting’s information. Supervisor Paul Milde was in attendance for this meeting. There was new information presented at the meeting. New Information: AH Rescue does all the training for the county for CPR, first aid, babysitting classes Supervisor Milde said the county is going to provide a space at the Towne Center for training for the rescue squad The county if they were to get the land also want part of the adjacent lot between the police station and the rescue squad. Lot owners receive a discount on their property insurance due to the proximity of the fire truck. (Call your insurance company if you haven’t in the last 3 years and ask about a discount.) Residents Requested: A comprehensive plan and rendering of what the entire area to include the gate would look like A review by a road engineer for all the road/traffic safety AHL Editorial: Since the county will provide a training facility for the rescue squad the real remaining issue is maintenance. What if lot owners were asked for a onetime special assessment of $15-20/lot to deal with initial maintenance and $5/yr after? The fund would be maintained in a separate category from Harbour funds. This way the land would still belong to the AHPOA. Residents would maintain control of access to the Harbour. There would be money for repairs. The rescue squad has space for training. The county in exchange for the truck being here could be asked for funds to extend the visitors lane. Aquia Harbour Living December 2014 15 Leaf collection- According to Waste Management, their official leaf and branch collection will be on Mondays in December. Bags are to weigh no more than 50 pounds and branches should be bundled and not more than 4 ft in length. Walking paths- All I can say is job well done! The AD HOC committee presented an amazing presentation to the BOD. It’s complete with suggestions on were to continue the paths, crosswalks, prioritizing and much more. You can view their power point presentation and detailed information about each section here. Thank you committee members for all the long hours and evenings spent working on this! Photo courtesy of the Ad Hoc committee Dungeons and Dragons anyone? David is still looking for fellow Harbour residents to play Dungeons and Dragons. If interested please use our contact form and AHL will forward the information. Coming next month- The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly about the Harbour’s budget. We’ll peel off the layers and take a close look at where and how our dues are spent by the BOD. We’ll also give you a heads up on proposed increases in user fees for amenities, pay raises, and more. Aquia Harbour Living December 2014 16 NEW We broker CDs for FDIC Insured banks. Promotional incentive may be included to obtain yield. Certain restrictions apply. Rates may vary depending on deposit amount. Quantico Corporate Center 800 Corporate Drive, Suite 301 Stafford, VA 22554 . . (703)884-3884 or (877) 230-7499 7586070.INDD 7586070 S.E.R.V.E works throughout the year to help provide Stafford Co. families a helping hand. Please consider donating canned food at the Harbour’s business office from Dec.1-15th. New this year is the Teenage Christmas program. Please consider giving a gift card or even Kohl’s cash rewards. Times are really tough for a lot of local families. No donation too small. Marilyn Stevens at marilystevens07@gmail.com Visit our website for more information today! Aquia Harbour Living October 2014 Thank –you for your generous donations! 17 By Supervisor Jack Cavalier Ramco, owner at Aquia Towne Center, has a contract on the residential portion of the project. A site plan was submitted in October to the County and it is expected that the project will begin construction in the spring of 2015. Ramco is also now dealing with a new interested party on the commercial side of the project. That entity is under a 60-day feasibility study period, with their stated goal of closing on the property in late 2014/early 2015. The pursuit includes a discussion with Regal Cinema that would lead to its multi-million dollar luxury renovation in 2015. In addition, the possible new commercial owner of Aquia Towne Center is also having discussions with nationally known grocery chains. Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities has partnered with Fire and Rescue to install automated external defibrillators (AEDs) at all Stafford parks that have a building onsite (this does not include Autumn Ridge or the Historic Port of Falmouth). All rec centers, pools and parks with buildings have one of these devices, which can help restore a regular heart rhythm to someone suffering from a cardiac emergency. There are also AEDs on each floor of the Stafford Government Center, and each school has anywhere from two to five AEDs. Earlier this year, Stafford was designated the first Heart Safe Community in the Commonwealth through the Office of EMS and the Rappahannock EMS Council. The International Association of Fire Chiefs also bestowed its annual Heart Safe Community Award on Stafford for our efforts to prevent and treat cardiac-related diseases. A link is now available on the County’s website at www.staffordcountyva.gov to allow all devices to view archived broadcasts of the BOS meetings. Users with any device will now be able to view live and archived broadcasts. The Virginia Department of Historical Resources honored the Stafford Training School for its historical significance in the desegregation of Stafford’s schools which led to the subsequent integration of schools in the greater Fredericksburg area. An unveiling of a historical highway marker noting the school’s historical significance was held October 7 at the school, now known as the Rowser Building. About 20 former students of the school attended the unveiling. Chairman of the Board Jack Cavalier and former Board of Supervisor member Lindbergh Fritter unveiled a sign on Tuesday, October 14, dedicating Fritter Field at Patawomeck Park. A bronze… Please click to continue reading. Aquia Harbour Living December 2014 18 ' Twas the night of Christmas, but I just couldn't sleep. I tried counting backwards; tried counting the sheep. The leftovers beckoned the dark meat and white, But I fought the temptation with all of my might. Tossing and turning with anticipation, The thought of a snack became infatuation. Visions so tempting, Santa himself couldn’t resist. So, I raced to the kitchen, flung open the door and gazed at the fridge, Full of goodies galore. I gobbled up turkey and buttered potatoes, stuffing and green bean casserole smothered in gravy, I could even hear the pecan pie calling my name. I felt myself swelling so plump and so round, Till all of a sudden I rose off the ground. I crashed through the ceiling, floating into the sky, With a mouthful of stuffing and a handful of pie. But, I managed to yell as I soared past the trees Happy eating to all, pass the cranberries, please! May your stuffing be tasty; may your turkey be plump. May your potatoes 'n gravy have nary a lump. May your yams be delicious; may your pies take the prize, May your holiday dinners stay off of your thighs. by Al Campbell, modified When you need to work off those holiday dinners think Pilates by Terri Hudson. Monday and Wednesday mornings, 9:30 at the Country Club. Email or call Terry Hudson Terryhudson413@hotmail.com 540-850-6091 for more information Aquia Harbour Living December 2014 19 Aquia Harbour Preschool By: Linda Cline Email: aquiapreschool@gmail.com www.aquiaharbourpreschool.org 540-659-5771 We would like to wish our friends and families a Merry Christmas and a Happy Holiday season!! Current Class Openings! Due to current roster changes, we now have openings in our morning and afternoon 3 year old class. If your child is 3 years old as of September 30, fully potty trained and would thrive in a fun, nurturing environment, please contact us today! Registration for the 2015-2016 school year: Registration for Aquia Harbour Preschool’s 2015-2016 school year is rapidly approaching. If you are interested in enrolling your child in our 3 or 4-year-old program, please join us at AHPS on Saturday, February 7th for open enrollment. Children MUST be 3 or 4 years old by September 30 to be eligible for enrollment. 10 - 10:30AM - Current AHPS families are invited to register 10:30 - 11AM - Aquia Harbour Residents are invited to register 11AM - Noon - Open to the public; everyone is welcome! You may access the necessary enrollment forms on our website www.aquiaharbourpreschool.org. If you have any questions about AHPS or registration, please contact our amazing Vice President, Kim Holland at 540-659-5771 or email us at aquiapreschool@gmail.com. We look forward to welcoming you to the AHPS family! Teacher’s Corner Our Thanksgiving Feast was wonderful! Thanks to all our terrific families for contributing to our feast and sharing in this special day. Thanks to the volunteers who took pictures, helped us get everything ready, and then cleaned up. All of our awesome and supportive families make our Preschool a home. Mrs. Crowe and I are so proud of how well our 3s did with their Thanksgiving program! They worked hard to learn the songs and had a lot of fun doing it! Mrs. Crowe and I are so pleased with how well everyone is doing in class!! Please click here to continue reading. Giving Tree We will be collecting new hats, mittens, and scarves for our Giving Tree. Gently used items will also be accepted. We will be donating the items to Head Start right before the Winter Break. Look for a note coming home in your child’s backpack with more information about this.Aquia Harbour Living December 2014 20 Patricia S. Harman, Chief of Police Aquia Harbour Police Department 1040 Aquia Drive Stafford, Va. 22554 C 703-407-6106 O 540-659-4600 chiefharmanahpd@aol.com Aquia Harbour GIRL POWER! Said the Girl Police Chief! I came across this website and was excited to share it with Aquia Harbour parents: GIRLS INC. Inspiring all girls to be strong, smart, and bold. The Girls Inc movement started in New England during the Industrial Revolution as a response to the needs of a new working class: young women who had migrated from rural communities in search of newly available job opportunities in textile mills and factories. Girls Inc. inspires all girls to be strong, smart, and bold, providing more than 138,000 girls across the U.S. and Canada with life-changing experiences and real solutions to the unique issues girls face. Girls Inc. gives girls the right tools and support to succeed, including trained professionals who mentor and guide them in a safe, girlsonly environment, peers who share their drive and aspirations, and research-based programming. At Girls Inc., girls learn to set and achieve goals, boldly confront challenges, resist peer pressure, see college as attainable, and explore nontraditional fields. Informed by the experiences of girls and their families, Girls Inc. works with policymakers to advocate on key legislation and initiatives. Currently there are only Virginia Chapters in Hampton Roads and Bristol Va. but maybe someone will see this and get moved to action. In the meantime, the website has a lot of great information and resources. When young people get inspired and empowered they are far less likely to fall prey to the dangers of this world. This seems like a great tool to that end. When I wake up I see someone who is willing to do anything to achieve my dream. Danielle, 12 Girls Inc. Wow right?!? Check it out. Girlinc.org Aquia Harbour Living December 2014 21 Corvette Creek Corvette Club by Lou Patch On behalf of the Aquia Creek Corvette Club members I would like to wish all the residents of Aquia Harbour a Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas. Our cars will be on parade at the Quantico Town (Oct. 6 at 12 noon) and Dumfries Rte 1Christmas (Oct 13) parades and our Christmas party will be at the Aquia Harbour Clubhouse. We are also participating in the laying of wreaths on December 13 at Quantico National Cemetery. We would like to see all of you there. Our congratulations to ACCC member Mike Shepherd on being elected to the Board of Directors for Aquia Harbour. Good luck Mike. I would also like to remind Charlie and Bertha Sparks, ACCC members, who are leaving the Harbour for Knoxville, Tennessee to keep driving that Corvette and have a great time in the next phase of your lives. November is election time for ACCC and a slate of officers has been presented to the Club by the nominating committee. I have chosen not to run for President again as my wife and I would like to do more traveling outside of Club events. This will be my last news letter for the Harbour View and I have enjoyed the experience very much and hope the next President will continue to write this column. Inclosing I would like all Corvette owners in Aquia Harbour to consider joining our club. Sandy Thompson and I were recently discussing how many Corvette owners she knows that live here and how nice it would be to have a larger membership from inside the Harbour. With the business meetings inside the Harbour, the first Saturday Breakfast, nearby and many of the events within an hours’ drive, what's not to like? Also you will meet fellow Corvette owners in your neighborhood to exchange information with. If you don't think you are a club type person, neither did I 20 years ago when my wife and I joined ACCC. Because of the great people, great events, beautiful ever changing cars we are still members. Lou Patch, President ACCC. Help make those less fortunate in our community holidays a little brighter. Please consider dropping off canned or bagged food in the drop box at the business office located at the Harbour Inn. Your generous donations will be distributed by S.E.R.V.E Aquia Harbour Living December 2014 22 Confetti Corn With Bacon I found this recipe last year and made it for Thanksgiving. It was an OMG at the first bite and where have you been all my life kind of moment. It was an instant hit and has now become a favorite for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners. You can find the recipe and directions here. I add just a touch more milk to mine. For our non pork eating friends; consider using turkey bacon to add a meat flavor. Either way it’s YUM! Aquia Harbour Living December 2014 23 Anytime Limousines Great for sporting events, wine tours or a night out. Call now to make your reservations. 540-412-9025 Visit our website to see specials. A man’s home is his Newly engaged? 540-412-9025 Fredericksburg castle and castles Don’t know where always need work to begin? Brides use and TLC. our free Wedding Planning Guide Lovely Sweets and Treats Cakes Truffles Cupcakes and more… For All Occasions (570) 886-0822 Website When the King’s honey do list becomes too long or simply isn’t getting done… Who are you going to call? New Castle Construction, LLC offers handyman services for all those honey do’s and more. to help them plan simply fabulous weddings in the local area. No job too small or too big. Give us a call today at (540) 907-0722 Aquia Harbour Living December 2014 24 December 2014 Chris Schoon, President Last month the Aquia Harbour Volunteer Rescue Squad held its annual Installation of Officers and Recognition Banquet at the Clubhouse in Aquia Harbour. New officers were sworn in by Stafford County Sheriff Charles Jett and our guest speaker was Jack Cavalier, Griffis – Widewater district county Supervisor. President- Chris Schoon Rescue Chief – Patricia Copeland Vice President – Patricia Byram Vehicle Lt. – James Boswell Recording Secretary – Angela Lang Supply Lt. – Lynn Platt Treasurer – Bob Holcombe Administrative Lt. – Roxanne Dunn Membership Secretary - Ericka Daley Training Lt. – Angela Lang Board of Directors – Janet Schroeder, Roxanne Dunn, James Boswell and Jim Smith Squad Person of the Year Jayne Toellner with Andrew Niemann Life Members: Craig & Jackie Robertson Howard & Nancy Rose Thanks to all our members for all the hours spent volunteering and serving the Aquia Harbour and Stafford Communities. Enjoy the holiday season and please remember to drink responsibly. Drinking and Driving don’t mix. Aquia Harbour Living December 2014 25 Since the season is off to a cold start we thought we’d give some weather tips that can be used throughout the winter. Outside Have you ordered your firewood? Consider purchasing salt and snow shovels before the first snow flakes. Keep the area around your heat pump free of snow for better performance. Keep your garage door closed. Test and service your snow blower now. Turn water off to outside spigots if not already done. Leave spigot turned on to completely drain it. Remember outside steps become very slippery with frost. Inside When temperatures dip below freezing it’s a good idea to open kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors under sinks. This allows for warmer air from the room to circulate around pipes on outside walls. Be sure to move any harmful products out of children’s reach. For faucets located on outside walls allow the water to slowly drip to keep it moving through the pipes to help prevent frozen pipes. Consider setting the thermostat temperature the same for both day and night. For more information about frozen pipes visit here. Clean or replace air filters. Clean your refrigerator or stand alone freezer inside and out. Don’t forget to vacuum the coils. Keep your drains running smoothly by pouring ½ c. baking soda and ½ white vinegar down your kitchen and bathroom drains. Follow with hot water about 10 minutes later. Remember candles, kerosene heaters, and fireplaces can negatively affect indoor air quality. Aquia Harbour Living December 2014 26 Editorial It’s budget time in the Harbour and the finance committee is looking at ways to contain costs, possibly raising user fees at the amenities, and make everyone happy without increasing our dues. Funding of the Aquia Harbour Community Events Committee (AHCEC): The committee was begun in the spring of 2013 as an effort to provide the community a 4th of July that was family oriented and free for all residents. It is an event that appeals to almost all residents and allows residents to enjoy a spectacular fireworks display without having to travel outside the Harbour. The total cost to the Harbour was ~$25,000 for the entire 4th of July in 2013. Additional events were subsequently added, the Spring Fling, Harbour Games, Octoberfest, and a December bonfire. The Harbour Events Club (HEC) is a private club and an offshoot to provide even more events. The question becomes who pays for all these events? AHL isn’t saying the events aren’t entertaining or fun. It’s just that they need to pay for themselves through user fees and the vendors who set-up at them. Beyond the 4th of July fireworks these events should be budget neutral to the AHPOA. This is not what our dues were intended to pay for or are needed to pay for. Proposed user fees are being increased across the board in the Harbour to help offset the costs the amenities, parks, security, staff the AHPOA is required to provide in order to prevent a dues increase. (More on that next month.) Yet, the AH committee and the HEC (club) both expect the AHPOA to fund all the above activities out of our dues card blanche. You heard me correctly. Not a single dime of money collected at these events comes back to the Harbour to help offset costs to the AHPOA. It is collected by the Harbour Events Club (HEC) and as a club is completely unaccountable to the BOD for how that money is used. Aquia Harbour Living December 2014 27 Cont. Editorial How did this financial arrangement come about? The same officers who are in the AHCEC are also in the HEC. There was a fast and loose exchange of funds between the two entities certain BOD members allowed to happen. BOD members who were involved in this arrangement according to minutes from the AHCEC (under new business) were Directors Hodges, Eilenfield, and Collins. The Harbour auditor according to the GM at a BOD meeting had serious concerns about the money transfer as well. The newly appointed Director Deb Caldwell was an officer of both the AHCEC (committee)and HEC (club)at the time requested at the 11/24 finance meeting for $3000 to be put back in the proposed budget for the Harbour Games the GM had taken out to help balance the budget. Back to my original question: Who should pay for these events? The AHPOA already provides the park area, police (overtime costs), parking, Aquia Police Volunteers (APV) for these events, and meeting space for the club. These events cost the AHPOA money (dues) was never intended to be spent in this manner. AHL Opinion: AHL thinks the events are a wonderful addition to the Harbour, however, we also think the only thing AHPOA should provide funding for is the fireworks for the 4th of July. All other activities/events should be turned over to the HEC (club) to plan, organize, and fund so they are budget neutral to the AHPOA and the AHPOA is not responsible for their expenditures. This is the way other club activities are done. If enough residents support these activities they will stand on their own through user fees, donations, fundraising, vendor rentals, etc. Most members belong to both groups. Do you agree/disagree? Send us feedback. Share your thoughts! Aquia Harbour Living December 2014 28 A special Christmas wish to all those never ending lost dogs and cats in the Harbour on facebook! May your bowls always be full and your beds fluffy and warm! See everyone in the New Year! Aquia Harbour Living December 2014 29
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