Sweetwater Springs · 2015-05-05 · fabulous turnout last year, so be sure to keep this on your DON’TMISS list. Reminders The Architectural Committee needs to review and approve

May – July 2015 Our Neighborhood Newsletter is produced quarterly and is intended to provide news, reminders, and even some activities for our younger readers. If we are overlooking something you would like to see contained in it, please let us know. We want this to be something you look forward to receiving. We’d  love  to  have  your feedback. Send comments to Nancy. Don’t  forget…we  have  a  website! www.sweetwaterspringshoa.com Click on Contact to find info on current Board members. Also on the site are sections on by-laws, covenants, past newsletters, and many other items.

Neighborhood Activities in Full Swing As promised, the Board and Committees are planning fun opportunities for Sweetwater Springers to get together to work and play. And we’re  already  off  to  a  great  start  with  the Easter Egg Hunt and the Spring Cookout. Keep reading for more dates to mark on your calendars! Our Beautiful Front Entrance We have one of the most attractive community entrances around, because of the great people who plant flowers, yank a few weeds, and generally keep it tidy. If that sounds like YOU, come join us for our annual Spring Clean-Up on May 30th. Put on your work clothes and gloves, and meet at the front entrance at 10 am. It’s  always fun and fulfilling. Plus  we’ll  have  Missy’s  donuts,  coffee, and milk. See you there! Volunteers Needed for Pot Hole Pounding Yes, this is considered work, but it can be a fun time too…not  to  mention  being  highly  satisfying  to  take  revenge on a particularly offensive pot hole. Sign up now for the July work crew! Get details from Jason Ferbrache at 696-6262 or email [email protected].

Sweetwater Springs

sweetwaterspringshoa.com

This Just in From the Easter Bunny Wow! What a fantastic turnout for the Easter Egg Hunt! Twenty kids, plus parents, came out to enjoy the “thrill  of  the  hunt”  and  the  goodies  (of  course).  Even the weather was gorgeous. The Recreation Committee did a super job coordinating things, but next year I need to tutor them on harder places to hide the eggs, especially for those older kids! Special thanks to Caryn, Brad, and Dalton Krueger and Nathan and Jessica Hardwick for providing the hunting grounds. All in all, everyone had a great time. Spring Cookout The  flyer  is  out,  but  just  a  reminder…    Saturday,  May  16,  at  Kris  Halleck’s,  4851  Sweetwater Drive. Dinner at 5 pm, but the pool opens at 3 pm. Come on down! Ice Cream Social Who couldn’t  use  a  cool,  sweet break just as summer revs up! Well, get out your calendar and put a big red circle around June 14. Party starts  at  2  pm  at  Chris  and  Susan  Grove’s,  4808  Red  Hawk.  Bring  your  lawn chairs and a Happy Face. If you have a great homemade ice cream recipe that you want to try on us, let Nancy know. We will be awarding a PRIZE for the best tasting! You can also provide toppings and sauces. Watch for the reminder flyer with more details. Thinking About Our Furry Neighbors

We Springers  do  love  our  pets,  don’t  we?  And  it’s  painful when Nancy sends out a lost or found pet message. If your baby is wearing a tag with your contact info (along with the rabies tag), it makes it much easier to reunite you. And as a reminder, please use a leash when walking your pet, and be prepared  to  pick  up  any  “deposits”  made  in  your  neighbors’  yard.

Keeping Our Culverts Functioning All the recent rains emphasize just how important our many culverts are in safely transporting water away from home foundations and roadways. Over the winter, culverts tend to become cluttered with leaves, dirt, and other debris, which can cause water to back up dangerously. Please take the time to inspect culverts on your property and clean them out so that we can avoid possible erosion issues in the future.

Overflowing Response for Tree Debris Container We really welcomed the opportunity to dispose of tree debris, so much so that a second container was brought in. Thanks to all for your clean-up efforts, and special thanks for the care you took in keeping the debris inside the container and not all around it. Good job, everyone! Gate Traffic Reminder that Nancy Hilsgen is our contact for all things gate related (see Who You Gonna Call chart). And did you know that if you have workers coming to your home on a regular basis (housekeepers, lawn service, etc.), you can have a special gate code  set  up  just  for  them,  so  you  don’t  have  to  be  around  and  don’t have to give out your personal codes. Nancy can have these special codes programmed to be active only at certain times, for security purposes. Give her a call to set up a code. Don’t  Lay  That  Trash  on  Oklahoma…or  Sweetwater  Springs  Either We all love our beautiful neighborhood, and many of us enjoy evening strolls as our weather has gotten warmer. But recently that enjoyment has been diminished by litter and cigarette butts on our roadways. It  takes  us  all  to  keep  things  looking  great…please don’t  be  a  litterbug. No Trespassing in Your Mailbox

Sorry folks, but that handy little tube with the red flag is strictly for U.S. Postal Service mail. Seriously, it is against the rules to use it for anything else, such as flyers or notes to other residents. Yes, it is convenient, but please figure out another way for handling non-mail

items. Our mail lady will appreciate it.

Annual Neighborhood Garage Sale Once again we are looking at the end of September for your chance to participate in a grand closet and attic clean-out event. The Sale will be Saturday the 26th, gates open beginning  at  8  am.  The  “sneak  peek”  for  neighbors  will  be  Friday  evening  from  6:30  to  8,  so  neighbors  have  a  first  chance  to  get  in  on  the  bargains  and  just  to  visit  everyone.  It’s  a fun time. As usual, we will handle placing the ad in the Guthrie and Edmond papers, as well as posting signs at key intersections. Anyone who wants to participate just needs to set up shop. More details on this will come out later.

Happy Independence Day! Something new this year to show our patriotism…a  PARADE! Planning is underway and we will get details out soon, but be sure to mark your calendar for this event. Decorate your bikes, trikes, golf carts, strollers, wagons, dogs, anything that moves, and join us at 9 am on the 4th. We will start at the front entrance and work our way back to Red Hawk for refreshments. Prizes will be awarded for your decorating prowess! Fireworks We can’t  have  Fourth  of  July  without  fireworks (unless we are under a burn ban). Please remember, though, that not everyone  enjoys  the  noise…or  the  debris.  So be thoughtful of your neighbors. With the exception of the 4th itself, please finish up your festivities before 10 pm. Provide advance notice to neighbors with pets who might be freaked out by the noise, and be sure to pick up your fireworks debris that may have  traveled  to  your  neighbors’  yard. Stay Behind the Line, Please Many of us have some sort of recreational vehicle, watercraft, trailer, etc., and sometimes we need to store these on our property. Don’t  forget that extended stays of these items is covered by our Covenants, Section 3.04. “Recreational  vehicles  (watercraft, trailers, tractors and other equipment) must be parked on a concrete surface.  Such  surfaces  may  not  extend  beyond  the  front  line  of  the  house.” Where the Asphalt Meets the Yard Earlier we mentioned the state of our roadways, but did you know that keeping your yard edged helps our roads last longer? If grass starts growing through the asphalt, trouble is brewing. The asphalt begins to crumble, and when trash trucks or other vehicles run over these unstable spots, the problem escalates and we end up with serious damage that is expensive to repair. You can help lengthen the life of our roads by continuing to edge your yard and spraying a herbicide to keep grass from growing into the road. Also it helps if you set your trash cans further out into the street so trash trucks  don’t  end  up  driving  on  road edges. For those who may want a little help with this project, neighbors happily recommend Luis Escobar (313-4509) or Sergio Rojo (513-1724) for lawn maintenance, and Justin Knowles with On The Green (361-7529) for chemical treatments. And this link has tips for killing vegetation growing in asphalt: http://homeguides.sfgate.com/kill-weeds-growing-through-asphalt-30274.html.

Back to School Bash Yes,  school  isn’t  even  out  yet and we are talking about sending the kids back. But at least we plan to send you back with a big shindig. Mark your calendars for August 15, 4 pm,  at  Joe  and  Donna  McInich’s  place.  Flyer  will  come  out  later  with  more  details.  Look  for us to have good food (burgers, hotdogs, etc.), games, great fellowship. We had a fabulous turnout last year, so be sure to keep this on your DON’T  MISS list. Reminders The Architectural Committee needs to review and approve any plans for adding a fence, outbuilding, storm shelter, etc. And we also collect info on any new storm shelters in order to help locate you in the aftermath of a storm. Please see the Who You Gonna Call chart below for contact info. Watch Your Speed! We  can’t  say  it  enough.  The  speed limit is only 25 MPH, for all types of vehicles, including ATVs, motorcycles, and golf carts. And sometimes even 25 seems a bit fast if you are the walker being passed. We live in an idyllic neighborhood where kids have great freedom to roam and play. And they often forget to pay attention to where they  are.  So  it’s  up to us drivers to keep our eyes open and be prepared to stop quickly, even if it means going slower than 25. WHO YOU GONNA CALL Register your new storm shelter (so we know where  to  search…just  in  case)

Stan Clark 282-1009

Gate transmitters, gate problems, special codes Nancy Hilsgen 282-3737 Architectural Committee approval of plans for outbuildings, fences, storms shelters, etc.

Jason Ferbrache 696-6262 or [email protected]

FYI – News from Guthrie Public Schools Guthrie Public Schools finalized the purchase of 25 acres in southern Logan County. The land acquisition comes just in time for an upcoming school bond election, that if passed would construct an elementary school. The land, located east of the Douglas Blvd. and Charter Oak intersection, was purchased for  $250,000  and  funded  through  the  school  district’s  Building  Fund. The land is two miles north of Waterloo Road and two-and-half miles east of I-35 as it sits  in  the  school  district’s  southern  portion. The Building Fund, supported by annual tax, generates approximately $600,000 annually. Of that amount, $225,000 is allocated for contingencies and other larger projects. $275,000 is spent on routine building maintenance costs. The remainder helps major repairs, equipment needs and special projects. The Board of Education approved a proposition that will go to voters on May 12 for a $16.2 million series bond. The second of the third bond series would construct the estimated $11.4 million school. The first and third phase would upgrade current school buildings in the district. By law, school districts are required to specify a location where a school would be constructed on the ballot. The proposed elementary building would be an approximately 50,000 square feet and hold approximately 500 students.

We hope you enjoy it here as much as we do! See you around the neighborhood!

Michael & Tamara Lamb 5220 Hunters Gap Jason & Carissa Garrett 5250 Hunters Gap Travis Norman & Megan Warner 5350 Hunters Gap Carl & June Patterson 5410 Hunters Gap Mark & Cheryl Stratton 5425 Hunters Gap

Chad & Kimberly Barksdale 5440 Hunters Gap Brad & Allison Osterberg 5510 Hunters Gap Rick & Emily Williams 5550 Hunters Gap Joe & Cindy David 5590 Hunters Gap David Lee & Stephanie White 12570 Turkey Trail Bob & Judi VanVuren 12495 Smokey Ridge

Garland & Melissa Reese 12570 Smokey Ridge Cale & Rachael Myers 4849 Buffalo Hill Dominick & Dana Lombardo 5510 Buffalo Hill Tyler & Lacey Swope 4300 Sandy Point Jimmy & Karen Harris 12129 Whispering Pines

Mark Your Calendar for Upcoming Events May 10 – Mother’s  Day  (Hi  Mom!) May 16 – Spring Cookout at  Kris  Halleck’s May 22 – Last Day of School for Edmond and Guthrie Public Schools May 25 – Memorial Day (be careful on the roads) May 30 – Front Entrance Clean-up June 14 – Ice  Cream  Social  at  the  Grove’s…also  Flag  Day June 21 – Father’s  Day  and  the  1st Day of Summer July 4 – Fourth of July and Neighborhood Parade August 15 – Back  to  School  Bash  at  the  McInich’s August 20 – First Day of School for Edmond and Guthrie Public Schools September 7 – Labor Day (another high travel weekend, be careful) September 25-26 – Neighborhood Garage Sale Also in the plans are a pre-Trick-or-Treat party, fall entrance clean-up and Holiday decorating,  and  Caroling…dates  and  details  later!

Kidz Korner Out of school? Need something to do? How about a Nature Scavenger Hunt? It  isn’t  necessary for you to collect the items…just  see  if  you  can  find  them. Mark them off as you see them. Or capture them with a photo! Part  of  a  bird’s  egg A round rock

A tiny pink flower A stick shaped like a Y

A feather A leaf from an elm tree

A four-leaf clover A heart-shaped rock

A dandelion flower A seed pod

A butterfly A yellow bird

An ant hill A pine cone

A small purple flower A cardinal

A cottonwood boll A leaf from a redbud tree

A white rock An acorn

A leaf from a Bradford pear tree A squirrel

A hummingbird A bee

A rabbit A blackberry

A bird nest A turtle

A deer hoof print A pecan

Color me a Happy Snake…I’m  ready  for  4th of July!

In Memory