Holly Grove Estates

Lake Gaston

Good News Letter – Summer 2019

GOOD DAY EVERYONE. We hope you are looking forward to an enjoyable summer at the lake. YOUR Board has been very busy and we have a lot to share with you.

Let’s start with some REALLY GOOD NEWS……we have many NEW NEIGHBORS to welcome:

  • Evelyn & Rick Barden, 120 Boyd Drive
  • Joddie & Len Friddle, 140 Boyd Drive
  • Jennifer & Ben Sligar, 40 Boyd Drive
  • Cathy & David Bridge, 639 Holly Grove Lane
  • Neil Donahue, 205 Brandon Court
  • Andrea Klinger & Terry Bitting, Lot D-15 Brandon Court
  • Melanie & Christopher Hinson, 329 Lakeview Drive
  • Jane Lee & Jim O’Connell, 67 Winding Way

If you are new to Holly Grove Estates and we have not yet “welcomed” you, please let us know so that we can introduce you in our next newsletter.

AND…..while we’re on the subject of “welcoming”…. if you were not in attendance at the ANNUAL GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING in April we would like to introduce OUR NEW BOARD for the 2019-2020 year:

  • PRESIDENT – Al Veeck 1 year remaining
  • TREASURER – Jeff Stanton – 2 years remaining
  • SECRETARY – Faye Harris – re-elected 3 years remaining
  • DIRECTORS: Dave Edwards 1 year remaining, Peggy Donochod 1 year remaining, Joe Liberatore 2 years remaining, Chuck Tripp 2 years remaining, Jerry Corbett re-elected 3 years remaining, Rich Graves 3 years remaining.

Thank you Doug Cloud for your past service on the Board, including the installation of all the A/B water meters through completion. A big job AND we thank you!

Another “Thank You” from our heart is a lovely granite stone placed in the entrance in memory of Judy Williams whose hard work and determination made this beautiful transformation a reality. What a lovely legacy!

WOW!!! This is turning into the “new” newsletter as we have a lot of information to share with you today as well as a few reminders.

  • The Board has been working really hard on our COVENANT REVISION along with the Rules & Regulations and we will be sending this out to all our owners soon.
  • This years’ ROAD MAINTAINENCE will happen after the July 4th weekend and will include paving from Morristown Road to the Dogwood split (which gets most of our traffic) and patching necessary areas.
  • OUR NEIGHBORHOOD is “not as young as it used to be” and just like us, our “natural landscape” is aging and widening into the roads. In our effort to protect the power lines we have had several trees removed already and Mecklenburg Electric has cut down 5 trees from the front entrance. Over time we will be having additional “danger” trees removed on Lakeview Drive, Holly Grove Lane and Winding Way as part of our tree removal program. We may call for a work party to help remove some of the small trees that keep leaning into the roads. Keep watch for an invitation to join in!!! Here is an FYI, Mecklenburg Electric plans on returning later this year and doing the “5 year tree trimming” of all lines in their “right of ways” (hopefully they will remove the trees they took down).
  • The BOAT RAMP is scheduled for some renovations also: tree removal, culvert installation, and some gravel parking for a few autos and boat trailers plus a GATE!!! All of this will provide more security against non-neighbors using our ramp and provide temporary parking facilities for our members needing to use the boat ramp. All residents will be provided a lock code for the gate which will change periodically, and owners will also be provided a different code for guests’ use which will change frequently.
  • In addition to the boat ramp construction, three of our CULVERTS on Holly Grove Lane, down from the entrance, will be reworked to provide better water runoff and prevent erosion of our roadways.
  • Good news! Later this year BIT is installing fiber optics in the neighborhood which should provide us with faster internet!
  • Remember if you haven’t already sent in your DUES, they ARE DUE!!!!! It is really important that they come in on time so that we have $ in our budget to do all this work, and also so that YOU don’t have to pay a “late penalty”. Any financial questions, contact the Treasurer or any Board member.
  • If you’re building or having some work done please remind your contractors to obey our speed limit AND if some trash “happens” to blow out of their truck, to please pick it up.
  • IDEAS FOR THE FUTURE…… It has been suggested that we do some advertising in our GNL for our neighbors, items for sale, or for giveaway or items wanted. Not a bad idea! If interested, I would need you to send me an e-mail (pdono@buggs.net) with a brief description of the article and your name and contact number and we can have a paragraph for “ITEMS NEEDED OR NO LONGER NEEDED!”
  • AND NOW SOME REAL FUN STUFF TO KNOW ABOUT: JULY 4th is fast approaching and the FIREWORKS will be held at the Eaton Ferry Bridge on Saturday night July 6th. The annual July 4th CELEBRATION BOAT PARADE will be held Sunday morning July7th . Decorate your boat and yourselves and gather at the #17 buoy. The parade will begin at 10:30. It will travel along the main lake into Holly Grove Creek to the bridge and back out, continuing west and then crossing the lake and continuing east to Six Pound Creek,where there is always a special treat in store for the boaters!, then returning to the main lake where we gather together to say our Pledge of Allegiance and sing! Come join this wonderful event on the lake, or put on your red, white and blue and be a cheerleader from your dock. GOD BLESS AMERICA!
  • MORE FUN ON THE LAKE happens on AUGUST 10th at 9 am when the 15TH annual “CROSSING AT LAKE GASTON” takes place. This event is sponsored by O’Sail and funds raised support grants used in the LKG community. Don’t miss this 1-mile event where you can swim, float, paddle (or even walk) the distance across the lake (just NO motors). This can be a great family/friend annual event. Some folks get really “creative” for their “journey” and have lots of fun! If you’re not interested in being a participant, just come out to cheer these people on!!!!! You can “like” the O’Sail at Lake Gaston FB page for updates.
  • Please be aware that there is a new group forming on the lake, it is the “LAKE GASTON 911 COMMUNITY TASK FORCE” and it is raising awareness to save lives when 911 emergency services are needed. Unfortunately, cell phones don’t work like we think they do when pinging off cell towers crossing county lines in rural communities. Also many house numbers are not clearly visible. Or, you’re out boating and have a serious problem, do you know where you are? There is an emergency in your house, does your family or guests know where they are? Sadly there are several stories where a loss of 20-45 minutes trying to “find” those in distress had devastating results. This is a volunteer/self-funded effort, please watch for more information forthcoming.
  • ANOTHER SAFETY REMINDER IS THAT WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE A NEW HOSPITAL IN SOUTH HILL. VCU COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER IS AFFILIATED WITH VCU FROM RICHMOND. THE LOCATION IS OFF I-85 AT EXIT 14, you then turn left and then 2nd right then left into the EMERGENCY ROOM entrance. Let’s hope you don’t ever need it.

IN CLOSING, please let me remind you of some “BASIC RULES” of living on our Lake and in our Community:

  • Play safe and have a great time, especially on the water.
  • ALL Children under 13 MUST wear a lifejacket on a boat.
  • ALL Boaters MUST be licensed.
  • YOU are responsible for the actions of anyone operating your watercraft!
  • Obey the “No Wake Zones” and the distance from the dock rule – 50 feet!!!!!
  • Please respect our neighborhood speed limit,and watch out for walkers, bikers, joggers, animals, children playing and grandparents (who can’t get out of the way fast!)
  • For everyone’s safety, including your pet’s, dogs must be on a leash when being walked.
  • Shhhhhhhh, remember sound travels over water!
  • WE are all our “NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH”, IF YOU SEE SOMETHING… SAY SOMETHING! (did anyone see one of our Memorial Day wreaths and one of our flags anywhere?)
  • And don’t forget to live by the “GOLDEN RULE”…do unto others as you would have them do unto you, and we will all help to make this world a better place. (AND picking up some trash along the way wouldn’t hurt either!) Thanks.

HAVE A WONDERFUL SUMMER!
Your Holly Grove Estates Board