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Community Survey and Fall Newsletter

December 8, 2010 10:20 pm / Leave a comment

This article ran in the newsletter distributed last week, but I wanted to share it here as well. If you haven’t already taken a few minutes to fill in the survey (available here), we would greatly appreciate you doing so. The responses we’ve gotten back so far have been very helpful, and we want to make sure we’re hearing from as many of you as possible. Help us make Alyson Pond the best community possible!

From the President:

We had an interesting discussion at the last board meeting about the differences between young and more established neighborhoods. There is a universal transition from the early years, where everyone pitches in to help build the community, to a time where attendance at board meetings – and even the annual meeting – dwindles, where it gets harder to find people interested in serving on the board and chairing activities.

On the one hand, I’d like to take the small turnout for board meetings as a sign that everything is going well and that there aren’t any major concerns or complaints.

On the other hand, our community is going to need just as much help in its “teenage years” as it did in the first decade of its life… all the more so as the people who have given so generously of their time now look to hand things over to a new set of volunteers.

To this end, we need your help in a few areas. Foremost, we want your opinions on what you like about Alyson Pond and what suggestions you have for further improvement.

Attached you will find a short survey (which you may also have received via e-mail – if not, please write us at alysonpond@gmail.com to get on the list.) Please take a few minutes to fill it in and share your thoughts with us.

Even better, bring the completed survey to the annual meeting coming up next month. It’s a chance to meet some new neighbors, hear what’s going on in the community and share your suggestions first-hand. (And, everyone turning in a survey will be entered in a drawing for a free clubhouse rental.)

At the annual meeting we will be looking to fill a number of open board positions. We are also going to try something new this year. Our board currently has 7 members, while our bylaws allow us to have up to 9. We are going to create two “at large” board positions that will have a one-year term and no specific duties (oversight of facilities, architecture, etc.) This is a great way to get involved and give back, with minimal additional time commitment on your part.

There’s one more area where we need your help. As you can read in more detail to the right, we are taking the opportunity to start revisiting the Alyson Pond Master Plan. Your input on this is essential.

Thank you in advance for returning the surveys, and I hope to see you all on January 19th (if not sooner). Until then, happy holidays and Happy New Year.

Alyson Pond Board Meeting – Wed, 11/17, 7pm

November 16, 2010 10:47 pm / Leave a comment

In case you missed the sign by the front entrance, I wanted to leave a quick reminder that our next board meeting is Wednesday, 11/17/2010 at 7pm in the clubhouse.

In case you missed the last meeting, you can find the minutes on the Alyson Pond website.

I hope to see you at the meeting tomorrow!

Fall Celebration – Saturday, Nov 13

November 10, 2010 10:47 pm / Leave a comment

Just a quick reminder that this Saturday, November 13th is the Alyson Pond Fall Celebration.

The party will be held at the clubhouse from 4-6pm. A BBQ dinner will be served and there will be a bounce castle and super slide to entertain the kids.

Please send Eve a quick email with a guest count if you plan to attend so she can plan how many meals to order, and we hope you can come out to join us as we celebrate the season!

Alyson Pond Halloween Party: Saturday, 10/23, 10:30am

October 21, 2010 12:19 am / Leave a comment

Our community Halloween Party is this Saturday, October 23rd at 10:30am.

The party will be at the clubhouse and we will have lots of crafts and games for the kids.

Come in costume to take a hit at the Halloween pinata! Light refreshments will be served.

As always, volunteers are greatly appreciated so please let Eve Pender know if you are available to come help with set up or clean up.

We hope to see you soon!

Photo credit

Alyson Pond Yard Sale – Oct. 9

September 25, 2010 2:37 pm / Leave a comment

We will be holding the Alyson Pond Fall Yard Sale on Saturday, October 9th from 7am-12pm (with a rain date of Saturday, October 16th.)

We’re coordinating the date with Durant Trace, Durant Trails and Simms Branch again this year, which means there should be a great turnout… so start clearing out your attic and garage!

(image via)

Reminder: Board Meeting – Wed, 9/15, 7pm

September 14, 2010 10:00 pm / Leave a comment

The next Alyson Pond Homeowner’s Association board meeting will be tomorrow, Wed. 9/15 at 7pm in the clubhouse.

If you haven’t been to a board meeting lately, please stop on by and join us (and of course, if you have been to one lately, we’d welcome you to join us, too.)

And, as always, if you have any questions or feedback for the board but can’t make the meeting, you can leave a comment here or e-mail us at info@alysonpond.com.

See you tomorrow!

Journalist Joins Duke Garden Tour

September 7, 2010 8:55 pm

Cheryl Doyle Kearns, the managing editor of CIRCA (formerly Heritage) magazine, will be joining the Alyson Pond Garden Club as it makes its Duke Garden Tour on Friday, September 24, 2010. Cheryl is not only an editor, she is a regular contributor to the publication, writing about gardening and outdoor living in the North Raleigh and Wake Forest areas. She is a Master Gardener and active member of the Martindale Garden Club.

“We’re thrilled to have Cheryl join our tour” says Paul Martin, coordinator of the Alyson Pond Garden Club. “I met Cheryl when I was a guest lecturer for the Martindale Club and was impressed by her horticulture knowledge. Her experience and expertise will be a welcome addition to the tour.”

The tour participants will depart the Alyson Pond Clubhouse at 2 PM and gather at the Duke Gardens where at 3 PM they will be met by a senior Duke Gardens staff member who will give a personal guided tour through the Gardens. At 4 PM the group will be invited to a private preview of the Fall Crafts and Plant Sale.

“I met Cheryl when I was a guest lecturer for the Martindale Club and was impressed by her horticulture knowledge. Her experience and expertise will be a welcome addition to the tour.”

There are still a handful of spaces available for the tour. Admission is $10 which will go towards the tour guide and a contribution to ‘The Friends of Duke Gardens’ . For more information or to make your reservation, please contact Paul Martin at 847-1733. The deadline for admission is Friday, September 17, 2010.

Blog Etiquette

August 24, 2010 10:39 am / Leave a comment

Now that this blog seems to be picking up steam a bit, I thought it would be good to share a few reminders on blog etiquette and rules.

Our goal in setting up this site is to foster communication between Alyson Pond residents and to make it easier for the board to share updates and receive feedback. The feedback I’ve received regarding this blog (online and in person) has been very positive, and for that I thank you.

For it to remain effective, though, it is important that the blog remain a place for open, civil discussion. As such, a few reminders:

This is not the forum for personal attacks. If you have a concern that you would like to address with the board or another homeowner, please reach out to us (or them) directly. I do not like having to remove or edit comments that are inappropriate, but have started to do so where needed. (A general rule of thumb is if it’s not something you would say to that person’s face or in a public setting, it’s not appropriate to post in a comment on this blog.)
Full name and a valid e-mail are required. This is a common rule that has been shown to help keep online conversations appropriate and civil. In addition, you can’t receive a notice of replies to your comment if you don’t leave a valid e-mail, nor can we get in touch to follow up on any concerns you may raise. As noted above, going forward, comments without a name or valid e-mail may be removed.

As always, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us with any questions.

These are the people in your neighborhood (Resident businesses and services)

August 23, 2010 7:00 pm / 8 Comments on These are the people in your neighborhood (Resident businesses and services)

As I have gotten to know more and more of you, I often find myself having “Really? I didn’t know that!” moments when learning about Alyson Pond residents that have their own business or service.

Whether it’s offering piano or swimming lessons, graphic design or landscaping services (to name just a few that come immediately to mind), we are fortunate to have quite a diverse and talented community.

If you are an Alyson Pond resident and have your own business or offer a service (including things like baby sitting or dog walking) that you would like to share, please leave a comment below and let your fellow residents know about it!

Reminder: Friday after Five Pool Party tomorrow (8/13)

August 12, 2010 8:46 pm / Leave a comment

Hi everyone,

Don’t forget that tomorrow is the Alyson Pond “Friday after Five Pool Party.” We hope you can join us at the pool from 5-9pm.

Entertainment will be provided by Joe Bunn DJ service and there will be plenty of FREE PIZZA! The weather forecast looks promising for the party so come on out and celebrate summertime with your neighbors.

— Eve Pender
Social Chairman, Alyson Pond

Alyson Pond Homeowner's Association