The Stonehenge Home Owners' Association News Bulletin

Stonehenge Living

www.stonehengeliving.com
February 2002                                         Volume 4 Issue 1                                         Don Collum, Editor (doncollum@aol.com)

President's Message

By David Smith

The Stonehenge Homeowners Association begins another year with a new crop of officers. The new officers are eager to represent our community and to make Stonehenge an even greater place to live. I will serve as your president, Renee Sarver is your vice-president, and Nancy Ritter is your treasurer. Don Collum will once again edit the newsletter and Dennis Ritter will maintain our membership database. Diane Lahti, Sharon Miller, Wray Gillette, Toby Sarver, and Fran Johnson make up the remainder of the volunteer board members. In fact, all of us are volunteers and we need more volunteers. Stonehenge is a very large community with over 1200 homes. The small group of volunteer officers and board members would like to hear from others interested in serving your community. If you can spare a couple of hours each month, please contact me at 847-5947 or dapsmith@earthlink.net. We meet on the second Monday of each month, usually in a board member's home. Our meetings begin at 7:30 p.m. and conclude by 9:30 p.m.
Two board member volunteers, Lori and John Olin, have decided to take some time away from board activities. Lori organized the distribution of our newsletter last year and John maintained our membership database. They did a wonderful job and everyone is appreciative of their hard work.
What will you be asked to do if you decide to become a board member volunteer? We publish a quarterly newsletter and in an effort to save money on postage, we distribute the newsletter by hand. Our first option is to pay neighborhood children to make the deliveries. We need folks to help organize and carryout the effort. We publish and distribute an almost yearly Stonehenge directory. Fortunately a private company publishes the directory in exchange for advertising revenue, but it still must be proofed and distributed. We could use your help. Each year we sponsor social events for children and adults. This year we plan to sponsor an Easter egg hunt, pig-picking, Halloween parade, community-wide garage sale, ice cream social, and Spring and Fall door to door deliveries of pine straw. We arrange for the upkeep and landscaping of the six Stonehenge entrance signs. Perhaps some of you would like to submit articles to the newsletter. We could use a few good volunteers! Give me a call.

(President, page 2)

Activities and Opportunities

Stonehenge Directory- fill out directory form and send to Leo Hoarty by March 15. Contact is Diane Lahti.
Stonehenge Women's Network - scheduled meetings are March 4, April 8, and May 6. Contact is Char Rafferty.
Membership drawing - All SHA paid members as of April 1, 2002 are eligible to win "goodies" in drawing. Fill out and send in membership form today. Contact is Nancy Ritter.
Easter Egg Hunt - March 16, 10-10:30AM (rain date March 17, 2-2:30PM) in Seven Oaks parking lot. Contact is Kate Gerowitz (Stonehenge Women's Network).
Spring Pine Straw Sale - Orders in by March 19, delivery is March 24, with a rain date of March 31 - Contact is David Smith.
Pig Pickin' - May 11 at Seven Oaks pool - planning is just starting, volunteer opportunities. Contact Toby Sarver.
Senior Activities - contact is Fran Johnson.
Garage Sale - volunteer opportunities
Ice cream social - volunteer opportunities
Halloween parade - (Stonehenge Women's Network)
Fall pine straw sale - contact is David Smith
Luminaries -Contact is Eileen Francis.

New Stonehenge Directory for 2002

By Diane Lahti

An updated Stonehenge directory is tentatively scheduled for delivery to all homeowners in the early summer. To meet this goal, please help by filling out the directory information sheet on page 2 ASAP and sending it to Leo Hoarty in any of the following ways:
Mail: 8637 O'Neal Road, Raleigh 27613
Email: jleo@hoarty.com
Fax: 848-6733
Important information to know about the directory:
1. It will not be distributed to anyone who is not a resident of Stonehenge
2. There is no cost to the homeowner for a listing or a directory.
3. PLEASE FILL OUT THE FORM EXACTLY AS YOU WANT IT TO APPEAR
Volunteers to proofread the directory and assist with distribution are needed. Please contact Diane Lahti.
Anyone wishing to advertise in the directory should contact Mr. Hoarty directly.
Please use the form on page 3 of this newsletter.
(President from page 1)


This year we plan to bring back the pig-picking. Over the years this has been a popular event but due to various circumstances, we have not had one for a few years. Toby Sarver has agreed to chair this event and he could use your help. The tentative date for the pig-picking is May 11 at the Seven Oaks Recreation Center. Additional details will be circulated in advance of the event.
Membership in the Stonehenge Homeowners Association is important if we are to have a viable organization. From all reports I see, having a strong and active homeowners association is beneficial to property values. Even if you do not have the time to volunteer your services, we could use your $20 yearly membership dues. In this newsletter you will find a membership application. Membership is on a calendar year basis and it does offer a few benefits. For many of our social events, members pay a reduced fee. This year, in an effort to encourage early dues payment, we will conduct a drawing of those that pay their membership dues by April 1. The prizes to be awarded include Stonehenge shirts, free passes to the pig-picking, 5 bales of pine straw, and perhaps a few other goodies.
A high priority project this year is to investigate the lighting of our entrance signs. (For those of us who live East of Creedmoor there are no entrance signs.) As you might imagine, this is a big project and a great amount of investigation and study is required before a final decision can be made. We'll keep everyone updated.
Our community is surrounded by several construction projects, both in progress and planned. A couple of these projects have a direct impact on the quality of our community. The others are more indirect in their impact with increased traffic congestion and noise. I have been personally involved in one of the projects and I can tell you from direct experience that by the time a homeowner learns about a project, the developer is miles ahead of you in the approval process. A group of homeowners can lobby to have the developer make a few changes that will ease the impact on the immediate neighbors, but stopping a project or even winning major concessions is not going to happen unless there is a large group of folks willing to put in some time. This is where having a large, active homeowners association can pay dividends. Your participation in your community is important.
I look forward to being your president this year.

Seniors

By Fran Johnson
Recently, a request for those interested in participating in Stonehenge activities specifically targeted for Seniors showed some interest from telephone responses. However, the scheduled kick off meeting elicited only one attendee. This is less than the anticipated interested in generating a Seniors activities program. With the minimal interest shown, efforts towards this program are suspended.
However, here are a few of the sources for seniors in the area that were on the agenda for discussion at the kick off meeting. Contact Fran Johnson if you desire more information on any of these agencies, or you may contact them directly. · Raleigh Parks and Recreation Dept. Adult programs and Clubs, 954-3933. Local programs offer meetings, speakers, trips, arts, music, drama, sports, nature, senior adult programs, computer, etc.
· Senior Friends, Raleigh Community Hospital, 954-3688. Meetings, speakers, bingo, lunches, coffee meets, crafts, bridge and other things.
· Senior Net, Raleigh Community Hospital, 954-3688. Beginning computer classes in a number of areas.
· ENCORE, NC State University, 515-5782. A number of varied six week courses (one day per week), Including: Antarctica, travel planning, genealogy, intro to internet, safe driving, antiques, American musical theatre, and many more,
· Elderhostel, Inc., www.elderhostel.0rg. Travel and education: US and Canada, South America, worldwide, service programs. For seniors only.
While not an exhaustive list, it provides a strong starting point. For additional info about any of these services or questions about any other interests, please contact Fran Johnson at 919-847-5274 or fjohnson@earthlink.net.

Easter Egg Hunt

· Where: 7 Oaks Parking Lot.
· When: Saturday, March 16 10-10:30 AM (rain date, Sunday, March 17th 2-2:30 PM).
· Who: all the children of Stonehenge.
· Contact is Kate Gerowitz, 846-2030.

Stonehenge Entrance Signs

By Sharon Miller
Our Stonehenge entrances looked great over the holidays. Many thanks to Sally Bloom who takes care of this every year. A
New Year's project that is currently being researched is the feasibility of lighting some of the Stonehenge entrance signs. More details to come.


Spring Pine Straw Order Form

Pine straw delivery is scheduled for the week of March 24, with a rain date of March 31. We are using the same vendor as last spring. All profits from the pine straw sale are used for neighborhood landscaping projects.
Fill in and mail this order form to David Smith, 2309 Hamrick Drive, Raleigh NC 27615 (847-5947). Make checks payable to Stonehenge Homeowner's Association. Paid orders must be received by March 19, 2002.

NOTE: Minimum order is 8 Bales.
                                            
Name: ______________________________________

Address: ___________________________________

Phone:___________________ Zip: _____________

# of Bales                 at $4.50 ea. = _____________

Deliver Location ( cicle one)

driveway ----- side area ------ front natural area
(delivery to rear areas or backyards can't be provided)

Please separate and send each form to the indicated address

Stonehenge Homeowners Association, membership $20.00

Application is for 2001, January 1 through December 31.

Mr./Mrs./Ms.________________________________


Address:____________________________________


Zip:_______________ Phone:__________________


e-mail:_____________________________________





Joining help supports: the Stonehenge Living newsletter; the Stonehenge Directory; Social Events; representation in neighborhood zoning and traffic projects; community projects, and www.stonehengeliving.com web site.
Make check payable to Stonehenge Homeowners Association, and mail it and form to:
Nancy Ritter
8916 Wellsley Way
Raleigh, NC 27613

Please separate and send each form to the indicated address

Directory Information Form for Stonehenge

Application is for 2001, January 1 through December 31. Fill out and send to Leo Hoarty (article, page 1)

Name(s) ___________________________________________________________________________
Address ___________________________________________________________________________
Phone Number ______________________________________________________________________
Email Address _____________________________________________________________________
Emergency Contact Name and Number _________________________________________________
The following, if filled, will appear in a separate services section. Please provide t full name of the household contact who will be providing the service (you, spouse, or child).
Babysitting________________ Yard care_________________ Pet Sitting_________________
Other (Please List- e.g. tutoring, music teacher, etc.) ___________________________

Light Up Stonehenge

By Eileen Frances

Thank you to those who participated in the Light Up Stonehenge Luminaries in December. Some areas of our neighborhood simply glowed. Congratulations to residents of Druids Lane and Oxbow Court for 100% participation! In addition to bringing beauty to the neighborhood, the Stonehenge Women's Network was able to donate $1000 to the Leesville High School Symphonic Band. The Women's Network would like to congratulate the band on their achievement and thank them for supplying 15 (maybe more) willing volunteers to help us assemble and deliver the Luminaries. We could not have done it without them.
Additional thanks to Harris Teeter at Stonehenge Market for donating the bags used for assembly and delivery, to James A. Bailey Trucking Company for donating the sand, and to Seven Oaks Pool for allowing us to use the parking area for sand storage and kit assembly.

Please separate and send each form to the indicated address

Creedmoor Office Centre

By David Smith

If you travel Strickland Road between Creedmoor and Lead Mine Roads you have noticed that construction has begun on the parcel of land that was the subject of lengthy debates before the Raleigh City Council. The development will be called Creedmoor Office Centre. It will consist of 10 one and two story office buildings and parking. According to the developers, the office development is intended for professional businesses. There will be no retail operations in the development. Curbing and gutters for roads have already been installed and building construction should start around the end of February.
For those of us on Hamrick Drive the development should result in minimal impact. Because a portion of the property is in the Neuse River Basin, the developers were required to move much of the development away from the homes on Hamrick. Except for the early morning noise from heavy equipment and a fine, red dust powder that settled over everything during the dry spell, we have experienced few problems. Hopefully our experiences will continue to be positive.

Stonehenge Couples (No Kids!) Supper
Groups

By Char Rafferty

Some of the ladies in Stonehenge have been discussing the possibility of forming a "gourmet" type supper club for the Stonehenge community.
The "specifics" could be discussed at a planning meeting, but we can have groups of 4 couples, (which would be a different foursome each month) who would "dine" together 4 times a year (on specific, planned dates). If we had 40 couples who were interested, we'd have 10 houses containing 4 couples each time we got together.
Many neighborhoods have these groups, and I wanted to see if there is genuine interest in having one in our great community -another chance to get to know ALL of our Stonehenge neighbors, not just the people on our block or cul-de-sac!
Contact me ASAP to determine interest and/or provide ideas. Char Rafferty - 848-6166 or chart0128@aol.com

Halloween Parade

By Eileen Frances

A great time was had by all participants at the Annual Halloween Parade. The participation in this event has grown each year and this year was no exception. A big thank you to Stonehenge resident, Patrick O'Boyle of Six Forks Fire and Rescue, who escorted us in a Fire Truck. We even had a float this year! The kids were entertained by Jelly Bean the Clown and snacked on all sorts of goodies. Thanks also to the residents of Corberrie Lane and Oxbow Court for being the "hosts" for our parade. See you next year!

Between Jobs

By Don Collum

I was informed on 31 January 2001 that my position with Nortel Networks had been eliminated, and I have been unemployed now for a little over a year. The good news is that there are so many out of work that there are efforts for assistance; the bad news is that there are too many of us competing for the same few jobs - several hundred applicants per job opening.
The best way to find a job is through networking. I'm aware of one nonprofit organization that has a distribution list of unemployed professionals (mostly from the technology sector) that provides networking. It is the Triangle Networking Group and its web page is www.trianglenetworkinggroup.com. If you're unemployed, this might be a good place to start networking. However, I'd like to create a network closer to home.
I'm aware of 6 Stonehenge families affected by loss of work, with some approaching serious financial stress. I'd like to establish a Stonehenge Community Network to provide assistance, not necessarily financial, but rather encouragement, job leads, and possibly just getting together to share experiences and things to avoid in the job search. I believe this community has representation for most Triangle businesses. There are at least two ways the employed can help without risk. As positions open with your employer, send leads to this network with job requirements and contacts - you can do this anonymously if desired. Also, part of networking is having a contact at a hiring company who will bring the resume to the appropriate person, which is a big advantage to sending it blindly to an HR person. If you are willing to carry and forward resumes from jobless Stonehenge residents to the appropriate person at your business, that would be a great help.
Please contact me if you are an unemployed job seeker, a person willing to share job leads at your place of employment, and/or a person willing to carry resumes for posted positions. When you contact me, please provide your full name, phone number, status (jobless, share job leads, carry resumes), and where you work if willing to carry resumes. I can be contacted at doncollum@aol.com.
I've got fantastic neighbors - they've taken my resume and presented it whenever appropriate. They've given me leads to openings where I may be qualified. They've provided me and my family with encouragement. They keep us in their thoughts and prayers. They represent the best of the Stonehenge Community - just like you.

Stonehenge Women's Network

SWN gathers once a month, October through May. Recent speakers discussed Wine Tasting, Physical Therapy (for women), Special Olympics, Gardening, Crafts, more.
Have questions? Call Char Rafferty at 848-6166. If you would like to be reminded of upcoming Women's Network Meetings, send an email to Darlene Miller (damiller_61@yahoo.com) or call her at 518-2385.

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