Summer is just around the corner and with it brings the end of a school year, the beginning of a new pool season, and family vacations. Consequently, everyone seems to be busier during this time of year. As you begin making plans for the summer, please remember to keep a watchful eye on "our neighborhood."  Houses left vacant while families are on vacation often become targets of crime. Most importantly, have fun, stay safe, and see ya around the neighborhood.

On flag day, June 14, as is appropriate, we are planning a dedication service for our flag, and a service of recognition of the many hours of work and cooperation of our committee, John Kupfer, George Watkins, and Jim Hall, the Pembroke Meadows Garden Club, the City landscaping department, and all the volunteers in our community who helped raise money and contributed and continue to support our Median Enhancement Project. 

Our residents raised funds through silent auctions, afternoon teas at the Ferry Plantation House and donations. These funds have provided the new lights on the three sections of the entrance wall to our neighborhood, the flagpole and flag. Contributions to the Civic League for the electric power bill and maintenance continue to be welcome. 

Residents and non-residents alike have expressed many positive comments. Janet Dunphy, reporter for the Virginia Pilot, is anxious to provide news coverage for the dedication of our flag.  Among the invited group are the Median Enhancement Committee, our City Councilman, Mr. Lewis Jones, our Civic League President David Long and all Civic League Board members.  Any and all residents of Pembroke Meadows/Shores and Townhomes are encouraged to attend this event on June 14th at 10:00 AM.  Watch the median bulletin board for reminders or call 490-0925 for details. 

Of the 600+ households in this neighborhood, I wonder how many are unaware that we have a community pool at the dead end of Pembroke Blvd., across from the park.  This neighborhood treasure is in its 34th year of operation.  Any family is welcome to join; the fees are the cheapest of any private pool in the area. 

Applications and information are available at the pool.  You can drop by or call the pool at 963-2239; this is a new telephone number.  Information is also available by e-mailing PoolInfo@AOL.com.

There are a host of activities planned for the summer. Swim lessons are slated to begin June 17 at 10 a.m.  Costs are $35 for members and $50 for nonmembers; there is a discount for additional children from the same family.  Sign-up at the pool.

The first two weekends of this pool season brought intermittent rain, so the next several are deserving of warm sunshine; perfect pool weather.  Reserve your place in the sun, by the cool of the pool. 

Click Here for Applications to the pool   or Click Here for swim team applications.

The sidewalks in our neighborhood should remain clear. Simply that means no overgrowth of plants, shrubs, grass, debris or low hanging branches from trees.  Remove anything that hinders, blocks or creates an injury risk to others.  Trim back tree branches that may cause eye injuries or blindness.  Cut back shrubs to the property line.

The last meeting until Fall of the Pembroke Meadows Garden Club was at Bridget South's Home on May 13th at 10:30 a.m. to which members brought exhibits and flower arrangements that were judged by the members themselves as a learning process.  If you are interested in joining us, please call Bridget at 497-4857.   Of note, we are in the process of adopting a street (Pembroke Boulevard) and dressing up the flagpole area and we will have a dedication ceremony on Flag Day in June 14 at 10 a.m.

Thank you for your kind response to my plea for twin-size sheets for the shelter for battered women and children.  They are already put to good use!  This month's focus is on collecting small counter-top appliances like coffee pots, toasters and the like.  Remember, these women have left everything behind to secure safety for themselves and their children. When they are ready to start new lives in their own apartments, it is so comforting for them to have a few basic kitchenware items.  Used appliances, in good working condition, are fine.

God bless.  And, as usual, I remind you that I do not know the location of the shelter(s) -- I simply pass along your contributed items to the contact person.

The following information was sent by e-mail to those of you who have signed up to be notified via our neighborhood watch e-mail procedure:
 

If you would like to be notified of suspicious or criminal activity via e-mail soon after it is reported send a request to our editor Jim Hall (jim.hal@cox.net) and he will add you to our neighborhood watch notification list. 

Thanks a big bunch to all the neighborhood residents and businesses that sent in their annual Civic League dues.  And wow! --thanks for the donations above and beyond the dues.  As of May 1st, 243 residents (out of 610 homes in the subdivision) have paid their $10 dues.  Another 5 homes in the Hudgins Shores neighborhood generously donated dues too.  And 8 businesses (Businesses and Hudgins Shores are called associate, i.e., non-voting members.)   Add in the "extra" $787 donations you mailed in, and we have a grand total of $3307 thus far.  Come to the Civic League meetings to examine a copy of the budget so you can see exactly how this money is spent on projects and activities for the whole neighborhood --  to keep Pembroke Meadows, Shores and Town Homes a great place to live.

Every one who is involved in the Civic League volunteers his/her time.  Our "paycheck" is the reward we get from knowing we are contributing to the "health" of the place we call home -- our subdivision with its homes, lakes and waterways. Please consider joining us.  It is easy to sit at home and complain, "They should do this or that"  but the "they" are people just like you with jobs, families, and lots of time-consuming obligations. They volunteer because they know that it takes a lot of effort to keep a neighborhood from deteriorating.  Make room in your life and in your heart to give some time to keeping YOUR neighborhood delightful.

A good place to start would be the Membership Chairperson slot.  It will be coming open at the end of this year.  Although it officially starts in January, good planning for the 2005 membership drive should start months before that.  For instance, during the Halloween Walk, a membership table could be set up at the park for early 2005 dues payments.  If you have thought to yourself, "I have some good ideas about how I would do that," then please consider volunteering for this or another position on the board/committees.

God bless us all.

To sign up for median strip duty, call Jim at 499-5115 or e-mail at jdprice@Cox.net. 
 

A lovely new brick walkway has been installed at Ferry Plantation House using old bricks from the former Rose Hall Plantation. Rose Hall no longer exists. The walk was dedicated on May 1st during our May Day Festivities and Queens Tea.  The Queen (Elizabeth the 1st) and her entire Court came from North Carolina to celebrate the day with us along with the Mayor of Virginia Beach. 

The walk will be called ROSE HALL WALK and was donated and funded by two private benefactors.  The plan for the Formal Gardens will include Personalized Bricks.  These bricks can be purchased as a Memorial or In Honor of individuals, family members living and deceased.  What a lasting way to be honored.  Bricks are $75.00. For more information call Ferry Plantation House  473-5182.  The house is open for tours on Tuesdays and Thursdays 10 a.m -- 4 p.m. except holidays.

Click here for more information about Ferry Plantation House and Personalized Bricks

Our neighborhood high school’s PTSA is again sponsoring the 13th annual All Night Alcohol and Drug Free Party for our graduating seniors.  Thanks to the generosity of our own civic league, Pembroke Meadows Elementary School (dress-down day for teachers), Independence Middle School’s PTA, and others, each year has been enthusiastically appreciated by our graduating seniors and eagerly anticipated by our rising seniors.

This year’s event will be held for our Pembroke Meadows/Shores graduating seniors on graduation night, June 18th.  It is also the grand finale to a year of celebrating Princess Anne High School’s 50th anniversary.

Sponsoring this Alcohol and Drug Free Party has proven to be a successful means of providing our students with a safe celebration, but it is costly.  The event would not be possible without extensive fund raising as well as personal and business contributions.  Your donations and gifts are tax-deductible.

We are conducting a $50 for 50 years of service drive to help our fund-raising campaign get off the ground.  You could also choose to be a Double Gold contributor with a $100.00 donation, Platinum with a $500.00 gift or Silver with a $1,000.00 contribution.  We would greatly appreciate any donation that would help us with this memorable and worthwhile endeavor.

If you have any questions or would like to discuss our past or present All Night Alcohol and Drug Free Parties, please feel free to call us.  Thank you again for helping our seniors with an experience they can cherish as they begin to face the unique challenges of adulthood.

Donna Price, 499-5115, donnaprice@cox.net
Or Operation Graduation Committee Co-Chairs:
Katie Petersen, 460-5281; Nikki Smead, 340-4566; Maryanne Strickland, 460-2611

Thank you so much.  I hope you will consider making either a personal or business contribution.  I will work hard to get your donations and contributions acknowledged both in this newsletter, at our neighborhood pool and through our pool’s swim team.