On Saturday, April 23rd, many of your neighbors will be helping spruce up the neighborhood park, pool grounds, median strip and dam path.  This Spring Fling is an annual Pembroke Meadows community event at which neighbors renew acquaintances and make new friendships.  It is a grand opportunity to meet neighbors, have some fun and tidy up the area that many of us use for gathering and recreation. 

If your kids play in the park, if you walk, jog, run or bike the dam path, if you swim at the pool, here's an opportunity to improve that area for the coming season.  Bring rakes, clippers, brooms, mowers or whatever yard tool is your specialty.  Make your mark.  The fun begins at 9 a.m.  After clean up, the civic league is hosting a well earned lunch in the park for all participants.  Come and enjoy.

Last month, the Newsletter included a copy of the pool membership application. There are lots of activities planned for the summer at the pool. In addition to Thursday dinner nights, weekend cookouts, youth nights, and family socials, there are swim lessons, a Christmas in July party and Noodle and Float Nights. There is still time (until April 30) to take advantage of the discounted (by 10%) pool membership. For those who have never been members of the pool, it provides great, safe, fun and cheap (less than the cost of a family weekend out-of-town) family activity. If you need an application or have questions about pool membership, contact Hubert Pancho (321-0658 or hpancho@USA.net) or Jim Price (499-5115 or jdprice@cox.net).

The pool is home to the Pembroke Meadows Marlins Swim Team, one of 24 teams in the Virginia Beach Swim League. Over the life of the swim team, thousands of kids have enjoyed the thrill of competition and spirit of camaraderie as members of the team. Kids between 5 and 18 years of age, regardless of skill or speed, compete in swimming events at five regular season meets. Regular exercise, sportsmanship and skill improvement are benefits of the swim team. For swim team information, contact the Donna (499-5115 or donnaprice@cox.net) or Vicki Vaughan (jovic.vaughan@verizon.net)

Applications to the pool and/or swim team are available online at the civic league's website. Additionally, pool board members and swim team representatives will be at the pool for Spring Fling (April 23rd) for information or sign ups.  Hope to see you at your place in the sun, in the cool of the pool.

• Spring Fling, April 23, 9 A.M.
• Relay for Life Yard Sale, April 30, 8 A.M. to 1 P.M.

Neighborhood Watch

The Virginia Beach Police Department recommends the use of your drivers license number to mark your valuables. This makes for proof positive identification of your personal possessions. Use the prefix of state in front of drivers license number, ex: VA123-45-6789.

A neighborhood watch committee for the townhouses is being organized, and the committee needs you! I am looking for people interested in serving as block captains, or just interested in volunteering some time. I am trying to arrange a meeting with the police officer who helps our neighborhood, and would like to set up when the committee can be there so we all get information first-hand. If you are interested in donating even a small amount of time and effort to this cause, please call Norma at 499-4924. Thanks in advance for helping to keep our neighborhood safe!

Operators of electric-powered scooters must be 14 years old unless supervised by an adult and are required to wear a helmet. Operators of gas-powered scooters must be 16 with identification confirming age, and wear a helmet and eye safety protection or have a windshield. Electric- or gas-powered scooters cannot be capable of traveling at more than 30 miles per hour; if so, they are considered motorcycles. Electric-powered scooters may be ridden on city sidewalks and city bike paths; gas-powered scooters may not. Neither type may be ridden on oceanfront resort sidewalks, the boardwalk or bike paths, and operators must abide by all traffic laws. For details please visit: Vbgov.com/dept/mcg/wheeled_devices.

Emergencies can hit in a split second: fire, tornado, and tsunami. Families need to plan what to do in a crisis situation.

FIRE

• Pick a safe place away from the home where family members will meet. 
• Sleep with bedroom doors closed to limit the spread of smoke and fire.
• Feel doors before opening them. If a door feels hot, leave by another exit, such as a window. 
• In a multistory structure, practice using escape ladders. 
• Drop to the ground and crawl to the exit if you see or smell smoke.

• National Fire Protection Association      www.nfpa.org

• Federal Emergency Management Agency      www.fema.gov

• American Red Cross      www.redcross.org/prepare/makeaplan.html

Our first Easter Egg Hunt was a blast! It was great fun and pictures are now posted on our web site. Take a look and enjoy the delight in the children's faces.

For the families who didn't make it, remember next year. Thanks to everyone for your support. Over 1,000 plastic eggs and 50 bags of candy were donated by our neighbors. (Think about donating some of those empty plastic eggs for next year's hunt.) What a great community we have! Thumbs up to you! 

A round of applause is also given to our neighborhood businesses.

• Food Lion -  $20.00 gift card
• Dollar Avenue - candy
• Rose and Womble - candy and art supplies 

The Social Committee is welcoming new members to join. Call Vivian Hance at 747-1663.

We can always use your support, suggestions and reports on neglect in the area in order to keep our wonderful neighborhood in great shape. We also like to hear reports on exceptional care and commend these neighbors for their efforts. Additionally if you need further assistance with Building and Grounds issues to include lights, potholes, parking or have other questions, feel free to contact: Robert Westmont @ 473-1024 or contact Travis Little at 671-7885 email: LITTLHOM@YAHOO.COM.

Note: We are presently compiling a list of potholes in the area to report to the city by APR 15th. Please call or email a pothole in your area that we may have missed.

Hundreds of volunteers over the life of this neighborhood have kept the median area of Pembroke Blvd clean. Several signed up at February's potluck supper. One called me to sign up and I have misplaced that family's name; please call back. Also any others who would like to sign up for a two week timeframe of median strip duty, you're welcome to contact me (Jim) at: 499-5115 or jdprice@cox.net or Travis at littlhom@yahoo.com.

Only one commercial vehicle may be parked at a residence as long as its carrying capacity is one ton or less, its height is seven feet (7') or less, and its length is 20 feet or less. See Section 203(d) (Commercial Vehicular Parking) of Appendix A, Zoning Ordinance of the City Code.

Annual Yard Sale for Relay for Life Fundraising to Benefit the American Cancer Society will be held on Saturday, April 30, 8am-1pm, at the Rose & Womble Realty Office, 4509 Whitechapel Dr.  Drop off gently used items, April 25-29, 9-4:30. Call 490-0524 for assistance.

Tuesday, April 05, 2005

Media Contact(s) Valerie Thompson (757) 518-2646

On April 3, a raccoon and a dog were involved in an altercation on Princess Anne Road in the Princess Anne / Seaboard area of Virginia Beach. The raccoon suffered injuries and did not survive the attack. Specimens were submitted to the Norfolk Department of Public Health - Bureau of Laboratories on April 4. That same day the Virginia Beach Department of Public Health was notified that the raccoon tested positive for rabies. The dog involved in this case was currently vaccinated at the time of the exposure to the virus and will receive a rabies vaccine booster. No human exposure has been reported as a result of this rabid raccoon.

This is the fifth rabid animal in Virginia Beach 2005. One cat, one fox, and three raccoons have been identified in Virginia Beach this calendar year.

An educational survey may be conducted by the Virginia Beach Department of Public Health to inform residents of the affected neighborhood how to prevent families and pets from being exposed to rabies.

The Health Department strongly advises that Virginia Beach residents and visitors take the following steps to prevent families and pets from being exposed to rabies.

ELIMINATE OUTDOOR FOOD SOURCES AROUND THE HOME:

• Do not feed stray dogs or cats, or any wild animal.
• Garbage containers should be securely sealed with lids.
• After feeding pets, bring leftover food inside or dispose of it properly.
• Bird food should be placed in a bird feeder inaccessible to wild animals.
• Food stored in outbuildings (barns, open garages) should be inaccessible to animals.

• Report any stray animals to the Virginia Beach Bureau of Animal Control (427-4444) and avoid contact with this animal. If contact occurs between any wild animal and you or your pet, contact the Virginia Beach Department of Public Health at 518-2646. It is imperative that you receive medical treatment as soon as possible. Call your veterinarian to examine your pet for wounds and administer a booster rabies shot.
• Trapping and removal of raccoons is not recommended, however, may be necessary for sick or injured animals.
• Keep dogs and cats confined to you property. Animals that are allowed to roam are more prone to come in contact  with wild animals such as raccoons and foxes.
• VACCINATE ALL PETS AGAINST RABIES, IT'S THE LAW! (Code of the City of Virginia Beach, Chapter 5 Animals and Fowl, Article 5 Rabies Control- Section 5-87 Vaccination or Inoculation of Dogs or Cats).

Take at look at "Shop & Swap", a new section of the Pembroke Meadows Civic League web site. 

Classified Ads listed in the Newsletter, such as items For Sale, Garage & Yard Sale notices, Bazaar schedules and any ad for non-commercial  products or events will be posted on the web site for 30 days.  Inclusion is subject to space limitations and suitability.