Fall Festival and Hayride 2016

Country Place is a very unique neighborhood for several reasons…estate-sized lots, four stocked lakes and very low dues among them. But another feature of our neighborhood are the Spring Picnic & Egg Hunt as well as the Fall Festival & Hayride. Both these events serve as a wonderful way to get to better know our neighbors, see how much the kids have grown, and have a fun and relaxing time. Lynette Fletcher was the Event Coordinator for this year’s event and she did a fine job of putting it all together. Tom Perry, who has been the Wagon Master since the first hayride, once again made it all run smoothly. Jonathan Campbell found the baled hay (not as easy as it once was) and buyers for it now that we have finished. Jerry Jones and Wayne Tiller, along with their helper, were the Grill Masters. The entire Fletcher family turned out to help move tables, Lucas and I worked with Jonathan and Ken Terrell to load the hay, and we’ll be back this afternoon to move the table back and be sure all the trash is out of the Burns’ yard. It really takes a lot of volunteer effort to put on something as wonderful as this Fall Festival turned out to be, and we want everyone who pitched in to know how much they are appreciated.

The snapshots I took throughout are available for free download at LarryLynch.com. Help yourself if you see anything you like.

Fall Festival 2016 on October 15th

 Dear Country Place Association Member,

The 2016 Fall Festival and Hayride has been scheduled for Saturday October 15th in the cul-de-sac at Copperoaks and Big Timber. This is an opportunity for the kids and adults to dress up in their Halloween costumes and trick for treats, and for grownups to meet and visit with neighbors. We are signing up volunteers for various roles.

Hayride
Hayride Event 3:00 – 5:00pm

Riders (kids & adults) make reservations with Lynette Fletcher

Tom Perry and Jonathan Campbell will be working to line up the hay, the wagons, the drivers, and the treaters for this years hayride. Needed are:

15 homes to be Hayride Treaters along designated route.
  8   16′ flat bed trailers with side rails.
  8   Drivers with 2″ ball trailer hitches and safety chain
  4   Volunteers to load hay on Friday, October 14th, and bring to Country Place.
Please email Tom Perry.

Feast and games
We also need volunteers for the feast and activities. Please email the Festival Director, Lynette Fletcher regarding any of the following positions:

Game Coordinators
Operator: Snow-cone machine
Operator: Popcorn machine
Operator: Cotton candy machine
Musicians: calling all Country Place talent!
Please note that the festival is open to CPCA members only. If you aren’t already a member, now is a good time to become one. If you haven’t paid your dues for 2016, it’s past time!

Perfect Weather for the Spring Picnic

After having to cancel our 2015 Fall Festival due to rain, it was a big relief to see the day dawn bright and clear for our egg hunt and spring picnic. Thanks to Sarah Devendorf for ramrodding a great day for children and parents alike.

Growing Up In Country Place

2016-01-15_JackPanagl_004aRaising kids is never easy, and perhaps even more so in these complicated times, but it has big rewards. Our boys grew up here, and although there were bumps and crashes along the way, we are immensely proud of the young men they’ve become. Watching other youngsters grow up in the neighborhood is gratifying, too, and is motivation for working hard to preserve Country Place and its amenities.

I ran across this young fella yesterday while out fishing. He was sitting on the Lake #3 bridge looking out on the lake. I felt a certain sympatico with someone who appreciated the view enough to sit and admire it so I stopped and introduced myself to 14-year-old Jack Panagl, son of Bryan and Agatha. I found out he’s a neighbor on Oak Meadow Circle, that he’s lived here about a year and goes to Whitehouse Middle School (not Jesuit). He rides this big board down the hill on Lakeshore (but only about half of it…he’s not nuts). Jack’s not sure of what he wants to be when he grows up, and he doesn’t “dislike” fishing (damning with faint praise). I told him about my 10.5 pound bass, hoping to motivate him, but am not sure he shared my excitement.

He was generous enough to give me a couple of minutes to act as my model against one of my favorite backdrops. My best to Jack and his family.