| The Highland Herald |
| July 2006 Volume.....2 Issue.........7 |
 |
| Mission Statement: The Highland Herald seeks to reach all residents through a regularly update forum of website and email communications. Through this forum, we as residents of Highland Park subdivision will be empowered to bring together ideas, resources and neighbors with the intent of building a stronger, safer and more desirable community in which to live. |
| Hear Ye, Hear Ye... The Highland Park Block Party! Are you ready to party in the street again this year? Planning is underway for this year's block party. This year it will be held in the Stockwell Drive cul-de-sac, with its location moving yearly!. Alicia Tillman, of Gant's Hill Road, is our new Activity Committee Coordinator. Shortly she will be sending around a flyer to get an idea of how many will be attending. Mark your calendars for September 16! Alicia has a great deal of energy to fuel her many ideas but she is only one person with two hands. If anyone would be interested in helping with this year's BLOCK PARTY contact Alicia and remember to fill out her short survey. Looking forward to seeing you at the BLOCK PARTY! |
| Love Hurts... HOA Board of Directors |
 |
 |
| Back when the newly appointed Board of Directors came to power in January of this year, we decided that we would take a look at those issues that led to our decision to run for a seat on the Board of Directors for Highland Park. Many of the issues that served as our catalyst to become involved were universal to most all of the subdivision. However,we would not find that out until after our springtime "Meet and Greet". Our door to door campaign was conducted with the intention of addressing one concern that all members shared, the anonymity of the Board of Directors which had become a part of its culture. We felt that this distance set the tone for all the residents of the subdivision and we wanted that to change. Our first step was to go door to door to meet everyone. It was very obvious that some of you were a little freaked out by our presence at your door, some were less than friendly, some just avoided us but those of whom who took the chance to answer the door were in most cases relieved to see something changing in a direction that was positive for the community. Most of you love your home and wish that you felt |
| Local News... What's happening, and how is it affecting you? At the Highland Herald we try to cover as many topics of concern to you, our readership, neighbors and friends, but we can't do it alone. What is it that YOU would like to explore? What is it that you feel needs to be clarified or addressed? How can you help? Email to let us know what your concerns are. Write an article, ask a question, offer solutions and commentary and send it all in. Sign up for email notifications so you can be notified of the newest issue being published. Encourage readership and contributions. Spread the word and let the voice of the Highlanders be heard. Here is your soapbox. Let the spotlight shine on you! |
| more of a sense of community here. This was decided to be our primary mission this year. To put in place the necessary infrastructure to promote this sense of community that this subdivision has lost. But like the old saying goes you can't keep doing the same old things and expect to get different results. Some processes have to change to get the needed results. The U.S. did not become the free and easy place it is to live it is today without the sacrifice of many to make these changes. Even today there are those who do the unpleasantries so that we all may have the liberties we now feel is our God given right. Unfortunately those who bring about these changes are sometimes viewed with contempt for carrying out the very processes necessary to bring a quiet, contentment for the future. We, the Board, are listening to you, your concerns and balancing them against our subdivision's constitution. Sometimes our hands are tied by this document, sometimes it frees us, but remember, we love our home community and this is what drives us to make it, to the best of our ability, a better place for all to live. |
 |
| Committee Buzz.... Suzanne Smith VP HPHOA |
|
| In some communities things happen spontaneously. Neighbors greet each other, introduce themselves to new arrivals, plan activities for themselves and their children. These types of behaviors usually happen in young subdivisions with many people of the same life stages - seniors, teens, young children. But in older subdivisions where there has been alot of movement in and out, where you are just as likely to find seniors and young single professionals mixing with families of varing stages, some times it takes a little encouragement to bring these groups together. Sometimes it takes more than just one person to take action in order to get a response. The Block Parties are a perfect example. When this party was devised it came about through the work of several individuals working together in an organized fashion, one could call this a committee. The turn out for the first two years was phenomenal. Last year was lacking the direction and organization of the first two years and what was meant to be a block party for the whole subdivision, turned into a small little get together for those in a handful of houses. |
| Definately a pleasant day but only having seven households represented does not a BLOCK party make. The same holds true with new neighbors. Who will make the time to welcome them? Who will make sure they know of the HOA and the rules and regulations that we all agreed we would live in compliance with? Who will invite these people to our BLOCK PARTY? Who will show them how to get to the grocery store? Who will show them they are welcome in our community? Who will make sure that no one is overlooked? This year the Homeowner's Association has decided to aid people in coming together, from different areas of the subdivision, to work at a common goal. This is how and why both the Activity Committee and the Welcoming Commitee was formed. We also hope to have such success this year that we can do more in the years to come. If you have some time to share, if you would like to become involved year round or on a single project we have a place for you. If you contact me at ssmithx2@yahoo.com I'll be happy to guide you. |
 |
 |
 |
 |
