FHA Newsletter 2022-11 November

FHA Newsletter 2022-11 November

fearrington NL logo

FEARRINGTON HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER

November 2022  Volume 41  Number 10

President’s Message

When I was in high school (a long, long time ago), my English teacher assigned us to write a satirical essay on any topic we wished. Figuring out what to write about was a challenge, but as the deadline approached, I came up with the following: The Fallacy of the Twenty-four Hour Day. I listed all the things I was supposed to do in a day—eating, sleeping, school, homework, chores, etc.— totaled up the time needed for each, and determined that 24 hours wasn’t nearly enough. Much to my surprise, I recently realized that I still have the same problem. Now that the pandemic has waned enough to let us once again do many of the things we used to do, I find there just aren’t enough hours in a day. And for that, I blame Fearrington Village!!!

As you can imagine, I spend a fair amount of time as president of the FHA, but I also belong to a book group in the Village. And I love going to the Sunday afternoon concerts in The Gathering Place and to the many different clubs that have speakers who make presentations on a wide variety of topics that I am interested in. I like to play bridge with the Duplicate Bridge Club and go on field trips with the Women of Fearrington and support the Green Scene in its efforts to help us better manage our environment, and on, and on, and on. To me, this is what makes Fearrington so special. We are not just a development with a large number of homes; we are a community! We interact with one another, we look after one another, and doing so enriches all our lives. So, whether you are new to the community or have been here for a while, I hope that you, too, will find that your days just aren’t long enough to do the many activities available to us.

Speaking of community, our FHA Annual Meeting is fast approaching. Sunday, November 20, is the date; 4-6 pm is the time. Once again, this year we will be holding the meeting via Zoom and will send email invitations early in November. While I miss seeing people in person, our attendance has grown, thanks to the electronic format. Ballots and bios of the candidates for the Board members up for election this year will be distributed to each household soon, along with recaps from the current directors outlining their accomplishments in the last 12 months. I hope most of you will sign up and sign on because we will be discussing Beechmast Pond and our budget for 2023, as well as what inflation means for our budget going forward and other topics of interest. Ballots will be tabulated and election results announced. We will also have time to address your questions and concerns. So please put the date on your calendar now, and I look forward to “seeing” you on November 20.

—Rose Krasnow, president@fhaboard.org


From Our FHA Board

Health, Safety, & Security Report


 

When Exiting Village Way at 15/501 Making a Right Turn on Red, Vehicles MUST Yield to U-Turning Traffic

 

FHA Board Members

Our Fearrington Homeowners Association (FHA) is a volunteer, non-profit organization dedicated to the health, safety, and welfare of residents. In addition to fostering resident participation, the FHA is responsible for maintenance of common property and covenant enforcement. For additional details, including job descriptions, visit the FHA tab on our webpage fearringtonfha.org.

Officers
PresidentRose Krasnow
Vice PresidentAmy Ghiloni
SecretaryJudy Graham
TreasurerTony Daniels
Directors
CommunicationsTony Carroll
Community AffairsPam Bailey
CovenantsEric Frank
Grounds and LandscapingPatrick McGahan
Health, Safety and SecurityWarren Ort
Infrastructure and FacilitiesMark Haslam

The Belted Gazette

Newsletter Staff:
Copy EditorDiane Frazier
Features Editor & Copy EditorJackie Walters
FHA AdvisorTony Carroll
Graphic Designer & Photo EditorLeslie Palmer
Production EditorJan Kowal
ProofreaderJenny Walker
  
Web Page
Alison TozerGordon Pitz
Printing and Distribution:
Carol KurtzBarbara Amago
This Month’s Contributors
Carolyn & John BoyleGordon Pitz
Tony DanielsWendy Snodgrass
Rose KrasnowJenny Walker

Submissions

Content deadlines are the 15th of the previous month. All persons submitting content will receive a confirmation email.

Email submissions to: editors @fearringtonfha.org.

Do you have content for an upcoming newsletter? Email us at the above address and we will send you the Publishing Guidelines.

The Belted Gazette is produced by the Fearrington Homeowners Association (FHA), by and for the residents of Fearrington Village in Pittsboro, NC.

The Belted Gazette contains community news, reports from the FHA Board members, items of interest to residents, and announcements of club and neighborhood activities.

The Belted Gazette is published electronically 11 times a year (July/August is a combined issue). A link to the current issue is emailed to all residents who have an email address in the FHA Directory. A PDF copy of the current issue and back issues can be found on the FHA website (fearringtonfha.org).

Many drivers are not noticing this rather small sign suspended on the traffic signal cables at Village Way and 15/501 (see left photo above). Thus, there have been many close calls as drivers turning right on red challenge vehicles making a U-turn in the intersection.

A small sign mounted on a post located on the edge of the exit on Village Way (see right photo above) is also easy to miss, especially since drivers have to keep their eyes trained on fast-moving (55 mph or faster) 15/501 northbound traffic approaching in two lanes from around a curve on their left to assess whether it’s safe to begin making a right turn on red.

Village resident Russell Davis and I have been in touch with the NC Department of Transportation (NCDOT) about this, and NCDOT is currently studying how to improve the signage. During October, NCDOT’s traffic unit is pulling together accident data for this intersection to help them understand what solutions might be applicable to the U-turn/right-turn conflict.

In the meantime, and afterwards as well, please yield as required and reduce the likelihood of an accident.

Thanks to Village resident Jon Darling for pulling together this information.

—Warren Ort, Director, FHA Health, Safety, & Security

This Month’s Features

Scene Around Fearrington

Meet the Belties

By Gordon Pitz

If you would like to be considered as a featured photographer, please contact Leslie Palmer at LesPalmerartstudio@gmail.com or call 919-929-9268.

Some of the most obvious features of the Fearrington scene are the Belties, the Belted Galloway cattle seen in pastures near the Village Center. They are the first thing that visitors notice when they arrive, and for residents they represent the peaceful, bucolic character of the village. The birth of a calf is a newsworthy event. The Beltie icon is widely used as a village logo, and its name has been given to the newsletter. For a brief time, there was even a “Beltie Burger” on the menu at The Goat coffee shop!

In an accompanying feature article, Jenny Walker describes the origins of the breed in Britain and explains how it became associated with a residential community in North Carolina. Here are a few photos that show the varying colors of the breed, and a few events that might occur in the life of a Beltie.

  1. A street sign draws visitors’ attention to the Belties. Photo by Tony Daniels
  2. Two black-and-white calves enjoy a meal, supervised by mom. Photo by Tony Daniels
  3. A dun Beltie, looking thoughtful. Photo by Jenny Walker
  4. Seeking shade on a warm day. Photo by Tony Daniels
  5. The nose ring makes him look fierce, but in fact it’s required of a show bull. Photo by Gordon Pitz
  6. Belties were bred to tolerate worse weather than this. Photo by Tony Daniels
  7. Jasper the donkey leads a parade of bulls. Photo by Gordon Pitz
  8. A young calf nursing from its mother. Photo by Tony Daniels
  9. A group of Belties gather in the pasture beside Village Way. Photo by Tony Daniels
  10. Enjoying a cool shower on a hot August morning. Photo by Gordon Pitz
  11. A black-and-white adolescent waits beside the pen. Photo by Jenny Walker
  12. “Why are you looking at us that way?” Photo by Gordon Pitz

To see an enlarged version of a photo, click on the title.

Gordon Pitz and his wife, JoAnn, have lived in Fearrington for almost seven years. He is an enthusiastic amateur photographer and has been an occasional contributor to The Belted Gazette. He was asked to collate the photographs for this month’s Scene Around Fearrington.

The Belted Galloway Cattle of Fearrington Village

By Jenny Walker

If you were to ask people familiar with Fearrington Village what is the most iconic image that comes to mind when they think of the Village, I would guess that the majority would say the Belted Galloway cattle. Some of these cattle, with the distinctive white belt that completely encircles the body, are pastured front-and-center in the two fields that people see when they enter the Village.

The first cows arrived in the Village in the 1980s, from Virginia. A friend of R.B. and Jenny Fitch told them that they had to get some of the black-and-white cows she had seen there—that they would be a great addition to the Village. The first to arrive were three to five cows, all pregnant. A bull was added later (he came from Maine), acquired through the Belted Galloway Society.

“I myself am best when not in company.” William Shakespeare, Twelfth Night. Photo: Jenny Walker

Belted Galloways originated along the north shore region of Scotland, making them an especially hardy breed. They are actually most often all black, and in addition to the black-and-white Belted Galloways, other belted colors are red, dun, and silver dun, although the belt is not really visible in the latter. (Fearrington has had one or two silvers in the past.) It is not known where or when the white belt originated, but it is most likely due to crossbreeding centuries ago.

Belted Galloways are naturally polled (without horns). Bulls typically weigh 1,700 to 2,300 pounds and average around 1,800 pounds. Cows typically weigh 1,000 to 1,500 pounds and average around 1,250 pounds. At birth, female calves weigh approximately 71 pounds, and males weigh about 74 pounds. Belted Galloways have a generally calm temperament, but they will fiercely protect calves from perceived threats. The life expectancy of Belted Galloways is 17-20 years.

Bob Strowd (“Farmer Bob”) is the caretaker of the Fearrington Village herd. There are currently 10 cows and one bull (and yes, they all have names). The herd is kept in the pastures in front of the Village and in the back pasture. Bob reports that most of their food comes from grazing, but they are fed supplemental grain when necessary. Each cow/bull needs two-and-a-half to three acres for grazing.

Baby Belted Galloway Photo: Jenny Walker

The Fearrington cattle always breed naturally; they are never artificially inseminated. Calves are born September through December. There are five babies in Fearrington currently, with four more on the way (in the back pasture). When calves are born, they stay with the herds in the pastures. Some of the calves will be kept, and others will be sold to other breeders.

Some cattle in the herd get to get out and travel occasionally. They’ve been shown at the NC State Fair and at national shows and sales, including in Maine; Louisville, Kentucky; and Wisconsin.

Charlotte (or Charlie) & Jasper Photo: Tony Daniels

In addition to the Belted Galloways, Fearrington has other animals that Farmer Bob cares for. There are three donkeys, Mary Alice, Jasper, and Charlotte. Mary Alice is ready for retirement, and a home has been found for her. Charlotte will be bred. The donkeys usually stay with the cows and bull to protect them from coyotes, foxes, and dogs. Jasper is too ornery to associate with most cows and is kept with only the bull. If the donkeys feel threatened by an interloper in the pasture, they will give chase. If you’ve noticed seeing the donkeys less now, that’s intentional. They were becoming too fat and were removed from the pastures to be put on diets.

“Friendship is a beautiful thing.” A.A. Milne, Winnie the Pooh Photo: Jenny Walker

Wyandotte chickens with their beautiful lace collars Photo: Jenny Walker

And there are the goats and chickens. The goats are Tennessee fainting goats, and the chickens are Wyandotte chickens. In keeping with the Belted Galloways, both breeds are black and white. The goats came to Fearrington approximately 20 years ago and the chickens about eight years ago.

I think it is safe to say that the Belted Galloway cattle are a very important part of the Village. For many Fearrington residents, they are the very essence of the bucolic nature of the Village. As Fearrington continues to develop, residents have expressed concern that the cows will be at least reduced in number, as their pastures are needed for building. Farmer Bob assures me that is not the case. The beloved Belties are here to stay.

Jenny Walker has been a resident of Fearrington for almost 2 years, grew up in Chapel Hill, and is a self-professed animal lover. In previous lives, she was a medical librarian and a medical writer. She works on The Belted Gazette, doing the final proofread and compiling the monthly calendar and list of new residents. She can often be seen doing “laps” around Camden Pond, on her three-mile daily walk.

The Future of Fearrington Food Trucks???

By Wendy Snodgrass

Your volunteer food truck team is pleased to report that we have food trucks lined up through the end of the year. We want to acknowledge the 900+ residents who have signed up for the weekly email alerts from StreetFoodFinder and thank you for supporting this endeavor to bring diverse and flavorful dinner options conveniently to our neighborhood.  

However, at this point, the future of Fearrington food trucks is uncertain. Our volunteers have a lot on their plates—and it’s not just food truck fare! We need other food truck fans to offer assistance to keep our efforts sustainable. Perhaps think of the time you save in the kitchen whenever you bring dinner home from one of our weekly food trucks. Could you offer a fraction of that time to help us keep this venture going?

We can only succeed if you are willing help! So, if you can greet and/or write with enthusiasm, please contact Deborah at drepplier@gmail.com for more information and training specifics. 

In the meantime, our small, dedicated team is planning for the following:

     November 2 – Doherty’s Paddy Wagon

     November 9 – Cousins Maine Lobster 

     November 16 – Gussy’s Greek Truck

     November 30 – Ta Contento Mex FreshFood

You can pick up your dinner between 5 and 7:30 pm and order in advance through our neighborhood hotspot page at https://streetfoodfinder.com/fearringtonvillage. There is one notable exception—Cousins Maine Lobster—which has its own app for ordering. Find their app in the App Store or Google Play.

Enjoy this month’s options as if it were the last time—and see if that doesn’t inspire you to volunteer! 


This Month’s Announcements

Please use the Announcement Submission Form to submit club and organization announcements, and email the form to editors@fearringtonfha.org.

Fearrington Clubs and Organizations

Adopt-a-Highway

You’re invited to make a difference by joining Fearrington Village’s Adopt-a-Highway team. We gather once a month to clean up the north- and southbound sections of Route 15-501 bordering the Village and both sides of Morris Road, stopping at Parker Herndon Road—a total of two miles. This activity is a wonderful way to enjoy the outdoors, get to know fellow volunteers, and improve our community. Each November we celebrate our volunteers by treating them to homemade sticky buns and hot cider before the clean up. Following the November event, our next pick up will be in January. Contact Gene Rogers (generogers4101@gmail.com) if you would like to join the crew!

Bulls & Bears Investment Club

The Fearrington Bulls & Bears Investment Club is a group interested in improving our investment knowledge and capabilities. We do this through managing a small portfolio of stocks, making buy and sell decisions, and monitoring the US stock markets and trends. Members meet monthly during non-summer months and share information, insights, and ideas about investing with each other.

Guests are welcome to participate in a meeting or two to gauge their interest in joining the Club. The next meeting will be on Friday, November 11, at 10 am at The Gathering Place.

For more information about the Club or to join our November meeting, please contact:

Anna Shearer, president, at 703-217-0322 or ashearer1219@gmail.com.

Cinematic Conversations

Join us for Cinematic Conversations, a new discussion group that meets monthly for film discussion and analysis. Think of it like a book group, only for films instead. If you love movies, this group of kindred spirits is the one for you!

Email Lily Grace for details and registration at lilygrace@frontier.com or 919-623-2421.

Cooking Club to Begin!

Cook, eat, laugh! Friends who cook together, stay together. If you’re tired of cooking for one and eating alone, join us for a hands-on, participation cooking club. If interested, please contact Lily Grace at lilygrace@frontier.com or Ronnie Coleshill at ronnie.coleshill@gmail.com.

Dog Club

From where does the Australian Shepherd hail? What dogs are prized for keeping barns rat-free?  How many colors can dogs see?

Think you have the answers? Or want to discover them? Come to Fearrington Dog Club’s Canine Trivia Game Night on Tuesday, November 15, at 7 pm at The Gathering Place. Sharpen your wits and huddle with teammates to come up with answers to questions covering a range of topics from dog breeds to training to pop culture. We promise you some laughter and responses of, “I didn’t know that.” The goals are to earn bragging rights and to meet other Village dog enthusiasts.

Note: for this month only, our meeting is on Tuesday, not our usual Wednesday. Don’t forget to visit the Dog Club page on the FHA web site (Fearrington Homeowners Association, Inc. | Fearrington Dog Club (fearringtonfha.org)) for up-to-the-minute details and our membership application.

Dragons Mah Jongg

The Dragons are Ready to Play!!

Fearrington Mah Jongg Dragons play on the second Saturday of the month, November 12, at The Gathering Place, from 1 to 4 pm, provided that The Gathering Place is open to Fearrington groups. We will contact all members if we do not play on those dates. We play under the guidelines of The Gathering Place. As such, we must limit our number to 50, and masks are optional. 

If you do not wish to continue with the Mah Jongg Dragons, please contact Mary Donna Pond so she can remove you from the mailing list.

Contact Mary Donna Pond at mdpond@gmail.com to reserve your place.

Drinks and snacks will be provided!

May the jokers be ever in your favor!!

Contact Robin Weinberger at weinrob@msn.com or 919-219-5228 or Polly Williams at pw82550@gmail.com or 919-478-4260 if you have any questions.

Want to learn how to play? Contact Mary Donna Pond at mdpond@nc.rr.com.

Duplicate Bridge Club

A bad day at the bridge table is still better than cleaning the house! Join us for a face-to-face game on Wednesday, November 2, 9, & 30, at 1 pm at The Gathering Place. There will not be a game on the 16th (Women of Fearrington meeting) or the 23rd (day before Thanksgiving). Play the first time is free; after that, the cost is $7 to defray the costs. Questions? Please contact Dianne Hale at haledianne@gmail.com.

Garden Club

Landscape designer Amy Strunk will present a program on Tuesday, November 15, at 2:30 pm at The Gathering Place. She began her work when she was just 15 at Merrifield Garden Center in northern Virginia. Amy’s philosophy isn’t fussy. Her main tenets? Have fun, create beauty, give back to the environment, and make it personal. Amy doesn’t create high-maintenance landscapes; instead, she creates engaging spaces where families can live and play comfortably all year ’round. And because her client base is so diverse, so is her portfolio. Instead of subscribing to one principle of design, Amy believes in designing for individuals and their families. Her landscapes are unique, befitting the families she designs them for. She will be showing us how to make a festive holiday design for our homes.

Genealogy Group

The Fearrington Genealogy Group will meet from 3 to 5 pm on Tuesday, November 1, at The Gathering Place. Be sure to bring the five-generation genealogy chart handed out at the last meeting so we can share some of our family research with each other in small groups. Also be thinking about how you plan to contribute to the management of our club by volunteering for a committee assignment.

This club is open to all members of the Fearrington community who have an interest in family history. We share our own research and enjoy the research or specialized guidance of guest speakers who are experts in the field. Annual dues are $15. Contact: Linda Grimm, 919-533-6296, for additional information.

Great Decisions 

A Series of Lectures on Current National & World Affairs

November 10 at 1:30 in The Gathering Place

Unfinished Journey: Health Care Reform in the Biden Administration & Beyond

Jonathan Oberlander is professor and chair of social medicine and professor of health policy & management at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.

This talk will explore the Biden administration’s record on healthcare reform, the current state of US healthcare, and the prospects for reform following the 2022 elections.

Green Scene

As this item is being written in mid-October, perilously close to the monthly deadline for The Belted Gazette, we at The Green Scene have just this morning completed our semi-annual service project for our community. Between 9 and noon today, the occupants of 167 vehicles came to The Gathering Place and dropped off papers to be shredded and unused, unneeded pharmaceuticals (or both). That’s almost one vehicle a minute for the three-hour duration of the event, thus removing from the community, in an environmentally appropriate manner, paper (that gets re-cycled into Georgia Pacific toilet paper), and medications that might otherwise be flushed down a toilet and work their way into our water supply.

The FHA and Green Scene co-sponsored the “2-in-1” event—with additional financial support coming from a donation from Amy Ghiloni and her real estate firm, Re/Max United in Chapel Hill, to help defray the cost of the paper-shredding company.   

Thank you, Fearrington residents, for your enthusiastic support of this worthy effort. And you can circle the third Saturday in May 2023 for the next similar event.

And do consider joining us for our next monthly Green Scene meeting on the second Wednesday of November (November 9) at 11 am in the Large Room at The Gathering Place.

—Jason Welsch

Moderator, Green Scene

914-806-4852 (Cell Phone)

PORCH

PORCH Fearrington will be holding its annual turkey-breast drive on Monday, November 14. Please bring your turkey breasts or small turkeys to the parking lot at The Gathering Place between 11:30 am and 12 noon. All donations will go to CORA to help families in need in Chatham County. This drive is in addition to our regular PORCH collection on that date. Thank you!

Swim & Croquet Club

Busy Fall Croquet Program

October saw our players winning medals, taking lessons from a USA national champion, attending a croquet boot camp in Virginia, and enjoying a day-trip to Pinehurst to observe a tournament. It was a busy month!

Congrats to our winners in the NC Senior Games croquet competition:
Mary Norgren, gold medal; Anna Shearer, bronze medal; and John May, gold medal.

Our Annual Club Croquet Tournament is scheduled for Tuesday, November 1, when a round-robin tournament and lunch are planned. 

Tennis & Pickleball Association

FTPA Welcomes Hurricane Ian

Saturday, October 1, found 15 FTPA pickleballers sweeping and blowing the tennis courts on Benchmark. Despite Hurricane Ian dropping inches of rain, leaves, branches, pinecones, and sticks on our Benchmark courts, volunteers made quick work of clearing and drying the courts for our “Introduction to Pickleball” clinic. Despite the intermittent drizzle, 13 residents were curious about the fastest-growing sport in America and in Fearrington Village. Don’t let your curiosity go unanswered. Come out and join the fun at the courts! Beginning in November, we will offer a free orientation session every Sunday at 9:30 am. Email Art Gonzales at artgon@verizon.net for more details.

FTPA Annual Meeting on November 13

FTPA members: please plan to attend our annual meeting scheduled for Sunday, November 13, at 4:30 pm at The Gathering Place. We will be voting in new board members and hearing more about plans for the year ahead.

Village Singers

Friday, December 9, at 7:00 pm

Sunday, December 11, at 2:30 pm

Galloway Ridge, Chapin Auditorium

Tickets: $17.00 in advance

Online at fearringtonvillagesingers.org or

at the Fearrington Farmers Market on Tuesdays.

Not available at the door.

’Tis the Season to come and celebrate with us!

Women of Fearrington

November is still a great time to join in the fun, help others, and make a difference in our community. We look forward to sharing meaningful experiences with you! Please take a moment to renew your 2022-2023 membership if you haven’t done so already. We always appreciate your support. Click here for a membership form.

While some events are also fundraising opportunities, Wonderful Options Fund donations are the main source of funding for our grants that support the women and children of Chatham County. Make your contribution now! Large or small, any amount will help. Women of Fearrington is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. To donate, click here.

An Outdoor Wine & Cheese Gathering for new members is scheduled for Thursday, November 3, 3:30-5 pm at The Belted Goat tent. For registration, please click here.

There will be a small group gathering on Tuesday, November 8, at 3 pm with beverages and appetizers. To register, click here.

Join us on Friday, November 11, at 11 am for an Ackland Museum of Art tour, Drawn from Life: Master Drawings from the Age of Rembrandt, which will be docent-led by two local residents: Nick Carter (Fearrington Village) and Harry Walsh (Galloway Ridge). Seventy exceptional 17th century Dutch drawings from the Peck Collection will be on display, a unique opportunity as works on paper are light-sensitive and are rarely on display. Optional lunch to follow at Top of the Hill. To register, click here.

At the November General Meeting on Wednesday, November 16, at 1:30 pm in The Gathering Place, the guest speaker will be Sheri Castle presenting Behind the Scenes with a Working Chef: Cookbooks, Magazines & TV Shows. To register for the general meeting, please click here.

Volunteers, including bakers, are needed for the WoF December Holiday Bakery & Market, December 5-6. Contact Jo Bolig, jobolig@gmail.com

Register for any events at WomenofFearrington.org/registration.

Community Agencies

Chatham Connecting

Bringing Together Those Who Need Help with Those Who Can Help

Fall has arrived, and Thanksgiving is just around the corner. As we give thanks for our many blessings, fall is also a special time to remember individuals of all ages in Chatham County who have unmet needs. Chatham Connecting—chathamconnecting.org—is a multipurpose website for learning about nearly 100 non-profit organizations and Chatham County government agencies that support those in the community who struggle to put food on the table, educate their children, and care for the aged. The list of organizations and their needs is diverse, and the ways you can help include volunteering, donating goods, or giving financial support. For example, at this time of the year, CORA, a county food bank that aims to end hunger in our community, will produce hundreds of meals for the hungry over the holidays. You can register your interest at www.corafoodpantry.org. Through in-home assistance, educational programs, meals, and community fellowship at its senior centers, the Chatham County Council on Aging provides services to assist older adults in maintaining quality of life and independence. Needed items include activity books, such as large-print crossword puzzles, and other supplies for seniors sheltering in place. Donations of many types are needed by educational non-profits such as Chatham Literacy, Communities in Schools, and the Learning Trail. For contact information and to learn more about the missions of the diverse organizations listed at our website, go to www.chathamconnecting.org. Thanks in advance.

Salvation Army Desperately Needs Your Help

The Salvation Army of Chatham County received requests for over a thousand toys to make it a special holiday for those in need in both Pittsboro and Siler City. You can put a smile on a kid’s face and help make those wishes come true by donating an unwrapped toy.

Younger kids would like toys, games, and dolls, and older kids would like sports equipment—soccer balls, basketballs, and baseballs and gloves.

The Truist Bank in Fearrington Village will have a collection box in its lobby from November 8 to December 6.

Questions? Call Bob Holton 545-0810. Thank you for your generosity.

 


 

Fearrington Cares material is edited by their staff and volunteers. Direct comments or questions to them at (919) 542-6877 or info@fearringtoncares.org.

Edited this month by Carolyn & John Boyle

Happy Holidays! 

The Fearrington Cares Center Will Be Closed November 21-25

The Center may be closed for the holidays, but our volunteers will be busy providing transportation and Handyperson services. If you need assistance with either of these areas, call the Center at 919-542-6877 and leave a voicemail message in the appropriate mailbox; a volunteer will be in touch with you. Messages left in the general mailbox or for Karen Metzguer will be retrieved on November 28.

The Fearrington Cares Center Welcomes Your Visit!

After a successful capital campaign and building effort, Fearrington Cares is celebrating, growing, and providing new services. We have completed our renovation and expansion and are holding an open house in November and invite you to tour the building and visit with our volunteers. Information and cider will be available in the parking lot, and you will be welcomed into the building in small groups. We hope you will join us from 1:30-3:30 pm on Sunday, November 13, or Friday, November 18, or from 9:30-11:30 am on Wednesday, November 16. In case of inclement weather, activities planned for the parking lot will be held in The Gathering Place.

What’s Breath Got to Do with It?

Thursday, November 10, 7:00 pm at The Gathering Place

How can something we do unconsciously over 20,000 times per day be optimized to improve our posture, sleep, and overall health? James Nestor sums up the answer to this question in his book, Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art. Molly Miller, PT, DPT, PRC, a physical therapist in Chapel Hill, will be presenting her take on this book, and how she incorporates breathing practices into her treatment of patients with chronic pain and scoliosis. Come join us and begin to improve your health one breath at a time!

New Concierge Services

Fearrington Cares strives to be responsive to the needs of the Villagers of Fearrington. However, there are some needs that require solutions beyond the scope of services that Fearrington Cares can provide. We propose to coordinate specialized fee-driven concierge services that will augment our usual programs through the use of strategic partnerships. An advisory group will guide the process, monitor implementation of the service, and evaluate the utilization and satisfaction for each program component.

Two of these services will be provided by Aegis: “Short Visit” Supportive Care Services and “Complex/Unique” In-Home Nursing Services. “Short Visit” Supportive Care Services represent an innovation to home care services by eliminating the four-hour minimum shift that is usually required. The “Complex/Unique” In-Home Nursing Services go beyond the triage clinic nursing care and home visits that Fearrington Cares currently provides free of charge. For both programs, an assessment of needs would be done by an Aegis nurse and a care plan would be developed. Residents will initially schedule an appointment through Fearrington Cares when the Center is open (Monday-Friday, 9:00 am-1:00 pm). A resident who chooses either of these services will contract with Aegis and pay directly for these services.

A third new service will be Routine Foot Care, which will be available in the Center. The Fearrington Cares nurse will continue providing free nail trimming monthly if residents have been coming to the clinic in the past. The new service will provide more comprehensive foot care by a professional licensed with the state of NC. Residents will initially schedule an appointment through Fearrington Cares when the Center is open (Monday-Friday, 9:00 am-1:00 pm). A resident will contract with the provider and pay directly for these services.

Movement Classes at the Fearrington Cares Center

(except as noted)

Suggested donation of $5/class session

(cash or check to Fearrington Cares)

  • Mondays, 11:30 am—Chair Yoga (at The Gathering Place.) (No Class November 21.)
  • Wednesdays, 11:30 am—Otago Fall-Prevention Exercises (No class November 23.)
  • Thursdays, 10:00 am—Chair Tap Dance (No Class November 24.)
  • Thursdays, 11:30 am—Line Dancing (No Class November 24.)
  • Thursdays, 2:30 pm—Intermediate Yoga (No Class November 24.)
  • Fridays, 11:30 am—Light Cardio (No Class November 25.)

Support Groups Meeting in Person at the Fearrington Cares Center

  •  
  •  
  • Alcoholics Anonymous: Mondays, 10:00 am (No Meeting November 21.)
  • Parkinson’s Group: Tuesdays, November 1, 15, 1:30-3:30 pm
  • Brainiacs Memory Café: Wednesdays, 10:00 am (No Meeting November 23.)
  • Meditation: Fridays, 10:00 am (No Session November 25.)

Health Services Offered at the Fearrington Cares Center

By Appointment

(9:00 am—12:00 pm, Monday—Friday)

  • Nurse Consultation Triage Clinic:
    • Call 919-542-6877. Same day appointments available.
  • Foot Clinic:
    • Thursday, November 10; call 919-542-6877 to register.

Support Groups via Zoom

fearringtoncares.org > Services > Support Groups

  •  
  • Caregiver Support Group:
    • Wednesdays, November 2, 16; 1:00 pm
  • Living with Chronic Conditions:
    • Thursdays, November 3, 17; 1:00 pm

Blood Drive (Again!)

Monday, December 5, 9:00 am to 1:30 pm at The Barn

After the great successes of both our January and July blood drives, Fearrington Cares and Fitch Creations are giving you another chance to bleed without the benefit of leeches. These donations are critical to the supply of blood products needed in the Triangle and are more difficult to get in December as we all plan for the holidays. Call 800-733-2767 to schedule your life-saving appointment or go to www.redcrossblood.org and enter sponsor code: Fearrington. Thank you!

New Volunteer Driver Orientation

Tuesday, November 8, 1:00 pm at the Fearrington Cares Center

On occasion, one of your neighbors will find themselves in need of a ride, most often to a medical appointment. Please join our Volunteer Drivers who can help make this happen. You will be scheduled as a team member for only two weeks in the year and collaborate with the team to provide the pre-arranged rides. If you are available, please come to the Center for a one-hour orientation at 1:00 pm on November 8; otherwise, please drop in and complete a volunteer form to join our fabulous team of drivers.

Thanks for Sharing Your Magazines!

UNC Hospitals are delighted that you are willing to bring magazines to our Center; they have been picking them up regularly. Please continue to bring magazines that are no more than a year old.

Donate Items to Help Others

We have so much for which to be grateful and sharing with others makes our gratitude come alive! Until mid-December, Fearrington Cares will receive donations for the Chatham Department of Social Services. Toiletries, pajamas for adults and children, warm hats and gloves are all accepted. Please drop them off at the Fearrington Cares Center from 9:00 am-1:00 pm, Monday-Friday before Friday, December 9.

Vaccines You Should Know and Love!

You’re smart! Heck; you live in Fearrington and that’s proof enough. And if you’re that smart you have already been vaccinated for everything possible. But just maybe you’re smart but have let some things slip by: like vaccinations for shingles and pneumonia. Both of these diseases can be debilitating and dangerous. Pneumonia can cause death and, while shingles is rarely fatal, it might make you wish you were dead.

More than 99% of Americans over age 40 have been exposed to the virus that causes shingles and one in three of those will develop shingles. The result is an angry, blistering rash. Over 10% of people who get shingles will develop long-term and painful complications. Don’t play the odds and hope you are not one in three or not in that 10%! There is an effective vaccine against this scourge. Check with your doctor and they can prescribe the really effective Shingrix vaccine. And for more good news, starting January 1, 2023, Medicare Part D will cover costs of this treatment.

Pneumonia is a lung disease caused by either viruses, fungi, or bacteria. In this country it causes over a million hospitalizations and 50,000 deaths each year. Flu is a common cause of pneumonia. It is serious! Try to avoid the flu by getting a yearly flu shot and try to avoid bacterial pneumonia by getting a pneumonia vaccine. There are four available pneumonia vaccines so, as always, rely on your doctor’s expertise in this medical matter. Please note that there is evidence that people vaccinated against pneumonia show as much as a 40% reduction in risk of Alzheimer’s Disease. And in our continuing good news, Medicare Part B covers the costs.

While we are loving vaccines, let’s not forget to share some love for the latest bivalent COVID boosters. We may be sick of COVID (let’s hope not sick with COVID), but it’s still here and still tossing out variants that try to evade our previous vaccines and boosters. We are fighting back with new boosters designed to be effective against the spawn of Omicron. Talk to your doctor about the best timing for your booster. Our last bit of good news is that these are also free!

A good vaccine information website for the smart folks of Fearrington can be found here.

 


Welcome to Our New Residents

The following new villagers were added to the Fearrington Village Directory between September 15 and October 14. Want to reach out to your new neighbor? You will find their contact information on our community web page. Go to: FearringtonFHA.org (click Find People under the Directory tab).

 

 

Name

 

Address

 

Sarah Collins

 

656 Spindlewood

 

Judith K. Dimon

 

B-002 B Wing**

 

Dennis J. & Jeannie A. Hendrickson

 

4246 Henderson Place

 

Yvonne Higgins

 

16 McDowell (1051*)

 

Kay Merrill

 

294 Stoneview

 

George M. Lowe, Jr. & Suzanne E. Pell

 

1355 Bradford Place

 

Janice L. Paletta

 

866 Millcroft

 

Sarah T. Peterson

 

330 Whisperwood Close

*Fearrington Post number
**Galloway Ridge

Are you a new resident? To register your information in the Directory, please visit the FHA website at https://fearringtonfha.org. From the left menu (top right on a mobile device) choose Directory, then select New Resident. To confirm you are not a spambot, answer the two questions (answers: Cow and Fitch) and select Check answers. This should take you to the new resident directory registration page.

To obtain full access to website features, you must also create a website account (available only to residents or non-resident owners). You can do this by selecting the Login/Register link in the top menu. At the login page, click the Register button. There, enter in your information and select Register. Once your status as a resident or non-resident owner is confirmed by the Website Resource Team, you will receive an account activation email.

Are you an existing resident whose contact information has changed? Don’t forget to update your listing on the http://www.fearringtonfha.org website. Use the Login/Register link in the top menu if you aren’t logged in yet. Then, click the Directory tab on the left menu (top right on a mobile device), then select Edit My Directory Info. Directory updates can also be sent to directory@fearringtonfha.org. When you update your contact information online, the updates will be included in the Fearrington Village Directory & Handbook printed in January of each year. Stay in touch with your fellow residents by keeping your contact information current.

Death Notices: Residents may sign up to receive email notices of the deaths of current and former Village residents by emailing notices@fearringtonfha.org. Survivors wishing to submit a notice or obituary can use the same email address. Notices or obituaries should include the name of deceased, survivors (optional), date (and optionally cause) of death, particulars about funeral or memorial service, and any donations in memoriam.


November 2022 Calendar

 

            All activities will be held at The Gathering Place unless otherwise noted.

 

 

 

Day/Date/Time

 

Organization

 

Event

 

Contact

 

Tuesday

November 1

Time TBD (dependent on how many sign up)

Croquet court

Swim and Croquet Club

Annual Club Croquet Tournament

Jan Droke

jantomdro@gmail.com

 

Tuesday

November 1

3-5 pm

Fearrington Genealogy Group

Meeting

Linda Grimm

919-533-6296

 

Wednesday November 2

5-7:30 pm

Food truck

Doherty’s Paddy Wagon

 

Deborah Repplier

drepplier@gmail.com

 

Thursday

November 3

3:30-5 pm

Women of Fearrington

Meet & Greet

Mary Ann Petruska

mabpetruska@gmail.com

 

Saturday

November 5

11 am-2 pm

Chatham County Agriculture & Conference Center

Chatham Literacy

Fall for Literacy Luncheon

Author Jason Mott, speaker

(followed by a book signing)

Kayla McCline

kayla@chathamliteracy.org

 

Tuesday

November 8

3 pm

Women of Fearrington

Small Group

Gathering

Carol Wade

wade-a@sbcglobal.net

 

Wednesday

November 9

11 am

Green Scene

Meeting

Jason Welsch

914-806-4852

 

Wednesday November 9

5-7:30 pm

Food truck

Cousins Maine Lobster

 

Deborah Repplier

drepplier@gmail.com

 

Thursday

November 10

1:30 pm

Fearrington Great Decisions

 

Lecture—Unfinished Journey: Health Care Reform in the Biden Administration & Beyond—

Jonathan Oberlander, PhD

Fred and Liz Welfel

919-704-8416 or 216-299-4355

welfeler@yahoo.com

 

Thursday

November 10

7 pm

Fearrington Cares

Education Program: What’s Breath Got to Do with It?

Fearrington Cares Office

919-542-6877

 

Friday

November 11

10 am

Bulls and Bears Investment Club

Monthly meeting

 

Anna Shearer

703-217-0322 ashearer1219@gmail.com

 

Friday

November 11

11 am

Ackland

Museum of Art

Women of Fearrington

Tour

Mif Flaharty

mifflaharty@hotmail.com

 

Saturday

November 12

1-4 pm

Fearrington Mah Jongg Dragons

Mah Jongg

 

Robin Weinberger

919-219-5228

weinrob@msn.com

Polly Williams

919-478-4260

pw82550@gmail.com

 

Sunday

November 13

4:30 pm

Fearrington Tennis and Pickleball Association

Annual meeting

Betty Robie

bettycrobie@gmail.com

 

Monday

November 14

11:30 am-12 pm

PORCH Fearrington

Annual turkey-breast drive

Roz Darling

fearrington@porchcommunities.org

 

Tuesday

November 15

7-8:30 pm

Fearrington Dog Club

Monthly Meeting

Game Night – Canine Trivia

Ann Melchior  amelchior@verizon.net

 

Wednesday

November 16

10:15 am

McIntyre’s

AM Book Club

Monthly book group discussion

Catherine Clare

catfearr@gmail.com

919-704-8806

 

Wednesday

November 16

1:30 pm

Women of

Fearrington

November General

Meeting

 

 

Wednesday November 16

5-7:30 pm

Food truck

Gussy’s Greek Truck

Deborah Repplier

drepplier@gmail.com

 

Saturday

November 19

9 am

Fearrington Village Adopt-a-Highway

November Highway Clean-Up

Gene Rogers generogers4101@gmail.com

 

Wednesday November 30

5-7:30 pm

Food truck

Ta Contento Mexicano

Deborah Repplier

drepplier@gmail.com

Meeting Multiple Days in November

 

Wednesday November 2, 9, & 30

1 pm

Fearrington Duplicate Bridge Club

Fearrington Duplicate Bridge

Dianne Hale

haledianne@gmail.com

 

Sunday

November 13

&

Friday

November 18

1:30-3:30 pm

Wednesday November 16

9:30-11:30 am


Fearrington Cares Center

Fearrington Cares

Open House & Tour of Renovated Fearrington Cares Center

Fearrington Cares Office

919-542-6877

Upcoming Events in December

 

December 5-6

 

Women of Fearrington

 

December Holiday

Bakery & Market

 

Jo Bolig

jobolig@gmail.com

 

December 9

7 pm

&

December 11

2:30 pm

Chapin Auditorium, Galloway Ridge

Fearrington Village Singers

‘Tis the Season Concert

Anne Hummel

annedhummel@gmail.com