HOMEOWNERS’  ASSOCIATION  NEWSLETTER
October 2020      Volume 39      Number 9

See “From the Editors,” below.

Contents

President’s Message

The Road Ahead

I keep thinking, “It’s still summer isn’t it?” but I keep hearing voices around me saying, “We have a lot to do to prepare for year-end and 2021. Get busy!” That keeps my mind focused on the decisions our FHA faces on the road to the new year.

There indeed are some critical matters ahead of us, including planning an annual meeting in the time of covid, electing board members, and creating a plan for Beechmast Pond. These issues are addressed by other articles in this edition of our newsletter.

One critical decision is what management company to employ at the end of November, when our contract with the current company, Towne Properties, ends. The Board has conducted an exhaustive bidding process among multiple management companies, including Towne Properties, hoping to both improve services and restrain costs. This process is a partnership between our FHA Board and the leadership of those service groups that are also considering such a change. If a new company is selected, it will take a short-term effort for us all to learn how to work with them and how best to access the information we need. After that learning process, we believe it will be much easier for us all to access information and get the answers we need.

FHA is also moving forward in its goal of assuming responsibility for maintaining as many of our village walking paths and trails as possible. This is also a partnership with the various service groups, as well as with Fitch Creations. Jesse Fearrington, our Director of Grounds and Landscaping, is leading this effort to improve the quality of those paths and trails. He is assisted by a committee from the various service groups. We believe that we can assure consistent quality, while restraining overall costs, by employing vendors eager for larger projects.

In each case we are looking at ways to preserve and improve the life we enjoy in Fearrington Village. But it will take work and money to accomplish this. We have a very proactive FHA Board and many wonderful volunteers, but we will need to make decisions about how to invest our limited resources. Some things require services that our board and volunteers cannot provide, such as engineering, construction, landscaping, and legal services, and they can be expensive.

Keeping everyone informed under the conditions of the new reality imposed by covid-19 is another challenge, which relates to all of the above. We will have to rely not only on written communications, but on formats such as webinars, the way we did in our last open meeting. Fortunately, we have a communications team which has proven successful in not only adapting to that environment but in innovating to fit our needs.

All of us are joined in traveling that road ahead into 2021. As we look into the future, a community survey now being conducted by our Long-Range Planning Committee will help us more fully understand what you, the members of our community, want for the future.

“Nothing behind me, everything ahead of me as is ever so on the road.”  Jack Kerouac

—Carl Angel, president@fhaboard.org

From the Editors

Help Us Name Our Newsletter

Did you know the Fearrington newsletter was first published in 1977 as a quarterly by Fitch Creations? Then, in June 1981, the FHA Board, with Steve Metelits and Yvonne Weimer as the first editors, began publishing the Newsletter on a bi-monthly basis. This bit of history reminds us just how long our newsletter has been a part of the pulse of Fearrington Village.

In the September 2020 issue, we told you that we are seeking ways to improve the look and production of the Newsletter. We think a new name should be a part of that refresh.

And we are inviting you, our readers, to help us.

So, put on your thinking caps. Send us your idea(s) for what Fearrington Village should call its monthly that brings you the news you need and want. Our staff will narrow the field and return in a few months for a community vote. The resident with the winning name will receive bragging rights and, with their permission, be featured in an upcoming issue.

The deadline to submit is midnight, October 31, 2020. Submit your suggested names (up to three per resident) in an email to: editors@fearringtonfha.org. In the email’s subject line write: My Idea to Name the Newsletter. In the email’s body, include your suggested name idea(s), as well as your own name, address, email, and phone number. All submissions will be acknowledged, so please resend if you don’t get an acknowledgement within 48 hours.

—Ann Melchior, editors@fearringtonfha.org

Wanted: Feature Topics and/or Writers

Things have been fairly quiet recently due to the Coronavirus, but activity has been going on quietly behind the scenes. Some of the Hospitality Office volunteers have been preparing Newcomer packets and the area and block contacts have been continuing to deliver them to new residents. Any contacts who need packets for new neighbors can request them by emailing community@fhaboard.org to make arrangements for pickup.

We’ve created a form to help you submit your ideas. Simply go to the FHA web site (fearringtonfha.org) and click on the Newsletter tab. There you will find the “Feature Article Request Form” and “Guidance for Feature Submissions.” Other useful information is posted there as well, such as “The Newsletter Guidelines” and “The Newsletter Style Sheet.”

As you can see from Betty King’s feature this month, we also publish poetry and photography. Topics for all articles should be of interest to a broad section of Fearrington and Galloway readers.

—Jan Kowal, editors@fearringtonfha.org

From Our FHA Board

News Items

Community Assessment Survey Update

When each of us purchased or leased our homes in Fearrington Village, we bought into the Village vision with the fields, silo, cows, goats, large tree canopy, and common areas with streams and walking paths. We bought into that ideal by investing with the single largest contribution a family can make—buying a home. Since its beginning in 1976, the Village has grown from a dozen homes to over 1300. Now our infrastructure is aging and parts need remediation. New arrivals, as our population changes, bring forth new considerations.

Our FHA Board has tasked the Long-Range Planning Committee (LRPC), through its Lifestyle Subcommittee and other professionals, to develop the forthcoming Village Community Assessment Survey. The journey includes interpreting the results, sharing them with you, and going forward, working together on the findings.

Any and all results depend on your involvement and participation in the survey. There will probably be some surprises, and some solutions will be difficult to achieve or take longer to implement. Some may require the participation of other decision makers in the Village community and continued homeowner input. In reality, some issues may not be resolvable at the present time due to ownership, covenant authority, or funding constraints.

The first step in solving any problem is identifying it. Our FHA Board intends to work with you and other entities to solve or lessen the impact of your concerns and redirect resources that are available. It will need your continued support and acceptance of common responsibility and resources so that our Village will retain its attractiveness and bucolic lifestyle for years to come.

Next Steps:

1. Early November: Expect the survey to be distributed to most residents via email. Those of you without email access will have a hard copy delivered.
2. Early December: Deadline for responding to the survey, either electronically or by delivering hardcopies to The Gathering Place Survey Response Box.
3. January 2021: Sharing the results with the community and deciding on the path forward.

A heartfelt thank you from your LRPC Lifestyle Subcommittee.

—Tony Daniels, treasurer@fhaboard.org

Beechmast Pond Presentation

As you might remember, in the spring of this year our FHA Board decided to conduct a study of the Beechmast Pond. This study was necessary due to the amount of money that our FHA spends each year dredging the pond. The Board wanted to see if the dredging was having the anticipated impact and if there might be more cost-effective solutions other than dredging the pond on an annual basis. On September 8, our FHA Board, together with some residents who would be most directly affected by changes, attended a presentation by Kris Bass Engineering on the results of the Beechmast Pond study.

During the presentation, our Board learned that our dredging activities were insufficient to maintain the pond as a water control device. The goal for a water control device is that the dam overflow would only occur after a 25-year rainfall. However, the study indicated that a 5-year rainfall would trigger the dam overflow. This is caused by the fact that the pond is now only about 5 feet deep, where it should be 15 feet deep or more. Our Board also learned that there are some potential risks that could have significant financial impacts on our community if we continue with our current approach to maintaining the pond.

Kris Bass Engineering presented several alternatives, or “Concepts”. They offered photographs of other projects, similar to those proposed for Beechmast Pond, which provide examples of the end results. The numbers on the photographs correspond to the Concept numbers.

• Concept 1. Dig a larger forebay to capture the sediment runoff. The result would leave the pond having an appearance very similar to what one sees now.
• Concept 2. Create a wetlands environment, with a forebay, to replace the pond. The result would be a network of interconnected small ponds surrounded by wetlands vegetation.
• Concept 3. Restore the pond to its original state of a stream where water and sediment would freely flow downstream. The stream banks would be designed to minimize erosion, and natural vegetation would be planted along the banks.

Volunteers Corner

Things have been fairly quiet recently due to the Coronavirus, but activity has been going on quietly behind the scenes. Some of the Hospitality Office volunteers have been preparing Newcomer packets and the area and block contacts have been continuing to deliver them to new residents. Any contacts who need packets for new neighbors can request them by emailing community@fhaboard.org to make arrangements for pickup.

Our Nominating Committee has been busy putting together a slate of candidates for election to our 2021 FHA Board. Watch for their bios and a sample ballot. Even though candidates have been identified for all the open positions, you can still volunteer or nominate someone else for consideration. For details, contact simtho.fv@gmail.com.

Our Covenants Committee needs volunteers to help with the many requests for approvals of exterior home improvement projects and tree removals and to evaluate the occasional covenants complaint. This is an important FHA function which helps to maintain property values in Fearrington. Contact covenants@fhaboard.org for more information.

Our 2021 FHA Election Process

By Leslee Shell, FHA Secretary

Our FHA Board members are adapting the 2021 election process to a Village environment altered by COVID-19. Changes include an annual meeting (November 15th) that will take place via Zoom instead of in-person at Galloway Ridge. Last year, votes were accepted at the meeting place and on the meeting date. This year ballots will need to be returned by November 13th so they may be counted and results announced at the Annual Meeting. Finally, residents will need to return ballots, perhaps a little more awkwardly, by depositing them outside of The Gathering Place or mailing them there.

Our FHA Board first checked on the price to mail ballots to residents and received an estimate of $1,749.92. Therefore, we decided that the best alternative was to deliver a printed ballot (to avoid having residents print their own ballot) and that it could be best be distributed by block contacts. We will send out a letter to the contacts soon asking for their help. As in previous years, one vote per lot owner and address is allowed. We will distribute the final ballot during the last week of October so that votes may be returned to the Gathering Place by November 13th.

Our Board has posted a sample ballot and the biographies of the candidates online. The candidate biographies are also given below. We encourage residents to add names to the ballot. According to our bylaws, this may be done by getting the approval of a candidate and having 20 residents sign a petition for nomination. These must be received by October 15th so that a final ballot may be created and distributed during that last week in October.

Our FHA Board supports the candidates listed on the ballot and believes they will make good additions to our Board. Your vote is important! Please vote so we may obtain a quorum and add these volunteer candidates to our vacant positions on the Board and the Nominating Committee.

Candidate Biographies

Each candidate would serve a two-year term.

Bio for John (Chris) Jaeger, Candidate for FHA Director, Community Affairs
Originally from Ohio, I moved to Henderson NC and spent 44 years there building a successful Optometric practice. Retired to Fearrington in fall of 2019. I have been president of the Royale Palms Home Owners Association in Myrtle Beach since 2007 and have been on the board of the Windermere by the Sea HOA in the past. My wife and I have 3 daughters who graduated from UNC and six grandchildren, none of whom live east of the Mississippi River. I enjoy gardening, woodworking, walking my dogs, cooking and electric bike riding with my wife, Donna. We enjoyed extensive traveling, including camping, until covid-19 slowed us down. We are looking forward to an active life with our new friends in Fearrington.

Bio for Chris Kaman, Candidate for the FHA Nominating Committee
Chris Kaman is a retired Database Administrator. He worked for UNC at Chapel Hill for 25 years. He and his wife, Jane, have lived in Fearrington for 6 years. They have lived in Chatham County since 1981 when they were married. Their two daughters are adults, one living south of Asheville, and the other in Santa Clara, California. Chris enjoys geeky stuff, walking, cooking, and napping. Jane enjoys finishing quilts on her long arm quilting machine.

Bio for Leslee Shell, Candidate for FHA Secretary
My husband and I moved to Fearrington Village from Durango, Colorado one year ago. We love being surrounded by accomplished and well-educated neighbors here in FV. When I retired from my tenured position as a health sciences librarian at Arizona State University in 2012, I continued teaching for ASU in their online College of Nursing program. Eventually I returned to work fulltime as a library director in Colorado. In all, I spent 41 years working in academic, medical, hospital, and public libraries. In Fearrington Village, I filled a vacancy on our FHA Board and have enjoyed having a “job” as my activities in FV came to a sudden halt. We look forward to stepping back into the club activities of this lively community soon.

3-IN-1 SHREDDING EVENT

Saturday, October 17

9-12 AM

The Gathering Place Parking Lot

MASKS REQUIRED DURING EVENT

Sponsored by Fearrington Green Scene

The Gathering Place: Partial Reopening of FHA Office

Our FHA Board has discussed again the possibility of partially re-opening The Gathering Place. Our Board is concerned about balancing convenience and safety, and protecting residents, volunteers, and others who might be involved. The Board believes that the current situation still does not warrant any major changes.

Nevertheless, we hope to take some small steps. For residents who need access to certain services such as printing, or to documents such as directories, or who have questions that could be answered by a member of the office staff, the office will be open on a limited basis. You can make an appointment to see a member of the office staff three mornings a week, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, from 9 am to noon, beginning Monday, October 5.

It will be necessary to make an appointment with a member of our staff by sending an email to office@fearingtonfha.org. Please make appointments at least 48 hours ahead of the time you would like to meet.

At your appointment time, you will need to go to the FHA Office entrance at the back of The Gathering Place across from the Fearrington Cares building. You will need to wear a mask and maintain a safe distance from staff members.

We shall reevaluate the situation from time to time, and decisions about further changes will depend on the Governor’s executive orders.

We understand that some would prefer a more liberal policy, but since the majority of residents belong to a very vulnerable population, we cannot afford to take further risks. Please remember that our office staff are going out of their way to be helpful, and they deserve our support and cooperation.

Features

My Secret Garden

Poetry and Photography by Betty King

My Secret Garden is no secret, you know,
Both flora and fauna I’m wanting to show.

Many treasures are small, so look closely I say,
Some show their beauty in a very big way.

Looking at a leaf, what did I see?
A swallowtail caterpillar looking at me.

Pendants dangling from this ornamental grass
Make river oats a plant with outstanding class.

I love these little natives, often found under trees,
Trilliums they’re called because their parts are in threes.

Talk about weird, this goes to the edge,
The distinctive flower of a common sedge.

Hostas are lovely, they’re always a good bet,
But a closer look makes them even better yet.

An early spring wildling, this bloodroot you see,
A more beautiful flower there never will be.

This place I call garden is mine for keeps,
For in the midst of my ferns, a baby deer sleeps.

A Walk in an English-Inspired Garden

By Larry Newlin, lwnewlin@gmail.com

In the spring of 2019, as my wife, Lee, and I considered moving to Fearrington Village, we walked for the first time the circuit path in the Jenny Fitch Memorial Park. We had participated in the Farmers Market since 2011 selling organic produce from our Peaceful River Farm on the Haw, but this was to be a new chapter. As we meandered around the ponds and took in the beauty of the hardy plants and trees in bud and bloom, we appreciated that Fearrington had been patterned after the quaint villages and beautiful countryside of England.

Stourhead in Wiltshire, England.
Photo by Lee Newlin

Jenny’s Park, sometimes referred to as Camden Park, was developed by her husband, R. B. Fitch, with the design expertise of her good friend, Chip Callaway. Chip is a friend of ours as well, and, like Chip, we led garden tours to England. I posed the question to Chip about his inspiration for the design:

“I designed that garden, with RB’s blessing, to feature Jenny’s favorite trees and shrubs. It was a barren pasture without the stream we created. We wanted to get some shade out there before we could plant many of her favorites including hydrangeas and viburnums…. My love of Olmsted and Brown and Henry Hoare at Stourhead must have been in the back of my mind as I drew these gardens, but Jenny was the real inspiration. RB’s love and support were constant.”

Jenny’s Park.
Photo by Lee Newlin

The “Brown” Chip references is Lancelot “Capability” Brown who would ride the future circuit carriage/strolling path of a wealthy landowner’s property and conclude, “This property has great capability.” As England’s most influential landscape gardener, Brown’s 250 commissions in the mid-18th century were simple designs with sweeping lawns, serpentine lakes, and groves of trees. If you have ever viewed the series Downton Abbey, then you have seen a Capability Brown landscape.

Lower Pond. Photo by Lee Newlin

Like Brown, Henry Hoare wanted to imitate nature in the design of his property, known as Stourhead. Hoare wanted his new garden to be awe-inspiring to visitors and to champion the ideals and splendor of Augustan Rome. Classical temples punctuated the hillsides overlooking the idyllic lake. Later, Richard Colt Hoare, Henry’s grandson, would oversee the planting of thousands of trees and hardy plants primarily imported from America, and complete the path around the lake. Without the classical buildings, this style would be described as “picturesque,” and it influenced artists, poets, and musicians during the emerging Romantic Period. Today, Stourhead is regarded as one of the great gardens of the world.

Frederick Law Olmsted, who designed Central Park, the US Capitol Grounds, and the grounds at the Biltmore estate, drew inspiration from visiting English parks and country gardens. Olmsted disliked straight lines and loved trees. He believed parks should make nature accessible to everyone and promote a sense of community. He strived to create a sense of childlike awe and curiosity of his natural and walkable art.

Whether you are ambling in Central Park, Stourhead, or Jenny’s Park, you will sense a “genius of the place,” a phrase coined by Alexander Pope, meaning a pastoral mirroring of Nature.

The aim of such parks is to provide serenity and stimulate creative thought—thus, like a poem, an artistic masterpiece, or a symphony, one is unknowingly transposed. The hustle and bustle of daily life is left behind, and a more creative and authentic sense of living can be experienced. The walk around the park invites curiosity—a path meandering around a mature tree exposes a view of a green and glistening lawn or a babbling brook leading to the still pond.

Hydrangea Framed Waterfall.
Photo by Lee Newlin

At Jenny’s Park, laminated poems hang from the Rainbow Bridge’s arm rail, inspiring pause. On a summer morning, there is an abundance of brilliant white panicles on either side of the stream from plantings of “PeeGee” Hydrangeas (Hydrangea Paniculata Grandiflora)

The park is arboretum-like with a broad array of both familiar and hard-to-find cultivars of shrubs and trees: stately shade trees like oak and maple; flowering trees like dogwood, redbud, chaste tree, and ornamental cherry; trees with exfoliating bark like birch, sycamore, and crepe myrtle; and evergreens like holly, pine, Cryptomeria, live oak, and cedar. There are also more unusual trees like tupelo, Chinese fringe tree, ginkgo, Princess tree, Kentucky yellowwood, and bald cypress. It is a park for all seasons.

Longtime Fearrington resident, Guy B. Baird, who recently passed away, volunteered for many years with his wife Ingrid to help maintain the park’s beauty. He leaves us with a wonderful gift: a guide to The Trees in Camden Park.

The beautiful flower gardens and mixed borders of the Village Center were undoubtedly inspired by great British gardeners with planterly instincts like Gertrude Jekyll, Christopher Lloyd, Vita Sackville-West, Rosemary Verey, Beth Chatto, and Penelope Hobhouse. The late Rosemary Verey, who hosted a popular BBC garden program, was one of the English landscape gardeners who addressed Jenny Fitch’s garden symposia at Fearrington. The American-English symbiotic garden heritage counts Fearrington Village as one of its newest chapters in this enduring and endearing narrative.

Majestic White Oak. Photo by Lee Newlin

These days in particular, while other public gardens nearby have been closed, Jenny’s Park undergirds the community spirit that permeates the Village. Next time you meander through the park, consider Alexander Pope’s reflections on the 18th-century English landscape parks:

Consult the genius of the place in all;

That tells the waters or to rise, or fall;

Or helps th’ ambitious hill the heav’ns to scale,

Or scoops in circling theatres the vale;

Calls in the country, catches opening glades,

Joins willing woods, and varies shades from shades,

Now breaks, or now directs, th’ intending lines;

Paints as you plant, and, as you work, designs.

As new residents of Fearrington Village, we feel fortunate to have a stellar park in the center of our daily activities.

Coping with Adversity

By Gordon Pitz

Deer outside the front door.
Photo by Gordon Pitz

Who can fail to be inspired by a story of triumph over handicap? An unusual tale of this kind can be seen from time to time in Fearrington, most often in the open areas east of the Village Center and south of Village Way.

These days deer are common in the village, sometimes even in one’s front yard. For many of us they are a cheering sight, even if they are rather too fond of the plantings or a hazard to traffic.

Mother and fawn. Photo by Gordon Pitz

If you are observant, you may have seen one deer that on first sight appears a little odd. Look closer, and you notice she has only three legs. For at least three years, this majestic creature has been seen in the village from time to time. Recently, I was delighted to encounter her on Weathersfield with a fawn in attendance. While I didn’t notice at the time, she actually has two!

Three deer, eleven legs.
Photo by Tony Daniels

No one seems to know how she lost her front right leg. I have never had a chance to examine her closely, but it looks like a clean break at or below what would be her shoulder. Was it a birth defect? An unfortunate interaction with a motor vehicle? Or an attack by a predator and the miraculous work of a local vet?

Fearrington is probably as safe as any habitat for a deer. Even so, she must encounter predators from time to time: coyotes, stray dogs, the bobcat recently seen near Briar Chapel, even hunters, not to mention occasional fast traffic on the roads. Nevertheless, “Tripod,” as I call her, manages to avoid all of them now, and observers say she is not noticeably slower or any less agile than others in the herd.

So, when I start feeling sorry for myself, I think of Tripod. She has managed to live a normal and, as far as I know, fulfilling life for a deer. We should all be so lucky!

Announcements

Fearrington Groups and Organizations

Fearrington Groups and Organizations

Fearrington Bulls & Bears

The Fearrington Bulls & Bears is a group of Fearrington residents who are interested in improving their investment knowledge and capability. We meet monthly during non-summer months and communicate even more regularly through an email exchange group to share information, insights, and ideas about investing.

Guests are welcome to participate in a group meeting or in an email exchange group to gauge their interest in joining the club. The next club meeting will be held by Zoom (due to COVID-19) on October 9, 2020 at 9:30 am.

For more information about the club, the meetings, or the exchange, please contact:

• Anna Shearer, President, at 703-217-0322 or ashearer1219@gmail.com OR
• Jeff Robertson, Secretary, at 704-562-7267 or jnrobertson001@gmail.com

Fearrington Democratic Club

The Fearrington Democratic Club, like the rest of the nation, will be waiting eagerly for election results in mid-November when all votes have been counted and the official certification of results occurs. Early Voting begins on October 15th; the closest location to Fearrington is the Health Sciences building off 15-501 between Andrews Store Road and Briar Chapel. Hours: 8 am – 7:30 pm weekdays, 8 am – 3 pm Saturdays, 12 pm – 3 pm Sundays. Same-day registration and voting for new county registrants who have lived here for at least 30 days is available during Early Voting—bring proof of residential address. To check the status of your absentee ballot: https://northcarolina.ballottrax.net/voter/. Complete information about election procedures and Democratic candidates can be found on the club’s website: http://www.fearringtondems.org/.

Fearrington Garden Club

Happily, it is time to begin thinking about the holidays, and the Fearrington Garden Club’s annual poinsettia sale is on! All proceeds from this sale go directly to the Horticultural Program at Chatham Central High School, which grows the poinsettias. The program always brings us lush, beautiful plants in red, white, and pink. Complete with wrapping and a bow, they are a tremendous bargain at only $15.

We will be taking orders in October, with pickup on December 8. All plants must be preordered and prepaid this year. Plants will be placed in cars at a designated Fearrington location that we’ll email to those who order.

Order forms are available in the mail kiosks, at the Garden Club page on our FHA website, or by contacting Marilyn Boyle (maboyle17e@gmail.com). Please deposit your order form and check in the Garden Club box in the Swim & Croquet kiosk. Thanks for your support!

Fearrington Genealogy Group

Tuesday, October 13 at 3:00 pm Zoom Teleconference. Details will be emailed to members early in October.

New members are welcome. Contact Linda Grimm at 919-533-6296.

Fearrington Green Scene

We are all inescapably aware of the two major environmental issues ravaging our country this year: covid-19 and West Coast Wildfires.

Within our community, your FHA and fellow Green Scene members, through our FHA Waste Water Management Task Force, are working on the issue of our aging sewage treatment plant, and possibilities for getting our community back in compliance with current wastewater treatment standards. While all this is going on, each of us has an opportunity to improve our own personal “environment” by considering participating in the Saturday, October 17 “3-in-1” event at The Gathering Place. Described in greater detail elsewhere in this Newsletter, this is an opportunity to shred no longer needed personal papers, dispose of unneeded pharmaceuticals, and “check out” the status of your home fire extinguishers. Hope to see you there!

—Jason Welsch (914-806-4852 Cell Phone)
Moderator, Fearrington Green Scene

Fearrington Havurah

Fearrington Havurah invites all residents to join us for a Zoom webinar on Tuesday, October 13, at 7 pm. Speakers will be Ari Gauss, Executive Director of NC Hillel, and Hannah Spinrad, Campus Director, UNC- Chapel Hill; their topic is Delivering the Jewish Future in Turbulent Times: How NC Hillel Navigates COVID-19, Anti-Semitism, and Anti-Zionism to Empower and Inspire Jewish College Students.

Today’s Jewish college students live at the nexus of a disconcerting contradiction. Jews are more broadly accepted and admired than ever before in American history. At the same time, there has been an increase in anti-Semitic incidents on college campuses. And young American Jews have never had weaker ties to Israel and the Jewish people. With COVID-19 turning college students’ worlds upside down, the challenge has become that much more acute.

To register or for more information about Fearrington Havurah, fearringtonhavurah@gmail.com. There is a non-member fee of $5.

Fearrington Republican Club

While in these unusual times, the Fearrington Republican Club will not hold meetings at The Gathering Place. However, we are not silent!  Please find copies of the “2020 Election Dates to Remember” in a manila envelope at the Kiosks. If you would like to be on our mailing list, please drop a note to frc-nc@hotmail.com.

Candidate materials and hats are available at the Chatham County GOP HQ on 15-501(Sanford Road) Pittsboro. Volunteers are needed for early voting sites (October 15-31) and election day polls. See https://www.chathamncgop.com for updated information and the opportunity to participate in this important election.

Questions: contact Donna Stewart, stewart859@att.net.

Fearrington Swim & Croquet Club

Check out these changes that were made this year due to the pandemic:

The 2020 closing date was extended to 10/4 in response to member requests. Late season hours beginning 9/14, are 12 noon – 6 pm. The pool will close at 3 pm for cleaning and reopen at 3:30 pm.

If you didn’t rejoin the pool this year, but are considering rejoining next year, pay a $25 holding fee by 10/31.  The cost is $100 if you wait.

This fall, members may invite non-member Fearrington residents to join them for a socially distanced game of croquet during October and November. Our Croquet covid Guidelines are posted at the pool and on the FHA website. Please review the guidelines before playing.

Weather permitting, the court will be open Sundays in October at 4 pm for anyone wanting to give croquet a try. It’s a great way to get outdoors and have some fun.

A big thanks to all our members for your patience as we make our way through this challenging year.

Fearrington Village Singers: Zoom Session on Collecting Jazz Music

Fearrington’s own Tom Skipper is a long-time, serious (fanatical?) collector of vinyl LPs, particularly jazz music from the 1950s, 60s, and 70s. His collection numbers more than 7,500 records, and while it includes a variety of different musical styles, the majority of his LPs are of jazz music. In this Zoom session, Tom will discuss the history of recorded jazz in America and talk about some of his adventures scouring the globe in search of jazz LPs over the last decades and rubbing shoulders with a few jazz legends along the way. The Zoom session will take place on Thursday, October 22 from 4:00-5:00 pm. Find the Zoom link on the FearringtonVillageSingers.org website.

Fearrington Yacht Club

Ahoy, Mates! In view of the continuing health safety issues connected to the Coronavirus, no events are scheduled for the fall. We are hopeful that a vaccine may make it possible to schedule some events in the spring. Membership is open to residents of Fearrington Village and Galloway Ridge. NO YACHT REQUIRED! For event information and membership form, log onto the FYC page at: https://group.fearringtonfha.org?yacht. For general membership questions, contact Treasurer Sally Muncy, 919-619-8817. For cruise information, contact Doug Ashby at 401-954-7680. For club activities or to volunteer with events, contact Commodore Maggie Tunstall at 919-542-0031.

Women of Fearrington

WoF’s Wonderful Options Fund dedicates all donations to helping the women and children of Chatham County through grants to local non-profits. The pandemic has greatly increased needs!  www.womenoffearrington.org/fundraising/wonderful-options.

Did you know that every child removed from the parental home must be assigned a Guardian ad Litem? The October 21 General Meeting is at 1:30 pm via Webinar. Nichole Roman, GAL District Administrator, will explain how this vital program provides for the needs of NC’s children.

Come on an outdoor tour of M&M Alpaca Farm on October 23 at 10 am to learn more about raising these cuddly creatures. Fee: $5. Optional lunch: Small B&B Café.

Registration for both events will be on our website for non-members.

Our Welcome Coffees are the perfect way to meet others in the community! Please email Jo Anne Rosenfeld or Barbara Fearrington.

Good news! Our annual Holiday Bakery and Market will be December 8.

Chatham County Agencies

Chatham Connecting

Chatham Connecting, chathamconnecting.org, lists over 120 non-profits and government agencies in Chatham County that need your support for our neighbors who continue to struggle as a result of the pandemic and financial downturn. While in-person volunteer possibilities are limited by COVID-19 restrictions, donations are welcome. There are lots of ways to help, depending on your interest. For example: CORA and Chatham County Schools seek to feed all students this school year. This effort needs volunteers and you can register your interest at www.corafoodpantry.org. Donations are needed by educational non-profits such as Chatham Literacy, Communities in Schools, and The Learning Trail. The Chatham County Council on Aging seeks activity books and other supplies for seniors sheltering in place during the pandemic; large print crosswords and word searches are especially helpful. The Chatham Historical Association, musuem@chathamhistory.org, seeks volunteers to prepare historical documents and pictures for digitalization in the State archives. Work on this program can be done with masks and social distancing. Check our website for information about the non-profit of your choice to learn more. We connect those who need help with those who can help.

Salvation Army Holiday Kettle Drive

For over 35 years, the residents of Fearrington and Galloway Ridge have rung the bell for the Salvation Army. In the last three years, we have collected over $20,000 a year from both Lowe’s Food Store and Harris Teeter. All of those collections stayed here in Chatham County.

But 2020 has been a different year, thanks to covid-19. Based on the threats of the virus and our aging population of bell ringers, the decision has been made not to ring the bell this year. Hopefully, things will be better in 2021.

Unfortunately, Salvation Army clients still need help more than ever this year. If you would like to make a donation, please send it to: Salvation Army, PO Box 752, Pittsboro, NC 27312.

If you have any questions, call Bob Holton @ 919-545-0810.

This Month’s Announcements

What’s New in the Field of Arthritis Treatment

Thursday, October 8, 2020, 7:00 pm via Zoom

Osteoarthritis is the number one cause of disability in the US and tends to occur more frequently as people age. Dr. Lauren Porras is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Sports Medicine in the Department of Orthopedics and the Department of Family Medicine at the University of North Carolina. She specializes in non-operative treatment of joint arthritis, particularly of the knees, hips, shoulders, and hands. This presentation will discuss different treatments for arthritis including bracing, medications, cortisone injections, and hyaluronic acid injections. Dr. Porras will also discuss new regenerative approaches for osteoarthritis including platelet-rich plasma (PRP), amnion-derived fluid, and various stem cell treatments.

Five Ways to Create and Nurture Friendships—Even at a Distance

Wednesday, October 14, 2:00 pm via Zoom

Need a booster shot of well-being and connection? Join us each month this fall to gain fresh perspective and polish up a trove of down-to-earth tools to help build stress-resistance during these challenging times. Each hour-long Zoom session is led by Vicki Field as your “guide by the side,” and includes time for a brief lecture, self-reflection, fun exercises, and focused discussion. Handouts will be emailed to participants after each class.

In part two of our program, we will identify the five circles of friendship, explore what friendship means to you, and learn to weed, seed, and feed your friendships.

Life in the Time of Corona at a CCRC

Thursday, October 22, 1:30 pm via Zoom

In the last six months, we have all heard the phrase, “unprecedented times” more than we can count; indeed, they have been. For even the best planners among us, the covid-19 crisis has proven that we cannot plan for everything. Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRCs) exist for people who meticulously plan for themselves, their futures, and their loved ones. So how does a CCRC serve those people during this unplanned circumstance? How has community leadership balanced resident safety with resident happiness? How have they continued to provide the exceptional service and security that residents have been promised? How are managers and staff protecting and supporting each other in this new and changing landscape? Alia Granger, Sales Counselor at The Forest at Duke, discusses some of the particular challenges of the CCRC during this time.

Zoom Movement Classes, Support Groups, and Education Programs Links Are on Our Website www.fearringtoncares.org.

Occasionally Zoom program IDs and passwords will change; if you have saved a link it may eventually become inactive. Use the links on our website for a quick, current connection to all Zoom programs.

If you would like to practice a Zoom connection and meeting, email info@fearringtoncares.org and we will set that up.

Open Enrollment for Medicare Part D Drug Plans

October 15 to December 7

If you’re a Medicare recipient with a Part D Drug Plan, Medicare recommends that you check available Part D plans yearly to choose the best one for your current medications. Plans and prices change every year and if you choose the right plan, savings can be substantial.

Open Enrollment only lasts from October 15 to December 7 and your new plan will take effect Jan 1, 2021. Changes to Part D Drug Plans are generally not allowed after Open Enrollment ends.

Another option offered to Medicare recipients is a Medicare Advantage Plan in the same open Enrollment period: October 15 to December 7. A Seniors’ Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP) counselor can provide information to help you decide if you want to choose a Medicare Advantage Plan or to switch from Medicare A, B and D to a Medicare Advantage Plan. If you currently have a Part D plan or a Medicare Advantage Plan and do not make a change, you will automatically be re-enrolled in the same plan for 2021. If you’re new to Medicare, you can enroll in any plan at the same time that you enroll in Medicare, regardless of dates. All information including available plans and pricing information is available online at www.medicare.gov.

Fearrington Cares offers appointments with licensed SHIIP volunteers who live in our community to help you choose wisely. Due to covid-19, most appointments will be by phone. You will need to provide your counselor with a list of your drugs and preferred pharmacies so recommendations can be tailored to you and the particular drugs you take. In rare cases, there will be an opportunity to meet with your SHIIP volunteer at Fearrington Cares following CDC-advised practices.

Call Fearrington Cares, 919-542-6877 before December 1 to request a conversation to review your plans; you then will be contacted by a licensed SHIIP Counselor.

A Reminder: We Are Still Checking Messages!

Don’t Hesitate to Phone 919-542-6877!

While the Fearrington Cares Center continues to be closed until it is safe again to reopen, as long as we have volunteer drivers available, Fearrington Cares will pick up groceries that you order (and pay for) online. We will not go to a resident’s home, pick up cash or credit cards and shop for residents—the service is limited to picking up prepaid orders from Harris Teeter, Lowe’s, or Walmart. Request this service using the transportation extension on our voicemail after you have information about a pickup time (no same-day or next-day delivery service.)

Please call the Center if you wish to speak with Karen Metzguer, our Executive Director and Nurse. If you would like to borrow a piece of equipment, call the Center and make an appointment to pick it up.

If you have borrowed equipment from Fearrington Cares and are no longer using it, Fearrington Cares would like it to be returned. Please call to make an appointment to return the item(s) you borrowed. Alternatively, you can leave the equipment on the front porch of our building, Monday—Friday, 9 am—12:00 pm. Please leave a note on it, telling us the name of the person who borrowed it so we can record the return.

COVID-19 Information

Fearrington Cares maintains a web site with county, state, and national information about the pandemic and the virus: fearringtoncares.org/resources/covid-19-coronavirus-current-information/.

Fearrington Directory Changes

Welcome to Our New Residents!

The following persons were added to the Fearrington Village Directory between June 15 and September 15. Note we have extended the date range for this issue’s newcomers because several new residents were inadvertently omitted from the September 2020 issue.

Changes to the Directory

The following persons made changes to their Directory listings between June 15 and September 15. Note, we have extended the date range for this issue’s newcomers because several new residents were inadvertently omitted from the September 2020 issue.

Calendar for October 2020

Fearrington Village clubs and groups will be meeting on these dates. Events are usually held at The Gathering Place unless stated otherwise. However, The Gathering Place is currently closed due to Covid-19 restrictions. Therefore, if you have questions, be sure to check with the person or web page listed in the “Contact” column for the most up-to-date information.