FEARRINGTON  HOMEOWNERS  ASSOCIATION  NEWSLETTER
April 2021        Volume 40        Number 4

 

President's Message

Doggone It!

When I was a boy, one of the few expressions of irritation permitted by adults (at least in their company) was “Doggone it!” I still use the expression, although I do slip occasionally. But in a time when our television and movies celebrate vulgarity to attract viewers (some of those expressions even suggesting anatomical impossibilities), it now seems such a sweet expression. Besides, I like “Doggone it” because it contains the word “dog,” which always has a positive note to me.

I am presently in need of an expression of dismay and irritation because, “Doggone it!,” the transition from our old management company to Associa HRW has been much more troubled and difficult than any of us thought it would be. FHA considered multiple companies, did reference checks, and took considerable care to validate Associa HRW as our management company. But the transition issues still surprised us.

Every single member of the FHA Board puts in a lot of time and effort to preserve things as we all want them to be and to improve many areas. We depend on our management company for many things. They receive residents’ dues; they pay the FHA bills; they help manage vendors and projects; perhaps most importantly, they respond to questions from residents; they help with requests for things like building projects, repairs for some residences, or with covenants issues.

So, we are working diligently with Associa HRW to get things right and identify mutually agreeable solutions for some of the larger issues:

• There were errors in names and ZIP codes on initial packages to residents, which caused issues in trying to pay FHA dues; that was fixed. There is work still to be done to get things set up properly for many residents, but progress is being made. The good news is that once everything is working, residents will not have to repeat the process.

• Just two weeks into her first month, our Assistant Manager quit. A new Assistant Manager, Darla Sandoval, is now in place. Based on results and comments from residents, she has been extremely helpful in solving problems.

• The Associa HRW Manager initially assigned to oversee FHA dues had issues that took him out of action for much of January and some of February—additionally, he may not have been the right person for the job. Associa HRW has now replaced that person with a brand-new Manager, Kathy Wood. It is early yet, but our impression is that she will be particularly good in this role.

• Our former management company had many issues with tracking financial operations and getting bills paid, which is one of the major reasons we chose a new company. Poor information from that prior company, and some delays by Associa HRW, have made getting things right even more difficult and frustrating than we had imagined. Our Treasurer is working diligently with Associa HRW to resolve these problems, and we are starting to see success.

So, “Doggone it,” we are too stubborn to let these kinds of issues stand in the way of getting things right! We hope to look back in a month or so and breathe a deep sigh of relief.
This is not the end, or even the beginning of the end, but it may be the end of the beginning. (Churchill)???

—Carl Angel, president@fhaboard.org

 

 

 

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From the Editors

Meet John Webster, Our Naming Contest Winner

By Ann Melchior

When told his entry, The Belted Gazette, was the winner of our “Name the Newsletter” contest, John Webster enthusiastically emailed back: “I’m both surprised and pleased all at once! I have had a love affair with the Belted Galloways for over 45 years!”

A few days later I sat down with John at his home for an interview. I learned the story of how John developed such affection for the cows we Fearringtonians consider our community mascot. That is when I realized John’s winning our naming contest was kismet.

But first, a bit about John. For many Villagers, Boston-born John Webster needs no introduction. John and husband, Kimball Page (“Kim”), moved to Fearrington in August 1986. This was a time, John hastens to add, when Fearrington was a small village and most residents knew one another. After renting homes on Creekwood, the couple bought homes on Brampton Close and later on Spindlewood. Eventually sizing down, they ended up at John’s current home on E. Camden, across from the park. In earlier days, both John and Kim were active Fearringtonians known for hosting fundraisers for local non-profits. John also served as the president of Fearrington’s Garden Club.

John’s home is filled with antiques, collectibles, trompe-l’oeil, and mementos of the Galloway cow. All are good memories of the life he shared with Kim, who passed away in September 2018 at the age of 89. John is mostly retired from a varied career that included being an antique dealer. More recently John worked for Southern Seasons, the now-closed Chapel Hill gourmet store where he was a manager and buyer. John smiles recalling how he talked Kim into working at Southern Seasons too, “for something to do in his retirement,” and how customers were charmed by Kim, a bon vivant with interesting stories.

What first brought John and Kim to Fearrington? Florida friends pondering a move asked the couple to check the development out. They did so in June 1985. Both were impressed with the little English-themed village that came into view as they turned onto Village Way. And that’s when John saw them: Fitch’s Galloways grazing next to the silo. John immediately recognized the unusual black and white cows, which he acknowledges colored his positive impression of Fearrington that day. In fact, John and Kim were so charmed by Fearrington on that visit they decided to move here, even though their Florida friends didn’t.

So, you might wonder, why was John so taken by the grazing Galloway cows that day? This story requires us to delve a little further back in time.

In the mid-1970s John and Kim moved to a rural Vermont home in Waitsfield, a half hour from Stowe. Their neighbor, a farmer, was a man named Werner von Trapp. Now the story gets a bit…musical.

This neighbor was the same Werner von Trapp who, in his childhood, was a member of the Trapp Family Singers. This singing troupe was popularized in the 1959 Broadway play The Sound of Music with Mary Martin, and later in the 1965 movie with Julie Andrews. As readers may recall, the von Trapp family fled to the United States from Austria in the 1940s where, when not performing on the road, they ran a lodge and music camp in Stowe. So yes, Werner von Trapp, John Webster’s neighbor, was of the musical von Trapp family. According to Wikipedia, Werner was the 2nd oldest son of the singing children (and referred to as “Kurt” in the movie). After serving in the US Army during WWII, Werner became a dairy farmer, raised six children with his wife, and retired to Waitsfield, VT where he raised…Scottish heritage Galloway cows.

And that’s the nexus. Werner von Trapp’s dairy farm was situated next to John and Kim’s Vermont home. “That’s the first time I saw a Galloway,” John recalled, “they were called Oreos.” John has studied the Galloway’s origins and knows that this cold-tolerant, docile breed was popular in nearby Maine where, he notes, RB Fitch acquired his first Galloways.

That is why John “felt it was home” when he and Kim first drove into Fearrington Village and saw Fitch’s cattle grazing. It brought back fond memories of living in Vermont with the von Trapp’s Galloways right next door.

Despite spending over two hours with John, I felt the interview ended too soon. As a newcomer to Fearrington, I enjoyed hearing about the Village “back in the day” when everyone knew one another and RB and Jenny Fitch were commonly seen around the ‘hood. I will now think of John, and his passion for the Galloway, whenever I walk or drive by the ‘Oreo’ cows grazing in our Village fields.

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From Our FHA Board

 

 

Plans for April Open Meeting: Beechmast Pond

On April 27th, at 7:00 pm, the FHA will host the second open meeting regarding the future of Beechmast Pond. As a reminder, the FHA is considering whether to keep the pond as is, to turn it into a wetlands, or to restore it to its original state—a free-running stream. After the next open meeting, a survey will be sent to residents, and the Board will make a decision about which option to pursue.

Since the first presentation, we have learned more about the availability of grants that would cover some of the costs. Here’s what we know now:

• There are two state grant programs that are considerations for our project. One accepts applications in January, and the other accepts applications year-round.

• We expect that it will take a year to obtain a grant and then another year to obtain all necessary construction permits. So, this is a two-year project or longer.

• All of the necessary design work has been completed to submit a grant application. Each grant application will cost about $1,500.

• Grants are available for the wetlands conversion, but there are fewer opportunities, and they would cover less than the 50% contribution that could be available for restoring it to a stream.

• The grant has to be submitted through a non-profit partner with an environmental mission statement. They would technically become the applicant for the grant. There are a number of such agencies that would be appropriate.

You can read more about the project in the October newsletter, and in the summary of the first open meeting in the March newsletter.

You will receive any further information we obtain and an invitation to register for the open meeting closer to the meeting.

—Jesse Fearrington (grounds@fhaboard.org)

 

 

What a Difference Our Fearrington Volunteers Make

Fearrington homeowners, I have some good news for you! The Hospitality and Service Center will be re-opening on a limited schedule in April. We’re thrilled that many of the former volunteers have agreed to return. All will be wearing masks, of course, and everyone is at least two weeks’ post-second vaccination. We’ll limit visitors to one at a time.

These volunteers can provide you with useful tools, like access to a color copier and even colored paper if you like. There’s also a fax machine if you need it. Our Hospitality Center is a great source of information about Fearrington and the surrounding area—newcomers will find it invaluable.
As long as you wear a mask and you’re at least two weeks past your second vaccination, we welcome you to drop by The Gathering Place—or call with your questions between the hours of 9 am to 12 pm.

Available Volunteer Positions

Would you be willing to help out at The Hospitality Center? We’re looking for at least one more person to help staff. Additionally, our current volunteers may be looking for alternates to fill in on an occasional basis, on days they cannot make it. If you’re interested in learning more about these opportunities, please email me at the address below.

Kudos to Neighbors Who Keep Fearrington Clean

On a different note, many thanks to the neighbors who can be seen picking up trash along our roads and pathways. They carry a trash bag and a grabber with them whenever they go out walking. They too make a difference in the quality of life here in Fearrington. Although these folks wish to remain anonymous, I want to congratulate them on their community spirit and encourage others to join them in keeping our village looking good. If everyone does their part, we’ll continue to have a beautiful neighborhood.

Easter & Our Egg Hunt

This year we decided it was too early in the recovery efforts against Covid-19 to hold our VERY popular Easter Egg Hunt. We’ve been very fortunate here in Fearrington Village to have a healthy community, and we don’t want to jeopardize that now. Please wear your masks and keep up the social distancing a while longer, so we can all survive this pandemic. And next year, we’ll plan for our best Easter Egg Hunt yet!

In the meantime, have a wonderful Easter, and stay healthy!

—Chris Jaeger (community@fhaboard.org)

  

 

Join a Village Improvement Team!

Your FHA Board is very appreciative of your recent responses to our Community Assessment Survey, which have helped us identify what defines our mutual Fearrington Village vision.

Key findings of the Survey have led the FHA’s Long Range Planning Committee (LRPC) to identify four new initiatives (along with the issue of Governance) that have wide community interest and can enhance life in our village. The four proposed initiatives are:

• Walking Paths & Nature Trails

• The Gathering Place

• Village Attractiveness & Renewal

• Aging in Our Community

In the recent Community Survey, 60% of residents stated that, depending on the topic, they would consider providing assistance to find solutions for the issues our village is facing. Our Board fully supports each of these four initiatives. To accomplish them, we need your help. Only with active community participation can we achieve our shared goals. Your engagement will help drive success. Now we are asking for your assistance. We strongly encourage you to consider joining a team focused on the initiative that interests you most.

If you are able to invest your time, energy, and abilities over the next three to four months, the LRPC would be delighted to consider your participation on one of these projects.

Fearrington Village Needs YOU! Learn more about volunteering.

—Long Range Planning Committee (c/o treasurer@fhaboard.org)

 

 

Using the FHA Website: The Directory

Last month I explained how to create an account on the FHA website and log in. This month I’ll show you how to use one of the most popular and useful features of the website, the Directory.

If you are reading this on the web page version of the newsletter, you can see the link to the Directory on the blue menu bar at the top of the page, fourth item from the left. If you have not logged in, you will find that you have access only to very limited features of the Directory, but if you do log in and hover your cursor over that item on the menu, you will see that there several options.

You may want to explore all of these, but for now I focus on the first option, Find People. Suppose you want to find a friend’s email address. Select Find People, and you will see that there are a number of ways to find the person you are looking for (Figure 1). Again, you can explore them all, but let’s find the person by Last Name.

In the box labeled, Start typing … type the first two letters of the person’s last name. You will see a list of all residents whose last name begins with those letters. Sometimes that’s all you need. If the list is quite long, type a third letter. Rarely will you need to type more than three or four letters to find the person (see Figure 2; the personal details are blurred here to preserve privacy).

There is one strange quirk to the directory search process that you should be aware of and beware of. If it happens to you, it can cause a lot of frustration. Try the search for the same name one more time.

Tap or click on the small red Clear button beside the input box. Type the first letter, “p”. Then, as quickly as you can, type two more letters, “i t”. When I do this, no names at all appear in the list. It looks as if there are no residents whose last names begin “pit”, which we know is not true.

The problem is that the software managing the directory search cannot work correctly if the input characters are typed too quickly. They register correctly on the screen, but the search process that the directory search relies on is overwhelmed. This does not happen for every user, but when it does, it can be very disconcerting.

The solution is simple. Just type the initial characters one at a time, quite deliberately. After I was trapped by this quirk, I eventually trained myself not to rush through the typing.

There is much more to the directory you may find helpful. Your Neighborhood provides you with the directory information for everyone on your block. You can find this information for any block in the village. Select one of the 24 FHA areas from the dropdown list, and you will see the neighborhood listing for every block in that area.

Under Find Other you can obtain the directory information for Block and Area Contacts in any area, as well as information for the various Service Groups or for FHA Board members.

With all this information available to you, perhaps you can see why the Directory is considered to be so useful.

Happy browsing.

—Gordon Pitz (communications@fhaboard.org)

 

 

Changes to the FHA Website

Each month the editors of The Belted Gazette (as it is now called) produce an attractive, interesting, and informative newsletter. It suffers from a significant problem, however. By the time you receive it, the newsletter will be at least 10 days out of date, and there is no way to update any of the articles.

In the case of sudden, critical events, the Board will send an email to everyone. However, distributing emails to all residents whenever something happens is not feasible and can be very annoying.

The most efficient way to provide up-to-date news is through the website, fearringtonfha.org/. With the help of the webmaster, Jim Brooking, we have been redesigning the home page so that it emphasizes this important function of the website. When you first connect you should see a few short items that address the most recent issues the FHA has had to address. These may range from recent CDC guidelines concerning the pandemic to upcoming community events. Following a brief heading and a date indicating when the item was posted, there will be a link to a longer article.

We encourage readers who want to find the most recent information about any FHA issue to check the website. If there’s something important there, you will not need to search for it; it will be there on the front page. It is unlikely that something new will be posted every day, or even every week, but if something important has happened since the last publication of the newsletter, that’s where you can find out about it.

Jim Brooking is also exploring other modifications to the appearance of the website. For the next month or so you may notice other changes taking place. Please feel free to comment on these changes, indicating whether or not you find them helpful. The purpose of the website is to be useful to you.

—Gordon Pitz (communications@fhaboard.org)

 

 

Associa HRW

Associa HRW, the new management company, provided the following information about their new staff and their availability:

The Associa HRW office is located in The Gathering Place. The phone number is: 919-542-1603. Office hours are Monday – Friday, 9:00 am – 3:00 pm. Kathy Wood is the new Community Manager. Darla Sandoval is the Assistant Community Manager. Please reach out to either if you need assistance with residents’ dues, with issues involving vendors, or with any of the tasks in which they assist the FHA.

The HRW office will be closed April 5, to observe Easter.

—Associa® HRW Management AAMC®
4700 Homewood Court, Suite 380 Raleigh, NC 27609
customercare@hrw.net

 

 

Parking on Village Roads

Our FHA Board has received a number of complaints from residents regarding cars being parked on the grassy edge of roads in the village. One road where this can become especially problematical is Creekwood, near the trail entrances. In some locations, parking on the edge of the road can be a safety hazard for walkers and for other drivers. It may reduce visibility and force pedestrians to walk in the road to pass the parked vehicles. In addition, when you park on the grass, your tires can dig up the grass and cause erosion. This is an especially serious problem now, following a very wet winter.

We ask residents to be especially careful when parking along roads. Please think carefully about the suitability of locations where you want to park. Here are some questions to consider:

• State law allows vehicles to park along state-maintained roads as long as other motorists can see them from a distance of at least 200 feet. This guideline applies to parking on any road. Can your vehicle be seen by other traffic?

• The law requires vehicles to be completely off the road, but to avoid being a hazard for pedestrians, this may not be sufficient. Try to park at least 24 inches from the edge of the road. Can pedestrians get by safely?

• To preserve our natural environment and protect the vegetation that we all enjoy, please avoid muddy areas, bare dirt surfaces, or any location where tires can cause damage. Are sure you are not harming the environment?

If you are using the Creekwood trails, consider parking in the village parking areas and walking over to the trails. There is parking on Market Street, less than 200 yards from the trailhead at the corner of Creekwood and Village Way.

The nature trails are an asset we can all enjoy, and we encourage residents to use them. Please bear in mind, though, that the natural resources can be very fragile.

—Health, Safety, and Security Committee (healthsafetysecurity@fhaboard.org) 

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Features

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Announcements

 

Fearrington Groups and Organizations

 

Fearrington Bulls & Bears

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

Guests are welcome to participate in a meeting or in our email exchange group to gauge their interest in joining the Club. The next meeting will be held by Zoom on April 9 at 9:30 am.

For more information about the Club, meetings, or the exchange, please contact:
Anna Shearer, President, at 703-217-0322 or ashearer1219@gmail.com.

 

 

Fearrington Democratic Club

The Democratic Club’s April speaker on Zoom will be Jonathan Weiler, Ph.D., of the UNC-CH Curriculum in Global Studies. A specialist in the area of authoritarianism and political polarization, he will speak on the topic “American Politics and the Worldview Divide.” To get the Zoom link, please use the contact form on the Club website (FearringtonDems.org/contact-us). Please register as soon as possible; if your plans change, please cancel your registration using the same contact form. We look forward to “seeing” you on April 27th from 7:00-8:15 pm.

???

 

 

Fearrington Duplicate Bridge Club

There are three kinds of bridge players: 1. Those who can count, and 2. Those who can’t. We, the Fearrington Duplicate Bridge, have fun as well as exercise our brain.

As of this writing (mid-March) we are unable to provide the next time we will see each other face-to-face. The sooner the better is what we all would say.

The FHA Board and the Health and Safety Committee have determined they will abide by Governor Cooper’s guidelines. So, the inevitable is coming, just not yet. Those on our list will receive notification when I do.

Please text or email me if you have any questions: Jean Hjelle, 919-548-6216 or jeanshjelle@gmail.com. We welcome all levels of bridge players as our games are stratified allowing people to be compared with other bridge players with comparable skill.

 

 

Fearrington Genealogy Group

Tuesday, April 13, 3:00 pm, Zoom Teleconference

Program details will be emailed to members around the 1st of April.
Newcomers are welcome: Contact Linda Grimm at 919-533-6296 for details about participating in this event.

 

 

Fearrington Swim & Croquet Club

Spring is here, and summer will be here before we know it! It is time to renew your membership or join the Swim & Croquet Club. The pool opening will be in early May with the actual date confirmed after all is set to comply with county, state, and CDC guidelines relating to Covid-19.

We had a very safe and pleasant season last year and expect this summer to be equally safe and enjoyable. Some good news on fees for this year; dues are not increasing!

And, if you did not join or suspend your membership last year, you can pay the suspension fee now ($25 per adult member) and avoid the reinstatement fee of $100. For more information, visit the Swim & Croquet page under the Group Section of the FHA website www.fearringtonfha.org. If you have trouble navigating the website or have questions, send an email to: fearringtonswimcroquet@gmail.com.

 

 

Fearrington Village Singers

How to Sing in Different Styles
Thursday, April 22, 4 pm

If you can sing, you can sing in any style. Right? Not necessarily. Matt Fry, Director of the Fearrington Village Singers, will talk to us about how to sing in different styles. How is singing choral music different from opera or jazz or country or early music? Join us to find out.

Join us on Zoom or find the link on fearringtonvillagesingers.org.

 

 

Women of Fearrington

“Paws for a Cause,” a spring stroll with a friend, two-legged or four-legged, to benefit women and children in need in Chatham County: Saturday, April 17. A $25 donation gets you a time slot, goodie bag, and raffle ticket. More information and registration on our website.

We’ll celebrate our January-March birthdays on April 8. Order lunch from The Belted Goat and enjoy outdoor dining.

Amanda Brantley, of House in the Horseshoe, will speak April 21 at 1:30 pm, telling the stories of five brave North Carolina women in the American Revolution.

Enjoy the "beverage of your choice" on a member’s patio April 29 at 4 pm. Nibbles supplied!

For anyone interested in joining WoF, we are hosting two Zoom Welcome Coffees, Friday, April 2, 9:30-10:30 am, and Monday, May 3, 7-8 pm. Contact Jo Anne Rosenfeld or Barbara Fearrington for information.

Register for any road trips or webinars at WomenOfFearrington.org.

 

 

Continuing Education Opportunities

Shared Learning Association of Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill’s Shared Learning Association offers non-credit educational courses for people who love to share learning with other adults with similar interests. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Shared Learning will offer 16 online courses via Zoom, beginning April 26 through June. Full semester courses are moderated by our members and include fine arts, hard sciences, humanities, current events, and social and behavioral sciences.

Spring membership will be free and students may take as many courses as they can fit into their schedule. The Spring 2021 Catalog includes a registration form with full course descriptions and schedule and is available online at: http://sharedlearning.us. Or, to receive a paper copy, you may contact Mary Ann Freedman at: (919) 593-3335 or maryafreedman@gmail.com. Registration for the Shared Learning Spring Online Courses will begin the first week in April.

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Physiatry: A Different Approach to Musculoskeletal Pain Management

Thursday, April 8, 7:00 pm via Zoom

Learn about Physiatry, or the medical specialty of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R), with speaker Dr. Paul Tawney, a physician working with the North Carolina Orthopedic Group in Durham. He will talk about the current directions of the field of PM&R and the interactions with other medical specialties and ancillary care providers. Dr. Tawney’s practice focuses on various treatment options for patients with back, neck, and other musculoskeletal disorders. His practice also is the site for the Duke Amputee Performance Clinic. If you are living with chronic pain and interested in relief, come learn about this approach and whether the practice deserves a try!

 

 

Can Birding Improve Your Health?

Thursday, April 22, 1:30 pm via Zoom

It has been a long year, and it has been an even longer year since last spring. So, when the red, red robin comes bob, bob, bobbing along, members of the Fearrington Cares Education Committee hope that all residents of the Village will be more able to enjoy time outdoors. One sure way to enjoy the natural environment is to become more familiar with the birds of our area. We are delighted to bring you Nathan Swick, a celebrated ornithologist, to educate and engage us with our feathered friends.

Nate Swick is the editor of The American Birding Association (ABA) blog, a frequent contributor to www.10000birds.com, and a member of the North Carolina Bird Records Committee. Nate has been a birder for more than 20 years and helps lead birding excursions for ABA events and the Carolina Bird Club. He has discussed his book, The Beginners Guide to Birding (2018), at McIntyre’s, and he is returning to Fearrington (via Zoom) for this special presentation.

 

 

Foot Clinic Resumes

Appointments are available for the foot clinic. If you are living with diabetes, neuropathy, or lower leg issues and would like to participate, please call the Center (919-542-6877) to learn more.

 

 

Alcoholics Anonymous Meetings Resume

The Alcoholics Anonymous Support Group has resumed in-person meetings in the Center. Please contact Karen Metzguer (karen@fearringtoncares.org) for information.

 

 

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

Zoom Movement Classes, Support Groups, and Education Programs links are on our website, www.fearringtoncares.org, and require one-time registration for events through May 2021. Click on the blue Zoom button on our home page to register for classes and events. Register once for anything that is a series; after you register, save the email you receive and use the provided link for the entire series. If you would like to practice a Zoom connection and meeting, email info@fearringtoncares.org and we will set that up.

 

 

Join Movement Classes via Zoom www.fearringtoncares.org All classes 11:30 am Mondays—Chair Yoga Wednesdays—Otago Fall-Prevention Exercises Thursdays—Line Dancing is back!

Join Support Groups via Zoom www.fearringtoncares.org Caregiver's Support Group: Wednesday, April 7 and 21, 12:30–2:00 pm Parkinson's Support Group: Wednesday, April 14, 3:30–4:30 pm (New members can contact Jan Cope-Kasten (jcopekasten@gmail.com) or Karen Metzguer (karen@fearringtoncares.org) for information.) Living with Chronic Conditions: Thursday, April 1 and 15, 1:00 pm

 

 

Pet Tips: Staying Safe with Our Pets as We Get Older

Fearrington Cares and Chatham Animal Rescue and Education (CARE)

We all know how much companionship and comfort our pets give to us, particularly in this time of Covid-19. But as we age, our pets can also create hazards for trips and falls. A few simple precautions will help keep both owner and pet safer and more secure.

1. Exercise is enjoyable for both owner and pet. However, retractable leashes can be dangerous. An excited dog can turn a retractable leash into a lasso that winds around the legs of owner or bystander and topples one or both of them. A dog can take off and be in the middle of the road in the blink of an eye. And the sudden jerk when the lead runs out can injure the dog or owner. It’s best to opt for a 6-foot restraint for those expeditions outside. Remember that Fearrington Village covenants require both dogs and cats to be on a leash and under supervision unless they are confined to the owner's premises.

2. Pets require “stuff,” and their stuff can get in the way. Be sure that larger pieces of equipment (beds, scratching posts, toy baskets, etc.) are completely removed from traffic patterns. Put food bowls in an out-of-the-way corner or even under a table. Make picking up the day’s toys an established part of your bedtime routine.

3. Dogs and cats can both have “accidents” in the house. Turn on lights and check for slippery spots before stepping onto tile or wood floors. Our covenants also require that any droppings by a pet being walked off a resident's lot should be promptly removed by the pet owner.

4. Pets have an uncanny ability to materialize seemingly out of nowhere, especially at feeding time. Dogs with collar tags will usually warn of their approach. A breakaway collar with a bell for your cat can serve the same purpose. Make it a point to move mindfully, particularly in the kitchen, to avoid being surprised by your pet appearing suddenly underfoot.

5. Pets require us to do some bending and stooping, and heavy litter or food bags can strain backs and hips. Consider adjusting the weight of the supplies you purchase.

We hope these few ounces of prevention help you and your furry friends enjoy many happy and healthy years together. CARE is a non-profit animal welfare organization that promotes responsible pet ownership by educating the community, providing targeted spay-neuter programs, and fostering homeless dogs and cats until they are placed in loving, permanent homes. Please visit us at www.chathamanimalrescue.org.

 

 

Volunteer Appreciation

Fearrington Cares appreciates the volunteers who make this organization shine. We see you “work magic” 365 days of the year; your patience, grace, generosity, and humor inspire others. Thank you for serving your community! Many of you are eager to return to the services you provide as volunteers; we are designing and phasing in services this month!!

 

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Welcome to Our New Residents!

The following persons have been added to the Fearrington Village Directory between February 15 and March 14:

 

Are you a new resident? Be sure to register on our FHA community website. Doing so will give you full access to website features and allow you to be added to our resident directory. Log on to FearringtonFHA.org and on the top menu, click on Directory. Then, in the drop-down menus click first on New Resident, then List Me in the Directory.

Are you an existing resident whose contact information has changed? Don’t forget to update your listing on the FearringtonFHA.org website. On the landing page, click on the Directory tab on the top menu and then on Update Preferences on the drop-down menu. When you update your contact information online, the updates will be included in the FHA Directory & Handbook printed in January each year. Stay in touch with your fellow residents by keeping your contact information current.

 

 

 

 

Fearrington Village clubs and groups meet on the dates listed below. While events are typically held at The Gathering Place, it’s currently closed due to Covid-19 restrictions. If you have questions about an event, please check with the contact listed for the most up-to-date information.

 

One more April activity for all of us, from resident Betty King:

Come visit the Woodland Garden at the end of Wealdstone in Countryhouse, just off Village Way. It’s a miniature walk in the woods that offers trout lilies, spring beauties, and bloodroot. Fern fiddleheads are uncurling and jack-in-the-pulpits are emerging from their winter’s sleep. There’s even a bench to sit a spell and enjoy the tucked-away notebook filled with love stories about each little plant.

HOMEOWNERS’  ASSOCIATION  NEWSLETTER
February 2021      Volume 40      Number 2

 

President's Message

Sanity

‘Twas brillig, and the slithy toves did gyre and gimble in the wabe—Lewis Carroll, Alice Through the Looking-Glass. Alice reading the poem “Jabberwocky”

Sometimes, when things in our world seem insane, I go with Alice through the looking glass to find a world where things are even sillier and less rational. It has usually improved my view of our own world. Lately, however, in a world beset with pandemic, job loss, and political characters who make the March Hare, Cheshire Cat, and Red Queen seem realistic and sane, that solution has not been so satisfying.

As I said in my last article, we humans try to impose our will on reality with New Year’s resolutions where, according to statistics, at least half will have been broken by this time. In our small world of Fearrington Village, your FHA works in many ways to maintain or create the environment we all want to see. Is this irrational? Is this, too, a resolution doomed to be broken? Take my word for it, our board members are just as sane and rational as I am—or nearly so.

It is my hope that the rationality of our work is evidenced by the continuous desire to work toward ends we all want. I think most of you know that we have recently completed a survey of residents to determine what your priorities are and what you want us to do. While I have resisted a few suggestions to jump in Beechmast Pond, the bulk of responses reinforce our direction to maintain or improve our grounds and landscaping, as well as upgrade The Gathering Place and mail kiosks. Those endeavors are a large part of our work and take the lion’s share of our budget.

We plan another open meeting via Webinar on the 16th of February, where you will hear more about the survey results, as well as other matters which are important to us all. We have in the past gotten good attendance at such meetings, and we encourage all of you to join. More information is provided elsewhere in this newsletter.

FHA is confronted by many tasks which are sometimes not recognized by all of us. For example, our Covenants Concerns Committee reviews a number of requests for building or property alteration, and they address requests for enforcing our covenants. We take great care to listen and take all aspects into consideration, and we tread carefully, respecting the people involved, and trying to avoid conflict to the extent it is possible. It is never an easy task.

We now have a new management company for FHA and several of our service groups, Associa/HRW. As always with such large changes, there are bumps in the road. We and the team from Associa/HRW are working diligently to ensure that things work smoothly. We have a good team in our new manager and assistant manager, who work out of The Gathering Place. I know from working with them that they try sincerely to be successful in meeting the needs of all of us.

We do our best to keep you informed about our actions, in print and via webinars, as well as by dealing with emails and phone calls. Perhaps indeed, “all mimsy are the borogroves”. To everyone, then, I wish sanity in this new year! Mayest thou avoid “the jaws that bite, the claws that catch,” and slay the Jabberwock that assails you personally in this irrational world.

—Carl Angel, president@fhaboard.org

 

 

 

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From Our FHA Board

 

 

FHA Open Meeting, February 16

The FHA tries to hold open meetings for residents every three or four months to present topics for discussion that are of village-wide concern. An open meeting will be held Tuesday, February 16 from 7:00 to 9:00 pm. We cannot hold it in person, but we will schedule a webinar that is available to everyone who wishes to attend. The webinars held last year were very successful; attendance was almost twice what it has been for in-person meetings in the past, and residents appreciated the opportunity to submit questions to Board members.

An email invitation will be sent to homeowners early in February. The invitation will contain a link enabling you to register for the meeting. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

If you attended the webinars last year, you will be familiar with the procedures. It will be very helpful if you download beforehand the free version of the Zoom Client for Meetings.

The agenda contains two items:

Results of the Community Assessment Survey

Plans for the Future of Beechmast Pond

Members of the Lifestyle Subcommittee of the Long-Range Planning Committee will describe the results of the assessment survey and discuss their implications for future action. The survey results are summarized in a separate article in this newsletter. A complete description of the results has been posted on the website, and links are provided in the summary.

Maintaining Beechmast Pond is one of the larger expense items in the FHA budget. Over the last ten years we have observed that the expense continues to increase each year. In 2020, the Board commissioned a study by Kris Bass Engineering to see if there might be a more cost-effective solution. Based on the results of the study, they presented three different approaches. The October issue of the Newsletter contains an article describing the three alternatives. These solutions will be presented at the open meeting so that residents can fully understand them. The ultimate goal is for residents to decide which is preferred.

We will be able to respond to attendees’ questions on these topics using the webinar Q & A. Attendees can type in a question to be answered by the speakers. If we are unable to answer all of the questions in the available time, answers will be prepared afterwards and posted on the FHA website.

We hope you will take time to attend the meeting, learn more about the two topics on the agenda, ask questions, and express your opinions.

 

 

Community Assessment Survey

In 2018, the FHA Board of Directors established the Long-Range Planning Committee (LRPC). This committee meets regularly to examine future issues of the Village and determine a way forward. In early 2020, the LRPC determined the need for a community survey and asked the Lifestyle Subcommittee to conduct that effort. During the summer and into the fall of 2020, the subcommittee developed the survey instrument and launched its survey in November 2020. The survey was distributed to 1709 individual residents; 900 completed surveys were returned, a remarkable 52.7% response rate.

Results Overview

Results of the survey suggest that residents have a generally positive view of life in the Village. They appreciate the attractiveness of their surroundings, their neighbors, the many paths and trails, and the general safety of the Village. Residents tend to be active, with the vast majority using the walking trails at least occasionally. Villagers use and appreciate the availability of Village shops and restaurants and the Farmers Market. Health and wellness are supported by the Duke Center for Living and Fearrington Cares, both used by over 40% of the population.

Major Concerns

Current concerns have surfaced, some of which are presently under the sole or partial control of the developer, Fitch Creations. Wastewater issues are apparently the primary concern of most residents currently. In the longer term, three other related concerns became apparent: upkeep of the Village, the future of the Village Center, and the community after the developer completes build-out. The deteriorating infrastructure is also of concern. In the short term, repair of infrastructure and improvement of trails appear to be of primary importance. Most Villagers are willing to contribute something toward problem solution, especially based on the specific issue at hand. However, approximately one quarter of residents had no interest in contributing.

Perceptions of FHA

The FHA is viewed favorably by approximately two-thirds of residents, though many of its activities are not fully recognized. The major source of displeasure, for those who do not believe the FHA is meeting their needs, deals with covenant enforcement. Other areas of displeasure are perceived lack of maintenance on trails, the tree canopy, and infrastructure. A lack of adequate communication was also noted. When asked what issue should be addressed first, wastewater management was selected, infrastructure also rated highly, as did trail maintenance and road safety. Many residents are concerned about individuals walking on roadways, despite the availability of trails. When asked about the potential for a dues increase to remediate these issues, the response was positive.

Feedback on The Gathering Place

The Gathering Place is a facility that serves as a meeting site for most organizations in Fearrington Village. It is used by two-thirds of residents, though use is variable from “often” to “hardly at all.” For most residents, The Gathering Place was found to meet their needs, though one in five found it inadequate. The inadequacies included shortcomings in technology, lack of room size, and lack of comfortable chairs. When asked what to do about The Gathering Place, over one in five residents were unsure, while another one in five said to do nothing. An additional one in five would like the existing structure to be modernized or expanded. There appears to be little interest in building a new structure.

Feedback on Walking Trails

One of the most popular features in Fearrington Village is the walking trails. More than 80% of respondents use the trails regularly. The trails are viewed as a major resource. Most people find them either fine, or useable but in need of maintenance. Forty percent of respondents feel that trail maintenance should be the responsibility of the FHA. Thirty-nine percent were unsure as to who should be responsible. There was notable support for an increase in FHA dues for trail maintenance. A majority of residents would like to have additional trails, mainly to provide more options for walking. There was broad support for policies that protect wildlife. However, several residents wish to have the deer population controlled. There was even greater support for policies to protect our tree canopy, which is rapidly aging.

Feedback on Communications

Communications within the Village is a topic of major interest. Most residents feel that FHA communication about issues and events is adequate, but roughly 40% feel either unsure about the quality of communication or found it inadequate. The FHA was cited as the major source of information about the Village, but neighbors and the Nextdoor online service also rated highly. The vehicle most cited as a source of information was the online FHA newsletter. Many residents also rely on the Directory. The FHA website appears to be under-utilized. The website meets the needs of two-thirds of respondents. For some, it appears that topics of interest are too hard to find, and the interface is not user-friendly.

You can find more details on the FHA website, where you can find the survey questions, a summary of responses to each question, and a more complete analysis of the results. Individual comments have been removed from the data file to preserve anonymity.

—Lifestyle Subcommittee of the Long-Range Planning Committee

 

 

Concerning the FHA Website

The FHA Community Survey found that almost 20% of village residents do not use the FHA website as a source of information, and fewer than 20% use it regularly. This is unfortunate, for the website is the most effective way for us to provide up-to-date information about important topics.

The most frequently used source for information is this newsletter. Proud as we are of the newsletter, however, it has some limitations. Anything you read here was written at least ten days ago, and it cannot be updated for another month.

But, if you are reading the HTML version of the newsletter online, you are in fact using the website right now! At the top of this page you may see a blue menu bar. This provides instant access to the features of the website. (If you are using a phone or other small device, you may not see the full menu; you should see a black bar labeled MENU. Tap the bar to see the full menu.)

On the left of the menu bar (or at the top of the menu on a phone) is a small picture featuring a Beltie. If you tap the picture it takes you to the website’s home page. (Please don’t do that yet, unless you know how to get back to the previous page—i.e., this page—in your web browser.)

At the top of the home page, you will see the most recently posted important information about village activities, whether it be information about Covid-19, FHA dues, or any other important topic. I can’t tell you what you will see, because I’m writing this at least ten days before you read it. But it is probably worth knowing.

In future issues of the newsletter, we’ll introduce you to some other features of the website that you may find useful or important. To access some of them it will be necessary to create an account with the website and log in. We’ll explain how to do that, too, though you can find out how on the website itself.

Happy browsing.

—Gordon Pitz (community@fhaboard.org)

 

 

Homeowners Dues, 2021

The new management company, Associa-HRW, is in the process of developing a system for handling homeowner dues. The process has gone slowly, as the company adapts to its new responsibilities.

Because of postal delays, many residents received dues statements for 2021 quite late, and some who received them have questions about how to pay the dues. One problem is that the letter sent out by the company did not indicate the amount of the dues. If you are still not sure, dues for 2021 are $179.

You should receive a second letter from Associa spelling out the options for payment. You will be able to pay through a bank draft, or by sending a check to Fearrington Homeowners Association, c/o HRW, P.O. Box 11904, Newark, NJ 07101. Be sure to include your account number on your check. If you do not provide the account number, your payment may not be processed correctly.

Your account number is provided on the dues statement. Or you may call 919-542-1603. The assistant manager will be happy to provide you with the number.

Because of the delay in mailing the 2021 dues invoices, no late charges will be assessed through February 2021.

If you have further questions, please send an email to customercare@hrw.net, or call 919-542-1603.

 

 

Whither Wastewater Management

Now that the interconnected wastewater system between Fearrington Village and Briar Chapel is no longer on the table, Fitch Creations, Inc., which owns and manages Fearrington Utilities, is once again managing our plant. We believe this is a good thing because our operator, John Poteat, knows what he is doing. As R.B. Fitch said, in the years prior to 2018 when we managed our own system, we received a total of three Notices of Violation (NOV). Once Envirolink took over we received many, many more. The Board also believes that billing will be much simpler. Fitch Utilities will bill for the entire year, and the rate will remain the same as it has been for the last three years. Those who prefer to pay over the course of the year will need to call to set that up.

You can also expect to see a lot of activity at the plant. First will be the smoke testing. You will soon be receiving a notice about this, if you have not already. Smoke testing will help determine whether extraneous flows might be entering the wastewater system, perhaps with rainwater getting into the pipes through failing joints, or holes caused by corrosion, or the invasion of tree roots. If you have plumbing upstairs in your house (toilet, shower, sink) that you haven’t used for a while, you could see smoke coming out of these pipes. Please don’t be alarmed; this is normal and not harmful in any way.

A bush hog contractor has also been hired to clear the area over the lines going from manhole to manhole throughout the community. It is expected that this work will begin within the next six months. It is important to keep vegetation from growing above the area of the pipes so that roots don’t infiltrate the system (see above). Also, we can access the system with vehicles and equipment when needed for testing, cleaning, emergencies, etc. Clearing has been done in Fearrington on a regular basis over the years, although it has not been done for a while.

Rose Krasnow and Fran Digiano met using Zoom with RB Fitch, Greg Fitch, and their engineer, John Phillips of Diehl and Phillips. They said they are hoping to completely rehab each of the three tanks by taking them offline one at a time. They will then sandblast the interior before recoating it. Since these are steel tanks, they believe this will extend the life for a considerable amount of time while keeping costs low. They also expect to replace corroded or failed metal pipes and wall sections within the plant itself, as needed, and to make some modifications that will enable them to remove nitrogen from the effluent. The plant currently operates under a 2011 permit that has no nitrogen reduction requirements, but they expect that will change in the future. We asked that they please look at ways to better control odor, which they thought they could do by increasing the size of the sludge holding tanks so that the sludge would not have to be removed as frequently.

We hope to work closely with them going forward so we can keep residents informed as to what to expect and when.

—Rose Krasnow (vp@fhaboard.org)

 

 

Fearrington State Roads in 2021

In early February I plan to compile a list of needed repairs such as potholes, cracks, and other issues on state roads in the village that could be a hazard to our residents. If you can identify such hazards, please email the problem with detailed locations to my email address, warrensailo@aol.com. I will then forward this list to the Chatham Highway Department.

I have requested that NCDOT schedule repainting of the lines on our major village roads and add turning arrows on the intersection of Village Way and 15-501. In addition, I will request that reflectors or some other guides be installed to assist drivers making the turn from 15/501 South into Village Way at night. During the past year, the county complained that they had no extra funds for repairs or improvements. Hopefully with the new administration in Washington, more funding for such repairs will be sent to our local municipalities.

—Warren Ort, Health, Safety, and Security Committee

 

 

A Note from the Director of Grounds and Landscaping

I want to thank all of the volunteers in Fearrington Village who help make my job easier. As a Board member, I took this job knowing that there would be duties and time commitments associated with the position. I am fortunate to have many in our community who help out with grounds. There are individuals who keep a lookout for any concerns and then notify me. There are the Trails Committee folks, headed up by Jim Fink, who maintain our walking paths, as well as the Green Scene volunteers headed up by Jason Welsch, who strive to keep our canopy in good health. Even our neighbors contribute by planting pollinator-friendly and native plants. As we look towards 2021 and plan for the future of our walking paths and of Beechmast Pond, I just want to thank you all for your contributions in the past and look forward to your continued support in the future.

The picture above is of the installation of a bench to replace the one near Village Way and Windstone. The bench was donated by Carol Kurtz and installed by Jason Welsch and Jim Fink.

—Jesse Fearrington (grounds@fhaboard.org)

 

 

Volunteers Corner

Welcome all volunteers!

I hope you all have been safely getting through this January. We are making progress on getting the Hospitality Center staffed, and we hope to be open partially by the beginning of March. If you are interested in helping there, meeting and making new friends, contact me. We still have a few spots open! If you call the number in the directory under Director, Community Affairs, you will reach my secretary (my wife) and she will pass on any messages to me. ?

We are already planning a shredding event at The Gathering Place this spring to help clear your house of documents needing to be safely disposed of. If you want some good outdoor exercise helping, contact me.

Several great suggestions on future events have been received, and feasibility studies are ongoing. Please contact us if you have an idea that you would like to see happen. Let's work together to have an enviable social calendar as the Covid-19 crisis passes away. I look forward to hearing from you.

—Chris Jaeger, 919-451-9372, Director, Community Affairs (community@fhaboard.org)

 

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Features

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Announcements

 

Fearrington Groups and Organizations

 

Fearrington Democratic Club

The Democratic Club’s speaker on February 23, 7:00 pm will be Allison Riggs, Interim Executive Director of the Southern Coalition for Social Justice. Her topic will be “The Current Status and Future Prospects of Voting Rights in the South.” Ms. Riggs has litigated redistricting cases on behalf of State NAACP Conferences in Texas, Florida, Virginia, and North Carolina, and in 2019 she argued the North Carolina partisan gerrymandering case before the U.S. Supreme Court. She is an impressively knowledgeable and engaging speaker. Click here to register and get the Zoom link. (Please register as soon as possible; if your plans change, please cancel your registration so others may have a chance to join.)

 

 

Fearrington Genealogy Group

Tuesday, February 9, 3:00 pm, Zoom teleconference

Program details will be emailed to members around the first of February.
Newcomers welcome: Contact Linda Grimm at 919-533-6296 for details about participating in this event.

 

 

Fearrington Havurah

“Equal Justice in Chatham County” is the subject of the upcoming Zoom meeting of Fearrington Havurah on Tuesday, February 2, 2021, at 7:00 pm. Fearrington resident W. Robert (Bob) Pearson, retired Ambassador to Turkey, who currently serves as Co-Coordinator, Equal Justice Initiative Community Remembrance Coalition Chatham and Chair, Education Committee, NAACP Chatham Community (East) Branch, will be joined by Ms. Mary Nettles, President, Chatham Community NAACP Branch, Pittsboro and the Reverend Carl E. Thompson, former County Commissioner for Chatham County and Senior Pastor, Word of Life Christian Outreach Center in Silk Hope. Register in advance for this webinar: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_3Tywb4PiSHytWhn7vknetA

After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. For more information, contact us at fearringtonhavurah@gmail.com.

 

 

Fearrington Republican Club

TO ALL FEARRINGTON REPUBLICANS and FELLOW CONSERVATIVES:

Please note that the Chatham County GOP will hold its REPUBLICAN PARTY CONVENTION on March 20. To be a voting participant, you must be a registered Republican no later than January 31, 2021.

At this time, the convention will probably be virtual. This is an opportunity to participate in electing our party leaders and approving a Chatham County Republican Platform. It is an important time. Your inputs are needed. Please stay tuned for more details as we approach the date.

We all wait for our vaccine to allow us to return to a normal program. When safe, the Fearrington Republican Club looks forward to you joining us at our monthly meetings.

 

 

Fearrington Swim & Croquet Club

Our virtual Annual Membership Meeting was held on Zoom January 31, 2021. Watch for information about our meeting in next month’s newsletter. 

In the meantime, pick a pretty day to get out on our croquet court for some fun. Ladies Croquet continues on Thursdays at 10 am.

Remember to save your cards. Cards are activated for the season when you rejoin.

 

 

Fearrington Village Singers

Choosing Music for a Concert
Thursday, February 25, 4 pm

Matt Fry, choral director of the Fearrington Village Singers, presents an hour-long Zoom program on how he puts together the music for the winter and spring FVS concerts. The FVS music committee puts together a wide selection of music from which Matt chooses. In addition to what he listens for, and how he orders the program, he will share the pros and cons of having others initially pick the music, as opposed to selecting it himself. Find the link to this Zoom program on fearringtonvillagesingers.org.

 

 

Women of Fearrington

Are you interested in joining Women of Fearrington, or have a new neighbor or other friend in Fearrington or Galloway Ridge who would be? We are hosting two Welcome Coffees on Zoom, Friday morning, Feb. 12, and Monday evening, March 1. Contact Jo Anne Rosenfeld or Barbara Fearringtonfor information.

The deadline for contributions to our 2021 Wonderful Options Fund is fast approaching. We hope that you will be able to donate soon if you have not done so already. WoF continues to use 100% of your contributions to fund this grant program. We appreciate your donations whether large or small. Please click here for a donation form and a list of our grantees for 2020.

Our Webinar will be “The Benefits of Movement for People with Arthritis,” presented by Dr. Leigh F. Callahan, UNC Professor of Medicine. Register here to get the link for Wednesday, February 17 at 1:30 pm.

 

 

Chatham County Agencies

Chatham Connecting

If the coronavirus doldrums have set in and you find yourself going stir-crazy, we have just the thing to disrupt boredom and offer a world of good to your local community. Check out the easy-to-use Chatham Connecting website, which lists more than 100 nonprofits in need of both volunteers and donations of all sorts. Filter by activity or interest. For example, help kids who are challenged with virtual learning through groups like Communities in Schools, the Chatham Education Foundation, and Kidscope. Volunteer with animal welfare agencies or even work on social media. There are opportunities for youth to get involved too. And of course, monetary donations are especially welcome, given that many organizations have had to cancel fundraising events due to Covid-related concerns. Whatever your interests, you’re sure to find a good fit—and whatever you can give will be greatly appreciated.

 

 

Chatham Literacy’s Unique Online Spring Author’s Event Involves Goats, Beauty and Excellent Writing

On April 20, from 11:00 am to 12:15 pm, Chatham Literacy presents Duke Professor and folklorist Tom Rankin and noted novelist Jill McCorkle to highlight their acclaimed book, Goat Light (vivid photography and stories about their Piedmont farm).

Registration starts Feb. 15. Tickets $100/person (includes prize opportunities); available at https:\\www.chathamliteracy.org or 919-742-0578.

 

 

United Way Campaign

The United Way of Chatham County concluded its annual campaign at the end of December, and we are pleased to announce that Fearrington raised $132,453 in donations, exceeding its goal of $128,000! Residential campaigns like Fearrington’s provide close to 80% of monies raised by the county’s campaign. These funds support numerous well-designed programs to help families, children and seniors improve their education, health and financial stability.

We are proud that Fearrington residents are exceptionally generous supporters of the United Way and extend our sincerest “thank you” to the many Fearringtonians who contributed to the annual campaign and to the United Way COVID-19 Relief Fund last spring. Our appreciation is also extended to those who volunteer their time and talent to United Way and other Chatham organizations, with special gratitude to our 2020 United Way neighborhood captains.

—Jack Zollinger, Galloway Ridge; Ruth Murphy and Ellen Shanahan, Fearrington Village

 

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Sparking Possibilities for Your New Year Ahead

Fridays, February 5 and 12, 1:30 pm via Zoom

The new year promises to be filled with dips, bumps, and curves! You may find yourself feeling a bit muddled, disconnected, or even stuck, as you face the new year ahead.

Join us for the last two sessions of this three-part Zoom series to explore, clarify, and spark possibilities on your path forward in 2021. Over the course of these one-hour sessions, you’ll have the opportunity to rekindle your personal set of strengths and apply down-to-earth tips and tools for living your best life forward. Come to one or both!

Each individual lively session combines “lecturette” with time for guided self-reflection, fun exercises, and focused discussion. This course is taught by Vicki Field, who has designed and led a wide range of workshops in her professional life and as a resident here at Fearrington Village over the past seven years.

 

 

Foot Health and Common Foot Conditions

Thursday, February 11, 7:00 pm via Zoom

Pain and uncomfortable feet aren't a natural part of growing old or something to “put up with.” A lot can be done to improve comfort, relieve pain, and maintain mobility. Most Americans will have walked 75,000 miles by the time they turn 50 (about 115,000 in a lifetime.) Many of us are walking more than ever during the pandemic. Dr. Katherine Williams, DPM, a podiatrist with the Chapel Hill office of Foot and Ankle Specialists of the Mid-Atlantic, will discuss a variety of foot problems and treatments. She will give tips to keep your aging feet healthy, including knowing how to select proper fitting footwear.

 

 

“Hear Ye… Hear Ye”

Thursday, February 25, 1:30 pm via Zoom

Dr. Stephanie Sjoblad, an audiologist with the UNC Medical Center's Audiology Department, will speak on various aspects of auditory health and communication. She will discuss how best to communicate while wearing a mask, highlight resources that may be used with online communication, and cover other tips for communicating as one ages and loses hearing. There will be ample time for questions.

Dr. Sjoblad has provided hearing care services at Carolina Meadows for almost 20 years. She understands hearing loss in a unique way, having grown up as one of three siblings with congenital hearing loss. She has worn hearing aids since the age of six and received a cochlear implant in 2009. She now has bimodal hearing (one hearing aid and one cochlear implant). Dr. Sjoblad has been a member of the faculty at UNC-Chapel Hill since 1999 and the Clinic Director for the UNC Hearing and Communication Center since 2001. Her practice incorporates the most current research in audiology/communication.

 

 

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.

 

 

Join Movement Classes via Zoom www.fearringtoncares.org All classes 11:30 am   Mondays—Chair Yoga Wednesdays—Otago Fall-Prevention Exercises

Join Support Groups via Zoom www.fearringtoncares.org Caregiver's Support Group: Wednesday, February 3 and 17, 12:30–2:00 pm Parkinson's Support Group: Wednesday, February 10, 3:30–4:30 pm. (New members can contact Jan Cope-Kasten (jcopekasten@gmail.com) or Karen Metzguer (karen@fearringtoncares.org) for information.) Living with Chronic Conditions: Thursday, February 4 and 18, 1:00 pm

 

 

Like to Socialize? Become a Fearrington Cares Ambassador!

Have you already broken some of your New Year’s resolutions? Here’s one well worth making and keeping: Resolve to help your neighbors by becoming a Fearrington Cares Ambassador; no diplomatic experience necessary.

Launched as a pilot project in 2016, the Fearrington Cares Ambassadors Program trained a group of volunteer residents to represent Fearrington Cares. When opportunities arose, the Ambassadors explained the various services and educational, health-related, and social programs offered by Fearrington Cares or referred Villagers with questions to the staff. The need for this program is even greater now because it can help Villagers cope with the various limitations on their lives imposed by the pandemic.

One of the many goals of the Fearrington Cares Board is to revitalize and expand the Ambassadors Program in 2021. To find out more about this program or to explore the possibility of becoming an Ambassador yourself, please contact Karen Metzguer, RN, Executive Director of Fearrington Cares, at 919-542-6877 (weekdays, 9:00 am to 1:00 pm) or at www.fearringtoncares.org.

 

 

You Can Be an Immediate Responder

Social psychologists have identified something called the “bystander effect.” When encountering an emergency situation, people who are alone will more likely take action than if they are in a group. This idea is still somewhat controversial, but what is not controversial is that if you identify someone who needs help, try to help them. You can be an Immediate Responder when our First Responders are minutes or longer away.

Fearrington Cares normally offers CPR classes at this time of year to help people be First Responders. Clearly, this is not a good option this year! However, you can still prepare yourself beforehand in order to help someone while 911 assistance is on the way. This is the true meaning of FIRST Aid. The Red Cross has a web site that describes necessary steps in providing this aid https://www.redcross.org/take-a-class/first-aid/performing-first-aid/first-aid-steps. Please review the five steps outlined. Some of the links to CPR videos don’t work (a common web issue!), but there are detailed instructions linked here: https://www.redcross.org/take-a-class/cpr/performing-cpr/cpr-steps. While obviously not as good as hands-on experience, this information can provide an introduction to you and a refresher if you’ve already had a CPR course. And when life finally returns to normal, watch for Fearrington Cares CPR classes!

 

 

Protect Yourself with Smoke and CO Detectors

Installing and properly maintaining smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) detectors in your home can save your life. CO detectors are needed even in all-electric homes because CO can seep into the house from an attached garage or a backup generator that is used during a power outage.

Everyone knows that the backup batteries in smoke and CO detectors need to be replaced at least annually. However, many homeowners are not aware that both types of detectors have a limited lifetime. Smoke alarms should be replaced every 10 years; even if the test button on the alarm sounds when pressed, the sensors inside may no longer be able to detect smoke. CO detectors have an even shorter lifespan: they should be replaced every five years.

For more information on smoke detectors and CO detectors, consult the Consumer Reports buying guide: (https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/smoke-carbon-monoxide-detectors/buying-guide/index.htm).

 

 

Covid-19 and Vaccine 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/. Vaccine information is changing frequently, so check the links on the website for the most current information.

Details on the COVID-19 vaccine rollout in Chatham County are online at https://www.chathamnc.org/services/health/coronavirus/coronavirus-vaccine. To be notified when it is your turn to receive a vaccination, click on the “COVID-19 V.I.T.” tool in the center of the page. After filling out the survey, you can choose to be placed on an email list to receive these notifications.

 

 

Open Part-Time Position at Fearrington Cares

Are you qualified and available to join a small, dynamic, mission-driven team and to work 20 hours/week? Fearrington Cares is hiring an Administrative Coordinator responsible for a portfolio that includes bookkeeping, database management, and communication functions for Fearrington Cares. The Administrative Coordinator maintains all financial records and documentation required for grants, ensures that revenues and expenditures are properly recorded and documented in a manner consistent with adopted fiscal policies, and supports the Board Treasurer. Additionally, the Administrative Coordinator coordinates Fearrington Cares communication and helps manage the facility. Download the complete job description from https://fearringtoncares.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Fearrington-Cares-_ADMIN-COORD_final.pdf.

 

 

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Fearrington Directory Changes

Welcome to Our New Residents!

The following persons have been added to the Fearrington Village Directory between December 16 and January 15:

 

 

Are you a new resident? Be sure to register on our FHA community website. Doing so will give you full access to website features and allow you to be added to our resident directory. Log on to FearringtonFHA.org and on the top menu click on “Directory.” Then, in the drop-down menus click first on “New Resident” then “List Me in the Directory.”

Are you an existing resident whose contact information has changed? Don’t forget to update your listing on the FearringtonFHA.org web site. On the landing page, click on the Directory tab on the top menu and then on Update Preferences on the drop-down menu. When you update your contact information online, the updates will be included in the FHA Directory & Handbook printed in January each year. Stay in touch with your fellow residents by keeping your contact information current.

 

 

 

 

February 2021 Calendar

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.

 

 

 

Open Meeting/Webinar Scheduled for Thursday, July 16 at 7 pm

The FHA board invites you to a webinar in which board members will present an overview of important issues that confront the FHA. This is in lieu of an open meeting that we would normally hold at this time of year. Three presentations are planned.  Click on a link to read an update on a specific topic.

• Rose Krasnow and Fran DiGiano will describe the work of the Wastewater Management Task Force.
• Jess Fearrington will explain issues involved in the maintenance of Village Grounds, especially Beechmast Pond and transfer to the FHA of property from Fitch Creations.
• Tony Daniels will lay out the uncertainties involved in establishing a budget for the FHA.

Before attending the meeting, you will need to download the Zoom Client for Meetings. You can do this for free, and it should work on most recent operating systems.

More information will be sent by email to all Fearrington residents, including instructions on how to access the meeting.

NEWSLETTER-CALENDAR EDITORS

Dinah McAllister
Caroline Taylor
Diane Vannais

Email all submissions to: editors@fearringtonfha.org, in the body of the message or as an MS Word attachment. No PDF files please.

NEWSLETTER PRINTERS

Judith Andersson, Arleen DeLuca, Carol Kurtz, and Marji Maarschalkerweerd (chair)

Deadline for submissions to the September issue:
August 15

• All submitters will receive a confirmation email. Contact the editor if you don’t receive this confirmation.
• Submissions are limited to 150 words for village groups and 100 words for outside groups. FHA submissions are not restricted.
• Items to be listed on the calendar page must be listed separately.
• Articles may be edited for space and formatted at the editors’ discretion

For more information: see website: www.fearringtonfha.org

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FHA BOARD MEMBERS

 

 

 

 

FHA NEWS

• Are You Prepared
• This Month's Supplement
• The Inside Scoop: Wastewater Management and Long Range Planning
• Where Do We Go From Here?
• Open Meetings in a Stay-At-Home World
• Friendly Reminders: Survival in a Pandemic
• Green Scene

  

 

ARE YOU PREPARED?

While trying to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic, it is easy to forget that there may be other reasons for concern about your safety. An active hurricane season is expected to begin in June. Are you prepared for it?

Let’s find out. Do you know the answers to these questions?

What should I do if told to evacuate?
Can the Gathering Place serve as an emergency shelter?
May my dog come with me to the emergency shelter?
How long will frozen food last after a power outage?
What should I do if my home is in danger, and I cannot get through to 9-1-1?

It is much better to learn the answers to these questions now rather than during the emergency. Answers, and answers to other important questions, can be found in the Emergency Preparedness List, available on the Health, Safety, and Security (HSS) website, at https://fhahss.blogspot.com/p/p.html.  You can download a copy of the list that can be printed and laminated, and kept handy for an emergency.

The list is part of a portal provided as a way for residents to locate, read, and subscribe to key HSS news and files. The home page for the portal is at https://fhahss.blogspot.com/. To see the range of topics covered, check out the tabs on the top (main) menu. You will find this to be a very valuable resource.

 

THIS MONTH’S SUPPLEMENT

Readers who have received the email version of the newsletter will find another supplement at the end of the main newsletter. As usual, it contains illustrated articles about features of Fearrington Village.

This month there are two special items. Ann Fox Melchior addresses the concerns of dog owners about the care of their dogs during the pandemic. Ann taught classes at the Capital Dog Training Club of Washington DC before moving to Fearrington, and uses her expertise to address questions we might have. The article is accompanied by a collection of photos of several dogs belonging to Fearrington residents.

The supplement also features birds of the region. Maarten Simon Thomas has created 13 scale models of birds that might be seen in or near the village. These have been mounted along the North Langdon Trail. If you are not familiar with this nature trail, it is well worth exploring. It lies across Millcroft, directly opposite The Knolls Place. Photos of the birds are available; see how many you can find. Some are easy to see; some less so. But unlike real birds, they will not fly away or try to hide as you approach.

 

THE INSIDE SCOOP – WASTEWATER MANAGEMENT AND LONG RANGE PLANNING

 FHA vice-president Rose Krasnow heads two committees charged with the study of issues that may have a major impact on Fearrington residents. Here is a summary of what these committees are doing.

Wastewater Treatment Task Force

Plans to transport Fearrington Village’s wastewater to Briar Chapel for treatment have been a source of controversy for many months. At the recommendation of the task force, the FHA Board voted to file a Petition to Intervene with the North Carolina Utilities Commission, and authorized the expenditure of $5,000 as a retainer to hire attorney Dwight Allen of Raleigh to advise the FHA. The Petition was filed on May 7. Assuming that the Petition is accepted, Fearrington’s testimony for the evidentiary hearing scheduled in June must be submitted by May 15th, although it appears that these dates may be delayed until September.

The task force has carried out extensive research to determine whether replacing our current plant with a new plant intended only for Fearrington Village would be more desirable than the proposal to connect to the Briar Chapel system. The advantages to remaining separate are (1) there would be no impacts on the buffer between Fearrington Village and the commercial area of Briar Chapel along 15-501, (2) no construction would be required on Trundle Ridge or along Creekwood, (3) we would have more control over management of the system, which is important given the many problems Briar Chapel has experienced over the last several years, and (4) our wastewater utility rates may be more reasonable.

As the hearing date approached, the task force has learned that Chatham North has scaled back the proposed size of the expansion of the Briar Chapel plant from 1 million gallons per day to 875,000 gallons per day. They no longer plan to use PVC pipe to run our sewage to Briar Chapel, because they recognize that the PVC pipe currently installed in Briar Chapel has experienced frequent breaks. Finally, they recently revised the purchase agreement between Fitch Creations and Chatham North, in response to concerns from the Utilities Commission that some of the terms would adversely affect rates. At the same time, however, the clause that said Fearrington Village’s utility rates could not be increased by more than 60% for the first two years was removed.

It is important to recognize that our rates have remained the same for the last three years due to an agreement struck when the management of Fearrington Utilities was first turned over to Envirolink. There is no question that our rates will rise in the future. Briar Chapel currently pays just over $42/month, and nearby communities such as Governor’s Club pay $69/month. Although a rate increase is not in front of the utilities commission at this time, the task force is looking for a solution that will keep future rate increases to a minimum.

Long Range Planning Committee

Three important concerns have been identified that could determine the future of the village: (1) Governance, or how the FHA operates in conjunction with Service Groups and with Fitch Creations (2) Transition as control of various areas and amenities is transferred from Fitch Creations to the FHA, and (3) Lifestyle, or how to preserve and nourish features of the village that we value. Subcommittees were recently formed to address each of these concerns, and each group has begun to define the primary objectives they wish to work toward. To this end, the LRPC will resume efforts to design a community needs assessment survey, which had been put on hold following lock-down regulations. Rather than relying on face-to-face Coffee and Conversation meetings with residents, the committee hopes to conduct sessions using online Zoom meetings.

 

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, many changes in village operations were forced upon us.  The situation changes almost daily, and we all struggle to respond appropriately.  The FHA board has been discussing how we might best deal with the crisis.  Here are just some of the issues that are under discussion.

The Gathering Place

In response to directives from the Governor, the Gathering Place was closed in late March, and has been closed to meetings ever since.  However, as the state begins to ease some of the restrictions imposed during the last two months, the board has started to consider a possible reopening.

Clearly we cannot suddenly return to operations as they were prior to March.  We need to develop a plan that specifies under what conditions a partial reopening of the Gathering Place might be possible, and what restrictions must continue to be imposed.  It is essential that steps be taken to protect the health of all village residents, as well as allowing groups to use the facilities in a way that would be beneficial to everyone.

A committee of board members and medical professionals has been established to discuss how these goals can be met, and to prepare a proposal to be presented to the full board.

If you have comments or suggestions concerning this issue, please contact the chair of the committee, Warren Ort, at healthsafetysecurity@fhaboard.org.

Newsletter

For the third month in a row, newsletters have been sent by email to everyone for whom there is an email address in the FHA Directory.  A very small number of printed copies has been made available to residents who are unable to access it through email.  The reason for moving to email was that printing and distributing the newsletter carries the risk of transmitting COVID-19.  More than 100 people are involved in the process, and we were not willing to expose so many in this way.  It is likely that the risks will not soon fall to an acceptable level, so we can expect the emphasis on email delivery to continue.

There have been no serious complaints from people who had previously received paper copies.  Certainly there has been grumbling from those who might miss the convenience of a paper copy, but everyone understands why this is happening.

There are many benefits to receiving the email version.  The supplement featuring photographs and special features is only available that way.  Many savings are realized by cutting back on printing.  It has been a major budget expense for the board (this is your dues money being spent), a large number of volunteers have devoted hours to making sure the newsletter is delivered, and there is a savings in paper and other resources that would otherwise be depleted.

It is not unusual for organizations to rely on email to deliver their newsletters.  We are looking at ways in which we might make the process more efficient, and improve the overall quality of the newsletter.

Remaining Up To Date on News

 The newsletter is published only once a month, and much of the information contained in the newsletter is out of date by the time it appears in your email or on your front door step. How can you learn what happens on a more timely basis?

The FHA website features a summary of important developments that is revised as soon as relevant events occur, or whenever new information is available. If you connect to https://www.fearringtonfha.org/, you will see this summary front and center, followed by a link that will take you to a fuller explanation. We recommend you check the website on a regular basis to find out what is happening.

 Gordon Pitz, communications@fhaboard.org

 

OPEN BOARD MEETINGS IN A STAY-AT-HOME WORLD

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced all of us to find new, safe ways to perform old tasks. The closing of the Gathering Place has required groups that regularly met there to find new ways of communicating. Like many others, the FHA Board of Directors has turned to online meetings as a way to conduct business.
Now we are inspired to widen our horizons, and consider how to hold a meeting that would be open to all village residents. It appears that we can expand the number of attendees at Zoom meetings to accommodate the needs of our open meetings.

Before stay-at-home directives were issued, an open board meeting had been planned for June. The board has decided to go ahead with the meeting using the Zoom platform. Many details remain to be settled, but here is what to expect:

The meeting will be scheduled for one evening the week of June 22. You will receive an announcement via email that will include an invitation to the meeting. Details of how to sign up and attend will be provided. If you do not have access to a computer you will be able to connect by telephone, but a computer connection will provide a more satisfactory experience. The board is exploring the possibility of recording the meeting so it is available for later viewing by residents who are unable to attend.

The agenda is yet to be determined. You can expect there to be three, perhaps four presenters, each person talking about issues that are important to residents at this time. The presenters will be on camera; we need to work out a system so that audience members can request a chance to speak and ask questions.

Obviously, if a large number of audience members want to ask questions or make comments, it will be necessary to limit the permitted time, and to work out a way for as many people as possible to be involved.

Unless you are a frequent Zoom user, the first online open meeting will be a learning experience for you, as it will be for the board in hosting a community-wide meeting. Even if you are familiar with Zoom meetings, their use for groups of a large size will be rather different. The board plans a practice session ahead of time, but we ask your indulgence if the meeting does not proceed as smoothly as we would like.

More information will be provided later as the details are worked out.

 

FRIENDLY REMINDERS: SURVIVAL IN A PANDEMIC

We are all familiar with the guidelines that have been issued for staying safe during the pandemic. Surveys show there is overwhelming support for the guidelines, and most people try to comply. Unfortunately, no matter how well intentioned we might be there are situations where distractions or other obligations cause us to drop our guard.

Using the mail kiosks is one activity that can create close contact in a confined space. Wearing masks in this case is recommended. Whenever we engage in conversations with other people, it is easy to get closer than 6 feet without realizing it. Collecting pickup orders creates similar problems. In these situations our attention is directed elsewhere. Masks can be helpful, but remaining at a safe distance is better.

The best solution is to remind ourselves to look out for such situations. Only by practice can we learn to avoid the dangers. And if we see someone else who has fallen into one of these traps, a friendly reminder is a more effective recourse than becoming angry.

 

GREEN SCENE

On October 14, 2019, the Fearrington Homeowners Association sponsored a community "Information Meeting" to share the preliminary outline of a plan for the Fearrington Wastewater Treatment System to be sold to a company that manages the Wastewater Treatment Facility for our neighbor community: Briar Chapel.  The plan involved the construction of a pipeline from Fearrington to the Briar Chapel Treatment Facility.  Our current treatment facility would be "de-commissioned", and replaced with a pumping station to force our wastewater uphill, through the pipeline, to the Briar Chapel Treatment Facility.  There would also be a second, parallel pipeline, coming back to Fearrington, to bring the treated "effluent" back, to be discharged into the same stream into which our current treated wastewater is discharged. This proposal is being considered by the North Carolina Utilities Commission, whose "seal of approval" is required for the transaction to be consummated. 

In recognition of the complexity of this matter, and its serious implications for the future well being of the Fearrington community, the FHA formed a Wastewater Management Task Force, chaired by FHA Vice President, Rose Krasnow. That Task Force has been studying this issue, and meeting with significant parties of interest, for a number of months. Elsewhere in this Newsletter you will find a status report as of mid-May.  On Wednesday, June 10, at 11:00 AM, The Green Scene will sponsor a Zoom meeting to hear an update from Rose Krasnow, as well as to share an opportunity for questions and a discussion of the matter.  All Fearrington residents on The Green Scene e-mail list will receive an invitation to participate in that Zoom meeting.  Other interested parties may contact me for the possibility of meeting access, as long as the meeting is not "over subscribed". 

 Jason Welsch, Moderator, The Fearrington Green Scene, Home Phone: 919-533-6118

 

CLUB NEWS

• Fearrington Tennis Association
• Fearrington Havurah
• Women of Fearrington
• PORCH Fearrington
• Fearrington Democratic Club

 

FEARRINGTON TENNIS ASSOCIATION

The tennis courts are available for use by members at their own discretion during this time. Groups will resume play as restrictions ease.

 

FEARRINGTON HAVURAH

Fearrington Havurah members will soon receive an emailed communication with information on election of officers for 2020-2021 and tentative plans for the coming year. If you have questions, or do not use email, contact Catherine Garland at 919-533-6329 (cgar613178@aol.com) or Beryl Sherman at 919-704-8018. (Bisherman3@gmail.com). We hope you are staying well and safe!

 

WOMEN OF FEARRINGTON

In late April, Women of Fearrington members elected the executive committee for 2020–2021, which starts July 1. Kathleen Angel and Ellen (Mif) Flaharty will serve as co-chairs, Robin Williams as secretary, and Ellen Spin as treasurer. Many other members have volunteered to lead or serve on WoF’s committees and teams. Although things may appear quiet, the outgoing and incoming chairs and committees have been working diligently to achieve a smooth and efficient transition and to make plans for 2020–2021. Great things are in the works, so be sure to watch for news about Women of Fearrington events and activities.

This year’s executive committee is also hard at work reviewing grant applications. Recipients of Women of Fearrington grants will be announced sometime in June. 

 

PORCH FEARRINGTON

In these difficult times, we have modified our usual collections from 26 porches throughout the community. Instead, we have been encouraging cash donations to CORA, and, as of this writing, we have received almost $9,000 in online donations since the start of the pandemic, in addition to checks sent directly to the pantry. Thank you for your amazing generosity! In April and May, we also did a limited food collection and received almost 700 pounds in April. CORA needs our help more than ever, as they reach out to our Chatham County neighbors who have lost jobs and income.

We hope to return to our usual collection model soon; in the meantime, you can help by making an online donation at: https://fearrington.porchcommunities.org/donate/

 

FEARRINGTON DEMOCRATIC CLUB

The Democratic Club is beginning a series of Zoom-based webinars with Democratic candidates for the fall elections. Fearrington Democratic Club members receive an email with directions for registering for each session. Non-club members can contact the Club for information about registering. Website: www.FearringtonDems.org or Club co-chair: Vickie Shea (919 545 0024).

We are delighted to announce that our first speaker will be NC Supreme Court Chief Justice Cheri Beasley, who is the first African-American woman in the Court’s 200-year history to serve as Chief Justice. On Saturday, May 30, 2:00 to 3:00 pm, (contact is Therese St. Peter, 919-638-7062) Justice Beasley will speak to our community on the topic of “The NC Supreme Court and COVID-19.”

We are planning additional candidate Zoominars all summer, but because scheduling these webinars may not conform to this newsletter’s publication deadlines, we encourage all community members to check the mail kiosks or www.FearringtonDems.org throughout the summer for updated information.

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DIRECTORY CHANGES

4/16/2020 through 5/16/f2020
The following people have been added to the directory:

 

BARDIN, Patricia A (Patti)     695 Spindlewood	Patti's Email: pattibardin56@gmail.com	Patti's Cell: 336-263-7550
DROKE DVM, Dr Laurie     154 Turtle Run	Laurie's Email: fvhc.doctor@gmail.com	Laurie's Cell: 919-548-8413
DUNKIN, Rita     B-007 B Wing     Galloway Ridge	Rita's Email: ritadun@aol.com	Rita's Cell: 540-598-8725
SPOTZ, Diane S     132 Weatherbend	Diane's Email: dianespotz@aol.com	Diane's Cell: 717-449-0359

 

CHANGES

 

BETMAN, Karen     566 Weathersfield	Home: kbetman@aol.com	Home: 919-533-6464 Karen's Cell: 561-252-0940
BROCK, Brenda, Ken     47 Trestle Leaf	Brenda's Email: Pamperedbrendi@att.net Ken's Email: Ken-tucky@att.net	Home: 919-542-4796 Brenda's Cell: 919-906-8555 Ken's Cell: 919-906-8039
BROOKING, Jim     242 Fox Ridge	Home: jim@jimbrooking.net Jim's Email: webmaster@fearringtonfha.org	Home: 919-542-7020
JACOBS, Lisa, Teddy     58 Stone Ledge	Lisa's Email: Lisaojacobs@gmail.com

 

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NEWSLETTER SUPPLEMENT, JUNE 2020

You can click on a photo to see the caption and credits.

It may appear that this edition of the newsletter is going to the dogs, although some of it is for the birds as well.  In fact, the edition is devoted to a celebration of life in all its forms.  It contains an article about helping our dogs in a time of crisis, and an account of their role as therapy dogs.  We also have a puzzle that will introduce you to some of the birds to be seen in the village.

New Life in Fearrington

Although travel outside the village is limited, there is plenty happening around us to keep us informed and entertained.  Last month’s newsletter reported the birth of two kids, unusually early for goats.  Several more have joined the flock since then, eleven at last count.

  

Several varieties of wildlife are seen regularly.  The warmer weather encourages turtles to catch the sun whenever they can, even though they pay no attention to social distance rules that affect the human species.  The Great Blue Heron is a regular visitor to Fearrington ponds,  but the Yellow Crowned Night Heron though (pictured) is much more unusual.  The village lies at the very limit of its range.

Foxes are known to inhabit the area, but this year they seem to be more noticeable than usual.  You may have read that as humans remain at home, wildlife is appearing in many areas where they have rarely been observed.  It is unlikely that this explains the frequency of foxes in Fearrington.  But an earth of youngsters (the collective noun for foxes) was found in the woods not far from the Gathering Place.  A cub has been seen sunning itself on the grass outside the building, and another sleeping outside the Swim and Croquet Club.

Why do these sightings give us so much joy?  The New York Times reported on a den of foxes that had appeared under the Toronto boardwalk, and observed, “They are wild and free, when the rest of us feel trapped. They are new, beautiful life, while we are transfixed with death. And they offer hope that maybe we can make it through these hard times."

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Our Closest Friends

Parenting Dogs in the Age of Corona      

By Ann Fox Melchior

Shelter-in-Place…social distancing…facemasks…family dog tests positive for the coronavirus. As I write this piece in early May, it seems the pandemic news gets worse by the day. Roll with the punches I remind myself. But what about our dogs? Do they understand why their world, and opportunities for fun, are shrinking by the day?

I also wondered, “How are my dog owning friends dealing with all this?” So I sent off an email to several asking, “Tell me the good, and bad, of the Coronavirus, from your perspective as your dog’s caregiver.”

As the responses trickled in, I was not surprised that the most prevalent “good” response was… “I’m home more….my dog likes that.” However, the other responses, good and bad, proved quite diverse.

Let’s start with the bad aspects of pandemic living my friends mentioned:

• “I feel rude asking people not to pet my dog.”
• Fewer places to go with businesses closed… where we can offer our dog the exciting “Wanna go for a ride?”
• “I eat more meals at home…my dog gets more handouts…I now have to watch her weight.”
• “No puppy socialization classes are being offered.”
• “I am stressed and my dog senses it.”
• “Our local vet has cut back on hours and I worry how far will I have to drive in an emergency.”
• “It’s harder for dogs to socialize on leash when their humans have to stand 6 feet apart.”
• “I mourn the loss of admiring petters for our young Golden Retriever as we sit outside our favorite bakery.”
• “With school out…my dog can no longer volunteer as the Paws to Read dog at our local elementary school.”

And the good aspects of pandemic living? A variety:

• “There seems to be fewer people in the parks, so it’s easier to practice our skills,” noted my friend who seeks out novel locations to train for Nosework competitions. Public parks, she explained, are normally impractical due to proximity of others.
• “My new puppy is learning the home routines nicely with us being home so much.” (Actually, several friends mentioned a more predictable “routine” with being home more as a good thing for their canines.)
• “Time for longer walks and better health…and my dog has lost weight.”
• “Extra time to discover new trails and new smells.”
• “More time with my husband who is now working at home.” (From a friend whose new puppy had bonded more strongly with her.)
• “More time to watch funny dog videos on YouTube.”
• “More time to practice taking pictures of my dog and learn how to operate my old 35 mm digital camera.”
• “I’m realizing how calming having a dog is when you feel anxious…and you have a constant companion to help fill lonely hours.”

My friend from Asheville wrote:

“Probably the biggest impact on our dogs is that because of social distancing, they are not getting their daily allotment of treats from the gatehouse attendants at the Arboretum. The first time this happened, the reaction was a whiplash, and disbelief. Gradually, their whines for the expectant treats have declined, but we still feel a big sense of disappointment from them!”

Can’t you just picture those two dogs thinking, “Whoa….wait…..go back!!” as she quickly pulled through the gatehouse? Like our friends, as my husband and I abide by the stay-at-home rules, we enjoy having more time to engage with “Clancy,” our yearling Welsh Springer. More time to train, take walks, and to host back-yard play with a few neighborhood dogs, including “Andy,” a 12 lb. Norwich Terrier. We get a sorely needed dose of laughter as we watch Clancy and Andy chase, tackle, and swap spit with abandon. Despite Andy being a mere third of Clancy’s size, he is a dogged little player, true to his terrier DNA

My “bad?” of Coronavirus? Clancy’s home-alone training has taken a hit. Welsh Springers are a clingy breed, the type that leans against your leg and puts a paw on your foot. They can suffer from separation anxiety if not handled carefully. So, from the day we brought Clancy home, we have slowly increased his home-alone time, finally reaching our goal of 3-4 hours. We always scheduled our absences after providing Clancy ample exercise. And we left him with creatively stuffed Kongs (peanut butter, banana, carrots, apple) to ease him into a restful sleep. It was working nicely.

But shelter in place ended our non-dog outings….no restaurants, no movies, no adult classes…no place to go. A few weeks ago, I told my husband “We gotta go somewhere. Alone.” So, now we occasionally leave home, sans Clancy, whether we need to or not. Before we depart, I place several food-stuffed toys in his safe-space (our laundry room), just inside the closed baby gate. And I shut Clancy out. Yes, out. I want him to be so focused on his Kongs that he doesn’t have time to become upset about our impending departure. Instead, he’s focused on what awaits him on the other side of the baby gate. And he gives me the “when are you leaving????” look that tells me he’s ready and willing to “Kennel Up!”

So what else can we dog parents do to make pandemic living easier for our dogs?

Dogs are happier, calmer, and experience less stress when kept on predictable daily routines. Equally as important? Adequate exercise and enrichment. When I taught dog training classes I told my students that each day their dogs would arise with a tank full of fuel. The owner’s job, I said, was to judiciously deplete that tank throughout the day so the dog had little opportunity, or need, to get into mischief. This, I explained, was good management and just like raising kids…management is everything.

For our uber-friendly Clancy, social distancing has been hard. He craves engaging with the dogs and people on our neighborhood walks. For many dogs, however, social distancing is probably just what they wanted all along. All our dogs, however, benefit from activities that challenge their brains and offer an outlet for breed-specific urges. And there are so many options. A tennis ball is all you need for a retrieving fanatic. Most dogs enjoy scent games played indoors or out (find the hidden treat, go find Daddy!). Try blowing bubbles…some dogs, especially bird dogs, love it. How about a plastic baby pool from Walmart to cool a water-loving dog? Or a snuffle-mat to hide a portion of your dog’s dinner kibble?

Better yet? What about a daily walk where your dog dictates the pace? Let your dog sniff freely…where he wants, and for as long as he wants. You? You are at the other end of the leash just to keep him safe.

For more ideas to keep your dog active and amused during a pandemic, or any day actually, Google “games for dogs.” The internet is loaded with inspiration. “Companion Animal Psychology,” a blog by dog trainer Zazie Todd, PhD, offers many ideas for enriching your dog’s life. Consider reading a book on dog play (Pat Miller’s “Play with Your Dog” a good choice). Or, even better, check out The Resource Center on The Association of Professional Dog Trainers web page (APDT.com). It offers a pick-of-the-litter list of training books for pet-dog owners selected by APDT’s members. You’ll find lots of ideas for enrichment and training there.

Speaking of training? Have you taught your furry friend to Sit…on verbal cue…reliably? Is now a good time to refresh, or teach, the basics? Thanks to the pandemic we have some extra time on our hands. Take advantage of it.

Ann Fox Melchior, her husband Art Gonzales, and Clancy recently moved to Fearrington Village. A retired investigator, Ann taught classes at the Capital Dog Training Club of Washington, DC for many years.

The Dogs of Fearrington

Here is a collage of just some of the dogs you may encounter in Camden park or on the walking paths.

Top row, left to right:  Dogs that know how to make themselves comfortable in a human environment, making the best of “shelter in place” requirements:  Martha Gray Stewart’s Winton, Helene Carlson’s Sugar, and Janet Keefer’s Brinkley; Warren Ort’s Fanny, a retired English Cocker Spaniel show dog, wears her most irresistible expression.

Bottom row, left to right:  Debbie Liebtag with Lizzy and Cooper, English Springer Spaniels; Linda Smith’s German Shepherd Rudi, bred to be a companion for the deaf, who loves people; Melissa Crane’s Shi Tzu and furry friend Gabriel; Frank Huisking’s Llaso-Apso/Poodle mix Austen, perhaps intimidated by McIntyre’s bunny.

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Therapy Dogs

One of the more striking dogs you may encounter around the village is Luna, a Blue-Merle Collie belonging to Chris Ridley.  Collies are herding dogs, but generations removed from pasture duty.  Luna is also a licensed therapy dog trained to work with those in need in hospitals or assisted living complexes, and institutions that serve challenged individuals.

Chris adopted Luna when she was a year and a half old.  Because of her calm disposition and friendliness, a friend suggested she might make a good therapy dog.  Chris took her to a six month training course, and worked with her diligently to ensure her success.  Luna passed an hour-long test by an AKC professional the first time out.

No breed of dog is uniquely suitable as a therapy dog.  In this way they differ from service dogs or field dogs, which have an innate sensibility to perform specific tasks – eyes for the blind, alarm to danger, the nose for illicit drugs.  For therapy dogs it is the temperament and eagerness to learn that matter.  For any well trained dog, learning the necessary skills is fun.  Performing the task and receiving praise from the person they are serving is sufficient reward. 

Therapy dogs work in many settings:  In hospitals, assisted living facilities, anywhere individuals might be needful in some way, and where discipline and adherence to regulation are required.  Luna has served those staying at the Ronald McDonald House and Residential Services Inc in Chapel Hill – see the collage below.  Unfortunately, the pandemic crisis has made such service impossible in recent months.  Chris and Luna look forward to seeing their friend again as soon as things can return to normal.

If you have any questions about therapy dogs, feel free to contact Chris at cridley42@icloud.com.

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Where in the Village Are... ?

This month, a puzzle that offers something a little different.  Recently Maarten Simon-Thomas, a village resident who is a fine woodworker, carved a series of 13 models.  Each is a copy of a bird that might be seen in the village or nearby.

Maarten and his wife Betty placed the models in the woods along the North Langdon Nature Trail, and they invite you look for them.  The trailhead is on Millcroft, across the road from The Knolls.  Look for a sign to “Natural Habit Restoration”.

Some birds are fairly easy to spot, others are quite difficult.  Of course, like the real birds, please leave them alone, and do not disturb them.  But unlike real birds they will not deliberately try to hide or fly away as you approach. 

To give you a sense of what to look for, close-ups of the 13 birds are provided below.  If you need more help, photographs of the birds showing a wider view of their location are posted on the FHA website, at

https://www.fearringtonfha.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6471.

Birds of the North Langdon Nature Trail

 

Top row, left to right:  Great Horned Owl, Kingfisher, Robin, Indigo Bunting. 

Middle row, left to right:  Eastern Towhee, Baltimore Oriole, Tufted Titmouse, Prothonotary Warbler. 

Bottom row, left to right:  Cardinal, Blue Jay, Red Cockaded Woodpecker, Piedmont Barn Owl. 

Inset:  Black Throated Warbler.

 

The answers to last month’s “Where in the village” puzzle will be provided next month, in case you would still like to attempt solving the puzzle.  It turned out to be quite difficult.  The winning Fearrington Savant was Rita Bergevin, who spent at least 13 hours in search of the four locations.  Second place went to Maarten Simon-Thomas, third place to Barbara Harris.  Congratulations to all who knew any of the answers.

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Coming Next Month

The July issue of the Newsletter Supplement will contain an article about local vegetation, written by a true plant lover.  There will also be an article about the gardens of Fearrington and the gardeners who take care of them.  And who knows what other surprises?  As always, attractive photos are very welcome.

 

Supplement Editor:  Gordon Pitz, communications@fhaboard.org. Send photos (with caption, location, and credit) to the above address.  Please send high quality files, resized to 1000 pixels on the longest dimension.  If you are not sure how to do that, please contact us at the above address. With many thanks to Jack Brinn, Tony Daniels, and Jim Brooking for their help and advice, and to all those who have been kind enough to provide photos.

FEARRINGTON  HOMEOWNERS  ASSOCIATION  NEWSLETTER
June 2021        Volume 40        Number 6

President's Message

Magic in the Village

A village means that you are not alone, knowing that in the people, the trees, the earth there is something that belongs to you, waiting for you when you are not there.

—from The Moon and the Bonfire, by Cesare Pavese

I grew up in a small town in Ohio, and I remember it fondly. There was a kind of magic to life there. People formed close relationships in neighborhoods and came together to help each other through problems. When relatives grew old and were alone, they often came to live with other family members. My great-grandmother came to live with us as I was growing up, and she lived to be almost 100. It added to my experience in a wonderful way. In our town it was not considered “magic,” simply normal. Yet looking back, it was indeed magic.

For many of us, that magic disappeared as we moved into an era where children moved away to cities for their careers. City life is very different. It was later in life for most of us when we chose to move to Fearrington Village, for many different reasons, but I believe we all wanted to capture some of that feeling we had lost.

Because I am often out walking my dog, and because of the role I have played in the FHA, I meet a lot of people and hear many stories. For example, I recently was discussing dog walking and was told how neighbors had pitched in to walk and care for the much-loved dog of a seriously ill resident. We all know how neighbors here help each other when health or other issues arise. What affects my old heart even more are the stories of people who act as caregivers for their spouse or another family member—even though they may have physical limitations of their own.

Before moving here, I served as volunteer executive director of a home health agency, providing home health aides and other services to over 700 low-income elderly or disabled people. I learned a lot about the struggles people face for themselves and the stresses on caregivers. So, all the care our residents give to each other, or the support they provide to caregivers, is incredibly special.

In our village, I work with a wonderful group of people on our FHA Board. They are all quite different in backgrounds and come from different areas of the country. Each has his or her own views on any subject. Sometimes we argue, but in the end, we come together in the best aspects of a team. Each spends considerable time and effort on FHA business, yet no-one has anything to gain from this other than the satisfaction of working for the benefit of everyone in the village.

Even the worst curmudgeon must admit that this is surely a form of magic in our village.

We are looking for more residents to join that team to fill out our FHA board as we head into 2022. Please, if you are interested, and if you too would enjoy the satisfaction of working as a member of a team, send a note to our Vice President, Rose Krasnow (vp@fhaboard.org). Rose will, I hope, be our president starting next November. That alone reassures me about how well the FHA will care for our village.

Home is the place where, when you have to go there, they have to take you in.

—from The Death of the Hired Man, by Robert Frost

—Carl Angel, president@fhaboard.org

 

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From Our FHA Board

 

 

Wastewater Treatment Update

Plans are moving ahead to upgrade the Fearrington Village Wastewater Treatment Plant. Fitch Utilities’ engineer is currently finishing the final in-house review of the plans. They will then need to get cost estimates from vendors and contractors, apply to the state (Division of Water Resources) for review and approval, and get a sediment and erosion control approval from the county. Since no work can begin until they have the necessary approvals, everything is dependent upon the timing of the review agencies, so we can’t yet tell you when the work will start.

The new treatment plant train will have aerated sludge storage tanks just as the existing one does, but the volume of the storage tanks will be substantially larger than was provided in the original tanks. The project also provides a better means for transferring waste sludge to the larger storage tanks. This is beneficial when the sludge hauler’s disposal sites are too wet, due to lots of wet weather, to allow sludge applications. The hauler has to leave the sludge on-site in this case.

Even though a new holding tank is being added on the existing site, the overall capacity of the plant will remain the same. Given the age of our existing tanks, Fitch Utilities plans to take each tank offline, one at a time, so they can completely scour it, make any necessary repairs, and recoat it. This work can only be done if the new tank is added, so that there will always be enough capacity to handle the current volume of wastewater. The changes being made should also improve the quality of the effluent being discharged into Bush Creek.

—Rose Krasnow (vp@fhaboard.org)

 

 

Hurricane Season Starts Early This Year. Are You Prepared?

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) has moved the official start of the hurricane season from June 1st to May 15th. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Climate Prediction Center forecasts an above-average season, with 14 named storms and 7 reaching hurricane strength. Three or four are predicted to become category 3, 4, or 5 storms

Chatham County is 170 miles from the coast. Nevertheless, Fearrington and the remainder of the county have been directly impacted by past storms, and, in the near future, are likely to be affected again. The NOAA map illustrates how many hurricanes have passed near us during the last 160 years.

Being Prepared

Loss of power for several days, structural damage caused by wind and falling trees, and even flooding, are all possibilities with a strong storm. NOW is the time to start thinking about what you would do without electricity for days and with your home damaged by falling trees. In the past, the NHC has given the county a seven-day window to prepare for the possibility of an approaching storm. You may believe this gives you time to prepare, but NOW is the best time to develop a hurricane plan of action.

The Health, Safety and Security Committee’s Emergency Preparation web site goes into detail on how to prepare in advance for a coming storm. You and your family should review this information. You can access a convenient two-page PDF file on the FHA website.

Here are some additional points to keep in mind when preparing:

1. Charge all electronic devices̶—cell phones, laptops, iPads, etc. Remember to have chargers with you if you leave.
2. Keep a full tank of gas in your car. Do not park under or near trees that could fall on the car.
3. Have enough cash on hand. Cash machines will not work if there is no power.
4. In the event that you must evacuate your home, the county will activate a facility as a refuge to allow impacted residents to get out of harm’s way until they can make other arrangements. However, Covid-19, lack of privacy, and limited bathrooms and showers make a shelter an unattractive place to spend much time. It is better to stay with out-of-town friends or relatives if you can.
5. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recommends a two 2-week supply of water, or one gallon a day for each person. If there is an interruption of water service, it’s not a bad idea to fill up a bathtub with water to use in order to flush toilets.
6. Keep credit cards, insurance documents, current phone numbers, and passcodes ready to go with you.

You can call the Chatham Emergency operations center at 919-545-8181 with any questions during a weather event.

Illustrations taken from the Chatham Emergency Response Team website.

—Warren Ort, Health, Safety, and Security Committee

  

 

Robocalls: What You Should Know About Them

If you answer the phone and hear a recorded message instead of a live person, it’s a robocall. If you’re getting a lot of robocalls trying to sell you something, odds are the calls are illegal. Many are also probably scams.

Yes, a robocall trying to sell you something is illegal unless the company has your written permission to call you. Current Federal Trade Commission (FTC) rules allow some exceptions. Examples of calls allowed without permission are political calls, calls that are purely informational (e.g., weather warnings), debt collection calls, calls from some health care providers (provided they are not trying to sell you anything), and messages from charities, provided the charities make the call themselves. If a charity hires someone to make robocalls on its behalf, the robocalls can only go to members of the charity or to previous donors. They also must include an automated option to let you stop future calls.

So what should you do if you get an illegal robocall?

Unfortunately, robocalls are cheap, and it is easy for scammers and telemarketers to make calls over the internet from anywhere in the world.

Hang up. Don’t press any number. The recording might say that pressing a number will let you speak to a live operator or remove you from their call list, but it might instead lead to your receiving more calls. (The same goes for junk emails or spam that you receive on your computer. Do not click to unsubscribe, as doing so could result in only more spam.)

You may be able to reduce unwanted calls by using the FTC Do Not Call Registry. Go to donotcall.gov, or call 888-382-1222 from the phone you want to register. There is no charge to register your phone. If you receive an unwanted call after your number has been on the National Registry for 31 days, you can report it to the FTC. Report the number given on your caller ID and any number that you were told to call back.

This article was taken from the FTC consumer information website, consumer.ftc.gov.

—Warren Ort, Health, Safety, and Security Committee

 

 

Food Trucks at Fearrington

Perhaps the pandemic has left you tired of eating the same home cooking every night? At the request of residents who felt that way, the FHA Board has agreed to have food trucks serving outside the Gathering Place on a trial basis. Volunteers agreed to organize the enterprise, and while we initially hoped to have six trucks over the course of six weeks, the reality is that trucks book weeks (if not months) in advance. The good news is that there are five trucks scheduled to visit the Village over the next several weeks. The details are provided on the accompanying flyer, which provides web links to menus. Also, worth mentioning is the food being offered appeals to all, with a full range of vegetarian items alongside seafood, poultry, and meat.

The trucks will be in The Gathering Place Parking Lot from 5 to 7:30 pm on the dates given. Some trucks let you order ahead online, but not all. The expectation is that after you place your order and pick up your food, you will take it back home to eat. There will be no tables set up by the truck, and the Fitch’s have asked that residents not use the seating and tables at the Goat or at the Roost. Please avoid using the Village Center as a place to consume the food.

If this initial trial is successful, we hope it will be possible to encourage other trucks to visit the Village.

—Rose Krasnow, (vp@fhaboard.org)

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Features

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Announcements

 

Fearrington Groups and Organizations

 

June Mah Jongg!!

The Dragons are Ready to Play!

Fearrington Dragons Mah Jongg plays on the second Saturday of the month from 1-4 pm. We will play on Saturday, June 12, at 1 pm. We meet at The Gathering Place and will play under their guidelines. (Read the policy.)

As such we must limit our number to 36. (Sign up for a space.) Because of this limitation, it is important to cancel if you discover you are not able to play so someone else can take your spot. Annual dues have been waived for 2021.

Bring your own beverage; no food is allowed.

These games are for experienced players.

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.

 

 

Fearrington Duplicate Bridge Club

“Take a Detour from the Ordinary: Play Bridge”

Fearrington Duplicate Bridge Club meets every Wednesday in June. Our game is held at The Gathering Place beginning at 1 pm. We play 24 boards.

Since each partnership is compared to others who have points in their range, you can be successful regardless of your ability level. We also welcome observers so you can learn if it is right for you. Generally, we have five or more tables. We then ask that you come with your Covid-19 vaccination notification, your own drink (should you want one), and $7 (which covers the cost of the handouts, use of the room, and supplies). The first time you play with us, there is no cost.

Should you be a single, you may bring someone outside of Fearrington who also has a love of duplicate bridge.

Any questions? Please contact Jean Hjelle, 919-548-6216.

 

 

Fearrington Film Club

Covid-19 restrictions are relaxing, and we look forward to a time when the Film Club can resume showing movies at The Gathering Place. The guidelines that are in place by the FHA will be followed. There will be no popcorn and treats until the “No Food” restriction is relaxed or removed. We’re eager to see familiar faces and new ones. All past paid memberships will be honored, and we’ll welcome new members and guests once guidelines are in place that will allow us to show movies safely and at a level that is comfortable for audience and Film Club team members.

 

 

NEW! Fearrington RV Club?

We are RV enthusiasts and now own a 25-foot motorhome. From 2015 to 2017, we lived full-time in our 5th wheel and travelled the country. I would like to explore the possibility of starting an RV Club in Fearrington. If you are interested in gathering with other RV enthusiasts to discuss RV'ing and your favorite places to RV, please email Cathy Janis at cathyjanis@gmail.com.

 

 

Fearrington Swim & Croquet Club

Summertime is here! Plan to escape to the club to cool off in the pool and to relax on our deck and lawn. This year several tables and chairs are set up for picnics and games on the upper lawn where volleyball, tether ball, horseshoes, shuffleboard, cornhole and badminton games are available. You may want to find out if any food trucks are planned for the evening before you make dinner this season. Food truck details will be posted on our bulletin board as we get more information.

The water aerobics class schedule is on our website and also posted on the pool bulletin board where last-minute updates are added.

Looking for a croquet partner or foursome? Ask to be added to the Croquet Players list. The list will be shared with members interested in setting up play. Contact Jan Droke at jantomdro@gmail.com.

We’re looking forward to welcoming new and renewing members this year. Dues are not increasing. Former members who did not join or who did not suspend their membership last year may pay the suspension fee now ($25 per adult member) and avoid the reinstatement fee of $100. To find our website, go to the Swim and Croquet page under the Group Section of the FHA website. If you have questions send an email to: fearringtonswimcroquet@gmail.com.

 

 

Fearrington Village Singers

How Singing Influences Our Health

The Fearrington Village Singers want to share the following benefits of singing—whether you sing in the shower or want to join us in the fall (if the pandemic allows). Experts recommend singing for at least 5 minutes daily, equating the benefits with that of physical exercise. (Adapted from AdiDisha Yoga.)

• Singing communicates to the body the “right” vibes that increase our vitality
• When singing, special chemicals release in the human brain that help us feel peace and joy
• Singing improves blood circulation in the throat area, which has a beneficial effect on vocal cords, tonsils, and numerous lymph nodes in the throat—and therefore significantly increases local immunity (in other words, we rarely catch colds)
• Singing improves the blood supply, which leads to brain activity intensification—the brain starts working more intensely, memory improves, any information is easier to perceive
• Singing is very useful for lung diseases, as it creates respiratory gymnastics that promote the development of chest and proper breathing, while significantly reducing the number of acute lung conditions
• With regular singing, the levels of immunoglobulin and hydrocortisone, which are signs of good immunity, increase in the body
• Singing has led to methods that treat stuttering and help improve diction
• Singing is used even in the fight against obesity—when nourished people still feel hunger pangs, singing two or three songs instead of eating helps to alleviate the urge to eat
• Singing improves blood supply in the head and generally rejuvenates the body, improving skin condition

 

 

Women of Fearrington

Activities of Women of Fearrington are winding down now for the summer break. We celebrated our successful, if unusual, year with a luncheon and tour at Lavender Oaks Farm in late May and look forward to a “new normal” year beginning in the fall!

WoF members with a birthday in April, May, or June will celebrate at lunch from 12:00—2:00 pm on Thursday, June 10. Each person orders in advance from The Belted Goat, where we can enjoy outdoor dining.

We plan on holding more birthday lunches in the coming months for those with birthdays in the second half of the year. For more information, contact Eileen McCorry: mccorrye@gmail.com. Please register here if you plan to attend in June.

For continuing up to date information, do check our website, www.womenoffearrington.org.

 

 

Community Agencies

Chatham Connecting

June is a great month to get going and get active. Chatham Connecting, www.chathamconnecting.org, lists more than 100 non-profits in our county that need help with donations and your volunteer time. With schools closed for the summer, check out our website’s special button that connects directly to youth volunteer opportunities. For adults, you can search for agencies or organizations needing volunteers and specific donations by clicking on one of the volunteer categories, with further information listed by both volunteer activity and interest. And if you prefer to work from home, we have a button that lists those opportunities. Chatham Connecting is a one-stop website to learn about all volunteer opportunities in our neighborhood. We thank you for your support.

 

 

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Fearrington Cares Staff News

Fearrington Cares is delighted to welcome Teresa Balatico (teresa@fearringtoncares.org) as the new Administrative Coordinator and at the same time wish Pat Skiver a happy retirement! Although Pat nominally retired years ago when she moved from Michigan to NC, she subsequently became the first direct employee of Fearrington Cares and has served creatively and generously since 2008. Years of Board volunteers (especially treasurers!) and FC staff have been inspired by her big heart and have been enriched by her friendship. We are all grateful for her service!

Good fortune continues to shine on Fearrington Cares as we welcome Teresa. After an extensive search and now several days of orientation, we are discovering Teresa’s talents and compassion for others. Previous work has prepared her well for the multiple aspects of the role of Administrative Coordinator.

 

 

Three Sauces, Two Sides, and One Chicken: A Zoom Cooking Class

Thursday, June 10, 7:00 pm via Zoom

Nationally certified personal chef, former hospitality manager, and restaurateur, Leslie Chartier, is now the Chef/Owner of The Travelling Cafe (thetravellingcafe.com), where she offers a custom meal delivery service, dinner party catering, and cooking classes. At the Cafe’s culinary studio in Pittsboro, she and other local chefs teach and entertain via online, in-home private, and in-studio public cooking classes. She is also renowned for her bespoke cakes for special occasions and weddings. Leslie received her formal culinary training and bachelor’s degree in Hospitality Management at Chatham County Community College. She was a class lead and culinary instructor for The Cooking School at Southern Season during its final two years.

Leslie will instruct us in the preparation of Mustard-Tarragon Cream Sauce (a tasty French classic), Zhoug (Israeli Spicy Cilantro Pesto), and Monkey Gland Sauce from South Africa (no monkeys will be harmed in the making of this Zoom class!). She will show us how to make haricot verts and new potatoes to accompany a roasted chicken and complete the lesson by using leftovers to prepare cold chicken and potato salads. Recipes will be provided.

 

 

Advance Directive Check-Up

No one should receive less care than they desire when living with a disability or chronic condition. How much medical care would you want if you had Alzheimer’s disease or another type of dementia? Many of us have real concerns that cognitive decline might impair our last years, but advance directives or living wills typically do not document our wishes in this specific situation. Unfortunately, dementia is an important factor that prevents people from guiding their own care. If, when you review your own documents, you find you want to add specific directives for dementia, a form may be downloaded from the nonprofit website dementia-directive.org.

 

 

Ambassador, Anyone?

Have you been wondering how to help maintain the high quality of life that Fearrington Village provides? One good way to “give back” is to serve as an Ambassador for Fearrington Cares. The main job of an Ambassador is to greet new neighbors soon after they move in and acquaint them with the services and programs of Fearrington Cares. Also, each Ambassador is asked to host at least two informal get-togethers a year—simple coffees or wine and cheese socials to which both new and established neighbors are invited to come, meet one another, and learn about current Fearrington Cares services.

Fearrington Village has twelve Ambassadors now, but we are seeking many more to cover every neighborhood. We need Ambassadors for Bush Creek, Camden Park South, Countryhouse Closes(except Weymouth), Henderson Place, the Historic District, The Knolls, McDowell Place, Montgomery, Richmond, Rutherford Close, and The Woods.

Please contact one of the following people if you’d like to know more about becoming a Fearrington Cares Ambassador: Janine Griffin (336-209-4204, jkgriffin001@gmail.com), Anne Henkels (919-542-2164, henkelsanne@gmail.com), Cathy Somer (919-533-6559, cathysomer2@gmail.com), or Karen Metzguer (919-542-6877, karen@fearringtoncares.org).

 

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

Zoom Movement Classes, Support Groups, and Education Programs links are on our website, www.fearringtoncares.org. Click on the blue Zoom button on our home page and scroll to the correct program/class/support group. If you would like to practice a Zoom connection and meeting, email info@fearringtoncares.org and we will set that up.

 

 

Join Movement Classes via Zoom www.fearringtoncares.org All classes 11:30 am Mondays—Chair Yoga Wednesdays—Otago Fall-Prevention Exercises Thursdays—Line Dancing	Join Support Groups via Zoom www.fearringtoncares.org Caregiver's Support Group: Wednesdays, June 2 and 16, 12:30–2:00 pm Living with Chronic Conditions: Thursday, June 3 and 17, 1:00 pm Parkinson's Support Group: No June meeting
Health Services Offered at the Fearrington Cares Center Nurse Consultation: Appointment required, call 919-542-6877 Foot Clinic: Thursday, June 17, appointment required, call 919-542-6877	Support Groups Meeting in Person Alcoholics Anonymous: Mondays 10 am, Fearrington Cares Center

 

 

Are Pet Owners Healthier? Our Pets & Our Hearts

We all know our pets warm our hearts with their unconditional love and acceptance, but do you know how good they are for the physical health of our hearts as well?

1. Pet owners have lower blood pressures, lower cholesterol levels, and lower triglyceride levels than non-pet owners, all of which reduce risk factors for cardiovascular disease. These markers also decrease after pet adoption. (American Heart Association)

2. When pet owners encounter physical or psychological stress, they show smaller increases in heart rate and blood pressure and a faster return to baseline values after the stress has ended. The reactivity to stress is even lower and recovery faster when the person’s own pet is present. This resilience in the face of stress reduces cardiovascular risk. (American Heart Association)

3. Petting and stroking a dog or cat decreases levels of cortisol (the stress hormone) and increases levels of serotonin (the “feel good” hormone). (Cleveland Clinic) Petting an animal also releases oxytocin, a hormone associated with bonding. (Scientific American) All of these chemical reactions benefit heart health and create a sense of physical and mental well-being as a bonus.

The responsibility of a pet is not for everyone; if you choose it, Fearrington Cares encourages an ongoing thoughtful review of safety in your home with a pet. When we open our hearts to our pets, they may repay us by helping to keep those very same hearts healthy. In return for our care of them, our pets can take care of us, not only emotionally, but physically. Chatham Animal Rescue and Education (CARE) is a non-profit animal welfare organization that promotes responsible pet ownership through educating the community, providing targeted spay-neuter programs, and fostering homeless dogs and cats until they are placed in loving, permanent homes. Please visit them at www.chathamanimalrescue.org.

 

 

Swallowing Disorders Support Group

If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with dysphagia or another swallowing disorder, you are invited to join a local support group facilitated by speech pathologist Nancy Vallejo Smith that meets via Zoom. Email SSGCarolinas@gmail.com for more details and a link to join. Additional information is found on the National Foundation of Swallowing Disorders website at swallowingdisorderfoundation.com/swallowing-support-groups/.

  

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Welcome to Our New Residents!

The following persons were added to the Fearrington Village Directory between April 15 and May 14:

 

Are you a new resident? Visit the website at https://fearringtonfha.org and on the top menu click on “Directory.” Then, in the drop-down menus click first on “New Resident” then “List Me in the Directory.” and fill in the resulting form to let the web team know of your arrival.

Then, in the "Login Form" on the upper left, click "Create an account" and follow the instructions. Doing so will give you full access to website features. The account activation process is described here:

https://www.fearringtonfha.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=87

Are you an existing resident whose contact information has changed? Don’t forget to update your listing on the FearringtonFHA.org web site. On the landing page, click on the Directory tab on the top menu and then on Update Preferences on the drop-down menu. When you update your contact information online, the updates will be included in the FHA Directory & Handbook printed in January each year. Stay in touch with your fellow residents by keeping your contact information current.

 

 

 

June 2021 Calendar

The Gathering Place is open with Covid-19 guidelines in place. These guidelines will impact the way group meetings are held. Check with the listed contact person for more information about any restrictions.

 

 

A New Brood of Ducklings in Camden Park 

Sophie, Mama Mallard, and ducklings    Photo by Josie Dickson 

HOMEOWNERS’  ASSOCIATION  NEWSLETTER
March 2021        Volume 40       Number 3

President's Message

Hare and Usness

I think I saw the March Hare bounding through the woods, telling us that Spring is just ahead. Plants and trees will be blooming, which always gives us a spirit of renewal. As FHA faces the challenges of 2021 and beyond, we hope that this spirit will inspire more of us to offer to help in some way. We all depend on what I call “Usness.”

Spring, Usness, and renewal will, I hope include thoughts such as: What have our lives been like for the last 12 months? What can we change to make things better? What do I value most in the village? What can I do to promote those values?

Fearrington Village is much more than a village; it’s the size of a small town. But it retains one essential character of a village—we all care about our neighbors. To preserve the features we love, there are tasks that need to be accomplished, some of them highly skilled, some quite routine. Large towns have paid staff to do most of this, but we do not. We rely on the old-fashioned idea of doing for ourselves.

Like many residents, an important part of moving to Fearrington Village for my wife Kathleen and I was what we saw as a chance to be in a neighborhood where people shared common goals and faced the issues of “aging in place” together, i.e., Usness. A personal example of that in action this past year came when my wife broke her ankle. Word spread quickly across our neighborhood, and our friends volunteered to form a roster to bring food to us. They were genuinely concerned about Kathleen’s well-being (and I suspect held concerns about my skills as a caregiver).

The FHA Board is simply a group of residents who volunteer to represent all of us. Terms of our directors are limited and subject to elections so that there is some rotation among us. This ensures we stay grounded in addressing what we genuinely want to have done. You have seen that spirit recently in the Community Survey, which helped to inform our board about what residents want. The FHA board depends on the many volunteers who help get things accomplished. This improved newsletter, for example, would not be possible without volunteers, and our progress on Wastewater Management was achieved because of the talented people who joined our vice president to form a task force.

Many of you know that we have been searching for someone to take the role of Secretary to our Board. It is not an easy role to fill, and the term itself may be misleading; this person is a member of our executive committee who does much more than take minutes and maintain files. As an example of residents taking on volunteer roles, Pam Bailey has stepped forward to fill much of that role while we search for a person to fill the position on a longer-term basis. Even then, Pam wants to stay involved in a volunteer role.

You will see often in this newsletter that we are searching for volunteers for different purposes. We plan to bring more structure into recruiting and assigning volunteers from the rich talent bank in our village, and Pam Bailey hopes to become very active in this effort. Please consider volunteering. It is “us helping us.” Chris Jaeger, Director of Community Affairs, is preparing a list of roles that need to be filled, some requiring certain talents or interests, some that just need some of your time and energy. Some would be long-term commitments; some would be occasional jobs that need doing. I think you might find a slot that you think would be satisfying and fulfilling for you and a great help to others.

I once saw a comment about volunteering: “Noah’s Ark was built by volunteers; the Titanic was built by professionals.” Those of us involved in preserving our village are not professionals at it. It does mean, though, that these may be the only jobs you can find where you are guaranteed a 50% pay raise every year.

—Carl Angel, president@fhaboard.org

 

 

 

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From the Editors

Newsletter Naming Contest Result—We Have Our New Name

Last fall, we announced a contest to rebrand our forty-year-old FHA newsletter. Soon thereafter, readers submitted 51 names for consideration. In January, we invited the community to vote for their favorite among our five finalists, which were: The Fearrington Villager, The Fearrington Post, The Belted Gazette, The Fearrington Times, and The Fearrington Chronicle.

And the number one choice? Receiving 30% of the 447 votes cast, the winner is The Belted Gazette.
Our team is gratified the winning name will allow us to feature a Beltie as our newsletter mascot. Even better, John Webster, the resident submitting the winning name, is a genuine fan of the Belted Galloway cow.

Since we conceived of this contest last summer, I’ve learned it takes time, work, and patience to find just the right name and design the perfect new look to go with it. For now, we are doing the housework necessary to launch a new name and look later this spring. April is our goal, but we want to get it right, not fast.

A shout-out to resident Steve Stewart for his help with our poll on Survey Monkey, the FHA’s online survey tool that helped us find our winning name.

We will feature an article about contest winner, John Webster, when we roll out our new name and look in an upcoming issue.

—Ann Melchior, Manager

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From Our FHA Board

 

 

FHA Open Meeting: Survey Responses and Beechmast Pond

An open meeting for residents was held via a webinar on Tuesday, February 16. The meeting was attended by 210 registered residents. This is probably an underestimate of the number of viewers, since several couples may have watched together with only one person signing in.

FHA President Carl Angel gave an introductory address in which he described the difficulties we have encountered as Associa/HRW took over management responsibilities from Towne Properties and steps the company has taken to make sure operations run smoothly from now on.

Steve Stewart, a member of the Lifestyle Subcommittee, summarized the results of the recent community assessment survey. A 53% return rate for the survey suggests that the results give an accurate picture of what residents value most about living here and what concerns them. Most appreciated are the attractiveness of the village, the neighbors, the walking trails, neighborhood safety, and Fearrington Cares. Of most concern are wastewater issues, the future of the community after the developer leaves, the Village Center, and infrastructure issues.

Tony Daniels, FHA Treasurer, discussed the implications of the survey for future action. He pointed out that some concerns, e.g., the Village Center, are not under control of the FHA. He noted that most residents say they are willing to help in addressing their major concerns, and he discussed how important it is that residents step forward to volunteer their services. The Board hopes to match the skills and abilities of those who would be willing to help with the needs the committees have to find volunteers.

Jesse Fearrington, Director, Grounds and Lanscaping, discussed the issues involved in maintaining Beechmast Pond. Maintaining the pond is one of the larger expense items in the FHA budget, and the cost is increasing every year. Erosion in the watershed generates sediment that is gradually filling the pond. Regular dredging is expensive and cannot maintain an adequate water depth. There is a distinct possibility that future developments will make the situation worse.

Last year the Board commissioned a study by Kris Bass Engineering (KBE) to see if there might be a more cost-effective way to deal with these problems. Based on their study, KBE presented three different approaches to developing a long-range solution. The October issue of the Newsletter contains an article describing the three alternatives. The solutions were described, along with the costs of implementing each. The Board’s preference is for removing the pond and restoring the stream to its natural flow. This option is the most expensive initially, but long-term costs would be the lowest, especially if construction costs increase.

Tony Daniels then discussed funding issues raised by the Beechmast Pond options. He summarized the existing capital expense improvement plan, which addresses needs that might arise in the next 20 years. He explained how an investment in Beechmast Pond might be covered with some reallocation of funds, e.g., from a planned expansion of The Gathering Place. He also emphasized how factors beyond our control make the need for an early decision critical.

One more open meeting is planned for April, in which residents will have a chance to discuss the issue further. A survey of residents is planned for early May, with a decision about the direction to be taken being made by the end of May.

Residents attending the webinar were able to ask questions of the panel. Over 50 questions were submitted, some dealing with the two main topics, others addressing issues not discussed in the presentations. The panel provided answers to some of the questions, primarily those dealing with Beechmast Pond. Answers to all the questions were provided afterwards and are available on the FHA website. If the answers are not available when this issue of the newsletter first becomes available, they will be provided as soon as possible. A recording of the webinar is also available for a limited period of time and can be accessed from the same site.

—Gordon Pitz, Director, Communications (communications@fhaboard.org)

 

 

Accessing the FHA Website

Last month I tried to explain how easy it is to access the FHA website from the Newsletter. In fact, if you are reading the newsletter online, you are already looking at the website. The menu is at the top of your screen window and tapping the small panel with the sketch of the Beltie will take you to the home page. (Please don’t do that yet unless you know how to use the back button on your browser to get back here).

You do not need to be logged in to the website in order to access a lot of useful information, but one or two important features do require you to have an account and to log in. This month I’ll explain how to create an account and log in. As with many online operations, it’s not difficult if you know what to look for.

You can find a good description of what to do at the following link:

https://www.fearringtonfha.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=87&Itemid=1019

An abbreviated version is provided here. It will be helpful if you have a way to read this, or what is provided at the link given above, while separately entering data into a second web page. Otherwise, you may need to take notes on what follows.

If you are not logged in, you will see a warning at the top of the page (left).

If you already have an account, go to the home page and enter your username and password where indicated in the column on the left (you do remember your username and password, right?). However, if you do not have an account, you should click on “Create an account” (outlined here in red).

This will bring up a form for you to fill in. Only Fearrington residents may have accounts, so a manager will check your name and email address. Under “Name,” provide both first and last name. Provide a username or user ID, which must be unique, and an email address, which must also be different from any other user’s.

Finally, you will need to pass a test to prove that you are not a robot (you’re not, are you?). Don’t worry—the test is not hard, and if you do get it wrong, you can try again.

There is one more step in the verification process. As soon as your form is submitted, an email will be sent to you. If you think you did not get one, check your spam folder. The email will contain a verification link that you should tap. When you do this, website managers will be able to confirm that you are a resident. This may take several hours, but you will then receive another email confirming your registration. You may now log in, and begin further exploration of the website.
Next month I’ll point out some of the features you can access, both with and without an account.

Happy browsing.

—Gordon Pitz (communications@fhaboard.org)

  

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Features

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Announcements

 

Fearrington Groups and Organizations

 

Fearrington Bulls & Bears

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

Guests are welcome to participate in a meeting or in our email exchange group to gauge their interest in joining the Club. The next meeting will be held by Zoom on March 12, at 9:30 am.

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

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

 

 

Fearrington Democratic Club

The Democratic Club’s March speaker will be NC State Senator Jeff Jackson, candidate for the US Senate in 2022. Senator Jackson is an Afghanistan veteran, former assistant district attorney, and current captain in the Army National Guard. First elected to the NC Senate in 2014, he has made statewide and national news for his commitment to ending HB2 (the ‘bathroom bill’), gerrymandering, and the ‘consent loophole’ in connection with sexual assault.

For the Zoom link, use the contact form on the Club’s website (FearringtonDems.org/contact-us). Please register soon to reserve a place; if your plans change, please cancel your registration through the Zoom link. We hope to see you on Tuesday, March 23, at 7:00 pm.

 

 

Fearrington Genealogy Group

Tuesday, March 9, 3:00 pm, Zoom Teleconference

Program details will be emailed to members around March 1. We have been holding Zoom sessions since September and have enjoyed interesting and diverse presentations by our club members. It has been great to be in touch with one another during the past six months.

Newcomers are welcome. Contact Linda Grimm at 919-533-6296 for details on participating.

 

 

Fearrington Havurah

Please join us for our next Webinar on Tuesday, March 2, at 7 pm when Havurah member Jan Doolin discusses mindfulness and meditation.

This presentation will focus on what is meditation and the nine forms of meditation, with emphasis on mindfulness meditation. We will briefly explore meditation practices in the five major religions and the many benefits of meditation. Jan has identified six skills for practicing mindfulness, and we will together do short, guided meditations: the “One Breath Meditation” and “The Loving Kindness Meditation.”

Jan is a retired attorney and is now a registered yoga teacher, teaching yoga, Pilates, and meditation, with 20 years of teaching experience. She teaches privately and conducts meditation classes throughout the year in her home studio. She also offers a weekly meditation circle here in Fearrington and on Zoom.

To register in advance for this webinar, use the following link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_MtHlUkzGS_SPgVr_gWWmgQ

 

 

Fearrington Republican Club

The Fearrington Republican Club anticipates meeting again when The Gathering Place re-opens, and we are in a safer time. We hope that many have received or are in the queue to receive their vaccines soon.

In the meantime, the Chatham County Republicans welcome us to their annual CC GOP Convention on March 20. The program includes local speakers and party elections. It is currently planned as a virtual event. Any registered Republican voter can sign up at the website: chathamncgop.com.

 

 

Fearrington Swim & Croquet Club

Summer will be here soon, and it will be time to start enjoying the Swim & Croquet Club pools and activities! Planning is underway to ensure we have another successful season, taking into consideration county and state regulations and CDC guidelines.

The opening date for the pools is planned for early May. When this date is finalized and more information is available about any changes in requirements related to protecting against Covid-19, additional information will be provided.

Residents will be able to join the Club or renew their membership beginning in mid-March. Look for additional information then.

You can learn more about the Club now by visiting the Swim and Croquet page under the Group Section of the FHA website: www.fearringtofha.org. You may also email questions to fearringtonswimcroquet@gmail.com

 

 

Fearrington Village Singers

Julie Taymor Presentation
Thursday, March 25, 4 pm

Theatre, opera, and film lovers, get ready! Fearrington Village Singers’ own Mike Hardy will feature The World of Julie Taymor: The Lion King, The Magic Flute, Spider-Man, and more. Mike will introduce this massively important theatre director, show her TED talk, and close with a Q & A based on his forty years in the theatre world. Good-bye Rodgers and Hammerstein. Hello Taymor and beyond. One of a number of tradition-breaking and making directors from the past 30 years, Taymor’s distinctive style moved from her experimental work to Broadway, the Metropolitan Opera, and cinema.

Zoom link available on fearringtonvillagesingers.org homepage.

 

 

Fearrington Yacht Club

Ahoy, Mates! It looks like we may be able to get out of the doldrums of the Covid-19 virus by the fall. On that optimistic note, we should start to plan for a fall trip and the annual FYC meeting/chowder dinner. Please contact Maggie Tunstall if you have ideas, suggestions, or would just like to help to get the Yacht Club up and sailing again. FYC Membership is open to residents of Fearrington Village and Galloway Ridge. NO YACHT REQUIRED! Members who paid dues for 2020 are automatically enrolled for 2021 at no additional cost. For event information and a membership
form, log onto the FYC page at: https://dev.fearringtonfha.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=155&Itemid=1197 

For general membership questions, contact Treasurer Sally Muncy, 919-619-8817. For club activities, or to volunteer with events, contact Commodore Maggie Tunstall at 919-542-0031.

 

 

Women of Fearrington

Come on a socially distanced road trip on March 11, at 11 am to the studio of Paperhand Puppet Intervention in Saxapahaw to learn how they use puppetry and performance to promote justice, equality, and peace by making merry with myth and memory. Cost of the tour is $20, with optional lunch at Eddy Pub.

Another road trip will be Wednesday, March 31, at 11 am to Cape Fear Botanical Gardens in Fayetteville, followed by optional lunch at the Garden Café and then an optional extended hike through the Gardens.

Plan now to join us April 17 for “Paws for a Cause,” a spring stroll with a friend, two-legged or four-legged, to benefit women and children in need in Chatham County.

Paula De Pano, Beverage Director of Fearrington House Restaurant, will speak at the General Meeting webinar Wednesday, March 17, 1:30 pm.

Register for any road trips or webinars at WomenOfFearrington.org.

 

 

Chatham County Agencies

Chatham Connecting

The season is changing, spring is nearly here, the daffodils are heading, and it is time for fresh starts. Thinking of how to get involved with the wider Chatham Community? This is a good time to check out Chatham Connecting www.chathamconnecting.org, an online resource that lists the volunteer and donation needs of 100+ nonprofit service agencies. The site installed a “Volunteer from Home” button to help locate opportunities during the pandemic. For example, Second Bloom is looking for volunteers with its domestic violence help line; CORA offers opportunities for individuals, youth, and groups to join in the fight against hunger; and the Chatham County Historical Association needs fundraisers. By clicking the Youth Volunteers button, older teens can find opportunities especially for them. Chatham Connecting brings together those in need with those who can help. Why wait?

 

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Dealing with the Risks of Phone and Computer Fraud, Spam, and Phishing Attacks

Thursday, March 25, 1:30 pm, via Zoom

Playing and working in the expanding fast lanes of the internet highways and byways have created many challenges and risks for such travelers and visitors in recent years. Online digital realms offer an enormous range of benefits for those who use computers, cell phones, and internet-based (VoIP) phones. Along with these benefits, using the internet has produced an increasing exposure to ever-more sophisticated hidden risks of threats and thefts of personal information, passwords, financial records, bank account contents, etc. We'll consider some key tips to defend yourself from such high-risk digital threats.

Jon Darling, Emeritus Professor of Sociology and former Acting Vice-President for Academic Affairs at the University of Pittsburgh, Johnstown, will help us prepare our digital defenses. Jon’s specialties include social psychology, sociology of family, and sociology of community, and he has focused on digital community networking since 1997. After retiring, Jon became a designated Maryland Legacy Leader on Public Policy and worked as a full-time legislative aide for constituent and policy matters in the Maryland General Assembly before moving to Fearrington in 2010. Jon has served the community in many capacities and is currently the Fearrington Cares webmaster.

 

 

Dealing with Mental Health

May is Mental Health Month, but we can always use a little early assistance either with or without a pandemic.

Hope4NC Helpline (855-587-3463)

Hope4NC connects North Carolinians to mental health resources that help them cope and build resilience during times of crisis. The helpline is staffed 24/7 and provides free and confidential emotional support, counseling referrals, and community resources. As part of the state’s recent hurricane recovery efforts, it served over 4,400 people in the most impacted counties; now it is being made available to everyone in North Carolina’s 100 counties during the Covid-19 crisis. For more information, go to www.ncdhhs.gov/divisions/mental-health-developmental-disabilities-and-substance-abuse/hope4nc.

NCBAM Hope Line for Older Adults (866-578-4673 or 866-578-HOPE)

The North Carolina Baptist Aging Ministry’s toll-free statewide Hope Line was established for older adults experiencing isolation. Trained staff and volunteers receive calls daily from 9:00 am to 9:00 pm to encourage callers with a friendly voice and a listening ear. For more information, go to ncbam.org/ministry-outreaches.html.

Cardinal Innovations Mental Health Crisis Line (800-939-5911)

Licensed clinicians are available on the Crisis Line 24/7 for anyone looking for services for mental health, substance use, or intellectual and developmental disabilities (www.cardinalinnovations.org/Mental-Health-Crisis-Line). Cardinal Innovations also provides a free and anonymous online mental health screening for anyone to complete. Find it on their website at www.cardinalinnovations.org/Resources/Mental-Health-Screening.

 

 

Rhythm—Without the Blues: A New ONLINE Movement Class for a Healthy Body

Friday, March 12, 19, and 26, 11:30 am—12:15 pm via Zoom

This ONLINE series is designed to help you move with greater ease and less pain. Anyone can join and learn within the safety of his or her own home. Veteran teacher Glenna Batson will guide you through simple, rhythmic movement sequences that you can do sitting or standing—whatever best fits your needs and abilities. Glenna will show how these movements relate to everyday activities, so you can keep a rhythmic liveliness going throughout your day.

The class builds on sound principles for range of motion, weight shifting, and balance. So, whether your goal is to ‘get moving,’ find freedom of movement, or simply enjoy yourself, you’ll uncover the FUNdamentals of maintaining healthy muscles and joints.

Glenna Batson, PT, ScD, MA is a former physical therapy professor and dance educator. She believes in the expressive power of mindful movement as a way of keeping the bloom of life going at any age and stage of life. She has lived in Fearrington since 2007.

 

 

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. Please note: One-time registration is now required for participation in Classes and Support Groups through May, 2021.

 

 

Join Movement Classes via Zoom www.fearringtoncares.org All classes 11:30 am No classes after December 18. Mondays—Chair Yoga Wednesdays—Otago Fall-Prevention Exercises Thursdays—Line Dancing is back! Fridays—Rhythm—Without the Blues (March 12, 19, 26)

Join Support Groups via Zoom www.fearringtoncares.org Caregiver's Support Group: Wednesday, March 3 and 17, 12:30–2:00 pm Parkinson's Support Group: Wednesday,March 10, 3:30–4:30 pm. (New members can contact Jan Cope-Kasten (jcopekasten@gmail.com) or Karen Metzguer (karen@fearringtoncares.org) for information.) Living with Chronic Conditions: Thursday, March 4 and 18, 11:00 am–12:30pm (new time).

 

Alcoholics Anonymous Meetings Resume

The Alcoholics Anonymous Support Group has resumed in-person meetings. Please contact Karen Metzguer (karen@fearringtoncares.org) for information.

 

 

UPDATE: Donate Over-the-Counter and Prescription Meds 

Updated March 18, 2021 by Fearrington Cares

The Chatham Cares Community Pharmacy (CCCP) in Siler City is a great place to donate medical items you no longer want or need. CCCP is a non-profit local organization providing quality pharmacy services to uninsured and underinsured residents of the county. They accept medical equipment that has been cleansed thoroughly or never used by a patient. They also accept supplies of all kinds (anything you can buy at a drugstore or medical supply store) and personal care items (soap, shampoo, lotion, deodorant, waterproof or disposable bed pads, adult underwear, urinals, disposable gloves, compression socks, bed risers, etc.).

The CCCP accepts unopened OTC (over-the-counter) medications of all kinds. They also accept ALL CURRENT prescription medications (except controlled substances) that are unopened and still sealed. If the medication was dispensed in a blister pack, unused pills that are still in the blister pack are also accepted. Their licensed pharmacists will take your leftovers and add them to others to make a supply for our less-fortunate neighbors in Chatham County. Instead of turning these (sometimes very expensive) items into a pharmacy or the police for destruction, please take them to the CCCP. For office hours and location, go to www.chathamcares.com/1.html or call 919-663-0177.

 

 

Covid-19 and Vaccine Information

Fearrington Cares maintains a website with county, state, and national information about the pandemic and the virus: fearringtoncares.org/resources/covid-19-coronavirus-current-information/. Vaccine information is changing frequently, so check the links on the website for the most current information.

Information on finding an appointment to receive the Covid-19 vaccine can be found at fearringtoncares.org/about-finding-an-appointment-for-the-covid-vaccine. Our site includes phone numbers and web links for several health care providers. Once you are added to their waiting lists, you will be contacted to schedule an appointment as they become available.

Specific details on the Chatham County Public Health Department (CCPHD) vaccine roll out are online at www.chathamnc.org/services/health/coronavirus/coronavirus-vaccine. You can join CCPHD’s waitlist by clicking the Covid-19 Vaccine Interest Tool in the center of the page. In addition, there is information on free transportation to vaccine appointments, which is provided by Chatham Transit (chathamtransit.org/category/news/).

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Fearrington Directory Changes

Welcome to Our New Residents!

The following persons have been added to the Fearrington Village Directory between January 15 and February 14:

 

Are you a new resident? Be sure to register on our FHA community website. Doing so will give you full access to website features and allow you to be added to our resident directory. Log on to FearringtonFHA.org and on the top menu click on “Directory.” Then, in the drop-down menus click first on “New Resident” then “List Me in the Directory.”

Are you an existing resident whose contact information has changed? Don’t forget to update your listing on the FearringtonFHA.org web site. On the landing page, click on the Directory tab on the top menu and then on Update Preferences on the drop-down menu. When you update your contact information online, the updates will be included in the FHA Directory & Handbook printed in January each year. Stay in touch with your fellow residents by keeping your contact information current.

 

 

 

Calendar for March 2021

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.

 

 

 

 

• Fearrington Cares
• Directory Changes
• Calendar
•  

• From the Editors
• From our FHA Board
• Features: Garden, Park, Adversity
• Announcements

Our Fearrington Homeowners’
Association Newsletter

The Newsletter is the official publication of our Fearrington Homeowners’ Association (FHA), produced by and for residents of Fearrington Village in Pittsboro, NC. The Newsletter contains community news, reports from FHA Board members, items of interest to residents, and announcements of club and neighborhood activities.

The Newsletter is published electronically eleven times a year (July/August is a combined issue). A PDF copy of the current issue can be found on the FHA website: fearringtonfha.org.

Submissions:

Content deadlines are the 15th of the previous month. Send submissions to: editors@fearringtonfha.org. All persons submitting content will receive a confirmation email.

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

Newsletter Staff:
Jan Kowal	Ann Melchior
Leslie Palmer	Deborah Repplier
Jackie Walters
Printing and Distribution:
Carol Kurtz	Barbara Amago

Fearrington Homeowners’ Association
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 Board is responsible for maintenance of common property and covenant enforcement. For additional details, including job descriptions, click on the “FHA” tab on the FHA webpage (fearringtonfha.org).

 

• Our 2021 FHA Election Process
• 3-In-1 Shredding Event
• Partial Re-Opening of the FHA Office
•  

• Community Assessment Survey Update
• Beechmast Pond Presentation
• Volunteers Corner

 

For more information, you can view the slides from the presentation of the alternatives, which are on our FHA website. The slides summarize the problems the engineers saw with the present layout, the three alternatives they considered, and a summary of their conclusions and recommendations

The Board plans to present more details on this study to the community, along with financial impacts. The community will decide which solution is best for us. There is no defined time-frame for when this decision will take place, but most likely it will be next year.

Photos provided by Kris Bass Engineering.

—Jesse Fearrington, treasurer@fhaboard.org

 

Shred Documents

Dispose of Prescription Drugs

Have Fire Extinguishers Checked

This Month's Features     

•  My Secret Garden 
•  A Walk in an English-Inspired Garden 
•  Coping with Adversity 

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.

 

• Fearrington Swim & Croquet Club
• Fearrington Village Singers
• Fearrington Yacht Club
• Women of Fearrington

Chatham County Agencies    

• Chatham Connecting
• Salvation Army Toy Drive
•  

• Fearrington Bulls & Bears
• Fearrington Democratic Club
• Fearrington Garden Club
• Fearrington Genealogy Group
• Fearringto Green Scene
• Fearrington Havurah
• Fearrington Republican Club

• Zoom Movement Classes and Support Groups
• Open Enrollment for Medicare Part D
• A Reminder
• COVID-19 Information

• What's New in the Field of Arthritis Treatment
• Five Ways to Create and Nurture Friendships
• Life in the Time of Corona at a CCRC
• Zoom Links Are on Our Website

Name	Address	Contact Information
Aldo G. (Bart) and Vicki BARTOLONE	4069 Harnett	Bart's Email: utvols66@gmail.com Vicki's Email: poppymom64@gmail.com Bart's Cell: 305-799-8002 Vicki's Cell: 305-799-8001
Diane G. and Jon CARNES	67 Trestle Leaf	Diane's Email: dtg999@gmail.com Jon's Email: jonc@nc.rr.com Diane's Cell: 919-624-6276
Donna DAVID	17 West Madison (1160)	Donna's Email: donna.d@me.com Donna's Cell: 225-938-2332
Gary CLOSE and Diane MOORE	403 Brampton Close	Gary's Email: garicalizona@gmail.com Diane's Email: dimoore62@yahoo.com Gary's Cell: 928-210-0719 Diane's Cell: 704-779-9279
Marianne K. and Ronald J. (Ron) GRETO	390 Lyndfield Close	Marianne's Email: mgreto@comcast.net Ron's Email: ron.greto@gmail.com Home: 703-491-8739 Marianne's Cell: 703-615-7906 Ron's Cell: 703-625-7091
C. HUCKSHORN	4 Macon (4004)	Home: carhuckshorn@aol.com Cell: 561-251-3741
Natalia and Victor ISAEVA	35 Benchmark
Randall V. (Randy) and Sally M. JAMES	851 Millcroft	Randy's Email: srjames42@gmail.com Sally's Email: srjames49@gmail.com Randy's Cell: 315-778-7802 Sally's Cell: 315-286-8884
Andreea and Rob KAR	18 Benchmark	Home: robandandreea@yahoo.com Home: 919-726-4033
Marilyn M. and Ted H. KOENIG	293 Stoneview	Marilyn's Email: Mkoenig@mindspring.com Ted's Email: Tkoenig@mindspring.com Home: 919-542-3344 Marilyn's Cell: 919-812-7782 Ted's Cell: 919-880-1363
Doug & Linda LAMM	13 West Madison (1158)	Doug's Email: dlbalto@yahoo.com Linda's Email: llbalto1947@yahoo.com Home: 919-533-6130 Doug's Cell: 410-925-0230 Linda's Cell: 410-236-1528
Lorraine and Scott MEHLTRETTER	818 Langdon	Lorraine's Email: lmehlt18@gmail.com Scott's Email: scpamehlt@gmail.com Lorraine's Cell: 919-717-3170 Scott's Cell: 603-531-3896
Terri PORTER	436 Wintercrest East	Terri's Email: Tlport551@gmail.com Terri's Cell: 984-484-0234
Drew A. REGISTER Thomas R. (TR) ROBERTS	68 Trestle Leaf	Drew's Email: daregister@gmail.com TR's Email: ttommrrobertss@gmail.com Drew's Cell: 347-634-7166 TR's Cell: 917-501-9061
Barbara ROONEY	308 Baneberry Close	Home: bjo.rooney@gmail.com Home: 901-652-9618
Betty SULLIVAN	24 Yancey (1082)	Home: sullivanbetty12@gmail.com Betty's Cell: 401-626-0388
Jeff and Tia EDWARDS	29 Caldwell (1205)	Jeff's Email: jeffedwardsobx@gmail.com Tia's Email: tiasedwards@gmail.com Jeff's Cell: 410-800-8332 Tia's Cell: 410-241-9795
Lucy Cherry GRIST Rev. Samuel Latham (Sam) GRIST III	27 Benchmark	Lucy's Email: luce.grist@gmail.com Sam's Email: slgrist3@gmail.com Home: 984-234-4276 Lucy's Cell: 910-783-7016 Sam's Cell: 252-945-7873
Chris HORN and Shirley MICHL	692 Spindlewood	Chris's Email: cphorn.128@gmail.com Shirley's Email: shirley@intentionalwellnesscoach.com Chris's Cell: 919-523-9799 Shirley's Cell: 919-260-7214
Arthur (Art) and Sheila KEEGAN	4242 Henderson Place	Art's Email: aekeegan@msn.com Sheila's Email: shkeegan@msn.com Art's Cell: 602-615-5091 Sheila's Cell: 360-204-6811
Brittany G. and Dr. Conner I. SANDEFUR	77 Trundle Ridge	Brittany's Email: bmsandefur@gmail.com Conner's Email: sandefur@gmail.com Brittany's Cell: 734-845-8520 Conner's Cell: 734-845-8516

Name	Address	Contact Information
Peter BOGART	1314 Langdon Place	Email: spivvy@gmail.com Home: 919-619-3666
Donald (Don) and Pamela (Pam)     BONIN	277 Quail Run	Home: kittykats02@yahoo.com Don's Email: don@madisonmarketing-llc.com Home: 919-542-2446 Don's Cell: 919-599-4117 Pam's Cell: 919-599-4117
Andrea GASKA Katherine (Kathy) PECHTER	15 West Madison (1159)	Kathy's Email: kmpbythesea@yahoo.com Andrea's Cell: 917-579-3238 Kathy's Cell: 917-608-9730
Bob and Michelle     CASSELL	492 Beechmast	Bob's Email: cassellbob@aol.com Michelle's Email: wrytrsblock@msn.com Home: 410-570-1233
Dr. Art and Ruth     GERBER	840 Langdon	Art's Email: gerbsam22@gmail.com Ruth's Email: gerbs@nc.rr.com Home: 919-542-6785
Dr. Fredric C. (Fred) and Nancy J. HALL	603 Stoneview	Fred's Email: fhall12@icloud.com Nancy's Email: nhall400@icloud.com Home: 919-704-8899 Fred's Cell: 651-600-9943 Nancy's Cell: 651-600-9943
Martha HAUSER	26 Caldwell (1207)	Email: marthachauser@gmail.com Home: 770-329-9091
Gary and Hope HERBST	7 McDowell (1009)	Gary's Email: gary.c.herbst@gmail.com Hope's Email: hope.d.herbst@gmail.com Gary's Cell: 908-337-2165 Hope's Cell: 908-337-6626
Glenn M. JONES Linda Robin (Robin) WARD	63 Trestle Leaf	Robin's Email: robinwardrw@gmail.com Home: 919-542-2101 Robin's Cell: 984-363-5720
James M. (Jim) KEATING Andrea Wise LEECH	4 West Madison (1102)	Home Email: nanny.leech@gmail.com Home: 910-692-6854
Dorothy (Dottie) LABBOK	9 Yancey (1044)	Email: dlabbok@yahoo.com Home: 919-500-9337
Lee MCLEAN	E-110 E Wing	Email: jemclean2@gmail.com Home: 919-542-1424 Cell: 919-357-5065
James N. (Jimmy) and Ruth (Ruthie) PARKS	35 Caswell Sidewalk (1201)	Jimmy's Email: jimilai55@verizon.net Ruthie's Email: ruthart9@gmail.com Jimmy's Cell: 443-631-6883 Ruthie's Cell: 443-838-6855
Eric SAUNDERS	485 Beechmast	Email: esaunders@nc.rr.com Home: 919-533-3030
Nancy SZOLNOKI	474 Beechmast	Email: nszolnoki@aol.com Home: 984-215-0739

Day/Date	Time	Organization	Contact
Thursday, October 8	9:00 am	Women of Fearrington Coffee Klatch	Mif Flaharty 808-234-0008
Tuesday, October 13	3 - 4:00 pm	Genealogy Group Zoom Teleconference pm	Linda Grimm 919-533-6296
Wednesday, October 21	1:30	Women of Fearrington General Meeting Guardian ad Litem webinar	Tracy Bailey 302-561-1298
Thursday, October 23	10:00 am	Women of Fearrington Road Trip to M&M Alpaca Farm Lunch: Small B&B	Mif Flaharty 808-234-0008

 

Our Fearrington Homeowners’
Association Newsletter

The Newsletter is the official publication of our Fearrington Homeowners’ Association (FHA), produced by and for residents of Fearrington Village in Pittsboro, NC. The Newsletter contains community news, reports from FHA Board members, items of interest to residents, and announcements of club and neighborhood activities.

The Newsletter is published electronically eleven times a year (July/August is a combined issue). A PDF copy of the current issue can be found on the FHA website: fearringtonfha.org.

Submissions:

Content deadlines are the 15th of the previous month. Send submissions to: editors@fearringtonfha.org. All persons submitting content will receive a confirmation email.

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

Newsletter Staff:
Jan Kowal	Ann Melchior
Leslie Palmer	Deborah Repplier
Jackie Walters
Printing and Distribution:
Carol Kurtz	Barbara Amago

Fearrington Homeowners’ Association
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 Board is responsible for maintenance of common property and covenant enforcement. For additional details, including job descriptions, click on the “FHA” tab on the FHA webpage (fearringtonfha.org).

 

 

Name	Address	Contact Information
Beth and Ron GOLD	32 Caswell (1183)	Beth's Email: bethgold3@gmail.com Ron's Email: goldron@gmail.com Beth's Cell: 757-353-1726 Ron's Cell: 757-353-9284
Tina S. HOWELL	4119 The Knolls Close	Home: thowell@littleonline.com Home: 919-704-8860 Tina's Cell: 704-287-5971
Karen ISAACS and Brian WONG	1372 Bradford Place	Karen's Email: kisaacspittsboro@gmail.com Karen's Cell: 919-270-5039 Brian's Email: bwong656@gmail.com Brian's Cell: 919-656-6786
John B. and Mary (Bunny) LANCASTER	689 Spindlewood	John's Email: johnlancaster50@yahoo.com Bunny's Email: bunlancaster@yahoo.com John's Cell: 859-537-2205 Bunny's Cell: 859-321-9810
Kirstine (Tine) LINDEMANN George MALACINSKI	907 Ashton	Tine's Email: Kirstinelindemann15@gmail.com George's Email: Malacins@indiana.edu Home: 919-704-8375 Tine's Cell: 812-272-2381
Bill and Robin PICKARD	437 Crossvine Close	Bill's Email: billpick55@gmail.com Robin's Email: robinpickard@outlook.com Bill's Cell: 919-771-7149 Robin's Cell: 919-576-6536
Edwin and Judith J. POULSON	14 East Madison (1039)	Judith's Email: judy.poulson@gmail.com Edwin's Cell: 803-900-1347 Judith's Cell: 803-427-6724
Chris L. ROBERTS	174 Wintersage	Home: 919-724-5371

Day/Date/Time	Organization	Event	Contact
Tuesday December 1 All day	Women of Fearrington	Toy Drive Deadline	Kate West 713-203-1358
Tuesday December 8 9 am-1 pm	Women of Fearrington	Holiday Bakery and Market	Jo Bolig 919-542-0780
Tuesday December 8 3:00 pm	Fearrington Genealogy Group	Zoom Teleconference	Linda Grimm 919-533-6296
Friday December 11 9:30 am	Bulls and Bears Investment Club	Club Meeting via Zoom	Anna Shearer 703-217-0322 ashearer1219@gmail.com

 

FEARRINGTON  HOMEOWNERS  ASSOCIATION  NEWSLETTER
December 2021        Volume 40        Number 11

President's Message

We have all heard the saying “It takes a Village to Raise a Child.” Since being elected to serve as your President of the FHA, I just keep thinking that “It takes a Village to run a Village.”

Our Village is now 45 years old. As we all know, as we age things start to break down, and we need to work a little harder to keep everything running smoothly. We are unique because our developer, Fitch Creations, is still building homes here and owns and manages the Village Center, Camden (or Jenny’s) Park, the pastures and farm animals, as well as a lot of additional property. We also have numerous service groups, who help govern their part of the community, although over 400 homes do not have a separate service group. This can all be very confusing for residents, who often do not know who to call when they see something that needs to be addressed. Moreover, due at least in part to the pandemic, there has been more turnover of existing homes than usual, and a greater number of new homes have been built as well. So let me extend a warm welcome to all the new residents who may not have gotten to really experience Village life given all the concerns about Covid-19.

Having served two years as your Vice-President, I learned first-hand that our community is an amazing place to live, but it takes effort to keep it that way. I was fortunate to serve with nine other wonderful individuals who took their duties very seriously and spent many hours fulfilling the tasks assigned to them as Board members. I was also fortunate to serve with great volunteers on our Long-Range Planning Committee, our Nominating Committee, and our Wastewater Task Force. Many other volunteers have helped the community by managing our website, scheduling events at The Gathering Place, organizing our Food Trucks, helping others through Fearrington Cares, and on and on and on. Heartfelt thanks to so many who work behind the scenes to make our Village the best.

As the incoming President, I do have some goals for the year ahead. First and foremost, I want the Board to figure out how we can implement many of the ideas that were identified through the community survey. I am also hopeful that we can address our covenants issues. Every home in Fearrington is part of the FHA, but the covenants for each phase are just a little different from one another. Moreover, a lot has changed since the original document was written in the 70’s. My hope is to have one streamlined set of FHA covenants (the service groups will still have their own). We have formed a committee and retained a lawyer to assist us, but we could use more people to work on this endeavor. In addition, given all the development that is going on around us, I would love to see a group of residents come together to stay on top of the land use issues that may affect us all, particularly given the inadequate roads in our area and the lack of other infrastructure. I also want to strengthen the relationship between the FHA Board and the Service Group boards as well as with Fitch Creations. In other words, lots and lots to do.

The new website will go live soon. It should make it much easier to find out what’s going on in the Village and to volunteer. I hope to be able to meet many of you in person in the months ahead. In the meantime, let me wish all of you the Happiest of Holidays!

—Rose Krasnow, president@fhaboard.org

---

 

From Our FHA Board

 

Fearrington Preserve Update: A Partial Victory 

On Monday evening, November 15, the Board of Commissioners discussed the application from the developers of Fearrington Preserve (Congruus LLC) to add 184 acres of land that they own to the 2017 Land Use Map that outlined the area suitable for development under the Compact Community Ordinance (CCO).

I testified during the public input part of the meeting against the request, as did several others from Fearrington Village and Briar Chapel. Following a presentation by the applicant, Planning Board member George Lucier explained why that body had voted (8 – 3) to deny the request.

After a somewhat heated discussion, Commissioner Jim Crawford made a motion to approve the request. The Chair of the Board, Mike Dasher, asked for a second, and hearing none, made the second himself. The motion actually failed on a 3 – 2 vote, with Diana Hales, Karen Howard and Franklin Gomez Flores voting against it.

Unfortunately, our elation was short-lived. Since the motion to approve had failed, Karen Howard introduced a motion to deny the application. Diana Hales seconded, but this motion also failed, because Gomez Flores voted the other way.

When no one seemed to know what this result meant, the County Attorney stated that the matter was still on the table. He suggested that the various parties hold discussions in the days ahead to understand what information the applicant needed to provide that might break the stand-off, one way or the other. Mr. Gomez Flores made it clear that, at the very least, he wanted to see a conceptual plan outlining what the applicant was planning to build and where.
We do not know when this matter will come back before the Board of Commissioners. Hopefully, it will be after the holidays, but don’t bet on that. It was clear that all the comments received from the Planning Board, Fearrington residents, and others had a lot to do with the initial vote, but the eventual outcome of the meeting was very unusual, to say the least. We will do our best to keep you informed and let you know when it is time to make your voices heard again.

—Rose Krasnow (president@fhaboard.org) 

 

To Our Area and Block Contacts 

Thanks to our area and block contacts who keep us connected! Through the efforts of several experienced contacts, we are re-booting the program to get back in gear after heroic efforts to keep going during Covid. Here is what you can expect sometime in 2022.

1. Communications will be improved! We now have a contact group established in the FHA Board directory so that we can reach out with important information. If you have not already confirmed your continued interest in serving as a block or area contact, please do so by emailing your name and your area to community@fhaboard.org. We also plan to hold quarterly meetings to discuss issues and ideas. Hopefully, we can have these meetings in person soon.

2. Training for contacts will be held. Vicki Field and Hilary Murray are in the process of developing the training which should be both informative and entertaining! We are targeting February for the roll-out.

3. We are making efforts to work in tandem with other groups that welcome and orient newcomers. More on that topic as plans start coming together.

4. More on communications. We hope to set up a chat site for all the contacts where we can informally share news and experiences.

Finally, a reminder: Confirm your continued interest in serving as a contact by emailing your name and your area to community@fhaboard.org! And if you know of others who would like to fill this role, please encourage them to use the same email address to express their interests.

—Pam Bailey, Director of Community Affairs (community@fhaboard.org) 

 

 

Building a Community with The Belted Gazette

Stepping down from my position as Director of Communications, I reflect on two years’ experience with the FHA newsletter. Some major changes have taken place in that time. The most obvious is that it has become almost entirely an electronic medium. While many residents miss the paper copy, going electronic allowed us to expand the coverage significantly and include illustrations, while lowering the amount of your FHA dues devoted to printing it.

The growth of the newsletter can be seen in greater coverage of issues addressed by the FHA Board and in the inclusion of illustrated feature articles providing interesting and informative coverage of life in and around Fearrington. It continues to provide space for clubs and other groups, and it incorporates the monthly newsletter of Fearrington Cares because most readers want that newsletter to be there. Providing the newsletter with a name of its own,The Belted Gazette, symbolizes its growing importance in village life.

Credit for these changes goes first to a Board, led by President Carl Angel, that wanted to encourage better communication. The eventual success of the enterprise was entirely due to a new team of editors who have worked extraordinarily hard to produce an excellent newsletter.

If I have any regrets, it is that I have disappointed a number of residents with my refusal to include in the newsletter articles expressing their pet peeves. I owe them an explanation, although not an apology.

All of us see incidents that annoy us. Motorists complain about pedestrians walking or standing in the street. Pedestrians complain about motorists driving too fast. Some complain about people not wearing masks. Others complain about being required to wear masks. And everyone complains about dog owners failing to clean up their pets’ by-products. And a significant number of complainants demand that “something be put in the newsletter.”

I have steadfastly refused to allow The Belted Gazette to become a vehicle for complaints. To explain why, I quote an article devoted to HOA newsletters:

A newsletter that contains a long list of rules, warnings, and potential sanctions for violators will not build readership. Worse, it can undermine the development of a sense of community that the newsletter is trying to achieve.

(Echo: Executive Council of Homeowners, Inc.)

Expressed in a different way, it does no good—it does nothing to mitigate the behavior generating the complaint, and it can backfire.

I could provide a long technical explanation with evidence for my claim. I’ll not subject you to it, although I’ll be happy to refer you to relevant sources if you ask. However, I’ll give a brief summary of why a complaint in a newsletter does little or nothing to modify the behavior in question. Feel free to skip this section. You will not be tested on it—unless you submit a complaint to be published.

Thinking, Fast and Slow

Some of you may recognize this as the title of a book by Daniel Kahneman describing a very influential theory of how people think. Briefly, when faced with a situation that demands a response, we can approach it in two ways. “Fast” thinking is rapid and automatic, based on innate predispositions and well-learned habits. “Slow” thinking is deliberate and careful; we use whatever we know that might be relevant. Because it is automatic, fast thinking is easy. Slow thinking is difficult and easily disrupted.

Now consider the effect that reading he Belted Gazette has on your behavior. You read an article about why you should wear a mask, or you read that state law requires you to walk on the left facing traffic if there is no sidewalk. The article provides information you can think about, if and when you feel so inclined. However, it cannot have an effect on automatic habits you acquired over a lifetime. The information may change your slow thinking; it will not alter your fast thinking.

Now look at the behavior that people are complaining about: walking (with or without the dog), driving, getting dressed, interacting with other people. All highly automatic. Where is your thinking directed as you engage in these behaviors? Probably towards anything other than the activity that annoys other people.

I am as concerned as you are about the dangers inherent in walking, driving, and interacting with groups of other people. My point is that if you really want to do something about behaviors that trouble you, focus on approaches that might be successful. There are ways to modify automatic behavior, although it is not easy.

Two approaches have been shown to work. One is to modify the situation so it elicits a different kind of automatic behavior from the one you are complaining about. The other is to adopt a long-term program to modify one especially important factor: the social norms that drive us all, i.e., the standards of behavior we take for granted.

If well designed, the first method works immediately,. My favorite example is a method used by the City of Chicago for reducing accidents on a dangerous curve. In spite of warnings, flashing lights, and police cars, too many drivers took the curve too fast. The solution was to paint a series of white lines across the road, the gap between the lines becoming smaller as they approached the curve. This gave drivers the sense that they were driving faster and faster. Automatically, they slowed down.

Method two uses the idea that every message contains, somewhere, a reference to norms. A long series of complaints makes people think many or most residents behave this way. In fact, of course, Fearrington is one of the safest places to live in the country. Use this fact! The message should not be, “All these awful drivers”; it should be “In Fearrington, we drive carefully.”

Try it; you’ll like it. And The Belted Gazette will make for more enjoyable reading.

—Gordon Pitz

 

 

FHA Board Election Results

At the annual meeting of the FHA on November 21, 2021, Fearrington Village residents elected a new FHA President and three new FHA Board members. Rose Krasnow, previously serving as Vice President, was elected President, succeeding Carl Angel who will be stepping down from the Board. Amy Ghiloni was elected to Rose’s former position of Vice President.

Also stepping down from the Board are Jesse Fearrington, Director of Grounds and Landscaping, and Gordon Pitz, Director of Communications. Their newly elected successors are Zachary Traywick and Tony Carroll.

The new directors will join the following currently serving members of the Board: Judy Graham, Secretary; Tony Daniels, Treasurer; Ric Frank, Director of Covenants; Pam Bailey, Director of Community Affairs; Mark Haslam, Director of Infrastructure and Facilities; and Warren Ort, Director of Health, Safety and Security. Directors are elected for two-year terms, which are staggered so that the terms of some Directors expire each year.

Also elected at the Annual Meeting were two new members of the Nominating Committee, Steve Gambino and Stephen Stewart. The Nominating Committee is charged with identifying and recruiting future members of the Board.

---

 

Features

 

 

 

Scene Around Fearrington

All Aboard the Fearrington Light Railway

By Leslie Palmer

This month's Scene Around Fearrington once again features a photographer's captured images. While Jim Coplan's photos are excellent, it is what he has created that will delight you.

Jim and Judy Coplan retired to Fearrington in 2016. Long before the move, Jim was already planning how to turn their back yard into a wonderland—a landscaped garden plus a garden railroad. Jim built most of the structures (which remain outdoors year-round) himself, including a grist mill inspired by the Sudbury (MA) Wayside Mill and a covered bridge based on a prototype in Contoocook, NH. Jim also built all of the railroad cars from scratch. Trains are pulled by diminutive engines that work the same way as full-size locomotives, burning fuel (camping gas) to raise steam. Plants adjacent to the tracks include dwarf specimens and low-lying groundcovers, creating the illusion of trains running through a miniature world of their own.

Shortly after the railroad became operational, Jim began sharing his photos on Nextdoor (https://nextdoor.com/). He recently created a group on Nextdoor, Friends of the Fearrington Light Railway, where he shares his creations and the changing scenes in the garden. "My goal,” he posted, “is to spread a bit of good cheer and give everyone a little mental respite. Ordinarily, I would have visitors in person, but times being what they are, for now, we will all have to settle for ND as a platform for sharing. Someday I hope to host guests again." You can also see videos on YouTube (for example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owzvRbX8Rl8) or search for “Fearrington Light Railway.”

Jim grew up in Natick, Massachusetts. He is a retired pediatrician who specialized in working with children with developmental disabilities (www.drcoplan.com). His wife, Judy, is retired from a career in pediatric physical therapy. She is very tolerant of Jim’s activities, and one year gifted him with a sign that hangs over his workbench: “Still plays with trains.”

jcoplan48@comcast.net

 

Chatham Artists Guild Studio Tour

By Leslie Palmer

The 29th Annual Chatham Artists Guild Studio Tour will welcome visitors into member artists’ studios on December 4th and 5th and on December 11th and 12th. Fifty-four members of the Guild will offer original works of art, including paintings, sculpture, pottery, photography, glass, wood, jewelry, and digital and fabric art. The Tour is self-guided, allowing for a relaxing drive through Chatham County’s rolling hills and pastoral farmlands. Visitors can use the map provided in the Tour brochure, which can be found in the November/December issue of Chatham Magazine, in local shops, or online at ChathamStudioTour.org.

Eight Fearrington artists will welcome you into their studios:

Studio # 20 Lee Kazanas 57 Stone Ledge 518-524-1323

Stoneware and porcelain pottery plus garden sculptures

Lee has been a Studio Potter for over 40 years, working primarily in functional high-fired stoneware and porcelain. His work has been featured in dozens of gallery shows, primarily on the East Coast. For many years, he owned and operated a regional craft gallery in the Adirondack mountains of Northern New York. https://chathamartistsguild.org/artists/lee-kazanas/

Studio # 21 Leslie Palmer 110 Creekwood 919-929-9268

Drawings, watercolor & mixed media paintings, giclée prints

Leslie's drawings and watercolor and mixed media paintings present images of layered color, understated texture, and subtle brush movements. This visual poetry speaks directly in the language of the soul, emotions…of intuition. Her desire is to encourage reflection, quiet contemplation—a respite from life’s chatter. lesliepalmerfineart.com

Studio # 21 Karen West Tour Only: 110 Creekwood 919-457-8090

Home Studio, by appointment only: 923 Woodham

Oil paintings and prints inspired by diverse subjects

Karen began painting while an attorney engaged in international development finance. As a result, several of her paintings capture universal emotions—joy, wonder, dedication, defiance. She also paints landscapes, still life paintings, and animals in their habitats. KarenWestgallery.com

Studio # 22 Lani Chaves 167 Wintersage 919-414-6003

Light-filled watercolors inspired by nature, giclée prints, greeting cards

Lani's watercolor paintings reflect her goal to be completely open to all styles and every kind of subject matter. Her aim is to discover the essence of what she is painting. In her studio, you will find framed and unframed original watercolors of all sizes plus a small selection of greeting cards and notecards. LaniChaves.com

Studio # 23 Forrest C. Greenslade, Ph.D. 149 Tinderwood 919-545-9743

Nature-inspired paintings and sculpture

Forrest was that kid you could always find turning over rocks in streams, looking for what wonders nature would disclose. This curiosity about the natural world led him to a serious life as a scientist and organizational executive. Now in retirement, Forrest is again doing what he did in grammar school—turning over rocks and sculpting and painting the wonders that nature discloses. organicforrestry.com/

Studio # 24 Eric Saunders 485 Beechmast 919-533-3030

Photography—outdoor landscapes and architecture, natural and urban

Eric's preferred subject matter is pieces of outdoor landscapes and architecture, natural and urban. He sometimes uses digital manipulation of images. His work is oriented to “seeing” effective abstract compositions and communicating these compositions using whatever technical control is appropriate. hga-store.square.site/shop/eric-saunders/14

Studio # 26 Vidabeth Bensen 601 Stoneview 804-833-1401

Original hand-printed cards, t-shirts, framed and unframed prints, calendars

Vidabeth's hand-pulled, original screen prints are created using stencils from hand-cut film, paper, or painted directly on the screen with drawing fluid and screen filler. Some of her work is printed on handmade paper and then collaged onto stretched canvas. Vidabeth's recent work has taken a turn away from “edition prints” using more realistic subject matter toward “abstractions.” houseoflifeprints.com

Studio # 26 Minnie C. Gallman Tour Only: 601 Stoneview 919-533-6616

Home Studio, by appointment only: 22 Speyside Circle

Photography and note cards depicting nature and eclectic subjects

Minnie's photography is a creative outlet that encourages her to look at the world in a different way. While she enjoys photographing a variety of subjects—architecture, abstracts, people, boats, monuments, and old cars, her primary interest is nature photography. All her photos are printed on archival paper using archival inks. Minnie-Gallman.pixels.com

 

 

Kindness, Pie, & a Strong Sense of Community

By Deborah Repplier

When you think about it, Fearrington Village is very eclectic, particularly in terms of neighborhood sections. Each neighborhood boasts its own unique character and charm, yet perhaps none more so than the OG—that is, the original section known as the “Historic District,” which covers Phases I – IV. The very first of these homes (a model house built on Benchmark) dates back to 1976, with the more recent houses being built in the mid-80s.

Architecture-wise, these homes retain a similar look and feel, with all being single-family dwellings offering a mix of one and two levels on wooded lots with sun-dappled trees. Some houses include garages. Many feature courtyards and screened porches. Property size runs from just under a half-acre to up to two or three. Where the diversity comes in is in the residents themselves. While much of Fearrington Village skews toward older adults with a median age of 72, the Historic District is home to all ages really, including a number of younger families with children.

Lucy and Sam Grist currently live in Phase I. They’ve sought out Fearrington Village twice as their home in the past 30 years. Lucy tells me, “We love the eclectic and maybe even eccentric elements of the Historic District. Nothing cookie-cutter about it, and the people who choose to live here are the same. We have neighbors in all ages and stages of life. It is so interesting to meet our neighbors. We moved in July of 2020 during the pandemic, and while we had met so many nice people in the neighborhood while just out walking, we were not aware of any neighborhood events where we could gather for fellowship. We wanted to bring our neighbors together just for the fun of it.”

The desire for fellowship is integral to both Lucy and Sam, perhaps stemming from Sam’s work as a Methodist pastor. While contemplating ideas for how they might inspire community to come together, they crossed paths while out walking with the elusive Piebald deer—a creature that has patches of white across the body due to genetic variations. Lucy was so wowed by this magnificent animal so rarely seen in the Village that it made perfect sense for the Piebald to become a mascot. And thus the idea of the Pie Party was born.

Yet while Lucy and Sam were the initiators of these neighborhood gatherings, folks have certainly stepped up to contribute, to weigh in on dates and times and frequency (Friday nights, quarterly)—and even to donate art, as one such gathering included an art swap. Turnouts have been a huge success. There’s currently a Nextdoor group called Historic District of FV Neighbors, where discussions about Pie Parties, pie recipes, and other things not even related to pie take place. Lynn Ferguson points out that the Pie Parties have been a “good place to meet new neighbors and to learn of all the ways to make special pies.” 

The Pie Parties have been held at the bottom of Benchmark, next to the playground, picnic tables, and tennis courts. Participants have been varied, especially by age, and the events lots of fun. Musicians have volunteered to perform for pie. Kids play on the swings and run around racing and chasing. Well-behaved dogs on leash with tails wagging and eyes ever watchful for tidbits to drop meet and greet fellow dogs and humans alike. And the pie—oh my, the pie! There has been such a mix of platters appearing on the tables—and many liberal interpretations at that. From the most exquisite looking and tasting homemade endeavors (I’m thinking of Zora Maynard’s pear tarte—equally as eloquent as it was tasty!) to home-baked veggie quiches to store-bought apple pie to takeout pizza pie! And of course, there’s Grady Morrison’s now somewhat famous, highly requested chicken pie.

At the first gathering, there was a posterboard of a large map of the USA, and neighbors were asked to place a pin and write in the margins where they were from. Perhaps no surprise, people came from all over the country, some even born internationally—yet one thing they all shared: everyone feels happy to be living in Fearrington Village at this point in time! JoAnne Davis comments about the Pie Parties, “It’s been such fun, a nice way to meet neighbors and make them friends. I’ve been here almost 10 years and have not met so many neighbors in one place!”

So far, there have been three Pie Parties with plans for a fourth sometime in early 2022, hopefully indoors at a south-of-Village-Way location. One day, we hope that Mister Fitch might come by. While the theme has and will continue to be “pie,” it’s not really just about pie, of course. These gatherings are a way for newcomers and old-timers alike to meet new friends. As Lucy explains, Pie Parties “offer people an authentic experience that is unpretentious and real, where they can let their hair down, visit intergenerationally, and, as we say in church ‘love on one another.’”

You’ll find more photos of Pie Parties and news about upcoming gatherings when on the Nextdoor group. This group was created primarily for the Historic District residents, but in the spirit of community and hospitality, all are welcome—especially if you love pie!

Originally from Massachusetts, Deborah Repplier moved to Chatham County in 2007—for the past 3.5 years, she’s called the Historic District of Fearrington Village home. More often than not, you can find her walking the trails with her two Standard Poodles.

 

 

A Change in the Weatherbend

By Tad McArdle

If you are among the many who have noticed some beautiful landscape changes along the north side of Village Way between Windstone and Beechmast, credit goes to Rick and Sally Osmer. The Osmers moved to Fearrington in the summer of 2019, just before Covid hit, and pretty quickly got to work on the large wooded area that came with the house, with a back yard that widens dramatically as it approaches the Way. According to Rick, “We didn’t look for a place just in Fearrington; we had heard of Fearrington, but it was the house that attracted us. And now, as we learn more and more about this community, we tell ourselves ’We were so lucky we bought a house out here.’ We didn’t really know what a gift this village was. We just wanted a one-floor house so we could age in place as long as possible. And we really liked the house immediately. We had done a lot of gardening work on our yard in Princeton, so during the pre-vaccine Covid scare when people our age were very cautious about going out, we spent that time working on our property.”

Rick and Sally are ordained ministers who both served churches in their early years together. After attending Harvard Divinity School, Rick and Sally earned their Master of Divinity degrees at Yale. Then Rick earned a Ph.D. in Theology from Emory University. After Rick accepted an appointment as the Ralph B. and Helen S. Ashenfelter Professor of Mission and Evangelism at Princeton in 1990, Sally’s ministry turned to managing non-profits to help underprivileged people including serving for a time as director of The Crisis Ministry, a large food pantry in central New Jersey. While Rick was teaching at Princeton, they built a house outside of Waynesville, NC, on the side of a mountain with “a bunch of good friends who lived in that area,” says Rick. “We always thought we would live there. But the problem was, we were 10 or 15 years younger than a lot of the people there, so when we reached retirement age, many of them had died or moved into care units. It’s not that easy to live on a mountainside. So we decided we would move closer to our daughter and our grandchildren, and you can see evidences of that scattered through the yard.”

Sally said, “We started in the front yard, clearing out a bunch of tree stumps and stinky mushrooms, and ended up with a nice rock garden, with lots of hellebores, some of which we transplanted to the bird garden in back. Our son gave us two Japanese Maples.”

According to Rick, one of the reasons they planted evergreens in the back yard was for privacy since they didn’t have screens on the bedroom when they first arrived. With a somewhat oddly shaped back yard sloping down toward the creek, erosion was a factor to cope with. “We were kind of driven to the planting. A lot of the water, even from up towards the Village, runs down. Some erosion was taking place, and so we had to do some stuff immediately. We built a baby rock wall, and I dug a little thing right behind it. Our next-door neighbor Dan Soileau has all kinds of equipment and knowledge. He’s been fabulous, has even done some things to his yard to help us out. So, we did that and then started planting stuff here to hold the dirt. The latest thing we’ve done is to build a little rock garden—we call it the bird gardenwhich is the final thing we built. That was over really leached-out soil, and last winter we planted some rye grass.”

The creek area was totally covered with wisteria when they moved in. They had it bulldozed and covered in wood chips to keep the wisteria from coming back and to hold the bank in place. “We planted nandina and woodland holly bushes,” said Sally, “but they needed more sun, so we transplanted them. For the weeping cherry tree to turn red, we’ll have to wait till spring.”

Rick and Sally have names for several of the yard’s intriguing features. Here is what they call their “moss path,” which started itself, moss being less critical of soil quality than most grasses. They have planted some winter grass, but it hasn’t come up yet, according to Sally. She is eager for the winter grass to get going and make the unplanted area prettier.

They have had to install some protective fencing around some of their recent plantings because the superabundant Fearrington deer have been rubbing their antlers against the tree trunks to get rid of their summertime velvety covering containing a form of insulin that aids antler growth.

“The greatest thing about all this,” says Rick, “is that so many people stop and talk to us; they even stop their cars. You wouldn’t believe the number of people who stop by and say ‘You’re working so hard, you’re doing a great job.’”

The Osmers are fortunate to have found Fearrington, and Fearrington is no doubt happy to add these two thinkers and doers to its population. I once read of someone who dreamed that an entire army of theologians had appeared over the horizon, headed in his direction (can’t recall why). Considering the theologians I have met in Fearrington, including Rick and Sally Osmer, if that admittedly unlikely event should happen to me in real life, I would just grin and get my welcome wagon ready (“Coffee? Tea? So what’s it all about?”).

A native of rural western Pennsylvania, Tad McArdle has lived in Fearrington since 2010 and lives happily with his wife, Mary Roodkowsky, on North Langdon. Tad’s interests include writing, golf, the poetry of Emily Dickinson and Wallace Stevens, physical fitness, Latin and African percussion, and providing quick and simple solutions to the major problems facing humanity (any suggestions?).

 

More Food Trucks to Deliver Diverse and Delicious Takeout Dining

We continue to welcome visiting food trucks to the Gathering Place for your takeout dining pleasure. The growing diversity of vendors brings street food favorites from around the world conveniently to our neighborhood. The full schedule along with menus is always posted on our community hotspot page at www.streetfoodfinder.com/fearringtonvillage where you can sign up for a weekly email and also leave feedback for the vendors.

For the month of December, our schedule is as follows:

December 8 - Cousins Maine Lobster
December 22 - The Blue Window
December 29 - Chirba Chirba Dumpling

Online ordering is available through the hotspot page and most vendors begin accepting pre-orders the day before their arrival with one notable exception—Cousins Maine Lobster. To pre-order their lobster specialties, you must use their special app which is available from the App Store and Google Play. Also note that Cousins does not begin accepting orders until 3 pm on the day of their arrival. Additionally, keep in mind that all food trucks welcome walk-up orders, so please don’t be discouraged by technology or pre-order time slots being filled.

As we continue to enjoy this convenient and appetizing amenity in our community, please remember that food truck fare is not permitted in the Village Center. Kindly pick up your meal and let your taste buds travel afar while you dine at home.

 

This Month's Puzzler

 

Question: In the March issue of The Belted Gazette, Tad McArdle introduced us to CORA, the acronym for Chatham Outreach Alliance. As the Chatham Outreach Alliance prepares for the upcoming holiday season, this month’s puzzler asks: From what two languages could the name Cora derive and what are the meanings of those words?

 

Answer to November Puzzler:

Question: Where are fossil trees located in Fearrington Village and what is their common name?

Answer: Metasequoia glyptostroboides is a mouthful, but the common name “Dawn Redwood” runs easily off the lips. This fossil tree can be found at the edge of the south pond in Jenny’s Park (aka Camden Park), along the edge of the pond at Village Way and East Camden and in Creekwood Path areas where they were planted by the Arbor Day Committee. At one time, this tree was known only in the fossil record and was believed to be extinct for millions of years. In the 1940s, an unlikely discovery of living specimens in a remote area of China prompted the collection of seeds. Since the climate and soil parameters were unknown for the tree, seeds were sent to a diversity of locations. Fortunately, the fossil tree is adaptive to a variety of zones and soils. In the spring, the flat leaves which resemble needles are soft as a feather. Now in the fall, the tree will turn a beautiful bronze color.

 

 

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Announcements

 

Fearrington Groups and Organizations

 

Fearrington Democratic Club

The Democratic Club’s Zoominar topic on December 7 at 7 pm will be “The State of LGBTQ+ Policy in North Carolina." It’s not just a talk about bathrooms! Rather, our speaker, Mr. J. Sailor Jones, will look back and ahead on state and local policy impacting North Carolina's LGBTQ+ community. Mr. Jones is the Communications Director for the Southern Coalition for Social Justice and an LGBTQ+ rights advocate.

To register and get the Zoom link, please use this link. This event will also be recorded and posted on the Club’s website: Fearrington Democratic Club - Welcome Page (fearringtondems.org).

 

 

Fearrington Duplicate Bridge Club

“Play duplicate bridge. It’s the ultimate social game for thinkers.” Join us FIVE times in December to unlock those “little grey cells” as Poirot would say. We will play every Wednesday in December (December 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29) at 1 pm at The Gathering Place. First time is free. Cost for playing is $7; that pays for use of the room, an accredited ACBL director, hand records, and snacks. See you there! Any questions, please contact Valorie Zentil, vzentil@gmail.com.

 

 

Fearrington Genealogy Group

December 14th meeting cancelled. See you in January 2022!
Happy Holidays!

 

 

Fearrington Green Scene

The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has given us all a profound lesson in "flexibility." Flexibility as in changing plans, often on relatively short notice, as information and conditions change around us. It is in that spirit and that reality that I write to inform fellow Green Scene participants that our previously discussed topic for our December 8 meeting—Fran DiGiano's presentation, "What's in Your Water?"—is now going to take place in January. Date and time to be determined.

Our meeting in the large room of The Gathering Place at 11:00 am on Wednesday, December 8, will now feature a presentation by Shannon Culpepper, Recycling & Education Specialist, Chatham County Solid Waste & Recycling. Shannon will bring us up-to-date on the ever-evolving details of what is and is not recyclable in our community waste stream. Rules are constantly being recast as recycling processing technology advances. Come join us for an informative hour of "talking trash."

—Jason Welsch, Moderator, Cell Phone: 914-806-4852

 

 

Fearrington Village Singers

Men rehearse together on Thursdays beginning on January 6 at The Gathering Place at 4:00 pm. Men’s sectional rehearsals are on Mondays. Women rehearse together on Mondays starting January 10 at The Gathering Place at 4:00 pm—with sectionals on Thursdays. New singers are welcome. No audition is required, but we do require that you be fully vaccinated against Covid-19. For more information, contact FVS co-president Kathryn Doster at kathryn.j.doster@gmail.com.

 

 

Fearrington Yacht Club

Ahoy, Mates! Our ship is sailing again, and our first port of call is a “Happy Hour Mixer” for current and former members and for residents who might like to join. The mixer will be Friday, January 21 from 4-6 pm at The Gathering Place. Although the annual $15 per person membership dues are usually required for participation in FYC events, they are NOT necessary for this occasion. Membership applications will be available at the mixer, along with news about upcoming events. The FYC is a party and travel club which usually has two parties and two regional trips a year planned by members. NO YACHT REQUIRED! For event information and membership form, log onto the FYC page at: https://group.fearringtonfha.org?yacht. And click on the FYC logo or, contact Commodore Maggie Tunstall at 919-542-0031 or metunstall@nc.rr.com.

 

 

United Way Campaign Continues at Fearrington Village

The Fearrington Village United Way campaign is underway, and we are excited to report 34% progress toward our campaign goal of $83,000! A total of $28,422 has been raised to date.

As a reminder, the Fearrington Village Campaign has been separated from the Galloway Ridge Campaign this year. This will allow for both residential areas to be recognized in the broader community for supporting our local United Way.

United Way supports hungry children and families and Chatham residents who are struggling with homelessness, senior isolation, or accessing healthcare. Will you please help United Way meet these urgent needs in our community?

Donate online at www.UnitedWayofChathamCounty.org/Donate. United Way will track your online donation and attribute your gift to the Fearrington Campaign using a multi-step form. This means that the online giving process happens over four steps on your screen. Step 1 is deciding the amount you’d like to give; Step 2 is inputting your personal information (address, phone number, etc.); Step 3 is noting additional details about your gift like which neighborhood you’d like it attributed to; and Step 4 is adding your credit card or electronic check information. If the United Way receives a donation without a neighborhood listed, they will use the mailing address to determine the location of the donor and credit the gift to the correct campaign.

You can also mail a donation to PO Box 1066, Pittsboro, NC 27312, or call the United Way office at 919-542-1110 to make a gift over the phone.

 

 

Women of Fearrington