January 2010 CLUBHOUSE HOURS Mon. - Thurs. 7:30 am - 7:30 pm Friday 7:30 am - 6:00 pm Saturday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm Sunday Noon - 5:00 pm Phone: 410-208-4994 Fax: 410-208-4996 Email: [email protected]Website: www.theparke.org It’s More Than a Community……It’s a Lifestyle. Mark Your Calendar Committee Meetings INSIDE THIS ISSUE Parke Happenings ..................................p. 2 General Manager’s Desk .........................p. 4 Committee Reports.................................p. 5 Red Hats ............................................... p. 12 Recipe Corner ........................................ p. 13 Household Hints ..................................... p. 13 Care and Feeding of Your PC ................... p. 14 Outside The Parke .................................. p. 15 On The Lighter Side ............................... p. 16 Health Matters ....................................... p. 17 Tax Tips................................................. p. 18 Sports & Fitness ..................................... p. 18 Design Review January 4 9:00 am Operations January 5 1:30 pm Covenants January 6 2:00 pm Energy January 7 10:00 am Communications January 11 10:30 am Programs January 13 10:00 am BOD Meeting January 20 10:15 am Design Review January 27 9:00 am Keeping You Informed From Your Board of Directors Happy New Year from the Board of Directors to all resi- dents of The Parke. We wish everyone peace and happiness in 2010. There is much in all our lives for which to be thank- ful; let’s take those good things and put them to work for us this year. The Board extends a heartfelt thank you to all who worked so hard in 2009 to enhance our lives here in The Parke and looks forward to the work we will do together in the new year. The Board would also like to thank all residents who sub- mitted questions and/or attended the Town Meeting on De- cember 4 th . The work of any Board can only be strengthened by the active participation of residents. We are very fortunate in this community that many people are involved in commit- tees and activities, and residents freely express opinions and views. The Town Meeting provides a great avenue for that exercise. The camaraderie between Board members, staff members, and residents was evident at the Java Town Meet- ing. It is unlikely there will ever be an issue without a dissent- ing opinion; therefore, a free exchange of differing opinions is a benefit to us all. Now for an update: The Task Force on Finance was com- missioned by the Board on August 19, 2009. The task force is chaired by former Board president Sally Kohler, and includes residents Jim Angstadt, Jim Young, Susann Palamara, and Dominic Tangredi as Board liaison. The task force is charged with recommending to the Board a policy(s) or specific ac- tions that clearly define roles and accountabilities of Legum & Norman, our General Manager, the Budget & Finance Advi- sory Committee, and our Treasurer in managing the financial statements, budgeting, and accounting for the financial affairs of The Parke. The task force has met many times and has con- ducted interviews of individuals, both former and incumbent, in key positions. The task force is on target for developing a set of documents for the four arms of our financial system by the projected deadline of April 30, 2010. Meetings of the task force are open to all residents. Finally, we have said a sad farewell to Bridget Ketcham, our first General Manager, who has resigned to join her fami- ly’s business. She has served us well in building a strong and thriving community. Board members are unanimous in saying we all learned much from Bridget and we find it hard to see the future without her. We also said thank you for a job well done to our departing treasurer, Betty Brocato. Bridget and Betty played significant roles in our success as a community and both will be sorely missed. We wish them well in their new endeavors. Hopefully, a new General Manager and a new treasurer will be on board by mid-January. As we go forth into the cold days of 2010, we can take heart from Percy Bysshe Shelley who wrote in Ode to the West Wind, “If winter comes, can spring be far behind?”
Transcript
January 2010
CLUBHOUSE HOURSMon. - Thurs. 7:30 am - 7:30 pmFriday 7:30 am - 6:00 pmSaturday 9:00 am - 5:00 pmSunday Noon - 5:00 pmPhone: 410-208-4994Fax: 410-208-4996Email: [email protected]: www.theparke.org
It’s More Than a Community……It’s a Lifestyle.
Mark Your CalendarCommittee Meetings
INSIDE THIS ISSUEParke Happenings ..................................p. 2General Manager’s Desk .........................p. 4 Committee Reports.................................p. 5Red Hats ...............................................p. 12Recipe Corner ........................................p. 13Household Hints.....................................p. 13Care and Feeding of Your PC...................p. 14Outside The Parke..................................p. 15 On The Lighter Side ...............................p. 16Health Matters .......................................p. 17Tax Tips.................................................p. 18 Sports & Fitness.....................................p. 18
Design Review January 4 9:00 am Operations January 5 1:30 pmCovenants January 6 2:00 pmEnergy January 7 10:00 amCommunications January 11 10:30 amPrograms January 13 10:00 amBOD Meeting January 20 10:15 amDesign Review January 27 9:00 am
Keeping You Informed From Your Board of Directors
Happy New Year from the Board of Directors to all resi-dents of The Parke. We wish everyone peace and happiness in 2010. There is much in all our lives for which to be thank-ful; let’s take those good things and put them to work for us this year. The Board extends a heartfelt thank you to all who worked so hard in 2009 to enhance our lives here in The Parke and looks forward to the work we will do together in the new year. The Board would also like to thank all residents who sub-mitted questions and/or attended the Town Meeting on De-cember 4th. The work of any Board can only be strengthened by the active participation of residents. We are very fortunate in this community that many people are involved in commit-tees and activities, and residents freely express opinions and views. The Town Meeting provides a great avenue for that exercise. The camaraderie between Board members, staff members, and residents was evident at the Java Town Meet-ing. It is unlikely there will ever be an issue without a dissent-ing opinion; therefore, a free exchange of differing opinions is a benefit to us all. Now for an update: The Task Force on Finance was com-missioned by the Board on August 19, 2009. The task force is chaired by former Board president Sally Kohler, and includes residents Jim Angstadt, Jim Young, Susann Palamara, and Dominic Tangredi as Board liaison. The task force is charged with recommending to the Board a policy(s) or specific ac-tions that clearly define roles and accountabilities of Legum & Norman, our General Manager, the Budget & Finance Advi-sory Committee, and our Treasurer in managing the financial statements, budgeting, and accounting for the financial affairs of The Parke. The task force has met many times and has con-ducted interviews of individuals, both former and incumbent,in key positions. The task force is on target for developing a set of documents for the four arms of our financial system by
the projected deadline of April 30, 2010. Meetings of the task force are open to all residents. Finally, we have said a sad farewell to Bridget Ketcham, our first General Manager, who has resigned to join her fami-ly’s business. She has served us well in building a strong and thriving community. Board members are unanimous in saying we all learned much from Bridget and we find it hard to see the future without her. We also said thank you for a job well done to our departing treasurer, Betty Brocato. Bridget and Betty played significant roles in our success as a community and both will be sorely missed. We wish them well in their new endeavors. Hopefully, a new General Manager and a new treasurer will be on board by mid-January. As we go forth into the cold days of 2010, we can take heart from Percy Bysshe Shelley who wrote in Ode to the West Wind, “If winter comes, can spring be far behind?”
Java Info Hour: Home Warranties With many homes in The Parke out of warranty and others near that stage, and occasional builder defects still being found, the Java Info Hour on January 8th at 10 am should prove to be a hot topic. Scheduled to speak is John Bird, Centex construction field manager. He will give an overview on warranty coverage through Centex and the Residential Warranty Corp. and explain how owners should proceed if a construction defect is suspected. A question-and-answer period will follow his remarks. Questions may be submitted in advance by completing a ques-tion form at the Mail Pavilion and depositing it in the marked box. Questions may also be submitted using the website, www.theparke.org. The speaker will not answer questions specific to individual homes but will talk about the process for getting problems dealt with.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR: On February 5th The Parke’s Neighborhood Watch Program will be discussed.
Scrapbooking Classes Resume Scrapbooking will be held at the Clubhouse on Mondays, January 11th and 25th, from 6:45 pm - 8:45 pm. Call Lenora Urie with questions at 410-208-6708.
Memoir Workshop to Resume in January
Memoir Workshop will resume meeting from January through April. The meeting dates and times are as follows:
Tuesday, January 12 and 26: 1-3 pm in the art roomTuesday, February 9 and 23: 1-3 pm in the art roomTuesday, March 9 and 23: 1-3 pm in the art roomTuesday, April 13 and 27: 10-12 am in the card room
This is a writing group which concentrates on memoir, family history, and chronicling the past. New members are always welcome. Come discover what we’re all about. Please contact Jean Fry at [email protected] or 410-208-4269 if you have questions.
Parke Book Club to Resume The Book Club meets every fourth Thursday from 2 to 4 pm in the Clubhouse’s card room. All Parke residents are welcome to attend and discuss the following books, which are available through the Ocean Pines Library or for purchase in paperback form. Please consider joining this group. Here is their schedule for the upcoming months: January 28: A Long Way Gone, Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah; February 25: East of Eden by John Steinbeck; March 24: Little Bee by Chris Cleave; April 22: A Town Like Alice by Nevil Shute; and May 27: The Help by Kathryn Stockett.
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Parke Happenings
News for The Parke Bench should be sent to the Editor: [email protected] by the 15th of the month.
The Parke Bench is published monthly byThe Homeowners Association of
The Parke at Ocean PinesPresident, Mike StevensonVice President, Dominic TangrediSecretary, Tom WeberMember-at-large, Vicki McCormickMember-at-large, Steve HabegerTreasurer, Betty BrocatoJanet Kerner, Chair-Communications Advisory Committee
Thanks To G.O.L.D. Givers From Mary Stevens, Coordinator
We would like to thank the many Parke residents who have given so generously to the assigned G.O.L.D. (Giving Other Lives Dignity) Program families listed on our Christ-mas tree. These families’ names were sent to us at the request of social workers and case managers who identified needy families in Worcester County. Four out of the eight families requested paper and soap products, items which cannot be ob-tained by food stamps. For many we are the only ones giving to these families, and they are so very grateful. Special thanks goes to Peggy Robinson, who is always there helping to coordinate this Program, and so generous in giving. Thanks also go to our special Santas, namely Elaine and Rich Faller, Jeri and Jack Scott, Robin Roth, Kathy Price, and Mary Stevens. We’ve begun a tradition of meeting af-terwards and eating breakfast at DeNovo’s. We Santas are happier than the families we serve. It gives us so much plea-sure to give your gifts away, and see the surprised and joyful faces of our neighbors who live just down the road. Thanks so much!
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Thanks to Holiday Decorators Thanks to all the volunteers who helped with the holiday decorations this year: Pat Addy, Gordon Addy, Chris Dailey, Tom DeBaugh, Del Evans, Steve Franklin, Joan Gentile, George McCormick, Penny Miller, Al Pilarski, and Don Trovinger. Donna McCracken and Joan Kessler did a beauti-ful Holiday Showcase display. Fran Maier and the Garden Club members did all the outside wreaths and swags for the entrances and the Clubhouse. Jayne Collinge and some help-ers did the Williamsburg you see hanging over the Mail Pavil-ion door. Thank you again to all those volunteers.
Many of the Better Bodies for Beginners took personal trainer, Teri Boulanger (aka The Mistress of Misery), out for a holiday lunch at the Sunset Grille. Pictured above are: Top row: Joan Wright, Marlene Goodwin, Pat Kotosky, Del Evans, Teri, Kathy Mullins, Joanie Kessler, Cathy Habeger, Lois Pfeifer. Seated: Carol Jobes, Cookie Walker, and Lor-raine Murphy,
Parke Cabaret Club Scholarship Award Granted Johnnie Kearse, freshman music major bassist at Salisbury University, has been selected as the recipient of The Parke Cabaret Club Performing Arts Scholarship Award. Parke resi-dents attending the Club’s 2008 Cabaret Show donated funds for the award. Mr. Kearse was chosen by the University’s Music Department because he met the criteria established by the Club. The scholarship guidelines included musicianship, dedication, professionalism, and leadership in educational endeavors. Dr. Jerry Tabor, Professor of Music, said that Mr. Kearse excelled in all categories. A group of Parke Cabaret Club members, including founders Roger Lippincott and Jim Angstadt, attended the University’s Big Brazz Jazz Band holiday concert on Decem-ber 10th. During the concert, Roger made the scholarship an-nouncement before a large public audience where he not only congratulated Mr. Kearse, but encouraged him to continue his education and performance skills in America’s original art form, jazz.
Left to right: Tom Weber, Carol Weber, Bernie Kessler, Sha-ron Ziegler, Jim Angstadt, Joan Gentile, Johnnie Kearse, Roger Lippincott, Prof. Jerry Tabor, Joan Kessler, Jerry Rich-ards. Not in picture: Sylvia Angstadt and Gloria Richards.
Parke Artist Spotlights Work Don W. Grafer, an artist originally from the Bronx, New York, Somerset County, New Jersey, and Ocean Pines, will be exhibiting his work at the Ocean Pines Library in January, Feb-ruary, and March 2010. This is the Artist Spotlight Exhibit, a special exhibit in the two Library Computer Rooms. Largely self-taught, Don works in oils and acrylics and presents an eclectic mix of fanciful animal creatures, clowns, and flow-ers, as well as unique abstract impressionistic pieces inspired by the work of Jackson Pollock. An artist for more than 50 years, Don also studied at the Visual Arts Center in Summit, New Jersey, during the years 1998 - 2008. Don and his lovely wife, Susan, have resided in The Parke since January 2009.
Welcome New Resident The Parke community welcomes Kathleen Bachman of 10 Easton Avenue.New residents bring fresh ideas and new outlooks on life to our community.
Dear Friends in the Parke, I am sincerely grateful to all of you that have called, sent cards, stopped by, or provided meals during my recent illness and hospital stay. Also, your kindnesses have helped me through a difficult time when my precious dog, Buster, had to be put down. Special thanks go to Diane McGraw, Mary Doellgast, and Barbara Rusko for making delicious meals and provid-ing rides to the hospital. It’s great to know you have friends who come through in a time of need. I’ll never forget you. Thanks so much. God Bless, Deanna Smith
Parke Logo Clothing is Back Ellen Davies has closed her store in Fenwick Island, DE. Beginning January 2010, Ellen will do monogramming of hats, towels, golf shirts, sweaters, and other merchandise from her home. She lives in Ocean Pines and may be reached at 410-430-4746.
to another career path. My dad was ready to retire for the third time in his career and he couldn’t do so without knowing that I would step in and take his place in a part-nership with my sister and their colleague, Edie. When I first came to The Parke, I was single and living in Ocean City. Now, I am married and have a handsome son who turned four last month. I have learned many les-sons from all of you over the years. I have seen strength beyond belief from those of you who have lost loved ones. I have seen many of you overcome cancer, strokes, brain tumors, and many other ailments too numerous to name. Through all of it, you have persevered. I have enjoyed the jokes and the laughter that fills the Clubhouse on a day-to-day basis. I will miss all of this. Not many people can say that they truly love their job, but I can say that working at The Parke was fulfilling beyond belief. Keep laughing and enjoy every minute of it. I am sure that I am leaving you all in good hands.
This is my final column to you, my Parke family. It’s hard to put into words how much of a pleasure it has been working for The Parke these past six years. It was with a heavy heart that I made the decision to move on
Bridget’sFarewell
Party
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ATTENTION PARKE RESIDENTS !We want to thank all of our Parke customers for keeping up their termite renewals with
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opportunity to get back on warranty with Global Exterminating Inc.Give our office a call and we will be happy to answer any questions you may have.
410-208-2515
Committee ReportsPrograms Advisory Committee By Pat Addy, Chair
From theClubhouse Coordinator
New Year’s Eve has always been a time for looking back to the past, and more importantly, forward to the coming year. It’s a time to reflect on the changes we want (or need) to make
and resolve to follow through on those changes. The biggest change for me, in this upcoming year, is the resignation of our General Manager, Bridget Ketcham. Not only was she an as-set to this community, but she was our friend. I know she has moved on to bigger and better things; we wish her luck, but she has also left an empty chair in our Clubhouse. We are going to need some volunteers! If you can spare time to watch the desk, assist in the setup or breakdown of an event, or simply help when we call, it is definitely appreciated. I think that our Certified Resident Representatives (CRRs) are a very big asset to this community, but they can’t do it alone, and our committee members have extended themselves to new challenges for 2010. Please take time to volunteer; its number four or five on the most popular New Year’s resolutions. Is it on your list?
The Programs Committee would like to thank the Community Support Group and all the residents who helped with all the events and activities we had in 2009. We hope to give you the same and new programs in 2010. Here’s just a little recap of 2009 going backwards.
December- We hope everyone enjoyed our displays inside and outside throughout The Parke and Clubhouse celebrating this festive time of the year.
November- We hosted the annual Thanksgiving dinner – an-other huge success.October- Our surprise Halloween gift bags were enjoyed by over 30 residents this year and there was the Clubhouse Hal-loween party which was a real treat.September- There was no picnic this year, but we are hoping for one in 2010. Remember resident ownership is the key.July and August- The Clubhouse had various celebrations and a picnic.June- Our annual community fair kept all of our seven com-mittees busy. The Gala was a chance to show off your danc-ing skills plus share food and drinks and win a few prizes. There was also the cruise to Tangier Island and the race track events.May- This was a quiet month this year. Maybe in 2010 we will come up with some type of spring event.April- We hosted our annual brunch which is always well at-tended.March- Our St. Patrick’s Day celebration was one of my fa-vorites, well done!!!February- For Valentine’s day we did not do a dance, but again in 2010 we are planning an event.January- We had the Penguins annual swim followed by a celebration of the brave hearted (look for details for this year’s swim. Lastly, in 2009 and first in 2010 there’s the ever-popu-lar annual New Year’s Eve party at the Clubhouse.
Not to mention the various ongoing functions of Mail Pavilion teas, outdoor trips (Pocomoke cruise), chili cook-off, arts and annual craft show, plus our monthly Parko and slots trips. Various games are also available during the day and at night. All in all, we are a thriving and active community, so come take advantage of our programs and join in. Remember to look on the calendars and daily emails as well as website an-nouncements for programs and activities available to all resi-dents in 2010. Keep in mind that we need your support with ownership of events and programs. We are always available and open to new ideas.
HAPPY 2010 PARKEES!
Abby
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Operations Advisory Committee By Dale Buley, Chair
Communications Advisory Committee By Janet Kerner, Chair
Village Square . Southgate, Ocean Pines
410-208-1569410-208-1568
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The new front page for The Parke web-site, parkehappenings.org, is now up and running. We ask you to bear with us as we make adjustments to the content and structure of the site. Those of you who have already signed up on Parke Happenings are getting duplicate email notifications. We have a target date of January 15th to eliminate this duplication. At the Java Hour on January 8th Ira Wolfe will give a brief introduction to this new Parke webpage. Our official Parke website will continue to be accessible. We are in the process of developing a comprehensive survey of all Parke residents. There have been a few special interest surveys over the past few years, but the last compre-hensive survey was in 2004 when there were only 230 homes and no website. A representative of each of the seven advisory committees is participating in this joint venture. The survey should be ready to send out to the residents in early spring. On January 8th John Bird, the Regional Construction Manager for Centex, will be at the Java Hour. Mr. Bird will answer questions about the warrantee on our Centex homes. This is not a time to address individual homeowner problems, but it is the time to learn more about what is covered by our warrantee and how to go about getting help to correct a prob-lem. The next Communications Advisory Committee will be on Monday, January 11th, at 10:30 am.
Certificate Of Appreciation
Pictured are members of the Operations Advisory Commit-tee team honoring our General Manager, Bridget Ketcham, with a Certificate of Appreciation. The team bids a great big thank you to Bridget for her invaluable service to Opera-tions and to The Parke. She has been indispensible to the success of OPS and its many programs and projects and she will be greatly missed. We wish her “god speed” and suc-cess in her new venture. From left to right: Joan Gentile, Bob Bradford, Gordon Addy, Martin Baer, Dale Buley, Steve Franklin, Bridget, Joe Green, Betty Green, Tom Weber, and Pat Trovinger. Missing are Fran Maier, Kathy Habeger, Lorraine Cuomo, and Sharon Ziegler.
Work will soon begin on the installation of electronic automatic door entry systems in the Clubhouse and the Mail Pavilion providing easier access to these buildings. Also, as a cost savings measure, arrangements are underway to combine the two existing metered Clubhouse propane gas systems into one system. Higher CCF (100 Cubic Feet) usage on one sys-tem results in a lower billing rate per CCF, thus a significant savings to The Parke. These two initiatives will be completed by the end of 2009. Further, in order to provide additional stor-age space for The Parke, one bathroom in the Mail Pavilion has been closed to be used for storage and the other has been designated and labeled as a unisex bathroom facility.
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Pictured is a work party of Parke resident volunteers assembled to alleviate a serious drainage problem on the Manklin Creek Nature Trail. Use of Parke resident volun-teers to address minor
Details of the current activities of the Operations Advisory Committee are included in the December 1st meeting minutes posted in the Mail Pavilion and on the Parke website. The next meeting of the OPS Committee is scheduled for Tuesday, January 5th, at 1:30 pm in the Grand Hall. If you have con-cerns or suggestions that should come to the attention of the OPS Committee, you are strongly encouraged to attend our next meeting.
problems or to effect Parke improvements is a very impor-tant and cost savings resource and should be encouraged wherever possible. From left to right are: Vince Brocato, Gordon Addy, Dale Buley, Clark Prichard, and Fred Hus-man. Missing is Steve Franklin who took the picture.
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Meet The Advisors By Al WannA series on the people who chair the advisory and standing committees. To learn more about the committees and the gov-erning documents, visit The Parke website, www.theparke.org, sign in, and click “Resources.”
Energy Committee: What’s the payback? It was raining again and the conversation naturally turned to nature. The climate appears to be changing, Dave Kohler agreed. Why and how this is happening are questions that interest the former Johns Hop-kins Applied Physics Laboratory professional. A more practical question he ponders is what to do about it. In the long term, he thinks, wind power may be an answer as a clean, renewable energy source, once the sight of wind-mills becomes “socially acceptable” (his term). A problem with alternative energy sources is they all may not be cost-ef-fective. When costs come down, he believes, in sunny areas, “It will be unusual to see a home without a solar collector.” Dave is chairman of The Parke’s Energy Advisory Com-mittee (EAC), and estimating cost effectiveness is a major challenge he and his colleagues face. A 2007 energy audit identified several ways to reduce energy use including addi-tional insulation, sealing many air leaks, and replacing incan-descent lights with fluorescent lights. “The problem comes with setting aside money for bigger projects,” he said. Doing this can affect our assessments. “We
would have to put down a pretty big bundle without being sure how much will be saved.” So, studies and data collection con-tinue for projects like solar collectors or a pool cover. In the meantime, the committee’s goal is to save as much as possible in the short term by making small changes. Things like adding insulation in parts of the Clubhouse, putting gas-kets behind electrical switch plates and outlets, replacing incandescent light bulbs with more efficient florescent bulbs, and simply educating residents to turn lights off when they leave a room are inexpensive steps that produce savings over time. He suggests homeowners do the same kind of things to combat high energy bills. But he adds, “I’m skittish about en-ergy audits. They are technical enough that most homeown-ers won’t understand what they mean and might take them as gospel and end up spending thousands on upgrades” that don’t produce real savings. Better to start, he says, by reviewing programs on the Web that help homeowners gauge their energy costs relative to their lifestyle and type of dwelling. “If you’re spending more than average, you could have a problem.” An energy audit then may be appropriate, but Dave cautions us to hire “a company that does audits but is not in the business of selling upgrades” and to “make sure they give you hard data, infrared photographs and readings” that document their findings. Dave is a soft-spoken, slyly humorous product of Roch-ester, New York, who enjoys photography and flat-water kayaking with his wife, Sally, a past president of The Parke community association. Previously chairman of The Parke
Continued on Page 9
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MEET THE ADVISORS Continued from Page 8Operations committee, he also is a member of the Ocean Pines Comprehensive Planning Committee. He feels strongly that people should get involved and help “carry the load” of run-ning their homeowners association. Dave Kohler is a Ph.D. physicist with years of experi-ence in optics, lasers, safety in submarine electrical systems, and nuclear fusion research. But, for the EAC, he says the most important quality for a would-be member is an interest in energy savings, although having a technical background is helpful for crunching the numbers. So, is he over-qualified? Perhaps, but who’s complain-ing?
Operations: Protecting our investment Who is Dale Buley and why is he walking around in the woods? Easy answer: He has an appreciation for The Parke’s na-ture trails. “I believe the trails are a treasure and need to be protected,” he said. “It’s a different world. It’s pristine and comforting.” Practical answer: He wants to make sure his investment, and ours, is properly taken care of. “The Parke has a ‘Wow Factor.’ I saw it the first time I drove in through the front entrance,” he said. As chairman of The Parke’s Operations Advisory Committee, going on two years now, he wants to make sure it stays that way. So, he walks around in the woods and the community, sees things that need fixing or sprucing up and works with the general manager and the committee members to “git ‘er done.” Not that Dale would ever use those exact words. He’s classy; an admitted “neat freak” who likes to battle the devil in the details of any project he’s working on, as well as manage the process. Maybe having a degree in Applied Economics from the University of Rochester and years of experience as an auditor for the former New York Telephone Company ac-counts for those traits. Or, perhaps it comes from his time in the Navy, right after college, when he served as Officer of the Deck aboard an attack aircraft carrier. The OOD, in case you don’t know, is responsible for directing the ship’s maneuvers among the battle group to, well, make sure it doesn’t smash into the other ones. It was a pretty heady job for the 21-year-old LtJG Dale Buley.
Add to that the fact that Dale is an Eagle Scout (with Sil-ver Palm), like his father before him, and you begin to know what makes this guy tick. His two sons also are Eagle Scouts. The Buleys have three daughters, too, one of whom lives in Salisbury and influenced their move here. It’s a sure bet that time will produce more super-achievers among his 14 grand-children. Dale and Marie arrived in The Parke three years ago, from Long Island, and got involved in the community immediately. “I have a good life, always been active, and I feel it is impor-tant that we give back,” he said. Marie is a nurse-volunteer at Atlantic General. Dale was interested in the Operations com-mittee from day one. Working on Operations, he explained, tells you the most about what is going on in the community. It covers a wide range of our association’s concerns, from the Clubhouse to the fountains in front of it, to landscaping, drainage swales, the Mail Pavilion, and pretty much everything in between. The “Ops” committee, as members like to call it, deals with the biggest chunk of The Parke’s budget among all the advisory committees, at least as far as maintenance matters are con-cerned. So, it is not surprising to hear Dale say, when something needs tending, “Let just get four or five people together and do it ourselves and save the costs.” He also says that being part of the process and “getting your hands dirty” is a great way for people to get to know one another.
Busy Does It
“I’ve always been busy,” said PatAddy, who is chairman of the Programs Advisory Committee as well as the Neighborhood Watch Program, at the moment. “When I was a girl, my mother always told us kids, ‘Don’t let the day go by without doing or learning something.’” “Isn’t that right, Mom?” she asked her 94-year-old mother, Elsie, sitting next to her at The Clubhouse front desk, where Pat was acting as CRR on top of everything else. A “Jersey Girl,” Pat went to work for Prudential right after high school. If she had a motto back then, it was “Let me helpout.” Over the years, that meant organizing every-thing from holiday parties to managing logistics for international conferences. “It was so much fun to do.
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MEET THE ADVISORS Continued from Page 9I’d meet so many interesting people,” she said. Pat spent 30 years with the giant insurance company and rose to the position of underwriter in the property and casualty division before moving on to a key assignment in accounting. She met Gordon through his daughter, a colleague at Pruden-tial. They married some time later after Gordon became a wid-ower. But he lived in Olney, Md. So, Pat moved and retired from Prudential. Retired, ha! She had barely settled in when a neighbor – a teacher – asked if Pat would help work with challenged children at her school. She was reluctant, but couldn’t say no. Pat had worked with orphaned kids when she was a youngster and felt a tug on her heart. “After a year as a volunteer, they hired me,” she said. She worked for nearly a decade with teachers at nine schools to as-sess challenged children and develop occupational and physi-cal therapy instruction for them. “I got to work with these wonderful kids,” she remembers. “I still hear from some of them.” Then, when Gordon retired, they moved to The Parke in 2004. Pat loves the beach. “We were here six months and I was asked to help with the Neighborhood Watch Committee. I said ‘Okay,’ but I don’t want to be in charge.” Next thing she knew, Pat was in charge. She reached out to the Ocean Pines police chief to make certain he knew the needs of The Parke. Later on she was asked to help out organizing the weekly happy hour get-togethers. Pat made the rounds to find the best places to go among some 40 restaurants in the area and lined up a spot each Friday for nearly two years as coordinator. Next came the Programs Advisory Committee. “I had no idea what was involved,” she said, but found out fast. The Programs committee coordinates almost every social activity in The Parke, and something is happening or being planned nearly every month. “I give ownership,” Pat said describing her role as chair-man. Members of her committee, along with the Clubhouse staff, oversee the various events and activities, from dinners to bus trips. “I make sure there is coordination among all the players and add a little something extra, if I can.” With a sharp eye for detail, usually she can. Good record-keeping also helps, Pat noted. “These days it also helps to know how to work computer spreadsheet programs.”
Get all the news that’s fit to print on Parke Happenings!
Parke Happenings is the newest communication tool for The Parke to keep all residents up-to-date with activities, board activities, celebrations, events....and just about anything that’s fit to print! As a Parke Happenings resident you will be notified by email every time the new website is updated. But here’s the best part – have you ever deleted an email with the time and date for an activity you wanted to attend? Or do you miss emails because it gets trapped in your spam filter? Or you’re traveling and can’t access your email? On Parke Happen-ings, all updates will be stored just like a diary. If you missed something, just scroll down the page and catch up on what you missed at your convenience. One of the most exciting features of this new site is the ability of residents to easily share comments about the post. We’ll be adding new features and updates to the site over the next few months, so please let us know what you think is working....and what’s missing. We hope, too, that you will like Parke Happenings enough to make it part of your daily reading. You can just visit the site anytime to catch up on what’s new and what you missed by going to www.parkehappenings.org. Store it as a favorite in your Internet Browser (Explorer, Mozilla, Safari, etc.), or set your browser to open Parke Hap-penings automatically as your must-read page. Here are a few answers to questions that we’ve already been asked?
1. I’m getting duplicate emails from Abby and the staff. Why?While we transition the email notice system from Association Voice to Parke Happenings, you may receive duplicate emails – one through Association Voice and another through Parke
Happenings. Please be patient until January 15, 2010. That’s the deadline for residents to subscribe to Parke Happenings. After that date, all updates and announcements will come through Parke Happenings. If you unsubscribe from Parke Happenings, you won’t receive any Clubhouse or community news after the 15th.
2. Will Parke Happenings replace our current website, theparke.org?Not yet. Theparke.org has become too cumbersome to navi-gate with all the tabs and drop-down menus. It is also difficult and costly to make changes. ParkeHappnings.org can easily be maintained and updated by residents and staff. For now, theparke.org will continue to “protect” all our governance documents, membership directory, and forum. But to make it easier for residents to keep current with all our activities and to engage online in conversation through the comments, it was decided to create a new easier-to-use website.
3. What type of information will we receive on Parke Happenings?In addition to what we now refer to as “Abby’s emails,” the Board and committees will post announcements and meet-ing summaries. We’ll post pictures and videos of activities. We’ll post highlights from the newsletters and special events that are happening around Ocean Pines and the Eastern Shore. Have a recipe, a household tip, or special offer you’d like to share? We can easily create a page where residents post and comment. All we need is your feedback and suggestions.
Remember, the “witching hour” is January 15, 2010. Please subscribe now to Parke Happenings.
By Ira Wolfe
Join Usat The Yacht Club
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Red HatsActivities
Red Hats #1 (Les Chapeaux Rouges du Parke) The ladies of Les Chapeaux Rouges du Parke will gather for their annual Re-gifting Party and Luncheon on Tuesday, January 5th, at the home of Princess Betty Copp. Please bring a wrapped present to re-gift. This may be something that you received which did not fit, did not match with your decor, was the wrong color, etc. Please check with Princess Betty or the signup book at the Clubhouse for details. Our best wishes to all for good health and happiness in the New Year!!
Red Hats #3 (I Cappelli Rossi del Parko) The I Cappelli Rossi del Parko ladies will be having their January luncheon and re-gifting party on January 13th. Please sign up in the Red Hats book at the Club-house.
Red Hats #4 (Scarlett O’Hatters) The Scarlett O” Hatters will be having lunch at Worcester Tech on Rt. 113 in Snow Hill. We will be the guest of Chef Paul Suplee and students. After lunch we will have access to the cosmetics class of students.
Red Hats #7 (The Red cHatters) The Red cHatters revisted Pernilla’s Tea Room in December for another wonderful experience. We toured her lovely home decorated for Christmas, had a great lunch, exchanged gifts, and played TEAGO.
The Red cHatters grace Pernilla’s staircase after a sumptuous luncheon.
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Happy New Year! Welcome 2010! I hope your holidays were great. For the next few months I will provide low fat, low sugar, and low carb recipes. Please provide your recipes to me ASAP!
Heat 1⁄2 tbsp oil in a large saucepan over medium heat; add chicken and salt to pan. Cook chicken, stirring to break up meat until it is crumbly and no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer chicken to a plate. Add remaining oil, garlic, onion, chili powder, and cumin. Cook, stirring often until onion is tender, about 7 minutes. Stir in broth, tomatoes, and tomato paste, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in pepper strips and beans and simmer, stirring oc-casionally until sauce is thick, about 10 minutes. Return chicken and any of its juices to saucepan and cook for 1 minute to heat through. Serve with cheese, scallions, and tortilla chips. Provided by Barbara Stevenson.
Household HintsBe Careful with Space Heaters Portable space heaters can be helpful on those extra cold nights, but you should take care to use them properly to avoid fire and other dangers in your home. Your space heater should be rated for indoor use. Do not use fuel burning heaters in your home without proper ventilation to prevent death from a build-up of carbon monoxide. Electric space heaters are saf-est. Keep your space heaters at least three feet from anything that can burn. Never place clothing over a space heater to dry. Keep pets and children away from your space heaters and never leave them unattended when in use.
Birthdays and Anniversaries If you would like to be recognized for a special milestone anniversary (50 or more) or birthday (80 or more), please send your information to [email protected], or leave him a note in the Clubhouse.
scans your hardware and software and identifies any known compatibility issues. It provides guidance on how to resolve identified issues, and makes recommendations for what you should do to ensure a satisfying Windows 7 upgrade experi-ence Whether you do the clean install or some sort of upgrade from XP to Windows 7, the most important part is making sure your data and personal preferences stay intact. That’s where the Windows 7 Easy Transfer tool comes in. First, you run it on your existing XP system to migrate your user profile(s) to some external storage. Then, after Windows 7 is installed you run it again to import the user profile(s) to Windows 7. However, you may have problems if you are transferring from 32-bit Win XP to 64-bit Windows 7. If you’re running XP I assume you have installed some security software -- antivirus, antispyware, etc. Because of changes that Microsoft has made to protect the operating sys-tem kernel, those XP-era security programs will most likely not work in Windows 7. The good news is that the Windows 7 firewall is significantly better than the XP firewall, and Microsoft provides adequate security protection for free with Windows Defender and the Microsoft Security Essentials an-tivirus program. Of course, you might be better off to simply get a whole new system with Windows 7 already installed. If you have held on to your computer hardware as long as you held onto the Windows XP operating system, then you are really skew-ing Moore’s Law and its time to upgrade.
Now that Windows 7 is here, all of us users who have rejected Windows Vista and clung to Windows XP can breathe a sigh of relief and consider moving to the new operat-ing system. Upgrading or switching operating systems often comes with some trials and tribulations and the Windows 7 upgrade is no exception. But, Microsoft has tried to provide the tools users need to make the transition as easy as possible. Unfortunately, Microsoft has not provided Windows 7 with the capability to upgrade directly from XP. The explana-tion is that so much has changed within the operating system that trying to get from Point A to Point B just won’t work. Frankly, experts always recommend doing a fresh install when moving to a new operating system in order to ensure the best performance and overall experience. While you can’t get from Windows XP to Windows 7 directly, there is another way. You could make the switch to Vista, and then to Windows 7. Vista doesn’t even have to be licensed since you won’t be activating it. Just upgrade from XP to Vista, then upgrade from Vista to Windows 7. How-ever, there are no guarantees that this will go off without a hitch. If you bought your PC and printer when Clinton was still in office, you might have a hard time finding software updates and drivers to make them work with Windows 7. Thankfully, Microsoft created the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor which
1/1 Ocean City-Penguin Swim. Celebrate New Year’s Day by “getting wet for a good cause.” Everyone looks forward to the annual dip into the Atlantic Ocean to benefit local hospital, General Atlantic. Registration at noon, swim at 1 pm. 91 St. and the ocean.1/1 Ocean City-Mayor and City Council Open House. Each year the Mayor and City Council offer this open house as an opportunity to tour City Hall and offer their best wishes for the coming year. Residents and visitors alike are invited to enjoy this year’s theme, “Ocean City Police Department-Commu-nity Committed, Internationally Acclaimed.” See police and emergency equipment and technology, mounted police patrol, and K-9 officers. Visit the displays, hear storytellers, and en-joy light refreshments. 301 Baltimore Ave. Friday 1-3 pm1/15 Salisbury-3rd Fridays in Downtown. Kick off the holiday season as the Salisbury Arts & Entertainment District Committee joins with downtown merchants, restaurants and arts organizations to present a special celebratory evening for local residents and visitors to eat, drink, shop, and enjoy art and entertainment.1/16 Ocean Pines-Flea Market. Sell your old treasures and unwanted items at the winter indoor flea market at the Commu-nity Center from 8 am-12 noon. Support local Girl Scouts by purchasing coffee and baked goods at their concession stand. Vendor fees: residents $15, info call 410-641-7717 ext. 30501/16-17 Ocean City-Nautical & Wildlife Art Festival. The Shore’s premier presentation of nautical & wildlife artists in
residence. Noted painters, sculptors, model shipbuilders, & multi-media artists highlight this annual show. Admission fee includes entry into North American Craft Show Sat 10 am-5 pm, Sun 10 am-4 pm. Convention Center 40th St. & Bay1/16-17 Ocean City-North American Craft Show. Varity of quality, juried artists and crafters exhibiting their products for sale. Music. Food available. Admission includes entry into Art Festival.1/24 Atlantic City-Bus Trip. Join the Ocean Pines Recreation Dept. for a trip to the Trump Taj Mahal Casino. The luxury coach bus will leave from the Community Center at 7 am and return around 8 pm. The fee for this trip is $60 per person and includes transportation to and from the casino. A $15 credit voucher will be given to each participant by the casino upon arrival. Info: 410-641-7717 ext. 30501/29-31 Ocean City-Fishermen’s and Aquaculture Trade Expo. Visitors can find all types of gear, services and equip-ment related to inshore and offshore fisheries, as well as all facets of the aquaculture industry. Admission fee. Fri 11 am-6 pm, Sat 10 am-6 pm, Sun 10 am-4:30 pm
When Olga Met Sally Seen here are Sally Kohler and Olga Holowach recovering after foot surgery. They both live on Fort Sumter South and are “supporting” each other through their ordeals. Outgoing Trea-surer Betty Brocato is also recovering from foot surgery.
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On The Lighter SideFUTURE: A woman worries about the future until she gets a husband.
A man never worries about the future until he gets a wife.
SUCCESS: A successful man is one who makes more money than his wife can spend.
A successful woman is one who can find such a man.
MARRIAGE: A woman marries a man expecting he will change, but he doesn’t.
A man marries a woman expecting that she won’t change, but she does.
DRESSING UP: A woman will dress up to go shopping, wa-ter the plants, empty the trash, answer the phone, read a book, and get the mail.
A man will dress up for weddings and funerals (and some-times then only under duress).
OFFSPRING: Ah, children. A woman knows all about her children. She knows about dentist appointments and romances, best friends, favorite foods, secret fears, and hopes and dreams.
A man is vaguely aware of some short people living in the house.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: A married man should forget his mistakes. There’s no use in two people remembering the same thing!
MEN ARE JUST HAPPIER PEOPLE
NICKNAMES: If Laura, Kate and Sarah go out for lunch, they will call each other Laura, Kate and Sarah.
If Mike, Dave and John go out, they will affectionately refer to each other as Fat Boy, Godzilla and Four-eyes.
EATING OUT: When the bill arrives, Mike, Dave and John will each throw in $20, even though it’s only for $32.50. None of them will have anything smaller and none will actually ad-mit they want change back.
When the girls get their bill, out come the pocket calculators.
MONEY: A man will pay $2 for a $1 item he needs.
A woman will pay $1 for a $2 item that she doesn’t need, but it’s on sale.
BATHROOMS: A man has six items in his bathroom: tooth-brush and toothpaste, shaving cream, razor, a bar of soap, and a towel. The average number of items in the typical woman’s bathroom is 337.
A man would not be able to identify more than 20 of these items.
ARGUMENTS: A woman has the last word in any argu-ment.
Anything a man says after that is the beginning of a new argu-ment.
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Christine Neto, M.D.
Health MattersStock up on Cold Medicine Cold and flu season is in full swing this time of year. To make it easier for you and your family to get through it, consider stocking up on over-the-counter cold medicines next time you go shopping. But first you have to know what you need. Go through your medicine cabinet and discard any expired medication. Then you will have room for new sup-plies. At the store, stock up on pain relievers, cough syrup, vitamins, cold and flu medication, tissues, and chest rub oint-ment. With these basic supplies, you won’t have to venture out on a cold night in bad weather to get some relief.
Barbara & Bill Roll-eston celebrated their 50th wedding anni-versary with a lovely party on December 5th at the Yacht Club. Attending the celebra-tion were their three children, seven grand-children, and lots
of other family and friends from near and far. The Parke’s “Banned from Central Parke” entertained their guests with music and song. Congrats, Barbara & Bill.
DID YOU KNOW that for 2009 you can claim a deduc-tion for real estate taxes you paid on you main home even if you ordinarily claim the standard deduction? The deduction is up to $500 for singles or $1,000 for married couples filing jointly. DID YOU KNOW that if you bought a new car in 2009, you may be able to claim a deduction for the taxes you paid on the purchase? The maximum deduction is equal to the taxes paid on the first $49,500 of the purchase price of the car. What’s more, the deduction applies whether or not you item-ize your deductions. DID YOU KNOW that if you bought a new home during 2009, you may qualify for a special tax credit for first-time homebuyers? And don’t let the term “first-time” fool you. Even if you owned a home in the past, you may qualify if you did not own a home in the prior three years. The credit is up to $8,000 or 10% of the purchase price of the home. What’s more, the credit is refundable, so eligible homebuyers receive the credit in the form of a full or partial refund to the extent it exceeds their tax bill for the year. DID YOU KNOW that if you received unemployment benefits in 2009, the first $2,400 is tax free? You should re-ceive a Form 1099-G showing the total unemployment com-pensation you received in 2009, but only the amount above $2,400 will have to be reported as income on your tax return. DID YOU KNOW that you may be able to claim tax credits if you made energy-saving improvements to your home in 2009? The credit applies to qualified improvements such as windows and doors or energy-efficient property like solar water heaters and heat pumps. You will need informa-tion about the nature of you home improvement (including any certification of credit eligibility you received at the time of purchase) and its cost.
To get forms and answers to most of your tax questions, go to www.irs.gov and www.marylandtaxes.com, or consult a professional tax preparer.
Tax TipsNew Year’s Resolutions I just wanted to say how very blessed I am to be at The Parke. I don’t know if anyone knows that my father is why I chose to work in the field I am in. He has been extremely overweight all of my life. I was so afraid that he would not live to see me wed or have my first child. I wanted to fix my Dad and everyone like him. Like most parents, he didn’t listen too much, but he has persevered. The reason I am sharing this with you is because my work here at The Parke may have saved my Dad’s life. He had presented with a shuffling gait, urinary inconti-nence, and severe memory loss. I told him I thought he had hydrocephalous because his symptoms resembled those of one of my clients who has this condition. Doctor after doc-tor told him that it was just normal aging, and his symptoms got worse. After a year of dwindling health, a neurosurgeon told him he knew what was wrong with him and that he had hydrocephalous! My Dad said, “That’s what my daughter had been telling you I had.” I am relieved because I know that the surgery for this works and with exercise and physical therapy I can get my Daddy back. I would never have known about this if it wasn’t for my work here at The Parke, and for this I am eter-nally grateful. The moral of the story is for you to resolve to get fit and healthy this year, if not for yourselves, than for your children and/or your other loved ones. Exercise is not about vanity anymore; it’s about life and being able to live the best life you can! Let the Endorphin Factor help you achieve your reso-lution. We offer many classes and private training as well. Check the calendar for times.
I wish you the healthiest and happiest New Year!
MaryBeth Beck, The Endorphin FactorCertified Personal TrainerCertified Pilates [email protected] • www.pilates4maturecore.com410-251-2595
Exercisers: Set Goals Researchers for the YMCA found that 70 percent of exercisers who set specific goals stuck with their programs for an entire year. Over 75 percent of those who did not set goals dropped out. One easy way to set and keep your fitness goals is to use a training log. Be sure to keep it simple to ensure success. At each exercise session, make note of the number of sets and repetitions you do and the amount of weight you use. You can also record they type and duration of your cardio sessions and your total exercise time.
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