FALCONBRIDGE NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS

falconbridge.orgfalconbridgeHOA.org

BridgeTh

e

May 2020

Message from the Alliance BoardWHAT’S HAPPENING

MAY 2020

—Walt DeGrangeAlliance Co-Chair

• Gourmet, and other safe gatherings

• Mask Warriors of Falconbridge• Memories of Bolton Anthony

INSIDE: • Enjoying and Caring for our Pond• DIY Sanitizer Spray• Neighborhood “Angie’s List”• Thanks to Jim Carroll

Due to pandemic orders, all “in person” social events are cancelled

this month. Virtual events are strongly encouraged to keep

Falconbridge connected! Be creative. Be safe.

Cancelled until further noticeMAH JONGG

lproctor700@gmail.com

Cancelled until further noticeGENTLE YOGA @ THE CLUBHOUSE

bernholtzf@gmail.com

Cancelled until further noticeFIT FOR LIFE @ THE CLUBHOUSE

judy.rosen1010@gmail.com

Tues MAY 5 • 7:00pm ALLIANCE BOARD MEETING

(VIA ZOOM)ltwalt@gmail.com

Wed MAY 6 • 7:00pmBOOK CLUB(VIA ZOOM)

ronitw1950@yahoo.com

Mon May 18 • 6:00pm FHA BOARD MEETING

(VIA ZOOM)marese.casey@gmail.com

Tues May 26 • 6:00pmIf restrictions are lifted

BOWLING AT MARDI GRASlproctor700@gmail.com

Cancelled until further notice 3RD TUES POKER NIGHT

Jnoble3491@gmail.com

Cancelled until further noticeWOMEN’S BOOK CLUBmichelle.wolff1@gmail.com

Cancelled until further noticeWOMEN’S COFFEE KLATCH

judyedholland@gmail.com

Cancelled until further notice TRAVELING PUB

falconbridgepub@gmail.com

The world has changed since my last Alliance Co-Chair article, just two months ago, and we are deal-ing with a unique situation. Fortu-nately, for all of us, we live in one of the best neighborhoods in the world. We have witnessed the shar-ing of useful information, efforts to improve morale through art and humor, and a lot of friendliness (at a distance) while enjoying the weather and walking around the neighbor-hood. We have adapted our organiza-tional and communications infrastruc-ture to this new reality. Now we need to focus on how we can make things better as we wait out this pandemic.Communication is important for safe-

ty and for a sense of connection. We are seeing a greater use of the listserv during this isolating time. Please check out the article on the next page about communicating within the community. Another concern that has arisen is

the use of dog waste bags. Bag use has increased dramatically over the past few weeks. We even have reports of people grabbing a handful of bags with the stated intent of using them for other purposes. These bags have also become more expensive and harder to obtain, and the combination is a challenge. I would encourage everyone to use the bags only as a secondary supply and remember to bring your own bags if possible. If use continues at the present rate, we will no longer be able to provide them.

The last issue I would like to address is the increase in walking around the neighborhood. The weather is lovely, and many folks are taking advantage of the chance to get outside and enjoy our beautiful neighborhood. People are walking further than usual as well. Many of us wish there were benches to rest on, but they are only by the pond. The curb is not a good solution for many people. You may want to carry a lightweight chair if you are walking further than you are used to. And con-sider bringing water with you as the weather gets warmer.In closing, we should feel very fortu-

nate to live in Falconbridge. Let’s enjoy the neighborhood and our neighbors, while continuing to be considerate of each other through these challenging times.

We’re All Adapting to the New Reality

2

Join Falconbridge Alliance

The Bridge - Falconbridge Neighborhood News is distributed monthly to all Falconbridge

residents as a neighborhood service.

FALCONBRIDGE NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS

falconbridge.orgfalconbridgeHOA.org

Bridge May 2020Th

e

Newsletter Editor:

Marian Cannell • falconbridgenews@gmail.com

Newsletter Designer:

Mia Prior • mjcprior@gmail.com

● ● News & Events● ● Community News & Events

Would you like to advertise your business or an event in our monthly newsletter? Reasonable rates. Click here for more information.

Letter from the EditorStaying in Touch with Your Neighbors

Yard Waste Alert: We had a one-time yard waste col-lection recently, but no more yard waste will be collected until further notice. For up-dates on all things Durham, go to their website.

Now that we are mostly at home, it is more important than ever to be able to stay in touch with each oth-er. The Alliance has several ways to communicate, and this newsletter is just one of them. The Alliance-produced newsletter

goes to everyone in the neighbor-hood. We also can use the Alliance member list of emails if we have im-portant information everyone needs to have. We try to limit its use so we don’t annoy people with unwanted email. The Falconbridge listserv, on the

other hand, is an informal sharing platform, similar to an online bulletin board, for information relevant to our community. You can find out more about what is happening in Durham, where to find some elusive product, or who might want the plants or the tools you would like to pass along. Participation is voluntary and it reaches fewer than half the people in our neighborhood. So it is not useful for sending emergency information that the whole neighborhood needs. But it can be helpful as a way to stay in touch with neighbors during this isolating experience, and we are seeing increased use. Before posting something to the listserv, ask yourself these questions: ■ Is this information accurate? The

Internet is awash in wrong infor-mation. You don’t want to post

something that causes more harm than good.

■ Is there a way to direct people to the original source, rather than re-peating the information? For exam-ple, posting a key point and then adding the link will help people get the complete picture without a long email.

■ Does everyone on the listserv need this post? Would it be better to respond directly to one or a few people using their private email? Be courteous and don’t flood the listserv with responses best sent privately.

■ Does the post conform to the list-serv rules? Check them here.

I have never lived in a more con-nected neighborhood and I love how people stay in touch and try to help each other. That strength is more im-portant now than ever before.

— Marian CannellBridge Editor

Joining the Listserv is simple:

1. Go to this link on our website.

2. Select the “Join This Group” icon

3. Login with an existing Yahoo ID or create a new one.

4. Follow the simple instructions on the page. (In the “comment to owner” section, please enter your name and address so we can ensure only neighborhood residents join.)

I have an extra rolls of toilet paper I don’t need. Anybody need some? I’ll put on my front porch.

Yes! I’ll be right there! Can’t find it anywhere.

3

● ● News & Events● ● Community News & Events

On Saturday, April 18th, the Falconbridge Gourmet Dinner Group held a virtual cocktail party hosted by Mark and Kay Nelson. Seventeen of us dressed up (only required from the waist up!), some even put on a bit of make up, and made fancy cocktails and appetizers. We all tuned into a Zoom meeting at 6 pm and proceeded to drink, eat and chat.John Noble took us on a virtual tour of the Nobles’

lovely backyard gardens. Rosemary Hutchinson told us about life at Carolina Meadows during the pandemic. All shared stories of the ups and downs, shortages, tips on how to get through this and as much humor as could be mustered at a time like this. The drinks helped. Many of us had “Quarantinis.” Others imbibed their own favorites and nibbled on small treats. It was a fun and welcome break from our quiet at-home existence.The Falconbridge social spirit lives on as we figure out

ways to safely gather and share. We are grateful for the continued resourcefulness of our wonderful neighbor-hood, and look forward to the next idea for the Gourmet Group.

—Mia Prior

Gourmet Group Zooms Cocktail Party

More Creative Ideas for Gatherings

Late in March a group of neighbors on Glen Forest, miss-ing the Traveling Pub, held an impromptu “pandemic party “ (at least six feet apart and outdoors). While each household stayed safely apart, the neighbors were able to enjoy each other’s company.

—Jim Carroll

Carolyn Parker, Mark and Kay Nelson, Liz Hallgren, Ann Noble, Rosemary Hutchinson, Jan Richmond, Ralph Wikstrom, Rosemarie Kitchin, Cheryl Young, Bobbie Armstrong, Mia Prior and Richard Perry, Paula Clarke and Jim, Karen Fitzhugh, John Noble

The Falconbridge Alliance Book Club met in April, a bit late because we had initially decided not to dis-cuss the book that we had selected in December. The title was “Fever” and it is about Typhoid Mary. We had no idea that it would be quite so timely. We ultimately met via Zoom. We will be meeting via Zoom again in May.

— Ronit Weingarden

Watch the Mail for Your

DirectoryAlliance members should keep an eye on their email

for a notice from Jim Carroll saying your directory has been mailed. Then you can check your mailbox for the updated compilation of contact information for neighbors. You will be able to search in the direc-tory by name or by street address, although it will be a slimmed-down version, more like directories from a few years ago. Printer delays have moved the date you should receive the directory to early May.

—Jim Carroll

4

● ● Getting Involved

What do some of your neighbors have in common with Luis Vuitton, Gucci and furniture makers in North Carolina? We are all making cloth facemasks for people to use during the covid-19 pandemic. In early April, Mia Prior, who already had been sewing masks for friends and family, wanted to offer masks to our Falconbridge community. She con-nected with Robin Schwartz, who agreed to coordinate this project, and with several other neighbors who of-fered to sew masks — the Mask War-riors of Falconbridge was born! More than 10 neighbors in Falconbridge offered their services so friends and neighbors can easily obtain masks. Many others have donated fabric, elastic, pipe cleaners, and shoelaces to help fuel the effort. Masks patterns vary and each per-

son sewing masks provides instruc-tions about how to use and care for them. Fabrics also vary, and often the pattern on one side differs from the pattern on the other to remind the wearer of which side is facing out. Some have ties, others elastic, and there are 3 sizes to fit most people. This is a wonderful community effort and we have supplied more than 100 masks to our neighbors. We will continue as long as there is a need. Contact us if you need masks, or can help, at this link. Remember, if you leave home you

should have a mask. In Durham you are now required to wear one when out in public (see box). If you don’t have masks, we hope you will take advantage of our effort to keep you and others safe.Thank you to all of you who have

been sewing, donating materials and helping to deliver masks to your

neighbors, and to the Falconbridge Alliance for their support and help with communication. Stay safe, stay healthy everyone.

—Robin Schwartz and Mia Prior

Falconbridge Mask Makers Organize to Help Neighbors/Community

Top to bottom: Robin Schwartz, Mia Prior, Kelly Proctor, Debbie Balsamo, Jennifer Tenneyson, Louise Kowalsky, Rosemary Ford

This is half of our team of wonderful neighborhood mask makers! Thanks to all.

FACE MASKS NOW REQUIRED IN DURHAM

On April 17, 2020, the Stay-At-Home Order was amended (Third Amend-ment to Declaration of State of Emergency) and on April 20, residents in Durham are now required to wear a clean face covering any time they are in contact with other people (who are not household members) in pubic or private spaces, including stores, pharmacies, businesses and public transit. “While it doesn’t take the place of social distancing, wearing facial covering certainly plays a big part in reducing the spread of the virus,” Durham Mayor Steve Schewel said. You are not required to wear face coverings during individual exercise outdoors, or while walking or exercis-ing with other people from the same household, as long as the six-foot distance from others is maintained.

CDC RECOMMENATIONS ABOUT FACE MASKS

On April 3, the Center for Disease Control issued a recommenda-tion supporting the use of cloth face coverings in public settings, especially where social distancing measures are difficult to maintain. Wearing facemasks can help slow transmission of the virus. The CDC continues to emphasize that maintaining 6-feet social distanc-ing is critical to slowing the spread of the virus. For more information about how to wear a facemask please see CDC instructions.

Need a mask?Click here

5

● ● News & Events♥ ♥ Volunteer of the Month

● ● Getting Involved

April 1, 2020 was Census Day. Unfortunately, it was also a time when most people were focused on understanding what was happening with the covid-19 pandemic. If you lost track of responding, please do so now.Did you know that the City of

Durham is the fourth largest mu-nicipality in the state and Durham County is North Carolina’s 6th

most populous county? Your census response is important so everyone in NC is counted in 2020. Hundreds of billions of dollars flow into our state every year, allocated for health care, disaster response, highways, educa-tion, college tuition assistance, and housing assistance for the elderly, just to name a few. Census results also determine how many seats North

Carolina has in the House of Represen-tatives. The 2020 Census is the first census that

lets you respond online. In addition, you can complete this by phone by calling 1-800-923-8282. The more peo-ple who respond early and use online, phone or mail-in options, the fewer times census workers will need to knock on doors to collect the data.

You all have received an invita-tion in the mail to respond to the 2020 Census. Even if you have misplaced that invitation, you can go to my2020Census.gov and an-swer the questionnaire on line. For questions, go to this link. Be counted and please remind

your extended family, neighbors, friends, and co-workers of how important – and how easy – it is to respond.

—Robin Schwartz

This month we honor Super Volun-teer Jim Carroll for the many past and current volunteer services he has contributed to the Falconbridge community.If you’ve been to one of the Fal-

conbridge Traveling Pubs, you have probably met Jim. He and his wife, Barb, coordinate the sign ups, send out the notices, and often serve as hosts for these gatherings that bring 30+ neighbors together every oth-er Friday evening. They have been nurturing these gatherings for many years. They also were among the creators of Game Night, which they host several times a year. These social activities are part of the glue that holds the neighborhood together and we are missing them at the moment. Jim also was instrumental in develop-ing the Wine Tasting Group and his organizational skills are valued in all of these events.

But in addition to these social activities, Jim has volunteered behind the scenes in many aspects of Falconbridge life. He set up the accounting and banking system for the Falconbridge Commu-nity Association and Falconbridge Village Association before the Alliance even existed. He served on the Alliance

Board for several years as it was just being formed. He built and maintains the Alliance website and sends out your newsletter every month. Jim also maintains the email lists that are used to notify neighbors of news and events and he helps people get onto and use the listserv as needed. Over the years he has been involved in pub-lishing a neighborhood directory and is doing that again this year.Jim is known for his quiet leader-

ship, his managerial and account-ing skills, his sense of humor, and his willingness to give his time wherever he can help. We are very lucky to have him as a neighbor. Next time you see Jim, ask him about his hiking adventures and other travel. He is sure to have some great stories.

—Marian Cannell

Thanks to Jim Carroll, “Super Volunteer”

Don’t Forget to Complete Your 2020 Census Response

Click totake the census

now

6

● ● Transitions

. . . And We Say GoodbyeFalconbridge is a neighborhood that thrives because of the caring interactions of its members. Each person contributes to the spirit of this beloved community and each departure changes it.

We will miss him.

Each month we will publish brief notices of neighbors who have left us. Please send notifications to the Bridge editor, Marian Cannell at falconbridgenews@gmail.com.

Bolton AnthonyOn Saturday evening, April 18th, our longtime

neighbor, Bolton Anthony, died peacefully at home with his loving wife, Lisa beside him, after a 14-month bout of pancreatic cancer. He was peaceful and ready to “go home,” Lisa says. His obituary is at this link.

I am deeply saddened by the recent passing of my dear friend Bolton An-thony. Bolton had known for some time that he would be leaving us and was ready for his “Second Journey.” But his family and friends, although aware of his illness, were not ready. Lisa will love and miss him for the

rest of her life, and our thoughts and prayers are with her. The FHA Board will miss him as a friend, colleague, and fresh thinker. He was unrelenting in his pursuit of

“perfection” and getting it “right”, and he and I would butt heads over his attention to detail. On many

occasions when I would want a fast “down and dirty” output, he would tell me that he did not/could not do “down and dirty,” and I am so grate-ful for that now as I look at the many communications tools he has left us. The community will miss him as

someone who was always thinking of how to deepen our relationships and add value to our lives. I especially loved his sense of humor – here’s one example: on April 3rd I was madly trying to procure rubbing alcohol from all and sundry, including Bolton and Lisa. Bolton left me a voice mail to say that Lisa had been “arrested for soliciting alcohol and taken away in chains to the hoosegow,” in other words…no alcohol. That is the man I remember and a voice mail that I will treasure.

— Marese CaseyPresident, FHA Board

Farewell to a Friend

town homeHAPPENINGS

FALCONBRIDGE HOMEOWNERS ASSN. MAY 2018

FHA Board

meets Monday,

May 21 at 6 pm

at the Clubhouse

The Annual Meeting of Falcon-bridge town home owners was held on

April 16. Reelected to three-year terms of office were Ron Johnston, Pete Waggoner and Kathy King. Elected to complete the remaining two years of a Board vacancy was Bolton Anthony. At the business meeting follow-ing the annual meeting the Board elected officers

for 2018: Ron Johnston, President; Ma-rese Casey, Vice President; Kathy King, Treasurer; and Naveed Moeed, Secretary.

For all intents and purposes, we ended the year on budget. The apparent $9000 sur-plus in our year-end report is misleading; it does not reflect a late vendor invoice for $7000+. We expect 2018 will be another tight budget year. Though we have finished within budget for the last 13 years, I am concerned about our ability in the future to sustain this success. Our townhomes and the landscape continue to age. The oldest town homes were built in 1984; the newest, in 1997. Repair and maintenance expenses will to continue to rise. Anticipating this squeeze, we have hired an outside consult-ing firm to do an assessment and perform a 20-year forecast of yearly capital ex-penses for roofing, siding, painting, deck, streets, etc. We will summarize the results and provide it to the homeowners for their information and will use it to guide our de-liberations at our annual planning retreat.

I suspect that half of our residents are, like me, dog lovers. But dogs are causing some damage to our plantings. Dog urine kills flowers and young bushes. Please help! The landscape committee needs your help restraining your dogs from urinating on the beds at all our entrances and gardens.

Terra Vista (visit their website) is our new landscape contractor. They have a lot on their plate, but as a first priority we have asked them to look at the junipers at the entrances to Bloomsbury and develop an enhance-ment action plan.

It seems like every week additional yard art graces our neighborhood. I have asked the Chair of the Architectural Control Committee to look at our cur-rent guidelines and determine if we need a yard art policy.

Finally, we are chang-ing the starting time of our monthly meetings to 6 pm. The next meeting is scheduled for May 21.

— Ron Johnston FHA President

2018-19 FHA Board of Directors

2018-19 Board of Directors (left to right): Pete Waggoner, Ron Johnston, Kathy King, Jean Sellers, Darren Byerly, Bolton Anthony, Kim Fahs, Marese Casey, and Naveed Moeed

Keeping our websites straight can be a challenge. The two for town homes residents have very similar URLs.

� Use FalconbridgeHOA.org, the site FHA maintains, to find pool and Clubhouse information, the Club-house calendar, and upcoming Mov-ies at the Clubhouse, as well as links to FHA policies and procedures.

� Use Falconbridge–HOA.com, the site maintained by Towne Proper-ties, our management company, to submit work orders or to review your personal homeowner account data.

Get the skinny of neighborhood-wide ac-tivities and events and back issues of this newsletter at Falconbridge.org, the site maintained by The Alliance.

Message from the FHA

PRESIDENT

Bolton designed and published his informa-tive and colorful FHA Townhome Happen-ings for years, keeping townhome owners in the loop.

7

FALCONBRIDGE HOMEOWNERS ASSN.

town homeHAPPENINGS

FHA Board

No Meeting

August 2017 May 2020

FHA

Online (Zoom)

Board Meeting

Mon May 18

FALCONBRIDGE HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION

Message from Marese Casey, FHA PRESIDENT

● ● Townhome News

STAY SAFE – the City of Durham requires us to wear masks in public spaces in addition to prac-ticing all the other virus mitigation protocols from social distancing to hand washing. Please continue to protect yourself and your family. (If you need a mask, please see page 4.)

To comply with both the CDC and Gov. Cooper’s mandates as it pertains to covid-19, our Clubhouse remains closed. We had planned to open the pool on May 16 and are continuing to work to that date, preparing the facility, permits, etc., to be ready should a “miracle” happen and we are allowed to open.We had our April Board Meeting via Zoom with a full quorum.

We addressed homeowner queries sent to Jacob before the meet-ing, and Jacob will respond to the relevant homeowners.

As you know, Jacob communicates important messages to the community at large via e-mails generated by the CAS system. You will not get those communications if CAS does not have your e-mail. Jacob recently sent out a community-wide mail with the Minutes and the Balance Sheet and Income Statements for March. If you did not receive those documents, then you know that CAS does not have your e-mail address in their system.Thanks to Catherine Alguire and her team, we

have made Trojan progress in buffer maintenance. Please read her article on the Pond Buffer on page 8 of The Bridge.

CAS ManagementJacob Hildebrandjacob@casnc.com

919-403-1400 ext. 1210

Communications

Naveed Moeed, our Board Member with responsibility for Communi-cations, is looking for volunteers to serve on the Communications Com-mittee. The committee’s first step will be to agree on its mission and goals. It is understood that included in its responsibilities will be the construction and management of a new website. Please contact Naveed on Naveed.moeed@gmail.com or 434-203-8709.

Guidelines/Policies that Relate to Interpreting the Covenants

In conjunction with the creation of a new website, the Board will take the opportunity to review and update as necessary our previously published Guidelines to the Covenants. These include Landscaping, Facilities and Standing Water.

Zoom in Next FHA Meeting

The FHA Board will meet on Mon-day, May 18 at 6:00 pm via Zoom. We are making plans to allow home-owners Zoom access.

Landscape Care Transition is in Progress

One of the benefits of the current “stay-at-home” guidelines has been having the time to do some long-ne-glected gardening. Based on my strolls around the neighborhood, I sense I’m not alone in this pursuit. Whether it’s a small space outside the courtyard, or a larger area behind a townhome, I see the touch of a plant lover’s hand. It seems the blooms are more abundant, the colors more brilliant. We have some experienced gardeners here, and I want to ask them some questions!

Those observations have led me to think about starting (restarting?) a garden club where we could meet together, share knowledge, go on outings, plan, plant, and care for community spaces around us. (Yes, I believe that day will come when we can be together!) If you would be interested in talking

about this idea, send Kim Fahs an email at kim.fahs3@gmail.com. As soon as the restrictions are lifted, I will send out an invitation and we can see what happens.Take care…and Happy Gardening!

—Kim Fahs, FHA Landscape Chair

8

● ● Nature News/On the Pond

Now is the time to get up close to nature! Come visit the pond – the very unique and beautiful 5-acre amenity owned by the Falconbridge Homeown-ers Association (townhomes), whose financial resources and volunteer ef-forts ensure its sustainability. Enjoy the beautiful wildflowers, warm breezes, fish, turtles, birds and other delights of nature. You may be familiar with our blue heron, but have you spotted the green one? Or the osprey, kingfisher or swallows? Warning: Nature at the pond is not

for the timid! There’s sex (birds), death (birds eating fish), and rock and roll (turtles) as well as the joys of babies (fish, turtles) and singing (birds, frogs). Never a dull day by the water!Take a walk (no bikes please!) all the way around the

pond for a ½ mile hike:❀ You can access the pond from the Clubhouse area, from

Huntingridge Rd, or from any of the openings between the townhomes.

❀ Walk at your leisure anywhere on the open lawn area on the townhome side of the pond. The unmowed ri-parian buffer edge here contains many desirable native plants that are essential for birds and pollinators, e.g. grasses, hibiscus, sunflowers, asters, sweet autumn clematis, as well as some noninvasive ornamental plants, e.g. iris, agave, daylily, blackberries.

❀ On the woodland side, there are two paths — one through the woods and one along the bank — offering a choice of sun or shade.

❀ While a few single-family home properties back up to the pond, there is a continuous FHA-owned right-of-way strip near the water edge on which you can walk, leading to the path and benches on the dam — a relax-ing place to sit.

The Pond News Update:

In February, interested residents met at the Clubhouse to consider the crucial elements necessary to maintain the health of the dam and pond. Volunteers self-divided into four areas essential to maintaining the integrity of the dam and the health of the pond and surrounding envi-ronment: Emergency Action Plan, Run Off, Buffer Man-agement, and Dam Health & Plants.

The Buffer Management group is already in action. Referencing previ-ous professional reports, Ed Holland, Darragh Davis, and Mary Suttle are doing research to develop a Buffer Pol-icy to submit for HOA Board Approv-al. Catherine Alguire and Kim Fahs will develop recommendations for amending the existing buffer plants. Several other volunteers committed to work on ridding the buffer of unwant-ed plants – a tremendous benefit to the health of the pond.❀ Four volunteers (Cathy Camp-bell, Mary Suttle, Bob Durovich, and Catherine Alguire) spent two morn-ings getting tree saplings and invasive tree/shrub species out of the buffer. Following professional advice, a few

native tree saplings were left in the buffer to shade the shallow water in the hot summer months. These shore-line trees are crucial in reducing the surface tempera-ture of the water, which helps deter algae blooms and improve water purity.

❀ The FHA landscape mowers are leaving 6’ of uncut buffer at the lawn level behind the townhomes. This “riparian buffer” is essential to help slow surface rain enough to sink into the ground during heavy storms. When surface runoff sinks into the ground, silt and chemicals are filtered out before reaching the pond water, which keeps the pond healthy.

Are you interested in joining these enjoyable neighbor-hood activities that help keep the pond environs healthy? Let Marese Casey know!

—Catherine Alguire

Take a Walk on the Wild Side — Around the Pond

9

● ● Neighbor Services/Aging in Place

If you would like to request help from Falconbridge Friends

or learn more about volunteer opportunities, email FalconbridgeFriends@gmail.com

or call 919-391-8210.

A Friends co-coordinator will respond within a day or two to messages, which are either requesting help or asking about

volunteer opportunities.

MEDICAL EQUIPMENT available for loan to Falconbridge Alliance members through the Falconbridge Friends.

Supplies include 2 portable wheelchairs, 5 bedside toilets,4 shower chairs, 1 ice machine, assorted crutches, 3 rolling walkers, 3 fixed

walkers, assortment of braces, 1 bed table

Please contact Claudia Stephens at 919-490-1397 (leave

message) or RalCStep@gmail.com.

rdavis@fmrealty.com ■ 919-323-1151Selling Falconbridge Homes Since 1990

ROBBIE DAVIS JUSTIN BURLESONREALTOR® | PREMIER AGENTS NETWORK

Check out my testimonials on robbiedavisrealtor.com

Real Estate doesn’t stop just because of the virus!

We’re still busy helping sellers prepare to sell their homes immediately as soon as this is over and helping

buyers be ready to pounce once they can get inside the homes. Don’t wait for the virus to end before

you start thinking about selling, or you’ll be behind everyone else!

Give us a call to strategize in the meantime.Trust your Falconbridge Expert who has been selling homes for

over 30 Years!

How to Contact Falconbridge Friends

Falconbridge Friends Adapts to Covid-19

So far Falconbridge Friends has been able to meet all requests for assistance. It is wonderful to see how caring our neighbors are even during this challenging time. We are lucky to live in this wonderful community.

—Robin Schwartz

● ● News & Events● ● @ The Clubhouse

Pool Opening on Hold With all that is happening this year with the covid-19 vi-

rus, we have no set date for reopening the pool. That said, we are operating on the assumption that it will open, and if the ban is lifted, we will be ready. SAG is currently con-tinuing the winter maintenance schedule and checking that there will be no obstacles to reopening if and when we are allowed. You can find out all about Pool Membership and the

benefits that come with it by going to our pool page.--Ginny Baas

10

● ● Good To Know

How do we safely adapt to the dramatic increase in people walking, biking, skating, and strolling on our neighborhood streets, while avoiding covid-19 risks? With no sidewalks, drivers and pedestrians share the road. But fewer people are driving, so we often have a very wide “walk-way” available. Many now exercising here are new to this venue and may not recall safety rules we learned as children. Some rules are codified in NC laws on pedestrian rights and responsibilities, but most flow from common sense:• “On roadways where there is no

sidewalk, pedestrians should always walk facing traffic.” This applies to people on skates and scooters, too. Not only is this the law, it also is safer. You see what is happening if traffic is coming toward you, and can avoid a vehicle that gets too close. For exam-ple, if two cars are com-ing in opposite directions, the car on your side might not notice you and might move in your direction to avoid the other car. If you can see this, you can move out of the way. If for some reason you find you must walk in the wrong di-rection, please yield to those going in the lawful direction and stay at least 6 feet away as they pass.

• But bikes are different. People on bikes must follow the same rules as drivers, riding with the traffic, not against it.

• Be aware of others. Stay at least six feet away from people not part of your household, to avoid sharing the virus. If you overtake others, move out into the street or even to the other side of the street

to provide a safe distance as you pass. Then return to the correct side once you are past.

• Yield to oncoming traffic. On a roadway, pedestrians must yield to vehicles. You can’t just take up the whole lane. It is safest to move as close as possible to the side of the road while the vehicle goes past. This works best when you are walking facing oncoming traffic. If you are driving, please try to give pedestrians plenty of room as you pass. Share the road!

• Watch for driveways. Even though pedestrians have the right of way

crossing a driveway, safety is more important. Drivers can’t always see clearly when backing out; protect yourself by taking extra care near driveways.• Be visible. With hotter weather more people will be out on the street at dawn

or dusk. Wear something bright and carry a light. The more visible you are the more likely a driver can avoid hitting you.

• Be a good neighbor. When walk-ing with dogs keep, them close to you to protect others from unwant-ed close encounters. Keep dogs on a leash and always clean up after them. Remember, dog urine can kill plants, so direct your dogs to a place where they will not damage someone’s lawn or garden.

We can celebrate the fact that we are being active and meeting more of our neighbors – at a distance – and still do our best to be safe and predict-able.

—Marian Cannell

OLLI at Duke instructor, Alan Magid, taught a unit on kitchen health and safety, as part of his Fall 2019 Kitchen

Chemistry course. He shared this recipe for a DIY surface cleaner/sanitizer you may find useful if you have bleach and a

name brand dish detergent, such as Dawn or Gain or something similar.“To Make: Dissolve a teaspoon each of bleach and Dawn (or any other brand

name dish liquid containing C10-16 Alkyldimethylamine Oxide) in a pint of water. Put it in trigger sprayer.

To Use: Remove any gross soil. Moisten the surface with a mist. Let it dry. That surface is now practically sterile.”

Magid, a retired scientist and professor, calls this “Super Juice II” and says it works on viruses and bacteria. He shares more information from the safe-ty section of the course at this link.

—Marian Cannell

Pedestrians in a Pandemic: Staying Safe

Make Your Own Sanitizer Spray

11

● ● Board Reports

Board action and discussion included the following:■ Reviewed the second quarter budget report and dis-

cussed future needs and resources.■ Discussed results of the membership drive and prog-

ress on the 2020 Directory.■ Deferred action on updated Clubhouse agreement until

next month after we can check with FHA.■ Decided to reserve the fire truck for the July 4th parade,

but do no more planning for the event until we know the status of community restrictions as the pandemic progresses.

■ Received a report on communications efforts and a potential new website.

■ Deferred discussion of a neighborhood yard sale, pend-ing identifying a volunteer to organize it.

■ Tabled discussion of emeritus membership status until next month to allow Board to get more information from the FHA. Decided to examine our insurance poli-cy in more detail to see if there are any ramifications.

■ Considered ways to recruit more Board members from townhomes.

■ Discussed continuing to honor volunteers in the news-letter.

■ Next Board Meeting is on Tuesday, May 5th at 7 pm.

Minutes are available here. For further details contact Walt DeGrange ltwalt@gmail.com or Pam Richey pamfrichey@gmail.com.

Summary of April 7, 2020 Board Meeting

BOOK CLUB* Ronit Weingarden ronitw1950@yahoo.com GAME NIGHT GROUP* Barb Carroll jimandbarb@nc.rr.com

GOURMET DINING GROUP* Carolyn Parker chparker43@gmail.com &

Karen Fitzhugh fitzhugh.karen@gmail.com

MAH JONGG* Lawrence Proctor lproctor700@gmail.com

MARDI GRAS BOWLING Lawrence Proctor lproctor700@gmail.com OUTDOOR ADVENTURE GROUP* JB Marr jmarr.jr@gmail.com

PICKLEBALL BJ Attwood attwoodbj@gmail.com STUDIO TIME FOR ARTISTS* Ann Noble annnoble@nc.rr.com

THIRD TUESDAY POKER* John Noble jnoble3491@gmail.com

TRAVELING PUB Barb Carroll falconbridgepub@gmail.com

WINE TASTING GROUP* Jim Carroll & Bob Jackson jimcarrollnc@gmail.com

WOMEN’S COFFEE KLATCH* Judy Holland judyedholland@gmail.com

WOMEN’S BOOK CLUB* Michelle Wolff michelle.wolff1@gmail.com

* Must be a member of the Alliance to participate

FALCONBRIDGE ALLIANCE-SPONSORED SOCIAL GROUPS

● ● Calendar/Contacts

The Falconbridge Resource List consists of a list of vendors who have been recommended by Fal-conbridge residents. It currently contains six categories of service providers, with subcategories as appropriate: household help, house upkeep & repair, auto services, yard services, personal services, and pets. The person who made the referral (indicated by the initials at the end

of the entry) is listed in the “Referral Sources” at the end of the document, so if you have questions you can contact them directly about their experience.This list can only be well maintained

if residents will give feedback. If a resident has an unsatisfactory experi-ence with a vendor or calls one who is no longer in business, it’s import-ant that they notify the list’s coordi-

nator who will make appropriate changes. Also notify the coor-dinator if you’ve had personal experience with a vendor who you believe ought to be added to the list. Thanks to Lisa Anthony for maintain-ing this valuable resource!Click to download the PDF.

Check Out Our Neighborhood’s “Angie’s List”

12

WEB ACCESS

WHY JOIN THE ALLIANCE?

With your Alliance Membership, you can:• Stay up to date on neighborhood news with our newsletter and

website• Share information with your neighbors via our listserv• Look up a neighbor in our Falconbridge directory• Meet your neighbors at our numerous social events • Pursue interests with a variety of sponsored social groups• Receive discounts on some Alliance-sponsored classes and

events• Participate in special members-only events• Feel more secure with our Neighborhood Watch • Be reassured that trained neighborhood volunteers can help

your family with transportation, meals, and other services if you have a short-term health or other crisis

• Ensure the continued growth of programs and activites to enhance the lives of all Falconbridge residents

www.falconbridge.org

(Falconbridge Alliance) – [Constantly being improved, an increasingly vital source of information

– progressive and historical. Do visit often.]

FalconbridgeHOA.org (Townhomes)

groups.yahoo.com/groups/FalconbridgeAlliance

(Listserv)

www.Falconbridgehoa.org/pool.htm (Pool and Clubhouse)

2019-2020 Falconbridge FHA Board of Directors (Townhomes)

OFFICERS

Marese Casey, President • marese.casey@gmail.com • 919-817-3218 Naveed Moeed, Secretary & Communications • naveed.moeed@gmail.com • 919-203-8709 AT LARGE MEMBERS

BJ Attwood • attwoodbj@gmail.com • 804-869-7806

Ruby Bugg • rwbugg@aol.com • 919-210-0016

Kim Fahs, Pool, Landscaping and Clubhouse • Kim.fahs3@gmail.com • 423-834-1120

Howard Goldberg, Treasurer • hgoldberg16@gmail.com • 518-878-9296 Dick Robinson • Facilities Committee • rhrjrwebtv@aol.com • 919-493-4230

Shirley Sennhauser • sennhauser1138@gmail.com • 919-545-0511

Pete Waggoner, Architectural Review • pete.waggoner@yahoo.com • 919-408-0144

2019-2020 Falconbridge Alliance Board of Directors

Walt DeGrange (SF), Co-Chair • ltwalt@gmail.com • 919-442-8164

Pam Richey (TH), Co-Chair • pamfrichey@gmail.com • 919-641-8525

Stephanie Curtis, Treasurer • stephanie.curtis83@gmail.com

Sara Morris, Secretary • smorris48@hotmail.com • 203-214-1529

Pamela Lothspeich • hindivali@yahoo.com • 919-548-0766

BJ Attwood • attwoodbj@gmail.com • 804-869-7806

Linda Sheer • Social Chair - lsheer@nc.rr.com • 919-636-1825

Marian Cannell • marian@cannells.com • 919-452-5439

2019-2020 FCA Board of Directors

Walt DeGrange, President • ltwalt@gmail.com • 919-442-8164

Linda Sheer, Secretary • lsheer@nc.rr.com • 919-636-1825

Pamela Lothspeich • hindivali@yahoo.com • 919-548-0766

SF=Single-Family home TH=Townhome

https://www.facebook.com/groups/153955664771981/

(Falconbridge Families Facebook)