Welcome Center601 Lumpkin Road(706)685-3939

East Main Post & Upatoi104 Dial Street(706)685-3925

Custer Village180 Kessler Drive(706)685-3930

Indianhead Village109 Lavoie Street(706)685-3933

Davis/Bouton Village22B Johnston Court(706)685-3940

McGraw Village6000 Muscogee Creek Way(706)685-3935

Patton Village8460 Blackhorse Street(706)610-5500

Porter Village55 Lucas Ct(706) 864-0486

December 2013Volume 8 , Issue 12

Ft Benning Guidelines

Stray Animals

For more information visit:

On-Post Housing GuidelinesSection 7.1 Pet Policy

Click on link below.

Stray animals need to be able to fend for themselves. When people begin to feed them and give them attention, they lose the ability to hunt and survive on their own. This wouldn't be a problem if people looked after them for the rest of their lives. Unfortunately, we move homes or even countries, and then the stray animals who learned to rely on us are left helpless. Whereas you believe you are aiding these animals you may actually be hindering them. Notify on-post animal control of stray animals so they can be appropriately cared for.

-The Villages of Benning Management Team

Energy Saving Tips:

Fall/Winter

1. As a general rule, keep the thermostat as low as you can without becoming uncomfortably cold.

2. Before you climb under the covers and go to sleep, decrease the thermostat temperature by 10 to 15 degrees. Do the same before you leave the house for work or vacation.

3. Set your water heater’s temperature to 120 degrees. This will save significantly!

4. Check weather stripping on doors for leaks. If they need to be replaced, request a work order.

Prescribed Burning and Air Quality

Why does Fort Benning burn?

· Reduce the impact of wildfires by eliminating excess fuel and the danger of catastrophic wildfires· Improve usability of training lands· Provide ecological maintenance and restoration of habitat critical to threatened and endangered species· Enhance wildlife habitat · Protect real and personal property

What does Fort Benning burn?

Fort Benning’s Land Management Branch burns approximately 30,000 acres of forested training lands each year. 80%-85% percent of planned burning takes place between December-May.

Protect yourself and your family from the health effects of smoke

If you are healthy, you are not usually at risk from short-term exposures to smoke. If someone in your family has asthma, heart or lung disease, is an older adult or a child, consider taking precautions to reduce health effects from smoke.

Prescribed Burning vs. Wildfire:

The Environmental Protection Agency and the Southern Group of State Foresters agree that although some air pollution is generated by prescribed burning, the net amount is a relatively smaller quantity than that produced by wildfires.

“It is significantly better to manage smoke from prescribed fires, rather than risk the dangers associated with wildfires, including the human health impacts from uncontrolled wildfire smoke.”

BAREWARE

-The Villages of Benning Management Team

“Mistletoes” Art

Pretzel Christmas Trees

•Green, Yellow and Red Paint•Paint Brushes•Paint Canvas

Ingredients:

Instructions:

1. Lay out a generous sheet of waxed paper and place the pretzel rods about 6 inches apart from each other.2. Melt half a bag of the candy melts in the sandwich bag according to the direction. When the melts have reached a liquid form, snip a super tiny piece of one of the corners off the bag.3. Squeeze the candy melt out of the bag starting from the top of the pretzel rod, gradually creating a tree shape.4. Sprinkle your choice of toppings on the candy melt to create the look of ornaments. This is a great step for the kids to do!5. Let the candy melt cool completely before serving. I let mine cool over night to make sure they had set appropriately.

Decorating for Christmas without High Energy Use

Holiday decorating doesn't need to be expensive. With a few simple tricks, homes can reflect the joy of Christmas while still keeping costs down.

•Using plug-in lights can result in a higher utility bill. Avoid paying higher bills during the holidays by relying on battery-

operated decorations.

•You can save a lot of energy while enjoying the glow of warm holiday lights. Eco-friendly options include: outdoor solar, LED string lights, rechargeable indoor/outdoor votives, flameless indoor tea lights, and more. For even more energy savings, attach light strings to a timer.

•Faux candles (such as battery operated flameless candles) don't require extension cords and can look lovely when hung from trees. Try placing them in lanterns. They'll look great during the daytime as well as

the night.

•Offer the birds (and squirrels) a Christmas dinner and decorate an outdoor tree at the same time. Gather together some pine cones, yarn, peanut butter or sunflower seed butter, dull spreading knife, birdseed and some large baking sheets. Tie long pieces of yarn around the top of each pine cone. Then smear peanut butter or sunflower butter on each pine cone with a spreader. After the pine cones are coated, pour birdseed onto a large baking sheet and spread it out evenly. Roll the pine cones in the birdseed until well-coated. Hang these outdoor Christmas tree ornaments by tying the yarn around a tree branch.

•Make safe and edible Christmas garlands with popcorn and cranberries. Get some popcorn, thread, needles, and dried cranberries. Thread the needle and string plain popcorn on thread along with cranberries for a tasty treat for the birds.

The red cranberries add to a festive look.

•Spray Styrofoam balls with fake snow and pile them in an urn near the front door. They'll look like snowballs just waiting to be thrown. For added visual interest, toss in a few pinecones.

•Hang pretty ornaments in front of windows. They can be hung from ribbons,

necklace chains, or fishing line.

•Don’t forget the most important piece—The wreath! You can make a Christmas wreath of your own or have the kids make one for their room. Many Christmas tree lots will let you have discarded evergreen material from which you can make your own wreaths with craft wire. Fasten small decorations or kid toys using ribbon to give them an added bonus.

•Pretzel Rods•Green candy melts•Sandwich bag•Scissors

•Waxed paper•Mini M&M’s•Sprinkles

Materials:

Instructions:

1. Apply paint on your feet, either with a brush or by stepping into the paint, and press feet onto canvas.

2. Allow feet to dry, then paint ribbon, dots and the word “Mistletoes” to the canvas.

3. Wrap for a gift or hang near a doorway for some Holiday cheer!

“Light it up” Residents—here is your chance to show off your Christmas creativity! Beginning December 1st and ending December 15th, one home will win from each village for the BEST exterior Christmas decorations (and a $50 VISA Gift Card) . If your home is selected, then an overall winner will be selected to receive a $100 VISA Gift Card.

Here are the rules:· Automatic Disqualification: Inflatable Christmas Globes (or Snow Globes)· Bonus Points: LED Lights· Front yards ONLY, backyard decorating will also be an automatic disqualification.

The final decision will take place on December 15th, and we will notify you by telephone and/or e-mail. Please make sure your contact information is current by visiting your management office and

notifying them of any changes.

RESIDENT REMINDERS:

Calendar of Events- DecemberSun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 2

East MainDavis Hill

3 4

McGrawPatton

5 6OfficesClose at 3pmCusterMcDonaldUpatoi

7

8 9

BoutonIndianheadUpatoi

10 11

Santa Coming to Town

BoutonIndianhead

12 13

BoutonIndianheadEast Main

14

15 16

Davis Hill

17 18

Davis Hill

19 20

Davis Hill

21

22 23

McGrawPatton

24 25 26 27

McGrawPatton

28

29 30

CusterMcDonald

31

Ft Benning:

Porter Village:

January

Brushes and Beverages- Ft BenningBirthday Bonanza- Ft Benning

February

Bruster’s Ice Cream Social- Ft Benning

Callaway Gardens Fantasy In Lights, November 22-December 30. For more information visit www.callawaygardens.com

The Polar Express 3D at the National Infantry Museum IMAX Theatre, November 29- December 22. For more information visit www.facebook.com/events/228085004019997/

Disney in Concert: Magical Music from the Movies! December 6, at 7:30 pm. For more information visit www.csoga.org

1. If you haven’t had a chance yet, stop by your new Community Center, in Porter Village. Call the housing office to rent this space for your next function.

2. The Holiday season is here! Please refer to your RRG for decorating guidelines, and remember that decorations are required to be taken down within 15 days after any holiday.

Offices Closed

Dahlonega's Old Fashioned Christmas, November 29th-December 22. For more information visit www.Dahlonega.org

Offices Closed

Beginning January 2014, residents will be able to sign up at their community center for a chance to win a Birthday prize. Winners will be drawn on the last day of each month and notified by their Community Center if they have won.

Offices Closed

Eve Day

New Year’sDayEve

Birthday Bonanza