Advocate Moss Creek

December 2014

Issue Highlights: President’s Report

Upcoming Events

Golf Tip

Tennis Tip

Jan Alpert

2014 MCOA Board President

I am pleased to announce the 2015 MCOA Officers who were elected by the Board at the October 20th Board Meeting: Jerry Coghlan, President Lawrence Taylor, Vice President Lou Natale, Treasurer Katy Myer, Secretary

I want to thank all Members who volunteered to serve on MCOA committees in 2015. In December President-elect, Jerry Coghlan will appoint the new Committee Chairs who will select the Committee members for 2015. I also want to thank all the Board and Committee Members for their service in 2014. All the Committee Chairs and members worked diligently to accomplish their goals including improved service and some new offerings to Members. Some of the 2014 highlights were mentioned at the October 21st Special Meeting and in this column in the November Advocate. On November 10, 2014, Peter Carlson, Chair of the Long Range Planning Committee and Chuck Eberly, Chair of the Master Plan Task Force presented their respective committee recommendations about what Moss Creek needs to accomplish over the long term to remain competitive. Both committees used the MCOA Vision “to be the best value full amenity Private Community in the Hilton Head area” together with the Mission and Brand statements as their guiding principles. The written committee reports will be posted on the MCOA website before the end of the year. The following are a few of the highlights. Long Range Planning Committee The committee compared Moss Creek’s annual costs to the costs in 13 other communities in the Hilton Head area. The Certificate Fee is amortized over ten years. MCOA 2014 HOA and amenity costs are approximately $1,750 below the community average for Activity Fee Members and $1,000 below the community average for Non-Activity Fee Members. Every three years Moss Creek hires an outside firm to update our Reserve Study. The recent study by Miller Dodson recommends that beginning in 2015 MCOA should set aside $964,000 into the reserve fund each year, which is a $265,000 annual increase from the last reserve study in 2011 which did not include the pool and fitness center which were completed in 2010. This year further evaluation was done on both causeways to review the extent of the erosion and potential vulnerability of the causeways in the event of a major storm. The engineer’s estimate for protecting the causeways including installation of a composite fiber retaining wall on both the marsh and the lagoon sides is $1.3 million on the north causeway closest to the Clubhouse and $900,000 on the south causeway. There will also be additional costs to replace the pipe under the north causeway similar to the repair of the south causeway earlier this year, and to landscape each causeway after the construction is completed. The causeway construction costs will come out of the Reserve Fund and irrigation and landscaping will be a new capital expenditure. The project has not yet been approved, but for planning purposes the project has been included in the ten year financial plan with reinforcement of the north causeway scheduled in 2016 and the south causeway in 2018. The north causeway is prioritized because the erosion has been more extensive. If retaining walls are installed, the previous eroded areas can be filled in providing a wider and safer roadway which can be landscaped. The Finance Committee and Board will continue to study the construction and financing alterna-tives. In 2015 we will have a Members Meeting to review the plans and costs in more detail. Other capital projects on the ten year long range plan include (2015-2017) Bostwick Point Park phase I, Stable Gate improvements of common grounds, Tennis Clubhouse expansion, funds to develop a Dining Facility Master Plan, and extending the bike path at the entrance of Moss Creek to 278. Longer term capital projects include Bostwick Point Park phase II (2018-2020) and expansion of the tennis area (2021-2024). The current Long Range Plan does not include expansion of the Fitness Center nor Bostwick for casual dining. Although both pro-jects have been discussed, if the funds are spent on reinforcing both causeways, MCOA does not have sufficient cash flow at this time for these additional projects. However, the Long Range Plan projects 65 property sales each year, which is a relatively conser-vative estimate. If the actual sales exceed the estimate, additional funds may be available for these or other projects. This year the Long Range Planning Committee recommended and the Board approved keeping the Activity Fee at $1,000 because the simplified cost structure which was begun in 2009 has been successful resulting in a higher percentage of home sales for Moss Creek as compared to other established communities in the area. Although the increase in the HOA fee is 3.5% for 2015 and 2016,

the ten year plan includes an anticipated annual increase of 4% beginning in 2017 and continuing through 2024. With this change, Moss Creek will remain in a strong financial position with sufficient available cash to meet its forecasted needs. Master Plan Task Force The Master Plan Task Force had two goals: To update the Moss Creek Master Plan to reflect all current permitted land use areas and to develop a strategic Master Plan which identifies the highest and best use for buildings and land areas. Before making any recommendations the task force reviewed the original Master Plan and conducted a detailed review of Moss Creek’s covenants; surveyed our membership; studied changing demographics, had discussions with several community consultants and competitive developers; reviewed new improvements and amenities in competitive communities, and completed an internal analysis of Moss Creek dining options. The presentation included an historic review of the development of Moss Creek and its major facilities. Moss Creek has remained a competitive community over the last twenty years by continuing to maintain the quality of its facilities and recreational amenities while at the same time preserving a strong financial position. The 2014 Revised Master Plan identifies all the land which is designated “open space” as well as the “common property” available for future amenities including the Bostwick area, the Clubhouse, tennis, and maintenance area, the area around the Water Tower, and the Equestrian Center. The Master Plan Task Force is making no recommendations at this time for expansion of Lot B nor change to the Equestrian Center, but noted the land is designated as common property and could be used for additional amenities in the future. Posters of the Revised Master Plan have been available for viewing in the Clubhouse. New copies of the map will be available on the website before the end of the year with the final report. The two most important messages from our meetings with community consultants earlier this year were: • “Future country clubs will be like a sports center surrounded by a golf course with a casual grill and quality service.” • “The need for casual and family-centered options is no longer a trend; it is the new normal.” When the task force visited other communities in the Hilton Head area, they found four which have made major investments either building new or renovating existing dining facilities to accommodate casual dining and waterfront orientation where possible. Sev-eral communities with smaller populations have fitness centers twice the size of Moss Creek’s to accommodate group activities such as yoga, pilates, and spinning. Several communities with natural areas like Moss Creek’s have developed Nature centers to enhance related outdoor activities. The Master Plan Task Force recommendations which have been approved by the MCOA Board are: • In 2015 hire a professional club facilities planner to evaluate the current and potential uses of the Clubhouse and Bostwick for

the highest and best use of both facilities. In the short term we are exploring alternatives which offer more casual dining for Members.

• Redevelop Bostwick Circle into Bostwick Point Park which is re-oriented to enjoy an enhanced marsh view. A portion of the

current road will be removed and grassed over and the area at the south end of the circle closest to the pool parking lot will be come the dog park which will be enclosed by a landscaped berm. The present fenced dog area will be removed. The new grass will be planted next summer at the same time as the North Course is re-grassed.

The task force has also recommended that a portion of the maintenance area be designated for future racquet sports which have been included in the Long Range Plan in 2021.

Randy Connelly

Chief of Security

John Miller

General Manager

Community News

We finally have a beautiful and functional Gatehouse. Kudos to everyone that made this happen. The speed limit was low-ered to 10 mph in the exit lane to ensure safety for the staff and pedestrians walking to the parking area. The new speed limit signs have been in place now, for over two months, but there are still a significant amount of vehicles going well in excess of the speed limit. This is causing an unsafe situation for the vehicles coming from the Administra-tion Office and Moss Creek Village to turn left towards High-way 278.

Moss Creek was able to get the South Carolina Department of Transportation to make adjustments to the traffic light allowing unchallenged left turns. The light cycle turns every two min-utes, which is not a long wait, if you miss the light. If needed, Moss Creek may have to reinstall the speed bumps for the safety of pedestrians and vehicles. I will continue moni-toring the speed and make Moss Creek Administration aware of the findings.

Each November we host a Thanksgiving luncheon for all of our Moss Creek associates. As part of this celebration we recog-nize individuals who, during the year, have reached a benchmark date in their tenure with MCOA. We are fortunate to have a number of associates who have been with Moss Creek for many years. This year we are recognizing 19 individuals who have been with Moss Creek for five, ten, or fifteen years. In addition, Heidi Wright Tennyson is celebrating twenty years at Moss Creek this year. And topping the list this year are two brothers who work in our golf maintenance department: Cornelius Ed-wards joined Moss Creek twenty-five years ago last February, and his brother, John Henry Edwards, celebrated thirty-five years at Moss Creek in July. A list of all of the associates receiving Service Awards this year appears elsewhere in this is-sue.

While it is important to have an experienced and stable staff, it is also beneficial to bring new talent and ideas to the organiza-tion. With that in mind, I would like to introduce the newest member of our Moss Creek team. Sharon McDonnell will be join-ing us on December 1st as the Fitness Director for Moss Creek. Sharon has over fifteen years of experience directing fitness, training, health and wellness programming for an area country club. She has an MS Degree in Clinical Exercise Physiology, and a BS Degree in Exercise Science, along with several accreditations & certifications related to health, fitness and nutri-tion. We are excited to bring Sharon aboard to lead our effort to revitalize and grow our fitness and wellness programming at Moss Creek. Be sure to stop by the Fitness Center and welcome Sharon to our community.

At the special membership meeting earlier this month a question was asked in regard to insurance coverage in the event of a hurricane. The question was raised in conjunction with discussion about the causeway improvement project included in the Long Range Plan. We thought it would be worthwhile to briefly review coverage and limits available through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) provided through FEMA. For commercial property, the maximum coverage available is $500,000 for each building and $500,000 for contents. For single family residential property the limits are $250,000 for a structure and $100,000 for contents. MCOA has flood insurance coverage up to the maximum available in the NFIP. A key point, however, is that insurance coverage is not available for flood damage to grounds or infrastructure, such as roads, golf courses, dams, swimming pools, etc., Therefore, we do not have and cannot get insurance coverage for a causeway dam-aged or washed out during a hurricane, nor would utilities, (e.g. water lines or sewer lines) that run through the causeways be covered against loss. We do, however, have an additional $2 million Line of Credit arranged through our bank which we can access in the event of loss due to a natural disaster, to provide funds to help the community recover from a major storm event.

Mitchell Wilkerson

Director of Golf Maintenance

The Chinese Tallow tree is one of the most invasive plants we try to control in Moss Creek. This tree is located near our marsh lines, thick tree areas, and low maintenance areas. The tree gives off a toxin to other native plant material. That is why we spend a lot of time in the late fall and winter cutting these trees down. You might have seen some work being done on #1 South, #11 South, and at Blue Heron and Fording Island. We continue to manage this problem each year in hopes to continue to preserve the native habitat here at Moss Creek.

Grounds & Golf Course News

Memory Matter Tournament

November Twilight Recap

There were 72 players in Twilight Golf on Friday, November 14, 2014. The format was a Four-Person Scramble with a Twist and the North Course was played. It was a chilly afternoon, but everyone had a great time. Congratulations to all of the winners and thank you for playing!

Lisa and Dave Bauman & Michelle Chenard and Steve Whitney

Debbie and Dave Hill & Barb and Brian Thoreson

WGA Fall Member-Guest

Memory Matters hosted their 15th Annual Charity Golf Tourna-ment on the South Course at Moss Creek on Monday, Novem-ber 3, 2014. It was a cool morning, but a beautiful and sunny day. There were 100 players in the field and the format was a Four-Person Scramble. Congratulations to all of the winners and thank you so much for supporting Memory Matters!

The 2014 WGA Fall Member-Guest was held on the North Course Wednesday, November 12, 2014. The format was Two Best Balls of Four with Stableford Scoring and there were 72 players in the field. It was a beautiful day and golf was followed by a great luncheon from Chef Lenny and the announcement of the winners. Congratulations to Susan Carlson, Sherry Steele, Jan Alpert and Ronnie Knapp for winning the Gross title and to Maureen Blasdel, Kathy LaBonte, Jane Selby and Marilyn Zeleznik for winning the Net title.

Heidi Wright-Tennyson

Director of Golf

Golf Corner

It truly does not seem possible Thanksgiving is over and Christmas and New Years are right around the corner. We thank you for another fantastic year and for your tremendous support of the Golf Shop and staff; we are looking forward to an even better 2015! December is a great month for the staff to re-group, enjoy the holidays, and focus on programs for the upcoming spring. We look forward every year to offer and develop new programs to help you improve your game and make golf more fun! I personally want to thank the dedicated staff of professionals, outside service attendants, starters, and rangers for all of their hard work and dedication to the operation and their desire to make Moss Creek a great place to play golf. A special shout out to Mike Seggie, Al Burns, Ted Brice, and Bob Trainor. They were recognized last month at the Employee Thanksgiving luncheon for their years of service to Moss Creek; 15 years, 15 years, 10 years, and 5 years respectively, wow! All of these gentlemen take great pride in Moss Creek and serving the Membership. The professional staff had a lot of fun playing some golf recently. Tom, Tracy, Joshua, and I competed at The Golf Club at Indigo Run on Monday, November 17 in the HHI PGA Chapter Pro-Pro-Pro-Pro tournament. This was a four-person team event where every six holes you played with a different partner and three formats were played: Better Ball, Modified Alternate Shot & Scramble. The team score was the aggregate of the two-man totals. It was a great day despite the rain and we tied for first at 6-under par! Special thanks to staff member, David Jaroszynski, for closing the Golf Shop so we could play. Heidi and Tom are traveling to Pinehurst December 2, 3 and 4 to compete in the Carolinas PGA Section Pro-Pro Championship, and on December 15th will compete locally in the HHI PGA Chapter Winter Pro-Pro being hosted at Dolphin Head. We appreciate all of the support we receive when we go off campus to represent team Moss Creek.

Is your driver getting you the most distance possible? Technology in drivers today is amazing and it is important you maximize it to your advantage. Demo Days are great, but you do not need to wait for them to try new equipment. Moss Creek has a launch monitor and we have a nice selection of demo

drivers in stock. The professional staff is available for appointments to utilize the launch monitor to help you decide which head style, loft, and shaft flex are best suited for your swing. The launch monitor tells

us your ball speed, launch angle, backspin and side spins. By analyzing these numbers we can help you maximize distance! When I hear a player say, “that ball went too high”, I like to ask them to visual-

ize standing in one place and using a hose to water their garden. Then I ask if they want to water plants farther away from them, but don’t want to move, what do they have to do? Easy, right, all you do is raise the hose so it angles higher and the water travels farther. This is the same thing we are trying to accomplish with your driver; find the maximum launch with lower spin to maximize carry distance.

Driver fitting sessions are available with Heidi, Tom, Tracy and Joshua for $45.

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MCGC Annual Meeting & Tournament

Friday, December 12th Twilight Golf

Wednesday, December 17th WGA Christmas Tournament

Thursday, December 25th Golf Shop, Bag Storage, Range &

Courses Closed

Friday, January 16th Twilight Golf

Monday, January 26th Host SMGA

Thursday, January 29th Host Men’s HHI Interclub

Saturday, February 7th Men’s Front Tee Scramble

Monday, February 9th Host Team Matches

Friday, February 13th Twilight Golf

Wednesday, February 18th WGA Opening Tournament

Ladies Nine Club Championship

MC Marines

WGA Closing Tournament

Blue Heron Invitational

The Blue Heron Sanctuary Invitation neighborhood golf event was held on Sunday, November 2 on the North Course. The format was a Four-Person Scramble and the winning team won with only three players! Cal Beltman, Barry Burgoyne and Betsy Hill took first place with a net 58.3.

The Ladies Nine Club Championship was held on the back nine of the South Course on Thursday, November 6, 2014. There were 25 participants in the event and the format was Individual Stable-ford. Michelle Chenard and Sally Kaminski tied with 20 points and battled in a sudden death playoff.

The 2014 Moss Creek Marines Veteran’s Day Golf Tournament was held on the North Course Friday, November 7, 2014 and it was a tremendous success. Thanks so much to the 128 players who supported this event. The format was Net Two Best Balls of Four/Shambles. Everyone had a great time and golf was followed by a luncheon in the clubhouse, great raffle, and silent auc-tion. Congratulations to all of the winners and to the Moss Creek Marines and all of their hard work putting the tournament together!

The WGA Closing Tournament, Luncheon and Annual Meeting was held Wednesday, November 19, 2014. Mother Nature took over with the extremely low temperatures so, unfortunately, the golf was cancelled. Sixty-two WGA Members enjoyed a great lunch-eon by Chef Lenny followed by the Annual Meeting. Winners for the event were drawn by lottery. Special thanks to the WGA Board and all of the many committee volunteers making 2014 another terrific year for women’s golf in Moss Creek.

Men’s Team Round Robin

The 2014 Men’s Team Round Robin was held on Saturday & Sunday, November 15 & 16 on the North Course. There were 62 players and the format was Four-Ball Match Around. Each flight consists of six teams and five 9-hole matches were played. The flight winners then battle in a sudden death playoff to determine the overall champions. Four flights made it past the first playoff hole. As we were racing against darkness Ted Patnaude sunk a 35-foot putt on the second playoff hole for a net birdie to seal the win for him and his partner, Iue Cho. Thank you, gentlemen, for enduring the cold on Saturday and for the long day on the links Sunday!

Tom Ruth

Director of Tennis

USTA Team Sign-Up The USTA league season is right around the corner and we will begin to put out the sign-up sheets for each of the teams. The first teams that will be registering will be the 18 & Over, 40 & Over, and 55 & Over teams at all levels from 2.5-4.0. Please stop by the Tennis Center to get your name on the list if you are interested in representing Moss Creek in USTA league play this spring.

Masters Tennis The Masters Tennis program continues to build here at Moss Creek. It is a program that is played on a smaller court and uses balls that bounce half the speed of a yellow tennis ball. The game is proving to be fun for brand new play-ers, as well as experienced players looking for a way to really develop their game. Every Tuesday, there is a clinic open to all Activity Fee Members that goes from 9:00-10:30am. Generally there is 30-40 minutes of instruction and drill followed by open play with all the players in the group. Also starting this month, we will be playing every Friday afternoon starting at 2:30pm. The Friday program is open to all Members of Moss Creek. The Friday afternoon pro-gram is open play and features players of all ability and skill levels. Don’t have a racquet but want to give it try? No problem we have racquets you can borrow for this program. Please call the Tennis Center for more information.

Holiday Round Robins Women’s Holiday Round Robins will take place on Friday, December 5th from 10:00am-12:00pm. There will be lunch at the Clubhouse following the event. The Men’s Round Robin will take place on Friday, De-cember 12th from 10:00am-12:00pm. There will be pizza and re- freshments at the Tennis Center following the tennis. Sign-up sheets for both events have been posted in the Tennis Center. Please sign up today for these fun days of social and com- petitive tennis.

Holiday Lesson Special

The Tennis Center will once again be offering a discounted lesson package for the month of

December. The first package will feature 4 half-hour lessons for only $100. The second

package will feature 5 one-hour lessons for only $200. Stop by the Tennis Center today to book your package of

lessons.

Tennis News

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It is extremely important when trying to improve your tennis game that we make sure we have a well-

rounded practice plan. The one part of the plan I see missed most often is skill development. These are

what we generally are working on in clinics and team practices, but these also need to be worked on out-

side of team practices. Players need to take the time to find a hitting partner and work on their consistency

and control. As many of you have heard at a practice, “If you have the ability to hit the ball to another

player in practice, you have the ability to hit the ball away from a player in a match.” It is all about hitting

your target area and learning to control your various shots. This work can be done with the ball machine

or with the hitting wall, but we also need to be able to hit with another player. Not only will they give you a

variety of shots, but they will also motivate you to continually improve your skills.

Cheers, Tears, & Gratitude Those were just a few of the sentiments shared among the Moss Creek Marines (MCM), their fellow Marine Corps brothers from surrounding states, and their 136 guests at the 239th annual Marine Corps Birthday dinner here at Moss Creek, on November 8, 2014. Prior to the banquet, countless hours were spent “behind the scenes” preparing for the week long kick-off to Saturday night’s banquet. The MCM, their spouses, friends, and community members all pitched in, creating a supportive, welcome atmosphere and festive array of fund-raising activities and events, including a golf and tennis tournament, a silent auction, raffles and a bake sale. Additionally, several MCM families and friends hosted dinner parties and special activities for two of our returning, wounded Marine heroes and their Service Dogs, who were special guests at this year’s banquet; along with representatives of “paws4vets,” and members of the Palmer Foundation. The entirety of the event’s celebration was especially successful this year due in part to the outpouring of community support for the MCM’s new program, Operation Helping Heroes, which offers financial support toward the acquisition of a Service Dog for our returning wounded warriors. With the drawdown of Marines deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, the MCM’s focus of contributions and efforts over the past six years has shifted from sending health and comfort items to those in battle, to those returning Marines who were wounded in battle—in particular, those suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI). Working in conjunction with “paws4vets,” a not for profit organization associated with the University of North Carolina, which breeds, trains and supplies Service Dogs to those in need; and with the Marine Wounded Warrior Regiment in Quantico Vir-ginia, who provide prerequisite certification of a Service Dog’s necessity to a Marine; the MCM offers financial support toward the $35,000 expense of a dog. “Our aim is to provide as much support to as many of our returning disabled Marines as possi-ble,” says MCM Commanding Officer, Fred Will. “The Veterans Affairs Department (VAD) specifically precludes providing Service Dogs to disabled veterans suffering from PTSD and TBI,” Will continued. “We not only want to come to these Marines’ aid, but hope to change the VAD’s legislation policy through appeals to the Congress of the United States,” Will concluded. To date, the MCM have adopted five dis- abled Marines and plan to add two more next month. Two of these heroes and their Ser- vice Dogs (Morgan and Madison), were in attendance at this year’s Birthday celebra- tion: Corporal Tony Mullis, USMC Retired, lost both legs in service and consequently suffers from PTSD; and First Lieutenant Wil-liam Reiser, USMC Retired, who suffers from TBI and PTSD. Each recipient of a Service Dog agrees to take part in the paws4vets “Pay It Forward” program by contributing $10,000 toward the cost of their Dog. This goal can be ob-tained through “sweat equity” of the dis- abled Marine through public appearances, bake sales, firehouse donations, etc. Such was the case when First Lieutenant Reiser got up to speak of his traumatic war experience, the debilitating flashbacks of Afghanistan, and how his Service Dog Morgan has “saved his life” in helping him cope with PTSD in “keeping him present in the here and now.” Though their stories were tragic, they were also awe inspiring as well. One couple was so stirred that, at the end of the evening, they made a $3,000 donation on the spot! Someone else gave $2,500! And though these and other contributions continue to be received with great appreciation, there is still much to be done in providing a Service Dog to the many deserving, disabled Marines who are in need of one. The final highlight of the evening came with a grant presentation in the amount of $5,000 to the MCM by Sue Enroth, Executive Vice President of The Palmer foundation. Since that evening, Enroth was so moved by the event and the mission of Operation Helping Heroes, that she helped secure a timely appeal to her foundation, procuring an additional $35,000 after seeing where and how their dollars would be used. Though it was a night of celebration, laughter and comradery; it was also one of remembrance and reverence to all of our fallen heroes, to those who have gathered to honor them and celebrate their Brotherhood, and to the future of those who have re-turned but still continue the battle. To all we say: Semper Fidelis and God speed! If you would like to help support our returning disabled Marines through the Moss Creek Marines’ Operation Helping Heroes, or for further information on this program and the Moss Creek Marines, visit our website at www.mosscreekmarines.com or contact MCM’s Commanding Officer Fred Will at 843-837-2870.

Moss Creek Marines

Clubhouse News

Wacky Sweater Wednesday &

“It’s Your Birthday” Buffet

Wednesday, December 17th / 5:30—7:30pm

Slow Roasted Prime Rib of Beef Steamed Alaskan Snow Crab Legs

Coq au Vin, Herb Roasted Fingerling Potatoes Sautéed Green Beans, Garden Display, Manhattan Style Clam Chowder

Dessert and Ice Cream Bar, Birthday Cake

Call 837-2230 to make reservations. All those celebrating

December birthdays receive a complimentary cocktail or glass of wine and birthday cake. A drawing will be held for all guests of honor

for a dining gift certificate.

Cost:$22++ per person

Member Event Cancellation Policy

Per the Moss Creek Rules and Regulations, Mem-bers who make reservations for regular a la carte dining, and fail to use or cancel by 4:30 p.m. of the same day may be charged a service charge based on the evening menu. Reservations for any Clubhouse special event or theme dinner must be canceled 72 hours in advance or the Member may be charged. Further, in fairness to all Members, any cancella-tions of reservations for specialty events and any other spe-cialty event (as determined by the General Manager) may be charged to the account of the Member unless sale of the tick-ets can be made to others.

In general, casual sports attire is acceptable through-out the Clubhouse. During evening meal hours, re-sort or dressy casual attire is acceptable in the Blue Heron and Egret dining rooms; casual and sports attire is acceptable in the Grill Room. Dress jeans are considered casual attire, but are restricted to the Grill Room. Please remind your guests about the dress policy in the Clubhouse.

Santa Claus is coming to Moss Creek . . .

Santa will be coming to visit Friday, December 19th at the

Clubhouse around 5:00pm during Happy Hour.

Santa will be joining the kids for Kids’ Night to read The Night Before Christmas

and take pictures around 6:00pm. This event is limited to 20 children and is from

6:00—8:30pm in the Pecan Room. We will make a craft, enjoy dinner and a movie, while parents/grandparents enjoy dinner

at the Clubhouse. The cost is $15.

To participate in Kids’ Night, contact Melissa at 836-6121 or

msheire@mosscreek-hiltonhead.com

Clubhouse Reminder

O’fishially Awesome November

With great pleasure, we announce that Moss Creek starts a new chapter with the addition of Sharon McDonnell as our new Fitness Director. Sharon graduated from Indiana University with a Masters degree in Clinical Exercise Physiology. She is an accomplished certified Fitness Professional with an extensive background in fitness training, aquatic conditioning and nutritional coaching. Sharon begins as Director on December 1st.

For the past 15 years, Sharon was the Fitness and Aquatics Director for Sea Pines Country Club. During this time, she twice coordinated the reconstruction of the fitness facility including design, layout, and equipment purchases. In addition she has developed and implemented numerous health, fitness, and wellness programs. Sharon has also instructed a wide range of clients of all age groups, ability levels, and medical histories. She is well versed in both classwork and personalized one-on-one instruction. Sharon is passionate about eating well and staying active. Sharon remains physically fit by competing in triathlons and mixing up her training activities. Her fitness goal in 2015 is to complete a 12-mile obstacle course race called the Tough Mudder. Sharon currently resides in Bluffton with her husband and two children.

Welcome Sharon McDonnell!!

Employee Service Awards

5 Years

Barbara Youmans Charlie Houston Randy Connelly Chester Jackiewicz Nathan Leach Robert Trainor Melissa Sheire

10 Years

Juan Monzon Vernon Walker Alberte Brice Kelly Clements Natasha Murray

15 Years

Crystal Smith Albert Burns Michael Seggie Apolinar Gomez Leesa Blacke Mitchell Wilkerson Amparo Andrews

20 Years

Heidi Wright-Tennyson

25 Years 35 Years

Cornelius Edwards John Henry Edwards

Landis Ackerman – Bartender (2) Jim Albano – Security Officer (2) Abdelkarim Boualam – Server (2)

Craig Denny – Supervisor, Common Grounds Maria Hernandez – Housekeeper

Gill Herzberg – Assistant Superintendent Tonya Jenkins – Security Officer

Suzanna Johnston – Assistant to GM (2) Chelsea Lavender – Clubhouse Admin. Assistant

Lisa Lucas – Server Sylvester Massawe - Server Natasha Murray – Server (2)

Jim O’Connor – Clubhouse Manager Barbara Pawlowski – Tennis Desk Attendant

Treavor Robinson - Server Crystal Smith – Dining Captain (2)

Maria Velazquez – Line Cook Dawn Stanzione – Staff Accountant

Sally Wamsley – A/P Accountant Jason Wells – Outside Golf Attendant

You can nominate employees who do something special by completing an O’fishially Awesome nomination card to recognize his/her service. Cards are located at the reception desks at the Fitness Center, Tennis Center, Golf

Shop, Clubhouse, and Administration.

Lenny Giarratano

Executive Chef

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Tree Lighting Events—Full Wed., Dec. 3rd & Thurs., Dec. 4th

Holiday Dinner Dance Saturday, December 13th

Wacky Sweater Wednesday &

“It’s Your Birthday” Buffet Wednesday, December 17th

Santa Claus is Coming to Moss Creek

Friday, December 19th

Holiday Cookie Reception Wednesday, December 24th

Casino New Year’s Eve Party—Full Wednesday, December 31st

Trivia Night

Thursday, January 15th

Author Lunch: Lisa Gardner Tuesday, February 3rd

Piano Concert—Full

Thursday, February 5th

In continuation of last month’s theme of having a good “go-to” dessert

to serve for holiday dinner parties, this month’s recipe for Almond

Pound Cake is dual purpose. Not only is it fantastic topped with mac-

erated berries and fresh whipped cream, but its also nice to enjoy plain

with your morning coffee or tea. Of course, they don’t call it “pound

cake” for nothing, so in January I promise a return to some healthy

alternative recipes! Have a healthy happy New Year everyone!

Clubhouse News

Almond Pound Cake

4 cups sugar 3 cups butter 12 eggs 4 tsp. almond extract 12 TBL water 4 cups flour 4 cups blanched ground almonds 6 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. salt

1. Pre-heat standard oven to 325F 2. Butter and flour loaf pan or 8”x8” 3. Cream the butter and sugar 4. Beat in eggs one at a time 5. Beat in almond extract and water 6. Mix all dry ingredients then add them to the wet mix 7. Pour into prepared pan 8. Bake 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick comes clean

from the center

Our Tree Lighting Events on December 3rd and 4th will be a perfect time to drop off your unwrapped toys/gifts. These gifts will be delivered to BSH to be placed in the Toy Shop which will be open from De-cember 10th—20th. Items for boys and girls up to age 14 are needed—request items $25-$35, as well as less expensive items (books, games, sporting and craft equipment, etc.). For additional information, call Nancy Keenan at 837-5009.

Bluffton Self Help Toy Drive Beginning December 3rd

Clubhouse BSH Tree

Moss Creek Equestrian Center Hosts IEA

Competition December 13th & 14th

9:00am—3:00pm

The Moss Creek Equestrian Center invites the Moss Creek Membership to come out for the IEA Competition on Saturday, December 13th and Sunday, December 14th from 9:00am—3:00pm. The teams are middle and high school riders from all over the area. Come out and cheer on the Moss Creek Equestrian team!

MCOA Board of Directors

Management Team

Member Services

Hours of Operation

Officers Directors President Jan Alpert Peter Carlson Lou Natale Vice President Jim Vogel Chuck Eberly Lawrence Taylor Treasurer Jerry Coghlan Katy Myer Secretary Dave Neff

John Miller General Manager 836-6114

Suzanna Johnston Asst. to General Manager 836-6116

Payman Shamlou Controller 836-6102 Randy Connelly Chief of Security 836-6151 Jim O’Connor Clubhouse Manager 837-2234 Lenny Giarratano Executive Chef 837-2230

Heidi Wright-Tennyson Director of Golf 837-2231

Tom Ruth Director of Tennis 836-6131 Sharon McDonnell Fitness Complex Manager 836-6160 Pinckney Crosby Facility Maintenance Manager 836-6139 Mitchell Wilkerson Golf Superintendent 836-6136

Linda Klingman Human Resources 836-6101

Roger Ward Water Oak Utility Manager 836-6141

Gate Passes Security 837-2220 Dinner Reservations 837-2230 Member Banquets Jim O’Connor 837-2234 Certificate/ARB/Marina Susan Brown 836-6112 Fax/Copies/Notary Faye Barnard 836-6113 Member Services/Publications Melissa Sheire 836-6121 Lot Maintenance Kelly Clements 836-6108

Statement Inquiries Nancy Aiken 836-6109

Administration Office Monday - Thursday 8:00am - 5:00pm Friday 8:00am - 1:00pm Clubhouse Bar Tuesday 11:30am - 5:00pm Wednesday - Sunday 11:30am - 9:00pm Grill Room Dining Lunch: Tuesday - Sunday 11:30am - 5:00pm Dinner: Wednesday - Sunday 5:30pm - 8:30pm A la Carte Dining Breakfast: Sunday 10:00am - 1:00pm Lunch: Tuesday - Sunday 11:30am - 3:00pm Dinner: Wednesday 5:30pm - 7:30pm Friday 5:30pm - 8:30pm Simply Sunday 5:30pm - 7:30pm Golf Pro Shop Daily 7:30am - 5:00pm Tennis Center Monday - Friday 8:00am - 12:00pm 2:00pm - 6:00pm Saturday 8:00am - 12:00pm Fitness Center Monday - Friday 6:00am - 7:00pm Saturday 7:00am - 4:00pm Sunday 11:00am - 4:00pm Pools Daily (March 1—November 30) Sunrise-Sunset + 20 mins.

Holiday Dinner Dance

Saturday, December 13th 6:00pm Cocktails 7:00pm Dinner

Featuring: The Fabulous Classics

(Jackets Requested)

$70 Inclusive / Reservations: 837-2230

Cocktail Hour: Artisan Cheese & Fruit Plates

25 Year Balsamic Glazed Lamb Chop Lollipops

Savannah Shrimp & Boursin Grilled Cheese

Plated Dinner: Roasted Beet & Baby Greens Salad

Duet of:

Char-Grilled Filet Mignon of Beef Laced with port wine demi glace

& Crab Stuffed Flounder Fillet

With lemon-dill sauce

Torta de Tres Leches

2014 Pre-Paid Gift Cards

If you pre-paid your 2014 Annual Association Fee in full, you received a $100 pre-paid dining gift card in the mail. Please note, all cards expire December 31, 2014, and are only good for a la

carte dining.*

*Not to be used for special events.