E-mail Edition                                        Web site: www.balconeswoods.org

June 2003                                                 E-mail: newsletter@balconeswoods.org

Balcones Woods Club, Inc.

11204 Alhambra Drive

Austin, TX 78759

Calendar

July 4         BWC Fourth of July Parade and Festivities

July 8         BWC Board Meeting

July 9         BWC Operating Committee

August 2   Balcones Woods Adult Party (story below)

August 5    National Night Out (story below)

August 12  Austin Police Commanders Forum  (story below)

Blue Wave Swim Team Dates

June 7 Meet vs. Shady Hollow (away)

June 14 Meet vs. Granada Hills/Western Oaks (home)

June 21 Meet vs. Westover (home)

June 28 Championship at UT

Got any old WAVES out there?

The swim team is looking for pictures and information from the very beginning of the awesome Blue Waves.  If you can help us, call Nikki at 502-8726 or email the webmaster@balconeswoods.org.

Pool Hours

Open daily from noon until 10:00 p.m.  The last hour (9:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.) is designated for adult lap swim only.

We plan on opening earlier once swim team is over. It seemed to work out very well last summer!  Stay tuned for that date.

It’s summer, kids are out, so…

How about stopping your car at all neighborhood stop signs?  Thanks!   

Fourth of July Parade

Grab your flags and decorate your wagons, strollers, bicycles, cars, yourself, your kids or your pets in red white and blue for our annual Independence Day parade.  We'll be passing out awards to the best. 

The 4^th of July Parade will start at 9:00 a.m. at Common Area/ Pool parking lot.   The fire truck will be there at 10:00 a.m. to cool everyone off and concessions will begin at 11:00. 

We will be selling hot dogs and hamburgers and hope to see you there! 

Win an award !  Here are the categories that will be judged in the parade.

-5 Awards for Most Patriotic Anything on Wheels (bikes/strollers/wagons/electric cars/real cars/scooters/etc...)

-1 Award for Most Patriotic Pet

-3 Awards for Most Patriotic Person (adult or kid)

-1 Award for Most Patriotic Miscellaneous (Judges discretion, i.e. last year we had a very patriotic family)

There will be judges along the parade route (we will try to make them obvious) so slow down as  you pass them so they can get a good look and be sure to give them your name if they ask!  Come to the pool after the parade and fire truck, and we'll get the prizes handed out as soon as possible.

We need volunteers for July 4^th festivities at the pool to help with cooking and serving the food. 

1 to 1 ½ hour shifts from 11:00am - 2:00pm.  Call Craig at 328-3235 ext. 27

Weiner Brigade looking for dachshunds to parade 

To all Balcones Woods dachshund owners (and I know there's a lot of them cause every time I walk my dog I run into at least one other weiner dog and owner!):   

If any dachshund owners are interested in walking in the "Weiner Brigade"  in the Fourth of July parade, they should give me a call for details @ 795-0870.    Thanks much, Deb Bradford

Rawhide Treats needed for Town Lake Animal Shelter for July 4^th

Due to the noise created by the fireworks on July 4^th, the dogs at the animal

shelter need to be distracted during the fireworks display.  You can help by donating rawhide treats to the shelter.  Although rawhide treats are not recommended for dogs on a regular basis, dogs love rawhide and the treats distract the dogs and relieve some of the stress they are subjected to during the fireworks. You can drop off treats at 4001

Galacia Dr.     There will be a box on the porch and a card to sign.  I will deliver these to the Town Lake Animal Shelter.  Thank you!  Cindy Gilmer, Penny and Max

Also, if you are thinking of getting a dog or cat, please consider adopting from the Town Lake Animal Shelter, Animal Trustees of Austin or Humane Society.

STOP CRIME

National Night Out- August 5

On Tuesday evening, August 5^th, neighborhoods throughout Austin are being invited to join forces with thousands of communities nationwide for the “20^th Annual National Night Out” crime and drug prevention event.  National Night Out is designed to heighten crime and drug prevention awareness, generate support for local anticrime efforts and strengthen neighborhood spirit and police-community partnerships.  If you would be interested in organizing a National Night Out block party for your street, please contact Annette Bohne at 345-9450.

How do they do it?

With a lot of help, of course.  These wonderful things happen every year in our neighborhood with energetic volunteers like you.  Here are the contact folks for each event – they need and would love your help and ideas.  Drop them an email!

Spring Easter Egg Hunt – Sandra Marshall (smmarshall@austin.rr.com/ 795-9584)

Every year a week before Easter Sunday, the kids come out with their baskets and hunt from the hundreds of eggs that are hidden in the commons area.  Refreshments are served and tables are set up to redeem tickets found in special eggs for prizes.  The Easter bunny visits us and stays for pictures with the kids.  It’s great fun!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Fourth of July Parade – Shane Oldham (shaneshk@aol.com / 343-7867)

A police piloted parade of patriotically primped people (had to use a thesaurus for that one!).  What a blast!  Everyone enjoys a refreshing spray from the fire truck in the parking lot, concessions at the pool, water games, and free popsicles for the kids.  We even have a contest for those “best dressed” in the parade with great prizes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Fall Garage Sale – Nikki Keller (nkellertx@aol.com / 345-5752)

Our fall garage sale is the perfect place to unload your extra treasures.  For $5 an ad is placed in the paper announcing the neighborhood wide event, maps are handed out at the entrance to Balcones Woods, and decorations are supplied for your mailbox so no one misses your sale.  What a deal!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Marketplace (Is this you? Call Nikki Zern at 502-8726 if you’d like to head this up or be involved)

We did this for the first time in the fall of 2002 and it was a lot of fun.  Vendors from all over the neighborhood and beyond come and hock their wares.  Homespun crafts, jewelry, and foods as well as Pampered Chef, Discovery Toys, Southern Living at Home, Creative Memories, Avon, and more.  A great place to do a little early holiday shopping without leaving the neighborhood!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Christmas Basket Bureau – Linda Shell (lshell@austin.rr.com / 343-0366)

For years Balcones Woods has collected goodies to add to Christmas baskets for our great friends at the Police and Fire Stations, Milwood Public Library, and the Seton NW Emergency Room to show our appreciation for all that they do for our neighborhood.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Santa in the Park – Nikki Zern (webmaster@balconeswoods.org / 502-8726)

Ho Ho Ho!  Skip the mall, guys, home is where the real Big Jolly Fellow is.  Come greet Santa, give him your list, and have your picture taken on his lap.  Stay for crafts and hot cocoa and enjoy the reindeer.  Yep, we’re working on reindeer for this year.  Stay tuned…

Austin Police Department Update

I am a representative from Northwest Austin on the APD Chief's Forum.  This is a group of community representatives from all over Austin, which meets quarterly with Police Chief Knee and other APD personnel.  The purpose of the forum is community outreach and awareness of APD programs, policies and activities.  My goal is to report back to the communities in Northwest Austin and act as an information conduit.  There is limited seating at these meetings so visitors are limited.

Area Commanders Forums.  These forums are held within Northwest Austin.  The Area Commander, District Representatives and other APD personnel meet with the citizens to discuss community policing and what is happening in our part of town.  There is a short program updating the citizens on activities within APD and things, which have happened since the last meeting.  There is an open forum to allow questions and comments from the floor.  I strongly encourage everyone to take this opportunity to meet with the officers and APD employees who support Northwest Austin.  The next meeting is 7:00 p.m., August 12 at the Westover Hills Church of Christ, 8332 Mesa Dr.

The following is a brief summary of some of the information passed on from the Chiefs Forum and District Commanders Forums.

VOLUNTEERS:  There are numerous volunteer activities available to civilians.  These range from assisting with fingerprint filing to neighborhood watch programs to participating in the Citizen's Police Academy.  See APD Web site or call the volunteer coordinator for additional information.

RACIAL PROFILING:  APD has a very strict policy against any form of racial profiling and is successfully complying with laws and guidelines against this practice. 

NATIONAL NIGHT OUT:  Scheduled for August 5.  A great opportunity to meet/socialize with neighbors and to meet police and other emergency response personnel.  Each neighborhood has a point of contact to coordinate NNO meetings and information is available either through them or through APD.

CONTACTS:  There is a tremendous amount of information regarding APD, its policies and community outreach programs available via their WEB site at www.ci.austin.tx.us/police

¨      911 - Call for life threatening or emergency situations.

¨      311 - Call for non-emergency situations.

¨      Volunteers in Policing:  974-4731

¨      Northwest Area Command, Supervisor of District Representatives

(Your neighborhood point of contact) 974-8511.

¨      District Representative for the area north and east of US 183, south of McNeil Dr. and west of Metric Blvd., Officer Mike Dunn 974-5553.

Please feel free to contact me at tomkterry@hotmail.com  or (Day) 459-6820.  I will discuss any community concerns at the forum meetings and report back to you.  Please consider, however, that I am not a part of APD.  All crime-related issues should be reported to 311 or 911 or through the contacts listed above.

Thanks, Tom Terry

Neighborhood parties

Adult Party! 

The annual Adult Party will be held in the Commons Area by the pool on August 2, from 7:00-10:00 p.m.

BBQ, beer, margaritas, and sodas will be provided.  Please bring an appetizer, side dish, or dessert to share.

Casino Party!!

The Annual Casino Party will be on September 20 from 7:00-10:00 p.m.  We need dealers to help with the Black Jack tables. Casino Knights will train you that night right before the party. Anyone interested in helping out can call Craig at 328-3235 ext. 27.

Working Parents

Looking to join a weekend playgroup for the 2003-2004 Davis Kindergarten Class?  More information is posted at www.balconeswoods.org.

If you are interested, please contact Gail at 346-3319 or by e-mail at  niczkim@msn.com

We’re open to suggestions for future dates.  Thanks!

Meetings

2003 Balcones Woods Board of Directors

and Operating Committee

Next meeting Operating Committee   June 11

Your input and participation are always welcomed and appreciated.

Kids Classified Ads

Certified Babysitter and Experienced Pet Sitter.  Reliable and Reasonable Rates.  Call Carol Murray at 346-2901

Need a string quartet for a special occasion?  How about a portrait in pastels or prismacolor?   Contact All-State violist and award-winning artist Ellen Murray at 346-2901

Shelby’s Pet & House Sitting

          Feed & walk pets

             Take in mail & newspapers

             Water plants

             Very reliable

Call Shelby at 345-0347

Editor’s Note:

If you are under 18 and would like to post a free ad for work or a service, please e-mail us at newsletter@balconeswoods.org or mail your ad to: P. O. Box 11560, Austin, TX 78711-1560.  Be sure to include an ok or permission note from your parent and a telephone number or e-mail address.  Because space is limited, we reserve the right to edit ads and will run them on a first come, first served basis.  Thanks!

Quarries Update

The Hyde Park Baptist Church-Five Neighborhoods Coordinating Committee met April 27, 2003.  Highlights of the meeting follow.  The next meeting will be June 9, 2003.

Construction Update:  Part A of Phase 1 is complete except for some exterior gates.  Part B includes work on the retention pond, landscaping, fencing and some interior flat work (Concrete).  Phase 2 of the construction includes the Christian Life Center and possible some reconfiguration of athletic fields and is not officially funded or scheduled at this time.

Use of Quarries:  The Quarries area is not accessible by uninvited guests during construction.  For additional information see  http://www.hpbc.org/rec/.

Other Issues:

The coordination committee is still working out a plan for coordination of large events in the Quarries.  There is to be a July 4 event with fireworks tentatively scheduled for the weekend of June 28.  More to come.

HPBC will maintain the areas behind neighbor's homes in the Quarries area.  Landscaping of the berms will be funded and completed as part of the construction of the first building during Phase 2, the Christian Life Center.

Gates will be placed at both road entrances to the Quarries area, at Mesa Woods Dr. and the Mopac entrance.  Also, pedestrian gates may be placed at the Mesa Woods entrance.  The use of these gates is not finalized and HPBC is open to suggestions.  Opening the gates would make access much easier for Balcones Woods and Mesa Park Church members and other guests, however, would present the possibility of Quarries users parking along neighborhood streets and accessing the area rather than using the Mopac entrance.  Neighborhood input is requested.

Information Sources:  There are several good sources of information regarding the Quarries including the HPBC web site http://www.hpbc.org  and our own Balcones Woods site www.balconeswoods.org .  The Mesa Park site has an extensive collection of documents and will soon contain minutes of the coordination committee meetings www.main.org/mpna .

Contacts:  Please use your neighborhood committee contacts for information about the Quarries or input regarding complaints.  The Balcones Woods contact is listed below.  If you believe your issues are not being addressed, please contact a Balcones Woods board member.

Tom Terry  tomkterry@hotmail.com   Day 459-6820

Your Neighborhood on the Web

Visit the Balcones Woods web site at  www.balconeswoods.org.   It’s very user-friendly and full of news and updates.   Please e-mail us with your suggestions, news, and comments at webmaster@balconeswoods.org.

This Bites!

Important Information on Mosquitoes

The best way to avoid West Nile Virus is to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes.  West Nile is spread through the bite of an infected mosquito and can infect humans, horses, birds and other animals.  Most people who are infected with West Nile Virus either have mild or no symptoms, but some cases become severe or even fatal.

To reduce mosquito problems around your home, eliminate all sources of standing water.  Containers such as watering cans, buckets and bottles can turn into mosquito breeding grounds.  Drain water from birdbaths, rain barrels, gutters, flowerpots, wading pools and pet dishes at least once a week.  Fill tree holes with sand or mortar, or drain after each rain.  Repair leaky faucets and pipes located outside.

Areas that cannot be drained, such as ponds, can be stocked with mosquito fish or dunks can be used.  Dunks are a small, donut-shaped product that contains Bacillus thuringiensis israeliensis.  The donut disrupts the life cycle of the mosquito and is non-toxic to humans, amphibians and fish.  Dunks are not for use in drinking water sources.

To avoid being bitten, avoid peak hours when mosquitoes are active.  Apply a repellant containing DEET when evening activities cannot be rescheduled.  Other products such as citronella candles will also repel mosquitoes, but work best in enclosed areas.  For more information, contact Wizzie Brown at 512.854.9600.

The information given herein is for educational purposes only.

 Reference to commercial products or trade names is made with the understanding

that no discrimination is intended and no endorsement by Texas Cooperative Extension or the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station is implied.   Extension programs serve people of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin.