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Go To Upcoming Events Calendar March 5, 2006 Notes from the President. . . |
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I’m having some difficulty beginning this letter. So much has happened on Holiday Point this year that I don’t want to leave anything out. I know that I can count on other board members to cover much of the highlights. I even made a list of all there is to tell you about, . . . but to start off: For almost a year now a group of Holiday Point families have been taking part in a weekly rotation to bring a meal to Cliff and Dorothy C. Marie H. got it started... and it was one of the easiest ideas to put into motion as so many families asked to be placed on the list. No surprise as this is often the way things get done in our community. Cliff passed away on Thanksgiving Day and without a doubt he was remembered around many tables that day. Holiday Point owes him much for his years of service to our Association. Cliff was one of the first to serve as President of our Association. I recently told Dorothy that I intended to keep her busy, perhaps with some sewing projects as I had heard that she was very talented in that area. Her response was, "SEWING? I want to be PRESIDENT!!" It seemed like a weekly occurrence to hear of a broken ankle, knee or back surgery, and members in the hospital for one thing or another. Through it all were the phone calls and e-mails simply asking, "What can I do?" Then there were the parties and special events. What a year! But, you will read more about that in the other columns. One thing I did ask the Board to let me mention is Pier II. We did finish in time for the boating season and it was great to see how easy it is now for the captains to pull up to the new configuration. What was equally rewarding was the final cost to our treasury. ZERO! Thanks to the generous voluntary contributions of our members and some non-members plus the monies raised in our many fund raising events. The entire cost was paid for without dipping into the Association funds.  We also have a new flagpole thanks to Bill A. You can get a good look at it on the Web Site. I helped Laura H. re-seed the main lawn. I thought I was going to die! Aren’t rotor-tillers suppose to make the work a pleasure? That thing dragged me around the Point for an hour. But it was worth it because the lawn should look much better for Amy and Keith’s Wedding in May. Speaking of Laura, I don`t know where she gets all that energy from! Laura organized, purchased materials and generally kept the work crews motivated (another word for moving) on both the Pier II and Brush Clearing Projects. The Brush Clearing Project This fall we (again mostly Laura) mobilized a small army of members and cut back all the brush and overhanging tree branches on our roads that were creating a big problem for the snowplowing trucks. The quote we received to have the work done by our road repair contractor was for $4,000. Our actual cost . . . lunches for the volunteers, less that $100. Talking about trees and tree limbs. This year we had 3 very big trees come down. Cove Lane, Crest Road and Holiday Pont road. Again, all dealt with by the crack team lead by Norm L. It does appear that more of these big trees are coming down each year. It would be wise of each of us to do an inspection of trees on our properties to head off possible damage. There our companies that will provide free inspections, I’m sure with the hope of getting any work that may be required. Projects slated for this year: Repair and re-deck the swim platform and Pier I. Both of these projects have been deemed necessary due to dangerous conditions. Both jobs will start in the early spring in order to be completed by the start |
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of the boating and swimming season. Thanks to the vote of confidence that the members gave to the Board at the July annual meeting (approving the $2500 Community Improvements Budget line) we hope to complete these projects within the approved budget. Shoreline Project. We also received approval from the Sherman Inland-Wetlands Commission, the Candlewood Lake Authority and finally the Permit from Northeast Generation to move forward with our shoreline project. As most of you know the shoreline to the left of our beach area, as you face the lake, has undergone serious erosion over the years. The plan is to line the shoreline with the large rocks found on the property and then backfill and plant appropriate plants or ground cover. The plan was so well received by NEG that they waived the application and permit fee. We hope to pay for the backfilling and planting via fund-raising. If the weather permits this work will take place towards the end of Feb. or the start or March. We plan to make it a Holiday Point Event by filling in the day with our First Winter Festival. All three projects will require plenty of sweat equity so please contact me with your availability. I will be stripping the decks off of PIER I and the Swim Platform over the winter. It`s cold and lonely so anyone who would like to join me is welcome. There is news about the announced plan to sell the lake and I think Ernie Krubsack will talk about that in his column. I am a panel member of Northeast Utilities work group to develop a Shoreline Management Plan for the Federal Agency. I will fill you in on that at the July meeting. 
There is so much more to tell you about and I am certain that the other Board members will be covering it so I will leave you with just a few requests. 1) Send me your e-mail addresses if you are not already on the HPA Group e-mail; 2) Visit the Web Site often; 3) Finally (and I know you all expected me to say something on this), please observe the rules and regulations with regard to visitors and guests. You will be hearing more about the Boards discussions on this matter in the coming months. If you have any comments or concerns about this issue please contact a Board member to insure that it is brought to the Board's attention. Have a great summer, Ed Hayes, President |
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2006 Vice-President's Column. . . |
 I am thrilled to report that 2005 was a very successful year for all HPA events. Many thanks to all the volunteers who helped organize, promote, setup, cleanup and collect for all our little soirees. You really make my job easy and fun! Everyone concurred that the 2005 Annual Picnic shattered attendance records. Fundraising - We fundraised over $1,800 from the HPA Apparel sales, Tag Sale, Golf Outing, and the Wine Tasting which was put towards Pier II construction costs. We hope to raise a similar amount of discretionary funds in 2006 and put the money towards landscaping (with appropriate plants) after the shoreline project is complete. Special Activities - We will add a Winter Carnival in February ‘06 which, if Mother Nature cooperates, and will include activities such as ice skating, snowman making, chili eating, hot chocolate drinking, and, oh yeah, rock moving (see the President’s Column for project details). In lieu of Bastille Day and Hungarian Night we’ve substituted a potluck International Nite –I can’t wait to see what exotic and yummy dishes our HPA chefs will cook up! See the calendar at the end of this issue for tentative event dates for 2006. And look for HPA Apparel again this year – caps, t-shirts, polo shirts and NEW! for 2006 – HPA canvas mesh beach bags and beach towels. |
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A gentle reminder: Event volunteers have requested that everyone attending pitch in at cleanup time, preferably before dark, so that the volunteers can relax and enjoy the music and singing, too. The VP's Challenge Question . . . - Who were the original Frick & Frack? Find out by going to the HPA website. Many thanks to HPA’s own Frick & Frack for all the special projects they do all season long. Here Bill M. and Norm L. are seen in a rare moment of relaxation – or – did they just plan their next escapade????  The Sea Wall at our Main Beach is finished! This was a major effort to prevent erosion and protect our beachfront. In the spring it will be topped off with low ground cover. All in all it was a busy and productive day! Again... thanks to our many volunteers the total material cost is “nothing”. Much appreciation to all who pitched in : Mike M. who brought 2 major pieces of earth moving equipment & Paul O. who provided trench digging equipment. The CREW: Ernie K., Randy H., Monty C., Norm L., Laura H., Heather M., Ed H. and Larry S. Roseann DiMatteo, Vice-President |
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The Secretary Says. . . |
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This has been a very busy winter for your HPA Board. We have been meeting regularly to address the issues and concerns of our community. Whether our activities center around providing assistance and support to neighbors or planning for summer activities, it has always been with a wonderful sense of community spirit that constantly amazes me. This year I encourage all Holiday Point Members to join us at the Main Beach for our various HPA sponsored events; chat with and enjoy the friendship of your neighbors and enjoy... "The Best Beach on the Lake!" Our Community Calendar lists this years planned activities. Save it for easy reference. Don’t miss out on all our activities. We need you to make them a success. Please Note - We have planned another Tag Sale this year in April. Do your Spring Cleaning early, and join us at the tag sale. Set up your own table or donate items to the HPA Tag Sale table. Membership List - Members, please keep me informed of any changes or updates that are required to our master list. Newsletter - I hope you like the format of our re-designed newsletter. It reflects more accurately the spirit and scope of activities that are . . . "Holiday Point". |
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 Candlewood Lake Ecology - If we are to continue to enjoy the beauty of the Lake ,we need to make concern for its shoreline and surrounding environment part of our own personal agenda. Implementing low maintenance Buffer Zone Planting and limiting pesticide use are some of the ways we can each help. Last year, the CLA printed a detailed brochure with informative guidelines on Buffer Planting and design implementation ideas. To obtain a copy or to learn more about the Shoreline Management Plan visit the CLA web site for more detailed information. Ro and I will again be in charge of selling Holiday Point Apparel and giftwear. We are hoping to add terrific canvas beach totes to this years offerings. See You at The Beach Phyllis Schaer, Secretary |
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Community Coffer Communique. . . |
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As we begin 2006, we have collected approximately 76% of our 2005/2006 annual assessments. We would like to express our appreciation to those members who have already paid their annual assessment and remind those who have not done so by now to please send a check in the amount of $450 to the: P.O. Box 488 Sherman, CT 06784 As you may be aware, Holiday Point Association, Inc. is on a fiscal year that runs from July 1st through June 30th. Although our annual assessment covers this period, it has been the practice of the Association to send out the annual assessment letters in October for payment due by November 1st. This has led to some confusion as to the period that the annual assessment covers. As a result, starting in July 2006, once the amount of the annual assessment is approved by the membership, I will immediately send out the assessment letters. It is the Board’s intention that this will bring the assessment date in line with the fiscal year and alleviate confusion. |
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 Finally, the financial side of the Pier II project is worthy of mention. Over 40 of our members and their extended families pitched in with financial contributions and/or sweat equity to make Pier II a reality. This is just one more example of the incredible talent and overwhelming community spirit that exists in the Holiday Point Community. Bernadette Schopfer, Treasurer |
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Around the Point with Tobi. . . |
 Community Contributions In a close election season, Ed H. lost his bid for Town Selectman. He won’t be idle, however, since he’ll be a member of the Stakeholders Panel of Northeast Generation’s Shoreline Management Plan. Ernie K. was made a permanent member of the Sherman Zoning Board of Appeals. In addition, Ernie was appointed as a delegate to the Towns Local Emergency Planning Council by the director of Sherman’s Office of Emergency Management. Ro volunteers at the Red Cross blood drives at Holy Trinity Church and is hoping to increase the number of donors for this year’s drive. Please contact Ro to find out when the next blood drive is scheduled. Marriages There are plans underway for a May wedding at the Point. Amy W. and Keith W. will be married on May 27th, in a private party at the Main beach. Congratulations!  Farewells We said goodbye to Tige W. who recently moved to Danbury. Tige’s pitch-in-and-help volunteer spirit was a bright light here on the Point. . . Who will step up and assume Tige’s role of throwing all the kids into the lake this summer? Longtime residents Art and Barbara S. moved to Florida at the end of January. A Farewell party was held at Holy Trinity Church, where Scottie worked. Holiday Point presented them with a framed winter photo of the beach, taken by Al B. This gift was from all of the Association Members . Based on Art and Barbara’s reaction, we think it will provide them with many good memories of their years at Holiday Point. Welcome New Neighbors The Rowland & Shannon H. family at 19 Hillside. Hope to see you with your children John and Roman down at the beach! Recuperations Paul Q. is doing well with his radioactive treatment. |
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Ro D. and Al B. have fully recovered from a broken ankle and knee surgery (respectively). Gail S. is recuperating following back surgery. Phyllis E. is recovering from hospitalization and hoping to make the usual trip to Florida this winter. Births There will be new little faces at the beach this summer!  Samuel Isaac W., born October 6, 2005, joins brother Max and parents David & Jane.  Amanda Elizabeth Q., born November 8, 2005, joins sisters Kelly & Julia, parents Tom & Susie Q., and proud grandparents June & Bill. Mike & Judy B.’s grandson Milo, born to daughter Catherine, December 2005.  Deaths After a lengthy illness, longtime resident Cliff C. passed away on November 24, 2005, Thanksgiving morning. Memorial Services for Cliff were held on December 14th, at the Sherman Congregational Church. Holiday Point extends our sincerest condolences to Dorothy, and theer entire extended family on Cliff’s death. Our best wishes are with you. Findings Randy H. took advantage of the warmer January temperatures. The low lake water conditions gave him the opportunity to use his metal detector in the swim area to some success. If anyone has lost any rings, pins, etc. let Randy know, he’ll be glad to return them to their owners (says Randy: 'Sorry, the coins I'm keeping!"). Tobi Andrews, HPA Goodwill Ambasador |
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Holiday Point History. . . |
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I have volunteered to be the Historian for the Association solely on the basis of "longevity" (I am neither an historian nor a writer). Though I have been around the area for a long time my memory is not always as clear as it should be. . . so please help out. We have begun a project to document the history of our association at Holiday Point. You can see a draft of the first two chapters of it now here on our Holiday Point web site. Just click on History in the green bar at the top of the page. We encourage all of our members to visit our web site. There is a wealth of information available of interest to all Holiday Pointers. . . photos, events, reference material and reports on our activities both past and present. For security the Members Only section is Password protected. Get your "user name" and "password" from a Board member to access this section.  Personal History & Memories from Stephen Diamond My father was a NYC high school teacher and my mother also worked at a school. Their summers were their vacation time, so they looked for a country place to get away from the hot city in the summer. They found Sherman as the ideal spot - a small beautiful New England farming town - with some special residents such as Malcolm Cowley, Peter Blum and the families of two other teacher friends of my father. In 1934 they bought (with small monthly payments) a farm house on Holiday Point Road that was part of the large Atchison Farm on Hubble Mountain Road (now a pond) just north of us. Occasionally cows from the farm made their way across the many acres of pasture behind our house to the swamp nearby. The acres of pastureland are now the house sites of the Atchison Cove Assn.  |
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 In 1955 the my mother delighted in the possibility of using the nearby beach and the opportunity of obtaining the property across the road. She bought 3 lots in the newly formed Holiday Point Association. And so, my long association with Holiday Point began. . .    We welcome the contributions of personal memories or documents from other members with analogous "roots" who can contribute to this History. Please send you contributions to: Stephen Diamond, Historian Board Member at Large P.O. Box 488 Sherman, CT 06784 Email: c-sdiamond@comcast.net Steve Diamond, Historian |
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Candlewood Lake News. . . |
 I think its best to start with a glossary of terms. . . And the KISS principle
Backround Several years ago CL&P was ordered to divest itself of its generation capabilities. They formed a separate entity which took over the generation facilities and stewardship of the lake, it was called Northeast Generation. As you know NG has now put up Candlewood Lake for sale. This includes almost all of the land below the 440 Ft Elevation Height. Shoreline Management Plan FERC has charged all Utility Generation Utilities to implement a SMP. The plan must address plans to protect the ecological health of the lake, and set guidelines for future shoreline development. The original due date was December 2005. Interested parties (Stakeholders) were chosen to provide input to this SMP. Ed Hayes was chosen to represent Holiday Point Association. (HPA) Dock Rights A number of proposals have been submitted and caused serious objections by both lakefront property |
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owners, weekend lake users and owners of boats moored at commercial marinas. One thing that seems for sure in the Draft of the SMP is that all docks and boats will have to be registered and have an identification plate attached. There will probably be a size limit on the docks. Another proposal is to have lakefront owners grandfathered with dock rights and will be allowed to have only two boats registered. There seem to be an additional burden placed on the Marine Patrol what their authority will be and questions as to the funding. Meetings Meetings are going on almost weekly and nothing has been cast in stone. The lakefront owners have voiced the opinion that as our property taxes have already been raised we should not have to pay more for these privileges. There is a meeting on Feb 22 at 7:00 pm in the High School Theatre, New Fairfield, CT ,which is the last time we will have an input. Holiday Point members will attend this meeting.  Web Site Location There is a web site where you can get the latest draft proposal of the SMP. For more information visit: Essex Partnership. Ed Hayes is HPS's official representative to the Stakeholders committee. He and I will be meeting with that organization and I will attend as many meetings of the CLA and Club A as I can. If you have any questions I will be more than happy to bring you up to date. Respectfully. . . Ernie Krubsack, Board Member |
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2005 Holiday Point Newsletter 2004 Holiday Point Newsletter |
