2010 YEAR IN REVIEW Serving the Lake Naomi and Timber Trails Community Route 423, Post Office Box T, Pocono Pines, PA 18350-0620 570-646-9191 • www.LakeNaomiClub.com • admin@lakenaomiclub.com
BOARD OF TRUSTEES P. KENNETH BROWNSTEIN, PRESIDENT The Club entered 2010 with cautious optimism. Despite the struggling economy in the United States, 2009 was a relatively strong year for the Lake Naomi Club. This made Lake Naomi – Timber Trails a bright spot in the region. But being a conservative group, the Club couldn’t just charge into 2010. The Trustees again instructed the Management Team to develop a contingency plan for Capital Enhancements, holding off final approval for the Enhancements that could wait until the Club was assured of the revenue to support these enhancements. Fortunately all of the budgeted enhancements moved forward prior to year’s end. The Club is also very aware that the Club’s and Communities that are thriving across the country are the ones that are reinvesting in their infrastructure. The Club has been very fortunate that with the Community Center completed, this time of economic uncertainty has coincided with a time when the Club is developing a Strategic Plan as well as a Long Range Facilities Plan. The Long Range Planning Committee, Ad-Hoc Strategic Planning Committee and Board of Governors are doing a commendable job of moving these plans forward. The end of 2010 marks a milestone for me as it marks the completion of my nine years on the Board of Trustees. It has been an honor for me to work with such a committed group of volunteers and professional staff members. Club Members can be very proud of the tremendous group of volunteers that serve the Club and Associations, as well as the professional and support staff members that make it all happen. An even bigger milestone is the Club’s change of Manager’s. Having an open communication history with our General Manager, Jeff Evans, lead to the Club being able to formulate a plan that had a goal of a seamless transition of General Manager’s at the end of 2010. This five year transition process was so successful that, with the full support of Jeff Evans, Robert Jones was promoted to the General Manager’s position eight months early. The Club was certainly blessed to have Jeff Evans follow in the footsteps of Developer Logan Steele. The Club is now further blessed to have Robert Jones follow in Jeff’s footsteps. Our Club is the distinct leader in the Northeast and we are not about to relinquish that position. Member support is a key ingredient for continued success. I hope you will join me in maintaining the supportive culture of Lake Naomi – Timber Trails so that future generations of our families will always be able to experience the beauty of our Club.
BOARD OF GOVERNORS JOYCE MCLAINE, CHAIR Lake Naomi Club continues to deserve its Platinum Club of America award even in these more difficult economic times. Our committed management, staff, and involved members contribute innovative ideas, creative problem solving, and forward action planning as well as good fiscal management to keep our club on top of the game. We have every right to be proud.
This past year, 2010, I have had the honor of chairing the BOG and working with the wonderful volunteers that so effectively chair our various committees and the board at-large members who represent the broader community. Because so much of the success of our club depends on volunteer member participation, this year was dubbed the “Year of the Volunteer”. Over 500 members have volunteered over the years this club has been in existence and we thank them all for contributing to the successful growth and positive changes that have helped us keep up with the times. As BOG Chair, I have the privilege to represent our community by attending and participating in the Board of Trustee (BOT) meetings. We are very fortunate to have such competent, experienced, and dedicated volunteer leaders assuming the broad responsibility of fiscal and over-all management of our community. All of our volunteers dedicate hours of their time for the benefit of all. Our membership remains steady even in these uncertain economic times and Lake Naomi-Timber Trails remains a very desirable community continuing to attract people who recognize a quality environment with superior amenities and programs that accompany club membership. Ask questions, get involved, read reports, attend your annual meeting, contribute ideas; we can only stay the best with member awareness and participation. Keep aware of the progress on the club Strategic Plan as updates are presented; the future truly is in our hands….all of us. In closing, I want to thank my fellow members of the BOG for their support and participation during this first year of my BOG Chair position. A great team brings great results.
FINANCE COMMITTEE ELLEN NATHAN – CHAIR It is with great pleasure that I report the continued good financial condition of the Lake Naomi Club. While so many regions continue to be impacted by the difficult economy, 2010 was a successful year for the Lake Naomi Club as measured by membership numbers which reached the level of the previous high of 1596. We were able to end the year with a $163,000 operating surplus. Once again we congratulate Management on strong cost containment measures which enabled us to attain this surplus. Our operating revenue for 2010 was just short of $7.2 million on a budget of just under $6.9 million. The majority of our revenue comes from membership dues and fees. Temporary Memberships generated $249,000 in revenue, $22,000 ahead of budget, and the Community Center guest fees were $41,000, about $8,000 below budget. The Community Center continues to be a strong source of revenue and membership satisfaction. Club members report they are pleased with the food and service at the restaurant resulting in revenue ending the year $86,000 ahead of budget. Even with the overall success of the restaurant various committees are studying ways to bring in more members and revenue.
The Club’s consolidated balance sheet at year-end remained strong. We had cash in the bank and total assets in excess of $16.5 million, including approximately $700,000 in the Contingency Fund at year end. The Pocono Pines Community Association (PPCA), the Timber Trails Community Association (TTCA), and the 940 Sewage Associations contributed approximately $908,000 to the operation of Lake Naomi Club in 2010. Additionally, the PPCA and TTCA contributed $715,000 to fund the Club’s Capital Reserves. The Club continues to be grateful for the support of these three organizations. In 2010 the Finance Committee proposed a budget for 2011 that would entail no increased membership fee for the Operating Budget. We did propose to the Board of Governors and The Board of Trustees that we institute a line on the annual membership dues form for a Capital Enhancement Fee. This money will place additional funds in the Capital Enhancement Fund and help build the Fund so that some larger projects can be done at no assessment to the members. We appreciate the support the BOG and BOT gave to this concept by their vote to approve it. I would like to thank all members of the Finance Committee for their hard work and dedication, along with a special “thank you” for the support of the BOG, BOT, and Management.
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT’S REPORT JEFF EVANS After serving the Club for ten years in seasonal and consulting positions, for the past thirty years I have had the distinct honor and pleasure to serve as the Club’s Executive Vice President and General Manager. During the Summer of 1981, Developer and Club President Logan Steele approached me and asked if I would like to manage the Club. I answered yes as quickly as I could utter that word. Lake Naomi – Timber Trails was already in my blood, so the opportunity to manage the Community was a dream come true. Obviously the rest is history and I have truly enjoyed serving as your Manager. About eight years ago, I began to talk with the Board of Trustees about my stepping down at the end of 2010. It was everyone’s goal that we effect a seamless transition. With the support of the Board of Trustees and the voluntary assistance of Professional Recruiter and Club Member Brian Drum, the Club hired Robert Jones in May of 2005 as the Club’s Assistant General Manager. Robert was hired with the understanding that if all went well, he would transition into the top position at the end of 2010. Robert immediately went to work and has played a major role in the success of the Club over the past five years, including the turnaround of the Lake Naomi Clubhouse and the opening of the Logan Steele Community Center. Earlier this year, with my full support, the Board of Trustees named Robert Jones the Club’s new General Manager. I finished out the year as the Club’s Executive Vice President, handling the corporate responsibilities. Robert will assume all of these duties on January 1st. I am extremely pleased that the Club has chosen to retain my services on a parttime basis as the Executive Vice President Emeritus or Consulting Manager for short. In this new role I will spearhead the Strategic Planning Process and the Long Range Planning
Process as well as assist with special projects and act as a resource for the Management Team. Lake Naomi – Timber Trails continues to be in my blood and I hope to continue working with the Club for as long as I can make a positive contribution. Truly my success with the Club is a celebration of what we have accomplished as a Team - - Members, Committees, Boards, Support Staff Team, Management Team. President Ronald Regan once stated: There is no limit to what a man can do or where he can go if he doesn’t mind who gets the credit. As long as everyone continues working for the common good, there is absolutely no reason that Lake Naomi – Timber Trails will continue to be anything other than the very best Platinum Community Club in the Northeast United States. Thank you to all the Members and Team Members that have supported me during my tenure as your Chief Operations Officer. I look forward to working with you to continue the wonderful vision that Logan Steele had for Lake Naomi – Timber Trails.
MANAGER’S REPORT ROBERT A. JONES, JR. 2010 proved to be another banner year for the Lake Naomi Club despite the economic unsettledness for the Country. The main reason the Club continues to grow and maintain its’ Platinum Club Status is the 200 plus unpaid volunteers on the Committees and Boards. The Club is fortunate to have such great volunteers with so many talents, but most importantly a passion and commitment to seeing the Club’s continued success. In addition the Members continue to support the Management Team at every level. With this support the Team Members are willing and able to deliver the many amazing services the Club provides. Even though the Club proved to be “Recession Proof” for 2009, the Board of Trustees did not ease up on the Management Team. The BOT directed Management to once again develop a “contingency plan” to cut and control expenses in order to avoid a financial hole that could result with the continuing economic downturn. Working with the Management Team, the Support Team, the Finance Committee and the BOG, a contingency plan was implemented. Thanks to all this hard work Management was able to control expenses without cutting services to the Membership. The Club’s Membership ended strong for the 2010 season at 1596 compared to 1589 in 2009. The Club also had a total of 78 new Memberships. Three New Member orientations were conducted where the Management Team had the pleasure of meeting the new Members and sharing the Club’s information. In May of 2010 the final step of the multiple year General Manager Transition occurred where I had the honor of being named the Club’s new General Manager. I want to thank Jeff Evans for his support and mentoring over the last five years. Jeff has poured his heart and soul into the Lake Naomi Club for over thirty years and this is a major reason for the Club being named a Platinum Club. Jeff put together a seamless transition plan and without the support of Jeff, the Membership, the Committees, the Boards and the Team Members this transition would not be possible. I have enjoyed getting to personally know many of the Members over the last five years and my goal is to meet as many of the Members and their families as is possible. I need your help with this goal, so please feel free to contact me at any time to give me the opportunity to talk you so I can learn more about the Members and the Club. Member Jim
Zagelmeyer spoke to me about his “LNC DNA” and it is so true. Once you become a Member of the Lake Naomi Club you are prone to develop LNC DNA, which is the secret ingredient to this great Platinum Community. I look forward to serving as the Club’s Executive Vice President and General Manager and I hope to be part of this great Community for many years to come.
ACTIVITIES COMMITTEE CAROL KEHLER - CHAIR The Activities Committee continued to provide programs and events that the Adult Membership welcomed and supported by our members. This year’s events included the Performance of a Mentalist, Men's Luncheon, Ladies Luncheon, Casino Night and the addition of the Fine Arts and Craft Show. Watercolor and acrylic painting classes were taught by professional artists throughout the year to students of all skill levels. Barbara McCorkindale and Al Steinberg taught the watercolor classes and Steve Kreiger taught acrylic. The classes were well attended and at various times art shows were presented exhibiting the beautiful paintings completed by the students. The Activities Committee sponsored groups that meet weekly or monthly include Book Club, Bowling, Hiking, Bridge, Canasta, Pinochle, Mah Jongg, Lending Library, Square Dancing and Quilting. There are many volunteer Members that give with their time and efforts in keeping these programs alive. The Committee continues to assist various local service projects such as Food Collection for the Needy, Knitting and Assembling Blankets to be given to nursing homes. The Tree of Mittens again was a nice focal point in the Community Center during the month of December displaying an array of donated hats, mittens and scarves which benefited the foster children of Monroe County. The past year was very rewarding for members of the Activities Committee and the members of the Lake Naomi Club that participated in the activities.
AQUATICS COMMITTEE JOHN COUGHLIN, CHAIR 2010 was another great year for the Members utilizing the aquatic facilities. The pools saw even higher usage this summer, with the July 4th holiday serving over 1800 Members and Guests at the Lake Naomi Pool in one day! The Aquatic programs continue at the Lake Naomi Club facilities offering something for everyone. Daily Story Time for our young members, adult swims, trivia challenges, weekly kiddie time, weekly youth volleyball pick-up games, adult and kids bocce ball and the always popular Sunday Coloring Contests at Lake Naomi Pool where selected artwork is proudly displayed in one of our showcases. 2010 also brought back the weekly Youth Sports time our active juniors need to have a time it’s OK to run at the pool! Shallow water and deep water-work outs also continued with very high attendance this season. Returning instructor, Jaime Nuss added to and mixed up the routines and took more participants than in previous years to help with the growing program. Pre-registration was
discontinued which helped serve more especially in deep water. Next year we will look to extend the program a week longer in the season. Special events added to the excitement at the Lake Naomi pool. Two Youth Auctions were held allowing children to earn Lake Naomi Funny Money through activities, games and a scavenger hunt. The money is used at the end of the event to bid on games, toys and pool toys. These are always highly attended and great fun for all. The second Saturday of July, adult members joined our staff for what was another memorable Pool Luau. The venue changed to Timber Trails to allow for a rain or shine event. 100 Members ate, played games and danced. The only complaint was that it could have lasted longer!! We’ll consider that next year. The two Saturday family fun events, The Big Splash and the Wet and Wild Western Day, had participants kayaking into the lake, riding a live pony, playing in the Children’s Bocci Ball Tournaments, and playing in a variety of water relays and activities concluding with the traditional Big Splash Contest and a Chili Taste-off. The Club provided a creative buffet of appropriate and theme based foods for these events while the Tiki Bar took care of poolside refreshments. Wet n Wild Western Day added a new feature to the weekly Sunday Horseracing in support of the LN-TT Breast Cancer Rally. Families donated by sponsoring a horse and had the opportunity to be the jockey that day. Additional donations were taken and an overall $550 donation by pool Members was added to the Club’s efforts for a great cause. The Lake Naomi Swim Team enjoyed another successful year with a record 130 participants. Jenn Kasper took on more of an Aquatics SV position this year passing the Director position to Lauren Travis who was assisted by coaches Ian Walsh, Tyler Dolph, Nick Pirrocco and Robert Roche. They did a fantastic job improving the swimmers technique while bringing the team to a winning season with a 4 -1 record over all. Their schedule also included an ice cream social, free swim at Timber Trails pool and trips to Camelbeach and the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees game. The season concluded with an awards ceremony and pizza party at the Community Center pavilion. Special thanks goes out to all of parents who volunteer and make the swim team meets successful. The Community Center pool became a popular place for early morning lap swimming this season as it is open at 8:00 AM on Saturday and Sunday. The lap lanes also see use in the evening after the other pools have closed. Mid-week use is heavy in the mornings during the hours of group swim lessons. Three sessions were offered and filled quickly again this summer. In response to the continued interest in swim lessons the Club added winter group lessons for the first time in 2010. The Aquatics Committee supports year round lessons as it’s always been a high priority of the committee’s to get children swimming safely since we are a water based community. The committee appreciates the Aquatic Staff who showed their hard work and dedication to creating a fun atmosphere while keeping safety a priority at the pools and beaches. Aquatics Director Frank Dekmar and our many Aquatics Supervisors do an excellent job of keeping the facilities running smoothly providing our Members an opportunity to create wonderful memories.
ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW MICHAEL CHRISTIAN, CHAIR In its 24th year since receiving the responsibility for enforcing the Deed Restrictions and the Architectural Standards and Requirements, the ARC continues its diligence in preserving and enhancing the Lake Naomi – Timber Trails Community. The ARC saw an increase in new home construction in 2010 and additions and garages permits remained steady. The decks and porch category contains an average amount of activity while tree removal and general landscaping continues to increase. Type of Construction Homes Additions/Garages Decks/Porches Landscaping/tree removals Roof Replacement Painting/Siding Docks/Beaches
2010 12 32 26 286 51 82 5
2009 5 34 19 266 74 75 8
2008 14 38 27 227 42 82 4
2007 20 31 28 241 56 87 2
2006 25 34 32 214 71 96 23
2005 38 35 17 139 90 68 15
2004 51 42 20 206 80 65 8
Total 2009 – 494 Marking my third year as ARC Chair, I would like to extend my thanks and appreciation to ARC Members Nancy Dressel, Jim Druecker, Joan Drum, John Marshall, Andy Montano, Dennis Sansiveri, Gene Schneider and Jim Stuckey for their hard work and dedication. The ARC also extends thanks to Members of Lake Naomi – Timber Trails for their continued support as they continue to preserve, protect and enhance Lake Naomi – Timber Trails in 2011.
COMMITTEE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION BILL NATHAN, CHAIR The Lake Naomi Club Committee for Environmental Protection (CEP) has been dealing this year with three initiatives: i) establishing a Lake Naomi Conservancy, ii) achieving Audubon Society certification for our golf course, and iii) establishing an “Audubon-at-Home” program for the certification of individually owned properties. The Conservancy, if established, would provide a vehicle for individuals to make tax deductible contributions to assist in guaranteeing the non-development of area properties so that their natural environments can be preserved. Audubon certification of our golf course would be a public recognition that our course is managed in a way consistent with the protection of native animals, birds, and plants, and that it meets the highest standards for protecting our Pocono environment. The Audubon-at-Home program provides for the environmental assessment of individual properties, along with recommendations consistent with the protection of our animals and forests. We are also embarking on a series of public education initiatives aimed at helping individual property owners in our LN/TT communities understand better the consequences of planting non-native, invasive plant species in their gardens or using inappropriate fertilizers or herbicides or insecticides. In that connection, we hope that property owners will call upon us for assistance in answering some of their environmental concerns, especially those related to their landscaping plans.
COMMUNITY CENTER COMMITTEE WAYNE KING, CHAIR The Community Center Committee met four times in 2010. The following is a summary of events and activities that took place this year. Group exercise classes were continued and well attended. Kelly Swingle became the CC Manager and continued her position as Fitness Coordinator, designed new programs to encourage fitness center usage. These programs were New Year New You Club, LNC Spring Training, Mega-mile Challenge, and 12 Days of Fitness. Special events included the Youth and Adult Triathlons and the Tour de Naomi bike ride. Personal Training also continued with Kelly as the trainer along with two fitness subcontractors who also taught some classes. Kelly ran three 5K events all raising money for various charities. The biggest challenge was unexpected equipment repairs. Many successful events took place in the community center. These include holiday events (Martin Luther King Weekend, Presidents Weekend, Easter Egg Hunt, Memorial Day Celebration, Halloween Party, New Year’s Eve Party), Teen and Pre-teen events, Carnival Cookout, Family Movie Night, Three Tenors. The community center also hosted painting classes, card nights and mah jongg. The Pocono Mountain Arts Council continued to display a rotating art gallery.
GOLF COMMITTEE JOE VARACALLI, CHAIR The golf course was once again able to open in early April due to some fantastic weather. The course was in excellent condition throughout the season, thanks to Golf Superintendent Todd Moyer and his crew for always striving to exceed Club Member expectations. The Golf Committee met every month from April thru November to discuss golf business and tournaments. Items on the 2010 agenda included requesting approval of funds for continuing the engineering study for the Pro Shop modifications. The Golf Committee is now waiting for the Club Survey to be completed to see what enhancements to the Golf Center the Membership are looking for. One of the newest additions to the course was a much improved restroom facility between holes four and five. This project was funded through the 2010 Capital Enhancement Budget. The Club’s project manager Scott Hall served as the general Contractor for the project and delivered a first class result that has the Membership buzzing. Also new to the course are hand railings at both tee boxes on holes two and nine as well as additional landscaping adjacent to the tee box on hole eight. These Member supported projects are sure to enhance the LN-TT golf experience for many years to come. The Committee was excited to see Members continuing their support for all events and tournaments. The Bloody Mary tournaments were again sold out due to the terrific food provided by Chef Will and the Clubhouse Team. Many thanks to Chairpersons Eileen Chimerine, Marjorie Seger & Holly Lehrer along with their team for a successful Breast Cancer Rally. The event raised almost $40,000. The funds are used to provide lifesaving services to women in the local Pocono Community.
Golf Pro Bob Millard did a great job with the kids programs as well as his teaching lessons. The entire golf staff did a great job this season and as always helps the Members enjoy the great game of Golf.
HOUSE COMMITTEE MARY DUFF, CHAIR What a wonderful year 2010 was at the Clubhouse. Thanks to the terrific staff; Peter, Helga, Chef Will, the Culinary Staff and Wait Staff, and the addition of Laura Hoffmann, members enjoyed delicious brunches, lunches, dinners and special events all year long. A Superbowl Party “Kicked-off” the year with great food and conversation while watching the big game with fellow members and friends. The Valentine’s Dinner was not only romantic but also delicious. The St. Patrick’s Day event sponsored by the House Committee was a sold-out sensation. The high-demand Phila. band, McHugh & Co. played Irish music and a beautiful Irish solo was performed by one of our House Committee volunteers, Mrs. Wheelan. Chef Will and his culinary crew served up a delicious Irish meal. We had a tremendous turn out for the 1st Car Show and 50’s Dinner & Dance in May. This was such a crowd-pleaser and sure to be repeated. Our annual Sunday brunches such as Mother’s Day and Father’s Day were enjoyed by many. Other popular specials include the Seafood Buffet, Pasta Night, and Trivia Night. A big hit this year was Summerfest in July and August. Summerfest offered members a night of DJ entertainment, an array of great German food, beer and wine. The Welcome Back Party, a House sponsored event, started off the summer by gathering members together to rekindle friendships, meet or reacquaint themselves with key personnel from various amenities, share a delicious meal and then dance the night away. In August, Mother Nature made us move the Rockin’ on the Beach event inside, but that didn’t stop the night of fun, good food and dancing. Members enjoyed “Rockin’ in the House” just as much as in the sand. A wonderful end to a terrific summer was celebrated at the Sunset on Lake Naomi event in September. Palate-pleasers from the kitchen were enjoyed and the high energy band Fancy Dancer kept the dance floor full all evening. Lake Naomi’s 3rd Oktoberfest had members yodeling, ringing cow bells and partaking in sing-a-longs while enjoying the traditional German beer and food. The Joe Webber Band provided lively entertainment. The month of October ended with a very creative and spooky Halloween Dinner which was the talk of the night. In December, the Clubhouse was beautifully decorated which made for a wonderful backdrop to enjoy a scrumptious Holiday Breakfast Buffet with visits from Mr. & Mrs. Claus. Another event enjoyed by many members was the Holiday Gala. After a delectable meal, members and guests enjoyed dancing and laughing to entertainment by DJ Adam Scuba. The year ended with an amazing transformation of the Clubhouse to “One Night in Venice.” Chef Will and his Culinary Team outdid themselves for this sold-out New Year’s Eve spectacular event. A hand-made Gondola, compliments of our very own bartender, was the perfect spot for couples to have their picture taken. Dancing into the New Year was easy to do with the fabulous Fancy Dancer band. Many thanks to everyone who helps make the Clubhouse events delightful. The House Committee volunteers include: Marshall Butler, Patti Campbell, Mary Beth Dittrich,
CLUB MEMBERSHIP
Lake Naomi Club Route 423, P O Box T Pocono Pines, PA 18350
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
PRESIDENT & EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Chair, Board of Governors
GENERAL MANAGER 940 Sewage**
Timber Trails Community Association*
Executive Committee
Pocono Pines Community Association*** Chair, ARC Review
Business Manager Accounting Supervisor
Communications/ Marketing Manager
Membership Director/ Resource Coordinator
Administrative Assistant
A/P Payroll Clerk A/R Inventory Clerk Assistant Accountant
Association Manager/ Architectural Inspector
Chief Ranger
Progect Manager Maintenance Superintendent
Systems Manager
Operations Manager
Consulting Manager
Golf Superintendent Golf Maintenance Staff
Membership Coordinator
Architectural Coordinator
Clubhouse Manager
Cafe Manager
Membership Secretary
Timber Trails Community Association* Pocono Pines Community Association***
940 Sewage** Association
Director of Safety Services Patrol Rangers Gatehouse Rangers
Food and Beverage Service Manager Food Service Staff
Chair, Chair, Chair, Chair, Chair, Chair, House Chair, Activities Golf Chair, Lakes Aquatics Chair, Chair, Architectural Membership Lakes Community Recreation Chair, Long Range Review Perservation Center Finance Planning Committee Membership Committee
Operations Coordinator Golf Director
Community Center Manager
Attendents Receptionist/ Secretary
BOARD OF GOVERNORS
Golf Operations Staff
Aquatics Manager
Tennis Director
Tennis Aquatics Staff Staff Maintenance Club Beach Staff Supervisor Maintenance Lead Sailing Staff Receptionist Cleaning Staff
Desk Attendants
Engineers Architects Consultants Contractors
NOTE: * The Timber Trails Community Association, composed of all Timber Trails Property Owners, contracts with the Lake Naomi Club to provide management and administrative services, gatehouse staffing and maintenance of its physical plant. ** The 940 Sewage Association composed of all Property owners participating in its common fluid disposal systems, contracts with the Lake Naomi Club to provide management and administrative services and maintenance and operations of its physical plant. *** The Pocono Pines Community Association, composed of most Lake Naomi Property Owners, contracts with the Lake Naomi Club to provide management and administrative services, security staffing and maintenance services.
Kids Klub Director
Spec. Events Coord. Recreation Staff Shuttle Bus Drivers
Fitness Center Staff
Finance Committee
Long Range Planning Committee
Golf Committee Kids Klub Staff
Recreation Committee
House Committee
Activities Committee Community Center Committee
Lakes Committee Lakes Perservation Committee
Chair, Tennis
Commodore Sailing
Chair, Other Committees
Sailing Association
Tennis Aquatics Committee Committee
Ad Hoc Committees Nominating Committee
Khaled Elkadi, Lynette Kabula, Bill Maute, Pansy Phillips, Linda Wheelan, Al Wismer and Tony Zanin.
LAKES COMMITTEE BILL CAHILL, CHAIR The Lakes Committee year began on the first Saturday in April 2010 with over 175 parents, grandparents and children taking part in our annual Spring trout stocking. This set the tone for all of our events scheduled for the year. Our other events which are run during the Summer months were the Bass Tournament, Fishing Clinic, Youth Fishing Derby and Fly Fishing Clinic continue to draw increasing numbers of members and guests each year. The committee also has two hour kids fishing trips from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM and senior cruises 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM on every Thursday during the Summer months. The Fall trout stocking on Columbus Day weekend concludes our events for the year. Lakes Committee members donate their time, equipment and expertise on all of these events. The Club has contracted a new local Aquatic Biologist to do the Lake Survey. For the first time, daily water and air temperatures were taken. Weekly lake level, water quality and water transparency readings were documented. The Lake has a 20 square mile watershed that consists of the State Gamelands, Timber Trails, Lake Naomi, Pocono Summit Estates, Stillwater Lake Estates and the Pocono Mountain Municipal Airport. The primary source of water for the lake is the Tunkhannock Creek. Some of the different types of usages of the Lake include swimming, kayaking, boating, sailing and fishing. The biggest challenge of the Lakes Committee is to try to satisfy the needs of everyone that wants to use the Lake. Controlling evasive weed growth and having native plants, vertebrate and amphibians all adds up to a healthier lake.
LONG RANGE PLANNING COMMITTEE Don Campbell, Chair The Lake Naomi Club has been described by others as “the Club that never stands still”. This constant effort to improve is one reason the Club has remained at the top. The Logan Steele Community Center is testimony to this effort to be at the top. As we approach the end of 2010, a project to enhance the beach level of the Lake Naomi Clubhouse has been approved for funding and is taking shape to be completed in time for the 2011 season. This project will include an expanded café, a yogurt bar, a revamped café deck and a grill and bar area. There is also finally a glimmer of hope for some additional parking for the Clubhouse Complex. An Ad-Hoc Committee of the Long Range Planning Committee has been working on the development of a formal Strategic Plan for the Club. During 2010 this Ad-Hoc Committee held a planning workshop with the BOG and then finalized a draft plan for Member review as a part of Operation 45. Next up for the Ad-Hoc Strategic Planning Committee is the development of a comprehensive survey that is expected to go to the Members in the fall of 2011. Once the survey results are complied, the Long Range Planning Committee will further update the Long Range Facilities Plan. At the top of the list are two Timber Trails Facilities. The Golf Center needs to be totally updated and renovated in order to make that
facility more accessible and more functional. The Timber Trails Clubhouse needs to be reworked in order to make the facility more useable. Included would be a new entrance with handicap accessibility, an HVAC System and reconfiguration of the ground level in order to better utilize the available space. Suggestions for improvements to Club facilities are always welcome. The Club is owned by the Members and the Long Range Planning Committee certainly wants to move in a direction that meets the needs and desires of the Membership.
MEMBERSHIP/MARKETING COMMITTEE WILLIAM GAMBLE, CHAIR Despite the continued economic problems, Lake Naomi Club, the Northeast’s only five star Platinum Club of America residential community continues to thrive. Membership levels in 2010 reached 1596, ten more than in 2009 and equaling the record set in 2008. In 2010, we began to shift our marketing efforts to electronic media to attract new home owners and Members. Travelnation broadcast a three-minute, 29 second segment about our Club using footage that was shot at our facilities in the summer of 2009. The show started airing mid-June on ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, PAX, UPN and cable affiliates. The entire segment was uploaded to YouTube in February and has been viewed more than 3,100 times. The segment is listed in the Travelnation website under Lake Naomi Club is, Summer Destinations, Poconos, PA: Exploring the “New Hamptons.” The Club has full ownership of the footage and plans to use this for an updated DVD. At the beginning of the year, Lake Naomi Club became fully involved in the Social Media Networks. Members were informed about how to sign up for the Lake Naomi Club Facebook Fan Page, how to receive Club tweets and how to check out the latest YouTube upload. These new approaches not only keep the Members informed, but also increase the Club’s exposure on search engines that ultimately attract new Members and Temporary Members. At the end of the year, more than 625 had become active Facebook fans, exceeding the Committee’s expectations. This Social Media application enables fans to see the latest photos of LN-TT activities and to have the opportunity to comment on what they see or hit the “like” button. When LN-TT was mentioned in the media or on-line, a link was included on the fan page so the comments or stories could be shared. If you want to be a fan, go to www.facebook.com/LakeNaomiClub and click on the “Like” button. During the summer, photo journalist intern, Kelsey Lamberton, featured Lake NaomiTimber Trails events with photos and video clips. Her tweets were broadcast daily in the twitosphere on the Club twitter account. The LNC Making Memories video was broadcast in March, April and May in the Travel section of Comcast Cable’s Video on Demand in the Philadelphia area. The video was seen 6,417 times during this period with 52 viewers enjoying it a second time. During the same period, the Club participated in the Comcast.net banner advertising. The Life Should Be This Much Fun ads received a total of 321 clicks. Photos of the Logan Steele Community Center are featured in the new Lake Naomi Club brochure that was created this year.
Committee Members helped welcome new Club Members at the three new Member orientation sessions. Under the leadership of Bob McAndrews, the Committee continued its follow-up efforts with new Members through the Ambassador Program. During the Fall of 2010, the Committee began working on the Club’s first Winter Festival, a weekend marketing event designed to promote our Club as a special place to be in winter. I want to thank Committee Members Marie Badaracco, George Bishop, Robert Bossuyt, Beth Craighead, Peter Friedman, Carolyn Kopchains, Robert McAndrews, Cathy McIntyre, Judi Rarig, and Brian Snyder and Laura Altemose, our Club’s Communications and Marketing Manager. Our year-end record tying Membership totals serve as a tribute to their extraordinary work, innovative approaches and unselfish dedication.
RECREATION COMMITTEE MARIA BEERMAN & ELLEN WEIMAN, CO-CHAIRS The Recreation Committee experienced another great year in 2010. Day Camp, Night Recreation, Pre-Teen/Teen activities and family events continue to be a big hit for Lake Naomi Members. The Logan Steele Community Center serves as the home base to all of the popular recreation programs and specialized camps and clinics such as soccer, basketball and baseball. Kids Klub, Afternoon Klub and Kub Klub all continued to flourish in 2010 as evidenced by the constant activity at the Community Center, inside and out. The morning Kids Klub program is the overwhelming favorite for the majority of campers. We have been experimenting with a number of activities to give the youngsters a real “camp” experience without leaving home. Some examples are color wars, group assemblies and theme days. Afternoon Klub campers are treated to homemade nutritious lunches served up with the assistance of the Café and Ranger staff, followed by educational and fun activities such as sports, performing arts and science. Kub Klub provides a great introduction for the three year olds. The 2010 attendance was the highest it has been since its inception in 2007. Under the leadership of a Nature Specialist, Kids Klub has expanded its nature program housed in the Owaissa Building and Community Garden. Campers are able to experience nature in their own backyard and are learning about gardening, composting, and recycling. Night Recreation has middle school children grouped together (grades 3, 4, 5), junior high children grouped together (grades 6, 7, 8) and high school children were together (grades 9 and above). Each group has a dedicated day and time that is programmed specifically for them and supervised by recreation staff. Saturday night dances and trips all continue to be popular and highly attended by teens and pre-teens alike. The annual trip to Knoebels Amusement Park and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees are favorites. Tuesday Night Barbecues at Club Beach continued to be highly attended by Members with the Clubhouse staff providing an enjoyable dinner buffet. Theme nights include Down on the Farm (with a hayride), Pinewood Derby, and the overwhelming member favorite, Carnival Night with its boardwalk style games and amusements. All of the Recreation Committee sponsored programs and special events of 2010 were well attended. Member favorites include the Family Magic show and a new event “Lake Naomi’s Got Talent” with musical performances from numerous members. New for 2010 was a Holiday week camp held between Christmas and New Years that was very popular with younger campers. Family Ceramics fills the pavilion each week with members eager to paint pieces for themselves or to give as gifts. Member led activities such as Sunday morning softball for adults and children and kid’s soccer on Saturday mornings
provide a great recreational experience and an opportunity to meet new friends and neighbors. Overall the Recreation Committee is pleased with the success of its programs and the dedication of the Recreation Staff and looks forward to many more fun-filled summers.
SAILING COMMITTEE RICH DAGGETT, COMMODORE The 2010 Sailing season began Memorial Day Weekend and saw the traditional opening of the Sailing season with boat launching on Saturday and Races on Sunday, followed by the LNCSA Family Dinner. The highlight of the evening was the awarding of the United States Sailing Association Sportsmanship Award which was awarded to Chris Daggett. The continued interest in the Junior Instructional Program again presented a special challenge at registration this year with over 120 sailors enrolled. We utilized the schedule developed the previous year to accommodate the larger numbers which included the “A” Fleet races running in conjunction with the weekend series races. This change allows Juniors to sail with the Adult Series races which makes for much more interesting racing for all. The annual traditional conclusion of the Junior program, The Junior Regatta, also presented a welcomed challenge as we handled more than 30 sailors signing up for the event. Captains and boats were matched with a lottery system. The sailing staff, parents and LNCSA members lent their hands to get everyone on the water in time for the noon time start. Friday night was the “Tail Gate” party for the junior sailors and their families which included the sunset Kayak Races and an Ice Cream Sunday bar. The weekend was concluded with the End of Season Celebration and pizza party where the following were awarded: Junior Regatta: 1st place – Brett Maute, 2nd place – Matt Trabold, 3rd place – Tom Trabold A Fleet: 1st Place – Tom Trabold, 2nd Place – Matt Trabold, 3rd Place – Nick Osman B Fleet: 1st Place– Arianna May, 2nd Place – Colleen Lenihan, 3rd Place – Declan Gaylo Tom Trabold – Owaissa Cup: Awarded to the Junior with the best score for the summer. Arianna May – Sunfish Sportsman Trophy: Awarded to the Junior deemed to be “the best sport”. Caitlin Gallagher – Pine Tree Camp Trophy: Awarded to the Junior showing the best progress. Matt Trabold - The Thomas Cup: Awarded for special efforts to help others. 2010 marked the third year the Sailing Association hosted an Under 21 Laser Sailing Regatta by request of our young sailors. The Association held the event on Sunday, August 8th at 10:00 AM, prior to the typical Noon starts. The 11 enthusiastic skippers hit the water after their skippers meeting for one of the most highly anticipated events of the summer. Other sailors loaned their lasers and came early in the morning to help rig and get them headed in the right direction. It was the volunteering efforts of the sailing community that brought this event together. This event was again a great addition to the race schedule and will surely be included in 2011. 1st Place – Nick Gonzalez, 2nd Place – Mike Trabold ,3rd Place – Joe Bigelow
Duster Nationals were again run at Lake Naomi followed by the Open Laser Regatta, Open Sunfish Regatta and Labor Day Regatta. Labor Day weekend included the “End of Season” reception at the Clubhouse with the presentation of awards for all fleets including Not Ready for Prime Time. The Fleet Champions this year were: Duster Fleet Champion – John Whipple, Laser Fleet Champion – Rich Daggett, Sunfish Fleet Champion – Frank Blesso, RC Fleet Champion – Bob MacNeill. RC Laser Fleet #9 continued this year with indoor Winter Sailing at the LSCC pool on Sundays at 8:00 AM. The winter schedule also included hosting an Open District Regatta. The outdoor season continued during the summer on Thursdays and Sunday afternoons at the Administrative Office lake access. In addition to our Member races, this year we hosted the 2010 North American Regatta which as the name implies was a national level regatta with sailors participating from all over. The event was outstanding! The support of Meredith Sensenig, Harry Bacon, Dave Lawrence, the Sailing Instructors and Safety Boat Operators is greatly acknowledged. Without them we would not be able to enjoy this great asset of the Lake Naomi Club. We urge you to come out to join us and get your feet wet participating in a great lifetime sport.
TENNIS COMMITTEE JEANNE CHRISTIAN, CHAIR 2010 was another good year for the Lake Naomi Tennis community. The weather was spectacular allowing for many warm (ok really hot) days on the courts. We ended the summer by bidding some longtime members goodbye with many, many thanks for the hard work they put into tennis committee activities over the years. Those folks included: Kate Elkadi, Anita Gallagher, Diane Heisler, Laura Howe, Julie Spitzer and Rich Willis. Annual Events held over the year were well attended yet the committee has planned for some improvements for the coming season. The Season Kick Off held during Memorial Day Weekend was another great start to the season. So that other activities may be completed throughout the day, we may move this event to a bit later in the day. The Strawberries & Cream turnout on July 4th was smaller this year so we are considering changes to this much loved event. Again, the time of day might be changed to accommodate families of younger children who are otherwise busy with club activities when this event is held. The Tennis portion of the Breast Cancer Rally was flipped with games portion due to rain. Nonetheless, many players waited out the rain and stayed to enjoy tennis trivia games before finally getting on the court. Turnout was good and overall the Rally benefit was well run and continues to grow. Inter-club play for men continues to be a strong program headed up by Lew Rarig. Lew reported that 19 players from LNT participated and play was against Pinecrest.
Weekly play events including Men’s Social RR and Men’s Twilight, Backhands and Brews, Ladies Competitive Doubles and Ladies Social RR were well attended. Team Tennis was hurt by the July 4th holiday early sign-up for team resulting in fewer teams, however 1/3 of the players were new players to Team Tennis. To avoid this problem in 2011 we will enable on-line sign-ups. We continue to struggle with the variation of DRESS CODE across the club venues. Although no changes resulted in this year’s discussion, we will be posting more reminders of dress code requirements on the court doors and at the entrance to tennis facilities. Many good suggestions came from tennis committee members and club members as to how we can make the tennis facilities “greener.” Reducing the use of plastic cups is the focus of the upcoming season. McKee Tennis had another good year. The Parent-Child events and new camp offerings brought higher numbers than last year. McKee Tennis is working with the tennis committee to enhance the Junior and Kids programs for the upcoming season. Kara Derry and her staff under the effective leadership of Meredith Sensenig did an outstanding job manning the operations of our facilities, activities, reservations, court assignments, etc. Tennis at the Community Center continues to be a popular venue, especially during those inclement summer days and of course the colder months. Tennis play during seasons other than summer continues to grow as does the year round tennis population. 2010 saw the first Winter and Spring Men’s Doubles Tournaments and the start of Mixed Doubles Socials. These programs are expected to continue into 2011.
LAKE NAOMI CLUB MEMBERSHIP HISTORY
Year
New Members*
Total Members
Basic Members
Pool Members
Tennis Members
Golf Members
T
C
Single
Couple
Family
Single
Couple
Family
Single
Couple
Family
Single
Couple
Family
2000
109
798
577
124
639
612
50
320
490
30
210
358
31
262
372
2001
60
692
681
118
625
630
48
325
505
28
222
407
32
270
413
2002
150
626
801
122
640
665
50
332
552
31
252
450
33
299
453
2003
100
548
881
115
635
679
50
348
582
33
273
492
35
308
494
2004
144
496
964
110
611
739
53
363
638
34
281
562
35
307
564
2005
137
455
1024
103
610
769
53
362
653
34
284
584
33
306
586
2006
133
405
1084
100
596
793
56
356
694
35
289
631
34
318
632
2007
129
369
1181
111
601
838
65
371
722
44
310
664
44
328
665
2008
106
355
1241
110
589
897
65
366
801
42
312
744
42
331
746
2009
59
331
1255
103
604
882
59
379
775
39
327
724
38
345
726
2010
78
300
1293
106
616
871
63
395
780
42
348
734
41
363
735
* = This represents the number of total New Members for the year including resales. It is not “Net” New Members. T = Traditional C = Contemporary
Full Time Year Round Staff
Part Time Year Round Staff
Evans, Jeffrey
Ahrens-Day, Judith
Jones, Jr., Robert A.
Beser, Ronald
Allfather, William
Blake, Marjorie
Altemose, Laura
Blower, George
Brooks, Tim
Bray, Tara
Buskirk, Alice
Burgos, Michael
Bussman, Bill
Cardo, Vincent
Celifarco, John
Christian, Theresa
Cornwell, Cheryl
Clark, Brandi
Doyle, Chris
Comstock, Judy
Ednie, Pat Freeman, Wendi French, Earl Fuller, Jim Fuller, Robbie Hall, Scott
Evans, Beth Fluegel, Brianne Goin, Robert Hickey, Margaret Jannotti, Ronald
Heron, Sharon Lee
Johnson, Kristine Ann
Hoffman, Laura
Johnson, Robert
Jaeger, Tom
Judge, Nancy
Keiper, Carolyn
Kelso, Elizabeth
Kerrick, Stephanie
Kelso, Melissa
Koryttko, Peter
Knorr, Talli
Lamberton, John
Kresge, Jason
Mack, Shenequa
Maisonave, Justin
Mecca, Robert
Maly, Brooke
Meeker, Deana Marie
Maly, Shelby
Miller, Amy
McKewon, Christine
Moore, Ann
Micolo-Ednie, Maryann
Morris, Jim
Muffley, Kasey
Moyer, Todd
Nuss, Jamie
Muzzy, BJ
Pirrocco, Anthony
Nevil, Mary Ann
Posselli, James
O’Neill, Dorothy
Shelkin, Dylan
Perez, Adriana
Shepperd, Paul
Roberts, Steven
Simeone, Rosanne
Sartoris, Karen
Spiker, Robin
Searles, Charles
Stone, Kimberly
Seese, Craig
Tomol, Brittany
Sensenig, Meredith
Wilson, Mary Kate
Simonik, Pat
Zajac, Kim
Smith, Scott Swingle, Kelly Vaccola, Laurie Wolsieffer, Timothy
2010 BOARD OF TRUSTEES P. Kenneth Brownstein - President James B. Hyatt - Vice President Brian Drum - Secretary Robert S. Mills, Jr. - Treasurer Stephen J. Harker Anna C. McAleer Connell McGill 2010 BOARD OF GOVERNORS Joyce McLaine - Chair Brian Snyder - Vice Chair Diane Pratt - Secretary Laura Bacon Victor Barouh Maria Beerman Bill Cahill Donald Campbell Jeanne Christian Sara Clarkson John Coughlin Richard Daggett Kathy DeMeo Mary Duff Albert Franzone
Bill Gamble Mark Ierardi Carol Kehler Wayne King Bill Nathan Ellen Nathan Barry Trachtenberg Joe Varacalli Ellen Weiman Bob Wisniewski Peggy Witt
2011 BOARD OF TRUSTEES James B. Hyatt - President Anna C. McAleer - Vice President Brian Drum - Secretary Robert S. Mills, Jr. - Treasurer Stephen J. Harker Connell McGill Brian J. Snyder 2011 BOARD OF GOVERNORS Al Franzone - Chair Mark Ierardi - Vice Chair Jeanne Christian - Secretary Steven Amend Laura Bacon Victor Barouh Maria Beerman Bill Cahill Don Campbell Sara Clarkson John Coughlin Chris Daggett Mary Duff Albert Franzone Bill Gamble
Carol Kehler Wayne King Bill Nathan Ellen Nathan Edwin Ogden Mary Kay Posselli Carol Ray Barry Trachtenberg Joe Varacalli Ellen Weiman Bob Wisniewski C.B. Wisniewski Peggy Witt