Vista Ridge - August 2011

Reporter

Vista Ridge Reporter VOL. I, ISSUE VII AUGUST 2011

VISTA RIDGE

OFFICAL NEWSLETTER OF THE VISTA RIDGE HOA

What a great time we had on the 4th of July!

Thanks to Chloe Hall for the fabulous face painting! Thanks also goes out to the Social Committee members for organizing our yearly parade and treats: Karen Curtis, Jennifer Voith, Marissa Burill, and their husbands. If you'de like to help out with our festivities, please drop an email to Terri Hall, fullmoonmama@gmail.com.

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Vista Ridge Reporter - August 2011

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Vista Ridge Reporter WELCOME A newsletter for Vista Ridge residents The Vista Ridge Reporter is a monthly newsletter mailed to all Vista Ridge residents. Each newsletter is filled with valuable information about the community, local area activities, school information and more.

The Vista Ridge HOA hopes you enjoy this newsletter and welcomes this new communications tool for our neighborhood.

Additionally, you may wish to visit our Vista Ridge website, www.LeanderVR.com. Directions on joining our Yahoo Group message board can be found there as well. If you have questions or would like to join any of the committees, please contact the appropriate chairperson below: Our goal is to keep you informed!

HOA COMMITTEES NEIGHBORHOOD COORDINATOR Terri Hall .................................fullmoonmama@gmail.com YARD OF THE MONTH COORDINATOR Marissa Burill ................................MTBurill@suddenlink.net POOL & PARK COMMITTEE CHAIR Tim Lehner...................................... timlehner@gmail.com SOCIAL COMMITTEE CHAIR Karen Curtis .................................... karenCurtis@aim.com COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER Lisa Naumann .......................... vr_moderator@yahoo.com

MANAGEMENT CO. Goodwin Management, Inc Carl Gamble, Property Manager carl.gamble@goodwintx.com 502.7517

NEWSLETTER INFO PUBLISHER Peel, Inc. ...................... www.PEELinc.com, 512-263-9181 Article Submission ...................fullmoonmama@gmail.com Advertising................................ advertising@PEELinc.com

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Vista Ridge Reporter -August 2011

ARTICLE SUBMISSIONS Interested in submitting an article? You can do so by emailing fullmoonmama@gmail.com or by going to http:// www.peelinc.com/articleSubmit.php. All news must be received by the 9th of the month prior to the issue. So if you are involved with a school group, scouts, sports etc – please submit your articles for The Vista Ridge Reporter. Personal news for the Stork Report, Teenage Job Seekers, special celebrations and military service are also welcome.

ADVERTISING INFO Please support the advertisers that make The Vista Ridge Reporter possible. If you would like to support the newsletter by advertising, please contact our sales office at 512-263-9181 or advertising@PEELinc.com. The advertising deadline is the 8th of the month prior to the issue.

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Vista Ridge Reporter DEAR VISTA RIDGE NEIGHBORS & FRIENDS, The Lawn and Garden committee is undergoing some restructuring.

We are working on getting new Yard of the Month signs and are also looking to find others interested in assisting with the committee.

The duties would include assisting with the judging and creation of miscellaneous forms and/or spreadsheets to track winning addresses and expenditures, placement/return of YOM signs, article/web link resources to be published on website and in Vista Ridge newsletter.

For the remainder of this 2011 year we will have a Yard of the Month winner, for the months of July through December. October and December contest will be a theme contest.

Here are the guidelines that we will be using for Yard of the Month: 1. One home will be selected each month (April â&#x20AC;&#x201C; December). The exception will be in the months of October and December, when there will be two homes selected. Since the date of the holidays falls late in those particular months, judging will be the weekend prior to the holiday. Judging will be based on the Holiday criteria. (See criteria for holiday awards).

the lax farm â&#x20AC;&#x153;Growing Players with a Passionâ&#x20AC;?

Boys Youth Lacrosse / Fall League / Grades 1-6 Is your son looking for an alternative to the same old fall youth sports?

Registration is now open for The LAX Farmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Fall 2011 House League. The league is structured for novice players and it is organized to emphasize fun and skill development.

If your son was looking for a way to enter the sport, this recreational league is an ideal way for him to test the waters. The league is designed for entry level players, but it is also for boys with some lacrosse experience who want to keep their skills honed during the off season. We offer full equipment rental packages as well.

Lax

Farm

2011

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512-568-7597 www.thelaxfarm.com

2. Winner must be in good standing with the HOA. This will be verified thru the HOA Board/ Management Company in the absence of a Board. * Dues paid in full(not delinquent) * In compliance with the CC&Râ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 3. Only the front yard/side yards as viewed from the street will be judged. Backyards will not be considered.

4. Each yard/home will be limited to winning the award only once in any calendar year. Holiday awards will be limited to winning only once every 3 years.

5. Judging will be done by the Lawn and Garden Committee who will determine and select a winner prior to the award being given.

The Committeeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s decision is final.

6. Winners are selected by the 30th of the month prior. Yard of the Month signs will be placed in the winning yards on the 1st of the month, to remain the entire month. Signs will be placed by the committee. Example: Julyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s winner will be selected on June 30th.

7. Winner will be expected to maintain yard in same condition during the winning month.

8. Homeowners and Renters alike are eligible.

(Continued on Page 4)

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Vista Ridge Reporter Dear Vista Ridge - (Continued from Page 3) â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘

YARD MAINTENANCE Healthy lawn, neatly mowed and edged Pruned and trimmed shrubs and trees to maintain shape Healthy plants (No plastic or artificial plants) Minimum weeds in flower beds Yard free of debris and clutter Buildings, fences, porches/patios on property are in good condition DESIGN AND LANDSCAPING Use of color and/or texture Creative, unique, curb appeal Overall aesthetic appeal, an inspiration to others in the neighborhood Balance appropriate to house and lot size.

Extra consideration may be given to properties that have invested extra effort through the use of attractive art pieces (e.g. pottery, ironwork) potted plants etc.

WALKWAYS & DRIVEWAYS â&#x20AC;˘ Clean and stain free; free from debris and dirt â&#x20AC;˘ (Trash containers or yard products removed from view). â&#x20AC;˘ Evening appearance â&#x20AC;&#x201C; use of lighting to enhance appearance Holiday Award will take into consideration â&#x20AC;˘ Originality â&#x20AC;˘ Creativity â&#x20AC;˘ Neatness â&#x20AC;˘ Portrayal of the holiday spirit WINNERS WILL RECEIVE: â&#x20AC;˘ Specially designed â&#x20AC;&#x153;Yard of the Monthâ&#x20AC;? sign to be displayed during the winning month â&#x20AC;˘ A certificate of recognition â&#x20AC;˘ A gift card to a local retailer/home improvement store â&#x20AC;˘ Photo of winning lawn displayed on the Vista Ridge website

Saturday, September 24, 2010 Join us for the 17th Annual Hairy Man Festival on Saturday, September 24th from 11am to 6pm at Cat Hollow Park in Round Rock. Admission to the festival is two non-perishable food items or $2 per person to go to local food banks. This event is sponsored by The Brushy Creek Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Association and the Brushy Creek MUD. The family fun-centered events raises money for many local charities, and offers a full day of food, arts & crafts, childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s activities, and enjoy special performances and live music all day. This year the proceeds will benefit Project Care Case.

Project Care Case provides new and age appropriate suitcases on wheels to each child in foster care. The â&#x20AC;&#x153;care caseâ&#x20AC;? has their names permanently embedded on it and contains socks, underclothing, two changes of clothing, teddy bear, and a pillow/blanket of their own and a child friendly Bible.

For more information visit www.projectcarecase.org, Connie Bellows 512-852-9276. The festival is located at Cat Hollow Park off of RM 620 at 8600 Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Connor Drive. For more information please visit www.HairyManFestival.org or www.BrushyCreekWomen.org Rogilyn Boggs, BCWA PR-Coordinator HMF | 971-3906

Yard of the Month winner for July is The Coopers, at 1410 Shamitas Court.

Congratulations, your yard looks fantastic! Kevin and Gabe did a great job with the landscaping. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be receiving a $50 gift card to a local home improvement store. Thank you for keeping our neighborhood looking great!

Congrats Neighbor!

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Vista Ridge Reporter -August 2011

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Vista Ridge Reporter IMPORTANT LINKS & INFORMATION AUGUST EVENTS - WHITESTONE ELEMENTARY Aug. 11 .................................... New Family Orientation 6:30p Aug. 18 ...........................Kinder & Pre K Camp 4:30p - 5:30p Open House, Last Name A - M ......................... 5:30p - 6:15p Last Name N - Z................................................. 6:15p - 7:00p Aug 22 First Day of school; Dismissal at 2:35p all of first week.

School Supply List http://schools.leanderisd.org/docs/31-Final%20Supply%20List%202012.pdf

LMS - SCHOOL SUPPLY LIST 6th .........http://nse.leanderisd.org/docs/41-LMS6supply11.pdf 7th .........http://nse.leanderisd.org/docs/41-LMS7supply11.pdf 8th .........http://nse.leanderisd.org/docs/41-LMS8supply11.pdf TIGER CAMP is August 10 from 9:00 to 12:00. Kona Ice will be there from 11:30 to around 1:00 helping raise money for the PTA. OPEN HOUSE August 17 ............................................6th grade Open House August 31 ................................7th and 8th grade Open House

ROUSE HIGH SCHOOL Raider Camp - New Student Orientation August 3, Wednesday ...........................................6-8pm (A-K) August 4, Thursday .............................................. 6-8pm (L-Z)

POOL HOURS Tuesday - Sunday ................................................ 8am to 10pm .................................................. Closed Mondays for cleaning Use of the Pool & Cabana is restricted to Vista Ridge residents and their guests.

Lap time is available from 6am to 8am, Tues-Fri. To have your keycard programmed for entry during these times, please call Terri Hall at 259.6791. Reserve the Cabana for a party by contacting Tim Lehner, Pool Committee Chair. You may check dates that have already been reserved by looking at the neighborhood calendar that is on the Yahoo Group. Just click on Calendar and then Events List. Three hour limit for reservations, please. NEW procedure for obtaining your Pool Key Card, “Go to PoolKey.com to eSign required forms - FASTEST WAY TO GET A KEY!!!”

Owners now have the option to access and eSign Pool Wavers at PoolKey.com. To submit a pool waiver on PoolKey.com the owner will follow these steps: 1. Click on Association 2. Obtain transaction code from DocuSign 3. Paste transaction code from email into DocuSign form 4. Complete the DocuSign transaction

LEANDER VISTA RIDGE HOA

11149 Research Blvd., Suite 100, Austin, TX 78759-5227 Voice (512) 502-7517 Fax (512) 346-4873 JOIN VISTA RIDGE YAHOO! GROUP MESSAGE BOARD This message board is exclusive to residents of the Vista Ridge neighborhood. To join the group, go to this link: uhttp://groups.yahoo. com/group/VistaRidgeLeander/join or email us at VR_Moderator@ yahoo.com. This VR Message Board is a great place to...

• Keep up to date on upcoming events • Meet new neighbors • Share referrals for hair salons, babysitting, dentists, etc.

• Discuss neighborhood issues • Organize playgroups, bunko night, cooking clubs, etc.

• Advertise your business services Please join and help continue to make our neighborhood a fun place to live!

JULY 13, 2011 Dear Neighbor, Our next Home Owner’s Association meeting will take place on Saturday, August 13, 2011. We will meet at 10am in the multi-purpose room of the Leander Public Library, located at 1011 South Bagdad Road. The meeting’s agenda is as follows: • Introductions • Committee Reports • Budget discussed by Carl Gamble • Q&A USEFUL WEB SITES www.poolkey.com http://lvr.goodwintx.com www.leandervr.com.

To join the Vista Ridge Yahoo! Group message board, please email vr_moderator@yahoo.com

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Vista Ridge Reporter - August 2011

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Vista Ridge Reporter 12 OUNCES OF SODA… & THE 60 MINUTES THAT FOLLOW I used to be a soda drinker. I could not go a day without at least one. Pepsi was my favorite, although Dr. Pepper, Mountain Dew, and root beer were at the top of my list too. I don’t drink soda at all anymore. It took a long time to break that addiction, but it was well worth it. Why? Well, here’s a breakdown of what happens in your body in the 60 minutes after you drink 12 ounces of regular, caffeinated soda paraphrased from Wade Meredith’s “What Happens To Your Body Within One Hour of Drinking a Coke”: Minutes 1-10: 100% of your recommended daily sugar intake hits your bloodstream. You would normally want to vomit when you consume over 10 teaspoons of sugar in one sitting, but the phosphoric acid in the soda cuts the sweetness. Most likely this sugar is in the form of genetically modified high-fructose corn syrup.

Minutes 15-25: Your blood sugar spikes, causing a burst of insulin to be released from your pancreas. Your liver starts turning any sugar it can get into fat to help reduce the load on the pancreas.

Minute 40: Caffeine absorption is complete. Your pupils dilate and your blood pressure rises, which causes the liver to respond by dumping more sugar into your bloodstream. The adrenaline receptors in your brain are now blocked, preventing drowsiness.

Minute 45: Your body increases dopamine production which stimulate the pleasure centers of the brain (physically the same way that heroin works).

Minutes 50-60: The phosphoric acid in the soda binds calcium, magnesium and zinc in your lower intestine at the same time that the sugar is increasing the urinary excretion of calcium. In other words, the sugar and phosphoric acid are kidnapping vital minerals and getting ready to escort them out of your body. The caffeine’s diuretic properties come into play (making you have to pee). The urine takes with it the calcium, magnesium and zinc bound by the phosphoric acid, as well as sodium, electrolytes and water.

Minute 60: As the party dies down you start your sugar crash. You might become irritable or sluggish. You have urinated away all of the water that was in the soda as well as many valuable nutrients that your body could have used for hydration or building bones and teeth.

Not mentioned in the timeline is how your body deals with the toxins delivered by the artificial flavors and colors. Antioxidant vitamins in your body do their best to eradicate or neutralize the toxins, and the rest are often stored in fat cells. If you’re trying to give up your beloved soda, perhaps thinking about this timeline might help you. Realize that when you drink a soda, you are washing nutrients out of your body, dehydrating yourself, taking one step closer to a diabetes diagnosis, and feeding an addiction.

Need an alternative? Try good ol’ fashioned water!!! Or for some variety have water with lemon or lime, sparkling water with a splash of fruit juice, herbal teas (iced or hot), or 100% fruit juice (fresh squeezed if possible).

- Suzi Simmons 6

Vista Ridge Reporter -August 2011

GOING 100 PERCENT ORGANIC NOT FEASIBLE?

By Melanie Dragger, M.Comm.

The Environmental Working Group (EWG), a non-profit organization specializing in research and advocacy related to public health and the environment, has released its 2011 updated “Dirty Dozen” list of the 12 fruits and vegetables containing the most pesticides. Topping this year’s list? Apples. This begs the question, “Can eating an apple a day really keep the doctor away?”

The answer may lie in where you get your apples. Although the EWG’s ranking was cited as an overestimate of the risk by the Alliance for Food & Farming, a non-profit organization with the stated mission of providing a voice for farmers to communicate their commitment to food safety, consuming organically grown products can reduce the amount of pesticides that enter your body.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), long-term exposure to pesticides can lead to death or serious illness, including developmental and reproductive disorders, impaired nervous system function, and certain cancers. Further, the WHO has found children to be at higher risk from exposure than adults.

However, organically grown products are typically more expensive than conventionally grown products, and some organic products may be difficult to find in some areas. If growing your own fruits and vegetables is not an option, and purchasing 100 percent of your produce in organic form is monetarily unfeasible, the EWG’s list offers a good starting point for consumers.

According to the EWG’s 2011 report, which is based on its analysis of tests conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the following 12 fruits and vegetables (the “Dirty Dozen”) consistently contained the highest amount of pesticides when conventionally grown, and should be consumed in organic form when possible: 1. Apples 7. Grapes (imported) 2. Celery 8. Sweet bell peppers 3. Strawberries 9. Potatoes 4. Peaches 10. Blueberries (domestic) 5. Spinach 11. Lettuce 6. Nectarines (imported) 12. Kale/collard greens Alternatively, according to the EWG, the following 15 fruits and vegetables (the “Clean 15") consistently contained the least amount of pesticides, and by adhering to this list, individuals can get their recommended daily allowance of fruits and vegetables without incurring the expense of buying organic products in order to limit their exposure to pesticides: 1. Onions 6. Sweet peas 11. Cabbage 2. Sweet Corn 7. Mangoes 12. Watermelon 3. Pineapples 8. Eggplant 13. Sweet potatoes 4. Avocado 9. Cantaloupe (domestic) 14. Grapefruit 5. Asparagus 10. Kiwi 15. Mushrooms (Continued on Page 7) Copyright © 2011 Peel, Inc.

Vista Ridge Reporter Going 100 Percent Organic... - (Continued from Page 6) Underscoring the importance of the consumption of fruits and vegetables was the release of MyPlate, also in June, replacing the classic food pyramid. The USDA’s new food icon is a simple, visual cue that advises individuals to “make half your plate fruits and vegetables,” graphically shrinking the role of meats and dairy products in the national diet.

More information on the EWG, as well as the full list of fruits and vegetables ranked, can be found at http://www.ewg.org. More information on the Alliance for Food and Farming can be found at http://www.foodandfarming.info. To learn more about the USDA’s MyPlate, visit http://www.choosemyplate.gov, and to discover more about the WHO, visit http://www.who.int/en.

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At no time will any source be allowed to use The Vista Ridge Reporter's contents, or loan said contents, to others in anyway, shape or form, nor in any media, website, print, film, e-mail, electrostatic copy, fax, or etc. for the purpose of solicitation, commercial use, or any use for profit, political campaigns, or other self amplification, under penalty of law without written or expressed permission from Peel, Inc. The information in the Vista Ridge Reporter is exclusively for the private use of the Vista Ridge HOA and Peel, Inc. DISCLAIMER: Articles and ads in this newsletter express the opinions of their authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Peel, Inc. or its employees. Peel, Inc. is not responsible for the accuracy of any facts stated in articles submitted by others. The publisher also assumes no responsibility for the advertising content with this publication. All warranties and representations made in the advertising content are solely that of the advertiser and any such claims regarding its content should be taken up with the advertiser. * The publisher assumes no liability with regard to its advertisers for misprints or failure to place advertising in this publication except for the actual cost of such advertising. * Although every effort is taken to avoid mistakes and/or misprints, the publisher assumes no responsibility for any errors of information or typographical mistakes, except as limited to the cost of advertising as stated above or in the case of misinformation, a printed retraction/correction. * Under no circumstances shall the publisher be held liable for incidental or consequential damages, inconvenience, loss of business or services, or any other liabilities from failure to publish, or from failure to publish in a timely manner, except as limited to liabilities stated above.

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