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14
STONEBRIDGE RANCH NEWS APRIL 2015
Vol. 2, Issue 4
Contents IN EVERY ISSUE 5
22
From the President
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by Jon Dell’Antonia
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This Month’s Feature by Sherine George
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In the News by Sherine George
14
From Your Neighbor
15
Compliance Tips by Nate Russell
16
Community Calendar
18 Lifestyle 20
Your Neighbor by Sherine George
25
Around the Ranch
26
Social Scene
SPECIAL SECTIONS 12
Bits and Pieces
19
Pet Page
22
Landscape & Grounds by Ed Jensen
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Stonebridge Ranch News © 2015 is published by Moonlight Graphics. All rights reserved. It is individually mailed free of charge to all residents of Stonebridge Ranch. Moonlight Graphics, P.O. Box 132, Allen, TX 75013, 972.727.4569, fax 972.396.0807. Visit www.allenimage.com.
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from the presIdent STONEBRIDGE RANCH NEWS
publisher/editor Barbara Peavy
office administrator Carrie McCormick
contributing writers Jon Dell’Antonia Sherine George Ed Jensen Michael Lesku Nate Russell
cover photo Kwik Image
Another Successful Annual Meeting Our annual meeting was held on March 5, at 6:30 p.m. at the Crosspoint Church. The weather cooperated and 127 homeowners attended. Current board members Jon Dell’Antonia and Thomas George were re-elected to the association’s board of directors. Board members presented information about 2014 committee activities, our Strategic Plan and financial reports. Mayor Brian Loughmiller brought us up to date about things that are happening in the City of McKinney. Full details of the meeting, including the mayor’s presentation, are available on the website, www.stonebridgeranch.com. In this month’s issue of the magazine, we are discussing a disaster preparedness plan, which may be helpful to our residents in developing their own plan to use in the event of a disaster. McKinney is getting a new monthly newspaper. Community Impact Newspaper, headquartered in Pflugerville, Texas, will be delivered to all McKinney residents by mail beginning the first week of April. It is a free monthly newspaper and will have news only about McKinney. The intent is to provide news about McKinney not readily available elsewhere. They currently publish community newspapers in 19 cities across Texas, including Plano and Frisco.
February 12 Board Meeting
The board meeting of February 12, was called to order at 1 p.m. All board members were present. The meeting began with a Homeowners Open Forum. No homeowners appeared. The first item of business was to approve the seasonal color palates to be planted this spring and the appointments of Mary Redden, Jay Miller and Dwayne Ray to the Landscape and Grounds Committee.
Old Business
The board reviewed and approved a revised landscape pallet developed by the Modifications Committee. We also reviewed and approved tree replacement recommendations along Lake Forest, Ridge Road and Glen Oaks.
New Business
The board reviewed the Annual Meeting packet, which was sent to all homeowners, and the Power Point slides presented at the annual meeting. We had an update from the Chase Park group on some potential grants that might be available to the association for projects we may undertake. We discussed our joint project with the city and the architectural group we will use to design the Custer Road and Stonebridge Drive entrance project. The city is adding some lanes as a part of the project to widen Custer Road to six lanes from Stonebridge Drive to Highway 121. We do not yet have a start date from the city. We had planned to begin this project on the entrance early this year, but when we learned the city was going to redo the intersection and add more lanes which would impact our entrance, we decided to join with the city on the project and wait until they were finished before starting any of our renovations.
Executive Session
The board reviewed and approved the Collections report for delinquent accounts. We reviewed and made appropriate decisions on four homeowner violations that were presented to the board for resolution including one appeal from a homeowner, which was denied. We received an update on legal issues from our association attorney.
Association Reports
For information or to place an advertisement, please contact: Moonlight Graphics, P.O. Box 132, Allen, TX 75013, or call 972.727.4569.
The board reviewed and approved the financial reports and the monthly update of progress on our Strategic Plan. We heard reports from all board liaisons on their respective committee activities. We approved moving forward to develop plans to expand the community room to accommodate more homeowners in the activities that take place in that room. The meeting adjourned at 6:30 p.m. Jon Dell’Antonia President Stonebridge Ranch News x April 2015
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Stonebridge Ranch Community Association Professionally managed by Community Management Associates (CMA) 6201 Virginia Parkway, McKinney, TX 75071 214.733.5800 • fax 214.778.0595 Courtesy Patrol 214.794.4945
Association Hours Monday - Friday 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Association Staff Michael Lesku—Director of Operations Renee Mooney—Receptionist Laura Parker—Receptionist Candace Rickman—Executive Assistant Maria Ford—Compliance Coordinator Erica Peoples— Compliance Coordinator Rony Peterson—Compliance Coordinator Nate Russell—Compliance Coordinator Joyce Martin—M.A.R.C. Compliance Coordinator Sherine George—Communications Coordinator Michael Cawley—Maintenance Supervisor Jeff Torres—Maintenance Assistant David Wiest—Lifestyle Director Lynette Rowell—Administrative Assistant
Board of Directors Jon Dell’Antonia—President Ron Ferris—Vice-President Richard MacFee—Treasurer Michael Yon—Secretary Norm Counts—Director Tom George—Director Bill Campbell—Director Stonebridge Ranch News is the only authorized and official monthly publication for the residents of the Stonebridge Ranch community, with news and calendar of community events endorsed by the Stonebridge Ranch Association and its members. Stonebridge Ranch News is published for the residents of Stonebridge Ranch for informational purposes only. The Stonebridge Ranch Association does not guarantee any work or claims made by the advertisers and claims no responsibility or liability for statements made in the publication. Stonebridge Ranch does not in any way endorse or support, nor does it take any credit or responsibility for the services, paid or volunteer, nor statements made in articles or letters published herein not endorsed by the Association or the group decision of the Board of Directors.
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thIs month’ s feature Disaster/Emergency Preparedness Plan by Sherine George The Disaster/ Emergency Preparedness Plan was developed to provide a basic emergency planning policy for the Stonebridge Ranch Community Association. The concept was initially Michael Yon introduced in the 2014 Strategic Plan and continues to be a key objective in the 2015 Strategic Plan. Stonebridge Ranch News recently spoke with board member Michael Yon on the development of the plan and what it means for the Stonebridge Ranch community.
Q: First, what is the purpose of the plan?
A: The Disaster/Emergency Preparedness Plan was written to provide a basic emergency planning policy for the Stonebridge Ranch Community Association (SRCA) and the SRCA Property Management team, but as with all planning documents it is not an all-inclusive guideline.
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We must remember that this plan is a guideline and serves as a point of reference in the event of a disaster. The plan provides a framework and should not be mistaken for hard and fast rules that cannot be deviated from.
Q: The plan includes most likely perils that could occur in North Texas. What are they?
A: The plan provides information, direction and communication guidelines to prepare and aid the SRCA and the management teams in response to possible disasters such as tornado, severe storms, heavy winds, snowstorms, fire, extended electrical power outages and hail damage and then return the SRCA community to pre-event conditions as soon as possible.
Q: What are some critical action items for preparedness that are outlined in the plan?
A: Oh my, there are many areas written in the plan that require actions for the SRCA to be prepared in case of a disaster. Our SCRA Management Team will: 1. Work with vendors or contractors to establish in writing commitments in the event of a disaster.
thIs month’ s feature 2. Develop and maintain an emergency phone contact list of those agencies that would be needed to assist the SRCA in a response to a disaster. This list would include both civil response agencies and contractors/vendors. 3. Designate three Stonebridge Emergency Response Teams (SERTs) with responsibilities for each team to understand and be aware of SRCA assets and community designated areas in their assigned sections. Teams should be tasked with reviewing association assets and making recommendations to improve survivability and prevention of added damage in the event of a disaster. The board of directors (BOD) liaison to the Modifications Committee will review event scope and prepare the committee for possible fast tracking of Mod requests which could be small in number, or tens of hundreds, depending on the damages incurred to homeowners’ property. The BOD liaison to the Landscape Committee will review event scope and provide input to the recovery response, prepare the Landscape Committee for possible landscape options or start a detailed landscape review for future recovery actions. The BOD liaison to the Finance Committee will review event scope and prepare the Finance Committee for possible fast tracking of financial requests from the BOD for recovery expenses.
Q: How did you arrive at the different components of the plan?
A: I tried to sit down and logically lay out what the purpose of the plan was. Then it was a task of just filling in items for the three parts: preparedness; response to; and recovery from a declared disaster to ensure the community would have guidelines to be prepared to deal with an event.
Q: The Communications Committee also has action items outlined in the plan. What are they? A: The Communications Committee has one of the largest areas to prepare for in the plan:
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thIs month’ s feature 1. A single-page resident brochure. This brochure/flyer will be available to give general guidelines to residents on disaster information and being prepared for an emergency. 2. Annually, an article to be included in the Stonebridge Ranch News to communicate and encourage homeowners to develop emergency procedures for their family and home. Prime focus should be on electrical outages, high wind damage to residential trees and hail or wind damage to roof structures. 3. Communications links with homeowners during times of disaster to explain SRCA actions, time tables and scope of work. Communications should also include how the homeowner can seek outside help for their residential area clean up and restoration. 4. The Communications Committee will prepare for BOD approval, a disaster communication plan, which will be added to the basic Disaster Plan.
Q: What is the take-away for our Stonebridge Ranch homeowners?
Each homeowner is responsible for their property and course of action in the event of a disaster. The Stonebridge Ranch Association is not a first responder or an emergencyresponding entity. Owners should always seek civil/ community first responders in response to any emergency that they may be experiencing. The board of directors is working hard in many areas to ensure that the association is representing the homeowners in maintaining Stonebridge Ranch in a manner that originally made us all want to live here. That work is not just day-to-day in maintaining our common areas and roadways with grass, trees, flowers and a multitude of other actions, but it is also preparing for times when disaster may happen. Your board is doing its best to be there for our homeowners and to provide them with a sense of understanding of our actions and ways that they too can prepare their homes and families for that time when disaster actions may be required. F
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In the news Annual Meeting Results by Sherine George Stonebridge Ranch Community Association would like to congratulate Jon Dell’Antonia and Tom George for their re-election into the office of the board of directors. The Stonebridge Ranch Community Association looks forward to their continued contributions to the community. The two newly re-elected members attended an organizational meeting on March 19, in which board officers and committee liaisons were elected. As expected, the Annual Meeting was well attended with hundreds of owners in attendance. In addition, the total number of online votes was at a record high at 703 votes. We were pleased to meet quorum on March 2. As always, it is critical that we meet our quorum since a failure to do so would require us to hold another meeting at a cost of about $30,000. Therefore, we want to express our deep gratitude to everyone who voted and sent in proxies. Our mayor and fellow SRCA resident Brian Loughmiller gave us an update on projects and activities occurring in and around McKinney and affecting Stonebridge Ranch residents. Loughmiller’s state-of-the-
city presentation, as well as the Annual Meeting presentation, can be found on the SRCA Jon Dell’Antonia website under the Annual Meeting tab. Mayor Pro Tem and District 3 Councilmember Travis Ussery and Interim City Manager Tom Muehlenbeck were in attendance at the meeting. Association Director Mike Lesku did the honors of drawing names for door prizes. Tom George did the honors of pulling names for the door prizes. Door prizes included a 2015 Annual Assessment (a $740 value) donated by the board of directors, a $100 Visa gift card and two $50 Visa gift cards. Mayor Loughmiller, Mayor Pro Tem Ussery and City Manager Tom Muehlenbeck remained after the meeting to answer questions. We appreciate their time and support of the SRCA’s activities. F
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bIt s & pI eces New Homeowner Welcome Party by Sherine George The Stonebridge Ranch Community Association (SRCA) had its first New Homeowner Welcome Party of the year on February 5, at the Stonebridge Ranch Country Club. The event was co-hosted by the Stonebridge Ranch Country Club and the SRCA with a total of 95 guests (including board and committee members) in attendance. “The party was a huge
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success. The atmosphere was fun, with great food and relaxing music by Neil Davies. People really enjoyed meeting each other and learning how to get more connected to their community,” said SRCA Lifestyle Director David Wiest. New homeowners shared their experience at the party and the reason they chose to call Stonebridge Ranch their home: “The New Homeowner Welcome party was a great opportunity to meet some of the board members for the association. With great food and drinks, we were also able to make some new friends. We moved to Texas from New England after falling in love with the history and charm of McKinney Square. We purchased our home in Stonebridge Ranch because it was the perfect balance of modern and established, nestled into the natural setting of the area.” -new homeowners Christie Connell and Adam Pagano
bIts & pIe ces
“We moved to Stonebridge Ranch since I work in McKinney. Love the community’s wide open spaces, attractive landscaping and wonderful amenities such as Adriatica and the beach club. The welcome party was great—made a few new friends and had a lot of fun.” -new homeowners Shilpa and Ashish Nagaraj “We relocated from the Austin area in August 2014. We absolutely love Stonebridge Ranch, and believe it is a contributing factor for McKinney’s ranking as the best place to live in America. The rolling hills, manicured landscaping, golf courses, parks, walking/biking trails and cleanliness
make it absolutely beautiful. In addition, the residents are friendly and welcoming. We have a 45-minute commute to work, which can be stressful at times. However, our stress level noticeably decreases each time we enter the Stonebridge Ranch entrance. We definitely feel at home here, and hope to stay here a long time. It was a very nice opportunity to attend the SRCA welcoming party and learn about all the Stonebridge Ranch amenities and activities. The CMA employees and SRCA board/committee members were very friendly and open to answering all my questions.” -new homeowners Scott and Amy Winn F
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from your neI g hbor Culinary Classics From Your Neighbor Garvin and Jenny Claunch moved to Liberty Place during the summer of 2009. One of the many reasons they love living in Stonebridge Ranch is their wonderful neighbors, who Jenny loves to make her delicious apple tarts for. Jenny Claunch was more than happy to share her recipe with the rest of her Stonebridge neighbors. “Honeycrisp is my favorite apple for this, or Pink Lady. Granny Smith is good, but very small so it might take two. Experiment with your favorite pie apples. I often make these for a crowd and mix more than one kind of apple. Dry ingredients can be assembled the night before in airtight containers, leaving only the melting of the butter and the chopping of the apple for morning. Apples can be cored and sliced ahead of time. If sprinkled with a tiny bit of cinnamon, they will not brown. I learned that at Weight Watchers! If there are any Weight Watchers out there, it’s seven points,” shares Jenny.
Individual Breakfast Apple Tarts Topping
1 Tbs. brown sugar 1 tsp. flour 1/3 c. oats 1 Tbs. chopped almonds 1/4 tsp. cinnamon 1/8 tsp. nutmeg 2 Tbs. butter, melted Base
1 Tbs. brown sugar 1 tsp. flour Filling
1 c. apple, cut into bite-size chunks. No need to peel. 1/2 tsp. lemon juice You’ll need two 8-ounce ramekins. If they are glazed, no need to oil them. Place them on a small cookie sheet or pizza pan. In a small bowl, combine topping ingredients and set aside. In a medium bowl, combine brown sugar and flour for base. Divide base into the two ramekins. Core, slice and chop a large tart pie apple right on top of the base. No need to peel. Sprinkle lemon juice over the apple chunks and toss to coat with flour and sugar. Spoon the topping over each. Bake for 20 minutes. Serve right out of the oven. We are working towards a Stonebridge Ranch cookbook. Please join in on the fun and share your favorite recipe with us—and the story behind it! Did you serve it at your wedding? Was the recipe in your family? Maybe you discovered it while on vacation? We want to know! Please email your recipe to sgeorge@cmamanagement.com and we will try to include it in an upcoming issue. F
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complIance tI ps Happy Easter Stonebridge Ranch! by Nate Russell We are officially in the swing of spring. We had a great turnout of responses in February for our Compliance Quiz. If you didn’t get a chance to look at it, I have posted the answers below. 1. Arbor/pergola 2. Storage shed 3. Play house/play equipment 4. Trash tote screening 5. Mailbox This month we are giving a quiz with the same format so you have another chance to win a $15 Starbucks gift card. The first three correct responses will win! All of the answers can be found in the Design Guidelines at www. stonebridgeranch.com. Please send all answers to nrussell@ cmamanagement.com for review. If you ever have any questions on the interpretation of the guidelines or you need help finding a certain project, please feel free to call us or swing by the office so we can help you work through it. Thank you for your compliance! Rony Peterson, Maria Ford, Nate Russell, Joyce Martin CMA Compliance Coordinators Stonebridge Ranch Community Association, Inc. F
Answer Options: • • • • •
Basketball Goal Doghouse Outdoor Fireplace Retaining Wall Fountains
1. Must be constructed of wood, plastic, or resin. Cannot be larger than 15 sq. ft. Must be fully screened behind a 6 ft. privacy fence or otherwise screened so as not to be seen from the public right-of-ways or golf courses/ greenbelt. 2. Required to be constructed of either Millsap or Brown Hackett stone. Cannot alter or impair drainage patterns. 3. Required to be 5 ft. from property lines. Height of the total structure shall not exceed 13 ft. Shall be finished with masonry that blends with the house. 4. Height cannot exceed 3 ft. Limited to 3 per front yard. 5. Required to be stored 10 ft. back from the curb. Limited to one per lot. Stonebridge Ranch News x April 2015
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april 1, 8, 15, 22 & 29 coffee talk 8:30 a.m. (CR) april 10 evening on the veranda 7:30 p.m. (btc) april 11 saturday morning coffee talk 8:30 a.m. (cr) teenager fishing tournament 9 a.m. (btc) april 11 april 12 king tut triathlon 7:30 a.m. (btc) april 14 travel club 9 A.M. (CR) April 18 Adult big bass fishing tournament 8:30 a.m. (BTC) april 24 stonebridge night at the roughriders (dr pepper ballpark)
ARC Meeting, 8 a.m. (BR)
Coffee Talk, 8:30 9:30-10:30 am—Stroller
3:30-7 pm—Junior Tenn Select Tennis Academ
Coffee Talk, 8:30
Amenities Meeting, 7 p.m. (BR) 9:30-10:30 am—Stroller Strides (BTC) 3:30-7 pm—Junior Tennis Classes, Select Tennis Academy (BTC)
King Tut Triathlon, 7:30 a.m. (BTC) 9:30-10:30 am—Stroller Strides (BTC) 3:30-7 pm—Junior Tennis Classes, Select Tennis Academy (BTC)
9:30-10:30 am—Stroller Strides (BTC) 3:30-7 pm—Junior Tennis Classes, Select Tennis Academy (BTC)
3:30-7 pm—Junior Tenn Select Tennis Academ
MARC Meeting, 8 a.m. (BR) Travel Club, 9 a.m. (CR)
Coffee Talk, 8:30
Modifications Meeting, 5:30 p.m. (BR) 9:30-10:30 am—Stroller Strides (BTC) 3:30-7 pm—Junior Tennis Classes, Select Tennis Academy (BTC)
Visit www.StonebridgeRanch. com for event details.
9:30-10:30 am—Stroller
Social Committee 9 a.m. (BR) 9:30-10:30 am—Stroller
3:30-7 pm—Junior Tenn Select Tennis Academ
ARC Meeting, 8 a.m. (BR)
Coffee Talk, 8:30
9:30-10:30 am—Stroller Strides (BTC)
9:30-10:30 am—Stroller Strides (BTC)
9:30-10:30 am—Stroller
3:30-7 pm—Junior Tennis Classes, Select Tennis Academy (BTC)
3:30-7 pm—Junior Tennis Classes, Select Tennis Academy (BTC)
3:30-7 pm—Junior Tenn Select Tennis Academy
MARC Meeting, 8 a.m. (BR)
Coffee Talk, 8:30
Modifications Meeting, 5:30 p.m. (BR)
9:30-10:30 am—Stroller
9:30-10:30 am—Stroller Strides (BTC) 3:30-7 pm—Junior Tennis Classes, Select Tennis Academy (BTC)
9:30-10:30 am—Stroller Strides (BTC) 3:30-7 pm—Junior Tennis Classes, Select Tennis Academy (BTC)
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3:30-7 pm—Junior Tenn Select Tennis Academ
TGIF Coffee, 1-2 p.m. (CR)
a.m. (CR) Strides (BTC)
nis Classes, my (BTC)
9:30-10:30 am—Stroller Strides (BTC) 3:30-7 pm—Junior Tennis Classes, Select Tennis Academy (BTC)
TGIF Coffee, 1-2 p.m. (CR)
a.m. (CR) Strides (BTC)
nis Classes, my (BTC)
a.m. (CR)
e Meeting,
Evening on the Veranda, 7:30 p.m. (BTC) 3:30-7 pm—Junior Tennis Classes, Select Tennis Academy (BTC)
Communications Committee Meeting, 9 a.m. (BR)
9:30-10:30 am—Stroller Strides (BTC)
TGIF Coffee, 1-2 p.m. (CR) 9:30-10:30 am—Stroller Strides (BTC)
Visit www.StonebridgeRanch. com for event details.
Saturday Morning Coffee Talk, 8:30 a.m. (CR) Teenager Fishing Tournament, 9 a.m. (BTC)
Adult Big Bass Fishing Tournament, 8:30 a.m. (BTC)
Strides (BTC)
nis Classes, my (BTC)
a.m. (CR) Strides (BTC)
nis Classes, y (BTC)
3:30-7 pm—Junior Tennis Classes, Select Tennis Academy (BTC)
Board of Directors Meeting, 1 p.m. (BR) 3:30-7 pm—Junior Tennis Classes, Select Tennis Academy (BTC)
TGIF Coffee, 1-2 p.m. (CR) Stonebridge Night at the RoughRiders, (Dr Pepper Ballpark) 9:30-10:30 am—Stroller Strides (BTC)
a.m. (CR) Strides (BTC)
nis Classes, my (BTC)
3:30-7 pm—Junior Tennis Classes, Select Tennis Academy (BTC)
Stonebridge Ranch HOA News News x Aprilx September 2015 2013 Stonebridge Ranch News x April 2015
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lIfestyle McKinney Ladies Association Spring Yard Sale Benefiting First Responders
The McKinney Ladies Association is preparing for their annual yard sale on Saturday, May 2, in the parking lot of Stonebridge United Methodist Church. Clear out clutter, earn cash for your unused items and raise scholarship funds for the children of McKinney’s finest—all by becoming a vendor at the upcoming MLA Spring Yard Sale. The popular and well-attended sale is set for 7 a.m. to noon, Saturday, May 2, rain or shine in the parking lot at Stonebridge United Methodist Church. Each vendor space costs $45 and is the size of one parking space. Please contact Chairwoman Connie Hollstein-Drexel by April 25, at cjhollstein@aol.com to secure your space. No concession sales are allowed. This MLA fundraiser benefits scholarship recipients through the McKinney Public Safety Children’s Scholarship Foundation.
McKinney Area Newcomers Club If you are new to the McKinney area, or you have had a lifestyle change, come join us for fun, information and friendship at our monthly Coffee Meeting. Every month we have great speakers, nice door prizes, tasty refreshments and lots of socializing with new friends. For more information on Newcomers, visit www. mckinneynewcomers.com. Wouldn’t it be nice if there was an “app” to let you know if you were in a potentially dangerous situation or around a potentially dangerous person? Learning how to tune-in to your instincts often takes instruction and practice, but results in greater discernment. Our speaker for the meeting is Robert Phillips, a member of the North Texas Crime Commission, who will speak to us about learning to identify and, therefore, hopefully avoid becoming victims of violent crime. Robert will help you learn how to better “spot trouble before trouble spots you.” Please join McKinney Area Newcomers at its meeting at 10 a.m., Tuesday, April 21, in the Eva Joplin Hall at Trinity Presbyterian Church, 5871 Virginia Parkway in McKinney. Social time with refreshments will begin at 9:30 a.m. F
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”Mable”
Meet sweet Mable. Mable loves to be with her foster mom and she follows her wherever she goes. She seems to be a quick learner and she has started to use the doggy door more and more. Mable is working hard on her leashwalking skills. You can tell she enjoys being outside, but also likes to come back in the house. She loves people of all shapes and sizes as well as dogs and cats. Mable also loves toys! She will get as many as she can and surround herself. The Christmas presents under the tree confused her for a bit; she couldn’t understand why they were hers to open. She is a quiet indoor dog that is housetrained, has basic training and doesn’t need much exercise. Mable is adjusting very well to her foster home and is starting to get excited to go for walks when her foster mom gets home. She waits her turn at dinner and waits patiently for treats. Mable weighs 80 pounds and is approximately seven years old and up to date on all vaccines. If you are interested in adopting her, please go to our website and fill out an adoption application at Legacyhumanesociety.org. She is ready to meet her forever family. F Stonebridge Ranch News x April 2015
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your neIg hbor Meet Valbona Martin—International Chess Champion by Sherine George What brought you here to Stonebridge Ranch?
We decided to relocate from Connecticut three years ago to take advantage of the wonderful quality of life that Texas provides. McKinney was our first choice because it offered a better community atmosphere with parks, the historic downtown area and golf courses versus the neighboring towns. During our home search we found that within McKinney, Stonebridge Ranch had great schools, beautiful common areas and an active lifestyle. We’re very happy to call Stonebridge Ranch our home.
Tell me about being an international chess champion.
Bob and Valbona and their children, Jack (10) and Julia (5)
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I started playing chess when I was eleven years old and played competitively in chess tournaments across Albania with hundreds of players. As a result, I won the ViceChampion of Albania title four times. However, in order to unseat the current champion you need to win the title match. That happened in 1992, when I won 4 out of 6 matches and became Chess Champion of Albania. I defended the title again in 1993. During 1990, Albania was in the midst of a revolution that took down the communist regime that had isolated the country since World War II. A post-communist Albania made
your neIghbor it possible for me to travel and compete internationally in chess tournaments in countries such as Greece and Hungary. I won third place in Zonal tournament in Athens, Greece, and was considered one of the top three women chess players in Canada based on my ELO chess rating.Â
How does one win such a title?
Lots of practice! I would go to the chess club daily and spend hours studying chess games and openings and playing with better players than myself. I played in all the chess tournaments and absolutely enjoyed competitive matches. It is such a great, challenging game and it has helped me with my critical thinking and problem solving, self-discipline, academic achievement (I have a BA in Economics and a MBA) and self-esteem. Playing chess was also an escape for me from the brutal reality of the communist system Albania was under.
When did you start playing chess?
Chess is very popular in Europe and a source of national pride. I first learned the basics of chess on my own from a chess magazine. No one in my family played and my school didn’t sponsor training. However, one day in sixth grade, my teacher asked if anyone knew how to play chess, so I raised my hand. Next thing I knew, I was representing my school in a chess competition and won the tournament for my school. The best part of the experience was meeting my chess coach and being invited to join the Dajti Chess Club of Albania. The chess club is named after Mount Dajti, the mountain adjacent to the capital of Albania.
Tell us about your experience training.
Our training would be extended (more hours) and more intense (additional coaches) before tournaments and there were many of them throughout of year. One of my all-time favorite chess games that I studied was the match 13-year-old American chess prodigy Bobby Fischer won in 1956 that is known as the Game of the Century. The combinations that Bobby Fischer put together to beat an accomplished chess master exhibited such brilliance and inspired me to take my game to the highest level possible.
Do you still play chess?
I don’t play competitive chess anymore. My family keeps me very busy. However, I do teach chess in local elementary schools.
Tell us about your involvement in the community. What do you love about living in the community?
I have volunteered as a chess instructor for Glen Oaks elementary. I am also a fitness instructor at the McKinney YMCA where I teach spinning and Body Pump. We just love how beautiful, open and clean Stonebridge is. We live in the Wildwood neighborhood now and love the fact that my son, Jack, can walk to school. The proximity of all the amenities is very convenient. The beach club is unparalleled to any other community and I love Adriatica! I was born, and grew up, in Albania on the Adriatic Sea and I get a bit nostalgic driving or walking through Adriatica. F
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landscape & grounds The Benefits of Rejuvenative Pruning by Ed Jensen Every year, the association performs a rejuvenative pruning on at least one-third of the common area bushes. As the landscaping in Stonebridge Ranch begins to age, many pruning techniques have been implemented to restore the health and future growth of the plants. Plants get larger as time passes. Contractors prune/shape to meet owner preferences, which will always be different depending on who you ask. If a plant today is at the “perfect” height and size to meet homeowner preference, scale within the landscape and is aesthetically pleasing, the question is why will the plant look overgrown or less desirable X months/years later. The simple answer is that plants incrementally grow larger each month through the growing season. Technical terms like “apical meristem” explain that plant growth comes from the tip of each shoot/stem—literally a millimeter or two.
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landscape & grounds So, by constantly pruning the apical meristem to keep the plant “perfect,� the healthy plant keeps getting stunted while the plant inches upward. Landscapers industry-wide shear plants leaving a layer of green around the plant, which always appears to be the right thing. Short term that is fine, but over a period of a growing season or a few years, depending on the plant type, the overall dimension of the plant gets larger. One day, you look outside and wonder how it got that big. The following are the industry standards for pruning: 1. The smaller-leafed and non-flowering plants (Yaupon holly, Japanese holly, etc.) can be sheared. 2. Small-leafed plants that flower should be pruned after they flower (azaleas, spirea, abelia) and as much as you like, although selective tip pruning can be ongoing. 3. Mid-size-leafed plants can be sheared, but always use a more selective pruning approach (Burford holly, ligustrum, laurels). 4. Large-leafed plants should NEVER be
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landscape & grounds sheared (oak leaf hydrangea, aucuba, mahonia). Selective prune only. With broadleaf evergreens you have three options: 1. Each year, prune one-third of old wood from each plant leaving random significant gaps in the plant. New growth will emerge from within so that the next year the next one-third gets pruned, etc. Note that if your plants have been sheared and you begin to prune with this approach, these gaps will look as if a cherry bomb were dropped into your hedge! 2. Rejuvenate prune plants. If, for example, you do not want the plant’s height to exceed your window sill or overgrow your stoop, plants should be drastically pruned a minimum of 12-24� (depending on plant type) BELOW the window sill to allow for desireable healthy spring growth, at which point you can shear, if you like, to meet your preference. 3. Replace the plant. Costly, but if you cannot tolerate bare wood on a plant for 2-3 months every 3-5 years, this is a viable option. As most of you have noticed, the association has taken steps to rejuvenate prune many of the evergreens along fence lines. At first glance, it does appear to be a little strange looking, but you will see during the first growing season the plant will force growth from the bottom and middle to create a thicker, healthier plant. F
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around the ranch
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socIal scene Adult Big Bass Tournament When: April 18, 8:30 a.m. Where: Lake Stonebridge only—no other lakes in Stonebridge Ranch are permitted during this tournament. Entry Fee: $10 per person. Cash only. Must be at least 18 years old to enter. Prizes: 1st Place—100% of all entry fees. In case of a tie, prize money will be split. Who: Stonebridge Ranch residents only. SB photo ID is required. Only paid contestants are allowed to fish during this event. Spectators and children are not allowed to fish during tournament hours.
Registration: Bring $10 cash to the tournament check-in located at the Beach and Tennis Club between 8:30 and 9 a.m. After check-in, fishermen can proceed to any part of Lake Stonebridge to fish, except through the beach club gates or on private property. No pre-registration required. Time: Tournament will be held from 9 a.m.-noon. No casting until 9 a.m. Rules: Fishing is permitted from the bank only; wading, tubes and boats are NOT permitted. Fishermen may carry several rods, but only fish with one at a time. Only artificial bait is allowed (no live bait). The big bass will be determined by length, not weight. The fish will be measured with the jaw closed and the tail pinched to obtain maximum overall length. Weigh-In: Final weigh-in will be held at noon, although fish may be brought in to the judges’ table to be measured at any time during tournament hours. Fish must be brought in alive and breathing at weigh-in. Participants will be given a stringer, weigh-in bag and should only bring their ONE biggest fish to the weigh-in. All contestants who are not in line by noon to weigh fish will be disqualified. Tournament judge will give all participants the official time the morning of the event.
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socIal scene Travel Group Outing
On Saturday, February 7, the Stonebridge Travel Group toured the Billings Dinosaur Factory in Allen. Thirty-one people were amazed by the size and accuracy of these mechanical giants that once roamed the earth. Upcoming events for the travel group include an Alaska cruise and land tour in July. The travel group meets the 3rd Tuesday of each month in the SRCA community room.
Book Exchange Bring your old books and exchange them for something new! Fiction, nonfiction, children’s….for every book you bring, you take one. Extra books will be donated. Drop off days (community room): Tues., May 5, 6-8 p.m. and Wed., May 6, 8:30-10:30 a.m. during Coffee Talk. Exchange night (community room)—Thurs., May 7, 5-8 p.m. The community room is located next to the Beach Club entrance.
TGIF Coffee Fridays from 1-2 p.m. Community Room (Near the entrance of the Beach Club.) Take a break and join us for an end of the week pickme-up. Are you new to the area and have questions? Working from home and could use some conversation? Waiting for the kids to get home from school? Coffee, tea and water will be provided.
Coffee, Cars & Conversation Can’t make it to our weekday Coffee Talk? Join us for refreshments at our upcoming Coffee, Cars & Conversation, Saturday, April 11, 8:30-9:30 a.m., and Saturday, May 9, 8:30-9:30 a.m., SBR Community Room (near the entrance of the Beach Club). Bring your classic/fancy car to park in the circular drive! Coffee, water and donuts will be provided. “A cup of coffee shared with a friend is happiness tasted and time well spent.” Stonebridge Ranch News x April 2015
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socIal scene Summer Camps 2015 10 & Under
10 & Under tennis is an exciting new play format for learning tennis, designed to bring kids into the game by adapting the equipment, court dimensions and the scoring to the age and size of the children. 10 & Under tennis enables kids to have more enjoyable experiences early on in the learning process and having fun is the number one factor in keeping kids involved. Time: 10-11 a.m. Cost: $65 per week
Future Star Camp (ages 11 & up)
This class is designed for beginner and intermediate players ages 11 and up. Players will be placed in groups according to ability level. All aspects of the game will be covered in this class. Time: 10-11:30 a.m. Cost: $85 per week
Tennis Academy
For players who are competing in ZAT, Champ and Super Champ tournaments. Topics covered include stroke production, tactics and strategy, quickness drills and mental toughness and match play. Players should be at a high level of fitness before attending this camp. Time: 8-11 a.m.—Drills & Fitness 12-2 p.m.—Match Play Cost: Full Camp—$299 per week/Morning Session only—$199 per week/Match Camp Session only—$165 per week (space limited)
14th Annual Summer Spectacular Kid’s Camp
This camp is for kids ages 6-10 and includes tennis, swimming, arts and crafts and lunch. Time: 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Cost: $150 Date: July 27-30 Tennis Camp Dates: Week 1—Jun. 8-11; Week 2—Jun. 15-18; Week 3—Jun. 22-25; Week 4—Jun. 29-Jul. 2; Week 5—Jul. 6-9; Week 6—Jul. 13-16; Week 7—Jul. 20-23; Week 8—Jul. 27-30; Week 9—Aug. 3-6; Week 10—Aug. 10-13; Week 11—Aug. 17-20 Camp Policies And Procedures: Due to inclement weather, Fridays will be used as make-up days for all camps. If you are uncertain whether classes will be held or not due to inclement weather, a message will be posted on www.TennisCoachDave.com one-half-hour before class time. A 10% discount will be given to all students signing up for multiple weeks. It is the parent’s responsibility to take off the 10% prior to sending the check. Registration can also be done online at www.TennisCoachDave.com or mail to Stonebridge Ranch Community Association, 6201 Virginia Parkway, McKinney, TX 75071 attn. Dave Wiest.
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socIal scene 2nd Annual Teenager Fishing Tournament at Lake Stonebridge April 11, 2015 Event Schedule: 8:30 a.m.—Registration begins. (Be sure to sign up for FREE raffle drawing). 9 a.m.—Fishing tournament starts (do not cast until 9 a.m.) 10:30 a.m.—Hotdogs, chips and drinks 12 p.m.—Awards Presentation. Fish will be measured to determine the size and trophies will be awarded to the two largest bass, two largest catfish and smallest fish (any species). 12:15 p.m.—Raffle drawing prizes; you must be present to win. Rules—For children 12-18 years ONLY. No other family members are allowed to fish during this event. Participants must supply their own bait and equipment. Live or artificial bait is permitted. Lake Stonebridge is catch and release, catching smaller fish and using it as bait is not permitted. Lake Stonebridge is at the Beach and Tennis Club and registration will be in the upper parking lot closest to the dam. Fishing is not permitted on private property. For more information, please email Lifestyle Director Dave Wiest at dwiest@cmamanagement.com. $5 non-resident guest fee and must be accompanied by a Stonebridge resident.
Evening on the Veranda Looking for a relaxing way to end a busy week? The Social Committee has planned a great event for you to enjoy the outdoors, listen to some great music and sip your favorite beverage. Grab your folding chair and join us at the Beach and Tennis Club located at 6201 Virginia Parkway for an Evening on the Veranda on Friday, April 10, from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m., with Reigning Nickels. Pack your favorite beverage, grab a neighbor, a group of friends, your spouse, a date or come by yourself. Glass containers are prohibited, so be sure to purchase aluminum or plastic containers. This is an adult only swim party, The Beach and Tennis Club is a smoke-free venue and you must be 21 years old to enter. Light snacks, sodas and water will be available. Gates open at 7 p.m. and live music begins at 7:30 p.m. Swimming will be allowed until dusk. Photo ID or current driver’s license with a Stonebridge address is required and there is a $5 fee for non-resident guests. You can view Reigning Nickels at www.reigningnickels.com. They play a wide variety of music and will be playing a country music set during the show. Stonebridge Ranch News x April 2015
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socIal scene Stonebridge Night at the Frisco Roughriders Last baseball season Stonebridge Ranch had a great turnout at the ballpark in Frisco. Please join us on Friday, April 24, 7:05 p.m., for the Frisco RoughRiders vs. Corpus Christi Hooks. Your $20 ticket includes: unlimited hot dogs, brats and chips, unlimited Dr Pepper products, PlayBall! game program and postgame fireworks. Residents who register after the March 10 deadline are not guaranteed to sit with the group, but can still purchase the discounted ticket. For more information, please contact Monica Mann at 972.334.1938 or mman@ridersbaseball.com or pick up a registration form at the association office.
King Tut Triathlon Springtime is around the corner. What better way to greet the warmer temperatures than swimming, biking and running? Come join us at the Stonebridge Ranch Beach and Tennis Club for Playtri’s annual King Tut Triathlon on April 12! Registration is underway. All are welcome—spring is a great time to “TRI” new things! We’d love to see you at the starting line. Not sure that you want to do this alone? Gather some friends and make a relay team! Then you can be a part of the excitement without having to worry about learning three sports. But trust us, you’ll catch the fever. For more information about this and other great happenings in Stonebridge Ranch, visit www.playtri.com/ races or email info@playtri.com with any questions you may have. Take the plunge! **Please note that cyclists and runners will be on the roads from 7:30-10 a.m., on April 12, from the Beach and Tennis Club to Ridge, Ridge to Berkshire, Berkshire to Hillsdale, Hillsdale to Eldorado, Eldorado to Alma, Alma to Stonebridge and Stonebridge to Virginia and back. F
Upcoming May Events
Hook, Line & Sinker Children’s Fishing
Tournament 7 Book Exchange 8 Evening on the Veranda 9 Saturday Morning Coffee Talk 9 Electronic Recycling Event 19 Travel Club 25 Memorial Day at the Beach Club Coffee Talk every Wednesday
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