January/February 2024
Issue LXIV
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The WATERFALL
January/February 2024
HOA Staff 770-536-3300 Community Association General Manager Catherine (Kitti) Kleinedler Catherine.Kleinedler@fsresidential.com Lifestyle Director Jennifer Finlayson jennifer.finlayson@fsresidential.com Administrative Assistant Darlene Carr Darlene.Carr@fsresidential.com Compliance & Contracts Manager Justin Smith justinb.smith@fsresidential.com The Club Rebecca Scutt: Guest Services Peggy Siewert: Guest Services Heidi Anderson: Guest Services Maintenance Elijah Carr Helpful Numbers: Emergency: 911 City of Gainesville Water: 770-535-6878 Liberty Utilities: 855-216-6305 Spectrum: 1-888-345-7139 First Service: Residential (After Hours: 1-877-411-1165) 24 Hour Alarm Cancel: 1-888-745-4733 Sales and Service: 770-963-0305
Please visit our website at www.cresswindatll.com
TABLE OF CONTENTS HOA Board Message...........................................4 Welcome to the team...........................................5 January/February Events...................................6 Committee Corner...............................................7 Scrapbook............................................................14 Weekly Fitness Calendar....................................16 Club Listing.........................................................18 What’s Happening...............................................20 Cover picture provided by Paul Brown
As the official newsletter of the Cresswind Community The Waterfall content is provided by residents of Cresswind at Lake Lanier for no profit to ensure that the residents receive relevant and updated content about what is going on in their community. This newsletter is provided at no cost to our community and is printed and mailed to each residence from advertising profit. Support the advertisers who make this newsletter a possibility for each resident every other month. If you would like to contribute to its contents, please contact: Jennifer Finlayson jennifer.finlayson@fsresidential.com Angie McClure mcclureac@charter.net
To advertise in The Waterfall, contact The Times - marketing@gainesvilletimes.com. The Waterfall is a publication of The Times. Subject matter published is the opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the publisher of this newsletter. Professional advice should be obtained before making any decision in which a professional is readily available. Advertisers assume responsibility for the content of the ads placed in publication. Material published may not be reproduced without the written permission of The Times. The information and advertisements contained in this Newsletter are provided for the members of the Cresswind at Lake Lanier Homeowners Association as a courtesy only. No representations are made as to information presented, the quality of the goods or services advertised, or the veracity of the statements relating to the goods and services. The printing of opinions, information or advertisements does not constitute an endorsement by the Neighborhood or such opinions, information, goods or services.
January/February 2024
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HOA BOARD MESSAGE
THOUGHTS OF A HOA BOARD MEMBER Submitted By: Brian Olson
Hi neighbors, as I wrap up my term on your HOA Board, I asked for one more opportunity to write here in the Waterfall. Serving on your Board, the key word being YOUR, has been very rewarding. I learned so much from my colleagues on the Board about the nuts and bolts of running Cresswind. And everything those nuts and bolts hold together. I also learned what a DeHu is, retaining walls, trees and shrubs along with paving roads and Pickleball Courts. And a huge shout out for all the volunteers here at Cresswind. So many skill sets are shared among us. One of so many great examples of how we Cresswind. I’m a naturalized citizen of the United States, my family moved here in 1967. One thing we’re taught on the path to citizenship is we must not only engage with our elected officials, but actively challenge them. We can do so peaceably, politely. This applies at all levels of government. Nationally, locally and your HOA Board. It’s gratifying to see folks turn out for our public meetings or take part via Zoom. People have the opportunity to speak to us directly or via e-mail. Heck, we live here, we’re all over the place. Your Board is all about transparency and responsibility. Ask and you’ll get an answer. Now for a bit of frustration. Social Media. Working in Journalism and Corporate Communications my entire career, I learned how to keep my nose to the ground. One thing I learned is the second worst place to identify and solve problems is a Texas Honkey Tonk on a Saturday Night. The worst place is Social Media. It’s fun to see folks share on Social Media all the fun they have here, tips for all sorts of goods and services. But then there’s the “discussions” about things we as a Board deal with. So much of it is based on 2nd and 3rd hand information. Too often it’s based on 22nd and 23rd hand information. Here’s one comment I often see. “How come they (The Board) didn’t tell us about it?” Believe me, we keep no secrets. Our meetings are open to all both in person and via Zoom. Our meeting minutes are available to you. Got a question? Contact us.
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OK, I will admit to keeping one thing sort of private. At least how we explain it. The “Biohazards” left behind by some residents in the showers and bathrooms. Hint: Plop Plop Whiz Whiz. Here’s another one: “How come we can’t vote on it?” Uh, you did when you elected your Board. The Board’s functions are clearly outlined in the Charter which all residents sign off when buying a home here, saying they’ve read it. Some posts are along the lines of the Board spending money like it’s going out of style. Actually, we spend our money (we live here too) to keep Cresswind from going out of style. Realtors love to show off the place. Look! Look! Look! Yet when Sid Jacobs held not one, but two public presentations on the Reserve Fund only about 40 folks showed up. 40. That’s less than the waiting list for some CPAC productions. When it comes to something that has a direct impact on our lives, citizenship is all about showing up. Another topic of online discussion? Brace yourselves… it’s the gates! Two major challenges facing humankind are World Peace and HOA Gates. Your Board is working on the latter. Everyone on Social Media has a solution. Dozens of them. Reality: The darn things are mechanical. They break. Then there’s the human factor, people run into them. Your Board is working on solutions that hopefully will work for us. At least most of the time. While I’ll be leaving the Board, I will continue to engage and actively challenge the new Board. I did when we first moved here and will continue to do so. Politely. Nope, I don’t always get the answers I’d like, but I understand decisions are made on what’s best for our Community as a whole. As for Social Media I’ll continue to enjoy reading about all my friends and neighbors do here on vacation, the great tips and ideas and pics from all the fun we have here. And of course, post stuff myself. But problem solving? Nope. Texas Honkey Tonks are way more fun. If not productive. Thanks for the opportunity to serve you. Brian Olson
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January/February 2024
HOA BOARD MESSAGE
January/February 2024
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UPCOMING EVENTS
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January/February 2024
COMMITTEE CORNER
ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE (ARC) The Color of Cresswind at Lake Lanier is Changing! Submitted by: Bill Power
Did you ever wonder how designers and artists find the perfect color combinations? Well, they use color theory. Color theory is a practical combination of art and science that’s used to determine what colors look good together. The color wheel was invented in 1666 by Isaac Newton, who mapped the color spectrum onto a circle. The color wheel is the basis of color theory, because it shows the relationship between colors. Designers from both Kolter and Levitt left us forty-one (41) different color schemes that have been in use from the inception of both Seasons on Lake Lanier and Cresswind at Lake Lanier. Each color scheme includes three (3) colors, a siding color, a trim color, and an accent color. All of the 41 color schemes are harmonious within each scheme and each home’s color scheme is then harmonious with the other 941 neighboring homes. A job well done by the early designers but that was some 13 years ago and just like leisure suits and tie-dyed shirts, some of the 41 paint schemes have grown old and outdated. Our current harmonious color schemes can be broadly classified as “Earth Tone” colors. Colors that draw from a pallete of browns, tans, warm grays, greens, whites, and some reds and blues. Many earth tones originate from clay earth pigments and the colors in an earth tone pallete are muted and flat, emulating the natural colors found in dirt, moss, trees, and rocks. Throughout 2023 your ARC received numerous comments and complaints about the color choices and Rules and Regulations left us by the developers and we agreed. So, we set out to develop new rules to: 1) Eliminate all reference to Levitt/Kolter, 2) Limit the use of older color schemes, 3) Offer additional new pre-approved color schemes and 4) Offer owners guidelines to submit totally “Custom Color” requests for review by the ARC. (Check, check, check and check). Mission accomplished! There are now three (3) components of your revised Rules & Regulation’s regarding re-painting your home. 1. The original forty-one (41) color schemes are housed in a historic paint binder labeled the “Legacy Collection”. The Legacy Collection is intended for use throughout the neighborhood. 2. Sixteen (16) new color schemes are available in a new paint binder labeled the “Gallery Collection”. All 16 color schemes are available for use throughout the neighborhood. 3. The “Custom Color” program offers owners the opportunity to submit their own color schemes for review by the ARC. Additional features of the “Custom Color” program include painting gutters and down spouts an accent color, painting brick, adding cedar posts or cedar wrapped posts to front elevations and the option to install natural wood front doors. This program requires owners to provide the ARC a higher level of proof to ensure proposed color schemes are both “Earth Tone” in nature and “Harmonious” with the other 941 homes in the neighborhood. Binders for both the Legacy collection and the Gallery collection can be signed out at the front desk for three (3) consecutive days but must be returned on day 3 as there may be other neighbors waiting to make their paint selections. The mission and purpose of the Architectural Review Committee (ARC) is to preserve and enhance the aesthetics qualities of our community for the collective enjoyment of all current and future homeowners while protecting and growing the value of our homes. We take this mission seriously and believe these changes will enhance the aesthetics of the neighborhood and allow us to evolve through the 21st Century with updated new and exciting paint color options! January/February 2024
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COMMITTEE CORNER
MAKE YOUR VOICES HEARD Submitted By: Bill Thaler As you may be aware, the Covenants and Rules and Regulations Committee (CRRC) conducted an indepth rewrite of the Rules & Regulations Manual and published a new version of the manual in April 2023. Since then, we have published two updates to the manual addressing specific issues raised to us by various Cresswind Committee Chairs. Well, it’s time to look at it again from an overall perspective – and you can influence the next version. The Rules & Regulations Manual is the document you all signed an agreement to comply with when you purchased your home in Cresswind. Now is your opportunity to tell us what changes you would like to see to the Rules & Regulations Manual. You can do this at any time, of course, by going to this URL on the Cresswind website and submitting your requested change (Request Manager (cresswindatll.com). But if you respond directly to me at wbthaler@gmail.com, you can more completely describe the proposed change and why you think your rule change should be implemented. The CRRC will respond to you and let you know if we plan to recommend your change be adopted, suggest wording changes, reject your change, need more details, etc. If you submit changes for consideration, be as specific as you can when identifying what portion of the Rules & Regulations Manual you want to change. For example, page 40, Chapter 5-2 Residential Design Guidelines, Section 5-2.5 General Landscape Requirements, Paragraph (b) tells us exactly what you want to change. The current Rules & Regulations Manual can be found here: 2023_07_24_R&R_Manual.pdf (cresswindatll.com). Our target date to publish another Rules & Regulations Manual update is the end of April 2024. Please submit your desired rules changes by 1 February.
TRAILS AND PATHWAYS COMMITTEE NEWS Submitted by: David Rames Happy New Year from the Trails and Pathways Committee! Winter is a great time to enjoy our Cresswind trails. On the positive side--no bugs, spider webs, or creeping things. On the other positive side—crisp air, a clear view of 200’ treetops, and likely sighting of a group of deer running from you. No negative side! If we’re lucky enough to get a good snowfall, watch for a Facebook post calling for a group snow hike. The Trails and Pathways Committee would like to say ‘thank you’ to all those who responded to our community survey. We had 642 responses and valuable feedback through your 394 comments. As stated earlier, the survey will help us understand how residents use the hiking trails, and how we can improve access and safety. All, so that HOA resources can be directed responsibly. The Committee and our resident helpers will be working through the Winter and Spring to keep the trails clear and safe for your use. Enjoy!
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January/February 2024
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COMMITTEE CORNER
TRAFFIC & ROAD USE (TRU) COMMITTEE several different locations on Cresswind Parkway since January 2023. Given that Federal transportation studies strongly endorsed radar speed signs as having the “most effective” near-and-long term impact on vehicle speed reduction, our HOA was able to purchase one, thanks to a grant from the Cresswind Community Fund. Speed data recordings, along with observational feedback from residents living on Cresswind Parkway, indicate that the average speed of vehicles passing the radar sign has indeed slowed. Our BOD will continue to receive summary reports of recorded vehicle speed on CLL streets and hear ‘next step’ recommendations from the TRU. In 2023, with the help of many CLL resident volunteers and the CCF Help Me Please Program, the TRU Committee was able to paint several unmarked crosswalks…one near Locust Cove and three at each entry point of the Community Garden Round-about. Several resident volunteers taped and painted the ‘zebra-strip’ crosswalks while others kept them safe by managing and directing vehicle traffic through the work area. Other unmarked crosswalks will be painted in 2024.
TRU Projects Planned for 2024
Submitted By: John Stevens Earlier this year, our HOA-BOD designated the Traffic & Road Use Workgroup (TRU) as an official committee reporting to the BOD. The TRU’s mission is to help promote a SHARED COMMITMENT to safe and courteous road use by ALL Cresswind-LL user-groups to minimize personal injury risk to residents and potential liability risk for the HOA. By deliberately engaging CLL residents as ‘STAKEHOLDERS’ in identifying and addressing CLL road use concerns, the TRU is presently: 1) developing several education and awareness programs aimed at helping residents better anticipate and avoid risky ‘encounters’ on our roadways; and 2) physically improving our roadway signage and markings so as to be more in line with standard road-use guides. You may have noticed that a relocatable solarpowered Radar Speed Sign has been in use at
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• Continue to collect vehicle speed data on CLL roads; relocate the speed sign 2-3 times in 2024. • Paint additional unmarked crosswalks. • Install ‘Pedestrian Crossing’ signs to alert vehicle drivers approaching crosswalks. • Re-paint/refresh ‘Stop Lines’ on roadway at Stop signs. • Conduct a Community-Wide Survey regarding traffic and road use concerns. • Facilitate User-Group Forums (e.g., walkers, bicyclists, golf carts, etc.) to spotlight unique user-group issues/concerns. • Continue to inform the BOD of road use issues along with recommendations to resolve them.
As always, residents should feel free to reach out directly to the TRU by email or phone, or indirectly via the CLL website committee contact page. Interested in helping make Cresswind at Lake Lanier THE most desirable place to live…? Volunteer with us.
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January/February 2024
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COMMITTEE CORNER
LANDSCAPE COMMITTEE Submitted by: Dolores Diaz Happy New Year! I’ll start the year off with a big THANK YOU to those of you who submit complete and thorough EIRs. You make doing our due diligence much smoother and the turnaround rate much faster. Those lists of specific plants to be used enable us to check for invasive or toxic plants and to make sure none are on the do not plant list. The sketches are required and help us determine if the location of the tree or shrub adheres to regulations and if the space is adequate for the mature plant. The EIR process helps us to help you prevent future problems. Speaking of problems, the Landscape Committee has received some EIRs lately requesting removal of street trees for various legitimate reasons. Most of these trees are damaged, diseased, or dying, but some have roots that have damaged water lines. We have approved removal of these trees due to the circumstances, but we have recommended replacing them with smaller trees to maintain the beauty of our treelined streets. After consulting with arborist John Akins, we make the following recommendations for replacing street
trees: First, locate your water line. In most cases, the lines run through the middle of our tiny front yards, making proper placement of trees very difficult. Try to choose a site for the replacement at least 10-15 feet from the water line. This may entail relocating or reconfiguring the front bed to allow as much distance as possible. Second, select a smaller tree with non-invasive roots. Examples are Dwarf Korean Lilac, Japanese Maple, Kousa Dogwood, Dwarf Magnolia, dwarf Crape Myrtle, Fraser Photinia, and dwarf varieties of Fir, Spruce, and Cypress. At all costs, do not plant a standard Maple tree or standard Crape Myrtle. The roots of standard Maples and standard Crape Myrtles grow shallow in the top two feet of soil and can spread three times the width of the canopy. Japanese Maples do not share these characteristics. On another note, the Landscape Committee recently gained three non-voting positions. If you appreciate attractive landscapes and are interested in joining our congenial group to do rewarding work, please contact our chairperson Cathy Clare at cathyc81@gmail.com. No green thumb required.
Welcome Committee
Submitted by: Sandy St George Your Cresswind Welcome Committee is here to welcome new residents to our great community and to help understand all that Cresswind has to offer. We help new residents learn many things, including: • How to use the Cresswind website • How to buy tickets to Lifestyle, CPAC, and other events • Discuss the Cresswind at LL Neighbors Facebook page • Talk through many of the Cresswind activities • Discuss items such as garbage pick up, the Montgomery Rd gates, and registering golf carts and dogs • Local restaurants • The importance of reading the Daily Update and email announcements • The wonderful “Help Me Please” program Our objective is to contact new residents five times within their first year in the community. That helps insure that our new residents are experiencing our community to the fullest! We have had several new residents join our community during the past few months. Join our committee in giving these people a warm Cresswind Welcome.
We would like to welcome the following new neighbors to Cresswind: Stacey Childers 3159 Scarlet Oak Ln
Adrian King 3549 Black Cherry
Ken and Sandy Larson 3842 English Oak Dr
Doug and Amelia Meeks 3597 Blue Cypress Cove
Tony and Tina Santos 3468 Blue Spruce Court
Melinda Fink 3126 Willow Creek
James “Sandhi” Kozsuch and Marsha Viers 3524 Golden Rain Circle
Drew Leeuwenburg and Terri Olson 3619 Majestic Oak Drive
Bob Payton and Judy Hargrove 3802 English Oak Drive
Arvin Spell and Robin Money 3942 Sweet Magnolia Drive
Bert and Janice Hambleton 3734 Cresswind Parkway
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Bill and Norma Wester 3704 Cresswind Parkway
January/February 2024
COMMITTEE CORNER
HEALTH & FITNESS COMMITTEE Submitted By: Laurie Solomon The Health & Fitness Committee wishes everyone a healthy and peaceful New Year. “Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow.” Albert Einstein. Our annual Health & Fitness Vendor Fair is scheduled for January 20th, 2024 from 10AM-1PM. We will have many vendors as well as health screenings available. In the coming year we will offer a number of health seminars. The providers, dates, and topics TBA. We hope you have been using the two new True recumbent bikes as well as the new True treadmill that we have added to the Fitness Center. Our last Wine & Cheese Seminar featured Dr. Brett Meeks and Jacoby Patterson PA. Dr. Meeks is an orthopedic surgeon specializing in sports medicine including knee and shoulder surgery. His focus was Shoulder Pain & the Non-operative Options to Surgical Solutions. The shoulder is a ball & socket joint that has tremendous mobility. It moves forward, backward, at angles and in circles. The joint needs to be kept strong and healthy so we retain the ability to function in daily life and sports related activities. Lifting loads such as groceries, reaching up, hitting a golf, tennis or pickleball all require strength and flexibility. Many shoulder injuries are caused by irregular, improper or
January/February 2024
overuse of the joint. The repetitive use of overhead motions in various sports can lead to shoulder injuries. The goal is to keep the shoulder strong and pliable without placing undue stress on it. Shoulders can be compromised by forcing the joint into excessive positions. I have seen many people using the lateral pull-down machine in the gym incorrectly. Pulling the bar behind the head places too much external rotation on the joint. Pulling the bar to your collarbone is a better option. Warming up your muscles before playing pickleball or tennis goes a long way to avoiding injuries and improving your game. Engaging in dynamic stretching will loosen your muscles and increase your range of motion. Examples include arm and shoulder circles, lateral leg swings, lateral and forward lunges, and torso twists. The bones, muscles, and tendons in the shoulder joint work as a unit. Damage to any of the components results in pain, reduced motion and injury. Sometimes surgery is required, but there are non-operative alternatives to treat shoulder pain. Physical Therapy can be beneficial for strengthening, flexibility, and reduction of inflammation. I developed frozen shoulder and can attest to the fact that PT works. Injection based procedures can be both therapeutic and diagnostic. Braces and support can aid in recovery from an injury and reduce discomfort. Regenexx procedures are new non-surgical alternatives that use precise image-guided injection of your body’s own natural healing agents. Keeping the joints and muscles in your body in good working order requires balance between strength and flexibility. Proper form and awareness while engaging in sports and daily life can help keep us out of the disability zone.
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SCRAPBOOK
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January/February 2024
s r o n o H s r d e n d i n o w s p s Cre First Res Cresswind hosted the annual First Responders Parade December 14th to say Thank You! Each First Responder was given a goody bag filled with great gifts to show our appreciation. The residents lined the streets with beautiful luminaries and the Flag Club put out the US flags. The residents and family members cheered as the vehicles passed by and Santa & Mrs. Clause stopped in to wish everyone a Merry Christmas! Thank you to the many elves that helped organize and prepare this great event!
GI V IN G
January/February 2024
M A R G O R P E E TR
The Cresswind Performing Arts Club would like to thank the community for helping to sponsor 150 Hall County students this year through our GIVING TREE program. Because of your generosity, 150 children will have a Christmas to remember! Thank you for stepping up and making a difference in these children’s lives! We appreciate you. CPAC hopes you have a terrific holiday season, and we look forward to entertaining you next year!!
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FITNESS SCHEDULE
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024 SCHEDULE Time 8:30
Sunday
Revised: 12/12/2023
Monday 8:30-9:30AM Water Aerobics with Patricia
Tuesday
Wednesday 8:30-9:30AM Water Aerobics with Patricia
Thursday
9:00
9-9:55AM $ Yoga with Carmen
9-9:55AM $ Yoga with Carmen
10:00
10:15am-11:15am Low Impact Aerobics DVD with Maureen
9-10AM Water Aerobics with Stacey 9:45am-10:45am Gentle Yoga with Sharon 10-11AM Strength and Stretch DVD Class with Steve and Kathy
9-10AM Water Aerobics with Stacey 9:45am-10:45am Gentle Yoga with Sharon 10-11AM Strength and Stretch DVD Class with Steve and Kathy
11:00
12:00
12-1PM $ Adult Ballet with Cheryl 1:15-2:15PM $ Tai Chi for Everyone with Cheryl 2:30-3:30PM $ Advanced Tai Chi with Cheryl
1:00 2:00 3:00 4:00 6:30
6:30-8:00PM Line Dance Cardio
4:00-5:00PM Pilates with Karin
Lanier Room
11:10-12:10PM Strength with Wendy W. 11-12PM Poolates 1:00-2:00PM Beginner/Intermediate Clogging with Wendy O.
3:00-4:00PM Intro to Line Dance Cardio Training Class 4:00-5:00PM Line Dance Cardio
10:15am-11:15am Low Impact Aerobics DVD with Maureen
12:45-1:45PM Choreography with Wendy O.
2-3PM Traditional Line Dance with Eleanor
Georgia Room
11:10-12:10PM Strength with Wendy W. 11-12PM Poolates 1:30pm-2:30pm Beginner Line Dance with Wendy O.
3:00-4:00PM Hula Dance
Friday 8:30-9:30AM Water Aerobics with Patricia 9-9:55AM $ Yoga with Carmen
10:15am-11:15am Low Impact Aerobics DVD with Maureen 11:30AM-12:30PM Pilates with Karin
2-3PM Traditional Line Dance with Eleanor
4:00-5:00PM Line Dance Cardio
Indoor Pool
This calendar can also be found on the Cresswind website by going to www.cresswindatll.com > Lifestyle > Fitness.
This calnedar can also be found on the Cresswind website by going to www.cresswindatll.com > Lifestyle > Fitness 16
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CLUB LIST
Clubs AT CRESSWIND
For additional information, please visit the Cresswind website at: https://www.cresswindatll.com/clubs/.
New Clubs Offered Aviation Club Photography Club Brewskies Mixed Poker Arts & Crafts Clubs Artist’s Corner Make & Take Crafts Needlecraft Pottery – Advance Quilting Writers in the Wind Book Clubs Monday Clubs Tuesday Club ABC Men’s Between the Stacks Book Babes Book Buds Book Worms Cover to Cover Book Club Reading between the Wines Theatre Goers Book Club Card Game Clubs Bridge Bunco - Ladies Hand & Foot Canasta Mah Jongg Mexican Train Mixed Card Club Pinochle Pokeno Poker Clubs Rubber Bridge Rummikub Samba Club
Texas Hold ‘em - Ladies Dance Clubs Ballet Ballroom Dance Clogging – Beginner, Intermediate Hula Dance Club Line Dance Wendy’s Choreography Performing Arts Clubs Cresswind Community Chorus Cresswind Performing Arts Club Cresswind Neighborhood Theater Jazz Band Club Karaoke Club Liars Club Neighborhood Bands Performing Arts Technical Team Small Bands Storytellers Club Ukulele Club Variety Show Club Sports & Games Clubs Billiards – Ladies & Men Bocce Club Bowling League Fishing Club Golf: Ladies & Men Kayak Club Pickleball Club Ping Pong Club Sports & Games Tai Chi: For Everyone, Advance Tennis Club Travel Clubs RV Club Travel Club
Religious & Bible Study Clubs Couples Ladies Men’s Shalom Club The Way Special Interest Clubs Aviation Club Bourbon Cabinet Club Bourbon Tasting Club Brewskies Club CIC Investment Club Community Flag Club Community Cooking Club Cresswind LL Community Fund Dine & Nine Club Dinner Club Genealogy Club Hiking Club Club Missions Club Investment Club: The Falls Ladies Luncheon Club Living Stylishly Martini Clubs Model Railroad Club Parkinson’s Support Group Photography Enthusiasts Club Scotch Lovers At Cresswind Social Singles Spanish Club Tequila Club Veterans Club Volunteer Connection Wine Tasting
See Cresswind Website for details.
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WHAT’S HAPPENING BIBLE STUDY CLUBS Grateful, Thankful & Blessed Submitted by: Dave Dittmeier The Bible teaches us to be grateful, thankful, and blessed in various verses. In 1 Thessalonians 5:18, it says, “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” This verse encourages us to maintain a spirit of gratitude in all situations. Additionally, Psalm107:1 states “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.” This verse reminds us to express gratitude for God’s enduring love and goodness. Being grateful, thankful, and blessed is a recurring theme throughout the Bible, emphasizing the importance of recognizing and appreciating God’s blessings in our lives. If you feel led to study the Bible on a regular basis, there are many opportunities here in Cresswind. WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY Diane Denniston DianeDenniston222@gmail.com and/or Jami Dittmeier SJDittmeier@gmail.com Meets Thursdays from 4-5PM in the Savannah Room. The first Thursday of the month is devoted to Intercessory Prayer. MEN’S BIBLE STUDY Dave Dittmeier DaDittmeier@gmail.com Meets Fridays from 10-11AM in the Georgia Room. They begin with a time of prayer from 9:30-10:00AM. COUPLES BIBLE Joanne Randall joran1088@gmail.com Meets in private homes throughout the community. IN-HOME BIBLE STUDY Jacquie Waldron rejoice2@yahoo.com Meets in a resident’s home “For the word of God is alive and active…” (Heb 4:12 NIV)
BOOK CLUBS 2ND MONDAY BOOK CLUB Julie Cottingham julie.cottingham1@gmail.com 3RD MONDAY BOOK CLUB Joyce Allen jallen8734@gmail.com 1ST TUESDAY BOOK CLUB Lynne Tryon lynnetryon@gmail.com 1ST TUESDAY BOOK BUDS BOOK CLUB Our club meets on the first Tuesday of the month at 7:00 pm. We do not meet in the months of January and July. Zona Buchen zbuchen51@charter.net 3RD WEDNESDAY ABC MEN’S BOOK CLUB meets the third Wednesday of the month at 1:00pm in the clubhouse library. We only read and discuss non-fiction books. Recently we read “Through Sacrifice: Freedom” by local author and Cresswind resident Tom Flaim who also attended the meeting and shared his insights in writing the story of his father who was a resistance fighter during WWII in Italy. We also read “A Spy at the Heart of the Third Reich” and “Astor: The Rise and Fall of an American Fortune”. The ABCs Book Club is open to any Cresswind male who may be 20
interested in reading and discussing non-fiction books. More info? Contact Dave Dittmeier DaDittmeier@gmail.com (PS > ABC stands for Annuitants, Bibliophiles and Curmudgeons) BOOK BABES BOOK CLUB Pat Hilger patricia.hilger@outlook.com BOOK WORMS BOOK CLUB Cathy Koenig kckl110@gmail.com COVER-TO-COVER BOOK CLUB Donna Brown donnabrownga@comcast.net IN THE STACKS BOOK CLUB Carol Malarney carolmalarney@gmail.com READING BETWEEN THE WINES BOOK CLUB Janet Nelson jnotesto87@gmail.com THEATRE GOERS BOOK CLUB Marilyn Young mayoung517@gmail.com
CRESSWIND BOWLING LEAGUE Submitted by: Paul Capal
The Cresswind Bowling League completed the first half of the 2023/24 season on December 13, 2023. The second half of the season will resume on Wednesday, January 3rd, and end on Wednesday, April 3rd. The season first half winners will be announced in the next issue of the Waterfall. The season will wrap up with a roll off on April 10th between the first and second half season winners to determine the overall winner for the 2023/24 season. Also, on Wednesday April 10th all other regular Cresswind League bowlers that are not in the championship roll off are invited to participate in an eight/nine pin tournament. We are planning our year end meeting on Wednesday, April 17th to distribute prize money, discuss the current season, as well as the 2024 summer season and any other questions. There will be future announcements once dates and times are confirmed. If there are any questions or you would like to join the bowling league, please contact any of the Board Members. The Board Members and the Cresswind Bowling League Rules can be found on the Cresswindatll.com website under clubs.
CARDS ANYONE? There are many opportunities for playing and learning how to play cards. Additional information on card groups can be found on the Cresswind website or in the Daily Update. BRIDGE EDUCATION CLUB has two groups: Tuesday Morning Computer 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 pm and Thursday Afternoon Education 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm. BRIDGE BIDDING EXERCISES Each Tuesday 10:00-11:00 am Cresswind Bridge players gather in the billiard room to analyze computer generated bridge hands and try to “beat the computer”. This is a fun informal session that helps us better understand the information being shared in the bidding process. All levels are welcome. Come join us.
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WHAT’S HAPPENING DUPLICATE BRIDGE CLUB is comprised of five non-sanctioned duplicate bridge sessions each month; two afternoon sessions and three evening sessions. Duplicate is a competitive form of Bridge. Afternoon Sessions 2nd & 4th Tuesdays - 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm Reservations Required. Evening Sessions – 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Thursdays - 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm - Reservations Required. RUBBER BRIDGE CLUB plays on Fridays from 1:00 to 4:00 pm in the Card Room of the Clubhouse. BUNCO CLUB - LADIES 4th Thursdays 7:00 – 9:00 pm, Crow’s Nest. Ladies come join us on the 4th Thursday of every month for Bunco. We have a lot of fun and laughs. The cost is $5.00. We have limited space, so email Peggy Bertasi at Tbssmom1@yahoo.com to be included on the monthly evite. CANASTA CLUB Mondays 1:00 – 4:00 pm, Crow’s Nest HAND & FOOT CANASTA Mondays 5:30 – 8:00 pm, 3rd Floor, Card Rm COME ON BACK and reunite with friends old and new. Bring your friends and neighbors and enjoy the newly updated and painted card room. If you haven’t played before, NO PROBLEM, we will gladly teach you. This is a fun game and a great way to spend an evening. LADIES TEXAS HOLD ‘EM CLUB Wednesdays 6:00 – 9:30 pm, 3rd Floor Lobby MAH JONGG CLUB is fun, competitive, and sociable, but the game requires strategy as well as knowledge of rules and procedures. To play with the groups here at Cresswind, it is necessary that you know how to play this game. Mah Jongg classes are offered throughout the year; contact Eleanor Whalen if you are interested in attending the next scheduled class. We play Sunday, Monday, & Wednesday 2:00 – 4:00 pm 3rd Floor, Card Room. MEXICAN TRAIN CLUB Mexican Train is a domino game, is played the 2nd Thursday night of every month, unless other club activities require the room. We meet in the Crow’s Nest to play from 7-9 pm. Eleanor has been hosting this game night for 12 years, thank you Eleanor. Mary Ann Hoyle and Peggy Bertasi will co-host. We want to see this game night continue and we always have room for more. THERE WILL NO LONGER BE AN EVITE SENT OUT. All are invited. If you’ve never played Train before, trust me, everyone will show you how. It’s easy and a lot of fun. All you need to do is show up a little before 7pm, get a Mexican Train Set out of the marked box in our game closet, gather some players and begin. When you are finished, put the sets back in the game closet. We have 3 sets of numbered dominos, (plus 2 sets with the dots) but if you prefer, you can bring your own set. Bring quarters, because the winner of each game gets to collect a quarter from each player at that table. We usually play about 9-12 games, so you have several chances to win!! We welcome all Cresswind residents, male or female. Come join the fun! Watch the Daily January/February 2024
Emails for reminders. Better yet, put it on your calendar now! STRAIGHT FLUSH POKER CLUB Thursdays 1:30 – 4:30 pm, Billiard Room PINOCHLE CLUB Saturdays 1:00 – 5:00 pm, 3rd Floor, Card Room. New and experienced players welcomed. POKENO CARD CLUB Pokeno, a board game that plays like Poker and Keno. We play Sunday evening at 5:30 and we play with penny and nickels. Hope you will join us this Sunday in the Crow’s Nest. We have the coins if you need them. POKER CLUB, LADIES 3rd Wednesdays 7:00 – 9:00 pm Crow’s Nest POKER CLUB The Poker Club plays on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday nights from 6:00 – 9:00 pm on the 1st floor at the end of the gym. If interested in playing contact jerryworlock@ gmail.com. 1st Week Monday Hold’em Tuesday Hold’em Tournament Thursday Reg. Omaha 2nd Week Monday Hold’em Tuesday Hold’em Tournament Thursday Reg. Omaha 3rd Week Monday Hold’em Tuesday Hold’em Tournament Thursday Reg. Omaha 4th Week Monday Hold’em Tuesday Hold’em Tournament Thursday Reg. Omaha 5th Week Monday Hold’em Tuesday Hold’em Tournament Thursday Reg. Omaha RUMMIKUB CLUB RUMMIKUB is an easy and fun tile game based on the card game Rummy. If you know how to play Rummy or Gin Rummy, you’re halfway there! Don’t worry if you don’t know how to play because we are happy to teach you. So, come to the Crow’s Nest every Friday at 12:30 for a couple hours of fun and socialize with your neighbors. SAMBA CLUB The SAMBA card players have been having fun all year, and if you enjoy socializing, playing cards, or always wanted to learn, WE WANT YOU! We meet every Friday at 12:30 in the Billiards Room. You can join in or just sit and watch to learn. We’re all happy to welcome new and old-time players! If you’ve ever played Canasta or Hand and Foot, you will learn SAMBA quickly. We welcome ALL Cresswind residents, men and women. Come see why we are all smiling so much! Need more information, contact Mary Ann Hoyle. See you there! The WATERFALL
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Let Our Family Serve Yours WEALTH MANAGEMENT • RETIREMENT SOLUTIONS SOCIAL SECURIT Y PLANNING • TAX STRATEGIES ESTATE PLANNING • PROPERT Y & CASUALT Y INSURANCE
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Withdrawing from Retirement Accounts, Where to Turn to First Retirement knowledge and information often revolves around saving and preparing for your future, but when the retirement years actually come and the savings you’ve spent decades accumulating need to be spent, how does one begin?
held for more than one year) and will come from accounts that historically grow at a slower rate than do other forms of retirement accounts (accounts that are tax-deferred).
The following will give a general outline of which accounts to start with and what accounts to use as a follow up.
Turning on your social security income is a great way to protect your remaining nest-egg and begin sourcing income from a social welfare program you’ve been paying into for your entire working life, but this decision isn’t as simple as the first two.
Cash
Cash incurs growth at a much lower rate than does most any other holding. Whether it’s cash in a savings account or a cash holding in an investment account, beyond your emergency fund (6 months of expenses), cash should be the first place you pull income from for your retirement years.
Taxable Investment Accounts
Individual, revocable trusts, and joint accounts should be your next stop for income in your retirement years. Sourcing income from your taxable investment accounts will assist with reducing tax liability as they will be taxed at capital gains rates (given they are
Social Security
Before turning on your social security benefits, consider if waiting will dramatically increase your expected monthly income or not. If you are past the age of 70, this won’t apply. If you are around the age of 62, waiting could mean a larger payout in the future.
Tax-Deferred Retirement Accounts
Traditional IRA, 457, SEP IRA, 401(k), and 403(b) accounts are taxed once withdrawals begin to be made. Withdrawals can be voluntary as a form of retirement income or they may be required depending on your age as a yearly required minimum distribution
(RMD). It’s usually best to wait to withdraw from these accounts for as long as possible to avoid the tax liability.
Roth IRA Accounts With tax-free growth and qualified withdrawals also being tax-free (for beneficiaries as well), Roth IRAs are of the most tax-efficient savings vehicles available to investors. Allowing these the most time to accumulate, like your tax-deferred accounts, is always a good choice. And leaving these accounts untouched throughout your retirement can mean more money for your loved ones as RMD’s have been done away with (via the SECURE 2.0 Act) and withdrawals after your passing can be deferred for up to 10 years.
Like most tax-related retirement advice, there is no one size fits all. This is why speaking with an advisory firm can develop a retirement roadmap that is unique to you and can be a great step towards protecting your future. For assistance in making these decisions or to schedule a complimentary financial review with Moore’s Wealth Management, click here or call our office at 770-535-5000, where a staff-member is awaiting your call Monday through Friday, 9AM to 5PM.
Source: https://www.kiplinger.com/retirement/which-retirement-accounts-to-withdraw-from-first This material is provided as a courtesy and for educational purposes only. Please consult your investment professional, legal or tax advisor for specific information pertaining to your situation. All information contained herein is derived from sources deemed to be reliable but cannot be guaranteed. All views/opinions expressed in this newsletter are solely those of the author and do not reflect the views/opinions held by Advisory Services Network, LLC. This article may contain links to articles or other information that may be on a third-party website. Advisory Services Network, LLC is not responsible for and does not control, adopt, or endorse any content contained on any third-party website. Advisory Services Network, LLC does not provide tax advice. The tax information contained herein is general and is not exhaustive by nature. Federal and state laws are complex and constantly changing. You should always consult your own legal or tax professional for information concerning your individual situation.
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WHAT’S HAPPENING CIC INVESTMENT CLUB (CIC) Submitted By: Louise Dunn What’s in store for the stock market in 2024? Will there be a surge in the stocks or a recession? Will small cap and/ or midcap stocks outperform the Magnificent 7? Will value stocks outperform growth stocks? So many questions to consider in the coming year. So many questions and so many divergent perspectives. For those with questions and/or interest in investing, the Cresswind Investment Club (CIC) offers a way for members to pool their knowledge and funds to make these decisions with greater resources than if acting individually. The CIC meets once each month. Members share their expertise and make informed decisions about investments for the club. All CIC members take part in offering suggestions for stocks and in voting on stocks for the club. Club membership is limited to 30. A wait list is available for interested residents if there are no openings. The CIC greatly appreciates the work that Len Greco, Cathy Hoskinson, Lois Dillard, and Jack George did on the board in 2023. Officers for 2024 are: Jack George, President; Rich Lynt, Vice President; Lois Dillard, Secretary; Jerry Morton, Treasurer; Marty Siegel, Assistant Treasurer. Any Cresswind resident with an interest in investing and promoting income growth is welcome to join us at one of our monthly meetings. Meetings are the first Monday of the month at 1:00 p.m. in the clubhouse kitchen. Please contact Jack George jgeorge263@gmail.com or Rich Lynt at richardklynt3@gmail.com if you would like to attend.
COMMUNITY FLAG CLUB Submitted by: Rob Plawecki On December 14th, members of the Community Flag Club placed hundreds of American flags along the parade route to honor our First Responders. This is just one of five times each year members place 1500 flags throughout our community. Flags are placed on Memorial Day, July 4th, 9/11, Veterans Day as well as the day we honor our First Responders. If you want to be a member of one of the oldest and most exclusive clubs in Cresswind contact us at cllflagclub@gmail.com. The Community Flag Club is self-funded, so all cash donations are always welcomed. “A thoughtful mind, when it sees a nation’s flag, sees not the flag, but the nation itself.” HENRY WARD BEECHER
COMMUNITY GARDEN CLUB Submitted by: Lance Haney
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Your Cresswind Community Garden is still OPEN, and you are invited to come enjoy it’s peace, serenity and promise of future beauty…All Winter Long! A few folks are growing winter vegetables that you can see, we will have occasional activities in getting ready for the 2024 growing season. Come enjoy the sights of the winter Community Garden and the woodland paths of the Serenity Garden! Would you like to join the club and have a raised box at
the Community Garden? We will have our first Garden Club meeting later in January, time and location to be announced via the Daily Email. New rental contracts will be signed, and previews of upcoming plans will be shared. Garden Box rental is $30 per year, limit one per household. To get on the wait list for garden boxes, please contact Susan Dodd at susan8405@comcast.net. What was once solely a plot of 48 raised garden boxes is gradually transforming into a certified demonstration garden that entertains, educates, and inspires all guests: residents, visitors, and grandchildren! Here is a glimpse of a few events and activities in the plans for 2024: • Monthly-offered Garden Tours • Spring and Fall Open Houses for all comers • Spring and Fall Community Garden Plant Sales • A new Carnivorous Plant Garden • A new Iris Garden and expanded Peony Garden • New additions to the Serenity Garden • New self-guided tour maps and scavenger hunts • New signs to identify plants that you can buy for home Fun fact! While we released 259 healthy Monarch Butterflies at the Community Garden in 2023…13 others in Cresswind released a cumulative total of 1394 Monarchs in 2023 (up from 800 in 2022)! If you would like to learn how to raise and release Monarchs at home, we will offer a free seminar in February that will give you all the information and resources that you need to begin in 2024. Time and location will be announced in Daily Emails. Get Cresswind Community Garden Club news and helpful tips for home gardening also. Become a Friend-of-theGarden. You can volunteer, donate, and be invited to take part in all Garden Club activities and events. Just email us at cresswind.garden.club@gmail.com to be added to the contact list. Join us on Facebook at Cresswind at LL Community Garden.
COOKING CLUB Submitted by: Robin Foster The Cooking Club would like to wish all of the members and community neighbors a very Happy and Heathy New Year. Membership dues for 2024, for current members and any neighbors that are interested in joining, are due by January 31, 2024. Membership will run from January 3, 2024 to January 31, 2025. Only residents who are new to the community in 2024 may join after January 31, 2024. Please remit your dues with a check for $5.00, per person, payable to CLL Cooking Club and place in the Cooking Club mailbox at the rear of the Clubhouse lobby. The Cooking Club concluded the year with a Chili Cookoff and Cooking School Wine and Appetizer event. Thirteen chefs shared their chili recipes and toppings. The Chili Cookoff winners were Barb Langhans and Heidi Anderson. Congratulations to these ladies and to the hosts Joe Tellus and Peter Bertasi for a fun event. A Cooking School Wine and Appetizer event was hosted by Lisa Giblin and Diane McIntee and was thoroughly enjoyed by the guests. This class was a winner for those planning gettogethers over the holidays. A big thank you to Lisa and Diane. If you have an idea for an event or for a Cooking School class, please contact a board member or leave us a message in the mailbox. The Cooking Club would like to recognize outgoing board member Lynne Hayden, who has served on the board for 3 years and is responsible for introducing the idea of Cooking
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WHAT’S HAPPENING School and then taking the responsibility for organizing it. Lynne has spent countless hours creating the school along with organizing a supporting committee. The Cooking School has been a wonderful addition to the Cooking Club, and we extend our sincere thanks for all the time she has spent on such a special endeavor. If you have not attended any Cooking School classes, be on the lookout for upcoming classes in 2024. You will not be disappointed. We would also like to thank all the committee members, the resident chefs, and volunteers for those events. The Cooking Club events for 2024 will begin with Soup Night on January 13th and Mardis Gras on February 9th. Kentucky Derby will be another event this year and will be held indoors. We will be looking for member hosts and volunteers for these events. Please read your email notifications as well as the Daily Update for details as they are released. Our club would not function without volunteers and there are many opportunities, so please consider becoming active in the club by volunteering to host or help with an event. All skill sets are needed.
CRESSWIND NEIGHBORHOOD THEATRE (CNT) The Cresswind Neighborhood Theatre recently completed their fall production of SCENE IT: Holiday Edition. This was a fun game show where we acted out scenes from iconic holiday movies and the audience (in teams) was asked to guess the movie, characters and actors. There were a LOT of fun scenes (and songs) from movies such as ELF, A Charlie Brown Christmas, Christmas Vacation, Christmas Story, Holiday Inn, White Christmas, and the ultimate Christmas
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movie…DIE HARD! (YES, it is a Christmas Movie) We had a lot of fun recreating all these scenes and the audience had fun trying to guess. This sure put everyone in the holiday spirit! We are now gearing up for our spring show which is FOUR OLD BROADS by Leslie Kimbell. The performance dates will be in May. More information on auditions and how you can participate in this fun show at a later date. You can always find out what is going on with CNT (as well as all the other CPAC clubs) by going to www.cresswindpa. com. If you ever need to contact us, we can be reached at cresswindtheatre@gmail.com.
KARAOKE CLUB Submitted by: Heidi Anderson The Karaoke Club meets the 3rd Monday of each month at 7:00 p.m. in the Ballroom. We gather to sing our favorite songs, and all are welcome. There is no cost to participate and it’s always full of fun and surprises. Last month we had a surprise guest show up and sang a couple of songs to everyone’s delight! You may have heard of him “Benson Boone”. Not a dry eye when he sang “In the Stars” a tribute to his grandmother. Thank you, Diana Thurman, for bringing him to Karaoke! We look forward to seeing you all at Karaoke.
C-UKES CRUISE TO COZUMEL Submitted by: John Kelley What do you call ten people from the Cresswind Ukulele Club on a cruise to Cozumel (besides a little crazy)? C-Ukes!
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WHAT’S HAPPENING That’s the name the group used when they joined the Tampa Bay Ukulele Society on a four-day floating ukulele convention where they learned new things, met new friends, listened to amazing musicians, and just plain had good old fun – in addition to eating a little too much. Jackie Cattanach brought home an awesome banjo uke that she won, and the others brought home memories that will last a long time. We discovered that our C-Ukes from Cresswind are a fairly talented bunch of folks. We are also currently planning a Third Day of Christmas Sing Along Party for club members, friends, family, and neighbors on Wednesday evening, December 27th in the ballroom. More information will follow in the Daily Update, so watch your email.
CRESSWIND UKES NEWS Submitted By: John Kelley We will be presenting free beginner ukulele classes this fall- watch for announcement in daily update. We have ukuleles that you can check out of our library to learn on, so come join the fun. You are welcome any Monday at 11:00 to stop by the kitchen and sing a few good old tunes with us and to check out if you might enjoy playing with the group. We recently entertained for the Garden Club party, and a good time was had by all. The Cresswind Community Chorus had a fantastic 2023 Holiday Music Celebration with three sold out shows and lots of accolades. Now preparation begins for our 2024 Spring Music Spectacular. Performances April 11-13. Lots of great new music will be presented as well as some old favorite songs. Rehearsals will begin on Monday, January 22 at 3:00 pm in the ballroom. New members are welcome. There is no audition, just show up and you’re in.
OUT PAST NINE Submitted by: John Stevens Hey, OUT PAST NINE…! Wha’cha been doing…? Well, since you asked… We’ve had a hell-a-va good time in 2023 playing feelgood, sing-along dance tunes for our CLL friends and neighbors. Back in January we played a sold-out CLL Lifestyle Friday Night Dance Event in our clubhouse ballroom. Then we provided the music for the CLL Cooking Club’s Mardi Gras Dinner Dance in February. Then later in September, we again played for our CLL friends and neighbors at the sold out CPAC Presents…OP9 Dance Party Event. Playing for our Cresswind at Lake Lanier friends and neighbors is definitely a ‘top highlight’ experience for us. The support and encouragement shown to us by CLL ‘Cresswinders’ is energizing as well as inspiring. We love the ‘fun’ that we all create and experience together. And for that, we want to say ‘THANK YOU’…! Outside of our Cresswind community, OUT PAST NINE was invited to play on the Gainesville Downtown Square back in May as part of the city’s Blue Sky Summer Music Series. WOW…! So many CLL Cresswinders (60+) showed up to dance on the Square to support us. The Organizers of this annual Music Series were very impressed with the crowd that came to support us and have invited us back again in 2024 to play on May 29th. In June 2023, we played outside at our ‘sister’ community, Cresswind at Twin Lakes. Again, a handful of CLL Cresswinders came and danced on the grass with Twin Lakes Cresswinders. 28
Then in July we again played at the annual Hiawassee Summer Music on the Square Series for the third time. And finally in December of 2023, OUT PAST NINE played at a PRIVATE Birthday Party. What a blast…!!! The personal engagement with the Birthday Celebrant and his family and friends created great memories all around. “So…what’s next…?” So far in 2024, OUT PAST NINE… …will be playing at a CLL Lifestyle Friday Night Dance Event in our clubhouse ballroom on April 19th. …will be playing on the Gainesville Downtown Square on May 29th as part of the city’s Blue Sky Summer. Music Series. …will be playing at the CPAC Presents…OP9 Dance Party Event on October 18th. …will be playing at the annual Hiawassee Summer Music on the Square Series (TBD) Another ‘invite’ (TBD) includes playing at a Food Truck Friday/Olympic Park Event. STAY TUNED…More to come!!
PERFORMING ARTS TECHNICAL TEAM Submitted by: Mike Beuke Did you know there are a flurry of activities going on behind-the-scenes at every Cresswind Performing Arts Club (CPAC) event that serve to elevate the audience experience at every one of those performances? This activity is performed by the teams of: Lighting and Special Effects, Sound, Stage Design and Videography, which inturn comprises the Performing Arts Technical Team (PATT). This is a sub-group of CPAC that presents so many of those entertaining performances to our community in the form of full-length Plays, Chorus Events, The Variety Show, Liars Club, etc. For example...A car door slams shut; loud thunder follows lightning; the phone rings 3 times! All this is made possible on stage through magical sound effects. ALSO... Actors and singers can be heard distinctly by the audience due to precisely placed mics and the sound control board, all controlled live at the back of the room. The spotlight shines on the star of the show or the incredible soloist. The mood changes in a play and the stage turns a calm blue. OR... A fire starts and smoke comes billowing through. All this is made possible through the creative effects of lighting and special effects, again, controlled live at the back of the room. The scene takes place in an old-fashioned living room. The walls are 1950’s, an old-fashioned telephone and typewriter sit on the desk. The set and props put the audience in the time and place. The videographer is making sure Cresswind performances are professionally captured and saved in perpetuity for all to enjoy. All of this and more is made possible by way of the: • Sound Team (sound board operation, actor mics, sound effects, cue scripts, etc.) • Lighting and Special Effects Team (light programming, cue-scripts, light configuration, fog machines, simulated pyrotechnics, snow machines, etc.) • Set Design Team (sets, props, cue scripts, construction, painting, etc.) • Videographer (filming of performances, film editing) • Shared Sound/Lighting (running screen projection of slide and video presentations)
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The overarching benefits offered by the Performing Arts Technical Team are to provide the opportunity to: contribute to the community in very meaningful ways, pursue personal technical and creative interests, create a sense of accomplishment, and most importantly… HAVE FUN!
CRESSWIND STORYTELLING CLUB Submitted by: Bert Emma January 2024 is the 6th Anniversary of the Cresswind Storytelling Club! By listening to fascinating stories by Cresswind residents we discover stories from our lives. We also thank the Storytellers who share rich, heartfelt, and believable experiences. Fitting nicely with the beginning of a New Year, the guiding theme for January will be “Your Earliest Memory.” The magic of storytelling is found in the power of the stories themselves. Every month, approximately 20 to 30 residents meet to tell and listen to stories. Usually there are 8-10 storytellers and 20-30 listeners. By the way, the storytellers never let the truth get in the way of a good story – a story where you can sit inside the story itself as though you were really there. Most stories are based on personal experiences and may be embellished a bit to provide an entertaining story. Please come to our next storytelling monthly session! You can tell a story or just listen. You will have Fun. Every third Thursday of the month at 3:00pm in the Ballroom. We hope to see you then and Best Wishes for a Very Happy New Year!
CRESSWIND HULA DANCE CLUB Submitted By: Mary Ramatowski Hula dancing was developed in the Hawaiian Islands before European contact in the 19th century. The hula that we now see has evolved over the years due to influence from missionaries, politics, and culture. Hula was used to honor deities, chiefs, tell stories and offer historical accounts of nature and island events, and is danced by both men and women. Hula uses hand motions to represent words in a song or chant, while the feet keep the beat and give the story motion. In addition to being a lot of fun, it is a slow and relaxing, medium impact activity that eases strain on the joints. It is good for weight loss, boosting energy, and strengthening abs, back, hips and legs. Our dance club, currently known as Na-Wahine Hula Hula, meets every Thursday at 3 pm in the Georgia room. We regularly review dances learned previously, along with learning new routines taught by Mary Ramatowski and Kathie Zeranski. Previous dance experience is not required. If you or someone you know would be interested in joining, please attend a club meeting or contact Mary at maryofhats@gmail.com.
DINNER CLUB Submitted By: Karen Silverthorn - Coordinator Dinner Club celebrated its November dinner with flavors of the Fall. Members enjoyed Apple Cider Mimosas, Red Pepper Cheese Dip, Cider Roasted Chicken and Pumpkin-Orange Cake. Each meal is always paired with accompanying wines. January/February 2024
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WHAT’S HAPPENING If any of our members have an interest in assisting with the logistics of the Dinner Club, we need help with the retyping and formatting of the recipes. Since Dinner Club only organizes four themed dinners per year between OctoberMarch, the typing involved is minimal. Note: the remaining dinners are scheduled for Feb. 3/24, and Mar. 2/24. There are no annual fees or commitment to attend any of the 4 dinners per year. When you ‘join’ Dinner Club, your name will be added to the membership list to receive an e-vite prior to each event. Singles are welcome, provided they find another single to pair with. If you enjoy cooking and exploring new ingredients around an elegant table, then this Club is for you! Recipes, course, and house assignments are emailed to participants in advance. Four couples/pairs are assigned to a host home for the evening. They are assigned parts of the meal to shop for and prepare. All food and beverage costs (average $55 - $75 per couple/pair) are shared equally among participants at each house. Members are encouraged to submit menus and recipes for consideration for upcoming and future dinners. If you are interested in joining or reviewing the guidelines, email the coordinator directly - Karen Silverthorn, silk3349@charter.net. Our mission is a simple one - to enjoy a delicious gourmet meal while meeting new neighbors around an elegant dinner table. Every meal is an adventure!
GENEALOGY TRIVIA Submitted by: Dave Dittmeier What is the largest family tree? Researchers at the University of Oxford’s Big Data Institute have created the largest-ever family tree, which links more than 27 million people — both living and long dead — across the world. What is the longest family tree? The lineage of K’ung Ch’iu or Confucius (479BC) can be traced back further than that of any other family. His great-great-great-great grandfather Kung Chia is known from the 8th century BC. Kung Chia has 86 lineal descendants. How big and how far back is your family tree? If you’d like to find out, consider joining the Genealogy Club. We meet the 4th Wednesday of every other month February – October at 7:00pm in the Georgia Room. Want more information? Contact one of the facilitators: Howie Mueller accudart556@ yahoo.com or Dave Dittmeier DaDittmeier@gmail.com. You might be a genealogist if…......you can’t stop with just one research record.
CRESSWIND HIKING CLUB Submitted by: Paula Burzotta
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In October, the Cresswind Hiking Club was efficiently planned and lead by Ron Grimm. What a wonderful adventure! It was a 5-mile round trip hike. An “Appalachian style kind of hike” :) A mildly strenuous hike off an Appalachian Trail crossing marker, with gradual incline in many areas, remote, but just a fantastic hike. And to think “a simple little stream” could create such magic for so many!
The Chattahoochee River’s natural spring supplies 70 percent of metro Atlanta’s drinking water, which is more than 300 million gallons per day! The headwaters above Atlanta comprise the smallest watershed providing a major portion of water supply for any metropolitan area in the country. After the hike, Ron took us to one of the best BBQ places, great find Ron. And well done! It was such a fun day. So blessed to spend this day with my husband and Cresswind neighbors. We do need someone to let Ron or myself know which trail you would like to lead and/or visit for a day or in Cresswind. But for now, let’s enjoy the shorter and fewer sunny days we have and jump on a Cresswind trail. It’s practically in your back yard! Reminders: • This is a free and always open Cresswind Club, and we encourage anyone interested, who loves to hike, to be added to the Cresswind Hiking Club please use the contact email. • Currently Ron Grimm is volunteering with main communications. So, please contact him through Cresswind.Hiking.Club@gmail.com. • I hope you all are enjoying this brisk weather and getting out on those Cresswind Trails. If not, I really encourage you to do so! The “trail crew” through the Cresswind Trails and Pathways Committee have worked so hard to keep them safe! All of the stairs in place, tree cleanups, bridges built and maintained by a small group of committee members. • By hiking our neighborhood trails, we help by keeping trails visible, especially after all the leaves are off the trees! *** if interested in leading a group hike please contact Ron Grimm or Paula Burzotta. Hike needs to be two (2) hours maximum drive please, less than two (2) hours EACH way is doable for day trips. Keep in mind we have GREAT trails ALL around Cresswind within an hour. Paula Burzotta - please contact me by text message or call: 678-576-6942.
KAYAK CLUB Submitted by: Stan Goldman Just hoping you all had a wonderful holiday season. With the beautiful weather we had this fall along with the wonderful fall foliage our club members were able to enjoy paddling on their own as well as our weekly group paddles. Unfortunately, as we all know Lake Lanier’s water levels have continued to drop. Due to the low water levels the dock was in danger of damage and needed to be moved to deeper water. This cut short our kayaking fall season from the kayak dock. When the water returns to its normal level the dock will be moved back into place and once again Cresswind will have one of the best docks on the lake to launch your kayak from. The club held a first-time kayaker’s day this fall to give anyone interested a chance to try kayaking. We had available kayaks, paddles, and life jackets. Explained equipment and proper way to use with instructional support once in the water. Looking forward to doing this again this coming Spring. With the winter upon us the club will be in hibernation until the weather gets milder and our dock is moved back and accessible to be used. Twice a year the Kayak Club runs a lottery for the members that are interested in storing their kayaks at the marina for easy access to the lake. This is open to our membership only. So, if you are new to Cresswind or just interested in kayaking, join the members ranks, look for our kayak members meeting in March and come to our
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WHAT’S HAPPENING meeting. Wishing you all the best in 2024.
LIVING STYLISHLY CLUB Submitted by: Jackie Edginton
The annual meeting of the Living Stylishly Club was held in November. Dillard’s demonstrated how to trim a Christmas tree easily and with great flair. They brought with them a big assortment of ornaments for sale and lots of great holiday fashions. Members snacked on yummy punch and assorted sweets as we reviewed the great events of 2023. The new year ahead will bring a lot of exciting new programs and a few “tried and true” events will be repeated. Be on the alert for our annual Meet and Greet at Cork It at Gainesville Square. The date has not been set but it will be in February. A fashion show is just too much fun to not repeat so watch for that announcement also. Dues are $5.00 and can be placed in the club mailbox located in the lobby after January 1, 2024. Please make sure that you include your phone number for texting and your most current email address. Thank you for your membership and for helping our board make Living Stylishly a great club for fun and fellowship. Happy 2024 gals – keep on stylin!
CRESSWIND MEN’S GOLF CLUB Submitted by: Dave McIntee The men’s Cresswind golf league completed the 2023 regular season with a lot of success and fun. We have 88 golfers on our list. During the past season, 60 people played at least one round and we had over 1,000 rounds played. Our highlights include a hole-in-one, only three rainouts and no one got hurt! The 2023 annual tournament winner was Farris McElreath. Our Winter season officially began on December 6th. All golf is at the Chicopee Golf Course each Tuesday morning through the end of February. We will have 5 tee times beginning at 10am (no shot gun) which have been allotted to our group. Rod will send an e-mail to all registered members of the group on the prior Wednesday. The first 20 golfers to respond to Rod will get the tee times. Rod will work with Chicopee to get additional slots if there is a demand for some and availability. On Tuesday’s, please don’t be a no-show. If something prevents you from playing, please text Rod as soon as you know you can’t make it, including the morning of play. Tee times are at a premium and we want to be respectful to the course managers. His cell is 680-770-0397. Commissioner Rod Quisenberry and Official Scorer Dave Wilson continue to do an amazing job. Rod is in his 9th season leading our group. All league members are grateful for their continued leadership. Rod has indicated that he will 32
not be playing this coming season, at least until the Fall. If there are any players who would be interested in taking over, please let him know. Mark your calendars for February 15th for an afternoon organizational meeting at the Cresswind Clubhouse. We always welcome new players of all skill levels. You can e-mail Rod at rquisenberry@charter.net to be added to the list.
MODEL RAILROAD CLUB Submitted by: Bill Edmondson
Our Model Railroad Club’s last layout exhibit for 2023 was held on December 2nd. We shared a great experience with over 350+ kids who purchased tickets on the Polar Express. Additionally, we had their families and residents that just wanted to see our trains (not participating in Polar Express). A packed house!! Thank you Cresswinders! I heard a lot of great comments among attendees, but the best by far was a young boy looking up at his mom and saying, “this has been the best day of my life!” My thanks to all the club members who worked so hard to assemble, operate, and disassemble this exhibit. The Cresswind Model Railroad Club was featured in the November 2023 edition of the National Railroad Association magazine. Peter Youngblood attended our club meeting and exhibit a year ago, he was very surprised by our technical abilities and energy to put this module layout together. A wonderful ‘pat-on-the-back’ for our Cresswind Community. Enjoy our photos…Merry Christmas to all and Happy 2024!
NEEDLECRAFT CLUB Submitted by: Pam Gonzalez We are a social club that meets every Thursday from 10:00 AM to Noon in the Arts and Crafts room. Participants bring their own work in progress in knitting, crochet, crossstitch, beading, needlepoint, etc. We welcome all skill levels and can assist in techniques, “tips and tricks”, and help when assistance is needed. In addition to personal projects, participants also create various crafts for the community such as hats and scarfs for the homeless, lap blankets for hospice and veterans, and hats for preemie babies. For the past several years we have knitted and crocheted baby doll blankets that are used to wrap small dolls and placed in shoe boxes with other small gifts for Operation Christmas Child Organization. New participants are always welcome. No cost – just bring your work in progress and be prepared to fill 2 hours with community news, stores, and laughter.
PARKINSON’S SUPPORT GROUP Submitted by: Delores Diaz Did you know that according to research, 35% of people
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WHAT’S HAPPENING aged 70 and the majority of people over 85 have mobility limitations? The mean age of those with minor, moderate, or major mobility difficulty is 59-67, and 32% of those with major difficulties said their problems began at 50 or younger. Parkinson’s is one of several conditions that are considered movement or mobility disorders. Given the demographics of our community, it is likely that about a third of us have some movement disorder. The Cresswind Parkinson’s Support Group is a valuable resource for anyone experiencing any of the movement disorders. The group meets monthly, with speakers and informal discussions on alternate months. The November meeting was dedicated to evaluating our year’s work and to planning for the new year. In December a speaker from North Georgia Medical Center (NGMC) made a presentation on motion disorders. Looking ahead, we have already tentatively scheduled speakers from Emory, NGMC, the Parkinson’s Foundation, and local physical and occupational therapists. Potential topics include collaboration, medications, caregivers’ concerns, memory care facilities, fall prevention and core strength exercises. The Parkinson’s Support Group meets the second Wednesday of each month at 2:00 in the ballroom. Visitors are always welcome. We hope you have a new year filled with love, good health, and happiness.
PICKLEBALL CLUB Submitted by: Cassie Caton
I want to wish our Cresswind Pickleball Club members and our entire Pickleball community a very happy and healthy New Year. The last quarter of the year was filled with special pickleball activities. This included advanced and intermediate drills conducted by Sep Khameneh and novice and training led by Jim Snell. The courts were resurfaced and two new awninged benches were installed with funds received in 2022 from North Georgia Health System (NGHS). A paddle stacking system has been implemented, which will provide a more controlled method of getting players onto courts as they become available during open play. Your newly elected board members are Pat Burke, Jim Snell, James Burzotta, Gary Foster, and Linda Potter. They will be working diligently with returning board members, (Cassie Caton, David Hanson, Wendy Warder, and Sep Khameneh) to facilitate upcoming activities and events this year, such as scrambles, drills, flex leagues, social events, ALTA teams, and possibly another pro pickleball camp like the one held on November 17 – 19 with PPA Pro Mark Price. The 3-day camp led by Mark Price, PPR Certified Pro Level Pickleball coach, was attended by 29 participants who January/February 2024
experienced 9 hours of energetic coaching instruction. Each session started with the all-important warm-up exercises that are especially important in the cold winter months. Mark employed specialized drills and utilized some very unique tools to hone pickleball skills, such as the TopSpinPro for perfecting the top spin stroke, as well as “court games” to work on specific shots. Mark was very personable and available to assess our games, play with us, provide good critique, and exceptional instruction. At the close of the camp, each participant received a complete set of his coaching notes and tips to use as a reminder of all the fundamentals he covered. We hope to bring Mark back in the Fall for another camp experience. This winter, our club will field our first ALTA pickleball team co-captained by Cathy Clare and Jane Erkes. We will host teams at CWLL for our home matches and travel to other communities to play our away matches. The pickleball experience continues to grow! Stay informed about all things pickleball by following our website (www.CresswindPickleball.com), our Facebook page (Cresswind at LL Pickleball Group) and through member emails from the Pickleball Club. You can join the club through the website or by dropping a check in the box located in the clubhouse. Dues are only $10 a year. Let’s have a lot of fun sharing this sport with newbies, family, friends and our Cresswind pickleball community. See you on the courts! One last simple tip for your next trip to the court: “Stop running through the ball. Stop, stabilize, hit, then MOVE.”
CRESSWIND PING PONG CLUB Submitted By: Gregg Pike The Cresswind Ping Pong Club continues Open Play on Tuesday’s from 3:00pm-6:00pm and Thursday’s from 3:00pm-5:30pm in the Lanier Room. We also have a time slot on Monday’s from 7:00pm-8:00pm for people who still work. Everyone is invited to come try your hand at Ping Pong. There are no fees required to become a member of the Ping Pong Club. Tables are stored in the Lanier Room and paddles and balls are kept in the back closet in a storage bin. Look for announcements about upcoming events such as instructional clinics and drop-in tournaments for Winter 2024. Please contact Gregg if you want to try out his iPong Table Tennis Training Robot – the Robot serves regulation Ping Pong balls automatically up to 70 balls per minute. Contact Gregg Pike or Kim Miller for information or questions about the Ping Pong Club.
QUILTING CLUB Submitted by: Rose Hosey
And the winners of the 2023 Marketplace quilt raffle are: Ron & Susan Fouse & Sherry Roberts. The quilt group would like to thank all who bought tickets during our raffle. Your generosity funds the supplies used to complete donation quilts for seniors, the Red Cross, Quilts for Kids, Veterans, and our annual Quilt of Valor. Our group meets on Thursday’s at 1PM in the Arts & Crafts room. Stop in to see what we do - new members are always welcome! The WATERFALL
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WHAT’S HAPPENING SCOTCH LOVERS AT CRESSWIND (SLAC) Submitted By: John Stevens The traditional Scottish toast is “Slainte Mhath” (pronounced SLAN-chuh Vah), which loosely translated means “good health between friends”. Scotch Lovers at Cresswind (SLAC) has been a CLL club since 2014. Starting with just a hand full of Scotchloving residents, it has evolved to more than 75 members in 2023. Members share monthly libations with other members within one of three SLAC groups, creatively named SLAC I, SLAC II, and SLAC III, and meet in the Crow’s Nest on their designated day and time. Dedicated to both libation AND education, each SLAC group rotates 2-3 group members as ‘presenters’ of a single malt Scotch whisky of their own choosing at each meeting. Sample tasting and discussion ensues. While the goal is to introduce new Scotches and different tastes to SLAC members, individual palettes are often ‘stretched’ or occasionally ‘offended’. Either way, SLAC members get a tasting experience that helps them define what they like and what they don’t. In addition to expanding SLAC members’ taste experience and knowledge of various single malt whiskies, the foundation of all three SLAC groups is about promoting friendship and comradery among CLL neighbors. Sampling a ‘good’ Scotch while casually chatting with others helps SLAC members become familiar with each other beyond just recognizing his or her face. Each SLAC group is limited to 26 members because that is the number of pre-measured individual ‘pours’ available from each 750 ml bottle of Scotch, allowing a maximum of 26 ‘tastes’. While there is currently room for a few new SLAC members, a 4th SLAC group could easily be started if there were enough interest. Contact John Stevens, 2023 SLAC Club Chair (and President of SLAC II), or Ed Pallo (President of SLAC I) or Bill Pearce (President of SLAC III) to learn more.
eaten on this holiday. Purim commemorates the defeat of Haman (who wore a three-cornered hat), the advisor to the Persian king, and his plot to massacre the Jewish people, 2,500 years ago, as recorded in the biblical book of Esther. This is a fun holiday of rejoicing and wearing costumes. We hope to see everyone on Sunday, March 24th at 11 am in Cresswind Kitchen for our cookie making. We stand in support of Israel and appreciate all the good thoughts and prayers of our Cresswind Community. Am Yisroel Chai! **Annual Club dues are $10/person. Please contact Miriam Rosenberg or bring dues to the next gathering in March. We have formed a planning committee to assist in planning and organizing programs. If you are interested in helping or would like more information about the Shalom Club events, reach out to Miriam Rosenberg (grammycooks716@ gmail.com) 954-501-9249 or Karen Walters (karsuew@gmail. com) 301-461-1900.
SOCIAL SINGLES Submitted by: Barbara Hillick
SHALOM CLUB Submitted by: Miriam Rosenberg Shalom and Happy Holidays to all of our Cresswind neighbors! On Sunday, October 15th, the Shalom Club and many of our Cresswind neighbors joined Shalom B’harim synagogue and the Gainesville community for a multimedia presentation into the long and tragic history of antisemitism led by Mr. Brendan Murphy, an educator at The Marist School in Atlanta. It was an insightful and interesting presentation, and we are looking forward to a follow up program continuing this discussion in the Spring. We would like to invite all of our Cresswind neighbors to join us. In December, we celebrated Chanukah with the lighting of the menorah in the clubhouse. Afterwards, we invited our Cresswind neighbors to enjoy latkes and donuts in celebration of the holiday. Thanks to all the Shalom Club members who cooked the latkes we served, all who attended and the wonderful set up and cleanup crew and of course the committee who organized this great event! We were joined again by Rabbi Nechemia Gurevitz of Chabad of Hall County who shared insights about the holiday with us. In February, we are planning on having a “virtual” movie get together during the Annual Atlanta Jewish Film Festival. For the upcoming holiday of Purim in March, we will be having our second annual hamantaschen bake. Hamantaschen are three cornered fruit-filled cookies that are 34
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Winter is on the way but that doesn’t mean that you should stop having fun. Social Singles is just getting warmed up, so come join us. There were some great events in the fall. The spring wine tour was so successful that a fall wine tour was planned. This trip took advantage of the leaf change and a visit to the Chateau Meichtry Family Vineyards and Winery and Fainting Goat Vineyards and Winery. People even got to try their skills as winemakers. Pumpkin painting and golf cart decorating seemed to be another great excuse to get together. Social Singles was represented in the Halloween parade with a great golf cart. The witches from the golf cart ended up in the Garden with various pumpkins painted by members. The golf cart and the garden display won awards! There have been several dinners such as a Poultry Potluck which featured a representative from the Gainesville Visitors Center explaining the city’s connection to the poultry industry. Thanking veterans for their contribution to our lives and well-being with a dinner and program is a high point each year. The catered Holiday dinner rounded out the season. What a beautiful and special way to end the year. There are plans in the works for game nights January/February 2024
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WHAT’S HAPPENING and other mingles for 2024, but don’t think Social Singles is all about partying. The club tries to give back to the community as well. Good Samaritan Food Bank was the recent beneficiary of a drive to help people with toiletries and cleaning supplies. Dedicated people in the club took the boxes of goods which had been donated by members and filled their shelves. If you are single, want to meet people and get involved, join us. We appreciate new ideas and having fun with our members. Head to the Cresswind website, access the Social Singles link and share your information. You will be contacted by a member of the club to help pave your way. We look forward to meeting you!
TENNIS CLUB Submitted by: Danny Brown
We couldn’t have asked for better Fall weather to play tennis on our newly resurfaced courts. Of course, Georgia needed the rain, but we were very happy without it. It was the perfect time to play without the extreme heat or cold. Hopefully, the Winter will be kind to us, and we won’t have to bundle up too much. The Tennis Club’s Annual Meeting was held in November. We thanked board members Gerry Cieply, Donna Fillmon, and Martha Roberts for their dedication as their terms were expiring. George Corless and Ed Erkes were welcomed and voted in as new at-large board members. As of this writing, a new secretary has not yet been elected. We also engaged in a productive discussion on ways to engage more participation at our tennis events. Robert Ruhala has agreed to lead the effort to encourage more men and women, novice to intermediate players, and those returning to tennis, to join in open play. He sent out an email to determine interested players and what days and times work for them. He is looking for creative ways to entice more people to participate. Robert would like you to contact him with your suggestions, r_ruhala@yahoo.com or 770-2967969. Unfortunately, because USTA Southern will not allow women’s teams to compete on courts that contain pickleball lines, our Women’s USTA teams could not play this past Fall and will not be able to play in the Spring. Seeking competitive play, the women are exploring the opportunity to have a Senior ALTA team beginning in mid-March. They are also looking into participating in a Silverball league. In the meantime, Ladies Thursday morning Round Robin remains very active. If you would like to play, contact Judy Mota at jandjmota@msn.com. The Men’s Silverball team, captained by Dan Skeels, dan. skeels@hotmail.com, completed their season on November 13th. If you are interested in playing in the Spring, which will begin in March 2024, please contact Dan Skeels. The Men’s Wednesday evening 6 pm doubles, led by Roger Otto, raotto1@yahoo.com, plans to continue play until the evenings get too cold. On Wednesday mornings in November and 36
December, Cresswind men players were joined by other Hall County men for competitive doubles play. The Men’s 55+ USTA “open” 3.5 and up Hall County recreational league will start January 17th and continue through February 28. Bill Papciak, billpapciak@gmail.com, and John Ulam, john. ulam@yahoo.com, will each captain a team from Cresswind. Coming in mid-March will be a Men’s ALTA 55+ Doubles Team. Anyone interested in playing should contact Bill Papciak. Have you thought about coming back to playing tennis after not playing for a few years? We have just the program for you. Our FREE Clinics, led by Bill Papciak and his team of expert instructors, are open to the entire Cresswind community and can help you get back in the swing of things. These clinics are also valuable for those who want to improve their play and learn new strategies. Watch the daily update for dates and times of upcoming clinics. December is such a busy month for everyone that we decided to forgo a holiday social and instead welcome 2024 with a celebration party on January 12th. Club members provided appetizers and sweets. We didn’t realize there were such good chefs among us! Watch for invitations for this celebration and upcoming socials in the spring. For more information or questions about Tennis Club events, be sure to check out our website, https://cresswindll. wixsite.com/cwtennis. You may also contact our President Danny Brown at dannybrown58@comcast.nett to get involved.
COMMUNITY TRAVEL CLUB (CTC) Submitted by: Laurie Homa
Last year was a memorable one for our members. We enjoyed trips to Chattanooga, Jekyll Island, the Theater, and the Braves game just to mention a few, but we saved the best for the last. The Travel Club finished 2023 with a GREAT trip to Florida. Our hotel was the Historic Downtown Renaissance in St. Augustine. We enjoyed a tour of the Daytona International Speedway, the Kennedy Space Center, we saw magnificent Holiday Light Shows, and attended an authentic Polynesian Luau with a dinner show. We toured the Fountain of Youth (so please note how much younger we all came back). Our free time was spent wisely, (that means shopping and eating) and savored some delicious seafood. Our thanks to Daniels Discovery
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Invitation to All Cresswind Residents! 2024 Community Fund Annual Meeting
Members Your Annual Business Meeting, New Board Introduced, Guest Speakers! Non-Members Welcome! Learn more about the Community Fund and our 1,350 Cresswind Member-Donors
Ballroom Wednesday, January 31st 3:00 – 4:30
Please Join Us!
Pre-Meeting Information & Meeting details can be found on our website cwcfund.org. Refreshments and a Reception will be held as part of this meeting for all of us to socialize and interact with our guests.
_________________________
Thank You All for a Memorable 2023! We are Proud of What We All Did Together to Help Local Gainesville-Hall County Seniors in Need! 2023 will be remembered as a Community Fund member-active year where you gave back in many ways and reinforced the Cresswind Community Fund mission with your hard work as volunteers, generous donations, and heartfelt support of our programs. You continued to make an impressive impact on Gainesville-Hall County by meeting the needs of hundreds of Local Seniors, and the organizations that support them. Get more information on our website now, and at our Community Fund Annual Meeting Wednesday, January 31st. Please go to our website for a Year End Report highlighting all of 2023 including Funds Raised and Funds Granted.
Thank You Members – Volunteers – Donors – Sponsors You are The Spirit of Cresswind! For more information or to donate go to cwcfund.org Cresswind LL Community Fund Mission Statement: To enhance the lives of adults primarily 55 and older through charitable, educational, medical health related, and cultural opportunities in Gainesville & Hall County *The Spirit of Cresswind, Grandparents Raising Grandchildren, HELP THE HUNGRY, HELP Me Please and Cresswind LL Community Fund are service marks of Cresswind LL Community Fund. The Cresswind LL Community Fund is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Donations can be General or Restricted to a specific program and are tax deductible by law and in compliance with IRS policies. Copyright © 2024 The Cresswind LL Community Fund, Inc. All rights reserved.
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WHAT’S HAPPENING Tours from all of us. Our 2024 Season starts off with a trip to Cirque du Solei on January 14th. We will travel to Atlantic Station to be dazzled by the show ECHO. The trip is sold out, but you can sign up for the waitlist. Contact Laurie Homa at m2old4this@aol.com for more information. We have some wonderful trips planned for this year so come to the meetings and check our website to keep up with all the happenings. One hint. Our May overnight Trip has Light Houses and a Hotel on the BEACH. In February we will be touring our State’s Capitol. Our Host and Guide will be our State House Representative Matt Dubnik. We will have the opportunity to sit in on a legislative session and have lunch. Contact Pam Papciak at pamppck@aol.com for more information. Your new Travel Club board members for 2024 are Laurie Homa, President; Pam Papciak, Vice President; Rosemary Shaffer, Secretary; Mike McWhorter, Treasure; Members at large are, Robin Dickson, Terry Frey, Sue Garcia, Rosemary Smith, and Cathy Stout. Our webmaster is Tom Stagl. A huge welcome to all our new members and a big high five to those returning. Our meetings are the first Thursday of the month, from 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm in the Ballroom. All new members are welcome. The annual dues are $5.00 per person and are due by March 1, 2024. Please remember your dues must be current to join any Travel Club trips. Our website/ email is cressewind13@gmail.com or can be found on the Cresswind Website under Clubs. COME TRAVEL WITH US!
CRESSWIND LL VETERANS, INC.: Submitted by: Amy DeVillez Thanks to the great generosity of our Cresswind neighbors, our Veterans Charity annual Coat Drive was a tremendous success! In just four days, we collected approximately 177 large bags (55-gal trash bag) of coats, winter clothes, blankets, and towels, plus five boxes of books, coloring books, and CDs. This is 118 bags more than last year! With a focus on the homeless, we were able to provide clothes to Hall County area Veterans in need so they could go to their houses of prayer or look presentable when applying for jobs, as well as dress warmly this coming winter season. The books and coloring books will be enjoyed by Veterans who are in the VA hospital inpatient program. A special thank you to Dave and Jamie Dittmeier for providing the leadership for this record-breaking endeavor and to all the volunteers who gathered, bagged, and loaded up all the donated items for the six ministries and organizations who are distributing Cresswind’s donations to needy Veterans and their families. Thank you to Barb Langhans and Ted Marble for providing a pizza lunch for all our volunteers.
bedroom for her and their three children. Prior to this incident, she thought he was also working every day, but he would just leave the house and sit somewhere until it was time to go home. He was not paying the monthly bills Julie thought he was, causing them to face severe financial stress. At our last Cresswind Veterans quarterly meeting, Julie came and gave her testimony to the attendees about her family’s difficulties. Our charity then provided her with $1,000 for two months’ rent plus a $300 gift card for groceries. Several Veteran attendees were so moved they even donated their door prize gift cards to her. Also, during this meeting, we gave out three checks in the total amount of $2700, to support three food pantries. It’s what we do, helping Hall County Area Veterans and their families in need. Did you know Hall County Superior Court has a Veterans Court? Veterans Court is a felony court. Individual violators go through a two-year, intense program, in-depth treatment plan with an assigned mentor. To qualify for this program, everyone must remain drug free and be wage earning. The program’s exceedingly high success rate (and low recidivation) is often attributed to the support of mentors. Our members who volunteer to be mentors in this Superior Court program are Ron Micuch, Allan Fraser, Alice Bray, Charles Bassham, and John DeVillez. Thank you to these mentors for doing a great service for our fellow Veterans. Be on the lookout for upcoming events: January 16, 2024, is our 1st general membership meeting of 2024, March 23rd is CASINO NIGHT and April 16th is our guest speaker on new VA laws, compensation eligibility for Korean War Era, Vietnam War Era, and Gulf War Era Veterans, to include spouse compensation. Check out the Veterans Club at https://www.cresswindveterans.org/.
It’s What We Do – Food & Rent Assistance Douglas was a combat medic and served two deployments in Iraq. After coming home and moving with his family from Florida to the Gainesville, GA area, he continued to suffer from severe depression. When his children found him, after an episode of self-harm, he finally accepted help from the VA and has been under in-patient treatment at the Decatur VA hospital since August. The family lost their home and his wife Julie started working again and rented an inexpensive apartment with only one 38
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o t s r e e t n u l Vo c h n a R e l g a E Cresswind residents give back to the community in so many ways. A group of Cresswind volunteers provided meals to five homes at Eagle Ranch once a quarter. They had breakfast for all the volunteers in September and our picture was actually published in their magazine. It is a wonderful facility that does so much good for families. Thank you Cresswind!
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BREW-HA-H A
Brew-ha-ha m eets six days a week (Monday the Crow’s Nes – Saturday) at t (3rd Floor). T 8:30 – 10:00 am his is a drop in needed. Come in ev ent, no membe join in the daily rship or reserv discussions to Denny Allen do at io ns so lv e Cresswind an es such a wonde d the world issu rful job hosting the goodies pe es . Brew-ha-ha. It ople bring in as ’s a big job man well as making keeping everyt aging the coffee and hing tidy and gr hot chocolate, eeting everyone coffee or hot ch as well as who arrives. C ocolate and co ome join us fo nversation. r a cup of
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T N E D I S E R T H G I L T O SP
Submitted by: Jami & Dave Dittmeier The members of our Cresswind community are so diverse and so many have led interesting lives that we thought to offer a new column entitled “Resident Spotlight”. This column will highlight 2-3 households each issue so that residents can get to know each other better.
CHERYL AND DAVE RUSK
Cheryl and Dave Rusk have been residents of Cresswind for 7 years having moved from Flowery Branch. Cheryl had been working as a para-professional for the Gainesville City Schools and was assigned to Gainesville Elementary. She watched as the Levitt Company was building Seasons at Lake Lanier which eventually became Cresswind at Lake Lanier. She would tour the model homes and really wanted to live in an active adult community. Prior to her employment with the Gainesville City Schools, Cheryl worked as a medical secretary. Dave, on the other hand, was employed in the restaurant industry spending 15 years with Krystal Fast Food Company where he was in personnel, training, and management development. In his position, Dave visited all 400+ Krystal restaurants in the Southeast. He retired in 2000 and then did some consulting work, woodworking, and gardening completing the Master Gardener training program in 2003. Cheryl is active in most any activity at the Clubhouse. She likes swimming, dancing, and yoga. She loves all of the activities that are available. Dave is a member of CPAC, the Cresswind Theatre, Storytelling and Liars Club. While he has “retired” from his woodworking hobbies, Dave continues his gardening activities at the Community Garden which he oversees.
SANDY & RICH ST. GEORGE
Sandy & Rich St. George have been residents of Cresswind for 8+ years having moved from Suwanee, Georgia and before that Chicago. Prior to moving to Cresswind they were both in demanding jobs and wanted to be in a fun community where they could build friendships. One day while she was grocery shopping, Sandy saw a magazine that listed 55+ communities. They began researching and Cresswind seemed to be the best fit for them. For their working careers, Rich served as a District Manager for Blockbuster Video and then worked for a Public Storage company. Sandy was employed for 30 years with AT&T and Bellsouth in various positions, but always in sales related jobs. Living in Cresswind has afforded both of them the opportunity to develop long-term relationships as both are active in CPAC and the Cresswind theater. Rich is part of the Out Past 9 band. Sandy is a member of the Welcome Committee, practices Yoga and is a member of the Investment Club. Both are actors at the hospital acting out roles and assisting in the training of doctors in residency. Rich has also been the coordinator for the Giving Tree during the Christmas season which provides toys and clothes for children whose parents can afford Christmas gifts.
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