Good afternoon, Team LMOA!
This week staff met with event volunteers to kick off the planning of 15 Independence Day Celebrations events and initiatives. As you may know, our 4th of July traditions are managed by staff and driven by dedicated volunteers. We are grateful to have them on our team! The last two years have illustrated that our population is growing and so is the popularity of our July 4th programming. Due to the growing number of participants, a few minor changes are needed to ensure safety. We will communicate these once we have worked out the details. One major change that is unavoidable is our firework display: this will take place on Sunday, July 2, 2023. We were unable to book fireworks for the 4th because the price for this day has become too expensive. Other than that, the schedule will look something like this (times TBD):
Saturday, July 1
- Boat Parade
Sunday, July 2
- Sandcastle Contest
- Children’s Games
- Pool Games
- Horseshoes
- Wildlife Committee Crafts
- Cornhole
- Pickleball
- Pool Party
- Fireworks
Monday, July 3
- No Events
Tuesday, July 4
- 5k
- Kids Putting Contest
- Swim Across the Lake
- Patriotic Skiers
- Car Parade
We look forward to working with the volunteers to make this another memorable community experience!
Campground: Did you know LMOA owns 44 acres on Lake Monticello Road? The property called “The Campground” is currently used to store boats, campers, trailers, etc. of LMOA Members. As you know, LMOA is looking for ways to increase revenue. LMOA Staff, the Board of Directors, and the Community Develop Committee are taking a hard look at the Campground’s potential. We will have news on that research soon. Meanwhile, we appreciate the ideas we are receiving from countless members on how to alleviate some financial challenges we face. Thank you!
Spring Yard Sale & Bulk Trash: LMOA in partnership with GFL is providing Bulk Trash Pickup during the week of Earth Day, April 17 – 21. Please click HERE for the rules and excluded items. On Saturday, April 15, we will hold LMOA’s community-wide yard sale. We will have a sign-up sheet soon so that we can communicate your participation – please wait for that email, we will send it in the next week or so. Speaking of yard sales, our neighbors at 4 Deepwater Point will host a “Name Your Price” charity yard sale on Saturday, March 25, from 9 AM – 1 PM. The multi-family yard sale benefits the Lake Monticello Community Foundation.
All-Inclusive Playground: TheLake Monticello Community Foundation is ready to break ground at Lafayette Park! Groundbreaking for the All-Inclusive Playground starts at 10 AM on Friday, March 17. The Lake Monticello Community Foundation, which is funding upgrades to the Lafayette playground, has come close to collecting the $100K needed to purchase special equipment and landscaping. It expects to collect the rest through fundraisers this spring, says LMCF President Nancy Parsons. Participants in the groundbreaking are to include LMOA President Larry Henson, Fluvanna County Supervisor Tony O’Brien, Del. Robert Bell, who is a contributor to the project, and Nancy Parsons. We commend the foundation for working so hard on raising funds for this meaningful initiative.
Culverts: Our Field Inspector Henry Owen is currently focusing on drainage issues. He would like to remind folks to clear culverts and ditches of leaves to prevent anyone from receiving a violation letter. According to LMOA policy, property owners are required to “clean out the culvert pipe and the adjacent ditch, from property line to property line, of dirt, leaves, and debris.” This rule is important because it keeps leaves out of our Lake, thus promoting Lake health and supporting our ongoing dredging efforts. Thank you for doing your part to keep the Lake healthy!
Low-Speed Vehicles: If you are looking to buy a low-speed vehicle this spring, please make sure you don’t accidentally purchase a golf cart. Golf carts are not street legal. Learn the difference HERE.
Protect the Deer: Chronic Wasting Disease (CDW) – a fatal neurological disease of deer, elk, and moose – is spreading through Virginia. The disease has not been shown to pose a health risk to humans or domestic animals, but the potential impact on Virginia’s white-tailed deer populations is a concern. It is transmitted through the saliva, feces, and urine of infected deer. Feeding the deer may seem harmless, but it encourages them to gather in one area and feed from a shared bucket, heap or trough. In this scenario, an infected deer would spread the disease quicker when it comes in contact with multiple deer at once. Feeding deer is prohibited year-round within twenty-five miles of a CWD detection. Effective immediately, Augusta and Fluvanna counties are added to the year-round feeding ban due to the location of the positive detection within Madison County. This means it is now a violation of state law to feed deer in Fluvanna County. Thank you for understanding. Read the press release HERE.
St Patrick’s Day Fun: Join us this Sunday for YRF’s Treasure Hunt and visit our clubhouse this coming week for other St. Patrick’s Day events. Visit the Plan Your Month tab at lmoa.news for an overview HERE!
Have a great weekend!
-Tom Schauder, LMOA General Manager
