Pumpkins, Pumpkins, Pumpkins!

A Harkness pre-schooler from Diane Franco's class showing his appreciation for the pumpkin patch.

Thanks to Jim Durst of Durst Organic Growers for supplying this fall bounty

to the students of Harkness Elementary School.

A Harkness Pumpkin Patch



 

In October, early grade classes studied the pumpkin life cycle culminating in a field trip to the Keema Family Pumpkin Farm in Hood, California last Friday. When the young ones returned to campus with pumpkins in hand, other students were disappointed not to have their own pumpkins. But, thanks to the swift work of Harkness PTO President Tommy Greer, volunteers Bruce Brummett (GCTENA board member), and Rudy Smith, a portion of the Harkness playground was converted into a pumpkin patch, complete with scarecrows and hay bales. On October 28th - 29th, every scholar took home one of the 450 pumpkins generously donated by Jim Durst of Durst Organic Growers.  Much appreciation to everyone involved.  Thanks to Principal Tiffany Smith-Simmons for the photos and the information included in this post.


Useful Links

From time to time we add a Tab Page to this site.  Check out Useful Links to find easy access to all kinds of local, state, and federal information.

Annual GCTENA Board Election - Thursday, November 21st

Paula's picture from the October 9th Board Meeting
shows members engaged in the issues.

Each November the membership of the Neighborhood Association elect eight of the sixteen-member board of directors for a two-year term.  The board meets the second Wednesday of each month at the Sacramento Executive Airport to conduct association business and address ongoing community issues.  The Board consists of four standing committees that:

• Support our neighborhood resources and institutions 
• Publish and deliver the quarterly newsletter 
• Organize Neighborhood Watch
• Address blight nuisance, health, and safety concerns 
• Choose monthly “Yards of the Month” and annual “Holiday Lights” winners 
• Welcome new neighbors 
• Advocate for neighborhood interests at public policy meetings among many other things. 

Consider working with the Board and/or joining a committee (Community Services, Fund Raising, Neighborhood Concerns, Nuisance Abatement/ Neighborhood Watch).  You can also get complete details on our About Us page at the tab above. 

#NPLD20 - Chorley Park - Pictures

For more pictures click here.

 

 

A Perfect Morning in Chorley Park



Here's an impressionistic look at Chorley Park during our fall clean-up last Saturday, September 28th. With the energetic volunteers, we finished early so we had time to chat, enjoy the blissful sunshine, and savor our accomplishments. Well done everyone!

See You Saturday, September 28th!

Another Beautiful Yard of the Month!

Here's our neighborhood's other Yard of the Month for September 2013.  This home is on Monifieth Way.

Yard of the Month - September 2013

Looks like a beautiful spring day but it's actually the beginning of fall in our GCTE neighborhood.  This lovely home and yard on 60th Avenue is one of two selected in September and among several selected since our Yard of the Month project resumed. Thanks, June, for your keen and persistent eye.


September 28th Chorley Park Clean-up

Chorley Park Clean-up: #NPLD20

Celebrate the 20th Anniversary of National Public Lands Day on Saturday, September 28, 2013 by volunteering for the Chorley Park adopt-a-park event, 9am - 12noon.  Our event is nationally recognized.  Check us out here at the #NPLD20 site.

Tools will be supplied; refreshments provided.  Our last event was a lot of fun.  Don't miss this opportunity to volunteer with your neighbors - 9:00am to 12noon.


Check out the Chorley Park Volunteers tumblr here. 

September 17th - Celebrate Constitution Day!

Click here for National Constitution Day Resources.

Download a printable copy of the US Constitution here. 

Mosquitos Remain A Problem - West Nile Virus Is Still A Threat

Although Labor Day has come and gone, we still need to fight the bite.  The threat of West Nile Virus remains.  See recent press release here. 

Other award winning 2013 fight the bite contest winners are here.
This illustration was drawn by Damion Saechao of Elder Creek Elementary School.

Recent Statistics:

Sacramento County: 3 humans, 135 dead birds and 311 mosquito samples, 3 horses, 3 chickens have tested positive for West Nile virus to date.
Yolo County: 3 humans, 75 dead birds, 216 mosquito samples, 6 chickens have tested positive for West Nile virus to date

Sacramento-Yolo Mosquito & Vector Control District reminds us to:

Practice the District D’s of Mosquito Prevention:
DRAIN standing water that may produce mosquitoes.
DAWN and DUSK are times to avoid being outdoors.
DRESS appropriately be wearing long sleeves and pants when outside.
DEFEND yourself by using an effective insect repellent. Make sure to follow label directions!
DOOR and window screens should be in good working condition.
DISTRICT personnel are also available to address any mosquito problems. Call us at 800-429-1022 or visit www.FIGHTtheBITE.net

Last Week's General Membership Meeting

On Thursday, August 29, 2013, our general membership meeting covered a lot of ground.  We heard a welcome from new Harkness Elementary School Principal Tiffany Smith-Simmons.  We heard from our city councilmember Jay Schenirer who addressed a recent letter from Member-At-Large Ernie Lehr.  The letter asked about ongoing neighborhood code  enforcement issues regarding two blighted properties specifically and how to deal with the problem in general.  Jay discussed projects he was sponsoring involving student leadership and took questions from the audience.  Sign-up to get Jay's monthly district 5 newsletter and view archive editions by clicking here.

Board Member Glora recognized the thirty newsletter volunteers who edit, coordinate, and distribute our quarterly publication.  More about this will be under the Newsletter Tab Page.

We also heard from Nextdoor Field Organizer Zoe Kipping about the social networking site. 

And, we honored our Yard-of the-Month winners and heard neighbors's views on crime, safety, solid waste pick-up, traffic calming, and mosquito abatement.  Get the meeting's agenda here.


Save the date - Thursday, November 21, 2013 for our final general meeting of the year.



 

An hour before the meeting, parents and students were introduced to community services and programs by teachers and volunteers. Also, everyone enjoyed ice cream.

Board Member Graciela distributes free clothing and passes out California Poppy seeds.

 

 

Are you using Nextdoor?

 

Several Golf Course Terrace Estates neighbors have started to use the Nextdoor social media site to connect with each other.  You may receive an invitation via email in the near future but if you don't you can sign up by accessing this link.  Just follow directions.  You must live in the neighborhood to participate.  Communication is secure and you can choose how to participate.  Here's information from the official Nextdoor website that details what it's all about:
 

What is Nextdoor

 

Please note: Nextdoor Golf Course Terrace is a private website created by you and your neighbors, and supported by our company, Nextdoor, Inc. Learn more about Nextdoor, Inc. below.

 

Nextdoor is the private social network for you, your neighbors and your community. It's the easiest way for you and your neighbors to talk online and make all of your lives better in the real world. And it's free.

 

Thousands of neighborhoods are already using Nextdoor to build happier, safer places to call home.

People are using Nextdoor to:

• Quickly get the word out about a break-in
• Organize a Neighborhood Watch Group
• Track down a trustworthy babysitter
• Find out who does the best paint job in town
• Ask for help keeping an eye out for a lost dog
• Find a new home for an outgrown bike
• Finally call that nice man down the street by his first name

Nextdoor's mission is to bring back a sense of community to the neighborhood, one of the most important communities in each of our lives.

 

August 2013 GCTENA Newsletter

Look for your quarterly newsletter for August 2013 to be delivered to your door soon. You can also download a copy here. We thank the dozens of neighborhood volunteers who make each issue possible - from our editor Joyce Abel to our contributors and those who deliver door-to-door!  For past issues, click here. 

 

Recycle Schedule Changes

As of July 1, 2013, the City of Sacramento's blue recycle bin pick-up schedule has changed. Our Golf Course Terrace Estates neighborhood is designated as "A" so if you put out your bin on "B" week it will be left there.  It's taking awhile to get used to the new schedule but we will there before you know it.  You can get a text or email reminder from the City and a calendar for solid waste pick-up including recycling by clicking here.

Annual Ice Cream Social & Neighborhood Meeting - August 29th, 7pm

You're invited to our annual Ice Cream Social and General Meeting.  We will welcome new Harkness Principal Tiffany Smith-Simmons; find out more about the social media site called Nextdoor; celebrate newsletter volunteers, and much more.  Meet your neighbors at Harkness Elementary School, 54th Avenue and Hogan Drive at 7:00pm.

 

National Night Out in Golf Course Terrace Estates Neighborhood

Tuesday, August 6, 2013 was the 30th Anniversary of National Night Out; the Lehrs hosted their neighbors for ice cream, cupcakes, and homegrown peaches - Delish!  What a great neighborhood.
 

Get your Free Water Wise House Call

After our May 2013 General Meeting, several GCTE neighbors scheduled house calls; they were happy with the results and would recommend the service to everyone.

Call or email 311 or phone 916 264 5011 to schedule.  

A Trained Water Conservation Specialist will visit your home or business to identify potential water savings.

• Indoors, they'll check appliances and plumbing fixtures for water leaks and measure the flow rate of faucets and showerheads.

• Outdoors, they'll test the irrigation system and look for leaks or broken sprinkler heads, discuss how much water your landscape really needs to be healthy, and help set your irrigation timer.

Get spare the water tips here.

Click here to find out more about the free water wise services from the City of Sacramento.