Forest Lakes Happenings Jun 18 '09

Hello, everyone. There are lots of activities coming up and general information we wanted to share.

This Saturday morning is the Kid's Fishing Day event, being held at the pond by the old compactor site at 10AM..bring your kids, grandkids, poles and tackle for a very fun time. Also at 10AM on Saturday is the monthly Forest Lakes Fire District Board meeting, held at the Fire Station. Saturday afternoon at 2PM is the monthly FLOA Board meeting, that will be held at the Library. Can you say "my Saturday is booked"...

The big July 4th Picnic will be held on the 4th (surprise, surprise) in the lot next to the Forest Lakes Lodge. For those of you who may not have attended in the past, this is a fantastic, well attended event, that offers food, games, music, arts and crafts, T-shirts and other clothing items, activities for the kids, and just an all around great time. Hopefully we will see you there. The fun starts around 10AM, and goes on most of the day.

The weather continues to be quite cool, and the monsoon is certainly coming as well. Make sure to check the weather before you come up the mountain, and dress accordingly.

The green waste site continues to operate, and we are very pleased that more and more residents are recognizing the need to remove slash from their property and take it to the site. Hours are Tues through Saturday, 8AM -4PM, unless the weather is so wet that the mud forces the site to close. You can call the fire station 7 days a week for an update on hours. On that note, the station office is staffed through the summer on the weekends now, both Saturday and Sunday. If you have any questions, just call 535-4644.

That's all for now. Best regards,
FLOA

Forest Lakes Happenings May 26 '09

Hello, everyone. Hope that you enjoyed your Holiday weekend. Although we've had rain 9 days now and counting, a little bit of moisture didn't seem to dampen the turnout at the Memorial Day pancake breakfast. The final tally isn't in yet, but it sure seemed like attendance was good, especially based on feedback from the cooks, and the diminished stacks of T-shirts and hats at the Ladies' Auxiliary table. Many thanks to all who attended, to those who assisted, and to those who donated blood at the United Blood Services bloodmobile.

We are already making plans for the July 4th picnic, more to follow on this over the next several weeks.

Those who attended the breakfast may have noticed several new faces wearing uniforms for the Forest Lake Fire Department. These people are full time firefighters and paramedics from various departments in the Valley, and are on duty in Forest Lakes on a part time basis to ensure the Department can provide the community with 24 x 7 x 365 paramedic and firefighter/engineer coverage. We are very fortunate to have access to these individuals, who in addition to their normal duties, enhance the knowledge exchange process and assist with training of local personnel. Also, as only part time employees of our Department, they are compensated at flat hourly rates between $10-$15/hour, provide their own meals and transportation, and are covered for benefits paid from their primary departments in the Valley. I think most people would agree that the value the community receives from their presence is well worth this investment. Don't hesitate to stop by the Fire Station and introduce yourself.

Other news at the Fire Department is that the office will now be staffed 7 days a week, at least through the summer season. This is to provide residents with resources they may need on the weekends, including information regarding burn permits, etc. The office will be staffed from 8AM to 4PM.

The other big news recently has been the reappearance of at least one adult bear in the community. No one can say for sure if it is the same animal from last year, but its habits seem to be very familiar, namely, rummaging through garbage pails. Sightings have occurred on both the far south side, as well as along Larson Loop on the north side. Needless to say, please take appropriate precautions, namely, keep small animals inside at night, and secure your trash as best you can.

Cheryl Rife at the Library wants everyone to know that she went on a shopping spree last week, and the Library is stocked with lots of new books and DVD's. Stop by to say Hi and browse if you get a chance.

Best regards,
FLOA

Updated 6/20/2009