2016 MNW HOA Board of Directors Election Results

The election for the contested positions on the MNW HOA BOD was concluded on October 3, 2016 and the results were announced at the Membership meeting at 7 PM on October 4, 2016.

Unfortunately, turn-out was low with only 154 ballots cast. However, a big ‘THANK YOU’ to those homeowners who took the effort to participate. Of the 154 ballots cast, not all voted for both of the two contested positions. Thus, the final tally for each office is a tad less than 154.

The official results of the election are:

TREASURER:

Jamie Deloatche                  106 votes
Troy Spencer                                    35   “

3RD VICE PRESIDENT

Judy Gordon                                     116 votes
Hana Taha                                    24   “
James Tran                                    11   “

Congratulations are in order to Jamie and Judy and a very big thanks Troy, Hana and James for volunteering to run for the offices and the responsibilities involved. We urge Troy, Hana and James (and all homeowners) to become active in the neighborhood by volunteering for any of the several committees currently active in the administration of the HOA. A call or e-mail to Greg Schindler, President, would yield more information on these committees and opportunities available.

Finally, in the uncontested positions, three current Board members volunteered to serve another term and two members volunteered for uncontested positions. These are:

Secretary: Michelle Eubank, Current Board Member
Area 1 Director: Alan Blankenship, New Board Member
Area 3 Director: Gerome D’Anna, Current Board Member
Area 5 Director: Bryan Thomas, Current Board Member
Area 7 Director: Vincent D’Anna, New Board Member

Our heartiest congratulations and thanks to these Board members.

Fifty-One Memorial Northwest Residents Participate in Annual Tennis Summer League

For the third year in a row, Dave Brassard has organized, officiated and managed an adult tennis summer league where only Memorial Northwest residents participate.  

At the end of May, David began the league by communicating to all who had participated in the past and posting on the message board by the tennis pro’s office. This summer league will began June 6.  The schedule for playing your opponent is flexible- meaning you can schedule your match with your opponent anytime of the day or night during the week you are scheduled to play as long as all agree.  Understanding that vacations happen – scheduling is flexible- play before you go or when you come back.  This year, so many residents of different levels participated – warranting an upper and lower division!  There is a Women’s Doubles, Men’s Doubles A and B, Mixed Doubles A and B, Men’s Singles A and B.  

The last week of play will be August 8, with playoffs to begin the week of August 15.  All who played, along with family and friends, will get together August 20th to watch a finals match, awards ceremony and socialize at the BBQ.  If you are interested in participating in the summer league next year, please contact Dave Brassard at dbrassard1@att.net

Looking for Ladies to play Singles!

The Ladies Monday Night Tennis Team needs a lady to play singles for our team of ladies who play on the NHTA league, Monday nights. League stars in September and the format is 1 line of singles and 4 lines of doubles. You must be out of high school and live in Memorial Northwest. Please contact Sandy Brassard at sandybrassard@att.net

What Does it Take to Get Yard of the Month?

For over thirty years now, the Memorial Northwest Ladybugs Garden Club has been consistently judging Yard of the Month for several strong reasons.  The award promotes excellent landscaping, colorful gardening, and the subdivision’s remarkable curb appeal.  The promotion of the award has remained as steady as the purposes have remained.  Often, the Ladybugs publish in the Memorial Northwest Newsletter the special criteria for earning the Yard of the Month award. You will find those careful, longstanding guidelines listed below along with their point values.

  1. General Appearance: Grass mowed and edged, weed free, green with no brown grass: = 20 pts.
  2. Beds cleaned and edged: = 10pts.
  3. Walks, driveways, and curbs edged and swept: = 10pts.
  4. Shrubs neatly pruned: = 10pts.
  5. Color contrast: = 10 pts.
  6. General neatness: Garbage cans out of sight; no toys, bikes etc. on front lawn; hoses rolled up; air conditioners hidden by shrubs, etc.: = 20 pts.
  7. Overall landscape design in keeping with the architecture of the house: = 10 pts.
  8. The front lawn has a discernable, intentionally balanced landscape design: = 10pts.

Reminders: A yard cannot win more than once per year. A house with a “For Sale” sign is not eligible to win.  A house cannot win with a boat or R.V. in the driveway. (This is a deed restriction.  Those items have to be hidden behind a fence.)

Each judge uses this list every time she takes her turn in judging.  With about 25 women in the Garden club, you can see why each member has to take two turns in the judging of over 2000 homes in our neighborhood.  This year the Ladybugs have decided to judge the months of September, October, and November, and then the months of March, April, and May of next year.  December is in a class by itself because the club does not use these same criteria for judging the Christmas award.  As you know, the neighborhood yards are too dimly lighted to judge the grass and flower beds, so the judges for the Christmas Award are primarily looking at lights and theme decorations that the judges can see from their cars. 

Each month of the September to May Garden Club year, the members sign up for the months that they can serve as YOM judges.  This judging system insures that the same people will not do the judging every month. The system also spreads the responsibility for choices around to help eliminate any biases that could possibly exist.  The subdivision is always divided into three separate sections for judging YOM, so that no team has to judge all 2000 homes in one day. The two-member teams have five days to do the judging, starting on the first day of each month going to the fifth day, giving the ladies flexibility with their personal schedules.  On judging day, the Ladybugs teams drive down each and every street of their assigned section first selecting the strongest competitors and writing those addresses down. Then, the judges make a second sweep, comparing those three or four strong contenders more carefully.  At this time, when the selected houses are so impressive, the judges take a harder look to see if any one of the limited selections is a clear winner.  Really, when all the criteria have been met by all of the potential “winners,” the subject of “color” usually comes up.  Most often, the addition or “color” to the already excellent yards will decide the final YOM winner.

Remember, this same judging system is being used in all three sections so that each month three first-place awards are actually given, and three equally stunning yards are photographed for our MNW Newsletter.  Most of the time, the competition is severe because there are so many high quality landscaped yards in our neighborhood.  When you win this coveted award, your household is not eligible to win until one year later. This “fairness” rule has been a longstanding one in the club. The reason for it is that we want to pass the praises out to as many different homes as possible to accomplish our mission of encouragement. The whole point of Yard of the Month awarding is to compliment you for maintaining such wonderfully groomed front yards. When you win this award, you will receive a $25.00 gift card from Plants for All Seasons on Louetta.  You will also stand as a shining example to every house on your street.  By looking at your award winning yard, your neighbors will see clearly for themselves what it take to win Yard of the Month in Memorial Northwest.

Triceps Extension

Triceps Extension

By: Brandon Ivey

IFA Certified Trainer

Main Muscle: Triceps

1. Grab a dumbbell and either sit on a military press bench or a utility bench that has a back support on it

2. Bring the dumbbell over your head so that the whole arm is perpendicular to the floor and next to your head. The dumbbell should be above you. The other hand can be kept fully extended to the side, by the waist, supporting the upper arm that has the dumbbell or grabbing a fixed surface.

3. Slowly lower the dumbbell behind your head as you hold the upper arm stationary. Inhale as you perform this movement and pause when your triceps are fully stretched.

4 Return to the starting position by flexing your triceps as you breathe out. Tip: It is important that only the forearm moves. The upper arm should remain still at all times stationary next to your head.

Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions and switch arms.