OUTREACH COMMITTEE COMMUNITY REPORT
By Chairperson Erin McMahon

I would like to thank everyone who participated in our two charity events over the last three months. We were able to supply a number of items to LetsGiveBack.org. This organization supplies backpacks to families with children at Inova Fairfax Hospital. The backpacks contain essential items needed during stressful and potentially long hospital stays. I would also like to thank everyone who donated books to the Loudoun Library . They were able to raise $41,000 at the used book sale this year; the proceeds will be used to benefit the libraries of Loudoun County.

We are pleased to be starting our newest charity initiative. We are partnering with the Loudoun Emergency Homeless Shelter to provide and serve dinner for the shelter's 40 residents on a monthly basis. This is a way for Belmont to give back to the community and is an excellent opportunity to be involved in a meaningful way with those in need. This is open to individuals, families, and children. Our first two dates are July 29th and August 23rd.

We welcomed 37 new families to Belmont Country Club this quarter! A welcome reception was held at the Hunt Civic Center on Wednesday, June 25th. It was a great pleasure to meet the new residents that were able to attend. The next New Resident Meeting is scheduled for Thursday, September 25th at 7pm in the Hunt Civic Center.

The Outreach Committee is happily sponsoring two events for all of the teens in the neighborhood. The first event is for our High School students and will take place on August 20th from 8pm -10pm at the Belmont Pool. The second, for our Middle School Students, will take place on August 27th and will also be held at the Belmont pool from 8pm to 10pm. These events are FREE and non-resident friends are welcome to attend. It should be a fun night, there will be music, pizza and activities, please encourage your teens to attend.

The first annual Belmont Day has been scheduled for September 20th from 4-9:30 pm! All activities will be held on the fields located next to the HOA office. This is a day to celebrate our neighborhood, get people out to meet each other and to have fun while doing so. From 4:00-7:00 there will be various activities for children of all ages. From 7:00-9:30 there will be a concert with the band Jumptown performing. Jumptown features our very own Belmont resident, Tim Perrott. Bring a blanket or lawn chair and enjoy the music. No alcohol is permitted at the concert. CMC, the management company of the Community Association provided us with a grant to make Belmont Day possible. We are very thankful for the grant and are looking forward to an awesome event.

This November we will be hosting a Veterans Day reception to honor Belmont's many active and retired military personnel. It will be held on Wednesday, November 12th from 5:30-7:30 pm in the main Ballroom at the Manor House. Complimentary refreshments will be served. More details will be provided as we get closer to the event.

The outreach committee is still in need of two permanent members. We are also open to volunteers who would just like to help with a specific event. We meet on the first Tuesday of each month at 10am in the Hunt Civic Center. If you would like to participate please contact us via email at outreach@belmonthoa.org.

Belmont Village Signs Painting

The Board of Directors recently approved a contractor to paint the village entrance signs throughout Belmont. The repairs are scheduled to begin this week and will be ongoing throughout the course of the next 30 days. During this time, residents will notice the signs removed from the village entrances. We appreciate in advance, everyone's patience throughout this project as it will improve the aesthetics of our great community.

Winter Decorations Detail

The winter season is quickly approaching! Most communities surrounding Belmont celebrate the winter months with festive decorations and lighting displays. Many of our residents have requested over the years that we decorate our community for the winter season. Over the last few months, the Grounds and Facilities Committee has been researching various decoration and lighting options for Belmont as a way to celebrate this wonderful season together as a community.

The following is a detailed description of the proposed decorations.

The pictures shown are of similar design to the proposed project.

Community Tree

The large Zelkova tree in the traffic circle will be adorned with white light sheeting wrapped along the trunk and the main branches. Community Zelkova Tree will have up lighting that will reflect lighting to commemorate the lights associated with faith traditions within our community. These colored lights will be activated during those time periods that are significant to those faiths.

 

Gates and Entrances

The main gate will have a tasteful combination of fresh live and artificial garland and wreaths with natural elements. White lighting will be incorporated within the garland draped along the brick monuments and the Crepe Myrtle trees down the center entrance drive will be wrapped. The six light posts will also be graced with hanging baskets with fresh greenery.

South Gate & West Gate’s monument signs (brick structures) will be draped with artificial garland wrapped with white lights. The crape myrtles’ trunks that frame the drive will also be wrapped with white lights. The pillars at the main entrance signs will have fresh wreaths decorated with natural elements.

The monument signs at the following neighborhoods; The Greens, The Meadows, The Chase, The Hunt & The Ridges will have artificial garland with white lights and the pillars will be decorated with fresh wreathes with natural elements.

This project will also require electrical work on the monument signs (brick signs at each entrance) of our exterior neighborhoods to make this lighting possible. This portion will provide permanent GFI outlets at each location that needs it. (Currently, these monuments only have 220 volt service which precludes us from installing fixtures that use 110 volt current . The outcome of this electrical work will give us the ability to install in the future other fixtures for other projects that may be of interest to the community.

The decorations and lighting will be installed or activated each year by November 25th and will be taken down by January 8th.  The lights will be on a timer and will turn on at dusk each day and turn off at dawn each morning.

 

Money Magazine Rates Leesburg as #4 Best Place to Live

Our secret is out!  Money Magazine rated Leesburg, VA as #4 on their list of the Top 100 Places to Live.  They rated it based on the following:

These terrific small towns stand out in the qualities American families care about most - great job opportunities, top-notch schools, safe streets, economic strength, nice weather, plenty to do, and more...

http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/bplive/2011/index.html

The Belmont Women's Golf Association is very pleased to be hosting the 9th annual Rally For The Cure 9 Hole Golf Scramble on Sunday, September 18, 2011. Participants are members and residents of Belmont Country Club. We would be most appreciative of any donation or sponsorship you are willing to provide. All monies raised through donations and sponsorships will go directly to The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.

There are several ways to join in supporting the cause.

• If you as an individual, your business, or even a group of Belmont neighbors are interested in Hole Sponsorships, your donation entitles you to FREE advertising on a golf hole. Your name or business identification and contact information will be clearly displayed. Each Rally For The Cure golf participant will view this information while enjoying their golf outing. Additionally, your name will be included in our Event Program. Your level of Sponsorship will be prominently noted on both the sign and in the Event Program. You can also sponsor a hole in honor of or in remembrance of a loved one who was touched by cancer.
• Platinum Hole Sponsorship: $300 or more
• Gold Hole Sponsorship: $200
• Pink Hole Sponsorship: $100
• If you have any gift certificates or new merchandise to donate they will be given away as part of the Rally fundraising raffle. The donating individual/merchant will be recognized in our Event Program and acknowledged during the raffle.
• Come and play a fun round of golf, buy raffle tickets, and participate in 50/50 drawing. All levels of golfers can play or come join us for the dinner, celebration and auction following the 9 hole round of golf. You can sign up at the Pro Shop.

We have enjoyed great success in the past with the Sponsorship and Raffle due to your generosity and that of our neighbors and local merchant. Last year, thanks to the participation of so many, we raised over $22,000! We greatly appreciate any and all support you are able to give to the cause of finding a cure for Breast Cancer and thank you for your consideration.

For more information, please contact Dawn Mies-Keyes, Chairperson at (703)723-3344

Gate Survey Coming to an Inbox Near You...

The Board of Directors has worked with the Safety and Technology Committees to develop a survey about the gates in Belmont Community Association.   The survey is asking for evaluations of the current gate technology as well as the Front Gate Guard Staff.  

The Technology Committee is busy doing the final checks and it will be released soon.  Look for it!

Operation Firefly Grand Finale Event is Saturday, August 13th

Everyone is invited to the Operation Firefly Grand Finale Family Event on Saturday, August 13 at Frying Pan Farm Park in Herndon, Virginia, from 4:00 - 6:00 p.m. where we will celebrate our contribution to important research about fireflies in our community!

Bring a picnic and enjoy family play time and science learning...

• Interact with the newest "Museum Without Walls" exhibit, "Great Shakes: Understanding Earthquake Basics"
• Learn about environmental stewardship from the Museum of Science, Boston's firefly expert Don Salvatore
• Sing along with Ryan Buckle & Friends ("Science You Can Sing To")
• Enjoy refreshments after your picnic dinner from our friends at Whole Foods Market

Information Meeting on Proposed Middle School Near Newton-Lee

Loudoun County will be holding an Information Session on the proposed Middle School to be built next to Newton-Lee Elementary School.  It will be held this Thursday, July 28, 2011 at 06:30 PM at the LCPS Administration Building, Room 100A (21000 Education Court, Ashburn, VA).

Click Here to See Slides

From the Loudoun County Public Schools Website:

[The meeting will be held] to review the proposed MS-6, Ashburn area middle school to be co-located with the Newton-Lee Elementary School. A Zoning Concept Plan Amendment application (ZCPA 2011-0006) has been filed to allow a middle school and recreational facilities on 42.30 acres of land located in the southern portion of the community of Belmont. The site is more particularly identified as MCPI 115-28-0837 and 115-17-9052, situated south of Gloucester Parkway, north of the W&OD Trail, east of single family attached homes in Belmont, the Chase at Belmont and a vacant R-1 zoned property. The site is west of Claiborne Parkway and is situated within the Broad Run Election District.

The purpose of the meetings is to share information with the surrounding community on the proposed sites. We understand that many families are traveling during the summer months. If you are unable to attend, please do not hesitate to contact our office for further information. In addition, there is a PowerPoint project summary for each site on the LCPS website (www.lcps.org) under the Quick Link for Planning and Legislative Services. The boundary process for these schools will take place approximately one year prior to opening.

New Children's Science Center Firefly Program

The Children’s Science Center is a interactive children’s museum being planned for Northern Virginia focused on math and science. Before we open our doors, though, we have spent the past few years working toward our goal to make science and math cool again through our “Museum without Walls” program. You may have seen us at one of the community events throughout Northern Virginia where we have provided engaging, science-focused activities for children ages 2-12.

The Children's Science Center is managing Operation Firefly, a summer program that invites children and families to become Citizen Scientists to help count fireflies throughout Northern Virginia. Firefly populations have been inconsistent in recent years and they may be fast disappearing from the earth due to environmental changes. The Children’s Science Center, in partnership with the Museum of Science, Boston, and researchers at Tufts University and Fitchburg State College, have teamed up to help observe and track firefly populations in our local area. Together, we hope to make an impact on vital research needed to learn how to protect fireflies and become good stewards of the environment.

The program will run now through July 31, 2011. Participants are asked to choose a day of the week to observe fireflies for 10 minutes in the evening, record their observations and upload the information to the Firefly Watch database. The Website also contains information and tips on observing fireflies.

Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy Presents "Batty About Bats!"

Batty About Bats!

Wednesday, July 20, 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 pm.

Broadlands Community Center, 43008 Waxpool Rd, Broadlands

Join The Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy as they welcome Leslie Sturges of Bat World NOVA and learn about the fascinating world of nature’s only flying mammals and their important role in our ecosystem. Loudoun County is home to seven species of bats, some of which are common and some rare. After the lecture we will walk around the community center and eavesdrop on bats’ ultrasonic calls as they forage for bugs. This free, family program is co-sponsored by Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy and the Broadlands Wildlife Habitats Committee.

Questions? Contact Laura McGranaghan at lmcgranaghan@loudounwildlife.org

Ashburn Community Outreach Project Survey

(The following text is from a Loudoun County Press Release)

Loudoun County wants to hear about your perceptions of living and working in the Ashburn.  Following the success of previous outreach efforts, the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors has initiated the Ashburn Community Outreach Project. 

The purpose of the project is to conduct a dialogue with citizens of the Ashburn community in order to identify neighborhood and community-wide priorities and to develop recommended strategies to aid in future planning.   The project will include a process that is both comprehensive and inclusive and will conclude with a consensus report given to the Board of Supervisors in the first quarter of 2012. 

The project has launched a survey to gather citizen input.  Surveys will be collected through the end of August and the results will be released in the fall.  
 

Take the Survey

The surveys are part of a number of public participation activities planned to gather citizen input as part of the project, including interactive public workshops in the fall.   You can stay connected to the project by sending a message to ashburn.outreach@loudoun.gov with a request to be added to the Ashburn Network e-mail list.  

 

This is an important effort in the growth and development of Ashburn.  We encourage you to take part in this survey

-Belmont Board of Directors

Registration for the 4th Annual Kailee's Run is Now Open

Registration is now open for the 4^th annual Kailee’s run.  It will be held Saturday, October 2nd on the property of the National Conference Center (the old Xerox property) in Leesburg, VA.  This year there will be a “5K Walk/Run” as well as a “1 mile Fun Run”, please check the website for prices and details related to children racers (please note that the 1 mile Fun Run is not timed). 

Come out and support Kailee Vance, a student at Newton-Lee Elementary School who has battled cancer, and now wants to give back to those that gave to her.   Kailee will be participating in the 5K this year!

Click here to register today and help us beat their goal of over 1,000 participants!  Check out their Facebook Fan Page: Kailee’s 5K run/walk Facebook page.

Recreation Center Pool Hours, Summer 2011

Be sure to follow www.twitter.com/belmonthoa.  The Pool Staff will tweet unexpected closings.

Saturday May 28th - Thursday June 16th
Monday - Friday: 3:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Saturday & Sunday: 11:00 am - 8:00 pm

Friday June 17th - Monday September 5th
Everyday: 11:00 am - 8:00 pm

September 10th, 11th, 17th, 18th
Weekends: 11:00 am - 8:00 pm

Loudoun Preservation Society 19th Century Baseball Day

Enjoy baseball in a new "Old" Way!

Sunday, June 12th, 2011
10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Oatlands Historic House & Gardens
Leesburg, Virginia
Two games and family fun events!

Potomac Nines vs. Elkton Eclipse
Teams play by the rules and customs of the 1860's
No gloves, helmets or catching gear
Authentic replica uivorms and equipment

Read More...

Proceeds benefit the Loudoun Preservation Society's Grant Program

Congressman Frank Wolf to Headline Lyme Awareness Program on May 5th

Our Savior's Way Lutheran Church, located at 43115 Waxpool Road in Ashburn, welcomes the Loudoun community to a Lyme Disease Awareness program on Thursday, May 5, 2011 from 7:00 to 9:30 PM.

Congressman Frank Wolf, the co-sponsor of legislation to expand efforts for the prevention, education, treatment and research of Lyme disease, will open the program featuring a special showing of the award-winning documentary Under Our Skin. Local expert Samuel Shor, MD, FACP, a member of Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell's Lyme Disease Task Force will present information and answer questions. Given the descriptive nature of the movie we ask that only adults attend.

Click for More Information

Loudoun County Lyme Disease Website

Belmont Resident Sean O'Keefe to Speak at St. David's

Saturday, March 26 • 9:00am - 12:00pm

St. David's Episcopal Church

43600 Russell Branch Parkway

All men are welcome to attend a Journey of Faith for Men on Saturday, March 26 from 9am - Noon. Special guest and speaker Sean O'Keefe, a member of St. David's, will share his incredible journey of faith where he and his son sustained serious injures and survived a plane crash in Alaska. Please join us in a time of reflection on your own journey of faith.

http://www.sdlife.org/Current-Articles/A-Journey-in-Faith-for-Men 

Board of Directors Meeting is This Thursday

The next Board of Directors Meeting is this Thursday, December 16th at 7:00PM in The Hunt Civic Center.  This will be the first meeting with the newly elected Directors.  All owners and residents are welcome to attend. 

The winners of the recent election are shown on the right, Alan Robbins, Ruthann Rebich, Katie Ayres and Gary Kyle.

Santa Claus is Coming Through Belmont Tonight! (Sat)

Santa Claus is coming through Belmont Community on Saturday December 11th, hosted by the Ashburn Volunteer Fire and Rescue.  One of Santa's favorite holiday activities is riding the AVFRD's yellow fire truck through the streets of Ashburn.  Bundle up and head out along the parade route to see Santa and several AVFRD elves spreading holiday cheer to the community.

Santa and his elves are expected to enter Belmont's Front Gate at approximately 5:25 pm on Saturday.  The parade will proceed down the length of Tournament Parkway and exit out of the West Gate.  It will turn left on Gloucester Pkwy and then right on Claiborne Pkwy toward Stone Bridge High School.  The AVFRD determines this route.

Click to see the Full Route

Belmont Book Club’s Next Book

Please join the Belmont Book Club at our next meeting on Wednesday, January 5th at 7pm in the clubhouse.  Please join us for a discussion of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows. It's 1/2 price burger night so come hungry!

Please RSVP to Susan Salazar by January 3rd at susan_salazar1960@hotmail.com.

Hope to see you there!

72nd Annual Ladies Board Rummage Sale is This Friday and Saturday!

From the Ladies Board Press Release:

The 72nd Annual Ladies Board Rummage Sale is Friday, October 15 and Saturday, October 16, 2010 at Morven Park International Equestrian Center . General sale hours are from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. both days with a special “early bird” hour on Friday, October 15th from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. by ticketed admission only.

This is a much loved, annual event regarded by many as the “biggest treasure hunt and bargain shopping extravaganza in Loudoun County” if not all of Northern Virginia. You’ll understand when you see the nearly 40,000 square feet of trinkets and treasures – all under cover in the arenas and barns at the Equestrian Center. You can find furniture, antiques, clothing for the entire family, designer labels at the French Room, household items, décor and holiday pieces, small electrical appliances, tools, sporting and exercise equipment, collectibles, gift and boutique items. You can find just about everything here, including some years a kitchen sink!

Many fine items are also available at the one-day-only Silent Auction held on Friday, October 15. Bidding closes at 2:00 p.m. on Friday and items must be paid for that day.

This year’s “early bird” hour is a special fundraising effort to support the Polly Clemens Nursery Fund project which provides equipment and supplies at Inova Loudoun Hospital’s Nursery Department. You can participate by coming early Friday, October 15 from 8 am to 9 am for just Five Dollars ($5.00). This limited entrance event allows you to enjoy a more peaceful buying experience (before the mad rush at 9 a.m.) while supporting a very worthwhile cause. Tickets are available now at the Gift Shop at Inova Loudoun Hospital, the Twice Is Nice thrift shop and the Black Shutter antique shop in Leesburg. Tickets will also be available on site Friday morning.

Business and community leaders have generously supported us through the decades and this year is no exception. The Ladies Board is deeply grateful for their support. Individuals who volunteer their time are the backbone of this event, and in 2009 there were more than 425 volunteers who helped pick up furniture, unload tractor trailers, sort donations and sell the donations during the long days preceding and during the sale known as “rummage week.” Last year’s sale grossed $129,000 and all proceeds support Ladies Board projects.