Swimming Pool Update 

The End Is Near! OK, not that big cataclysmic thing you are thinking of, but something near and dear to my heart. The end of summer. While some of you think I control everything from the weather to when the sun comes up-it isn't so. And, alas, I cannot put off the end of summer forever either.  

But I can extend the pool hours for 2 more weekends! Yes, with board approval, we are going to extend the summer season at the pool for two additional weekends. Now through Labor Day, the pool will be open every day with regular hours. After Labor Day, we will be open Friday Saturday and Sunday from 11 am to 8 pm (weather permitting) on September 9-11 and September 16-18. Unfortunately, then the pool will be closed for the season.  

And what a season it has been. Not only did we have an initial uptick in usage, but the post swim season usage has been phenomenal. In the past, attendance drops dramatically after swim team ends-not this year! It is great to see the entire neighborhood out enjoying our new facility. I have really enjoyed meeting all of the new families in the 'hood and seeing old friends throughout the summer. This is what makes Heritage greens such a great place to live.

We also had our first Luau at the pool. A major shout out to Lisa Hansen and Katie Mercier for putting on such a great event. Please thank them in person the next time you see them. I would be remiss if I didn't thank our own superstar, Missy Franklin for coming to the pool and sharing her valuable time to inspire all of our future Olympic hopefuls! Having crashed the world stage, Missy won 5 medals at the World Championships (3 gold and broke an American record twice). Missy is an inspiration to us all. Good luck in the future from all of us in Heritage Greens.

Lastly, thank you all for your patience as we are in the final stages of completing the punch list items for the project. I am confident all of the issues will be resolved soon. Enjoy!

Jeff Smith

Aquatics

Jennifer Gruidel jenandjeffgruidel@comcast.net  

Heidi Larson-David hldavid4@hotmail.com  

Reduce:  HG's first Electronic Recyling Day was a huge success!! We collected 4,156 lbs. (just over 2 tons) of stuff that would normally have gone to the landfill. We kept over 300 lbs. of lead out too, by recycling those old TV's, VCR's, phones, speakers, etc. From the feedback we received, people want us to do this again next year.

Recycle: The Free Day, Garage Sale and Lupus Foundation pick-up were successful. By the look of things, "one man's junk is another's treasure" and many of you got rid of things you no longer needed and someone else wanted.

Reuse: Our next collection is Towels for Denver Rescue Mission. Take your towels, in a plastic bag marked "towels" to the pool anytime before Sept. 5th. We will clean out the pool towels and if you have a stash at home, that you no longer use, the DRM is in great need of them.

FYI: Could you get your workplace to do more?

Why Recycle Paper?

What is saved by using recycled materials to make paper versus raw materials is first and most obviously forests but also energy and landfill space as well as air and water pollution. Approximately 90% of paper pulp is made from wood and over 40 percent of the wood harvested goes to making paper products. Most paper companies raise trees for paper production; however, only about 16 percent of paper pulp is from these farmed trees.

It is estimated that recycling about half of the world's paper could save about 20 million acres of forest. It is estimated that using recycled material to make paper products saves between 40 and 60 percent of the energy that it takes to create paper products from raw material. The recycling of 1 ton of paper material will save about 3 cubic meters of landfill space. This is about the size of a common bathroom or utility room at 8 foot long by 8 foot wide with 8 foot ceilings.

The United States EPA has found that using recycled materials in paper production causes 35 percent less water pollution and 74 percent less air pollution.

Paper usage and waste is seen in massive amounts in the business world with American businesses generating enough paper to circle the globe 40 times every day. Eliminating the amount of paper taken to the landfills would nearly double the landfill life; yet many homes and offices still dispose of their paper refuse in the daily trash.

Beware of Coyotes 

On Monday, Aug. 15th, at 9 p.m. our small cat who was sitting at the bottom of our patio steps was taken by a coyote.  I saw the animal again on Wednesday at 4:15 in the afternoon walking down Links.

She is a fast, cleaver hunter who seems not afraid of close human contact. Remember, coyotes can jump 15 feet to catch their prey, then take off at 40 mph. Any pet under 80 lbs is vulnerable - even in your back yard.

I think she lives in the berme to our north, so it might help if those who live by the wall that separates HG  from Comcast to check the wall for holes going under the wall. Coyotes are great diggers. After our cat incident we found a hole on Ash Court she was using to enter the village and plugged it up with stones. But this means she will just start digging somewhere else.

Even if you have medium/large sized dog that you feel could defend itself against a coyote you should know that 2 or 3 coyotes can easily bring down a moose or a bear. 85% of livestock lost in the US is due to the coyote, and unlike the wolf they are not afraid of humans.  

- concerned HG resident 

Reporting Suspicious Activity 

The Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office cannot combat crime efficiently and effectively without the assistance of concerned citizens. You are the eyes and the ears of the Sheriff's Office; we depend on you to report criminal activity in the community. Citizens report 99 percent of all crimes.

People often hesitate to call the Sheriff's Office for fear of being labeled a "nosy
neighbor" or because they assume that someone else has already called. It has been observed that in neighborhoods where the number of suspicious activity calls increased, crimes such as burglaries have decreased. This is a direct result of the participation of concerned neighbors. 

The Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office encourages citizens to report suspicious activity. Suspicious activity can be any person, act, event, vehicle, or situation that appears questionable. Trust your instincts! If it "just does not seem right to you," that is when you should call the Sheriff's Office. 

For example:

"See it"-- If you see suspicious activity, report it. The Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office relies on early and accurate information from citizens in reporting suspicious activity. You and your neighbors can be the first to spot a burglar in or around a home, or a strange car in a driveway. 

"Hear it"-- Listen for suspicious activity. Unusual sounds, barking dogs, or even the sound of motion sensor lights activating can be results of prowlers or suspicious vehicles. Everyone should get in the habit of looking outside their windows, especially if noises wake you at night. 

"Report it"-- Remember, you are the eyes and ears for your community. Report suspicious activity immediately. Anything that seems slightly out of place or does not look right could be criminal activity. When calling, be sure to report the reason for your call, your observations and the location of the activity. 

If you see suspicious activity or need to report a crime, call (303) 795-4711 or for emergencies dial 911.  

Heritage Greens Class of 2024

(entered Kindergarten this fall)