Heritage Greens News - September 2012

ACCU, Inc is the property management company supporting the Heritage Greens Homeowners Association. Homeowner questions or concerns can be directed to

Cheryl Witt, Property Manager at

(303) 339-9693

September 2012

Polynesian Pig Roast
Save the Date! Saturday, September 22 Polynesian Pig Roast Pork and other foods Mai Tais, Beer and Wine All residents invited! More details soon.

Heritage Greens Community Garage Sale

FREE DAY: Thursday, September 6

For those who do not want to participate in the garage sale, but still may want to get rid of items, please put items at the end of your driveway with a "FREE" sign. If they don't disappear on the 6th, they may during the garage sale.

GARAGE SALE:

Friday and Saturday, September 7-8,

8 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Anne Dresser Kocur will sponsor the garage sale through signage, newspaper and internet advertising.

LAST CHANCE TO PARTICIPATE

Please write down your name, address and e-mail address and drop it off with an optional donation payable to HG HOA by September 5 to the home of Paula Johnson at 7717 S. Cherry Court. Proceeds benefit Heritage Greens Swim and Tennis.

If you drop off your registration you will get a sign in your yard!

If you wish to donate any remaining unsold items to charity, please e-mail recycle@heritagegreens.org by September 1 so that a pick up can be scheduled. Please put "garage sale" in the subject line.

The Heritage Greens Community Garage Sale is sponsored by Anne Dresser Kocur, Fuller Sotheby's International Realty. Call Anne with questions at 303-229-6464. Thank you for your participation in this community event.

Remember to click on the advertisements you see in this newsletter to visit the advertisers' websites. Please support those companies that support Heritage Greens.

Missy Franklin Celebration

Our amazing neighborhood threw a fabulous party for our own Olympic Champion, Missy Franklin, on Sunday, August 19.

Over 1100 tickets were distributed to neighbors showing an overwhelming level of support for Missy and her parents, Dick and D.A. Missy's journey from Gator to Gold has inspired youth and adults alike.

Mayor Cathy Noon presented Missy with a special surprise - her own Centennial street sign, Missy Franklin Lane!

Jeremy Markisohn presented Missy with an award from her former HG coaches, many of whom were in attendance.

Jessica Sotwick and Nick Lepetsos did a Q&A with Missy and took questions from each age group of the current Gators.

Dick Franklin gave a heart-felt thank you to the neighborhood and shared with us the importance of following the lead of our children's desires to pursue their dreams.

The highlight of the evening was Missy being amongst the children singing "Call Me Maybe" and participating in several rowdy Gator cheers!

Missy is proud of her Heritage Greens roots and her poise, humility, and genuine joy have made us all so proud to have her in our midst!

Watch this from 9 News!

From the Franklins

Heritage Greens Families,

Our family has had an incredible summer and came home so proud and excited for Team USA. It was wonderful to share it with all of you. We can't begin to tell you how much the Celebration Party meant to us.

Missy started her swimming career across the street from our home in Heritage Greens. She herself says that it was those wonderful summer experiences as a Gator that hooked her on swimming for life.

It was unbelievable to see all our neighborhood friends--some old and some new--come together to celebrate a special 2012 Olympics. Likewise it brought tears to our eyes to see current, former and future Gators singing and dancing together.

As the expression goes, "It takes a village." Our village is Heritage Greens.

Thank you,

Missy, Dick and DA

Neighbors and Nonprofits - American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

In the United States, a person dies by suicide every 14.6 minutes, claiming nearly 37,000 lives each year. It is estimated that an attempt is made every 29 seconds; with over one million people attempting suicide annually. Suicide is the tenth leading cause of death in the U.S., the third leading cause of death among teens and young adults ages 15-24, and individuals ages 65 and older account for 16 percent of all suicide deaths. Colorado has one of the highest suicide rates in the nation with over 940 lives lost in 2009. This is a public health issue that does not discriminate by age, gender, ethnicity, or socio-economic status.

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), is the leading not-for-profit organization that funds research aimed at improving our understanding of suicide and ways to prevent it as well as education programs to increase awareness about prevention, warning signs and the psychiatric illnesses that can lead to suicide. In 2010, I lost my 19 year old son and my husband of 32 years to suicide. I know it will take a lifetime to process losing my boys yet I want to honor their lives by encouraging our communities to help through awareness, compassion, and action by turning unimaginable pain into prevention opportunities.

This is your invitation to become a sponsor, and join us in the fight against depression and mental illnesses and help prevent the pain of losing a loved one to suicide. Please join us in making a difference!

Please log onto www.afsp.org and make a donation to end these needless deaths. If you wish to volunteer and help in the cause, please log onto AFSP-Colorado to learn more about the newly formed Colorado Chapter and what you do to help.

Thanks you.

Laurie Freeman

Neighbors and Nonprofits is a new article for neighbors to talk about the nonprofits that hold special meaning to them. If you would like to submit an article for Neighbors and Nonprofits, please contact the newsletter editor at news@heritagegreens.org.

Swimming Pool Hours
Open every day from 11 am - 8 pm until Sept. 3. Open weekends only Friday-Sunday, Sept. 7-9, 11 am- 8 pm. Last weekend Friday-Sunday, Sept. 14-16, 11 am - 8 pm. Last day pool is open Sept 16.

New Heritage Greens Website

Very soon you will be hearing about an all new website for Heritage Greens. It will have features like:

Online searchable resident directory
Classifieds
All HOA documents
Community Room reservations
Find a sitter
Message board
And much more!

When we launch the website, you will receive an email with a password to access the site. You can add information to your profile or hide personal information if you choose. Only residents will have access to resident information and the features above. Stay tuned for more details!

Electronics Recycling Event a Success

Thanks to all of the Heritage Greens residents who participated in the Second Annual Heritage Greens Electronic Recycling Event! We saved over 4,000 pounds of electronics from being sent to landfills. Look for information next summer on this event. Thank you to our sponsor Holly Malcolm.

Reminders from the HOA

(Mis)Use of the Common Area Trash Receptacles
The occasional overfilled trash can has continued to plague the neighborhood throughout the summer. The problem stems from a few homeowners using the common area receptacles for their private use by discarding personal items including bags of dog waste from their own homes. There have been complaints by several neighbors on the unsightliness of the overflowing trash cans not to mention the horrific odors associated with great quantities of dog feces. Using the provided doggie bags and trash cans while out for a walk is one thing - using a community can to dump your pet's waste instead of your own trash can is very much another It is a misuse of common area property.

The contract with JLS provides for the emptying of the receptacles only once per week. These overfilled receptacles are very difficult to empty and keep clean. It is an unpleasant task for the landscape crew. Everyone is reminded the trash containers exist in the neighborhood for the convenience of all. They are not for personal use. Please be respectful of others.

Yard Signs
Only "for sale" or "for rent" signs are permitted by the Covenants. Contractor signs are not permitted. Political signs less than six square feet in size are permitted by state law but may ONLY be displayed 45 days prior to an election, and have to be removed 7 days after an election. So, political signs are not yet permitted, and need to be removed to avoid the receipt of a notice/fine.

School Fundraisers

Lois Lenski Elementary PTO is kicking off the new school year with their largest fundraiser, Lenski Annual Giving. Instead of having kids go door to door selling cookie dough or wrapping paper, Lenski is asking for direct donations. If you have previously bought items from the elementary kids in Heritage Greens, please consider making a donation. 100% of the money will come directly to Lenski and it is tax-deductible. Our goal is to raise $60,000 by October 1. The funds pay specialist teachers salaries to allow the children to have small group learning experiences in reading and math. To learn more about this program and donate online right now, click here. Thank you for supporting Lois Lenski Elementary!

News from Centennial

Centennial as a Best Place to Live

Money Magazine ranks Centennial 49th on its latest list of 100 best places to live among America's small cities. Cities on the list range from 50,000 to 300,000 in population with ratings based on criteria such as job growth, family income, test scores, crime rates, health care, house prices, leisure and culture. Other Colorado cities include, Castle Rock, Highlands Ranch, Boulder and Fort Collins. Click here to read more.

C-470 Plans

Many entities along the stretch of C470 from I25 to Kipling have begun meeting to try to solve the rush hour problems with C470. The hope is to widen this stretch of the highway. The challenge is to find a way to fund the widening at a time when neither the Colorado Dept. of Transportation (CDOT) nor the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has any money to help.

So, the proposal is to add two additional lanes along this stretch and maintain right-of-way for possible light rail at some time in the (far) future. The options to pay for for the widening include:

1. Make the added lanes "Lexus" lanes, possibly with variable pricing depending on the time of day, free for car pools.

2. Make the whole highway a tollway.

3. Leave the road untolled and find other ways to pay for it, e.g., property tax, sales tax, license plate fees, etc. These ideas are as varied as the persons suggesting them.

www.C470Coalition.com

News from South Suburban Parks and Recreation

South Suburban is opening a new, state licensed Child Discovery Time Preschool at Lone Tree Recreation Center. Cindy Stogsdill is director of the Child Discovery Time at Goodson, and she will also oversee the program at the Lone Tree Recreation Center. There are 15 openings for children 2 ½ to 3 yrs, and 18 openings for Pre-K.
To register your children call Cindy Stogsdill at 303-483-7075. A $40 non-refundable deposit is due at time of registration.

Puppy Paddle, September 8, 10 am - 1 pm, Holly Pool, 6651 S. Krameria Wy., Centennial.
Dogs Rule! Canines (friendly only, please) take over the swimming pool. No humans allowed in the water. Fun for Fido and humans of all ages. For more information, call 303-347-5999. Register at www.sspr.org.

RidgeGate Nature Hike, September 15, 10-11:30 am, Bluffs Regional Park, 10099 Crooked Stick Trail, Lone Tree. FREE
Come visit with a "homesteader" in character as he looks at the land of the RidgeGate open space and tries to figure out a way to carve a living out of the Colorado soil. Explore with a nature guides historical artifacts and tools and learn about the local seeds and plants. Register at events@ridgegatecolorado.com for this free family-friendly hike.

Touch-a-Truck, September 22, 10 am - 1 pm, South Suburban Ice Arena, 6580 S. Vine St., Centennial. FREE
Kids of all ages can climb on board and sit at the controls of monster trucks, emergency vehicles and even a Zamboni! Agencies that will have vehicles on hand include Arapahoe County Sheriffs Dept., Littleton Fire Dept., City of Centennial, City of Littleton and South Suburban Parks and Recreation. For more information, call 303-708-7881.

Pottery Guild Sale, September 17-18, 8 am-8 pm, Goodson Recreation Center, 6315 S. University Blvd., Centennial. FREE.
Purchase beautiful pieces of hand crafted pottery by members of South Suburban's Pottery Guild. For more information, call 303-483-7073.

RidgeGate Yoga in the Park, Wednesday, September 26, 5:30 - 6:30 pm, Prairie Sky Park. 9381 Crossington Way, Lone Tree. FREE
Class is taught by South Suburban instructor. Bring your own yoga mat, or one will be provided for you. In case of rain, meet inside the Lone Tree Recreation Center. All levels and experience welcome. For further information, call 303-708-3500.

The FORE Miler Race, September 30, 7:00 am, Lone Tree Golf Course, 9808 Sunningdale Blvd., Lone Tree.
This is your rare opportunity to experience a run through a golf course! The race takes participants through the beautiful and scenic Lone Tree Golf Course. All ages and abilities are welcome. Register online at www.runningguru.com/Event/FOREMiler

Subscribe to this Newsletter
If there is another person in your household who would like to receive this newsletter, or if would like to change your email address, please indicate you name(s) address and email(s) and send it to the newsletter editor at news@heritagegreens.org.