Greetings!   

Evidently someone has a crush on Heritage Greens as we were Tee-Pee'd along Holly Street this weekend. As Jeff Foxworthy might say..........If your idea of a fun Sunday night is decorating trees along a busy street with 100 rolls of toilet paper...you might be a..........(fill in with words of your choice). 

All kidding aside, PLEASE read through this month's newsletter as we have great updates including a Labor Day HG tennis tournament, two great HG social events, a landscaping update, and a great cause to contribute to for my neighbor Laurie Freeman. 

Enjoy the last couple weeks of summer and let me know if you need anything at all!

Join us on Labor Day, September 2, for a women's tennis tournament here in Heritage Greens.

• All Heritage Greens women are invited to participate. Players must be Heritage Greens residents.
• Each person registers as an individual by filling out the registration form and paying the $25 fee.
• The $25 fee is primarily used to cover the cost of the event and includes a visor for each player, balls, lunch and player party. Any proceeds will go to the Heritage Greens tennis program.
• Registration closes Wednesday, August 28 at midnight (no day-of registration). Draws will be emailed to players on Friday, August 30.
• Tennis matches will start as early at 8:30 a.m. and continue throughout the day. All four Heritage Greens courts will be reserved for the entire day.
• Prizes will be awarded for main draw champion, runner-up, semi finals, and consolation champion and runner-up.

Random Doubles

• Doubles partners will be pulled out of a hat. Partners cannot be requested.
• Team ratings will be approximately 6.5 when added together, but may be less or more. (i.e. a 4.5 or 4.0 player will be matched with a 2.5; a 3.5 player will be matched with a 3.0 player)
• Players will keep the same partner throughout the tournament.

Tournament Rules

• A match is an 8-game pro set - the first to 8 games by a margin of two games. A 12-point tie-break is played if the score is 8-8.
• No-ad scoring - at deuce the next point wins the game. Receiving team chooses who receives the serve.
• Maximum 10 minute warm up allowed.
• All other USTA league rules apply.
• This is a non-sanctioned single elimination tournament, however, an optional consolation bracket will be available. Consolation bracket matches will take place on non-Heritage Greens courts (addresses of other courts provided). The semi final and final consolation matches will take place at Heritage Greens courts.
• Players must be on time for matches. Players are encouraged to check in early for matches and will play early if courts are available and the other team is ready.
• Bring plenty of water. You may also want to bring chairs, tents, coolers and sunscreen.

Lunch and Player Party

• Lunch will be provided for players only at 12:30 p.m.
• Player party begins at 3:30 p.m. with alcoholic drinks and snacks provided.

This event is to bring our tennis community together, meet other tennis players and have fun!! Register now to get a spot!

Click here for registration form 

Contact anyone from the tournament committee with questions. 

Heidi Elliott - 303.521.8824 - heidi@beanstalk-marketing.com  

Diane Liberty - 303-564-8615 - familyliberty@yahoo.com 

Patty Nowlan - 317-752-6670 - mpnowlan@q.com 

Heidi David - 612-237-7768 - hldavid4@hotmail.com  

I have received a ton of complaints via phone and email, so I guess an update on our neighborhood is in order. Yes, the grass looks horrible, especially in the common area near the pool. We are working to improve the situation: please be patient. The problem stems from at least two incidents of vandalism. Earlier in the summer, someone was able to turn off the main valve to the sprinkler system at the pool which went undiscovered for two weeks. This occurred just as the temperatures spiked upwards causing the grass to go dormant. With the issue resolved, the grass started to come around but we were not able to water as frequently as needed given the Denver watering restrictions (which have now been loosened somewhat).

Well, two weeks ago, the same box protecting the main valve was vandalized again, with one of the locks being cut off. The individual who committed this unspeakable crime gained access to the backflow preventer and again turned off the water supply. We suspect the sprinkler system was off for at least a week. The grass is suffering once again.

The locks have been changed and we are keeping a closer eye on the situation. If you see someone other than an employee of JLS, our landscape maintenance contractor, messing with the green metal, mesh box located near the street in front of the pool building, you have my permission to run them over with your car or release your vicious dogs on them. Better option might be to call the cops or email me directly.

On the brighter side, we have completed improvements at the three entrances into the neighborhood. Much of the misaligned and random perennials have been removed and replaced with rows of burning bushes and day lilies. These plants will take a season or two to fully mature which should make for a nice enhancement. Further improvements to the perennials and the annuals beneath the marquis signs are being contemplated for next season (Oh, I forgot, some scumbag dug up and stole some of these new plants within two days of their planting last month. I have an especially creative form of punishment arranged for this individual, if anyone has a name to pass on to me).

The next big issue to be addressed is the dozens of mature trees along Holly, near the Colorado entrance and in the pool area. We have already trimmed up some low lying branches above sidewalks but will soon have a tree expert provide some long-term pruning care.

Last but not least, please inspect your own sidewalk and gutter. We have noticed a lot of weeds and small tree runners growing up through the cracks. A quick shot of Roundup will kill 'em off dead real quick, and really spruce up the place.

That's it for now. Oh, I forgot something else. If you would like to become more involved with your homeowners' association, please let me know. The grounds and landscaping position will likely be open next year. Adios.

Shawn McDermott 

Another exciting Gator swim season has come to a close. It was an incredible summer for Gator swimming. Our swimmers worked unbelievably hard and improved so much throughout the season. The parent volunteers put in many hours and lots of hard work to make our season successful. In the end it was a season full of smiles, laughter and fun.

The Heritage Greens Gators took 1st place over all in the B division at Finals.

Congratulations to all of our finalists. There were many stellar individual and relay performances across all the age groups. The Gators broke a few of the HG Pool records and even a couple RMSL records on Championship Day. As a team we brought home many trophies for 1st place from Finals this year.

• 1st Place Overall in Division B
• 6&U Boys - 1st place
• 7/8 Boys - 1st place
• 7/8 Girls - 1st place
• 9/10 girls - 1st place

Our coaches did a remarkable job this summer. They put their heart, souls and many hours of their summer into our precious Gators and we appreciate all they did. We thank Chad Fesler, Silas Getz, Christopher McCoy, Nate Kizla, Emily Mayo and Rachel Getz for their efforts at the pool and for the example they set for our HG kids. They worked together as a team to help our kids improve their swimming abilities while also bringing fun, energy and friendship each and every day to the pool. We also thank our Junior Coaches - Paige Johnson, Laurel Eiber and Griffin Eiber for jumping in the pool with our Pre-Teamers to teach them everything they know about swimming. Many of our older swimmers stepped in and helped out so that we could provide one-on-one time with the little gators - so thank you to Emily Lepetsos, Megan Lepetsos, 

Nicole Seavall, Carlin Deniken, Allison Smith, Nicole MacDonald and Maria Brock.

And finally, a very special "Thank You" goes out to Sue Carothers who has worked tirelessly on behalf of the HG swim team for the past two years. She has given so much to the team and her leadership has been so valuable. She will be missed, but we know she will continue to be there to cheer on our Gators. Thank you Sue for your Gator Spirit.

Holly Malcolm (303) 808-8682, hollymalcolm@comcast.net

Parent Rep, Heritage Greens Gators

My name is Laurie Freeman and I have been a Heritage Greens resident for 23 years. In 2010 I lost my 19-year-old son Chris and my husband of 32 years, Tim, to suicide.

In the United States, a person dies by suicide every 13.7 minutes, claiming over 38,000 lives each year. Nearly twice as many people die by suicide in the U.S. annually than homicide. This is a public health issue that does not discriminate by age, gender, ethnicity, or socio-economic status. More investment in suicide prevention, education and research can help prevent the untimely deaths of thousands of Americans each year.

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 2012, the AFSP Out of the Darkness Community Walks Campaign took place in 275 cities nationwide with more than 100,000 participants walking and raising over $8 million!

In June 2012, the AFSP Colorado Chapter officially became the 54th AFSP Chapter. The Chapter is hosting the 2013 Out of the Darkness Community Walk which will take place on September 7, 2013 at Highlands Ranch High School, during National Suicide Prevention Week. Our goals are to create more awareness, honor loved ones, raise funds for research, education, and advocacy, and reach out to people with mood disorders as well as those impacted by suicide.

Last year, the South Metro Out of the Darkness Community Walk raised over $126,000 and proceeds are benefiting our communities in multiple ways including:

• Providing More Than Sad: Teen depression education program to high schools in multiple school districts,
• Providing funding to implement Sources of Strength at multiple high schools, and
• Providing funding for safeTALK & ASIST trainings (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training) for the community at large.
•  Click here for more information.  

Please consider making a donation in my name or to Team Freebird - In Memory of Chris Freeman. If you wish to make an in kind donation, we are in need of water, Gatorade or snacks for the estimated 1,400 participants.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

Sincerely and thank you,

Laurie Freeman

720.841.4137 | tljcfreeman@live.com

Treasurer | American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Colorado Chapter  

Diane Liberty, Tennis and Volleyball, familyliberty@yahoo.com  

• Click on Tennis, VB & Community Room Reservations to see when these amenities are available, as well as make reservations for tennis or volleyball courts.
• Under Community Room you will find instructions and information on how to reserve the community room for an event.  
• Check out Teen Services to see what services teens are offering around the neighborhood.
• There is also the Find a Sitter page where baby and pet sitters can post their information.  
• The Message Board allows you to post your own message to the neighborhood. Be sure to click My Subscriptions at the top to choose the topics that interest you.
• There is a Classifieds page so feel free to post what you want to sell with a photo. 
• Under HOA Documents you can find all the information you need before making changes to your home, as well as minutes from the board meetings and financials. 
• And don't forget all the information in the Resident Directory. You can search for friends and neighbors by their name or address.