Thursday, October 2
ARB 7:00 PM

Wednesday, October 8
Access Control 6:00 PM

Thursday, October 9
Common Property 6:30 PM

Thursday, October 16
Covenant Enforcement 6PM

Thursday, October 23
Finance 7:00 PM

Saturday, October 30
Board 7:00 PM

SOCIAL EVENTS

October 1 - 14
DWA Halloween Costume Drive

Monday, October 20
Literary Circle 10:00 AM

Thursday, October 23
Bunco 10:00 AM

Tuesday, October 28
Garden Club Seminar 10:00AM

Email/Directory Update

Your community is providing vital information to all residents via email.

We will be updating our directory at the beginning of the new year. If you wish to make any changes to the current directory, please make your changes below and return this form.

We must receive this information by October 30 for revisions to the directory.

If we do not receive any changes, your information will be listed as it currently appears.

CLICK HERE to fill out the online form, or you are welcome to download the flyer and drop it off at the guardhouse by CLICKING HERE.

Proper Placement of Trash/Recycle Containers

Place Trash containers away from Recycle container (not side by side); locate each at either end of driveway.

Incorrect Trash Placement

Automated arms on trucks cannot pick up when two containers are closely placed side by side.

Place containers at the curb with handles facing towards your house, not the street/road. The opening should face the road.

All trash and recycle items must be inside the containers. Nothing will be picked up if left outside the container.

Use only COJ issued containers.

Any issues with container or service - please contact COJ 630-CITY.

Reminders:

Quarterly Assessments are due and payable October 1.
Late fees apply after October 30, 2014.

Rules & Regulations

Construction Debris: During construction, the property owner and his general contractor shall be responsible for ensuring that the construction site is maintained in a neat and orderly condition at all times. Roads, Sidewalks, Cart Paths, and waterways shall not be blocked, except temporarily during daylight hours and with prior notification and approval of DCCOA Security.
Trash, paper, wrappings and other materials that are subject to being scattered or blown away by the wind, shall be kept in containers with covers.

Covenants Violations: The first notice of a covenants violation will be sent by conventional mail with a warning that a second notice will include a $7.50 administrative fee to cover the cost of the second notice being sent both by conventional mail and certified mail. (2/05) All covenants violations must be corrected within 30 days, except for landscaping violations, which must be corrected within 7 days. (2/04)

From the Access Control Committee

By Tommy Walters

October is Halloween month. Please be very watchful for the little trick-or-treaters on Halloween night. They are more intent on gathering candy than watching out for cars.

Some other things: If you must run, walk or ride bicycles at night, please run or walk on the sidewalks and ride on the right side of the traffic. On bicycle, make sure you are wearing a helmet, stay visible and behave predictably; at night, please have lights on. In all cases of walking, running or bicycle riding, please wear light colored clothing.

Continue to watch for school busses and children. It will be a good idea to actually stop at STOP signs, too!

Bargain Avenue

More new items for sale>>

Want to sell an item?

Deercreek residents can advertise items for sale on Bargain Avenue on the Deercreek website. Click on the Bargain Ave link on the site for more details.

Welcome New Residents

Larry and Sharon Coleman

7812 Blakeford Mill Road

Dan and Elena Berkshire

9974 Vineyard Lake Rd E

We Say Goodbye

Faye McLanahan

Louis and Lee Grande

Support our Sponsors!

2014 Southeast CPAC Meeting Dates

Meetings are held at 6: 30 p.m. in the St. Vincent's Southside Hospital

4201 Belfort Road, Main Hospital, Auditorium C, Jacksonville, FL 32216 on:

Monday, Oct. 27, 2014

Monday, November 24, 2014

December 2014, Date and Location to be Determined

If you have any questions please contact Rosemary Wesolowski, Neighborhood Coordinator at 255-8261 or Rosemary@coj.net

Business Advertising

Advertising on the Deercreek web site www.deercreekcc.com is available through December 2014 for $295.

This includes your business logo on the Deercreek home page as well as a link to your individual advertising page and web site.

Please review the ad rate sheet on our web site for details.

Literary Circle

By Pat Gross

In boyhood, Louis Zamperini was an incorrigible delinquent. As a teenager, he channeled his defiance into running, discovering a prodigious talent that had carried him to the Berlin Olympics. But when World War II began, the athlete became an airman, embarking on a journey that led to a doomed flight on a May afternoon in 1943. When his Army Air Forces bomber crashed into the Pacific Ocean, against all odds, Zamperini survived, adrift on a foundering life raft. Ahead of Zamperini lay thousands of miles of open ocean, leaping sharks, thirst and starvation, enemy aircraft, and, beyond, a trial even greater. Driven to the limits of endurance, Zamperini would answer desperation with ingenuity; suffering with hope, resolve, and humor; brutality with rebellion. His fate, whether triumph or tragedy, would be suspended on the fraying wire of his will.

Unbroken is an unforgettable testament to the resilience of the human mind, body, and spirit, brought vividly to life by Seabiscuit author Laura Hillenbrand.

______________________

Interested in joining the Literary Circle?
Contact Pat Gross pgro9@aol.com

Real Estate News

By B. J. Weyer, Watson Realty Corp. REALTORS�

For those of us who have lived in Deercreek a long time, we say goodbye to a number of neighbors who have moved on to their next adventure. The good news is we welcome new neighbors who have chosen to make Deercreek their home. We continue to see good activity in the number of homes sold and on the market. Changes this month include the average sales price per square foot increasing by 2.45%.

According to the NEFAR MLS, as of 9/5/14, there were 22 homes on the market in Deercreek, with 4 of those under contract. The list price for the homes on the market were priced from $349,900 - $590,000 with an average price of $467,083, up from the average reported last month of $464,047and $445,000 reported two months ago.

Seven homes sold and closed in Deercreek over the three-month period ending 9/5/2014. The homes sold ranged in price from $345,000 - $530,000, with an average square foot price of $136.73 (up from $133.46) and a high square foot price of $143.35 (down from $156.75). The homes sold during the current three-month period were on the market an average of 54 days, with a high of 138 days. Deercreek, with its great location and wonderful amenities, continues to be a community to which people want to move.

Highlights from the Board Meeting

The DCCOA Board of Directors assembled at Deercreek Country Club on the above date for a regularly scheduled meeting. A quorum was established with the presence of Doug Klippel, Margie Blake, Bill Beitz, Danny Becton, Doug Matthews, George Partin and Aaron West.

Representing MAY Management: Cathy Cox
A motion to approve the minutes from previous meeting on July 24, 2014 was made and approved.

Property Manager's Report
Rope Swings- I received an anonymous report of several rope swings within the community. Admittedly I have never really noticed them, however when I toured the property I found 12 swings, most of which look like they have been there for some time. I checked with ARB and they have not ever had an application for a rope swing. This item was referred to the ARB.

Welcome Aboard- Leigh Anne Blackwood replaced Brittany Crossman and is getting comfortable with the Deercreek policies and procedures. Leigh Anne looks forward to meeting and working with the Board and residents.

More in the full report...

Finance Report

Danny Becton

Income was $653,418 based on a budget amount of $659,607. The income shortfall was a result of not meeting expectations on some accounts: Collection Fees ($4,913), Late Fees ($1,775) and Citation / Covenant Fines ($850).
Current Net Income for the Year is a negative ($995.67).
more info in full report

Common Property

George Partin (Liason)

Committee recommended approval for an additional 4 LED replacement lights behind the fountains for up to $1, 700.00. These will match the other ones replaced in the spring.
more info in full report

To read more about the meeting CLICK HERE to view the full minutes.

Deercreek Country Club 25th Anniversary

The Clubhouse was filled with old and new members celebrating the Deercreek Country club's 25th anniversary.

Scattered at the tables and on the walls were pictures taken over the years. A TV screen presented a wonderful slide show of memories made at the club over the years.

The View

October 2014

By Rita Allen and Connie Davis

Philip and Pam Dzikowski

9925 Orchard Hills Road

Philip and Pam Dzikowski have been Deercreek residents since 2008. The setting of their � acre lot is particularly attractive, bordered on the right by the cart path leading to the 4th tee. From the screened pool at the back of the house there is an uninterrupted view of the elevated tee and tall trees in a natural area beyond.

A bed of knockout roses centers the front view, with a lacy oak, surrounded by a meticulously trimmed bed of Asiatic jasmine, anchoring the right side of the landscape. Sculpted foundation plantings of azalea, viburnum and loropetalum are punctuated by well controlled ligustrums. Visitors are welcomed to the elegant front door by beds and urns of cheerful blossoms of geraniums, zinnias, dianthus and lantana.

Philip and Pam manicure the extensive landscape themselves, using two lawn mowers. Each week the shrubs and trees on one side of the house are trimmed, so they never grow out of control. Deer repellent is required to discourage the herd of as many as seven deer who feel comfortable snoozing in their serene backyard.

This is a home that is beautiful in all seasons, and we look forward to returning at Christmas when the sculptured plantings form the base for the lights these creative and ambitious neighbors install.

Deercreek Home and Garden Club

"The Right Plant in the Right Place"
Tuesday October 28, 2014 - 10:00am

By Patty Tomka

I was browsing in the Garden Center a few years ago and found the perfect plant for the front layer of my foundation plantings. It took full sun, had pretty blue flowers that turned into yellow berries and grew to 1' tall. I happily bought ten of them and planted them. THEN I looked at the tag more carefully - with my glasses on - and found that they grow to 10' tall, not 1'! The Golden Dew Drop plants I bought were perfect for making a hedge to block out your neighbor's play set but definitely not perfect for foundation plantings!

Now that the weather has cooled off enough for us to go back into the yard we could all use some guidance before we head off to buy flats of Fall/Winter plants. So we asked Evie Pankok from the FL Friendly Landscaping Section at the Duval County Extension Service to come and speak to us. She is part of the FL Yards and Neighborhood Program and leads workshops for homeowners. Florida's growing conditions are complicated and we can use all the help we can get! Check out www.floridayards.org to see all the different options: FL Friendly Landscaping 101, Interactive Yard, FL Friendly Plant Database or Professional's Corner. But we asked her to concentrate on just a few: The Right Plant in the Right Place, Wildlife habitat/Butterfly Gardens and Common Mistakes in Landscape Planting.

"The FL Yards and Neighborhoods can help you transform your yard into a beautiful oasis that will not only conserve precious water resources and reduce pollution, but will also help you save time, effort and money. The program was developed to address serious problems of pollution and disappearing habitats by enlisting homeowners in the battle to save our natural environment. "

A plant that thrives in your friend's yard at the beach may freeze in your Deercreek yard. Your front yard may be high and dry but your back yard is poorly drained and soggy leaving the same plants struggling to survive there. Those pretty plants you found on vacation along the road and dug up could be on the invasive plant list - remember kudzu? Evie won't be able to cover all the topics in our one program but you can do your own research by going to their website and looking into the Resources List: The FL Yards and Neighborhoods Handbook, The FL-Friendly Landscaping Guide to Plant Selection and Landscape Design, and The Neighborhood Gardener. A trip to County Extension service will put you in touch with Master Gardeners and trained horticultural staff. They can help with soil samples, identifying pests and weeds and point you to the monthly workshops. And maybe you will get on the short list for Yard of the Month next year!

If you have any questions about the Home and Garden Club please call Anne Klueppel at 519-5368 or Lee Ann Phillips at 519-6931. They will be glad to tell you about us. If you would like to stay and have lunch together, you can place your order before the meeting and it will be ready when we adjourn. This is a great way to meet new friends and spend time with old friends.

Deercreek Home and Garden Club where no one is a stranger for long.

Deercreek Women's Alliance

Halloween Costume Drive for Ronald McDonald House - October 1-14

By: Natalie Jackson

We had such a phenomenal success last year with our Halloween costume drive for the Ronald McDonald House - we are doing it again this October 1-14. As you are shopping, please consider picking up a small item that could be utilized by the RMHC for Halloween and drop it in the marked bin at the Guard House or at Paige Yauger's house: 9928 Blakeford Mill Road Your support of RMHC Jacksonville means so much to the families served. Thank you!

DWA Fashion Show
Thursday, November 6

For the past 14 years, the DWA Fashion Show has been an exciting and well attended event at Deercreek. This year's show promises to dazzle everyone with stylish fashions from Chico's. Tickets for the 15th Annual DWA Fashion Show go on sale Wednesday, October 1. The ticket price is $35 - which includes admission to the fashion show and a delicious three-course dinner. To purchase your tickets, call Debbie Grosnick at 519-2927. Further details will follow in an email blast.

The RITA Foundation
Research Is The Answer

The RITA Foundation (Research Is The Answer) was started in 1996 to help raise funds for breast cancer research in the Jacksonville area. To date, the foundation has raised over $4 million dollars. From its humble beginnings by Chuck and Nancy Jantz it grew to several different events ranging from, tennis tournaments, black-tie gala, 5K run, and a golf tournament. SenioRITAs at Sawgrass was developed by a group of ladies, under the RITA umbrella catering to age appropriate tennis called SenioRITA. (40-54) and (55 +). This year SenioRITA matches will be held 17-18-19 October, at the Sawgrass Country Club. The Auction & Party is Wed. 15th October. The pre-party at Pusser's Caribbean Grill is Tuesday 7th October - Cost is $25 pp. The Pro Tennis exhibition is on Friday, Oct. 17 @ 6:00 pm at Sawgrass Country Club. All proceeds from all of these events are donated to local hospitals and research programs in the Jacksonville area. The RITA Foundation is an all-volunteer foundation (no salaries), with minimal overhead. This year, the Deercreek Women's Alliance is supporting the RITA Championships and SenioRITAs with a Bronze level sponsorship as well as over twelve ladies playing in the weekend matches.

We are grateful to donate to this wonderful organization.

DWA Ongoing Charity Drives

PACE School for Girls: Clothing of all sizes for teenage girls are needed. Donated items can be dropped off at Vicki Khan's house - 10148 Deercreek Club Road. To contact Vicki, call 519-7722.

Jacksonville Humane Society: The JHS can always use bags of dried cat and dog food, blankets, towels, pet toys, bowls, flee killing soap and pet beds. Donations can be dropped off at 10042 Chester Lake Road East, the home of Pam Overbay (363-6483).

Mandarin Food Bank: Any non-perishable food items can be dropped off at Carmen Kelly's home at 10139 Bishop Lake Road West. Carmen may be reached at 519-0622.

Books-A-Go Go: Used or new books for children Pre-K through 5th grade can be dropped off at Natalie Jackson's house at 10135 Deercreek Club Road East. Natalie's phone number is 519-5802.

DWA Membership

Your Deercreek Women's Alliance is open to all ladies who reside in the Deercreek neighborhood. You do not have to be a member of the Deercreek Country Club to enjoy a membership with the DWA.

If you are not yet a "part of the heart of Deercreek" and would like to join the DWA, please contact membership chairperson Mary Stelbrink at 363-2360. Membership is $20 a year.

Golden Acorn Award Luncheon

Did you get the chance to take a look at the pictures from the Golden Acorn Award Luncheon? See a few below, or CLICK HERE to check out the full album!

A buzzing in her ears!

By Modupe Arubuola

Sometimes we get so upset at our situation not realizing that God is behind the scenes working things out in our favor. Several weeks ago, my daughter started complaining there were fruit flies around the house and that they keep buzzing around her ears. I thought, "Oh it must be the bananas on the counter!" so I threw out the bananas, they were going bad anyway.

This didn't take care of the problem, it only got worse. Strangely, she seemed to be the only one bothered by the buzzing. None of the other children seemed to have noticed the flies or a buzzing noise, neither did I. Yet she kept slapping at her ears repeatedly to get the buzzing noise to stop. The noise seemed to go away for a short while when she slapped it off. It soon dawned on me that she might be experiencing a ringing in her ears that no one else is hearing. Since she almost always had her earphones on listening to music or watching videos on her cell phone, I felt this might be a part of the problem. So I suggested that she take out her earphones for a while to clear the noise out. But she scoffed at the idea, waving the suggestion aside.

Some days later we were out shopping and she kept complaining about bugs around the mall. That was when I knew for sure that the problem was in her ears or shall I say in her head? This time, she seemed to agree with me, since no other person in the store was hearing the noise except herself. As usual, she had her earphones on at the time. So I pleaded with her to take out the silly things for a while. She concurred but could only keep them off for an hour or so! I asked her to at least keep them off for a whole day before concluding that this was not the root cause. She tried for another few hours and gave up on the idea yet again.

Meanwhile, I went on-line to research the problem of 'buzzing in the ears'; what I found was not palatable. I discovered there's a medical name for the condition that I'm not even going to bother mentioning here. In fact, it seems there's no reasonable cure for the problem and most sufferers just learn to cope with it somehow. That sure scared me into turning to God in prayer. Isn't that what I should have done in the first place? Guilty I am, of looking for answers in the wrong places. But then God did not consider my error, He stepped in all the same!

A few days after, we drove out of town on vacation. On our way, my daughter realized her cell phone keyboard had suddenly disappeared! She couldn't access her phone (no way to key in her password) without the keyboard. Her phone was technically useless, except to receive calls. We tried various things but the keyboard would just not appear. She was terribly upset, so I promised to take the phone to our T-Mobile rep when we got back to Jacksonville in another couple of days. She became even more upset when she could not use her phone to take pictures of any vacation fun we had.

Amazingly, within two days of the phone not working, the buzzing in her ears stopped! More amazing was the fact that when we got to T-Mobile, we were told this keyboard issue was quite unusual. Our Rep even said no one had brought in this kind of problem before. He tried a factory reset on the phone, booted it back up and the keyboard simply showed up again!

Some might be tempted to say this was just a coincidence. But I believe it was God in action with His sense of humor on display. It was as if He saw she would not stay off the phone long enough for her ears to recover; so God rendered the phone useless for a couple of days. So she had no choice but to stay off the phone! And He did it when we were out of town, so we couldn't just rush down to our T-Mobile branch to get it fixed immediately.

When it became clear to me what had happened, I just laughed and laughed in gratitude to God. What a marvelous father our God is! I stand in awe of Him.

[Reprint with permission from CREPA 7th anniversary magazine-August 2014; title modified]