Neighborhood Yard Sale in May - Let Us Know

/

The Spring Neighborhood Yard Sale will be held May 5th. If we know that at least 7 families want to participate, then a Large Banner will be erected at the neighborhood entrance to attract more traffic than a single-family sign. So, dig out those boxes of junk, oops I mean those cherished items and see what you can get for them.

Let us know you want to participate by using the form on the Contact page of the our web site and select the Yard Sale category.

BACKYARD GARDEN TOUR

/

Hi, neighbors.  Spring is trying to let its presence be known, though winter seems to keep coming back through the door.  Eventually, winter will be kicked to the curb and yard and garden time will be in full swing.  We are planning on holding the Backyard Garden Tour again this year. The date for the tour will be Saturday, June 2nd.  We would love for you to share with us what you are doing in your back yard.  If you are interested in participating, please let us know by sending a message through the neighborhood website – www.ashtonwoodhoa.org – in the Contact section by selecting “Backyard Garden Tour “ as the Category.  Happy gardening!!

Yard of the Week begins April 8!!

/

When families move into Ashton Wood, new owners frequently comment on how well many of the yards are maintained and how that fact attracted them to our neighborhood. We do have some beautiful yards and every year the HOA recognizes the best of the best with our “Yard of the Week” designation. This year, the first Yard of the Week will be awarded on April 8, and the award will continue weekly until Labor Day.

There is only one “official” rule....you have to be at least a basic member of the HOA to win. Beyond that, we are simply looking for beautiful, well-maintained yards. We are also looking for your input! If you want to nominate a yard (even your own), visit our website, www.ashtonwoodhoa.com and select “Contact” at the top of the page. Use the contact form to send us your nomination, and choose “Yard of the Week” as your category so the form goes to the Yard of the Week committee. If you would like to help pick the Yard of the Week winners, you can let us know that as well using the same form.

Each month the winners will be listed on our website and included in our newsletter. Spring is just around the corner — the trees are leafing out, flowers are starting to bloom, and the grass is coming back! Here’s to another year of beautiful yards in Ashton Wood! Good luck!

Monthly Board Meetings Open to Association Members, too!

/

You may have noticed on the Calendar on the HOA Web Site that each month there is an "HOA Monthly Meeting." The HOA Board meets monthly to attend to the regular operational business of the Association. If you are a Basic or Swim/Tennis member of the association you are welcome to attend these meetings.

March HOA Board Meeting Details are:

  • Monday, March 12, 2018
  • 7:00 PM 8:00 PM

Location: 2843 Ashton Hill Dr.

Quickly Communicate with Your Neighbors on Facebook

/

There is now a Facebook page for the Ashton Wood community. While it is not formally associated with the HOA, and the HOA does not control its content, it is an available place to share news, discussion, and recommendations with your neighbors. It is open to everyone.

For example, if you have lost a pet, such as a dog or cat, and want to get the word out, quickly, the Facebook page above is a great way to do that.

Ashton Wood HOA 2018 Dues

/

You can save money by paying your dues on or before April 1, 2018.  For Basic Membership, you can pay $85.00.  For Swim/Tennis (Full Membership), you can join for $385.00.  After April 1st, the Basic Membership will be $90.00 and the Swim/Tennis Membership will be $415.00. 

Please make your checks payable to:  Ashton Wood HOA and include the 2018 Membership Invoice with your payment. The invoice form was delivered to all homes in the neighborhood in a doorknob hanger bag late last year. Also, here is a copy of the invoice form. So, act before the deadline to save on the cost of membership!

2018 HOA Graduate Banner

/

If your son or daughter is graduating from high school or college this year we would like to help you celebrate by including their information on our neighborhood GRADUATE BANNER that will be posted at the neighborhood front entrance in May.

In order to have a name listed, you must be a 2018 HOA Basic Member or a 2018 Swim/Tennis member. Please be sure to submit your membership dues full payment by April 9th at the drop box indicated on the membership form.

Also by April 9th, use the the Contact link to send in your 

  • Child's Name

  • School Name

  • Your Name and Address

Be sure to select the "Graduate Banner" category when submitting your information.

  

The Wreaths of Christmas

/

An Article by Mary Phillips...

As we ride through Ashton Wood these days, we know very quickly that Christmas “is a comin’”.  We cannot miss the signs with all the lights, snowmen, Santa and manger scenes appearing in our neighbors’ yards.  But I think the most graphic signs are the green wreaths adorned with beautiful red bows that hang in our neighbors’ windows. To me, it would not be Christmas if those symbols were missing.

As you know, the wreath is an assortment of flowers, leaves, fruits, twigs or various materials that is constructed to resemble a ring.  The ones we see in Ashton Wood are usually made from evergreens. In ancient times, because evergreens lasted throughout the harshest winters, pagan people felt they were full of spirits.

Evergreens have been in use for centuries, first in ancient Rome, hung on doors to represent victory..  Because the wreath’s circle had no beginning or end, it became natural for it to become a symbol of everlasting life.   It was also believed that the holly wreath with its sharp, pointed leaves represented the crown of thorns worn by Jesus Christ on the cross. The little red berries symbolized drops of blood.

In Christianity, wreaths are used to observe the Advent season, in preparation for Christmastide. These wreaths, as with other Advent and Christmas decorations, are often set up on the first Sunday of Advent, a custom that is sometimes done liturgically, through a hanging of the greens ceremony. For every Sunday of Advent, starting with the fourth Sunday before Christmas, a candle is inserted in the wreath.   All of the Advent wreaths have four candles, four colored ones inserted around the outside during Advent and a white Christ candle lighted on Christmas Day. Advent and Christmas wreaths are constructed of evergreens to represent everlasting life brought through Jesus and the circular shape of the wreath represents God, with no beginning and no end.  While Advent wreaths are erected on stands or placed on tables, Christmas wreaths are often hung on doors or walls.

This Christmas, as you observe your neighbors’ decorations I hope you will have a new perspective of the Christmas wreath.  It is not just a pretty green and red decoration to adorn our windows.  It is a symbol of something much larger that transcends time and place.  May you enjoy this symbol with a renewed spirit and sense of joy and love.

 

The wreath is a circle of evergreen leaves

It reminds us of faith from above.

Its promise that Christmas is coming is true

A promise filled with Christ’s love.

Is Your Pet Missing?

/

If you have lost a pet, such as a dog or cat, and want to get the word out, quickly, then be encouraged to post on the Facebook page for the Ashton Wood community. While it is not formally associated with the HOA, and the HOA does not control its content, it is an available place you can post to immediately to share information about your lost pet.

That page is also a place for posting and reading news, discussion, and recommendations with your neighbors. It is open to everyone.

Invitation to Christmas Carol in the Neighborhood

/

Please see this kind invitation from our neighbor, Frances Rolader. You can find more information and discussion on the Facebook page named Ashton Wood Neighbors Dacula GA 

Hello Neighbors,

Several of us would like to do a community Christmas Carol. We will have a fire pit for the carolers to keep warm and hot chocolate too. If you would like to join us Dec. 23rd starting at 5 PM, please let me know. If you know of someone who would enjoy some Christmas cheer, let me know as well. 

Thank you,

Frances Rolader

2018 Membership Drive and Annual Meeting Notice

/

On behalf of the members of the 2017 Board of Directors I want to thank the residents of our neighborhood for all the support they provided during the year.  We hosted the second annual Backyard Tour in June, and several neighbors put on a wonderful back-to-school block party that was one of the best attended neighborhood events in a long time. 

Many of you are “basic” HOA members, and your membership dues fund maintenance of our front entry and other common property, as well as mandatory taxes and insurance.  In addition, these dues supported costs associated with our new website which is designed to keep everyone current on events in and around our neighborhood ( www.ashtonwoodhoa.org ).

Those neighbors who opted for the “swim/tennis” membership had access to a well-maintained pool and lighted tennis courts. This year, the Board worked to maintain the area surrounding the pool deck and to keep all recreational facilities in a safe and attractive condition.  The Board also added an online tennis court reservation system, and swim/tennis members enjoyed a fun and well-attended pool party in August.  In 2018, the Board will need to consider having the pool resurfaced, which will be a major expense.  The swim/tennis membership fees fully maintain both the pool and tennis courts which are both beneficial to the entire neighborhood.  Their availability enhances the property values of every house in Ashton Wood. 

To continue meeting the common needs of the Ashton Wood Subdivision, we need 1) your financial support in the form of membership dues and 2) periodic support during community workdays to keep expenses as low as possible.

The AWHOA membership drive has now started and your support is much needed and appreciated.  You should have already received the invoice for 2018 membership.  Annual basic membership fees for 2018 will remain at $90 ($85 if paid on or before April 1, 2018). Full membership, including swim/tennis privileges, is available for $415 ($385 if paid on or before April 1, 2018).  

Our neighborhood has 142 homes and the majority support the homeowner’s association either as basic or full members.  I hope we will have the support of the entire subdivision in 2018 as all of us benefit from the actions of AWHOA. 

You are invited to attend the annual AWHOA Meeting which is open to all residents.  This meeting will be held on Monday, January 8, 2018 at 7:00 p.m.  Clyde and Gaylene Seibel will host the meeting in their home at 2327 Ironwood Hill Court.  The purpose of this meeting is to review the accomplishments of the AWHOA in 2017 and establish goals for 2018.  We will also elect board members for 2018, and then they will elect the officers for the year.  While our by-laws allow for a maximum of nine board members, we currently have seven homeowners who have indicated a willingness to serve as Board members in 2018.  A ballot listing the 2018 Board nominees was also attached to the packet you received and your marked ballot should be returned by December 11 for final approval.  If any additional homeowners are interested in assisting the board as a committee member or in other positions, please notify the Board of your interest via our web site at www.ashtonwoodhoa.org/contact .

I sincerely ask that you thoughtfully consider joining the AWHOA in 2018.  Your support will help us maintain our status as one of the most desirable neighborhoods in Dacula.  Membership is our only source of income so please consider joining as a full member to help maintain the pool and tennis facilities as well as other common community property.

Respectively,

Alfie Meek,

President, AWHOA

Happy Thanksgiving!

/

Happy Thanksgiving to all our neighbors in Ashton Wood!

The following remembrance was contributed by our neighbor, Mary Phillips.

Soon we will be celebrating the holiday of Thanksgiving, which began so long ago in Massachusetts.  We think of it as similar to the Thanksgiving we have today but it was very different.   The Pilgrims and the Puritans had journeyed from England to escape religious persecution, but for different reasons.  The Pilgrims wanted to separate from the Church of England; the Puritans wanted to purify it.  After a year of living among the Wampanoag Indians, who befriended them through a leader known as Squanto.  Squanto spoke English as a result of imprisonment in England.  Whether or not they gave thanks is unknown.  They ate simpler food than we eat today.  It was not thought of as Thanksgiving, but rather as harvest.

The first proclamation of Thanksgiving was made by George Washington in 1789.  It has been celebrated as a national holiday ever since 1865 when proclaimed so by President Abraham Lincoln.  It wasn’t until Dec. 26th, 1941 that President Franklin Roosevelt signed a bill for the first time making the date of Thanksgiving a matter of federal law and fixing the day as the fourth Thursday of November.

WE will soon be giving thanks ourselves.  Despite many bad things happening in the world, we have many things for which we are thankful.  Have you ever kept a Gratitude Journal?  It’s an interesting experience.  You find that you have so many things for which you are thankful that you run out of room.  I finally had to set up categories such as Family, the Natural World, Friends, Health, Well Being, Gifts and Talents, Unexpected Surprises, Trips,  and on and on.  Once you get started, you are amazed.

I like to write poems of Thanksgiving   Here is one that I wrote

Thank you God

By Mary Phillips

 

God who sprinkled stars through space

God who set the earth in space

God who stretched the oceans wide

God who’s always by my side

 

God who carved the mountainside

Mountains that will long abide

God who caused the flowers to grow

And showers them with rain and snow

 

This is God I’ve come to know

This is God I’ve come to know

God who clearly loves us so.

To whom all my thanksgivings go.

 

I’ve written many poems about God, because He is the source of all things for which we are truly thankful.  Happy Thanksgiving. Have a  great one   !!!

Upcoming Seasonal Concerts and Events

/

Here are a few seasonal concerts and events you may like to attend...

 
IMG_0123.JPG

Sunday, December 3, 2017 @ 6:00p.m. - "We Sing Noel" -- A Christmas Concert presented by choir, praise team, instrumentalists, and special guests. ROCK SPRINGS UMC, 1100 Rock Springs Road, Lawrenceville (close to Gwinnett Braves Stadium)

  

 

 

Friday, December 8th - 7-9 PM
Saturday, December 9th - 6-8 PM

Walk through Bethlehem takes you back in time to when Christ was born, and includes a Live Drama, a visit to the Inn Keeper, the Marketplace, Shepherds in the field, and Outdoor Nativity with live animals that children and adults will enjoy.  Then step back into "real time" for a marshmallow roast! ROCK SPRINGS UMC, 1100 Rock Springs Road, Lawrenceville (close to Gwinnett Braves Stadium)

night-of-hope.jpg

Sunday, December 10, 2017, 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM

We are so excited about the worship experiences we have planned for you and your family this Christmas season. “A Night of Hope” will feature music from our Celebration Choir & Orchestra. Invite a friend and make plans to join us for this special night of music. Free Admission. North Metro Baptist Church, 1026 Old Peachtree Road NE, Lawrenceville, GA 30043

gsoc_poe