September 11, 2010

Thanks for a Great Movie Night!

Thanks to everyone who helped organize, set up, serve popcorn, and donated the projector. The starry night was perfect for watching movies with friends.

September 10, 2010

Movie Night Rescheduled for Tomorrow Night, Saturday Sept. 11

Diary of a Wimpy Kid will be shown Saturday night, September 11 at 7:00PM in Val Jean Park. The Friday showing was cancelled due to thunderstorms and high likelihood of rain.
Victor Gardens Events Committee invites you to join your neighbors for popcorn, lemonade and other snacks tomorrow.

September 9, 2010

Lawn Care - $40 Core Aeration Service

Tony Schwab has spoken to Jeff Ambrose of Pro-Aire Lawn Service again this year about lawn core aeration services.
Jeff has offered his aeration services to Victor Gardens residents for a few years, and does a very professional job. He's offering a Victor Gardens discount rate of $40/per lawn regardless of size. That's less than what most others charge for this service. For do-it-yourselfers, this is a pretty good deal considering the cost of renting the machine, time and effort involved, plus the cost of gas.
Jeff did a great job on our lawn over the last few years, and I would recommend his services to anyone.
Call Jeff directly at (651) 274-1535. He's currently coordinating a schedule of Victor Gardens appointments.
According to the U of M Extension Service website: "Core aeration is the best method of dealing with the problem of compaction in the lawn. Aeration promotes moisture and air penetration into soils, resulting in deeper and healthier root systems on the grass plants. ... The best time of year to aerate the lawn is late August to early October. Aeration can be done in the spring but will lead to additional weed seeds being brought to the surface where they may germinate. In fall, weed seeds will also be brought to the surface, but they will not sprout."

Disclosure

Paid Ads or Freebies?
In the past, a resident asked if I received free services for placing posts about window washers, painters, snow removal, lawn services, etc. It's a very fair question. The short answer is no. I do not ask for and have never received any form of compensation for these kinds of posts.
There are two reasons I post the messages. First, most of us value word-of-mouth recommendations from our neighbors. In a crowded field of contractors it's good to hear of others experiences (good or bad). If a neighborhood discount is offered- that's a bonus. Second, I like to support local entrepreneurs and small businesses. In a tough economy, a number of small jobs can make a difference in someone's bottom line.
I'm always willing to post a message for recommended contractors and local businesses. If you'd like to share a good experience with a babysitter, or a neighborhood shop, I'll be happy to share it on the website. Just please make sure, however, that you have some experience dealing with these companies before we recommend them in a post. Email me for suggestions.

About this website:
Another resident asked me how much this website costs our Victor Gardens association. The short answer again is nothing. Google (Blogger) hosts victorgardensnews.org free of charge. Renewing the domain name and email account each year is a nominal expense paid by me. No residents dues pay for anything associated with this website or the emails I send out periodically.
Residents should know that this is not an official website of any Victor Gardens association. I started the site a few years back in response to a lack of resident communication with our neighborhood's developer. Sometimes the posts have been controversial, but I'm convinced that the website has led to important and positive changes. It's successful even if it's helps us get together for our Victor Gardens events.
- Mark

September 8, 2010

SFV Board Meeting set for Tuesday, Sept. 14, 7PM

The next meeting of Victor Gardens Single Family Village Board is scheduled for Tuesday, Sept 14 at 7:00PM. The Board welcomes all SFV residents to the Neighborhood Activity Center for this meeting. A "Resident Forum" is always provided to residents who wish to voice concerns and ask questions.
View it on our Victor Gardens Calendar.

September 7, 2010

Pool Closed for the Season

The Victor Gardens Pool is closed for the season. The new electronic key fob system was a big success. It helped curb unauthorized access to the pool. Many residents reported less crowding as a result.
Thanks very much to the Pool Committee's volunteers. Look for the Pool's reopening next Memorial Day weekend 2011.

September 5, 2010

Master Board Meeting set for Thursday Sept. 23, 6PM

The next meeting of Victor Gardens Community Association (Master) Board is scheduled for Thursday, Sept 23, 6:00PM at Hugo's Rice Lake Centre. Residents are welcome to the meeting.
View the details on our Victor Gardens Calendar.