SEPTEMBER 2010

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Woodgate WarblerEditors: Pamela Twycross-Kent Heather Dambmann

Pam, 688-0403 email pmtwyx@roadrunner.com Heather 568-2241 email heatherd205@mac.com

Thank you to Jerry Kent and his Pool Committee for all the work involved in keeping our pool so beautifully run this summer, We certainly had a hot summer and there were many of us that spent time in the pool, exercising or just relaxing and keeping cool.Much of the work is done early in the morning so an extra thank you to Don Testa, Art Stroh and Jerry for those early morning readings. The water aerobics' ladies and gentlemen, yes we did have men join us this year, did their Billy Jo Wet and Wonderful exercise practically every day and will be very sad on September 16th, our pool closing. If you want to lose a few pounds and get more toned, this is great exercise, we will look forward to you joining us next year.The wonderful hot sunny weather this summer caused a lot of much needed extra watering. Thank you to all who stepped up to the plate and watered all the plantings. Woodgate has looked extremely beautiful this summer due to many of you that volunteered and planted at their own expense, many lovely annual and perennial plants. These plants were paid and planted on a volunteer basis by the residents. If next year you would like to contribute but are unable to do the work, please let one of your board members know. They will arrange for someone else to do the planting. Our woodgate landscaping budget only pays for the bushes and trees but the residents are responsible for the watering.

LETS ALL HELP TO KEEP WOODGATE BEAUTIFUL!

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It takes a Mallarda short true story by Jerry Kent

It had turned into a lazy afternoon in July. The heat from the morning had not reached our living room yet and the patio outside overlooking the lake was still producing a cooling breeze. The patio door was open and my wife, Pam, and I were relaxing, reading in preparation for our pending dispute over when would be the appropriate time to close all the windows and doors in order to turn on the air conditioning.

Pam is one of the most dedicated animal lovers I have ever known. And when we married several years ago, I accepted the fact that Puccini, the Double Yellow headed Amazon parrot who had been with her for more than 30 years, outranked me. She has her license as an animal rehabber and specializes in birds. It is not uncommon for a Styrofoam carton of skeletons without feathers to be dumped on our doorsteps in the hopes that Pam will be able to raise them into the best birds they can be.

Pam had decided to take a nap. Our bedroom also looks out on the lake. A moment later she came rushing back into the living room and announced that a baby robin had become stuck in the plant stand outside our bedroom window. I looked up from my easy chair and tried to decide if my presence was really needed for this rescue. It was a lazy afternoon.

“Come on,” Pam insisted, making the decision for me.

As I stepped out onto the patio I noticed the usual coterie of a dozen or so ducks taking their afternoon naps on the banks of our lake which is about a hundred feet from our patio.

A mother robin was squawking nearby at the sounds of distress coming from her baby. But as Pam approached the plant stand, the terrified baby robin suddenly freed itself and, desperate to get as far away from us as possible, flew straight out over the lake where it ran out of energy and plummeted into the water. The mother robin had flown after it and now was frantically crying in response to the calls of her baby bobbing on top of the water.

At this point, all of the ducks on the shoreline rose as one and began a concerned muttering. Pam was frantic. If animal rehabbers have any creed it begins with , “First, do no harm.” Remembering we had a net in the garage, I was left me in charge of the rescue while the net was retrieved.

I wasn’t about to dive into the lake, but as I turned to keep an eye on the bird and rack my brain to think up some clever plan to save it, I noticed one of the female ducks had taken off from the bank and had flown out near the baby robin. Somehow by flapping her wings or pushing the water with her wings or feet or both, the duck was pushing the baby robin to shore.

Pam had returned with the net but we both stood there dumbfounded at what we were watching. In a matter of minutes, the baby robin had gone from 30 feet out in the lake to five feet. At this distance Pam was able to scoop up the baby bird without having to step into the lake. She took it inside to dry it off and make sure it was all right before releasing it on the patio to a noisy reunion with its mother. By this time the ducks were once again asleep on the banks of the lake.

Do bird babies have some universal call of distress? Duck babies can swim right out of the shell. When would a duck ever learn how to push a baby to shore? How would it even know that some birds can’t swim? The more we thought about it the more questions we had.

Do ducks have empathy?

Once Pam had pursued an injured duck for days in hopes of getting it treated but every time she tried to lure it with food and then net it, the duck flew off and landed in the lake. Then one morning we found the duck lying on the top step of our stairs to the patio as if to say, “Take me.” Pam got it the treatment it needed and we released it in good health back onto our lake.

Do ducks know which humans are their friends?

All of this speculation was too much for a lazy afternoon and we decided both of us would take a nap. --------------------------------------------------------------------

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Bike Path UpdateThe Ransom Oaks Bike Path Committee has been meeting throughout the summer and now has hired a lawyer as part of the team.We hope negotiations with the Golf Course owners will eventually result in a satisfactory solution for everyone.

We have enjoyed the wine and hors d’ouvre Pool opening party and our Ice social this summer. Now it is time to prepare for the next social events. Mark your calendars now so you will be able to come to the next parties. Your social Committee, Marie Stroh, Heather Dambmann, Pam Twycross-Kent, Pamela Gray will be working on the following parties.

October 17th will be our International Brunch, 1 pm at the Clubhouse. Bring an international dish to share + the recipe, (those are always popular). BYOB, coffee and tea will be provided. This is a Bill’s bye week, so our Bill’s fans may join in the fun. We will be sending around a flyer in early October to remind everyone, but please do try to come and wish all our snowbirds goodbye and meet our newer neighbors, have fun, and eat some wonderful food.

December 5th will be our Holiday Luncheon at the Westward Country Club. We all had a wonderful time last year, so circle the date and plan on joining your neighbors for a wonderful time. More information to follow in November.

Woodgate Book Club

We have read and reviewed many good books. This month we are reading South of Broad by Pat Conroy. We will be reviewing the book at Pat Pfalzer’s house # 158 September 15th 2pm

Next book for October 20th at #205 Heather Dambmann’s is Blood of Flowers by Anita Amirrezvzni, a novel about a 14 y/o girl living in 17th century Persia and her story includes her fascination with rug making, living in poverty and 3 month “marriage contracts”. This is a “can’t put down book”We usually meet on the 3rd Wednesday of the month at 2pm., call Heather of Pam if you would like to join us.

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RemindersGarbage is to be put out after dusk the night before pick up day, usually Wednesday unless that day is a holiday, then it will be the following day.Modern Disposal, our garbage contractors state they will pick up 1 large item, not larger than 8 feet per residence each week.

All complaints and problems concerning your unit must be addressed to our Management representative, Sharon Staffeldt. Please do not call board members, they have been told to refer everything to Sharon. Her # is 716-639-0108.

Just a reminder to dog owners to pick up after your dog and to keep your dog leashed at all times when outside, this is an Amherst Town Leash Law.

We have had requests for a new Woodgate Village Telephone Directory. Please would you fill out the information on the form below and leave in the clubhouse. There will be a box on the table for completed forms. We have included car license plate #’s for your cars. Recently we have had a truck, license # 80811JC with an exhaust pipe trailing on the ground, parked around dog island that has not moved for over 2 months. We have no idea who owns this truck. The problem was discussed at the last board meeting and we thought listing the license plate #’s would help too in regards to liability if your car was damaged, we would know who to contact. If no one claims this truck it will be presumed it has been abandoned and we will have the police tow it away.

✂✂✂✂✂✂✂✂✂✂✂✂✂✂✂✂✂✂✂✂✂✂✂✂✂✂✂✂✂✂✂✂✂✂Woodgate Telephone List and email

Unit #____________ Name_______________________________________________

Telephone #___________________________ cell#________________________________

Emergency contact___________________________ ph. # __________________________

Email address________________________________________________________________

Would you like your newsletter in color by email yes________ no____________

License plate #________________ ______________________ ___________________

Pam’s Cheese Ball Recipe 1 stick of butter melt butter and mix with1 cup of flour flour and cheese, add pinch of 1 cup of grated cheddar cheese cayenne pepper, form into sma! ba!s pinch cayenne pepper bake 380 for about 20 mins. ti! browned

Woodgate Village Association. Inc. President Art Stroh 688-4199V.P. Joanne Barbati 688-4303Secretary Robert Lawrence 689-6328Treasurer Mickey Tannehill 639-7660

Woodgate Village 1 Board

President Joanne Barbati 688-41991st V.P. Earl Scheffler 688-90652nd V.P. Ronald Jarvis 688-8328Secretary Heather Dambmann 568-2241Treasurer Robert Lawrence 689-8328

Woodgate Village 2 Board

President Art Stroh 688-41991st V.P. Pamela Twycross-Kent 688-04032nd V.P. Mickey Tannehill 639-7660Secretary Bette Andruscavage 688-9300Treasurer Frances Jean Rawa 689-0304

Long time resident Mina Chisholm is now at Astbury Park.

Brown bag lunch at 12 noon will restart on the 1st Monday of October. We will have them every month until the pool opens next year in June. Everyone welcome!

BROWN BAG LUNCH

CLUBHOUSE

October 4th12 NOON

Get we! wishes for Art Stroh, feeling very unwe! with shingles in his eye. We a! send are thoughts and prayers Art, hope you feel better soon.

Welcome to our new residents :Nancy and Alan Garrow #152Tim and Kathy Drear # 252Cindy Kozlin and Tim Zehler # 255