I N S I D E T H I S

I S S U E :

President’s

Report

1

General

Manager’s Report

2

Tennis 3

Fitness & Pool

News

4

Golf Maintenance 5

Golf News 5

Clubhouse News 6

Chef’s Corner 6

Security 2

The Advocate F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 3

President’s Report

Dominick Bonanno, MCOA Board President

I have completed the first month of 2013 as your President and I’m happy to report that we are on the right path. At my Monday morning meetings with our General Manager, Cliff Charnes, we are working to improve communications and to clar-ify and resolve open issues as we go forward. We appreciate your support and we welcome your input. The new Board has come together and is work-ing on their respective Committees and addi-tional task force assignments. This is a great learning experience for all. Vice President, John Woronowich, chairs the Bostwick Committee which is involved in the planning for improve-ments at Bostwick, including the Dock Marina Project. Jim Vogel, your Secretary, is assigned to investigating the Gate House Project. Jan Alpert, Treasurer, supports me in our meetings with The Marsh Group and she is also involved with the planning process for Moss Creek Drive Causeways. Eileen Hutton, Chair of the House and Grounds Committee, is assigned the task of reviewing Hargray services. I will keep you in-formed of our progress in these areas. At a meeting of The Marsh Group in January, we were advised that FEMA is not endorsing pay-ment of Federal funds to private communities for clean-up of debris after a hurricane. The Marsh Group is attempting to bring pressure on the Federal Government to reverse this decision. They have also requested that we contact our local legislators to assist in that effort. Guest speaker Andy Twisdale, Chairman of the South Carolina Competitive Alliance, addressed the group on the inequities of Insurance Cost in South Carolina. We pay considerably more than

what is charged to homeowners in Louisiana for a comparably valued house here in Hilton Head. Our Dock project is progressing. It is anticipated to be completed on schedule, that is, around the end of February if all goes well. The Draft Financial Statements for the Year End December have been issued subject to Audit Review. At our Member meeting in October, we anticipated revenue of $8.543 million; our pre-liminary year end is at $8.552 million. Surplus before Depreciation was estimated at $1.161 million; the preliminary actual is $1.592 million, or over by $432 thousand. This was primarily the result of a decrease in Operating Expenses due to lower Employee Benefits cost, reduction in Maintenance Department expense, and an in-crease in our Certificate Income. With a positive cash flow, additional funds were put into the Reserve Account having a current balance of $1.267 million. A good year for Moss Creek! And a round of thanks to our Administrative staff, the Departmental Operations Managers, and of course last year’s Board for a job well done. We hope that everyone is off to a great year as

we look forward to the continued success of

Moss Creek.

P A G E 2

General Manager’s Report

Cliff Charnes, General Manager/COO

We just had our annual review with Hargray Communications and at their request, are embarking on a 2013 service quality checkup. They have over 700 customers in Moss Creek and have asked us to section off Moss Creek such that by specific area, anyone with any sort of service question can let us know and then they can properly respond. Our intent is to define ten neighbor-hood areas and attack one each month until finished. Obviously, anyone can contact them at any time with a problem, but if a gen-eral checkup is needed, it can be done more efficiently if done by area and month. More information will be available as this pro-gram develops.

The Low Country continues to deal with an extremely low subsurface water table resulting from a very low amount of rainfall in the second half of 2012. As our lagoon system is first and foremost a storm drainage system, without adequate rainfall, it becomes low on water and unfortunately, is less attractive as a visual amenity. We are fortunate to have access to the treated wastewater from Water Oak Utility to irrigate the golf courses, but this water cannot be used to replenish the lagoons. We are therefore at the mercy of a greater power and have to hope for some much needed spring rains.

We will be doing necessary preparation in February for opening the Bostwick pool complex as of March 1. Seating on all the deck chairs has been or will be replaced, and we have added a beautiful awning to provide additional shade. Take a look if you have a chance, we will be adding four ceiling fans to the awning, the final result should be a very nice outdoor space with the pool and the marsh for a view.

The heating/cooling system for the pool water is comprised of two systems, one specifically for the “kiddie” pool, and the other is shared on an alternating daily basis between the two large pools. If necessary due to cooler weather in the spring and fall, we only heat the lap pool. If this is a normal spring, we should be able to heat both large pools effectively as of the opening date.

One last note on the pool, the deck is always open for sitting and sunning, so as the days warm up, please go and enjoy, but please

for safety reasons, no glass on the pool deck. Have a great February.

Security News

Randy Connelly, Chief of Security

There have been many questions regarding the recent policy changes put into effect. Security issues notification tickets per their observation and then MCOA will issue Covenant and Rules infractions with fines and penalties as outlined below.

Resident Parking Resident permanent parking shall mean that all vehicles shall be on paved driveways or within the confines of a garage. Per-manent parking on lawns is prohibited. Cars parked on drive-ways must be in operating order and licensed for the highway. Note that inoperable and unlicensed vehicles must either be enclosed in a garage or removed from Moss Creek.

Fines & Penalties Enforcement of MCOA Rules and Regulations shall be made by Security. The following penalty structure is in effect for all violations per the Rules & Regulations, with the exception of speeding.

1st Offense—Warning* 2nd Offense—$35.00 Fine 3rd Offense—$100 Fine

4th Offense—General Manager action up to $250/ Board action (fine up to $1,000 per occurrence) *At Security Officer’s discretion, the first offense can warrant a $35.00 fine.

The following penalty structure is in effect for speeding viola-tions: 1st Offense—$35.00 Fine 2nd Offense—$70.00 Fine 3rd Offense—$140.00 Fine 4th Offense—General Manager action up to $250/ Board action (fine up to $1,000 per occurrence)

Members, renters, contractors, and vendors shall receive notifi-cation of a penalty by the issuance of a citation or by a letter. This will be per person and not per household.

P A G E 3

Tennis News

Tom Ruth, Director of Tennis

Valentine’s Day Social The Moss Creek Tennis Club will hold their annual Valen-tine’s Day Round Robin on Saturday, February 9, from 9:00am to 12:00pm. Players will play against similar level players in a fun, social, and competitive atmosphere. For more information about the event, contact Annmarie Neu-becker or Susan Halsey. Team Matches USTA Spring Season has started and Moss Creek will field 14 teams this year. Teams will be playing in the 55+ league, the 40+ league, and the 18+ league. Match sched-ules are posted on the outside bulletin board at the Tennis Center. Stop by to watch some exciting tennis matches and support your fellow Moss Creek Members. Tennis Tip: Mental Toughness In tennis we have multiple “opponents.” We have the other player or players we are playing against, we also have the net, as well as the lines we must keep the ball inside of. Our final battle is with ourselves. With so many other ob-stacles to overcome in a match, the last thing we want to do is make it even harder with our own internal struggles. These internal struggles can surface as negative self-talk, a bad attitude, and/or a lack of confidence. In order to control

these internal struggles, you first must take responsibility for these actions and re-actions. Once you do this, you will be able to realize you are in control of your emotions and have the ability to respond in a more positive and constructive manner. Win your battle from within and you will play better and have more fun.

Station Training Event

ARB Reminders: • Any additions and/or remodeling of existing structures, including re-roofing and re-painting/staining, requires approval prior to commencement of any work.

• All necessary plans must be complete and must be prepared by an approved design professional, and all work performed by a similarly qualified contractor.

• Interior work requires no approval, but notification of such work is necessary and a Moss Creek building permit must be issued if trash dumpsters and/or portable toilets are to be located on site.

• As long as the same materials and colors are being used, re-roofing and re-painting also require no approval, only notification and a Moss Creek permit from the Administration office.

• It is strongly emphasized and recommended that Members, their architects, designers, and contractors become familiar with the ARB Guidelines and Procedures.

• Removal of any tree 6” or greater in diameter must first be approved by the ARB. Most requests can be reviewed by management and a decision reached within a few days. Members must complete a Tree Removal Request Form and mark the trees.

Life has a funny way of “gifting” us with surprises. Even our most diligent efforts to plan for the future can quickly be turned to madness by life’s unexpected plot twists. Despite how frustrating these turns of events can be, we have two options in how we choose to re-spond. We can either remain paralyzed by our rigid inability to let go of our vi-sion of what we thought the outcome should be, or we could, as the saying goes, “roll with the punches” and move forward with our lives making the nec-essary adjustments. The bottom line is: the more flexible we are, the easier (and healthier) life seems to be.

The same can be said when we are talking about our bodies. The more flexible we are, the easier and healthier our lives can be. Flexibility can be de-fined as the ability of our joints and body parts to execute their full range of motion. Keeping our bodies limber is important in our everyday activities like walking, bending, lifting and maintaining a healthy posture. It becomes even more important if we want to enjoy par-ticipating in our favorite sports like ten-nis or golf without injuring ourselves. So what can we do to improve and main-tain our flexibility? Because everyone’s

Fitness & Pool News

Jason Zavasnik, Fitness Manager

body is unique, it is helpful to breakdown factors that limit flexibility into two groups: muscular and neurological. Muscle tissue is the body’s locomotive engine system. It is what allows our rigid skeletal system to move in our environ-ment. As we age, muscles can lose elas-ticity, atrophy, and ultimately hinder daily activities. However, as I’ve previously mentioned, studies have shown that 70% of muscle loss in older adults is due to in-activity or, simply put, the “use it or lose it” principal. The simple truth is: to be able to move we have to have healthy, active muscles. Although having healthy muscles is critical for our bodies to move, it is not a guarantee that we can achieve full range of motion at any given time. Muscular con-ditioning is the key to allowing our muscles to increase our range of motion. Muscle tissue is like salt-water taffy. When it is cold, its pliability is limited and it is more likely to tear. Likewise, warming up our muscles will increase its elasticity, improv-ing its ability to stretch and therefore pre-venting injuries through a broader range of motions. The body’s neurological system is like the electrical system of a house or an automo-bile; nothing works correctly if the wiring

isn’t working properly. Our brain is like a super computer that monitors and coor-dinates all neuromuscular activity. One of the primary functions of muscular tissue is to support our skeletal system. When our brain senses instability of our spine or skeletal system because of muscular weakness it will quickly send messages to certain muscle groups to limit motion that could damage our spine or skeletal system if we were to fall. These neuromuscular messages can be felt as a general tightness like a tight hamstring or even a lightning quick and temporarily debilitating back or neck spasm. We can increase our flexibility with neuromuscular conditioning through systemic range of motion exercise tech-niques. These types of techniques in-volve teaching our bodies to move through patterns of motion that require the recruitment of coordinated muscular systems. Yoga, Pilates, Tai Chi, and even dancing are some examples. Fluid body motion (flexibility) requires two things: having healthy muscles to move us and teaching them how to move the way we want them to (muscle memory). For more tips on maintaining a flexible body, visit us up at the Fitness Center!

P A G E 4

Grandpa’s Attic/Geriatric Garage Notice

After eight years, Clem Andes will be stepping down from his volunteer position with Grandpa’s Attic/Geriatric Garage. Tom and Rose Andreas and Charles (Bud) and Janet Dombay have taken over this wonderful organi-

zation at Moss Creek. The phone number (422-8523) will remain the same for all reservations, pick-up, and return of items.

Clem Andes has been instrumental in the development, organization, raising of funds, and day-to-day hard work to keep Grandpa’s Attic/Geriatric Garage going. Mr. Andes is thankful for all the friendships made and

volunteers over the past eight years.

I will be back by the time you read this article, but tomorrow I head south to attend the annual PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, Florida. The Show is a wonderful opportunity to network, research the latest and greatest products, discover new vendors, and find new ways to keep making the golf operation better for you! Following the Show I will be com-peting in the PGA Women’s Stroke Play Championship in Port St. Lucie, Florida. This event is a once a year opportu-nity to compete against a field of all women PGA profession-als and apprentices. Beginning in March, we will be offering special lesson pro-grams to kick off the spring season. More information com-ing soon on the different programs! Mark your calendar now for the annual complimentary demonstration clinic on Friday, March 1, from 3:00-5:00pm on the driving range. This is a great opportunity for you to be introduced to the teaching staff and learn some fun tips to help your game. There is no entry fee and all participants receive a raffle ticket. Join us for Happy Hour on the back veranda of the Clubhouse following the clinic and we will draw prizes for complimentary private lessons and other fun gifts. A New Look for the Course This spring we are replacing the tee signs, tee markers, and scorecards on both courses. Our goal is to have the new scorecards in-hand and new tee signs and markers in play by

the end of February. Along with a new look will be some small changes. Instead of using colors to define the different tees we have re-named all of the tee boxes. The new tee names and updated course ratings and slopes are:

Golf News

Heidi Wright-Tennyson, Director of Golf

We have continued to be dedicated with our commitment to Audubon here at Moss Creek. For the second year, the golf and grounds crew are using insulated tumblers instead of using Styrofoam drinking cups. We also have continued to improve the natural area behind #17 green South, with the help of the Green Chair and Audubon committee. We added two blue bird houses, a bat house, a wood duck box, and an owl box. You will notice more things in the near future in this area. Please keep looking at our Audubon updates in the display box located at the bag drop at the Club-house. A special thank you to those who have sent in various nature pictures taken in Moss Creek. We will display them peri-odically in the display box.

Golf Maintenance

Mitchell Wilkerson, Director of Golf Maintenance

P A G E 5

South Course North Course

Men Women Men Women

Black / Championship 73.8/137 n/a n/a n/a

Gold / Fazio 72.5/133 n/a 72.3/138 n/a

Blue / Member 70.2/128 76.3/145 70.5/127 76.9/144

White / Club 67.7/117 72.9/139 69.2/124 74.4/141

Red / Front 66.1/114 70.6/129 65.6/115 69.6/122

Advantage n/a 64.5/112 n/a 63.6/108

Clubhouse News

Jim O’Connor, Clubhouse Manager

Chef’s Corner

Chef Lenny, Executive Chef

P A G E 6

It’s hard to believe that the weather in the coming months is going to be better than it is now. As I sit here and write this article in January, it is a balmy 71 de-grees in the Low Country. If there are any Members reading this in the North— I am sorry. As I tell my family, they need to get down to visit before it gets too hot. Yes, I said it, we will be in the midst of Summer before we know it. My January article was in reference to the importance of making reservations for the various events at Moss Creek. Well, it appears it has been working. In the past two months, we have had six sellout events. With this being said, I would like to point out a few events coming up that you will want to get your reservations in for. First up is Valentine’s Day on Thursday,

February 14. We will be having the very talented Bobby Ryder serenade you as you dine with that special someone in your life. Our next big event will be the ever popular Trivia. With Trivia, there is always space available, but with the growing number of teams and people who want to play, it is very important that you lock down your teams in advance. We find that there is a lot of shuffling around at the last minute to get subs and members on your teams. Moving into March, we of course have the wonderful St. Patrick’s Day buffet. This year we will have it on Sunday, March 17, after the big parade on Hilton Head with the traditional favorites: corned beef and cab-bage, fish and chips and of course our Irish beer tasting. The last event I want to talk about is Easter, which falls on Sunday, March 31. This is a

Member favorite as we have a wonderful brunch with two seatings at 11:00am and 1:30pm. Please make reservations early, so you get in the seating that you prefer. I want to again thank all the Members for making the start of this year a memorable one. From Mrs. Hutton’s wonderful Author Luncheon that sold out plus had over 70 on a wait list, to Mrs. Putnam’s Piano Re-cital that drew in 210 guests, it has defi-nitely been a great start to 2013. Please keep in mind, as of February 1, we only have 93 more days till the Mackay’s Grill opens. See you at the Club!

5 oz. fresh basil (no stems) 9 oz. toasted nuts (pine, walnuts, almonds, or combination) 2.5 oz. garlic cloves 1.5 tsp coarse ground black pepper 2 cups olive oil 1. Mix in food processor. *This recipe excludes Parmesan cheese inten-tionally. It can be added to whatever you are cooking as appropriate.

I hope everyone that made New Year’s resolutions to eat healthier in 2013 are still hanging in there. This month I wanted to pass along a staple “condiment” that we use at my house. It’s something that is good on a wide variety of things from grilled chicken breast, fish fillets, flat breads, and whole grain pastas. That’s right – it’s pesto! And with a little advance planning, you can make this great flavor booster for very little cost.

For starters, in late fall I saw many of you at the pecan grove picking up pecans. Where are they now? Got a bag in your freezer? Perfect! Also, many people grow their own basil and much if tends to go un-used because they lack an outlet for the amount of basil even a single plant can produce. I find the more basil I harvest, the faster it grows back.

I know many traditionalists will snub their nose at the use of pecans rather than pignolia nuts, but I assure you, a good pecan pesto can rival any pesto out there. Furthermore, I sometimes blend in some walnuts or almonds for variety. Just keep the weight the same and I promise good results. Don’t be afraid to make a big batch. This recipe freezes great.