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Ramblings

November 2010

In this issue...

• From the President • New to the LVR Board • Retreat news • Church Triumphant • Women's Bible study

Greetings,

This is the time of year when many of us are less likely to take off from home to enjoy time at LVR and we are once again reminded of the clichéd statement “Time flies when you’re having fun”. We are already in the fall month when we celebrate a day of Thanksgiving for our many blessings and look forward to the celebration of our Saviors birth. We hope that both occasions are joyous for each of you and your families.

The summer season of 2010 was once again a great time for getting together as fellow members of LVR for gatherings that involved both fun and work. This summer was slightly different because throughout the summer individual members were doing a lot of preparation for our continuing restoration work with CUSP on October 2, and 9. Your Ranch Board wants all participants to know that during our October work days it was great to see a very positive member response and the team work involved feed-ing the prepared piles into the shredder. The seasoned experts from CUSP were very complimentary of the attitude and teamwork demonstrated by the participants. We were unable to shred all of the piles pre-pared by our members and we want you to know that your preparations were not in vain. Dates are being set for one day in May and 2 days in October 2011. This is a long term project. Continued participation and enthusiasm is needed for us to take full advantage of our partnership with CUSP. When you see Alan Peterson thank him for his organizational efforts to set up and make this continuing partnership work.

This is our first Ramblings publication since our 2010 annual membership meeting. We welcome John Harris to the Ranch Board. John has agreed to serve as Vice President. In addition to this duty he will serve as your Ramblings editor and webmaster for www.lvranch.org. Jackie Brookshire is assum-ing treasurer’s duties; other continuing Board members have agreed to continue doing the jobs they have been doing in the past. Josh Arbogast will continue to be in charge of roads and equipment, Dee Paul-son will continue as secretary, Shirley Bauer is our membership coordinator, Jim Halloran is taking care of lakes fish and trees, Alan Peterson is our coordinator and contact person for building and im-provements and Clare Skov is in charge of the Ranch House.

Ranch Board membership is set for right now however, we ask all of our members to keep in mind that every year there are three openings on the Board. Please consider saying yes to running for the Board when we try to recruit candidates in the future.

Recently the subject of the Ranch Board’s long range planning has come up and we want to for-ward to you a quick review of what our present planning includes.

In early 2009 the Ranch Board established the following priorities to be considered when we set budgets and move forward. This information was provided at the annual meeting in 2009.

FROM THE PRESIDENT

• Buildings and Safety • Columbarium Update • The Bear Facts • Notes from the Treasurer • Membership • Ranch House Blues

Ramblings Newsletter November 2010


Listed in order of the priority established and published by the Board at that time:

� Continuing fire recovery efforts. � Contracted road improvements. � Trash and refuse removal on a cooperative basis with the Retreat. � Relocation of the equipment area which is presently north of the Ranch House and building an

appropriate equipment shelter in the new area. � Construction of an outdoor pavilion and gathering area adjacent to the columbarium.

Our previously mentioned partnership with CUSP allows us to continue our progress on fire recovery efforts. Contracted road improvements in several problem areas have been completed. Commercial trash removal is not available in our area. The last two items are higher budget items and more detailed plan-ning is required before we try to move forward on these improvements. Your Brother in Christ, Ron Young, President

New to the LVR Board

Wow, what a whirlwind this summer has been, at least for me and my family. We have been coming and going so fast that I have to go to work just to catch my breath. I truly love coming up to LVR and the quiet solitude that awaits me there, even if I have to listen to some guy yelling at me to slow down, speed limit is 20!! I look around at all that God has created and even though the fire did so much damage, the natural beauty of LVR shines through. I would be willing to bet that each one of you reading this has some story of a new discovery on your property. From new trees, to rocks that were never there be-fore. God has definitely looked at LVR and blessed us richly!! Now for a little personal info. My name is John Harris and I am the new Board Vice-President and have been assigned the daunting task of putting this newsletter together and helping Ron with the management of the website. (www.lvranch,org) . Following in Jackie’s footsteps is no easy chore but I will do my best and let God be my guide. I am married to Diana and we live in Peyton, Co.

Over this summer, there have been many exciting events going on at LVR, from the multiple bear sightings and yes, break-ins, to the replacement of our gates and the fixing of a couple of rough sec-tions of roads with the culminating event being the CUSP weekend so aptly described by Alan. Needless to say, I would be hard pressed to find a more hard-working and dedicated team than the staff that support LVR and all of us. If you see any of them making their rounds, make sure that you stop and say thanks for all they do!! I will be looking for news articles throughout the winter and I am hoping that there are a few people blessed with the gift of gab who would be willing to share of some of their experiences while either living or visiting LVR. In Him, John Harris, Vice President


Retreat News Sheds & Cabins Did you know that LVR is the home of the best sheds in America? Okay, It may not be factual, but looking around LVR it seems that way. They come in all sizes, shapes and col-ors. The cabin homes being built are pretty impressive as well. When making your plans for any building on your lot, don’t forget to send a written plan and site location map to your Ranch Board. This helps the board and the fire department know what is on the prop-erty. Remember, there is a 70-foot setback from any LVR road or lot boundary. Some-times boulders and hills get in the way of our plans; so again, ask the board for an excep-tion. Plans can be sent to Alan Peterson either by the “old fashioned” mail system or by email. (Rules & Regs: Section 1. b. & Section 2.) Trailers There are short ones, long ones, square ones, and round ones. How blessed we are to have a place to camp and relax without making reserva-tions to do it. Make sure your trailers are road worthy and kept up. We wouldn’t want LVR to be known as the worst trailer park in America. If you need to keep your trailer at LVR for longer than three months, please write to the Ranch Board for approval. You may be pleasantly surprised. (Rules & Regs: Section 3.) ATTENTION LVR HUNTERS! Feel free to use LVR as your base camp, but NO HUNTING, of any kind, is permitted on LVR property. NO WAY, NO HOW! This also includes pellet guns and BB guns. Help keep LVR safe for everyone and don’t forget to wear your membership buttons and have your guests wear them as well. (Rules & Regs: Section 5.)

LOLAS LVR!

Weekly Women Bible Study!

When: Friday's at 10 am

Where: Retreat

Bring your Bible and join us for Bible Study and

Fellowship!

Church Triumphant

The following members had joined the church triumphant:

Marie Enge Edna Goetz

Joseph Henke


BUILDINGS AND SAFETY

Wowsers! We had great turnout for the chipper crews. Thanks to all who helped. We had the chipper specially adjusted to throw chips at a MAXIMUM 20 MPH!!!! Okay, you got me! That was my ever so subtle reminder to keep the Mario Andretti in you under control as we remember that any one of us can compromise the entire group with less than personally re-sponsible behavior. Like maybe driving over the limit of 20 MPH or leaving the gates open. Check your rear view mirror as you leave or enter. If you see an open gate, you forgot to close it ☺ Back to fire remediation. Fancy talk for fixin’ things up after the big burn! On both weekends, we did a total of 292 man hours. I did not count the piles, but there were many eaten by the CUSP machine, it is so polite that it chews before it swallows! Some of the piles were suitable for firewood and volunteers for Teller County Fuel for the Needy will be picking that up thru the winter, least accessible first. We are scheduling more chipper days May 14, 2011 and two more in the Fall, October 1st and 8th, 2011, all Saturdays. Please plan on helping feed the chip-per and clearing more of your chipper ready down timber. We can take up to 12” diame-ter. The next time our only change is to cut off the roots of anything to be chipped. Roots carry imbedded rocks and soil which destroys the chipper blades rotating at 2500 rpm. Thanks ever so much for all the work done and your participation. We will get to all the piles near enough to approach with the heavy machine. Call Alan if you need directions on making piles. Thanks to the Retreat for feeding logger portions for only $5.00 per logger, all you could eat!!!!


Building and Safety Continued The pink list from the pink map seen at the annual meeting has been worked on diligently by many who have seen it. I will update it so you can see the progress. Thank you! Most of the trouble has been “no plot plan in the record.” We still have some violations of camper trailers not being road worthy and slide in campers will not be approved for a site improvement. They are not road worthy as a standalone or towable unit. Please keep your units properly licensed to avoid trouble with State/County folks. Get Alan and the Board a plot plan if you have not yet done so!! If a trailer is derelict, fix it, make it road worthy or get it hauled off your property. Eventually we will have to ask this be done on a more personal basis. Remember how Alan hates the role of enforcer � Bears! Eleven campers/sheds have been attacked by the fur coated vandals. We have included an ar-ticle from Tonya Sharp, Wildlife Manager, with some great links and tips for “bear proofing” your property. It boils down to this; We are in the bears house. They are thinking only about eating this time of year, not dating, that is next Spring, but hunger drives them just as powerfully. Bears can get used to people as a source of food, so we need to protect our places from their overpowering appetites when they wander through LVRanch. Bear unwelcome mats and other DOW suggestions are posted and linked on the LVRanch website. Unless a bear is so bold as to be unafraid of people, DOW will not trap and euthanize unless a bear can be certainly identified so they don’t kill the wrong one. So far, the one making a mess does so in the total absence of people. He has not been seen. Be diligent, resourceful and responsible as you handle food stuff and waste on LVRanch. Be aware, be wise, not afraid!!! Yours in Christ, Alan Peterson, Buildings and Safety

Columbarium The columbarium is in place behind the Ranch House. One niche is occu-pied and one has been reserved. There are 10 niches remaining. Reserva-tion forms are available on the Ranch website or from Dee Paulson at (303)716-3518/ [email protected]. The cost of a niche (which contains two crypts) is $1000.00. If you would be interested in serving on the com-mittee, please contact Dee Paulson or Josh Arbogast.


The Bear Facts Unless the owners of the trailers live there year-round, they will need to remove ALL food products from the trailers every time that they leave. I realize that this is a huge inconven-ience, but it is those food odors that bring the bear in. I’ve had 3 other areas in Teller County this summer where bear(s) were breaking into RV’s and the main attractants in those situations were coffee and chocolate (both very aromatic). It also seems that people always leave their bird feeders and hummingbird feeders out when they leave. These need to be brought in and never left out when people are not staying. I recommend that bear unwelcome mats be placed on the steps and even under win-dows. Here is the link: http://wildlife.state.co.us/NR/rdonlyres/9DAD5590-9971-449A-8B58-1CC0FF4410DB/0/UnwelcomeMats.pdf I personally like a more random placement of the screws/nails on the plywood, but straight lines work. Here is a second link for other deterrents including electric fencing. http://wildlife.state.co.us/NR/rdonlyres/C0D7FCA1-42AB-47CB-A0AE-BA3384545FEA/0/BearDeterrents.pdf I had a rash of break-ins probably 4 years now at a fishing resort. People were intention-ally feeding bears and then the bears started breaking in. We ended up having to put down 2 sows and 4 cubs which was the end result of an extreme situation. However, we definitely do not want to get to that point at LVR. If people want to fully protect their trailer, they need to invest in a battery operated fence charger and surround their trailer with electric fencing. Anytime the bear can get “bit” and feel some pain, it will hopefully learn that that is not the place to be. It’s going to take a unified effort to break the bear of its bad habits. Next summer, will be just as bad if we can’t end it now.

Tonya Sharp Wildlife Manager


Lutheran Valley Ranch Board of Directors

Dee Paulson – Secretary Redeemer Lutheran, Denver, CO [email protected] (email) Shirley Bauer – Membership Redeemer Lutheran Colorado Springs, CO [email protected] (email) John Harris—Vice President, Ramblings Newsletter & Website Family of Christ Lutheran, Monument, CO [email protected] (email)

Jim Halloran – Lakes/Fish/Trees Faith Lutheran, Woodland Park, CO [email protected] (email) Alan Peterson – Building & Safety Rock of Ages Lutheran, Colo. Springs [email protected] (email) Clare Skov – Ranch House Faith Lutheran, Johnstown, CO [email protected] (email)

Ron Young – President Zion Lutheran, Brighton, CO [email protected] (email) Josh Arbogast — Roads & Equipment Family of Christ Lutheran, Monument, CO [email protected] (email) Jackie Brookshire – Treasurer Family of Christ Lutheran, Monument, CO [email protected] (email)

Membership

Welcome to the following new members: Howard & Margaret Kasch, Lot 53, from Pie Town NM and members of Mt. Calvary Lutheran Todd & Tammy Kelm, Lot 122, from Woodland Park, CO and members of Faith Lutheran Sara Lewis, Lot 122, from Lawrence KS and member of Redeemer Lutheran. Sara shares her membership with her sister, Sylvia Stockton, from Wichita, KS. Sylvia is a member of Holy Cross Lutheran. They are both daughters of Marie Skov and are not really new to LVR. Dan & Debbie Reed and daughter Heather Pulis, Lot 8, from Colorado Springs, CO and member of Family of Christ Lutheran

Currently there are 2 lots available:

62 on Deer Trail Drive 83 on Eagles Roost

Shirley Bauer, Membership


TTHEHE RRANCHANCH HHOUSEOUSE BBLUESLUES The last of the hunters disappeared over the horizon today, like the vapor trails in the sky, the cloud of dust marked their departure. We didn’t see any antlers hanging over the tailgates today so many were disappointed. Last year’s hunt was pretty harsh and bull elk were more difficult to find this year. Sighting of elk at LVR and the awesome sound of their bugling at night has been absent this year. But we know one hunter was pretty happy: Luke Kunze (Lot 92) bagged his first bull elk this week! So, since most of the summer visitors, the admirers of golden aspen (they were pretty awesome and long lasting this fall), and now the hunters are gone, visitors to the Ranch House are significantly less abundant… alas, the blues have set in. But there’s still hope! Only a few mornings has there been a little ice around Bear lake, so fishing is still pretty good. Just this past week, Dave Romberg delighted himself with some nice 18”ers. Can you tell I’m fish’n for something to write about for the Ranch House? Well, other than the usual sweeping and mopping, window washing, BR cleaning, rodent control in the basement, flower watering, and buying supplies, this week will see James Cotter (Lot 50 ) coming up to replace the #2 shower and also the broken #1 sink faucet in the men’s restroom. Thanks James! Also, the deck flowers have been replanted and moved inside for the winter so they’ll be bigger, stronger, and more abundantly beautiful come next summer. Thanks Marie (Lot 123)! If you happen in, please give them a drink. One more big item on the list is having the septic tank cleaned and ser-viced (does anyone know when that was last done?). Thanks Shirley for doing the ground work on that. I want to thank all of you who have used the Ranch House this year and have contributed to keeping it neater and cleaner than you found it. Thanks also for faithfully signing in when you used the facilities and also reminding and encouraging others to do the same. And I have a few special requests that would make and keep it a better place for others to enjoy: [1] If you borrow something, please record your taking it out and returning it in the Log Book; [2] If you break something, please let me know so we can replace it if necessary ( for example, the re-flectors I placed along the driveway to keep people from running over the retaining wall blocks have been removed, people run over the blocks displacing them and leave without repairing damage. Also, the new rugs we bought for the shower areas were removed shortly after they were put in place… so guess who gets the complaints!) [3] If you have suggestions, want to donate something to the Ranch House, or see something that is needed, please stop by [Lot 26] or call me on the phone [686-3987], or E-mail me to convey your mes-sage [[email protected]]. [4] And most important, remember, God has blessed you in special ways so that He can make you a blessing to others and they in turn will know God has visited them through you and they will rejoice and give Him all honor, praise, and thanksgiving!!! Your servant in Christ! Clare Skov

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