Stroudsburg, PA18360

PERMIT NO. 439

PAID

PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE

WALPOAR.R. 1, Box 500Dingmans Ferry PA 18328

Wild Acres Lakes Property and Homeowners Association

Wild AcresWorld Wild Acres Lakes Property

and Homeowners Association

November/December 2012Vol. 28 No. 5

Wild Acres Remembers 9/11By Bernice Jala I want to thank all of those who attended our September 11, 2012 ceremony. It is grati-fying to see how many of our members still join us in paying tribute to all the victims and those who risked their lives to rescue those that survived. In these busy times it would be easy for people to forget or as I have heard people ask, “So many years have passed, why hold a ceremony every year?” But as I looked at the fac-es of those who were there and listened to our guest speakers and children’s choir, I know in my heart and soul that this event must never be pushed aside. I will continue to hold our 9/11 ceremony each year as long as I am able. Thank you to our speakers, Liz Forrest, Gary Connellis, the Dingman Delaware Chil-dren’s Choir led by Brian Krauss, and John Wassmer who sang our National Anthem. I would also like to thank the Mc Elrath and Glaster families for their lovely donation of the 9/11 Flag of Heroes in loving memory of John Reich. The flag is created from the names of the emergency services personnel who gave their lives to save others in the ter-rorist attacks of 9/11. Joe Pojedinec shared his artifacts and beautiful book, filled with photos on the history of the World Trade Center from its inception. Ann Marie Miller and Linda Clarke provided desserts for the occasion.

New Director of OperationsEdward Florentino, Sr.All residents of WALPOA, I want to thank you and the Board of Directors for the opportunity to be your Direc-tor of Operations. For those of you who have not been advised, I’ve been appointed as your new DOO as of late September 2012. I’m honored and excited to meet everyone and engage all challenges of the position. I operate under an open-door policy and I certainly make every effort to practice a true open-door policy; so if you’re in the neighborhood and simply want to share your ideas or concerns, just stop on in. During my first several weeks, all staff members as well as many homeowners have offered assistance, support and encouragement, for which I certainly am grateful. Of course, I’m spending a lot of time attaining all sorts of information pertaining to an array of components toward operating WALPOA as well as the ongoing dam initiative, budget preparation for 2013-14 and administrative topics to mention a few. My quick assessment suggests that all departments and protocols are acceptable, but I believe a polishing will take place resulting toward a greater aftermath for all homeown-ers especially in the Public Safety and Maintenance subdivisions. Public Safety personnel are going to be better trained to serve our community at their maximum capacity and our Road Dept. will be tackling our roads beyond status quo with added efficiency. The holiday season is upon us, which means routine fall and winter tasks should be accomplished effecting our roads and storm pipes. I want to remind everyone to please read all reminders in this newspaper toward any and all articles in leaf clean up and snow removal practices. On behalf of the entire staff, we want to wish you and yours a very safe and happy holiday season.

Edward Florentino, Sr. “DOO”

Dingman Delaware Children’s Choir led by Brian Krauss

2 Wild Acres World November/December 2012

Published six times a year by

Community Newspaper Publishers237 Phyllis Court, Stroudsburg PA 18360

FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATION:EMAIL: mail@cnpnet.com PHONE: (570) 476-3103

ONLINE: www.cnpnet.com

The acceptance of advertising in Wild Acres World does not constitute endorsement by the Wild Acres Lakes Property Owners Association, the Board of Directors, the volunteers and staff who help put the paper together, or the publisher. Position of advertisements is not guaranteed. All advertising is subject to acceptance by the publisher. The publisher is not responsible for errors in ads or claims made by advertisers.

The offi cial publication of the Wild Acres Lakes Property Owners Association

Wild AcresWorld

Community Corner

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The Board of Directors, Committees, Management

and Staff Wish Our Members in Wild Acres a Happy, Healthy Holiday

Season!

Happy Birthday!November 7 Walter CichyNovember 7 Bernice JalaNovember 7 Marguerite NemethNovember 10 Jason MillerNovember 10 Bob TracyNovember 13 Roxanne VarioNovember 16 Kathleen JohnstonNovember 24 Jordan CassimoreNovember 24 Gregg SmithNovember 26 Matthew TriplettNovember 30 Geralyn Panasiuk

December 1 Billy McLeanDecember 2 Billy TriplettDecember 6 Floyd LeeDecember 7 Matt HerreyDecember 11 Shayna HewstonDecember 25 George GillDecember 29 Amanda Henderson

Annual Christmas Home Decorating Contest

Sponsored by the Beautifi cation Committee

This is a great time to have some fun and make your home pretty for the holidays and make some money too!

First place $100, Second place $75, Third place $50

You must enter to win. Our judges need a day or so to map out direc-tions in the daytime, and can fi nd your home at night. Homes that are

not signed up will not be considered.

Please sign up by December 19Judging will be on December 21

Sign up at the offi ce or call Bernice at 828-6686.

November/December 2012 Wild Acres World 3

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Bus Trip to Mohegan Sun CasinoSunday, January 20, 2013

$25 per person gets you$15 slot play; $10 food voucher

Bus departs at 9:30am

Reservation with payment must be made at the office by Jan. 5

A Message From Your New Chief of Public Safety, Jeff WilliamsBy Jeff Williams “Chief” I would like to thank the residents of WALPOA for the warm welcomes, waves and smiles that I have received from many of you. I have had the opportunity to speak with many of you and your neighbors, many of whom shared some interesting specifics. I would like to start by saying your Public Safety Department will do everything with-in its power to protect and maintain a peaceful quality of life within this community and with your support and cooperation WALPOA can remain a safe, secure and wonderful place to reside. Public Safety Officers will be receiving medical and police level training. Being certified under the Municipal Police Officers Training Act-120 and a certified instructor at the Lackawanna College Police Academy as well as an American Red Cross Professional Rescue Instructor, I appreciate the need for education and training of our officers in order to fully serve WALPOA. I look forward to your questions, suggestions or just stopping by to say hello. I would like to remind everyone to please drive safely and obey all traffic laws. Our patrol officers will be enforcing the rules and regulations of our community as well as the laws of the State of Pennsylvania. Your safety is our number one concern.

Urgent Notice to all Residents In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, we found that Public Safety needed to contact some homeowners and did not have the correct phone number(s) to call. At this time, we would like to please request that ALL residents update their infor-mation for Wild Acres. Weneedtoupdateourhomeownerfileswithyourmostcurrentinformation.This includes: HOME PHONE NUMBERS (WILD ACRES & YOUR PRIMARY HOME), CELL PHONE AND EMERGENCY CONTACT(S). We also request that you update your mailing address, if necessary. PleaseputinwritinganychangesorupdatesandbringtotheofficeormailtoWALPOA, R.R.1 Box 500, Dingmans Ferry PA 18328. Remember, winter season is coming soon and we might need to contact you if there are any problems with your home or property in Wild Acres, e.g., a downed tree or any other weather related damages. Also, you should try to exchange numbers with your full time Wild Acres friends and/or neighbors so that you can call them or vice versa to keep you informed about the status of your home and property in case of a weather related emergency like the one we just experienced. Thank you.

School Bus Stop Safety Kids are back at school, and once again it’s time to review the safety and protocol at the Wild Acres Bus Stops:

• Vehicles must obey all signage. • No speeding in an out of the

parking lot. • Cars should remain in their

spaces until the bus departs or you are waved out by our Public Safety Officer.

• No double parking.

Keeping kids safe is our number one priority at the bus stops! Signs we have placed at these locations are there to keep kids safer or improve traffic flow. We have no tolerance for those who endanger the welfare of children or impede the safe flow of traffic!

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Food Drive/Toys For TotsBy Jamie Montague Recently, while on my way to dinner with a few friends, we passed by the Food Pantry in Milford. I was saddened to see the long line of people waiting to get in, and at the same time, remembered just how lucky I am. We discussed this on the drive the rest of the way to the restaurant and decided we wanted to help. So, we, along with Tami Janda, a Wild Acres resident and owner of CURVES in Branchville, NJ, are doing a FOOD DRIVE and donating anything we get to the Food Pantry. We will accept donations of non-perishable canned and boxed goods in the Wild Acres Office and at CURVES in Branchville, NJ until Decem-ber 15. We will deliver to the Food Pantry twice, once for Thanksgiving and once for Christmas. This holiday season we are again teaming up with the Marine Corps. Toys for Tots program. If you would like to help make a child’s wish come true, please drop off a NEW, UNWRAPPED toy for a boy or girl, any age, in the Wild Acres Office or CURVES in Branchville, NJ by December 15. Thank you for helping our neighbors in need!

4 Wild Acres World November/December 2012

BILL & WAYNEENTERPRISES, INC.

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Dues Raffle Tickets are Back!Win Your 2013/2014 DuesOnly $10 per ticket. Buy 5, get 1 free.(must be purchased at same time)Winner will be chosen at the May 18, 2013 Board Meeting.Winner need not be present.No better time than now to get yours or buy as a gift for that friend or special neighbor who watches your house for you, walks your dog, feeds your cat, drives your kids to the bus stop, gives a helping hand, etc. Available in the office now!

Long Time Employees Retire Lee Spencer and Ida Marcelletti, both longtime residents and longtime Wild Acres employees, have officially retired from their work in the Community. Lee worked for Wild Acres for 14 years. Ida worked for Wild Acres for 23 years. They both worked in the Recreation Department, as well as volunteering their time at many Wild Acres events. Even though they will no longer be running Pool 1’s kitchen or judging the annual Halloween costume contest, they are not slowing down. You can see them at Wild Acres bingo every Friday night and other bingos in town. You might even see them on an occasional bus trip to the casinos. Lee and Ida, you will be greatly missed by your fellow Wild Acres employees as well as all the people who have come to know you over the years. Happy Retirement!

Lee Spencer (left) and Ida Marcelletti

Basketball hoops must be removed from our streets by November 15thThis is necessary for the winter months so that Maintenance does not have to plow around them. WALPOA will not be responsible for damage if basketball hoops are not removed and citations may be issued for parking.

Thank you!WALPOA Management

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November/December 2012 Wild Acres World 5

Pumpkin Palooza A fun time was had by all who attended Pumpkin Palooza at the Clubhouse on a recent Sunday afternoon. Thought of and run by Miss Darlene, the kids and some adults too, painted pumpkins, gulped hot chocolate and munched on some gooey snacks. Since it was so much fun, maybe this can become an annual event!

1. Sussman Family & Yelan Family2. Roxy Cauchi, Amelia Moniot3. Alice Cauchi4. Vanessa Evers

Thank you to everyone who participated and who brought snacks to share!

6 Wild Acres World November/December 2012

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Tennis Anyone?By Bernice Jala This photo was sent to Wendy Healey by Kathy Imbro. It is from a tennis tournament that took place in 1990. This looks like a fun idea for the coming year. Food for thought? 1. Carmine Fabio 2. Charles Imbro 3. Michael Torre 4. Sal Marino 5. Steve McDonald 6. Gary Kilb 7. Richie Esposito 8. Al Imbro 9. Bob Waring 10. Glen Steinberg 11. Roger SteinbergIf anyone can identify the two men in the back row, please let us know.

Wow! What a Difference!By Bernice Jala When the original ice house developed some structural problems, Dr. Harout Margos-sian and his wife Laury decided to turn it into a “Swiss Clock” ice house. This adorable structure greets all of our members as they arrive home from a busy day. Thanks for adding a bright new touch to our entrance!

Before photoat right >

After photobelow

November/December 2012 Wild Acres World 7

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Drainage Culverts As a reminder, drainage culverts that are located on a resident’s property are the responsibility of the homeowner to maintain and keep clean. Culverts that are clogged with leaves and debris or culverts that are collapsed can cause extensive damage to our roads and other resident’s property. WALPOA does maintain a number of culverts and drains in the community. The cul-vert located at the end of your driveway is your responsibility to maintain. Please do not fill these culverts with leaves or other debris. Pay attention that children’s toys do not end up in them as well. A basketball is the perfect size to clog a culvert pipe. WALPOA will be making a better effort to ensure these pipes are maintained through-out the year to help minimize the potential for damage to community roads and damage to other properties in WALPOA.

The Dingmans Ferry Yes, Virginia, there really was a ferry at Dingmans. There as once even an entirelittlevillagebearingfirstthenameDingmansChoiceandfinally,DingmansFerry.Avillagethatcontainedahotel,ablacksmith’sshop,anacademy,church,and several productive mills. The original Andrew Dingman (1711-1801?), a Dutch-ancestored pioneer land dealer, moved into the area in 1735 and later bought tracts of land along this stretch of the Delaware in 1744, 1750 and 1775 from the Allen Survey. Allen had previously purchased all the land between Milford and Bushkill along the River Road (which we know today as Rt. 209) from the estate of the grandson of Gover-nor William Penn, who was the original proprietor of the land. This part of the Delaware was extremely vital to the area, because it had long beenanimportantrivercrossingforpioneersheadingwestthroughNewJersey’sCulverGap,overtheriverandonacrosstheBethanyTurnpike(today’sRte.739).AndrewDingmantookadvantageofthearea’spopularitybybuildingalargeraftwhich served as a ferry for trading and transporting goods to and from the Jersey side. Thisferryservicelastedfrom1735to1836,bywhichtimethefirstbridgehadbeenerectedacrosstheDelaware.Thatfirstbridge,charteredbytheDingmansChoice and Delaware Bridge Company, lasted until 1847 when high waters swept away the iron bridge at Milford, which was washed down the Delaware and into the Dingmans Bridge, destroying it completely and killing about 200 pigeons belongingtoDingman’sgrandsonAndrew,whoforabrieftimewasatoll-takeronthe bridge. After the bridge disaster the Dingman Family re-opened its ferry service for three years, until a new bridge opened in 1850. This new bridge only lasted about 5 years when gale force winds carried the bridge off its foundations and into the river. Again, the ferry was brought into service for the year it took to build a new bridge, but that bridge was constructed of such shoddy material that it had literally fallen apart by 1862. Once again the ferry was called into service and this time, because of the raging Civil War and disillusionment over the success of the three previous bridges, years went by before a new bridge was built. IntheinterimthetownofDingmansChoice,whichhadbecomesoidentifiedwithitsferryservices,wasrenamedDingmansFerrybythePostOfficein1868,andin1900afourthbridge,thepresentone,wasfinallyerected,builtlargelyfromthe remains of an old iron bridge from Muncie on the Susquehanna. Early tolls on this bridge were recorded thusly in an early logbook:

Horseless carriage 40c 2 horse wagons 25c 1 horse wagons 18c Horse and rider 10c Horse (led) 6c Bicycle 5c Cattle 3c Footman 2c

Today, the bridge that crosses over the path the ferry forged for nearly two centu-ries is one of the last remaining privately owned bridges in the United States.

Pre-pay your 2013/2014 Dues!Any small weekly payment on your ac-count now, will significantly reduce your balance in May. Think about it...

2012-2013 WALPOA Board of Directors Wendy Healey, Chairperson John Mascia, President Edward Banz, Vice President Vladimir Petrushin, Treasurer Linda Clarke, Secretary Andrei Junkevits Dmitry Kuperschmidt Felix Rey Floyd Lee Angela Wilson Nonna Yelan

8 Wild Acres World November/December 2012

Recipe CornerCan you believe its fall already, and Christmas is just around the corner? Let’s start the season off with…

Roasted Pumpkin Soup From the kitchen of Carol RaikakosCarol has donated so many great recipes to Recipe Corner that I have nick named her “Recipe Carol.” Thank you, Carol!

2 1/4 pounds sugar pumpkin or butternut squash, halved and seeded 1 onion, peeled and quartered 2 shitake mushrooms, stemmed, caps wiped clean 1 garlic clove, peeled 1/2 cup olive oil coarse salt and freshly ground pepper 5 cups homemade or store-bought, low-sodium vegetable stock

Preheat oven to 450. Cut pumpkin into 2-inch piec-es. Combine pumpkin, onion, mushrooms and garlic on a rimmed baking sheet. Add oil and 2 teaspoons salt; toss to coat, then spread in a single layer. Roast until pumpkin is tender when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife, about 30 minutes, rotating pan and tossing vegetables halfway through. Let cool, then remove skins.

Transfer vegetables to a medium saucepan; heat over medium heat. Pour in 2 cups stock; puree with an immersion blender until smooth. With the blend-er running, slowly add remaining 3 cups stock, and puree until smooth. Bring soup just to a simmer. Remove from heat, and season with salt and pepper. Cover to keep warm.

Prime Standing Rib RoastFrom the kitchen of Bernice Jala

1 standing prime rib roast (half pound to pound per serving) kosher salt fresh ground pepper softened butter, 1/2 Tbls. per rib (optional) large roasting pan with 3 inch sides 2 Tbls. flour 1 qt. cold beef broth

Preheat oven to 450. Place roast in pan no rack is necessary because the ribs act as natural rack. Allow roast to get to room temperature. Rub roast with salt, pepper and the butter if using.

When oven is hot, put roast in oven and cook for 20 minutes to sear the outside of the roast. After 20 min-utes turn the oven down to 325, and roast until desired internal tempera-ture is reached. For medium-rare the temperature should be 130. This will take approxi-mately 15 minutes per pound.

Transfer to a large platter, and let roast rest, loosely covered with foil for about 30 minutes before serving.

While roast is resting, pour off all but 2 Tbls. of the fat from the pan and place on stovetop over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for approx. 5 minutes to form a roux. Pour in the beef broth and whisk into the roux, scraping all the caramelized beef drippings from the bottom of the pan. Turn heat to high and cook for 10 minutes until it reduces and thickens slightly (This is not a gravy, so don’t expect a thick, heavy sauce.)

A great side dish for this dinner is

Roasted Acorn Squash

2 small acorn squashes, quartered and seeded oil for baking sheet 1 teaspoon kosher salt 2 Tbls. butter, melted

Preheat oven to 400. Put squash pieces, skin side down, on a lightly oiled, rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt. Bake squash until tender when pierced with a fork. About 40 minutes. Remove from oven and brush each slice with butter. Keep warm until serving.

Dessert Time!

Baileys Pumpkin Pie

1 pre-made pie crust (I prefer Pillsbury) 3 eggs 1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin 3/4 cup brown sugar 1/2 tsp. Cinnamon 1/2 cup heavy cream 1/4 cup Baileys Original Irish Cream

Preheat the oven to 350. Beat pumpkin and eggs in a medium bowl until creamy. Beat in brown sugar and cinnamon until smooth. Add cream and Baileys and beat until thoroughly combined. Pour pumpkin mix-ture into pie crust. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick or knife inserted comes out clean. (If pie crust edges get too brown during baking, cover with foil.) Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled.

If any of our members have a special recipe they would like to place in Recipe Corner, please feel free to call Bernice at 828-6686 or drop it off at the office.

Toasted Pumpkin SeedsFrom AllRecipes.com

Ingredients 2 cups raw pumpkin seeds 1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce 1 1/2 tablespoons butter, melted 1 1/4 teaspoons seasoned salt

Directions1. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C).2. Rinse the pumpkin seeds and pat dry. Place them in a bowl. Add the

Worcestershire sauce, melted butter and seasoned salt; stir until evenly coated. Spread out in an even layer on a baking sheet.

3. Bake for about 1 hour in the preheated oven, stirring occasionally, until crisp, dry and golden brown.

November/December 2012 Wild Acres World 9

Happy 25th Anniversary WALPOA!By Bernice Jala & Wendy Healey, Communication Committee Co-Chairs As we said in the last issue, we are doing articles on the history of Wild Acres. As you will see in the article, Wild Acres became an independent private home owners association on August 20, 1987.

Yet Another Idea from the Communication CommitteeBy Co-chairs Bernice Jala and Wendy Healey As a committee, we are constantly lookingfor new ways to make Wild Acres World more interesting and informative. So… After looking back at past issues of Wild Acres World from the 70’s and 80’s, we came upon a column called “Questions, We Get Questions…” We thought that this might be a good and fun way to get our members more involved. As expected, there will be a few restrictions on your questions. Please be sure that they are not accusatory, discourteous, or disrespectful. This column is not to be used to attack any individuals or group of individuals. They must be questions that concern the whole community; such as, “Do our lakes get tested?” You get the idea. Not all questions will appear in the column and will be published at the discretion of the coordi-nators of Wild Acres World. Please submit your questions by e-mail to info@wildacreslakes.org or in writing to the Wild Acres Office. Thank you and we look forward to hearing from you.

ImportantPhone NumbersWild Acres Administration Office

570-828-7511

Public Safety (non-emergency)570-828-9052

Wild Acres Public Safety(EMERGENCY ONLY)

570-828-9700

Delaware Township Volunteer Ambulance

570-828-2345

Delaware Township Fire Dept.

570-828-2223

Delaware Township Offices570-828-2347

Dingmans Ferry Post Office570-828-2812

Verizon800-483-5000

Met Ed Electric800-545-7741

Penn American Water Co.800-565-7292

Blue Ridge Cable TV/Internet570-296-8200

10 Wild Acres World November/December 2012

Ask Sensei AlDear Sensei (from Bushkill PA): I am concerned about my 19-year-old son. I have recently been noticing a lot of ener-gy bottles and cans in his room and car. Can these products have a potential hazard to his health?

Studies show they certainly can. Energy drinks come in a variety of formulations, but most contain caffeine and sugar and possibly stimulants. Having an occasional energy drink isn’t necessarily bad, but many of these energy drinks contain very high amounts of caffeine, sugar and other herbal stimulants and acids. Some people create serious medical problems for themselves when they consume energy drinks with alcohol, which can cause a faster heartbeat, irritability, nervousness, impaired sleep, fainting, or even nausea and heart attacks. In addition, the acid and sugars in these drinks can promote aggressive tooth decay. It’s very important to educate your son about the potential hazards of energy drinks. I would encourage him to focus on being healthy, have an energetic life, regular exercise, adequate sleep and to have a healthy diet.

Calling In GuestsPermanent Guest List Please remember to call in your guests if they are not on your permanent guest list. Doing this will expedite their arrival into the community. Also, please note that if you are in the process of selling your home, add your realtor’s name(s) or company name to your permanent guest list or call them in each time they want to show your house. This will avoid them being turned away at the gate. Thank you.

Help us Turn our Entrance and Memorial Park into a Winter Wonderland for the Holidays!The Beautification Committee thought it

might be fun to have our members share in decorating the park and entrance by donating

extra outdoor lights or decorations.

Maybe you’ve downsized or changed your decoration theme and would like to share

the unused decorations. Or perhaps you have special talent such as wood crafting or making decoration and would like to share those skills.

A winter wonderland theme would be a nice way to say “welcome home” to our members.

Drop off your donations at the office.

If you have any questions, please call the office at 828-7511 or Bernice at 828-6686.

November/December 2012 Wild Acres World 11

Black Bear Activity tendsto Increase During the FallBy Ed Banz and your Environmental Committee One of the comments often heard as visitors enter our area is “I hope we see a Black Bear!” As intriguing as that may seem being close to Black Bears can be an extremely dangerous activity as noted below by just a sam-pling of articles available on the subject. The majority of Black Bear attacks on humans tend to occur due to hunger and not territoriality. The following excerpt was taken from the US Newswire as a guide to avoiding problems with these powerful beautiful creatures. Remember, encouraging Black Bear contact can actually result in harm coming to the bears.

With summer quickly slipping by, many Pennsylvanians may have forgotten about problems caused by black bears in the spring, when nuisance bear activi-ty typically peaks. However, black bear activity also tends to increase during the fall, and Pennsylvania Game Commission officials re-mind homeowners that steps taken now can minimize problems with bears during the next few weeks and months. Mark Ternent, Pennsylvania

Game Commission black bear biologist, noted that, as fall progresses, bears will begin to increase their food intake to prepare for the upcoming den-ning season, which begins in mid- to late-November. For some bears, the search for food may lead them closer to people or homes. Ternent offered suggestions on how to reduce the likelihood that your property will attract bruins and how to best react when a bear is encoun-tered. “Bear activity can increase during the fall as bears try to consume as many calories as possible from any source they can find in preparation for denning,” Ternent said. “As a result, sightings of bears can increase, partic-ularly if natural nut and berry crops are below average.” Play it smart. Do not feed wildlife. Food placed outside for wildlife, such as corn for squirrels or deer, may attract bears. Reconsider putting squash, pumpkins, corn stalks or other Halloween or holiday decorations outside that also may attract bears. Even bird feeders can become “bear magnets.” Keep it clean. Don’t place garbage outside until pick-up day; don’t throw table scraps out back for animals to eat; don’t add fruit or vegetable wastes to your compost pile; and clean your barbecue grill regularly. If you feed pets outdoors, consider placing food dishes inside overnight. Keep your distance. If a bear shows up in your backyard, stay calm. From a safe distance, shout at it like you would to chase an unwanted dog. If the bear won’t leave, slowly retreat and call the nearest Game Commis-sion regional office or local police department for assistance. Children should understand not to run, approach or hide from a bear that wanders into the yard, but, instead, to walk slowly back to the house. Eliminate temptation. Bears that visit your area are often drawn there. Neighbors need to work together to reduce an area’s appeal to bears. Ask area businesses to keep dumpsters closed and bear-proofed (chained or locked shut). Check please! If your dog is barking, or cat is clawing at the door to get in, try to determine what has alarmed your pet. But do it cautiously, using outside lights to full advantage and from a safe position, such as a porch or an upstairs window. All unrecognizable outside noises and disturbances should be checked, but don’t do it on foot with a flashlight. Black bears blend in too well with nighttime surroundings providing the chance for a close encounter. If bears have been sighted near your home, it is a good practice to turn on a light and check the backyard before taking pets out. For more information please visit the Environmental News section of http://www.wildacreslakes.org. Thank you and have a safe fall!

On behalf of Beautification Committee co-chairs Linda Clarke and Bernice Jala, we want to thank Ann Marie Miller and Jamie Montague for the great job they did getting Wild Acres decorated for the fall season.