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May Fox Talk
Digest
VOLUME 8, ISSUE 4 2002

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Articles:
Rec Centre
Future Events
Lake & Pond
Services & Equip.

Events:
Computer Club
Care Coimmittee
Senior Games
Bingo
Golf

Social:
In Touch
Diner Clubs
Shuffleboard

Notices:
Nominations
Swans
Salt
Horseshoes
Sawmill

FUTURE EVENTS

Tuesday May 7�...Rec. Centre Committee meeting 9:30 a.m. Salon A
Monday May 27�.Board of Management Meeting 7:00 p.m.
June ?- ��.. Shunpiking trip Watch bulletin board
Monday July 1�...Canada Day Celebration,
Sports Events, food from The Village Caterer
Thursday Aug 8�.Annual Foxboro Green Golf Tournament
Thursday Oct. 3�.12:00 p.m. Dinner at Marian's Country Cupboard
Sunday Oct 20��Community Craft Sale, Bake Sale and Displays
Friday Dec 20 �� Christmas Dinner at Golf's Steak House

KEEPING IN TOUCH

Helen Frazer received flowers after her surgery while Maureen Potvin received a plant after her hospitalization. Bob Tweed, "Tweedie", had back surgery, and for that he needed a pick-me-up, which he received.
Heather Olsson received a card and a plant, following the death of her mother.
Helen Wright also lost her mother and she received a card and plant.
We extended sympathy to Shirley Thom. She and Gerry moved in only a few months ago. Gerry had developed friendships as he walked the neighbourhood and attended lunches with his buddies in Foxboro. He was known for his good nature and a terrific sense of humour. In his memory we have sent a donation to the Heart and Stroke Foundation.

THE SENIOR GAMES ARE COMING!

The Tibbles
Yes indeed, the Senior Games are coming. Wilmot Township is the host for the games this year and we are hoping to have a good turnout. It would be wonderful to have several competitors from Foxboro. Remember the only criteria is that you must be 55 years of age by the end of Dec. 2002, and live in the Waterloo Wellington District.
We are fortunate to have some folks from Foxboro volunteering to convene some of the events. The list of events is varied - tennis, horseshoes, shuffleboard, bowling, bridge, euchre, scrabble, crokinole, golf, line dancing, swimming etc. There is something for almost everyone.
The gold winners of some of the events will be eligible to go on to the All Ontario Games to be held in Kingston in August. Please note that the deadline for registration is May 6. Come join the fun!!! The dates of the Games are May 27 - June 6.
There is a programme of events with times and places in our mail room, and registration forms in the file folder there as well. For further information, please contact Ted and Pat Tibbles at 634-5223.

BINGO! BINGO!
Lil Good
Our monthly Bingo games will continue through the summer. Mark the second Friday of every month on your calendar. It is a night of fun for one and all. The Jackpot winner for March was Janice Long, and for April, Gail Ruppe. Proceeds from the Bingo will be used for newer and faster equipment for the production of Fox Talk. Everyone in the community will benefit.

WINTER DINNER CLUB
JoAnne Brodie
The Winter Dinner Club Pot Luck Supper will be Monday May 13th. Cocktails are at 5 p.m. and dinner at 6 pm. A sign up sheet is in the mail room. Please indicate what you would like to bring if you are coming.

SUMMER DINNER CLUB
JoAnne Brodie
A sign up sheet for the Summer Dinner Club will be in the mail room on May 13, 2002.

Each Dinner Club consists of groups of 3 couples, with the hosts inviting a guest couple. This is a good way to meet new people and enjoy a great meal.

For more information, call JoAnne Brodie at 634-5678, June Davies at 634-5724 or Marilew West at 634-5000.

ANNUAL MEETING OF THE COMPUTER CLUB

May 21st 6.00 pm.
Pizza Drinks Dessert.

Agenda:
A Pizza Party - please sign the sheet in the mail room so we know how many are coming.
� Treasurer's Report
� Elections of four Officers
� Voting on two Motions

Details of these motions are on the Website www.foxborogreen.on.ca

CARE COMMITTEES
Marg Macdonald
A reminder to everyone that the Care Committees rely on you to help us keep up with residents who are ill, in hospital or who have suffered a loss. We also welcome new residents. We have an information package, which introduces them to the activities of Foxboro Green. If you have new neighbours please call the Care Committee!

Care Committee #1: Barb Koerber or Norma Fisher coordinate this area which includes Lakefield, Spruce Grove, 86-113 Foxboro Drive, 100-110 Golf Links.
Care Committee #2: Marg Macdonald & Pat Tibbles coordinate activities from 112 - 125 Golf Links and 115-156 Foxboro Drive.
Care Committee #3: Faith Mundy & Marian Koehler coordinate from 126 - 185 Golf Links and Maue Court.
Care Committee #4: Audrey Euler and Ellen Bowring are coordinators for 1-52 Sun Valley and Woods Edge Court.

The Social Committee fund raising supports all our activities. All flowers, plants, gifts and donations we make on your behalf come from the coffers of the Social Committee. To that end, we are planning a November event which will serve as a fundraiser specifically for us. More news later about that!

Eileen Fairweather has volunteered to replace Marg Macdonald on Care Committee# 2 from May 20th to August 5th while she and Graham travel. Eileen is experienced, having led this Care Committee for its first 3 years. Thank you Eileen!

RECREATION CENTRE REPORT
Ron Donaldson
Centre Operation

Ron Donaldson is back and at the top of the Emergency Contact List again.

Many thanks to George Jones, Russ Wilson, Tom West and Theresa Tewfik for taking over the Centre operations while Ron was away. They kept things running smoothly.

Budget
Preparations for the 2002-2003 budget process are beginning. Any resident who has items that they wish considered for the Centre budget should give them to their Recreation Centre representative or put them in the Recreation Centre mail slot beside the photocopier.

Recreation Centre Committee Meeting

The next meeting of the Committee is scheduled for Tuesday, 7 May 2002 at 9:30 am in Salon A.

AMALGAMATION NOMINATING COMMITTEE
Brian McKelvey
The Amalgamation Committee is presently structuring a Nominating Committee which will be responsible for soliciting the community to generate a slate of candidates for the upcoming election for the new amalgamated board. After all our endeavours to achieve amalgamation, it is essential that this new committee succeed in its efforts so that we can successfully conclude the amalgamation process. We are now seeking members to sit on this committee. If you are interested in the future of our community and would like to be part of the Nominating Committee, please contact any of the Amalgamation Committee members, Peter Schmidt, Hanne Pederson, Graham MacDonald, Peter Soloman, or Brian McKelvey

LAKE AND POND COMMITTEE
Marg Macdonald
Two guests presented information to us about actions we can take to improve the water quality and health of our ponds. One of the presenters manages many ponds in the area. His methods include using enzymes and bacterial products which help the ponds to metabolize excess algae and which reduce sludge at the bottom of the ponds. These products are derived from substances produced in the normal life cycle of a pond and the by-products of their activity become part of the food cycle upon which larger animals (fish) feed. The second visitor talked about special mats that are placed in the water, so that when activated, they provide a habitat structure which support primary consumers of available pond food (algae). Introduced from the U.S.A. only last summer, the effectiveness of the mats is as yet unproven in this region. Therefore, the committee elected to experiment with the enzyme treatment in the Recreation Centre Pond for this summer.

The committee has decided to focus on the management of the Recreation Centre Pond. As the first step, we have placed 2 airstones in the pond, and one more will be added shortly. Aeration is essential to the creation of a healthy pond environment. We also have 3 sacs of barley straw which will perform in a way similar to the mats mentioned previously. Barley, when thoroughly soaked, slowly emits lignins (humic acid) which is believed to stabilize the naturally formed hydrogen peroxide, which in turn inhibits the growth of algae. Simultaneously, the barley will provide habitat in and around which primary consumers of the available plant food can shelter. We will also be treating this pond with "Spectrum", an enzyme which reduces the nutrient load, the levels of nitrogen and phosphorus in the pond. We have tested the pond prior to starting the treatment and will have it tested again at the end of May to see if the pond nutrient level has decreased.

Recent inspection of the newly planted shrubs and trees around the Sun Valley pond revealed evidence of buds on nearly everything. We hope that this naturalized area will flourish this summer. The bubbler has again been placed at the far end, so that the pond will be aerated, and a timer will ensure that area residents sleep well at night. We're planning to label the trees and shrubs so that everyone will know what they are enjoying.

Gwynned Brundrett, who spoke to us about aquatic plants last June, donated approximately 40 clumps of water lilies, 20 iris and some miscellaneous plants which she had promised to Lou Hill prior to his death. A big thank you to Gwynned and her husband Ewart who both came to Foxboro to deliver this wondrful gift.

On Monday April 22nd, with snow on the ground, the committee, including volunteers Bob Mundy and Bob Hett, went to work on the aeration, and attempted to sink the barley straw, while algae was raked out of the pond. Irises and lilies were planted. One of our hardest workers, Marg Macdonald, was a sight in hipwaders, and with heavy gloves over her hands, as she paddled around burying lilies under the water. A big thank you to all those who braved the cold!

Our next steps will be the planning for each pond over the next fiscal year and planning a budget to meet those objectives.

The management of the lake level is shared between the Services and Equipment, and Pond Committees. Sven Orum and Don Hill have been appointed to be responsible for the lake level, which is a source of great concern to the community. They alone are responsible for the boards at the dam. We ask that no homeowners alter those boards!

The pond committee strongly recommends that the lake level be kept as high as possible to ensure that there is enough water to meet the needs of all 215 homeowners as they care for their lawns and gardens. Regional water levels are up following fall and spring rains, in spite of the lack of snow this winter. However the region is still feeling the results of the drought which commenced in 1988 and is predicted to continue for the next few years.

If anyone has any suggestions or questions, please call either Sven or Don.

LAKE AND POND LEADERSHIP

Marg Macdonald, chair of the committee, will be away from May 20th to August 1st. Mary Ann Martin and Linda Hett have volunteered to coordinate activities during her absence. Any problems or questions should be referred to them during that period.

SERVICES AND EQUIPMENT
Ron Bleier
A grateful thank you, to Gordon and Janet Gardner, on behalf of the community, for a wonderful job of edge straightening on "their" path, and to Don and Rita Hill, for waging the war on weeds on the path adjacent to their property.

RECREATION EQUIPMENT
Wally Morrison
We have recently discovered that four Shuffleboard Cues have been damaged to the extent that they are now unusable. This has necessitated the purchase of four new cues, at a cost of $140.00.

We believe that this damage may have been caused by improper use of the equipment by younger persons who should be under the supervision of a resident.

This equipment is there for your use, however, we are asking you to ensure that it is used properly and protect it from damage.

SWANS
Bill Hall
Last October our two white swans, Felix and Oscar, were sent to their winter home in New Hamburg. Felix and Oscar were both mature swans, probably 80 swan years old. Bob Barnhart brought the swans to Foxboro in 1995, after they spent many years with another family.

Unfortunately, one of them did not survive the winter. Our surviving swan has been returned to us. Is it Felix or Oscar? How can we tell?

For the 2002 swan season we will have only one swan on our lake and a decision will have to be made in the fall whether or not to introduce new swans to Foxboro in 2003.

Let's all welcome Felix (or is it Oscar!) back to our community.

HORSESHOES
Sandra Moore
Plans are in place to play horseshoes, starting Wednesday May 15 at 6:30 p.m. The first two weeks will be devoted to instruction. Hopefully this will encourage, more ladies, and those who are not familiar with this game, to participate.

Sign up sheets have been posted on the notice board. For further information please contact Alberto Alves at 634-5527 or Sandy Moore at 634-5504.

SALT
Bill Hall
Did you know that Shelley Riepert has always given residents of Foxboro Green a discount on salt purchases? The reason is, that with the organized delivery on the last Thursday of every month they only have to make one trip to our community. Are we, the residents of Foxboro Green, holding up our end of this win/win deal?

If you need salt, the simple way to order is to sign up on the "SALT" sheet located in the file folder in the mail room. We should have a full page every month.

Thanks for your cooperation

SAWMILL
Eileen Fairweather
There will be a Township meeting on Monday May 6, at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers at Castle Kilbride to review the results of the sound testing, (which has been approved) and to change the by-law allowing the operation of the Sawmill.

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