President’s letter
February 13, 2010
Dear Member,
In spite of the cold and snowy weather we are once again getting organized for another season of swimming and tennis at Little Falls Swimming Club. Enclosed is an invoice for this season. Please note that Members’ dues must be paid by March 17 to avoid late fees.
This year, to reduce printing and mailing costs, we have reduced the size of this mailing. All of the information usually included–Rules and Regulations, a detailed calendar, with dates of pool and swim /dive team events, and picnics and parties—are now available on our new, much improved website. Please check it out at www.littlefallsswimmingclub.com. If you wish to receive a paper copy of this information, please contact our Membership Secretary, Denise Coffin (Denise@TeamCoffin.com, or 301-718-1686, and she will be happy to mail it to you.
Information regarding the invoice:
You must sign and return the invoice with your payment. Signing the form acknowledges that you have read and will abide by the Rules and Regulations. In addition, you should edit the form as appropriate and initial the boxes by each section to indicate that the information is accurate and up-to-date.
Permission form for unaccompanied children aged 7-9. This form is available on the website; if you want staff to admit your 7-9 year-olds without an adult, please print the form and either return it with your dues payment, or drop it off at the desk with a Staff Member once the pool has opened.
Updated email. Please be sure to update your email address in the top right of the invoice. If you do not have an email address please indicate that. An accurate email address is especially important for any family that is not living in the area this season.
Dues: At the Annual Meeting, the membership voted to revise the dues structure, and regular membership dues are now $500 ($450 plus the $50 refundable handyman fee). Members’ dues must be paid by March 17. Payments postmarked after March 17 will incur a late fee of $50; those after April 1 will incur a late fee of $100. Late payments that do not include the appropriate late fee will not be accepted. Please read carefully the enclosed Explanation to the 2010 Dues Invoice.
Membership Options: If you don’t anticipate using the pool this year, please consider choosing Inactive status on your dues invoice and returning it by March 17. The cost of an Inactive Membership is now $85. As an Inactive Member, you can retain Member status while creating an opening for an Associate family to use the pool this summer.
60 Plus Guest Pass: This option is for members who are 60 years of age or older, choose inactive status, and desire a limited-use pass for the Pool. The 60 Plus Guest Pass authorizes the member and his or her family (subject to the same household and residence restrictions as apply to other members) to use the Pool 10 times during the season during hours when the pool is open to all swimmers. Early-bird swim and morning aerobics classes are available without restriction to members electing the Senior Guest Pass. Unlike a regular guest, a 60 Plus Guest Pass holder need not be accompanied by an Active or associate member, and may bring his or her own guests to the Pool by purchasing a regular guest pass. The fee for a 60 Plus Guest Pass will be $85 for inactive status, plus $35 for the pass, for a total of $120. No Handyman fee will be charged to a 60 Plus Guest. Many of our members have used this status to maintain pool privileges for special occasions – when grandkids are visiting, for example – at a greatly reduced price.
Other information about the 2010 season
Calendar: This year the pool will open on Saturday, May 29, with the Memorial Day Picnic on Monday, May 31. Please see the calendar on the web site for further details.
The Pool Report: Member Marlene Cimons regularly emails an electronic Pool Report with updates on events and news. Please sign up to receive it by sending an email to Marlene (lfpoolreport@aol.com), with your name and indicate whether you are a member or an associate. If your email address has changed please send an email giving both old email address and the new one so you can continue to receive reports.
Swim & Dive Teams: The Board is pleased that LFSC’s representative for the swim team will be Susan Scribner. The dive team representatives will be Sandra Bellew and Suzanne Fitzgerald. Information about the teams is posted on the Club’s web site and swim team information and registration are on-line, at www.LittleFallsPenguins.com. Registration for the dive team must be done in person because of waivers unique to the dive team. Register for the dive team at the Memorial Day Picnic, May 31, from 2 to 3 pm (we will post reminders on the website and on the LF Pool Report—see above for how to sign up)
Tennis: The combination to the tennis court locks will change on Saturday, May 1 to [the number was sent in the dues invoice, and is also available from the pool desk]. Georgetown Prep Tennis Club (GPTC) again will offer morning tennis instruction for LFSC kids this summer, as well as Friday afternoon clinics for kids and adults. A GPTC brochure is on the Club’s web site. Please contact GPTC directly at 301-816-9713 to reserve a spot in the clinics outlined in their brochure or to arrange for private or group lessons
Clean-up Days: Greet fellow members and associates and get the pool ready for opening day by coming to one of our two Clean-up days. Three hours of your time will earn your family a refund of the $50 handyman fee or two $25 guest passes. The two scheduled handyman days are Saturday, May 1 (rain date May 15) and Saturday, May 22 (rain date May 23) from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm each day. Further information is posted on the web site.
Rules and Regulations: Our Club exists and can operate only because Montgomery County has granted the Club a special exception to the County’s zoning rules. As a condition of its granting this special exception, Montgomery County imposes certain requirements on the Club. Accordingly, please note the following:
- The Club’s Rules & Regulations (see www.littlefallsswimmingclub.com) incorporate expanded parking policies as well as rules for enforcing those policies. The enclosed invoice asks you to provide make(s) and license plate number(s) for your vehicle(s). Please do so.
- Please be sensitive to our neighbors’ concerns about noise emanating from the pool and tennis courts. The tennis backboard may not be used before 9:00 a.m.
New Board Members: The following new members were elected to the Board in January 2010: Andy Gefen, Karen Nakamura, Tamar Nicholson, and Craig Piercy. Carol Andress and Susan Valenstein were reelected for another term. Contact information and duties for each 2010 Board member are posted on the Club’s website.
Please extend your thanks to departing Board members Ed Moyer, Nancy McCloskey, Cameron Duncan and Donna Yesner.
Information on the 2010 Nominating Committee will be available on the web site later in the season.
Thanks, and I look forward to seeing you at the pool.
Sincerely,
Maurine Beasley
President