November 2016 Neighbor Spotlight- Mervin Eley
*Interview is from his own words, but in certain cases is condensed.
What is the name of your neighborhood?
The Homeowners’ Association represents two neighborhoods, Stirrup Creek and Pagehurst.
How long have you lived in your neighborhood?
I purchased my home and moved in towards the end of 1999.
Tell us about your neighborhood.
I like the neighborhood overall and I like all of the people I meet. The amount of common land in the area is great. I meet many of the people through volunteer work, but I also meet some neighbors who call me to help with electrical services.
The common areas are great for recreation. The HOA has a swimming pool, tennis court, ball fields and there are even walking trails. I used to walk a lot and when my kids were younger, we used to spend time at the swimming pool. As a volunteer, I do a lot of work in those common lands such as cleaning them up and cutting back growth on the trails. We also have many community get togethers and I volunteer at those events. I also volunteer as a board member of the HOA.
What successes have your neighborhood and community had?
We do a lot of things and most projects we engage in are successful. Every year we do a Halloween event where we pull the kids in wagons on the trails and at the end, each kid and volunteer is given refreshments at a volunteer’s home. Every Christmas, we put up luminaires and homeowners light them. It is wonderful how we come together and always have a huge team volunteering to make all of these successful events happen.
The neighborhood watch is also a success. One of our members attends the PAC4 meeting each month. The meetings and watch lead to us staying informed and help us watch out for each other.
What are some concerns that you still have in your community?
There are no huge concerns in the neighborhood, but many of the smaller ones revolve around maintaining the common areas. These come up during board meetings and we always resolve them immediately.
What advice would you give to other community members?
I think HOAs are great for the community. Everyone in the HOA volunteers their time. We serve terms and after the terms, we bring new people in. I would advise people to be active in their community. By being active, you learn more about the community, get to meet everyone and see how everything gets done.
Do you have any upcoming opportunities for other people to get involved?
Events occur throughout the year in our community. On Christmas, we need people to help set up and light the luminaires. We also go door to door and sing Christmas Carols and celebrate at a neighbor’s house with refreshments. Once a year we also do a large party at the swimming pool. We cook out, have fellowship and have fun. If you want to get involved, contact a member of the HOA board.