SWCA
In This Issue:
A
Apprriill
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Letter from the President
SWCA Website & Social Media
My Scioto Woods
‘Beauty Spot’ Contest
Letter from the SWCA President
As we enter our third year in the civic association, I am feeling thankful. We have so
many caring and thoughtful neighbors in Scioto Woods. Whether it be through
cookout events, email, meetings, or social media I have gotten to know so many of
you on a personal level, and have enjoyed every minute of it! I am looking forward to
serving the next two years with the hope of continuing to develop those relations, and
help to strengthen our neighborhood network. I have watched as neighbors get to
know each other at functions, and we are seeing much more communication between
neighbors on social mediums like Nextdoor.com and Facebook. Communication and
relationship building is the key to our communities success in the coming years and I
believe we have set the stage for continued growth. In the coming years, I urge residents to be involved in this
association. We have many avenues available for residents to get involved; Block Watch, Beautification
Committee, Events Committee, Fall Neighborhood Celebration, volunteers efforts, cookouts, Halloween and
Christmas events, and community garage sales are a few of the many ways to become involved. Thank you
for allowing me to serve as President, and thank you to all of the neighbors that make it worth doing!
Regards,
Pete Ernst
SWCA President
The (Scioto) Woods Wide Web
Since the launch of the official Scioto Woods Civic
Association (SWCA) website
(sciotowoodscivicassociation.com) last April, the SWCA
has continued to look for new ways to leverage technology
to reach out and engage the residents of our community. In
addition to our website, the SWCA can now be found on
Facebook (facebook.com/swcaoh), Twitter (twitter.com/sciotowoods), and Nextdoor
(sciotowoodsoh.nextdoor.com). Over the course of the last year, the SWCA has grown its website to
include new features such as ‘Block Watch Alerts’ that are simultaneously shared with our Facebook and
Twitter pages, an online membership application and dues payment, and even online absentee voting.
These new features paired with other useful tools, such as our online event calendar, make the SWCA
website and its social site extensions an invaluable source of information for our neighborhood and an
important means for communicating with Scioto Woods residents. If you have any thoughts on how any of
our web presences can grow, or would like to contribute, please contact the SWCA webmaster at
[email protected].
Scioto Woods Civic Association Newsletter
My Scioto Woods
by Barbara Quinn Kerr
This July, I celebrate my 10th year of living in Scioto Woods. It’s hard to believe that
a decade has gone by so quickly, especially since my life has changed so much.
Throughout it all, my home in Scioto Woods has been my anchor. Moving to Scioto
Woods has become a very fortunate silver lining after a very difficult period in my
life.
In 2004, I was going through a devastating divorce. Despite some dark days, I
realized that my life would go on. And if my life would go on, I would need a place
to live. I’d seen a handful of houses in around the Hilliard area, but nothing really
resonated with me.
The SWCA will sponsor a
cookout and membership
delivery in the park on
Saturday, April 26th 1-5pm!
Food, beverage, and games
will be provided.
Please join us!
I told my realtor I was interested in a little neighborhood off Trabue; I’d been
attending the neighborhood garage sales there for years and it always seemed like a nice area. Fortunately, she found an
active listing that met my criteria, on Dickson Drive. The moment we walked in for that first showing, I said “write a
contract!” This was surprising, considering that the house was really, frankly, ugly on the inside. The vacating owners
were from a different part of the world, and in keeping with their sense of aesthetics, every surface in the house was pink:
walls, floors, and tile. It didn’t matter; I could see past that and knew I could make that house over into something I
loved.
After a smooth inspection and closing, I moved in on July 11, 2004, the hottest day of the year. I started meeting
neighbors right away: my first visitor was my then-eight-year-old neighbor. He rang my doorbell about 10 minutes after
all my friends who’d helped me moved had left, and he wanted to meet me. Within a few days I’d met all of my
immediate neighbors, and once I started walking my dog, I met everyone who was out and about on the streets. As a
single woman who was living alone, I really appreciated the peace of mind and safety I felt surrounded by people who
knew each other and who welcomed me into the community.
It didn’t take long for me to start learning and appreciating things about Scioto Woods that I didn’t really know or notice
during the buying process. I really loved that so many of my neighbors were the original residents; normally, in “starter”
neighborhoods, people stay only a few years before moving on. I took this as a good sign. I saw kids playing outside
together. While this was common when I was growing up, I didn’t see any evidence of that in my previous community. I
loved having the park right in the middle of the neighborhood, and walked there almost every day with my dog, weather
permitting. Ten years on, I still love all of these aspects of Scioto Woods.
Over the past decade, life has both changed and stayed the same. Some neighbors are still there; others have moved away,
but those friendships have lasted. I’ve painted, remodeled, and replaced every pink surface in my house to fit my sense of
design. The house has evolved with me and there’s always more to do, which I love about home ownership. The new
civic association has been a wonderful thing for our community and I couldn’t be prouder of our residents. And the best
part happened just last year, when I married the man of my dreams. He and his two children have moved into Scioto
Woods and now my house is a home that our family shares.
I’m looking forward to the next 10 years and beyond, and seeing what we can accomplish together as a community. I
think I speak for all of us when I express my gratitude to Pete Ernst for pulling us all together. I couldn’t have landed in a
better community.
Beautification Committee ‘Beauty Spot Contest’
The Scioto Woods Beautification Committee is pleased to announce the first ever Scioto Woods ‘Beauty Spot’ Contest.
Those interested in competing in the contest can enter in one of nine categories: Butterfly Garden, Water Feature, Shade
Garden, Foundation Plantings, Child’s Garden, Miniature Garden, Edible Garden, Patio/Deck Garden, and
Perennial Garden. Three community judges will rate the entrants on use of color, harmony of plants and materials,
originality, and practicality. Prizes will be awarded for the winning entries with more details to be announced.
Participating green-thumbs can submit an entry online now at
sciotowoodscivicassociation.com. Registration for the contest
ends June 30th, 2014 and judging will take place over the 4th of
July weekend. Questions should be directed to:
[email protected]. Good luck!