Category: Community Events

Begin forwarded message:

From: Tom McCook kpwroadraiders@gmail.com
Date: 4/7/2021
To: Tom McCook trmccook@gmail.com
Subject: Reminder … Park clean-up – next Saturday, April 10, 8-11AM

Just a friendly reminder, I think the rain will hold off till late Saturday and “most of the Boy Scouts” will be delivering mulch, so we need as many neighbors as possible to volunteer.

I look forward to seeing you all on Saturday.

———- Forwarded message ———
From: Tom McCook kpwroadraiders@gmail.com
Date: Sun, Apr 4, 2021 at 12:43 PM

Neighbors, Scouts, Students & friends,

Our annual spring park clean up at Lakeside (off Pommeroy) and Royal Lake (off Gainsborough) parks is this coming Saturday, April 10, 8-11AM
We need your help for as much time as you can commit (start early, leave early, start late, leave late, etc.).

We are approaching this effort, to clean-up, pick up plastics as much at the source as possible. We want to eliminate the trash prior to getting to Lake Royal, Potomac River and the Chesapeake Bay.
We are asking the volunteers to walk up-stream into “crooked creek/ rabbit branch” and Shane’s creek as feasible, along with the trail along the lake and just beyond the dam up-to Guinea road.
Lots of areas to clean, we need your help, of all ages to participate, a great family & friends activity, socially distant that you can support.

Still in the pandemic, the virus is still around us, so we ask everyone to participate with face masks and be respectful of social distancing.
I have attached two forms from FCPA on COVID release and the park volunteer team activities. We’ll have copies at the parks during check-in, but it is easier if you can complete prior to.
Recommend gloves & “long pants” some plants have numerous thorns. We’ll supply trash bags. We’ll have “hand-sanitizer” and face masks as needed.

April 10, just as spring is starting to “pop into wonder” before the new growth is so thick that we cannot see the trash!
Greg Sykes will be leading a separate effort to pull a very invasive plant – “garlic mustard” into the Shanes creek area. If you are interested to support this invasive management activity, please contact me or Greg Sykes for further details (at the same time/location for check-in at Royal Lake Park, greg@grsykes.com).

Students – a great chance for service hours, please come & explore nature while cleaning up our trash.
Scouts – many great opportunities for volunteer leadership. I have many projects just “waiting for you” Please give me an email/call to coordinate.

Goals as always …

1. Explore & discover nature in our wonderful park system
2. Clean up our trash for wildlife and neighbors in the park

Rain day – unless it is raining “VERY HARD” we intend to clean up next Saturday; in case of extreme weather/ thunderstorms; we’ll reschedule as early as possible.

Next opportunity – May 15, Friends of Royal Lake (FORL) will be sponsoring a “trail maintenance day”
Our focus is support proper and effective rain-water control on the trail, so the wetlands are preserved, erosion is minimized and the trail is kept “as dry as possible” this is a long-term endeavor and we need your support (& wheel barrows) to preserve our wonderful Lake Royal park for the future!

Any questions, please give me a call AND please forward this email to family, friends, neighbors and interested students.

Sincerely,
Tom McCook
703.839.5205

All – please consider giving a couple of hours of your time tomorrow
morning at Crooked Creek Park.

Regards,

Mark

Begin forwarded message:

From: Tom McCook <kpwroadraiders@gmail.com>

Subject: Reminder – President’s Day clean-up at Crooked Creek Park (off Commonwealth)

I hope to see you all on Monday morning!

Please be prepared for “chilly & wet weather”

Objective: Spend two hours to discover nature in this small park, clean it up and improve our community.

Please be prepared to walk through wooded and potentially wet areas of the park. Boots, work-gloves and appropriate weather related clothing.

We’ll have trash bags to distribute.

Wear Boots! It could be snowy, cold, wet, rainy or muddy!

Note – unless hazardous conditions exist (snowstorms that make driving hazardous, etc.) we intend to clean-up.

Next Planned event – the annual “Springtime clean up” at Lakeside, Royal Lake on Saturday, April 10 8-11AM! (in coordination with the FCPA and Nature Conservancy)

———- Forwarded message ———

From: Tom McCook <kpwroadraiders@gmail.com>

Date: Fri, Feb 5, 2021 at 2:03 PM

Friends, Neighbors, Scouts & Students,

Our first annual President’s Day park clean up is planned for Monday, February 15th. 8-10AM. We hope you can participate.

See attached flyer, and two FCPA based release forms. If you can print, sign & bring these with you, thanks. I’ll have copies at the park to sign, too.

Objective: Spend two hours to discover nature in this small park, clean it up and improve our community.

Please be prepared to walk through wooded and potentially wet areas of the park. Boots, work-gloves and appropriate weather related clothing.

We’ll have trash bags to distribute.

Wear Boots! It could be snowy, cold, wet, rainy or muddy! Note – unless hazardous conditions exist (blinding snowstorms that make driving hazardous, etc.) we intend to clean-up.

COVID precautions – face masks are mandatory. Socially distancing – please clean-up together only in your “family-based bubble” we do not want to chance spreading this terrible virus. If you feel sick, please stay home – there will be many more opportunities in the future to help our community.

Many thanks to the FCPD – Sergeant Powell who stopped the planned archery – deer hunt in this park, just so that we could clean it up!

Next event – Royal Lake Park Clean-up – Annual Spring effort, more info to follow.

Service Hours – Students & Scouts – if you need “service hours” since during Covid – we are not doing our monthly “small clean-ups” please contact me at KPWRoadRaiders@gmail.com and we can individually arrange specific clean-up/park improvement projects for you & your friends.

Any questions, please send me an email or call.

Tom McCook

703.839.5205

Good evening. This is not a full message – just a couple of items for you that are important.

Stay safe,

Mark

1. VEHICLE BREAK-INS. Last night we had some vehicles broken in to in our community. If this should occur to you, please call the Police non-emergency number (703) 691-2131 to report the break-in. As a reminder, consider leaving your porch lights on throughout the night and remember to lock your vehicle and home doors and secure any windows should we enjoy some warmer weather.

2. CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS. Reminder – if you have any construction debris you must call Patriot Disposal to schedule a special pickup. Construction debris is not picked up with normal trash. If you have questions on what constitutes ‘construction debris” please contact Patriot Disposal or see the Fairfax County website https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/publicworks/recycling-trash/residential-materials
for specifics.

3. MLK DAY OF SERVICE, MONDAY, JANUARY 18, 2021, 8:00 AM – 10:00 AM. Please consider giving some time to better Rabbit Branch Park. This is the park that adjoins our property on Roberts Road and Tapestry Drive – the meeting location will be on Tapestry Drive at the Rabbit Branch Park sign. Please see below for the invitation.

————-

Neighbors, Scouts & Students,

Our annual MLK Day of Service park clean up is planned for Monday, January 18th. 8-10AM. We hope you can participate.

See attached flyer, and two FCPA based release forms (Volunteer Acknowledgement Form and Sign-in Form). If you can print, sign & bring these with you, thanks. I’ll have copies at the park to sign, too.

Objective: Spend two hours to discover nature in this small park, clean it up and improve our community.

Please be prepared to walk through wooded and potentially wet areas of the park. Boots, work-gloves and appropriate weather related clothing. We’ll have trash bags to distribute.

COVID precautions – face masks are mandatory. Socially distancing – please clean-up together only in your “family-based bubble” we do not want to chance spreading this terrible virus. If you feel sick, please stay home – there will be many more opportunities in the future to help our community.

Next event – President’s day holiday, February 15th, similar activities planned at Crooked Creek Park (8-10AM).

Any questions, please send me an email or call.

Tom McCook
703.839.5205

Good afternoon to you all.  We continue to track for an opening of the pool at 11:00AM tomorrow, Friday, 31 July 2020.  The weather may not be as cooperative this weekend as it has been recently but we’ll make the best of it.

For pool passes – if you have not picked up your pool passes there is a window of opportunity for you to do so from 6:30PM – 7:00PM tonight at the pool house.  Additionally, there will be windows of opportunity from 7:00PM – 8:00PM on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.  If you miss all those, please contact pool@parkwestcommunity.org for assistance.  Lifeguards will not hand out pool passes.

Now – here’s additional information regarding the season.  This is in addition to the Pool Operating Plan requirements and overall pool rules.

These rules are subject to update and modification at any time.

1.  RESERVATION PROCESS
 – The reservation system in use for this season is through SignUpGenius.
 – Reservations are only allowed for the next day. Each address is limited to two reservations per day.
 – There are 6 windows each day. Each window contains 1 lap lane, 10 general recreation swim areas, and one wading pool area.
 – The reservation screen will require you to include your name, address, the number of attendees and name of each attendee (each of whom must have a pool pass), phone number, email, and confirmation of a pandemic-related question.
 – The signup framework is active.  You may access the signup at:  https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0C4CACAC2AA31-pwca

2.  CHECK-IN PROCESS
 – Complete the Pool User Acknowledgement form prior to coming to the pool for your reservation.
 – Get in line to check-in observing all social distancing rules.  Maintain 6 feet of separation outside the pool fence, 10 feet of separation inside the pool fence.  Wear a mask while in line to check-in and when you cannot maintain 10 feet of separation to non-household individuals on the pool deck.
 – When arriving at guard desk, you will show a photo ID, your 2020 pool pass, and your completed Pool User Acknowledgement form for all adults.
 — Any Adult card holder (18 or older) may also check-in Child pass holders.  The adult will also sign for any children under their care.
 — For adults less than 18 years old, we recommend the parent sign the Pool User Acknowledgement form to include the children being included in the reservation.
 — Children must have a pool pass and be signed for by an adult.
 – The guards will verify your Pool User Acknowledgement form responses.  If you exhibit any signs specified in the form, decline to follow the social distancing rules, or have not verified you have not been more than 75 miles away from the community in the previous 14 days – you will not be allowed to enter the pool deck.
 – The guards will then assign you a swimming area (if applicable), and direct you to the area on the pool deck corresponding to the swim area.
 – Congratulations!  You have passed the check and may enter the pool

3.  DEPARTURE PROCESS
 – Each window is 60-minutes long.  You must take all items you brought with you when you leave.
 – No Lost and Found is being maintained.  All items left will be put into a trash can.  Should you be missing something you’ll have to look through the trash – we are not keeping any items.
 – You may remain out on the pool parking lot if you have a reservation for the succeeding hour.  You will complete the check-in process as delineated in item 1 for your second reservation.

4.  POOL PASS DISTRIBUTION.
The pool committee will set up additional dates and times to distribute pool passes. Guards cannot provide pool passes for you – you will have to wait. Email pool@parkwestcommunity.org for further information.

5.  POOL RULES.
– Ensure you are familiar with ALL pool rules for the season.  Pandemic-related rules are published in the Operating Plan and are found on signs located on the pool fence.
– Stay within your designated area.  The only exception are entry and egress from Swim Areas #6 and #7.  You will enter through the Lap Lane when the individual using the lap lane is more then 10 feet away from you and heading away from you.
– All furniture you bring must remain in your designated area.

Finally, We are relying on you to take personal responsibility for yourself and those around you and adhere to the requirements.  Volunteers will be conducting social distancing management.  You may be asked to leave the pool deck area if you are not adhering to safety protocols.

There you go – you’ve got the latest information we have.  These rules will be adjusted on the-fly as needed.  Please be gracious as we together achieve one small victory in this unprecedented time of our lives.

Stay safe,

Mark Griffin