Houses of Worship

Pocono Wesleyan Church 570-646-7456 203 Spur Road, Pocono Lake, PA Poconolakewesleyan.org

St. Maximillian Kolbe RC 570-646-6424 5112 Pocono Crest Rd., Pocono Pines, PA Stmaxkolbepoconos.org

St. Mark RC Church 570-472-3061 1052 Bear Lake Rd, Thornhurst, PA Churchofstelizabethstmark.org

Thornhurst United Methodist Church 570-842-1434 342 Old River Road, Thornhurst, PA Facebook: Thornhurst Umc

Congregation B’nai Harim Reformed 570-355-5350 5349 Pocono Crest Blvd, Pocono Pines, PA Bnaiharimpoconos.org

Community Bible Church of Pocono Lake 570-646-8995 899 Route 940, Pocono Lake, PA Poconolakechurch.org

Faith Lutheran Church of Blakeslee 570-646-0309 Route 940 & Robyn Lane, Blakeslee, PA Email: faithlut@epix.net FB: Faith Lutheran Church, Blakeslee PA

Mt. Pocono United Methodist Church 570-839-9902 12 Church St., Mt. Pocono, PA Email: mtpumc@ptd.net Sundays: 8:15am w/communion 9:30am contemporary 11am traditional

Pocono Lake United Methodist Church 570-646-2650 1188 PA-940, Pocono Lake, PA Email: plpumc@epix.net Sundays 8:15am In Pennsylvania, bears mate primarily from early June to mid-July. Males are very aggressive towards each other at this time. Sows give birth in January to litters of one to five. The newborn cubs are blind, toothless, and covered with short, fine hair that seems to inadequately cover their pink skin. Cubs begin nursing immediately after birth, and are groomed and cared for daily by the sow. Nurtured with the sow’s rich milk, they grow from as light as 10 ounces at birth to as much as 10 pounds by the time they leave the den in early April. Males do not help rear young. Most cubs stay with the sow for a little more than a year. They watch her every move and learn by imitating her. Cubs are playful, regularly romping and wrestling with their littermates. The sows are very protective of cubs, sending them up trees if danger threatens. Adult males occasionally kill cubs. The family group disbands when the cubs are about a year and a half old and the sow is again ready to breed.

Feeding Habits

Bears may be on the move at any time, but are most active at dusk and dawn. Bears are omnivorous, eating almost anything, from berries, corn, acorns, beechnuts and even grass, to table scraps, carrion, honey and insects. During late summer and fall, black bears fatten up for winter hibernation. At this time they may actively feed for up to 20 hours a day, ingesting up to 20,000 calories. Intentionally feeding bears is against the law in Pennsylvania. It is also against the law to put out any feed, for any wildlife, that is causing bears to congregate or habituate to an area.

If You Live In Bear Country

If you live in bear country, you may need to make some accommodations to coexist peacefully with these large animals. Make sure you don’t encourage bears to become problem bears by letting potential food sources attract them into residential areas. Black bears will eat human food, garbage, bird feed, pet foods, fruits from trees or gardens, and livestock feed. They also raid cornfields and beehives. Once bears find easily accessible food sources, whether on a farm or in a housing development, they will keep coming back as long as food is available. With every returning trip they slowly lose their fear of people, which can lead to bolder attempts at accessing food, and as time spent near people increases, so does the risk of being struck by a vehicle or becoming a more serious nuisance. The best way to get rid of these unwanted visitors is to remove or secure food sources. A persistent bear may damage property, increase the risk of human injury, or become an unwanted visitor in other parts of the neighborhood. And, all too often,fed bears become dead bears. Perhaps the best way to keep bears from being attracted to your home is to keep them from finding food there in the first place. Don’t put out your trash until the morning of collection day. Be sure garbage cans are cleaned regularly, with hot water and chlorine bleach. Clean the outdoor grill after every use, and properly dispose of grill grease. Don’t dump the grease out back. If you feed birds during summer (and if you’re living in bear country, you shouldn’t be), you may want to bring all bird feeders, including hummingbird feeders, in at night. Keep the area around your gardens and fruit trees clean, and avoid putting food scraps in compost piles. Store trash, bird seed and pet food inside a building, garage or secure shed, and keep the door closed. If you have pets, bring their food pans inside at night. Bears generally steer clear of chained or penned dogs. Unleashed dogs that approach bears, however, may be injured or killed. If you have a dog in bear country, don’t let it roam far from the house, leash it whenever you hike in the woods, and keep it in the house or in a kennel at night. It’s also a good practice in bear country to take a quick look outside before letting a dog out into the yard, especially at night. Beehives attract bears, especially right after the bruins come out of hibernation in the spring and during the peak honey production period of late summer and fall. Electric fences are the best way to protect bees, honey and equipment. Contact theappropriate Game Commission region officefor information about fencing. Electric fencing can also be used to protect fruit trees and gardens. Black bears are also attracted to corn, especially in the milk stage. Bears can devastate cornfields. Contact theappropriate Game Commission region officeif bears are causing extensive damage;gamewardensmay be able to help. Placing food out for bears, even if intended for other wildlife, can be particularly troublesome. Because the food is predictably available, bears may visit the area more frequently, speeding up the habituation process. Bears that frequent these areas are often tempted by other food sources in the neighborhood, too, where they can become a significant nuisance. They may raid bird feeders, clean out dog dishes, kill domestic animals, or rifle through garbage containers. Moreover, feeding congregates bears, which significantly increases the risk of spreading disease since bear are otherwise mostly solitary animals. Mange, which is a debilitating condition of the skin and fur that can lead to death, is an example of a disease spread by close-animal contact at feeders. If you come across a bear on your property, there are two possible courses of action. The first is to make loud noises or shout at the bear from a distance – like you’d react to a dog getting into your trash. The second option is to leave the bear alone, and clean up the bear’s mess after it leaves. Follow

continued from page 10 by Steve Melnick, BMLC Board President With the long hard winter finally past us, it is great to see the spring colors and freshly mulched and planted common areas throughout Blue Mountain Lake. Most of our storm damage repair work has been completed and our 2018 Capital projects have started. Our Management team has been working hard on our Capital Plan projects. The clubhouse, pump house and pole barn buildings all had new roofs installed. Other completed Capital Plan projects include the lake-side landscaping project, a new landscape design to the right of the guard booth (required due to storm damage), resurfacing of Pool #1, new fencing around the Daffodil Basin and lighting upgrades to the club house, mail pod, gazebo and maintenance buildings. Our recently established Amenity/Event Committee has been hard at work. They are in the process of reviewing the possibility of adding a community gym to our amenities. The pool party last year was so well received, the BMLC will be throwing two pool parties this year. A new event for 2018 will be “Music by the Lake.” This will be a four-event series of live music at the Gazebo on select Saturday nights in June, July, August and September. Anyone interested in joining this committee should contact the BMLC office. They are always in need of new ideas and volunteer help. I look forward to a great summer season at Blue Mountain Lake! The strength of our community comes from our membership. I encourage all members to get involved. Run for a Board seat, join a committee or bring suggestions to your Board and management team. Together, we will continue to enjoy living in one of the most desirable communities in the Poconos.

Do you have what it takes to be

a BMLC Board Member?up by making sure you eliminate whatever attracted the bear in the first place. You may need to talk to your neighbors, as well. If you’re considering running for the BMLC Board of Directors, take a few moments to ask yourself the following questions:If bears are regularly feeding at a site, encourage your neighbors or community to clean up and close the area. 1. Do I have the time? As a BMLC board member,Feeding bears is against the law. It is also against the law to put out any feed, for any wildlife, that is causing bears to congregate or habituate to an area. you will need to devote at least several hours of your time each month to Association business. In addition to regular board Camping and Hiking in Bear Country meetings, you will need to be active in email discussions and occasional special meetings. DuringAlthough black bears are generally shy and avoid contact with humans, it’s important to remember special projects, you may need to spend a little extra time on Associationthat bears must be respected for their size and strength. Do not deliberately approach a bear or business. Some board members may also spend a little more time than others if theyattempt to entice one closer. Keep your distance. Do everything you can to prevent close encounters work with a committee. Some committees include: Design Review, Finance,and conflicts with bears. Giving a bear food will encourage it to approach other, unsuspecting people, Safety, and Events just to name a few! You don’t have to participate in every committee,which could then lead to an unpleasant or possibly dangerous encounter, and could lead to the bear but should pick one that you want to be involved in. having to be destroyed. 2. Can I make tough decisions when it’s required? The primaryKeep your camp clean and odor free. Wipe tables and clean eating utensils thoroughly after every role of the BMLC board is to protect, enhance and maintain the meal. Burn all grease off grills and camp stoves. Association. This doesn’t just mean approving the budget, but also developing and enforcing policies.Store your food in safe or bear-proof places: in your car trunk or hard-sided camper, for example, or Board members are required to step outside their immesuspended from a tree branch.Never have food in your tent. diate circle of family and neighbors and make decisions based on the greater good of the Dispose of garbage properly. Use the camp receptacles if provided, or store trash in your vehicle. community. Not every member is going to like the decisions that the Pack out your garbage if you must, but never leave your garbage behind. board makes. You may have to make some tough and unpopular decisions. But, you and the If you hike at dawn or dusk, or where hearing or visibility is impaired (roar of fast moving water, rest of the board have the best interest of the entire community in mindthick vegetation), reduce your chances of surprising a bear by talking or making noise. when you vote on every issue. Leave dogs at home or keep them on a leash. 3. Can I do all this and have fun too? It isn’t all about policies and tough decisions. Our community is only as good What To Do If You Meet A Bear as we make it, and establishing and maintaining a sense of community is a part of a BMLCBear attacks are extremely rare, especially considering how often people encounter them. board member’s responsibilities. Planning and attending functions such asIn most cases, a bear will detect you first and leave the area long before you’ll ever see it. social events, the annual membership meeting, and having a presence in the communityHowever, if you do meet a bear before it’s had time to leave, here are some suggestions. Every are as important as any policy decisions you make. bear encounter is different. Being a BMLC board member can be frustrating at times, but it may also Alert the bear — be one of theIf you see a bear, make some noise to alert the bear of your presence, giving it most rewarding ways you’ll find to volunteer your time. If you’re interested inample time and space to turn and leave. Avoid being caught up in the excitement of seeing a bear running for the board or would like more details about your board and inadvertently letting the bear get too close before surprising it. member’s responsibilities, please do not hesitate to contact your Community Get back — Manager orIf you have a close encounter, back away slowly while facing the bear so you always a current board member. • Candidateknow where the bear is and how its reacting. Wild bears rarely attack people. Slowly backing away Packets will be available at the Office, on our website, diffuses the situation and gives the bear room to flee. and via email (by request) starting August 15, 2018. Stay calm — • Annualencountering a bear can be startling, but try to remain calm. While moving away, Meeting: Saturday, November 10, 2018; 1:00pm Clubhouse avoid sudden movements and talk to help the bear keep track of your retreat. Don’t turn and run or attempt to climb a tree. Running may prompt the bear to give chase, and climbing a tree could be interpreted as a threat to any cubs that are present since cubs often climb trees when startled. Move toward your camper, house or vehicle if nearby. Pay attention —Bears will use all of their senses to figure out what you are. If they recognize you as a person, some may stand upright or move closer in their efforts to detect odors in the air currents. Don’t consider this a sign of aggression. Once a bear identifies you, it will usually leave. If it begins to slowly approach you, face the bear, wave your arms wildly and shout while continuing to back away. The idea is to intimidate the bear into retreating. Swing a stick, your backpack or whatever is handy if the bear gets close. If suddenly surprised, some bears may feel threatened and give warning signs that they are uncomfortable. They may clack their jaws together or sway their head; those are signs for you to leave. Some bears have been known to charge to within a few feet when threatened. If this occurs, wave your arms wildly and shout at the bear.

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Fight back —Black bear attacks are extremely rare. If a black bear attacks, fight back. Bears have been driven away when people have fought back with rocks, sticks, binoculars and even their bare hands. The Pennsylvania Game Commission is responsible for managing, conserving and protecting all wildlife, and is committed to doing everything possible to keep bear conflicts to a minimum. Regulating harvest to stabilize or reduce bear numbers in problem areas and prohibiting the feeding of bears are measures taken to help alleviate conflicts with bears. If you are having a problem with a bear and have no success using these suggestions, or have been threatened by a bear, please contact theappropriate Game Commission region office.