Pocono Farms

February 2014

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Sta ff Spotlight

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Getting to know the staff at Pocono Farms Country Club My name is Adam Herman and I am your Golf Course and Community Grounds Superintendent at Pocono Farms Country Club. I've had the honor of working at Pocono Farms since 1999. Prior to coming here, I was the Assistant Golf Course Superintendent at Southmoore Golf Course in Bath, PA, from 1994 to 1999. My golf course career started at the Center Valley Club in 1992. My 22 years of golf course maintenance experience has always been very challenging but the most amazing experience.

I love my job and could not imagine ever doing anything else.

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Our Community B oard

Adam Herman

When I am not at work, I enjoy watching my Washington Redskins lose most of their games. As dedicated as I am to my career, I am even more dedicated to them no matter what (disgruntled fan for 25 years)! I am also a fan of the #88 Dale Earnhardt Jr NASCAR team (another disappointment). For the last two years I have been engaged to my fantastic fiancée, Linda, and I have the most amazing 16 year old son named Jarett. Originally I grew up in the small town of Northampton, located down in the Lehigh Valley. I moved up to the Pocono area in 2002. Vacation time is very limited due to my responsibilities at Pocono Farms but I usually have the opportunity to escape to my favorite vacation spot in the Dominican Republic over the winter months.

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Calendar of Events F ebruary C alendar

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Getting to Know You M eet

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SAVE THE DATE Bunny Brunch April 13th

Clean-Up Day April 26th

182 Lake Road Tobyhanna, Pennsylvania 18466 POCONO FARMS COUNTRY CLUB FROM

SPECIAL DELIVERY

From Your Board of Directors

Crime Watch Activity Report

by STEVE BUNKER

BY ED AALBUE

As I write this, we have just concluded another successful holiday season at Pocono Farms. Many of our fellow community members enjoyed either the Holiday Party, New Year’s Eve Party or one of a number of events for the kids of our community. They were all well attended and a good time was had by all. If you have not attended one of our planned events during the holiday season in the past, I would encourage you to do so in 2014.

Again this year we had a large number of people either call or come into the restaurant the last few days of the year wanting to use their food credit. In some cases, because of the normal increase in activity at the restaurant during the holiday season, these people could not be served in a timely fashion and were disappointed. I would strongly suggest this year that once your dues are paid and you are therefore eligible for the $75 food credit in the restaurant, that you use it before December. Because there is a limit to how many can be served in an evening we certainly do not want anyone disappointed in 2014. The bottom line is that the closer to the Holidays you try to use your food credit the better the possibility you may not be able to use it when you want to which is not what we want anyone to experience.

Even though we have several more months of Pocono winter ahead of us, there are still a number of activities planned. One that is traditionally well attended is Winterfest which takes place over President’s Day weekend.

We are also planning a community informational meeting that weekend. There are also Trivia Nights and Prime Rib Nights planned all winter long in the restaurant. The Fitness Center is open year-round with several different classes being offered each week. It is never too early to start thinking about the golf season. We normally try to open the golf course by early April and we have different memberships available to fit almost any situation.

Finally, a friendly reminder that your Association dues are to be paid in full by March 31. An Association’s financial strength is in proportion to the percentage of dues collected from its members. Please keep in mind the dues not only pay for the upkeep of the amenities that many of us enjoy, but also pay for our garbage pick-up and our Security people. The dues also ensure that our community is attractive to potential home buyers which helps keep the value of our homes higher than they would be otherwise. In recent years primarily because of foreclosures and bankruptcy, we have seen a decline in the number of properties that have paid their dues. We are working hard to reverse that trend by starting our own realty company and by aggressively and through every legal avenue pursuing those who have not paid their dues. Please do your part to keep our community financially strong by paying your dues on time.

Have a great rest of the winter and please remember that your board meets every month on a Friday night and the meeting is open for all of you to attend. We would love to have you come and give us feedback and any ideas you have to make our Community better.

182 Lake Road • Tobyhanna, PA 18466 www.poconofarms.com admin@poconofarms.com BOARD OF DIRECTORS Frank Milano, President Mike Elbert, Vice President Steve Bunker, Treasurer Wayne Meyers, Secretary

Richard McCormick Collette Houston-Ong Brian Cavanaugh Peter Volpe Bill Weimer

BOARD LIAISONS A&B, Environmental, PublicWorks Communications CrimeWatch Elections/Nominations Finance Golf House Long Range Planning Pool Recreation Tennis

Rich McCormick Collette Houston-Ong Peter Volpe Wayne Meyers Steve Bunker Brian Cavanaugh Rich McCormick Bill Weimer Bill Weimer Collette Houston-Ong Mike Elbert

AD-HOCS Insurance Fitness Center Community Garden Marketing

Frank Milano Mike Elbert Brian Cavanaugh Appointed as needed

COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE Collette Houston-Ong Linda Penett Linda Becht Marianne Stephen Sally Wachowski Peg Scott Sue Miller Ginny Day NEWSLETTER COORDINATOR Denise Wilson 894-4435 ext. 106 CAPFWeathervane2@yahoo.com

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DEPARTMENT HEADS General Manager 894-4435 ext. 100

At this writing the holidays are over. Your Crime Watch hopes everyone had a wonderful holiday and we wish you all a Happy and Healthy New Year. The New Year came in with some really cold weather and snow. During the month of December the crime watch patrols drove around the community for 52 hours. The hours are down due to the snow birds leaving (less drivers), snow and the holidays.

A community member in the Laurel View area (section T) reported a few problems to the office during the month. Reported were two attempted burglaries, and a UPS driver informed the resident of a package being stolen from a front door.

One of the burglaries was on Stag Lane and the person was told by the police there were also attempts on Hickory and Oak View. Crime Watch has been asked by management to keep an eye out for these problems. “Visibility may be a little prevention”. That is what your crime watch does.

We are the eyes and ears that help the Regional Police. Our presence out there shows the bad guys that we are watching. My fellow community members, we are a community of about 1400 homes. During the winter months we have 15 volunteer driver patrols. 15 volunteers out of 1400 homes. I know we do not have 1400 families living in the Farms full time. I think we should have more than 15 people volunteering to join the crime watch from the full time members. Look in the paper, you can see what is going on around us. If you can spare some time, join us. More eyes and ears will give us more visibility that will give us a little more prevention. Call the office and a committee member will call you.

David Timko dtimko@poconofarms.com

Accounting/Office Manager Lorraine Daviduk 894-4435 ext. 103 ldaviduk@poconofarms.com Golf Pro 894-4435 ext. 110

Joe Acla golfshop@poconofarms.com

Greens Superintendent Adam Herman 894-4435 adamh@poconofarms.com Executive Chef 894-4435 ext. 130

Chef Michael pfchef@poconofarms.com

Food & Beverage Director 894-4435 ext. 132

Katrina Weithman katrinaw@poconofarms.com

Activities Director 894-4435 ext. 113

Joe Sprovkin recdir@poconofarms.com

Director of Security 894-4435 ext. 105

Artie Furman afurman@poconofarms.com

Building Coordinator & Compliance Director 894-4435 ext. 104

Richard Savage rsavage@poconofarms.com

MAINTENANCE 894-4435 ext. 160 (voicemail only)

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Thoughts from the Manager

By Dave Timko

As we reflect back on another year at Pocono Farms, it was overall a pretty good year. We did accomplish a fair amount, we learned a lot, and we experienced a few staff changes along the way. We welcomed two new staff members to our management team in 2013. Joe Sprovkin, Recreation Director, joined our team in August of 2013. Michael Gruner, Executive Chef, joined our team in December. Joe started right before a busy Labor Day weekend. Since then, he has done very well in implementing a few of our larger events, Oktoberfest and the Halloween events, and the brunch with Santa. Those who have met Joe will agree that he has the enthusiasm for the position and we look forward to more events where the members can get out and socialize.

Chef Mike comes to us from the French Manor where he was the Sous Chef. Chef Mike started in early December and was tested right away with the Holiday Party, the brunch with Santa, and our New Year’s Eve party. Although Chef Mike is still settling in, the comments on the food so far have been favorable. We welcome both Joe and Chef Mike to our team here at Pocono Farms and look forward to their complementing the other managers in our efforts to provide our residents and members a memorable experience.

There were a few operational highlights in 2013. Two specifically stand out. The first being the distribution of the Board of Directors and Management update that was sent out to the general membership of Pocono Farms. The second was the informal coffee break and community updates held at the Clubhouse. The Board of Directors has committed to communicating more with the membership of Pocono Farms and chose these two opportunities to do just that. Both of these were well received by the membership.

The Board of Directors will continue with these two items in 2014. The first update will be distributed by the end of January. The first Community Update and Coffee Break will take place on Saturday February 15th, at the Clubhouse at 11am. At this informal meeting, we will be discussing the following topics: • The recently completed Reserve Study • The collection efforts through the end of 2013 • An update of our Real Estate offerings • Discussion of the 2014 budget 2014 will present us with challenges at various levels. Through the cooperation and direction from the Board of Directors, those of us in management will continue to take this direction and implement the strategies given to do what is best for all members within Pocono Farms.

Women’s Club News

By Darlene Schultz

For the months of January, February, and March the Women's Club luncheon is held at local offsite eating establishments. January's luncheon was well-attended at an Italian restaurant in Bartonsville. If you are a member of this club you will be receiving a telephone call informing you of the next luncheon.

In order to receive this telephone call, your dues of $15.00 must have been paid for the 2014 club year. It is important to note that we must have an updated, current, functioning telephone number for you to be contacted! If you are not a member, please join us. Contact Darlene Schultz at 570-894-4911 with any questions and/or concerns.

February's luncheon is yet to be determined, but will be held on the second Wednesday of the month, the 12th.

The official publication of the Pocono Farms Country Club AssocIation, Inc. PUBLISHED BY NIKI JONES AGENCY, INC. 39 Front Street • Port Jervis, New York 12771 P: 845.856.1266 E: info@nikijones.com Articles appearing in The Weathervane are presented as a community service. They do not necessarily represent the views of the publisher or of the Pocono Farms Country Club Association, Inc. The publisher and the PFCCA disclaim any liability for any advertisements published herein, in no way endorse or guarantee these ads and reserve the right to reject any ads submitted. Position of advertising in the newspaper is not guaranteed.

In the Farms PFCCA Office Hours Monday - Saturday 8:30am - 12:30pm & 1:00pm - 4:30pm

ID Badge Picture Hours:

8:30am - 12:00pm & 1:00pm - 4:00pm Capital Improvement Fees on transfer of property: House: $1,252 Lot: $626 Building Regulations: Permits are required from the township and from PFCCA. Please check with the office (894-4435) as to your specific needs.

• Building permit required from respective township and PFCCA before construction begins • Construction permitted from 7am - 7pm Monday- Saturday – excluding major holidays • Resale certificates are required. Fee is $200.00 Refuse Collection: Curbside pickup on household trash is done on Mondays beginning at 6am by PantherWaste Systems 1-877-499-2783 excluding major holidays. Alternate collection days will be posted on our website at www.poconofarms.com.

PantherWaste Systems will only pick up household trash. If you have any other items to discard, please call them at 1-877-4992783 to set up arrangements. A bulk waste price list is available in the Administration Office or on the website.

Recycling is picked up every other Monday.

Dumpster Hours: Sunday from 10am – 2pm Wednesday & Friday from 8am – Noon Animals: Dogs must be leashed or on owner’s property at all times.

Wildlife, such as deer and black bear, are common at Pocono Farms.

We ask that you NOT FEED any wild animals.

Emergencies: For ALL emergencies including medical or fire please contact 911 first, then contact Public Safety at 570-894-4435 x105.

Weathervane DEADLINE NOTICE In order to produce a better newspaper for the Community, a Weathervane submission deadline has been established. All articles, announcements, classified ads, etc. must be submitted to the Newsletter Coordinator on or before the 5th of each month for publication in the next issue of The Weathervane.

Submissions made after this date will not be considered until the following month. Your cooperation is appreciated. Publication of articles is subject to the approval of the Communication Committee.

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Pocono Farms Events

•4PM-9PM Prime Rib Night

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Pocono Farms Events

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Getting to Know You

By Marianne Stephen

Meet the Ventres: Karen and John Their family consists of their three children; Richie, Michael and Elizabeth as well two cats (Nellie and Ricky) and their adorable dog (a Bichon Papillon), Prudence. The cats do not visit Pocono Farms but Prudence loves it here.

was different back then and she worked on a manual typewriter where mistakes required white out and multiple copies were made with carbon paper. She also was very proficient at stenography, a dying art.

Karen was born and raised in Staten Island. She was the baby of the family with five older brothers. Not surprising, she says she was spoiled and got everything she wanted. Her neighborhood was very family oriented and she has great memories of growing up with her best friend, Mary. They got into mischief but it was always good fun. At that time, it was safe to run around the neighborhood. Karen has lots of great stories about the innocence of growing up at that time and in that place.

Her most memorable summer was spent at her grandmother’s farm in Louisiana. There were pigs and chickens and they gathered the eggs from the chickens.

The only thing she didn’t like was the outhouse. She refused to use it so they had to make a special place for her. She remembers her aunt giving her a bath in a big iron tub that had to be filled with water. Roughing it can be a real fun for kids.

Karen’s dad was a construction worker and had worked on both the Verrazano Bridge and the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel. He developed tuberculosis from working in the tunnels and it deteriorated his spine, eventually causing paralysis. Faced with a life altering experience, Karen’s mother showed incredible strength. Once her dad could no longer work, her mother got a job cooking for the priests at St Peter’s Church. She worked long hours but would come home during the day to take care of Karen’s dad. Karen’s mother had never driven so she learned to drive and got her license. She was also going back and forth to Sloan Kettering as Karen’s brother, Gary, had cancer and, sadly, died when he was only 17 and Karen was 15. While there was joy in Karen’s childhood, there was also terrible sadness.

In her last year of high school, Karen was accepted into a co-op program. She would go to school for one week and then work for one week. Her workweek was as a full time secretary for a firm on Park Ave. She would have to double up on her homework in order to keep up with the class. The company offered her a job when she graduated and she stayed with them for seven years until the company moved to Ohio. Life for a secretary

Karen married when she was 23 and although the marriage did not last, she does not regret it because she has a great son, Richie, from the marriage.

Karen’s second marriage was quite interesting. She and her husband lived on Staten Island but her husband was never home as assignments kept him away, primarily in Japan. As a result, Karen did a lot of traveling. She visited Japan several times and spent three months there once with her two sons. They all learned to speak a few words of Japanese and found the Japanese people to be very warm and friendly. She also traveled with him to Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, and many trips to California. They were in 16 different hotels one summer with the two boys. The traveling sounds like fun but long distance marriages are difficult to manage. He died from cancer when the children were quite young. Her son, Michael, and daughter, Elizabeth, were born during this marriage.

Karen was a single Mom with three children but managed to take her kids on great vacations including Turks and Caicos, the Bahamas and Cancun.

In February 2001, the bank that Karen worked for moved to the 47th floor of the north Tower of the World Trade Center. Karen remembers what a beautiful day it was on September 11 and was looking out the window at the Statue of Liberty when she heard a loud explosion and saw paper flying. The whole office gathered together and no one knew what happened.

It was at least 15 to 20 minutes before they made the decision to get out when they saw smoke. She got down to the 10th floor and then took off her shoes as water was coming down the stairs. When they reached the lobby, she recalls it looked like a war zone and they were told to keep moving. When they got out, the police told them not to look up but of course, they looked up and saw the two buildings on fire. She was moving forward when stuff just kept coming at them and they were swallowed up in it and couldn’t see anything. Someone tried to help her and pushed her through a revolving door and she was in the Federal Reserve building, but she did not stay, as she was afraid that it would be the

next target. She walked to the Brooklyn Bridge but was afraid to go over. With the help of her ex sister-in-law who came to get her, she was able to get on the last ferry before they stopped service. Needless to say, it is day that Karen will never forget. Karen was one of the lucky ones, as five of her co-workers lost their lives that day. She took two months off before going back to work. In 2010, after several mergers, the bank laid off many people including Karen.

John was born and raised in Howard Beach, Queens.

He also is the baby of the family and has two older brothers, James and Joseph. His father started taking him to the Pocono Speedway in 1972 and it continues to this day to be an enjoyment in his life and those trips helped introduce him to the Poconos.

His father worked for Verizon, (a path that John was to follow) for 33 years while his mother was a stay at home mother. His father has passed away but his mother still lives in Howard Beach. Unfortunately, her home was affected by Hurricane Sandy but thanks to a FEMA grant, she has been able to fix her basement that required stripping down to the studs and the replacement of many appliances.

John grew up in a tough neighborhood and he did not always make the best decisions. He describes his brothers as angels and he was the one that his parents had to keep a close eye on. He calls himself a troublemaker during his teen years but always managed to draw back when his “friends” were going to do something illegal. He said it was not morality that stopped him but the fact that he wouldn’t be able to go to the Raceway if he were arrested. Many of those socalled friends ended up in jail or dead. There were not official gangs but there were neighborhood groups who clashed with each other.

He remembers the exact moment that he made a decision to turn a new leaf. He was in the Dean’s office of his high school with the police who were questioning him. The police had told him he could leave and calmness came over him. He turned to the Dean and said he would never hear another peep out of him. As he describes it, “It was my decision to be a trouble maker and it was my decision not to do it anymore”.

True to his word, it was a complete turnaround after that day. He does not know why it happened then but it was crystal clear to him that day and he has never looked back. Sounds like the makings of a good book or movie.

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...continued After school, John worked for a customs Broker at Kennedy airport for a few years before joining Verizon, following in his father’s footsteps. After a number of years, John decided to go back to school and attended Bronx Borough Community College for telecommunications.

Karen was a secretary for John’s brother at the Depository Trust. John’s brother decided that Karen and John would be good for each other and encouraged each to call the other. It was Karen who made the first move and called John to set up a date. They had a good time on their date but nothing came of it. A year later, John’s dad died and Karen went to the funeral home to pay her respects to John’s brother, her boss. She saw John and they started talking and haven’t stopped talking since then.

They lived 20 miles apart and only saw each other once or twice a week but it took seven years for them to get married. They were sitting on the couch one night watching TV and John pretended to fall off the couch and said: “As long as I am already on the floor, will you marry me?” He demonstrated the move for me and it was quite clever landing on his knee. They got married on the beach by a cousin with about 60 guests. Karen’s two boys walked her down the aisle and her daughter was in the wedding party.

John had a co-op that he sold and moved into Karen’s house. They had seen advertisements for a builder in the Poconos and decided to use the money from the sale of his co-op to build in the Poconos. After looking at several communities, they decided that Pocono Farms would be the best for them. They live on a busy street in Staten Island and love the peace and tranquility of this area. Karen loves the pool and it was there that she started to make friends.

Family is very important to both Karen and John.

Both of their mothers are still alive and going strong at 87. Karen and John own a two family house in Staten Island and Karen’s mother and one of her brother’s lives in the house with them. John’s mother lives alone in Howard Beach and is out all the time. John said that after a 33 day stay in the hospital she went shopping on the day of her release. They speak to their mothers every day. As John says, “there is always time for your mother and father”.

of them are built). He attends shows and competitions and has won numerous medals for his work. He said he started because his father brought home footballs, baseballs, model cars and trains when he was kid. He was outside with a ball and bat and realized that he needed more kids to play a game but he could do the model cars and trains whether he had any other kids around or not.

Additionally he is a train buff and has about 1,500 trains.

He collects only the real prototypes and has layouts in all his houses. One of his layouts is modeled after the Delaware Lackawanna Line that is a single track with main line interchanges. He loves to visit the Tobyhanna Train Station and is shocked that more of us do not even know where it is and/or haven’t visited it.

Not to be outdone, Karen collects porcelain clowns, shot glasses and Nutcrackers. She has about 200 nutcrackers that would have seemed like a lot to me until I heard about the number of items that John has.

She also used to collect Barbie dolls. Karen did not become a good cook until she married Italian John. She had to learn how to make Italian dishes and John says she makes great sauce.

2013/14 Board of directors meeting schedule all meeting times are 7pm unless otherwise noted

Friday, February 21st - Work Session

I had not met Karen and John prior to this interview, but it became clear early in the discussion that both of them have a great sense of humor. Karen says they laugh a lot and play jokes on each other. I imagine that they are great fun to be with. They were having several couples up for the weekend to celebrate John’s 55th birthday.

Thursday, March 27th

Now that Elizabeth is in college, Karen and John are able to stay longer when they come here and are enjoying the extra time. They are looking forward to making Pocono Farms their primary home in a few years and participating more fully in all the activities.

They are a delightful couple and we look forward to that day as well.

Friday, July 18th

Friday, April 25th Wednesday, May 21st Friday, June 27th Saturday, July 19th - 10am Annual Meeting As approved at the 7/31/13 Reorganizational Meeting

Richie, their oldest son, lives in Staten Island and is hoping to start an electrician apprenticeship in January Michael lives at home and after attending City College and Lincoln Tech, works on fire alarm security systems in New Jersey. Elizabeth is a freshman at the Fashion Institute looking forward to a career of fashion merchandizing. John came into their lives when they were very young and has provided the love and stability that Karen was looking for when she decided to marry again.

After thirty years with Verizon, John was given a package to leave in 2010 (the same year that Karen was let go from her company). John is officially retired but Karen went back to work 3 days a week at Staten Island Hospital after being home for two years.

John has plenty to keep him busy in his retirement.

He is an avid builder/collector and it requires not only their two houses but also his mother’s to hold all his treasures. He has been building model cars since he was a kid and now has about 5,000 of them (although not all

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Calling all residents interested in serving on the PFCCA Board of Directors!

Did you know?

• The PFCCA Board of Directors is made up of 9 PFCCA members • Each year three (3) seats expire leaving openings for new members to run for and fill • After the expiration of a director's first three (3) year term, he/she may seek a second term through the normal election process.

• All directors may not succeed themselves at the expiration of two (2) consecutive elected terms.

Have you ever thought of serving on the PFCCA Board of Directors? Do you wonder what it would be like, the time involved and the challenges and rewards this volunteer position brings? Below are a couple of testimonials from two of our current board members that might provide some of the information you might be looking for...

“Some of the keys to being an effective director are willingness to research and evaluate all pertinent information. It is important to keep an open mind until hearing the input from the rest of the Board and management. Your vote needs to be for the betterment of the majority of Pocono Farms residents.

Board of Director’s Candidate Application The Nominating and Elections Committee request from all board candidates, a completed candidate profile – see form below which can be obtained in the Weathervane, on the website or picked up at the Administration Office. You may submit a separate sheet of paper with your responses. Your information will be published in upcoming issues of the Weathervane and on the website.

Please be aware that one very important requirement for candidacy is the attendance. You will be required to attend monthly Board Meetings, General Membership Meeting and assigned Committee Meetings. As stated in the By-Laws (Section 5.7) “Any Director who is absent from either a total of four (4) regular meetings or three (3) regular meetings in succession, of a twelve month period, commencing with the August organizational meeting, shall be deemed to have resigned…”

This year, there are three seats available on the Board of Directors, three for a (3) year term.

Board candidates must be 21 years of age, an owner of record and be a member in good standing.

Name:________________________________________________________________________________ Pocono Farms Address_________________________________________________________________ Permanent Address:____________________________________________________________________ (If seasonal or weekend member)________________________________________________________ Primary Phone Number________________________________________________________________ How many years have you been a member of the Farms?____________________________________ Candidate Profile What is your occupation?_______________________________________________________________ Please describe committees, clubs, volunteer work and other activities in which you have participated.__________________________________________________________________________ Describe any skills, talents, or specialized training, which as a Board Member, you feel will be beneficial to the community.____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ What is your motivation for seeking a seat on the Board of Directors?________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ If elected, in what areas do you hope to influence the Board concerning the direction and governance of this community?__________________________________________________________

You must be willing to support the majority decision of the board and take responsibility for the outcome of those decisions. I believe it is also important to be pro-active in reviewing any and all aspects of our community and acting on specific improvements. We are the owners and represent the owners of Pocono Farms, the land, the buildings, and the business. While challenges will always be present, we have achieved, with the strong effort of Dave and his staff, in improving our “home”. This is our reward. On a separate note, I have been generally pleased with the performance of our past boards over the 30 years of owning a home in Pocono Farms. I appreciate the independent thinking and contributions of all my current fellow Board members. Our discussions/arguments have yielded positive results. May our future Boards have the same level of commitment, and sense of humor, as ours did.”

Bob Penett (served as a Director 2011 – 2013) Being elected to the PFCCA Board of Directors is an honor and privilege. However, with this comes great responsibility for managing our common areas within today’s fiscal constraints and the constant change of the Poconos’ environment. A board member must be objective and honest in putting the needs of the Community above one’s self interests. A Board member must be part of the team and support the group’s decisions. A Board member should be part of setting the policies that management will implement. A Board member can only act officially when the Board meets as a group. The Board of Directors must never micro-manage. Being a Board member is a tremendous experience. You work with eight other board members and numerous committee volunteers to improve our quality of life and move our community forward. This makes your time commitment very worthwhile and should be personally satisfying. You may make some new friends.”

Pete Volpe, Director All interested parties should read and fill out the Board of Director's Candidate Application on the reverse side and return it to the Administration Office no later than April 18, 2014 (or postmarked no later than April 17, 2014). Applications can also be obtained in the Administration office or can be filled out online at http://www.poconofarms.com/ under e-forms. (you must login in first to access the e-forms.)

All accepted candidate profiles along with a picture will be published in the May, June and July issues of the Weathervane and will be posted on the website Meet the Candidates will be held in June. The Elections and Nominations Committee will be in contact with you as to the date and time this event will take place.

Please note the time change from previous years…

This year's Annual Meeting will take place on Saturday, July 19th at 10:00am. Location TBA. Applications can also be obtained in the Administration Office.

Why should the membership elect you to the Board of Directors?___________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ Note: Applications must be submitted to the Nominating/Elections Committee, c/o the Association Office by April 18, 2013, or postmarked no later than April 17, 2013.

CERTIFICATION: I_________________________, if elected, will bear my full share of the work of the Board and intend to serve a full term.

Date:________________________

Signature:___________________________________________

This year’s Annual Meeting will be held on Saturday, July 19th at 10:00 am. Location TBD

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2014 Golf Fees – Annual Membership Fees 2014 Golf Fees - Annual Membership Fees Premium Head of Household / Perpetual* Premium Head of Household & Spouse / Perpetual* **Dependent Child *See Premium Membership explanation below

$1,492.00 $2,400.00 $ 300.00

New Member Single New Member Head of Household & Spouse **Dependent Child

$1,000.00 $1,700.00 $ 300.00

Weekday Individual Under 21 Weekday

$1,100.00 $ 350.00

Member of another Club

$1,100.00

This category is open to non-residents who are members of another Philadelphia section club. A letter from the Golf Pro or General Manager of that particular club is required as proof of membership.

Junior Golf – (35 yrs and Under)

$600.00

**Dependent Child Rate available ONLY with Full Membership

DAILY GREENS FEES: Resident non-members & their guests

9 holes:

Resident Non-Member w/Cart – WEEKDAY Resident Non-Member w/Cart – WEEKEND

$ 35.00 $ 40.00

18 holes:

Resident Non-Member w/Cart – WEEKDAY Resident Non-Member w/Cart – WEEKEND

$ 60.00 $ 65.00

MEMBER CART FEES:

9 holes:

Perpetual Certificate Holders / Premium Members Non-Perpetual Certificate Holders / Non -Premium Members/Juniors

$ 8.00 $ 11.00

18 holes:

Perpetual Certificate Holders / Premium Members Non-Perpetual Certificate Holders / Non -Premium Members/Juniors

$ 16.00 $ 22.00

GUEST FEES of Members 9 Holes: 18 Holes

Weekday $25.00 $45.00

Book of 6 Guest Passes Golf Card Rate

Weekend $30.00 $50.00 $ 240.00 $ 35.00

Note: Rates include $13.00 handicap fee.

Payment Plan If you join as a member in 2014, you may take advantage of the payment plan through October. This is a direct debit payment plan and there is a $50.00 fee for this plan.

Round by Round

BY RODGER SPEAR Now that the course is “buttoned up” for the winter, and we’ve all had the opportunity to reflect on a great season and all the improvements made in 2013. We can now look forward to the 2014 golf season with great anticipation. As you will recall a number of new tees were added in 2013.

However, some were not completed and will be finished in the spring, 2014.

For 2014, the capital budget is limited therefore fewer capital improvements will take place on the course.

None the less, our superintendent and his staff have planned a number of projects to improve our course and upgrade the conditions during the year.

Short lists of anticipated projects include sodding the tops of the new tees on #5, #15, #16, and completing the extension of the middle tee on #17. In addition, extensive work is planned to clean and remove stone and rocks from all sand traps (a process that will more than likely take the entire 2014 season). Plans are to continue to remove trees that have an adverse effect on the tees, greens and fairways and those that pose a danger to members and staff on the course. Improving drainage in various spots on the course will also be addressed.

And finally, plans are being implemented to create combination tees so that, in effect, we will have two more courses that we can play at Pocono Farms.

There will be a blue/white combination that will approximate 6000 yards and a red/white combination that will approximate 5600 yards. Stay tuned for more details. Can’t wait for the season to start!

Premium Category – Includes those that own a perpetual certificate or pay $2,000.00 towards this membership. This amount can be paid over ten years. (Add $200 to base premium membership). You may also pay the amount over five years or all at once.  All Premium members will have discounted cart fees  Premium members can make tee times eight (8) days in advance  Premium memberships are open to residents and non-residents of PFCCA.  All existing perpetual members will be considered premium members and will pay the regular rate. ($1,492.00 Head of Household, $2,400.00 Head of Household & Spouse) Member of other Private Club Open to non-residents that are members at another Philadelphia section private club. A letter from either the Golf Pro or General Manager is needed to show proof of membership.

Dependent Children are defined as 25 years and under, and living at home full time, or full time students. Dependent children rate applies with a full paid membership.  If you join as a new member, you may join into the premium category for an additional $200.00, per year for ten years. You will then be entitled to cart fees at $8.00 / $16.00. This $200 is part of a $2,000.00 fee applied to join this category over ten years. You may also pay the $2,000.00 all at once  If you have any questions about the information listed please contact our PGA professional, Joe Acla, at 570-894-4435, ext 110 or 111.

Referral Program Refer a full member and receive $100.00 in food credit at the clubhouse. Refer a junior, weekday or member of another private club and receive $50.00 in food credit at the clubhouse. This program does not apply for under 21 weekday memberships, or new homeowner special memberships.

W:Office Shared\Schedule of Fees-2014.doc

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List and Sell your home with us!

BUYERS! We have the largest inventory of homes in the Poconos.

Sellers

Buyers

• Weekend listing appointments are always available • Nobody sells more homes than we do • We’ll get you the highest price in the shortest amount of time • We advertise everyday, everywhere and especially online with the biggest and best home selling Internet sites • Ask about our global home warranties

• We offer our Independent Family of Home buying Services – One Stop Shopping when you purchase your home through Better Homes & Gardens Real Estate Wilkins and Associates • We can show you any home listed in the MLS • Open seven days a week B R AT C E L

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G IN

Bringing families home to the Poconos since 1988

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570.421.8950 STROUDSBURG OFFICE

570.588.3440 BUSHKILL OFFICE

570.839.4174 MT. POCONO OFFICE

www.wilkins1.com | www.facebook.com/BHGWilkins | find us on linkedin.com 10

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2014

H a ppy Birthday !

Pocono Farms resident, Lillian Canzone, celebrated her 100th birthday on December 26, 2013. A party was held in her honor at the home of her daughter and son-in-law, Mary & Dick Savage at their home in Pocono Farms. Both Lillian’s children and all of her grandchildren along with some friends attended this special lady’s birthday.

Thirsty Thursdays

6:00—8:00pm

Each Thursday we have a different beer special! Ask your bartender or server for details

February 6th Linguini with Meatballs $11 With house-made meatballs tossed in marinara sauce with house salad and herbed Focaccia bread.

February 13th Herbed Grilled Chicken $10 With mashed potatoes and vegetables, served with Caesar salad and garlic.

February 20th Beer Battered Cod $11 Served with hand-cut fries, tossed salad and fresh bread.

February 27th Linguini Primavera $11 Tossed with seasonal veggies in Alfredo sauce served with tossed salad and fresh bread.

To reserve a table contact Katrina 570-894-4435, ext 132 • katrinaw@poconofarms.com

CONTACT THE PRO SHOP TO SIGN UP 570-894-4435 x 111 (Deadline July 9th)

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“Protecting our environment one tank at a time”

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