Fall is certainly one of my favorite seasons of the year. It's colorful, festive and, best of all, it provides a cooling down from our hot summers, which we so desperately need.
I want to thank each one of you who have served on the CW board and committees, as well as those of you who serve when called upon. There is no greater love than the service to your fellow man, which so many of you do tirelessly, energetically, and selfishly without expecting anything in return. This thank you is also extended to our neighbors who have served before us. Thank you for your commitment to our community and neighbors.
Today we have nine board members and dozens of committee members and neighbors who serve when asked. I couldn’t be prouder of each of you, thank you.
As most of you know, the lake dredge project is underway and we are excited to share some commentary and photos in this issue of the Eagle about the project.
If you are interested in serving on any of our committees or our board, please contact me or any other board member. Your help - no matter how big or small - will be appreciated.
alfredrbarber@gmail.com
Officers:
Al Barber President, alfredrbarber@gmail.com
Randy Burt — V. President, r.burt@mchsi.com
Burton Keller Treasurer burton@deltadatasoft.com
Carol Hiler Secretary, carolh1219@aol.com
Directors:
Al Barber Chairman
Randy Burt Vice Chairman
Dale Askins Director
Burton Keller Director
Renee Esten Director
Carol Hiler Director
Pat Diaz-Verson Director
John Cunningham Director
Dr. Mark Oliver Director
Marie Miller has sold her house and resigned from the board and social committee. We thank Marie for her contributions to our community and wish her and Ed the very best.
Legal and Governmental Affairs Committee
John Cunningham, jec1945@gmail.com
Education Committee Dr. Sandi McCann, sandi.mccann31820@gmail.com
Building and Grounds Committee Open. Al Barber (acting) alfredrbarber@gmail.com
Quarterly Newsletter Manager Open Communication Committee Dr. Mark Oliver, markolivermd@gmail.com
Finance Committee Dale Askins, askd57@gmail.com
Social Committee Lindsay Norton, Lindsay.w.norton@gmail.com
Compliance Committee Renee Esten, Reneebeenee@aol.com
Architectural Review Committee Jay Stelzenmuller, captainjgsiii@gmail.com
ate September of 1922 temperatures were quite cool. 14-yearold Frank Lumpkin and fellow Boy Scouts loved camping, the weather seemed perfect. Camp McKenzie was a new Boy Scout property just
FrankScoutmaster Sid Colquitt was providing the transportation, so the boys loaded up Sid's roomy Model-T Ford, and the troop headed north on dusty, bumpy old Whitesville Rd.
At the time, McKenzie consisted of over 300 acres, straddling Chiponusihuili (the Indian name for Standing Boy Creek). The sun was still brightly shining when the troop arrived. Civilization seemed far away, only the peaceful quiet sounds of nature could be heard in the lovely woodland along the creek. Fall leaves were already showing dazzling colors. On the trip Frank convinced Sid to allow them to camp on the west side of the creek. Sid drove across the creek on the rickety wooden bridge on Whitesville Rd and parked under the trees. Although there was no path Frank led the way for about a quarter of a mile into the property where he spotted a cave on a high rocky hillside overlooking the creek. The scouts had never seen the cave before and thought it would be exciting to camp nearby and do some exploring the next morning. Sid approved the plan, so Frank and the others made several trips unloading Sid’s car to the campsite.
Tents were quickly pitched in a scattered fashion, with bedrolls strewn. A fire circle was carefully cleared some distance from the cave and trees where meals could be prepared. Firewood was gathered, a cook fire was properly built, so the boys ate a hearty evening meal. The light from the sun began to descend behind the trees on the ridge above the cave. After meal cleanup, Frank built up the fire with more wood because there was now a chill in the air. Scouts can be pretty noisy, but this gang quickly settled down as they gathered around their cheery, warm campfire. They performed a few of their favorite skits and sang a few of their favorite songs. Sid thought to himself, "It really doesn't get any better than this!"
By Carl “Bud” PaepckeLFrank realized that if they were going to enjoy exploring the cave in the morning, they needed to get some sleep, so he instructed his fellow scouts to "hit the sack," while he and Bill Swift, his tent partner, put out the fire. Frank and Bill had pitched their tent on a little spot not too far from the cave. After they were sure the fire was out, the two youngsters went to their tent, crawled into their soft, comfortable bedrolls. With the exception of the sound of wind rustling the leaves of the tree branches and the rhythmic rippling of the creek's water over the rocks, all was quiet and peaceful. Frank and Bill were soon fast asleep. Suddenly, Frank awoke...the quiet of the woods had somehow been disturbed. He wasn't sure how long he had been asleep, but it was still dark. He listened carefully and could clearly hear a low-pitched, mournful voice of a man. It was singing or chanting some strangesounding words that he didn't understand...and the chanting was coming from the nearby cave. He reached over, touching Bill's shoulder, shaking him awake. He whispered, "Do you hear that?" Bill answered, "Yeah. What is that?" "I don't know, but it's coming from the cave," responded Frank.
When Frank and Bill looked toward the cave opening, they could see light emanating from inside. Frank thought perhaps Sid had decided to check out the cave ahead of time...but why would Sid be making such strange sounds? The boys silently slipped out of the tent and slowly crept toward the cave. Peering into the cave from behind a boulder, they were astounded by what they saw in the dim light. Wow! Sitting there, with his legs crossed under him, was the figure of a dark-skinned fellow, looking into a small fire burning in front of him. He had long, shoulderlength hair, with feathers woven into it. That certainly wasn't Sid. No it was an old weathered Indian! As if he sensed or smelled the presence of the two boys, the Indian abruptly stopped his chant, turned his head toward them and smoothly rose to his feet. He had to duck his head slightly to avoid hitting the roof of the cave as he approached its opening. The boys ducked out of sight, but not before they saw what a giant of a man the Indian was!
Frank and Bill flattened their bodies on the ground, remaining motionless behind a boulder, barely breathing. They prayed not being discovered by the big Indian. For several
minutes they stayed put. Silence returned to the cave, and all they heard were night sounds of the woods. Frank raised himself off the ground enough to take a peek around the boulder into the cave. There was no longer a light in the cave and no sign of the big Indian. "Hey, Bill. He's gone. Let's go tell Sid about this." They got a flashlight from their tent and went in search of their scoutmaster. None of the other scouts or their adult leader were awake.
Racing to the scoutmaster's tent, they whispered, "Sir, there was an Indian in the cave. You gotta come with us right away," demanded Bill. Sid got up slowly, slipped on his boots, reached for the pistol he kept in his backpack, and followed the two boys toward the cave. "What's this all about, Frank?"
"Bill's right, Mr. Colquitt. There was an old Indian sitting in the cave, and he almost got us," responded Frank.
"Got you? What are you guys talking about?"
As they approached the cave, Bill shined the flashlight into the cave. "He was sitting in inside and had a fire going...he was chanting some crazy stuff...he scared the dickens out of us when he came out of the cave! I was sure he would get us!"
Sid took the light from Bill and shined it into the cave and saw nothing. "Show me where you saw the fire," ordered Sid.
"Right here...it was right here!" Frank pointed to the exact spot.
"Fellows, I don't see any indication that there was a fire burning here and no smoke...the floor of the cave is cold...are you sure?" Just to satisfy the two boys, Sid shined the light further back into the cave, and said, "Guys, I don't see anything. Let's just get back to bed, and we'll check it out in the morning."
"He was there. We both heard him and saw him," pleaded Bill.
"I believe you boys, but let's check it out in the morning. There's nothing more we can do tonight," Sid reassured them.
Continued on Page 11
We are Nate, Lindsay, Isabelle (13), Shep (6), and Thatcher (4). Nate and Lindsay have been married for 10 years. Nate, a former law enforcement officer, now manages Security Operations at Synovus Financial.
Lindsay runs "The Norton Project," a staging and organizing business, and also works at Malone's Office Environments.
They attend Church of the Highlands and are focused on serving family and the community.
My husband John and I are new to Callaway Woods but not Harris County or the area. It's a long story, but we're back to living here full time and we brought one of our daughters and her 3 children. They are starting new here since they lost their husband and father 2 years ago. Our youngest son is 22, and a 2020 graduate of HCHS; he's the youngest of 8 and the 4th of our children to graduate from HCHS. Our daughter, who graduated in 2018, finishes up college in December and she'll be joining us after that. We didn't mean to end up with all of these boomerangs, but we know we'll enjoy them all while they figure out what's next for each of them. John is a former Marine, retired Army officer, and physician assistant who works for the Army Heat Center as their clinician. I'm a longarm quilter and former medical coding supervisor. I'm also a retired homeschool teacher. We love the area, especially the creek falls behind our house! We're still trying to put boxes away over here, but it's starting to look like our home!
Hello! We are Melissa and Clay Hammer. We met in 2012 and were married in 2014. Melissa, originally from Columbus, is a Compliance and Ethics
Professional having put her talents to use in the banking industry over the past 22 years. Clay, originally from Oklahoma, is an Infantry Officer in the US Army and has served multiple combat tours over his tenure. During the fall, we are a house divided with both Aubie and Gamecock paraphernalia often adorning our front porch. You may also hear Clay’s chicken horn occasionally, as he pulls out of the driveway in his 1977 CJ7 Jeep. We enjoy traveling to new places, taking our eight-year-old mini Goldendoodle, Murphy, on a walk or to Fetch Park, and cooking on the grill. We enjoy living in the neighborhood and meeting everyone.
We’re the Janke family! Ken moved from Michigan to Columbus for work in 1985, and Kim joined him after their marriage in 1987. Ken spent 33 years at Aflac working in investor relations and various financial positions, while Kim did the heavy lifting of raising a family of three and several pets. Our children are all grown and have left the Columbus area. Grant and his new wife Eliza (left) live in Atlanta. Trev and our oldest daughter Paige (middle) live in New York with their one-yearold daughter, Sloane. And Dr. Emma (right) lives in Philadelphia with her boyfriend Matt. Like their parents, they all enjoy international travel and the local cuisine that travel brings. Ken also enjoys cars, going on road trips, and hanging out with his fellow Aflac retirees. Kim spends hours on end taking care of
Continued from Page 5: Frank and Bill couldn't sleep and lay awake until the morning sunlight broke over the trees. The other scouts and the scoutmaster began coming out of their tents and were moving around the campsite, making lots of noise. Some of them had even started a new cooking fire and were beginning to prepare breakfast. Frank and Bill knew what they had seen at the cave and excitedly told the others. After breakfast, the two eyewitnesses led the others to the mouth of the cave to show where they had seen the old Indian, but they also saw that there was no evidence of a fire, and there was certainly no Indian for their buddies to see. Though the younger scouts listened to their tale and were a bit frightened by it, the older scouts were unbelievers. Even though there were those who expressed doubt about the Indian, none of the boys, including Frank and Bill, wanted to explore the cave that weekend, and all the tents were moved to another spot that was further from the cave.
Over the next 70 years, scouts camping at McKenzie, have been told the amazing story about the old Indian in the cave. Most of them refused to visit the cave, especially at night during the fall. When some scouts were brave enough to camp near the cave in the fall, a few reported seeing the same Indian and his fire...just as Frank Lumpkin and Bill Swift had described in 1922...and the legend grew. In the late 1940s, a couple of adventurous senior scouts entered the cave at night and reportedly were never seen again. Because of that scary incident, Harris County authorities ordered the entrance to the cave be sealed, so that no one could ever again go into the cave. Mysteriously, even with the entrance closed, scouts continued to see the old Indian near the cave...in the fall of the year...at night, and he was given the name...Injun Joe!
One might doubt the scouts who periodically saw Injun Joe when he appeared near the cave on Chiponusihuili...but not me, for I faithfully accept many things that I can't humanly explain. Furthermore, in the 1960s, archeological evidence was found along the creek that has scientifically proven that Indians did in fact live for thousands of years on the land we now call Callaway Woods. Therefore, there is a very strong possibility that the living spirit of an American Indian continues watch over this land that was once a happy hunting ground. If Injun Joe is present here, let us all respect and care for this land as did the American Indian. In doing so, we can easily all live in harmony with Injun Joe's spirit.
Legal/Governmental Affairs John Cunningham jec1945@gmail.com
As I am sure most of you know, Callaway Woods subdivision is in District 3 of Harris County. Our commissioner is Greg Gantt 706-366-7817. The key departments and department heads are as follows:
Sheriff – Mike Jolley emergency phone – 911
Non-emergency – 706-628-421
Public Works and Animal control- Brian Griffith 706-628-950
Animal Control – 706-528-2763
Volunteer Fire Department – Antioch VFDRichard McKinny 706-576-5559
If you are interested in Harris County activities, go to the web site harriscountyga.gov. The minutes of County Board Meetings are published, along with information concerning taxes, license renewals and other important information. If I can be of assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
Architectural - Jay Stelzenmuller captainjgsiii@gmail.com
All new building plans will need to be submitted to the Architectural Review Committee (ARC) before work begins. This includes, docks, sheds, fences, additions to your home, pools, pool houses pavilions, and all other construction. In addition, certain tree removal must be approved by the ARC.
Social - Lindsay Norton -
Communications Dr. Mark Oliver
markolivermd@gmail.com
Do you have a desire to help inform your fellow neighbors of new initiatives, social events, or calls to action? If so, the Communications Committee needs YOU! We would like assistance with graphic design, photography, writing, and editing. We are an energetic group who are highly motivated to improve communication and inclusivity amongst neighbors.
I am excited and grateful to share that Clayton and Melissa Hammer have joined the Communications Committee. The Hammers moved to Callaway Woods in 2019 from Columbia, South Carolina. Clayton is originally from Oklahoma and Melissa is a Columbus transplant. Clayton is an Army officer and has served multiple combat tours to the Middle East, and Melissa is a Compliance and Ethics Professional. They have an eight-year-old mini Goldendoodle named Murphy, who loves everyone he encounters.
Building and Grounds
Volunteer Needed!
To reserve the pavilion and pool area, please contact Celia Brooks at (706) 329-3496 or brooks210@gmail.com.
The pool is available for party reservations! Neighbors have enjoyed the celebration of birthdays, graduations, marriage engagements. Congratulations to those celebrating!
Lake Dredge Committee
Burton Keller
burton@deltadatasoft.com
The lake dredging project began on September 11. Warr Grading and Contracting is on site and hard at work with the lake dredging. The HOA and Jay (Burnt Hickory Farms) have enough budgeted to have them on-site for about one month. We believe this time period will be enough to get the upper end of the lake dredged.
The process includes removing silt from the lake and widening the walkways in certain areas, as well as moving silt to certain open areas around the lake. We will leave a small island in the upper end of the lake that will be built up in order to divert the flow of the creek. Therefore, additional silt will be contained near the mouth of the creek, rather than being swept all the way down into the lake. Once the work is completed, the walkways, the filled-in areas, and the island will be seeded with grass. Please stay away from the lake dredging area until the work is completed. It can be dangerous due to the heavy equipment in the area, and the entire area will be exceedingly muddy.
Special notice: The walking trail will be closed at the end of the trail where you would normally exit onto Dakota Trail for one year to allow the silt to dry and settle. This space refers to the low area between Al Barber’s House and the Dyer’s house, including the steps and that entire area going down to the lake. It will be dangerous to walk on the silt, as it will be as deep as 5-8 feet in some areas.
Finance - Dale Askins
askd57@gmail.com
Prepares annual budgets, makes recommendations to the Board for any Fee adjustments or assessments.
Our current project is to produce a spiral bound booklet explaining the covenants, rules and regulations of Callaway Woods in layman’s terms. It will include contact info for all the issues or questions you may have in the community. If you would like to help with this project, please send me an email.
DOGS
Compliance
- Renee Esten - Reneebeenee@aol.com - (916)
803
2528
-
Hi folks! I wanted to take time here and bring up a topic that is becoming an issue within Callaway Woods: Dogs not being leashed. We had an incident occur on Pleasant Valley Drive, where a walker was accosted by a very aggressive dog. The dog came off the property onto the public road and started to bark, snarl, and acted in a very aggressive manner toward the walker. The owner came out and could not recall the dog. I have been in contact with the Harris County Sheriff’s Department, who referred me to Harris County Animal Control. I spoke with an officer and they were going to make contact with the owner.
Folks, you must be responsible and accountable for your animals. Although there is not an official leash law within Harris County, there is a directive to have animals leashed within our communities.
In today’s world, an owner can face civil action in the legal courts. No one wants to get sued over a dog attack. I personally have seen loose dogs within Lakeside while walking my dog on a leash. Be a good neighbor; please leash your dog when it is outside your property.
POOL PARKING LOT
This reminder is for all Callaway residents. The Pool/Lake Mobley Parking Lot is closed and locked at dusk (8:30 pm). The chainis removed in the morning (7:30 am). This does not mean that is when the pool closes. We just ask that you park on the street at dusk. There have been some questionable activities occurring at night, resulting in the parking lot being closed at night. Thank you.
This report illustrates the lake dredge project up to the end of September. The final report will be in our Winter Issue of the Eagle. Below is an aerial view of the east end of lake before the project started.
Aerial view, below, shows the channel connecting east and west parts of the lake end before the project started. The dredge actually began in the strait all the way to the point of the island. This material was pulled back and increased the walkway.
Remember, the previous picture reflects the water level being purposely lowered. We have completed the dam repair with the insertion of the new butterfly valve and pipe and have left the valve open to help keep the water level low. In addition, we have two pumps assisting the draw down of the water.
END OF DAKOTA TRAIL
The storm drainpipe, which is 30’ in diameter, will be extended 200’ to the lake and will empty below water level. The pipe itself was approximately $10,000 plus the labor to install. We have cut the staircase free from the bottom of the last stair on the first flight of stairs. This change will allow for silt to be placed all the way to the bottom of the step. This silt/sediment will be between 7-8 feet deep at this point and will slope downward toward the lake. The contractor estimates this area between the Barber’s and Dyer’s will hold between 3-5 thousand cubic yards of silt/sediment.
This is the area that will be closed for one year giving the sediment/silt time to dry.
If you have any questions about the closure of this section, please email or call Al Barber or Burton Keller.
Three processes of dealing with our Lakes’ silt. The first is pulling back silt to increase the width of our walking trail, second pulling silt back to the center of the lake to raise the size of the island, third is to put the silt in the low area at the end of Dakota Trail.
