April 2012 Fort Polk, LA

From the desk of Thomas Reed,Deputy Community Management Director

Dear Residents:

In the kind words of Rollo May, “Communication leads to community, that is, to understanding, intimacy and mutual valuing.” I believe that this quote is true in that in order for us to create the proper level of community, it will take communication as a two-way process, so that we may share in those things that you value in family housing.

Quar te r l y Res iden t In i t ia t i ve Communities Surveys have been randomly distributed to families throughout our communities. Your feedback provides us with vital insight as to where we stand on the service provided to our families. A few examples of improvements from family feedback include: storm doors installed on all homes, fencing installed on all first floor homes, improved resident activities, community police program and much more has been done to improve our amenities and services to our families.

Our mowing season is now underway and the mowing service will be at your home weekly to mow and edge your yards. We ask for your cooperation in preparing your yards to receive this service. As a reminder, we ask that you pick up all toys, coil garden hoses and remove all pet waste from your yard prior to the scheduled service to your yard. Your monthly newsletter has a calendar on the back page that shows all of the events in your neighborhood which

also includes the mowing schedule for your street. Please check your gate to see that it is properly secured prior to releasing your pet into your back yard to ensure that your pet does not get loose in the neighborhood.

Since we are in the midst of our annual preventive maintenance program, we would like to ask for your assistance by setting your appointment today, as our goal is to enter each home and complete all of your basic maintenance needs as soon as possible. This includes checking for leaks, ensuring hardware is in good working order and tracking existing appliances, while making certain that the home has proper working smoke detectors and fire extinguishers. Remember, this is a vital component in maintaining your home and remains crucial in our ability to continue to improve your quality of life as well as your family housing experience. Even so, please do not wait for this visit to request any maintenance repairs in your home, as we are just a phone call away and are ready to serve you. Please take the time to reach out to your neighborhood office to schedule your visit today.Please know that we value you and your Family. We appreciate you!

Thomas Reed,Deputy Community Management Director

Lawn CareDickey, Lalopa, BellRichard, Lazar, Palmetto NHC, Harrell, Hill, Kalina

Lawn CareMonroe, Perez, Miller

GarbageLawn CareDiamond, Johnson, East Stance, Dietz, Sayers, Allen Court

Super Yard Sale

Easter Lawn CareDickey, Lalopa, BellRichard, Lazar, Palmetto NHC, Harrell, Hill, Kalina

Lawn CareMonroe, Perez, Miller

GarbageLawn CareDiamond, Johnson, East Stance, Dietz, Sayers, Allen Court

Lawn CareDickey, Lalopa, BellRichard, Lazar, Palmetto NHC, Harrell, Hill, Kalina

Lawn CareMonroe, Perez, Miller

GarbageLawn CareDiamond, Johnson, East Stance, Dietz, Sayers, Allen Court

Lawn CareDickey, Lalopa, BellRichard, Lazar, Palmetto NHC, Harrell, Hill, Kalina

Lawn CareMonroe, Perez, Miller

GarbageLawn CareDiamond, Johnson, East Stance, Dietz, Sayers, Allen Court

Lawn CareDickey, Lalopa, BellRichard, Lazar, Palmetto NHC, Harrell, Hill, Kalina

May

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Parking in Family HousingSafety of children and pedestrians in our neighborhoods is our principal concern. You may have noticed at night and on weekends there is a problem with people parking on the sidewalks and landscapes in our neighborhoods. This problem stems from a difference in lifestyles from the time when our neighborhoods were originally designed several decades ago to today. There is parking at most of our homes for two or more cars. This parking is not being utilized efficiently as our residents and their guests are choosing to park on the street instead of their carports, driveways or garages.

Due to this personal choice, there is a heightened safety risk for pedestrians and children in our neighborhood. Picerne Military Housing would like to remind our families parking on the sidewalks as well as on grassy areas is not permitted on most streets. With most homes being located in close proximity to the streets, any person parking their vehicle along the street hinders the visibility of children playing in the area to thru traffic which could result in a severe or even fatal accident.

In addition to pedestrian risks, this also causes the neighborhood streets to be congested. This may limit access by emergency vehicles, which could spell the difference between life and death in the case of an emergency. We have been notified fire trucks and school buses have both had difficulty navigating through our neighborhoods. By following these simple rules you can ensure the safety of all our families.

April is the Month of the Military ChildChildren of U.S. service members around the world will be honored throughout the month for their contributions to their families’ well-being and sacrifices on behalf of the nation. Each April, Americans pause to recognize the nation’s 1.8 million military children during the Month of the Military Child, which marks its 26th anniversary this year. Wanting to honor military kids for their sacrifices and courage, in 1986 Defense Secretary Casper Weinberger designated April as the Month of the Military Child. Since then, military installations, organizations and communities have created special events to pay tribute to these little military heroes.

Military children’s sacrifices and contributions have risen to the forefront in recent years. As people have become increasingly aware of the impact a decade of war is having on military families. Along with the typical military-related stressors of multiple moves and schools, children also have had to deal with long-term, multiple deployments and separations from one, or both, parents over the past 10-plus years.

Super Yard SaleThe Super Yard Sale is on April 7th! Signs will be available, while supplies last, in your Neighborhood Center beginning April 2nd. Signage should not be displayed until Friday April 6th in the evening and picked up immediately after the event ends.

ManagerTina Andrews

Maintenance SupervisorTinker Hillman

Hours of OperationM-F 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.SAT 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Address200 Bell Richard

Websitewww.polkpicerne.com

E-Mailpalmettoterrace@picernemh.com

Phone (337) 537-5040

Fax(337) 653-0421

Our Family for Families First

grant applications available

Our Family for Families First, John G. Picerne’s private charitable foundation, was established to support the educational goals of children and spouses of active-duty Service Members. College grants in the amount of $5,000 are available each year for spouses of active-duty Service Members stationed at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Fort Polk, Fort Bragg, Fort Meade, Fort Rucker, Fort Riley and Fort Sill. Grant applications for 2012 are available online at www.ourfamilyfoundation.org. Applications are due May 17, 2012. Please review the information located on the web site for eligibility requirements and to learn more about the Our Family for Families First Foundation.

The Foundation is committed to supporting military families in the pursuit of higher education, instituting a tradition of community service and encouraging professional career paths through education, internships, and mentoring programs and has awarded more than $3 million since 2006. It also serves to further the primary mission of Picerne Military Housing – putting military Families First®.

North Polk Elementary Roundup

North Polk Elementary will be having Headstart/LA4/Kindergarten Roundup on May 7th and 8th 2012 from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Parents will need to bring child’s birth certificate, shot records, SS Card, and LES when they come to register. In order for a student to start Kindergarten they need to be 5 years old by September 30th. To start LA4 they need to be 4 years old by September 30th. If you have any questions please contact the LA4 coordinator for Vernon Parish, Ms. Cheree Atkins, at 337-537-5145 or catkins@vpsb.k12.la.us. You may also contact Chasity Rieger at 337-537-5109 or chasityrieger@vpsb.k12.la.us. Office hours are 7:20 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Resident Responsibility Guide Highlight1-2 General Policies

Picerne’s Neighborhood Offices will assist residents with all housing needs. For new move-ins, on the date of occupancy, the Resident must have a minimum of six months remaining on the current duty assignment.

Lawn Mowing Service ReminderSpring has sprung and the grass is growing! That means our lawn mowing service will be starting their mowing schedules. To find out the lawn care schedule for your street, please check the back of your neighborhood newsletter.

Picerne Military Housing mowing service consists of a basic cut and trim to keep the neighborhood looking well-kept and make the lives of our residents a little easier.

We request that you please complete the following tasks to make certain that your yard is ready to receive the lawn mowing service.

• Pets – secure your pets in your home or in a kennel.• Pet waste – please remove all pet waste prior to the morning of the scheduled mowing service on your

street.• Children’s toys – please remove all toys on the lawn prior to the morning of the scheduled mowing service

on your street.• Lawn furniture or decorations – store all non-fixed furniture and décor prior to the morning of the scheduled

mowing service on your street.• Decorative solar lights – please remove if possible. Most solar lights are very fragile and can be easily

damaged by weed eaters. If your solar lights are easily removable from their bases, please do so prior to the morning of the scheduled mowing service on your street. The lawn care technician may not trim around these items if they feel that to do so may damage them.

• Gates – please open gates prior to the start of the scheduled mowing service on your street and ensure your gate is closed prior to releasing your pet into your yard.

The lawn mowing service technicians have a tight schedule in order to meet the requirements of maintaining our neighborhoods. The mowers progress through your area in three phases.

1. The mowers come through and mow your lawn.2. A separate crew comes through and trims around fixed objects such as fences, drains, etc.3. Another team comes through to do a follow-up with a blower to clean the grass clippings off of your patio,

sidewalk and driveway.

Once the third step of this process is completed, the lawn mowers move on to another street. You, as the resident, should close or make certain that your gate is closed prior to releasing your pet back into your yard.

We ask for your assistance by opening and closing your gates for the lawn mowers as they go about their day. As stated earlier, the mowers proceed through the neighborhood in a three-step method and the work in your yard is not completed until they have been in your yard three separate times.

We ask that you be understanding that several factors can cause a disruption in our mowing schedule. The most common disruption is due to bad weather, particularly Thunder storms, even if no rain is present there can be a significant risk to the mowers from lightening. Also soft ground conditions even though it may not have rained that day, could cause the mowers to damage the lawn. In the case of uncontrollable changes we will try to reschedule the mow in the same week usually on Friday if possible, if not possible to reschedule a make-up mow day, your yard will be mowed on the next scheduled service day.

Thank you in advance for your cooperation in this process. The lawn mowing crews will work hard to get each job done quickly and we assure you the results will be worth it. Please call your Neighborhood Office with any questions you have regarding lawn maintenance.

lifeguardS wantedAre you looking for a fun, summer job? Are you a certified lifeguard? Picerne is looking for lifeguards to work at the Palmetto Terrace, Camellia Terrace, Dogwood Terrace and Maple Terrace Neighborhood Center pools this summer. The lifeguards will provide assistance and assure the safety of our residents. These are temporary positions for the summer.

Duties of a lifeguard include maintaining safety around the pool by enforcing the rules and regulations. The lifeguards are also responsible for supervising all activity at the pool, maintaining the pool area and assisting with other duties.

If you are interested or would like more information about the lifeguard positions, contact Jill Leonard at 537-5029 or jleonard@picernemh.com or Danny Bartlett at 537-5014.

Operation Military Child Spring Camp Lagniappe

When: May 5-6, 2012Where: 4-H Camp Grant Walker, 3000 HWY 8,

Pollock, LA

Come join in the fun at the Louisiana Operation: Military Kids Spring Camp Lagniappe. You are invited to attend an overnight camp full of exciting activities. Campers will enjoy their time learning skills such as archery, canoeing, and much more. The camp will be filled with games and activities to gain a true camping experience. The camp is open to all military youth who are five years to 18 years in age. Activities will be planned for all age groups.

Registration for the event is $10 per youth. This includes the overnight stay, t‐shirt, and meals. We are also looking for adult volunteers to help at the camp. Deadline to apply is April 13, 2012.

For more information please contact Leslie Moran, Louisiana’s Operation Military Kid Coordinator at (225) 578-2196 or Lmoran@agcenter.lsu.edu

Earth Day POSTER

CONTEST

In celebration of Earth Day, the CEAHI (Children’s Environmental Awareness & Health Initiative) will be hosting a poster contest.

Three age groups will be judged: Drop-off locations include: ►7and under (coloring sheets) ►Picerne Neighborhood offices ►8-12 years old ► Environmental (ENRMD) ►13-17 years old Office –Buildings 2516 or 2543 * Coloring Sheets can be picked up @ Picerne Neighborhood offices or ENRMD office-Bldgs 2516 or 2543

Prizes include: 1st place -$50 Wal-Mart gift card

2nd place-$30 Marble Slab gift card 3rd place-$15 Sonic gift card

Sponsors include:

Picerne Military Housing, CEAHI (Children’s Environmental Awareness & Health Initiative), and

Fort Polk ENRMD (Environmental and Natural Resource Management Division)

Deadline for poster entry is April 13, 2012. Please submit posters with contact information (name, age, &

phone number) on back of color sheet/poster. For additional information contact the CEAHI office at 531-1653.

Posters should be related to this year’s theme “Mobilize the Earth” or some related Earth Friendly subject. Posters must be 8.5x11 inches.

Air FiltersDon’t forget to change your air filters every 30 days. Free filters are

available at your Neighborhood Office. Fresh filters help to efficiently heat and

cool your home.