February 2017 Newsletter

Love is in the air...

Get ready for Aripeka West's little Valentine's Day Wine & Cheese Party!  Even though we no longer make our own Orange Wine for the party, we still have lots of fun with the store bought stuff!  It will be happening on February 14th from 2 PM till 4 PM in the RV Park.  Please bring a "snack" type dish, candy, cookies, cheese & crackers, dips & chips, etc.  We need to be able to eat these snacks off of a small plate or napkin with only tooth picks, so the challenge is on to find something to bring.

"Will he or won't he"...

The Prognosticator of Prognosticators, Punxsutawney Phil, will once again appear at sunrise on February 2 at Gobbler's Knob in the Pennsylvania Wilds to make his annual prediction on the 131st Groundhog Day.  If he sees his shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter, if he doesn't see his shadow, then Spring is close by!

The Pennsylvania Tradition of the Groundhog

What does a sleepy, furry marmot have to do with seasonal change? According to fans of Punxsutawney Phil, everything! But why?

The story begins with Candlemas, an early Christian holiday where candles were blessed and distributed. Celebrators of the holiday eventually declared clear skies on Candlemas meant a longer winter. The Roman legions, during the conquest of the northern country, brought this tradition to the Germans, who concluded that if the sun made an appearance on Candlemas Day, a hedgehog would cast a shadow, thus predicting six more weeks of bad weather or "Second Winter." German immigrants brought the tradition to Pennsylvania, but how did Punxsutawney Phil emerge?

In 1886, a spirited group of groundhog hunters from Punxsutawney dubbed themselves "The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club." One member was an editor of Punxsutawney's newspaper. Using his ink, he proclaimed Punxsutawney Phil, the local groundhog, to be the one and only weather prognosticating groundhog. He issued this proclamation on Candlemas, and yes, Groundhog Day. Phil's fame spread, and newspapers from around the globe began to report his Gobbler's Knob prediction. Today you will find 20,000+ in attendance and millions watching on television or via the web.

Aripeka West's Ground Hog Celebration...

At Aripeka West, we don't have a "groundhog" and since we are in Florida where "Old Man Winter" rarely visits, we probably don't need one.  

What we do have is our very own "Groundhog Day Celebration" on Thursday, February 2nd. Deuces Wild will perform starting around 1 PM and our Potluck Dinner will start around 2 PM. Please bring a dish to share and join us for an afternoon of music, food and fun!  The weather is supposed to be warm and sunny so it will be a good day to spend outside with friends.

Football or Commercials....

Hey Aripeka West...  Whether you love football, or the Patriots or the Falcons or just the commercials, you are invited to watch the 51st Super Bowl with us in the RV Park.  

Tailgate party starts at 5:30 PM and the game starts at 6:30 PM on Sunday February 5th.

Bring a snack to share and cheer on your favorite team or enjoy some of the best commercials of the year!

  

Pasco County Fair...

The Pasco County Fair runs from February 20th - February 26th.

Florida State Fair...

Florida State Fair February 9th - February 20th.


In the RV Park...

Please remember that the RV Park is FULL again this month.  When you are using the laundry facilities in the park, please promptly remove your clothes from the washer and the dryer as others are most likely waiting.  Remember to clean the lint filter in the dryer after EVERY load and leave the laundry area clean for the next person.

Our park restrooms are being used by many people, please limit your time in the restrooms to 15 minutes.  These restrooms are cleaned every morning, but please keep them clean throughout the day.  If you make a mess clean it up, take all of your belongings when you leave and close the shower curtain completely to keep the mat and the floor dry.  If you shave or brush your teeth at the sink, please clean the sink when you are through.  Also the toilets and our sewer system can only accept so much toilet paper at once without becoming clogged.  If the restroom plumbing becomes clogged it WILL affect the plumbing on the lots in the RV Park, do not wait until the toilet is FULL of toilet paper to flush, extra flushes will help keep the plumbing clear.  If there is a problem, please report it.



Yard Clippings and Bulk Trash...

If you trim your yard plants yourself, please place the clippings either in the surrounding woods or on our pile of limbs and trimmings in the field behind the storage RV's.  Do not place yard clippings in our dumpster.

Old furniture, other bulk items and building materials can not be disposed of at Aripeka West and it may not be left laying in your yard, even for a day.  You are responsible for disposing of Bulk Trash, including furniture.  These items must be transported to the Pasco County Dump located at 14230 Hays Rd, Shady Hills, FL 34610.  The dump is open from 7 AM till 4:30 PM,  Monday through Saturday.  It is closed on Sunday.


Scoop the POOP...

There have been many complaints lately about people not cleaning up after their dogs.  The rules say you MUST "Scoop the POOP".  Doesn't matter where your dog poops, it must be cleaned up. That means in YOUR yard, the fields, the roads, vacant lots and the yards of your neighbors.  This means everyone, every time, for every dog, no exceptions.


Packages and Parcels...

Everyone living in Aripeka West knows that there is not US Mail delivery on the Pasco side of Aripeka and that all packages and parcels are delivered to your PO Box and you must have your PO Box number on the package to ensure delivery, since many times US Mail sent to your street address 9230 Elmira Ave is returned by the Postal Service to the sender.

Federal Express and UPS will deliver to you doorstep in Aripeka West provided that your complete address with your LOT # is on the package.  If your LOT # does not appear on the address label, your package could be returned or left at the wrong mobile home or even on the porch of the office.  This WILL delay your delivery and if it is a "perishable" such as medicines or food it could be ruined.

Recently a resident of the RV Park ordered a RV Toilet, it was delivered to a Mobile Home in the Park and somehow, it disappeared, it then had to be reshipped and he had to wait again for delivery. Remember he was waiting for a toilet, not the easiest item to do without.

You may not always know the delivery company when you order online, so to solve the Address Problem, complete the order like this.

Name

Street Address & Lot #

PO Box #

City,  State   

Zipcode

This way, no matter who makes the delivery, they will have the information to get your package to YOU.  No more lost packages.

Aripeka Community Club Potluck Dinner...

Don't forget the Aripeka Community Club Potluck Dinner on Monday February 6th at 6 PM at the club located at 1398 Osowaw Blvd in Aripeka.  Bring a dish if you like or just come and share in good food and great conversations! 

Calendar of Events...

January 2017 Newsletter

Our wish for 2017...

We begin 2017 with hopes that the new year will bring peace and happiness in the world.  We look forward to many new and exciting experiences, to meeting new friends and reconnecting with old ones, to sharing meals and great conversations and above all, good health.  Wishing everyone a very happy and healthy new year! 

Where did 2016 go...

Here we are again saying "Happy New Year"!
In 2016, we dodged a couple of near miss Tropical Storms/Hurricanes, Tropical Storm Hermine was a close call for us over Labor Day, there was lots of water damage just blocks away from Aripeka West, but the Park was spared any flooding or other major damage.

The Aripeka Post Office was closed for several months due to storm damage from Hermine, but Norfleets Store which also suffered lots of water damage was right back up and running almost immediately to serve the residents of Aripeka.

Then at the beginning of October, Hurricane Matthew hit the East Coast of Florida with a fury, but luckily for the West Coast, the storm did not turn our way and there was no damage in our area.

During the summer there was some worry at Aripeka West about the mosquito born illness called the Zika Virus.  Pasco County Mosquito Control made many visits to Aripeka West spraying and dropping pellets in the surrounding swampy areas to keep the mosquito population from getting out of control.  Thanks to them we had a very "mild" mosquito season!



Christmas Soup Party...

We had lots of different kinds of Soup for our Christmas event at Aripeka West.  Music, food and lots of fun was had by all.  Our gift exchange was a lot of fun for all participants.  So until next year, so long Christmas!



Use our Paved Roads...

In the fields or on the grass!

When you are driving through Aripeka West, please stay on the paved roads. Off Road vehicles, such as dirt bikes, ATV's, dune buggies, go carts, etc. are not allowed to be driven in the park at any time, by residents or visitors.  

Motorized vehicles are not allow in the fields or on the grass in the park.  Park your vehicle on your driveway or in your carport.  There are a few of you that don't have a carport or a driveway and must park on the grass, but your vehicle must be parked on your lot only, not on the grass in vacant lots or in the driveway of a vacant Mobile Home or lot.  ONLY USE PAVED ROADS AND REMEMBER THE SPEED LIMIT IS 10 MPH!

Walkers and bicyclists may use the fields but are not allowed on vacant lots or the lots of other residents (unless invited).



Dogs...

All dogs must be on a lease when outside of your home.  We have lots of dogs in both the RV Park and in the Mobile Home Park and it is up to the owner of the dog to make sure all dog feces is cleaned up, yes, even in your own yard.  It is also the responsibility of all dog owner to make sure their pet is UTD (up to date) on Rabies Vaccinations and vetted properly.  This means the use of flea control, control of worms, proper feeding and of course, general care and love.  They are not to be left unattended when they are outside your home at any time. 



Report Unusual or Unlawful Happenings ...

Report these things to the police. The Pasco County Sheriff has asked that we call them and let them handle any situations occurring on the grounds of Aripeka West.  This includes suspicious people or persons on the property, disturbances on the property, loud noises after 10 PM or at anytime it is disturbing you on your lot, domestic disturbances, gunfire or any other unlawful activities.  Don't call the office first as we are not allowed to become involved in any of these incidents, day or night. We are also not allowed to call the police for you to report anything that we did not see (with our own eyes) that happens on the grounds of Aripeka West.

Most problems at Aripeka West are not caused by residents, but by those uninvited and unwanted guests, who just come in to be destructive and cause problems, and who do not heed the Private Property/No Trespassing signs in the park. Take pictures and videos if appropiate.



Food, Football & Fun...

On Sunday January 1st at around 1 PM Aripeka West will host a "Drop In" for our residents.  We will have some Good Luck food to celebrate the beginning of 2017.  Bring a dish if you want or just drop by and enjoy the games and a little food!

We will have TV's setup so you can watch the games.  Join us for a fun afternoon!



Gardening...

So the Christmas decorations in the stores have vanished and been replaced with Spring Displays. These displays include many outdoor furnishing, for both lawn and garden.  If the "gardening bug" has hit you and you decide to do some planting, please remember that you may only plant in beds with a barrier surrounding them and gardens must be tended by the resident and kept in good condition. No trees are to be planted without first asking permission.  If you ask and receive permission to plant a tree or shrub on your lot, the tree or shrub will become are part of the landscape in Aripeka West and may not be removed if you leave the park.  It is okay to have small potted plants in your yard, but they must be limited in number and placed so that they are not in the way of mowing your lawn.  You are responsible for trimming the grass or weeds that grow around your potted plants and for watering your plants. There is no planting allowed in the RV Park without permission including flowerbeds, remember, when you leave the next RV to use the site you occupy probably will not be the same size as you RV. 

Check for leaks...

Please take a few moments to make sure your faucets are not dripping, this includes in the tub, the shower, the bathroom sink, the kitchen sink and any outdoor faucets you have on your mobile home.  Also make sure that your toilet is not running, as a running toilet will cause a lot of water to be wasted.  It is up to everyone in the Park to keep the water cost down and to not waste water unnecessarily.  Owners must maintain and repair any leaks, renters, please report any leaks to the office for maintenance to make the needed repairs.  


Remember your Rent...

All rent in the Mobile Home Park is due on the 1st of each month and will be considered late if not received in the office by the 5th of each month, rent received after the 5th is subject to a late fee and it will be added to your next months rent. Unless the late fee is paid before the 5th of the next month or included on your next months on time rent payment, you will incur an additional late fee because you will have an outstanding balance.


For RV Park guests, payment must be made within 5 days of the due date on your statement to avoid a late fee.  

Please advise the office if you cannot pay your rent by the 5th, or in the RV Park by the 5th day, it maybe possible to work out a plan and avoid any late fee.



Pigz in Zhills BBQ & Blues...

The Zephyrhills Annual Pigz in Z'Hills BBQ & Blues festival is the Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce signature event. As the name suggests, BBQ & Blues features a friendly BBQ competition amidst a background of the blues music. Event-goers can sample the culinary creations of both local and out-of-town BBQ chefs.

When: Sat, 01/21/17 - Sat, 01/21/17

Where: Zephyrhills Municipal Airport

Suncoast Arts Fest...

A winding, cobblestone main street edged with trees provides the perfect venue for art lovers to browse through tents filled with fine art and select their purchases. All proceeds from the Suncoast Arts Fest benefit “Arts for Kids,” a grant fund created by our parent 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization, Fine Arts of the Suncoast, Inc. The grants are used to supplement arts education funding in public, private and charter schools in Pasco County. 

When: Sat, 01/21/17 at 10:00am - Sun, 01/22/17 at 6:00pm

Where: Shops at Wiregrass

Florida Gulf Coast Dog Show...

http://www.floridaclassicpark.com/cluster-shows.html

Brooksville Raid 2017...

http://brooksvilleraidreenactment.com/

Aripeka Community Club Potluck...

January's Aripeka Community Club Potluck Dinner will be held on Monday January 2nd at 6PM at the Aripeka Community Club on Osawaw Blvd.  Bring a dish and meet your neighbors!

Protect Our Plumbing...

Please remember not to flush grease, paper towels or "flushable wipes" down the toilet. These items will cause serious damage our private lift station and waste water treatment plant.  If these facilities are damaged, it results in extended down time of the sewer system in the park and costly repairs.

Although, the wipes claim to be "flushable", they cause damage to the sewer system in the park and to your plumbing in your Mobile Home or RV.

Take a look at this video!!  

Yard Sale Anyone???

We are considering putting together a Community Yard Sale sometime in March.  Aripeka West will handle the publicity and advertising for the sale if we have enough interest.  For those living in the Mobile Home Park you will be able to have "your sale" at your Mobile Home.  For those living in the RV Park who might be interested, you will need to set up in the "island" in front of the office since the RV Park is full and there would be no place for shoppers to park.   We had a very successful  Community Yard Sale about 3 years ago, lots of shoppers were in the Park looking for bargains! Let us know if you want to participate!

Happy New Year...

May all your troubles last as long as your New Year resolutions. 

Calendar of Events...

 

November 2016 Newsletter

Aripeka Post Office...

We are sorry to report that there is no new "news" on when or even if the Aripeka Post Office will reopen.  The last information came from Carl Norfleet on October 20th that "inspections" were completed and they were awaiting the reports due in on Saturday the 22nd or Sunday the 23rd, (imagine the USPS working on a Sunday).

Hopefully, this is not just a way to finish the job they started a couple of years ago to PERMANENTLY CLOSE our Post Office.  There has been a lot of speculation that this may in fact, be the case.  When we go to the Post Office in Hudson to pick up our mail and ask about when Aripeka Post Office will reopen, all of the employees just respond with "I don't know".  It seems if plans were in the works to reopen, they might have some information since they are the front line for the questions from customers!

The USPS owes us an explanation about the Aripeka Post Office, since it is us who must make special trips of around 8 miles each way during only "OPEN" Post Office hours.  This is inconvenient for people who work days and have no way to pick up their mail.

It seems the simplest way to get our mail would be for the USPS to let us put up individual Mail Boxes, like the ones used almost everywhere else in the United States and then the USPS would delivery our mail to the box (as specified by the USPS) that we purchase and place (as specified by the USPS).  We are not talking about thousands of homes added to the mail routes out of the Hudson Post Office, there are only a few hundred homes in Aripeka on the Pasco side of the bridge.  Those living in Aripeka on the Hernando side of the bridge already get home delivery of their mail. 

Those of us living in Aripeka on what is obviously the "WRONG side of the bridge" would just like to receive the same services from the United States Postal Service as our neighbors who apparently live on the "RIGHT side of the bridge"!  Since both the Hernando side of Aripeka and the Pasco side of Aripeka are both located in the United States it is the only fair way for the USPS to solve this ongoing problem, or the USPS could simply reopen the Aripeka Post Office.

Wouldn't it be nice?

Aripeka Community Club...

Aripeka Community Club will hold its monthly Potluck Dinner on Monday November 7th at 6PM.  Bring a dish and meet your neighbors for some great food and conversation!


Aripeka West Storage...

Guests who have items in the storage area at Aripeka West, need to check on their property. Some of the stored property is in very bad condition and the storage fees are not up to date, this property needs to be removed or repaired and brought current on storage fees.  Also for those of you who have not completed the proper paperwork for storage, please do so immediately.  Plans are being made to dispose of property placed in the Storage Area at Aripeka West that is abandoned, without paperwork completed or that the storage fees are not paid up to date.  

Do not place any property in the storage area at Aripeka West without completing the required paperwork and paying the storage fees.  There is NO free storage available on the property at Aripeka West.

54 Christmas Shopping Days left...

Get ready... only 54 Shopping Days till Christmas!!  Wow how time flies by!  Time to start thinking about your "White Elephant" gift for our Annual Soup Party.  You know something that really gets the gift "stealing" going.  Seems like last years hot items were flash lights of every variety and other cool little lights.  A couple of years ago it was "throws" to keep you warm that were all the rage.  So what will it be this year?  Remember $10 gift limit, so you have to be on the lookout for the real bargains!

Election Day...

Tuesday November 8th, get out there and vote if you have not already participated in either Early Voting or Voting by Mail.  Every vote counts and there are many things on the ballot other than the Presidential candidates.  Everyone knows about Hillary and Trump, but do you know who's running for Senator or for Congress in your district?  How about the Amendments Solar Energy and Medical Marijuana?  How about the Local seats that are up for grabs or the judges?  Sample Ballot for Aripeka West Residents.  Make sure you can say ...

I am a good citizen!

Veteran's Day...

On Friday November 11th we will celebrate to honor all our Veteran's.  Please remember to say "thank you" to our veteran's, the one's who are currently serving and those that have served in the past.  Veteran's Day is a great day to show your patriotism and to give thanks to those who have afforded us the way of life we enjoy in this country.

Fall Back...

Remember to set your clock's back one hour on Sunday Morning November 6th at 2 AM or if you don't want to get up at 2 AM,  you can just do it before you go to bed on Saturday night.  This is also a great time to change the battery in your Smoke Detectors, even if they work, better to be safe and change them than to take a chance that they may fail when you need them!

The Great American Smoke Out...

If you have been thinking about quitting there is help!  

The American Cancer Society holds the Great American Smokeout® every year on the third Thursday in November.   This year the Great American Smokeout® will take place on 

November 17,  2016.   The purpose of the event is to set aside a day to help smokers quit smoking, quit using tobacco products, for at least one day, with the hope that they will quit completely.

Not only does the event challenge people to stop using tobacco, it helps to raise awareness about the dangers of smoking and the many effective ways available to quit smoking permanently.

Research shows that smokers are most successful in kicking the habit when they have some means of support, such as nicotine replacement products, counseling, prescription medicine to lessen cravings, guide books, and the encouragement of friends and family members.

Thanksgiving Dinner 2016...

Aripeka West will host a Thanksgiving Dinner for our residents and their invited guests on Sunday November 20th at 3 PM in the RV Park.  In order for the Park to have the right amount of food, not too much, not too little, but just the right amount, you must RSVP for the dinner by Tuesday November 15th at 5 PM.  Dinner this year will be $5 per person for residents and $8 per person for invited guests.  You will receive your RSVP sometime this week, so you will have plenty of time to return it to the office.  This year there is no need for you to bring a dish to share, the Park will prepare the dinner.  It will include Turkey, Stuffing, Gravy, Mashed Potatoes, Green Bean Casserole, Corn, Carrots, Cranberry Sauce, Bread and Desserts.  There may also be some surprise menu items.  Tom Reed has been invited and we have asked him to bring his "Award Winning Sweet Potatoes"  but just in case he is unable to attend, there will still be Sweet Potatoes even if they are not Award Winning!  Hoping to have a big crowd for this dinner!

And...

Black Friday November 25th

Small Business Saturday November 26th

Cyber Monday November 28th


Aripeka West Halloween Party...

Our 2016 Halloween Spooktacular was a great success!  We had a witch, a cat, two pandas, superman, batman, Peter Pan, Pocahontas, a few other costumed folks and many who just came to the party dressed as themselves!  The RV Park was decorated for the occasion, thanks to Nancy Arnold.  Karl set up the lights, Heather kept the popcorn popping, the ladies helped with clean up and Tom Reed did the dishes when the fun was ending, we had a good time and plenty of food to eat!

Please watch out...

We have many pedestrians and bicyclists in Aripeka West, so as you drive through the park be very careful.  Some are walking dogs along side of them, others are out for the exercise and still others may be making their way to a destination outside the park, but drivers need to watch carefully and those on bikes and walking need to be mindful that they are walking on the roads and it is quite likely there might also be cars on the road!  Basic Rules are pedestrians walk facing the traffic and bicyclist ride with the flow of traffic.  Aripeka Road can be very busy at times and it is also narrow without a sidewalk or bike path, walkers, runners and bikers need to keep a close watch on the cars, trucks and motorcycles they are sharing the road with every day. 

MYTH #1: Pedestrians always have the right-of-way. REALITY: No, not always. Legally, pedestrians have the right-of-way at controlled intersections and in marked crosswalks; but the law also states that "no pedestrian shall unnecessarily stop or delay traffic while in a marked or unmarked crosswalk."  (Also not on long, narrow, winding roads like Aripeka Road.)

Generally, bicyclists and other operators of human powered vehicles have the same rights and responsibilities as their counterparts driving motor vehicles, obeying the laws of the road, except for speed, if bicycle lanes or paths are available they must be used by the cyclists.

Littering...

Lately Aripeka West yards, fields and roads seems to be littered with soda cans, beer cans, take out drink cups, wrappers from all kind of food, cigarette butts, not to mention paper towels and such. Some people in the park recycle aluminum cans and that is great, but if you choose not to recycle them, please do not throw them on the park grounds.  If you are putting your trash in the dumpster and it spills, please be a good neighbor and clean it up. If you clean out your car, do not allow the trash to end up in your yard or worse someone else's yard.  Help us keep the trash off the grounds at Aripeka West.

If you have "trash" that is not allowed in the dumpster, such as furniture, please take it to the dump.  Do not put these items on the grounds at Aripeka West.

Things to do in Pasco...

From Hudson to Zephyrhills, here's the scoop on some area attractions.

And if you can venture farther for home, say within 60 miles you can see these. 

Coming in December...

Get ready for our Annual Soup Party and White Elephant Gift Exchange!  We always have a lot of fun at this event!

Calendar of Events...