Our Black Forest Community Club continues to be the center of many community activities, source of information, and social events.  This report will summarize the Club’s progress for calendar year 2008.  It was a very busy year.

First I am pleased to report that on the financial side we again operated in the black.  Although the goal of the Club is not to show a profit, we must earn enough to meet the routine expenses and fund major building refurbishment and repair projects. Our major sources of income are from one-time rentals, long-term leases, membership dues, and sales finishing out the rest. Several minor projects and routine maintenance were accomplished including new lighting, concrete entrance ramp, improved insulation and much more.  A hearty thanks to those volunteers and contractors for their time, expertise and low costs.

Secondly, the Club building was used by a large number of organizations and individuals.  Boy Scout Troop 70 continues chartered by the BFCC and offers a busy program for its members.  Cub Scout and Girl Scout units also schedule events for youth. Home Owner’s organizations and private groups find that the building fills their needs. Many wedding receptions and birthday celebrations are booked.  Several of the BFCC Committees also meet and work there.   Our long-term leasees including the Arts and Crafts Guild, the Black Rose Acoustical Society, and All Okinawa Karate schedule frequent use of the hall.

In addition, BFCC Committees meet and provide informative programs. The Land Use Committee leads the way in monitoring developers’ compliance with the Black Forest Preservation Plan.  The Transportation Committee works with the County to keep our roads safe.  Wildfire Protection Committee ran an extensive information and on-site work to many residents to help mitigate the threat of fire. Our History Committee made considerable headway in collecting and organizing valuable information and made several presentations. The entire Forest community was greatly served by their actions. Of course, the Festival Committee worked long and hard to present another great summer event. The Keeper committee conducted a more formal and traditional evening event.  Our Membership Committee kept track of folks and was always present at other events recruiting new members.  The Building Management Committee was always busy showing new clients, scheduling events, checking the building.  Other ad hoc committees such as the Program, Merchandise Sales, Newsletter, and Webmaster also contributed immensely to the Club’s activities.  We established a new committee to provide liaison with the Black Forest Business Group.

It is quite obvious that the Club is viable and extremely active.  Opportunities for service and/or socializing abound.

The Board made firm plans to modernize the restrooms and repair and renovate the entire plumbing system and replace several rotting floor joists.  This work is scheduled to start on 12 May 2009 and be completed on 11 June 2009.  This is a combined contractor and volunteer effort.

It has been a great pleasure to have worked with so many wonderful and talented friends. We should all look forward to a busy but productive year at the Black Forest Community Club.

"The Club Board wants to thank Hank Hoover and Mike Seay for stepping up to run the Forest Service Seedling Trees project again this year.  This project involves some time-sensitive effort needing several people to help process the seedlings.  So, you friends of nature and of the Forest, contact Mike Seay at 495-8049 and sign up to help prepare the trees for delivery when they arrive in late April.  It's a good time to be had by all."

The Black Forest Community Club is again making seedling trees available to the community through the Colorado State Forest Service “Trees for Conservation Program”. Hank Hoover and Mike Seay return as our Seedling Tree Program project managers.  We look forward to continuing a very efficient process for tree order management and seedling tree supply and organization of packaging the trees into small lots for customer orders.

Many of you should be receiving the Forest Service Seedling Trees brochure in the mail from the Forest Service soon.  It explains the program, provides a brief description of each species and includes the Forest Service order form.  We encourage you to attend the Forest Service Tree-planting Workshop at the Club building Saturday, January 24, 2009, 9 - 11 AM.  This workshop will provide information on available species, ordering, and planting instructions.  We will have Community Club order forms available at the workshop, inserted into the Black Forest News (thanks Judy), placed at various Black Forest businesses in late January and will be accessible on the BFCC web page - blackforest-co.com.

The Club’s Tree Sales program provides a couple of conveniences to Club members and the community at large.  Buyers can purchase in small lots of 10 each instead of buying at the 30 and 50-lot sizes from the Forest Service.  In addition, the trees can be picked up at the Club’s designated location in the Black Forest instead of at Woodland Park.

Santa’s elves are a bit tired out after the busy Christmas season and the ordered trees do not appear in the Black Forest by “North Pole magic”.  There have been wonderful volunteers that have made this program a success in past years.  You will be called again to ask for your amazing help.  New volunteers are needed for this program’s success.  Please call Mike Seay at 495-8049 if you would like to add your energy and abilities to the 2009 Seedling Tree program.  Your willingness to help our Black Forest community is much appreciated.

People are well advised to place their order early because the State does run out of certain species as time passes.  Availability is on a first-come first-served basis from the State and from the Club.  So the sooner you order the better chance you will have getting your exact preference.  The Community Club will be placing an initial order with the State and then will follow up with subsequent orders as needs dictate.

The last day for receipt of orders is March 27th and distribution of trees is normally the last Saturday in April.

Remember to pay your dues for 2009.  Annual dues are $15 per family. Elections will be January 8, 2009.  Consider this your notice that everyone needs to send in their dues (unless you have paid next year in advance) before the end of 2008.  New members who paid after August 1 are paid up through 2009.  Dues must be paid before the end of the year in order to be able to vote in January elections.

INTERESTS SURVEY

In an effort to get an organized list of people and their interests in the BFCC, we ask that all members fill out this survey and return it to with your renewal check to:

New Look for the Black Forest Christmas Tree

When Trish Burns attended the BFCC Octoberfest, she shared that she thought the Christmas tree lacked the real pizzazz that she pictured as the center of the Black Forest Christmas decorations.  With her usual zest for getting things done, Trish talked with the Fire Department and MVEA and members of the BFCC and all her neighbors.  Donations of money and decorations came from many sources including the help of the MVEA crew (pictured) that brought their cherry picker and helped unstring the old lights and restring the newer ones.  The decision to put many multi-colored lights up was changed to all warm white lights so that the tree could be lit up throughout the year for various holidays and not look solely like Christmas.  The tree needed to be ready for the official Treelighting that coincides with Santa’s Arrival via the Black Forest Fire Department’s fancy fire engine on Saturday, December 6 at 7pm.  Trish and her son Nate showed up early November 25 to coordinate the volunteers who showed up to help.  Phil Hosmer, Eddie Bracken, Roger Schutte, and George Rosental showed up to help with the ladders and poles.  Jeanne Frankovis and Trish and Nate helped lay out all the strings of lights.  Judy von Ahlefeldt took pictures as the tree decorating progressed for the newspaper story.  Additional decorations keep appearing on the tree.  It is really looking a lot like Christmas.  Stop by in the daytime to admire the varied ornaments.  (I hear that Spook McFillen is making wooden stars that will be big enough to catch anyone’s eye.)

BFCC Hall Gets Decorated, Too

Pictured at right is the merry band that showed up December 2 to deck the hall with wreaths and swags and trees and lights.  Margaret Schutte led the decorating of the beautiful big tree.  But she had lots of help as Sue Buckman and Ruth Ann Steele and Moira Theriault pitched in.  Judy Augustine not only brought a wonderful dessert but she decorated the smallest tree and the children’s middle sized tree with the help of Marie Turner.  Barbara Hosmer orchestrated the decorating while Barb Tyner refreshed all the wreaths breathing new life into the bows and adding new ornaments.  Roger Schutte and Phil Hosmer found lots of things to keep themselves busy sweeping sandy sidewalks and sorting out the lights.  Ellen Alderson showed up with a box of her own creations – beautiful paper ornaments that she makes.  Notice the white birds on the tree and stars and other shapes that make our trees so unique and beautiful.  Andrea Nagy and her children showed up too to help out.  When Trish Burns showed up, we stopped for pictures and then re-newed our decorating energy.  Judy von Ahlefeldt came to help but also brought cookies made from Fred Kibler’s recipe.  It is nice to remember faithful members of years gone by.  It was also nice to see new faces at this year’s decorating party.  Thanks to all who gave of their time and labor.  The Christmas music really got us all in the Christmas mood.  Oh, by the way, the big wreath on the front of the building was provided by Trish and hung by Phil.

Tree Lighting Ceremony and Santa’s Arrival in the Black Forest

The weather cooperated.  The crowd was big.  The singers—both the Forest Chorus led by Ruth Ann Steele and the Pine Creek students—were great.  The counselors to this year’s Keepers of the Keys, Gwen Burke and Claudia and Roger Christensen, stood ready to light the tree while past Keeper, Jim Hidy, did the announcements.  And with the help of Rick Robirds (pictured) from the Black Forest Fire and Rescue driving the big red fire engine, Santa and Mrs. Santa arrived safely shortly after the big Christmas tree sprang to light.  And the tree was beautiful with its new lights and ornaments thanks to Trish Burns and her helpers.  Once inside, Santa stayed busy with children on his lap while Mrs. Claus made sure every child got a candy cane.  We thank Dan and Sandy Hagel (pictured below) for their playing the part every year.  While the singers entertained with a grand assortment of Christmas music, the parents and grandparents and other Forest residents enjoyed hot cider and hot chocolate and a huge variety of cookies provided by BFCC members.  Barbara and Phil Hosmer took the lead in coordinating the cookies and helpers and setup.  The fire department took extra steps this year to make everything look festive with their Christmas light decorations on Rick’s and Kathy Russell’s fire hats and along the side of the fire engine. Other firemen helping with the smooth delivery of Santa were Kathy, Ray Scherrier, Pete Glesser, and the Duty Crew/B shift that washed the truck and got everything ready.  Among the inside helpers with drinks and cookies and cleanup were Jace and Marie Turner and Lisa, Barb Tyner, Ellen Alderson, Margaret and Roger Schutte.  Thanks to all who made this a special night.

Food Baskets and Gifts for the Needy for Christmas—Barbara Hosmer

Once again the Community Club cooperated with Wolford School to aid four families during the Christmas Season.  With the generous support of the community and the Pals of the Pines 4-H Club, we were able to fill to overflowing 4 large plastic tubs with food.  With money from the Festival proceeds we purchased turkeys, potatoes, onions, apples, and tangerines for each basket.

Thanks to the following families for providing gifts for the family members:  Bob Erler Family, Judy VonAhlefeldt,  Greg Smith Family,  Jeff Spector Family, Roger and Margaret Schutte,  Bill and Susan Buckman,  Dick and Judy Augustine,  Dick and Barbara Hoffman, Phil and Barbara Hosmer , Ed and Joan Bracken, and Nate Burns with help from his Mother, Trish.  Roxene Ballard provided two of the turkeys.

We had a wonderful crew that volunteered to help pack the baskets as well.  Thanks to all of them.  The School Counselor, Linda Gillogley, was pleased with our successful efforts.  Again I must thank everyone who contributed food items and the gifts.

With Ron finishing his term on the BFCC Board and Rosanne intending to hand over much of the program planning, they are an excellent choice for this month’s Unsung Heroes.

While attending Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas, Ron and Rosanne met and married and started a long and pleasant journey with Ron’s military career as a meteorologist.  They had stints across the country and across the world as they traveled from stateside locations to Viet Nam for Ron and Japan and Germany as a family with their son and daughter.

After retiring from the Air Force while Rosanne worked at various bases with undergraduate programs, the couple came to the Black Forest in 1990.  Ron taught six years at Falcon High School while Rosanne started her Welcome Wagon business that kept her busy for eleven years.

While having become BFCC members when they arrived here, they did not become active until about 2000 when Ron began his club work as treasurer, president, hall manager, board member and chairman, and festival parade chairman for a number of years.    Ron has spent many hours working on the old building as work crews have done major and minor repairs.  Scheduling renters at the club was one of his major jobs.  He has also been very active with Troop 70 sponsored by the BFCC.  Rosanne also served three years on the board and has set up programs for some time and helped with refreshments.

Besides BFCC work, the couple has held offices in the Wildwood Village Homeowners Association.  Their daughter, son-in-law, and two grandchildren live nearby in the Wildwood Village area.  Besides being an AVID hunter and fisherman, Ron has enjoyed riding horses for years.  He has also enjoyed singing in the choir at the Black Forest Community Church and later at the Black Forest Lutheran Church where they now belong and in Ruth Ann Steele’s Forest Chorus.

The Black Forest Homemakers were lucky to have Rosanne as their president for 3 years including the Homemakers’ 75th Anniversary year.  Rosanne is still very active with the Homemakers.  The Sunrise Republicans Club has also been fortunate to have a dedicated Rosanne as a member.

In 2005 this hardworking couple were rewarded for their contributions to the community by being elected as Keepers of the Keys to the Black Forest.

Thanks so much all your time and hard work at the Black Forest Community Club!

The following individuals have been placed into nomination for the 2009 calendar year:

Roger Schutte and Phil Hosmer will continue to serve in their Board positions.  To vote in the election one must be an active, dues paying member since 1 October 2008 or a lifetime member.  One must also be at least 18-years-old.  Nominations will be accepted from the floor.  The election will be held during the General Membership meeting that will be held on Thursday the 8th of January 2009.

Special Thanks to Judy von Ahlefeldt for making curtains for the kitchen.  Keeping the old building looking good takes lots of helping hands.

"It's not what happens to you but how you react to it that matters."