Letter from the President – March 2021

Howdy Neighbors!

Wintertime in Sandbridge is usually a special occurrence. Whenever there’s snow in the city, we can generally expect to get rain in our neighborhood. When it does snow, it’s a wondrous sight to behold. Seeing everything blanketed in a cover of white inspires an appreciation for the world around us. For a rare moment, everything is revealed and outlined by the snow. Sometimes, you can even get treated to seeing a woodland friend’s footprints across the sheet of white. This winter so far has been an interesting one. I suppose the groundhog was spot-on this year when he saw his shadow and predicted six more weeks of winter.

Our February meeting was held virtually for the second time and was well attended by the membership. Mike Tippin from VB Public Works updated us on the road work being done n Sandpiper Road and the side streets along that corridor. The project is moving along well, and the road cut portion is nearly done. If all continues to proceed as it is, Mr. Tippin expects the whole project to be done in April.

We also discussed some upcoming events for this year that we missed last year. Although we are still coping with COVID restrictions, we are working to still hold our Spring Cleanup, Spring Community Yard Sale and the Easter Egg Hunt. The American Red Cross is holding a blood drive in March, and based upon the number of times they keep calling me, they are in need of blood. There are many opportunities coming up for us to get engaged, help our friends and neighbors and clean up our neighborhood and our garages. I’m looking forward to seeing everyone at these
events, with safety our first priority.

Don’t forget, St. Patrick’s Day is also coming up. Time for some green beer, corned beef, cabbage and soda bread. In the meantime, remember to greet each other with a smile and a wave. Stay safe, stay vigilant and stay strong.

Warmly,

Andrew Roper

SBCL President

Letter from the President – February 2021

Howdy Neighbors!

A new year is upon us! We can finally say goodbye (and good riddance) to last year. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if it were that easy, that we could just will away the previous year and all its troubles with a simple change in the calendar? If only it were that simple.

Nevertheless, we start this new year with a new presidential administration, some changes in the SBCL leadership, and a new bridge on Sandbridge Road. Well, at least the City says it is finished. We also have Sandpiper Road paving underway after a late start. There are also some new beach access ways being built. In good time, we will have some nice new roads and access ways to traverse when the warmer weather comes back.

City officials are working on a new budget. I’m sure it won’t be easy with all the constraints against them in revenue streams. While I would like to be optimistic about our chances of getting funding for the Little Island Parking Lot expansion, I’m not going to hold my breath. However, that doesn’t mean we can’t at least try. A concerted effort by the community to advise the council on the need for that expansion will help the cause.

Our last meeting was held virtually, and it was a modest success. We used Zoom as the meeting platform, and it worked quite well. We had a solid attendance and a productive meeting. This was a good test case for the online platform, and I’m encouraged to get that initiative moving forward once we have access to a physical space. In the meantime, I believe we will continue to use Zoom for future meetings until the overall situation improves in the community, state and nation.

I hope that everyone is doing well and that you all had a wonderful holiday season. I think the term “unprecedented” has been used far too often. So I will say that the past year has been challenging. Actually, it has been a little more than challenging for a lot of us. All we can do is what we continue to do – wear a mask, wash our hands, stay apart from people and large crowds and get the vaccine when it is available.

My wish for the new year is for everyone to stay safe and well, for the situation to turn a corner and for life to resume to some sense of normal. In the meantime, remember to greet each other with a smile and a wave.

Best of luck and best wishes for the new year!

Yours truly,

Andrew Roper

SBCL President

Letter from the President – Dec 2020/Jan 2021

Happy Holidays!

The holiday season is upon us, but it feels a little different this year. No matter the circumstances, this is a time when we come together to celebrate our various faiths and enjoy the company of friends and family as we also welcome the coming new year. Hopefully, next year will be better than this one we are collectively leaving behind us.

On the local front, our new bridge is just about complete as the temporary bridge is being taken down. As soon as that is done, they will repave a portion of Sandbridge Road and smooth out the new bridge section. We are also looking forward to the repaving of Sandpiper Road (south of Sandbridge Road ) and some of the side streets. The Little Island parking lot is also being resurfaced.

Over the Thanksgiving weekend, the lights were put up at the firehouse. We used the existing lights from last year and purchased some more this year to add to our display. Though some trees had been cut down, there were still plenty that got some lights. Our vision of a winter wonderland is coming closer to fruition.

I would like to take this moment to express my gratitude to this community for enduring so much this year. I know that it hasn’t been easy for most of us, but we have persevered. I think a lot of it has to do with the type of community that we are and the resiliency that we all share. I can only hope that we continue to face our challenges together and overcome whatever obstacles are presented. Together we are stronger, and together we will survive and flourish.

I wish everyone a happy and healthy holiday season. And I look forward to seeing you all again at our next meeting in January. Thank you for all that you do, and remember to greet each other with a smile and a wave.

Best Wishes,

Andrew Roper

SBCL President