Letter from the President – July/August 2020

Howdy Neighbors,

We are in the full swing of summer with long days, lots of sun, cool water and plenty of friends, visitors and neighbors enjoying our little slice of paradise by the water. While our Independence Day celebrations were a bit muted this year, they were still enjoyed by many, and there were plenty of fireworks to be seen (although I don’t condone such activities in our neighborhood.) However, in spite of the continued community response to the ongoing pandemic, we did manage to have our annual boat parade on Back Bay. Unfortunately, I could not participate this year because of a problem with my boat’s outboard  transmission. At any rate, congratulations to the winners this year and many thanks to our organizers and attendees.

In June, we had a vote to amend the Civic League Bylaws, and they were passed. The changes weren’t hugely significant, but they will make it easier to manage the Civic League by shifting our fiscal year to a calendar year basis and by moving the officer elections to the same time frame. The best change is that we will no longer be having those pesky Saturday meetings in the spring and summer. Thank you to everyone who turned in their votes and helped get those changes passed.

The beach replenishment is finally done. Hooray! Now, if only we can get our bridge completed. I’m guessing it will probably be done by Christmas. Since we are on the topic of road improvements, we have been informed by the City that our roads are in good condition and in no need of repaving – Sandpiper Road being the only exception. They will respond to work orders for potholes and other deficiencies. If there is a road problem that needs addressing, I would encourage you to contact Public Works and submit a work order. The City has an app that makes submission of those work orders fairly easy. It is called VB Works and can be found in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.

I was very happy to see all the flags on display along Sandpiper Road around the July Fourth holiday. Many thanks to everyone who helped make that magic happen. It was so nice to see the patriotism on display as we entered our community. It is civic displays such as this that make me proud to be your Civic League president and a member of this closeknit community.

As always, stay safe if you must go out. We are not clear of this pandemic yet. Wear your mask, keep your distance, wash your hands and disinfect common surfaces. If we all do our part, we can end this sooner rather than later.

Remember to greet each other with a smile and a wave and enjoy the rest of your summer.

Kindly,

Andrew Roper

SBCL President

Letter from the President – June 2020

Hello Neighbors,

Normally, around this time of year I would be writing about all the events that we held in spring as we prepared for our annual summer dance with residents and visitors. However, this year was very different due to the unprecedented circumstances that we all had to face. We saw social distancing, stay-at-home, food and supply shortages, work-from-home and other steps taken to limit the spread of a potentially very deadly virus. In spite of this, we remained strong. We lifted each other up in myriad ways and stayed connected thanks to  technology. If anything was proven over the last few months, it is that we are our best when we face our worst.

As life slowly returns to normal, albeit a new type of normal, we are reminded of the things that matter most – family, friends and community. We are a special type of community in that we share a little piece of heaven with others who seek a refuge from the trials of everyday drudgery. Our neighborhood is, at times, a place of solace for those who seek to reconnect with themselves and those around them. These intangibles are hard to find just anywhere.

I would like to thank, on behalf of everyone in our section of Virginia Beach, all those people who had to face adversity every day: our first responders, our police officers, our essential workers, our work-from-home parents who became teachers, our caregivers, our delivery personnel and, of course, ourselves. We all had to make shared sacrifices in one way or another in a time when it was needed most. While we are not quite “out of the woods,” so to speak, we are making progress towards some solace.

There is still work to be done. More specifically, there is civic league work to be done. In this newsletter there is a ballot to vote on proposed changes to the bylaws. Please send these back by the June 15 deadline. We will be selecting our college scholarship winners, who will be announced in next month’s newsletter. Our aim is to help a few select individuals from the neighborhood realize their educational and career ambitions.

As always, stay safe and remember to greet each other with a smile and a wave – even if that smile is under a facemask.

Yours truly,

Andrew Roper

SBCL President

Letter from the President – May 2020

Greetings Neighbors,

I hope that everyone is faring well in light of this current pandemic crisis that has gripped the nation and the world. I know that it has been tough for all of us in one way or another. While those of us with children have had to become “teachers”, others have been feeling the pinch of a slowed-down economy. It’s hard to place a value on human life, but we can at least all hope that our sacrifices will be worth it in the long run. If any of you have lost loved ones to the virus, you have my deepest condolences.

I have been encouraged by news of people volunteering their time to make masks for the community, or bringing food and supplies to those who need help, to neighbors joining together to celebrate birthdays with drive-by parades, and to people volunteering their time to assist at healthcare facilities. We sometimes take for granted our liberties that we enjoy or the people who have to face crisis daily, but this current event has definitely highlighted the value of both.

I know that we are all anxious to “get back to normal” but we know one thing for sure. Normal will not be the same again once the restrictions are lifted. We may have to practice social distancing for some time until it can be assured we are either all immune, there is a vaccine, or a treatment available to combat the viral scourge. In the meantime, we must stay vigilant with handwashing, mask wearing, social distancing, self-quarantining, home schooling and working from home. As with all things, this too shall pass.

On the bright side, spring has sprung! It seems Mother Nature just keeps the seasons rolling along. At least we all have a little extra time now to work on our yards and those home projects that we’ve been otherwise too busy to get around to doing. We’ve also gotten to know our families better ever since we’ve been asked to shelter in place. I wonder how many have been able to enjoy a dinner together for the first time in a while? Situations like this one remind you of the little things in life that really matter: love, family, community and friendships.

As always, stay safe, stay home and if you do go out, please wear a mask and still greet each other with a smile and a wave – though it might be hard to see the smile behind the mask but it will still show through.

Warmly,

Andrew Roper

SBCL President