Letter from the President – October 2019

Can you feel it? The autumn air is moving and ushering in a new season. As the summer winds down, we turn our attention to how we fared from the hurricane that brushed past us, and we look towards the upcoming holidays. School is back in session, the buses are rolling down the streets, and we are all breathing a collective sigh of relief.

At our September meeting, we had part one of our two-part Political Forum for this election year. We heard from two candidates running for City Treasurer, two school board candidates, and our State Delegate Barry Knight. At our October meeting, we will host candidates running for City Council, State Senate and House of Delegates. Be sure to come out to hear from these candidates and get an opportunity to meet with them.

With fall, we also have our annual Oktoberfest celebration. This year’s event promises to be a great one (as have all the prior events) and will be taking place at the Baja restaurant. Please make sure to RSVP for the event so we can make sure that we have plenty of beer, sausage, and sauerkraut on hand. Of course, there’s my personal favorite – strudel.

The end of summer doesn’t just mean the beginning of fall but also holds one of our area’s largest fund raising events for our local rescue squad. While Hurricane Dorian tried to put a damper on the event, the SBVRS’ annual Pig Pickin’ took place at Little Island Park and was still a great success in spite of being pushed back one day. The weather was amazing and attendance certainly reflected the good mood and high energy. We are all so grateful to have the commitment of our local volunteers, and we were all there to show just how much we support them.

There’s a lot of activity occurring in Sandbridge this season. We are getting some new sewer main pipes installed on South Sandpiper Road, our beaches will be getting replenished, our new bridge is (slowly) being built, and we are seeing a widening of Princess Anne Road. Pretty soon we will be rid of the bumpy road, we’ll have larger beaches, a taller bridge, and some extra lanes as we leave Sandbridge. Exciting things are happening!

As always, remember to be kind to each other and greet everyone with a smile and wave. I look forward to seeing everyone at Oktoberfest. Auf Wiedersehen!

Andrew Roper

SBCL President

Letter from the President – September 2019

Hello Neighbors!

We are approaching the end of the summer season with less than a month before the meteorological start of autumn. Despite that, Mother Nature has a tendency to keep the heat on well into the fall. That’s ok, we’ll take the warmth over the cold any day!

We have some fun events coming up for the end of summer. The Sandbridge Volunteer Rescue Squad will be hosting the annual Pig Pickin’ on September 7. This event is loaded with stuff to do from live music, to craft vendors, clowns, and plenty of food and drink. There are several ticket options to choose from, and tickets are available at all the realty companies and on the website sandbridgeboosters.com. The funds that are raised from this event pay for all the supplies needed to provide those high quality services we will all need at some time or another. Our EMS volunteers rely on your support so they can purchase and maintain the ambulances and stock them with important lifesaving equipment and supplies.

We also have our annual SBCL Oktoberfest coming up shortly. This will be held on October 6 at the Baja Restaurant. Please be sure your membership is up-to-date and that you RSVP for this event. The Oktoberfest is a great time to come out and meet your neighbors, enjoy some great German food, drink plenty of beer, and dance to some polka!

I’d like to take a moment and welcome Ron McDowell as our Treasurer for the 2019-2020 term. He is stepping in for Bill McGarrett who has sold his house and moved out of the Sandbridge area. A big “thank you” goes out to Bill for his service to our Civic League for the great job that he did!

At our August meeting, MPO Brad Dietrich was kind enough to inform us about our Neighborhood Watch and all the programs that keep us informed about what is happening in our city and also to report back to the city about problems like street lights that are out and potholes that need to be filled. He also reminded us that we should all be vigilant about locking our doors and windows on our houses and our cars. He also told us to inventory our  belongings so that there would be a good chance for recovery in the unfortunate event that our house or cars should fall victim to burglars. There are also apps that can help with that. All the information can be found on the City’s Neighborhood Watch homepage. The link will be available on our website soon. Thank you MPO Dietrich for that wealth of information.

As always, remember to greet each other with a smile and a wave and to be kind to each other. Enjoy the rest of summer!

Warmly,

Andrew Roper

SBCL President

Letter from the President – July/August 2019

Howdy Neighbors!

Summer is in full swing in Sandbridge and the community is bustling and vibrant. We’ve been blessed with some wonderful weather so far, and we look forward to more of the same in the coming months. Everyone will surely enjoy our clean streets and beaches under clear blue skies. Many thanks to our friends and neighbors for keeping Sandbridge free of detritus and also the
city for keeping our beaches and access ways clean and clear.

Along with enjoying some fun in the sun, sand, and water, our local rescue squad’s Boosters have been holding Family Bingo every Wednesday night. The proceeds help benefit the rescue squad to purchase supplies that are necessary to continue to provide the awesome emergency services this neighborhood and the whole city sometimes requires. Our EMS and our lifeguards give us peace of mind knowing that they’ll be there when help is needed. And they will provide the best care with a smile on their faces. Many thanks to our  professionals and volunteers in the whole EMS system.

Summer also brings a celebration of our nation’s birth on July Fourth. The whole community joins together to embrace the event in a myriad of ways from grilling, to partying, to volunteering, watching fireworks or the annual Boat Parade, or just taking a moment to reflect. While we remember our founding fathers’ sacrifices and risks, we also honor those who have served and continue to serve in defense of the freedoms granted us so many years ago. Many thanks to all the public servants who work everyday to support and defend our Constitution.

So, let’s enjoy this summer, take a break, relax, and let the warm sun energize us so we can experience life’s wondrous beauty all around us. All of nature is alive right now and surrounds us everywhere we look. How awesome is that?

Be kind and greet each other with a smile and wave. Have wonderful and safe summer!

Andrew Roper

SBCL President