In 2021, after a year without in-person events to welcome new neighbors to Lake Barcroft, the Newcomers Club roared back to life hosting several events, including the 50^th Anniversary Barge Party. As our happy members and guests departed with their complimentary Newcomers Club wine glasses (we still have 80 btw), we breathed a sigh of relief in the club’s ability to safely host such an event. Then COVID said “Hold my beer!” and let loose with surges of the Omicron variant, wiping away hopes of enjoying Newcomers Club winter social events, such as the Holiday Party and Chili Cook-Off. 

Seven months later, the club feels optimistic about a return to summer events to welcome new neighbors. Enthusiasm (and a potential host) for the Barge Party as well as other fun events on the lake is growing. Keep an eye on Lakelink, the LB Facebook page, and the Newcomers Club website for announcements of upcoming events. The Newcomers Club Board approved another extension of annual memberships to make up for the many months without activities.

One important Newcomers Club activity that did not stop due to pandemic surges was delivery of Welcome Bags. Welcome Chair Nomi Taslitt continued the important task of coordinating welcome bag delivery to new neighbors. In 2021, the club delivered 58 bags containing goodies and useful neighborhood information such as the Lake Barcroft Association (LBA) web page, all LB Club descriptions, and Lakelink instructions. As of mid-May 2022, the club delivered 18 bags. A big thanks goes to Nomi for her amazing efforts to ensure all our new neighbors feel welcome. We also congratulate Nomi for receiving the Lake Barcroft Exceptional Service Award from the LBA this year in recognition of her efforts.

We are excited to begin planning for our second return to in-person social events to bring our new and established neighbors together. We always look for volunteers to help plan and host parties, serve as Barge captains, and even serve on the board. As of this writing, the board is still considering the mix of fun events to safely host within the new guidelines. The club will publish more information on our website at https://lakebarcroftnewcomersclub.wildapricot.org/   and you can get involved by contacting us there or at lbnewcomers@gmail.com.

See you soon!  And remember, Newcomers is for EVERYONE!

Hello Newcomers,

Well after the stunning success of the 50th Anniversary of the Barge Party we were all looking forward to getting back on track with our traditional social events. Unfortunately COVID is proving to be more stubborn than everyone had hoped. 

After reviewing many factors to include a survey of LBNC Members it is the LBNC Board's decision to NOT hold a Holiday Party this year. Although we are disappointed, things may improve in the near future as vaccinations increase amongst the young. The Board will continue to monitor and look for other opportunities to bring people together in a safe social environment.

Best,

Phillip Boggs 

After a 3-year hiatus, the Newcomers Club pulled off the return of the legendary Barge Party, with 13 Barges and over 100 guests.  This was a joyous resurrection of a Lake Barcroft tradition, marking the 50^th anniversary of the first Barge Party held in 1971. We had perfect weather and a full moon for this outdoor event held on September 18th at the home of Marcia Diamond and Mo Bloom on Beachway Drive. The planning committee, led by Merri Brown and Nomi Taslitt, exceeded all expectations. The party began with cocktails and appetizers ashore before guests embarked upon pontoon boats to continue the cocktail hour.  Guests returned as the sun set and festive lighting and table décor set the stage for a delicious candlelit dinner catered by Duangrats Thai. All enjoyed the musical entertainment by local favorite Groove Jet playing beautiful jazz music from their elevated screen porch stage. All attendees received beautiful Newcomers Club wineglasses as party favors.

Since the restart of Newcomers Club events in June of this year, the club has grown from 65 to over 100 households. At the Barge Party, established residents enjoyed meeting numerous “true newcomers” who joined our community since the start of the pandemic and were anxious to take advantage of the many activities that make Lake Barcroft special.  Additionally, many of our “new-ish” residents with less than 5 years in the community took significant roles in pulling off this party. 

Events such as this are only possible because of the generous participation of volunteers.  Many thanks to Barge Party committee members Donna Black, Marcia Diamond, Marilyn DiPaolo, Liz Gill, Ginger Hayes, Michelle Major, Rusty Metz, and Courtney Riccio.  This team worked tirelessly to get every detail right including lighting, decorations, barge assignments, food, music, party favors and of course the beverages. The set-up crew of Phil Boggs, Gil Brown, and Chris Buehler (in addition to the committee) made the vision a reality. And of course, no Barge Party would be complete without Barges. Huge thanks to Chris Buehler, Seth and Diane Davidson, Matt and Suzy Friedman, Ken Kastner and Eva Kosztarab, Donna Black and Rusty Metz, Jerry and Randa Mendenhall, Sharon Pacchiana, Tom and Trippi Penland, Joe and Cindy Reid, Ted and Lucie Seward, Cyrus and Jenny Talati, Nomi Taslitt and Reid Voss (who also bartended) for the delightful sunset cruise.

We are looking forward to the holidays and hopefully will be able to host the annual Newcomers Club Holiday Party with the famous secret Santa (hosted by the man himself and his elf).  We will let our members know and update our website at https://lakebarcroftnewcomersclub.wildapricot.org once we have determined if we can hold that event and when. While there, login and check out our new store section where you can purchase Newcomers Club wineglasses to complete your set as well as Newcomers Club insulated totes.  And remember, Newcomers is for EVERYONE!

Some of the amazing Newcomers Barge Party committee members. Pictured Left to Right: Courtney Riccio, Marilyn DiPaolo, Michelle Major, Ginger Hayes, Nomi Taslitt, Merri Brown

Photo Credit: Katie Boggs

The Newcomers Club hosted more fun on the lake with the annual “Raft Up and Swim” for club members on August 8th. After rain delayed the event on Saturday the 7^th, nearly 40 members of the club boarded 6 pontoons and anchored in the lake to enjoy one of the most perfect summer days. It started with a fun game of “Newcomers Bingo” where we all learned some fun facts about one another. Rob Martinson took home the prize of the inflatable unicorn that he said will be enjoyed by his children immediately. Jill Martin brought Hobie kayaks, which are hybrid kayak sailboats, and generously offered neighbors the opportunity to try them.  Many enjoyed the floating foam party platform supplied by Andrea Fus, with a large group executing synchronized swimming-inspired moves. A few also attempted to run the length of foam platform without falling in (a feat accomplished only by Gil Brown). One of our newest members, Ryan Davies, dazzled all with his incredible flips into the water.  A big thanks to our 6 boat captains, Seth Davidson, Sharon Pacchiana, Chris Buehler, Reid Voss, Rob Martinson, and Harry Cox for making this a wonderful event. Of course, thanks to our party planners Katie Boggs and Nomi Taslitt for putting it all together.  

One of the myths I periodically hear as President is that you can only remain in the LB Newcomers Club for 3 or 5 years – that is INCORRECT. The Newcomers Club is for everyone in the neighborhood, whether you have been here 1 day, 1 year, 10 years or over 30 years (we have 30+ year residents in the club), we welcome all to gather in a fun manner and enjoy each other’s company as neighbors with the aim of helping all to feel included in our community.

We are looking forward to the holidays and hopefully will be able to host the annual Newcomers Club Holiday Party with the famous secret Santa hosted by the man himself and his elf.  The club is looking for someone to host that can support about 60-75 guests in their home, let us know via email.

In the next newsletter we will report on the outcome of “The Return of the Barge Party.” As always, keep checking our website for the most-up-to-date information on Newcomers Club events.  To volunteer to help at any of these events, please email lbnewcomers@gmail.com.  Remember, Newcomers is for EVERYBODY!

Ladies of the Lake – as Newcomers Club Members enjoy the Raft Up and Swim

The Newcomers Club hosted a Welcome Cruise and Barbecue for our newest neighbors from Beach 4 on July 10th. Over 70 neighbors of all ages who joined our community in 2020 or 2021 were able to experience a cruise on the lake after getting their fill of hot dogs and hamburgers curtesy of the LBNC grill masters and helpers.  Big thanks to our boat captains, Joe Pisciotta, Seth Davidson, Diane Davidson, Tom Penland, Trippi Penland, and Chris Buehler for welcoming so many people on their boats and providing history and colorful commentary to introduce folks to our lake. Phillip Boggs and Rusty Metz went above and beyond, moving their own grills to the beach and keeping the burgers and dogs coming while Donna Black, Mary O’Donnell, and Mike Sternad assisted with the food and greeting guests.  Kudos to Welcome Chair Nomi Taslitt for organizing a wonderful event to welcome our newest neighbors. We received positive feedback from many participants, commenting on how welcomed they felt and confirming their decision to join the Lake Barcroft community.

We are also pleased to announce the return of the legendary Newcomers Club Barge Party after a three-year hiatus. The event will be held on September 18th at the home of Marcia Diamond and Mo Bloom on Beachway Drive.  The party begins with cocktails on the lake followed by a catered dinner and music ashore. Mark your calendars and go to https://lakebarcroftnewcomersclub.wildapricot.org/  for full details and to purchase your tickets. This party is space limited, and we expect to sell out fast!  (Hint: Newcomers Club members receive early access to ticket sales, so this is a great time to purchase or renew your membership.)

Next month’s newsletter will report on the early August Raft Up and Swim Party. Stay tuned for more events to come later this year, including the annual Holiday Party, and as always keep checking our website for the most-up-to-date information on Newcomers Club events.  To volunteer to help at any of these events, please email lbnewcomers@gmail.com.  As Chris Buehler recently pointed out, “This will help us keep Lake Barcroft a special place where we are all part of something larger.” See you soon!  And remember, Newcomers is for EVERYBODY!

Newcomers Club Members boarding for the Welcome Cruise

The Newcomers Club held their first general membership meeting since 2019 on June 16 at the home of Phillip and Katie Boggs with approximately 30 people in attendance including several new members who joined our community within the last year. The agenda included updates from the board on 2020 administration and activities and discussion of the restart of Newcomers Club events in 2021.

After a lengthy happy hour (due to late pizza delivery), President Phil Boggs welcomed the club members and was followed by Treasurer Gil Brown who reported the club is financially healthy and ready to move forward on providing social events for 2021. Secretary Katie Boggs reported on the implementation of a customer relationship management tool in 2020 which replaced the use of the three applications for membership and event management while also providing an informative website for club members. While there are fees for use of this tool, so far it has proved to decrease the amount of time required for administrative tasks and improved accuracy of records.  She also reported that the current membership numbers 73 households totaling 123 individuals.  In 2021 alone, nine new households have joined the Newcomers Club. As reported last month, the club has continued to deliver Welcome Bags throughout the pandemic, and Welcome Chair Nomi Taslitt reported that 23 bags have been delivered so far in 2021.

Club members engaged in a lively discussion on events to be held in 2021. The Board was specifically looking for member input as to whether a large end-of-summer party like that offered by the club in the past should be planned and if so, what the format should be.  The overwhelming response from seasoned club members and true newcomers alike was that they are excited to get back to such events and want the club to move forward with planning. Michelle Major of Waterway summed up the desire of the true Newcomers by noting that they want the opportunity to forge the types of memories of Lake Barcroft events that the more established residents were sharing. There was much debate as to the format of the event, including questions about whether it should be catered or potluck, should barges be employed, and should there be live entertainment. Some reported that catering and live entertainment may be hard to come by due to a backlog of weddings following the pandemic. In the end,10 members volunteered to form a planning committee for the large end-of-summer event to be announced via the Newcomers Club website and LakeLink soon.

In addition to the large party, the club has two events planned for this summer.  The first will be a “Welcome Cruise and Barbecue” to be held on July 10. This event will be open only to new residents (and their children) who joined the community in 2020 or 2021.  Attendees will be treated to a tour of the lake via pontoon boats.  This will be followed by the return of the “Raft Up and Swim” event on August 7 which will be open to all club members and is always a fun afternoon of floating in the lake. For more information on any of these events and to purchase tickets, please see our website.  See you soon!  And remember, Newcomers is for EVERYBODY!

The Lake Barcroft Newcomers Club (LBNC) General Membership meeting held June 16 was a great success with many members, both new to the neighborhood and those who are well established, attending and voicing their thoughts to improve the club. I personally want to thank the current LBNC Board for their dedication through challenging times to maintain the welcoming spirit of Lake Barcroft. Below are a few key points from the meeting, although I encourage you to read the minutes at the link below for detail and the lively discussion held. 

•  22 Members attended the LBNC General membership meeting
• LBNC’s finances are healthy w/ a balance of $5860 in our account
• • Major expenses include: Welcome Bags, supplies for Welcome Bags (wine/snacks/printed material) and the customer relationship management tool
  • The Lake Barcroft Association (LBA) reimburses LBNC for Welcome Bags on a semi-annual basis
  • LBNC raised dues from $20 to $25 per household starting in May 2021
• Current Total Members: 73 households totaling 123 individuals
•  New members in 2021: 9 Households totaling 13 individuals
• Implemented a customer relationship management tool (Wild Apricot) that enhanced accuracy and tremendously eased volunteers' management of memberships, event planning, communication to LBNC members to include the establishment of a LBNC interactive website
•  Events Planned for the near future:
• • Welcome Cruise – July 10, 2021
  • Raft Up and Swim – August TBD
  • Medium – Large Social Event-Sept 2021
  • Holiday Party-Dec 2021
  •  Other suggestions – whiskey tasting, etc.

Remember to continue to bookmark and periodically check out the LBNC website for updates and important news about the club.

Best Regards, 

Phillip Boggs 

President, LB Newcomers Club

061621 LBNC General Membership Meeting Notes - Final.pdf

Due to the COVID-19 restrictions, its’s been a full year since the Lake Barcroft Newcomers Club has had an update to provide in the newsletter. Besides welcoming new neighbors with “Welcome Bags” filled with great information (and a bottle of wine), we bring together new and established neighbors in a fun social environment, which of course could not happen safely. To recap our last year, in March 2020, the Newcomers Club managed to pull off the last Lake Barcroft in-person social event prior to the start of social distancing, the annual LB Newcomers Chili and Cornbread Competition. Due to the uncertainty around when and how COVID-19 restrictions would ease, in June 2020 the Newcomers Club Board approved an extension of all annual memberships by one year from their due date.

One important Newcomers Club activity did not stop due to the pandemic. Specifically, the Newcomers Club Welcome Chair and “Bag Lady in Chief” Nomi Taslitt continued the important task of welcoming new neighbors through socially-distanced welcome bag delivery. Since the start of the pandemic, she safely delivered approximately 56 bags containing goodies and useful neighborhood information such as club descriptions and Lakelink instructions. A big thanks goes to Nomi for her amazing efforts to ensure all of our new neighbors feel welcome.

With the recent relaxation of social distancing guidance by the CDC and Virginia Governor, we are excited to begin planning for a return to in-person social events to bring our new and established neighbors together.  As of this writing, the board is still considering the mix of fun events that can be held safely within the new guidelines. More information should be available by the time this newsletter is printed and we will update our website at https://lakebarcroftnewcomersclub.wildapricot.org/  as we know more. See you soon!  And remember, Newcomers is for EVERYBODY!

Hello LB Newcomers Club Members,

Well 2020 is a challenging year and I hope this note finds you and your loved ones safe and healthy. All of us are somehow affected by COVID-19 restrictions here in Lake Barcroft. The Newcomers Club is definitely affected due to the fact its sole mission is to bring people close together in a social environment who do not know one another.

Normally by this time the Newcomers Club would’ve held or scheduled the summer social events (and looking toward the fall). Unfortunately, it appears we will not be able to have any in the near future. Therefore, until we can gain a better understanding of how to socialize safely, the Board approved extending everyone’s annual membership for one year from their due date. The membership extensions were processed today, 27 June 2020.

As the Governor begins to reopen Virginia to allow limited social engagements, the Board is looking into other activities that might allow new neighbors in Lake Barcroft to meet with others while still maintaining social distancing, especially for our at-risk members. Although we are still delivering Newcomers Club Welcome Bags (thank you Nomi!), we are open to suggestions for possible safe socializing. Let us know at lbnewcomers@gmail.com and periodically check into the LB Newcomers Club website: https://lakebarcroftnewcomersclub.wildapricot.org/

Thank You,

Phil Boggs

President

LB Newcomers Club

The Newcomers Club, by some miracle, managed to pull off the last Lake Barcroft event prior to the start of social distancing efforts. The annual LB Newcomers Chili and Cornbread Competition was a spicy success, with over 80 in attendance, featuring 15 different chili and 6 cornbread entries.  

The “celebrity” guest judge was Chef David Newton, founder of Bootheel Hospitality Group, LLC. David, originally from Southeast Missouri, has a strong belief in the farm-to-table concept which he practices as he prepares authentic southern cuisine (Newcomers President Phil Boggs cannot get enough of Bootheel’s brisket!). “We are focused on preparing food with the freshest possible ingredients, bold flavors and Southern influences.” David has trained with some of the most successful barbecue chefs in the country and has had extensive training from L’Academie De Cuisine in Gaithersburg, MD.

The chili entrants with their secret recipes, produced a large variety of chilis including traditional beef chilis, a Cincinnati Chili, an Indian-inspired chili, and two vegetarian chilies (one with a Fritos topping!).  All of the chilis were delicious and the wide variety made for a tough decision for the Chef and guests alike. The cornbread entrants attempted to knock off the multi-year winner using a variety of tactics; mostly this involved a side of flavored butter. One chef couldn’t decide and brought multiple versions of their cornbread – the guests were all full in the end. 

So, the 2020 LBNC Chili and Cornbread Cook-off winners are:

•  Chef’s Choice Chili: Scott Major of Waterway entry, “World’s Best Dutch Oven Fodder”
  
• Chef’s Corn bread: Warren Russell of Jay Miller entry, “Doctor John Barcroft’s Corn Bread”
  
• People’s Choice Chili: Angela Pan of Quaint Acres Circle entry, “Copperhead’s Revenge”
  
• People’s Choice Corn Bread: Lisa DuBois of Cavalier Corridor entry, “Pain de mais avec du beurre ou miel et zest d’orange”
  

Big thanks to Jenn and Mike Shumaker for hosting (Again!!) and all those who cooked and brought chili and cornbread. Congrats to all!! 

The next planned Newcomers Club event is the May 30th “Whisky Tasting” hosted by Ken Kastner and Eva Kosztarab on Waterway Drive (no worries, there’ll be wine too). The LBNC board continues to monitor the situation with COVID-19 and is hopeful for a quick return to Lake Barcroft’s social calendar that brings everyone together. We will update our website at https://lakebarcroftnewcomersclub.wildapricot.org/  as we know more. Other events in the works for 2020 include a Poker Night, Raft-up-and-Swim, a Halloween Party, and the return of the famous (or infamous) Barge Party!

Newcomers Club 2020 Chili and Cornbread Cook-off Contestants