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By Big Canoe Public Safety

As Jack Frost has made his presence felt with the recent icier temperatures, now is a great time to refresh your winter preparedness checklist in case we’re hit with any power outages or impassable roads.

In addition to keeping food, water, and prescription medicines in full supply, checking your home’s mainline water valve function is a good idea. December 2022 saw record-low temperatures in Georgia, which caused many water lines to freeze and break in our area. Not only was the property damage significant, but the hassle and time-consuming delays involved with the insurance claims process were another headache.

Here are two simple tips for avoiding such scenarios:

Turn your main water supply line off if you plan on being away from home for an extended period. Even if the weather is warm when you leave, we may encounter damaging cold before you return. If you don’t know where your main valve is located, a service call from a plumber or the utility provider will help you find it and test it.
Have a plumber install a water leak and automatic shut-off valve on your home. With this addition to your system, you don’t have to worry about forgetting to turn off your mainline and any damage will be minimal if your pipes spring a leak behind a wall or in someplace hidden from view.

By Jocelyn Smith

In October, the Wildflower Bunch was excited to unveil A Survey in Progress “Plants of Big Canoe,” one of the club’s many initiatives this year led by our President B. Marr. Thanks to Marr and her wildflower enthusiast volunteers, WFB began an ongoing project to discover and catalog many of the plants found in Big Canoe for all WFB garden members to enjoy and reference.

Over the past year, a group of wildflower enthusiasts have been working to identify and photograph all of the plants found in the Big Canoe public areas. Access to the full survey can be found on the website at https://wildflowerbunch.com/ where members can enter with a secure password.

Before beginning the survey presentation, Marr announced several club donations that were given to multiple organizations and groups. Due to the success of events this year, WFB was able to give $1,500 to the Big Canoe Trails Committee. We appreciate all of the efforts and hard work the trails volunteers do to keep our community a natural and safe environment to explore and enjoy. In addition, $1,250 of “real nature spirit” books were donated to the Big Canoe library and two elementary schools in memory of Cheryl Jones, WFB’s past President who passed away unexpectedly this year.

Marr began her presentation by explaining that this special survey began as a desire by Wildflower enthusiasts to catalog plants located in Big Canoe public areas within the gates as well as Eagle’s Rest Park and Terraces. This was a renewed effort that began in 2021 and was rekindled in February 2023. Thousands of steps and many miles of hiking were completed by the volunteers who undertook this love of identifying the many different plant species in our community.

With an undaunting passion for plants, much like The Pollen Path, a Navajo Myths Collection written by Margaret Schevill, the enthusiasts echoed the following verse:

In beauty, I walk:

With beauty before me, I walk.

With beauty behind me, I walk.

With beauty above me, I walk.

With beauty below me, I walk.

With beauty all around me, I walk.

With beauty within me, I walk.

It is finished in beauty.

Marr referenced many resources to accomplish cataloging the plants including:

Picture This – a plant identifier app

https://www.inaturalist.org/wildflower.org

https://extension.uga.edu/

Georgia Native Wildflowers and Plants Facebook group

Georgia Native Plant Society Facebook group

Field Guide to the Wildflowers of Georgia and Surrounding States, Linda G. Chafin

Wildflowers of Atlantic Southeast, Laura Cotterman, Damon Waitt, and Alan Weakley

The selected categories of plants to locate and photograph were many. Marr highlighted a few Species Differentiation plants that are very close relatives but uniquely different from one another. A personal challenge was the identity of the Mountain Mint that has small unique nuances difficult to decipher. Some popular and less difficult plants to find included the Spicebush, Violets, and what she “affectionately” noted, the Big Bloomers. There were many “Spring Showoffs” featured as well as “One Hit Wonders.” Even some Parasitic or partially parasitic plants were found and admired for their unique dependency on other plants to survive. “Summer Hotshots” were a favorite of the audience, as well as milkweeds including non-natives that seem to thrive in our Georgia mountains. Even native weeds with delicate blooms, some as small as a dime and hard to find on the forest floor, were highlighted. Other categories included: Fruits and Berries, and Grasses – good ones and bad ones.

According to the Georgia Exotic Pest Plant Council (EPPC) Invasive Plant list there are three category levels of invasive plants.

An exotic plant that poses serious problems to Georgia’s natural areas by displacing native species.
An exotic plant that is a moderate problem of doing the same but to a lesser degree.
An exotic plant that is a minor problem in Georgia but has been a problem in adjacent states.

There are many invasive plants and Marr cautioned that they can be difficult to eradicate, so she encourages everyone to be careful to not introduce them to our local ecosystem. But she noted that some non-natives can be tolerated and enjoyed like the Butterfly Bush and Autumn Fern, both so popular among Big Canoe gardeners.

As Fall begins to peak, she encourages all of us to take a hike and enjoy the many plants still sprouting before the winter cold takes hold. Continue to enjoy fields of Goldenrod, Aster, Sunflower, Snakerot, White Turtlehead and Strawberry Bush found in our beautiful meadows and forests of Big Canoe.

WFB’s leadership will continue to explore and identify the many plants of our community, so look for updates to the survey, as this ongoing initiative is embraced by even more plant enthusiasts.

WFB reminds all members to mark their calendars for our final get-together on Nov. 15 at Woodbridge Tavern in Jasper for an amazing end-of-the-year celebratory lunch. Members can sign up to attend and select their food of choice via the WFB monthly e-blast.

The Big Canoe Wildflower Bunch is an active club of gardening enthusiasts who meet monthly to enjoy knowledgeable experts speaking on a full range of gardening related topics. In addition, the WFB, hosts and spearheads many special events, projects, luncheons and field trips to sites and businesses that center around gardening throughout the year.

The WFB club’s primary objectives include:

Preserving and protecting the integrity of our natural mountain environment and its native flora
Providing educative programs and experiences
Promoting conservation of our natural resources
Enhancing the beauty of our community
Providing philanthropic gifts to Big Canoe and the area

Membership information can be found on our website https://wildflowerbunch.com/membership. The cost for membership per year is $20 and is open to any Big Canoe resident throughout the year.

COME GROW WITH US and visit our website, https://wildflowerbunch.com/, or Facebook page for real-time updates and future events.

Source: North Georgia Veterans

At 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 11, the Big Canoe Community Veterans Day Ceremony will take place in the Big Canoe Chapel. The event is open to the entire community.

U.S. Congressman Rich McCormick will be the guest speaker. Dr. McCormick is a decorated Navy and Marine Corps military veteran and emergency room physician who proudly serves Georgia’s 6th Congressional District, which includes all of Dawson County, in the House of Representatives. He also serves on the House Armed Services, Foreign Affairs, and Science, Space, and Technology committees as well as the select subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic.

Please plan to arrive at 10:45 a.m. for this Veterans Day Program you don’t want to miss!

For additional info, write to paulfgoldstein@gmail.com

Source: Big Canoe Wellness Collaborative

When a death occurs or a health emergency strikes, loved ones experience stress or grief and often are overwhelmed. They shouldn’t have to worry about whether the necessary documents are in place to allow them to handle legal, financial and healthcare matters.

With that in mind, the Big Canoe Wellness Collaborative has organized a series of three presentations to ensure that you and your family are prepared for such contingencies.

The first presentation is in the Mountains View Room of the Clubhouse at 2 p.m. Monday, Oct. 23. Part II is at 2 p.m. Monday, Nov. 6. The third part will take place in spring 2024. For the full schedule and additional info, go to the Wellness Center website’s education page.

Wellness Collaborative board member Sharon McCoy, an attorney whose practice focuses on estate planning and elder law services, will be among those presenting at the seminars. Below, she answerd some questions about the sessions.

Q: What are the Pre-Plan or Family Crisis presentations from the Wellness Collaborative happening this fall and early winter?

This series is a call to action to encourage all residents of Big Canoe to provide their family with a plan instead of leaving them with a crisis.

Most of us are familiar with situations where folks don’t plan ahead for incapacity or death – and are without basic legal and medical documents. Too often, this failure to plan causes a crisis: a person had dementia and their family had to go to court for a guardianship because they didn’t have financial power of attorney; siblings couldn’t agree whether to remove a dying parent from life support and so the person just lingered because they didn’t have an advance directive for healthcare; a recent widow with stepchildren was understandably stressed because she didn’t know if her spouse had a will and what, if anything, she would inherit. These situations could have been avoided If these families had planned ahead.

Q: What will be covered in the first session?

The Oct. 23 seminar is designed to give a basic overview of these concepts as well as the legal and medical documents that will help simplify emergencies and avoid the need for court intervention. Robyn Hall, a social worker for Piedmont Plus 60 who has specialized in serving the senior population for nearly 20 years, will discuss the Georgia Advance Directive for Healthcare; Do Not Resuscitate Order (DNR), and Physicians Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST).

I will use real-life stories from my law practice to illustrate the importance of having the medical documents, as well as HIPPA Authorization; Financial Power of Attorney; Last Will and Testament; and reasons to consider a Trust as part of your estate plan.

Retired physician Dr. Sandy Carter will add a professional medical perspective on the use of these documents as well as be able to speak to a person’s mental capacity to create them.

Q: What will be covered in the second session?

The Nov. 6 session is a make-and-take workshop. Dr. Carter and I will provide copies of the official Georgia Advance Directive for Health Care for each participant and will assist attendees in completing the document on-site. We will walk attendees through the various decisions to be made in the Advance Directive, including the selection of your healthcare agent; important post-death decisions regarding autopsy, organ donation and final arrangements for your body; life-support treatment options; and your nomination of a guardian if a court determines one is necessary. Our goal is that you leave with a fully executed and witnessed document setting forth your end-of-life wishes to give to your family and medical providers so that they are aware of your end-of-life decisions when the need arises.

Q: Do I need to attend Part I in order to come to Part II?

A: While attending both presentations is recommended, the second session at will largely focus on completing a Georgia Advance Directive for Healthcare, so those unable to come to the first session are still welcome. Please note that, unlike the first presentation, the workshop will have more limited seating than the earlier presentation.

Q: What will be covered in Part III?

The third presentation, to be held in early 2024, focuses on best positioning your financial world to provide for contingencies in the event of a disability, as well as simplify the settlement of your estate at the time of your death.  We will discuss the use of beneficiary designations, the ramifications of joint ownership of accounts, the importance of a financial power of attorney, the possibility of using Trust planning to avoid probate and protect assets, and the importance of having financial information readily available for your family.

Q: Do I need to bring anything?

If you’re married, we would encourage you to bring your spouse. You might also want to bring a notebook and pen to take notes.

 Q: How do I register and is there a cost?

There is no cost to attend any of these sessions and you can register by sending an email to education.bigcanoewc@gmail.com.

Please congratulate Mihaela Hillhouse, our Senior F&B Manager, for being chosen as a recipient of the 2023 Sally Burns Rambo Scholarship!

The prestigious scholarship provides financial support to female club managers interested in furthering their professional development. Recipients receive the tuition costs and travel expenses to attend their choice of one of the Club Management Association of America’s Business Management Institutes.

“Getting recognized by the Club Management Association of America is for me the highest professional achievement,” says Mihaela, who joined the Big Canoe POA in May 2022. “This is a dream come true.”

Mihaela traces the roots of her F&B career back to when she was a 3 ½ years old living in her native Romania. Eager to take care of a grandmother who was under the weather, Mihaela was instructed by her mother over the phone on how to boil eggs, which the girl served to her “Maya.” Although the youngster oozed pride over her first culinary foray, “how those eggs tasted, I cannot say,” Mihaela recalls.

Having worked in everything from a pizzeria to a water park to various clubs from New Jersey to Florida, Mihaela aspires to a greater leadership role and to ultimately run a property owner association.

“I have always loved taking care of people,” Mihaela says, “I enjoy the lasting impact I can have on someone’s life.”

Whether you’re up for a decadent midday meal, a health-wise option, or the best fries in North Georgia, we’ve got all your a la carte lunch and dinner options covered – deliciously – at the Clubhouse. Tuesdays through Saturdays, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. for lunch, and 5 p.m. to closing Wednesdays through Saturdays.

Enjoy classic dishes, from salmon BLT to bricked chicken, or test out one of Chef Michael’s inspired specials.

Did we mention the fries?

Don’t forget we also serve Sunday brunch from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Make your reservations at https://tinyurl.com/wzmehtjk

Wolfscratch Performing Arts is in the thick of its fall semester with more classes filling out its schedule.

Among the upcoming Wolfscratch courses and opportunities for Property Owners to sharpen their theater arts skills:

Hank Kimmel

PLAYWRIGHTING WORKSHOP, with Hank Kimmel, Mountains View Room of the Clubhouse, 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 23. The award-winning playwright, dramaturg, producer and founding member of Working Title Playwrights is teaching this introductory playwright course. Fee: $36

ACTING 201, with Jeffrey Kurtz, Wellness Studio in the Wellness Center, noon to 1 p.m. Saturdays, Sept. 30 through Nov. 11 – Jeffrey is a transplant from New York. He received his BA in Fine Arts at Brown University followed by a two-year conservatory program in New York City. Jeff is a former professional actor, director, producer and teacher who worked in theater, TV and film. Acting 201 requires completion of Acting 101 or an audition. Fee: $80. Info: Jeff@wolfscratchpa.com

THEATRE/STAGE DANCE, with Bonnie East, Wellness Studio in the Wellness Center, 2 to 3 p.m. on Thursdays, Oct. 19 through Dec. 14 – Bonnie, founder of Wolfscratch Performing Arts, has 16 years of dance training and danced professionally in “Best Little Whorehouse in Texas.” She has choreographed and performed in musical theater programs and taught at performing arts venues. Class includes technique, dance combinations, mind-body connection and having fun for all levels of experience. Fee: $85. Info: bonnie@wolfscratchpa.com.

Other Wolfscratch courses on storytelling, long-form improv and writing are underway, some of which are open to new students.

Click here for more information on all programs, classes and workshops, details.

Big Canoe Trails Committee

Are your kids or grandkids coming up for Trunk or Treat? Bring them to the Halloween hike!

The Big Canoe Trails Committee is excited to announce its first-ever Halloween Hike set for Saturday,
October 28, 2023 on the Lake Trail, which goes around Lake Disharoon.

This family-friendly hike will feature storytellers along the way to get you in the Halloween mood. The Halloween Hike is the newest addition to the semi-annual hikes that the Trails Committee hosts each Memorial Day weekend and Thanksgiving weekend. Trails Committee volunteers will guide groups of hikers along the lake trail that starts near the Wellness Center. There will be stops along the way to hear tales of the forest and maybe a ghost story or two. Treats for the kids will be available at each stop, and hot chocolate will be provided for everyone at the end of the hike.

The first group of hikers will depart from the Beach Club at dusk (about 6:15 p.m.) and last approximately one hour, covering one mile. New groups of hikers will depart every 15 minutes until we have accommodated everyone.

Due to roots and rocks along the lake trail, sturdy shoes are required, flashlights are recommended and
costumes are discouraged.

Info submitted by the Black Bear Project

Pick a fresh pumpkin and put it in a pie, but don’t put it on your porch!

Bears love pumpkins and will gnaw at your artistically arranged fall vignette until pumpkin guts spill down the steps. That goes for gourds too, and colorful cobs of corn.

Check out local craft shops where artificial pumpkins, gourds and corn fill countless shelves. Your real McCoy décor can happily reside indoors.

Always remember, a fed bear is a dead bear. Keep our wildlife safe!

For more information on bear safety, the BearWise website is an excellent resource.

The Big Canoe POA has always made the safety of Property Owners its top priority – which is why the POA website includes links at the top and bottom of every page to a community map with designated emergency exits. Just click the “map” button, download it to your computer or mobile device, or print out a copy.

On the map are the locations of the two general-access entries – the Main Gate and the North Gate – along with the five emergency exits and two restricted-access gates. All nine exits are available in case of an emergency, and the two restricted-access gates can be activated remotely. Property Owners should familiarize themselves with the exit closest to their home. Stay up to date with the maps available on the Big Canoe website or with the printed version available from Public Safety staff at the Main and North gates.

Please note that the five emergency exits will be opened only by the Public Safety team. Property Owners should plan to use them only when directed by staff.

Public Safety will alert Property Owners via email and emergency text when warranted. To find out how you can sign up for the POA’s emergency texts, go here. In the most extreme instances, Public Safety staff will go door-to-door to alert Property Owners.

Also, you can sign up for real-time text updates on floods, fires, water emergencies, road closures, missing persons and evacuations for Pickens County via CodeRED or for Dawson County via Smart911.

Please note that if any part of the community requires evacuation, staff will direct Property Owners to use the Main and North gates when it’s a safe first option. The other seven gates will be at the Public Safety’s disposal on an as needed basis.

If you have any non-emergency questions about Public Safety in Big Canoe, write to askthepoa@bigcanoepoa.org.