Trails Committee Announces First Ever Halloween Hike

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.

Pick a pumpkin, but keep it off your porch

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.

Preparing for the Worst: How to be Ready for an Emergency in Big Canoe

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.

 

Oktoberfest Returns Oct. 7 – Tickets on Sale Now

Exactly one month from today, we welcome fall with our annual Oktoberfest, transforming Wolfscratch Village into a Bavarian Village for lovers of brats, beer, lederhosen, dirndls, and all manner of family-friendly harvest festival fun. And this year, we combine our food and beverage team’s delicious offerings with The Varsity!

You will enter on Wolfscratch Circle near the Racquet Club. Hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7.

These bad boys are your ticket to a meal from the Varsity.

This year’s event will be broken into experience zones, including:

Main Street: This is your entry point and it runs along Wolfscratch Circle. Main Street features clubs and community organizations, shopping, entertainment, and snacks with a bar serving beer, canned cocktails, and non-alcoholic beverages.
Off Main Street, the Racquet Club Patio transforms into the Big Canoe Lounge featuring a bar, the Black Bear Society, a cigar roller, and a Big Canoe Golf Amenity simulator experience. Your entertainment is provided by Big Canoe’s community radio station, the one and only Inside the Gates Radio and their DJs.
Continue down Main Street and you will arrive at Festplatz, a traditional covered beer garden where a polka band will provide the entertainment. Come sample brats and burgers with all the fixings on long bench-style seating. Festplatz features two beer trucks pouring draft. Bring out your best lederhosen and dirndls because this is the place for you!
The Family Fun Zone is a kid-friendly area just past Festplatz in the Big Canoe Chapel’s lower level parking lot. Here, you will be entertained by Big Canoe’s Acoustic Showcase and eat at The Varsity. Your children and grandchildren will have numerous fun activities and games including gem mining. The Fun Zone will feature a designated family photo spot to capture all your Oktoberfest memories.

What do you need to do to make your Oktoberfest great?  Avoid our notorious Oktoberfest lines by pre-purchasing your entry wristbands and food and beverage tickets. Just walk up, hand in your ticket, and you are off to enjoy the event with friends and family.

Wristbands are $10 for everyone 12 years and older. Children under 12 are free.

Brats, burgers with chips, and the Varsity tickets are $10. The Varsity will serve naked and chili dogs, fries, and onion rings – but there are only 600 tickets, so get them while you can. As a bonus, the first 200 Varsity customers will receive a famous Frosted Orange with their meal. We are measuring Big Canoe’s appetite, no pun intended, for partnered offerings and hope it is a huge success.

Tickets for beer are $8; non-alcoholic beverages are $3: and canned cocktails are $9. Ticket sales start today at the Wellness Center, Golf Pro Shop in the Clubhouse, and the Racquet Club. All Oktoberfest wristbands and tickets can be charged to a lot number.

What happens if I do not pre-purchase tickets? No worries – you can buy them at the event with cash and credit cards. You can also charge it to your lot, which requires you to show your lot card. Reminder: our Oktoberfest lines are infamous and we hope you choose to avoid them.

There are more details to come about numerous shopping opportunities – and out vendor lineup for 2023 is full. We’ll also have more information on parking, tips on getting to the event area and more. Check back to learn more about his year’s Oktoberfest.

If you have any questions, please write to askthepoa@bigcanoepoa.org.

Wellness Center Indoor Pool Converts From Saltwater to Chlorine

By Steve Panetta

Director of Wellness Activities

This week, the indoor saltwater pool at the Wellness Center was converted to a chlorine pool.

The conversion is relatively easy, but I thought you might have some questions about the process and what it means to you. 

Q: Why did we convert the indoor pool from saline to chlorine?

A: The saltwater pool indoors can prove corrosive in an enclosed environment, as opposed to an outdoor saltwater pool. The only way of eliminating corrosive side effects caused by the saltwater filtration system was to get rid of the salt in favor of chlorine. The new system will have a chlorine stick feeder built into the plumbing. Chlorine is added through the filtration system.

Q: Isn’t a chlorinated pool harder on the body than a saline pool?

A: It’s true that salt water is softer but salt that is put directly into the water of a saline pool is converted to chlorine. A saltwater pool is cleaned using a filtering system called a salt chlorine generator, which uses electricity to turn salt into chlorine. The water in the indoor pool is still tested for chlorine, which is kept between the standard 2 ppm (parts per million) to 5 ppm. That’s the same level of chlorine found in a saline pool.

Q: Will the outdoor pools be converted to chlorine too?

A: No. Because the outdoor pools are not enclosed, they do not have the same corrosive effect on their surroundings as the indoor pool.

Q: Will the whirlpool be converted to chlorine?

A: Not at this time. However, we will monitor the whirlpool and possibly convert it as well.

 

 

Looking for a few good men/women for the Architectural and Environmental Control Committee

By Treena Parish

Department Manager AECD

Due to term rotation, the Architectural and Environmental Control Committee (AECC) will be accepting resumes to fill two positions on the committee.  The mission of the Architectural and Environmental Control Committee is:

To be guided by the decision-making authority that has been delegated to it by the POA Board and General Manager
To work in an advisory capacity with the Architectural and Environmental Control Department to protect the beauty and environmental integrity of the community and the property values of Property Owners.

These are three-year terms. Meetings are convened on the first Tuesday of each month at 2 p.m. at the Fire Station.

If you are interested in putting your name in the hat, Please fill out the attached application and email it to tparish@bigcanoepoa.org.  We will be accepting resumes until Oct. 27.

Big Canoe Comedy Ensemble Returns for Two Performances on Sept. 25

By Margo Vallone

When the new Comedy Ensemble, founded by Jackie Agers and John Herzler, launched its premiere performance of the Big Canoe Medicine Show in May, an over-capacity crowd quickly filled the Veranda with a large number of disappointed folks turned away.

If you were one of those or if you missed the May show, you now have a double chance to tickle your funny bone. The group will be back to entertain you with two performances on Monday, Sept. 25 at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. in the Mountains View Room of the Clubhouse.

In preparation for the September shows, some of the original comedy sketches parodying life and traditions in Big Canoe have been tweaked a bit, and a few new ones added, including “The Golden Girls Marooned on Lake Petit.” Some of the other short episodes include hilarious portrayals of residents’ visits to various POA offices, what goes on behind the scenes at the Wellness Center, a peek at the Big Canoe Housewives Hiking Club, and the Ensemble’s outrageously funny rendition of “The Dating Game,” north Georgia mountains style!

The 16 short sketches were written mostly by Director Jackie Agers and a group of Big Canoe writers. All of the actors and production and stage assistants are Big Canoe residents, most of whom have had no former theater experience but had great fun discovering some real hidden talents while working and play-acting together. Craig Looney, a founder of the Big Canoe ITG radio station, will be the master of ceremonies for the performances. Expect a few undisclosed “mystery celebrities” to make cameo appearances in some of the sketches!

Seating for each performance is limited to 80, and the admission charge is $10 per person. Registration opens on September 1 and closes on September 22. Space is reserved on a first-come basis, so please reserve quickly. To register please email bccomedyensemble@gmail.com with your name, phone number, lot number, the show time — 4 p.m. or 7 p.m. — and the names of the people you are making reservations for. Note: Only four persons per lot may be registered. You will receive an email confirming your reservation(s). To secure your seats, place a check (no cash please) in an envelope, payable to Big Canoe Comedy Ensemble in the Comedy Ensemble alpha box at the Postal Facility. You will then receive an email confirming your non-refundable payment. Reservations will close when both
performances are sold out.

Get in on the Fun That is Big Canoe Bocce

Worried you missed your chance to play bocce now that registration for conference play has closed?

Needn’t fret. You have plenty of opportunities throughout the week to get in on this wonderfully social sport imported from Italy via the Northeast. Played on the stunning bocce courts that opened at the Wildcat Recreation Area in 2021, the game is free to play for members of the bocce amenity with a court fee for non-members. Just check into the Racquet Club to reserve your court. If you don’t have the bocce balls, the Racquet Club will provide them.

For more information or to make a reservation, call the Racquet Club at 706-268-3367.

Among the numerous opportunities to roll:

The Bocce Boys meet at 8 a.m. daily with coffee in hand and a positive attitude to start the day. John Feight, who heads the Bocce Boys, can be reached at 770-851-1377.
The Bocce Girls play at 9 a.m. Thursdays as a group organized by Judi Schoeler, who can be reached at 315-415-5096. This wonderful collection of female players gathers to improve their skills and mainly have fun.
Monday Night Bocce is from 5 to 7 p.m. weekly and is open to everyone. Bring a snack to share and your beverage of choice for this great opportunity to make new friends and get to know your neighbors. Contact Karen Santucci at 706-502-6101 to get on the email list.
Twilight bocce adds a nice, dusky twist to the game. Ask about checking out the glow-in-the-dark balls at the Racquet Club.

If you are new to the sport, you can check out these tips on how to master bocce by Bocce Boys capo John Feight at https://wp.me/p4wMJH-4W0

If you have family members visiting or just want to try out this great game, contact Racquet Club for more information at 706-268-3367.

Post Title

By Mathew Parks

Grounds & Landscape Manager

When riding around Big Canoe, there are indicators that fall is almost upon us. The hints of fall color on the trees and the arrival of specific insects can be indicators of that change.

One insect in particular that is prominent in late summer and early fall is fall webworm. They are a native caterpillar that usually shows up in August and September throughout North America and southern Canada. Their main habitat is the hardwood trees where they feed on leaves within their web for a few weeks before turning into a light-colored moth. The preferred hardwood trees of choice in this area are sourwood, cherry, oak, and sweetgum.

The defoliation of the leaves is unsightly but causes no real harm to the host tree since the webworms feed on leaves nearing the end of their annual life cycle rather than on next year’s leaf buds. Big Canoe POA does not treat for fall webworms within the community. Since the damage is more aesthetic than harmful, University of Georgia Extension agents recommended that property owners do nothing. If the decision has been made to get rid of them, chemical control is not effective due to its inability to penetrate the web.

There are other means that can be implemented to remove or treat the insects. If within reach, the best control method is to remove the web and destroy it. This is the most aggressive treatment because this may disfigure the tree. Another option would be to use a pole, stick, or rake to open up the web so birds and other natural predators can take care of the problem. If the webworms can be tolerated for a while, they will eventually leave on their own.

Back in Big Canoe: Every Meal is a Feast With Chef Michael

When Clubhouse Chef Michael Gogolin was just starting his culinary career, he adopted a dining philosophy that every meal should be a cherished, celebratory meet-up. Every day is a holiday and every dining experience is a feast.

That passion for communal dining has its roots in Big Canoe, where Michaels parent’s, Pat and Elton Gogolin, vacationed with Michael here in the ’90s. During those visits, cookouts, dinner gatherings, and fellowship around the table were a staple of their time in Big Canoe.

“Dining is a celebration of coming together, with food and friends and family, regardless of whether it’s just a Tuesday lunch or an anniversary dinner,” Gogolin says. “That’s something I experienced here when I was in Big Canoe as a kid. And it’s something I instill in my cooks, my chefs, and everyone. If we ever do a Sloppy Joe Tuesday, they had better be the best Sloppy Joes we can make.”

Rather than making Sloppy Joes, the culinary leader of the Clubhouse has programmed a well-received series of themed food nights that have included the King and Queen’s Surf or Turf, Barbecue With a View, Seafood Soiree and Southern Comfort. Featuring live food stations and delivered at a single fixed price, these dining experiences reflect Chef’s personal food passions as he works to build the capabilities of his new kitchen staff.

In the years since his family started visiting Big Canoe, Chef Michael worked in everything from eateries that specialize in comfort food to fine dining establishments. He opened his own farm-to-table restaurant in Woodstock; developed the food program and oversaw a cigar pairing menu at the Buckhead hotspot Whisky Mistress; and honed his executive chef skills in everything from gourmet grocery stores to high-end resorts. That range – and a deep understanding of how to best manage a kitchen staff – will serve him well in his return to Big Canoe.

“Our team is here to provide top-tier food to Property Owners,” Chef Michael says. “While we onboard and train our new kitchen staff, the live staged menu is the best option for delivering a wide range of selections with consistently great quality.”

This setup also allows Chef Michael to present a dizzying variety of food. For example, the combined offerings of the four themed dinner menus for the week of Aug. 7 include more than 80 different food items to sample. Along with providing so many options, the format also allows Chef Michael to turn the Clubhouse into a testing ground to better determine the tastes and preferences of Clubhouse guests. What he learns will factor into what he serves in the future.

After he has served the themed menus for several weeks, Chef Michael estimates that he will have a large enough “sample size” that he can adopt some of the most popular dishes from the themed dining experiences as staples of future a la carte menus.

The opportunity to share his passion with a community where he has deep roots is a gratifying bonus, Chef Michael says.

“Food is something universal, like music, that everyone needs and enjoys,” Chef Michael says. “But there are hundreds of ways to do this. And not everything is for everyone. My mission, in addition to building and training our kitchen staff, is to learn our Property Owner’s tastes so we can deliver the highest standard possible as we move forward and grow.”

To make you reservation at the Clubhouse, either call 706-268-1253 or use OpenTable on the POA website.