Villages of Westcreek
Owners' Association Inc.
NEWSLETTER
February 2018
Quote for the month
“ The one thing we can never get enough of is love. And the one thing we never give enough of is love"
Henry Miller


In The Kitchen with
Villages of Westcreek
Tomato Basil Soup

Ingredients

  • 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 (11.5 ounce) can tomato-vegetable juice
  • 1 (14.5 ounce) can Kitchen broth
  • 20 fresh basil leaves, cut into thin strips
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/4 cup butter or margarine

Instructions
  • In a large saucepan, combine the tomatoes, vegetable juice, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, and cook for 30 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in the basil. At this point, you may puree the soup if you wish. Add the cream and butter; return to medium-low heat, and stir until butter is melted. Serve immediately.



Hello everyone,
 
I hope your new year is off to a great start!

January has been a very challenging month weather wise, we look forward to warmer days as we head into February.  I would like to take a minute and ask everyone to help Villages of Westcreek maintain a beautiful neighborhood. Being the second largest HOA in San Antonio we get a lot of realtor traffic and there are a couple of things that will help us maintain a more favorable buying and selling market. The first thing is obviously curb appeal and this includes things such as grass and landscaping as well as the condition of your physical structure. Another curb appeal item are trash cans, it is actually against the governing documents to keep your trash cans in view of the public. One thing you can do for this is, erect a "blind" or "screen" to store them behind if you have trouble or simply cannot get them to your back yard and if the garage is not an option. If this is something you would like to do then, please send standards@villagesofwestcreek.com a completed PIA form which can be found on the VWOA website. 

The other item is the appearance of the common areas, this includes the monuments at the entrance of your respective village, if you notice an issue please report it to the office. With that being said we are in the process of getting more energy efficient lighting for all of the monuments that currently have lighting and lighting for the ones without. In the long run this change will reflect a considerable savings on the 42 electric bills that the association is currently responsible for paying. If you notice lights not working or lights missing please email infoaction@villagesofwestcreek.com to report the issue. 

During the month of January we had all of the new lights that were installed stolen for their monuments. We are in the process of investigating the theft and having security measures constructed to prevent this in the future. Please be patient as we work to get lights back into the monument flower beds.

Regards,
Mike Hunsucker
Community Manager-VWOA
From The Desk of
The Administrative Director
Payment Options

  • Payments can still be made here at the VWOA onsite office during business hours
  • Payments may also be mailed to our office, made payable to VWOA, at 12395 Military Dr. West, San Antonio, TX 78253
  • You may drop check or money-order in the drop box, located to the right of our front entry doors at the business office. Make sure to include your address on your check/money order
  • Cash is accepted in the office
  • Credit Card Payments will be accepted only after the homeowner is registered with spectrumam.com
  • Pay by Phone 1-877-342-6233 your account number will be needed

Office Service Fees
Fax Service- $.55 per page
Yard Sale- $16.50
Replacement Photo I.D. Card-$11.00
Notary- $7.00 per Notarized Page
Copies-$.15 Black and White/ Colored $.20



A thank you note from :

  New Beginnings Children's Home
W e were definitely overwhelmed by your generosity this past holiday season. Not only to reach out and want to give to our kiddos but to be specific and give gifts geared towards each child knowing what they like. The overwhelming amount of gifts was incredible and VWOA most definitely made this a holiday season to remember.
So, from the bottom of our hearts, thank you. 

Tammy Ibach, LCCA 

New Beginnings Children's Home 
210-892-2915 office 
830-491-1854 cell 

From the Communications desk
        Just a reminder!!!     
 
Don't forget !
VWOA office is open the second Saturday of each month 
from 9am-1pm .

Office will be closed on
February 19, 2018
in observance of Presidents Day  

Report any suspicious activities or persons to
Bexar County Sheriff's office at 210-335-6000 .
If you see graffiti or vandalism in the Villages of Westcreek , please report it to the office at 210-679-8761 .
   
To monitor your account online, register your account at  www.spectrumam.com      
Prepare Your Home for Winter

Preparing your home for winter can potentially involve endless steps. As many of us know, a homeowner's work is never complete. So, to help you out, we compiled this short list of what we believe are some of the most important steps to preparing your home for the winter months.

Seal your Home from Moisture and Keep Heat In:
Your house should be sealed from moisture to ensure your home is as energy efficient as possible and to avoid damage from moisture seeping in. Sealing your home also involves minimizing the amount of heat that can escape from the inside. A great first step is to apply caulking to the joints/seams on your exterior which allow moisture to seep in. These "weather-points", as we like to call them, include around the windows and doors. By using a good quality elastomeric caulking product, you can prevent cold drafts and water intrusion.

Another important tip for the windows and doors is to make sure that your weather-stripping is not worn out, and is adequately sealing your doors and windows. (Weather-stripping is the rubber strip underneath along your doors / windows that helps insulate your home). This is an inexpensive fix that can make a great difference.

Check Your Paint Job:
If there are any raw, unsealed wooden areas on your home exterior, we advise sealing those areas to avoid damage that can be caused by the harsh weather of the wet winter. This may be as simple as applying a coat of primer (for example, to new siding), even if you are not able to paint it just yet. Sealing your siding for the winter will help prolong its life, until you have the opportunity to apply your desired paint. A clear sealant or stain for natural wood may also be a desirable solution. Remember that decks, being a horizontal surface, should be re-finished at least once a year.

Other Simple Steps:
There are several other smaller tips you can take advantage of to prepare your home for winter weather. Make sure to cover your outdoor furniture to prevent any damage or rust. To protect your pipes and hoses, we recommend placing a cap on exterior faucets. Also be sure to drain your hoses and stow them away to prevent freezing or damage to the hose. In addition to this, make sure that all of your gutters and downspouts are working properly. We also recommend cleaning your gutters by removing any debris that may have accumulated over time. You may also wish to purchase gutter-guards to prevent this type of build-up in the future; this is another simple, inexpensive solution.

Regards,
Charlie Wilkerson
Standards Manager-VWOA

With Spring Soccer starting February 19 here are some benefits to let your kiddos give it a try!!

T hree Incredible Benefits That Youth Soccer Has for Kids
 
Soccer is one of the most popular and important sports in the entire world, beloved by billions and played by millions more .

 In the U.S., it’s the second-largest youth sport behind basketball — and for good reason. There are countless reasons to encourage your kids to join a youth soccer team or attend a soccer camp. This sport can teach lessons and develop skills that will literally last a lifetime.

Is enrolling your child in soccer programs for kids a good choice? Here’s a look at just three of the many benefits that children and teens get when they learn how to play soccer:

Playing soccer gets kids active
Perhaps the biggest benefit that kids get when they learn how to play soccer is that it gets them physically active. Currently, only about one in three children engage in physical activity every day, even though it’s recommended that kids should be active for at least 60 minutes daily. Playing soccer is one of the easiest ways for kids to get their exercise in while having fun.

Youth soccer programs encourage friendships
Another great benefit of playing soccer? Because it’s a team-oriented sport, it is incredibly easy for kids who play soccer to make friends in their own age group that can often last a lifetime. Soccer teaches important life lessons like teamwork and good sportsmanship that can help foster healthy, worthwhile peer-group interactions.
  Teaching your kids about soccer can improve your family bond
By kicking around the soccer ball in the backyard with your son or daughter, you get to engage in special parent-child bonding that’s rare to foster anytime else. It shows you take an interest in something he or she is passionate about, and helps you stay involved in your child’s life .

If you would like to sign up your kids for the upcoming season please visit www.westcreeksports.com or you can contact Jason at activities@villagesofwestcreek.com

~ VWOA Scheduled Meeting ~
February 2018 
~ VWOA Community Events Calendar ~
February 2018