The Pelican Point Digest-Spring 2018

Welcome to the Spring edition of the Pelican Point Digest. This publication will be sent by email to you on a quarterly basis. We'd love your feedback! Tell us what you would like to see in the Pelican Point Digest.  Click here.

NEW!! Pay your HOA Dues Online with an E-Check or Credit Card Pelican Point, The Greens, and Pelican Isle Commons residents now have the freedom to make a dues payment using a credit card or an e-check, from any device, day or night. Powered by PayLease , this online feature allows residents to pay on a one-time or recurring basis. There is a flat $2.95 fee for paying with an e-check (bank draft), and a 2.9% fee for paying with a credit card. The annual Pelican Point HOA property dues are $450.00 and are due June 1, 2018. Invoices will be mailed in late April. Click here to register to pay online .

Updates from the Pelican Point HOA Committees

Landscape and Maintenance Committees Front entrance and back entrance landscaping have been upgraded. Mulch will be laid throughout common areas. Shed at back entrance has been repaired to accommodate new security camera equipment. Fountains at the front entrances have been repaired with new light kits. Triploid Carp have been purchased and added to our troubled waters. Click here to learn more about the benefits of Triploid Carp, what ponds they were added to, and a few pond tips. Click here to see the differences in Triploid Grass Carp and Common Carp. If you are fishing and accidentally catch a Triploid Carp, please place it back in the water.

Street Improvement Committee Meetings were held with the Ascension Parish President, Kenny Matassa, our Councilman, Bill Dawson, and the Pavement Division. The Pavement Division has proposed using sonar underneath our streets to determine the exact problems. Our Councilman will bring the proposal to the Drainage Department at the May 7, 2018 Drainage Board meeting. Pelican Point residents are encouraged to attend. If approved, the sonar will be done and the results will determine the Parish's next steps in beginning road repairs.

Safety and Emergency Preparedness Committee Security Cameras: Construction Surveillance Systems has installed new security cameras and equipment and will provide semi-monthly maintenance on all equipment. The cameras will provide a description of vehicles entering and exiting and will photograph license plates entering and exiting. The system will be able to provide law enforcement with a license plate number, vehicle occupants, and vehicle description, should the need arise. A big thank you to Betty Gravois and Pete Orosz for their hard work in making this happen for the Pelican Point community. Street Lighting: Entergy and Ascension Parish have the final plans in place for some additional street lights in Pelican Point. Installation of the new lights will begin in the next few weeks. Also, all existing lights will be replaced with LED bulbs.

YOU can help keep Pelican Point SAFE! Click here and follow the steps to report street lights out near your house. Click here and follow the steps to report holes in the road, drainage problems, sign maintenance, etc. If you witness suspicious activity around your house or a high volume of speeding vehicles, contact the Sheriff's Office. If you feel it is an emergency, call 911. For a non-emergency, call 225-621-8300 option 1. Sign up for the Pelican Point Emergency Alert System. Click here for tips on vehicle safety, home burglary protection, and golf cart safety here.

Social Committee Join the Pelican Point HOA in these great neighborhood events. It's a wonderful opportunity to meet your neighbors! July 1, 2018 - Fourth of July Celebration October 14, 2018 - Fall Festival December 11, 2018 - Ladies Christmas Dinner (The April 29, 2018 Crawfish Boil has been cancelled.)

Fifth Ward Volunteer Fire Company News After the flood of 2016, Fifth Ward VFD in partnership with Sorrento VFD were able to purchase a "Shallow water rescue boat". The boat is a very expensive piece of equipment that will be used by both Fifth Ward and Sorrento.   In 2017, their donation appeal letters were sent to 1,969 addresses. 232 of the 1,969, 11.8%, responded with donations. There were 78 new donors in 2017. The total amount received in 2017 was $17,810. However, this was a net loss of $1,125 from the amount collected in 2016.      Pelican Point has the majority of residents who respond WITH A DONATION. A fact we can be very proud of. However, we can do better. If you haven't done so already, please donate to the 2018 campaign. Click here for the donation letter mailed to homes in March. Thank you for your support of our volunteer fire department.

The Greens Happenings (submitted by Millie Matherne) Marketing materials describe The Greens at Pelican Point as an active senior community. Well, that is absolutely true, with active being a more accurate description than senior . Here's a peek into what's going on in the age 55+ development. Wine Night at the Community Center Bunco has made a comeback International Foods Potluck Freelance writer, Lynn Dias-Button, for "Where to Retire" magazine

Garden Club News (submitted by Sandy Cusick) Spring is finally here and it is time to fertilize your lawns, citrus trees, shrubs, palms, and roses. Click here for fertilizing tips . Not quite sure what to plant in your flower beds? Check out the Louisiana Nursery blog for help choosing the perfect plants for our climate, louisiananursery.com/blog.  Would you like to know what native plants to plant in your garden to attract birds? The National Audubon Society has developed a national database of bird friendly native plants that attract, nourish, and shelter birds in our yards. Click here to visit their website . You can search by zip code and get results matched to our local climate and bird population.

Yards of the Month (Yards of the Month were not chosen in February due to the cold weather.)

April Small Yard of the Month Donald & Gayle Smith

April Large Yard of the Month Ritchie & Wonda Hofmann

March Small Yard of the Month Troy & Sharon Rose

March Large Yard of the Month Joseph & Michelle Helfrich

Neighbors in the News

Walk-Ons Opens in Prairieville "Gonzales Weekly Citizen 03/26/18" Pelican Point residents and franchise partners Kevin Harrison and Miles Holley celebrated the grand opening of their new Walk-Ons on March 26, 2018. They wanted to bring a great sports bar to Ascension Parish so families and friends of all ages can come enjoy the games while getting some of the best food around. Cheers to a big success! Read more...

Proud Grandparents celebrate an LSU Tennis Scholarship! Pat and Jerry Vaught who live in The Greens, are thrilled that their granddaughter, Ashton Rabalais, recently signed a tennis scholarship with the LSU Women’s Tennis Team. Ashton is a graduate of The Academy of The Sacred Heart in New Orleans and is currently enrolled as a freshman in the Honors College at LSU. She is a pre-med major. We look forward to watching Ashton and the Tigers play tennis in the SEC. Geaux Ashton!!!!

If you or a family member were in the news or have news to share, please let the HOA know so it can be included in the next edition of the Pelican Point Digest. Click here or email the information to admin@pelicanpointgc-hoa.org.

A word from our State Representative, Clay Schexnayder U.S. Rep. Garret Graves announced that the federal government has allocated an additional $1.213 billion grant for funding hazard mitigation projects in parishes impacted by the 2016 floods. Read more to find out how this funding could help Ascension Parish.

$$ Money Matters $$ ( submitted by Luke Trosclair Wealth Solutions , LLC.) Are you in your fifties and unsure if you have enough retirement savings? You can start saving and investing more of your pay than you currently do, or you could work longer so you have fewer years of retirement to fund. Click here to read how the second choice might be more manageable and might also work out better financially.

Teaching People and Organizations How to Jump Now to More Success - Carol Pierce Our friend/neighbor/fellow Pelican Point resident Carol Pierce made one of her fondest dreams come true buying the courtyard home of her dreams right here in the Greens of Pelican Point 12 years ago. Today Carol remains busy helping people of all ages make their own dreams come true. Whether it's resumes, job hunting strategies, professional editing, or book design, Carol is ready to become your Success Coach and help you Jump Now. Read more!

What's Up - What's Down Michelle Smith is a realtor with Gardner Realtors and a Pelican Point resident. She will be telling us What's Up and What's Down in the Pelican Point housing market. What's Up: Currently there are 25 homes for sale in the neighborhood with an average day on the market of 52. Total assets for sale are 9.3 million. The lowest selling price is $204,500; the highest selling price is $799,900; the average selling price is around $372,012. Click here to check out What's Down in Pelican Point over the past 90 days!

CARA's House is an animal shelter derived from a public-private partnership between Companion Animal Rescue of Ascension (CARA), a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization, and the Parish of Ascension working to serve lost and abandoned animals in our community. They will be collecting gently used or new shoes; flip flops, tennis shoes, cleats, boots, dress shoes, men's, women's and children's. They must be in pairs and cannot be falling apart. Please start cleaning out your closets and tell all your friends, coworkers, and family. They will set up a drop off time and place in the coming week. Visit their website to find your furever friend or for more information on volunteering or donating. If you have a furever friend you would like to brag about, please send pictures and pet stories to admin@pelicanpointgc-hoa.org.

HOA Do's, Don'ts, and Did You Know's Do park your cars in the driveway instead of the street or lawn. If you are having guests and the driveway is full, temporary street parking is okay. Do keep your garage doors closed. Do pick up after your pets while walking through the neighborhood. Don't let your pets roam free. Don't forget to get approval from the ACC before changing the outside appearance to your house. Did you know that golf cart drivers must obey all traffic rules and must have a driver's license or a driver's permit accompanied by a licensed driver. Did you know that golf carts should carry liability insurance? Did you know Pelican Point streets are the responsibility of Ascension Parish (with the exception of The Greens, The Commons, River Winds, Mallard Cove, and Hidden Cove)?

View all Pelican Point Restrictions

View ACC Standards and Guidelines

Keep Your Home in Tip Top Shape Springtime is here and it’s time to assess the toll winter weather may have taken on your home. The American Society of Home Inspectors, compiled this checklist to help you target the key areas that need attention.

Spring Home Maintenance Tips

Let's Get Cookin' MISS SISTER’S GUMBO Z’HERBES (GREEN GUMBO) Recipe by Mary Ferchaud, Story by Jerry Folse, HOA President Mary Ferchaud, also know as Miss Sister, went to work for the Folse family about two weeks after the May 11, 1955 death of their mother. Click here to read Jerry's heartfelt story about his beloved Mary and get the recipe to her Gumbo Z' Herbes.

Have a recipe you would like to share? Click here.

Golf Course Grass Cutting Practices Pelican Point Golf Club as well as many other golf courses, including high-end courses that have hosted Major Championships and PGA Tour events, rarely cut native areas of their golf course. They have taken areas where golfers should not normally hit a ball and rarely cut these areas to penalize the golfers for hitting a bad shot. This is part of everyday life in the game of golf. Read how this strategy creates positive impacts on the golf course and the ecosystem. If anyone has concern about the grass in the native areas growing tall, please don’t be alarmed, it’s just normal golf course maintenance practice!

Calendar of Events

Pelican Point Golf Club 225-746-9900  Enjoy great food at the newly renovated clubhouse where all Pelican Point residents and their guests are welcome!               Every week at the Clubhouse... Wednesday Kids Night Thursday Live Music & 50% off select wine Friday Live Music Flight Restaurant Menu

Names and Numbers to Know Sheriff (non-emergency) 225-621-8300, opt. 1 Ascension Parish Public Works 225-250-1013 WastePro 504-392-4619 HOA Office 225-473-0004 For lawn and landscape maintenance, pressure washing, tree trimming, etc., call the HOA office for a referral.

Looking for things to do close to home? Visit Tour Ascension for a calendar of events. Here are a few happenings in April. Spring in the Park Family Fun Day April 18, 2018 Dinner and Wine Under the Oaks April 24, 2018 St. John’s Festival de la Prairie April 27, 2018 Small Business Power Week April 29, 2018

Classified Ads Do you own a business? Are you looking for a certain item to buy? Are you selling an item? You can advertise on the Pelican Point HOA website and Facebook page. Send the information to admin@pelicanpointgc-hoa.org

Would another family member like to be added to our email list?  Need to update your phone number for the Pelican Point Directory?  Click here.

Thank you for taking the time to read the Spring edition of the Pelican Point Digest. Let us know what you think (click here).  Your input is greatly appreciated.

The Pelican Point Digest needs your help. Would you like to place an article in the next edition? Click here or email admin@pelicanpointgc-hoa.org. In search of neighbor interviews, pet stories, travel stories, sports stories, achievements, etc.