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                        From the desk of the Community Manager 

I would like to take a minute to thank all of the homeowners who show their support of the Villages of Westcreek by notifying the office of issues. I have had a few emails about issues that need to be taken are of immediately but simply cannot and so I would like to explain why this is this way.
There have been several instances of renters moving out and leaving clutter on the curb. The frustration being expressed is, that the office cannot simply go out remove the clutter. Per the laws that govern HOA's we are required to give sufficient written notice and deadlines to "cure" the violations. This is especially true when it comes to anything that will impose a financial penalty to the homeowner in question. Although we cannot discuss any lot with anyone except for the lot owners, I assure you that every step is being taken to get these occurrences rectified as expeditiously as allowed by law.
Spectrum's job is to work with the Board to create the best possible HOA and hopefully, in the end, the best HOA in the city. 

If you see something that needs attention please email the office at infoaction@villagesofwestcreek.com


Regards,
Mike Hunsucker
Community Manager-VWOA
   ASSOCIATION REPORT CARD
as of 5/31/2017
HOA Assessment remaining from 2016 $8,407.81
HOA Assessment 2017 $51,615.23

as of 6/30/2017
HOA Assessment  remaining from 2016 $7,128.74 (decrease of $1279.07)
HOA Assessment 2017 $32,120.91 (decrease of  $19494.32)

Unpaid assessents as of 7/31/2017
HOA Assessment remaining from 2016    $5,396.99 ( decrease of $1731.75)
   HOA Assessment 2017  $87,605.42  ( increase of  $55484.51)
  With back to school around the corner when driving through the Villages of Westcreek and neighboring communities, we would like to remind you to be alert of children going to and from school.  
 
The VWOA Board of directors has voted to extend the pool operating hours in order to allow homeowners more time to use the amenities. The new pool hours will be Monday- Sunday 10 A.M. to 10 P.M.

  Smash Dance starts September 11,2017 thru. December 17,2017 Creative Dance provides a fun way to learn the foundation of, music timing, and fun choreographics. Ages 3-5 yrs. Monday @6:00 P.M- 6:45 P.M First class is free $15.00 Per Class $169.00 Full Session   Our office hours starting Aug.7.2017 will be Monday thru Friday from 9:00 A.M to 6:00 P.M  
Farmers Market is in full effect every Thursday from at 9:00 A.M. till 1:00 P.M. The market will be located in the overflow parking lot adjacent to the Community Center.
 
  Just a friendly reminder VWOA office is open every second Saturday of each month from 9:00 A.M. - 1:00 P.M. Please remember to be observant in your neighborhood.

Report any suspicious activities or persons to the 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.
   
We encourage you to immediately register your online service center account at  www.spectrumam.com  using the access code.   
Community Activities

Another soccer season is upon us and I would like to share an article with all the parents. This doesn't only apply to sports in Westcreek but all youth sports.

THE IMPORTANCE OF PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT IN YOUTH SPORTS Parents, when it comes to the impact you have on your child’s sporting experience, do not underestimate your influence. Children learn from watching others and copying the behavior they see demonstrated. It is most often the parent who is the first person to introduce a child to sports, and parental involvement can affect whether a child enjoys the experience or not (1, 2, 3).
 
ROLE OF PARENTS IN YOUTH SPORTS Parental involvement in sports can be looked at as a continuum from not involved at all to overinvolved (3). It can range from low to high and from positive to negative. Positive involvement includes supporting your child through ways such as verbal encouragement, your presence at a game, allowing your child to make his/her own decisions about what sport to participate in, and providing financial and other resources that enable his/her participation. Negative involvement refers to directive behavior, and pressure to win or perform up to a parent’s expectations. Recent research has shed light onto the relationship between parental involvement and the type of youth sports experience a child has.

SUPPORTIVE PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT IN SPORTS It is not surprising that the research overwhelmingly points to a connection between positive, supportive parental involvement and a child’s level of enjoyment and success in the sport he or she is playing. (1, 2, 3, 4). It has also been suggested that a moderate level of involvement would be the optimum level of parental involvement (1). Hellstedt (1) theorized that overinvolved parents may create high levels of pressure, while under-involved parents do not provide enough support to facilitate a child’s desire to participate. But those parents who are moderately involved seem to provide just the right balance not only to facilitate enjoyment, but also to challenge the child to continue to grow and develop his/her skills. On the surface, this theory seems to hold up. Without support, especially financial and emotional, it would be very difficult for a child to be able to participate, and the pressure felt from the parent who is overinvolved could easily take out all the enjoyment of playing sports.
 
OPTIMAL LEVEL OF PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT IN SPORTS However, what appears to be the most significant finding is that it may not actually be what you do that affects your child’s experience. Rather what appears to be important is how your child perceives what you do (2, 3). For example, you might be classified by others as a parent who does not seem very involved, yet if your child perceives your support and feels that your level of involvement is just right, they would be more likely to have an enjoyable experience than another child in the same situation who did not feel like their parent’s level of involvement was optimal.
 
WHEN INVOLVEMENT IS STRESSFUL FOR YOUTH IN SPORTS So how do you know if your level of support and involvement is optimal? Simple – ask your child. Stein et al. (3) recommend that you discuss with your child the ways in which you are involved, and ask your child how he or she wants you to be involved. They also recommend discussing with your child things that you might do involving their sports participation that could be perceived as stressful for your child, and also things that your child enjoys. If your child feels you are a bit over-involved, it may be difficult to hear. The best thing you can do for them in this case is to really take to heart how they feel and reduce your involvement if necessary, no matter how much it hurts.

REFERENCES (1) Wuerth, S., Lee, M. J., & Alfermann, D. (2004). Parental involvement and athletes’ career in youth sport. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 5, 21-33. Retrieved December 5, 2005 from Science Direct database. (2) Anderson, J. C., Funk, J. B., Elliott, R. & Smith, P. H. (2003). Parental support and pressure and children’s extracurricular activities: Relationships with amount of involvement and affective experience of participation. Applied Developmental Psychology, 24, 241-257. Retrieved December 5, 2005 from Science Direct database. (3) Stein, G. L., Raedeke, T. D. & Glenn, S. D. (1999). Children’s perceptions of parent sport involvement: It’s not how much, but to what degree that’s important. Journal of Sport Behavior, 22, 591-601. Retrieved December 5, 2005 from Academic Search Premier database. (4) Hoyle, R. H., & Leff, S. S. (1997). The role of parental involvement in youth sport participation and performance. Adolescence, 32, 233-243. Retrieved December 5, 2005 from Academic Search Premier database.   
 
                                 August Lawn & Garden To-Do List
Lawn Maintenance and Preparation Level low spots, remove weeds, and choose your seed to get ready for fall planting. Aerate and dethatch your lawn. If there is plenty of rainfall, apply fertilizer. Keep mower blade on the highest setting. Don't worry if parts of your yard turn brown this time of year – it happens.
Annuals and Perennials Divide and transplant perennials after blooming. Trim and fertilize your containers. Deal with late-season pests with a spray of water from the hose. Treat diseased plants, and remove diseased foliage. Prune back vigorous climbers and train them around trellises while the growth is soft. Propagate plants by harvesting seeds, taking cuttings, or layering. Continue deadheading! Lightly shear prolific bloomers such as catmint and coreopsis. Label your plants with garden stakes, particularly perennials that die down to the ground in the fall. In colder zones 1-3, begin moving your houseplants indoors to acclimate them.

Vegetables and Herbs Cut herbs to dry or freeze for winter use. Plant fall vegetable and herb seeds. Plant garlic for spring harvest. Enjoy your harvest!

Shrubs and Trees Plan Ahead Place orders for spring bulbs.  If you live in a warm climate, put them in the refrigerator to chill. Place orders for shrubs and trees to plant in the fall. Apply compost starter to new compost to speed up decomposition for fall use. Take pictures, or make notes, of plants you like while they're blooming and full of leaves. Take note of the growth habits of shrubs for future pruning – they should be at their fullest about now.

Maintain Water, water, water! Early morning is the best time to water – target plants directly, and water deeply.  Avoid getting leaves wet in the hot sun, and avoid soaking containers during the hottest part of the day – both of these can burn plants. Keep close watch on your birdbaths, water features, and hummingbird feeders – take steps to correct or avoid mold, stagnation, and mosquito larvae. Continue weeding to reduce competition for water and nutrients. Beware of powdery mildew, which is caused by moisture and humidity. Help prevent mildew by watering in the cool of the morning, when roots can absorb water but excess will evaporate as the day warms.  Also avoid overhead sprinkling in mildew-prone areas. Do not compost leaves that are mildewed. When the temperature is over 85 degrees,
Pick up and destroy fallen fruit from fruit trees to limit insect reproduction. Make sure newly planted shrubs and trees get plenty of water. Install stakes for training and shaping. avoid chemical applications such as fertilizer, fungicide, or insecticide.
Add compost and mulch to keep your garden cool and to prepare for fall planting.
                                           GOOD NEIGHBOR PRACTICES
Ever wonder what makes a good neighbor?  Well, these are probably things that make the majority of us happy when we see our neighbors taking care of the little things.  
Good neighbors usually have the tendency of doing these types of things:
They have pets, which they keep them from roaming, keep them quiet especially at night, walk them with leashes always.  Clean up after them when walked.
They love music, but they keep it down to where they are the main ones hearing it, and not blaring it to where the whole neighborhood has to put up with it.
They have kids which are taught to pick up after themselves and not play around any vehicle for their own safety.  Pick up trash and toys before going inside and not have the neighbors pick up after them.
They now have one too many vehicles but have taken the time to clean out their garage to park the cars in and make use of the driveway rather than parking in the street or worse blocking your driveway so that you can’t come or go.
They help you mend the shared fences.  They may not have the money, but they have the time and the skill to make that repair and they pitch in however they are able to.
They have made an effort to get to know you a little bit, and they have asked you for your contact information in case there is ever an emergency, and without saying anything you know that they care about you and their neighborhood.
They make the effort to look up and smile at you and waive hello as you hurriedly run out of the house ready for the big day ahead of you! 
 
   Upcoming events:
Carnival in the Park 
August 12, 2017
1-8 PM
Sports Park
There will be food vendors and rides for the kiddos 

Board meeting
August 17, 2017
7 PM
Community Center



Picture credit-Reggie Harmon, BOD member