Category: Social Lites – Courier

If you happen to bump in to either David Peters or Bryan Bahr in the coming days or weeks, please thank them for volunteering to serve on the POA’s Architectural Control Committee.  Then you can also congratulate them, because you’ve elected them to do just that.  Bryan is an incumbent who you’ve asked to serve another year on the ACC, whereas David will be joining the ACC for the first time, and will serve a two-year term.  While you’re at it, I hope you’ll take a moment to consider how your lives are made easier by these (and other) volunteers.  By definition, volunteerism is “time willingly given for the common good and without financial gain.”  
Much like your POA Board, you elect them, but that’s only made possible because they have offered their time and talent without compensation (other than a heart-felt “thank you”), totally for your benefit.  
Think about that.  I mean, really consider all the good things that happen in our lives that wouldn’t happen at all were it not for a person, or group of people, freely giving of their time and skills (even money) to serve their neighbors.  The operative word there is the “free” part of freely.  And what’s not to like about free?  Free is good, right?   So, why is it, do you suppose, that we too-often tend to value and appreciate those services we pay for more than those which are made “free” to us?  Makes no sense.  After all, nothing is truly free.  I mean, goods and/or services can only be free to us because they were already paid for, in either time or money or both, by someone else.  Volunteers.  And, because they do what they do, life is made easier for the rest of us. 
For the dozen or so of you Bentwater neighbors who weren’t lining the route for the July 4th parade on Thursday, you missed some incredible displays of imagination, creativity and patriotism.  And, as impressive as the “floats” and displays were, perhaps the most gratifying aspect of it all is just knowing that we’re blessed to be part of a community that participates so enthusiastically in creating and preserving our exceptional quality of life.  While all the participants are to be congratulated, there were a few, according to the judges, which shined above the rest.  By category, the winners were:  Most Patriotic – Rodgers Stein Chiropractic; Most Creative Design – North Shore Church; Most “Encompassing Spirit” – Bentwater Volunteer Families, and; Judges’ Choice – Todd Avery.  And a particular thanks to the POA board and staff for their efforts in managing the hundreds of details necessary to produce such an event.  The fact that most of you didn’t even notice those details is a testament to the efficiency and effectiveness of that team.  Kudos POA!!
Send Bentwater fun news and social tidbits to Bruce at Bruce@TheLakeConroeGroup.com

The community of Bentwater is just that.  Though it has a population larger than most towns in our corner of Texas, it’s a community.  It’s Americana the way it used to be.  And never is that more evident than during Bentwater’s 4th of July celebration.  It’s a place and time for friends and neighbors to come together for too much food and drink, to enjoy one another, to honor tradition and soak in the satisfaction of belonging.  Thanks to the tireless efforts of the entire POA and country club staffs, Independence Day is one of the highlights of our year with the best fireworks show anywhere around the lake, and a parade that gets more and more creative each year.  Whether you’re a participant or a spectator, the parade shows off a deep sense of pride.  Pride in our country.  Pride in our state.  Pride in our community.  Pride in our heritage.  When we consider our heritage, our mind often wanders to tea parties in Boston or Independence Hall or the Liberty Bell, and it certainly is all those things.  But, in fact, we’re creating heritage for others even today, every day.  Ready or not, consciously or not, our simple actions can leave indelible impressions on others for generations to come. Case in point, my grandmother had a hand-embroidered tapestry (actually just a piece of framed cloth) on her parlor wall that read like this.  Lord, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.  I’m sure most of you have read or heard those words at different times throughout your life.  But, since I’d watched her spend weeks stitching those words on that white cloth, I naturally assumed the words were hers.  I mean, I was a kid so what did I know?  But my assumptions were mostly based on the fact that Gramma seemed to know things that others didn’t and she actually lived by those words for nearly 100 years, just a few months shy of a century.  I was blessed to be part of her life for about half of those years. That’s one example of heritage in the making, but it isn’t limited to events of yesteryear.  Because, as of today, the first half of 2024 is officially in our rearview mirror.   And as we look forward to this Independence Day celebration week, it’s perfectly okay to show your pride.  After all, America enjoys a quality of life that much of the rest of the world can’t even imagine.  By the way, that didn’t just happen by accident and it won’t continue by accident.  Freedom isn’t free, so may we all work for the serenity and courage and wisdom to celebrate, and keep, our heritage.  Happy Independence Day, Bentwater.
Send Bentwater fun news and social tidbits to Bruce at Bruce@TheLakeConroeGroup.com

You know about the Bentwater Civic Association, right?  Of course you do, because the BCA does lots of things that make your life better and easier.  But all those good deeds don’t just happen by themselves.  It’s all thanks to their board, all volunteers, and one of those volunteers is Bobby Viktorin.  Now when he threw his hat into the ring and agreed to become part of the BCA board, he was crystal clear that it came with zero compensation.  But we all know that volunteering comes with all sorts of benefits.  And, when he was elected President of this particular volunteer group, karma really kicked in.  Case in point, last week the golf gods gave Bobby a bonus he’ll never forget.  
Yep.  Bobby made his first hole-in-one.  It was on #8 Miller and, for those of you familiar with that hole, you know it’s actually one of the longer 3-pars on any of the Bentwater courses.  Definitely not a chip in.  Never one to be timid, Bobby laced a 25-degree wood (or fairway metal or whatever the proper name is these days) through a howling wind, straight into the hole.  Okay, it actually bounced and rolled a few yards but it really did find its way to the bottom of the cup.  Ace!  And there were witnesses.  Kevin Doris, Dan Brown, Fred Ziker, and Keith Neely were there and will swear to it, though they might have a slightly different recollection about those 50 MPH wind gusts.  Nevertheless, congratulations are in order, and so are drinks next time you see him at the club.  Cheers Bobby!  And thanks for serving.
Switching gears, even if you were one of few paying attention when your seventh-grade teacher was boring the class with details about the summer solstice and the vernal equinox and other such cosmic things, you can just forget about all that now.  Because it’s a well-known fact that summer in Texas officially begins on July 4th.  At least that’s when the fireworks start (pun intended).  And, in Bentwater, the annual fireworks show is always preceded by an epic parade and you can bet there’ll be some awesome imagination on display again this year.  Of course, you can always sit along the parade route and wave as you watch dozens of the funkiest golf carts ever and amazingly-decorated other modes of transportation (and walkers) pass by.  But, as with every aspect of life, there are spectators and there are participants.  
And, since you still have over a week to get your creative juices flowing, why just sit and watch when you could be the star of the show.  After all, you know you love being the center of attention.  And, since you probably didn’t have a hole-in-one this week, here’s your chance.  Hoping to see ya’ in the parade.  I’ll be the one riding with the border collie who thinks he’s Uncle Sam.
Send Bentwater news to Bruce at bruce@LakeConroeFineLiving.com

Next Sunday I’ll be wishing everyone Happy Father’s Day, but today’s alert is just to remind all the non-dads out there that it’s coming and suggesting you shouldn’t wait until the last minute to decide how best to make it memorable for him. Stumped? Well, here’s a suggestion (and it’s much better than a tie). Maybe help uncomplicate his life.  Gather up all those old tax returns and other useless, no-longer-needed papers that are clogging drawers, closets and the garage and get ready for the Bentwater’s Civic Association’ periodic paper shredding party. It’s happening next Saturday, June 15 (that’s the day before Father’s Day if you’re keeping track) from 9 to noon in the front parking lot of the NorthShore Church.  Best of all, it’s free.  That is, of course, if you’re a BCA Member. Not a member?  No worries. You can join at the event and the annual dues are a mere $20. The shredding fee for non-members who are Bentwater residents will be $5/box.  But remember, this is a BCA sponsored event and held as a service to the community. So, if you aren’t a BCA member, don’t feel insulted if you’re asked to provide ID showing that you actually are a Bentwater resident.  Thank you, BCA. Meanwhile, your Architectural Control Committee has four very competent candidates vying for two open seats to be filled for the coming fiscal year.  Voting will be online starting June 17th (that’s the Monday right after Father’s Day) and will continue through June 30th at noon.  The candidate receiving the most votes is elected to a two-year term and the candidate with the second most votes is elected to a one-year term.  Both will then be given the afternoon off to catch their breath, and they’ll need that because their responsibilities kick in the very next day, July 1st.  Many of you are already acquainted with some, or all, of the candidates and may have already decided who’ll be getting your vote.  If so, that’s awesome. For others who might not have a clue of who’s running or why, you can learn what you need to know on the POA website.  Just login and you’ll see a “dashboard” in the left margin. One of the links is labeled Community Communications.  Go there and select the Bulletins option.  There you’ll find resumes and photos of each candidate so you can form your opinions.  Of course, opinions are worthless unless they also turn in to votes and this election is typically decided by a very small percentage of residents even bothering to vote.  So, your single vote could be the difference maker.  That’s real power and knowing that should at least stroke your ego a little bit. But even if your ego is full pumped already, vote anyway.  
Send Bentwater news and tidbits to Bruce@TheLakeConroeGroup.com

No where is it written that folks aren’t allowed to create their own memories on Memorial Day, and that’s exactly what Soy Butler did.  After hitting, who knows, maybe a million golf shots (most of them pretty good), she finally hit a tee shot into the hole.  Yep, she scored her very first hole-in-one and, best of all, she had three very credible (if not somewhat jealous) witnesses, Darlene Bumstead, Christy Tatum, and Kevin Tatum standing by watching it all happen.  Seems that Soy’s 4-hybrid was the perfect club on that perfect day to hit a ball on a perfect path the 133 yards between the tee to the pin on #8 Miller.  You can bet it’s a day Soy will never forget, but you still might want congratulate her with a high-five whenever and wherever you see her next. There’s a pretty good chance that it’ll be on a golf course somewhere.  Meanwhile, here’s hoping your Memorial Day was equally memorable (even if you didn’t have a hole-in-one). 
And now here we are, officially into summer.  Yes indeed.  It’s summertime and the livin’ is easy, at least according to George Gershwin.  Of course, even when life isn’t so easy, the living part is always pretty sweet in Bentwater.  Still, this time of year it’s more than a bit toasty.  It’s downright hot.  And when it’s this hot we sometimes have a tendency to move a bit more slowly. That’s why I want to give you plenty of time to get your creative juices flowing and start preparing to decorate your golf carts and other vehicles in a way that reminds us of why our country exists and how it was born.  You can help create the most patriotic 4th of July parade ever.  I’ll remind you of this again as we get closer, but the parade itself will take place on Thursday, July 4th.  That may seem obvious but, in the past, there have been times when it was held on the weekend before or after when the actual day fell mid-week.  So, now you know.  
And you’ll also know (because I’m telling you here) that there will be prizes awarded in four distinct categories which are: Most Patriotic Design, Best Creative Design, Most “Encompassing Spirit” of the Holiday, and Judges’ Choice.  The parade is once again orchestrated by your POA and, starting at 9 AM, they’ll have team members registering entries at the corner of Camden Hills Drive and Hampton Glen, and staging for a 10 AM start.  The parade, followed by a world-class fireworks display later that day (once the sun goes down), kicks a series of activities through the weekend, thanks to a collaboration of your POA and Country Club.  So, swap your umbrellas for a big-brimmed sun hat, and get ready for an epic summer. 
Send Bentwater news and tidbits to Bruce@TheLakeConroeGroup.com