December 2015

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HFLA Board of Directors:

Dan Rogers, President - 706-694-2401

Les Sanders, VP and Grounds Liaison - 706-463-2416

Rick Johnson, Treasurer - 706-694-3250

Chip Whitfield, Secretary - 706-694-2515

Zach Smith, Pool Liaison - 706-260-5160

Contact the board at highlandforest@yahoo.com or by clicking the Contact Us link on our website: highlandforestonline.com

HIGHLAND HIGHLIGHTSDecember News from the Board

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from our families to yours! We hope you will join in our holiday events this month! Special thanks to Lisa King for organizing our Annual Food Drive and Christmas Caroling Party! Please see the details for these events on page four of the newsletter.

You will soon be receiving your agenda for the HFLA Annual Meeting. The meeting will be held on Tuesday, January 12, 2016, at 7:00 pm at Varnell Methodist Church. Please plan to attend!

A HUGE thank you to Victor Allred for putting down new carpet in the Highland Forest pool house! He donated the carpet from his company, Infinity. It is a luxury woven vinyl product which should be a perfect fit for areas that constantly see moisture from swimmers at the pool.  Thanks Victor!

Highland Forest Garden Club

Decorate the Neighborhood - December 3

We will meet at Arnetta Williams house, 140 Old Hollow Trail, at 1 PM. We'll put together greens and bows to hang on the street signs and hang wreaths at

the entrances of the neighborhood. Any fresh greens you can gather from your yard or free tree trimmings from Lowes or Home Depot would be great. Bring garden gloves and clippers if you have them. Even if you’ve never attended a Garden Club event, please feel free to join us! This is a fun chance to meet everyone and contribute to the holiday spirit of our neighborhood!

Christmas Party - December 9

We will meet at Theresa Haddock's home, 309 Eden Park Drive, Rocky Face, at 11:30 AM. Pat Lee and Cindy Carson will be helping plan a delicious lunch.  We will also have a gift exchange of a wrapped $10 item. Please RSVP to cindycarson@optilink.us by Friday, Dec. 4.          

If you have any questions, please call Nancy Hill at 706 694-8088.

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Book Club Diane Rogers - 706-694-0120

The book club is open to all Highland Forest residents. We officially meet the first Monday of the month at 7 pm. - Please note - July through October meetings have been moved to the second Mondays due to the way the calendar falls.

December 7:  Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris Hosted by Shirley Siegle, 143 Old Hollow Trail. We will have an optional book exchange. Bring a wrapped book - can be an old favorite or a new suggestion for the exchange. We will also do a voluntary contribution to the Varnell Little Free Library. Children’s books are the most needed item for the Little Free Library. Lastly, please bring an appetizer or dessert to share! This is always a fun evening and we would love to have a chance to meet some new friends or catch up with old friends! Please call Diane Rogers (694-2401) or Tammy Baxter (694-0918) if you have any questions!

January 6:  The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom

February. 1:  Take Me With You by Catherine Ryan Hyde

March 7:  Dead Wake by Eric Larson

April 4:  A Fall of Marigolds by Susan Meissner

May 2:  The Secret Chord by Geraldine Brooks

June 6:  The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

*July 11:  Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng

*August 8:  The Storied Life of A. J. Firky by Gabrielle Zevin

*September 12:  I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes

*October 10:  Prayers for the Stolen by Jennifer Clement

November 7:  Rosemary: The Hidden Kennedy Daughter by Kate Clifford Larson

December 5:  Circling the Sun by Paula McClain

Editor’s Notes Tammy Baxter 706-694-0918 Please share your events and news with us for the Highland Highlights! New babies, anniversaries, graduations and any other noteworthy events are welcome! Pictures from around the neighborhood are also welcome! The deadline for the January newsletter will be December 27th. Items can be sent in by email at highlandforest@yahoo.com or by using the Contact Us link on our website www.highlandforestonline.com Please tag us in your photos on Facebook! Thanks again for all your submissions! Please call me if you have any questions or issues with the email, Facebook page or website! Our newsletter is available each month on our website and can be viewed as a photo (page by page) or as a pdf file.

We are getting very close to 500 Likes on our Facebook

Page! Please share with your neighbors and friends! We use

this page to communicate information between

newsletters each month!

December 2015

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Welcome New Neighbors! Bobbie Medlin - 706-264-8617bpmedlin@optilink.us

If you are new to the neighborhood please let Bobbie know when the best time is to contact you or come by. She will bring you a neighborhood directory and other useful information regarding our community!

LM Pet Sitting

Are you going out of town? Does your pet have a frown? If so call LM Pet Sitting to make your pet happy! Call Lynne Wright or Meredith Barber for information on rates and care!

Meredith - 706-264-0068

Lynne - 707-271-8441

City of Varnell Christmas Project

The children's names are in for the Varnell Christmas Project. Come by and adopt your kids today! Come to the city hall building Monday- Friday 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. Also feel free to call for details (706) 694-8800. We had a great year last year and are hoping to continue all of the hard work and help that everyone put in!

Found in Highland Forest on 5 Nov.: Gym bag & items.  Call to identify:  706-581-3173.

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TIS THE SEASON FOR GIVING & GOOD CHEER…

THE ANNUAL HIGHLAND FOREST NEIGHBORHOOD FOOD DRIVE &

CHRISTMAS CAROLING PARTY

WHEN: SATURDAY, DECEMBER 19TH

10:00- 2:00 P.M. FOOD DRIVE

6:00- 8:30/9:00 CHRISTMAS CAROLING PARTY

ON SATURDAY, DECEMBER 19THFROM 10:00 A.M. - 2:00 P.M. VOLUNTEERS WILL

BE AVAILABLE TO COLLECT DONATIONS AT THE HIGHLAND FOREST POOL PARKING LOT. ALL DONATIONS GO TO THE VARNELL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH FOOD BANK IN AN EFFORT TO RE-STOCK NEEDED ITEMS FOR THE HOLIDAYS AND HELP FAMILIES IN OUR

COMMUNITY.

FOLLOWING THE NEIGHBORHOOD FOOD DRIVE WILL BE OUR ANNUAL CHRISTMAS CAROLING PARTY AT THE PAVILION.

CHILDREN, YOUTH, AND TEENAGERS ARE WELCOME TO JOIN US FOR PIZZA, TREATS,

HOT CHOCOLATE AND CHRISTMAS CAROLING. WE’LL GATHER BY THE FIRE AND KICK

THINGS OFF WITH A SPECIAL VISITOR FROM THE NORTH POLE!

FESTIVITIES BEGIN AT 6:00 P.M. WITH PIZZA AND TREATS

CHRISTMAS CAROLING AT 6:45/7:00- 8:30 P.M. HOT CHOCOLATE AND GOODIES AT 8:30 P.M BY THE FIRE.

VOLUNTEERS ARE NEEDED!! MIDDLE SCHOOL OR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN NEED OF

BETA CLUB AND COMMUNITY SERVICE VOLUNTEER HOURS CAN HELP WITH THE FOOD DRIVE AND THE CHRISTMAS CAROLING PARTY. TO GET SIGNED UP OR FOR MORE

INFORMATION ABOUT THE EVENT PLEASE CONTACT LISA KING AT (706) 271-7085.

December 2015

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Wreaths For Sale for a Great Cause!

John and Terri Stutz are a family who lived here in Highland Forest for about 8 years. They now live in Ellsworth, Maine. They were also foster parents for Whitfield county DFCS. During that time, they adopted two children. They have been in the process of adopting a biological sibling to these two. The baby is in foster care now. Some unexpected legal expenses have come up and they are raising funds to cover those and additional travel they had not expected.

Christmas is just around the corner! It’s time to start thinking of your holiday decorating. This year why don't you decorate with handmade wreaths and garlands from Maine. Your purchase will help The Stutz's raise money for unexpected legal and travel expenses as they pursue the adoption of the biological siblings of their two adopted children. Here is some more information on the wreaths and how they are made.

Maine's economy is primarily a seasonal one. From May to October the state relies on tourism and commercial fishing for income sources. Many of the tourist seasonal employees will work October to December to make wreaths for several companies that then sell and ship worldwide.

Maine's abundant evergreen forest are trimmed or "tipped" for the branches that are then hand woven and attached to the wreath base. This helps cultivate healthy evergreen forests and income for many Maine residents.

It is easy!!! Just go online at www.wreathesofmaine.com. make your selection and select when you want your wreath to arrive. When you are in the checkout process, be sure and select Johnathon and Stephen Stutz ID 4546 as the sellers. The Stutz's will receive a commission for each item sold. Keep in mind these make great gifts that you can have delivered to family and friends. Please place your orders by December 4th!

If you would like to help the Stutz's by selling, just call Terri. She can send you a for brochure and order sheet. Any and all help is really appreciated!! If you have any questions at all, call Terri at 423-710-6563. She will be happy to take your order over the phone.