Kingspoint Crier: May 2023
Photo © Wendy Miller
Letter from the KP Presidents
Dear Kingspoint Club Members,
Thank you to the MANY volunteers who came out to our annual Spring Clean Up to help us prepare for the upcoming 2023 Summer season. We had a fantastic turnout, cooperative weather, and we successfully completed many projects.
It may be hard to believe, but the pool opens this month! The pool officially opens on Saturday, May 27, at 12 p.m., for the 2023 summer season. We look forward to seeing everyone at our 3rd annual 5K/Fun Run and our celebratory Memorial Day Cookout. Please mark your calendars and join us for both Memorial Day events.
Pool Hours:
May 27 - June 15:
Mon - Fri: 4:00 - 6:00 p.m.
Sat, Sun, & Holidays: 12:00 - 7:00 p.m.
June 16 - August 31:
Mon - Fri: 12:00 - 6:30 p.m.*
(Aug. 28 - 31) 3:00 - 6:30 p.m.
Sat, Sun, & Holidays: 12:00 - 7:00 p.m.
*Pool will close at 4:30 PM for home meets on 6/26, 7/3, and 7/17
Sept. 1 - Sept. 4:
Fri - Mon: 12:00 - 7:00 p.m.
LifeGuard and Pool Attendant Hours: The Club will be utilizing a combination of lifeguarded hours and swim-at-your-own-risk hours. The swim-at-your-own-risk hours will be monitored by pool attendants who will be managed by the Pool Attendant Manager, Cindy Timberlake.
When lifeguards are on duty, non-swimming children & children under 12 years old must be accompanied by an adult swimmer at all times.
Pool Attendants will manage the pool during the swim-at-your-own-risk hours: They will work during non-guarded times when the pool is open without a lifeguard on duty, when children (under 14) will need to be supervised by a responsible adult/guardian.
Club Rules: The Board updated and approved the Club’s Rules. They had not been officially updated since 2012. To view the complete list of Rules, please visit the Club Rules page on our website.
3rd Annual KP 5K/Fun Run:
Date: Monday, May 29th
Time: 8:30 a.m., 5K/Fun Run, rain or shine!
Location: The starting line and finish line are at the Clubhouse driveway on Northpoint Drive.
Cost: $40/adult, $20/under 16, family cap at $100 **all proceeds go toward the dock repair fund!**, price includes a race T-shirt and KP drawstring backpack!
Registration: Send an email to KPSocialComm@gmail.com with the following information:
Name(s):
Age Group(s): 12 & under, 13-18, 19-35, 36-50, 51-64, 65+
T-shirt size(s):
**PRE-REGISTERING EARLY GUARANTEES YOUR T-SHIRT SIZE**
Memorial Day Cookout: After you cool down from the Fun Run, come back to the Club to enjoy the pool and our celebratory Memorial Day cookout on the Kingspoint Green which begins at 1:00 p.m. (weather permitting).
Meals: To help cover costs, we suggest a donation of $15/family.
Drinks: Beer/wine will be provided for a suggested donation of $4 per.
Families with last names beginning A-F, please bring a dessert to share.
Families with last names beginning G-Z, please bring a side/salad to share.
*****All proceeds go toward the Capital Campaign for the Dock.*****
Would you like to help make our Cookout a success? Please consider signing up here on the link below to help our hard-working social committee.
Thank you for your support!
Swim Team: Registration is open! The season runs from the beginning of June until the end of July, with 3 home meets and 3 away meets. All interested KP Club members' children/grandchildren are eligible to participate, as are all non-resident members. Fees are $100 per child; fees cover coaching, VPSU costs, a t-shirt, and a swim cap. Register your child today on the Kingspoint Dolphins swim team website.
Practice starts on May 30 when the Kingspoint Pool opens. From May 30 until June 16, practices will be after school, and we will shift to morning and evening practice times once school is out! Meet dates are posted on the website.
We are excited to announce that our Dolphin Head Coaches are newcomer Anna Krus along with returning coaches Mary Blinn and Megan Pruitt! Longtime Kingspoint Dolphin, Will Patterson, will be assisting. Applications for Junior Coaches are open - please see the Kingspoint Swimtopia Coach page for instructions and submit your application!
For important information regarding our new volunteer structure and open positions, check out the leadership page on the swim team website. Please consider stepping into one of these roles THIS year to help smooth the transition!
Swim Lessons: In conjunction with the Swim Team, Cindy Timberlake has kindly agreed to hold a swim lesson session, for "advanced beginners" starting Monday June 5 and running for 8 sessions (M-Th) for 2 weeks from 5pm -5:45PM. This is designed for kids that want to participate on the swim team (ages 4-6) who aren't quite able to swim the length of the pool.
Cindy has also expressed interest in offering lessons to any interested non-swim team families. If you are interested in lessons please contact KPSwimteam@gmail.com.
Lifeguards: Interested in becoming a lifeguard at your neighborhood pool this summer? We want YOU! Continental has posted training classes in Richmond, Newport News, and VA Beach. Information can be found at Top Lifeguard Training in Southern Virginia | Continental Pools. Interested applicants can apply at Continental Season Lifeguard Form. The pay rate starts at $14 per hour and increases depending on the experience, availability, etc.
Dues: Thank you to members who have already paid their dues. Just a reminder that dues have been increased to $700. Please pay in a timely manner. If you pay dues quarterly, the second payment of $175 is due now. Jim Gravgaard, the KP Club Treasurer, will be sending electronic invoices to members via email; these invoices contain a link to allow you to pay the invoice electronically. You can also send your dues via a check made out to the Kingspoint Club, Inc., P.O. Box 365, Williamsburg, VA 23187. Questions? Please contact KPWilliamsburg@gmail.com.
Capital Campaign for the Dock: If you would like to make a gift to the Capital Campaign for the Dock, we welcome your donations. Gifts may be dropped off to the Treasurer, Jim Gravgaard, at 110 Overlook Drive (please call/text 804-370-3098 to let him know) OR they can be mailed to the following address: Kingspoint Club, P.O. Box 365, Williamsburg, VA 23187.
Facilities Committee Members: Sergio Ghio, the Facilities Chair, is actively looking for project teams and additional committee members to assist him on various projects throughout the year. Please reach out if you would like to help (KingspointFacilities@gmail.com).
Membership Committee Members: Meredith Robertson, the Membership Chair, is actively looking for more committee members to assist her in reaching out to welcome new residents. Please reach out if you would like to help (KPMembership@gmail.com).
Clubhouse News: Big News! In the beginning of May, we replaced the Clubhouse floor in the main hall. It is a beautiful update to a beautiful space. Come see for yourself! And, if you have a graduation, birthday, anniversary, baby shower, book club, work party, or other special event, please make a plan to book your rental today! Please contact Denise Koch at KPClubRentals@gmail.com or 757-870-0900.
Clubhouse rental rates in 2023:
KP Resident Club Member: $50 rental / 1x per calendar year
KP Resident Club Member: $150 half day ( 4 hrs.) /$200 full day (8 hrs.)
Non-KP Resident Club Member: $350 half day (4 hrs.)/ $550 whole day ( 8 hrs.)
Non-Club Members: $400 half day ( 4 hrs)/ $600 whole day (8 hrs.)
Recurring rentals for KP Club members: $25 per hour / 6 mo. contract
Website: www.KingspointClub.org It’s official–the new Kingspoint Club website is live! Be sure to check it out. You can now find everything Club related, including current and past Criers, on the website. Let’s take a fun trip down memory lane. Please share any photos that you have of activities, members, and the natural beauty of the pool, the clubhouse, the green, and the dock with (KPCrier@gmail.com). We would love to highlight the wealth of incredible Club memories we have created through the years.
Thank you,
Sarah Huber and Kim Lavach,
Co-Presidents, Kingspoint Club
Kingspoint Calendar
May 29th — Memorial Day Picnic and 3rd Annual 5K Fun Run, afternoon at KP clubhouse
May 30th — Swim Practices Start
July 4th — Pool Cookout at KP pool
Kingspoint Club Board
President — Sarah Huber and Kim Lavach
kppresidents@gmail.com
Treasurer — Jim Gravgaard
KPWilliamsburg@gmail.com
Secretary — Anna Thomas
KPSecretary757@gmail.com
Membership — Meredith Robertson
KPMembership@gmail.com
Facilities — Sergio Ghio
KingspointFacilities@gmail.com
Clubhouse Coordinator — Denise Koch
KPClubRentals@gmail.com
Additional Club Contacts
Social Committee Chair — MaryKate Galke
KPSocialComm@gmail.com
KP Crier Editors — Margaret Pizer and Dave Parrish
kpcrier@gmail.com
The Kingspoint Club, Inc. oversees our community’s recreational property on Northpoint Drive. This waterfront site includes a beautiful clubhouse, neighborhood pool, picnic area, dock, and a children’s play area. The KP Club operates the pool and clubhouse and organizes neighborhood social events for members. Membership in the Club is optional for residents, and includes use of the pool, boat ramp and dock. Members may also rent the clubhouse and pool for social events. Membership is required to attend some Club sponsored social events. Non- residents may also pay annual dues to use the pool and the clubhouse. For more information or to join, contact KPMembership@gmail.com.
Kingspoint Neighborhood Association News
Happy Memorial Day to everyone, and warm congratulations to all our Kingspoint neighbors who have worked so hard to successfully complete this academic year. This includes a special ‘thank you’ to all our neighborhood teachers, professors and academic support staff. And we acknowledge the efforts of all parents, grandparents and family friends who have supported and encouraged the students in their lives. This year’s class of 2023 graduates have shown tremendous resilience and dedication. We celebrate you all!
We can sense the excitement in the air as May melts into June. With another academic year at an end, we look forward to favorite summer pleasures, travel, and more family time.
Please remember to watch for families on their way to the pool and the Creek when driving through the neighborhood. More of us will be out walking, biking, and playing. If you are out in the early morning or late evening, kindly carry a flashlight or wear reflective clothing so drivers can see you from a distance and give you plenty of space. Walkers should remember to walk facing oncoming traffic, and to allow space for cars to pass safely.
Please also watch out for playing children on many side streets and more pets along the way. Remember to remind your guests and contractors to drive cautiously in Kingspoint.
A large truck that was delivering a vehicle to a Kingspoint neighbor cut the corner at our entrance earlier this month and gouged some deep ruts in the shoulder. Thanks to several neighbors who saw the accident and photographed the truck on Kingspoint drive, and to the neighbor receiving the car, we were able to reach out to the delivery driver. He was courteous, apologetic, and made a generous contribution to the KPNA to more than cover repair and replacement costs.
Thanks to Tom Mahone and Chris Bonday, our very dedicated volunteers who help maintain the entrance, the ruts were healed up within just a few days and everything was set back as it was before the accident. Tom and Chris are always looking for ways to help out and to keep Kingspoint beautiful.
KPNA Board member David Miller has also been hard at work this month making repairs to the community message boards at Fern Court. He has added some weather stripping to the doors to prevent leaks on rainy days and has replaced the cork backing in one of the boards.
You may have noticed that late May in Kingspoint brings out the biting flies, mosquitoes, chiggers, and ticks. It is that time again to protect ourselves and our children from these painful bites. Ticks and mosquitoes also carry a variety of harmful illnesses, vectored by their bites. Mosquitoes lay their eggs in as little as an inch of standing water. Please empty any standing water around your home frequently so they don’t have a chance to reproduce. There is additional information about mosquitoes on the James City County Website.
Spring brings a wide variety of wildlife back to our neighborhood. You may notice baby deer, baby rabbits, baby squirrels, turtles, skinks, frogs and snakes in your yard. Please watch out for these animals and help to protect them as they find their way to areas of safety in the ravines and around the lakes. We need to watch for them when driving, too, so we don’t accidentally hit these young ones who haven’t yet learned to stay clear of the streets. Some can get caught in netting in our yards or run into other difficulties. Let’s help protect the wildlife who share our community.
Leaving any food outside overnight, even in a vehicle, can attract larger, less desirable wildlife. This includes food wrappers, uncleaned grills, unsecured trash cans, and even seed for birds. Animals like bears have a keen sense of smell and will find their next meal, even if that means coming into our yard. Bird seed attracts rodents, and that can bring snakes into our yard to hunt.
Walking is such a pleasure when neighborhood yards are well-kept. Neighbors appreciate everyone’s efforts to make their own little corner of Kingspoint more beautiful this summer. We all notice the fresh plantings, renewed mulch, potted flowers, wreathes on doors and fresh paint on homes.
Many thanks to all neighbors, especially those on corners, who keep their grass trimmed. Biting bugs like chiggers and ticks love to wait in tall grasses and weeds for their next meal.
NOAA will issue their Atlantic Hurricane predictions for the coming months on May 25, 2023. Other forecasters predict 13-15 named storms this summer, and at least 6 hurricanes. The Atlantic hurricane season begins June 1. Long-time Williamsburg residents know how to prepare and what to expect.
New residents will find some tips on our Severe Storm Survival Guide on the Kingspoint Neighborhood website. Former KCI President Anne Allen and I compiled the guide several years ago, immediately following a hurricane that affected our community. There are some lists, some suggestions, and a few links to additional information that we pulled together while the experience was fresh in our minds.
James City County just named our new Police Chief, Mark Jamison, who will begin work on July1, 2023. He comes from Lynchburg. Learn more about him here.
Many thanks to Ann Hobson and Phillip Schneider for their continued work at our neighborhood entrance. Tom Mahone and Chris Bonday are continuing their dedicated efforts to keep the grass neatly trimmed. If you are willing to join our crew of volunteers to help with maintenance chores at the entrance, please get in touch with Ann at annhobson1010@gmail.com.
If you are new to the community, or have a new family living near you, please let us know so we can visit with a copy of the Kingspoint Directory and include them in the 2023 listings. Many thanks to Mary Haines, who has joined our team of volunteers, and the KPNA Board, to help greet new families in the neighborhood.
Please visit our KPNA website for news and useful community links.
Elizabeth McCoy kpwebmistress@gmail.com
for the Kingspoint Neighborhood Association Board
Kingspoint Neighborhood Association
KPNA Board President — Elizabeth McCoy — e.mccoy105@gmail.com
Secretary — Kenita Hill — arubahill@gmail.com
Treasurer — Karen Schneider
Members at Large — Ann Hobson, Harvey Manning, Melody Nichols, David Miller, Mary Haines
Honoring Graduates
Stella Sophia Kerscher, a senior at Jamestown Highschool, will be attending the University of North Carolina Asheville in the Fall of 2023. — Proud parents, Oliver & Aurora Kerscher
Conor Sokolowsky is graduating from William and Mary with a Bachelor's degree in Economics and a minor in Data Science. His future looked daunting as he prepared to start his 100-hour work week as an investment banker. In an attempt to extend his childhood just a tad bit longer, but mostly to drive his father crazy, he finally swam fast in college - really fast - on track for Olympic Trials cuts. As luck would have it, Trials are only a year away. Suddenly highly motivated, Conor managed to find a one year Master's of Accounting program at W&M that would allow him - as his father describes it - "to continue with his hobby." Despite this, his family is immensely proud of him and his achievements.
If you would like to congratulate a recent graduate in the Kingpoint Crier, please send an email to kpcrier@gmail.com.
Women’s Club
The Kingspoint Women's Club celebrated spring and the end of our season with a cocktail party on Sunday April 23. Over 40 attended bringing delicious appetizers and enjoyed a beautiful afternoon. Many thanks to Joyce Houff for organizing and for her service as KPWC President for the last several years. Stay tuned over the summer for notices about next year's activities.
Facebook Page
Kingspoint neighborhood has its own Facebook page to add info, photos, items for sale, invite neighbors to a last minute movie or bbq, post last minute updates for swim meets, cancellations, etc. This page is a "Closed Group", so you will have to "request" to be added (this prevents just anyone from joining the group and posting spam). But all residents are encouraged to request an invite!
Here is how you do this: Click to go to the KP Facebook group. It will say it’s a closed group, and then in the upper right corner, under the photo, you click on ‘JOIN GROUP’. The Admin for the group will approve all KP residents!
Little Dolphins
Looking to connect with other parents in the neighborhood? Consider joining the “Little Dolphins” Facebook page. It’s a network of parents in the neighborhood with kids ranging from babies to teenagers. (Just search for "Little Dolphins Kingspoint" on Facebook). It’s a nice way to meet parents in the neighborhood with similarly aged kids. If you aren’t on Facebook, or if you are having problems joining the group, email Tracy Sohoni, tracep@yahoo.com
New Crier Format
With the launch of the new Kingspoint website, the Crier will be published in this blog format. Please contact the editors at KPCrier@gmail.com with feedback, corrections, advertising requests, and more. Thanks!
Publishing in the Crier
If you have an event to share with the Kingspoint community or some news to report that you would like to see posted in the Kingspoint Crier, please send your contributions to kpcrier@gmail.com before the 20th of the month. The editors reserve the right to refuse and edit any submissions; the editors will not run any articles that overly or covertly target specific demographics or neighbors.
Subscribing to the Crier
If you know someone who wants to get emails when the Crier is published online, please ask them to send an email to kpcrier@gmail.com.
We cannot add names to the distribution list unless the request is send from the email address itself. Similarly, if you are receiving Crier emails and you would like to unsubscribe, please let us know at kpcrier@gmail.com.
Plant of the Month
Southern Magnolia. Learn more at “Plants I love and deer ignore.” © Elizabeth McCoy
Neighborhood Ads
Pet Sitting: Available Daily and Holidays, 4 years experience. Yuko Sato phone: 757-634-5447
Pet Sitting: Haley Elton offers dog walking and pet sitting services. Available daily. Contact her managing agent, Norman Elton, at 757-293-8346.
Baby Sitting and Pet Sitting: Carolyn Clinton is available for baby sitting and pet sitting. 757-903-7777. Twins John and Catherine Clinton are also available for baby sitting and pet sitting. John also mows lawns. Call their mother Susan Clinton @ 757-903-7205.
Baby Sitting and Pet sitting/walking: Hello all! My name is Lexi. I am a pet sitter and babysitter who has attended a CPR class and a training course for babysitting. I have lots of experience with animals of all types and breeds. Some other services I offer are watering plants, collecting mail, or taking care of your house while you are out of town. For reasonable rates and more details call or text 757-298-8798.
Daily pet visits, walks, overnight in your home: Experience with dogs, cats, birds, giving medica- tions. Retired teacher. In business since 2016. Lisa Garber. 757-848-8331 or beastiebestiesofwilliamsburg@gmail.com.
Your Photographs in the KP Crier?
It is always great to see beautiful pictures of our neigh- borhood. If you want your photos featured in the Kings- point Crier, then please send them to kpcrier@gmail.com. We cannot guarantee that every photograph will be featured, and we reserve the right to crop and rescale the photographs to limit the file size of the Crier.
Advertising Policy
The advertising policy for the Kingspoint Crier is as follows: business related ads are $10/ edition for a business card ($100/yr); $25/ edition for quarter page ($260/yr); $50/ edition for half page ($525/yr). We can provide an invoice if necessary. The space will be limited to a reasonable size to be determined by the Crier editors and space constraints of each edition; small ads of one, or two sentences, from residents and non-resident club members are free as a community service; non-profit and children’s ads are also free.
