Tow To Go program

Just in from Sector 4 Crime Prevention Officer Bryan Tittle
Holiday Celebration Safety
Here is some great information from AAA. They are again offering the Tow to Go program, which offers intoxicated people a free tow, taking both the driver and the vehicle safely home. Anyone who needs this service can call 1-800-AAA-HELP (which is also their 24-hour emergency road service number.) The caller does not have to be AAA member and there is no charge. This service runs through and including 1/1/08.
If you ever need this on other holidays, there is a list of the ones the service covers on their website at www.aaasouth.com/acs_news/tow_to_go.asp. Those dates are for 2007; you can check back in 2008 for a revised list.
Tow To Go

2008 Holiday Schedule & Fact Sheet
A Partnership Between AAA Auto Club South & Budweiser
A program offering Members and Nonmembers, a confidential free-ride home and tow of their vehicle in order to avoid a potential drunk-driving situation.
Since its inception in 1998, "Tow to Go" has safely removed more than 7,000 potentially drunk drivers from the roads
Call 1-800-AAA-HELP -- the call will be directed to a ERS Call Center, depending on where the call originates
The AAA call taker knows to dispatch a contractor participating in the program (contractors have already agreed to be a part of the program)
The AAA contractor arrives at the vehicle and takes the vehicle and the driver safely home, free of charge to the motorist

Also please remember to use a designated driver. Even a small amount of intoxicants can cause impairment before you even realize it. Many of the local cab companies have also offered similar programs in the past. Drink responsibly and have a safe and happy holiday season!!.

HAPPY HOLIDAY'S

I would like to wish everybody a very happy holiday. It has been a good year for Bent Oak, with out everybody's help and time you have spent watching out for your neighbors, and have them watching out for you, we could have had more problems than what we did. With Christmas right around the corner, and then comes the New Year, so if you are going to be on the roads new years eve please drive Safe!!!! Lets have a great 2008, again thank you for a good year...... Dave Sukkert

Bent Oak Image

The Bent Oak Image

Santa: “OK, here is Bent Oak in Apopka, FL…. nice community. They always decorate their homes, and even put out luminaries on Christmas Eve to help guide my sleigh. Surely everyone there has been good! We can just pack up the presents they put on their lists and deliver them, right???”

Elf: “I’m checking out Bent Oak on my visual GPS right now, Santa. Whoa! Bent Oak should look great by the time you and Rudolph get there!

“ Yep, Santa….Bent Oak has definitely been good this y……OOPS! Wait a minute…..Oh no! There are some boats and trailers parked in driveways instead of behind the fences. There are far more cars than necessary parked on the streets and some are in the boulevard. Maybe I spoke too soon about the debris on the streets. I think some folks just never will learn how to bundle their yard waste, and they are so inconsiderate when they put it out days ahead of pick-up. I’m afraid those kids playing down there might not be able to see those cars that are going a little too fast. Don’t they remember the speed limit is 25 mph??? Ouch! There is a lady who just slipped on a sidewalk and fell! I thought the neighbors remembered to pressure-wash their sidewalks after the summer rains, but I guess someone forgot! Phew! Someone also forgot to clean up after their dog as they walked it! And there are a few cats wandering around. I just hope none of the children will lose their pets. All pets should be kept inside or on a leash. ..so sad! “Okay…this is the last straw! I see someone vandalizing some Christmas decorations that are being put out now!

Santa: This sounds bad, but surely, everyone in Bent Oak is not being naughty! I hate putting coal in stockings instead of gifts!

Elf: No, Santa, most of the Bent Oak folks are good neighbors. It’s a beautiful community, and the property values are good. It’s still a little early to pack your sleigh. Let’s give those Bent Oak folks a few more days…you know, we’re just making the list…we must check it twice to find out who’s naughty or nice…..

Santa Claus is coming to town! Which list are you on this year??????

A NOTE FROM THE PRESIDENT

Dear Bent Oak Residents,

Each year since Clay Springs Elementary School was built, the Bent Oak Board of Directors has received numerous calls from our residents about the congestion at our main entrance on weekday mornings. The concern is for the safety of children, both from our neighborhood and children who are dropped off in our entrance. Elementary school children stepping out from between parked cars are in jeopardy of not being spotted by vehicles driving through our entrance. There are other complaints as well, about the difficulty getting out of our neighborhood during morning drive time, and some of the residents near the entrance have had damage to their property. We've also had many requests for 'No Parking' signs, mostly from Bent Oak parents who don't feel the situation is safe for their children trying to walk to school.

The board has contacted the county for help in dealing with this situation presented to us by our residents, and the solution we have sought on more than one occasion was curbing for the four corner properties. The county has turned this request down each time, even with a turnover in our area representative. In trying to work with the county to help alleviate the risk, as this is essentially a road issue that the neighborhood has little control over, their solution was to put in the signage you now see on each corner. This signage accomplishes nothing other than to detract from the appearance of the entrance while offering no relief from the problems. If signs were to be our only recourse to increase the safety of the elementary school children, we requested that they at least be moved from their current position to farther away from the corner to create a bigger buffer for the entrance. We also requested that the signs limit 'No Parking' to the beginning and end of each school day. The county said that moving the signs would require a petition from the property owners in this area. However, there was not sufficient support from the property owners in proximity to the entrance so we will not be able to pursue this option. That leaves us at square one, except for the addition of the ridiculous signs the county put in place. At this time, since we cannot move the signs, and cannot curb, we will attempt to have the county remove the signs.

We know this issue is of great concern to many of you. Please feel free to contact Anita Roberts or one of the board members with your suggestions to address this situation. Meanwhile, at least you now know why we have those signs and that your board has been attempting to address this issue for quite some time.

Sincerely,

Gwen Comfort

President, Bent Oak Homeowners Association

Main Entrance Plants

Well the Grinch has struck Bent Oak again! As some of you noticed Bob has planted some pretty Poinsettias at the main entrance, well it only took one day and someone has stole about 20 or 25 of them right out of the garden, can you believe it. That is very sad, Bob is doing a wonderful job in the plantings at the entrance ways and someone just has to mess things up for Bent Oak, well I hope when they plant them where ever they took them too that they stub their toe. If anybody hears or knows who did this please leave a note here and we will follow up on it.... Thank you. Dave

Poinsettia care

Bob Christiansen sent me this web site that is very interesting on Poinsettia care, take a look at it so you can be the "Gee Wizard" on Poinsettias.... Thanks Bob. Dave

http://www.ecke.com/html/h_corp/corp_pntcare.html

Shopping Safety Hints

Shopping Safely*Keep valuable items stored in cars out of sight. Stash shopping bags and GPS navigators in car trunks.

*Hold on to purses, wallets and credit cards. Purses should be zipped up and held close to the body. Don't throw out credit-card receipts because thieves can make purchases with the card numbers.

*Pay attention to surroundings.

*Before reaching a car, stop a few feet away and check out the area. Make sure no one is lurking close behind. Keep keys in hand.

*Parents: Keep both eyes on your children. Hold their hands, have them hold on to your pocket or even put them on a short leash.

*Report suspicious activity. If you're being followed or see people circle the parking lot on foot, call mall security immediately.

SOURCE: Orange County Sheriff's Office

Shopping Hints on Safety

Shopping Safely
*Keep valuable items stored in cars out of sight. Stash shopping bags and GPS navigators in car trunks.

*Hold on to purses, wallets and credit cards. Purses should be zipped up and held close to the body. Don't throw out credit-card receipts because thieves can make purchases with the card numbers.

*Pay attention to surroundings.

*Before reaching a car, stop a few feet away and check out the area. Make sure no one is lurking close behind. Keep keys in hand.

*Parents: Keep both eyes on your children. Hold their hands, have them hold on to your pocket or even put them on a short leash.

*Report suspicious activity. If you're being followed or see people circle the parking lot on foot, call mall security immediately.

SOURCE: Orange County Sheriff's Office

Please be careful

Please read this, it is very important, thank you..... Dave
Police: Carjackers Look Like They Are In Trouble
Wednesday, October 24, 2007 1:35:43 PM
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Carjack Trick
Investigators say the public should be on the lookout for carjackers who have a trick to fool their potential victims.

The carjackers use jumper cables hooked up to their battery to look like they are in trouble and then pull a gun when someone stops to help.

That is what happened to at least one good Samaritan near the University of Central Florida overnight.

Dennis Tran stopped to help three men who looked like their van was broken down, but he got suspicious and got away quickly.

"It was kind of scary. At the same time, I was like, if they are going to do anything like shoot me, they would have shot me through the car," Tran said.

Orange County deputies said Tran's experience was the second attempted carjacking Tuesday night. They also said the would-be carjackers used a van they took in the Pine Hills area Tuesday.

Check out our Bent Oak Crime Watch Blog

Stop by our Bent Oak Crime Watch Blog, here is the Web Site. http://bentoakneighborhoodwatch.blogspot.com/

Very interesting web site

Hi Everybody, I have a good web site that Bob Christiansen sent me, and I want to pass this on to everybody. This is a great site to fix all of your problems with the yard and the plants. Hope you have fun looking into this site, thank you Bob. It is hard to believe it is October already, where did the summer go. Here is the web site http://problemsolving.scotts.com/index.cfm/event/Article.Home/DocumentType/mostcommonproblem

ya'll take care...... Dave

What can be done

What can be done to make Bent Oak a better place to live? If you have any ideas please leave a comment at the end of this note. If you feel things could be better, or you have a great idea, also let the comment section know. We all live in a great community so why not make it just a little better......

MARK YOUR CALENDER

Bent Oak is having our Community Garage Sale, so now is the time to clean out your garage, or where ever you hide all of the "stuff" you don't know what to do with. Remember the ole saying, "Someone else's junk, some ones treasure". Just ask me, my wife goes to the sales, then comes home and says, "look what I found". The date is Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, November 9, 10, and 11. I will put a note in here when it gets closer to the dates, so remember November 9, 10, and 11.

Health Alert on amoeba organism

This message is brought to you on behalf of
Orange County Health Department

Health Alert to neighborhood organizations:
Dangerous amoeba organism in fresh water sources
(lakes, rentention ponds, storm drains). Please help spread the word!

Health Message for Orange County Residents and Visitors

The Orange County Health Department is advising its residents and visitors to avoid contact with freshwater lakes and ponds, due to the increased risk of amoebic infection. During summer months when the temperature exceeds 80 degrees Fahrenheit, there is an increased risk of infection by this organism in all freshwater areas in Florida. The infection occurs when the amoeba enters the body through the nose and travels to the brain and spinal cord.

Behaviors which can increase your risk of infection include swimming underwater, jumping, diving and water skiing type activities. The health department advises everyone to avoid swimming, diving and water sports until the weather cools down. But, if water activities must take place, please take the following precautions to decrease the possibility of infection:

Wear masks, nose clips or hold your nose shut when swimming, jumping or diving in any fresh water.

Do not swim, jump or dive in warm, standing, fresh water, such as ponds, storm water or retention areas.

Seek prompt medical treatment if symptoms develop or infection is suspected.

Symptoms include headache, fever, nausea and vomiting, stiff neck, confusion, lack of attention to people and surroundings, loss of balance and bodily control, seizures and hallucinations.

All lakes, ponds and freshwater bodies in Florida have the possibility of containing this organism when the temperature exceeds 80 degrees. There is no standardized water test to detect the amoeba. All freshwater bodies are at risk. Please continue to enjoy Orange County, but be safe and exercise caution.

The Bent Oak Image

The Bent Oak Image
By
Rebekah McReynolds
I am feeling old! Last week one of my co-workers retired, and I realized I am now the “senior citizen” in my company! I am even an old timer in Bent Oak! We have lived here 23 years! My husband served on one of the first BOHA boards after the developer turned it over to the community. I remember the very first Bent Oak Ladies’ Association organizational meeting. Our children grew from elementary school students into adults in Bent Oak, and now my grandson visits us here.
And, of course, each of us has a responsibility and a vested interest in ensuring that Bent Oak continues to age gracefully. In the last several years we saw a dramatic increase in the real estate market value of our Bent Oak homes. One only has to visit some of the new developments in the area to realize that our homes are definitely worthy of this increased assessment. The lots in Bent Oak are comparatively large. Ours is not a "cookie cutter" neighborhood. Many of our homes bear the details that pushed some of their builders (and original Bent Oak residents)....Rob Reiche, Dave Brewer, et al.into the very expensive custom home market. Along with this increase in market value, we are beginning to see another very healthy sign. More and more of our neighbors are tackling major remodeling projects....additions, updating kitchens and bathrooms, adding pools and spas. It shows that our neighborhood is still very alive and changing. It means that our residents realize that they have made a good investment and are willing to put more of their resources into our community. To those of you who are new to Bent Oak, WELCOME! You have made a wise investment. We are a wonderful community in which to live and raise a family. For those of us who have raised our families in Bent Oak and are still here, we are in the "right" place. Our homes are worth our investments now and for the future. Age is a state of mind!

First of many updates

Hi Everybody, I created this to help our residences be just a little more informed on Bent Oak. Please leave a comment with some hints or ideas that you would like to see in this Blog, and I will try to do what I can. Please bare with me on this, I know just about enough of computers to be scary...... Dave Sukkert

Bent Oak information for Everyone

On this site we plan on placing a lot of different information pertaining to Bent Oak. Bent Oak is a great place to live, and anything we can do to make it just a little better..... Thank you