Recreation/ Social Committee

Started by ShannonN • 21 replies • 11884 views

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ShannonN (Ohio)
Posts: 1

Posted:

Our neighborhood is currently developing a HOA upon which I have volunteered to chair the social committee. I have read all of the postings for ideas on events, but was curious if any one had any new ideas. (or ideas on how to get people involved) We are in Ohio with about 410 homes.

CharlesW1 (Georgia)
Posts: 826

Posted:

ShannonN,
I noticed it’s been quite some time senses your last post. I would assume all is going well for you. Have you used any of the advice or ideas you have found to get more involvement in the community?
My community is substantially smaller than yours. I too am interested in getting my neighbors to be more involved in their community. Would you happen to have any suggestions for me? I’m new to the HOA board, myself.
I would appreciate any words of wisdom you may of had experience with

Chuck W.

Charles E. Wafer Jr.

DuaneW1 (Georgia)
Posts: 34

Posted:

Charles, you had posted some advice to me on another section. I'm only a volunteer, and new to the neighborhood (though the whole neighborhood is new too!).

It might be different for you being on the board. However, some ideas I've had is either a 'Fall Festival', with a moon walk and then a cook out (which is what we are involved with right now). But it is getting closer to the holidays, and more ideas!

Making "You've Been 'GHOSTED'" bags. Using orange lunch sack size bags, fill it with a few goodies, and some other surprises, deliver it to a few neighbors, ring their door bell and you 'disappear'.
I found the "Ghosted" letter online by googling the phrase 'You've Been Ghosted', and got a host of really neat letters to chose from. I printed up over a 100, plus a clip art picture of some ghosts.

Making bows for all the mailboxes in your neighborhood. (I had to get a video and bow maker from Michael's to learn how to do this)

Decorating your front entrance with garlands, either real or boughs donated from other people's Christmas trees.

Yard sales for the spring. If you have cul-de-sac's like our subdivision does, you could put up large tables in each one, so it is a traveling sale! Have kids even set up small lemonade/cookie stands. I'm getting excited just typing this stuff up!

"Progressive" dinners, happen by having a couple of houses have appetizers, then move on to the next house for a light meat dinner with a vegetable. Move on again as many times as you want to stretch out the night!

Have an "Olympic" event day, with sack races, tug of war, relay races, three legged races, even throw in some sales of brownies/cookies on the side! This would be great for either summer or just before back to school time.

Can you tell I'm new at this, before lack of involvement like I've been reading about on this site has set it! Maybe everyone could do with some fresh air.

Good luck!
Judy

MichelleJ (Alabama)
Posts: 5

Posted:

Hi, I'm new to this site and saw your post. I've lived in my neighborhood for 3 years and we have a few events we do each year. We currently have 120 homes and are still in the construction stage and growing. Our committee has come up with an Easter Egg hunt for the kids. For this we have a neighbor who is a manager at our local grocery store who lends us the bunny suit and get pictures with the kids. For July 4th, we have a parade which is lead by our neighborhood police officer and the kids decorate their bikes/scooters/wagons and they divide into 4 age groups. We asked our neighbors that are managers for businesses or workers to get donated gifts for the top three best decorated bikes in each catagory. We had gift certificates for free ice cream and Home Depot donated the monthly craft they do for the kids. We have a neighborhood cookout with 2 rented inflatables at our clubhouse/pool and this is paid for by the HOA funds. We have a Santa visit at the clubhouse for the children and we do some crafts and get pictures with Santa. We also have a Cookie Exchange during the holidays and a night that the neighbors all display luminaries at the front sidewalks. The kids really enjoy these events and we've had a pretty good turn out this past year. Our neighborhood also does the "Ghost" but this is not started by the Social Committee - a neighbor starts this and it spreads.
Good Luck with your events.
Michelle

DuaneW1 (Georgia)
Posts: 34

Posted:

I absolutely love the idea of the parading kids on bikes!

Thanks for some great ideas!

CC (Texas)
Posts: 4

Posted:

Hi, I love all the ideas you've shared! We also do movie nights at our community pool - we have a video company set up a big screen and projection, and we show family friendly movies and pass out free popcorn, soda and candy.

We also have a Fall Festival/Halloween Carnival, a 4th of July Parade, progressive dinners, monthly ladies dinners, a big holiday party and and Easter Egg Hunt with a storyteller and photos with the Easter bunny. We're always looking for more ideas, and I'm trying to dream up something to do with Santa Claus but we don't have an indoor location (our pool and amenities center is covered but open air) so it's difficult. Any ideas?

DuaneW1 (Georgia)
Posts: 34

Posted:

Hi CC, as to an idea for your Santa 'siting', how bout a covered tent? Cleaning out someone's garage, or maybe just draping the backround in such a way as to make an 'elves station'?

My biggest problem so far is getting others involved. We have 103 homes, with three not filled. I got a group of women together to fill 'You've Been Ghosted' bags and we left them at 61 homes. But only 26 have even put up the little phantom showing they've been 'ghosted'.

I hate people not being included because of the apathy of others, but I can't figure out a way past it, other than making 100 bags, which doesn't quite capture the spirit of the event either.

I'd like to make Christmas bows but I sure don't want to be one lone soul putting them all up! Anyone finding this a challenge and how have you dealt with it???

Traditions are important, but boy it sure is tough to get them going!

MG (Georgia)
Posts: 7

Posted:

In my subdivision in Georgia we have 120 homes with 20+ being built and plans to go to 375 -so this are is growing fast. I jumped in to start the HOA last year - our first social was on a Friday night - odd number homes bring beer, wine or soft drink to share and even number homes bring an appetizer or dessert to share. The committee took care of cups, glasses, small dishes, napkins, and such. We got 130+ people there which was awesome with ons of creative and fun food items. This was more geared towards adults but there was about 25 kids there. For a few hours we enjoyed chatting, eating and drinking and everyone could walk home. This definitely started our community spirit - not everyone could come but most all heard about the great time that we organized.

This spawned a 40 person BUNKO club that can not accept any more folks. Our covered dish dinner (only $2 per person) was attended by 220 people (kids loved this one). And we are organizing a Halloween Carnival and Parade with the teenagers of the neighborhood leading the carnival games, being goulish and getting the pizzas - hopefully to keep them occupied, off the streets and out of trouble.

Our social committee is adding an element of charity as well to our events. At each event we will now collect cans or other charity items (money as well) and donate to a good cause. This helps with our guilt at having a good time and pretty cheaply.

We use email to communicate to the homeowners - this helps tremendously and we usually print one flyer for each event to drum up business. So far things are looking good and all are talking positively about living here.

LisaS (Illinois)
Posts: 341

Posted:

I just organized a Halloween party for kids that was held Sunday 12-2pm.

Big treat bag to each child when they checked in, followed by a parade along our paved path. Parents were asked to bring one bag of candy from each family and handed it out to kids as they 'paraded'. From there we split up and went to Pin the Nose on the Pumpkin, sack races, bobbing for apples, 'freeze dance', bean bag toss, and Bozo Buckets. Bigger kids were sent on a scavenger hunt. Parents (mostly) came in costume.

We actually filled the treat bags with miscellaneous Halloween items I ordered online (non-candy). Cupcakes, etc. came from volunteers and we bought drinks. Total we had 150 kids and it cost $400. Without the treat bag fillers we could have done it for about $1 per child.

Everyone had fun, easy to set up, easy to clean up. We plan on an afternoon with santa for the holidays. Small kids, acookie to take home, storytime, coloring books, and a picture with Santa. We are holding our at thew local library because we can use it for free.

I LOVE the bike parade idea. We had one street do this for 4th of July and it was a big hit!

MissyW (Georgia)
Posts: 22

Posted:

Here are a few of the things we have started in our neighborhood.

Christmas Caroling-(you are allowed to lip sync)

Welcome to the neighborhood packets-includes map of sub., useful numbers, city and state map, things to do...

Neighbors Helping Neighbors- A list who have volunteered to help during illness. to provide meals/mow grass etc

Community Yard Sale- sping and fall everyone has there own and chips in $2 for cost of ad and signs.Great turnout

Babysitting list- teens and adults willing to babysit

Pet Sitting List-looking after pets while others are away

Cookie Echange- with babysitting next door

Residential Business Directory- list business with which residents have had a good experience.

Block Parties- started by our neighborhood watch group to get to know your neighbors.

Visit from Santa- Santa is set up at a neighbors house for the children to come visit.

The best way we have gotten people involved is a personal phone call. Or "a bring your neighbor."
Hope this helps...
Missy

DuaneW1 (Georgia)
Posts: 34

Posted:

Missy, were all these neat things already set up when you moved to your home, or were you involved in getting them started??

I absolutely love your ideas, but it is exhausting trying to get other people motivated.

When we were making the "you've been 'ghosted'" bags, the other ladies brought up making Christmas bows for all 103 mailboxes. Ok, so I go and find out it will take THIRTY FIVE rolls of 100 feet of ribbon! Can you believe that!? I'm terrified if I go ahead and buy the stuff (no small feat right there) I'll be the one making all those bows because no one else will show up to help!

I'm copying this column though, to encourage me, surely people would enjoy reading it in our neighborhood too and maybe someone will feel inspired like I have been, thanks for sharing!

MG (Georgia)
Posts: 7

Posted:

Don't be overwhelmed start with ONE thing. I put together a one page flyer for everyone to become involved in the Association via EMAIL. I have now over 85% of the homes email addresses. So the expense of ribbons, tapes & labor is virtually zero. Now communications about tanything is a breeze and easy....

Once you have organized your first social/event things will become easier as folks see the fun they want to be involved with and not miss out. Remember start with just one event and target it to one facet of your community - kids or adults or families or ladies or whomever....

And do not stress if you do not get the whole community at the first event. Your leadership in this area will pay off....good luck and have fun!!

GeraldineM (South Carolina)
Posts: 3

Posted:

We are interested in doing a movie night in our community, can you tell me about how much this costs to set up? Also, any details about the progressive dinners would be appreciated.

For Christmas the past two years we have rented a horse and carriage that gave rides through the neighborhood to see everyones Christmas decorations. We met at our clubhouse, but I think we could have done hot chocolate at a bonfire as a meeting spot as well. Of course, we are in the south.......

PaulM (Pennsylvania)
Posts: 1,347

Posted:

DuaneW1: Another take on the 'You've Been Ghosted' Bags...you say that you left them at 61 homes out of 103.
When our community has done this, the accompanying note states to pick 3 neighbors to 'ghost' (by ringing the doorbell, leaving the bag and disappearing) and for the 'friends' to post the ghost picture on their front window so other residents will know they have already been ghosted. And so it goes throughout the community.

Maybe you could start a Santa Surprise! much like the ghosting, with a little 'trinket' in the bag ((something inexpensive and unisex: notepaper, holiday ornament, mug, etc.), a Santa Visited Here! flyer to post on your window and go from there.... Maybe this one is just for the kids to do...

RogerB (Colorado)
Posts: 5,067

Posted:

Geraldine, great ideas!! All of the activities you mentioned will help reduce the #1 problem in HOAs - apathy. I don't know the cost range but one of the Board members of an HOA we manage is currently investigating this.

CC (Texas)
Posts: 4

Posted:

Pool (or lawn) Movie Nights:

We looked online and found a local AV rental place, and booked them. They will bring in a big screen, projector, speakers and a dvd player (you supply the dvd).

Before the event:

Advertise your movie to get the best turnout, put it on your website, do flyers and an e-mail (we have a Social Events e-mail list that goes out to a large number of our residents). We also have dry erase Event Signs that we put at community entrances announcing all neighborhood events. See HulenHeights.com, and click latest news or Calendar of Events. After a few movies, the word gets around how great it is an you won't need to do flyers.

One person went to Costco and picked up lemonade mix, cases of juice boxes, water, soda, cracker jacks, indiv. cookies & goldfish, candy (watch out for 'baby chokers') and paper bowls or plastic cups (recycle) for popcorn.

We found a bulk popcorn place and got a giant bag of popcorn.

Day of the show:

Buy ice and put over drinks in big cooler
Make lemonade in big dispenser
Meet AV guy and set everything up and designate time for him to return and pack up equipment
Designate 'no sitting zone' because of wires/blocking show
Designate 'children's zone' (just behind no sit zone) with towels/blankets to sit,
Set out chairs or lounges behind children's zone
Set out trash cans in easy reach of movie goers to aid with cleanup
Set out snacks in big baskets or containers on something low so kids can reach
Put popcorn in bowls and set out on tables so they can just grab them and walk away
Designate 1 or 2 volunteers as snack helpers
15 minutes before show time stand up in front, welcome your guests, thank your volunteers, and announce snack bar opening
Hit play on DVD and enjoy!

If you are lucky (like we are) neighbors will volunteer to stay and clean up stray candy wrappers and the inevitable spilled popcorn, and put all chairs and lounges back.

PaulM (Pennsylvania)
Posts: 1,347

Posted:

Cc: Great Post! Can you advise what the cost is for the AV guy to deliver and set up all the necessary equipment?

Does the cost for the evening come out of the annual budget or do you charge residents a fee?

GeraldineM (South Carolina)
Posts: 3

Posted:

CC:

Thanks! That is all a great help! On a sidebar, how do you find the dry erase signs? We are in the process of having some signs made with a dry erase overlay for the same purpose. How do you find they hold up to the elements?

thanks!

geraldinem

CC (Texas)
Posts: 4

Posted:

Can you advise what the cost is for the AV guy to deliver and set up all the necessary equipment?

AV charges range from 300-500, we shopped around. You can offer free advertising in your newsletter or on your website to get a discount.

Does the cost for the evening come out of the annual budget or do you charge residents a fee?

We included the cost of the movie nights in the HOA budget under Entertainment and Social Events. Residents get free admission, free treats. They must adhere to our published pool guest policy, first 4 guests are free, after that 3.00 per person is charged to their HOA account and billed with their dues. So far we haven't had any abuse; i.e., folks bringing in tons of guests.

We feel that our social events are a big part of the reason people love living here so we put our hearts into them. It helps that we have WONDERFUL volunteers on the committee, we could not do it without them. In fact, we are planning a thank you dinner for them in the coming weeks.

CC (Texas)
Posts: 4

Posted:

I used MS Publisher and designed simple signs with a burgundy background and white rectangles where I wanted dry erase spots. I saved them as a PDF and e-mailed it to FastSigns, who had them done up. They cost a bit, $600 or so for 4 signs. They have lasted for 3.5 years now with only a bit of wear. They look professional, neat and are easy to use, so it was well worth it. I found some cheap heavier upholstery fabric in a thrift store and sewed slipcovers (much like pillow cases) that slip over them for storage so they don't bang against each other and get scratched up, that has worked very well.

HOA colors & logo

HOA name

Event: (rectangle)

Date & Time: (rectangle)

Location: (rectangle)

Details: (big
rectangle)

Contact/RSVP: (rectangle)

visit (HOA website name) for
neighborhood news and information

PaulM (Pennsylvania)
Posts: 1,347

Posted:

MG: I commend you and your community for being pro-active in getting out there to start the ball rolling in the right direction! Too many times the attitude is 'let someone else do it...' and ultimately it doesn't get done.

You are a social committee to be reckoned with and I sincerely wish for your community "continued positive talk about living there"! It is the absolute best atmosphere in which to live; it will boost property values, it will add to feelings of contentment and pleasure to live with 'nice' neighbors. Of course, there will be problems, but to start out on a sure foot as you have done goes a long way with problems being diminished. Thanks for your post!

DuaneW1 (Georgia)
Posts: 34

Posted:

'Maybe you could start a Santa Surprise! much like the ghosting, with a little 'trinket' in the bag ((something inexpensive and unisex: notepaper, holiday ornament, mug, etc.), a Santa Visited Here! flyer to post on your window and go from there.... Maybe this one is just for the kids to do...'

I like that Paul! Excellent idea. This is neat to see this post coming back up. In regard to the big Christmas Bows. I DID go ahead and buy the FORTY rolls (to make sure I had enough ribbon, since I knew I'd screw up a few learning how to make them myself- we had enough to make HUMONGOUS bows for the front entrance, it really looked beautiful)

We had 'Decoration Day'& served cocoa and muffins, then went out putting up the handmade bows on the mailboxes and front entrance. It was the second most attended event we'd had.

I love getting ideas from here! We checked the internet for the movie night idea, but the prices on some of that stuff was out of this world! How did you decide on which one to choose??

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