Looking for community? Get active!

By Ann Boon, President,

Rancho Santa Fe Association Board

So many people have expressed their interest in getting involved in the Rancho Santa Fe community. I can’t tell you how good it feels to get calls and emails from people who are sincerely interested in being a part of progress. There are lots of different ways to build community!

Barbara Kruer, chairwoman of the Trails and Recreation Committee, sent me this message to share with you:

“The Trails and Recreation Committee voted to sponsor TRAILS HIKES/WALKS monthly as follows: Beginning in January 2015, on the third Wednesday of the month, we will meet at the Golf Club at 4 p.m. Details will be posted on the Association website and in the monthly calendar that is mailed to all Covenant members. And Complimentary Snacks will be provided afterwards!

“We also voted to sponsor 3 Equestrian Trail Rides with the Rancho Riding Club in 2015. These rides will offer two options: a longer, more challenging ride and a shorter one. Afterwards, lunch will be provided at the Riding Club. The exact dates are pending further discussion with the Riding Club and review of the scheduled use of the ball fields for 2015. Again, watch for details on the Association website. Both Hikes and Rides are at member request, so we are hopeful there will be a good turnout! We encourage and welcome volunteers to assist with the Trail Rides as they require significantly more planning and manpower.”

So, hikers and riders: This is a great opportunity to get active, volunteer and build community! Thanks to Barbara and the entire Trails & Rec committee!

As I have mentioned before, the Association board is working

very hard

on finding the best solution to our Internet problem. Just last week, we received a memo from a group of Rancho Santa Fe residents stating that they have funded a feasibility study that will address the financial viability of building a complete fiber-optic network. This group includes Fred Luddy, Eoin O’Shea, and Todd Mikles.

In the memo, the group said: “Our research indicates that ownership by Rancho Santa Fe as opposed to contracting with a major service provider will be more cost-effective and future proof. The Study will include a comprehensive overview of the project.”

This group has agreed to fund the survey at

no cost

to the Association. The company they hired, Magellan Consultants, has done several projects in California, including building fiber networks for the cities of Riverside, Davis, West Sacramento, Woodland, and the County of Yolo. Magellan has also done projects in the states of Florida, Texas, Colorado, Missouri, Montana, Vermont, Ohio, and Washington.

The study should be completed before January 2015. Special thanks to Fred, Eoin and Todd. Your effort truly shows a desire to build community and is an example of really getting active!

In another arena, the Covenant Design Review Committee is looking for two volunteers to serve on the committee, starting in January. Our residents are really making the job of the nominating committee easy — we have a great group of volunteers already. The board will be interviewing candidates in our meeting on Dec. 4. Thanks to the members of the CDRC and all the volunteers. You are making big contributions to our community.

One last word on community building: Whether you have voted “yes” or “no” on the ballot question to fund the planning of a proposed health club facility, I hope you will respect and thank the volunteers who worked so hard on the initial study. They expended enormous amounts of time and energy, motivated purely by their devotion to Rancho Santa Fe and by their desire to build community. A big thank you to all of them!

I appreciate hearing from you. Let me know how you are building community at ann.boon@me.com.