Long Branch Civic
Association
longbranchcivicassociation.com
PROMOTION OF OUR POOL
Pool is in Trouble
One of our LBCA
members emailed me the following:
�Pool membership
has a value that goes beyond the purely recreational � it has less to do with
swimming than with maintaining real estate values, and to
many of us that point is well understood. At some point,every homeowner will
consider putting the family home on the market for sale.�
If the Long
Branch Swim and Racquet Club pool degrades or closes it hurts property values
in all of
It appears the
pool Board is doing a lot to conserve resources including self-managing, use of
local teen for lifeguards and deferring some expenses. They are even
offering reduced mid-summer rates, but they still need some help!
Best help is to
join the pool at a great mid-summer rate. Next best is to donate to pool
maintenance � a fund exclusively used to maintain the pool and grounds.
Your donation of $35 to this fund should be sent to:
LBSRC, POB 2268,
Your property is
worth over $500,000. Support of the pool is a small price to pay to keep
your property value up. Think about it and do something about it!
Jim Hawkins
President, Long
Branch Civic Association [email protected] 16 July 2013
================================================================
The letter below was issued by the
LBSRC:
LONG BRANCH SWIM AND RACQUET CLUB
July 3, 2013
Dear LBRSC Members �
On behalf of the Long Branch Pool
Board and the other members, we want to thank you for your support and
membership at Long Branch Swim and Racquet Club this season. Thanks
to the efforts of dozens of our members and judicial use of the maintenance
fees, we were able to make many nice improvements this season and install a new
$9,700 pump. In addition, we have a great group of neighborhood life
guards and pool operators. Obviously more can always be done, but the
pool really looks great and is run by a friendly and supportive staff.
LBRSC is a real neighborhood gem.
Unfortunately, that has not
translated into increased membership. Although we have had a number of
new memberships, we had an 18% overall decrease in membership from last
season. Compared to the 203 memberships from last season, we currently have
165 Family and Golden Dolphins that have paid their membership dues for this
season. As many of you know from volunteering on the Board over the years
and from our yearly budgets, we essentially break even with around 200 members
to cover the $79,000 operating and deferred maintenance expenses.
We project a membership shortfall this year of over $11,000 and will also not
be able to contribute to the capital reserve. Fortunately, since we have
$27,800 set-aside as a capital reserve for the white coating, we can draw from
the capital reserve to cover operation expenses this season. Therefore,
there will be NO change in hours of operation.
As you know from our previous
fundraising and board member/volunteer request letter, we will need to replace
the pool white coating before the Summer 2014
season. That will cost over $37,000. We do not want to overstate or
understate the financial hardship the pool is facing. Our sincere goal is
for that to continue for many years and to improve the pool for the current and
future members. An operating neighborhood pool is good for the overall
community and frankly good for keeping up area house values. During a 3
month summer season, the cost of a membership is around $4.55 per day for an
entire Family and between $1.77 and $2.33 per day for Golden Dolphins.
Therefore, an investment of several hundred dollars in the community saves the
loss of thousands or tens of thousands of dollars in the value of each
neighborhood home. Therefore, we cannot even imagine the neighborhood
impact of the pool closing for good.
The founding members of the pool
had a great vision and personally invested hundreds of thousands of dollars
into the creating Long Branch Swim and Racquet Club. It has been the
heart of the community and enjoyed by thousands of neighbors for over 30
years. Through great effort, the prior members paid off the mortgage and
expended tens of thousands in other capital improvements. We have had
some rough times in the past. But time and again the members have shined
and made LBRSC even better. Hopefully, with a team effort, we will do so
again.
We need member support help to
complete the capital improvements and increase membership between now and the Summer 2014. To increase membership for this summer
and next summer, we are offering mid-summer rates starting July 12th for NEW
and PRE-2012 members:
$245 Family
$105 Senior Dolphins Couple (empty
nester 50+ years old)
$ 80
Senior Dolphin Individual (empty nester 50+ years old)
For this season, we would appreciate
your help in contacting new members. If a neighbor or friend is not a
member of LBRSC or one of the other nice neighborhood pools, please ask them if
they would be interested in the introductory mid-summer rates. If so,
they can contact Mrs. Amy Palmer at [email protected]
or download the membership form at http://www.longbranchpool.com/.
We have received many good ideas
about fundraising events � such as business sponsors, honorary Family
bricks/plaques, food/merchandise sales, raffles, Swim Lap Marathons, etc.
If anyone would like to take the lead on a fundraising event or has other ideas
about fundraising, please contact Jill Stuhrke at [email protected]. Our
strength and attraction continues to be the great members, supportive neighbors
(members and non-members), and smiling children that continue to build great
memories. Over the years, time and again our members have stepped up to
clean-up and improve the pool, assist with special projects and requests, and
organizing and working social and swim events.
On behalf of the pool board, thank
you.
If you have any questions or other
suggestions, please contact Colonel Tony Febbo at [email protected] or (703)
978-0305.
Sincerely,
The