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FOUR SEASONS BREEZE | OCTOBER 2020 23 Canine Corral Council BABES Our fundraising program is up and running! At the time of this printing, we have already raised over $5,000, thanks to the generosity of our neighbors and local businesses. We really appreciate the support as we know this means that our neighbors and our community are trusting us to develop a facility that we can all be proud of. Our Council has listened and has heard the concerns and misgivings of residents who have expressed questions about potential noise or issues with dogs in an off-leash area. We sincerely believe that an off-leash area dog park is a positive asset in communities such as Four Seasons. Many developments promote their dog parks as a selling point for their communities! With all of this in mind, we have put a rigorous orientation process into place to ensure that every member resident and every member dog will be good Corral citizens. Unlike public dog parks and off-leash areas, our members will provide assurances that their dogs are fully vaccinated, are current with licensing, are spayed or neutered, and over six months old and socialized. Each member will attend a seminar prior to being issued access to the Corral which will ensure that they are all on board with our mission to be good neighbors and will agree to follow all rules designed for everyone's safety and enjoyment and will assume all liability. Only approved dogs and their owners will be allowed to use the facility. Four Seasons has hundreds of dog residents and they are part of our community. Barking is to be expected, and our Community Guidelines regarding pets, recognizes that a certain amount of barking from inside of a house or a backyard when people and dogs walk by is acceptable, but excessive barking is not allowed. Every day we hear barking in our neighborhoods as dogs are alerting their people that someone is near their house or delivering an Amazon package. Also, "leash reactivity" is a common behavior in dogs you see walking through our neighborhoods as the restriction of the leash can over-excite a dog when they see another dog on a leash. The Canine Corral provides a neutral space that does not require "protecting" so there is no need for warning barks. Every dog must have their leash removed in the unleashing area before entering the Corral. Our experience with off-leash area facilities shows that dogs enjoying themselves running and playing with their friends without the restriction of a leash are not barking. To quote one of our local dog experts, Teri DiMarino, "busy dogs don't bark." Our rules also state that if a dog is barking excessively in the park, the owner will be expected to remove it. We also will be providing large dogs and small dogs their own separate areas. So, the question of the day is I want to support the Canine Corral and order an Honor Plaque but I want to honor my cat. Is that okay? Absolutely! These plaques can honor pets OR people! Alive or departed. Cats, dogs, birds, horses, friends, family, veterans; or just say "Hi! I love living in Four Seasons!" One idea was to make a legacy plaque to honor a veterinarian who saved their pet's life. Do you have a hero in your life? Another idea was to mark the birth of a grandchild. You get to create your own, and our design team can help you make it look nice on the size of plaque you choose. Order forms are available online in the Daily Report link, or in hard copy in The Lodge lobby. Membership applications are also available in the lobby, and we are now processing applications so our first members will be ready on opening day! HUGE thank yous to those who have already shown their support as we look forward to our Grand Opening. Our meetings are via Zoom on the first and third Thursdays at 10 am. ~ Sandra Butler-Roberts, sandirae@icloud.com Join the Beaumont Area Bug Eating Society (BABES) in the enjoyment, learning, and fun of eating bugs. Learn to love the pure and protein packed crunchity goodness. Bugs are nutritionally rich yet low in calories. We share recipes, and once COVID is over, will have tastings and BBBQs (yes, that extra B is for bugs!). We do a monthly bug scavenger hunt to see if we can find new tastes in the community. Men and women welcome. There is only one rule… you must wear the bug costume — and mask! — at all times around the community and in your home. Check with your committee chair to confirm meeting place, date, and time.

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