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| THE COLONY NEWS | APRIL 2023 | 9 By Kimberly Evans, Office Manager & Admin Assist to General Manager Recently, there have been a few coyote sightings in the community, which can make anyone who is a pet owner or walks or exercises, uncomfortable. Below are few helpful tips from the American Kennel Club and Humane Society to protect you and your pet: 1. DON'T BE A FOOD SOURCE. If you feed your dog outside, bring in the food bowl once your pet finishes eating. 2. PICK UP YOUR DOG POOP! The scent of your dog's poop can attract coyotes. Be sure to regularly maintain your yard. 3. ALWAYS BE THERE. If you live in a high-risk area, never let your dog into the backyard unattended. It is your job to supervise your dog and ensure that he or she is always safe. 4. COYOTE VESTS. The vests are for small dogs and made of Kevlar. iHeartDogs.com, Chewy.com, and coyotevest.com are a few sites which offer protective wear for dogs. 5. HAZING. The Humane Society encourages hazing coyotes by yelling and waving your arms or using noise makers to shoo away approaching coyotes. HOA STAFF PROFILE: KEN KNAPP By Joanne Deacon Ken could be considered a man of diverse interests. He was a double Arts major who raises reptiles, loves and plays baseball, gardens, and spends his workdays and many of his weekends ensuring all The Colony's moving parts are working. He's the "Who you gonna call?" guy who is always willing to take the time to answer our questions. Picture a baseball in one hand, a Gila monster in the other, an artist's brush between his teeth, while he's kickstarting an iffy pool heater. Well, maybe not all at the same time… In Ken's own words: Hello everyone, my name is Ken Knapp, and I am the Facility Maintenance Manager for The Colony. I have had the opportunity to serve this wonderful community for a little over 22 years now and have worked in several different capacities. My journey in The Colony began in November 2000, when I hired on with the security contractor as the post commander. In February 2004, while still running the onsite security services, I hired on with the property management group as a general maintenance technician, working part time at night and on the weekends. The following year, in May, the property management group brought me on full time as the maintenance lead and later promoted me to the maintenance supervisor position. In 2013, under the direction of our General Manager, Jim Morgan, I made a lateral move to property services and helped to develop this new department along with Katie Burchard. In 2018, the opportunity arose, and I was promoted to my current position. Working for The Colony has been very rewarding. I have enjoyed the challenges, working with residents and watching this community grow and progress over the years. A little bit about myself: I grew up in Santa Cruz, CA and spent a lot of time at the beach, fishing from the wharf and hanging out at the Santa Cruz Beach and Boardwalk. I have many wonderful memories of those years. In my teens, I was very active in sports, with baseball being my favorite and I also found that I had a talent for the fine arts. My senior year, I became the top artist in my high school. I had participated in many local art contests and won several awards and scholarships; however, the biggest highlight was when I was awarded the top high school artist of the 16th District of California in 1983. I received a trophy plaque presented by Leon Panetta (District Representative), three minutes of fame on the local news, and the drawing that I did hung in the Halls of Congress for a year. I have never seen that masterpiece again, but I did go on to college at San Jose State and received a double bachelor's degree in Art Education and Art History. I had plans to teach high school and coach baseball; however, like a lot of people, I ended up on a different path than I intended. I would not change a thing though, as I have been blessed along the way. In my spare time these days, I love to garden and cook, but most of all I enjoy spending time with my beautiful wife, Tina. PROTECT YOUR PETS & YOURSELF FROM COYOTES Coyote in The Colony. Photo by Fernando De Luna Jr., Colony resident

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