Friday News

This week's photo submission is from: Anthony Young

Public Safety Updates:

MEDAL OF VALOR PRESENTATION

The 3rd Annual Public Safety Appreciation Dinner, organized by the Rotary Club of Jasper and Georgia Mountains Hospice, was held on November 12, 2023, at Chattahoochee Technical College. Out of several great nominees across Pickens County, Lieutenant Ray Peters was selected by the event organizers to receive the Medal of Valor. It took several months for the award to be constructed but was worth the wait. At the Board meeting on 3/26/24, Lieutenant Peters was presented with the award. We are very proud to have him on our great Bent Tree Public Safety team.

Turtles – Be on the Lookout!

Turtles will be very active over the next few months. Please be very watchful for them as you drive both in and out of our community. A turtle in the road often looks like a large rock or leaf from afar, so it takes attentiveness to spot one before it’s too late. Turtles tend to be most active in roadways in the morning or after it rains. Please follow the guidance below to help protect these great creatures.

· Obey the community speed limit of 20 MPH and pay close attention.

· If you encounter a turtle on the road and want to help it cross, stop your vehicle in a safe location and activate your hazards. Your safety and that of other drivers comes first.

· Turtles should be moved safely across the road in the same direction they were heading. They should not be relocated or taken home. Some turtles are not designed to survive in the water, so please do not place a turtle in the lake.

· Do not pick up a turtle by its tail. You could cause a fatal injury. Most turtles can be picked up by cupping your fingers under the middle of their shell with your thumbs on top of the shell. Snapping turtles should not be moved that way. They have long necks and can bite you!

· If you find any turtle in the road and are not comfortable helping it across, notify our team to assist at 770-893-2628 and try to remain on scene until we arrive.

Follow this link to our website to access a short video on how to safely move a snapping turtle. Snapping Turtles

Administration Updates:

MAIL CENTER ALERT

The mail center will be getting a facelift this Saturday beginning at 5:00pm. Please ensure you have picked up your mail prior to this, as the parking lot will be blocked off. Thank you to Mitch Henson for volunteering to repaint the lines in the parking area.

ADMINISTRATION CLOSED MONDAY

The Administration office will be closed on Monday for the Easter holiday.

BOARD MEETING RECORDING

Please find the recording of this week's board meeting here.

Learning Tree Sessions at The Tavern in May!

Get ready to dive into the world of Bent Tree's history, governance, operations, and finances with our upcoming Learning Tree sessions! Held on May 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29, these evening classes offer a unique opportunity to learn about various aspects of our community.

Don't miss the sneak peek of Chris Feldt's second session on the history of Bent Tree. Check out the video above for a preview of what's to come. If you have missed the prior teaser videos, you may check them out on our YouTube channel after you view this one.

Registration forms are available in the Administration Office, and a fee of $15 per person covers course materials. Enjoy a buffet and refreshments during the sessions as you delve into our community's rich history and operations.

Space is limited to 30 participants, so sign up today to secure your spot! For questions or more information, contact Mary Lou Weng at 770-894-9086 or wengml@etcmail.com. See Friday News for additional details.

COMMITTEE SUBMISSION UPDATES

We want to ensure fair visibility for all our committees, so you may have noticed, we now rotate your placement in the Friday News. This ensures equal opportunity for each committee to showcase their initiatives and updates.

New news! Each committee can submit one "key" flyer per week to be placed at the top of the newsletter. We appreciate your cooperation and look forward to sharing your contributions with the community.

When submitting your Friday News, please know that I cannot use word documents with images imbedded, they must always be converted to a png before using. It is preferred to submit the text in the body of the email with any images to be used attached. You may also send exactly the way you'd like them placed.

Bent Tree hosted its 3rd Senior Spectacular Pickleball Social this past Wednesday. 48 players of 70, 80, and even one 90 year old filled our 10 pickleball courts for 2 hours. Great fun and fellowship amongst this group. Please consider joining in on this craze that continues to grow. We’d love to show you just how easy it is to learn. Hope to see you at the Courts!

🎾 Important Announcement: Temporary Closure of Outdoor Hard Courts 🚧

Please be advised that the outdoor hard courts will be temporarily unavailable from April 1st to April 10th. During this time, we will be undergoing the exciting transformation to install six permanent Pickleball courts. While this upgrade is underway, our clay courts and indoor facilities will remain fully operational for your enjoyment.

We understand the inconvenience this may cause and sincerely apologize for any disruption to your tennis routines. Rest assured, we are working diligently to complete the conversion swiftly and efficiently, ensuring that our Pickleball enthusiasts have a top-notch facility to enjoy.

Thank you for your understanding and patience as we strive to enhance your experience at The Courts at Bent Tree.

Other Upcoming Things for Your Calendar!

Mark your calendars for these upcoming events. Please come join us, as a player or even spectator. It’s truly a fun atmosphere. Also be on the lookout for Free Beginner Tennis and Pickleball Clinics. These will be offered on weekdays and weekends, in hopes you’ll be able to fit us in somewhere. You’ll be glad you did. Please reach out to Coach Bob with any questions at 770-883-2623. Hope to see ya soon.

The Thursday scramble will now begin at 5pm with the longer afternoons kicking in! Feel free to call the shop and sign up if you can play.

If you haven’t played in the scramble, we do 9-holes and pair up in teams of 4 each with an A, B, C, D player. We will assign handicaps to each team based on each players 9-hole handicap. Play lasts approximately 2 hours and we announce the winners when everyone comes in.

The cost is $5 per player and appropriate cart fees apply.

🎨🖼️ Calling All Artists! Exhibit Your Work at the Tavern! 🖼️🎨

We're on the lookout for talented artists to showcase their creations at the Tavern! Whether you're looking to sell your art or just want to display it, we have space available for your masterpieces.

Here's what we're looking for:

Three pieces sized 24 x 36
Three pieces sized 20 x 30
Three pieces sized 12 x 18
Four pieces sized 8 x 10

If you're interested in being a part of our art display, please reach out to us for more information. Let's turn our space into a gallery of local talent!

🐰🌷 Limited Seats Left for Easter Brunch! 🌷🐰

Hurry! Our Easter brunch is filling up fast! To ensure you don't miss out on the festivities, reservations are now a requirement.

While some spots are still available after 1:00 PM, seating is extremely limited before that. Don't wait until the last minute—call us now at 770-893-2621 to secure your spot at the table and celebrate Easter in style

Upcoming Things for Your Calendar!

News From Bent Tree Realty

1.1 acre waterfall lot 1649 Moss Patch Trail $23,500

News from The Stables

BENT TREE SADDLE CLUB

O-MOK-SEE

Come see members compete in horse games at the Saddle Club

Horse Park this Saturday, March 30^th starting at 11 am.

Questions: Call Bob Crowl 770-757-8596

Hope to see you there

Space for camp registration is quickly nearing capacity. If you are still interested in reserving a spot for your child please respond immediately. Call the stables at 706-692-6322 to check for remaining availability.

News from Lake & Wildlife

April Partners Program

Knowing plants is the basis of foraging and survival skills.

Are you interested in Herbal Medicine?
Do you wonder what the Cherokee Indians ate from the forest?
Would you like to know the key features of plants to observe for positive identification of edible plants vs poison plants?

Taken from Mark Warren’s ‘Secrets of the Forest’ series, this hands on interactive program will lead you learning how to look at plants in a whole new way!

April 6^th, 9:30 am lower level of Club Tamarack

9 am for coffee, donuts, and fellowship

Free of charge, all residents invited

Families & Children

Annual Easter Egg Hunt

Lake Tamarack Beach

Saturday, March 31st

1:00 - 3:00 PM

Egg Hunt, Bounce House,

Face Painting

For more information: KimberlyNicoleStahlman@gmail.com

or Click Here

Monday Night Picnics

First picnic of the year is April 1st!

at the Beach Pavilion

Gather at 5:00

Picnic starts at 6:00

Bring a potluck dish to share For more information: dfoerst@gmail.com or Click Here

Senior's Programs

Presents

BINGO!

Club Tamarack Rec Room

Wednesday, April 3rd

2:00 - 4:00 For more information: pmcmorrow26@gmail.com or click here

Author's Spotlight

Tragedy and Triumph

by Christopher Feldt

A Local History Talk and Book Signing

Fireside at Club Tamarack

Saturday, April 6th

4:00 PM For more information: andrewkidd58@gmail.com or click here

Bocce Ball League

Easy to play-Easy to learn

Bocce Ball Court at the Beach

Season begins April 15th

2 person teams only $10

6 - 8 games at your own pace

Free Instructional session held prior to matches For more information:peepa3352@gmail.com

Supper Around the Tree

New groups forming now

to begin meeting in April!

Bent Tree's own version of a supper club. Groups can include couples and or singles. Groups meet once a month to enjoy a meal together. Each group decides their own dinner place and menu with members rotating as hosts. For more information: btacsuppers@gmail.com

For more information about events and all things BTAC visit our committee page on the Bent-Tree website. View Upcoming and Ongoing Events!

Click to view

News from the Animal Shelter

Where’s my family??

These very friendly cats are new to our shelter.
This brown gold tabby has been hanging around a house on Alpine for several weeks. He / she is now at our Bent Tree Shelter and is going to the vet today. There are a couple puncture wounds on his / her neck that need to be looked at right away. Is this your list cat, or you recognize him / her? Coloring is a golden-brown tabby verses a grey black tabby.

We also have this small, front declawed, med long hair kitty found that is also extremely friendly. Definitely has been lost a little while and going to the vet as well.

If you lost your cat a while ago don’t assume they can’t be found. Cats can be a long distance from home, especially if chased by another animal and lose their sense of direction home. A few years ago, a cat lost in Jasper was found 4 months later in Bent Tree!! What a happy reunion that was.
Bent Tree rules on animals apply to cats as well as dogs. You cannot let them wander off your yard.

We adopt cats to be inside cats only. Letting your cat roam outside is very dangerous for your cat. Protect them and keep them inside.

Please call or text 678-414-1047 - LuAnn Chambers if you recognize, want to visit, donate or adopt.