The holiday season is behind us and I hope the spirit of the season remains with us throughout the year.  As we begin the new year, we still have some significant challenges leftover from 2020 and we know 2021 will bring its own set of unique and challenging circumstances.  Let us continue to meet the challenges of 2021 with hope, caution, consideration and common sense. 

In the late 1970s, Ken Carlson moved his family into Indian Hills and shortly thereafter established a tradition of elaborate decorations for the holidays.  Over the years, more and more have jumped on board in the neighborhood and have made an Indian Hills drive thru a “must see”, with all the blowups, lights, etc...  It was a family activity that turned into a community event.

Ken passed away this past year from pancreatic cancer.  Despite the challenges the year presented, the Carlson family continued the tradition. They were out there getting the house loaded with lights in honor of Ken.  This tradition promotes community spirit and allows us a break from “doom and gloom”.  It gives us a festive interlude of inspiration and comradery. In the spirit that Ken proliferated there will be an award created for the Festival of Lights in his honor.

Thank you for helping make Indian Hills a great place to live. Help your friends and neighbors be a part of this spirit and please invite them to be a part of making Indian Hills a great place to live.  If you have a neighbor who is not a member, please share with them why you are a member.  A community is about fellowship and participation so encourage everyone to come onboard and be part of our community.

Be safe. Be considerate. Be happy.

Harold Itkin, IHCA President

Summer is drawing to a close and Fall will be upon us very soon.  At the time of this writing the big questions are: Will the DAWGS be allowed to go? Will the TIDE be allowed to roll? Will WRECKS ramble? And will the WAR EAGLE fly? You may have heard we have been conducting our IHCA Board meetings via Zoom.  To be mindful of the pandemic and to err on the side of caution, this year’s Annual Membership Meeting will be held virtually on Monday, October 12, at 7 PM, via Zoom.  Please mark your calendars! On October 1st, we will send out more details on how to access the meeting. You do not need an account or the Zoom app to access the meeting.  You can gain access via iPad, iPhone, tablet, PC, laptop or smart phone for video.  Or, you will have the option to just dial in via phone for audio only. It has been a pretty good year in Indian Hills despite the pandemic.  As we navigate the storm of the coronavirus, let's continue to be mindful of the wellbeing of everyone around us and ourselves.  Remember, we are all in this together. Be safe, be careful and stay healthy. Thanks for the opportunity to serve.

Harold Itkin, IHCA President

We often refer to Indian Hills as “a great place to live.”  Some folks may think it is just a “tired” and overused tag line.  This week I got a note from a resident defining one of the things that makes our community a great place to live. Bonny Carr wrote to me about the “little bench that Ron did”.  Historically, this bench has always been used by kids waiting for their school bus at the corner of Clubland Drive and Summit Club Drive.  It was donated by a neighbor several years ago; in January a tree fell and took out the bench. Bonny collected the pieces and began trying to figure out how to put it back together.  Ron Andrews noticed the bench was gone and asked Bonny what happened to it.  He offered to try and put it back together.  Bonny’s son loaded it up in his truck and took it over to the Andrews’ house.   Ron and his trusty assistant, Tricia, went to work on it and now you can see their handiwork back in its rightful place at the end of Summit Club Drive.   As you know, Ron is our Landscaping Director for the IHCA, and Bonny also mentioned how much Ron has done to help improve the appearance of the neighborhood. It's a wonderful example of why Indian Hills is a “Great Place to Live” and why it's important to be members of the IHCA.   As we navigate the storm of the corona pandemic, let’s continue to be mindful of the wellbeing of everyone around us. Be safe, be careful and stay healthy. Thanks for the opportunity to serve

Harold Itkin, IHCA President

Congratulations to all of our graduating seniors!  Whether you are going on to another school or you are starting your journey into the world of work, I hope that you will all continue to seek growth and continue to learn in this period of opportunity. You are the designers of your own future and you are the future of our world. When I graduated from high school - in the preceding century - one of my coaches told me I should always remember I was an example for those who followed me in school.  I wish I had paid more attention to him but I had no idea what he was talking about and I don't think I cared.  So when I suggest that our graduates might remember to be a good example for their younger brethren I am not offended if they laugh at me. While we are on the subject of "example setting", let's all be good examples to our neighbors by being courteous and considerate of them.  We should all appreciate that these are abnormal times and may call for some additional patience with each other these days. Be safe, be careful and stay healthy. Thanks for the opportunity to serve.

 

Harold Itkin, IHCA President

My hope is that everyone remains well as we enter in the next phase of our journey through the world of Covid-19 or Corona (virus, not beer).  We have had some glorious weather during this "shut in" period and it appears as if folks are trying to make the best of it. A lot more people seem to be out walking in our community these days. However, as this pedestrian traffic is increasing, so is the vehicle traffic.  Let's all be careful and considerate whether we are on foot or behind the wheel.

It is a good time to be reminded about some best practices for pedestrians (any person standing, walking, jogging, running, or otherwise on foot) as suggested by the Georgia State Code (40-6-96).  Where a sidewalk is provided pedestrians should use it and avoid running, jogging or walking in the street. If there is no sidewalk but only a shoulder, we should use the shoulder not the street. Where neither a sidewalk nor a shoulder is available, we should walk or run as near as practicable to an outside edge of the roadway, and, if on a two-lane roadway, on the left side of the roadway. Pedestrians should remember that drivers always have the right of way except where there is a crosswalk.  Drivers and pedestrians should remember it is the law but more importantly let's do whatever possible to keep us safe.  Let's avoid any incident that would instigate a discussion about who was right and who was wrong.

Jenny and I have found during our brief, by some standards, 27-year residency that the residents of this community tend to do what is right, sensible and considerate.  That is why I use the term “suggested”.  As a community we don't mandate anything, but folks in general arrive at doing things the right way.  Most of our residents put a high priority on the common welfare of our community.  That is terrific and it another element in making Indian Hills a great place to live.  Let's keep living that way.

Be safe, be careful and stay healthy. Thanks for the opportunity to serve. 

Harold Itkin, IHCA President