Our January newsletter is linked below. If you have any comments or questions, send them to editor@ashtonheights.org.
Ashton Heights – 2021 Will Be An Exciting Year For Our Community by Scott Sklar, President, AHCA
As with the rest of the country, dealing with COVID, it has been hard with children out of school, small businesses hurting or out-of-business and constraints on how we see family and friends. Our political leaders in Richmond and Arlington have done an admirable job, conforming with science and health guidance while balancing the economic needs of the State and County. That said, I have been very proud of how our community has behaved throughout these hard times. With the vaccines coming in this year, there will be a light at the end of the tunnel hopefully by the summer to return somewhat close to normal.
As you’ve read a few times in our AHCA Newsletter, the 100th Anniversary of the Ashton Heights Civic Association is in 2021 and we are looking for your help in digging up old newsletters, pictures and reports in the past so that we can assemble these artifacts, retell the memories, and celebrate ourselves as a community.
Seems a perfect way to reset our Ashton Heights community to energize ourselves for the future. See AHCA Historian Jim Terpstra’s January 14th Zoom meeting (7 p.m.) on page three of this newsletter.
As we enter this new year and a significant portion of us are working routinely out of our homes, you might want to consider joining our AHCA Standing Committees – the email addresses of the Committee & Subcommittee Chairs and CoChairs are on the next page – and these issues will be revved up in 2021 after the COVID lull of 2020. Even if it’s just tracking the issues in a more detailed way, it’s worth your time. Some areas to consider – Development, Housing, Open Spaces (Subc on Park & Playgrounds – Tree Canopy & Native Plants), Safety & Security, Schools, & Transportation (including Parking & Pedestrian-Street Safety).
I am also looking at some AHCA themes for 2021 to attract the interests of younger residents – so those of you in your 30’s and under – please drop me a note (solarsklar@aol.com) on issues and programs that are important to you. It is critically important that our Association covers the priorities of all groups within our membership — and am happy to hear ideas and suggestions of any type.
I want to thank everyone within the Association on your camaraderie and respect for each other during these difficult times. And also for your time in being involved in all aspects of our community to make Ashton Heights such a wonderful place to live. I wish everyone a Happy New Year 2021 and may this coming year be full of joy, peace, health, and prosperity.