StoneBridge Village News - November 2007

General Manager’s Report

Darrell Ransdell (335-7869 ex. 1756)

Nicol’s Fine Dining & Music – Each of us has a story of our life’s work, interests and preferences, Michael Kern is no exception. His business card reads “Michael Kern, Guitar & Vocals” and it is our pleasure to enjoy his performances nightly at Nicol’s Fine Dining. Bob Nicol and Michael have been friends since college days when they were part of a rock band. Michael tells that Bob also plays guitar and has talents, in addition to his culinary skills that include playing a “mean” set of drums. Michael preferred playing in the more relaxed atmosphere of lounges where he honed his considerable guitar skills over the years. He plays the lead, rhythm and bass parts at one time on the guitar. His style of play demonstrates a musical dedication and artistry that is well suited to our fine dining environment. From an extensive repertoire, he recently completed a double CD of performances from evenings at LedgeStone Country Club. Michael takes requests including country, blues, show tunes and pop sounds that we all remember from days gone by. If you have not enjoyed his music, I encourage you to visit Nicol’s soon for a relaxing dining and musical experience. Bob and Michael can tell you their stories, musically and verbally. What fun it is to listen.

Activities Director

Denise Needham (417.335.7869 ext. 1754 Cell: 417.263.1741)

Did you know?
In 1939, President Franklin D. Roosevelt moved Thanksgiving from the fourth Thursday in November to the third to allow for more shopping days between the fall holiday and Christmas. Millions of Americans protested and continued to celebrate on the original day. Two years later, Roosevelt restored Thanksgiving to its former date.

Tradition will stay the same at StoneBridge. Nicol’s Fine Dining will be serving Thanksgiving dinner again this year and they expect another large attendance, so make reservations early. See Bob Nicol’s newsletter article for all the details.

Wherever you spend your Thanksgiving dinner, may it be a delicious mix of blessings and each dish a reminder of how much we have to be thankful for.

Wine & Cheese Tasting
StoneBridge Village would like to invite you to sample some fine wines Wednesday, Wednesday 7th (Birdie room) 14th only, served by Jerry and Sally Howell owners of Southtown Spirits, compliments of MPI.
• When:Wednesday, November 7th
• Where:StoneBridge Clubhouse Par Room
• Time:4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
• Cost:No Cost, however featured wines will be available for purchase at a discounted price.

Thursday Morning Complimentary Breakfast Buffet, sponsored by MPI, the Developer of StoneBridge village, has been discontinued.

StoneBridge Game Night
Let’s get together and play some games! We want to establish a game night one night a month during the winter months for anyone that would like to participate (men and women). Plan to join us Friday night, November 9th for games such as Golf Dominoes, Pictionary, Balderdash, Scattergories, Cards, etc. You bring the game! Call Sheryl Gassman at 336-4353 if you have any questions. Casual gathering; so come meet your neighbors and socialize.
• When: Friday, November 9th
• Where: StoneBridge Clubhouse Par Room
• Time: 6:30 p.m.
• Cost: No Cost
• Food: Simple snack (if you want)
• Drinks: BYOB, soda, etc. (if you want)

Craft Workshop/Handwork Group: Ladies have the option of bringing their own handwork (knitting, crochet, sewing quilting, etc.) or creating the monthly craft project. Either way it will be a great opportunity to enjoy great company and make new friends.

This month we will be decorating Baskets and Plates for the Holidays. We have done this craft several times this year, however, this time it will focus on Thanksgiving and Christmas. The Basket will be decorated with holiday napkins, which can hold Thanksgiving rolls or a special Christmas gift. The glass plates will be decorated with holiday fabric, a special touch for that gift of holiday cookies or candy. Stop by the POA office to see examples.
• When:Friday, November 9th
• Time: 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
• Where: Clubhouse Par Room
• Sign up by: Thursday, November 8th

Materials for Baskets
You will need to bring paper holiday (Thanksgiving or Christmas) napkins with the design you want to use. You can bring your own white wicker basket (spray paint white if needed) or purchase one of mine. There will be a cost for the materials to complete your basket.

Cost for Baskets:
• 7" Basket: $12.00 per finished basket (including basket)
• 9 1/2" Basket: $14.00 per finished basket (including basket)
• Materials Only: $8.00 per basket

Materials for Plates
You will need to bring 1/2 yard of your own Holiday (Thanksgiving or Christmas) fabric (stay away from a lot of black). Remaining material will be provided at a cost below. You can make as many plates as you want just remember 1/2 yard of fabric per plate plus the cost of materials.

Cost for Plates:
• 8” plate- $4.00 per plate
• 10” plate- $5.00 per plate
• 12” plate- $7.00 per plate

Fitness Orientation: Every Tuesday and Thursday at 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. in the clubhouse fitness room. Learn how the various fitness machines and weights operate. No advance sign-up is needed.

SkipBo Invitation: If you like to play cards, come join us for SkipBo. It’s an easy game to learn and we play the 2nd, 4th & 5th Monday of each month at 10:00 a.m. in the Clubhouse. If you have any questions, please call Sandy Copperstone at 332-2688 or email sgcopperstone@aol.com. Everyone is invited!

Mah Jongg: Meets the 1st and 3rd Monday of each month at 10:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in the Clubhouse. The month of November and December new starters are welcome. There will be training and review training only during these two months. If you have any questions, please call JoAnn Mitchell at 337-8319.

Ladies Luncheon: The Ladies Luncheon will be held Thursday, November 8th at noon. The location this month will be Chateau on the Lake and there will be a Fashion Show. Make your reservations with Mary Ann Wilson at 334-3795 by Monday, November 5th. The ladies have lots of fun, so please plan to attend!

December Events

Christmas Gala: Plan to attend StoneBridge Exquisite Christmas Gala on Friday, December 7th. Join friends and neighbors for this fun and festive holiday celebration. Make reservations early because Nicol’s Fine Dining capacity is 130 people and will be on a first come first serve paid reservation basis.
• When: Friday, December 7th
• Where: Nicol’s Fine Dining
• Social Hour: 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
• Buffet Dinner: 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. with music by Darice Augustson, harpist
• Gala: 8:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. Dancing with music by Reflections five piece band
• Dinner: Turkey Breast, Roast Beef, Oven Broiled Tilapia, Fresh Vegetable Medley, Green Beans, Mashed Potatoes & Gravy, Dressing, Salad Bar, Rolls & Dessert
• Drinks: Tea, Coffee & Water; Cash Bar Available
• Cost: $30.00 per person (includes tax, gratuity and party) and must be paid in advance to the POA office by Monday, December 3rd
• Dress: Country Club casual to Semi Formal
• Sign up & payment due by: Monday, December 3rd by contacting Denise 263-1741 or the POA office at 335-7869;

Minimum of 30 people New Year’s Eve Dinner with Cash Bar: On December 31st, there will be a New Year’s Eve Dinner Celebration. This event is for owners to celebrate a great meal and toast together for 2007; so out with the old and in with the new. Please join your neighbors in celebration the coming New Year.
• When: Monday, December 31st
• Where: LedgeStone Grille
• Drinks: 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
• Buffet Dinner: 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
• Social: 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
• Dinner: Prime Rib, Chicken Marsala, Vegetable Medley, Broccoli & Cheese Sauce, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Wild Rice, Salad Bar, Rolls & Dessert
• Drinks: Tea, Coffee & Water No Hired Entertainment or Champagne toast. Party favors will be available
• Cost: $25.00 per person inclusive (includes tax and gratuity)
• Dress: Country Club casual to Semi Formal
• Sign up by Friday, December 21st by calling Denise 263-1741; Minimum of 30 people

Remember, please sign up for all events that have a sign up deadline by calling Denise in the POA office at 335-7869, ext. 1754 or 263-1741. If you have any questions about an activity or want to discuss some new events, email me at denise@sbvpoa.org.

Golf Course Superintendent

Jim Pyle (417.339.2130)

Fall is probably the most beautiful time to play golf at StoneBridge. The problem it doesn’t last long enough and the fallen leaves. We know how upsetting it is to lose balls in the leaves, however; be patient we will get to them as soon as possible.

It’s still not too late to overseed your cool season yards, and is a great time to use a good fertilizer such as 13-13-13 use at least a pound and up to 2 pounds per 1000 square feet, and then do it again mid to late November.

Jim Pyle

Golf Pro

Bill Hasler (417.335.8187)

Rules Quiz

In preparing to play his shot out of the green side bunker, George walks between the ball and the hole to pick up a rake. To help with pace of play, while another golfer plays, George rakes his footprints. In the process of raking his foot prints, he accidentally steps on his ball.

What is the penalty?

Tip
Keep Your Feet Warm This Winter

Anyone who spends much time golfing during the winter months knows how difficult it can be to keep their feet warm, especially the toes. This is especially true in Missouri, where not only is the weather cold, but is also damp. Keeping your feet warm in winter weather is vitally important - and not always easily achieved. Generally, cold feet can be avoided by utilizing a mix of old technologies, new technologies and a dose of common sense. To keep your feet warm, first you need to keep your feet dry and protected from outside moisture. Which means you should have waterproof golf shoes. Do you like cotton socks - and wear them all the time, regardless of the weather? Well, put those socks away; you don't want to use them outdoors in the winter months. Why? Simple, they make your foot colder. Instead, use socks made of fleece, wool and similar type fabrics. The sock can make a crucial difference in taking water off your foot and putting it someplace else.

With the Club Championship and the Last Chance Couples event, October was an exciting month. The men’s club championship was won by TA Morrison. This is a familiar place for TA as a multiple winner of the championship. Shannon Hunt won the ladies club championship. Largely due to her practice regiment, Shannon’s golf skills are improving rapidly. Vicki Wratten won the ladies net (with handicap) championship. The Ladies Match Play Championship was won by Mary Gillespie and the Men’s Match Play is still in progress at this writing.

Looking back, 2007 was a very eventful year. While welcoming the idea of being a private club, we still retained many of our major tournaments. The Skaggs Classic and the Julian had their biggest purses ever.

“The Julian” golf tournament and auction was held September 16th and 17th at LedgeStone Country Club. This annual event is held to benefit ALS in the name of Jeff Julian who reached the PGA tour before facing this dreaded disease. Funds raised by “The Julian” as well as contributions go directly to local patient care and “Driving for Life”, a campaign founded by Jeff and his wife Kim, Tom and Hillary Watson and Bruce and Marsha Edwards. The campaign funds vital work at the ALS-TDF Bio Tech Research Lab in Cambridge, MA, the only ALS specific research lab in the country. The tournament pits PGA professionals in stroke play competition and their amateur teammates in team competition. The pro winner was Chris Mabry, playing from Leawood, Kansas and participating in his first tournament at LedgeStone. There were over 40 pro’s playing with many returning participants and we appreciate their interest. “The Julian” Board would like to thank the players and many LedgeStone volunteers who work the auction and tournament for helping to make this event a success.

November 1st marks the beginning of winter rates for your guests. If you know anyone who would like to play at LedgeStone, they can play as your guest for only $62.00. Also under winter guidelines we will be moving to the mats on the driving range and allow golfers to play in jeans. The shop will continue to remain stocked with everything except clubs. Woods and golf bags going on sale, so now is the time to buy as I try to liquidate this portion of my inventory. MAKE SURE YOU USE ALL GOLF SHOP CREDITS BY THE END OF THE YEAR. Once the books are wiped clean the credit will not be retrievable.

Congratulations to Adam Trainor! Adam passed the PGA Playing Ability Test last month at Highland Springs C.C. This is his first step in earning his PGA Membership.

Thank you!

Golf Committee's Report – Larry Ewing (417.338.8694)

The name and narrative description of each hole on the golf course has been updated to reflect the changes made to holes number 10 and 18. These updates can be seen on the LedgeStone Golf Course website.

The review and update of the LedgeStone Golf Course at Stonebridge Village Rules and Regulations booklet has been completed. The updated booklet will be sent to each of the annual golfing member in January along with their annual bill.

A golf course improvement project list has been developed. Cost estimates have been provided for each of the projects. This list will be used as a planning tool to keep the Board advised and to obtain their approval to proceed.

NOTES FROM YOUR FINANCE COMMITTEE - ROGER RADEBAUGH (417.334.045)

As expected, the financial results for the 9 month period ending on September 30th were not good. The budget for the 9 months, after interest expenses and depreciation, had a profit of $48,000. The actual results had a loss of $78,000 or a negative variance of $126,000.

ACC permit fees of $17,000 were under budget by $10,000 and Road Impact fees of $21,000 were $39,000 under their budget of $60,000. Both of these income items depend on housing construction, which is under the activity expected.

On the expense side, restaurant expenses of $89,000 are over budget by $21,000, due to air conditioners’ repairs. Golf Course maintenance expenses are over budget by $48,000 (10%) due to labor costs. Net Pro Shop operations (revenue less expenses) were on plan, even though total rounds of golf – 17,896, were 364 under the budget of 18,260. The security expenses were under budget by $9,000 with Administrative expenses virtually right on plan.

Based on the above performance results it is most likely that the 2007 budget cannot be met unless rounds of golf continue at a high level and new housing starts turn around. Capital purchases, now totaling $136,000 are frozen, even though the budget was for $224,000. Nothing more will be spent unless something is absolutely necessary. This also means that we cannot reduce the $300,000 Line of Credit by the $100,000 as planned, and expenses must be controlled for the rest of the year.

Please contact any Finance Committee member or Darrell with any specific questions that you may have, and if at all possible, attend the monthly POA meetings.

LEDGESTONE GRILLE & NICOL’S FINE DINING - BOB NICOL (417.239.0445)

Wow!!, It’s November already. My priority in this letter is to encourage everyone to make your Thanksgiving reservations early. We will serve a traditional Thanksgiving buffet from 11:00 A.M. – 3:00 P.M. The cost will be $24.95 (children $12.95). We will be very busy for this brunch, so PLEASE make your reservations now by calling 239-0445. We want to accommodate all StoneBridge residents, but we have limited seating.

Our hours of operation in Nicol’s Fine Dining will remain the same (Tues – Sat, 5:00 – 9:00 P.M.) until the end of the year. The Grille hours will rely greatly on the weather and golf course activity. We will of course serve lunch daily, but may discontinue breakfast if is not feasible to open. I will post our January schedule in the next newsletter.

Our December calendar is filling up rapidly with Christmas parties, but we still have a few dates open. If you would like to have a party, please come by or call anytime.

I have been asked to include my recipe for smothered chicken in this letter. As is true with most chefs, I do not have a written recipe, but I will explain the procedure. This is the “home version” of the recipe.

Smothered Chicken
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Seasoned flour (I use pepper and thyme) Canned Mushroom soup mixed with milk (I make my own mushroom sauce, but the soup works well. I would add about ½ can milk to the soup)
Oil for sautéing

Dredge the chicken in the flour to coat well. Brown in oil on both sides. Remove chicken to a baking dish and cover with soup. Bake in 350 degree oven (covered) for about an hour or until chicken is done.

A.C.C. REPORT - Larry Moffitt (417.334.0636)

There have been several incidents lately where property owners have hired contractors to conduct upgrades and repairs to their homes and landscaping. In the course of these activities, some contractors have infringed on neighboring properties, damaging private property, depositing dirt on the streets and damaging P.O.A. property by driving and staging equipment and materials on common property. These actions are specifically prohibited in our Rules and Regulations to protect neighboring property and the appearance of our neighborhood.

This is to remind all homeowners that you are responsible for the actions and damages contractors working for you. When you infringe on your neighbor’s property that is trespassing and when damage to trees and vegetation occurs you can be held accountable for the repairs including P.O.A. common property. Please know the Rules and Regulations and pass the information to people you hiring.

There are monetary penalties allowed in the P.O.A. Covenants and Rules and Regulations pertaining to the items listed above. The committee would prefer that homeowners read and follow the Rules and Regulations to avoid being assessed any penalty. Copies of the Rules and Regulations can be obtained from the POA office at the clubhouse.

Property owners should contact the P.O.A. or the A.C.C. before performing any exterior changes to their property.

LLGA (LedgeStone Ladies Golf Association) -

September 18 - The game was Blind Partners - Gross. Several match-play participants played their matches, and some also participated in the day's game. Winners were:

1st – Mary Gillespie and Glenda McLauchlin
2nd – Shannon Hunt and Pam Hunt
3rd – Vicki Wratten and Shirley Ewing
4th – Kay Russell and Shirley Douglas

Birdies today included Marilyn Sassman on #2, Annavee Duncan and Barb Thompson on #9, Vicki Wratten #11, and Shannon Hunt #14. Mary Gillespie birdied #5, 7, 11, and 18, AND had a career low 76 today! Congratulations, Mary!

September 25 - The game was Low Net. It was a nice day, supposed to rain but didn't. Winners today were:

1st – Shirley Ewing
2nd – Vicki Wratten
3rd – Gae Redford
4th – Sandy Copperstone
5th – Barb Thompson

Jacque` Walton had a birdie on #5.

October 2nd - 14 ladies came out for the Scramble/Luncheon. The first place team with a 67 was Shannon Hunt, Marilyn Sassman, Jacque` Walton, and Margaret Walsh. Second place team with a 72 was Kay Russell, Susan Warner, and Shirley Ewing. Afterwards, we enjoyed a nice lunch and had our business meeting in the Par Room upstairs. The Match Play tournament is still going on, with two final rounds yet to play at this writing. Shannon Hunt, the defending champion, will face Mary Gillespie, and Vicki Wratten will play Jody Jennett in the Players Flight. Those rounds are to be completed by mid-October.

submitted by LLGA Publicity Chair, Marilyn Sassman

The 9'ers

As I write . . . one of our 9’ers is in Dubais undergoing emergency eye surgery. Myra Sobral left a week ago to visit her daughter in Dubais. A few days after arriving, she started noticing some problems with her eye. It turned out to be a detached retina. She’s in one of the best hospitals in the country (according to reports) and has the top eye surgeon performing the surgery, so we’re relieved to some degree, but will be further relieved when she’s on American soil again.

The summer golf season is over already, and we’re into the final phase of the fall season. We’ve had birdies, bogies, and no-putts to name of few achievements. The most outstanding is your pick between these two: 1) Did you know that you can hit the ball sending it in the wrong direction so it hits the hubcap on the golf cart and knocks the hubcap right off? 2) How many golfers can make a chip shot, and instead of putting the ball in to the hole, you can put it in the pocket of the person tending the flag?

The 9’ers have had an assortment of entertainment off course this summer to include another trip to the Springfield Cardinal’s Game, a 9’ers heat wave party at the Pavilion, a night out at The Landing, a day at Highland Springs, and we’ve hosted a StoneBridge Village Owner’s Pot-Luck with 78 people attending. We had a wonderful time that evening, and we hope everyone else did too. We’ve been shopping, gone to Mah Jongg parties, Skip-Bo parties, knitting, wine parties, game days and game nights, craft workshops, rummage sales, theatre shows, Branson music shows, luncheons, and managed to play golf on Tuesdays and a great number of Thursdays. So, all in all, we think we’ve had a successful year-to-date. Have we had fun?????? Yes, Yes, Yes!

Our Year-End party is scheduled for November 6th. Place to be announced later. Just put the date on your calendar for now and watch for an email reminder.

Oh, we’re still collecting StoneBridge Owners email addresses for a Master Email List. If you’d like to be on the list and be notified of upcoming activities & events here at the Village, send your email address to me at: rddjd@suddenlink.net

See you on the course. Jeanette Douglas, 9’ers Publicity

StoneBridge Village Book Club

We meet on the 1st Thursday of the month, September thru May.

Members take turns hosting the group which has an average attendance of 10-12 people. Meeting time is 9:30 am and we are usually finished by 11:00 unless there is better than usual discussion! Light refreshments are served. We do not meet in June, July or August.

November 1st - Portrait in Sepia by Isabelle Allende

Anyone interested in joining may contact Gail Brookhart (334-3875) or Glenda McLauchlin (334-9659)

Delinquent Assessments

November Meeting Schedule

StoneBridge Village

Board of Directors

POA Committee Members: