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• Resident Appreciation Day is coming soon…
• Corvias pools will open in May
• Corvias Foundation applications are due May 8
• Linden Oaks visitor passes will begin May 1
• Yard-of-the-Month returns in June
• Military spouses empowered, rejuvenated at Army Wife Network events
• Have you thanked a military spouse?
• Community happenings are on our website’s calendar
• Have you heard about Randolph Pointe?
• Green corner
• The secret language of flowers
• Where to park in your community
• Friendly community reminders
• Children’s Fest 2014 is Saturday, April 26!
• Upcoming events and important dates

Resident Appreciation Day is coming soon…

It’s that time again to celebrate YOU –our service members and spouses! Our free resident event, Resident Appreciation Celebration, will be held on Friday, May 30, from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Corregidor Courts/Bougainville Community Center (301 North Dougherty Drive).  The event will also be held at The Clubhouse at Linden Oaks (2 Duplin Street) on Friday, June 6, 6 to 9 p.m.

The celebration will feature a Couple’s Date Night theme. Dress your best, and come ready to spend time with your spouse and other couples who live on post! Enjoy a free evening of good food, laughs, and a variety of fun activities and raffle prizes, all especially designed for adult attendees. We kindly ask that you coordinate your child care arrangements off site. Child care will not be available during the event.

If your spouse is currently deployed, come on your own or bring a friend! We just want to see you there.

Corvias pools will open in May

All Corvias family housing pools will open on Friday, May 23. Please visit your community’s website for the Corvias community pools’ hours and rules.

All Corvias pools are free of charge for on-post residents to use. Don’t forget your pool pass and military ID! Replacement pool passes are available at your Community Office. Each household is welcome to bring a maximum of four guests.

Young children may wear Coast Guard-approved life vests. Please note that the following are not permitted in Corvias pools:

•  Inflatable rafts
•  Toys
•  Seats
• Water wings

Corvias Foundation applications are due May 8

If you are the spouse of an active-duty service member with plans to go to college, Corvias Foundation may be able to help. Go to corviasfoundation.org to learn more about available educational grants from Corvias Foundation and to apply online.

Linden Oaks visitor passes will begin May 1

As you know, Fort Bragg has implemented the Automated Installation Entry (AIE). Visitors who are not driving with a DoD ID card holder, such as a friend or a delivery truck, must obtain a visitor pass to travel onto Fort Bragg. Visitor passes can be obtained at the All American Visitor Control Center, located at the All American Gate. The center is open 24/7. Visitor passes are valid for 90 days from the date of issue.

Linden Oaks visitors who are not driving with a DoD ID card holder must obtain a visitor pass to travel into the community beginning May 1. This visitor pass will only be valid for entry into the Linden Oaks community, not the rest of Fort Bragg. However, if a visitor already has a visitor pass for Fort Bragg, that pass can be used to access Linden Oaks. All Linden Oaks visitors can obtain their passes from the guards at the Linden Oaks community’s entrance.

Linden Oaks residents’ entry will not be affected by this new procedure. Linden Oaks residents will continue to present their DoD ID cards to the gate’s guards. For more information, please call Mickey McQuain at (910) 432-6357 or Capt. Timothy Prevost at (910) 432-1200.

Yard-of-the-Month returns in June

Break out the gardening gloves! The Fort Bragg Garrison will recognize the Corvias-sponsored Yard-of-the-Month Contest from June through September. The Yard-of-the-Month Program will reward those who make a special effort to improve their yard and beautify their home, while remaining in compliance with housing and post regulations. ­These regulations include Fort Bragg’s lawn watering guidelines as well as the regulations outlined in Corvias Military Living’s Resident Responsibility Guide. Please contact your Community Office for a copy of this guide.

In consideration of varying community sizes and home types, two to four Yard-of-the-Month winners will be selected in each community. Each Yard-of-the-Month winner will receive a ­ recognition letter from the Fort Bragg Garrison Commander, a Yard-of-the-Month sign to be displayed in front of the home, and gift certificates. Of the Yard-of-the-Month winners, one Yard of Excellence winner will be selected each month as the best of Fort Bragg.

Judging and Rules:

1. Judging will be conducted on or around the 15th of the month. The Directorate of Public Works (DPW) will perform the judging and select winners. No Corvias employees will take part in judging.

2. To be eligible to participate, yards must be in full compliance with requirements set forth in the Corvias Military Living Resident Responsibility Guide.

3. Winners will be notified the following month. A resident may win only once during the period of June through September.

Military spouses empowered, rejuvenated at Army Wife Network events

Last month, we announced Corvias Military Living has partnered with Army Wife Network to bring the Field Exercises™: Battle Buddies program to three Corvias installations in 2014. Corvias and Army Wife Network held its first joint Field Exercises™: Battle Buddies networking and military spouse appreciation seminars on Fort Bragg on April 3 and 4.

Nearly 200 military spouses attended the four-hour events focused on fostering connections among spouses, sharing support, and enjoying camaraderie. Participants immediately began to experience this focus during the initial moments of the seminar, when spouses completed an ice-breaker activity that encouraged comparing and contrasting their military spouse experiences.

While challenges and opportunities associated with military life were at the forefront of the events’ discussions, food and door prizes were also provided, and attendees left the event feeling empowered and rejuvenated.

Kari Schaffer, who lives on post at Fort Bragg, was especially grateful to attend the event. “This has really taught me that you can have friends from all walks of life. It’s great how the event gets people together to talk.”

Corvias will also host and sponsor Field Exercises™: Battle Buddies seminars at Fort Meade and Fort Sill later this year.

For more information about the Army Wife Network and its partnership with Corvias, visit Army Wife Network’s multi-media resource website.

Have you thanked a military spouse?

Thirty years ago, President Ronald Reagan recognized the importance of military spouse contributions to the morale and readiness of our nation’s service members. In 1999, Congress designated the first Friday before Mother’s Day as National Military Spouse Appreciation Day. This year on May 9, we continue to recognize and show appreciation to the silent force, behind the force, for their steadfast support and sacrifice. 

As a nation, we salute spouses for their commitment, dedication, and patriotism. Military spouses wear many hats while juggling family separations, employment uncertainties, and frequent relocations. Yet, they still find time and strength to volunteer in our communities and manage the home front.

Corvias Military Living salutes our military spouses for your service and commitment! Thank you for the many selfless contributions and sacrifices in supporting our service members. Information on Military Spouse Appreciation events at Fort Bragg, such as the second annual Spouse Wellness Conference, is available on the Fort Bragg MWR website.

Community happenings are on our website’s calendar

Want to know what is happening in your community? Your community calendar can help you stay up-to-date on trash, recycling, lawn care, resident events and community activities. You can even sync your community calendar with a personal Google calendar by clicking on the +Google button on the bottom right-hand corner of the calendar.   

Have you heard about Randolph Pointe?

Randolph Pointe is Fort Bragg’s only on-post apartment community for single and unaccompanied Senior NCOs and Officers. It is located near the North Post Commissary and PX on the corner of Randolph and Souter Streets at 2850 Compass Court. For more information or to schedule a tour for your single or unaccompanied service members, visit randolphpointe.com or call (910) 764-5008.

Green corner

Take advantage of spring weather! While the temperatures outside are comfortable, use a window or fan instead of the air conditioner. A fan only requires a tenth of the energy needed to run an air conditioner.

The secret language of flowers

Flowers are lovely to look at, but they communicate more than beauty. Some have specific meanings behind them. Here’s what you can express to a friend or loved one by choosing just the right flower:

• Carnation: constancy, joy
• Chrysanthemum: optimism, hope, happiness
• Daisy: purity, loyalty, innocence
• Freesia: trust
• Gladiola: remembrance
• Iris: faith, wisdom, promise
• Larkspur: appreciation
• Lily: devotion
• Orchid: love, beauty
• Red rose: true love, desire
• White rose: true love, purity
• Yellow rose: friendship
• Pink rose: sweetness
• Tulip: love at first sight
• Snapdragon: virtue

Where to park in your community

As you may know, the Directorate of Public Works (DPW) recently installed “no parking” signs throughout the Fort Bragg communities. Military Police will give you a ticket if you park in these prohibited locations. These “no parking” signs ensure that emergency vehicles can access the communities during emergencies. We thank you in advance for adhering to these guidelines. For more information, please contact the Provost Marshal Office at (910) 396-5589.

Friendly community reminders

• Thank you for supervising your children when they are skateboarding or bicycling. Please ensure that all bicycling, skateboarding, and recreational equipment are properly and neatly stored when not in use. We appreciate your cooperation!
• Please keep your garage door closed when it is not in use, so that your car and/or belongings can be kept securely stored.

Children’s Fest 2014 is Saturday, April 26!

Don’t miss the 22^nd annual Children’s Fest at the Fort Bragg Fairgrounds on Saturday, April 26. Gates will open at the Fort Bragg Fairgrounds at 10 a.m. Gates will close at 4 p.m. The event will offer games, carnival rides, and prize drawings. For more information, please call (910) 396-8110.

Upcoming events and important dates

• April 26, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.: Children’s Fest
• May 1: Linden Oaks non-DoD ID card holders require a visitor’s pass
• May 4: All American Marathon, Half Marathon, and 5k
• May 8: Corvias Foundation grant applications are due
• May 9: National Military Spouse Appreciation Day
• May 9: Spouse Wellness Conference
• Mid-May: April utility conservation statements are delivered to your home
• May 23: Corvias family housing pools open
• May 30: Resident Appreciation Celebration, Corregidor Courts/Bougainville Community Center
• June 6: Resident Appreciation Celebration, The Clubhouse at Linden Oaks