Posted on: June 4th, 2018 Posted in Residents Only

River Bluffs Update – Status of the River Bluffs Clubs   (June 2018)

This is an update of the River Bluffs Clubs to provide residents information for activities they might find interesting.  You can join a club on the portal with a click of a button.   Club news and activities are distributed only to club members.

All clubs could use an additional Co-Manager to help organize activities.  Contact a current Club Co-Manager or email Megan at riverbluffsmarketing@gmail.com if you are interested in being a Co-Manager.

Look for some special club announcements that will go to everyone such as Vessel Safety Day coming to River Bluffs on June 9thwith free inspections and water safety tips. Coast Guard approved Vessel Examiners from the Cape Fear Sail & Power Squadron will be on hand to give you tips on boating safety, examine your equipment and provide 2018 stickers for all boats that pass the exam.

Another special club announcement will be a proposition for a new club.   The steps for forming a new club are:

  1. A summary of the proposed club is reviewed by the members of the Community Advisory Board.
  2. The proposal is posted on the Portal to provide all residents the opportunity to show their level of interest.
  3. If resident feedback shows a sufficient level of interest, the new club is formed and joins the current clubs on the Portal.

The update of all of the current River Bluffs Clubs is below:

***All clubs in need of management (primary or secondary) will have Megan’s name listed in one or more of the manager spaces available, see her directly to participate in managing. There will be a Club Manager training for new club managers that need assistance with Tara on 06/12/18 to learn the ends and outs of managing your club.***

  1. Clubs just starting to be active with a new Managers

City Events Club (46 current members)– Greg Corbin just volunteered to be Club Manager

This club is for those who like to partake in the various events in Wilmington (Thalian Hall, Comedy Clubs, Festivals) or possibly taking road trips to other cities. –

Drop on By (18 current members) – Susan Rooks volunteered to be Club Manager
The members of this club want to bring back the satisfying times of past centuries when informal neighborhood social networks provided a sense of contentment and interrelations within neighborhoods. On June 1stthe club will start a pilot of five homes along Genoa and Rosewood Landing Drive to fine-tune the concept that members will each have a distinctive garden flag to fly when they are open for people to drop by for conversation, etc. so people are confident they are welcome just to pop in.  The 12”x12” flag has a blue bottom and green top meeting in a wave representing the curve of our river.  The club library contains some articles about how this type of informal neighborhood social networks contribute to a high level of personal contentment and improve health.

  1. Relatively new clubs and ones that will become more active in the upcoming few months.

Here is some information about clubs that are now or will soon be expanding activities:

Foodies Club #2  (23 current members)

With the success of the Foodies Club #1 came so much membership growth that Foodies Club #2 needed to be started.

Thank you Jhansi Kandasamy for being Foodies #1 Manager.

Both Foodies Clubs are for the same purpose but need to be limited in size.  If you like food and company, here is a club to develop the combination of the two items. Share experiences of good restaurants in the area and dine out with friends. A sub-club group could rotate dinner parties at member’s houses.

  • Some members of Foodies Club #1 can also sign up for Foodies Club #2 to cross-pollinate this popular concept.
  • Sign up for the club if you are interested in these activities.

Pickleball Club(45 members) Jackie Niedermayer is Club Manager

  • Some members have taken lessons at the Y and a church as well as on the new RB pickleball courts
  • Some quick links were added to the Pickleball Club library for those who want to learn or play (days/times/locations/skill level) at their convenience. Click on the Library tab while on the Pickleball Club page.
  • Play times on the RB courts are announced to club members.

Ping Pong Club (17 members)  Jackie Niedermayer and Bob Conger are Club Co-Managers

  • Current routine play times are Wednesdays 3:00-5:00, Saturdays 11:00-2:00 and Sundays 3:00-5:00. A survey of members will be done during April to select additional times or change some current ones.
  • Lessons will be provided for beginners
  • All levels of play (beginner to semi-advanced) are available
  • Play will pick up when the River Bluffs multi-purpose room above the fitness center opens soon. The room will hold three tables, and the club has two tables ready to start.

Rock, Rhythm, and Blues (22 members)  John Distler is Club Manager

  • Solo and Duo Distler singers have graced River Bluff events this past year.
  • The Club is posed to kick up activities as a drummer moves in soon to join the existing guitar and keyboard playing residents.
  • Join this club if you like to play or listen to music.

Water Volleyball(39 members)   Ritt Schiano is Club Manager

  • The club kicked off last summer and was a big hit with two play times a week.
  • Play resumes this each Saturday 11:00-1:00 and Sunday 3:00-5:00 starting May 26th.
  • A weekday play time may be added soon.

 
Bullets and Bows (30 members)  Lindsay Henry and Bob Conger are Club Co-Managers

  • Thirteen residents completed their Concealed Gun Carry Permit Course earlier this year.
  • Interested “shooters” meet in front of the Mail Building by Porches at 8:45 AM on the second Saturday of each month to head to the Holly Shelter shooting range.
  • Shooters informally get together to shoot at an indoor range in town or at Holly Shelter as the spirit moves them to.

Boaters – Kayaking and Power Boats  (49 members)  Otis White and Bob Conger are Club Co-Managers

  • Some river tours in kayaks have already occurred. The Osprey are back, and flowers are starting to bloom.
  • The club has kayaks, vests, and paddles stored by the boat ramp that the owners allow other club members to use.
  • There is also one canoe and one tandem two-person kayak within the club for use.
  • Some kayak lessons and beginner trips have started.
  • Around a dozen residents have power boats. Otis White is the Co-Manager that will focus on items to support power boaters and their activities.  As an officer in the Cape Fear Sail and Power, Squadron Otis brings knowledge and access to a strong set of resources to join with other RB boaters with deep boating and Cape Fear River experience and knowledge.
  • He has already set up the availability of free vessel safety checks for all RB boat owners.  Those passing get a US Coast Guard sticker for their boats certifying the vessel passed the safe boating review. Call his cell at 480-363-0776 to set up an inspection.
  • It is a prime time for owners to collectively select items of interest for the group of power boaters. The club library is a great place to house a list of resources such as boat mechanics, great trips, boat hardware sources.

Book Club(27 members) Randy Jayne and Nancy Jacobs are the Club Co-Managers

  • A schedule of twelve books planned to be read this year is in the club library. Members can read the book scheduled for the current month and meet to discuss it.
  • Starting in June, the club will offer two reading groups to help members schedules and accommodate the large membership of interested residents.
  • Another function of the club is maintaining a set of book sharing shelves that were set up in the River Bluffs post office building last fall.

Bunko Club(32 members)  Barb Kohler is the Club Manager

  • This group gives ladies a night out to play Bunco, a fun and easy to play dice game.
  • Active with monthly meetings held 7:00-9:00 PM held the second Tuesday of each month
  • The location rotates between member’s houses.

Welcome New Neighbors(18 members) Kelly Good is Club Manager

Started welcoming new neighbors moving into the community during January this year with a basket of home-made cookies and warm personal introduction.

  • This club adds to the welcome visit and goodie basket brought by the RB Development organization.
  • Has developed ties to Wilmington Newcomers Group for their activities and ties to Welcome Wagon.
  • Current membership is heavily weighted on the Premier Homes side and needs residents from other areas of the community. 
  1. Status of the other RB clubs

The following clubs have Co-Managers and are active:

  • Community Farm– Stephan Douglass Co-Manager – Would welcome a resident Co-Manager
  • Community Watch– Jane Love and Alan Morris are Club Co-Managers
  • Foodies #1 – (56 members – Closed to new members due to size) – Jhansi Kandasami is Club Manager
  • Handyman– Would welcome a Co-Manager to join Bob Conger
  • Helping Hands– Would welcome a Co-Manager to join Bob Conger
  • History – Otis White is Club Manager

New-comers are welcomed to join (just go to “View List of Clubs” on the Residents Portal and click the “Join Club” button that is on the right-hand side of each club

  1. The following clubs need a Club Manager to catalyze them beyond their current stage of “Dormant”.

There are more than 20 members each in most of these clubs, but they need the spark of a Club Manager to create activity.

The Community Advisory Board will decide whether to remove individual clubs from the Portal if a Club Manager volunteer does not come front to make the club active.

Drinks Please– If you like mixing with people and consuming liquids containing alcohol, this club is for you. Sub-clubs can coordinate times to meet at porches, organize a wine tasting club or show interest in games that go with alcohol such as beer pong, etc. (55 members)

Gamers – Anything to do with games (board, cards, bocce, horseshoes to name a few). The membership will form the desired activities, frequency, etc.  (28 members)

Gardening– Combine people, dirt, water, and seeds and see what sprouts. Possibly do special projects with Steve Douglas, the head farmer of the RB Organic Farm.  (23 current members)

Investments– Share the investment knowledge existing within RB. Schedule outside speakers (Investment managers, CPAs, Authors, etc.) (16 current members)

Movie Nights at Porches– We can set times and select movies to watch inside or set up a screen by the fountain and have outdoor movie nights.  (34 current members)

Naturalists– The club explores, learns, loves and shares information and experiences associated with nature, both immediately around us within River Bluffs and further away.  (31 current members)

Rolling Wheels– If you enjoy biking, cycling or if you are a car enthusiast, this club will allow you to keep in touch with others that have similar interests.  (15 current members)

Volunteers for the Community– Here is a club for those interested in doing volunteer work in the community (any local communities, civic organizations, or River Bluffs community). The club could team up with other RB clubs such as Helping Hands, Handyman, etc. and do a “Sister Cities” type sharing with local groups.  (26 current members)

There are five new clubs already approved that are in the works and should be available online tomorrow. Crafters Club, Yoga Club & Fitness Club (re-vamped), Painters Club and Homemade Club (Baking and Cooking).

Thanks!