Greetings, in the ongoing format of meeting the Directors of the Association through articles in the Woodhaven News, this month I will have the opportunity to introduce myself…I am Charles “Charlie” Muir and serve the Association as a member of the Board of Directors, Board Secretary, and a member of the Executive Committee. Additionally, I serve as the Chairman of the Facility Planning Committee and volunteer as a member of the Chapel-in-the-Woods committee. It is a privilege to be a part of the Woodhaven organization and to contribute to its present success and to its future.

The Muir family had enjoyed visiting Woodhaven during the 90s, and eventually, in 1999, we became Property Owners. Since then, our children have grown up, and now our grands are enjoying Woodhaven, and it’s many activities…whether it’s swimming, building sand castles, visiting the Nature Center, doing crafts, going on a wagon ride, enjoying ice cream, concerts & fireworks or just passing the time of day at the park…there is something for all ages. So, in the future, if you see me on the grounds or at one of these activities, please stop and say “Hello.”

The unofficial kick-off of summer and the official beginning of the “2023 SWEET ESCAPE” camping season began with the Memorial Day weekend here at Woodhaven. This year’s estimated attendance for the week was around 13,960 individuals with 3,562 active lots – the second highest on record. It was great to see Property Owners with family and friends enjoying the beautiful weather and the many activities of the weekend. The culmination of the weekend included the patriotic Memorial Day service and flag ceremony at the Lakeview Building, where we honored those that had given their lives for our country so that we might live in the Land of the Free…God Bless America!

Our next big holiday event will be the Independence Day Weekend which occurs on July 1st and 2nd. Once again, the staff has prepared a plethora of special events for the weekend. Please look elsewhere in this edition or on the website for the complete list of those activities.   

The July Board of Directors meeting will be held on July 22nd at the Rec Plex. If you are able, please attend to learn more about the business of the Association and what goes on behind the scenes at Woodhaven.

Following are a few items of business that were recently approved by the Board: 

The extension of the paved trail, used for the Open Air Market, will now be paved from the present halfway point and ending adjacent to the General Store.

Establishing the Deer Management Ad-hoc Committee (DMC), which will be meeting to gather information regarding our overpopulation of deer and to bring back information and recommendations to the Board regarding what to do moving forward concerning this important topic.

Allowing “Class 1” Low-speed E-bike usage at Woodhaven…please see Rules & Regulations Article II Section 1 Letter G for all the details. These “Class 1” electric bicycles will be recognized by Woodhaven to be like a regular bicycle, with the exception that this bike has an electric motor to provide assistance when the rider is pedaling up to a speed of 20 mph. A reminder…all bicycles travel on the “right-hand side” of the road, moving with the flow of other vehicles, and must yield the right of way to all pedestrians, including hikers on our trail system.

Update, tornado cleanup continues throughout the Woodhaven property, plus the reforestation process has begun…checkout the new trees in front of the Lakeview Building. Additionally, the Boat Rental building at Pool 2 has been replaced, and the storage building at the Water Plant should be completed during June. Please note that the cleanup process will continue throughout the summer and into this fall. Thank you to all the staff and Property Owners who have worked so diligently to bring us to the place we are at today.

Thank you again for the opportunity to serve the Association as a member of our Board. God bless you and your family as you enjoy the beauty of our natural surroundings and all the fun activities of this country’s premier recreational facility known as Woodhaven Lakes.