WILDWOOD AREA RECREATION ASSOCIATION

March 2026 Newsletter

GREETINGS FRIENDS!

Lorraine Curry, President

I believe after this long, cold winter, we are all ready for a warm, relaxing and fun pool season! Wildwood Pool and all of it's amenities continue to be a beautiful facility providing our families with community, activities, and memories.


Our membership rates for 2026 will remain the same as last year. We have also reduced the rental rates and daily guest pass fees (you spoke, we listened). Our facility for rental is a bargain but we wanted to make it more affordable for our members. These rates can be found on our website at www.wildwoodpoolva.com/rentals.

We will continue to take membership payments online but will be going through Square instead of PayPal. Again this year, we ask you write a check for your dues to avoid paying fees (we do understand if you can't). If your bank uses Zelle, you can also pay this way and it doesn't cost you or us anything! You can add WILDWOOD AREA RECREATION ASSOCIATION USING THE EMAIL WILDWOODMEMBERSHIP@GMAIL.COM. I have added a QR Code to take you there in our Membership Section. We start taking payments for renewals on April 1 and they must be paid by May 1.

The text messaging service we have previously been using no longer allows us to use their free service as it is intended for teachers only. So we will be starting over and are currently searching for an affordable text messaging service. Once I have that figured out, I will send an eblast to all members to sign up for these text messages. Stay tuned.

WARA is currently working with our professional engineer on assessing Dam #1 issues will be taking further steps to make the needed improvements once the engineer finishes his assessment. We have also applied for a Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) dam grant. Typically these grants are awarded to high-hazard dams (we are a low-hazard dam). But there could be leftover dollars available, and it was in our best interest to apply and see if we could obtain some of that money - especially knowing the expenses we will have to incur.

Your feedback and suggestions are valuable to us in guiding our decisions, and we encourage you to continue sharing your ideas and thoughts. I believe we all take pride in the community we have built!

Thank you for your continued support, and here's to another incredible pool season at Wildwood!

PLEASE WELCOME OUR NEW POOL MANAGERS

Marnie & Paul Whitten

Welcome to our 2026 Summer Season! 

Paul and I are excited to serve as your Wildwood Pool Managers for the 2026 season. We have lived in the Wildwood community for 19 years and have been proud stockholders of our pool during that time. Many of you may already know me from running the snack bar since 2022.

We are looking forward to a fun, safe, and welcoming pool season, with exciting weekly activitiesfor the kids and some new events involving our lifeguards - so stay tuned.

We’re looking forward to meeting many of you and getting to know each of Wildwood members even better this summer. 

If you have any questions, concerns, or simply want to chat, please don’t hesitate to find us on the pool deck—we’re always happy to connect with you!

You can reach us at: wildwoodpoolmanager@gmail.com.

SCHEDULING A PARTY

If you want to reserve a date for a pool party, email your preferred date, time and number of party guests to wildwoodpoolmanager@gmail.com. We only rent to members. Non-members may not rent our facilities.

The pool manager will get back with you to let you know if that date is available and get you on the calendar. The rental rates, contract and rules are available on our website at www.wildwoodpoolva.com.



2025-2026 STOCKHOLDER ASSESSMENT

At the annual stockholders' meeting in February 2025, it was approved to assess each stockholder a total of $200. Members were given a two-year time frame to pay this assessment. These funds will be applied directly to dam expenses we have coming for repairs needed on Dam #1 (located behind the pool).

Please note the final installment is due by September 1, 2026. This can be paid online through our website or via a check sent to Keith Weisenstein, our membership chair. At least $100 must be paid by May 1 in order for your membership to remain "Active" for 2026 and in good standing.

  A LITTLE HOUSEKEEPING! PLEASE READ!

We need to cover some housekeeping rules this year while you are at the pool.   

• You MUST check in with a lifeguard each time you visit. And you MUST show them your 2026 membership passes. No exceptions!
• Guests may only come with an active member and are $5 for each guest per day. If you are not a member, you are a guest. If you plan to have more than 5 guests, please let the pool managers know. They may need to adjust lifeguards accordingly.
• Ladies & Young Teen Girls - NO CHEEKY SWIMSUITS ALLOWED.
• ABSOLUTELY NO FOOTBALLS OR TENNIS BALLS IN THE POOL! NO EXCEPTIONS AT ANY TIME OF DAY!
• Please ensure you always know where your young children are in the pool. Our lifeguards are not your babysitters.
• Floats may not be allowed at certain times if we are extremely busy. It is up to the discretion of our pool manager if they are allowed. Extremely large floats will not be allowed.
• Please throw all your trash away and check your area before you leave to make sure it is clean.
• We will only keep items in a Lost and Found for two weeks.
• Alcohol is not permitted at the pool. We are a family-oriented pool and we want everyone to have an enjoyable experience.
• If you have any issues, please see our pool managers to discuss them.

LAKES & FISHING

WARA not only owns the pool and amenities surrounding it, but we also own the three lakes consisting of the one below the pool and the two across from the entrance of the pool (North Lake and South Lake). Some property owners around the lake may approach you about your access. WARA owns a certain amount of feet of shoreline around the lake, not the property owner. The actual number of feet can vary up to 10' depending on the topography of the land. Presenting your 2026 membership card to them will prove that you have the right to fish on those lakes. Non-members may NOT use the lakes or any other part of our facilities.

TEXT ALERTS

 We no longer have the service we had in the past for text messaging so we are starting from scratch. We are currently working on obtaining a service that is affordable and will send more information regarding this when it is available.

  POOL CLEANUP WORKDAYS

Saturday, April 25 from 8 am to 12 noon

and

Saturday, May 2 from 8 am to 12 noon

As an incentive to increase participation in our clean-up days to get the pool ready to open, we are offering 5 free guest passes (a $50 value) to members that show up and work a total of 4 hours (this can be done all in one day or split between the 2 workdays). There will be sign-in sheets each day where you record your sign-in /sign-out times. Please keep young children at home as we are moving heavy items all over the deck that morning.

WANT TO VOLUNTEER?

Is anyone interested in volunteering to help at the pool and get involved? Board members work very hard all year getting the pool ready for members, putting on activities and much more behind the scenes. But we really could use help!

So we are reaching out to see if our members have the skills, talents and resources to help us make these improvements. Think about these things and see if you have the ability to:

•  Volunteer time for Activities - we are looking for parents with younger children to
   help run activities - we encourage to volunteer and get involved. You won't regret it!
•  Build (Construction)
•  Paint
•  Floor Work
•  Electrical 
•  Water Line Repairs
•  Paving
•  Landscaping
•  The list could go on and on.

If you would like to volunteer and provide much-needed services, we are willing to reward you with some daily guest passes.  Email warapresident@gmail.com if you are interested in helping.

RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP

Keith Weisenstein

To guarantee your place at the pool it will be necessary for active members (those who were members last year) to have your dues paid on or before May 1, 2026. After that date, membership will be opened to individuals on the waiting list. 

Dues for 2026 will remain the same as last year:

• Family Membership: $550 (with a minimum of 4 passes)
• Senior Membership: $440 (60+) (2 passes with 2 guest passes)
• Single Membership: $330 (no additional passes) Only 30 available!
• Fishing/Lake Access Only Membership: $75
• WARA Stock: $300 per share
• Permanent Guest Pass: $150
• Stock Transfer Fee: $50

There are two ways to pay your membership:

1) We prefer you pay by check made payable to WARA to alleviate the costly fees . You can mail checks to:

Keith Weisenstein

1119 Random Way

Forest, VA 24551

2) If you must pay online, go to www.wildwoodpoolva.com and click on the "Membership" tab and then "Pay Dues" tab where you will be guided to pay via the links provided.

If you decide to mail a check, don't wait until the last minute. It must arrive by May 1 (not be mailed on May 1) in order to meet the deadline. For questions, please email: wildwoodmembership@gmail.com

The annual membership dues cover all eligible family members. A "family" is defined as those individuals related by blood, marriage, or through legal guardianship and living in the same house.

As in the past, a family membership will include a minimum of four passes. Senior stock members will receive a MAXIMUM of 4 passes. If there are more than 4 family members living in the household, the family stock membership must be paid. Single memberships receive no extra passes and any guests must pay $5 per day for their guests.

All dues MUST be paid in full prior to using any of the amenities. Membership packets containing pool membership cards & pool rules will be available for pick-up at the pool during opening weekend or anytime after that.  Packets will not be mailed. YOU MUST SHOW YOUR POOL PASSES EACH TIME YOU ENTER THE POOL TO THE LIFEGUARD ON DUTY!

MEMBERSHIP FAQ

Q. How will the 2026 waiting list work?

A. Returning 2025 stock members can join anytime before May 1, 2026. After that date, families on the waiting list will be offered memberships until we reach capacity. There are over 150 families on the waiting list and growing every day. Historically, 25 to 35 families leave each year for various reasons, so there is a chance that some people on the waiting list may not get in this year.

Q. I own stock and haven't been a member for a few years. I can join anytime right?

A. Unfortunately, no. Your stock membership is considered inactive and you must request to be placed on the waiting list and pay any past due assessments. Note that inactive stock members are given priority over prospective new members. According to the by-laws, priority among inactive stock members is based on the period of time for which the member has been waiting to become active, so the member with the most seniority on the waiting list has first preference. After all of the inactive stock members have been offered a membership, we will welcome new members until capacity is reached. At that time, membership will be closed to everyone, including stockholders. 

Q. How do I become a stock member?

A. There are two ways: 1) you can purchase stock directly from WARA or 2) you can purchase stock from a WARA stockholder who no longer has a need for the stock. If you buy stock from WARA, there is a one-time fee of $300, which can be split over two years. If you purchase stock from a stockholder, it is considered a private transfer and WARA does not take part in the negotiations. Once the transfer is made, the old stock certificate should be sent to Keith and he will issue a new stock certificate in the buyer's name(s). There is a $50 transfer fee for this service.

Important Note:

The purchaser in a private transaction assumes the stockholder status of the seller, i.e. if the seller was active in 2025, then the purchaser steps into his shoes in 2026 and bypasses the waiting list. There is still a $50 stock transfer fee.

BELOW IS A QR CODE TO PAY THROUGH ZELLE

(Your bank may limit you how much you can transfer in a day
and it may be smaller than your dues. Check with your bank for more details).

STINGERS SNACK BAR

Marnie Whitten

We’re excited to share that Ashleigh Taylor will be serving

as our Snack Bar Lead Manager this season. Ashleigh has been part of the Wildwood team for nearly four years, and

many of you already know her friendly face and great

energy. She does an amazing job keeping things running

smoothly and making the snack bar a fun stop for everyone.Be sure to swing by, grab a treat, and say hello to Ashleigh

this summer!  

Due to the fees associated with using debit cards, we kindly request that you start a tab and swipe your debit card as few times as possible. We not only pay a percentage on each transaction but also pay an additional $.15 anytime a card is swiped. We will issue a card for you to keep in your pool bag to use and more money can be added at any time. This will help ensure we keep our prices as reasonable for our members as possible.

Please like and follow us on our Facebook page!

www.facebook.com/stingerssnackbar

POOL & SNACK BAR HOURS

POOL HOURS:

Monday - Saturday:      10:00 a.m. - 8:00 pm

Sunday:                         12:00 noon - 8:00 pm

SNACK BAR HOURS:

Monday - Saturday:      11:00 a.m. - 7:00 pm

Sunday:                        12:00 noon - 7:00 pm

AMENITIES

• Pool (open Memorial weekend thru Labor Day weekend

• Slide and Pool Basketball

• Pavilion Rental for Parties (during and after pool hours)

• Full-Size Sand Volleyball Court

• Basketball Court (open year-round)

• Cornhole

• Fishing on three (3) lakes (for members use only)

• Snack Bar

• WIFI

• 4 Square

• Connect 4 Oversize Games

• Children's Playground

2026 ACTIVITIES

We have planned several fun activities throughout the summer. This schedule is subject to change. Dates include the pool activities and swim team dates.

SWIM TEAM NEWS

Deborah Bourque, Swim Team President

Greetings from the Wildwood Swim Team. We have so much exciting information to share!

We are thrilled to announce that we will have two head coaches this year. Coach Dan will be returning this season and equally excited to welcome Coach Jesse Lee. Jesse brings years of coaching experience alongside Dan and will be an outstanding addition to our leadership team. Her energy, creativity, and enthusiasm will introduce fresh ideas and plenty of fun to our program. We can’t wait for everyone to see what this dynamic duo has in store for the season ahead!

We’re also happy to share that Asher Barron and Jordan Calle will be returning as assistant coaches. They’ll be joined by senior swimmer part-time coaches Madelyn Summers and Josie Horsh, whose leadership and experience will be invaluable. Jason Townsend will also be assisting with evening practices. With seven dedicated coaches supporting our swimmers across all practice times, we’re looking forward to an incredible season ahead!

SWIM TEAM SIGN UPS/OPEN HOSUE

Tuesday, April 7, 2026

4:00 - 8:00 pm

Nautical Bowls (Fundraiser Night)
103 West Edge Way, Lynchburg, VA 24502

Why Come to Open House?

• Meet the Coaches
• Try on swimsuits for size
• Pay by check or Venmo and save the team fees!! 
• See friends you haven’t seen since last summer
• Enjoy Nautical Bowls while supporting the team
• Buy Raffle Tickets
• Pick up Raffle Tickets to sell! 
• Need help with Swimtopia or registration
• Ask questions 

REGISTRATION

There will be no increase in swim fees from 2025. All registrations include a team t-shirt and swim cap. Online registration goes live for 2026 season on April 7, 2026 

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

(A late fee of $25 will apply after May 4, 2026).

LITTLE RAY'S TRAINING TEAM REVAMPED

We are revamping the Little Ray’s Training Team for the 2026 season. We hope this will help get more swimmers in the water and comfortable swimming the strokes! CLIC

CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS

If you have been a part of our team in the past, we look forward to seeing you again! If you are thinking of joining or want to see what our swim team is all about, we can't wait to meet you.  

If you have questions, please contact the Wildwood Swim Team Board via email:

stingraysww@gmail.com or visit our website at https://wildwoodswimteam.swimtopia.com/.

 2026 SWIM TEAM MEET SCHEDULE

Pool will close at 4:00 pm for home swim meets.



May 19 - PARENT MEETING AT 6 PM

June 1 - Mock Meet at 6 pm

June 8 - @ Peakland

June 15 - Home vs. FAST

June 22 – @ Amherst

June 29 - @ Falling River

July 6 - Home vs. Farmington

July 13 - Home vs. Rainbow Forest

July 18 – “B” Meet Championship @ Farmington

July 25 – “A” Meet Championship @ Hill City

July 26 – Swim Team Banquet

FACEBOOK 

Like us on Facebook! Click here!

WEBSITE!

Our website is www.wildwoodpoolva.com.  You will find our by-laws, pool rules, forms, payment information, swim team information and more.