WILDWOOD AREA RECREATION ASSOCIATION

March 2025 Newsletter

GREETINGS FROM THE PRESIDENT

Lorraine Curry

As we approach another fun pool season, I want to extend a warm welcome to returning and new members! As I reflect on the progress we have made in recent years to improvements at our facility, I can say with confidence we have the most beautiful pool and surroundings. Our efforts to improve the facilities, particularly the landscaping and paved parking with handicap spots and upgrades made to the bathrooms and snack bar and the addition of a new slide, have always been met with positive feedback.

This year we have upgrades to make in the pump room and will work on filtering water from the pool for the slide. We have several areas that need to be painted and will be working on these items before we open.

WARA owns three lakes and three dams that we are responsible for maintaining within our budget. Dam #1, located at the lake behind the pool, is classified as a low-hazard dam by the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR). This dam has erosion and tree overgrowth issues that need to be addressed. We are actively working with our professional engineer and the DCR Regional Representative to develop a plan for these repairs. The quotes we have received so far highlight the necessity of an assessment for all stockholders to cover at least some of the costs of the required work. We are already looking into other funding sources such as grants, loans or fundraisers & donations.

Your feedback and suggestions are invaluable 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 fantastic pool season at Wildwood!

2025 STOCKHOLDER ASSESSMENT

At the annual stockholders' meeting in February, it was approved to assess each stockholder a total of $200. The last assessment done was in 2010. These funds will be applied directly to dam expenses we have coming in the future for repairs needed.

Here are your options to paying the assessment:

1. You can pay the entire $200 upfront and have it out of the way OR
2. You can pay 1/2 by the end of the 2025 pool season (September 1, 2025) and pay the other 1/2 by the end of the 2026 pool season (September 1, 2026). This was set in place to alleviate paying the increased dues and assessment all at once.

At least 1/2 of the assessment must be paid each year in order to continue to be 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 2025 membership passes. No exceptions!
• Guests may only come with an active member and are $10 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 2025 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.

  POOL CLEANUP WORKDAYS

Saturday, April 26 from 8 am to 12 noon

and

Saturday, May 3 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 to work. 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 CANNOT do it all.   

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
•  Build (Construction)
•  Painting
•  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.

A WORD FROM OUR POOL MANAGERS

Amanda & Brandon Stanbery

Welcome to our 2025 Summer Season! 

The third time’s the charm, right? We are delighted to return as your pool managers for another fantastic summer of fun in the sun! Many of our dedicated lifeguards from last year are returning, and we’re excited to welcome a few new faces to our team—each eager to contribute to a safe and enjoyable experience for all.

Our goal is to build upon previous seasons, continuously enhancing the pool environment to make it even more welcoming, relaxing, and family-friendly. Whether you’re here to swim laps, lounge by the water, or participate in one of our many exciting activities, we want to ensure you have the best summer possible.

The board has planned an incredible lineup of events, from themed pool parties, Bingo Night, Christmas in July and more. We encourage you to take full advantage of all the fun opportunities available and make lasting memories with friends and family.

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! We are looking forward to a great summer! See you at the pool! 

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 contract and rules are available on our website at www.wildwoodpoolva.com.



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, 2024. After that date, membership will be opened to individuals on the waiting list. 

Dues for 2025 have increased by 10% and are as follows:

• 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 charged by PayPal. 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 where you will be guided to pay via PayPal. WARA paid almost $5,000 in PayPal fees last year and we are trying to keep that money in our budget vs. paying it out in fees.

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.

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 2025 waiting list work?

A. Returning 2024 stock members can join anytime before May 1, 2025. After that date, families on the waiting list will be offered memberships until we reach capacity. There are over 100 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 2024, then the purchaser steps into his shoes in 2025 and bypasses the waiting list. There is still a $50 stock transfer fee.

STINGERS SNACK BAR

Marnie Whitten

The snack bar team is already gearing up for another awesome summer, serving up your favorite poolside snacks—plus we are adding some new menu items that you will love! Also, to keep our prices as low as possible, we greatly encourage cash payments to help offset pesky Square app fees on debit and credit card transactions. Of course, tab cards are still going to be available for your convenience. So grab your sunscreen, bring your appetite, and let’s make this season the best one yet! See you at the snack bar! 

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

• Pavilion Rental for Parties

• 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

• Gas BBQ (gas tank available for $5 rental charge)

2025 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

Debbie Welsh, Swim Team President

Hello Wildwood Family and Friends!

We would love to have you be a part of the Wildwood Stingrays Swim Team! Not only do we swim competitively as part of the Lynchburg Aquatic League (LAL), we also have lots of FUN! Our more relaxed environment fosters friendship among the swimmers and the families. No previous swim experience required. Our coaching staff love to teach kids to swim!

Our swimmers range in age from 5 - 18 years old. The season consists of six dual meets, on Monday nights, ending the season with our "B" and "A" championship meets. While we are a competitive team, we achieve success in a relaxed, fun-spirited and supportive atmosphere.

We offer a team called the "Little Rays" for our new or younger swimmers (typically ages five and under). This is a wonderful opportunity for younger children who might not be ready for the swim team but would like to work on their stroke technique and become more proficient in the water.

Our regular swim team practices daily Monday - Friday, and we hope to again offer additional stroke clinics throughout the summer (morning and evenings times are available most days).

SWIM TEAM SIGN UPS

Tuesday, April 8, 2025

5:30 - 7:00 pm

Forest Alliance Church

1562 Thomas Jefferson Road Forest, VA 24551

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

2025 SWIM TEAM MEET SCHEDULE

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



June 9 - Home vs. Boonsboro

June 16 - Home vs. Hill City

June 23 – @ Bedford Y

June 30 - @ Vista Acres

July 7 - @ Peakland

July 14 - Home vs. Oakwood

July 19 – “B” Meet Championship @ Peakland

July 26 – “A” Meet Championship @ Bedford Y

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.