Sherwood Forest Crier, April 1, 2023

Sherwood Forest Neighborhood Association Crier April 1, 2023Hear ye, hear ye!
Here is your

SHERWOOD FOREST CRIER
April 1, 2023

Parents’ Friday Night Out!
Friday, April 14, 6-8pm
Sherwood Forest ARP Church

Sherwood Forest ARP Church is hosting a Parent’s Night Out event featuring a Good News Bible Club sponsored by Child Evangelism Fellowship.

Children aged 5-12 will enjoy a meal, games, a Bible story, and music supervised by adults who have had training and background checks through CEF.

The event is free, but you are asked to register your child in advance by going to the CEF website and scrolling down an clicking on Sherwood Forest ARP, or by smart phone using the QR code.

cefcolumbiamidlands.org/gnc-registration.html

If response to this event is good, then the church will consider holding an event like this monthly.

For more information, you can email Pastor Russ Harless.


Block Captain Update

As a Sherwood Forest resident, you can take deep pride-in and offer-up a high salute of thanks to the 10 neighbors volunteering as your 2023-24 Block Captains.

Please welcome the newest B.C.’s joining the team: Mary Battle Zone 1, Emilie Lewis Zone 2, Cary Perry Zones 4 & 9, and Lauren Bradley Zone 12. Please support their energy and join re-join for 2023. Big appreciation goes to former longtime B.C., Ron Hagell, who now joins the Branding Task Force.

Yes, all “B.C.’s” are busy with their life, family, jobs, etc. Many serving for many years, some even carry extra Zones which need B.C.’s of their own. In particular, the Kilbourne Hill and Cameron Court residents need B.C. leadership.

So, if you can find about 20-hours a year (90-minutes a month) please review the responsibilities and text me at 803-467-9570 with any questions.

Fun! Easy!

Thanks!
Pat Mason
vicepresident@sherwoodforestneighbors.org

See the current SFNA block captains and zone map.


USC Belser Arboretum Open House
Sunday, April 16, 1-4pm

Guest speaker will be naturalist, educator, and environmental consultant Josh Arrants of Arrants Outdoors, LLC.
Meet at 1:30 in the Outdoor Classroom for this month’s talk.

Book Club on The Mind of Plants meets Sunday, April 2, at 3pm in the Outdooor Classroom

Next Book Club will meet Sunday, April 23 at 4pm with USC’s Nicola Waldron. Book to be announced.

Open House is always the 3rd Sunday of every month. Open for walkers and volunteers Wednesday and Saturday 10am-noon, Thursdays from 3pm-7pm.

Follow the Arboretum on Instagram and see Facebook for event info.


Forest Friends

Spring is a great time to think about complimenting the larger plants in our forest (trees), with shrubs and perennials that attract pollinators, and thus support our birds and other wildlife.

Pollinators also play a huge role in food production, so if you are a backyard vegetable gardener, the pollinators will make your vegetable garden more productive, too! And what you want mostly is native plants that support all stages of the pollinators.

The Upstate Chapter of the SC Native Plant Society assembled a list of native plants for wildlife, broken down by shade, sun, wet, and dry, and also by trees, shrubs, and perennials. Even though upstate plants are featured, many, if not most, can be grown in the Midlands:
Native Plants for Wildlife pdf…

As luck would have it, the Midlands Chapter of the SC Native Plant Society is holding its spring sale Saturday, April 15 with a large selection of pollinators! This spring, the sale will be at the Canoeing for Kids site, 114 Riverchase Court, Lexington. For more information: Facebook event…

Valerie Marcil
vallg29205@gmail.com


Richland County Earth Day Free Drop-Off Event
Saturday, April 22, 8am-12pm
Columbia Place Mall, 7201 Two Notch Road, Columbia SC 29223

Material Accepted:

  • Scrap Metal – appliances, bicycles, metal chairs, metal shelving, lawn mowers (drained of all fluids)
  • Tires – car, light truck, motorcycle
  • Household Hazardous Waste – paints, stains, sealers, solvents, household cleaners, household chemicals, pool chemicals, herbicides, pesticides, acids, bases, mercury, fire extinguishers, propane tanks
  • Paper To Shred – limit five boxes or bags per household

Only open to Richland County residents. No businesses.

More info…


68th Annual National Federation of the Blind of South Carolina BBQ
Federation Center of the Blind of South Carolina
119 S. Kilbourne Rd, Columbia, SC, 29205
Thursday, April 27, 12noon-8pm

Our neighbor the Columbia Chapter of the National Federation of the Blind of South Carolina is having their longstanding BBQ fundraiser for 2023!

Tickets are $12 and can be purchased in advance at the Federation Center or at the door. You have a choice of either a quarter chicken or 4 ounces of chopped barbecue and a bun. Each plate comes with corn-on-the-cob and green beans.

See the Columbia Chapter of the National Federation of the Blind of SC website for more information or to buy tickets online.


SFNA General Meeting
Wednesday, May 10, 6:30pm-7:30pm
Sherwood Forest ARP Church

If you have an issue you would like discussed at the meeting please let us know! A full agenda will be available on the website.

The meeting will also be available on Zoom.

Draft minutes from the 1st quarter general meeting…


SFNA Adopt-A-Highway Clean Up
Saturday, May 20, 9:30-11am

Mark your calendars!

Contact Dave Nelson at 803-447-4793 or appearance@sherwoodforestneighbors.org for more information.


Join the Sherwood Forest Neighborhood Association

Become a member or renew your membership now for 2023!

The SFNA is a volunteer organization of neighbors working to create a greater sense of community in the Forest.


Subscribe to the Crier to get the email around the first of every month!


Sherwood Forest Neighborhood Association
SFNA Facebook Page | SFNA Facebook Group | SFNA Nextdoor
Sherwood Forest Neighborhood Association, Columbia, South Carolina
sherwoodforestneighbors.org
© Copyright 2023 Sherwood Forest Neighborhood Association. All rights reserved.

Sherwood Forest Crier March 1, 2023

Sherwood Forest Neighborhood Association Crier March 1, 2023
Hear ye, hear ye!
Here is your

SHERWOOD FOREST CRIER
March 1, 2023

Letter from your President

March is here and South Carolina is strutting its colors already. Forsythia, daffodils, azaleas and dogwoods are budding and blooming. Birds are shaping their nests or passing through on their way north. A stroll through Sherwood Forest is a nature hike, with daily scenic changes. While you are exploring Nature’s glorious transformations take time to say hi to others and to talk a moment with new residents and old friends.

Resident survey results show that these are the best things about living here:

  • 1) Being nestled or sheltered by nature in our urban forest.
  • 2) Being able to share a smile or a story with a neighbor.
  • 3) Hiding the best kept secret – USC Belser Arboretum – in our own backyard.
  • 4) We like our location in the city, near good schools and stores.
  • 5) And we feel safe, enjoy the quiet and the animal life.

Our Branding Task Force assembled your survey inputs and we are trying out sample mottos that capture this spirit. We will vet these ideas at our meetings the next several months with a goal of using it in our communications, including gateway signage – greeting people to our neck of the woods. We have already applied for a Richland County grant to assist funding these signage efforts.

Larry Hembree is developing plans for an Art event at the Arboretum. Ideally, we would have up to 15 visual and performing artists in various locations, sharing their talents in Nature’s finest theater. We are hoping for a June event though discussions continue. More details on our efforts are available in the draft minutes from our last General Meeting, February 8.

And finally, I am encouraged by the enthusiasm of our newest residents and neighbors. Lani Stringer and Nick/Belle Greene shared their stories of the challenges they have faced on renewing their purchased properties that had been previously neglected with gross deterioration, and an infestation of mold and fleas. We applaud their dedicated and costly clean up efforts as they continue to make these properties their own.

That being said, I offer you the opportunity to seek help if your life’s circumstances put you in a position that you cannot maintain your property. We will all face the challenges of physical and financial inabilities. We are your neighbors and helping others makes us feel good about ourselves.

Call or email me anytime. We have a supportive team ready to help you and our neighborhood thrive.

Gail Wojtowicz
president@sherwoodforestneighbors.org
618-402-8736

SHERWOOD FOREST: Nurturing roots; Fostering Community


USC Belser Arboretum Open House
Sunday, March 19, 1-4pm

Open House is always the 3rd Sunday of every month.

Dr. Charles Horn of Newberry College will present on native azaleas, his research focus. Meet at the Outdoor Classroom at 1:30. Dr. Horn will lead a walk to see native azaleas in bloom at the Arboretum.

Open for walkers and volunteers Wednesday and Saturday 10am-noon, Thursdays from 3pm-dusk.

Follow the Arboretum on Instagram and see Facebook for event info.


Forest Friends
Ban the Bradfords!

Have you noticed all the lovely white blossoms in the neighborhood and along the highways recently? Mostly they are Bradford pears, widely used for a while to line streets and adorn yards, but now extremely problematic. The Bradford pear, a cultivar of the non-native Chinese Callery pear, was promoted as an ornamental that was sterile and would not jump into the wild. Disastrously, that has not been the case.

Bradfords have successfully cross-pollinated with other pears and reverted to their ancient thorny Callery form, contributing to one of the worst invasive plant species in the Southeast. The trees readily seed into natural habitats. They appear to be beautiful in the spring, especially along the highways, but they form impenetrable thorny thickets that choke the life out of our valuable native species.

Beginning October 1, 2024, it will be illegal for Bradford Pear trees, Callery pears, and other related species to be sold at nurseries in South Carolina, but the law does nothing to eliminate existing problematic trees.

If you have a Bradford pear on your property, consider taking it down and replacing it with a beautiful native. Most Bradford pears in our neighborhood are very old anyway and past their peak. No one likes to remove established ornamentals, but if you have a Bradford pear and want help evaluating it, the Forest Friends Committee would be glad to help.

And, come fall, you can get a free replacement through our native tree give-away program!

Email Valerie Marcil with questions.


City Solid Waste Pickup Schedule

The schedule for waste collection by the City of Columbia in our neighborhood is every Thursday for bagged household waste (green rollcart), every second and fourth Thursdays of the month for loose recycling (blue rollcart), and Fridays for yard waste.

Recently some yard waste pickups in the Forest have been on Thursday. The pickup schedule is sometimes altered due to unusually high volume, staffing shortages, or other factors.

The City’s web site has a Waste Wizard where you can find a customized calendar and set up email, text message or other means of notification for regular schedules and holiday schedules. You can also use the Waste Wizard to learn how to recycle particular items.

See the City of Columbia’s web site for more information.


SFNA General Meeting
Wednesday, May 10, 6:30pm-7:30pm
Sherwood Forest ARP Church

If you have an issue you would like discussed at the meeting please let us know! A full agenda will be available on the website.

The meeting will also be available on Zoom.

Draft minutes from the 1st quarter general meeting…


SFNA Adopt-A-Highway Clean Up
Saturday, May 20, 9:30-11am

Mark your calendars!

Contact Dave Nelson at 803-447-4793 or appearance@sherwoodforestneighbors.org for more information.


Join the Sherwood Forest Neighborhood Association

Become a member or renew your membership now for 2023!

The SFNA is a volunteer organization of neighbors working to create a greater sense of community in the Forest.


Subscribe to the Crier to get the email around the first of every month!


Sherwood Forest Neighborhood Association
SFNA Facebook Page | SFNA Facebook Group | SFNA Nextdoor
Sherwood Forest Neighborhood Association, Columbia, South Carolina
sherwoodforestneighbors.org
© Copyright 2023 Sherwood Forest Neighborhood Association. All rights reserved.

Sherwood Forest Crier February 1, 2023

Sherwood Forest Neighborhood Association Crier February 1, 2023
Hear ye, hear ye!
Here is your

SHERWOOD FOREST CRIER
February 1, 2023

SFNA General Meeting
Wednesday, February 8, 6:30pm-8pm
Sherwood Forest ARP Church

Come join us and share what is so special to you and your family about the Forest! We need your thoughts to develop an image and message that represents our neighborhood.

That professionally crafted image and message will be used to have welcome signage fabricated and installed at key gateways into the Forest, and used in other materials to promote the neighborhood.

If you have an issue you would like discussed at the meeting please let us know! A full agenda will be available on the website.

The meeting will also be available on Zoom.
Meeting ID: 863 8990 6648
Passcode: 649565
Meeting agenda…
Facebook event…

Unable to attend the meeting?
Please take a few minutes to have some family conversations, gather your thoughts, and share them via a short 4 question survey.

We have received a number of responses, but we need more to have a truly representative sample!

Draft minutes from the 4th quarter general meeting…


SFNA Adopt-A-Highway Clean Up
Saturday, February 11, 9:30-11am

Volunteers are invited to participate in the cleanup which is part of the Keep The Midlands Beautiful Adopt-A-Highway program. It usually takes less than an hour and it can really make a difference. Plus, it’s an easy way to meet your neighbors and a chance to do good.

Meet at the Piggly Wiggly parking lot on the Kilbourne Road side. Volunteers should wear closed toed shoes and bring your own gloves. Pickers and trash bags are provided.

Contact Dave Nelson at 803-447-4793 or appearance@sherwoodforestneighbors.org for more information.


Forest Friends
Spotlight on Longleaf Pines (Pinus palustris)

Can you spot a longleaf pine? They are the pines with super long needles (up to 18”!) that landscapers covet for mulching. They also have the largest cones in the Southeast (6-15 inches). Our neighborhood has remnants of the of an old longleaf pine forest that covered most of the southeast several hundred years ago before commercial lumbering reduced the stock to 3% or less of what it used to be

Our neighborhood is special – we still have some longleafs. Many yards in Sherwood Forest have a longleaf pine. See if you can spot them! Look for those giant cones and then look up for pom poms of very long needles. In the fall you can see the needles on the ground, too (they’ll be the length of your forearm, or more). Don’t throw them away – rake them up and use them around your shrubbery!

And treasure the trees. In addition to being great for mulch, longleaf pines have many other benefits. They have very deep taproots and strong wood, making them resistant to damage or toppling from storms. They are drought tolerant, and provide lovely filtered shade and habitat for a number of important species (including humans).

Visit this North Carolina State website for more information…

Let us know if you have a longleaf pine in your yard, and if you would like help with identification from the Forest Friends Committee, contact Valerie Marcil by phone at 803-331-1138 or email).


USC Belser Arboretum Open House
Sunday, February 19, 1-4pm

Open House is always the 3rd Sunday of every month.

Follow the Arboretum on Instagram and see Facebook for event info.


Check Out the SFNA Website!

In case you haven’t been there, we are working to provide useful and interesting information.

Crier newsletter archive, neighborhood calendar, contact quick reference (city services, utilities, libraries, schools, voting, elected officials, and more…), Forest Friends info, Welcome Packet including city ordinance info, meeting minutes, aerial maps, and how to join SFNA of course!

Take a look…


Join the Sherwood Forest Neighborhood Association

Become a member or renew your membership now for 2023!

The SFNA is a volunteer organization of neighbors working to create a greater sense of community in the Forest.


Subscribe to the Crier to get the email around the first of every month!


Sherwood Forest Neighborhood Association
SFNA Facebook Page | SFNA Facebook Group | SFNA Nextdoor
Sherwood Forest Neighborhood Association, Columbia, South Carolina
sherwoodforestneighbors.org
© Copyright 2023 Sherwood Forest Neighborhood Association. All rights reserved.

Sherwood Forest Crier January 1, 2023

Sherwood Forest Neighborhood Association Crier January 1, 2023
Hear ye, hear ye!
Here is your

SHERWOOD FOREST CRIER
January 1, 2023

Twelfth Night Adult Post Holiday Party
Friday, January 6, 6pm-9pm

The 12th Night adult gathering is set for Friday, January 6th hosted by Regina Monteith at 530 Kilbourne Road. The property is known as Bloomwood, the original 1920’s home of W. Gordon Belser.

This event is only for members of the Sherwood Forest Neighborhood Association. Begin or renew your membership for 2023 today.

If you are not feeling well, please do not attend.

Traditional potluck protocols (bring a dish to share!) will apply. A spiral ham and beverages (beer, wine, soft drinks) will be furnished by the Association.

Facebook event…


Join the Sherwood Forest Neighborhood Association

Become a member or renew your membership now for 2023!

The SFNA is a volunteer organization of neighbors working to create a greater sense of community in the Forest.

Dues are only $20 for a calendar year. Pay your dues now online at sherwoodforestneighbors.org/paypal or mail a check to Henry Nechemias, 4 Robin Hood Ct., Columbia, SC 29205, and you will be paid up through 2023!

The benefits of membership document on our website explains what it’s all about.


SFNA Needs Your Input!
Do you and your family like living in the Forest?

We hope so! But we want to know why. So please take a couple of minutes to fill out our resident survey.

Your input will help us settle on an image identity caption/message to represent our neighborhood to residents, visiting friends, nearby commercial businesses, buyer prospects, public officials, Realtors and vendors.

Our request is to take a few minutes to have some family conversations, gather your thoughts and answer a short 4 question survey.


Forest Friends

In Sherwood Forest, we are grateful to celebrate that our neighborhood is considered an urban forest. Our neighborhood includes the 9-acre Belser Arboretum with its 130 foot high poplars and over 130 varieties of wooded plantings, including seven of Columbia’s Treasured Trees. This urban forest also shelters an abundance of wildlife.

And while we as a neighborhood association cannot enforce a tree removal policy for your personal property, we have some thoughts to share.

While we acknowledge that there are reasons for tree removal due to disease or damage we are against clear cutting on a property. We have compiled a shortlist of some of the benefits of trees in all stages of growth. If you still want to remove trees, we ask that you consult a certified arborist to speak about your safety concerns. Before you proceed make sure your contractor is licensed, bonded and insured.

And finally, do not remove any trees from the City right of way on your property or face serious fines. The City will be glad to remove diseased or dangerous trees on the right of way for you, and will provide a replacement tree, too.

Embrace our forest life!

Benefits of Native Trees…


Grinding of the Greens
December 26, 2022 – January 19, 2023

Don’t let your Christmas tree end up buried with the trash; recycle it through the annual Grinding of the Greens program offered by Keep the Midlands Beautiful!

Bring your naked trees (no lights, tinsel, ornaments, etc) to the City of Columbia’s Compost Facility at 121 Humane Lane (off Shop Road on the way to the City’s Animal Services facility) Monday-Friday 8:30am-5pm. Other drop off locations are available.

Free mulch made from the recycled trees is available to the public on Saturday, January 21 from 8:30am until the mulch runs out at the SC State Farmer’s Market, 3483 Charleston Hwy, West Columbia, SC 29172.

More info…


USC Belser Arboretum Open House
Sunday, January 15, 1-4pm

Open House is always the 3rd Sunday of every month.

Follow the Arboretum on Instagram and see Facebook for event info.


SFNA General Meeting
Wednesday, February 8, 6:30pm-8pm
Sherwood Forest ARP Church

Mark your calendars!

The meeting will also be available on Zoom at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/8035302436. Meeting ID: 803 530 2436.

If you have an issue you would like discussed at the meeting please let us know!

Draft minutes from the Annual meeting…


Curb Appeal Program

While few of us are lucky enough to have sidewalks we are blessed with extra wide streets. Please keep the street clear all the way to your soil edge. This allows ample room for our walkers and bikers, as they dodge passing traffic.

If you do have a sidewalk please keep it tidy, too. Tree and bush overgrowth, weeds, litter, leaf piles and trash bins make it difficult for all walkers and especially for physically disadvantaged to transit. The City spent a lot of money lowering curbs at corners to ensure access.

Please do your part to keep it clean!


SFNA Adopt-A-Highway Clean Up
Saturday, February 11, 9:30-11am

Mark your calendars!

Contact Dave Nelson at 803-447-4793 or appearance@sherwoodforestneighbors.org for more information.


Neighbor Information

The SFNA would like to know who our neighbors are, add you to our monthly Crier email, and how we can contact you if necessary.

All information is for the sole use of the Sherwood Forest Neighborhood Association.

Send us your info by emailing membership@sherwoodforestneighbors.org with your name, address and email (and contact telephone if wish), or fill out the form online.


Subscribe to the Crier to get the email around the first of every month!


Sherwood Forest Neighborhood Association
SFNA Facebook Page | SFNA Facebook Group | SFNA Nextdoor
Sherwood Forest Neighborhood Association, Columbia, South Carolina
sherwoodforestneighbors.org
© Copyright 2023 Sherwood Forest Neighborhood Association. All rights reserved.

Sherwood Forest Crier December 1, 2022

Sherwood Forest Neighborhood Association Crier December 1, 2022
Hear ye, hear ye!
Here is your

SHERWOOD FOREST CRIER
December 1, 2022

Letter from the President

As we look back on 2022, I am eager to highlight the successes this organization has achieved.

Past president Ed Tilden heard the calls from our residents for better street safety and badgered the city into reducing our speed limit from 30 to 25 MPH, with new signage posted. He continues to coordinate with the city to get speed warning signs in place along our busiest routes.

Our thanks to Dave Nelson for leading our quarterly Adopt-A-Highway litter pickups, and stocking our poop bag stations. Curb appeal is everyone’s responsibility. Dave’s coordination keeps it fun and rewarding.

Recently retired, Pat Mason joined the Executive Committee as the Vice President and has tackled multiple projects. He re-engaged and recruited our block captains for flier distribution, new resident contact and membership drive. These folks are the heart of our face-to-face engagement. They will share the good news of our neighbors and help us take pride in their accomplishments.

Block Captains 2022 listing and map…

Pat has also drafted and begun our work with the Branding Task Force. There is a survey we are encouraging our residents to help with. What is our neighborhood identity? Can we capture that in a slogan? This branding will then be included in our developing Welcome to the Neighborhood signage, business cards and correspondence.

Please take a few minutes to give us your thoughts with the online survey…

Pat and Gail are working on initiating regular contacts with our local commercial businesses; finding out their desires and finding common collaboration. We are working with Shandon to learn their best association practices. We are involved with Columbia’s Council of Neighborhoods, sharing ideas and information.

Valerie Marcil initiated Forest Friends and executed a plan to offer free trees to our residents, reaffirming the importance of our Sherwood Forest name. She includes the whole kitandcaboodle with a site survey, a list of available native trees, the pick up and delivery of trees, planting instructions and pride signage. There have been many who have assisted in this program and we expect to continue this program into the future.

We are grateful for the role that Reverend Russ Harless and Sherwood Forest Associate Reformed Church has played in our Association. They have hosted us for our Quarterly meetings and for National Night Out. They continue to look at ways to be part of our neighborhood by offering their playground for use and are excited to work on developing a dog park on church grounds.

We are now up to 5 hosted annual social events: 12th Night, Spring Fling, National Night Out, Halloween and Santa’s Hayride. These have been super chances to meet and share with our neighbors and we are grateful to all our hosts for their energy, coordination and execution. Unfortunately, our limited budget based on $20 annual membership dues has been stretched thin. But we know it’s important to keep membership dues low, so we are developing alternate funding sources, such as corporate and individual sponsorships. More info as we address this challenge.

Thanks for supporting your Association and neighbors. We are excited about the prospects of 2023 and greater involvement.

Gail Wojtowicz


Santa’s Hayride!
Saturday, December 10th 5-7:30pm

Join your Sherwood Forest neighbors Saturday, December 10, 5-7:30pm on Allen’s Way culdesac for some Holiday Family Fun in the Forest. Neighbors are invited for a Christmas drop in with hay ride and visit from Santa.

BYOB, park on Bloomwood or walk.

Facebook event…


SFNA Adopt-A-Highway Clean Up
Saturday, December 3, 9:30-11am

Volunteers are invited to participate in the cleanup which is part of the Keep The Midlands Beautiful Adopt-A-Highway program. It usually takes each volunteer less than an hour and it can really make a difference. Plus, it’s an easy way to meet your neighbors and a chance to do good.

Meet at the Piggly Wiggly parking lot on the Kilbourne Road side. Volunteers should wear closed toed shoes and bring your own gloves. Pickers and trash bags are provided.

Contact Dave Nelson at 803-447-4793 or appearance@sherwoodforestneighbors.org for more information.

Facebook event…


Twelfth Night Adult Post Holiday Party
Friday, January 6, 6pm-9pm

The 12th Night adult gathering is set for Friday, January 6th hosted by Regina Monteith at 530 Kilbourne Road. The property is known as Bloomwood, the original 1920’s home of W. Gordon Belser.

Strict Covid-19 proof of vaccination is required. Traditional potluck protocols will apply with beverages furnished by the Association.

Facebook event…


USC Belser Arboretum Open House
Sunday, December 18, 1-4pm

Open House is always the 3rd Sunday of every month.

Follow the Arboretum on Instagram and see Facebook for event info.


Christmas Eve Candlelight Service
Sherwood Forest ARP Church
4325 Wilmot Avenue
Christmas Eve 6pm

All are invited.


SFNA Needs Your Input!

We’re still asking for your help with our Branding Survey to define what makes the Forest special to our residents!

Our request is to take a few minutes to have some family conversations, gather your thoughts and answer a short 4 question survey.

Take the short survey…


Be a Forest Friend and celebrate SC Arbor Day in December!

Arbor Day is an opportunity to celebrate the trees that make your world better! While National Arbor Day is the last Friday in April, the first Friday in December (December 2, 2022) is South Carolina’s Arbor Day. The difference in dates is that trees in South Carolina are better able to get established when planted in the winter.

To read the rest of this short article, which includes a gorgeous photo of the author Sue Watts‘ favorite tree, go to Clemson’s Arbor Day website…

Consider planting a tree this month! If you want suggestions of sturdy native trees well suited to our neighborhood and especially friendly to birds, try this fun Audubon website list for our zip code…

Forest Friends…


SFNA General Meeting
Wednesday, February 8, 6:30pm-8pm
Sherwood Forest ARP Church

Mark your calendars!

If you have an issue you would like discussed at the meeting please let us know!

At the November Annual Meeting, 2023-24 officers were elected:
Gail Wojtowicz – President
Patrick Mason – Vice President
Kate Anderson Barton – Secretary
Henry Nechemias – Treasurer

Draft minutes from the Annual meeting…


Subscribe to the Crier to get the email around the first of every month!


Sherwood Forest Neighborhood Association
SFNA Facebook Page | SFNA Facebook Group | SFNA Nextdoor
Sherwood Forest Neighborhood Association, Columbia, South Carolina
www.sherwoodforestneighbors.org
© Copyright 2022 Sherwood Forest Neighborhood Association. All rights reserved.

Sherwood Forest Crier November 1, 2022

Sherwood Forest Neighborhood Association Crier November 1, 2022
Hear ye, hear ye!
Here is your

SHERWOOD FOREST CRIER
November 1, 2022

SFNA Annual Meeting
Wednesday, November 9, 6:30pm-8pm
Sherwood Forest ARP Church

The in-person Annual Meeting of the Sherwood Forest Neighborhood Association is scheduled for Wednesday, November 9 from 6:30pm-8pm.

The meeting will also be available via Zoom.

Elections for the President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer to serve for terms of two years will be conducted.

If you have an issue you would like discussed at the meeting please let us know!

A gluten-free lasagna dinner with bread and salad will be served courtesy of the church! The salad will be substantial for the vegetarians. Dinner will feed about 30 people, so first come, first served. Tea and coffee (regular and decaf) will be available.


Halloween in the Forest!

We hope everyone had an enjoyable and safe Halloween despite a short spell of the devil beating his wife!

Thanks to our hosts and organizers and everyone who helped make it happen again!

If you have pictures, post ’em on the Facebook private group…


SFNA Needs Your Input!

We’re still asking for your help with our Branding Survey to define what makes the Forest special to our residents!

Our request is to take a few minutes to have some family conversations, gather your thoughts and answer a short 4 question survey.

Take the short survey…


SFNA Forest Friends

Good news! We had a great response to our inaugural free native tree offering and 17 trees were delivered to Sherwood Forest neighbors! Keep your eyes open for small green yard signs that say a native tree has been planted in the yard, compliments of SFNA. We’ll repeat the offering again next year, so be thinking about whether you could use a new tree.

Fall is when everyone wants trees with color in their yards. Whether you are picking out trees to plant this fall or next, consider some of the following unusual native trees that do well in our area for good fall color: Chalkbark Maple (a small, southern variation of Sugar Maple), Blackgum (loves moist areas, but will tolerate drier conditions as well – shiny green leaves turn intense hues of yellow, orange, red and purple in the fall), Sassafras (the “mitten tree” with colorful shades of orange and red in fall), Turkey Oak (a small “scrub” oak that loves dry sandy soil and leaves turn a beautiful dark red in fall), Red Buckeye (attractive for it’s red blooms in the spring, it also has brilliant yellow foliage in the fall), and Tulip Poplar (tulip-like flowers in the spring and yellow leaves in the fall).

Whether you have planted a new tree or are considering one, check out the Forest Friends Planting and Care Guidance offered on our website


USC Belser Arboretum Open House
Saturday, November 20, 1pm-4pm

Open House is always the 3rd Sunday of every month.

Follow the Arboretum on Instagram and see Facebook for event info.


2022 General Elections
Tuesday, November 8

To register or check your status, or for other information see the Richland County website…

Sherwood Forest is divided between two voting Precincts: Ward 14 and Ward 17. Ward 14 includes the south side of Duncan Street to Kalmia, the west side of Kalmia south to Mimosa, and the south side of Mimosa to Beltline. Ward 14 is now in the 6th Congressional District.

Contested elections include: Governor and Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, State Treasurer, State Superintendent of Education, U.S. Senate 2, U.S. House of Representatives District 06, and State House of Representatives District 75. There are two Statewide Constitutional Amendments on the ballot.

To see a Sample Ballot, early voting information and more, see SCVotes.gov

Links to info on our candidates


SFNA Adopt-A-Highway Clean Up
Saturday, December 3, 9:30-11am

Mark your calendars! The November pickup has been rescheduled.

Adopt-A-Highway program…


Join the Sherwood Forest Neighborhood Association
Become a member or renew your membership now for the rest of 2022 and all of 2023!

Dues are only $20 for a year. Pay your dues or set up a recurring payment now online. Or pay at the next general meeting or mail a check to Henry Nechemias, 4 Robin Hood Ct., Columbia, SC 29205 and you will be paid up for 2023!


Subscribe to the Crier to get the email around the first of every month!


Sherwood Forest Neighborhood Association
SFNA Facebook Page | SFNA Facebook Group | SFNA Nextdoor
Sherwood Forest Neighborhood Association, Columbia, South Carolina
www.sherwoodforestneighbors.org
© Copyright 2022 Sherwood Forest Neighborhood Association. All rights reserved.

Sherwood Forest Crier October 27, 2022

Sherwood Forest Neighborhood Association Crier October 27, 2022
Hear ye, hear ye!
Here is your

SHERWOOD FOREST CRIER
SPECIAL DELIVERY
October 27, 202

SFNA Annual Halloween Hot Dog Party
Monday, October 31, 4:30-7:30pm on Kalmia!

Cooler weather, leaves are thinking about changing, pumpkin spice is in the air, oh, and hot dogs!

Must be time for the Annual Halloween Hot Dog Party! Dress up your kids, pets or significant other and come out to be neighborly! We will provide hotdogs, chili and chips. Neighbors can bring sides or desserts. BYOB. Then the kids can trick or treat in the Forest!

The 400 and 500 blocks of Kalmia will be blocked off for the treats and tricking.

Contact Lauren Bradley at 678-637-5347 or Violet Beets at 803-403-5980, or email social@sherwoodforestneighbors.org for more info or to help out.

Facebook event…


Trunk-or-Treat
A Spanish-speaking congregation of the Sherwood Forest ARP Church will have a Trunk-or-Treat event the same evening from 5-7pm with several cars with the trunks open and decorated for Halloween and filled with goodies. There will also be home-made ice-cream in the Fellowship Hall of the church.


SFNA General Meeting
Wednesday, November 9, 6:30pm-8pm
The next general meeting of the Sherwood Forest Neighborhood Association is scheduled for Wednesday, November 9 from 6:30pm-8pm at the Sherwood Forest Presbyterian Church on the corner of Wilmot Avenue and Beltline Boulevard. Join us at 6pm to meet and greet your neighbors!

The SFNA will elect our Board of Directors for 2 year terms. The officers are President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, and three Executive Committee Members. If you are interested in serving, contact Gail Wojtowicz at 618-402-8736‬ or president@sherwoodforestneighbors.org.

A lasagna dinner will be served courtesy of the church!


Crier emails
Stay up to date on neighborhood events, other local events and information of interest with our monthly email newsletter.

If you have questions, suggestions, announcements, or information of interest to the neighborhood, please pass it along and we may include it in a future Crier.

Subscribe for free, no membership required, but of course we would like everybody to join! New neighbor? Let us know and we’ll send out the welcome wagon.

To subscribe, email membership@sherwoodforestneighbors.org or subscribe online


Why should you join the SFNA? Benefits of the SFNA.

JOIN NOW!

You’re receiving this email because of your interest in the Sherwood Forest Neighborhood Association. If you no longer wish to receive email correspondence from SFNA, please email webmaster@sherwoodforestneighbors.org or use this link: [Unsubscribe].

Sherwood Forest Neighborhood Association
SFNA Facebook Page | SFNA Facebook Group | SFNA Nextdoor

Sherwood Forest Neighborhood Association, Inc. Columbia, South Carolina
www.sherwoodforestneighbors.org
© Copyright 2022 Sherwood Forest Neighborhood Association. All rights reserved.

Sherwood Forest Crier, October 1 2022

Sherwood Forest Neighborhood Association Crier October 1, 2022
Hear ye, hear ye!
Here is your

SHERWOOD FOREST CRIER
October 1, 2022

Halloween in the Forest!
Monday, October 31, 4:30-7:30pm

Cooler weather, leaves are thinking about changing, pumpkin spice is in the air, oh, and hot dogs!

Must be time for the Annual Halloween Hot Dog Party! Dress up your kids, pets or significant other and come out to be neighborly! We will provide hotdogs, chili and chips. Neighbors can bring sides or desserts. BYOB. Then the kids can trick or treat in the Forest!

The 400 and 500 blocks of Kalmia will be blocked off for the treats and tricking.

Contact Lauren Bradley at 678-637-5347 or Violet Beets at 803-403-5980, or email social@sherwoodforestneighbors.org for more info or to help out.

Facebook event…


SFNA Gets Results!

SFNA worked to get neighborhood potholes fixed and have Sherwood Forest designated a 25mph neighborhood through constituent services and persistence with government folks!

Let us know if you have neighborhood concerns that we might be able to help with.


Branding Survey

A task force made up of volunteers in your Sherwood Forest Neighborhood Association led by our VP Pat Mason is embarking on a project to build an image and identity that reflects how we all feel.

This first part of the process is meant to discover WHY residents and your children love living here. Our request is to take a few minutes to have some family conversations, gather your thoughts and answer a short 4 question survey.

Take the short survey…


SFNA Forest Friends

We hope everyone survived the little blow we just experienced, and family and friends are all safe!

Every time we have a big storm, we lose some trees, and folks often get scared and decide to cut down trees in their yard.

Please think carefully, though, before you cut down trees. If you are concerned, get trees evaluated by a professional arborist. Most healthy trees weather storms just fine. And trees provide so many other benefits. They actually help to absorb all the water from storms that would otherwise run off, erode property, and cause flooding. Large shade trees can lower summer temperatures by as much as 10 degrees – and it takes about 40% coverage of a given area to have that cooling effect. So every tree is important!

Our inaugural offer of free native trees for neighbors was a success! We are partnering with the Midlands Chapter of the SC Native Plant Society to order 15 requested trees. Most folks were interested in trees with fall color or spring blooms. Some of the favorites with blooms were Red Buckeye, Dogwood, and Redbud. Larger trees chosen with great fall colors were Blackgum, Sweetgum, and Persimmon. Keep an eye open for some of these new trees in the coming months!

While ordering through Forest Friends for this year is closed, the fall is a great time to plant trees, shrubs, and perennials. If you are looking for natives that support pollinators, birds, and other wildlife, check out the October 14th and 15th Midlands Native Plants Sale.

Did you know that pollinators contribute to one in every three bites of food we eat?! And pollinators rely mostly on native plants.

More info on Forest Friends…


UofSC Belser Arboretum Open House
Saturday, October 16, 1pm-4pm

Open House is always the 3rd Sunday of every month.

Our guest speaker is Joshua Stone, UofSC Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences, who will talk about home-grown edible mushrooms, and show us of the non-edible but interesting fungi in the Arboretum.

Follow the Arboretum on Instagram and see Facebook for event info.


SFNA Annual Meeting
Wednesday, November 9, 6:30pm-8pm

The next Annual Meeting of the Sherwood Forest Neighborhood Association is scheduled for Wednesday, November 9 from 6:30pm-8pm.

Elections for the President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer to serve for terms of two years will be conducted.

If you have an issue you would like discussed at the meeting please let us know!

Draft minutes from the August 10 general meeting…


2022 General Elections
Tuesday, November 8

October 7 – Registration deadline

October 28 – Deadline to apply for absentee ballot for General Election

To register or check your status, or for other information see the Richland County website…

Sherwood Forest is divided between two voting Precincts: Ward 14 and Ward 17. Ward 14 includes the south side of Duncan Street to Kalmia, the west side of Kalmia south to Mimosa, and the south side of Mimosa to Beltline.

Please note that US Congressional map redistricting now has Ward 14 in the 6th Congressional District!

Contested elections include: Governor and Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, State Treasurer, State Superintendent of Education, U.S. Senate 2, U.S. House of Representatives District 06, and State House of Representatives District 75. There are two Statewide Constitutional Amendments on the ballot.

To see a Sample Ballot and other voting information see SCVotes.gov


SFNA Adopt-A-Highway Clean Up
Saturday, December 3, 9:30-11am

Mark your calendars! The November pickup has been rescheduled.

Adopt-A-Highway program…


Sherwood Forest Neighborhood Association
SFNA Facebook Page | SFNA Facebook Group | SFNA Nextdoor

Sherwood Forest Neighborhood Association, Columbia, South Carolina
www.sherwoodforestneighbors.org
© Copyright 2022 Sherwood Forest Neighborhood Association. All rights reserved.

Sherwood Forest Crier, September 1 2022

Sherwood Forest Neighborhood Association Crier September 1, 2022
Hear ye, hear ye!
Here is your

SHERWOOD FOREST CRIER
September 1, 2022

National Night Out 2022

NNO was a great success enjoyed by all who attended!

Thanks to Sherwood Forest ARP Church for hosting us, the Columbia-Richland Fire Department, the musical entertainment, the volunteers who helped to set up the event, and to the neighbors who came out!

See a few photos on Facebook…
(You must be a member of the SFNA private group on Facebook!)


SFNA Forest Friends

The Forest Friends committee is accepting requests for free native trees 3-5 feet tall in 3 gallon containers until September 18th. We’ll help you choose a tree that suits your yard and needs. Contact Valerie Marcil for more information.

We’ve also just learned that Dominion Energy has posted new guidance on plantings appropriate for powerline areas. Learn why they trim and spray under and around lines, and how and what to plant to avoid drastic cutting and spraying on the Dominion Energy website.

Or, go directly to the newly posted list of native trees and shrubs that will work under or near power lines.

This is a great list of smaller native plants that would be good to use in complement to larger trees. Appropriate soils and conditions are listed for all plants, as well.

If you have specific questions or concerns, contact the City’s Forestry and Beautification Department at 803-545-3860 or Dominion Energy at 1-800-562-9308.

More info on Forest Friends…


Homeowner Insurance Offer

You may have seen a notice in your water bill or in the mail that the City of Columbia has arranged with HomeServe USA to offer insurance for your exterior sewer and water lines, and indoor plumbing.

SFNA wanted to find out more about the offer. Our Treasurer Henry Nechemias found HomeServe charges $9/mo. ($108/yr.; first year is 50% off) to cover both exterior water and sewer lines between your house and the street or water meter.

Henry checked with his State Farm agent who said their rider costs $66/yr. for similar coverage, but with specific limits and a $500 deductible. With State Farm, the maximum benefit drops from $10,000 down to $2,500 when your home is over 50 years old. There is no limit through HomeServe for water lines, and a $10,000 limit for sewer lines.

HomeServe’s website also indicates that they partner with Dominion Energy for an expanded range of insurance coverages, but we didn’t investigate those!

SFNA takes no position regarding these policies, but does suggest checking with your homeowner’s policy first to see if it makes sense to add this coverage through your existing policy rather than buying a separate policy.

Be a smart consumer; check and compare!

HomeServe plan info…


UofSC Belser Arboretum Open House
Saturday, September 18, 1pm-4pm

Join us as L.L. “Chick” Gaddy teaches us about the Trees of Georgia, common genera found in the US Southeast and in the Caucasus mountains of the country of Georgia, where he recently finished a plant expedition. Gaddy is an independent scholar and president of environmental consulting firm, terra incognita.

Open House is always the 3rd Sunday of every month.

Follow the Arboretum on Instagram and see Facebook for event info.


SFNA General Annual Meeting
Wednesday, November 9, 6:30pm-8pm

The next Annual Meeting of the Sherwood Forest Neighborhood Association is scheduled for Wednesday, November 9 from 6:30pm-8pm.

If you have an issue you would like discussed at the meeting please let us know!

Draft minutes from the August 10 general meeting…


Crier emails
The Crier goes out around the first of every month to keep neighbors and friends up do date on neighborhood events, and other events and information of interest.

If you have anything to share with your neighbors, please pass it along and we may include it in a future Crier.

Tell your friends and neighbors to subscribe. No membership required, but of course we would like everybody to join! New neighbor? Let us know and we’ll send out the welcome wagon.

To subscribe, email membership@sherwoodforestneighbors.org or subscribe online


Why should you join the SFNA? Benefits of the SFNA.

JOIN NOW!

Sherwood Forest Neighborhood Association
SFNA Facebook Page | SFNA Facebook Group | SFNA Nextdoor

Sherwood Forest Neighborhood Association, Inc. Columbia, South Carolina
www.sherwoodforestneighbors.org
© Copyright 2022 Sherwood Forest Neighborhood Association. All rights reserved.

Sherwood Forest Crier, July 1 2022

Sherwood Forest Neighborhood Association Crier July 1, 2022
Hear ye, hear ye!
Here is your

SHERWOOD FOREST CRIER
July 1, 2022

Neighborhood Profile Updated!

The Officers and Executive Committee, and other neighbors have been fine tuning the neighborhood description for the website, social media and other uses to promote SF using history and current features. You can even use it to market your property, but why would anyone want to leave the Forest?

Take a look at the home page at sherwoodforestneighbors.org and let us know what you think!


Upcoming Events in the Forest


UofSC Belser Arboretum Open House
Sunday, July 17, 1-4pm

Open House is always the 3rd Sunday of every month.

Follow the Arboretum on Instagram and see Facebook for event info.


National Night Out
Tuesday, August 2, 6-8pm
Sherwood Forest ARP Church

Mark your calendars for our next community event National Night Out. Since 1984 on the first Tuesday in August, NNO has enhanced the relationship between neighbors and law enforcement while bringing back a true sense of community. It provides a great opportunity to bring police and neighbors together under positive circumstances. The best way to build a better community is to know your neighbors and your surroundings; making communities safer and more caring places to live.

There will be food, games for the kids, music, camaraderie, and maybe police cars and firetrucks!

Tell a neighbor. Better yet, bring them along.

Stay tuned! More details to come.

National Night Out website…


SFNA General Meeting
Wednesday, August 10, 6:30pm-8pm

The next general meeting of the Sherwood Forest Neighborhood Association is scheduled for Wednesday, August 10 from 6:30pm-8pm. The plan is to meet via Zoom (Meeting ID: 863 8990 6648 Passcode: 649565).

If you have an issue you would like discussed at the meeting please let us know!


SFNA Adopt-A-Highway Clean Up
Saturday, August 20, 9:30-11am

Contact Dave Nelson at 803 447-4793 or appearance@sherwoodforestneighbors.org for more information.


SFNA Forest Friends

Forest Friends is a new Sherwood Forest neighborhood program. It is being designed to increase understanding of the urban forest that we live in, with incentives to retain and add native trees. Most of us appreciate our wooded neighborhood, but we may not realize the full value of it.

Each month, this column will focus on a different benefit of our forest. Stay tuned for more information, and in the meantime be thankful for your shade trees that help keep your house and yard cool in our hot summers!

Please contact Valerie Marcil if you would like to help further develop this program. We would especially like one or two younger neighbors!


What Are These Flags and Paint Markings?

In the ongoing effort to update our water and sewer lines, the City of Columbia and its contractors are working in our neighborhood.

The flags and paint markings are installed by utility locator companies to identify the approximate location of buried utilities so that the City contractors or you don’t unintentionally dig into an underground utility line.

The color codes are:

  • Blue – potable water
  • Green – sewer and drain lines
  • Yellow – gas, oil, steam, petroleum, or gaseous materials
  • White – proposed excavation
  • Pink – temporary survey markings
  • Red – electric power lines, cables, conduit and lighting cables
  • Orange – communication, alarm or signal lines, cables or conduit
  • Purple – reclaimed water, irrigation and slurry lines

You or your contractor should call 811 or use the South Carolina 811 center’s website a few business days before you begin any digging, including common projects like planting trees and shrubs or installing fences and mailboxes.

South Carolina 811…

National 811…


Frogtown Segregation Wall Dedication Invitation
Saturday, July 2, noon-1pm

Sherwood Forest resident families are invited to participate in a coming together celebration acknowledging the historical roots of the Frogtown neighborhood going back to the 1930’s.

A commemorative plaque on the cinderblock wall will be dedicated Saturday, July 2. Event assembles at 3812 Monroe Street. The project is being produced by descendants of the Founders of the Frogtown Community.

Celebration schedule…
Eventbrite event…


Crier emails
The Crier goes out around the first of every month to keep neighbors and friends up do date on neighborhood events, and other events and information of interest.

If you have anything to share with your neighbors, please pass it along and we may include it in a future Crier.

Tell your friends and neighbors to subscribe. No membership required, but of course we would like everybody to join! New neighbor? Let us know and we’ll send out the welcome wagon.

To subscribe, email membership@sherwoodforestneighbors.org or subscribe online


Why should you join the SFNA? Benefits of the SFNA.

JOIN NOW!

Sherwood Forest Neighborhood Association
SFNA Facebook Page | SFNA Facebook Group | SFNA Nextdoor

Sherwood Forest Neighborhood Association, Inc. Columbia, South Carolina
www.sherwoodforestneighbors.org
© Copyright 2022 Sherwood Forest Neighborhood Association. All rights reserved.