Hear ye, hear ye!
Here is your
SHERWOOD FOREST CRIER
November 1, 2023

SFNA General Meeting
Wednesday, November 8, 6:30pm-7:30pm
Sherwood Forest ARP Church

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

• Guest Speaker: Richland County Councilman Don Weaver
• Police Update MPO Gibb
• Updates from the Arboretum, Forest Friends, Treasurer, Social and more
• Presentation of new neighborhood logo
• Elections

Here is the complete meeting agenda…

The meeting will also be available on Zoom. Zoom ID: 863 8990 6648, Passcode 649565

Sherwood Forest Branding Task Force (BTF) Update

Big thanks goes to all that have found time to participate in the important work relating to our beautification, image and positioning projects. We value your leadership and contributions.

There will be a ceremonious unveiling of the new logo image and its application on our media at the Wednesday, November 8th quarterly 6:30 meeting

Bring neighbors for the celebration of this milestone.

Pat Mason
Vice-President

SFNA Adopt-A-Highway Clean Up
Saturday, November 18, 9:30-11am

Please join our volunteers for a fun morning of talking trash! We have been picking up litter in the neighborhood for 7 years now and your help is needed. This is a family event and kids are welcome. Donuts will be provided.

Meet at the Piggly Wiggly parking lot. 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.

Honorary Friend of Sherwood Forest

10/15/23 – USC Arboretum Director, Dr. Trey Franklin (left), receives official certification as Honorary Friend of Sherwood Forest acknowledging and saluting their education, preservation and community engagement over many years.

Pat Mason
Vice-President

Forest Friends
Do You Have a Sick or Dying Dogwood?

Many in our area do. Dogwoods are beloved native ornamentals, but, for a variety of reasons they have not been doing well in our urban area in recent years.

Anthracnose, which is a fungal disease, is one of the major problems. It’s widespread attack on our local dogwoods has likely been facilitated by overplanting and improper placement. Any plant that is overused becomes susceptible to disease – it starts in one plant and easily spreads to nearby plants.

How does improper placement factor into dogwood decline? Dogwoods need fertile, moist soil with good drainage. They are understory trees and require dappled lighting with protection from the hottest rays of the day. When dogwoods are placed in the middle of a hot sunny yard, or surrounding larger shade trees are removed, dogwoods become stressed, grow more slowly, and become more susceptible to a variety of pests, including anthracnose.

If you have a sick dogwood, it’s probably best to remove it and replace it with a different type of tree that is suited to your yard conditions. Late fall, early winter is the perfect time to plant a tree – just don’t plant exactly where a tree has recently been removed – plant at least 10 feet away from that spot.

Read more at Gardening Know How: Common Dogwood Problems: Pests And Diseases Of Dogwood Trees

Here is a good listing of native plants by the conditions in which they thrive published by the South Carolina Native Plant Society.

Valerie Marcil
Forest Friends Lead

USC Belser Arboretum Events

November Book Club
Sunday, November 5 at 3pm
The Hour of Land by Terry Tempest Williams
Jerry Wallulis, USC Emeritus Professor in the Department of Philosophy, will lead the discussion.

Open House
Sunday, November 19, 1-4pm

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

Regular Volunteer Work Sessions
Wednesdays and Saturdays, 9am-Noon, Thursdays, 4-6pm
Weather and work schedules can occasionally change these times.

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

Sistercare Fund Raising Event
Sherwood Forest Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church Fellowship Hall
Thursday, November 16, 5:30pm – 7:30pm

Buffet: BBQ (3 sauces), Fried Chicken, Mac & Cheese, Coleslaw, Green Beans, Banana Pudding
Dine In or Carry Out
Cost: $15 per person

With every meal purchased, we will donate $5.00 to SisterCare to help with their supplies for families especially during the Christmas season.

Sistercare is a non-profit based in Columbia, SC that provides services and advocacy for survivors of domestic violence and their children. They assist with shelter, food, and any necessary supplies for these families.

More info…

Municipal Elections 2023
Tuesday, November 7

Tyler Bailey, Jesse Bullard IV, and Christa Williams are running for Columbia City Council District At-large.

Incumbent Will Brennan and Moe Baddourah are running in Columbia City Council District 3.

Please note that Ward 17 will be voting at the Midlands Tech Student Center, 316 Beltline Blvd for this election.

More info…

Join the Sherwood Forest Neighborhood Association

Become a member or renew your membership!

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

Hear ye, hear ye!
Here is your
SHERWOOD FOREST CRIER
SPECIAL DELIVERY
October 24, 2023

SFNA Annual Halloween Hot Dog Party
Tuesday, October 31, 5:30-7pm

Dress up your kids, your pets and yourself. Hotdogs and chili provided. Neighbors can bring sides or a dessert. BYOB and a chair if you’d like.

Parade down to the party with your neighbors! Yale side of the neighborhood gather at Mimosa and Kalmia at 5:15. Bloomwood side, gather at 4000 Bloomwood at 5:15.

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

Bring a decorated or carved pumpkin for the First Annual Pumpkin Carving Contest! Winner has bragging rights for the year and could win a spooky prize.

Contact Lauren Bradley at 678-637-5347, Violet Beets at 803-403-5980 or Sarah Powers at 803-269-7346, or email social@sherwoodforestneighbors.org for more info or to help out.

Facebook event…

Trunk-or-Treat
Saturday October 28, 5pm-7pm
Sherwood Forest ARP Church along with Iglesia Biblia Latin America (IBL) will be doing a trunk-or-treat activity in the parking lot at Sherwood Forest ARP Church. Everyone is invited!

SFNA General Meeting
Wednesday, November 8, 6:30pm-7:30pm
Sherwood Forest ARP Church

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

Draft minutes from the 3rd quarter general meeting…

SFNA Adopt-A-Highway Clean Up
Saturday, November 18, 9:30-11am

Meet at the Piggly Wiggly parking lot. 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.

Please consider joining the Sherwood Forest Neighborhood Association today!
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!

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

Hear ye, hear ye!
Here is your
SHERWOOD FOREST CRIER
October 1, 2023

Annual Halloween Hot Dog Party!
Tuesday, October 31, 4:30-7:30pm

Dress up your kids, pets and yourself. 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, Violet Beets at 803-403-5980 or Sarah Powers at 803-269-7346, or email social@sherwoodforestneighbors.org for more info or to help out.

Forest Friends
Right Tree, Right Place

Fifteen of our neighbors took advantage of our free native tree offer this fall! Trees will be delivered in early December, the perfect time to plant trees in the South. Our Forest Friends group helps neighbors to figure out which trees will work in which spots in their yard. This helps ensure that the trees will thrive. Most natives are pretty hardy, if they are planted in the right place.

For example, dogwoods thrive when protected from the hot sun by shade from larger trees, but planted in the middle of a hot sunny yard, they become stressed and often succumb to disease. Most oaks, on the other hand, do very well in hot sun and will grow to provide shade for those lovely dogwoods and your house, reducing your energy bill in the summer.

If you missed the tree order and are considering buying a new tree for your yard, do your research and make sure you choose a tree that suits the conditions of your yard. And watch out for those power lines! Plant only trees that will get no larger than 10-15 feet near power lines. Allow for lots of clearance from utility lines and structures when planting large shade trees.

Valerie Marcil
Forest Friend Lead

Sherwood Forest Branding Task Force (BTF) Update

• A huge salute and thanks goes out to Lani Stringer and David Johnson for donating their expert creative skills in designing two options totally suitable to serve as our new logo element. The BTF will review and voice their recommendation at the next gathering. Next step is designing the SF Home Plaque (that will be a neighborhood fundraiser and pride tool) and six Gateway signs.
• To date, we have raised $1,800 toward the Beautification Gateway Signage budget of $17,850. A second grant application is in the hands of City officials. Note, this is likely a three-year project.

Pat Mason
Vice-President

USC Belser Arboretum Events

October Book Club
Sunday, October 1 at 3pm
Everyone is invited to join the USC Belser Arboretum Book Club as we read and discuss The Nature of Oaks: the Rich Ecology of Our Most Essential Native Trees by Douglas Tallamy. Meet in the Outdoor Classroom
More info…

Open House
Sunday, October 15, 1-4pm
Extending our exploration of oaks in the October book club, Dr. Herrick Brown will guide a walk around the trails to identify oak species. Dr. Brown is Curator, Andrew Charles Moore Herbarium at USC.

November Book Club
Sunday, November 5 at 3pm
The Hour of Land by Terry Tempest Williams
Jerry Wallulis, USC Emeritus Professor in the Department of Philosophy, will lead the discussion.

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

Regular Volunteer Work Sessions
Wednesdays and Saturdays, 9am-Noon, Thursdays, 4-6pm
Weather and work schedules can occasionally change these times.

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

Sherwood Forest ARP Church News

Trunk-or-Treat
Saturday October 28, 5pm-7pm
Sherwood Forest ARP Church along with Iglesia Biblia Latin America (IBL) will be doing a trunk-or-treat activity in the parking lot at Sherwood Forest ARP Church on Saturday October 28 from 5pm until 7pm. Everyone is invited.

Pot-luck Bible Study
Every Thursday evening, the church has a pot-luck dinner and then a Bible Study. This starts at 6pm and ends no later than 8pm. The current bible study is the book of Revelation.

Interested in Limited Day-Care Program?
The church is considering a limited day-care program on Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 9am until noon launching in January. There is an investment of resources to do this so the church would like to gauge the interest from parents in the Forest.

Contact Pastor Russ Harless via email or 803-727-8431.

SFNA General Meeting
Wednesday, November 8, 6:30pm-7:30pm
Sherwood Forest ARP Church

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

Draft minutes from the 3rd quarter general meeting…

SFNA Adopt-A-Highway Clean Up
Saturday, November 18, 9:30-11am

Mark your calendars!

Please join our volunteers for a fun morning of talking trash! We have been picking up litter in the neighborhood for 7 years now and your help is needed. This is a family event and kids are welcome. Donuts will be provided.

Meet at the Piggly Wiggly parking lot. 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.

The Lourie Center Continuing Education Courses
For adults over 50
Fall Semester, October 2023

The one-hour session topics include:

• The Role of Nutrition and Diet in Healthy Aging
• Collaborative Songwriting
• Birds of South Carolina
• From Slavery to Civil Rights: South Carolina’s Long Struggle for Civil Rights
• Let’s Talk American Democracy: The Critical Role of the Electoral Process

The Lourie Center is located at 1650 Park Circle, near the intersection of Blossom and Pickens in Five Points, and next to Maxcy Gregg Pool and the University of South Carolina campus.

More info…

Municipal Elections 2023
Tuesday, November 7

Tyler Bailey, Jesse Bullard IV, and Christa Williams are running for Columbia City Council District At-large.

Incumbent Will Brennan and Moe Baddourah are running in Columbia City Council District 3.

The last day to register to vote in-person is Friday, October 6 by 5pm at the Richland County Voter Registration Office.

More info…

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.

Hear ye, hear ye!
Here is your
SHERWOOD FOREST CRIER
September 1, 2023

Letter from Your President

Hello neighbors!

This month’s topic is security. At our last meeting, Captain Blendowski of the Columbia PD shared with us that our neighborhood is relatively safe. No incidents were reported in the last 6 months and car break-ins are still our greatest threat. His advice: Lock ‘er up overnight and don’t leave electronic devices or guns, yes, guns in your vehicles. There are also more and more home-owned security cameras that can capture and lock up these offenders. Call 911 for help or 803-252-2911 for non-emergencies.

At last week’s meeting of the Columbia Council of Neighborhoods, Trevon Fordham was the guest speaker. He is appointed as the Director of the Office of Violent Crime Prevention for Columbia. He has extensive experience in criminal justice. He told us about the initiatives they are pursuing. The environment for crime is poor lighting and vacant homes or lots.

The average age for offenders is 16 to 25, with victims averaging 16 to 35. Social Services has identified those at highest risk are repeat offenders in this age group and are focused on providing education, job training, and job opportunities as the most successful solutions. This approach will provide better choices for offenders to break the dysfunction that ruled their previous actions. If you want more info on Mr Fordham’s program call 803-545-3031 or contact him via email Trevon.Fordham@columbiasc.gov

Please take time to review the minutes of our last meeting. Our membership and attendee lists keep growing. Be part of our movement to build a better community in our neighborhood.

Taking Pride. Nurturing Roots.
Gail Wojtowicz, President SFNA

Forest Friends
Forest Friends Native Tree Giveaway

Our second annual tree giveaway is underway! Our goal is to help neighbors replace trees they have had to remove, or fill in where one is needed, in order to maintain and improve our urban forest.

See our Forest Friends info on our website for photos of trees planted last year and more information about the importance of native trees and other plants.

Trees will be in three gallon containers or smaller, so they will be easy to handle and plant. We will provide guidance.

If you would like a free tree this year, please email Valerie Marcil with the type of tree you would like – small, large, flowering, fall color, etc and what the conditions are where you want to plant the tree – shade, sun, wet, dry. You can list a specific type of tree if you like. We will have an exact list of available trees by September 9, but because we will need to order quickly, we need to know general interests as soon as possible!

Don’t delay!

Artists In Residence
Appreciate Artists? Come have some fun!
Gemini Arts
2847 Commerce Drive
Saturday and Sunday, September 16 & 17, Noon – 6pm

Be among the first to discover the new artist studio and exhibition gallery being created five minutes from Sherwood Forest near Owens Field and Hunter-Gatherer at the Hangar. When completed Gemini Arts will be the largest group of artist’s studios in the Midlands.

Sherwood Forest neighbors are invited to come preview what’s being created by some of our finest artists. Get enthused and enjoy the first art exhibition the weekend of September 16-17, noon to 6. Come by for the eye candy. Chat with artists.

Participating artists include Ron Hagell, Kate Heald, Charles Hite, Michael Krajewski, Michael Naughton, Britty Pointer, Lucas Sams, Fred Townsend, Ashley Warthen and more.

Maybe spring for some fresh and amazing new pieces for the house!

Gemini Arts is SC a non-profit being produced by Sherwood Forest Artist In Residence: Ron Hagell

USC Belser Arboretum Open House
Sunday, September 17, 1-4pm

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

Regular Volunteer Work Sessions
Wednesdays and Saturdays, 9am-Noon, Thursdays, 4-6pm
Weather and work schedules can occasionally change these times.

October Book Club
Sunday, October 1 at 3pm
Everyone is invited to join the USC Belser Arboretum Book Club as we read and discuss The Nature of Oaks: the Rich Ecology of Our Most Essential Native Trees by Douglas Tallamy.
More info in the Arboretum Newsletter…

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

SFNA General Meeting
Wednesday, November 8, 6:30pm-7:30pm
Sherwood Forest ARP Church

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

Draft minutes from the 3rd quarter general meeting…

SFNA Adopt-A-Highway Clean Up
Saturday, November 18, 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.

Hear ye, hear ye!
Here is your
SHERWOOD FOREST CRIER
August 1, 2023

Letter from Your President
Please attend our quarterly meeting this coming week. I understand that there are a hundred reasons you might have to not attend. But I ask you to take just an hour to see the things which are blooming in your community. Attendance and membership are up. We are embracing our forest and our neighbors. We have started a campaign to include more art in our spaces and lives. Our volunteers just need you to say yes. Just an hour of your time, from 6:30 to 7:30 on Wednesday the 9th.

If our camaraderie is not enough to draw you then come for the Duck Donuts and coffee. And better yet, bring a neighbor with you. Peer pressure is the strongest force on earth. We are better together.

Taking Pride. Nurturing Roots.
Gail Wojtowicz, President SFNA

SFNA General Meeting
Wednesday, August 9, 6:30pm-7:30pm
Sherwood Forest ARP Church

We will have a Police update from MPO David Gibb, updates on social events, and news from the Branding Task Force.

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

Here is the current meeting agenda…

The meeting will also be available on Zoom. Zoom ID: 863 8990 6648, Passcode 649565

Draft minutes from the 2nd quarter general meeting…

National Night Out Reminder
Tuesday, August 1, 6-8pm

Shandon has invited us to a NNO event at Sims Park with freshly grilled hot dogs, an ice cream truck serving cones, with music and mingling with elected officials, CPD officers, CFD firefighters and games for the kids.

Forest Friends
Free Trees and Watershed Champions!

Our Forest Friends group is working with the Midlands Chapter of the Native Plant Society to coordinate another native tree giveaway for this fall. The tentative plan is for an event around South Carolina Arbor Day, which is December 1 this year. Planting trees later in the fall is best for SC. A list of tree options will be available in the next month or so – stay tuned and be thinking of where you’d like to add a new native tree!

Meanwhile, several of our neighbors have recently qualified as Watershed Champions, a program just launched by Gills Creek Watershed Association that encourages sustainable yards and awareness of our own property’s impacts on the watershed. I’m sure many of you could qualify for this certification without doing another thing, and others by taking just a few simple steps. The application is FREE and anyone in Sherwood Forest who applies before the end of this year will get a free sign, as well, if you notify Valerie Marcil. Take a look at the program and open up the application to see how to qualify (easy peasy).

USC Belser Arboretum Open House
Sunday, August 20, 1-4pm

Open House is always the 3rd Sunday of every month. Open for walkers and volunteers Wednesday and Saturday 10am-noon, Thursdays from 4-6pm.

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

Mail Theft and Fraud

Unfortunately, the Forest has seen a few instances of mail theft from our mailboxes, both incoming and outgoing. Outgoing is more problematic since you are likely mailing checks and the red flag is a signal to thieves!

Mail theft can lead to financial issues and identity theft.

For that reason, it is not recommended to place outgoing mail in your mailbox.

The Forest is lucky to have a blue United States Postal Service (USPS) collection box at the heart of our neighborhood!

A few tips include:

• Try not to leave letters and packages in your mailbox or at your door for any length of time.
• Hold delivery if away or ask a neighbor or friend to collect your mail for you.
• If you do not receive a check, credit card, or other valuable mail you’re expecting, contact the sender as soon as possible and inquire about it.
• Consider using one of the USPS’s certified mail services for large checks or valuable documents.

For USPS online services…

Report mail theft or fraud to the United States Postal Inspection Service…

Of course, having a neighbor pickup up delivered packages from USPS or other delivery services off your porch if you are going to be away for the day or longer can help foil the thieves as well!

SFNA Adopt-A-Highway Clean Up
Saturday, November 18, 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.

Hear ye, hear ye!
Here is your
SHERWOOD FOREST CRIER UPDATE
July 23, 2023

National Night Out Update

SFNA held our own NNO Celebration last year, but it was hot and a lot of work! So here are two alternatives: one indoor and one hosted by our neighbor neighborhood.

We had a little mixup on the dates and times for our two NNO celebrations in the July Crier so here is the right info!

The City of Columbia Police with Columbia Council of Neighborhoods (CCN) support will be hosting a National Night Out indoor event at the Columbia Convention Center on Thursday, July 27 at 5:30-8pm with neighborhood display tables, prizes, etc.
More info…

Then on Tuesday, August 1, Shandon will host a NNO event at Sims Park from 6-8pm with freshly grilled hot dogs, an ice cream truck serving cones, with music and mingling with elected officials, CPD officers, and CFD firefighters. A fire truck from the Devine Street station should be on hand. In addition to the playground, there will be games like cornhole, bocce, and basketball. Shandon has invited Richland Library Wheatley to have a book/reading station, and other local organizations who might wish to have a presence at the event.
More info…

And the Shandon Neighborhood Council has invited Sherwood Forest to join their festivities!

NNO’s purpose is to enhance the relationship between neighbors and law enforcement while bringing back a true sense of community.
National Night Out website…

Hear ye, hear ye!
Here is your
SHERWOOD FOREST CRIER
July 1, 2023

From your Vice-President…

Block Captain and Branding Task Force Updates

Your Sherwood Forest Block Captain BC’s are Alive and…

• Listening for their Zone neighbors’ comments and suggestions.
• Inviting you to join and renew.
• Showing up at Quarterly Meetings with your cheers and concerns.
• Finding a couple of hours a month (amidst their busy lives) to lead, serve and engage.
• Being there should you need a friendly chat.

Let’s support their efforts and give ’em some personal recognition. Connect via the BC Leaders list.

Thanks!

Your Sherwood Forest Branding Task Force inches forward.

Larry Hembree is determined to get SF 501C.3 designation re-instated with SC IRS. Financial records collection and filing of forms is next. Then some grant applications for Art & Beautification projects! Yes, and just maybe some dog park funding.

Your Design Team of Lani Stringer and David Johnson are addressing the Gateway Sign, Logo and Home Plaque image opportunities with an eye on continuity, taste, impact and readability.

The potential Devine Street mural wall (tasteful, artful, forest themed) has been measured by Ron Hagell, (89′ by 5’6″ high at one end and 4’6″ at the other). Yes, that’s 89 feet long, just before you’d turn right into the Burnette’s drive up.

Pat Mason is meeting soon with the wall owner to discuss the opportunity.

Pray.

Business Friends Update

In keeping with the Forest Friends theme, Valerie Marcil and Regina Monteith have concepted five donation levels now available to businesses and residents:

• Seedling (generic and small, but critical for all that comes after) – $100
• Redbud (small tree with “bud” symbolizing beginnings) – $100-249
• Sweetgum (larger tree, with the “sweet” connoting a “sweet” deal) – $250-499
• Longleaf Pine (long-lasting, large, and resilient) – $500-999
• Mighty Oak (while not a species, it’s indicative of how important all oaks are, and of course the “mighty” identifies it as super strong and big) – $1000+

Our first Business Friend firm is enrolled! Welcome to the Don Weaver Real Estate Team! Nominate business candidate you like and Pat Mason will reach out.

More info on the Business Friends program…

Forward! March!

Artists-in-Residence Circling Wagons

Sherwood Forest residents Larry Hembree and Ron Hagell invite anyone who is an artist (professional or hobby) or has a great appreciation for arts and culture, to consider participating in a brand-new casual initiative, SFNA Artist Friends. Our goal is to enhance the culture of our neighborhood (what makes it unique, interesting and ultimately a great place to live) by creating opportunities for engagement through artworks and arts experiences that embrace and reflect the SFNA mission and brand.

Arts and culture represent a variety of areas, not only performing and visual arts, but also literary, media, culinary, etc. We will be hosting a gathering of folks in late summer/early fall to explore creative possibilities. Let us know if you are interested in participating or in finding out more by emailing Larry Hembree or calling 803-354-3883.

Pat Mason, Vice-President
Sherwood Forest Neighborhood Association
803-467-9570

Forest Friends

Here are a few of the healthy growing native trees from our Fall 2022 Tree Giveaway. If you missed it last year, or weren’t ready, or need another, stay tuned for this year’s offerings next month.

(Click for bigger pics!)

Email Valerie Marcil at forestfriends@sherwoodforestneighbors.org with questions.

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

Open House is always the 3rd Sunday of every month. Open for walkers and volunteers Wednesday and Saturday 10am-noon, Thursdays from 4-6pm.

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

Have a Safe and Sane July 4th Holiday!

As of 2022, the City Council of Columbia ruled that fireworks must be shot after 7am and before 10pm daily, with two exceptions: On July 4th and New Year’s Eve holidays, you can shoot fireworks until 1am the following day (July 5 and January 1).

Handle fireworks safely (or not at all!) and be considerate of your neighbors. Or attend one of the professionally managed fireworks shows around town such as Fireworks with the Phil at Segra Park, or Fort Jackson’s Independence Day Celebration.

Fireworks Safety Tips from DHEC

South Carolina Firework FAQ

National Night Out

The City of Columbia Police with Columbia Council of Neighborhoods (CCN) support will be hosting a National Night Out indoor event at the Columbia Convention Center on Thursday, July 27 at 5:30-7:30pm with neighborhood display tables, prizes, etc.

Then on Thursday, August 3, Shandon will host a NNO event at Sims Park serving ice cream and hotdogs. The Shandon Neighborhood Council has invited Sherwood Forest to join their festivities!

NNO’s purpose is to enhance the relationship between neighbors and law enforcement while bringing back a true sense of community.

National Night Out website..

SFNA General Meeting
Wednesday, August 9, 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 2nd quarter general meeting…

SFNA Adopt-A-Highway Clean Up
Saturday, November 18, 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.

Hear ye, hear ye!
Here is your
SHERWOOD FOREST CRIER
June 1, 2023

From your President…

We know your time is valuable. Thank you for reviewing our newsletter.

I am delighted to highlight a few members that are using their time to improve our neighborhood. Our volunteers are not only inspirational innovators but they follow up their ideas with action. Pat Mason, Valerie Marcil and Larry Hembree are just three of these key neighborhood volunteers.

Pat Mason is our SFNA Vice President and my wingman. Pat is leading the team to establish our slogan and get Welcome signs installed. Our survey found that you feel the Forest is a safe and friendly environment. He is working with local business leaders for sponsorships to fund our innovations by launching the Business Friends program. He is even running for an officer position on the Columbia Council of Neighborhoods, sharing Sherwood Forest initiatives with other associations. He was part of a team that took on the challenge of freeing Cash the dog from his tether and abuse by going to court twice to fine the owner. If you want to join his Branding Task Force team, contact Pat at 803-467-9570 or email.

Valerie Marcil leads our Forest Friends team. Her recurring newsletter articles help us tend and mend our own forest plots. Her initiative to give away trees has taken root and we expect to continue this program on an annual basis. In addition, her support of the Gills Creek watershed and understanding of urban heat islands benefits all of us. If you want to join her team, contact Valerie at 803-331-1138 or email.

Larry Hembree leads our Artist Friends, a new initiative to bring more art in all forms to our neighborhood and an avenue for our neighborhoods to share their talents. We will partner with the Arboretum (date TBD) for an exhibition of 15 local artists to perform and display their passions. In addition, the team is developing ideas for Welcome to the Neighborhood gateway signage and murals. Larry is also tackling the challenges of restoring our non-profit status with the IRS, making it easier to get grants and further our great ideas. If you want to join his team, contact Larry at 803-354-3883 or by email.

There are many more volunteers, including our block captains, making our neighborhood a place to enjoy nature and raise families. They are behind the scenes generating a place where we are Taking Pride and Nurturing Roots.

Cash Flow News: Richland County Councilman Don Weaver donated $300 to our association and we got a $140 grant from the city to pay for litter collection which will pay for our poop bags. We offer opportunities for you to also provide financial support for our initiatives. Contact me or Pat Mason.

Following years of medically imposed distancing we are hungry for social interaction. Robin Hood court hosted a campfire and pizza night this week. Fifteen attendees shared important family news and fed our need to be together again. Please find an opportunity to share with your neighbors, too.

Gail Wojtowicz, President
Sherwood Forest Neighborhood Association
618-402-8736

Weaver Realty First SFNA Business Friend

SFNA welcomes Richland County Councilman Don Weaver and his Weaver Realty Team as our first Business Friend sponsoring at the annual Angel Oak level. Headquartered on Rosewood Dr. at Kalmia since 1991, customers have come to expect skilled real estate marketing services that include rental management, financing and rent to own solutions. Call Katherine Robinson at 803-269-5745. She knows Sherwood Forest real estate!

Weaver Realty and Prime Financial Services website…

SFNA Business Friends program information…

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

Open House is always the 3rd Sunday of every month. Open for walkers and volunteers Wednesday and Saturday 10am-noon, Thursdays from 4-6pm.

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

Forest Friends
What ARE Native Plants, Anyway?

We’ve talked a lot about the importance of native plants in Forest Friends, but exactly what they are may remain a mystery. Basically, native plants are those that have grown in a particular area for hundreds or thousands of years and are part of an ecosystem where plants and animals support each other.

One example: a white oak (native) hosts more than 500 insects as opposed to a ginkgo (exotic, native to the Far East) hosts only 5. You may think that is a good thing (no “pests”!), but native insects do not destroy native plants. They nibble at them enough to grow and the insects, in turn, are kept in balance by our native birds. A clutch of Carolina chickadees needs around 9000 caterpillars to grow to fledgling stage!

Most of the trees (e.g. oaks, hickories, wild cherries, river birch, pecans, and both loblolly and longleaf pines) in our neighborhood are native, which is why we have a wealth of birdlife. Most of our shrubbery, on the other hand, is exotic. Many folks think that traditional Carolina landscape plants (e.g. camellias, sasanquas, gardenias, boxwood, and evergreen azaleas) are native, but they are not. These plants are mostly from Japan and China and host few native insects.

Think instead of blueberries, yaupon holly, beautyberry, spice bush, wax myrtle, and native azaleas. These and many others support pollinators, who in turn support our birds. And, by the way, more birds mean healthier people! Read more about why native plants are better for birds and people at the Audubon website…

All of this does not mean you should rip out your non-native landscaping, or that nothing but 100 percent native landscaping will do. Exotic plants have a place and can add interest and beauty to your yard. But as non-natives age out, think of replacing them with natives. Or if you have a yard of mostly turf (non-native), think of adding some native trees and shrubs, grasses, and vines! And stay tuned in the coming months for information on our next native tree give-away.

Many organizations offer great lists of native plants by area, but here is one from the National Wildlife Federation…

Email Valerie Marcil at forestfriends@sherwoodforestneighbors.org with questions.

Pick Up The Puppy Poop!

The Forest is great for walking with the dogs! SFNA has installed poop bag dispensers at the five way and on Bloomwood which our Appearance guy Dave Nelson refills regularly. But bagging the poop is only half the battle! To win the war, the plump poop bags need to be disposed of in the green rollcarts along with bagged household waste.

More info about poop myths and facts…

SFNA General Meeting
Wednesday, August 9, 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 2nd quarter general meeting…

SFNA Adopt-A-Highway Clean Up
Saturday, November 18, 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.

Hear ye, hear ye!
Here is your
SHERWOOD FOREST CRIER
May 1, 2023

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

Volunteers are invited to participate in the cleanup which is part of the Keep The Midlands Beautiful Adopt-A-Highway program. Meet at the Piggly Wiggly parking lot. 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.

Buy Nothing Friends Launched!
Thanks to coaching from Bill Fairchild, our Zone 7 & 8 Block Captain, we are now ready to invite all residents to download the Buy Nothing app and join in this wildly popular national project phenomena. When joining, be sure to identify Sherwood Forest as your neighborhood.

Buy Nothing offers people a way to give and receive, share, lend, and express gratitude through a worldwide network of gift economies in which the true wealth is the web of connections formed between people who are real-life neighbors.
– Buy Nothing website…

Also, for more fun check out Bill’s FB group: Buy Nothing Sherwood Forest…

USC Belser Arboretum Open House
Sunday, May 21, 1-4pm

Join the Arboretum Book Club as we read Upstream by Mary Oliver, selected by Nicola Waldron of USC’s Department of English Language and Literature. She’ll guide our discussion at 3pm.
Eventbrite tickets…
Facebook event…

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
To Mow or Not to Mow
You may have heard some of the buzz about No Mow May, which encourages homeowners with lawns to eliminate or reduce lawn mowing in the month of May to allow flowering plants in your grass to bloom to help support pollinators in the spring when sources of pollen are limited. Try it if you like, but an even better approach (for many reasons) is to begin to replace some of your turf with understory plants, and open pollinator gardens.

Understory plants are the small trees (like dogwoods) that love to live in the dappled shade of larger trees (the upper story), as well as native shrubs and perennials that thrive with a bit of shade.

If you have an open, sunny lawn, try adding a rain garden, a regular pollinator garden full of native perennials, or a sunny border garden full of native grasses and other plants. Taking these latter approaches can provide almost year round sources of pollen, seeds and berries for wildlife, while at the same time helping to improve absorption of rainwater, and reduce the pollution and chemicals needed to maintain a lawn.

This approach also allows you to maintain a tidy lawn where you really want some lawn, albeit a somewhat smaller lawn (phew! less mowing!).

Some links about alternatives to large lawns, and native plants to use instead:
How and why to reduce the area you mow – bit by bit…
Great resources from Clemson for creating rain gardens…
National Wildlife Federation plant finder for 29205 zip code…
SC Wildflower collections…

Email Valerie Marcil at forestfriends@sherwoodforestneighbors.org with questions.

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.