I’ve been a Bayberry resident for about seven years now; my wife has lived here almost her whole life. We received our BCA welcome packet shortly after we moved in and I was pleased to be part of an actual community rather than a random house on a street somewhere. A couple years ago the BCA put out an SOS that it would disband barring more involvement. Myself and a number of other residents stepped up to help out.
When I first joined up as 2nd VP I had very little idea of what the BCA was. I now know it’s a small group of volunteers, many with jobs, kids, grandkids, and other involvements, who care enough about their community to want to make it better. Depending on our particular interests and talents we all help out in different ways. I am an organizer and facilitator so I work on structuring the organization to be more efficient and effective. Kristine is a graphic designer so she does our media stuff. Bob is methodical and a workhorse so he does a lot of the behind the scenes work with area reps and dues rosters. Mike knows everybody everywhere so he advocates for us. Judy is a bundle of energy and good with people so she recruits new volunteers. My wife, Tami, is a writer so she works with Kristine on the newsletter. You get my point. It’s about everyone finding their little niche and lending a hand.
We often get complaints that the BCA is not doing this and that or such and such. Well, we aren’t a homeowner’s association that charges hundreds of dollars a month, has full-time and part-time staff, and authority to compel residents to do things. If it’s not being done it’s because no one has stepped up that has the time and passion for that particular issue. If it’s something you care about it’s on you to do something about it. The BCA will help you find other people who care about that issue too, help you get the word out, set up meetings, make connections etc. but we do not have the resources to do it for you. The BCA literally is you!
Bayberry has been around for more than 60 years now and is at a critical juncture. I’m sure you’ve noticed the rapid rate at which houses are bought and sold here. It’s a changing of the guard. The generation that initially built and populated Bayberry is making way for a new generation of young families looking for a friendly and safe place to raise their kids. My wife and I have three children aged 2, 10 and 16. The first Bayberry generation put a lot of work into making Bayberry the place they wanted it to be and were actually very successful with all manner of clubs, dances, parades, block parties, improvement projects, a swim club, and all manner of other initiatives that brought people together and made Bayberry a quality place to grow up. Now it’s up to us, the new Bayberrians to define this place for ourselves. One things’ for sure. Nobody is going to do it for us!
So email me at tim.scott3@gmail.com and tell me what you want to do. Let us empower you to achieve your vision for the community. For inspiration on what is possible when we work together, scroll through this PowerPoint on the history of our neighborhood. www.tinyurl.com/bayberryhistory
Tim Scott