The Good Old Days Are Now
by Don Vogel—President, CLV Board of Directors

Thirty-five years ago it was easy to really know your neighbor and everyone else in Christmas Lake Village. After all there were less than 100 homes. Many of the new home owners were local people. Hectic living was a thing of the future. And people just made a point of doing things together as a community.

Fast forward to 2007 with over 800 homes and ever changing neighborhoods – almost 10% of our homes were sold to new residents in 2006. We’re hi-tech, on the go, busy people, many who find it difficult to make time for other people in our lives. This has been labeled the “What’s in it for me?” era.

Whoa! Slow down! Stop! Take an inventory of what we have here in Christmas Lake Village and count our blessings. I still repeat what Larry Moore told me a few years ago after scouring the entire state to find a place to build a home, “This is the best kept secret in the state of Indiana.”

Awaken to the sounds of cardinals, mockingbirds and their feathered friends, geese heading back from an early morning feed in some long ago harvested corn field, deer prancing through our woods and lawns, an occasional wild turkey. Ah, the fresh air – not the noisy, smelly factories of the big cities, not the agitated, angry motorist ranting at the snarled traffic. Our traffic jam may be 5 cars ahead of you at the blinker light, and in less than a minute you are on your way.
Count your blessings.

We have one of the top-rated school districts in the entire state, committed teachers, and the latest technology for learning in first-class facilities. We have abundant opportunities for our teens to earn extra income while making a significant contribution to area businesses.

Many families have relocated to CLV because of our variety of manufacturing and service related businesses, most just an easy commute in every direction. And when you get home, your recreation is at your doorstep. Count your blessings.

So if “The Good Old Days Are Now” you may be asking yourself “So what am I missing?” Are you making the time to really get to know your neighbors? Did I mention this is a very friendly community? Make time to get involved in the schools, service clubs, a church, and CLV committees. Take pride in where you live. In my work, which is all done by telephone, I tell every client I live in Santa Claus, IN. Usually after a chuckle, they ask, “Is there really such a place?” Then I tell about the lakes, the golf course, Holiday World, Lincoln’s boyhood home, quiet, peaceful, rolling wooded hills and our low cost of living. They are amazed such a place exists in this fast paced world. Count your blessings.

Oh! It’s not perfect and we have challenges ahead for all of us to help make this an even better place to call home. It’s disturbing to see daily how careless some of us can be tossing beer cans along the side of our roads, and other litter. A great number of our walkers help clean up others carelessness, or you pay our maintenance staff to do the same.

I’m confident with our new group of concerned citizens in the 1st Neighborhood we will resolve our differences and totally unify the entire CLV. Call Arty Eachus or Jeff Blackwell to lend them your support if you live in the 1st.

One of our biggest assets is our Festival of Lights. Right now it is in need of new energy, new excitement, and a stronger commitment by every property owner on the tour route. The Festival unites our town, the parade, craft show, church breakfast, tourism, regional and even national recognition. It’s an easy decision to just say “Let’s stop it” and only after the fact will we realize what an asset we had. Sort of like a big city losing an NFL or MLB team! We need people to step up now to lead, generate new ideas and enthusiasm. We need local businesses and industry to make a commitment to support Festival of Lights. Support the community that provides your source of employees and sales revenue. We will adjust the tour route, build on our strengths, add some WOW factor so that CLV will once again be the winter wonderland people come from miles around to enjoy.

You see, the “Good Old Days” are now and we need you to make them even better.

Count your blessings.

HHHS Presents High School Musical

You need to “get’cha head in the game” and get on over to Heritage Hills High School where the drama department is presenting the extremely popular “High School Musical”.

Performances will take place March 15, 16, 17, and 18th at 6 p.m. There will also be matinee performances on Saturday and Sunday (March 17 & 18) at 2 p.m. The tickets are $5 for students and senior citizens and $6 for adults.
As they say in the play, “We’re all in this together,” so come on out and support these talented young people.

Performances March 15, 16, 17, & 18 at 6 p.m.
Matinee Performances Saturday March 17 and Sunday March 18 at 2 p.m.
Call 937-4472 for tickets

Holly Park Concerts Return For 2007 Summer

Blending sounds of banjo, bass, and mandolin, CLV residents will be entertained in Holly Park by a local group that claims their “style is as comfortable as setting on a long porch in the summertime listening to friends playing bluegrass”.
The Bluegrass Group Midstreem will kick-off the summer concert series at Holly Park on Thursday, May 24 at 6:30 p.m.

Every third Thursday of the month throughout September CLV residents will have the opportunity once again to enjoy the free concerts in the park. You don’t want to miss this great chance to meet neighbors or just catch up with folks you have known forever.

Bring a picnic supper to share and enjoy the sounds, sights and fellowship. We look forward to seeing you there!

Residents Want to Keep Lights On

With any luck the lights will shine bigger and brighter for CLV’s 2007 Festival of Lights. At the February board meeting concerned residents spoke in favor of the festival mainly because of the positive economic impact it has on the community.

CLV resident and Director of Spencer County Visitors Bureau Melissa Miller said that last year bookings were up at Santa’s Lodge. Other local business expressed increased business as well.

Mike Johannes, a CLV resident, emphasized how many local businesses the festival impacts in Santa Claus. “It helps the Legion, the lodge, the Methodist Church and others,” said Johannes. “We don’t want Festival of Lights to go away.”

The owner of Candy Castle, Kevin Klosowski, stressed how it promotes teamwork within the neighborhoods and also promotes a positive awareness of the community. Donna Ramholz, who is heading a committee to celebrate the Lincoln bicentennial, said that they were already planning on combining Festival of Lights and the bicentennial. She hoped to see the festival continue.

The board summarized the emails as mostly suggestions regarding changing the route to adding larger displays in certain dark areas. The board agreed that they would continue to look at how they could improve the festival and talked of forming a committee to develop some new ideas.

Learn More About Lincoln Heritage Public Library

How would you like the World’s Smallest Giant or the Fractured Fairy Godmother read you some of your favorite tall tales? Both of these folks will be on hand this summer for Lincoln Heritage Public Library’s Summer Reading Program.

Children’s Librarian Rebecca Rau said that Summer Reading this year will be based around the Fantasy theme and the children will hear stories about knights, dragons, castles, fairies, princes and princesses. They will also be making Fantasy themed crafts and even having a Harry Potter movie marathon Saturday.

The Summer Reading program sign ups are the first week of June and last go through the first two weeks of July. This a great way to get all young people, three-years old through high school age, interested in reading and learning.

The LHPL Between the Covers Book Club is reading Embers by Sandor Marai. Embers details the reunion of two old men who were once best friends but have spent the last 41 years going their separate ways. The club meets at LHPL in the Spencer County Room at 6:30 p.m. For more information about the book club please contact Marsha Hicks at 937-7170. New members are always welcome.

There are ongoing story time and toddler time programs every week as well as Backyard Book club and Sandra’s Family Bilingual Storytime. For dates and times please call 937-7170 or go to www.lincolnheritage.lib.in.us.

CLV Real Estate Market Keeps Pace With National Average

63 Homes Sold in 2006
Average Price of Sold Homes — $156,248
10 houses sold under $100K
31 houses sold between 100K and 150K
14 houses sold between 150K and 200K
8 houses sold over 200K

“I think this is going to be a great year,” Key Associates realtor Kara Hinshaw said. “We are starting the year off really strong.”

David Grundhoefer of Towne and Country Century 21 echoes Hinshaw saying that “the phones have really been ringing”.

Hinshaw emphasized since Key joined the Multiple Listing Services (MLS) this past year, many out-of-state people have been discovering CLV. She said she has been working with and sold to people from Hawaii, California, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Ohio, New Jersey, and Arizona.

Grundhoefer said that the number of homes in CLV on the market were about the same as the National Market at about 10 percent. “The market here is a very, very excellent market,” Grundhoefer said.

“Last year will be known as the year of selling a big percentage of lakefront homes,” Grundhoefer said. Sixteen lakefront homes and thirteen lake view properties were sold by local realtors in 2006. However, there were 34 homes throughout the remainder of the Village that sold during that same time.

Both realtors gave suggestions for preparing your home for sale. Grundhoefer said that property should be listed at the market value in order to sell timely. Both mentioned de-cluttering your house and closets. Also neutral paint and making minor repairs can make a big difference to prospective buyers.