PRESIDENT'S CORNER
PRESIDENT'S CORNER
PRESIDENT'S CORNER
PRESIDENT'S CORNER
PRESIDENT'S CORNER
Hello Neighbors!
Before anything else, I want to thank so many of you for coming out to make our Egg Hunt & Parade such a big success one again. I was nervous the bad weather leading up to things that week was going to scare people into making other indoor plans for the weekend. But I was so happy to see so many of you out together at our first big event of our 2023 calendar.
Once again North Austin MUD 1 has generously sponsored our calendar door hangers, and volunteers are out now getting those delivered. We still have a few streets that no one has volunteered to deliver to yet, and more can be found in this newsletter on how you can help us with that project. For the most part, you have all been fantastic in coming forward to assist with that. If you don’t receive a door hanger soon, please let us know and we’ll be sure to get you one.
Fast approaching in May is our annual Crawfish Boil on May 20th. We’re so excited to have a great Zydeco band lined up to entertain you while you chow down on some great food and cold beer. As a thank you for being members, we are once again offering discounts to current RCNA members. Look for more details on how to buy tickets in this newsletter.
It is also time to encourage your high school seniors to apply for the RCNA $500 scholarship. Due to low interest over the past several years, we’ll be reevaluating the viability of our scholarships later this year. But we’re happy to offer one now for 2023.
Our membership numbers have been growing at a healthy rate for the past couple of years, and we greatly look forward to doing even more together with the increased support. We’ll be looking for ways in the coming months to bring you even more bang for your membership buck, by potentially adding another event to the calendar later in the year. We’ll also hopefully be adding some more fun educational family opportunities like the tree walk and fire station tours. So keep your eyes peeled for more info to come!
Even better yet, encourage a neighbor to join the RCNA today. Many residents don’t realize they don’t have to be a home owner, and even more are unaware of our new Friends of the RCNA option. For less than a family night out at the movies, they can help support all we do to make the greater Rattan Creek neighborhood a great place to live!
Hope to see you out in the neighborhood soon!
Christine Newman, RCNA President
A WORD FROM THE JOLLYVILLE FD
A WORD FROM THE JOLLYVILLE FD
The Rules About Outdoor Burning
By now, everyone knows about the danger of wildfires. Unfortunately, like most fires, many of these types of fires are avoidable. Most wildland fires start from two things: improperly discarded smoking materials and “controlled burns” that got out of control. In regards to the smoking material, don’t throw matches or cigarettes out the window of your car….this would greatly help prevent wildland fires. With controlled burns, follow the rules and regulations set forth by Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) and use common sense. This should hopefully prevent any problems.
For those of us who live in Williamson County ESD #1, controlled burns are not allowed. Warming fires during cold weather and cooking fires are the only fires allowed in the Jollyville area. Why? I’ll list the TNRCC rule that governs this:
“Household trash or rubbish, grass, leaves, hedge and branch trimmings from residences are all considered to be “domestic waste.” If your local government provides or authorizes a private collector to provide the collection of domestic waste, this type of material may not be burned.”
For further information, review the TCEQ Outdoor Burning Guidelines. The document is available on their website at:
http://www.tceq.texas.gov/publications/rg/rg-049.html
Remember what Smokey the Bear said, “Only you can help prevent (forest) fires!”
RCNA CRAWFISH BOIL - MAY 20
RCNA CRAWFISH BOIL - MAY 20
RCNA Crawfish Boil 5/20/23, 1-4pm
It’s that time of year again for our annual Crawfish Boil at Rattan Creek Park. Tickets are now on sale at:
Buy your Crawfish Boil Tickets Here!
This event does sell out so we highly encourage you not to wait, hoping for walk up tickets to be available.
RCNA Members: $25 per person
NON-RCNA Members: $30 per person
Walk-Ups, all: $35 per person
Kids 12 and under eat free, with a paying adult
If you are interested in buying a ticket but do not eat crawfish, we will have a limited number of trays available with just sausage and the veggies.
DonutNV will also be bringing out their hot mini donut truck, with yummy desserts to purchase.
We will have the fantastic Jean-Pierre and the Zydeco Angels playing live for us this year! All are welcome to attend the concert, even if they have not purchased a ticket to the boil.
EASTER EGG RECAP
Another successful Egg Hunt and parade!
Despite the bad weather leading right up to the event, things went off without a hitch! We couldn’t have done it without our neighborhood volunteers, including our neighborhood scouts.
Special Thanks to Jollyville Fire, Wilco Sheriffs, Constable Chance and his team, and County Commissioner Cook for volunteering their time on a Saturday to help make our event great. As always, we thank North Austin MUD 1 for all of their support and for allowing us the use of our beautiful park. And special kudos to our very own Board Secretary Alisa Ludlum, for knocking it out of the park her very first time leading this event!
RCNA SCHOLARSHIP
The RCNA is once again proud to offer a $500 scholarship to one graduating high school senior, who is a child of an RCNA member. If you are a member and have a teen who will be graduating high school this year, be sure to encourage them to apply. Traditionally we have received a low number of applications, so their chance of receiving our scholarship is much better than from most other sources.
*Please note- due to low interest over the past few years, we will be evaluating the viability of these scholarships going forward after this year.
Applications are due by June 30th and scholarships will be awarded in early July. More information and the application link can be found on our RCNA website at https://rattancreek.org/scholarships/. Please email our RCNA Secretary, Alisa Ludlum, with any questions, alisaludlum@gmail.com
Have your graduate apply and good luck to them!
RCNA 2023 EVENT CALENDAR
RCNA 2023 Event Calendar
As you have likely already seen, volunteers have begun delivering our 2023 Event Calendar door hangers throughout the neighborhood. We still have a dozen or so streets needing delivery. So if you have a little time to spare, and are willing to stroll down some neighborhood streets in this lovely weather, please sign up now to help us get the rest of them out.
Sign up to help deliver door hangers here!
If you are a regular RCNA member or Friends of the RCNA supporter, and did not receive a doorhanger, please contact us and we’ll get one delivered to you!
We’re so pleased to once again bring you a full calendar this year, thanks to your membership and support. More details on each of these can be found on our website or Facebook page as the dates draw near. Info on the MUD shred day and the bulk pickups can be found on their website and Facebook page.
MUD Shred Day 5/13
Crawfish Boil, 1-4pm 5/20
July 4th Parade, 10am 7/4
July 4th Concert 6:30pm 7/4
Member Pool Party, 4-7pm 8/20
Fall Garage Sale, 7a-1pm 9/23
Fall Bulk pick up 9/30
Texas Night Out, 5-8pm 10/3
Rattan Fest, 10-3pm 11/4
Winter in the Park, 3-6pm 12/10
Fire department parade 2pm 12/10
PET CORNER
by Leighann Hurley
Myth Busting: “Pet Your Dog to Prevent Food Aggression”
“Prevent food aggression by doing the following while your dog is eating: 1) petting your dog, 2) sticking your hand in his bowl, and/or 3) briefly removing the bowl.”
This is SUCH a common myth and it’s so unfortunate. No one wants an aggressive dog (especially one that growls at them or other dogs in the home), but in an effort to prevent aggression, well-meaning owners are actually creating it.
Consider the scenario from a human perspective.
You sit down to a hot meal and dig in. Man, it tastes so good! While you’re eating, your dinner-mate reaches over and removes your plate. What?! That’s weird. You’re speechless for a second and then she puts the plate back down. A few minutes later, she does the same thing: takes it away and then puts it back down. This happens several times, and by the 4th time, you say, “hey! Quit that! I’m trying to eat here.” The next day, she starts it up again, but this time you’re not having it. You yank the plate away before she can grab it again, and you leave the table.
Taking your dog’s food, sticking your hand in his bowl, and petting him does not prevent aggression and it doesn’t teach him you’re Alpha. It DOES teach him to be anxious when a human walks up while he’s eating, and that anxiety can manifest as growling, snapping, and biting.
What Actually Helps
Avoid the anxiety with these tactics instead:
1. Ignore your dog while he’s eating. Let him eat in peace without fear the food will be taken away—even for a second.
2. Drop some plain chicken, scrambled eggs, or wet dog food near his feet while he’s eating then immediately walking away. This teaches him: “a human approaching while I eat = even better stuff on the ground and nothing taken away!”
If your dog or puppy is currently showing signs of food aggression, skip the above and contact a qualified professional ASAP. Aggression is nothing to mess around with and I don’t recommend a DIY approach. No one wins if your dog escalates to growling, snapping or biting.
And please don’t punish your dog for growling! That’s like taking the batteries out of the smoke alarm: the fire is still there, but now there’s no warning and the dog will go straight for the bite.
(BTW, ditto everything above for bones, chews, and food puzzles.)
BOY SCOUTS
BOY SCOUTS
The Scouting movement in Rattan Creek is alive and well, even through times of COVID-19. Scouting is a great opportunity for our neighborhood youth, both male and female of almost all ages, to participate in a social activity with their peers to learn life lessons and build leadership capabilities. There are several opportunities for various ages in our neighborhood:
Cub Scout Pack 159 – Chartered on October 1, 1971, Pack 159 is one of the older and more established Cub Scout packs in the Northwest Austin area. Many of our scouts attend Pond Springs Elementary or Jollyville Elementary. We welcome scouts and families from all different backgrounds. Pack 159 is open to boys and girls in Kindergarten through 5th grade.
Online: pack159.org | Facebook: facebook.com/pack159tx
Scouts BSA Troop 259 – Troop 259 serves male youth aged from 11 to 17. Many of our Scouts attend from junior high schools such as Deerpark, Grisham, Canyon Vista, Pearson Ranch, and Cedar Valley along with high schools such as McNeil or Westwood. We meet weekly, camp monthly, and attend summer and high adventure camps annually. We are firm believers in giving back to our community through service. You will likely find our Scouts involved in local school and neighborhood activities.
Online: scout259.org | Facebook: facebook.com/scout259
HURRICANES SWIM
HURRICANES SWIM
The Rattan Creek Hurricanes Swim Club is a family-friendly summer swim team in northwest Austin, Texas. As a member of the Northwest Swim Circuit, our mission is to provide a structured recreational activity that teaches swimmers the value of competition, sportsmanship, teamwork and individual achievement, while they make new friends and get a great workout! Our season runs from May through mid July. Practices take place after school until the school year ends, then we switch to morning practices.
Below is the schedule for home meets where the pool will be closed:
- May 20, 7:30-10:30AM
- June 3, 7:30AM (Start)
- June 17, 7:30AM (Start)
We were lucky enough to get copies of all the old RCNA newsletters! Every month we’ll include something that was in a past newsletter in the same month or time of year. Enjoy the history lessons!
This month we are again combing the old newsletter and the cooking piece again to bring you a delicious recipe from Apri; 2004!
HELPFUL LINKS TO NEIGHBORHOOD INFO
HELPFUL LINKS TO NEIGHBORHOOD INFO
HELPFUL LINKS TO NEIGHBORHOOD INFO
HELPFUL LINKS TO NEIGHBORHOOD INFO
HELPFUL LINKS TO NEIGHBORHOOD INFO
- North Austin MUD 1: https://northaustinmud1.org/
- Rattan Creek Neighborhood Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/RattanCreekNeighborhood
- Rattan Creek Neighborhood Buy Sell Trade Give: https://www.facebook.com/groups/RCNBuySellTrade
- Rattan Creek Buy Nothing: https://www.facebook.com/groups/bnplosindioshunterschaserattancreek
- Rattan Creek Tots Playgroup: https://www.facebook.com/groups/766011216785046
- Rattan Creek Pokemon Go: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1378225265618880
- Rattan Creek Women’s Book Club: https://www.facebook.com/groups/rcwomensbookclub