May 2025
Welcome to the official newsetter of the Lake Forest Property Owner's Association. Catch up on the latest news from your Board of Directors along with some golf, tennis and LFPOA club news and upcoming events.
LFPOA Newsletter
Hungry?? Visit the 19th Hole Grill or call for takeout. 251-621-4729.
Become Part of a LFPOA Committee
and Make a Difference
We hope this message finds you well and that you are enjoying all the beauty and benefits of life in Lake Forest.
As we continue working toward a stronger, more vibrant, and connected community, we invite YOU to become more involved in the future of our neighborhood by joining one of the Lake Forest POA Committees. This is your opportunity to roll up your sleeves, share your talents, and make a lasting impact at home.
Our committees are the heartbeat of Lake Forest’s progress. They play a vital role in shaping improvements, planning events, and creating the environment we all want to be part of. Whether you're passionate about nature, enjoy planning events, or have a background in city relations or maintenance, there's a place for you.
Here are the committees currently seeking passionate and dedicated members:
-
Infrastructure Committee – Help plan and prioritize improvements to roads, drainage, and facilities.
-
Lake & Environmental Committee: We work to preserve and protect the natural beauty and ecological health of our lakes and green spaces.
-
City Liaison and Affairs Committee – Strengthen our relationship with city leaders and stay engaged with policy and developments affecting our community.
-
Events, Food & Beverage Committee—Help plan social events, gatherings, and fun for residents of all ages.
-
Welcome Committee – Offer a warm and friendly introduction to new residents, helping them feel part of the Lake Forest family from day one.
-
Maintenance Committee – Assist in identifying and addressing upkeep needs throughout the community.
Joining a committee is more than volunteering—it’s a chance to connect with your neighbors, share your voice, and leave your mark on the community we call home. Whether you can commit a little time or a lot, your involvement will make a difference.
We encourage you to consider your interests, talents, and how you’d like to contribute. Then, contact the POA office to express your interest or ask any questions.
Together, we can continue building a Lake Forest that reflects its residents' pride, passion, and participation.
Your Board of Directors
Still Accepting Donations
We wanted to remind our residents that we are still accepting donations for the following items:
- Paper Towels & Toilet Paper
- Gloves (work and disposable)
- Trash Bags (heavy duty preferred)
- Cleaning Supplies (bleach, disinfectants, sponges, mops, buckets, etc.)
- Drywall
- Spare Fencing Materials
- Furniture (gently used and clean)
Donations can be dropped off at the 19th Hole/LFPOA Office, where the LFPOA Office Team will organize and distribute them to those in need.
Your time, effort, and compassion can make a significant difference in someone’s life right now. We are incredibly grateful for the continued support and unity that defines the Lake Forest community.
May BOD Meetings
Work Session May 15, 6 PM
Stated Meeting May 22, 6 PM
To Our Valued Lake Forest Members,
We hope this letter finds you and your families well. As we look ahead to the coming year, we want to bring your attention to a significant opportunity that can shape the future of Lake Forest and the City of Daphne.
In November 2025, the City of Daphne will hold elections for its City Council and the office of Mayor. This election is a critical moment for our community, and it is more important than ever that Lake Forest Property Owners Association (POA) members step forward to represent our neighborhoods and our shared interests.
Lake Forest is home to over 11,000 registered voters—that’s nearly one-third of the entire population of Daphne. With such a strong voice, our community has the potential to make a lasting impact on the direction of city leadership. However, to truly harness that potential, we need leaders from within Lake Forest who understand the unique challenges and opportunities we face daily.
We encourage POA members who live in Districts 2, 3, 5, and 6—which include most of Lake Forest—to consider qualifying as candidates during the official filing period that starts in June. Here are some important dates:
-
June 10, 2025 - Candidates may begin to qualify at 8 AM with the City of Clerk at Daphne City Hall
-
June 24, 2025 - Last day, by 5 PM, to qualify to run for municipal office
-
July 27, 2025 - Last day to establish residency to vote in the municipal election
-
August 11, 2025 - Last day to register to vote in the municipal election
-
August 26, 2025 - Municipal election day
Here is the website address for the districts so you can see what district you represent:
https://cityofdaphne.maps.arcgis.com/apps/View/index.html?appid=a97897e3a5f84c74a93f848199af6fb4
Whether you’ve served in leadership roles before or are simply passionate about making a difference, this is your opportunity to step up and help shape a brighter future for our community. By running for office, you can ensure that Lake Forest has strong, responsible, and dedicated representation on the City Council and in the Mayor’s office.
We are calling on dues-paying members who believe in Lake Forest to rise to the occasion and represent our interests with integrity and vision. Your voice matters—and your leadership can help guide our neighborhood and city toward a more prosperous and inclusive tomorrow.
Let’s come together, support one another, and encourage those among us who are ready to serve. If you are considering a run, or want to learn more about what it takes to qualify, please don’t hesitate to reach out to the POA. We are here to support you every step of the way.
Together, we can make a difference.
Did you Know?
The Alabama Department of Environmental Management’s annual burn ban begins May 1 and continues thru October 31. During this period, no open burning is permissible. More information can be found at www.adem.alabama.gov.
Breakfast with the Easter Bunny
The 2025 Masters Tournament is in the books, and congratulations to Rory McIlroy, who has finally completed the career Grand Slam of Golf (all four majors won in a career). Rory is the 6th person to achieve this milestone, and none too soon as he has been in a major drought since 2014. This means that the golf season is underway nationally, and Lake Forest has not disappointed, surpassing our sales and rounds numbers from previous years. If you haven’t been out yet this spring, we invite you to come join us. Almost to a person, I’m hearing that the golf course is in the best shape they’ve ever seen, so when you see Jake and his crew, let them hear what a great job they’re doing.
Our MGA event for April was our usual Masters event, where each player draws a name and teams up with one of the players at Augusta for that day’s round. This has always been a popular event with our members, as some can get saved by a pro’s hot round if they have a lucky draw. Winners in the A Flight were: 1st place gross - Rich Edgeworth/ Ludvig Aberg, 2nd place – Jack Popp/Davis Thompson. 1st place net – Terry Fuller/Bryson Dechambeau, 2nd place Blaine Mitchell/ Tyrell Hatton, 3rd place – Mike Schulz/Corey Conners. Winners in the B Flight were: 1st gross – Mike George/Bryson Dechambeau, 2nd place – Steve Scarcliff/Harris English. Net division: 1st place – Shaun Carroll/Davis Thompson, 2nd - place Mike McGhee/Max Homa, and 3rd place – Charles Wilson/Jordan Spieth.
Thank you to all those who participated and Congratulations to this month’s winners!
A few reminders when coming out to play 9 or 18:
-
Please call ahead to reserve your tee time, and always check in with the golf shop upon arrival.
-
Keep in mind that residents of Lake Forest do not pay green fees, cart fees only when riding….but MUST check in with the pro shop.
-
Play will continue to pick up and as it does, please be aware of groups that might be playing faster than yours (let them play through), sand divots with sand provided on golf carts, and let’s adopt the practice of fixing your ball marks on the green PLUS ONE.
Another Lake Forest women's team is going to the USTA State Tournament.
Congratulations to our 3.0 USTA day time womens team for coming in first and competing May 1, 2 and 3 in Mobile for a chance to qualify for the USTA sectional tournament. All the top 3.0 teams in Alabama will be in Mobile competing that weekend. Good Luck ladies and way to work hard for it.
The Women’s Club received total donations $220 from the spring yard sale. Twenty-one people participated.
A vote was taken on accepting the new board: Terre Farlow, Mary Loury, Alli Flowers, Kathy Schuman
The new board will be sworn in at the May meeting (May 15, 10 am at the 19th Hole).
Our guest speaker for April was Ange Baggett, Events and Marketing Director for the City of Daphne.
Ange was a great guest, offering so much inforinformation about Daphne and what our city has to offer. Some of the highlights were:
-
Why Daphne is called the Jubilee City
-
3,000 new Daphne residents in one year
-
Although home values are skyrocketing, income is not
-
Storm update including who to contact for help. This information is available both on the City of Daphne website - https://daphneal.com - and on the Lake Forest website - https://www.lakeforestdaphne.com
-
Ampitheatre coming to Bay Front Park
Our May meeting will be the final meeting of the season. It will be potluck style. Our program will be installation of the new board.
By Jane Spicianni
The Lake Forest Garden Club met at Hole 19, which was beautifully decorated for Easter. Ben Williams gave great information on composting and encouraging earthworms. Many members brought a bloom as this is springtime when many colors are abounding in our gardens. kathy Schuman and Mary Talulbee showed native azaleas that placed first and second. Jane Spicciani with a fragrant rose that does well in this area called ' At Last' placed third.
Landscape Award
By Debbie Argiro
I had the privilege of meeting Barbara and Mark Dwyer from Arizona. This beautiful home is located at 102 Worchester. Barbara is a local artist and Mark is retired.
Driving along their street the lot is sloping and backs up to hole #8. Quick to catch your eye are Christmas shaped cypress, sunshine ligustrums and stone steps with crushed stone that lead up to the front door. Container plants, boxwoods, azaleas and hydrangeas are shaded by pine, oak and a magnolia tree.
They also have added a concrete driveway and a fire pit which Mark built. They even have two WHITE squirrels that show up looking for snacks.
I know many of you love the 5 Rivers Delta Resource Center. I know this because my phone lines and email inbox lit up last month when it was announced that the property would be put up for auction.
I want you to know that I love that property, too. I have taken my family there many times over the years to enjoy the trails and the scenery. My children have attended the annual Delta Woods & Waters Expo several times over the years. I have allocated multiple grants to that Expo through the Tourism Legislative Event Grants program.
The 5 Rivers Delta Resource Center is part of what makes South Alabama one of the best places to live in the entire state.
That is why I was not just in favor of, but excited to see, that the state would offer ownership of the property to the Alabama Wildlife Federation (AWF).
Under their leadership, this beautiful property will not just continue to thrive but will grow and expand its mission to offer educational programming and infuse the property with the capital needed to expand its offerings to the public.
It is important to note the terms of this agreement.
AWF will lease the property for 10 years from the state at a cost of $468,000 per year. That amount will increase 2 percent annually, maxing out at $559,303 for the years 2034-35.
The property use will also be limited through clearly outlined deed restrictions which prohibit the property from being used as anything but a place for education, recreation, meetings and special events. The agreement also requires that the lessee continue to host the much loved Delta Woods & Waters Expo.
While I understand the initial concerns many people may have had, I want all our residents to know that managing these types of properties is what AWF has shown they can do well.
Currently, the organization manages the Alabama Nature Center, a 350-acre nature complex outside of Montgomery. There AWF serves more than 50,000 visitors a year through programming that incorporates kindergarten through college classrooms and public opportunities like day camps.
The Five Rivers complex is truly a gem not just in Baldwin County but for the region. As the place where the Mobile, Spanish, Tensaw, Apalachee and Blakeley rivers meet, it is truly a treasure to behold.
I am excited for all the ways the AWF will improve this property for our enjoyment and protect it for the years to come.
As always, if you have an issue or a question, never hesitate to reach out by emailing me at mattsimpsonal96@gmail.com.
LFPOA
Summer Bash
June 7th
More detials coming soon
Baldwin County Senior Nutrition Centers
Exciting News! The May menu for the Baldwin County Senior Nutrition Centers kicks off today! Get ready for a month filled with nutritious delights. Check out the menu below and plan your visit today!
Meals are available for:
Seniors 60+
Spouses of eligible participants
Individuals with disabilities living with an eligible participant
Centers are open Monday to Friday, offering meals on a first-come, first-served basis for a $1.50 donation.
For hours & activities, call:
𝗕𝗮𝘆 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲 ~ 251.580.1693
𝗗𝗮𝗽𝗵𝗻𝗲 ~ 251.626.2401
𝗟𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝗥𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿 ~ 251.580.1824
𝗟𝗼𝘅𝗹𝗲𝘆 ~ 251.964.5330
𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗱𝗮𝗹𝗲 ~ 251.989.6626
🔗 For more info, visit: https://baldwincountyal.gov/departments/council-on-aging/senior-nutrition-centers
