From the Editor/President

By Stephen Sapp

Mary and I recently returned from a wonderful Viking cruise from Venice to Istanbul. In conversations with other travelers, I was often asked about our move to northern Virginia from South Florida after four decades there. My first response was to explain the reason (an invitation from our son and daughter-in-law in Great Falls to come here to be a “regular and constant part” of our grandchildren’s lives), but then I quickly found myself describing Lakeport and how blessed we feel to have ended up living in such a wonderful place, in terms of both the physical environment and the people. I hope you share our feelings and enthusiasm for our community.

I think a major reason Mary and I feel the way we do about Lakeport is because we became involved in many facets of the community’s life from the beginning and thus have come to know so many of our neighbors, both nearby and farther away. This has given us a sense of “belonging” here that has been further enhanced by our roles in Lakeport’s governance.

In case I'm being too subtle here, let me state explicitly what I'm getting at: The more involved you are in the life of your community, the more you feel a part of it. Not only do you benefit in various ways, but in a positive synergy, your contributions make your community a better place that you can feel even better about! To that end . . . 

You have a great opportunity to get started this coming Saturday, May 30, with “I Love Lakeport Day.” We still need volunteers that morning at 9:00 for the Spring Workday, one of Lakeport’s two major annual cleanups. Later that day we will be able to enjoy our Spring Dock Party, a great opportunity to gather as the Lakeport community and enjoy not only the beauty of our setting but also one another’s company. Please email msapp@miami.edu if you can help with the workday, and sign up at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0944AFA622A1FCC61-64034271-ilovelakeport#/  if you will be joining your neighbors for the dock party.

Speaking of volunteers (have I been doing that?!), we have two openings that are eagerly awaiting the right people to fill them. Lakeport’s Maintenance Committee is looking for a chair (and members as well). We also need someone to coordinate our Neighborhood Watch program. If you feel moved to take on either of these important positions, please let me know at ssapp@miami.edu

To shift gears somewhat (though still dealing with Lakeport’s ambiance), please remember that if you are planning to make any changes to the exterior of your home, you must consult the applicable standard(s) and comply with the guidance you find there. Also note that standards can change (see Standards Committee report elsewhere in this issue). If you have any questions about whether your project meets the standard or if you want to use a different brand or material from what is specified in the standard, please get in touch with our Standards Committee Chair Jerry Beiter (jbeiter29@gmail.com).

Once again, I want to conclude with the two requests I make every issue: 

• Please set up Direct Debit through our management company SCS for your quarterly assessment payments, the next of which is due July 1 (remember that the amount is now $365 per quarter, $5.00 more than in 2025). The main advantage is that you never have to worry about being late and incurring late fees or paying the wrong amount by mistake, but you also save the hassle and expense of mailing a check (or being charged a fee by SCS for using a credit card online). Note: If you still want to mail a check, please recall that the address changed recently to c/o SCS, PO Box 1240, New York NY 10008-1240. 

Alternatively, you can set up quarterly payments through your bank’s electronic bill payment system (although you will need to change the amount sent whenever the assessment rate changes). I have heard from several people that they don’t want to use automated payments because they like to know exactly how much their bills are, but unlike electricity or water, for example, you already will know exactly how much your quarterly assessment is: Rates are posted in the online “HOA Fee Payment: Charges for assessment, fees, administrative charges” in the Residents tab of the Lakeport website (under “HOA Fee Payment,” which has more information on options for paying your assessment). So please consider this time- and cost-saving way to pay your assessments.

• BlogThis!