Mark your Calendars for Sat, Feb 25 at 10AM at the Community Center on Klattenhoff –

This is YOUR opportunity to give thoughts, ideas and feedback about our Community –

Free coffee & donuts!

This will be the first of several gatherings going forward to receive input of Wells Branch neighbors.  Whether you have been here since the beginning of Wells Branch or moved here in the last year – it’s our community and we want hear your thoughts/ideas .

Possible Topics to discuss – these are just a few ideas – we’re open to any topics you’d like to suggest

• Is there a class at the Rec Center you would like offered?
• A new amenity in some area of Wells Branch?
• Maybe an idea for better use of our existing facilities or expansion ideas?
• An event you’d like to add or would like expanded?
• Ideas on how to get Wells Branch voting again?

This also is opportunity to share with others a concern or issue that you feel needs to be addressed.  It’s your say!

Come share your vision or idea to continue making Wells Branch a great place to live for the next few years and 5 to 10 years from now.  We have a wonderful neighborhood that benefits from the care and participation of everyone, and we want to expand that input.  If you can’t make it, send your ideas with a neighbor.  We’ll publish the input and ideas/thoughts on this email list serve and the community web site.   In addition, we will communicate these to our elected officials to help shape our community in the future.

Please tell your neighbors who may not be on the list serve or web site, and invite them, too.  Also, email George or Scott with any thoughts as they prepare for this event!

George Holcombe - Mobile 512-252-2756 - geowanda1@me.com

Scott Smith – Mobile 512-797-7512 – ss7392@gmail.com

As the RRISD boundary change board meeting is tonight, we’ve added links to a blog dealing with several issues regarding the meeting tonight including new information on grievances filed with RRISD pertaining to this issue.  While we realize that this issue doesn’t affect Wells Branch in its entirety, it does affect a good many of our residents, so we ask that you bear with us a little bit longer.

NEW!  Link to Grievances Filed Against RRISD and back-up documents

“School Zone Disaster Zone in Round Rock ISD: Updated” by Holly Hansen

“Rotten Politics in RRISD” by Holly Hansen

Click HERE to go straight to the PETITION for Vertical Alignment

W2A Road Acceptance

Opposition to Affordable Income Apts behind Willow Bend

Other Articles

Organic Gardens at Wells Branch Elementary

Wells Branch Garden Guild Meetings

Allergy Solutions

Lessen Back Pain with Improved Posture

If asked, “Are you prepared for an emergency?” what would your answer be?  With all of the recent wildfires around the Austin area, I realized just how unprepared I was. So, it’s time to get my act together and GET PREPARED!  If you find yourself in the same boat, here are a few suggestions.

Create a “Grab and Go” box.

• Place important papers in a fireproof and waterproof box or a waterproof backpack sealed in a waterproof plastic bag.
• Place box/backpack in an easily accessible location.
• If you must evacuate: Grab your box and take it with you. Keep the box with you at all times and do not leave it in your car unattended.

Items to include:

• Cash or Traveler’s check in an amount that you can live on for several days.
• Rolls of quarters.
• A list of emergency phone numbers: Doctors, family, repair contractors, financial advisors, insurance company and clergy.
• Copies of prescriptions to include medicines and eyeglasses.
• List of numbers like social security, credit cards, bank accounts, loan, driver’s license and investment accounts.
• Copies of medical records, dental records and insurance cards or numbers.
• Copies of any legal documents like wills, deeds, titles, birth certificates, marriage certificates and any other important documents that you feel you should have a copy of.
• List of debt obligations, due dates, and contact information.

As you can see there are a lot of things to include in your “Grab and Go” box, I’m sure you can think of other items as well.  Another important thing to do is to inform friends and family about your evacuation plan.  This would be helpful in case of injury or if families become separated.  Having other people aware of your plan will reduce anxiety during a stressful situation.  It is also beneficial to prepare an emergency contact card for each family member to keep on his or her person.  This card should contain contact information for each household member, and out-of-town contact, and other key emergency and medical providers.  You can find a printable form for preparing the emergency contact cards at www.redcross.org/prepare/ECCard/pdf

Recycling pickup only occurs every other week on regular trash pickup days.  Clip and save this calendar of recycling pickup days or download a calendar thru May 2012 from our website:  wbna.us.  Just search “Recycling” for the calendar and list of materials accepted.

A basic quality common to all humans is our upright posture.  As humans are vertically oriented, gravity takes a toll on our bodies.  We must fight gravity to remain upright to perform our normal human functions like eating, sitting at the computer, and walking about our environment.  With the affect of gravity on a poor posture, muscles of the neck and upper back become weaker, knotted, and either stretched out or tensed up.  Our body then lets us know that something is not quite right by sending our brain pain signals.  Ouch!

Improving posture is not difficult knowing just two tips. First of all, get moving.  Staying in one position for an extended period of time is the worst thing that you can do to your body, and that goes for any part of the body not just the main players of posture.  Take a 30 second break to roll your shoulders in backwards circles and stand up to increase blood flow to lacking areas.  Do this every 30 minutes while typing away at work or relaxing watching television.  Set a timer to remind yourself.  Your body will thank you.  Secondly, think proper alignment – ears over shoulders over hips.  Whenever we fall out of this proper alignment, the curves of the spine increase, facilitating certain muscles on the back to become weak, and other muscles on the front of the body become tight.  Stand along a flat wall with your head, upper back, and buttocks touching the wall, and with your feet six inches away from the wall.  Now you have good posture!

The key to improving posture is consistency.  Putting these tips consistently into practice will give your body a healthy, confident start to the New Year.  For questions, contact Becky at chrcpt@gmail.com.