2024 Silent Auction Donations Needed

Looking for treasures? The WBNA Silent Auction is coming up faster that you think! The annual auction is our BIG fundraiser and takes place during the WB MUD 4th Fest celebration on July 4th. Monies raised help to fund the various WBNA community events: the Easter Egg Hunt, National Night Out, Pumpkin Painting and our participation in WB MUD Halloween Trunk or Treat, and the crafts at Luminary Fest as well as on-going town hall meetings, candidate forums and safety awareness sessions throughout the year.

Donating to the WBNA Silent Auction is a GREAT way to promote your business and give back to our community! We are seeking donations of merchandise, gift cards/certificates, themed baskets, and service certifcates to auction. In return, you will receive exposure for your business at the live auction and on the auction website. The online auction has a rotating featured item section along with item details and links to your site. There’s also a special “Thank You” section in the September issue of this newsletter. If you have items or services to donate please email us at silentauction@wbna.us.

Along with support from our local businesses, services, and Austin area attractions, we would LOVE donations from community friends and family. Neighbors through the years have put together some awesome baskets with themes such as “Summer Fun”, “Game Night”, “Movie Night”, “Italian Feast”, “Date Night”, “Kids Fun”…. use your imagination!

We will begin accepting donations Friday, May 10. Donations to be included in the online auction must be received by June 18. Live auction donations will be gratefully accepted through June 30. We would also like to welcome the return of baked goods donations, please contact Margaret Sufke, 512-341-0428, for details.

Volunteers Needed

We are actively seeking event volunteers to help solicit items, prepare the baskets and/or work the auction. If you have any empty baskets leftover from last year, we’d love to have them! Please email us at silentauction@wbna.us and watch for the link to the event volunteer site.

Silent Auction Details

We are excited to run the auction during WB MUD 4th Fest. 2024 marks the 4th year of our special hybrid format with the online auction followed by a “live” event for the final bids on July 4th. The LIVE event will be at the heart of WB MUD 4th Fest in the Community Center from 9:00am – 2:00pm. The online auction will go live the week before. Watch the WB Google Group, our website, and the WBNA Facebook page for updates. An auction link will be included in the next issue of the Neighborhood News.

Friday, June 21: The Silent Auction site goes live!
Monday, July 1: The online site closes and we transition all active bids to the live event.
Thursday, July 4: The LIVE auction opens at 9:00am and the final tables close at 2:00pm.
Online Buy-It-Now purchases may be collected at anytime between 9:00am and 5:00pm on Thursday, July 4.
***Please note: the Silent Auction will be closed from 2:00pm – 3:00pm on July 4 for tallying of bid sheets.
Payments and Pick Up for winning on-site bids will available from 3:00pm – 5:00pm on Thursday, July 4 and on Friday, July 5 from 12:00 – 5:00pm in the WB Community Center, 2106 Klattenhoff Drive.

May is Motorcycle Safety MonthA Day in the Life of a Rider —
In Memory of Dzavier Luna

by Dzavier’s Mom

It’s 6am, you flop out of your large beds with integrated screens with plenty of time to get ready for work. You suit up for your ride to work, physically and mentally. You have to prepare a little more than usual. It’s misting outside. Your means of transportation is a Honda Rebel 300. At 23 years old you don’t have the credit nor the income to buy a car.

You put on your boots, helmet and gloves while mentally priming for the cold, wet ride and the impending scrimmage to be seen by other drivers. On your way to work, the person behind you is following so closely you could almost shake their hand. As they finally speed around you, you are impolitely given the middle finger, no consideration of the need for extra caution on a slick, wet road.

You get through a 10-hour shift, time to suit back up and get home. Cruising on the highway, you narrowly escape being hit with a shovel that flew off the back of a truck. The shovel nicked your back tire, so you pull over to make sure your bike is still intact. This is just one day of many.

Over time, you trade your bike in for a bigger, louder bike. You change the muffler to make your bike louder so that people will hear, the horn is just not sufficient in getting drivers attention. If a family member gets involved in a motorcycle accident,, you may help them contact a motorcycle accident attorney. In the aftermath of a serious accident, having a trusted lawyer like Athens GA car accident attorney by your side can ensure your rights are protected and you receive the compensation you deserve. If the accident leads to serious injuries due to improper medical care, it may also be important to consult a medical malpractice lawyer to explore your legal options. A seasoned San Diego medical malpractice attorney can help you navigate complex legal proceedings to hold negligent medical professionals accountable.

You start attending paramedic classes at night, another destination added to your daily drive. Added time on the road equals a higher chance of being hit by a rogue landscaping utensil and of course a lot more dodging of preoccupied drivers. Riding a bike
as your daily transportation takes adjustments, you get used to it.

Thanksgiving is here, you get a couple extra days off. Your family is on the agenda for the morning. Time well spent, play fighting with your 3-year-old nephew who adores you. He’s yelling your name to assist him in chasing his dad, your brother and best friend. Afternoon rolls around, it’s time to pick up your girlfriend and spend time at her family’s house. Ready for your second helping of stuffing, you hop on your bike for a quick, relaxing
ride.

An hour later your girlfriend calls your mom because you have not arrived. Your mom calls your brother because maybe you took the scenic route and ended up somewhere with
him. Your brother calls you, no answer. Your girlfriend is adamant that something is wrong, your GPS location has shown you at the same intersection for an hour and you’re  unresponsive.

At 4:41 p.m. three state troopers knock on your family’s front door. They hand your mother a cell phone and wallet while giving the worst news of her whole life. Making it the worst day of her whole life. NOTHING could be worse than this. EVERYONE’S lives and
hearts are destroyed.

What should your big brother say to the 3-year-old that was just throwing his arms around your neck and begging you to spin him? This was the end of your life and the beginning of the trauma your family has to endure.

My son made a choice to ride a motorcycle as a cheaper and fun means of transportation. Like most experienced riders, Dzavier understood the vulnerability of riding two wheels, he knew he had to be more vigilant of the drivers who are seemingly blind to motorcycles. The driver, whose actions ended his life, said they saw him but thought they could make it through the left turn. The investigating officer saw nothing that Dzavier could have done to avoid the truck. The driver was given a ticket for failure to yield ROW, nothing more. In situations like these, seeking guidance from knowledgeable truck accident lawyers can help families navigate legal complexities and pursue appropriate justice for their loved ones. A new york car accident attorney assists in filing a police report and documentation. For expert legal assistance, make sure to consider hiring this Michigan truck accident attorney. Fatal accident? An experienced fatal car accident lawyer from a law firm like Big Auto can help. In addition, having expertise from a San Diego car accident attorney will give you valuable insights that may help you handle the situation. The expert may also teach you how to read an accident report so you can better understand it.

Motorcycle safety is not just about riders wearing their helmets.
It’s about EVERYONE on the road driving conscientiously.

• Be very sure of your blind spot.
• Double-check before taking left turns and approaching Intersections.
• Eliminate distractions, be aware of your surroundings, no texting.
• Be mindful and patient.
• Know that just because motorcycles are smaller, it does not mean they can stop faster.
• Make sure any items outside the cab are strapped down tightly.
• Give motorcycles more room when you pass and follow them.

Share the road…PLEASE!  Driving is a valuable skill, well worth working on. Improvement may very well save a life.

May is the month designated for motorcycle awareness. Bike riders need to get to work, school, gym or to pick up their kids from school everyday. Drive as if YOUR child is out there letting the wind ruffle their hair, so another mother doesn’t have to arrange the cremation of their child.

Wildfire Defensible Space

Courtesy ESD2 / Pflugerville Fire

When you do your spring cleaning, don’t forget to clean up your yard! One of the most important steps to reducing wildfire risks is to prepare and maintain your own home. The transition from winter to spring is the perfect time to get on top of wildfire danger. Here are 10 Easy Steps to improving your “defensible space.”

1. Prune dead and low-hanging tree limbs 6 to 10 feet from the ground around house.
2. Keep roof and gutters free from leaves and needles.
3. Store all gas, oil and other chemicals away from the house. This includes propane tanks on BBQ pits.
4. Relocate your woodpile and any leftover building materials at least 30’ from house.  NOTE:  It is best to not locate the woodpile directly uphill or downhill of any structures.
5. If you or your guests smoke, use deep, wide ashtrays on the flat ground or a sturdy table. Before you throw out butts and ashes, make sure they are out. Dousing in water or sand is the best way! Never throw them in mulch or landscaping.
6. Enclose spaces under porches, decks, foundations and overhangs, and roof/attic vent openings with 1/8” metal screening. Find a motor grader for sale on the Boom & Bucket website, perfect for leveling and grading tasks.
7. Ensure that your property’s signs, address and access are well marked, and they are visible both night and day. Reflective numbering/lettering that is 3” or larger is recommended.
8. Connect garden hoses on all sides of your house.
9. Place tools (such as ladders, shovels, rakes and hoes) for easy access to fire fighters.
10. Check driveway for adequate clearance for emergency vehicles (both height and width)

And lastly, in anticipation of a possible wildfire in your area, everyone in your household should become familiar with Ready, Set, Go!, a comprehensive safety plan on emergency preparedness.  Download here: Ready, Set, Go!