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POA Meetings and Events:

• Brush Pick Up May 5-9 in Kahite, Mialaquo, and Chatuga Neighborhoods (Leaves must be in right of way by May 4)

• Architectural Control Committee, 9 a.m. Thursday, May 1, POA Office

• Board Workshop, 10 a.m. Tuesday, May 13, POA Office (irregular date)

Chota Recreation Center was recently renovated to allow more specialized space for clubs, such as the Art Guild, Computer Users Club, and Village Quilters. A brief but festive ribbon cutting was held 10 a.m. Monday, April 28. Board members, Recreation Advisory Committee members, club members, POA staff, and others were on hand to celebrate the renovations, which include: platinum light fixtures, floor outlets, 120 footcandle luminous lighting, new closets, automatic projection screens, new blinds,

tile floor, new front entrance, wireless capability, fully hard wired with 24 ports, networked, HVAC improvements, new tables and chairs. At a glance, what had been the equipment room is now a well-lit craft room. The treadmill room has become a media center to delight the computer folks. Other remaining facilities in Chota Rec are: racquetball courts, tennis courts, gymnasium (badminton, basketball, pickleball, etc.), outdoor pool, card room, and a small meeting room.

The Chota Rec Center reopened April 28 with a ribbon-cutting celebration. Above, from left, Jim Peterson, Bob Coates, Kathy Fisher, Arliss Barber, and Lois Hudgens.

Renovated Chota Rec Opens Doors

Page 2 MIDWEEK APRIL 29, 2008

Virgin Falls Pocket Wilderness (1.5 hour drive) Distance: 8 Miles Elevation Gain: 800 feet Rating: Difficult Leader: Larry Peck, 865-408-1677, lap44@aol.com This trail is an undiscovered jewel through a re-mote, pristine pocket wilderness on the South Cumberland Plateau. The trail is one of the most interesting and beautiful trails in Tennessee, fea-tures scenic overlooks, and passes by several wa-terfalls and cascades, including the Virgin Falls, where a robust stream emerges from a cave and crashes 110 feet into a sinkhole. The trail winds through laurel and rhododendron thickets, and oak, hickory and beech woods. It then descends over the Big Laurel Creek across a stepping stone crossing. An optional spur leads to the Big Branch Falls, where the creek cascades down a stone staircase. An-other option spur over a difficult trail section leads to the Caney Fork Overlook. The main trail itself pro-vides several overviews of the Caney Fork River, and descends through a difficult section over large rocks and railway ties into the Big Laurel Gorge, where the Big Laurel Falls tumbles over the ledge into a yawn-ing cave mouth, and then disappears into the ground, a preview of the Virgin Falls. The trail then becomes a cushioned walk in the forest until it passes an optional loop to the Sheep Cave, and then finally climbs up to the Virgin Falls. The Falls is on an unnamed creek, which remains un-named because it is only above ground at the Falls itself. Optional spurs off the main trail, offer access to the cave above the Falls and to the sinkhole at the base of the Falls. The spray from the Falls creates an ideal environment for the many species of wildflowers and ferns that inhabit the area.

A hiking stick and good hiking boots or walking shoes are required, water in a portable container and lunch suggested.

Virgin Falls Wilderness Hike Scheduled May 2