Community Information

The Feb. 26 Winterfest and Chili Cookoff event has been cancelled. Thank you to Jill Ling for stepping up to chair this event. We’re hopeful it’ll return in full force in 2024!

It’s that time again – time to reconnect with friends and neighbors and celebrate all the things in our community we’re thankful for.

Annual Dinner – Doors open at 5 p.m.; Dinner served at 6 p.m.

If you’ve rsvp’d and paid for dinner, come hungry and come early! Your name will be on the list during check in. Dinner this year is being catered by Westacres’ very own Joe Godell of Westacres Drive. West-side residents will be bringing a selection of desserts. So remember, if you live on W. Honeysuckle, Lilac Court, Sweetbriar, Winterberry or the Condos, pull out those recipes. It’s time to impress. (Desserts do not need to be individually wrapped but labeling your dish with your name and if it’s gluten free, sugar free, has nuts, etc. is appreciated.)

Annual Meeting – Directly following dinner – approximately 7:30 p.m.

Shareholders in good standing should arrive early, as everyone must go through the check-in process before selecting seats.

Each shareholder in good standing will receive one ballot and an additional ballot for each proxy you hold. Proxies must be turned in at registration. Copies may be found in the latest version of the Westacres Weekly.

We’re excited to be back in person and back to our traditional approach to doing business. For those residents new to the community, aside from the many social aspects of the evening and celebrations of many of the ingredients that contribute to the culture and history of our community, the Annual Meeting will address important topics that are vital to the smooth running of the Westacres Community Association.

• Community groups including the Westacres Credit Union, the Westacres Weekly, the Westacres Historical Society and the Westacres Women’s Club will give updates on their leadership and 2022 activities.
• New residents will be recognized and we’ll acknowledge those friends and neighbors we’ve lost this past year.
• WCA Treasurer Nick Frederick will review the 2022 operating budget before presenting the 2023 Operating Budget for approval.
• WCA Board Members and Committee Chairs will provide an overview of 2022 accomplishments and plans for the coming year.

We look forward to seeing you there!

The Westacres Women’s Club will be distributing luminaries again this year!

Each household is encouraged to put out their luminaries on Christmas Eve to light up the streets of Westacres!

Please join us for some holiday fun. Luminaries lining the streets of Westacres on Christmas Eve is a long-standing holiday tradition and is really a sight to see.

Each household will be given six (6) bags with candles. (Those with corner lots will receive six extra.) We ask that you weigh them down with sand, kitty litter or rocks and light the candles when the sun goes down. If you will not be home, please ask a neighbor to put them out for you!

Wishing everyone the happiest of holidays and a fantastic new year.

Historical note: Luminarias first appeared in history around the 16th century. They were used to guide people to midnight mass on the last night of Las Posadas (Spanish word meaning lodging or inn). Las Posadas is a nine-day celebration which began in Spain, although it’s now a holiday tradition celebrated primarily in Mexico and the southwest part of the US.

Westacres 2022 Craft Show

Saturday, November 5th, from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

3700 Westacres Dr, West Bloomfield Township, MI 48324

Sponsored by The Westacres Women’s Club, this annual event is one of the largest fund raisers for the community, not only supporting a local charity, but also helping provide scholarships for neighborhood high school seniors.

The show features 30+ indoor booths featuring high-quality, unique, hand-crafted work including jewelry, pottery, painting, photography, glass, and fiber.

Visit westacrescraftshow.com to see featured artists and visuals of their amazing offerings.

About Us

Westacres is a tight-knit neighborhood in West Bloomfield, Mich. In 1968 the Westacres Artist Market was started and in response to an increase in more hand-made crafts, the Westacres Women’s Club began the Westacres Craft Fair in 1974.

48 years later, we still enjoy collaborating with local artists and meeting 500+ wonderful shoppers who come to visit the Westacres Craft Show!

Westacres / Red Cross 2022 Blood Drive

The Westacres/Red Cross 2022 Blood Drive will be Sunday, November 13, from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. at the Westacres Clubhouse. Donors can sign up online by going to www.redcrossblood.org.

On the Red Cross page, there is a space to enter the “zip/sponsor code”. Our sponsor code is Westacres (not case sensitive). That will bring up just our blood drive. Below is also a QR code that goes right to the sign-up page.

Thank you in advance. Your participation matters!

Co-chairs Melissa Brown and Sarah Bateman

Tips for Donating Blood

Bring a Friend !

Today’s tip is to ease your anxiety about donating. Many people are weary of needles. Bring a friend to support you while you’re donating and do the same for them while they give. Not everyone is able to give blood. If you’re medically available to give and the arm poke is what’s holding you back, bring a buddy!

The Westacres/Red Cross blood drive is Sunday, November 13 from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. at the clubhouse. You can sign up at redcross.org/give. Our sponsor code is Westacres.

IMPORTANT NEWS: Westacres Beach BBQ!

Reservations must be in by this Saturday, August 20th!

Come one, come all! Saturday, August 27^th, to the Boathouse. Erich Ohlde Robb Szybisty and Matt Carter will be throwing down some serious BBQ!

Reservations are required as we need to plan on all the Q going in the smokers.

$10 (check made out to WCA or cash) will get an individual a plate of Pulled Pork, Smoked Chicken, Brisket, coleslaw, and Mac n Cheese. Lawn games will be a part of this, including Corn Hole and other cool beach games. Please reserve by August 20th with payment. Check your email for drop off details. This will help us to make sure we have enough for everyone!

Access the official 2022 Aquacade schedule HERE or download a PDF of the schedule for printing HERE.

Aquacade – a yearly tradition in Westacres.

Since its inception in 1939, immensely creative parades, fierce competition, and the casualties of participation – those weekend warriors with sprained ankles and torn ligaments – are the constants of our revered Aquacade weekend. The tradition brings us together like no other, many holding on until Sunday’s darkness consumes the beach, where several families can be seen playing cards, chatting about “highlight” moments, and calling up a beach-side delivery dinner.

While the excitement officially begins with SPIRIT WEEK – starting August 1^st – official events commence with the CORN ROAST Friday night, August 5^th. This not-to-miss event brings together both sides – the North and the South – for a non-partisan celebration of friends, family and neighborhood spirit.

SATURDAY, August 6th starts off  with the PARADE at 9:45 am. (The theme is Legends – you may interpret any way you want) followed by FIELD DAY EVENTS  at noon on the Ball Field.

The ADULT DANCE Saturday night is $5 per person for members in good standing if purchased before July 31^st, and $10 after and at the door; $15 for guests. The clubhouse opens at 7:30 p.m. and food will start 1 hour after the completion of the last soft ball game.

SUNDAY, August 5th is Beach Day starting at noon. The SWIMMING EVENTS begin with our youngest residents sliding on the slide, then the non-redcap events, followed by free style, back stroke, breast stroke, under-water breath swim and the diving competitions. There is an ongoing Sand Castle Contest throughout the day for all ages.

Come hungry for the homemade selections from the Women’s Club Food Booth (opens @ noon) + Candy Ladies’ Treats.

At the end of Sunday, points are tallied and bragging rights awarded – along with the coveted Westacres Cup. Exhausted participants head home – some elated, some deflated – all knowing it truly doesn’t matter if you’re Red or Green, North or South. We’re all WESTACRES.

Westacres’ 4^th of July Celebration produces scenes each year out of a Norman Rockwell painting. Staples include watermelon-eating contests, a bike parade, and the traditional fire truck appearance.

Volunteers register parade participants, judge the parade, donate cool cars, drive cars, determine whom to honor in cars, play in the band, lead in singing the National Anthem, secure the W.B. fire truck, buy and sell refreshments, carry flags and banners (Boy Scout tradition), set up and run kid and adult games, buy and hand out prizes, decorate the beach, create Weekly articles, and the like. It truly takes a village!!

The day will start with a 9:30 a.m. line-up for the parade at the main entrance island, and conclude with an amazing fireworks display at the beach at dusk. Click here for a full schedule of events you won’t want to miss.

This year’s celebration is being chaired by Sasha Ohlde (Buckthorn) and Dani Veillette (Winterberry.) They are still in need of volunteers to man many of the activity tables!!! Watch your email and this week’s edition of the Westacres Weekly for a link to the Sign Up Genius. Or, reach out to Sasha or Dani via phone. They’re in the Directory!

This year’s Father’s Day campout event is being hosted by Matt Barron and Robb Szybisty. Mark your calendars now for this much-loved annual event.

• Tent set-up:       Friday afternoon

• All-kids kick-ball game: 6 p.m.

• S’mores and bonfire: Dusk

• All-neighbor Pancake Breakfast: 8 a.m. Saturday morning

History

In 2001, Social chairwoman Pam Younggren acted on her 30-year dream of camping out at the beach by starting a community sleepover to proceed the long-standing pancake breakfast held Father’s Day weekend. Despite a few stormy nights, this popular tradition has continued with tent pitching late Friday afternoon, an all-kids kickball game at 6 p.m. and marshmallow roasting and s’mores for kids and adults alike in the evening.

An adult card game was originally part of the tradition but was quickly discontinued once we learned it was hard for the adults to remain quiet whilst their children tried to sleep!