GREATER FIRST COLONY

The Association sponsors events and activities for its members throughout the year and volunteers coordinate many others on their own.  All paid members are invited to attend and non-members typically have ways to attend.  Guests of members may attend for a fee. Most events are held on Sunday or Saturday closest to the holiday.

Volunteers are needed for each holiday event to simply organize the event. Over the many years of holding fantastic events the Association has all the details you need to setup, use Signup Genius to get volunteers to do most all the work for the event and most events expenses are covered by the Association. If you want to organize an event, contact the Business Manager Amy Day | 757-258-0914. If you want to help out the organizer and lend a hand, follow our Facebook page to learn where and how to signup to make a difference.

Events needing leadership include:

1. Memorial Day Picnic
1. When: Weekend prior to last Monday in May
2. Where: Park
2. Neighborhood Yard Sale - Setup your yard or garage with all your great items or bring them down to the park gazebo and sell with your neighbors. 
1. When: During summer, date based on who coordinates it
2. Where: Your house or at the park gazebo.
3. July 4th Picnic - Independence Day - Come and celebrate being independent and all those who have made that available to each of us.
1. When: Weekend closest to July 4th
2. Where: Beach
3. ALSO: Bicycle parade through the neighborhood
4. Park Cleanup Day - Come join the repairing and cleaning up of one of our greatest amenities. "With many hands comes little work."
1. When: Warm season
2. Where: Park
5. Beach and Marina Cleanup Day - Spend a few hours helping your neighbors cleanup and repair the amenities at the beach and marina, you'll be surprised how many new people you can meet.
1. When: Warm season
2. Where: Beach and Marina
6. Labor Day Picnic and Music - Come enjoy a big burger or hot dog at our cookout, listen to great music and enjoy meeting new neighbors.
1. When: Typically celebrated the day before (First Monday of September).
2. Where: Park
   
7. Octoberfest Picnic and Music - Come celebrate German heritage, no matter where your family came from.
   1. When: Any weekend day in October
   2. Where: Park
8. Halloween Pumpkin Carving, Hayride and Trick or Treating - Invite your friends and take your kids around all our neighborhoods to get their treats! A local volunteer provides an earlier hayride for kids to enjoy going around the neighborhood.
9. Thanksgiving Breakfast - Come share a meal and a breakfast dish and enjoy the company while meeting new neighbors. Bringing a dish isn't required.
1. When: Saturday morning before Thanksgiving
2. Breakfast at the Beach Gazebo
10. Polar Plunge - Come and dip into the river and see if you can go all the way to dunking your WHOLE body.
1. When: January 1st around Noon
2. Location: Beach 
11. Fools Regatta - August
1. Kids, parents and adults feeling like kids create boats from household items...gallon jugs, pool noodles, coffee cans, 50 gallon drums, etc. and "compete" in the most fun race, and to see who can stay afloat!
12. Blood Drive - Come out and SAVE LIVES! Each time you give blood three people may be saved from major health problems. If you or someone you know has ever been injured or had a major surgery, they were likely kept alive from prior donations of blood from people like you. If you are afraid of exactly what the process entails please call Kevan Danker at 757-903-7863. He's given several gallons over the years and will be straight forward with you. How else can you save lives with such minimal effort?
1. When: Approximately every two months - Keep watching the FB page for next events. 
2. Where: GFCACA Clubhouse on Thursdays, from 12 noon to 5 pm.
3. How: Go to the Red Cross Blood Donation Scheduling web page.
13. Capital Trail Cleanup - Come out and join us to take care of the section of trail we maintain.
1. When: Just a few Saturdays per year, watch the Facebook Page for details.
2. Where: Corner of John Rolfe Lane and Chestnut Hill Court
3. What: Bring gloves and clippers with you. Bags and some safety vests will be provided.
14. ??? - What social event would you like to hold? What interests do you have or what passions? Reach out via Facebook group and see who else is interested.  

For many of the picnics, the association provides food, drinks, and looks for everyone to bring a dish to share and bring your laughter and friends. 

We need volunteers to help organize and work at our neighborhood events. Please contact us to help where the help is needed. Stay active following our Facebook page to find out when and where the next events are happening.