Eastman Living Online Magazine

How ECA’s Member Services Can Help with This and Much More

By Leslie Moses

My dog ate my Eastman ID. Now what do I do?

My grandchildren are visiting this summer—all at once! Help! How do I sign them up for camp?

I’m hitting the road for a few months. Does anyone need to know that Harold, my cousin-twice-removed will be using my home?

My neighbor knows all about these great social events. I feel left out. How do I get invited?

Do you need help with these dilemmas or have other questions? The Member Services desk at the South Cove Activity Center (SCAC) should be your first stop. ECA Member Services Coordinator Cindy O’Brien, Administrative Assistant Deanna Armstrong, and Social Programming Team Leader Charlie Taber, along with evening and weekend staff, are ready and willing to help.

Cindy provides many services to our community, but among the most important is the Hospitality Program, which she organizes with help from a large group of dedicated volunteers who provide a warm welcome to new ECA Members. There are many steps to the welcoming process. The first is to send a Welcome Packet of information that serves as an orientation; the second, to contact the Hospitality volunteer from the new Member’s Special Place.

The volunteer then makes contact with the new Member and delivers another packet of information that includes a Local Services Guide, Street Directory, Phone Directory, the most recent Eastman Living and Recreation Guide, and detailed information on the amenities, governance committees and interest groups. The Hospitality volunteer answers any questions they might have and helps them become connected to the community. The welcoming process continues with a Newcomers’ Coffee, currently offered twice a year. Attendees are able to meet other newcomers, ECA staff, ECA Board members and Hospitality volunteers, all of whom explain the workings of Eastman’s governance and the many ways to get involved. The biannual event provides an opportunity for newcomers to ask questions and for all attendees to share experiences about Eastman.

In addition to organizing the Hospitality Program, Cindy acts as a liaison to the local real estate agents, supplying them with materials and information about the community that can be passed on to interested clients.

All the resources available to new Members are available at the Member Services desk to anyone who wants them. Other services provided by the Member Services staff are:

• Tours of ECA facilities
• Transfer of a Member’s amenity privileges to a long-term renter
• Assistance with selecting the optimum golf membership (during the off season!)
• Access to the facilities for Members’ guests and family members
• And many other things too numerous to mention

The Member Services staff also encourages all owners to register on the Members’ Information Portal (MIP) for access to the Members-only area of the website and to sign up for Eastman Highlights, the weekly e-mail newsletter.

Member Services is an integral piece of welcoming new residents and supporting all Members by providing important information to make living at Eastman as friendly and pleasurable as possible. Newcomers often report that the friendliness of the staff and the quality of the amenities sold them on the community. Do not hesitate to stop in at SCAC, call 603-863-6772, or e-mail recreation@eastmannh.org with questions, suggestions or for help signing up for communications.

To receive Eastman Highlights and other ECA communications:

• Go to eastmannh.us and create an account for the Members’ Information Portal (MIP). Registering will allow you to have access to the Members-only area and your personal account information.
• Scroll over “Stay Connected” and click on “Sign Up for Email Newsletters”

The following materials are among those put into the Eastman Community Association Welcome Packets and are available to any Member who requests them:

• Declaration of Covenants & Restrictions
• Environmental Control Committee (ECC) Bylaws
• Council, Board and Staff Contact Information
• Members’ Information Portal (MIP) Print-out
• Parking Decals & Hanging Tags Application
• Eastman CARES Local Community Assistance Resource Guide
• Volunteer Opportunities List
• Eastman Charitable Foundation Brochure
• Security House Check and Key Services Forms
• Amenities Overview
• Eastman Interest Groups List
• These items are also available in the MIP’s Documents Center.

Leslie Moses is Eastman’s Chief Community Living Officer.

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