NOTICE: This site is a preview/demo under construction and is NOT the official website of the Stonehouse Owners Foundation, is not managed by the Board of Directors, and has no official affiliation with the Association.

Stonehouse Owners Foundation

Category: SEAT Committee

Welcome to SEAT. Committee Chair: Linda Botts. Contact: StonehouseSEAT@gmail.com. We meet every 3rd Tuesday.

  • Wanted: Neighbors to Help Neighbors — Become a SEAT Block Captain!

    An effective neighborhood watch program isn’t about individual vigilance; it’s about collective awareness and mutual support. To ensure every street in Stonehouse has a dedicated connection to our community safety network, Stonehouse SEAT is actively looking for volunteers to serve as Block Captains.

    If you love your street and want an easy, rewarding way to keep your immediate neighbors safe, informed, and connected, this role is perfect for you!

    📋 What Does a Block Captain Actually Do?

    A common misconception is that being a Block Captain requires patrol shifts or massive amounts of personal time. In reality, it is a very low-commitment role focused on hospitality and neighborliness.

    As a Block Captain, your essential responsibilities include:

    1. The Welcome Committee: Introduce yourself to new neighbors as they move into your immediate street or block.
    2. Information Sharing: Relay important safety flyers or localized awareness reminders (like JCC golf cart safety rules or home security guidelines) to your section.
    3. Communication Hub: Act as a reliable point of contact to pass along localized safety concerns from your neighbors to the SEAT committee leadership.
    4. Encourage a Block Party: We love seeing neighbors know one another! Once a year, help encourage or coordinate a simple block get-together or street party. Note: You don’t have to host or fund it yourself—your street neighbors should pitch in and help organize; you are just the spark that encourages the effort.

    🚨 Current Vacancies: Is Your Street Covered?

    While we are looking for volunteers across every single neighborhood section in Stonehouse, we have an immediate and critical need for Block Captain representation in these specific areas:

    • 📍 The Manor
    • 📍 The Ridge
    • 📍 The Glen
    • 📍 Briarhill Way
    • 📍 The Reflections

    If you live on or near these streets, your voice is heavily needed to ensure your corner of the community isn’t left out of the loop!

    🤝 Ready to Learn More? No Obligation!

    If you’re on the fence about volunteering, you don’t have to make an immediate commitment. We invite you to step forward, ask questions, and learn exactly what’s involved.

    • To Indicate Interest: Fill out our quick digital interest form [here] or reach out directly to our SEAT Committee Liaison, Linda Botts, at StonehouseSEAT@gmail.com. Putting your name down simply indicates interest and opens up a line of communication.
    • Come to a Meeting: Stonehouse SEAT meets on the third Tuesday of every month at 6:30 PM at the Laurel Grove Park Clubhouse.
    • Get Trained: We regularly host brief Block Captain orientation and training sessions immediately following our standard meetings at 7:45 PM. Come meet our James City County Police partners and get certified as an “official” Block Captain.

    Strong descriptions and tight-knit blocks make for safer neighborhoods. Thank you for stepping up to watch out for one another!

  • Introducing Stonehouse SEAT: Elevating Our Community Awareness & Safety

    Welcome to the first official update from Stonehouse SEAT!

    Thanks to everyone who participated in our recent community poll, the results are officially in: our neighborhood watch initiative has rebranded from “Neighborhood Watch” to Stonehouse SEAT (Safety Education, Awareness & Training). This new name perfectly reflects our goal: to move beyond passive observation and focus on providing our residents with the actual skills, education, and training needed to build a prepared, crime-resistant community.

    To kick off our new platform, we are sharing core frameworks provided directly by the James City County (JCC) Police Department during our recent neighborhood training sessions.

    🧠 Mindset First: Focus on Behavior, Not People

    An effective watch program relies on objective awareness. When evaluating an unusual situation, ground your instincts in observable facts and behavior, not assumptions or appearance.

    • What is Suspicious? Activity that is completely out of context for our neighborhood’s normal daily rhythm—such as someone systematically testing multiple car door handles or peering into garage windows at 2:00 AM.
    • What is NOT Automatically Suspicious? Normal daily activities occurring in public spaces, such as someone jogging at night, delivery/service visits, door-to-door sales, or waiting for a rideshare vehicle.

    📝 The Dispatch Checklists: L.O.C.A.T.E. and C.Y.M.B.A.L.

    If you ever need to report an active issue to authorities, having precise details helps officers respond faster and more effectively. Memorize or bookmark these two simple mental checklists:

    1. Describing a Person (L.O.C.A.T.E.)

    • Location: Where exactly are they? (Cross street, direction of travel, etc.)
    • Overall Appearance: Estimated age, height, build, hair style/color, skin tone.
    • Clothing: Top, bottom, shoes, hat, backpack, visible logos.
    • Actions: What specific behavior raised concern? (Be factual and precise) .
    • Time: The exact time or duration you observed them.
    • Extras: Unique indicators like tattoos, scars, facial hair, or specific accents.

    2. Describing a Vehicle (C.Y.M.B.A.L.)

    • Color
    • Year / Generation (Newer vs. older model)
    • Make (e.g., Honda, Ford)
    • Body Style (e.g., SUV, Sedan, Pickup truck)
    • Additional Features (e.g., tinted windows, dents, unique bumper stickers)
    • License Plate Number (Even a partial plate and state is incredibly valuable)

    ⚠️ CRITICAL SAFETY REMINDER: Your safety always comes first. Never confront, approach, challenge, or follow a suspicious individual or vehicle. Observe from a safe distance, document what you see, and let law enforcement handle direct contact.

    📞 Knowing Who to Call

    Make sure you save our local police contact information directly into your phone:

    • Call 911 immediately if: A crime is actively in progress, forced entry is witnessed, or someone is in immediate danger.
    • Call the JCC Non-Emergency Line at (757) 566-0112 if: You want to report suspicious activity that occurred earlier, request extra patrols, or provide follow-up information like security camera footage.

    🤝 Get Involved: Block Captains Needed!

    Stonehouse SEAT is actively recruiting Block Captains to support our safety network, with an immediate need for coverage in the Manor, Ridge, Glen, Briarhill Way, and Reflections sections.

    Block Captains have a fun and simple role: meeting your immediate neighbors on your street, welcoming new move-ins, sharing safety reminders, and helping coordinate a simple, casual block get-together or party once a year so neighbors can get to know one another.

    • Ready to learn more or volunteer? Reach out directly to our SEAT Committee Chair, Linda Botts, at StonehouseSEAT@gmail.com.
    • Mark Your Calendar: Stonehouse SEAT meets on the third Tuesday of every month at 6:30 PM at the Laurel Grove Park Clubhouse. Our upcoming summer session on June 16th will focus on De-escalation safety & security—we hope to see you there!