"An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity.”

– Martin Luther King

Editor's Note: The Essence of Community

A “sense of community” is a phrase often used when someone describes what they are looking for in a residence, school, workplace, etc. According to Vanderbilt University clinical psychologists David W. McMillan and David M. Chavis, this sense of community consists of four elements. First is membership—the feeling of belonging or of sharing a sense of personal relatedness. The second is influence, a sense of mattering, of making a difference to a group and of the group mattering to its members. The third element is reinforcement: integration and fulfillment of needs. This, McMillan and Chavis say, is the feeling that members’ needs will be met by the resources received through their membership in the group. The last element is a shared emotional connection, that is, the belief that members have shared and will share history, common places, time together, and similar experiences.

Through our participation in 4th of July parades, fall festivals, ornament exchanges, swim club, Trot through the Woods, to name a few, we in the Warson Woods neighborhood often tick all the boxes and provide a true feeling of community for all members, from our toddlers to our most senior residents. Still, we should all be aware that there may be some neighbors who, for whatever reason, are not feeling they have a place in, or matter to, the neighborhood. Some readers of this newsletter may not be experiencing the emotional connection with their neighbors that is foundational to a strong community. Let’s acknowledge that we can do more. We can always take the time to wave and say hello rather than hurry into the house. We can take a leap of faith and talk to that one neighbor who we just don’t really know that well. We can make sure our senior members still have a place in the parades even though their kids have grown and moved on. Let’s show others that they matter to us, that their presence in the neighborhood does make a difference, and that all of us are ae essential part of this beautiful place we have chosen to call home.

“Some people think they are in community, but they are only in proximity. True community requires commitment and openness. It is a willingness to extend yourself to encounter and know the other.”
– David Spangler

Welcome New Residents!

New Resident Swag Bags: For those new to Warson Woods, the Communications Team has prepped swag bags available for pickup at Warson Woods City Hall (behind Vangel's)!

Nearby businesses have given us info, coupons, and swag to help familiarize you with what our area has to offer, so be sure to stop by and grab one!

P.S. It also doubles as a cute pool tote!

New Resident Packet: Also, we have updated the New Resident Packet, available here on the Warson Woods website, which includes a ton of great information that may be helpful for those of you new to the neighborhood. We welcome your feedback on additional tips or information we can include in the packet for future editions!

Registering Your Pet: As a reminder to new residents, the city does request all pets be registered at City Hall to aid police in reconnecting lost animals with their owners. Information on how to get city pet tags is available here.

Fall Yard Waste Reminder

Reminder - from October 15th to December 15th Warson Woods will provide yard waste pickups twice a week to help with leaves and other yard debris. As a reminder, yard waste should be placed at the curb in biodegradable paper bags, trash cans or limbs bundled with twine or rope in dimensions not exceeding 5-feet in length or 18-inches in diameter.

Save the Date - Fall Festival 

Mark your calendars for Friday, October 7 for the annual Warson Woods Fall Festival! Bring family and friends down to Royal Oak Park to celebrate fall with rides, food, hayrides, music and fun.

MSD Financial Assistance for Building Backups

A wastewater or combined sewer can back up in your building for many reasons. The financial assistance available to you depends on the cause of the backup:

MSD Issues:

Overcharged Sewer Line – If excessive rain falls in a short timeframe, it can fill the wastewater or combined sewer line so much that it can’t hold any more water. If sewer lines discharge into your building as a result, MSD will reimburse up to $3,000 — with a $100 deductible — to cover damage that occurs. Because damages may exceed this amount, MSD recommends homeowners obtain additional coverage through their insurance company.
Blocked Sewer Line – If a wastewater or combined sewer line collapses or is blocked by tree roots, or other debris that has washed into the sewer, it can cause a building backup. If this is the cause, MSD will reimburse the homeowner for the adjusted losses.

Non MSD Issues:

Lateral Line Problems – The most common cause is a blockage in your private lateral line — the sewer line that runs from your home or building to the main sewer line. These sewers can be damaged by items flushed down a toilet or drain, tree roots, grease, and other blockages. The homeowner is responsible for the maintenance and repair of this line. Call a certified plumber regarding lateral line issues.
Overland Flooding – Stormwater can enter your home through doors, windows, and/or cracks in the foundation following a heavy rain – this is not considered a building backup. Damages caused by overland flooding are the responsibility of the homeowner.
To be eligible for coverage, contact MSD within 30 days of the backup. Review our Building Cleanup Guide for instructions on how to document your losses.

The home under construction in 1942.

Q+A With Wilson Overall:

When did you move to Warson Woods?

In 1963 my wife JoAnn and I were newly married and living in Bridgeton. My boss at the time, George Henderson, had lost his wife and was selling his home and moving to Florida. He approached me and told me he lived in a wonderful family neighborhood and would love for us to consider buying his house as we were about to start our family. We had never heard of Warson Woods and drove there to see the house. As soon as we pulled up and saw lots of kids and a cat lounging in the middle of the street, we knew this was where we wanted to live. He was the original owner and left us some of his furniture that he didn’t want to move with. We paid $25,000 for the house on March 1, 1963.

What was the neighborhood like then? What is the same, and what is different?

Warson Woods seems to be much like it has always been… neighbors out for walks stopping in the street to visit, kids playing at the park and tennis courts/pool. It is truly a community, and the kids play in the parks and creek and ride their bikes around just like ours did in the 1970’s and 80’s. Halloween has always been a fun night with everyone out trick or treating with kids and adults, everywhere. It is still that way today.

Tell us about your family.

We have three children: Matt, Ted and Kerry who were all born and raised in this house. They have best friends that they grew up with in Warson Woods that they are still close with today. They all 3 attended Warson Woods Grade School (now Rohan Woods) and were involved in Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts as well as church activities at St. Matthews (now the empty lot across from Rohan Woods). They could walk to school and also grew up riding their bikes to Warson Woods Pool and tennis courts for swim practice and lessons. The big treat was to walk to Warson Village and go to Velvet Freeze, Ben Franklin (the dime store) and Brick Oven Bakery. There was also Ludwigs Toy Shop a deli and of course Goldees Dept store…everything was right here!

What motivated you and your wife to begin our wonderful 4th of July parade tradition?

My wife and some neighbors decided to start the 4th of July parade in 1967. I don’t remember what made them decide to do it, but it quickly caught on to be a wonderful neighborhood tradition.

Do you know any interesting history about the neighborhood or your home?

I don’t have any interesting history about our house although we found these old pictures of it being built which are really interesting. When we first moved in there was a dairy (Woodlawn dairy?) that was behind where Schnucks is now. We would take the kids there to buy chocolate milks as a treat. There was a big hill we would also sled on once in a while which is now where Gray Barn Lane is.

I have lived in Warson Woods for 59 years and still feel like we hit the jackpot way back in 1963, the best place to raise a family that I can think of.

From The Archives

In 1959, the St. Louis Post Dispatch published a write up about our fabulous community pool. It begins: "Mothers in bathing suits push loaded baby carriages down the streets. Boys and girls in bathing suits course the streets, in too big a hurry to even shove one another. All traffic goes one way. In Warson Woods, all roads lead to the pool."

An enormous thank you to all involved as we brought the pool back to life not once, but twice following record rainfalls and flooding. We cherish the pool and the memories made here every summer!

Save the Date: August Food Truck Night at Royal Oak Pavilion

We're excited to host another Warson Woods Food Truck Event this Tuesday. Mark your calendar and join your neighbors at the Royal Oak Pavilion for food, music & fun:

Tuesday, August 16 from 5:00-7:00pm
Royal Oak Pavilion

Featuring Food Trucks:
Mission Taco
UKRAFT
The Sweet Sides

Music by

School of Rock (Warson Woods' Own!)

Upcoming Events In the Woods

Food Truck Event at Royal Oak Park Pavilion
Tuesday, August 16, 2022 - 5:00-7:00pm
Royal Oak Pavilion

Board of Alderman Meeting
Tuesday, August 16, 2022 - 7:00pm

Zoom Meeting ID: 892 5846 4953
Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89258464953
View minutes from the last board meeting here.

Fall Festival
Friday, October 7
Royal Oak Park