Manakin Woods Recreation Association

04/07/2026

It’s o-FISH-ial! This past winter, a couple of local otters treated our lake like an all-you-can-eat sushi bar. 🦦🍣 To make sure there will be plenty of fish for our neirghborhood anglers, we’ve doubled our order this year. From the bottom-feeding Redears to the Big Mouthed Bass, the new crew is officially in the water. See you at the lake. *Note: In Virginia, a fishing license is required for anyone 16 yrs. or older.

03/23/2026

🚣‍♀️☀️ Temperatures this weekend hit 85 degrees, which is in sharp contrast to what seems like just a short while ago when Lake Helen was completely frozen over!

02/10/2026

02/09/2026

It’s that time of year again — the 2026 Manakin Woods Recreation Association (MWRA) Annual Membership Drive is officially open!

Annual contributions to MWRA membership directly support the care and preservation of Lake Helen (on Hermitage Road) and the surrounding land and amenities available to our neighborhood.

Supporting MWRA helps to keep our shared spaces safe, well-maintained, and beautiful — which ultimately positively impacts everyone's property value!

Plus, as a member, your entire household — including your four-legged friends — gains access to Lake Helen to enjoy:

• Walking with family or pets around the lake 🐕‍🦺
• Hiking on the trails 👟
• Relaxing and enjoying nature 🧘
• Fishing from the pier and lake's edge 🐟
• Picnicking in the outdoor gathering spaces 🥙
• Tennis and pickleball court access 🎾
• And so much more in terms of community benefits ☀️

All of this for just $120 per year — which works out to basically $10 per month for your entire household.

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Become a Member TODAY!

• Sign up online at 2026 MWRA Membership Payments (https://link.waveapps.com/upn5n3-qvyr7n)
• Mail a check payable to MWRA, and include your name, address, phone number, and email address, and send payment to:
MWRA
P.O. Box 15
Manakin Sabot, VA 23103

*Once membership is processed, the new tennis/pickleball court access code will be distributed. As a reminder, MWRA is a separate organization from any neighborhood homeowners association.

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Your support makes a real difference to our entire COMMUNITY!

04/14/2025

Here's the membership application (2 documents).

04/07/2025

For all of you who fish at Lake Helen, what are you seeing or catching? Bass? Crappie?

02/05/2025

By now you should have received an email with the 2025 membership information. If not, reply to this post.

09/25/2024

All boats, kayaks, canoes, and other personal items stored at the lake need to be registered.

03/24/2024

2024 Update and Membership Campaign

It is time for the Manakin Woods Recreation Association membership campaign. The 2024 Board members are President - Mike Hill, Vice President - Roland Turner, Secretary - Valerie Calhoun, and Treasurer - Matt Dalon. MWRA is a separate organization from homeowners’ associations. We have the responsibility of maintaining Lake Helen, most of the land surrounding it, the parking lot and fencing, and the tennis/pickleball courts. In 2023 our dues paid for bi-weekly grass cutting and occasional w**d whacking, re-stocking the lake, some court repairs, and liability insurance.

Some projects for 2024 include the return of picnic tables and some court repairs. As far as the Board knows, our dues have not increased since the Association’s inception. This year the dues will be $90 annually (less than $10 per month).

Click on this link: https://link.waveapps.com/hehqyp-58ndbp to pay your dues via credit card OR print the contact details listed on the website and pay via check. Checks can be mailed to P. O. Box 15, Manakin Sabot, VA 23103.