NOVEMBER 2023
GVREC.ORG
Another Efficiency Initiative In June of 2022, CEO Scott Somers began a conversation with members about efficiency. Rising costs, especially of essentials such as groceries and health care, have presented significant challenges for a number of GVR members and staff. Those same factors along with market responses to pandemic-related supply disruptions have also challenged Green Valley Recreation. The staff has been proactive in seeking opportunities to save money and improve services to meet member demand while keeping annual dues increases to a minimum. Despite the challenging economic conditions, GVR remains in terrific fiscal health. The December 2023 issue of the GVR Now! will feature a financial report on the year and a summary of the 2024 budget the staff and Board are working on now.
Adriel Lewis, Recreation Service Assistant, will work on the South Team. Santa Rita Springs patrons will continue to enjoy Adriel’s attentive customer service.
That budget will reflect one of the strategies Scott mentioned in the summer of 2022: reorganizing staffing divisions to ensure a high value for member dollar. Payroll is historically GVR’s largest annual expense. This is to be expected in any organization that provides services instead of making widgets, but the GVR administration believes in seeking continuous improvement. An ongoing organizational assessment has identified several staffing efficiencies GVR can or has already pursued.
been GVR’s busiest customer service desk and it is centrally located. Consolidating customer service in a single location will allow GVR to maintain a staff size that matches the inperson traffic. In-person traffic has reduced over time as more members conduct their business online. Head to West Center to buy Guest Passes, Tenant Passes, and event tickets. This is also the place to register for classes or replace your lost or damaged GVR card. Literature (catalogs, bulletins, etc.) will continue to be available at all centers.
Two staff groups have been identified for retooling in 2024: Customer Service Representatives and Recreation Services Assistants. These are the staff members who see and interact with in the centers.
Starting November 6, members may notice a change in how the field staff are assigned. Last year, GVR separated out janitorial duties so our field staff is more focused on customer service. After a trial year, we are ready to make three adjustments to “right-size” and balance the workload for this team…
As of late October, customer service transactions are offered in a single location: West Center. West Center has long
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CONTACT US — 520-625-3440 Operational matters Board policy matters West Center Customer Service
email: hotline@gvrec.org email: board@gvrec.org 520-625-0288 (Lunch Noon–1pm)
RECREATION SERVICES
NEW PHONE NUMBERS!
(Yellow Shirts)
NORTH CAMPUS 520-648-7669
SOUTH CAMPUS 520-838-0169
Includes: Abrego North Casa Paloma I Casa Paloma II Continental Vistas
Includes: Abrego South Desert Hills Canoa Hills Madera Vista Canoa Ranch Santa Rita Springs Del Sol Clubhouse
East Center Las Campanas Pickleball Center West Center
Center Operations Assistants 520-343-2440
NOVEMBER BOARD & COMMITTEE MEETINGS
GVR BOARD
CANDIDATE INFORMATION SESSION Wednesday, November 8, 10:00am–12:00pm West Center Room 2
GVR BOARD MEMBERS President: Marge Garneau Vice President: Carol Crothers Secretary: Bart Hillyer Treasurer: Jim Carden Assistant Secretary: Barbara Blake Assistant Treasurer: Joe Magliola
PLANNING AND EVALUATION COMMITTEE Thursday, November 9, 1:30–3:00pm West Center Room 2 / Zoom BOARD AFFAIRS COMMITTEE Tuesday, November 14, 1:30–3:00pm West Center Room 2 / Zoom BOARD OF DIRECTORS REGULAR MEETING Wednesday, November 15, 2:00–4:00pm West Center Auditorium / Zoom FISCAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE Monday, November 27, 1:30–3:00pm West Center Room 2 / Zoom Any change in meeting status will be announced on the GVR website calendar.
BOARD MEETING HIGHLIGHTS In a regular meeting on Wednesday, October 25, the Board of Directors took the following actions:
• Set Record Date — passed unanimous. The record date is January 30, 2024
• Change to Initiatives Benchmark — passed unanimous. The
change of the benchmark in Initiatives is to utilize the savings and earnings better.
DIRECTORS Nancy Austin Kathi Bachelor Beth Dingman
Steve Gilbert Bev Lawless Richard Sutherland
GVR BOARD COMMITTEE CHAIRS Audit Committee: Nancy Austin Board Affairs Committee: Carol Crothers Financial Affairs Committee: Jim Carden Investments Committee: Bev Lawless Nominations & Elections Committee: Beth Dingman Planning & Evaluation Committee: Kathi Bachelor Email: board@gvrec.org
Can’t attend a meeting in person? Scan this QR code for ZOOM meetings.
Did You Know?
Letter from the President
Aside from programs such as Water Aerobics, Aquabelles, poolside concerts, and the like, music and other audio recordings are not permitted in the common areas. Common areas include lobbies, sports courts, billiards rooms, fitness centers, pool decks, and picnic areas that have not been reserved for an event.
The Board is working on the budget for 2024. Staff has proposed a $5 increase in dues and some increases in other fees. They have provided the Board with estimated income and expenses for this year along with proposed budget figures for 2024. It is the role of the Board to evaluate what is prepared by staff, ask questions, voice concerns and review what is presented. This was done in a work session of the Board. Along with an operations budget, the staff worked with the Board committees to develop a 5-year proposed capital plan. This was also presented to the Board at the work session.
Over the summer, GVR extended an offer to the HOA’s neighboring satellite centers to allow poolside music. All the HOAs who chose to consider the question have now declined the option. Enjoy your music, podcast, or audiobook via headphones or earbuds. Also, please note that the pool and fitness room rules direct cell phone conversations to the lobbies or off the pool deck. If you are disturbed by a violation of these rules, please call the on-duty Center Operations Assistant at 520-343-2440.
Slip-resistant shower shoes are a great choice in locker rooms. Reminder: Slip-resistant shower shoes are a great choice in locker rooms. They are very affordable at $10–$20 per pair.
Share your voice and your experience Consider running for the GVR Board of Directors Candidate Information Session Wednesday, November 8 at 10am West Center Room 2 For more information, please contact Nanci Moyo: nancim@gvrec.org
What is next? There will be a work session of the Board on November 8th to review a contract and plans for the downstairs at Del Sol Clubhouse along with any questions the Board may have on the proposed budget. After this the operating budget and fee schedule for 2024 will be presented to the Board for a final decision at the Board meeting on November 15th. According to the Corporate Policy Manual, this is the deadline to set the fees for the next year. The Capital Plan is a little more complex since it involves money being spent for facility improvements or changes over the next 5 years. The Board does not have to adopt the Capital Plan now and it may be looked at by the Board at a later meeting. We appreciate your emails and your attendance at our meeting and thank those who have contact us with their comments and concerns. —Marge Garneau Board President
Children’s Pool Hours West Center Weekdays: Noon–9pm Weekends & holidays: ALL day Abrego South Daily: 4–6pm All other pools Daily: 11am–1pm AND 4–6pm No guest pass required for kids! Children 17 and younger must be accompanied by an adult at all times. Children six and younger must have an adult in the pool with them at all times.
GVRNOW! GVR NOW! NOVEMBER 2023
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What is there to do?
NOVEMBER 2023
Were you one of those kids who answered ‘because there’s nothing to do’ when mom asked why you were hanging around the house? Well, those days are over. GVR’s Leisure Education Program gives you plenty of things to do in November.
SUNDAY
Interested in yoga? Ten different yoga classes are available, offered by multiple instructors who can take you from beginner to expert. Ever wonder if you have artistic talent? Maybe you’d like to learn a foreign language? Thinking about picking up pickleball? Want to explore things like electric vehicles, paranormal phenomena, reincarnation, civil discourse, or the hero’s journey? Interested in the wildlife in our Southern Arizona region? Considering a cactus garden? Tired of losing at Texas Hold ‘Em? By now, you’re getting the picture. This isn’t like when we were kids and all we had was yet another game of kick-the-can, the millionth rerun of I Love Lucy, or the latest Nancy Drew/ Hardy Boys mystery. We have loads of options for you and it’s all in GVR’s recreation catalog. Pick one up at one of the centers, or find it at gvrec.org. And if you don’t find something you’d like to do, let us know. We’ll see if we can arrange it. That’s why we’re here.
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NOVEMBER 2023 GVR GVRNOW! NOW!
TUESDAY
Desert Hills – Sharon Toal Paintings Las Campanas – Santa Rita Art League East Center – “The Art of Awakening” by Paula Richards West Center: November 1–8: Richard Paige Photography November 9–11: GVR Lapidary & Silversmithing Artisan Show November 12–December 31: Santa Rita Art League
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GVR 4 6 Shuffleboard
Free Lessons 10–11am WC Shuffleboard Court GVR Pinochle Club Free Lessons 1–3pm LC Ironwood Room
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GVR Shuffleboard
13 Free Lessons
10–11am WC Shuffleboard Court Free Lecture Green Valley Fire 1–2:30pm LC Agave/Ocotillo
GVR Pinochle Club Free Lessons 1–3pm, LC Ironwood Room
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GVR 20 Shuffleboard
Free Lessons 10–11am WC Shuffleboard Court
WEDNE
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NOVEMBER ART EXHIBITS
Have you seen the new Desert Hills fitness studio? It’s a classroom located directly off the fitness room. Does it have classes? Yes. Eighteen different class sessions are offered each week covering almost everyone’s fitness level. Maybe you like to dance? You can practice your clogging, tap, singlestep swing, country or nightclub two-step, Latin rhythms, square, or line dance skills at every level from beginning to advanced.
MONDAY
Computer 7 GVR Club Meeting
1:30–2:30pm SRS Anza Room
Dinner and a Show Tucson Latin Jazz Nonet 6–9pm WC Auditorium
14 Board Affairs
Committee Meeting 1:30–3pm WC Room 2 & Zoom
Dinner and a Show Comedian Randy Riggle 6–9pm, WC Auditorium
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Forum Presen 9–10 DH Aud
The GVR Crafts As Presentation 1–4 DH Aud
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Cand Informatio 10am– WC Room
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Board of Mee 2–4 WC Auditori
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Chat with the CEO 6–7:30pm SRS Anza Room
GVR Pinochle Club Free Lessons 1–3pm LC Ironwood Room
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GVR Shuffleboard
27 Free Lessons
10–11am WC Shuffleboard Court
GVR Pinochle Club Free Lessons 1–3pm, LC Ironwood Room Fiscal Affairs Committee Meeting 1:30–3pm WC Room 2 & Zoom
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DON’T MISS IT!
Photo by Matt / Unsplash
ESDAY
m Club ntation 0am ditorium
R Arts and ssociation n & Meeting 4pm ditorium
didate on Session –noon 2 & Zoom
Directors eting 4pm ium & Zoom
THURSDAY Free Lecture Green Valley Gardeners 9:30–10:30 am DH Auditorium
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Free Movie 2pm & 7pm West Center Auditorium Amigas Meet & Greet 4–5:30pm SRS Anza Room Free Lecture GV Gardeners 9:30–10:30 am DH Auditorium
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P&E Committee Meeting 1:30–3pm WC Room 2 & Zoom
FRIDAY
SATURDAY The GVR
4 Artisans’ Shop
3 Free Lecture Parkinson’s Support Group 2–3:30pm LC Agave/Ocotillo
10 Artisans Festival 9am–4pm, WC
Sweet Saturday 10am–2pm WC Artisans Shop Dance Saturday Night Dance Club 6:30–9pm WC Auditorium
ARTISANS FESTIVAL Friday, November 10, 9am–4pm Saturday, November 11, 9am–3pm Unique, hand-crafted art West Center Auditorium and Courtyard
11 Artisans Festival 9am–3pm, WC
Watch Thursday Night Football 5:15–9:15pm Del Sol Clubhouse
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Free Movie 2pm & 7pm West Center Auditorium
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9–11am EC Auditorium
Amigas Coffee Time 9–10:30am, SRS Anza Room
Watch Thursday Night Football 5:15–9:15pm Del Sol Clubhouse
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AmigOs Mens 18Club Meet & Greet
Keep your eyes and ears open for GVR news in KGVY’s community quarterly newspapers and on the air!
Dance Saturday Night Dance Club 6:30–9pm, WC Auditorium
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Watch Thursday Night Football 5:15–9:15pm Del Sol Clubhouse
30 Watch Thursday Night Football 5:15–9:15pm Del Sol Clubhouse
Register today for fall classes and events! Conversation pit by November exhibition artist Sharon Toal
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Cover story, continued… 1. The campus will be divided into North and South teams. Each team will have an assigned supervisor. Marty Steres will supervise the North Team and will be stationed at Las Campanas. Linda Pearson will supervise the South Team and she’ll be stationed at Canoa Hills (temporarily at Desert Hills.) 2. Marty and Linda will each direct a team of Recreation Service Assistants (those folks in the light blue polos) to cover all the work that needs to be done on their half of the campus. 3. Center Operations Assistants (COAs, or “yellow shirts”) will also be stationed at busy Las Campanas. They will assist members there and dispatch Recreation Service Assistants to solve problems. They will also continue to respond to member conflicts across the campus, sell same-day guest passes as requested, and conduct “Membership Matters” card checks to reduce unauthorized use of the facilities. How will this change your experience as a member? Hopefully, very little! If you need to meet with staff to discuss the setup for an event or activity, you will call Marty or Linda (Field Services Supervisors) who will schedule a time for you to meet with the appropriate staff. If you run into a problem during your visit to a center, you’ll call the COA. The COA number (and address for the center) is printed on the large teal and copper aid stations located near pools, restrooms, or locker rooms. Look for the Field Services phone numbers on page two of this and every issue of the GVR Now! While there may not be a staff member down the hall or upstairs at all times, they will never be far.
HOLIDAY CLOSURES • Friday, November 10:
GVR offices and customer service desks are closed in observance of Veteran’s Day.
• Wednesday, November 22:
All centers and amenities close at 6pm.
• Thursday, November 23:
GVR offices and customer service desks are closed. Limited facilities available: pools, fitness centers, and sports clubs will be open at Canoa Ranch, Las Campanas, Pickleball Center, Santa Rita Springs, and West Center.
• Friday, November 24:
All centers and amenities are open 5:30am–9pm. GVR offices and customer service desks are closed.
The Member Assistance Program (MAP) The GVR Foundation recently issued a friendly challenge to the enclosed GVR Clubs to help raise money for 100 GVR members in need of MAP funds. Over the past 27 years, the Member Assistance Program, or MAP, has helped Green Valley Recreation members in financial need pay their annual dues. Since its formation in 2014, the GVR Foundation has raised money for MAP. Annual MAP awards and the GVR Foundation MAP endowment are funded through the generosity of the Green Valley community and GVR members like you. In 2022, over 1,100 of your neighbors are living on less than $1500 per month. Carving a budget out of that income is not something many of us would like to contemplate. Your tax-deductible donation made to the GVR Foundation for MAP will help a struggling neighbor continue to have access to pools and fitness centers, card groups, free movies, craft clubs, and sports partners. You can ensure your neighbor doesn’t have to sacrifice those truly essential things money can’t buy: connection and friendship.
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Please donate to MAP today. If you are a GVR club member, ask your club president if they have made a plan to take up the challenge. Otherwise, find a donation envelope in any major center lobby, or click the donation button at GVRECFoundation.org. We look forward to celebrating the giving spirit of GVR Clubs as we pursue our goal of raising $50,500 for 100 members in need. On behalf of those neighbors, I thank you in advance for your generosity. If you are a GVR member who needs dues assistance, MAP applications (simplified this year!) are available now at GVR customer service desks and online at GVREC.org. The GVRF board recently reviewed its prior year MAP campaign and hence decided to EXTEND the campaign until 31 JANUARY 2024. This will enable GVR clubs to approach more of their members since so many GVR residents tend to come to Green Valley after the holidays. Tim Stewart GVRF President
Club Spotlight Give decorative art a try The Decorative Art Club is the place to gather for fun and camaraderie. All skill levels are welcome as club members create art projects and learn new techniques. Past activities include paint pours, fabric painting, needle felting, gourd mask creations, holiday ornaments, fabric-wrapped rope baskets, gelli pad printing, alcohol ink on glass and tiles, and wooden yard art. Open days are offered on alternate weeks for members to complete unfinished projects or bring in their own work. The Club provides paints, inks, stencils, supplies, and detailed lesson instructions. Meetings are Monday 9 am–12:30 pm, October through mid-May at Santa Rita Springs on the lower level. For more information, email GVRdecorativeartclub@gmail.com or stop by and visit. Try the club out for one free activity with prior notification.
Eat, drink, and chat with fellow New Englanders The GVR New England Club meets four times a year during the winter months to enjoy the company of fellow New Englanders, and those with school or family ties to the area. Events include dinner, entertainment, and a social hour for a small yearly fee. Mark your calendars for this season’s dates:
• Saturday December 2 • Saturday January 20
• Saturday February 10 • Saturday March 16
Watch GVR’s Friday eBlast and please visit the club website for details: newenglandclub.org.
Learn how to make stained glass, fused glass, and mosaic glass art Is your style beautiful, whimsical, geometric or something else altogether? In the GVR Glass Artists Club, you can create unique art to add color and sparkle to your home and garden, or to give to friends and family. Serving dishes, wall art, garden art or decor—the Glass Artists Club does it all.
artists. Club members range from beginners to advanced artists sharing tips and techniques, and sometimes, glass. It’s anticipated that the new studio at Santa Rita Springs Center will open in December. There club members will be offered a well-equipped, safe, open studio for fusing or mosaics; separate rooms for pursuing interests in stained glass or frit work; areas for coldworking, kiln firing, and a classroom. Watch for the ribbon-cutting date! In the meantime, we are building a new website, ordering furniture and equipment, training more monitors, and making plans for exciting new programs.
The club provides a working studio, instruction and collaborative support for stained glass, fused glass, and mosaic glass
Membership is open to all GVR members with annual dues of $40. Taking one of our introductory courses through GVR is required to join the Club. See the GVR catalog for: Introduction to the Glass Arts—Fusing; Introduction to Glass Arts—Mosaics; or Introduction to Glass Arts—Stained Glass. In each class, you can learn how to cut glass and make a small project. It’s a great way to try out glass art and it’s fun!
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GVRLive! Dinner and a Show
Comedian Randy Riggle ‘Nostalgia Christmas’ Tuesday, November 14 at 6pm
You’ll be sure to relate to “Nostalgia Christmas,” a two-hour multi-media act that pays a comedic tribute to the holidays in 1950s and 60s. Enjoy an evening buffet meal and choice of three complimentary beverages. Dinner 6pm, Show 7pm West Center Auditorium Member/Guest (one per member): $35 Not open to the general public Reserve full tables by calling 520-838-0156
Last day to buy tickets is November 7
Senior Prom
Friday, December 8 at 5pm It’s Prom night at West Center complete with couples’ photos and crowns for the King and Queen. Setups and punch will be provided, otherwise, BYOB. Doors open at 5pm, Longhorn Grill catered sit-down dinner starts at 5:45, then you’ll want to change into your dancing shoes at 7pm. The Jukebox Junqies will complete the night with those dance hits you remember from senior year. West Center Auditorium $50 members/guests $60 general public (available two weeks before Prom) Reserve full tables by calling 520-838-0156 Last day to buy tickets is November 30.
GVRLive!
The Magic of Cassandra & Ben Nemzer Tuesday, December 19 at 7pm
Experience the magic of Christmas & the Holidays with master magicians Cassandra and Ben Nemzer! As seen on Netflix, Apple+, Fox Sports, Comedy Central and the most recent season of Let’s Make a Deal on CBS; These two magicians present a nonstop journey of wonder, excitement and holiday cheer. Through jaw-dropping magic, live music, audience participation, and even CRAZY card tricks; This duo creates one once-in-a-lifetime moment after another. West Center Auditorium Member/Guest $30 for members General Public $35