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Vista de Santa Barbara
Vista voice
REGION 21
The Vista Voice Vista de Santa Barbara
6180 Via Real, Carpinteria, CA 93013 (805) 684-2313 / (805) 566-9205 Fax Email: vistasantabarbara@bandcmhc.com Onsite Managers: Diane & Luciano Vannucci DIRECT ALL BILLING QUESTIONS TO THE ONSITE MANAGER
Property Management Company:
611 Anton Blvd., Suite 890, Costa Mesa, CA 92626
Bessire & Casenhiser, Inc.
Phone: (949) 515-5100 / Fax: (949) 515-5101
430 South San Dimas Ave.
http://www.millenniumhousing.com
San Dimas, CA 91773
President: George Turk V.P. / Chief Operating Officer: Lori Carraway Director of Asset Services: Diana Welsh SPARC Regional Director: Devin Fernandez
Michael Milan (909) 594-0501 Michael@bessire-casenhiser.com 1
Millennium Memo September Dates to Remember
VJ Day, WWII
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Read a Book Day 6 Labor Day
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911 Remembrance Day
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Fall Begins
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Full Harvest Moon
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National Good Neighbor Day
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The Pumpkin Spice Latte Has a Fan Club Since its introduction in 2003, millions of pumpkin spice lattes have been sold, making it one of the most successful seasonal beverages ever created. Which best describes you? "Pumpkin spice all the things!" "Just give me the pie." "I'll wait for peppermint season." "Enough with the pumpkin already!"
“Street lighting is like a football referee. If you’re talking about it, something probably went wrong.” I’m not sure who said that, but it wasn’t Michael, Lori or me. VSB has good street lighting, but I’m sure it will be talked about at the Sept. 19 Annual Meeting. Dennis might have to order extra tacos for that one. The biggest complaint seems to be lights shining in windows. My house has that problem as well, as there’s a City street light just outside our window. Luckily, our home came with window blinds. That’s worked well for us. What is not a solution? Vandalizing the lights, removing the bulbs, putting bags over the fixtures…not a very bright idea. Is repairing your vandalism the best way for us to use your rent dollars? You’ll get your chance to express your opinion on the 19th. We look forward to hearing your thoughts—no, really, we do. Maybe we’ll find some common ground. SPARC in VSB On July 20, 14 of you joined Devin from SPARC and 7 volunteers from Master Gardeners for a class on what to plant for better fire prevention. Tips included keeping your plants moist, pruning to avoid overcrowding and clearing debris. After the presentation, attendees decorated terracotta pots with 2
Millennium Memo Cont.. succulents and got a FREE lunch. Next up: a Sept. 16 Resource Fair, featuring 8 service providers, a live musician and a catered lunch. Sounds fun, doesn’t it? Thanks for Your Cooperation Last time, I complained that only 50 of you had returned Income Certifications. You responded, so much so that as I’m typing this, only 7 Certs were outstanding. Great job, everyone! If you’re one of the Stubborn 7, please take care of this simple task now, especially if you hope to get at taco at the Annual Meeting. Thank you for your Income Certs, come join us on the 19th…and have a fun Labor Day! George Turk
OUR OFFICE WILL BE CLOSED ON MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 7TH IN OBSERVANCE OF
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Manager’s Corner Autumn is just around the corner and with autumn comes cooler weather and holidays. If you have family get-togethers planned the clubhouse is a great place to host them. Please keep in mind that the clubhouse may not be reserved for a private function on Thanksgiving and Christmas as the clubhouse must be available to all residents on holidays. Rules & Regulations #6.b. It is a Resident’s responsibility to determine the requirements for permits, licenses, and inspections. Building permits or licenses that are required to perform any installation or modification to Resident’s mobilehome, accessory structures, or equipment must be secured prior to any installation or construction. If you have questions about where or how to obtain permits, please contact me. Please do not leave Recyclables on top of the dumpster. If you have something that needs to be placed in the dumpster, please call me and if there is space I will unlock it for you. If there is no space, I will give you a time that it will be available As I write this, I am listening to the card playing residents talking and laughing during their game. It sounds like fun. If any of you want to make new friends and meet some of your neighbors, come down on Tuesday mornings and join in. If anyone wants or needs a copy of the park Rules & Regulations, please give me a call or stop by the office and I will be happy to make you one. Your on-site managers, Luciano and Diane Vannucci
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Encouraging everyone to attend:
Annual General Meeting Saturday, September 19 @ 1pm Millennium ~ George Turk & Michael Milan Taco Truck will provide food after the meeting!
Please sign up in the clubhouse by Tuesday September 15th (Indicate “No food” if you are not staying to eat ~ thanks”
Thank you for coming ready to volunteer and for bringing your voluntary donation (suggested amt $60 - only $5 per month) to support the work of the resident board! 6
President’s Perspective My last Perspective started with Wow! Wow! Wow! for the success of the Happy Hour before the last meeting and the number of residents in attendance, that a resident volunteered to be on the Board, and two other residents offered to pay for the balance of the Board’s insurance. A really good meeting! Contrasting with so many sparsely attended meetings over the past years. I hope this is the start of a trend towards greater involvement in future Board meetings. I think this whole lighting issue shows the importance of attending meetings, being on the Board. seeing/hearing what is happening and having a voice. This Perspective, I am starting with Lights! Lights! Lights! Some residents are happy with the new fixtures and amount of light, but a lot of residents are upset about the fixtures, the brightness, the intrusiveness into their homes and lives, and the non-compliance with the Carpinteria Friendly Dark Skies Guidelines. Michael Milan, District Manager, had his monthly visit to the park on August 12. An impromptu meeting was held in the clubhouse with about 25 residents present, some expressing approval of current lights, but many upset and voicing their frustration to Michael. It was decided that the best thing to do is to move forward and try to rectify the situation. Later in the evening, a group met in the streets to test dimmer bulbs in the fixtures. None of them met the California Code 25 Lighting Requirement guidelines for Mobile Home Parks. Not only that, the original bulbs could not pass either. The option to put even stronger bulbs in these fixtures is out of the question. One light did pass, but it was in a downward reflecting fixture. It provided enough light, but did not shine into the windows of the homes around it. Michael spoke with Millennium, and it has been decided to have three options of downward directed lights that meet requirements. They will be placed by the clubhouse for a vote by all the residents to decide what fixtures will replace the ones we have now. This is great news! A shining example of how when we all work together, we can create solutions to make VSB better. I’m going to close on an even more optimistic note. I have received an email from a resident who wants to join the Board! We are losing some members who have completed their terms, so we still need more residents to join the Board. Also, I have already received resident contributions (which we really need) for the coming year. Some new residents have contributed double, for this year and for next year. These contributions are really needed and appreciated, and hopefully this portends that next year, when the insurance premium comes due, we will not be scrambling around trying to figure out what to do and that we have money for everything the Millennium funds don’t cover. Hopefully, at the General Meeting (September 19, 1:00 p.m. at the clubhouse), I will be greeting more new Board members and a suggestion box filled with voluntary donations. Thank you in advance.
Dennis Engler, Space #45 Cell (708) 288-1241 / Email: rainbowbw@aol.com 7
September ANNOUNCEMENTS, EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES ANNOUNCEMENTS VDSB Emergency Contact Email List: Our onsite park managers have created an emergency contact email list to be used to notify park residents of immediate, unscheduled park emergencies such as shutting off the water or gas parkwide. This emergency action would be necessary to avoid damage or destruction to the park or resident owned property. If you would like your email address added to the notification list, please contact Diane, our onsite park manager. This list is not to be confused with the Resident Directory for park residents.
Advanced Health Care Directive Assistance: Anyone needing assistance in completing a My-Care Advance Healthcare Directive may call Shirley Strickler at 661-204-0657 and she will gladly help.
EVENTS SPARC EVENT: Resource Fair: Wednesday, September 16th from 11:30am— 1:00pm. SIGN UP BY Wednesday, September 9TH. Board Meeting: Our next Board Mtg will be on September 19th @ 1pm ACTIVITIES Swimming Friendship at our beautiful pool!: We meet in the afternoons on pretty days
and would like to invite anyone who is interested in swimming, conversation and laughter! Contact Judy Ashford at 805-729-2056 for specific days and times. We hope to see you there.
Exercise Class: Weekly exercise classes are fun! The Gym Next Door will be providing the instructor. Where: When: Class Limit:
VDSB Clubhouse Every Thursday from 10:00am to 11:00am Class is limited to 15 participants.
Card Games: Interested in joining some card game get-togethers? To learn new games and enjoy playing with VSB neighbors, contact Suzy Kelsey (#12) at suzykmamama8@gmail.com
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BEYOND THE BOOK: Surprising perks of your public library card Whether you have been a proud library card holder since you were a kid, or have never even been to your local library, you probably know it as the place you go to check out books. Well, times have changed my friend. You can do so much more with that card. Here’s a list of some of the cool things you can do with a Library Card. 1. Download e-books. Thanks to the OverDrive app, you can use your library card to borrow e-books, audiobooks, and more directly from your local library to your personal devices. Students may get school ebooks and audiobooks via Sora, a new free reading app specifically for students by OverDrive. 2. Get free movie and music rentals. Do you miss walking through an actual video rental store and just sort of browsing for something interesting to watch? Well, the public library has a whole entertainment section filled with DVDs, Blu-Ray movies, and CDs—and unlike the old video stores, it’s 100% FREE with your library card! 3. Watch a movie… AT the library! Many libraries have movie screenings of popular new releases, favorite classics, and even kid-friendly movies for the whole family! Check with your local branch for show times. 4. Stream movies. Who needs a monthly bill for streaming services? With the Kanopy app, you can stream any of the 26,000 film titles available FOR FREE with your library card. With Hoopla streaming service (http://www.hoopladigital.com/), you can watch movies and TV shows, listen to music, and audiobooks and read eBooks and comics. Your library may limit how many titles you can check out with Hoopla. 5. Entertain your kids / grandkids. Many library branches have activities for kids, and it goes way beyond story time (which is also a great activity!). Craft workshops, music classes, puppet shows, drag queen story hours, and so many other great opportunities to get the kids out of the house and doing something fun. 6. Access online databases. Those computers at the library are not just for checking your email and looking up a book without having to ask a librarian. The library computers offer access to a myriad of otherwise expensive subscriber-based research databases, current and past newspaper articles, job listings, academic journals and research, and Consumer Reports. 7. Reserve a room for your Book Club or Study Group. Need a meeting place for your book club? A quiet place for a study group or tutoring session? A neutral place to have a business meeting? The library’s got you covered. Just ask your librarian how to reserve space to accommodate your needs. 8. Take advantage of free Wi-Fi. That’s right, in addition to free air conditioning the library offers free WiFi, computers (for all the browsing and research!), and some libraries even have laptops you can borrow to work on while you’re there.
9. Get free admission to local museums. The Museum Pass gives library card holders the ability to checkout free admission passes to select museums. Check with your local library to see if the Museum Pass is available in your area. 10. Book Mobile. Many local libraries offer Book mobiles that travel to various communities, primarily serving areas that lack easy access to traditional libraries. Check with your local library to get their book mobile schedule. You can use your library card at the Book Mobile and if you don’t have one, you can regis10
ter for one at the Book Mobile as well.
12. Update your tech skills. Do you want to learn how to code? Do you want to become an expert at photoshop? More than 90% of U.S. public libraries now offer either formal or informal tech classes… once again, FOR FREE. 13. Get free assistance with job searches, resume writing, and interview tips. Librarians are not just literary fountains of information. They are also trained and happy to assist you with your job search. Many local branches even offer "one-stop career centers," which will connect you to invaluable local resources for job listings and employment services 14. Get help with homework. Ask your local librarian about homework help, tutoring, SAT/ACT prep, and even for help with college searches and financial information. 15. Take citizenship classes. Many library branches around the country now offer free classes, information, and resources to patrons who are looking to become American citizens.
16. Get a family pass to the zoo. Much like the Museum Pass, you can likely get a pass for up to four people per household for your local zoo if available in your area.
17. Learn a new language. Looking a new language? Maybe you have an upcoming trip abroad and want to learn some key phrases to help you along the way or maybe you want to become fluent in a second language –either way language-learning software or classes can be expensive. But with your library card, you can access Mango which offers online courses in over 70 languages. And yep, you
guessed it, FOR FREE!!!
What do you have to do to get a library card? To get a library card, grab an official form of identification, like your drivers license, passport, or student ID, and head to your local library. Once you're at the library, find a person who works there to help you or direct you to the right person for library cards. How much does a library cost? Nothing. Nada. Zilch. Library cards are FREE!! What are you waiting for? Go to your nearest public library and get yourself a card. Some libraries even allow you to apply for a library card online. Check it out!
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Lotus Lessons: Bloom Where Life Gets Muddy Lotus flowers are more than just pretty faces floating on a pond—they have some seriously impressive superpowers! They begin life rooted in dark, murky mud, yet rise above the water looking fresh, clean, and beautiful. That amazing journey is why the lotus has long been a symbol of resilience, renewal, and rising above life’s messes. And speaking of staying clean, lotus leaves are basically nature’s version of a self-cleaning surface! Their microscopic texture causes water to bead up and roll away, taking dirt along with it—a phenomenon scientists actually call the “lotus effect.” Even more surprising, some lotus flowers can regulate their own temperature, keeping their blossoms warm when the surrounding air is cooler, which may help attract pollinating insects. Beautiful, self-cleaning, and temperature-controlled—Mother Nature really went all out with this one!
Photographs courtesy of Dennis Engler
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Tips for Seniors..
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Fall Sudoku
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Cinnamon Crumb Coffee Cake
Tasty Tidbits
Ingredients Cake:
Filling:
Topping:
1 stick butter softened (1/2 cup)
3 tablespoons butter softened
1 tablespoon cinnamon
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
Pinch salt
3/4 whole milk
5 tablespoons butter softened
1/2 cup flour
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
In the bowl of a mixer, cream together 1 stick of butter and 3/4 cup sugar, scraping down the sides occasionally. Add 1 tsp vanilla and egg, mix.
In a separate bowl, mix together 2 cups flour, 2 tsp baking powder and salt. Add one half of it to the mixer, and when mostly combined, add 3/4 cup milk. Once milk is mostly incorporated, and the rest of the flour mixture.
To make filling: in a small bowl, pinch together filling ingredients until soft crumbs form.
To make topping: add topping ingredients to a food processor and pulse until coarse crumbs form. (If you don’t have a food processor, cut in ingredients with forks or a pastry cutter).
Grease a 9x9 inch baking pan. Pour in 1/2 of cake batter, and spread to all four corners. Sprinkle the filling over top, then pour in remaining cake batter, and spread carefully across the top, disturbing the filling layer as little as possible (an offset spatula works well for this).
Sprinkle the topping over the top and press lightly so it adheres.
Bake in preheated oven for 45-50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool to warm on wire rack before serving. 18