- Duct Cleaning / Refreshing
- Leveling & Foundation Repair
- Permanent Foundation (433a)
- Plumbing Repairs & Re-Pipes
- Flooring, Paneling & Trim
- Doors & Windows
- Painting
- Roofs & Skylights
- Heating, A/C & Swamp Coolers
- Kitchen & Bathroom Remodels
- Decks & Steps
- Awnings & Patio Enclosures
- Siding, Skirting & Subfloor Repairs 855.906.6077
April 2025
Saddleback Mobilodge Club
15401 Williams Street
Tustin, CA 92780
Publication #701
THE ONLY NEWSLETTER IN THE WORLD DEVOTED EXCLUSIVELY TO THE RESIDENTS AND THE EVENTS OF THE SADDLEBACK MOBILODGE CLUB.
Park Management Board of Officers
Rebecca and Joel Rebelo
Park Volunteers
Pat Miller Librarian
Phyllis Nelson Historian
Connie Davis Club Event Picture Board
Pat Green President
Vicki Van Allsburg Vice President
Evelyn Godinez Secretary
Richard Davis Treasurer
Maggie Moncrief Activities Coordinator
Magazine Volunteers Club Volunteers
Hans Megens Co-editor
Nancy Peckham Co-editor, on leave
Dennis Van Allsburg Club Photographer
Phyllis Nelson
Lisa Blanton Sunshine Ladies
Salvador Nava Circulation Pat Green Coffee Supplies
Ann Bennett
Getting to Know Your Neighbor Interviewer
FINANCIAL STATEMENT:
Pat Green
Connie Davis Sickroom Supplies
A detailed report of receipts, disbursements, and cash balance on hand is posted on the clubhouse bulletin board.
GENERAL MEETING:
The Saddleback Mobilodge Club normally meets each month on the second Monday at 7:00 PM.
DISCLAIMER: The opinions, beliefs, and viewpoints expressed by the various authors in the Saddleback Mobilodge Scuttlebutt magazine do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs, and viewpoints of the Saddleback Mobilodge Club Management or Editorial staff.
Joel and Rebecca Rebelo, Managers
April is officially the start of Pool Season at Saddleback Mobilodge. Due to popular demand and blessed with the beautiful Southern California weather, as of last year, the Park is now heating the pool during April. Yayy!!!!
The pool is one of the best places in the Park for many reasons. Besides being the premier hang-out spot, it is sparkling clean and always looks nice. This is due to all the hard work that Salvador does keeping the chemicals at the right balance in the pool and cleaning the deck. We heat the pool to 85 degrees.
The pool deck is also a great place to have a cup of coffee in the morning. During the summer months, the Liar’s Club coffee-drinking group likes to sit outside around the pool. We also have a propane BBQ if you want to grill something up for lunch or dinner.
If you just want to relax and have food delivered that is also possible. We have spent many days at the pool where we ordered a pizza and had it delivered to the pool deck. It almost feels like you are at a resort but without the crowds!
You do not have to swim to enjoy the pool. Is there anything more relaxing than sitting on the pool deck and hearing the wind rustle through the palm tree leaves while you read a great book? The pool deck has plenty of lounge chairs and a couple of tables and chairs for you to enjoy a meal or kick back after a swim. There is also music on the pool deck every day. If you are looking for a bit moreprivacy while you sunbathe, rememberthespa enclosure has lounge chairs. There is also a table and chairs if you want to enjoy a meal in a more secluded location.
If you are looking to get back into shape the pool is a great place to start. It is very easy on the body unlike jogging and weight lifting and the perfect way to get moving again if you are looking to start an exercise routine. It is also really fun and enjoyable to swim!
The pool and spa are open from 8:00 AM to 9:00 PM every day, except on Fridays and Sundays when it closes at 8:00 PM.
So, grab your swimsuit and your pool bag and head over and enjoy the clubhouse pool!!
Pool Reminders…
• -There is no lifeguard on duty, so please be careful and keep a close eye on all children.
• -No glass on the pool deck.
• -No diving, running, or horseplay.
• -No alcoholic beverages.
• -Don’t forget your Pool key.
The community compost and food recycling bin is located in the RV lot next to the dumpsters. It is green in color. The only items that are supposed to be placed in the container are food scraps. The scraps can be putinto composting bagsif you wish. Composting bags are light green in color and biodegradable. TheyarewidelyavailableonAmazon. Regularplastictrashbags andgrocery bags should not be placed into the bin as they will not break down/decompose.
Please do not place any trash, paper, plastics, or aluminum cans in the bin. The green composting bin is used only for food table scraps. The bin is picked up once a week by CR&R. CR&R has a processing plant that turns the food scraps into mulch and compost. Once a year CR&R will give free mulch/compost to Tustin Residents. They usually give out two bags per resident and many times it takes place in the parking lot at the water treatment facility next to the library on Main Street. Keep an eye out for news in the coming months from the city.
There are a few important Stop Signs around the park. Although the speed limit at Saddleback is 10 mph, always use caution at the stop signs and intersections. Please pay special attention to the stop sign at the clubhouse. Residents leaving theclubhousewillwalkacrossSaddlebackRoadatthisstopsign. The clubhouse is the main area where you will see most pedestrians, so always be cautious while driving by this area of the Park and make sure to stop at the posted stop sign crossing. Thursday afternoons are one of the busiest times with Mary’s Kitchen starting at 1:00 PM.
Remember inside of Saddleback the right of way is given first to pedestrians, then bikes, then golf carts, and finally to vehicles.
Hello there everyone, Johnny and Ava here! We hope to see you all at the St. Patrick’s Day party at the clubhouse this weekend. I was learning in school this week about St. Patrick. He was the patron saint of Ireland. He lived all the way back in the 5th century and built churches around Ireland.
Baseball season has started and I have played 4 games so far on the New York Yankees. Truth be told, I would have preferred to be on the Angels’ team, because I am an Angels fan. BUT we really like the coach of the Yankees and it seems to be the better team, so it all worked out for the better!
I am enjoying baseball and making some friends on the team. Last year I was in coach pitch and if you did not hit the ball, they would give you the baseball T. This year I am in machine pitch. The ball is thrown much harder and when you get 3 strikes you are out. So this is my 2nd year of Little League, but my first year experiencing strikeouts and machine pitch. Much different! I am adapting pretty well and getting some hits. And I am working on not getting sad when I strike out or get thrown out at a base. I am learning that this is just part of baseball, as Dad and Mom say.
Hello, Ava here! I am working hard at school and getting ready to start Kindergarten next year. If you can believe it, I already have homework. I actually like it because I can now do my own homework at the same time as my brother Johnny.
I LOVE animals and want to be a veterinarian when I grow up. I dressed up like a veterinarian for Community Helper Day at school.
We hope that you all have an awesome April! See you around the neighborhood!
Love, Johnny, and Ava
By Andy Corbley Managing Editor, Writer
Mar 5, 2025
Source: https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/this-mexican-priest-performed-as-a-wrestler-to-pay-for-orphanage-thatnurtured-thousands/
If the headline to this story sounds oddly like the plot of the movie Nacho Libre starring Jack Black, well, that’s because they are one and the same.
Fray Tormenta was a masked wrestler who delighted crowds in Mexico’s lucho libre circuit for years, but few would have known that underneath the mask there was a man of God a drug addict turned priest, who wrestled purely to raise money for an orphanage.
The story, though decades old, resurfaced and was retold recently on a Spanish news outlet. Sergio Gutierrez Benitez was born in 1945 the secondyoungest of 18 children.
By the tender age of 11, Benitez was addicted to drugs and proceeded down a path of crime, robbery, and odd jobs to fund his various dependencies.
“I started when I was 11 or 12. In this country [Mexico], drugs have always been very present,” recounted Benitez to El Confidencial. “I did everything marijuana and cocaine every day, even mushrooms from time to time. A little after that, I started heroin.”
At age twenty, Benitez was staring down murder charges afterafriendofhisinaganghewasinturned
up dead. Fortunately, alibis of drunkenly passing out in a bar elsewhere helped him evade the slammer.
After that, he sought confession, for reasons only he could say, but even though he was turned away for his wickedness, he joined the seminary and became a priest in the Piarist Order, studying in Spain and Italy to cement his faith.
After joining the Diocese of Texcoco, he wanted to build a shelter for the city’s many homeless children andorphans,butthecostswereprohibitive.Theearly life of gang and street fighting in which he was stabbed, beat up, and shot, left him with a high pain tolerance, so he pulled on a lucho libre mask and started wrestling for $15 per hour under the name Fray Tormenta.
He ended up wrestling for 23 years, from 1977 to 2000, traveling from town-to-town elbow dropping, tombstoning, and double-legging his way to semistardom. Relying on his mask to hide his identity, he eventually revealed his double personality to officiate the wedding of a close wrestling colleague shortly before opening his orphanage the object of his long fight at the turn of the millennium.
La Casa Hogar de los Cachorros de Fray Tormenta, or Fray Tormenta’s Puppies Children’s Home, has seen over 2,000 children pass through its walls. Many of them have gone on to become doctors, civil servants, engineers, lawyers, and yes, even wrestlers. One wonders where they got the idea.
By Dennis Van Allsburg
This year, in January 2025, California experienced two of the three most destructive wildfires in California History. The Eaton Fire (in Altadena) destroyed 9,413 structures and resulted in 17 deaths and the Palisades Fire destroyed 6,833 structures and resulted in 12 deaths. In response to these events, I was moved to volunteer in the disaster relief efforts and consequently was asked to share my experiences with you.
I took the required training from Southern Baptist Disaster Relief in late January. After the training, paperwork, and background check, in February I was invited to serve on one of the first Personal Property Recovery teams to work at the Eaton Fire site in Altadena. Our sleeping accommodations for the week were in a local church classroom. Meals and showers were provided. A Personal Property Recovery team is usually 8-10 people and they are typically scheduled to complete two properties each day. Occasionally we were able to split the 8 to 10person team into two smaller teams so we could complete more than two sites in a day.
Once the property owner has requested assistance for Personal Property Recovery and scheduled a time, the team needs to try to find the property to meet with the owner. With many of the normal markings such as buildings and house numbers burned away, locating the exact property sometimes becomes a challenge and may require the owner’s assistance. We meet with the owners and allowthemtotellustheirstory,theirfireexperience, and what they think we may be able to find. This meeting always includes prayer and an offer for the homeowners to suit up with us in protective gear that we would provide if they like. We are always mindful that we are the owner’s guests, invited onto their property, and that we are only there to assist them. Before entering the building sites we put on Tyvek suits,suitableworkboots,gloves,andN95facemasks.The homeowners describe where within the house the articles might be found that we are to look for. In some cases, the cement-stucco walls or other obstructions may have fallen over the search area and may need to be broken up and dragged out of the way before we can search for the various articles. Care is required because these are not safe places.
Oncethesearch areabecomesaccessible(aftermoving walls, roof tiles, ductwork, pipes, wires, etc,), we typically use shovels and ¼ inch mesh framed screens to sift through the debris and look for anything of value. Sometimes volunteers simply sit in the dirt and search with their gloved hands or with whatever tool is available. We look for coins, jewelry, firearms, safes, silverware, statues or carvings, or whatever else the owner might direct us toward. Regardless of what is found, the most valuable service we provide the propertyowneris oftenjustbeingthereforthem,being assistants for them through their time of need and loss. We recognize that listening to their experiences and allowing them to talk through their feelings is an important part of their grieving process and valuable for their healing.
At the end of each job, we pull off our protective gear and again meet as a team with the homeowner, praying for them, and providing them with a Bible that each of the volunteers has written a personal note in. Their overflowing gratitude for receiving the help is evident.
Volunteering also impacts the volunteers. Being in the middle of the disaster, sharing in the reliving of the experiences through the stories of the residents, and empathizing with their overwhelming losses, provides an understanding that just cannot be portrayed by watching the nightly news on the television. I admit being brought to tears more than once as I looked at the spaces where these homes once were and pondered what these people are going through. It drives me back to my own source of hope, assurance, and comfort, which is my faith in Jesus.
I will be returning to Altadena again in March to provide another week of Personal Property Recovery. Through a cooperative arrangement, this time I will be working under the other relief agency authorized to do this work at the California sites, Samaritan’s Purse.
Pat Green
Hello Everyone,
WewillhaveaspeakerfromTheCouncilonAgingofSouthernCalifornia on April 14th at 7:00 pm. The mission of this organization is to promote the independence, health, and dignity of older adults through compassion, education, and advocacy. We will have the opportunity to hear what services they offer to seniors, including their friendly visitor program which has been used by some Saddleback residents. Please mark your calendar now to attend to learn how the program could benefit you as someone in need or as a caregiver. Hope to see you there.
Maggie Moncrief
Hi Everyone,
Our April event is our Ladies' Afternoon Tea. The date is Saturday, April 19 from 1 - 3:30 pm.
Please give Maggie a call at 714-227-8831 if you would still like to purchase tickets.
We hope to see you all at the Tea as it is one of our favorite events and also a lot of fun. See the attached flyer for further details.
Save the Date - Saturday, May 17 - Our Mexican Dinner Night. Details to follow later this month.
Saturday, April 19, 2025, from 1:00 – 3:30 pm
We will be serving Luncheon Sandwiches, salads, Sweet Treats, and Tea.
• Prize for the best hat
• Door Prizes
• Enjoy a fun afternoon with your neighbors.
Tickets: $12.00 for members and $15.00 for guests
Tickets will be on sale at the General Meeting Monday, March 10, and at the Club House, on Monday, March 17 from 1 – 2 pm, Monday, March 24 from 1 – 2 pm, Monday, March 31 from 1 – 2 pm.
You can also give Maggie a call at 714-227-8831 for tickets.
If you would like to Hostess a table, please let Maggie know.
Submitted by Phyllis Nelson in space 59 at 714-953-5101 and Lisa Blanton in space 120 at 714-866-0631. Please TEXT or call. Please NO EMAILS!
Ruben Chavez Passed away from a fall #134
Janine Clark Fell #50
June Snyder Eye surgery #80
Rowena Chavez Passing of husband #134
Ann Carlton Health issues #146
“Thinking is the hardest work there is, which is the probable reason why so few engage in it.” Henry Ford (June 1922)
“Where all think alike, no one thinks very much.” Walter Lippmann (December 1941)
“Don’t go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first.” Mark Twain (March 1963)
“Amateurs wait for inspiration. The rest of us just get up and go to work.” Chuck Close (August 2007)
When: Seven days a week.
Where: Saddleback Mobilodge Clubhouse Pool Room
Time: 8:00 am – 9:00 pm
All men and women (18 years or older) are welcome.
When: Every Monday (play moves to Tuesday when the General Meeting is in session)
Time: 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Where: Saddleback Mobilodge Clubhouse
Please come to the Clubhouse and join the fun. If anyone is interested, please contact Gene Miller, at 562-896-5481.
BINGO
Chairperson
Ron Gathers & Bingo Caller Dick Green
2/20/25 15
Diane Megens 2/27/25 14
Judy Burroughs 3/7/25 13
3/14/25 11
Ron Gathers Hans Megens
Vicki Shoen
Players must be at least 18 years old to play by State Law and Tustin City Code 324. Players must pay for their cards before playing Bingo.
PLEASE BRING SMALL BILLS WHEN COMING TO BINGO ON THURSDAY NIGHT.
When: TUESDAY at 2:00 pm, depending on the weather. Check with Ron Gathers to make sure.
Where: Saddleback Mobilodge Shuffleboard Area
Play is suspended until warmer weather. .
for Saddleback Mobilodge Residents. Every Thursday at 1:00 p.m. at the Clubhouse. Many residents have already benefitted from receiving fresh food from this generous organization. Shopping bags are provided or bring your own.
From April through May, we will be studying the New Testament from the books of the First and Second Timothy and Titus. We are on summer break from June through August 2025. All are welcome! Come and enjoy some good friends and fellowship also.
Call Dane or Linda Counts at (714) 222-0777.
Saddleback Mobilodge Club residents can obtain assistance and access to the medical supply storage room through Pat Green at 714-547-2279, and Connie Davis at 657-223-3541.
A casual daily gathering of men and women residents, who like to have a little chit-chat with their coffee in the morning. Lying is not necessary, but understood. Loosely headed up by President Emeritus, Roz De Rosa. Meet every day around 8:00 am until about 9:30 am in the Clubhouse when it’s cold; around the pool when it’s warm; and sometimes in the pool hall. So come on out bend an ear, and share a cup of coffee. All are welcome.
Contact: Roz De Rosa at 714-972-4735.
The first part of this class challenges your cardio endurance through lowimpact aerobics & coordination, depending on your mobility & stamina. Exercises for balance, muscle strength, and flexibility are in the second half of class. Can be done either standing or sitting. We meet on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the month at 6:00 p.m. but are suspending it until Spring.
Instructors: Stephanie and Joe, Lot #117.
This is an ultra-beginner class for those who want to have some fun while learning to line dance. Your body and brain will benefit! We meet on the 2nd and 4th Mondays of each month at 3:30 p.m. Please join us!
Contact: Vicki Van Allsburg at 720-471-3743.
Please start submitting all reports and/or articles on APRIL 1, but no later than APRIL 10, 2025, for the MAY 2025 Scuttlebutt Issue. The Scuttlebutt document will be submitted to the Magazine Publisher for publication on or before MAY 15, 2025 Some consideration will be given to reports and/or articles that are submitted after APRIL 10 2025. They could be included depending on space availability but Novemberbesavedfor thenextissue. Youcan emailyourreports/articlesusingTimes New Roman with font size 14 to our email address, scuttlebutted15401@gmail.com with the subject area to read: “Scuttlebutt” , or place your report in the editor’s mailbox (#118 or #45). When submitting handwritten or typewritten articles, they should be no longer than ONE page long. Should you have any questions concerning the content or formatting of reports/articles, please feel free to contact the editors by email, or phone, or slip a note into Nancy’s mailbox at 118 Estrella or Hans’ mailbox at 45 Estrella.
PUBLISHER’S DEADLINE must be observed to allow review time for articles by the Scuttlebutt editing staff and to meet the schedule of the MHBGROUP Publisher. Late submissions will not be published in the upcoming edition. Each Scuttlebutt monthly final draft must be submitted to the publisher on or before the 15th of each month, but preferably one to two days before the publisher’s deadline.
ARTICLE SUBMISSION If any resident has a story to tell (or knows of someone who has a story to tell) on how you got to Saddleback Mobilodge, interesting places you have visited, anything you have experienced in yesteryears, or a favorite recipe you would like to share, please call Ann Bennett at 949289-8983 who will interview you and submit it to the Scuttlebutt. If you would prefer to compose the story yourself, send it to the email address scuttlebutted15401@gmail.com or put it in the editors’ mailbox at space #118 or space #45. Please use Times New Roman with font 14, using Microsoft Word. The co-editors can also be reached by phone as follows: Nancy at 714-623-4916 or Hans at 714-4969285. If a co-editor does not answer your call, please leave a message.
Just as a reminder to all readers, should you find an error, PLEASE bring this to the attention of the Scuttlebutt co-editors, Nancy Peckham at 714-623-4916 or Hans Megens at 714-496-9285.
Puzzles and Word Games you can
AIR FRYER
BLENDER
CAN OPENER
COFFEE MAKER
CUTTING BOARD
EGG COOKER
GRIDDLE
HAND MIXER
INSTANT POT
JUICER
KETTLE
MICROWAVE NINJA
PASTA MAKER
POPCORN MAKER
RICE COOKER
SCALE
SCISSORS
SLOW COOKER
TOASTER
Across
1.Not an orig.
4.Like some renewable energy
9.WWW address
10.Livid
11.Turkish title
12.Mutton or lamb leg
13.Lowers oneself
15.Northeasternmost st.
16.Drivel
18.Radio mode
20. Flowering plant with healing properties
23.Cousin of a raccoon
25.In support of
26.Moth-___
27.Freddy Krueger’s street
28.Cubic meter
29.Beam Down 1.Couple
2.Exhort
3.Kilt pattern
4.Italian unmarried woman
5.Prayer
6.Hang back
7.Proton’s place
8.Neural network
14.Kitchen gadget
17.Inmate who’s never getting out
18.Air force heroes
19.Castle defense
21.RC, e.g.
22.___ brat
24.Lunched
The headline is a clue to the answer in the diagonal.
How to solve wordoku puzzles
You only need logic and patience to solve a wordoku. Simply make sure that each 3x3 square region has only one letter from the word JUDGMENT. Similarly, each letter can only appear once in a column or row in
the larger grid. The difficulty on this puzzle is medium.
