SUN CITY ALIANTE BOD SECRETARY SONJA BANKSTON- CULLEN HONORED BY THE CLARK COUNTY COMMISSION

from The March 2023 Edition of the Breeze Magazine

L. OETTINGER – CAPTURES THE MAGIC OF THE STARS

We a r e p r o u d a n d excited to announce S o n j a B a n k s t o nCullen - Secretary of the Sun City Aliante Board of Directorswas named by Clark C o u n t y C o u n t y C o m m i s s i o n t o b e h o n o r e d f o r h e r achievements during a ceremony celebrating Black History Month. T h e c e r e m o n y w a s held on February 7 at 9 a . m . a t t h e C l a r k C o u n ty G o v er n men t Center, Commission Chambers, at 500 S. Grand Central Parkway, Las Vegas.

Sonja received a Medallion Award, presented by Clark County Commissioner Marilyn Kirkpatrick, on behalf of the entire Commission and Clark County. She also received a Kente Cloth, a weaved cloth which was a cultural tradition of the Asante worn exclusively to dress kings and their courts.

Sonja was honored during Black History Month for her exemplary service as a member of the Sun City Aliante Board of Directors, her devotion to community service, and her distinguished career as a leader and educator for the California public education system, serving as a teacher, principal of high schools and middle schools, and serving in the Oﬃce of Special Projects and Human Resources where she oversaw funding and compliance for 33 schools and the Central Oﬃce.

Thank you, Sonja, for all your extraordinary service.

Aliante Classy Chefs

Aliante Classy Chefs held last month's meeting on Tuesday, February 7. They celebrated a Valentine's Day theme with Karen Baird in charge of the decorations. The table was exceptionally beautiful. Diane Lazarus made an outstanding heart-shaped meatloaf, Bill and Diane James made Roasted Potatoes, Beets and Deviled Eggs, Tina Tendy made Chocolate Dipped Strawberries, Sylvia Ross brought a Chocolate Raspberry Cake and Phyliss Minster brought a Triple Tiered Cake.

March's theme will be centered around St. Patrick's Day. Corned beef and cabbage, with green drinks and pistachio pudding are highlighting the meal.

The club usually meets the ﬁrst Tuesday of the month. The March meeting of Classy Chefs will be held Tuesday, March 7 at 9:30 a.m. in the Vista Room. For club information, call Sylvia Ross at (714)313-4046 or email at sylviaross1954@icloud.com.

This article includes a photo taken during a January class. Thank you, Judy Marr, for the very informative class on glazes and how to use them.

Dial And Table Tennis

American Mah Jongg

Spring is just around the corner. Along with it, comes getting your new 2023 Mah Jongg card. Come out of hibernation and join members in playing the game you both love and hate. It should be fun reuniting with “old” friends and possibly making new acquaintances. For more information, please contact Arlene Harris at 914-456-9690.

Book Club

The Book Club selection for March is Rooftops of Tehran by Mahbod Seraji. Join them for a discussion at the Community Center at 6:45 p.m. on Thursday, March 16. For a list of upcoming book selections, please visit their website at www.scaliante.com. For more information, please contact Jeannette Smith at 702-649-2468.

Ceramics

Members wish you a Happy St. Patty's Day this month! They are having a great time in ceramics painting items that will be oﬀered for sale at the May 6 Spring Arts & Craft Show. They also have items available for sale now.

Everyone is welcome to join the Ceramics Club, where their goal is to be creative with friends and neighbors while having a good time. The Club meets on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon. One of their members would be happy to show you around and answer questions... So, come to Craft Room #3 and join the fun.

CELEBRATING THE LUNAR NEW YEAR - Nearly 90 residents welcomed the Lunar New Year (Year of the Rabbit) with a celebration on Saturday, January 21. The event included a variety of activities including Line Dancing to many songs; a Fashion Show of Lunar New Year ﬁnery; a potluck dinner with appetizers, Asian dishes, entrees, & desserts; the exchange of red envelopes with many gifts; and a raﬄe of many prizes donated by the clubs.

What a great way to welcome the Lunar New Year!

LBGT - SOCIAL GROUP

The LGBT+ Social Group meets at the Community Center Activity Room on the second Wednesdays at 6 p.m. This is a SAFE SPACE to meet and enjoy the company, stories, and adventures of like-minded people Additionally, group activities such as movies, bingo, cornhole, or house parties will be available when there is group interest.

In January, the group successfully hosted their ﬁrst community-wide event, a Karaoke Dance Party There was a great turnout with line dancers, choruses, joke-tellers, two-steppers, and solo singers providing a great time. Attendees could still be heard laughing as they were leaving the event.

So, if you're a “Friend of Dorothy,” “Daughter of Bilitis,” or looking for that “Somewhere over the Rainbow,”, connect with the SCAL LGBT+ S

Pickleball

Free lessons --- For beginners and all novice players!!! Mondays at noon and Wednesdays at 1 p.m.

Lastly, members will be going over other future activities for the group, especially the Annual Food Drive, which will run from Thursday, April 6 through Wednesday, April 19. More information about the drive will be published in the April Breeze and look for their donation box in the lobby area in early April.

New members are always welcome. For more information about the organizations they support or about joining our group, contact Carol Hoyt at 702-647-1289 or Karen Nutto at 201-787-9391.

Players at any level and Club members are invited to come out for open play time on those same days. The instructors will also oﬀer “Skills and Drills” for players of any skill level. No signup is necessary. Contact: Sarah Smith (702-635-4629) if you have questions.

Poker Tournament Sun City Aliante Songsters Poker Tournament Winners

Congratulations to the following winners of the Poker Tournament held on January 21.

• 1st place Nick Medeiros

• 2nd place Alan Rosenbloom

• 3rd place Cedra Reskovac

The next Poker Tournament will be held on Saturday, April 29.

Spring is just around the corner and the Sun City Aliante Songsters and Aliante Treble Makers (ATM a cappella group of Songsters members) are hard at work preparing for their upcoming concert, “The Music in My Life.”

Seniors With Warm Hearts

Seniors with Warm Hearts will be busy this month with many activities. On Thursday, March 2 and Friday, March 3, members will volunteer at Somerset Academy Aliante to read to the students in various classrooms and grade levels in conjunction with Nevada Reading Week.

The next meeting will be on Thursday, March 16 at 11 a.m. when the group will have a guest speaker, Dale Darcas of Serving Our Kids Foundation. He will talk to the members about what the organization is doing to help elementary school children with food insecurities as well as the future for Serving Our Kids. At the same meeting, they will ﬁnalize the volunteer list for bagging meals for Serving Our Kids later in the month.

Please mark your calendars now for the 7 p.m. performances on Friday, April 21 and Saturday, April 22. Tickets are $10.00 each and will be available for purchase from Songster members. Keep an eye out for ticket sales dates in the “eBlast.”

The Sun City Aliante Songsters are a non-proﬁt chorus of 40 seniors who love to sing and/or play instruments.

If you are interested in joining the Songsters, or have any questions, please call or text Director Lorraine Zanello at (702) 460-9583 or email at Lcompozr@aol.com.

Technology Club

Experiencing the Metaverse

P l e a s e c o n s i d e r a t t e n d i n g t h e next Technology Club meeting on Thursday, March

2 a t 6 : 3 0 p m w h e n t h e t o p i c w i l l b e t h e

M e t a v e r s e a n d e x p e r i e n c i n g i t with the Oculus Quest Headset.

T h e M e t a v e r s e describes a highly immersive virtual world where people gather to socialize, work and play. The potential of the Metaverse is so great that Facebook changed its name to Meta and is investing billions to create its Metaverse.

The Technology Club will use the Oculus Quest headset to allow you to experience the Metaverse. This will provide meeting attendees a glimpse of the future of the Metaverse.

Come to this club meeting and learn about the future of the Metaverse.

For more information, please contact Wayne Headrick at 725-227-3441 and wayne.headrick@gmail.com.

VETERAN'S CLUB

Spring is just around the corner and I am looking forward to warmer weather

I hope you will come out and join us for our monthly meeting on Tuesday, March 21, 2023 at 6 p.m. in the Vista Room. We will have a guest speaker, Brenda Morris, Director of the SE Nevada Honor Flight. Brenda has been with the program for the last ten years. Also, club member Ray Wong will be part of the program. Ray is an Army Veteran who has made the Honor Flight. He will share with us some of his experiences.

Wanda Tacey, acting Vice-Chair, will present our new slate of Oﬃcers and conduct the election. Please come and participate in voting for your next year's club oﬃcers.

A really exciting event is happening this month. On Thursday, March 23, 2023, we will have our first ever “Visiting With Vets” coffee. It will be from 8-10 a.m. in the Activities Room. We will provide coffee and breakfast pastries, while people have the opportunity to talk and get to know each other If you know someone who is not a vet, but her or she would like to come along, please bring them. See you there!

Important dates for March:

• Navy Reserve Birthday – March 3

• Hug a G.I. Day – March 4

Go give that veteran family member a GREAT BIG HUG!

• Birthday – March 5

• K-9 Veterans Day – March 13

• American Legion Birthday – March 15

I am proud to be a member of the American Legion for over 25 years.

• Rosie The Riveter Day – March 21… Remember those Posters?

• Medal of Honor Day – March 25Seabee

• National Vietnam War Veterans Day – March 29

A special tribute to our club members who are Vietnam War Veterans. If anyone is interested in purchasing a brick for a loved one to be placed in the Veterans Monument or donating to the Adopt-A-Flag Program, contact Sy Nielson at 702-234-9183.

All Veterans who are able, please join us for our monthly meeting, Tuesday, March 21, 2023 at 6 p.m. in the Vista Room. Hope to see you there!

Pat Goeppinger, Acting Chair, The Veterans Club of Sun City Aliante

VETERAN'S AUXILIARY

The Veterans Auxiliary held a meeting on Tuesday, January 17 in the Vista Room. They discussed the wonderful trip in December to the VA Hospital to deliver lap blankets to the patients there. It was the ﬁrst time since the pandemic that members were allowed to actually go into rooms and visit with the Veterans.

By the time this issue of The Breeze goes to print, the Auxiliary, along with the Veterans Club of Sun City Aliante, will have sponsored the Pancake Breakfast on Saturday, February 18. At the January meeting, volunteers signed-up to help with the event, and the Auxiliary announced they planned to hold a Donation Drive to Help USA transitional veteran housing. Items such as paper towels, toilet paper and breakfast items were collected.

Several members took a tour of the Genesis transitional apartments (Help USA) on January 18 given by their Director of Social Services, Gerson Pedrozo. Members were impressed by the eﬀorts made by HELP USA to help homeless veterans.

Volunteer sign-ups and plans for the “Paint with Vivian” event on March 1 were also discussed at the January meeting.

The Veterans Auxiliary regular meetings are held the 3rd Tuesday of each month at 9 a.m. in the Vista Room. The March meeting will be held on Tuesday, March 21. The Auxiliary welcomes all who are interested in helping to support our veterans and active military For further information, please email Julie Tomlin at jtomlin55@msn.com or call 208-320-8115 or Hjordy Wagner at hwizwag@gmail.com or call 715-529-9728.