PreSERVE
Supporting Our Family Through The Preserve Community Foundation her two grown sons , a 16 year old
of the money.” Lorena also needed
and a 20 year old. Born and raised
funds for post surgery expenses, at
in Mexico, Lupe comes from a large
least enough for the first three months
At The Preserve, the meaning of
family of eight siblings – five girls
of medication – medication she will be
“family” is extended to everyone
and three boys – of which she is the
taking for the rest of her life.
– members, guests, and staff. The
second oldest. And Lupe is closest to
moment you drive through its gates,
her sister Lorena, who at one time
The Preserve’s tight-knit community
The Preserve becomes your home,
also worked at The Preserve.
quickly heard about Lupe’s decision
Lupe and her sister Lorena
your community. And in the Golf
to donate a kidney to her sister.
Clubhouse, one of its own is always
For a long time, Lorena suffered from
Preserve members Robert Kavner
eager to welcome you with a warm smile;
hypertension and didn’t know it. She
and Sal Gutierrez, president of the
her name is Lupe.
experienced terrible headaches, but
Preserve Community Foundation,
never went to get checked out by a
contacted Lupe to let her know that
Maria Guadalupe “Lupe” Esparza has
doctor. One day she became very ill,
the Preserve Community Foundation
been a part of The Preserve family
collapsed and had to be rushed to the
would help her. One of the two areas
for over 14 years. “Lupe is short for
hospital. That’s when they discovered
the Foundation directs giving is in
Guadalupe; it’s my nickname,” Lupe
that Lorena’s abnormally high blood
providing emergency support for
said. “Everyone here, from co-workers
pressure had affected her kidneys, and
employee families during times of
to members, call me Lupe.” Lupe is
to make matters worse, her kidneys
extreme crisis.
a server in the Golf Clubhouse; you
were 50 percent damaged. This was
can find her tending bar in the Mixed
11 years ago. According to Lupe,
Lupe’s first concern was for her
Grill or serving patrons in the main
Lorena handled the illness as best she
sister and wanted the community to
dining room. “I started working in
could until her kidneys just stopped
focus their help on Lorena. But the
banquets and the Hacienda for a
working. “When we were told only 3
Foundation did more than that; they
couple of months before I moved to
percent of the kidneys were working,
also flew out Lupe’s and Lorena’s
the Clubhouse.” That was back in
that’s when we had to do the surgery,”
parents from Mexico so that they could
2001 and she’s been at the Clubhouse
Lupe said. Lupe’s family got tested as
be present to support both of their
ever since. When you ask Lupe what
potential kidney donors, but no one
daughters for the surgeries. “I heard
keeps her here, her face instantly lights
was compatible, except for Lupe, who
about Lorena’s condition through
up. “I love everything about this place!
was the closest match.
Lupe,” Sal said. “The Foundation
The members…they are so friendly. I
reached out to those [members]
like to be around nature and see the
But before the surgery could even
who knew about her situation. It
beautiful hills, and this place is very,
happen, Lorena had to come up with
was a small group of 15-20 people.
very peaceful,” she said.
$15,000. “It was very hard, all the
Insurance covered most of the medical
expenses,” Lupe recalled. “My sister,
expenses, but we helped out with the
Lupe has an hour and a half commute
my friends, and my family, we all
flights and filling prescriptions, which
everyday to work; for the last six years,
worked together to donate stuff and we
was under $20,000.”
she has lived in Marina, Calif. with
had a fundraiser just to collect some
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