14 minute read
Association News
From The Board of Directors
Our mission as the SCOV Board is to lead in maintaining and enhancing the quality of life in Sun City Oro Valley as an active adult community.
All Board minutes, agendas and reports are available online and in the SCOV Library. Board meetings are open to residents.
Board of Directors tmcfadden2020@comcast.net
Our Lucky Life in SCOV
by Terry McFadden It is hard to believe, but yet another whole year has slipped by. It didn’t go totally unnoticed, but personally, I am positive there couldn’t have been a full 12 months since the last time I sat down to write this Tipster article for the December Tipster. Still, here we are looking back at another Thanksgiving and forward to December holidays with shopping and parties and more shopping and... well, just everything that is crammed together in what seems like just a week and a half. Before you even have time to catch your breath, you are looking at New Year’s Eve. Even worse, every year you seem to lose a little more out of this little wisp of time that starts with a turkey dinner, and in what seems like just an instant, sends you scooting out into a brand new year.
Now, I don’t know where you will find time in this mad rush, but this is the month where you are supposed to take stock and reorganize your life to keep it under control so that next year will be better. Along with all of that, we need to find another couple of moments to recognize how good we really have it here in SCOV and the good old USA and to express our thanks. My wife and I have traveled extensively abroad, and we haven’t found another country in the world that even begins to compare to the US, in spite of its faults. We are so lucky to live here in SCOV and in this unbeatable weather of Southern Arizona, where we don’t have to worry about winter and shoveling snow and slippery streets. This endless summer is really great. So, find the time to recognize your good luck and all of your blessings, say a little thank you to whomever you think is responsible, then go out and enjoy the season. Happy holidays and a prosperous and enjoyable New Year to all!
December Board of Directors Meeting
Thursday, December 8, 1 PM, WC3 and Zoom
Let’s Hear It for the Yea-Sayers
We often hear about “naysayers” and their effect yet don’t often hear about “YEA-sayers” and their effect. I’d like to write today about this formidable group of residents that are the yea-sayers. You can recognize them not only by their numerous positive comments but also by their many positive works and kindnesses that improve our community.
Yea-sayers generally like to gather in groups. Here are a few places the yea-sayers can be found: attend any one of the 13 standing, advisory or ad hoc committees or the 10 service and support committees; attend or participate in any of the 201 clubs or get to know other residents by attending or participating in any of the Association or club activities or events.
You will recognize yea-sayers by the subjects they discuss. Examples could include: how to improve the community at SCOV; how to improve our aging facilities; the positive events or activities that have recently taken place or those that have yet to take place; what new or better events and activities SCOV could have and how they can help the Board, staff, committees or other residents.
Whatever the yea-sayers are discussing, you can bet it is positive and in the best interest of the community. They build up, not tear down our community, staff or other residents. They create the sustaining atmosphere that brought most of our residents to this wonderful community. They will talk up the community, facilities, residents and staff. Their actions and talk help the community to not only maintain its positive character but also help sustain the property values of every home. I give a standing ovation to the YEA-sayers in our community!
I wish you all a very happy holiday season.
Saturday, December 24Holiday Hours
AFC/Pool open 5 AM-3 PM Desert Oasis open 9 AM-4 PM Library open 7:30 AM-Noon Catalina Vista closed Pro Shop open 6 AM-2 PM Restaurant open 7 AM-3 PM
Sunday, December 25
All facilities closed
Monday, December 26 Staff observed holiday The Welcome Center and Library will be closed Normal hours for other facilities
What’s Inside
Association News...........................3 Association Committees ................7 On the Cover .................................8 Golf.................................................9 Coming Events .............................11 Workshops and Classes................12 Memoriam....................................13 Clubs ............................................13 Arts, Crafts & Hobbies..............13 Continuing Education ................17 Cultural & Social........................18 Dance ........................................20 Exercise.....................................21 Games .......................................24 Music .........................................26 Sports ........................................27 Travel.........................................29 Partnered Organizations ..............30 Extended Community ..................31 Volunteer Opportunity.................31 Classifieds.....................................32 Photo Scrapbook..........................33
It’s More Than Living... It’s A Lifestyle!
2003
20
2023
A College Campus of Our Own
by Mary Lee Fitzgerald
INSTITUTE OF LEARNING IN RETIREMENT SUN CITY ORO VALLEY Right here in Sun City is an array of college-level courses provided in two terms each year. The Institute of Learning in Retirement (ILR) is celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2023 having provided hundreds of courses to enthusiastic residents eager to stay intellectually engaged in learning.
Sun City is a remarkable gold mine of opportunities. If you never had time to improve your golf game, work on your tennis serve, try line dancing or pickleball, become a birder, try making a pot or learn to play chess, all of that and more is right here. Finally, there is time to explore and ponder new possibilities.
For more than 20 years, ILR has created on-site, an enviable array of classes you would find in any community college. ILRs got their start from a group of New Yorkers who had returned from an Elderhostel trip to Europe. “Do we really need to go all that distance,” they asked, “when we could do so much learning right here at home?” Soon, several New York City area universities were sponsoring programs, then Harvard, then Yale, and a movement of adult learning was launched. Today, there are more than 400 ILRs across the country, some affiliated with universities and some not.
The University of Arizona initiated a program back in 1987 that caught the attention of several SCOV residents. There were 17 regular participants in SAGE (Seniors’ Achievement and Growth through Education) driving down to the UArizona campus every week. But, it was taking longer to find parking spaces and hike across campus to class. Gene Bammel’s term as co-president of SAGE was ending, and the initial attraction of weekly driving was waning. Gene, his wife Lei, and Ruth and Milt Damlich met to consider creating a satellite program here in SCOV. ILR co-founders Lei and Gene Bammel ILR was chartered in 2003 with a set of by-laws; Gene Bammel was president, Jane Arndorfer vice-president, Lei was secretary, and Milt, as treasurer, deposited a small check to their new checking account on April 15, 2003. It has been a phenomenal success. Sun City ILR now has over 700 members and is still growing.
Hundreds of volunteer instructors have taught in the fields of history, philosophy, religion, geology, culture, literature, anthropology and psychology. A continuing draw is the opportunity to learn something new in a setting with neighborhood friends. This year, on our 20th anniversary, we are launching several new initiatives. “Learning on the Move,” created by Alice Hutchison, provides off-site trips in the Tucson area several times during both the fall and winter terms. Courses called “2+” consist of two in-class presentations with an optional off-campus visit. Debbie Kotlarek is introducing letterboxing. Jerry Freund from Medicine Man Gallery is explaining the Navajos’ Spider Woman myth and distinctive Navajo weavings from early 20th century trading posts. Bob Kitch, an international competitor in the atlatl, is introducing us to the growing sport of primitive weaponry. The weekly Friday Forum will provide challenging, sometimes controversial topics for thoughtful listeners to consider more than one perspective: “Was the Wild West Really Wild?” with guest professor Eduardo Pagan from Arizona State University, “The Complex Legacies of the Spanish Colonizers” with guest professor Michael Brescia from UArizona and “The Mexican Border: What’s Really at Stake?” with guest presenter, John Fife from the coalition of No More Deaths. Thanks to the leadership of Randy Myerson, ILR has created a Tech Committee, chaired by Harold Wood, to provide opportunities for classes to be both videotaped and Zoomed as hybrid offerings. The regular winter term of courses begins in February. Videotaped previews with the course instructors are on the ILR website www.suncityilr.com. Topics include: “The Roaring Twenties,” “American Civil War,” “Earth, Wind and Fire,” “America in Vietnam,” “Fun with the Chinese Language” and “LBJ and Lady Bird: America’s Power Couple.” On Thursday, December 15, ILR is hosting a holiday tea for all SCOV residents to introduce the winter courses and an opportunity to meet the instructors. Attendees can register for courses on the spot. Additionally, we will recognize the founders of Sun City ILR and others who have contributed so much to its success. See Coming Events, page 12. Learn about letterboxing in a new 2+ class Learning on the Move included a trip to the TPD Crime Lab this fall
Asst. General Manager - Robin Coulter rcoulter@suncityorovalley.com 520-917-8070
Website Tip Member Services > This & That
There’s a lot for you on the Member Services section of our website. Check out the This & That section, which is our version of miscellaneous. Looking for an HVAC company? See the Consumer Referral Vendors list. Need a neighbor’s phone number? See the Community Directory. Want to purchase a ticket to an SCOV event? See Tickets. If you need to change your address (leaving for the summer, returning for the winter), there’s an easy form to fill out. Need a new nametag? There’s a form to print off and bring in with your $10 or send off to our vendor. This is the place to nominate Board candidates (we’re done with that for the year). If you ever have questions about the Town of Oro Valley, this is where the constituent coordinator’s email address is located. She can help you find out just about anything you need to know about the Town of Oro Valley. And there’s much more. It’s worth a moment to check out what’s available in the Member Services section of our website.
Lifestyle Coordinator - Brenda Puzzele-Stoltz bpuzzele-stoltz@suncityorovalley.com 520-917-8077
There are two fun activities for December. The first is a community-wide holiday parade with decorated golf carts, beautiful cars, veterans, the Mayor and more. Join in the parade or watch along the route on Tuesday, December 20. See Coming Events for more details.
The second event is professional impersonator, David Gorgie, who has performed 1000s of shows featuring standup comedy, singing and acting. David does 30 different celebrities from Austin Powers to Frank Sinatra, Elvis, Johnny Cash, several Presidents and more. The show is the evening of Tuesday, December 20, and has limited seating. Details are in Coming Events.
Community Services - Katy Mosier Architectural Coordinator, Katy Mosier scoroval@ciramail.com 520-917-8058
Did You Know?
Development Standards 2.18 contains landscaping information such as a Prohibited Plant List and an Approved Tree List. It also includes directives about how these plantings should be maintained. On several corner lots, tree branches are blocking street signs and/or overhanging sidewalks and the street. Because our community is 36-plus years old, there are many trees and shrubs that have grown extra large over the years.
This is a reminder that it may be time to take a good look at some of those larger specimens in your yard and decide if they need to be pruned back or even removed. Root systems of these older trees are lifting foundations, driveways and sidewalks. There have even been reports of damage to sewer systems, which can be quite costly to repair.
Neighboring tree height and the disappearance of views often encourages neighbors to talk with each other and come to a mutual understanding that makes both parties happy. Enjoyment of our mountain views is part of why we live here, but shade is also important. Perhaps seeking a balance between our need for shade and the size of trees in our yards is something to consider when planning for pruning this year.
1 John Wodecki 5 David & Noreen (Clancy) O’Rourke 5 Lois Postil 6 Cecelia Atkinson & Andrew Brannen 10 Duane Beckwith & Frances Kosik 12 Janet Robinson 12 Carolyn & Franklin Meier 12 Steven & Lisa Reynolds 17 Stephen & Rosalia Costa 17 Cristy Carlson 17 Robert & Jennifer Martinez 18A Reliance West Land Co.
Tucson, AZ Anaconda, MT Oro Valley, AZ Oro Valley, AZ Flagstaff, AZ Oro Valley, AZ Oro Valley, AZ Cheyenne, WY
Mimbres, NM Oro Valley, AZ Oracle, AZ
October Housing Resale Information Resales For the Month YTD 2022 12 152 2021 13 177 2021 Total Sold - 208
2022: Active Listings as of 10/31/2022........................14 2021: Active Listings as of 10/31/2021........................14
Source: MLSSAZ® October 2022 Average Age of New Owners: 68.2 SCOV Library - Michelle Mooney www.suncityorovalley.com/amenities-facilities/library Online catalog: https://evolveopac.infovisionsoftware.com/suncityorovalley mmooney@suncityorovalley.com 520-917-8083
The Library is offering two author events and a holiday book sale this month.
Author Wynne Brown will present a visual journey through the remarkable life and work of Sara Plummer Lemmon (Mount Lemmon’s namesake). Both Sara and her husband traveled throughout the Southwest and documented new plant species. Unfortunately, most of Sara’s journals and artistic illustrations were lost in a fire at her home, and those materials housed at the California Academy of Sciences Building were lost in the 1906 earthquake and fires. Wynne Brown has done an exceptional job researching and documenting Sara’s lifetime of adventures and exploration in her new book, The Forgotten Botanist.
The Library welcomes back local author Leo W. Banks to talk about his new novel .45 Caliber Perfume. This original, darkly funny new crime novel is set in the Arizona desert. Leo Banks is the recipient of the Western Writers of America 2018 Spur Award for Best First Novel and Best Contemporary Western for his book Double Wide. See Coming Events on page 11 for details of both December author presentations.
The holiday book sale is scheduled for December 15 through 23. Watch “This Week in SCOV” for a sneak preview of items for sale. Thank you for your continued support of our local community library.
Recreation and Fitness - Lonnie Davis ldavis@suncityorovalley.com 520-917-8073
Perfume or No Perfume
The question of whether you should wear perfume to the gym is another one of those topics with conflicting opinions. The air in the gym is sometimes filled with the results of users’ efforts, especially during peak times when everyone is trying to grab the last treadmill or heading off to the aerobics class. People are sweating. People are breathing heavily. 5
SUN CITY ORO VALLEY
Money MATTERS
Statement of Revenues and Expenses and the Results of Operations Statement of Revenues & Expenses and the Results of Operations
Revenues: Annual H.O. Fees Asset Reserve Revenue Capital Fund Revenue Golf Revenues Activities Revenues Restaurant Revenues Interest Income Other Income Gross Revenues
Asset Reserve Capital Fund Contingency Fund Wash Fund Contribution New Capital Acquisitions Restricted Use Revenues Net Operating Revenues
Expenses: Wages & Benefits Cost of Sales Utilities Repair & Maint. Supplies & Expenses Depreciation Total Expenses
Restricted Fund Expenses Net Operating Expenses Results of Operations Oct
364,213$ 170,660$ 216,784$ 232,45$ 4 9,212$ 161,228$ 20,939$ 20,55$ 4 1,196,04$ 4
(170,660)$ (216,784)$ -$ -$ (1,685)$ (7,114)$ 799,801$
376,087$ 94,012$ 170,987$ 17,10$ 4 150,670$ 115,000$ 923,860$
(118,442)$ 805,418$ (5,617)$
4 Months 2022-2023
Actual Budget
1,456,856$ 436,640$ 815,843$ 581,235$ 24,577$ 554,006$ 69,602$ 246,778$ 4,185,537$
(436,640)$ (815,843)$ (98,184)$ -$ (35,913)$ (98,904)$ 2,700,053$ 1,456,856$ 437,000$ 816,000$ 514,477$ 28,836$ 548,700$ 4,000$ 109,080$ 3,914,949$
(437,000)$ (816,000)$ -$ -$ (11,700)$ (14,360)$ 2,635,889$
1,483,370$ 305,133$ 488,997$ 53,567$ 591,456$ 460,000$ 3,382,523$
(499,656)$ 2,882,867$ (182,814)$ 1,554,870$ 282,132$ 488,916$ 48,138$ 560,892$ 460,000$ 3,394,948$
(460,000)$ 2,934,948$ (299,059)$
Above is a summary of the Revenues and Expenses and the Results of Operations for the first four months of the 2022-2023 fiscal year. A copy of the report in greater detail can be found on our website www.suncityorovalley.com. Log in after hovering over the Members tab and selecting Financials. At this page you will find the monthly Financial Statements as well as the Annual Budget for the current Fiscal Year and a copy of the Annual Budget for the coming year.
If you are interested in more information regarding the community’s finances, we encourage you to attend the Finance-Budget Committee meeting which will be held Monday, January 23, 1 PM, in Conference Room WC3 in the Welcome Center and via Zoom.
If you have any questions, feel free to call me at 520917-8060, or email me at rtrenary@suncityorovalley.com. Randy Trenary, Controller
