Senior Village Celebrates Members’ Birthdays!

Laura Anderson

Senior Village’s birthday social coordinators Debbie McGeehan, Marcia Kovac, and Mona Sullivan planned a January/February members’ birthday celebration on Feb. 19 with cupcakes, tap dancing, guitar playing, and balloon games. Nineteen members and guests were entertained by Randall Dighton’s guitar performance of Broadway hits and Irish songs. Becca Garcia tap danced, and Chelsy Brougher and Sally Teusch engaged the crowd with movement and laughter! Lastly, John Smith and Patricia Fremont performed a skit on life.

Special recognition was given to couples celebrating their 70th and 68th wedding anniversaries, along with a couple who met in kindergarten. Love was in the air for this February event, which was hosted by Sandy Stubbings and Sandy Taft. Thank you to Sandy Brogan and Peggy Rash for making the cupcakes.

 

Lithium-ion Battery Safety Presentation

Mike Oberski

Lithium-ion batteries are used in various devices, commonly powering cell phones, laptops, tablets, power tools, electric cars, and e-micromobility devices such as e-bikes and e-scooters. Here in SaddleBrooke, a busy golf cart community, we are seeing more lithium battery-powered golf carts.

Lithium-ion batteries store a large amount of energy and can pose a threat if not treated properly. Some SaddleBrooke residents have recently experienced battery explosions that have caused major structural damage to their homes, and for this reason, SaddleBrooke resident Mike Oberski wanted to offer a presentation on how to help protect people’s homes, their investments, their pets, and maybe even their own lives.

The interest in lithium safety brought more than 130 people to the West Ballroom on Feb. 13 to learn how to safely store and use their devices. I would like to thank Senior Village management for their support in teaming with me on this presentation. Collaborating with Linda Hampton, Laura Anderson, and especially Amy Vega provided the appropriate pieces to make this event happen.

Our guest speakers were Gordy Slack from Batteries Plus and firefighter Danielle Walker from the Golder Ranch Fire Department. These two speakers provided a wealth of information and highlighted the precautions we should all be aware of when charging and managing our lithium battery devices. A few take-aways are once your device is fully charged, unplug it from the electrical source to further prevent a thermal runaway. If your home catches fire, quickly call 911 and leave your garage door down to limit the oxygen that can further fuel the fire. Make sure you store your lithium battery devices out of the heat, especially when charging or leaving for extended periods of time.

Thank you, SaddleBrooke Senior Village, for teaming together to present this event.

 

The Man Who Likes to Fix Things

John Reid

A mechanical engineer with both a B.A. and an M.A. from West Virginia University, as well as an M.B.A. from the University of Louisville, Bob Alvarez’ professional career included work on space-based satellites for national security while at Eastman Kodak, 17 years at GE working on major home appliances, and a total of 42 years in a number of industries that benefited from his engineering skill and innate curiosity about how complex devices work. Over that time, he was awarded 19 U.S. patents.

Bob and his wife Mary Ann moved to SaddleBrooke 24 years ago and began volunteering on the Helping Hands and Home Technology teams in 2016. Senior Village has proved to be a perfect fit for a man gifted with a wide range of handyman skills who says it is rewarding “to help seniors stay in their homes.”

To more fully know the man who has done so much for so many in SaddleBrooke, it is important to appreciate the effect of being the child of a first-generation Cuban immigrant who had little but a family and dreams; the effect of having a father who never got past 8th grade, because he had to work and then was badly injured in an industrial explosion at 16; and the effect of having to get an education, knowing that the alternative was life in the coal mines of Western Pennsylvania.

Bob said that his family was so poor, “We never went anywhere, out to meals or on vacations. That’s just the way things were. There was no fallback if we goofed off. It was a common experience for children of Depression Era parents.” In this regard, Bob said he “worked and paid for my entire college education.”

In talking about his early years, Bob does not in any way tinge the memories with regret, but has appreciation for the formative values provided by his father, mother, grandparents, and members of a large, extended family.

As for the future, Bob still rides a motorcycle and was planning to ride to Globe with a couple of old friends the day after we chatted. And in terms of the next chapter, Bob said he might follow his mother who was “a good amateur artist” and “spend a little more time sketching.” He also wants to read more, especially Southwest history.

Bob said he will fill his days just “trying to be a good citizen.”

Senior Village Seminar: ‘Senior Village Voices: Aging with Purpose and Support’

Laura Anderson

Senior Village is pleased to announce an exciting initiative. We will offer a series of informative seminars and workshops designed to stimulate learning and action on issues of importance to all SaddleBrooke residents. The series is called “Senior Village Voices: Aging with Purpose and Support.”

One of the first seminars is called “When Later Is Too Late,” which will be held on March 21 from 2 to 3 p.m. in the Sonoran Room at MountainView. Presenters will be Dick Schroeder, Stefanie Williams, and Dr. Andrea Molberg.

This seminar will explore the importance of proactive planning and timely decision-making. Consider this: If you or your partner were to be in an accident tomorrow, would you be ready to take on the management of your family’s estate? Most of us are not fully prepared, but we could be more knowledgeable. Join us for an informative seminar on pre-planning for end-of-life decisions designed to guide you through essential topics like the importance of wills, advance directives, DNR orders, powers of attorney, and more. This session is open to all SaddleBrooke residents and will help you understand the importance of making clear decisions ahead of time, ensuring your wishes are respected later.

Our expert speakers will guide you through things to consider, answer questions, and provide valuable resources to help make informed decisions about healthcare, estate, and legacy planning. Whether you’re looking to protect your family, ease burdens for your loved ones, or simply gain peace of mind, this seminar will empower you to take control of your future. The time to act is now. Start planning today for a secure and well-organized tomorrow. Register now to reserve your spot, as seating will be limited! RSVP to seminars@seniorvillage.org.