Phoebe Bax reacts to her victory in a hilarious and competitive game among friends in Tubac.
Villas 2
Susan Fusco
A group of 14 women from Villas 2 took a mini-vacation recently when they traveled to Tubac on October 10 through 12. The ladies had frivolity in mind when they got underway and it was truly a frivolous and fun few days. The group stayed for two nights at Tubac Golf Resort and Spa and they enjoyed the comfortable accommodations and lovely grounds at the resort.
The first evening of the trip the women had a leisurely dinner at Stables, the restaurant on site.
The next morning they got serious about the real reason they were there and, for all but three of the group, the shopping began. Bags full of treasures were stowed in car trunks as purchases multiplied at this mecca for shoppers. Meanwhile, three of the women enjoyed the fine weather while on the golf course. Most of the women stopped for a long lunch at Shelby’s Restaurant, near the shops, while a few opted for Mexican fare in Tumacacori. Lunch was followed by a bit more shopping and then the ladies headed back to the resort and the comfort of their rooms. As evening fell, everyone met in the largest of the rooms for an informal sharing of snacks and drinks brought from SaddleBrooke. Conversation and games rounded out the evening. The next morning the women enjoyed a last breakfast and then headed back to SaddleBrooke.
Villas ladies have traveled annually to nearby locales. The visit to Tubac was a repeat of several taken over the years. Other getaways have included trips to Scottsdale, Bisbee, Las Vegas and a cruise of several days.
And the winners of the Unit 21 Halloween Costume Contest (left to right) are: Pat and Ron Andrea – Supergirl and Superman – winners of best superhero/heroine category; Midge Mollenkopf – Face from Your Nightmares – winner of best Halloween/monster are Pat Anderson, Sherry England and Connie Wortman – The three widowed witches of SaddleBrooke – winners of best couple (real or fictional) who were actually a trio.
Despite many clever costumes, the ladies of Unit 21’s Bunco Group gathering just don’t look all that scary. The dogs, on the other hand, look like they would just like to go back to being man’s best friend!
Unit 21
Jim Hagedon
If your phobias include Things That Go Bump in the Night, there were a lot of scary goings-on in Unit 21 around the end of October! But for those who get a kick out of seeing creative Halloween costumes, an abundance of orange and black and some friendly competition, the unit offered ample opportunities to enjoy the season. Here are a couple of examples:
Unit 21’s annual Halloween Party: According to event organizer Judy Saks, 36 people attended the annual Halloween Party on Monday, October 31 at the Roadrunner Grill. A meal especially satisfying to witches, ghosts and goblins – hamburgers, garden macaroni and potato salads and cookies – provided plenty of energy for a busy evening of Halloween hijinks.
No Halloween gathering would be complete without costumes and, of course, a competition for the best – and scariest – adornment of the evening. Costume categories included Best Couple, Best Superhero/Heroine and Best Halloween/Monster. A bottle of wine was awarded to the winners of each category. A Just-for-Fun Halloween trivia contest rounded out the evening.
Unit 21 Bunco Group: Costumes were also in abundance at the Unit’s monthly Bunco get-together on October 25 at Pat Anderson’s home. Sixteen ladies and a couple of dogs-in-residence got into the spirit of the season while enjoying their monthly gaming activities. Not sure who the big winner of the day was, but it looks like everyone, with maybe the exception of the dogs, was having a great time!
Chicago Cubs fan Bud Snyder with his fans, Mary Beth and Phyllis; photographer, Ron Talbot
Unit 27
Sue Case
Wow! We’re almost at the end of another year! Now that most of our winter residents have returned, the social season in Unit 27 has kicked into full gear.
Vicki and Dave Strief hosted the unit on October 19 and 20 with an open house to view Vicki’s newly finished doll house. An impressive three-floor design, reminiscent of Downton Abbey, the house was completely furnished with miniature people, pets, furniture and furnishings, many of which Vicki made herself over the summer. After the viewing, guests were treated to drinks and sweets and, for some, a chance to watch a World Series game.
On October 28 Lynda and Joe Dolejs hosted what might have been the Snack and Chat with the largest turnout ever, as at least 60 residents attended! The food supply and variety at the Halloween-themed event were ample and, thanks to unseasonably warm weather, people had space to eat and chat. As the World Series was still ongoing, several people never left their seats in front of the TV except for food runs. Unit 27’s biggest Cubs fan, Bud Snyder, sat in a chair specifically saved for him by the hosts. Congratulations to Bud and all Cubs fans!
Betty Cole appeared before the Pinal County Board of Supervisors on November 2 to request a proclamation declaring November 17 as World Pancreatic Cancer Day in an effort to raise awareness of the deadly cancer. Her request was sponsored by our District 4 Supervisor Anthony Smith. The Board approved and signed the Proclamation the same day, recognizing that 1070 Arizonans will be diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer and 900 will die of it in 2016. Our humble and grateful thanks, Betty, for your efforts to educate people about this terrible disease.
The last Snack and Chat of 2016 was hosted on November 19 by Sue Case and Rick Waldorf. Mother Nature sent unusually good weather specifically for that day and night and attendees were able to mingle both inside and out. The food was so varied that there were no duplicates! It was a great opportunity to chat with neighbors who were soon to leave for the holidays and everyone was in good spirits. Instead of Snack and Chats in December, the unit traditionally sponsors a dinner and dance party in addition to a unit ladies’ luncheon.
Unit 49 veterans, left to right: Jack Moore, Matt Kambic, Fred Reitan, Sam Miller, Ken Wong, Fred Kjar, Ray Peale, Ben Lichtman, Jack Lee, Jack Moore, Ken Heaton, John Lauder, Steve Kore, John Nola, Dave Corrigan, Dick Argast, Gary Brunelle and Joel Kurosaki; photo by Marge Wong
Unit 49
Ken Wong
Unit 49 held its seventh annual picnic at Catalina State Park on Tuesday, November 8. The weather was beautiful with nice occasional breezes! Paid attendance of 92 residents set a record, with 49ers enjoying socializing at the Gila Monster large group picnic area with the Santa Catalina Mountains as a backdrop. Several residents also hiked some of the scenic park trails. Hosted by Ken and Marge Wong, everyone enjoyed the catered meal which included fried chicken, baked beans, salads, rolls and of course, dessert which consisted of cookies and ice cream. Games were organized and conducted by Doug and Nancy Boklund and were both entertaining and challenging. We recognized all Unit 49 veterans of the armed services, providing those in attendance with special name tags and thanking them for their service. A gift to each veteran was a box of M&M candies which historically was developed for the military in 1941 as a way to provide a melt-free candy for our soldiers to carry in their packs. A tribute was also paid to George Bidwell, one of our fellow residents and a U.S. Army veteran, who passed away on October 30. We also recognized the Social Committee, the Arts and Theatre Team and the coordinator of our ladies luncheon group.
Unit 49 Walkathon participants; photo by Diane Marchand
Unit 49 Walkathon participants; photo by Diane Marchand
Unit 49 at the Walkathon
Diane Marchand
The Unit 49ers once again rose to the occasion to participate in the twentieth annual SaddleBrooke Community Outreach (SBCO) Walkathon on October 29. It was a beautiful day as they followed the route around Ridgeview and ended at the SaddleBrooke Clubhouse for a great breakfast and raffle. The Walkathon benefits children in the Tri-Communities area. “It’s all about the kids!”