Unit 15 news
Unit 15’s Social Committee has completed a fabulous time of planning all year long bringing the unit together through various functions. Here are our elves after busying themselves for our Christmas get-together. The residents of Unit 15 say thank you for all you’ve done in 2016.
Event Chair Silke Bender gets a hug from John “Santa” Hanna.
Unit 21 celebrates the holiday season
Everyone dressed their best for an enjoyable evening of food, libations friendship and dancing.
Jim Hagedon
December is a season for celebration and SaddleBrooke’s Unit 21 residents were definitely in the holiday spirit! The month of December was highlighted by two major events:
Light up the Night:
There were a lot of outdoor decorations in the Unit this year and the Light up the Night committee encouraged residents to tour the hood after dark on December 1 to see the lights. This is the eighth year for the event. Just to make sure no one got hungry while out and about, four residents opened their garages and brought forth an array of culinary treats – everything, literally, from soup to nuts!
According to Co-Chairs Mardie Toney and Diane Gekas, around 90 residents participated. The evening’s hosts were Jane and Leonard Gann – Appetizers, Bonnie Westra and John Reidenbach – Soups and Such, Shiela and Bill Clarkin – Soup and More and Carolyn and Randy Carr – Desserts. No one went away hungry! At least 23 residents provided the goodies!
Thanks to everyone who contributed to making this a great evening!
Holiday Dinner
An annual tradition since Unit 21 was formed many moons ago, this years’ Holiday Dinner provided an opportunity for the ladies to dress in their finest and for the men to dust off their tuxes, coats and ties. It was a resounding success! On December 6 the Unit took over the Vistas Restaurant and 85 residents enjoyed an evening of outstanding food, libations and dancing. Thanks to Event Chair Silke Bender and her committee – Pat Anderson, Sherry England, John Hannah, Pat Huska, Bob and Lee Stocks and Dee Zellinger – for making the evening fly by all too quickly.
The evening began with cocktails and passed appetizers, followed by a dinner of carved New York strip loin and sea bass. Chef Dave outdid himself with a salad and side dishes – including a Pasta Station that provided just the right compliment for the entrees. Many attendees commented that this was one of the best meals ever at the Vistas!
Of course, what would a gala evening be without dancing, and LoKey Entertainment provided just the right musical accompaniment to get the attendees to kick up their heels. It was a great way to get the holiday season off to a roaring start!
The ladies of Unit 27 celebrate the season at Vivace Restaurant.
Unit 27 activities
Sue Case
During the month of December, there is no unit Snack and Chat, no unit meeting and no unit Dine Around; however, once again this year the combined Units 27, 32 and 36 celebrated the festive season with a holiday party. This year’s holiday party was held at the MountainView Ballroom on December 6 and was attended by quite a few residents from all three units.
Jan and Ron Talbot took the lead in planning and coordinating the event, with help from representatives from the other units. Ron took pictures of the crowd as well as individuals and couples. Jan could be seen running interference and generally sorting things out, even during the party itself. No rest for the good guys and gals!
Once again Unit 27 resident Steve Holdener honored the group by serving as the DJ for the event; this, even though he was preparing to leave town at 3:00 a.m. the following morning! His wife Rita actually took a break from packing and briefly attended the party, joining the dancers for a few numbers. The attendees obviously appreciated Steve’s DJ services-—and his music selections, most of which were listed on a paper that he placed at every table. The dance floor was occupied, sometimes to capacity, during every song.
The other December unit event that has become a tradition is the Ladies Holiday Luncheon. Vicki Strief planned and coordinated this event as she has done for the past few years. The event was once again held at Vivace Restaurant, which has been the venue of choice also for several years. The food has always been wonderful and the service simply impeccable! As in past years, several Unit 27 alums attended, along with current residents. This year Peg Tomlinson, Nancy Newlon and Darlene Bergmeier attended and it was fun to talk to them about their lives away from home. Vicki gave all attendees a lovely star shaped ornament and a sugar cookie as mementos of the event.
As we look back upon the past year, Unit 27 can be proud of our residents who are so generous with their time and effort on behalf of the unit as well as the greater community. This includes not only those that plan and coordinate unit events, but also our Unit Rep Larry Zanatta, assistant Rep Frank Newburn and Social Chairman Ron Talbot; those serving on HOA committees; those that donate time to charitable and nonprofit groups to teach and clothe children, walk dogs, raise money and awareness and other such endeavors that help others. A big thank you and Happy New Year to all!
Sharing the season: Units 42, 43, 45
The December 9 Ladies’ Luncheon for the Preserve Units 42, 43 and 45 brought new and old neighbors together to share the joys of the season. The historic Arizona Inn provided both a beautiful setting and delicious food for the holiday event. Of the almost 40 attendees, one is still waiting to move into her not-yet-finished house, while others were among the first to build homes in the Preserve about 11 years ago. Some women are new to Tucson, having come from the Pacific Northwest, California, the Midwest and New England. Some had moved back to the Tucson area after living in multiple places or had lived in other SaddleBrooke units. All are happy to be SaddleBrookers.
These Unit 42, 43 and 45 combined monthly ladies’ luncheons are just one wonderful way that newcomers are welcomed to the neighborhood, learn about various clubs, swap tips and make new friends. Not everyone is a golfer or a pickleball player or a dog owner, but everyone certainly had a good time thanks to this year’s organizers Donna Infald and Judy Rogoway.
Preserve Social Chair Bonnie Barazani gave the group more reasons to celebrate when she reported units 42, 43 and 45 have raised approximately $5,500 in cash in addition to all the gifts purchased for the children in 27 Tucson military families.