Neighbors and friends gather to chat and chill in the cul-de-sac on Christmas Eve. (Photo by Steve Kartsonis)
Unit 2 Chills in the Cul-De-Sac on Christmas Eve and Drops the Ball on New Year’s
Christianne Dettmann
Neighbors and friends from SaddleBrooke Unit 2 gathered in the cul-de-sac on Desert Star Drive this past Christmas Eve to celebrate the holidays. Favorable weather, friendly folks, and finger food made for a pleasant afternoon of catching up with old friends and getting to know new ones. Some entertained with festive attire, others shared their musical talents, and most brought tasty treats for everyone to enjoy!
On New Year’s Eve, a similar group gathered to “drop the ball” as they ushered in 2025 over several time zones. From a neighborhood flagpole, a ball of brilliant Christmas lights was lowered slowly as everyone counted down the last 10 seconds of each hour, starting at 8 p.m. local time, until midnight when 2025 finally arrived. This “poor man’s Times Square” actually became rich in entertainment for all!
Unit 2 looks forward to every good thing 2025 has in store for this great community we all call home.
Many of the “ugly” sweaters were just too cute!
Unit 17 Jingles and Mingles
Barbara Barr Bengen
Residents of Unit 17 had a joyful celebration at our “Jingle and Mingle” holiday party. Kevin and Ginny Shockey graciously opened their home for the unit gathering. The great cooks of Unit 17 showed off their culinary talents for the event.
An Ugly Sweater contest was one of the highlights of the evening. Some of the contestants had sweaters that were just too cute for an Ugly Sweater contest. However, there was one clear winner, and the winner was Tom Bird!
Unit 25 Potluck Party
Ron Mazurek
Unit 25 kicked off the new year activities by holding a Potluck Party at the SaddleBrooke One Activity Center on Jan. 11. Thirty-one folks showed up with salads, side dishes, appetizers, and desserts, while the unit provided a main course of ham. With all the home-cooked food, it was quite a spread to choose from, and everyone enjoyed the delicious offerings. Just as good as the food was the opportunity to talk and catch up with everyone and what they did over the holidays—a perfect start for the unit in the new year! The 50/50 drawing was well supported, with Pete Jones being the lucky winner of $58!
Up next on the calendar was our first Appetizer Party of the year on Feb. 2.
Unit 43 Residents Attended Their Bi-Monthly Appetizer Party
Raymond H. Goettsch
Unit 43 in The Preserve held its bi-monthly gathering on Jan. 16 at the home of Bobbi and Mark Forsch. Twenty-some residents attended the party and brought appetizers and beverages of their choice. Many new acquaintances were made. Bobbi and Mark’s two dogs joined the party later and also made many new friends. A good time was had by all.