Unit 11 Residents Enjoy the Christmas Spirit
Ken Marich
On Dec. 5 Unit 11 residents joined together to walk or ride their golf carts around our unit to enjoy the Christmas lights and decorations. Our theme was “Light Up Your Life,” and this was evidenced by the many neighbors who lit up their houses and yards. At the end, we met at Lynne Pendlebury and Mike Sachse’s house for appetizers, Christmas cheer, and singing Christmas songs around their beautiful red piano. Mike was a great maestro and led all of us in Christmas carols. Ric Nicholson finished the festivities with a reading of “A Cajun Christmas” in authentic Cajun drawl. Imagining alligators pulling Santa’s sleigh through the bayous brought a smile to everyone’s face. We also congratulated Shelia Ratza for the great job she did as Unit Rep for five years and welcomed in our new Unit 11 Rep, Ric Nicholson.
Unit 14 Holiday Dinner and Dance
Karen Gille
The dance floor was full all night long at the Unit 14 Holiday Dinner and Dance at the MountainView ballroom on Dec. 4. Chuck Moses entertained our group of 70 people with his great singing and wonderful dance tunes from the ‘70s. Everyone seemed to have a fun time.
We enjoyed delicious salmon or tenderloin dinners, with a decadent chocolate cheesecake for dessert served by the attentive staff of SaddleBrooke TWO.
This is the first Holiday Dinner and Dance party for Unit 14 in quite a few years, and it was such a fun night!
If you would like to be invited to future Unit 14 events, please contact Betsy Clark at [email protected].
Unit 21 Light the Night
Dana Eckhardt
Another wonderful event in Unit 21 happened on Dec. 1. Light the Night was hosted by Ann Vernon who was able to get five homes and many volunteers to participate. Two homes hosted an array of soups, two homes had an array of appetizers, and one home served all the delicious desserts. This is always a fun event, as we get to see all of our neighbors who have been gone for the summer. What a wonderful way to start the holiday season! Thanks to all who came out to celebrate with us.
Unit 25 Appetizer Party
Ron Mazurek
Once again, the folks from Unit 25 got together in a big way to enjoy a great appetizer party at the lovely home of Bill and Claudia Rigg. More than 30 people attended on a somewhat warm evening on June 21. There was no wanting for good things to eat, as attendees overflowed the table with tasty delights of all kinds. Curiously, for the first time anyone recalls, no one brought a dessert! But, honestly, the rest of the food was so good that we didn’t really miss it! The early monsoon showers stayed away from the party and allowed folks to freely float inside and out, giving everyone a chance to visit!
Ladies holiday party at Vivace3
Unit 27 Activities
Sue Case
The ladies of Unit 27 met for a holiday lunch in the private dining room at Vivace on Friday, Dec. 13. Far from having bad luck, the attendees were treated to fabulous food, great service, and an elegant atmosphere, augmented by Fira Stout who coordinated the event and provided table centerpieces as well as a homemade gift ornament for everyone. The sunny weather only added to the celebration. Prior to the lunch service, Fira emceed a holiday-themed trivia game. The questions were somewhat difficult, and no one answered them all correctly. However, everyone got a prize (hint: think chocolate!).
Fira has been organizing these festive holiday lunches for several years and has announced her “retirement” from that duty. It appears there will be someone to take her place, though it’s not clear where the event will be in the future. Stand by.
Other than the ladies luncheon, there was no “official” Unit 27 holiday party in 2024. They say everything has a shelf life, and perhaps that is the case for this party, which has been occurring since the unit’s inception. We will see what 2025 brings.
Another annual holiday event, albeit relatively recent in time, has been the Open House hosted by our Unit Rep Jeff Depka and wife Eileen. This year’s event was on Dec. 18 and, as always, was fabulously over-the-top in terms of Christmas décor as well as food and drink. Attendees seem to stuff themselves together in the various rooms of the Depka house and outside on the patio, sharing space with the human-size Santa Clauses and snowmen and the huge holiday village, complete with hidden Storm Troopers, Batman, and Yoda, which takes up almost the entire dining room. Many thanks, Eileen and Jeff!
There will be many changes to our lives in 2025. Here’s to more friendship and fun in Unit 25 in the new year!
Unit 28 Holiday Party
Joyce Wainscott
What happens when fun-loving people enter the holiday season? In Unit 28 they plan a gathering of like-minded people, and a Progressive Dinner is born.
New friendships were formed, cocktails and appetizers were consumed, and fun and laughter began on Skyline Drive at 4 p.m. on Dec. 7.
At 5:15 p.m. the golf carts departed to houses throughout the unit as the large gathering was dispersed into groups of six and eight. Each hostess served their guests a full Italian meal, complemented by bottles of wine chosen by the individual diners. Laughter and recitation of histories cemented new friendships and, for some, the wine fostered a need to continue the revelry.
At 6:30 p.m. the party-goers reassembled en masse for the final chapter of the Progressive Dinner. Pies, cakes, a huge plate of Almond Rocca, coffee, and liqueur awaited the group. Those who had protested that they were too full for dessert rose to the occasion. After a couple of hours of chatter and imbibing of the offerings, the inhabitants of Unit 28 departed for their abodes. The attendees agreed it was a wonderful evening of camaraderie, and we are hopeful that the Unit 28 Social Committee will make it an annual event.
Unit 32 Adopt a Child Program
Laurie Lien
Unit 32 had a very successful year for the Adopt a Child program. We raised more money than ever before, allowing us to spend more on each child. We were also able to add three more children to our roles, for a total of 36 children. The age of the children ranged from 6 months to 16 years. Each child received clothes, toys, and a blanket. In a period of three weeks the shoppers bought the gifts, the wrappers wrapped the gifts at our wrapping party, and the gifts were transferred to SaddleBrooke Community Outreach. There will be some very happy children come Christmas morning thanks to your support. Let’s do it again next year!
Annual Christmas Brunch
Linda K. Davis
The residents of Unit 35 and 35A certainly know how to throw a great party with plenty of food and conversation. The latest event, sponsored by the Villa Social Committee, was no exception. Our annual Christmas brunch was held on Dec. 7 at the SaddleBrooke One Activity Center. The tables were festooned with gorgeous arrangements, and the serving tables were laden with goodies. Attendees enjoyed the delicious potluck dinner, followed by a raffle, with much conversation thrown in.
The Villa’s Social Committee plans special events for its residents and supports community efforts such as the SaddleBrooke Community Outreach Holiday Adopt Program.
It’s Sapphires and Snowflakes Time in Unit 46
Linda Greenough
The unit started its holiday season on Dec. 10 with a gala Sapphires and Snowflakes-themed dinner dance at the MountainView ballroom. More than 60 revelers enjoyed a wonderful dinner served by the attentive SaddleBrooke TWO dining room staff and then boogied the night away to songs performed by Chuck Moses. Ten lucky unit members won raffle door prizes, and there were photo opportunities galore. The gathering also provided an opportunity to thank Lori and Richard Snead for their 16-year commitment to leading the unit’s Adopt-a-Family effort. This year saw a whopping $11,705 donation from the unit! Maria and Tom Blong, the unit’s Sunshine team, were also honored for their ongoing support to unit residents who are ill, need rides to doctors’ appointments, or need some “cheering up.” Unit 46 loves a party, but it also looks after one another.
The Christmas party spirit continued with an appetizer party at the home of Joyce and John Faulkner on Dec. 16. With its festive holiday decorations and huge firepit in the backyard, the Faulkners’ home has become the traditional location for our December appetizer parties, and more than 40 people enjoyed the evening’s festivities.
That wrapped up the unit’s 2024 events, but plans for a Jan. 21 chili feed are in the works. Watch for more details. It’s going to be another busy year in the unit!