Left to right: Jan Cosgrove, Barbara and Hank Mailloux and Penny Schneider; volunteers who were recognized for their 10 years of service with the Kare Bears organization.
Annual Spring Fling honors Kare Bears volunteers
Corrine Adams
The Kare Bears Board of Directors held its annual Spring Fling Event to honor all Kare Bears volunteers on Wednesday, April 8, 2015. To also celebrate Kare Bears 20th anniversary, a delicious High Tea buffet was enjoyed by all in the Eagle’s Nest Ballroom.
Each table held a beautiful centerpiece of a little bear dressed for tea sitting upon a teacup and saucer. Each bear held a teacup banner with an engraved 20th on it. Each guest received a handmade heart shaped decorated cookie and a little handmade carrier of specialty teas. These adorable centerpieces were created by our own Grace Cooper with lots of help from her Mom, Lucy!
Volunteers took a trip down memory lane as they viewed a video created by event MC, Joe Chimera. The video showcased Kare Bears hallmark events to the recording of Through the Years.
Volunteers recognized for 10 years of service to Kare Bears were Jan Cosgrove, Barbara and Hank Mailloux, Kieran and Pat Mullins, Joe and Penny Schneider and Mel York.
During the last nine months our 89 active office volunteers have kept Kare Bears House open for 1,845 hours and handled 385 medical equipment loans. They also made transportation arrangements for 358 nonemergency medical appointments. Our volunteer drivers drove our neighbors over 12,000 miles to these appointments.
We currently have seven Kare Bears CATS, 104 assigned Kare Bears coordinators and 12 special coordinators who work in their units and throughout the community helping neighbors through times of illness or loss of a loved one. In addition we have an entire supporting cast of volunteers who provide a variety of special services to Kare Bears and our PebbleCreek neighbors.
Kare Bears is so very grateful and thankful to all of our wonderfully dedicated volunteers who give so generously of their time and talents to help make PebbleCreek such a unique and exceptional community!
Events calendar
May 1: Kare Bear House hours change to 9:00 a.m. until noon Monday through Saturday
May 14: Pathways Tour at 11:30 a.m.
May 20: Monthly Meeting with speaker at 11:00 a.m. at Eagle’s Nest Ballroom
June 17: Annual Meeting at 11:00 a.m. at Eagle’s Nest Ballroom
June 19: Blood Drive from 8:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. at Tuscany Falls Ballroom
Pathways tour – May 14
Sue White
As part of Kare Bears services, we are offering a tour and lunch of Pathways on Thursday, May 14.
Pathways is an assisted living care and memory care facility located at 4211 N. PebbleCreek Parkway. We will meet at 11:30 a.m. at one of the units which will be designated at the time of the tour.
If you are interested in this tour, please call the Kare Bear House at 536-1200.
Annual meeting – June 17, 2015
Sue White
The annual meeting of Kare-ing Neighbors, Inc., d.b.a. Kare Bears, will be held on Wednesday, June 17, 2015, at 11:00 a.m. in the Eagle’s Nest Ballroom.
Written yearly reports of the Board of Directors, as well as the annual Treasurer’s Report, will be available. The election of directors will follow for open positions.
All residents of PebbleCreek are cordially invited to attend. This meeting will provide information about the organization and what this group of committed volunteers makes available for our community each year.
We look forward to seeing you at the meeting!
Kare Bears House summer hours
Sue White
On Friday, May 1 the Kare Bears House hours will change to morning hours only. The house will be open from 9:00 a.m. until noon on Mondays through Saturdays.
This change will be in effect until the fall.
If you have questions, please contact the Kare Bears House at 536-1200.
Featured speaker May 20 – Topic: Hip and knee pain
Sue White
Kare Bears would like to invite you to hear Dr. Robert M. Cercek, a board certified and fellowship trained orthopedic surgeon, speak at the Kare Bears monthly meeting on Wednesday, May 20, 2015, at 11:00 a.m. in the Eagle’s Nest Ballroom.
His specialty is in primary and revision joint arthroplasty of the hip and knee.
Dr. Cercek joined the CORE Institute after receiving his fellowship training at The Institute with Dr. David Jacofsky. Previously Dr. Cercek completed his residency program in orthopedic surgery that began at Tulane University School of Medicine in New Orleans and was completed at the University of Arkansas after Hurricane Katrina. Prior to that Dr. Cercek attended the University of Michigan College of Literature, Science and the Arts where he earned his bachelor’s with distinction in cellular and molecular biology. Dr. Cercek followed up his undergraduate degree with a Masters of Public Health degree in human nutrition from the University of Michigan School of Public Health and attended Wayne State University School of Medicine to obtain his Doctor of Medicine degree.
Dr. Cercek is a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha Honors Society and in 1999 was honored by being named to the National Dean’s List and as the Human Nutrition Program Outstanding Student.
Dr. Cercek will be presenting the latest advancements in the treatment and diagnosis of hip and knee pain. The presentation will cover surgical as well as nonsurgical interventions currently being utilized to help patients return to an active lifestyle. If you suffer from knee or hip pain, do not miss this opportunity to get answers to your questions about new and minimally invasive treatment options for helping you keep life in motion. The physical and emotional stress of living with chronic hip and knee pain prevents many from participating in previously doable activities, hindering them from living the life they love.
This presentation is open to all PebbleCreek residents at no cost.
As Kare Bears is celebrating our twentieth anniversary, we will also have a raffle prize for some lucky attendee to win!
Please come and join us at this most informative presentation on Wednesday, May 20!
Are you leaving for the summer?
Sue White
Kare Bears would like to remind all residents that it is important to complete an Emergency Kare Form and return it to the Patrol Office. Whether you are planning to leave for a few weeks or a few months, it is vital that the PebbleCreek Patrol know who to call in the event a problem arises.
The form gives the patrol your cell phone number, phone number of your summer residence or the number of an alternate contact person in the event of an emergency.
If you have completed a form in the past, your information may have changed. It would be a good idea to complete a new form if you are unsure if Patrol has your current contact data.
The forms are available at the Kare Bear House at 15383 W. Cheery Lynn Road and can also be found on the Kare Bear website at Karebears.org or at pebblecreekhoa.org under Forms. You can also have a form emailed to you by sending a request to [email protected].
March donations
Sue White
The Kare Bears Board of Directors wishes to acknowledge various donations received in March from the following residents and groups:
Non-campaign donations were received from: Thomas and Gail Drucker William and Mary Hill, Al Crosson, Gerald Beyers, Clark Neal, James and Sandy Garvey, Paul and Mary Sands, Gerald and Phyllis Ambrose, Gary and Linda Atkinson, Bill and Susan Nee and The Wisconsin Party.
An equipment use donation was received from Mike Slaughter.
Memorial contributions were received from the following in memory of Jackie Halvorson: Lucia Pierson, Jeff and Carol Horan, Duane and Carol Brekken, Della Hodler, Ralph and Anne Gizzi, Wallace and Susan Chute, Jac Lynn Horton, Shirley Williams, Cynthia Peacock, Nona Mason, Frederickson Communications and the Minnesota Bunco Buddies.
Additional memorial donations were received from Barbara Ritz in memory of Shawn Biehler; Stephen Nathan and David Kiesling in memory of Sabina Handel; Tom and Penny Gehrmann in memory of Roy Rosenthal and Bob and Hope Ewest in memory of Gavin Drinovsky.
A complete list of all resident donations can be found on the Kare Bears website at www.KareBears.org.
The generosity and thoughtfulness of these residents will enable Kare Bears to continue to serve the needs of our PebbleCreek neighbors.
Blood drive – June 19th
Sue White
As part of Kare Bears Wellness and Health programs, we are sponsoring a Blood Drive on Friday, June 19 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Tuscany Falls Ballroom. The signup sheet and internet signup instructions will be at the Community Mailbox area across from the Eagle’s Nest Pro Shop by May 19. This blood drive is most important for summer supply of blood in Arizona.
Appointments are scheduled every 15 minutes starting at 8:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. Two appointments can be scheduled at the same time.
To streamline the process on June 19, United Blood Services asks that you register online completing the Health History Questionnaire. The instructions, entitled Streamline Your Next Donation: Complete your Health History Online can be found at www.UnitedBloodServices.org/HealthHistory.html. Donors who complete the online health history questionnaire should complete and print out the Fast Track Donation Ticket the day of donation and bring it with you to the donor drive on June 19. The United Blood Services will be at Tuscany Falls Ballroom Three for this June 19 donation.
Did you know you can save three lives just by donating your blood and it will only take 1/2 hour out of your day? In addition, your body produces healthier red cells after a donation: red cells carry oxygen to your vital organs. The blood supply at valley hospitals is in need of constant replenishing. UBS-AZ is one of three approved blood banks that can send blood to our military overseas.
Also, if you are taking prescription medications, 95% of them are fine and will not prevent you from donating blood. Some examples of acceptable meds are: insulin, blood pressure, cholesterol, anti-depressants, thyroid, allergy and aspirin.
Kare Bears thanks you for your donation!