June donations – thank you, donors!
Sue White
The Kare Bears Board wishes to acknowledge the following donations received in June.
General donations were received from the following individuals: Clark Neal, James and Judith Anspaugh, Larry and Kathleen Janda, David Willison, Fred and Mary Alice Robinson, Martha Labelle, Red Amrhein, Bob and Hope Ewest, Terry and Barbara Ranta, Philip and Pamela Duran and Frank and Patricia Shupnik.
Memorial donations were received from Stephen Nathan and David Kiesling in memory of Lou Lewis and Steve McElroy’s mother and Dolores Spicer in memory of Geri McLindon.
Transportation Use donations were received from Edrena and Joseph Alexander.
The generosity and thoughtfulness of these residents will enable Kare Bears to continue to serve the needs of our PebbleCreek residents.
Assisted living tours scheduled
Sue White
Kare Bears is offering tours in September and October.
On Thursday, September 29 a tour and lunch will be at Pathways. This facility is located at 4211 N. PebbleCreek Parkway.
On Thursday, October 13 a tour and lunch will be at The Groves. This community is located at 2655 N. PebbleCreek Parkway.
These are both assisted living, memory care and respite facilities.
Always remember: when you need extra care, it’s best to be familiar with all the nearby communities available.
We look forward to you joining us for these informative tours and lunches! We will meet at 11:30 a.m. at the main entrance for both tours.
Please call the Kare Bears House to make a reservation at 623-536-1200.
Blood drive – September 13
Sue White
As part of Kare Bears Health and Wellness effort, we are pleased to be offering a Blood Drive open to all residents on Tuesday, September 13 from 8:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. in the Palm Room at Eagle’s Nest.
The sign-up sheet is at the at the Eagle’s Nest Clubhouse across from the Pro Shop. Appointments are scheduled every 15 minutes from 8:30 a.m. until 12:15 p.m. Two appointments can be scheduled at the same time.
Blood donation reminders on the day of the drive:
1. Hydrate and eat a meal prior to your donation; even better, start hydrating the day before.
2. Bring ID with you (American Red Cross Donor Card and/or driver’s license
3. Make sure you are free of any cold or flu symptoms.
4. Have medication list available if needed.
5. Wear a top with loose fitting sleeves (preferably short sleeves) so that we can check blood pressure and locate the best vein to use to collect your blood.
6. Bring a list of all countries and cities/areas you have visited (with dates) in the past 12 months and do the same for all European countries you have visited since 1980.
7. You must weigh at least 110 pounds.
8. Waiting period between donations is 56 days for whole blood, 112 for double red cell donations.
Did you know you can save three lives just by donating your blood and it will only take a half 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.
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.
Many thanks for helping Kare Bears help neighbors!
If you have any questions, please contact the Kare Bears House at 536-1200.
Fall luncheon on November 9 has a few changes
Sue White
Kare Bears is pleased to announce that the annual Fall Luncheon will be held on Wednesday, November 9, 2016, starting at 10:30 a.m., with lunch being served at 11:30 a.m. This year our theme will be Kare Bears Shining Stars. We plan on honoring all of our wonderful Kare Bears volunteers!
The luncheon will be highlighted by a presentation of the prestigious Founder’s Award honoring an outstanding PebbleCreek volunteer. Also the Exceptional Service Awards and the Friends of Kare Bears Awards will be presented.
This year there is a change with ticket sales. Active Kare Bears volunteers (as of August 1, 2016) can purchase tickets prior to the general sales date at the Kare Bears house on Monday, October 10 and Tuesday, October 11 from 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. The cost of the luncheon is $25.
General ticket sales will be held on Wednesday, October 12 at the Eagle’s Nest Ballroom from 8:00 a.m. until noon. If tickets are not sold out, additional sales dates will be announced on the PebbleCreek and Kare Bears yahoo emails.
All ticket purchasers will need to know menu selections for each ticket at time of purchase. To expedite ticket sales, no names will be required. Tickets will be handed out when purchased and tables will be assigned when tickets are purchased.
Lost tickets will not be honored at the luncheon.
The menu choices are Tequila Lime Grilled Chicken Breast, Beef Bourguignon or Eggplant Parmesan. All meals will include a garden salad, rolls, roasted red potatoes and California vegetable medley. A special dessert will be provided by Nothing Bundt Cakes.
In the past this event has sold out very quickly so don’t delay and be disappointed; buy your tickets early!
We look forward to you joining us at the luncheon!
If questions, please call the Kare Bears house at 536-1200.
Abrazo West Hospital tours
Sue White
Kare Bears has scheduled a tour of Abrazo West Hospital, formerly West Valley Hospital, on Thursday, September 15. We are offering a tour and lunch to the first 16 people to sign up.
Please call the Kare Bear House at 623-536-1200 to make a reservation. Your name must be on the list to attend the tour.
If September is full, you may sign up for the next scheduled tour on Thursday, October 20.
We know you’ll enjoy this tour and appreciate all the much needed information. The hospital has undergone tremendous new construction which we feel everyone will be pleased to see.
This is the nearest hospital to PebbleCreek offering a Level 1 Trauma Center, accredited Chest Pain Center, Cardiac Arrest Center, Joint Commission Certified Primary Stroke Center and Board Certified Physicians.
Abrazo West Hospital has the Robotic Surgical Services using the de Vinci Surgical Platform, Outpatient Wound Care and Hyperbaric Medicine. They do offer free wellness events on living with knee or hip pain.
Abrazo West Hospital is located at 13677 W. McDowell Road. We will meet at the hospital’s main entrance for the tour just before 10:00 a.m.
Pat Curley White, Founder and Director of Education for Arizona Victims of Valley Fever, Inc. (AVVF) is the featured speaker at the Kare Bears monthly presentation on Wednesday, September 21 at 11:00 a.m. in the Eagle’s Nest Ballroom.
Is it true that Valley Fever is no worse than a cold?
Sue White
Kare Bears would like to invite you to hear Pat Curley White, Founder and Director of Education for Arizona Victims of Valley Fever, Inc. (AVVF) at the Kare Bears monthly presentation on Wednesday, September 21 at 11:00 a.m. at the Eagle’s Nest Ballroom.
Valley Fever (Coccidioidomycosis) is a disease caused by a fungus in the soil in the southwest region of the United States. People may get sick if they breathe in the fungus. The fungus gets into the air from wind, dust storms, digging and other activities. It can infect the lungs and other parts of the body.
The disease usually affects the lungs, but in some people the disease may spread to other parts of the body such as the bones, skin, joints or brain. In these cases, the disease can be very serious and may even cause death. Most people may have only mild symptoms or no symptoms and never know they have Valley Fever. The rest have illness that may last for months or even years.
Pat White has been speaking, lecturing and sending out mailings regarding Valley Fever for over 10 years now, trying to get the correct information out to the public and squelch the myths that “Valley Fever is no worse than a cold.”
She is the founder of Arizona Victims of Valley Fever, a 501 (c)(3), an all-volunteer, nonprofit organization to help further a vaccine and cure for humans and animals, to bring public awareness and to raise funds for a cure. She will continue to give lectures as long as she is physically able to and people want to hear her story and learn about Arizona’s Disease. She has earned 80 medical credits just on Valley Fever, has been battling the illness for over 10 years and has lost both her mother and brother to Valley Fever also known as Coccidiodomycosis. Attend this lecture and learn all the signs and symptoms, testing and treatment for this illness.
This is a free event and open to all PebbleCreek residents.
Refreshments including coffee and water will be available.
If questions, please call the Kare Bears house at 536-1200.
Nominations for Founder’s Award are being accepted
Sue White
Kare Bears is accepting nominations for their Founder’s Award at this time. Please read the information below for details on nominating a fellow PebbleCreek resident. The deadline is September 25, 2016.
Kare Bears established the Founder’s Award in 2001 to honor Rayma Scalzo, founder of Kare Bears. Each year this award is presented to a PebbleCreek resident who has demonstrated, as a volunteer, distinctive leadership and service qualities in any PebbleCreek organization(s) and in the surrounding community. Candidates do not have to be a Kare Bear volunteer to receive this prestigious award.
The 2016 Kare Bears Award Committee is asking clubs, organizations and individual residents to nominate deserving people who have given their time, talent and energy to the betterment of PebbleCreek and our surrounding community. This is a great opportunity to honor a volunteer and let our community say thank you to an outstanding resident.
The qualifications for nominees for this award are as follows:
1. The person nominated must be a resident of PebbleCreek.
2. The person nominated must have performed volunteer services that have benefited the residents of PebbleCreek during the current year, with additional consideration given for past years of volunteer service.
3. The award may not be presented to the same person more than once.
Procedures for nomination are the following:
1. Submission of nominations must be in writing or via email. Nomination forms are available at both Eagle’s Nest and Tuscany Falls’ front desks, the Activities Office and at the Kare Bear House, 15383 Cheery Lynn Road.
2. Provide as much detail as possible about the nominee including type of service, nature of service, amount of time spent and other information that will give a clear picture of the contributions made by the nominee.
3. Include the name of the club, organization or person(s) submitting the nomination.
4. Send your submission by September 25, 2016 to Thelma Lindhorn, Attention Founder’s Award Committee, 14989 W. Catalina Drive, Goodyear, Arizona 85395 or email to tntlindhorn @cox.net.
We hope you will join us at the November 9, 2016 luncheon when the 2016 Founder’s Award will be presented.
Upcoming events
Sue White
September 13 – Blood Drive – Palm Room
September 15 – Abrazo Tour and Lunch
September 21 – Kare Bears Monthly Presentation
September 29 – Pathways Tour and Lunch
October 7 – Hearing Tests – Tuscany Falls, Milan Room
October 11, 18, 20, 29 – Flu and Pneumonia Shots Tuscany Falls Ballroom 3
October 12 – General ticket sales date begins for Fall Luncheon
October 13 – The Groves Tour and Lunch
October 19 – Kare Bears Monthly Presentation
October 21 – AED/CPR Class – Tuscany Falls Ballroom 1
November 9 – Fall Luncheon