A healthy New Year’s resolution
Susan White
Start off the new year right by making a healthy New Year’s resolution!
New Year’s resolutions usually include losing weight, eating right, exercising, etc. All of these pertain to your heart, right? Here’s a suggestion that will keep your heart healthy. Giving back does more for your heart in a very special way. It’s easy and you feel good instantly.
Did you know we have around 8,000 residents here at PebbleCreek? To serve these residents, Kare Bears has a lot of volunteers but when residents are ill and need rides, medical equipment or a bit of cheering up, it would be helpful to have many more volunteers.
One of the most important jobs is getting to know the residents. That is where Coordinator Buddies play an important role. Currently we have 53 units occupied with some units having as many as 381 homes. We have Coordinator Buddies assigned to specific homes (lots). They are the contact people welcoming new residents to PebbleCreek and letting them know about our services, resources and activities. They send get-well cards to neighbors who are ill, make visits to a person who just had surgery, call to see how a neighbor is progressing with a newly diagnosed illness, help a bereaved family coordinate information for posting on the PebbleCreek eGroup and take a food platter for a Celebration of Life or family get-together.
Right now we could use some help in the following units: 2, 19, 25, 32, 37, 54, 58 and 62b. By volunteering one to three hours a month you can make a real difference. It only takes a small amount of time to volunteer, but it can have a significant impact on someone’s life. We have grown in leaps and bounds so we continually need people to replace residents, who have moved away, burnt out after years of service or perhaps may have passed away. If one of the above units is yours, please volunteer and give the most precious gift that keeps on giving – you!
If you don’t see your unit mentioned, we still could use your help. We also have a need for back-ups when coordinators are on vacations or when there is no coordinator in a specific area.
Being a Coordinator Buddy is a great way to meet people, too. It is fun and rewarding at the same time. There is no commitment if you choose not to do it after you learn about what is required.
For more information call First Vice President Rayma Scalzo at 623-935-1819 or email her at [email protected]. You will be happy you did!
We are so grateful for December donations
The Kare Bears Board of Directors wishes to acknowledge various donations received in December from the following residents and groups. We were very overwhelmed by the generosity this month of donations.
Non-campaign Donations were received from:
Barbara Alvarez, Terry Berner, Deb Fox, Paul Zuckerbrow, Robert and Patricia Schreibman, Dale Schneiderman, Carolyn Moore, Melanie and John Fitzsimmons, Alexander and Lynn Lucas, William and Illene Hodgdon, Richard and Joan Schmidt, D.R. and C.J. Wallon, Carolyn Moore, William and Beverly Gustafson, Althea Smith, M. L. Rissler, Don and Jackie Belonax, Mr. and Mrs. Daryl McGraw, Kathleen M. O’Connell, Howard and Patricia Atkinson, Tess Braden, Gordon and Catherine Seaman, Terry and Kathy Cummings, Melvin and Michele Shipp, Sam and Colleen McMaster, Cynthia Huff, Claudia Lancaster, John and Mary Kuolt, Richard and Gail Raymond, Thomas and Elizabeth Bailey, Jim and Patricia Halbmaier, Tess Braden, Gary and Ann Eppen, Robert and Hope Ewest, PebbleCreek Wine Club, Mark and Julia Walmsley, William and Nncy Burton, David and Carol Paulsen, Robert an Patricia Engelhardt, Robert and Linda Labenz, Kent and Barbara Brace, Karen Bogadi, David and Christine Dupree, Steven and Karyn Davies, Brian and Lurie Rosenbloom, Pat Engelmann, Terry and Karen Berner, Katherine Vidger, David and Doris Savage, David and Christine Dupree, Alex Selinsky, Rudy and Donna Possehl, Michael and Patricia Self, Thomas and Linda Schmidt, John and Paulette Bonk, Anthony and Diane Warchplak, Ann Reynolds Mason, Rochelle and Gary Gallagher, Clifton and Lois Olson, Mary Ann and Jack Evans, Mary Ann Shurly, Robert and Patricia Engelhardt, Garvin and Joanne Nix, Mary and Michael McMahon, Jack and Ingrid Sigovich, Howard and Cheryl Brodbeck, S. L. Fleming, Suncoast Dental, Sheree and Harry Johnson, Joey and Bill Arnold, Rick and Marlene Simmons, Larry and Mary O’Donnell, Troy and Sheila Hooks, Hind Shabany, Peter and Jennifer Betts, Tom and Mary Ann Bose, Bill and Susan Cox, Betsy J. Porter, Karen and Jack McFall, Judy Rosenberry, Ann E. Nemmo, Bob and Ruthette Kennedy, Bill and Sandra Harrell, Kathy and Jack Doerwald, Janice and Terry Rossi, Daryl and Carol McGraw, Dan and Jne Miller, Anonymous, Larry DeSantis, Edward W. Terns, Charles and Waunetta Brown, Barbara Kripps, Harold and Gloria Rathman, Rosemary and Anthony Willsher, D. Cushing and K T Cushing, Wayne and Carolyn Moore, Barbara Wood, A & K Best, Kenneth and Nancy Hess, Dale Kalvaitis and Joseph P Kalvaitis
Memorial Donations were made by the Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday Yoga Friends in memory of Loraleen Coomes and from Karen and Norman Lubahn in memory of Ken DeFord.
Equipment Donations were received from Joy Hickert, Allen Stockelberg and Louis Stifter.
The generosity and thoughtfulness of these residents and groups will enable Kare Bears to continue to serve the needs of our PebbleCreek residents.
Upcoming events
February 4 – DesertFest – Tuscany Falls Parking Lot
February 9 – AARP Safe Driving Class – Milan Room
February 11 – Health and Wellness Fair – Eagle’s Nest Ballroom and alcove
February 15 – Monthly Presentation – Eagle’s Nest Ballroom
February 16 – Abrazo Tour
March 15 – Monthly Presentation – Eagle’s Nest Ballroom
March 16 – Abrazo Tour
March 17 – Hearing Tests – Milan Room
Did you know Kare Bears has a website and a house?
Did you know Kare Bears has a website?
It is karebears.org. Check out all the latest information that Kare Bears has to offer!
It includes information about the house, transportation to medical appointments, rental of medical equipment, Coordinator program and information on how to volunteer.
Did you know Kare Bears has a house which is manned by volunteers to take phone calls and the garage stores medical equipment?
You are invited to visit the Kare Bear House. We are open from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 9:00 a.m. to noon on Saturdays.
We are located on the Eagle’s Nest side of PebbleCreek at 15383 W. Cherry Lynn Road.
We have a wealth of information on services available in our area at the house.
AARP Safe Driving Class – February 9
An AARP Safe Driving Class will be held on Thursday, February 9 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Milan Room at Tuscany Falls for all PebbleCreek residents.
Cost for AARP members is $15 and for non-members the cost is $20. Checks for the class should be made payable to AARP.
Safety techniques and driving principles will be explained in the class. Some auto insurers do give a discount upon completion of the class, so please check with your insurance carrier. It is well worth the time and cost. A certificate of completion will be distributed at the end of class.
A sign-up sheet is in the Kare Bears folder at the Community Information Mailbox across from the Eagle’s Nest Pro Shop.
For any questions please call the Kare Bears House at 623-536-1200.
Annual Health Fair – February 11
As part of Kare Bears Health & Wellness programs, we are happy to invite you to the annual Health Fair on Saturday, February 11, 2017, from 9:00 a.m. until noon in the Eagle’s Nest Ballroom.
The Health Fair will consist of approximately 55 professional doctors, dentists, chiropractors, orthopedic specialists and health service specialists. They all will have information to cater to everyone’s special needs, some of which will be breast cancer, prostate cancer and colon cancer. These concerns regarding health, special services, in-home help, facilities for special needs and products to aid health issues will be answered. Some of the services will be able to perform minimal checks such as hearing, eye exams and blood pressure checks.
This is a free event and open to all PebbleCreek residents.
If you have questions, please call the Kare Bears House at 536-1200.
Board position openings on July 1
Kare Bears is currently seeking volunteers to fill two Board positions which will become vacant on June 30, 2017.
The positions open are Programs Chair and Communications Chair.
The Programs Director is responsible for introducing the speaker each month, coordination of the information table at the monthly presentation, the refreshment table and seeking and evaluating future speakers for the fall, winter and spring months.
The Communications Chair is responsible for communicating all events and services that Kare Bears has to offer. This is communicated on the PebbleCreek email, Kare Bears email, PebbleNews and the Kare Bears website.
If you are looking for a way to meet people, become involved and make a difference in the lives of others, please consider one of these positions.
For more information, please contact Kare Bears President Tom Meek at 708-761-5003 or 708-987-2296.
Abrazo West Hospital tour
Kare Bears has scheduled a tour of Abrazo West Hospital, formerly West Valley Hospital, on Thursday, February 16. 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 this tour fills up, you may sign up for the next scheduled tour on Thursday, March 16.
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.!
Kare Bears at DesertFest February 4
Kare Bears will be at this year’s DesertFest on Saturday, February 4, 2017, from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
We will have information on our organization and be able to share with you the services we offer and volunteer opportunities.
We will have surprises and a special gift for all!
We hope to see you there!