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At the Towers, old traditions continue and

new traditions are made! See pages 12-13

to join the fun.

October 2016

Share the BreezeDo you know someone who would like to

receive the Breeze? Forward this email to a

friend and tell them to click here to sign up

to receive the Village Breeze by email, or

visit www.lagunawoodsvillage.com, and

click the sign up link at the top right of any

page.

A Joint Publication of the Laguna Woods Village Corporations

In This Edit ion...The Golden Rain Foundat ion is on a roll!

This month in GRF, it's all about getting

around. Check out the movement being

made by the Mobility and Vehicles

Committee, and mark your calendars for

Transportation Awareness Day. Cruise over

to pages 2-4 to get the scoop.

United has a reason to celebrate: there

will be no increase in monthly assessments

for 2017! Read more in President Ross' and

Treasurer English's reports. Plus, meet First

Vice President Jan LaBarge. Join the

celebration on pages 4-8.

In Third, champagne all around! Monthly

assessments will go down by 57 cents in

2017. See Third Treasurer Tao?s report for

all the happy details. See pages 8-12 for all

the happy details.

Photo by Pat Wilkinson

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Mark your Calendars: Transportat ion Awareness Day is November 3!Get the scoop on transportation options available to you at the

Laguna Woods Village Transportation Awareness Day. The new

and improved Village bus system will be showcased, and there

will be snacks, raffle prizes, and informative exhibitor booths.

Transportation Awareness Day takes place Thursday, November

3, 2016 at Clubhouse 5. Drop by anytime from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00

p.m. The event is free to Laguna Woods Village residents and

their guests.

The RFID Rollout is on a Roll!Over 8,500 Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags have been applied to

date. In just one day, over 1,100 decals were applied! The RFID rollout

continues through Thursday, October 20. Click here for the schedule orpick

one up at the Community Center or any clubhouse. If you missed your date,

or can?t make it on one of your scheduled dates, you are welcome to go to any

of t dates/times on the schedule. RFID tags will be applied to Golf Carts

Wednesday, October 19 and Thursday October 20 at Clubhouse 7.

October 2016

Mobility and Vehicles Committee RoundupThe GRF Mobility and Vehicles Committee is developing a route alternative to deliver riders directly to the

Braille Institute located at the northwest corner of Ridge Route and Moulton. Currently, riders wishing to visit

the Braille Institute must exit the bus at the southwest corner (near the Florence Sylvester Senior Center) and

walk across the street. The committee feels the amended route will be a great advantage to our visually

impaired riders. Visit the Braille Institute: Laguna Hills Neighborhood Center online at www.brailleinstitute.org.

The DMV Senior Guide for safe driving is available online and will soon be available at the Clubhouses. This

guidebook contains valuable information for the senior driver, including common senior driving challenges, a

self-assessment questionnaire, tips for making adjustments to your vehicle, the DMV reexamination process,

and advice on when you should turn your keys in and let Laguna Woods Village Transit do the driving for you!

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The Transportat ion Work Improvement PlanA new, five-point transportation work improvement plan is underway:

1. Consolidate: Merge the existing 11 Fixed Routes on weekdays into eight fixed routes, as currently

provided on the weekends, and adjust the routes to result in identical weekday and weekend

schedules for all routes, with no changes to the Lift Bus service.

2. Convert : Change existing Fixed Routes currently used from 4 to 5 p.m. daily to Plan-A-Ride service

daily.

3. Educate: Launch a Transportation Education/Promotion/Marketing Campaign to increase utilization

of all transportation services provided to the community and to fully inform residents prior to any

service changes.

4. Downsize and Upgrade: Begin partial replacement of the

Transportation fleet with smaller, more efficient, alternative-fuel units.

5. Partner: Partner with outside organizations to supplement and

enhance transportation services to the community, and to reduce

operational costs.

Bus riders can expect to see route improvements implemented in November of this year. Interested

residents are encouraged to attend a Mobility and Vehicles Committee Meeting, which takes place the third

Monday of each month at 1:30 p.m. in the Community Center Board Room.

Recycled Water in Laguna Woods Village: What?s NextEl Toro Water District (ETWD) Assistant General Manager, Dennis Cafferty, happily reports that completion of

the construction of a $34 million recycled water project that allows the

conversion to recycled water of 200 dedicated irrigation meters. The

majority of those meters are in Third. The next phase is expected to begin

early next year, will cost $10 million, and convert 50 dedicated irrigation

meters near Gate 9 to recycled water.

Any future expansion of recycled water is constrained by available supply.

Recycled water supply is limited by the amount of raw wastewater flowing

into the Water Recycling Plant. The average influent at the ETWD Plant is

between 3.0 and 3.5 million gallons per day of raw wastewater. Recently,

the demand for one day was nearly 3 million gallons. Once the Phase II

Project is complete, the demand will be close to the maximum supply

capability, especially in the summer. ETWD regularly monitors the supply

and demand.

October 2016

Bus riders can expect to see

route improvements

implemented in November of

this year.

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Kick your Bulky Trash to the Curb!

There has been an excessive amount of bulk items

left in or near the trash areas. Bulky items are those

items too large or heavy to place in a trash or

recycling bin, and include furniture-couches, beds,

clean mattresses, television consoles, appliances

and all forms of Electronic Waste (E-Waste), outdoor

equipment and machinery, and other large items.

These items are causing inconvenience, safety

concerns, and a negative aesthetic for the Village.

Waste Management, Inc. (WM) offers free monthly

bulky item collection the third Saturday of each

United Roundupby United President Lenny Ross

On August 30, 2016, United Board members and the

Community had the opportunity to meet seven

impressive candidates running for the open seats

being vacated by Eva Lydick, Barbara Copley and

Ming Lee Chang. Special thanks to Eva, Barbara, and

Ming Lee for their great service to the Board and the

Community. Congratulations to new Directors

Maggie Blackwell, Robert Morrison, and Andre

Torng!

During the monthly Board meeting, Steve Leonard

was selected to replace Tom Sirkel, who has been

elected to GRF. Thanks to Tom for his great service

month. Place your bulky items near your trash

enclosure or in the same location that you place

your trash carts. Bulky items may be set out the

night prior and no later than 7 a.m. on the day of

collection. For more information, please call

Resident Services at 949-597-4600. Click here or

visit www.lagunawoodsvillage.com for the Bulky

Items Pickup dates and details for 2016.

The City through WM also offers free in-home bulky

item collection on an on-call basis. Residents may

schedule up to two in-home bulky item collections

per calendar year, with a maximum of five bulky

items per collection. To schedule an in-home bulky

item collection, simply call Resident Services at

949-597-4600.

to the community while on the United Board. We

wish him well while on GRF.

With the addition of three new members, our Board

no longer has any vacancies, and has five new

members out of its

11-member team.

United has

initiated a new

Solar Program with

Johnson Controls, Inc. (JCI). JCI received all of the

required permits and is preparing to begin placing

solar panels on some of our carports. As part of the

program, the push-button electrical boxes and the

water heaters in our laundry rooms will be replaced,

October 2016

"As a result of changes made,

there are no increases in our

assessments for 2017!"

-United President Lenny Ross

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October 2016

increasing efficiency and lowering utility costs. A

Town Hall Meeting occurred on September 26, in

the Community Center Board Room at 4 p.m., to

explained the program in more detail.

The 2017 Budget is now complete. United is taking

on many larger projects including solar, electric

panels and water heater replacements. Through

the reorganizing efforts of CEO, Brad Hudson, the

new senior management team has been able to

lay the groundwork to improve and automate

many provided services. As a result of changes

made, there are no increases in our assessments

for 2017! If you do see an increase in your

assessments, it is because of an increase in your

property taxes.

United Finance Reportby United Treasurer Pat English

Home Resales for August 2016

- The monthly average for the total sales

volume through August 2016 was

$10,053,184 compared to August 2015 when

the total sales volume monthly average was

$9,636,022. This represents a 4.3 percent

increase in sales volume.

- The monthly Average Resale Price through

August 2016 was $222,898, compared to the

monthly average through August 2015,

which was $215,940. This represents an

overall 3.2 percent increase in monthly

average resale price.

- In addition, the leasing rate dropped from

eight percent in July 2016 down to 7.8

percent in August 2016.

Delinquency Report for August 2016

- United Delinquency Report for August 2016,

showed our delinquencies at $72,507 which

is down from the July 2016 figure of $87,111.

In addition, the total number of delinquent

units for August was just 26, compared to 41

in July. United can probably boast the lowest

HOA delinquency rate in the country!

Finance Committee Report for July 2016:

Revenues & Expenses

- Total Revenues through July 2016 are

$22,703,000.

- Total Expenses through July 2016 are

$22,144,000.

- Excess Revenues over Expenses through July

2016 are $559,000.

- Operating Expenses for July 2016 includes

Outside Services of $1,591,000 of which

$1,328,107 represents 35 percent of the solar

contract of $3,794,591.

On September 13, 2016, United approved the 2017

Business Plan (Budget) of nearly $38 million with an

additional $15 million for GRF. The good news is

that, in spite of the solar contract, a surplus from

prior years will offset expenses resulting in no

assessment increase for 2017. Practicing prudent

financing requires a plan to reimburse the

Contingency Fund for the amount taken out for the

solar.

"United can probably boast the lowest

HOA delinquency rate in the country!"

-United Treasurer Pat English

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October 2016

Avoid a Fine: Don?t Miss Your Electrical Panel Installat ion Appointment!by United Second VP Don Tibbets

Staff is in the process of changing out old ?Pushmatic? electrical panels to newer and safer panels. To

arrange for the installation, Staff calls residents and sets up an appointment two weeks ahead of the

scheduled visit. On occasion, when the vendor arrives to do the scheduled work, the resident is not at

home. This results in a $250 charge by the vendor, to United. This charge will be passed on to the resident

who breaks the initial appointment. To avoid this penalty, if you are not going to be at home for the

scheduled visit, call Resident Services at 949-597-4600 at least one week ahead of the originally

scheduled appointment and have the date rescheduled. 

Hours for contractors have been changed to 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on

Saturdays, and no work on Sundays. Quiet work only may be done from 7 to 8 a.m. on weekdays. These

hours will now be the same as the work hours for Third, GRF, and staff.

Solar Project Underwayby United Director Eva Lydick

Letters have been sent to the residents of four United cul-de-sacs (where solar panels will be placed

on the carports) to alert the residents that they will need to temporarily remove their vehicles from

these structures. Click here or visit www.lagunawoodsvillage.com for a schedule of work.

Meet United First VP Jan LaBargeMichigan native, mother of two sons, and former

military spouse, Director Jan LaBarge claims to have

mastered three things; flexibility, adaptability and

packing ability. These skills have allowed her to

move about the country making an unusual,

multinational group of friends and experiencing a

variety of occupational opportunities.

Jan spent the majority of her professional career in

education teaching upper division math. Her most

treasured position though was that of overseeing

Student Government; there she guided students to

develop governing documents, a line of clothing

and athletic wear for

student use, create

and manage a store,

established an events

restaurant, proms,

dances, festivals, and

car and fashion

shows. Students also

provided a yearly

election complete

with caucuses, election paraphernalia, speeches,

debates, etc. She believes Trump and Clinton have

nothing on these aspiring politicians.

Additionally, Jan was in charge of public relations

and advertising for a craft co-op store. She planned,

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October 2016

organized a team, and they did a complete remodel

in one day. She?s worked as a consultant for, ?Think

Tank,? Rand Corp, doing field work for teen drug use

research and operated her own business designing

and manufacturing a leaded-glass-look window

treatment, used in commercial and residential

remodeling. Prior to moving to Orange County, Jan

was the Greater Los Angeles, California Retired

Teachers Association?s, District Elections Director

and Communications and PR Director.

Jan has been Treasurer, Secretary, and Vice

President for United Mutual and, before politics,

enjoyed the PC Club, Art Club, Emeritus classes in

art, physical fitness, and writing; played a mean

game of basketball, and hit long, but crooked,

drives in golf. She also played Bridge, and still loves

shopping, travel, theater and concerts. She is

currently serving on United?s Maintenance and

Construction Committee, as well as GRF?s

Community Activities and Media and

Communications Committees. Jan has also served

on United?s Parking and Finance Committees, as

well as GRF?s Mobility and Vehicles, and

Landscaping as well as, ad hoc committees for

United Appliance Review and United Paint

Selection. She is currently United?s editor for The

Village Breeze and originated the now defunct,

Village Christmas Dinner.

Snow and Sunbirds: Maintaining your Manor During your AbsenceThe Southern California climate causes many

people to flock to Laguna Woods Village for a

portion of the year when the climate at their

primary place of residence is less than ideal.

Nicknamed snow and sunbirds, seasonal residents

are commonplace at Laguna Woods Village. If you

happen to be one of them, read on for important

tips on how to protect and maintain your manor in

your absence.

1. Turn off the water supply lines: To prevent

a plumbing emergency, it is crucial that you

turn off the water supply lines to sinks,

toilets, water heater, and other fixtures, and

turn off the electrical breaker for the water

heater. Not sure how to turn them off? Call

Resident Services at 949-597-4600.

2. Schedule an unoccupied manor

inspect ion: Call Resident Services at

949-597-4600 to schedule an inspection of

your home when you are away for an

extended period of time.

3. Keep your contact informat ion current : It

is crucial that your housing mutual is able to

contact you in your absence. In addition to

your Laguna Woods Village phone number,

you can and should provide an alternate

number such as a cell phone or second home

phone number and an email address. Call

Resident Services at 949-597-4600 to

double-check or update your contact

information.

4. Have an emergency key on file: Laguna

Woods Village has a voluntary key program

in which Members may place a key on file in

the Community Center at no cost, to be used

in case of emergencies. Emergencies would

include access by the Member in the event

they misplace their copy of the entry key,

checking the welfare of a Member by

Security, or checking for property damage

by Maintenance personnel. Click here for

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October 2016

more information on the key file program or talk to Resident Services at 949-597-4600.

5. Purchase and maintain insurance: Having Homeowners Insurance is one of the most important

things you can do to protect yourself and your home in case of a maintenance issue or emergency.

Homeowners in Laguna Woods Village should obtain Liability and Fire Insurance, and if you are

renting your unit, Landlord Insurance. Click here for information about the importance of obtaining

insurance for your manor, or call 949-597-4202.

6. Keep in touch: Sign up for the Village Breeze and check your emails from Laguna Woods Village.

Hot FlashesBy Third Secretary Burt Baum

Board Bulletins

The Third Board made some weighty decisions at the September meeting

(the 200 page agenda was probably enough to make the Guinness Book of

Records). Here are some of the key updates and actions taken:

- Finance?2017 Business Plan was adopted. Assessments next year will go down 57 cents/month.

Spending this year on operations through July 31, 2016 was $600,000 under budget. Champagne all

around!

- Solar?Getting sunnier and sunnier. Final solar contract signed. Installation of solar panels on the

roofs of 12 of the three-story buildings will occur when the program starts in October. The goal of

flipping the ?on? switch for the whole operation by year?s end looks attainable. Read Director Walsh?s

article for more ?shocking? disclosures.

- Landscape?Activities to save water are being intensified this fall. Ground cover greens programs in

the Gate 11 and 14 areas will start in October. Tired of bare spots around your manor? Call Resident

Services to enroll in the ground cover greens transition program, and see Director Tung?s write up for

more information.

- Maintenance?Think the paint on your manor is looking shabby? Help is on the way. The Board voted

to go back to the shorter 10-year cycle and eliminate the separate prior-to-paint program. Also,

residents in one and two-story buildings will have an easier path to installing solar panels on their

roofs.

- Purchasing?The Board has approved streamlined Purchasing Policies and Procedures, put together

- 9 -

October 2016

by a joint task force, that will make it easier for the Boards, Management and Vendors to work

together to get the best results for the community. See Director Moldow?s write up.

- Personnel Notes?Treasurer Tao is retiring after serving her initial three year term and Director Gros is

termed out (served two terms). They have worked hard and deserve recognition for their efforts.

Good luck to both of them. Congratulations to new directors Joseph Camera, Steve Parsons and

incumbents Bert Moldow and Rosemarie diLorenzo-Dickens.

Finance ReportBy Third Financial Advisor Wei-Ming Tao

Total Revenue through July 31: The assessments

residents pay go into two accounts: one for reserves

that cover longer range projects and serve as ?rainy

day funds,? the other for operating costs that cover

day to day expenses such as utilities and salaries.

We are pleased to report that as of July 31 we had a

total surplus of $2.3 million ($1.8 million in reserves

and $600 thousand in operating expenses), both

better than the budgeted amount. We expect to

spend the $1.8 million reserve surplus by the end of

the year.

2017 Budget : The 2017 Business Plan was

approved at the September board meeting, and the

good news is that monthly assessments will be

reduced slightly and come in at somewhat less than

$620. Moreover, both the laundry and the Garden

Villa Rec Room and Elevator surcharges will be

reduced by more than a $1 a month. Assessments

were stabilized by decreases in our electricity costs

through energy reduction projects; decreases in our

water costs through conservation; and the

elimination of our management fee as a result of the

formation of VMS.

Overall, the monthly assessments will be affected by

the following major factors:

- A reduction in Total Non-assessment

Revenue (money that the Mutual gets in fees,

etc.)

- A decrease in Total Expenses as discussed

above.

- An increase in Total Reserve Contributions.

- A decrease in Total Assessments to GRF

(money from your assessments that goes to

cover recreation and other services).

Monthly Resales: People are always moving in!

Through August 2016, Third averaged the same

number of resales per month as in the previous

year. Furthermore, total sales volume and the

average price of a manor, year to date, rose 10

percent.

Monthly Leasing: Through July 2016, about 27

percent of Third?s manors were leased per month,

slightly less than in the previous year.

Solar UpdateBy Third Second VP Bill Walsh

Third Mutual has just signed the final contract with Solar Optimum Co. to install SunPower Corporation

solar panels on 12 Garden Villa buildings. The installation will begin in early October. Staff will provide all

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residents in the affected Garden Villa buildings with details on the process and a schedule for the work.

The current plan calls for the installation of solar panels on two Garden Villa buildings per week. Solar

Optimum will have two teams of installers working concurrently, one team per building. Solar Optimum will

provide ground support for safety, security and traffic control around the building sites.

Letner Roofing, Third Mutual?s roofing contractor, will be working closely

with the installers to properly seal any roof penetrations required for

electrical conduits or solar panel anchors.

All the electricity generated by these panels will be put on the grid and

offset costs for electricity for the common areas by about 80 percent. This

will reduce that portion of the assessments for electricity.

None of the electricity generated by these solar panels will benefit

individual manors. Third Mutual members will, however, be reaping the benefits of this 841kWh solar

installation for 25 years and more. The Mutual will save millions of dollars in electricity costs during this

period, especially if electricity costs rise at their historical rates of four to five percent per year. These

savings will help mitigate some of the costs to repair Third Mutual?s leaking plumbing lines, failing sewer

lines and manors with dry rot.

October 2016

"Third Mutual will save

millions of dollars in electricity

costs from the electricity

generated by these panels."

-Third Director Bill Walsh

Convert to Ground Cover Greens and save some Green!By Third First VP James Tung

Recently, the Landscape Department, in response to

the drought and the ongoing water shortage, has

intensified efforts to convert grass to ground cover

greens and improve landscape appearance:

Work has already started on repairing sparse grass

found under shade trees and bare areas caused by

sprinkler problems. The thin grass around trees is

being replaced with ground cover greens and areas

near faulty sprinklers are being reseeded.

Special attention is being given to parts of Third

where there is no recycled water near Gates 11 and

14. In the Gate 11 area, staff is visiting residents

individually to get their permission to replace the

strips of grass with fine gravel to save water.

In the Gate 14 area, Director Tung and staff

members met with Lynn Jarret, President of the

Garden Villa Association, along with the Captains of

Buildings 4025 and 4026 to get their permission to

convert a test area to ground cover greens. The idea

was well received by everyone. This test gives

residents a chance to observe the results. If these

results are good, more areas will be converted.

The conversion of regular grass to ground cover

greens is not a process that is being forced upon

residents. To show the desirability of such a move,

Directors Jim Matson, James Tung, Burt Baum and

Bert Moldow have all agreed to have ground cover

greens installed on their lawns. Converting areas to

ground cover greens will save labor, water and

reduce the noise of mowing.

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October 2016

New Community Purchasing Policies and ProceduresBy Third Director Bert Moldow

In 2013, GRF contracted with the consulting firm of KPMG to study the planning and purchasing functions.

Their report found a total lack of consistent policies and procedures which led to significant inefficiencies. In

2015, with the approval of CEO Brad Hudson, a Task Force made up of members of VMS, GRF, United and

Third was formed with Director Bunny Carpenter as Chair. She was ideally suited for the role given her many

years of experience in government purchasing.

Dan Hoxie, Purchasing and Supply Manager, and Ernesto Munoz, General Services Director, developed

purchasing policies and procedures that were distributed to members of the Task Force. These policies

standardize how purchasing practices will be performed, speed up the purchasing process, provide better

protection for the community, and avoid conflicts and wasteful lawsuits. It is expected that our vendors will

welcome this more professional approach to procurement. The Third Board just approved the new

document, and the other Boards are expected to approve it as well.

We welcome anyone who is willing to try this conversion. To participate, contact our Landscape

Department through Resident Services at 949-597-4600 or residentservices@vmsinc.org.

Did you Know?By Third President Rosemarie diLorenzo Dickins

If there is a strange smell coming from your faucet, it?s probably not the water. According to El Toro Water

District, the water is safe to drink. The aesthetic quality of water, including issues like taste and odor, are

often driven by ranging personal perceptions. Water that has taste, odor or even color that is different in one

portion of the home than others is likely attributable to the interior plumbing of the home. Odors often

originate from nearby drains or traps. Call the El Toro Water District Customer Service Department at

949-837-0660 with any questions.

While we are on the subject of interior plumbing, did you know that there are many things you should not

pour down your drains, including: starchy or stringy peels, such as potatoes or bananas; citrus peels;

grease; Metamucil; animal fats from cooking; coffee grounds; eggshells; oils; hair; cat litter; paper towels;

cotton balls; baby wipes/make up wipes; paints and especially not medications. If you have a clog, please

never use chemical de-cloggers. These are harmful to the environment, and will corrode the pipes. Instead,

use vinegar or a plunger, or call Resident Services at 949-597-4600 to schedule a plumber. Unfortunately,

there are many ways that plumbing can malfunction or leak. Click here for a list of telltale signs to look for,

or pick up a copy at the Community Center Concierge.

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October 2016

The Third Water Conservat ion Committee is (You Guessed It !) Saving Water By Third Advisor Carol St. Hilaire

The number one goal of the Third Water Conservation Committee (TWCC) is to conserve water usage. Third

First VP, James Tung, is chair of the committee. After researching high water bills, it was determined that

high water usage results in significant monetary penalties as a result of the tiered system El Toro Water

District (ETWD) uses. Tier I is internal usage; Tier II is outside usage; Tier III rates are twice as much as Tier I;

Tier IV three times more. The goal is to reduce the amount used and not be penalized.

After meeting with residents, the committee determined that most people are conscientious about water

usage with the exception of the amount of water used to irrigate plants. Main causes of the high bills are:

leaking toilets or under-slab and in-wall leaking. Residents should be on the lookout for leaks and call

Resident Services at 949-594-5600 or use other means to get them fixed as soon as possible.   ETWD

distributes blue tablets that can be dropped in the toilet to find leaks in toilets. Additionally, plumbing staff

used the high tier water bills as a guide and set up inspections to check for leaks. The good news is that

there are no tier charges for recycled water. The committee plans to approach ETWD about installing

recycled water at Gates 9, 11, and 14. Finally, turf areas are being converted to ground cover greens to save

water. If you are interested in transferring your front yard to ground cover greens, call Resident Services at

949-597-4600.

Celebrate Good Times and Birthdays....An Old Tradit ion at

The TowersBy Towers Advisor Saretta Berlin

No one knows exactly when it began, but for many years The Towers has been having a monthly dinner to

celebrate the birthdays of residents born in that month. At the most recent event, held on September 7, four

tables of 10 each were gathered in Lortscher Hall for a very special meal. Ages of residents went from youths

of 70+ to several centenarians ranging in age from 102 to 105 years old! Each celebrant could bring a guest,

so there were a number of proud family members and good friends in attendance.

The tables were set with lovely flowers; red and white wines were served. The meal got underway with a

selection of savories, followed by a beautifully plated and a fresh vegetable salad. The main course was a

choice of filet mignon or the chef?s seafood special. After a brief pause for a special presentation, the meal

- 13 -

October 2016

Volunteer Appreciat ion Tea....A New Tradit ion at The TowersBy Towers Advisor Saretta Berlin

On September 1, 2016, a new tradition began. For the first time, the Volunteer

Appreciation Tea was held to recognize residents who give their time and

resources to the many programs offered to The Towers community. More than

40 people were seated at beautifully decorated tables in Lortscher Hall. Tea

began with a proper plate of scones served with clotted cream and preserves.

Wait-staff circulated with assorted teas with lemon, house-made cranberry tea

and coffee of several varieties. Since no tea is complete without little

sandwiches, the guests were served a variety ranging from smoked salmon

with cucumber to pesto almond and tomato. Salads and snacks included crab

deviled egg and a seasonal berry plate with Brie cheese. Mini pastries of

chocolate ganache and cream puffs concluded a sumptuous repast.

Towers General Manager, Katy Howe, welcomed the group and expressed

appreciation from the Board for their efforts: ?Volunteers and their support of our

many programs are the heart of our community. Without them we are just two big

buildings; with the participation of our volunteer residents, we are Home.?

Thank you to the following the volunteers: Saretta Berlin, Sylvia Belzer, Judy Caudill, John DalisHarriet

Fillmore, Susan GeibJane Gibson, Bea Gross, Charlotte Gulsby, Jack Hammen, Steve Handelman, Herb

Harris, Marge Harrison, Idell Holburt, Katie Holgate, Gloria Hollander, Nancy Hou, Tommy Hou, Edie Jaffe,

Ida Kaufman, Vicky Kasselheim, Norma Koskoff, Estelle Kravitz, Roz Kreeger, Rosella Leasure, Mark Licha,

Anita Margulis, Renee Merer, Phyllis Millovich, Henry Nahoum, Lilie Naness, Estelle Nitikman, Lou Parker,

Ryna Rothberg, Marilyn Ruekberg, Sally Schwartz, Lyn Sechrist, Audrey Small, Norm Stevens, Rema

Wasman, Claire Weisberg, and Sy Wellikson.

concluded with what everyone agreed was the best birthday cake ever, an airy confection of sugar and

cream served with coffee and other beverages.

The meal was wonderful, but the genuine highlight of the event was the showcasing of the personal

memories and photographs supplied by the guests. Each celebrant was invited to submit a photograph and

a brief description of something about them that they would like the world to know. Activities staff gathered

the material and presented a slide show that was often moving, but always fun and interesting. At the end of

the evening, each participant received a copy of his or her material, attesting to the fact that they had

celebrated still another birthday in a warm and meaningful way with the Towers family.

Towers President

Ryna Rothberg

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Laguna Woods Village Community Center 24351 El Toro Road

Laguna Woods, CA 92637(949) 597-4200

October 2016

About Us This newsletter is put together by all of the housing Mutuals and GRF. If you have

comments about this newsletter, please contact Beth Perak, GRF 2nd VP at drbethperak@gmail.com, Burt Baum, Third Secretary at bsqrd54@gmail.com, Jan LaBarge,

United 1st VP at janlbrg@aol.com, or Katy Howe, General Manager at the Towers at katy.howe@associa.us.

If you have problems or concerns about your manor, please contact VMS at the following email addresses:

generalmanager@vmsinc.org residentservices@vmsinc.org

info@vmsinc.org

Or, go to lagunawoodsvillage.com and click on "Contact Us" on the left side of the page.

Download the "Emergency and Frequently Called Numbers" phone list here.