Club Information - Sun City Anthem

Foundation Assisting SeniorsBy Favil WestFor more than 30 years, the Del Webb Corporationsuccessfully marketed “active lifestyle” as the foundationof the Sun City concept. It sold me, it sold my friends, andit sold you. It is a great concept, but one not withoutshortcomings. What is left unsaid, is how long this “activelifestyle” and “living on” can be maintained and whathappens when, for whatever reason, one cannot maintainthe lifestyle they bought into.By visiting older established age-qualified communitieswe learned that as the community ages many are lefthomebound or with limited abilities to get out and enjoyretirement. They suffer falls, strokes, joint & mobilityproblems, macular degeneration, diabetes and many otherage-related illnesses.In spite of age-related problems, we’ve learned that mostof our resident seniors want to stay in their communitiesand remain active as long as possible. Nearly all havestarted a whole new life with new friends and newactivities and no longer fit in to the former life. Since early2002 the Foundation has been addressing the special needsof seniors in the age-qualified communities. TheFoundation has, over the 10-plus years it has been inoperation, become the cornerstone of the seniorcommunity. Here at Sun City Anthem, it was the solenegotiator for the design and construction of theCommunity Service Building, which it later arranged tohave donated to the Association. It obtained and donatedthe van used by the Community Service Group, It has beeninstrumental in the funding of much of the equipment forCh. 99, and the service clubs, and retains funds for theeventual funding of the hospice.This issue of the Spirit is dedicated to the FoundationAssisting Seniors, its trustees, and its companion, theCommunity Service Club. More than ten years ago, FavilWest and Chuck Davis teamed up to form the Foundationand shortly thereafter Favil West teamed up with JerryGardberg to form the Community Service Club. In theensuing years, this partnership has grown to become avital part of the lifestyle we enjoy at Sun City Anthem.The Foundation Assisting Seniors is a 501 (c) (3)non-profit charitable corporation dedicated to improvingthe quality of life in the senior community. The Board ofTrustees of the Foundation are: Bob Berman, Liz Trosper,Charley Kilkuskie, William Fitzpatrick, Bob Sansing,Harriet Schreider, Denny Lesterson, Emile Girard,Marianne Blaha, Frank Blaha, Brian Wittman, EvonneAlpern, John Waterhouse. The officers are: Favil West,President and Chuck Davis, Vice President, Jack Silas,Treasurer, and Phyllis Washburn, Secretary, The officersand trustees are unpaid volunteers committed to assistseniors during the difficult times of illness, recovery,confinement in home, loss of spouse, disease and otherchallenges associated with aging. In conjunction with ourpartners, the Community Service Clubs, we haveresponded to more than 35,000 calls requesting service;more than 7,000 of those calls came in 2011.The Foundation plans to initiate two new programs byearly summer, redesign our website, and present a newand updated logoOne of the new programs the Foundation plans is a drugreminder service which will begin tests this month. Theother program which we plan to initiate by May willprovide singles and others with a service that will ensurethat those who are enrolled will be found if they fall, getvery sick, or pass away. This service is in response to thefact that 13 of our residents passed away without anybodyknowing. Testing of this program should begin by May.The Woman’s Club has been kind enough to donatemoney to facilitate this program, but more is needed.The long-term goals of the Foundation are to help fundconstruction of a hospice in Henderson as well as fund theoperation of a mini-bus to provide transportation toresidents who, for one reason or another can no longerdrive. The mini-bus will provide transportation from theresident’s home to the Center, the grocery store, pharmacyand/or doctor and will be free.To date, nearly 70% of all money raised by the Foundationcomes from supporters outside the community. Wereceive donations from individuals, corporations andthrough various fund-raising activities. Major donorsinclude Brian A.Wittman & Associates, InvestmentCounsel, Del Webb/Pulte, Troon Golf Management, SouthPoint Resort and Casino, Golden Gaming/PT Pubs, RobOsur’s Financial Wellness Center, Valley CrestLandscaping, Special Operation Associates, Anthem HillsBarber Salon, Ron Tiburti/Putters, Findlay Toyota, andmany others. In addition, the following clubs and/orindividuals have donated larger amounts of money: TheSewing and Quilting Club of Sun City Anthem, TheInternational Culture Club, The Women’s Club of Sun CityAnthem, Joe & Mary Lay, Dave & Sharon Smith, Favil &Pat West, Bob Sansing, Chuck & Vickie Davis, and PhyllisWashburn and Rose Huffman, the Coffee Klatch andothers.The Foundation’s major fund raising events includequarterly bingo, golf cart raffle, and most importantly theNinth Annual Foundation Assisting Seniors Charity GolfTournament, sponsored by Brian A. Wittman & AssociatesInvestment Counsel. The tournament will be heldMonday, May 28, 2012 at the Revere Golf Course. The priceis $95 which includes: 18 holes of golf, cart, driving range,lunch and a gift bag. Terrific prizes will be awarded to firstand second place finishers on both courses. More than 100items will be raffled off at the lunch, and, two luckyplayers will have a chance to win $1,000,000 dollars, andfour players will have a chance to win $250,000 each. Thisis a wonderful opportunity to have a great time playinggolf with your friends and all for a good cause. A specialchallenge play between the Men’s Golf Group, the Titansof Revere, the Wackos, Hooligans, Legacy, Siena, and WildHorse Clubs, an event within the tournament, will be heldwith first prize of $400 and second Prize of $200 to thewinning men’s and women’s team. Please join us at eitherbingo or the golf tournament.Special thanks to Brian Wittman for his continuedsponsorship of the golf tournament.For information call Favil West at 702-755-6047 or GaryDuffel at 858-5760.30 Sun City Anthem • May 2012