Village E-News March 2012

March is shaping up as a busy month in Laguna Woods Village! In this edition of My Village News, you will learn about the upcoming Senior Summit, hosted by Orange County Supervisor Patricia Bates. This year’s theme is "Mind, Body and Spirit: Embracing the Positive in Aging." Also in this issue, General Manager Jerry Storage clears the air regarding purchasing procedures. Learn about which events will be part of the lineup for the 9th Annual Laguna Woods Village Senior Games. Finally, the Village is excited to present the latest Village at Work video – this episode, the focus is on the "do's and don’ts" of recycling in the Village.

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News Items

Supervisor Pat Bates to Host 5th Annual South County Senior Summit

County Supervisor Patricia Bates (5th District) in cooperation with the Orange County Office on Aging will host the annual South County Senior Summit Friday, March 23 at Clubhouse 3. More than 800 older adults are expected to attend the Summit, which is being held at Laguna Woods Village for the third consecutive year.
The focus of the Summit is "Mind, Body and Spirit: Embracing the Positive in Aging." Featured experts include Dr. Laura Mosqueda, director of Geriatrics from the University of California, Irvine School of Medicine, Dr. Debra Rose, director of the Center for Successful Aging and co-director of the Fall Prevention Center, Dr. Kerry Burnight, director of the Elder Abuse Forensic Center at UCI School of Medicine, and Dr. Marilyn Ditty, executive director of Age Well Senior Services.	Pat Bates Supervisor
Registration for the free event begins at 8 a.m., followed by a program that will include a complimentary continental breakfast and lunch, visits to informative vendor booths, and the opportunity to win door prizes. Residents are encouraged to carpool and consider parking at Clubhouse 1. A shuttle service will be provided all morning. Seating is limited and reservations are required. Community members are encouraged to RSVP by calling the Office on Aging at (800) 510-2020.

GRF and the PC Club are co-hosting a Free Village Website Class


The Golden Rain Foundation and the PC Club have joined to present a tour of the Village website. Join Heather Rasmussen, Public Relations Specialist for a tour of the resources available on www.lagunawoodsvillage.com.

This is an informational class open to any interested resident of the Village. This is not a "hands on" or website design class.

Classes take place in the PC Classroom at the Laguna Woods Village Community Center.

The free, one-hour class will be offered on two separate dates: at 1:30 p.m., Monday, March 26, or at 10 a.m., Friday, March 30. Seating is Limited RSVP by calling (949) 268-2262 or e-mail lwvpcclub@gmail.com.

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Ask Jerry - What are the purchasing procedures and the Associa Advantage discount details? In this edition of "Ask Jerry", I would like to set the record straight regarding purchasing procedures and the Associa Advantage discount that the Village receives at Lowe’s. The Purchasing Department now uses Lowe’s Delivery Service because the community realizes a significant cost savings over The Home Depot’s delivery service.	Jerry Storage General Manager
The decision to compare The Home Depot with Lowe’s was brought about by The Home Depot’s delivery policy. Maintenance staff members were instructed to only visit The Home Depot on an emergency basis and primarily go through the Purchasing Department for routine purchases, which would maintain controls and save labor costs. Unfortunately, The Home Depot was charging from $79 to $99 on each order for delivery and normally they would not deliver the following day. Lowe’s only charges $20 for delivery, will group numerous orders together when they ship, and guarantees next day delivery. When comparing costs with Lowe’s, some of The Home Depot’s items were higher and some were lower. However, Staff negotiated a 10 percent discount with Lowe’s. Lowe’s will also give an additional two percent discount because Laguna Woods has an affiliation with Associa. Keep reading...

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Be There

Get Ready for the 9th Annual Laguna Woods Village Senior Games!

We can’t guarantee you’ll wind up on ESPN’s SportsCenter but we’re confident you’ll have a great time competing in the ninth annual Senior Games on Wednesday, April 11.

Pickleball has been added by popular demand to the roster of 26 events for the 2012 Senior Games in which Laguna Woods residents will compete. Last year our residents claimed hundreds of gold, silver and bronze medals in the games, which are designed to foster a sense of camaraderie and friendly competition.

Residents will compete this year in badminton, basketball, bicycling, billiards, bocce ball, bowling, duplicate bridge, progressive bridge, cribbage, dance sport, equestrian, fitness, 27-hole golf, par three golf, horseshoes, lawn bowling, paddle tennis, pickleball, poker, scrabble, shuffleboard, softball, swimming, table tennis, tennis, and volleyball.

Special thanks to Fladeboe Automotive, the title sponsor of the Games for the fourth year in a row.

The $10 registration fee includes participation in as many venues as you like, an event polo shirt, invitation to the closing event, and eligibility for medals. Please note that some events have additional fees (green fees for golf, rental horse fees for equestrian events, bridge and bowling fees) which are paid by the participant at the venue. There are no refunds.

Click here for more information!

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Did U Know?

Clicking on "Club News" will highlight many upcoming Club events!

A great informative and time-saving place to find out what Village Clubs are offering is to click on the Laguna Woods Village website’s "Club News" section.

This section is updated weekly and highlights many of the upcoming club events. You can quickly see some of the clubs’ offerings without having to click into each separate club’s webpage.

Please note that not all club activities are listed under Club News. The section is intended as an "At a Glance" sampling of the many club activities going on at the Village. Click here to go to "Club News".

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Kudos!

The Irvine Company uses a "Ewe-nique" Approach for Fire Prevention!

To prevent area brush fires, the Irvine Company is using about 500 sheep as part of a targeted grazing program to clear invasive, non-native plants and undergrowth that feeds wildfires. Sheep began a three-week grazing program on a 105-acre portion of eastern Laguna Canyon on March 3.The method is approved by the California Department of Fish and Game and is an alternative to clearing with bulldozers, controlled burning or chemicals.

The sheep eat green grasses and mustard plants that proliferate after the winter rains. These invasive plants compete with native plants for water and nutrients. By the time summer comes around, those green grasses and mustard plants dry out and die, becoming potential fuel for fires. The sheep help reduce the number of those plants before they can die out and become fire hazards.

The same shepherd and flock being deployed near Laguna Woods Village also is used in and around Laguna Beach specifically to eliminate vegetation that could become fuel for fires.

The goats that are set to come in during the fall also play a big role in reducing fire risk. Unlike sheep, which are "a little fussy," goats "will eat anything," said Paul Galvin, a biologist with Irvine’s Harmsworth Associates who is overseeing the project. "Along with live plants, goats eat dead vegetation, which is most prone to burning in a fire."

Keep reading...

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Conservation Corner

New Village at Work video on Recycling!

On the latest episode of the Village at Work, Village resident Sheila Bialka and Landscape Manager Brian Gentry take residents through the dos and don’ts of recycling in the Village. The segment also features comic relief from "The Village Idiot" David Dearing. The Village at Work is produced by Channel 6 Laguna Woods Village Television.

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For more information about Laguna Woods Village or to view all editions of My Village News, please visit www.lagunawoodsvillage.com.