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December 2015 page 1
Ardiente Newsletter December 2015
December 1, 2015
December 10, 2015
December 7-14, 2015
Happy Hanukkah
Kwanzaa
December 26, 2015
Merry Christmas
December 25, 2015
BIG YEAR END
PARTY
DECEMBER 30
December 2015 page 2
FROM THE DESK OF THE PRESIDENT
As I write this, we still have a few days to go before Thanksgiving, but it’s never too early to start giving thanks. Yesterday, I drove to the Clubhouse parking lot to drop off a turkey and was amazed at the generosity of Ardiente residents – the rear axle of Jeff Davis’ SUV was creaking under the weight of dozens of frozen birds, about to wing their way to the needy. For all of you who support this and other charitable initiatives like the Veteran’s Club Adopt-a-Family program- Thank You! Two days ago, the November 17th Board Meeting was reconvened after a short recess, to allow our new Directors – Dave Bergeson, Nancy Phillips and Chelle Verk – to absorb the details of all the outstanding Association business. To these Directors, the other candidates and all who sup-ported them during what turned out to be a busy and well-contested campaign - Thank You! It has been a whirlwind month for volunteers in Ardiente. Elsewhere in this newsletter, you’ll read about the activities of your Committees and when you do, you’ll realize the time and effort that has been expended to achieve the outstanding results that they are able to report. To everyone who is part of a Committee - Thank You! This is my third contribution to the Newsletter and it frustrates me to know that you won’t be rea-ding it for 10 more days! Work is nevertheless going on behind the scenes to address the overall problem of real-time, two-way communication. Activities under way include:
*On-line Homeowner Request Form and Status Lookup *A digital sign in the Clubhouse with most current Calendars and News *Consolidation of our current multiple websites and databases
I’m committed to make all this happen in early 2016, by providing Ardiente residents with our own single, consolidated website (www.myardiente.com) to go for news, forms and documents, information about activities and events, and new, exciting features. Watch this space for further developments. And did I say Thank You? Onward and upward, Bill.
December 2015 page 3
HOA Board Election
Thanks and congratulations are in order as we announce the Nov.17, 2015 election of three more homeowner board members to the Ardiente HOA Board of Directors for a two year term. Congratulations and welcome to our three new board members, (from L to R, below): David Bergeson, Treasurer, Nancy Phillips, Secretary, and Chelle Verk, Vice-President. Special thanks to Lyvoinne Harris for her years of service on the Board, and to Rick Beasley, who also made the commitment to run. Continuing their current Board terms for another year are Bill Graney, Presi-dent, and Steve Rynders, Director.
ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE (ARC)
Every two to seven years , interaction between the atmosphere and the tropical
Pacific causes the sea temperature to raise causing the phenomenon known as El Nino.
The El Nino effect this year is expected to be one of the strongest El Nino's ever recorded
causing destructive rain in California and gentler but persistent rains in Las Vegas caus-
ing significant precipitation.
The wettest Las Vegas December (2004), January (1995), and February (1998)
occured during an El Nino winter, which brings us to the purpose of the Tip-of-The Month.
Ardiente Design Guidelines and The City of North Las Vegas Building Code dictate that homeowners
must maintain the drainage on their lots established by the builder during the construction of their house. The
drainage channels run accross the back and sides of the house to the street.
In view of the pending El Nino winter forecast homeowners are urged to check the " V " shaped drain-
age channels in the stones and remove any debris that may impede the free flow of rain runoff. Pay special at-
tention to the area where the drainage pipe goes under the air conditioner pad. Failure to maintain the drainage
channels may cause flooding that could impact masonry walls and house foundations.
That’s the bad news, the good news is the last 6 El Nino winters raised the levels of Lake Mead by One
foot in 2002/2003 to a significant increase of about 20 feet in 2004/2005.also the abundance of El Nino rains
bring out the wildflowers in the spring that normally remain dormant.
THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE WANTS TO THANK THE COMMUNITY FOR
ITS CONTINUED SUPPORT AND TO WISH ALL OUR WONDERFUL HOMEOWNERS A HAPPY HOLIDAY SEASON AND A NEW YEAR FILLED WITH PEACE, PROSPERITY AND GOOD
HEALTH.
December 2015 page 4
COMMUNITY MANAGER’S CORNER
TIPS FOR PROTECTING YOUR IDENTITY
DURING THE HOLIDAYS
Identity theft is a problem any time of the year. While consumers are focused on giving during the holidays, criminals are focused on taking. If there’s one thing anyone doesn’t need, it is dealing with identity theft during the holidays. The National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC) of-fers the following tips to help consumers protect themselves during the busy holiday season: • Be aware of your surroundings. Sidewalks and malls will be crowded and shoppers will be distracted—the perfect combination for a pick-pocket. If someone bumps into you, don’t assume it was an accident. Women should clutch purses closely at their side or in front of them with the wallet hidden at the bottom. Men should stow wallets in an inside coat pocket.
• Don’t carry large sums of cash. Charge your purchases or use a debit card. Just remember that credit cards offer some protections that debit cards don’t. When you use a credit card, you can dispute a purchase before paying for it. With a debit card, the money is removed from your account at the time of the purchase. A thief can wipe out your checking or savings account before you ever realize the theft has taken place.
• Guard your PIN number at the ATM. Be aware of anyone lurking around the ATM, and if someone is standing too close, simply ask him or her to step back. Thieves can also install devices that read your infor-mation at the ATM without you knowing it. If you notice anything unusual about the ATM, use a different one, and report what you’ve seen to the bank.
• Don’t let your credit card out of your sight. Unscrupulous clerks or waiters can copy your card information or swipe your card into a second card reader and later make a new credit card for themselves. Worse yet, they can sell your information to an organized crime ring.
• Lighten your wallet. Remove anything from your wallet that you don’t absolutely need to have with you. That way, if someone is successful in stealing it, they won’t get as much. Never carry your Social Security card with you, but check other cards that might use your SS# as an identifier. If you’re not going to be using your checkbook, leave it at home.
• Make copies of your credit cards. Copy both sides of all your cards. If you lose your wallet, you’ll have easy access to all of your account numbers and phone numbers, allowing you to alert your bank immediate-ly.
• Keep up with all receipts. Not only will you need them to make returns easily, but crooks are very interest-ed in stealing the information they contain. Never stuff the receipts into your car visor or leave them ex-posed in any way.
• Open your credit card statements as soon as they arrive. Check the bill for any unauthorized purchases. Even better, keep a watchful eye on your accounts by going online and reviewing your accounts each week. If you notice anything out of the ordinary, report it immediately to your bank. Doing so will likely remove any payment responsibility you might have for fraudulent purchases.
• Secure all personal information even while at home. Unfortunately, many times an ID thief is someone we know. During the holidays, you may have guests in your home. Remove temptation by putting personal in-formation out of sight.
• Consider signing up for a credit monitoring service. Such services alert you via email anytime there is an inquiry or other activity to your credit report. In other words, if someone tries to open an account in your name, you’ll know about it. Such services are offered by all of the major credit reporting bureaus, and could be money well-spent.
December 2015 page 5
• Order your credit report. Consumers are allowed one free credit report every 12 months from each of the three bureaus. Order a report now from one bureau, and order another one in January from a different bureau. This will give you a good snapshot of activity and will alert you to anything unusual. In spite of all your efforts, if you are victimized by ID theft, contact an NFCC Member Agency for help. Their certified counselors can walk you through the steps to recovery. To find the agency closest to you, dial (800) 388-2227, or go online www.DebtAdvice.org. To locate a Spanish speaking counselor, call (800) 682-9832. For more information and tips about identity theft visit NFCC at www.ProtectYourIDNow.org. I hope everyone has a Great Holiday Season! Sincerely, James Skinner, CMCA
LANDSCAPING COMMITTEE ACTIVITIES/UPDATE
The Landscape Committee has been meeting on a regular basis to discuss working
with the Landscape Contractor to improve the condition of the grounds and reme-
dy some of the immediate problematic areas. Recently the grounds were inspected
by the committee members, information and picture documentation was collected
so that priority areas can be addressed with the current landscape contractor.
A sub-committee was formed at a previous committee meeting to prepare an RFP
(Request for Proposal). Four landscape companies were selected and all were excited to propose a bid. The
Landscape Committee met on Monday, November 16, 2015 to discuss and evaluate the RFP’s that were
opened at the board meeting on November 11, 2015.
After careful deliberation and consideration, it was determined that a recommendation would be made
to the board to select Bilmar Landscape Industries bid proposal as our newly contracted landscape
vendor. The Board has reviewed and accepted the Landscape Committee’s recommendation and Bil-
mar Landscape Industries will start upgrading, revitalizing, and shaping our community’s landscape
beginning January 2, 2016.
The Landscape Committee will be diligently working throughout the various phases in the coming months to
provide residents with information on developments and improvements in their community. With everyone
having the same goal of helping Ardiente to shine, it is certain we will have a beautiful outcome. We will
continue to keep you apprised of the exciting accomplishments that we anticipate with regular news articles.
We thank everyone in advance for their patience as we navigate through this transitional period.
December 2015 page 6
ARDIENTE NEWSLETTER HAPPENINGS
A BIG THANK YOU AND GOODBYE
As most of you know three of our newsletter staff have resigned. We want to give each of our resigning mem-
bers a “Thank You for all your hard work and dedication to our Ardiente Newsletter.”
Diana Eden Marty Puzio Mary Reed
CHANGES COMING IN 2016
Our new staff will begin with their first newsletter in January. We plan to just tweak the newsletter to update
it and hopefully make changes our residents would like to see.
In order for us to know what the residents want in their newsletter we need you to tell us. Please send your
comments, suggestions, etc. to [email protected].
REMEMBER OUR MOTTO
“FOR THE RESIDENTS BY THE RESIDENTS”
Ardiente Newsletter Guidelines Articles are not to exceed 750 words; images are limited to no more than 3 per submission, and may be re-sized for spacing purposes. We ask that committee and club submissions be in a concise summary form of topics and updates vs. meeting minutes. Articles must be positive in tone, and avoid political, religious and self-promotional commentary. Articles that reference others must have the consent of those whose names appear in said article. Sources must be attributed when quoting fact or opinion from any and all written or online publications. Submissions, (Word doc, plain text, pdf), are to be sent to [email protected] ON OR BEFORE the 20th of the month preceding publication. Without exception, any submissions received after the 20th will NOT be eligi-ble for publication in the next edition. The newsletter group reserves the right to edit, condense, or reject any submission.
NAME THE NEWSLETTER
Our new newsletter staff think it is time to give the newsletter it’s own name. Please think of a name and
submit it to [email protected]. Put on your thinking caps and come up with a snazzy name!
December 2015 page 7
Social Committee
The annual Halloween party, held on 31 October, was a tremendous success with 96 people, ghouls, and
sundry characters participating. Fantastic food, hot cider, cold pop, and music requests keep the evening
lively and hopping. The costume contest was a lot of fun – so eerie to recognize the Israels as the Corpse
Couple from the Beetlejuice movie, Nancy Phillips as Lady Luck, and Ray Stokes as an aged Superman!
The whole Gilligan’s Island cast joined us and Popeye and Olive Oil even made an appearance. Many other
costumed residents kept the evening full of laughter and good spirits. Party goers in both the Fiesta Multi-
purpose Room and the Lanai enjoyed a potluck feast, including lots of yummy desserts.
December 2015 page 8
SOCIAL COMMITTEE Continued
Thanksgiving dinner was served on Novem-
ber 21, with a traditional harvest menu and
wine.
The Social Committee has been working to
set event dates and themes as well as volun-
teer coordinators for those events, for 2016 to
allow for better planning and advance notice
of upcoming events. We are set through next
August, and will finish the year’s calendar of
events at our next meeting on Dec. 1. Watch
for old and new activities; along with differ-
ent ways of sharing and socializing with
friends and neighbors.
December 2015 page 9
Social Committee December 2015
Ardiente residents will kick off the holiday season with a Holiday Desserts
and tree lighting event on Saturday, 5 December in the Clubhouse. The tree-
lighting will commence at 6 p.m. with desserts and beverages from 6:30 to 8
p.m. This is a no-cost event for residents, but registration is required. Ex-
pect heaps of holiday yummies, hot chocolate and cider, and lots of fun!
ALL ASPIRING WRITERS
If you have ever been inspired to write, you may be a candidate for the Ardiente Newsletter team. We are looking for enthusiastic, creative people to write arti-cles on resident travels, fun things happening in Vegas, movie, book, or restau-rant reviews, interviewing newcomers, etc., for upcoming newsletters. If you would like to be involved in the newsletter in some capacity, please let the team know by sending us an email expressing your interest to
Clubhouse Closures!
Don’t forget that the Clubhouse will be closed for upcoming holidays. Please see the Clubhouse closure
schedule below.
• Closing at 12:00 NOON on Christmas Eve, Thursday, December 24, 2015
• Closed ALL DAY on Christmas Day, Friday, December 25, 2015
• Closing at 12:00 NOON on New Year’s Eve, Thursday, December 31, 2015
• Closed ALL DAY on New Year’s Day, Friday, January 1, 2015
December 2015 page 10
Beginning January 2016, leagues will become part of the fun at Ardiente! Bocce Ball, Putting, Pool Volleyball, Bean Bag Toss (Cornhole), Ping Pong (Table Tennis), Darts and Billiards will all kick off leagues at the beginning of the new year. With the exception of Pool Volleyball (which is on hiatus until the warmer weather returns in March) and Ping Pong (which has not arrived just yet), these games are available for you to play on your own NOW. Feel free to checkout equipment from the front desk and start practicing your skills. In January these activities will have leagues meeting on a regular basis. Please stay tuned for more details regarding the league schedules.
Along with the formation of leagues, the HOA will host tournaments in 2016! These tournaments will include friendly competition, food, beverages, prizes and FUN! Whether you are a pro or brand new to the activity, we encourage every-one to join the leagues. We are looking for men and women to participate in all the activities, as leagues will be co-ed. If you are interested please contact Rachel Diaz, Lifestyle Director, via email: [email protected] or phone: 702.643.0226. We hope that you will join us for the great fun that lies ahead with the 2016 leagues!
December 2015 page 11
BOCCE BALL PLAYERS
PUTTING PRACTICE
December 2015 page 12
Holiday House Decorating Contest
Do you enjoy decorating your house for the holidays? We are all excited to see Ardiente light up and become festive for the holiday season! We want to acknowledge residents that have really gone the extra mile to make their holiday décor spectacular. This year we will award first, second and third place honors to the homes voted the best by YOU the residents. To vote you must respond to the survey that will be sent to you via email. Please cast your vote no later than Monday, December 14, 2015. The votes will be tal-lied and winners will be announced at Boozy Bingo on December 16, 2015 as well as in the weekly enewsletter and the January edition of the monthly newsletter.
Volunteer of the Year for 2015 Do you know a resident that has volunteered his or her time in 2015?
Please nominate your fellow residents for the 2015 Volunteer of the
Year Award! You can email your nomination to activi-
[email protected] or you can stop by the Clubhouse to make your
nomination. These nominations will be an integral part in the selection
the 2015 Volunteer of the Year Award recipient.
December 2015 page 13
FREE Lunch & Learn – Stay Independent
Friday, December 11, 2015 at 11:30AM in the Fiesta MPR
Join Deanne O’Rear-Cameron from Electronic Caregiver as she shows you how to stay independent in
your own home. The Electronic Caregiver offers a medical alert and home safety system. Learn about
the multi-step emergency protection, medication management, 24/7 EMT monitoring, coordinated care
benefits, fall prevention and much more! Seating is limited so register online at MyArdienteLife.com to-
day!
Lunch & Learn Disclaimer
All Lunch & Learns are for the information and convenience of the residents. They do not constitute en-
dorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the Ardiente HOA. The information appearing in each Lunch &
Learn is for general informational purposes only and is not intended to provide legal, ethical, health, or any
other type of advice to any individual or entity. We strongly recommend that you review the company and
consult with trusted professionals prior to engaging in further contact and/or business. Thank you.
Boozy Bingo
Wednesday, December 16, 2015 at 6:00PM in the Fiesta MPR
Prepare for an evening of drinks and bingo fun! Join us as we play
TEN bingo games for only $16.00. The more people that play, the
more you can win in each game. And of course you will received
drinks because what is Boozy Bingo without booze?! Enjoy your games even more while sipping on a
delicious cocktail. :)
Since Boozy Bingo has proven to be so popular, we are now setting a registration and payment dead-
line. All participants must be registered and paid no later than three days prior in order to guarantee
their seat. If you register yourself but do not bring your payment to the front desk no less than three
days prior, you will be unregistered and your seat will be made available. If you see that Boozy Bingo is
fully registered, please ask to be placed on the wait list. This will give you first priority when seats are
made available. Online registration is still required so visit MyArdienteLife.com to register today!
Cookie Exchange
Thursday, December 17, 2015 at 6:00PM in the Fiesta MPR
The Ardiente Baking Club will host a cookie exchange that is open to all members of
the Ardiente community. They are asking that everyone who attends bring a batch
(approximately 3 dozen) of cookies and a few to put on the tasting table and the
rest for an exchange. The cookies must be homemade and we suggest that Choco-
late Chip cookies not be brought. Beverages will be provided to enhance our cookie
tasting. Please register online at MyArdienteLife.com!
December 2015 page 14
Caroling in Ardiente
Sunday, December 20, 2015 at 4:30PM in the Ardiente Community (Meet
at the Clubhouse)
Help us spread holiday cheer throughout the Ardiente Community by join-
ing in the caroling fun! Everyone will meet in the Clubhouse Lobby at
4:30PM. The lyrics to the songs will be printed and provided to you. After
caroling, everyone will return to the Clubhouse for Coffee, Hot Chocolate
and Cookies. "Oh what fun it is to ride and sing a sleighing song tonight!"
Please register on MyArdienteLife.com so that we know how many song packets to make.
Private Event in the Fiesta Room
Saturday, December 26, 2015 from 2:00PM – 7:00PM
Please note that the Fiesta MPR and Kitchen will be closed for a Private Room Rental during this time.
Thank you.
MARGIE DAVIS MEMORIAM OUTREACH PROGRAM By Jeff Davis
I am very happy to report that we had a terrific turkey donation drive on Saturday morning. We collected 103 turkeys, which weighed 1,486 pounds! That means we exceeded last year's total by about 50%! Many residents donated two turkeys and Michael and Patsy Israel donated four. It was such a pleasure to show up at Three Square Food Bank with our haul and have their staff openly show their apprecia-tion to Ardiente. Our collection team consisted of Nancy Marsh, Gail Eberle, Mickie Ottery, my daughter, Pamela Davis, and myself. The event was very joyous. As each resident showed up at the clubhouse, we had time to collect their donation, thank them for their generosity, and have conversations about the event and just catch up with friends, who we have not seen in a while. It was a lot of fun. I believe everyone felt a deep-er sense of camaraderie within the community. Most importantly, we know this event helped feed those of us in the greater Las Vegas community, who are hungry during this Thanksgiving holiday. I congratulate EVERYONE, who participated!!! Thanks to you and Nancy Phillips for publicizing the event so often and helping to make it such a success. Margie would be extremely proud of all of us! With much gratitude to all, Jeff Davis
December 2015 page 15
Dear Ardiente Residents,
Betty Jenkins and family would like to take this opportunity to express their gratitude for all the kind words of condolences through cards and telephone calls for their mother and grandmoth-er Mildred A. Outerbridge who passed away on 10/28/15 at the age of 103.
A Hero’s Welcome to Ardiente!
As of October 2015, Ardiente residents have a full-time handy-man maintenance specialist. We are pleased to wel-come Hero Fau to our community in that capacity. Hero brings his many needed skills and eight years of general maintenance experience to the job. He considers himself a “jack of all trades” when it comes to maintenance tasks, but he especially enjoys working on HVAC systems for heating and cooling, for which he holds a certification. He is also certified in pool operations. On the personal side, Hero lives here in North Las Vegas, is the father of five children, and loves to play basketball in his spare time. It has been great to see his friendly face around the clubhouse, as he goes about checking off his to-do list. Welcome Hero!
December 2015 page 16
2015 HALLOWEEN PET PARADE
BIG Year End Party!
On the evening of December 30th the Social
Committee will be hosting a BIG year end party! Be
sure to mark your calendars as this is a party not to
be missed!
Event details coming soon.
December 2015 page 17
The Pet Place By Kat Snell
What is my Pet Saying?
Ever say to yourself “I wish my dog or cat could talk”? Well they do, you just have to learn to figure out what they are
saying. They actually talk plenty and all without words; they communicate in a non-verbal way that tells YOU, exactly what they
want. Yes, they get frustrated with you for not knowing what they are saying. They make it very clear as to what they want, but you
need to watch and listen for it. When you can’t figure it out they give you that look, “stupid human”. We’ve all seen it, we all get
that hairy eyeball look.
Here are just a few of the ways that our pets can communicate their needs and wants to us:
Cats
Happy: Eyes are closed or even half-shut, fur will be flat and they may even purr, stretched out, ears angled forward and tail up,
roll over or knead with their front paws. These signal a contented cat.
Playful: Ears open and tilted slightly forward, tail cur led upward indicates, I ’m ready to play.
Friendly: Slow blinks show affection and contentment.
Afraid: Will tuck his tail, shifts the ears sideways and the pupils widen.
Angry: Ears flatten, pupils nar row, whiskers point forward, back arches, fur stands up, tail thrashes, claws extend. This
would be a good time to back off!!!!
Defensive: Pupils shr ink, tail twitches, growling, snar ling, hissing or spitting. Look out if they think you are a threat, you
are about to get nailed.
These are just some of your cat’s body language, kind of universal. I’m sure your cat has developed some of their own that
they have made just for you. Watch the ears, they have a lot to say!
Dogs
Dogs can be a bit harder in the ear department to figure out what they are saying due to the variations among breeds’ ears.
Thus, it makes it a bit harder to read but in general, the same principles apply as with the cats.
Relaxed: When your dog is relaxed, comfor table and under no stress, the ears will be held in a natural position.
Happy: Tail wagging as fast as it will go or sometimes wagging in circles, mouth can be slightly open and even appear to be
smiling. This is a sure sign that your dog is a happy camper.
Alert: A gaze that is so intense and focused, ears per k up, the head and neck are slightly cocked, tail r igid and immobile
and they are standing like a statue.
Friendly: A dog that has no problem looking up at you and looking you in the eye.
Playful: Bouncy and may str etch into a bow to say, I’m up for fun, how about you. Or they take off running in hopes of a chase.
Afraid: These dogs will cower and shr ink in size. They back away, ears flatten and tail descends low or tucked.
Submissive: These dogs make themselves look as small as possible, walk low to the ground and will not make eye contact with you or any other dog.
Dominant: Standing tall and looking large, no matter what size they are. The tail sits high, ears are up and look r ight at you and other dogs unblinkingly.
Aggressive: Hostile, dogs are to be avoided at all costs. These dogs generally stare unblinkingly, posture is intimidating, the weight is shifted forward, tail is raised high, teeth can be bared and may vocalize with a low threatening growl or bark. DO NOT issue a challenge by staring back, that could possibly trigger an attack.
Again these are just a few and I know from personal experience my dog and cat have come up with some of their own unique ways to communicate with me. So watch your own pets for these behaviors and see how your pet has come up with unique ways of their own to communicate with you. They are funny creatures.
They have us all trained quite well!!
References: http://www.mypet.com, http://www.msn.com, http://www.vetstreet.com
December 2015 page 18
COLLECTING COOKIES FOR NELLIS AND CREECH AIR
FORCE BASE ACTIVE DUTY MILITARY
On Sunday December 13 from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM Carol Meyer
will be collecting homemade cookies at the Ardiente community
clubhouse for active duty military personnel for the holiday sea-
son.
Carol will deliver the homemade cookies to Nellis Air Force Base
for the Annual Nellis and Creech Airman Cookie Drive. Since
many active duty military will not be able to be home for the holi-
days, your cookies will bring a little piece of home to them. Please
note that Carol WILL NOT be able to return any plates or contain-
ers. Please bring the cookies in disposable ware that you do not
need back.
Carol would like to thank you in advance for your participation in this effort to bring holiday cheer to active
duty military at Nellis and Creech Air Force Base.
CITRUS HEIGHTS BLOCK PARTY
Residents on Citrus Heights held their first block party on the afternoon of
November 1 in Sage Park. The weather was just perfect; a warm sun and
cool breezes. The thirty or so attendees brought a variety of delicious
foods and libations. This gathering gave everyone the opportunity to meet
fellow Citrus Heights Avenue residents in an informal but quiet social
setting.
This block party was hosted by Millie Lewis and Marcia Rock who planned and implemented this event. They are looking forward to another block party in the spring. A small planning committee will be formed. Once planning is complete, all residents will be informed of the date,
time and place of the next gathering.
Ardiente F.O.M Line Dancers perform for the VA Hospital Veteran's Day November 11, 2015
Many thanks to the resi-dents that came out to sup-port the line dancers as they participated in the festivities honoring our brave soldiers. It was an honor to be part of such an event. F.O.M Line Dancers Club
December 2015 page 19
MEET YOUR NEIGHBORS: Carolyn and Eddie Thompkins
Ed Thompkins says since moving here in May 2015 his stress level has de-creased significantly and “we got younger overnight”! He and his wife Carolyn are just settling in to their bright and spacious home on Sagamore Canyon. Carolyn was born and raised in Wilmington, North Carolina, the fifth of eleven children. At age eighteen she headed for New York where she went to work for the phone company. A job at the VA followed, where she remained for ten years before transferring to the Post Office where she worked until her retirement in 2009. Ed was born and raised in Harlem, New York, the second of six children. When he was thirteen, his parents moved the family to Queens, N.Y. where Ed discovered the grass and trees of suburbia! His brother Carl used to sing on street corners, eventually joining The Main Ingredient, an American soul and R&B group best known for their 1972 hit song "Everybody Plays the Fool". " After High School, Ed’s father took him to Fort Hamilton in Brooklyn where he enlisted in the Army. He spent two years in Germany, and one year in combat in Vietnam. He still suffers from the effects of heart disease from Agent Orange in his blood stream and PTSD. After the Army, Ed went to The Visual Arts College in New York, as he had inherited his mother’s artistic talents, and later was able to work as a freelance artist and illustrator. One of his works hangs in St. Johns Community College on Long Island. He eventually became a painter at the US Post Office, where he also retired from and where his story and Carolyn’s first intersected. They met in the Post Office cafeteria. Ed says “she brought me a plate of food and next thing I knew I was walking down the aisle”! You have to try her Crab Cakes & Clam Fritters. When their daughter Angelica recently moved from New York to Las Vegas with her job, they decided to research the area on the internet, and before long they were finding renters for their Long Island home, pack-ing up the car with their clothes, their computer, and driving five days across snowy mountains and valleys of this big country. And here they are! They are loving it. They love the climate and the abundance of things to do. “People don’t wave to each other in New York and lots of older people get isolated in their homes”. Here they are close to everything, such as the Aliante Resort and Casino where they go to the movies every Monday night. They have attended several parties here, have taken advantage of exercise classes, and are enjoying being close to their daughter, who gives back to the community teaching Hip Hop dance to younger kids in an after school program. Ed is also thinking of volunteering to teach art to veterans at the VA center. They also have another daughter Fronia in New York, one grand-daughter Ahtyana, who is studying at Co-lumbia South Carolina University and another grand-daughter Tahtyana in High School. Better get that Guest Room ready! Submitted by Diana Eden
December 2015 page 20
With the holidays almost upon us, and trips to visit family members upcoming, it never hurts to be reminded of the ways to help prevent arriving at your destination without your luggage!
You can' t always use a car ry-on. Why agonize? Take out that larger
suitcase and fill it with everything you'll need on your journey.
Always take a photo of your bag for ID purposes. Keep it on your mobile phone should
it become necessary to describe it.
Check in is when mistakes are often made. Once your bags are tagged take a good look at
the codes on that tag before it leaves the ticket counter. Are your destination and flight number
correct? Human error plays a large part in lost luggage.
More and more people are using tracking devices on their bags. Do some research on the sub-
ject. You might find it worthwhile.
Don' t think black for your bag. Almost everybody else is thinking the same thing. Instead,
think color and design. Or, perhaps add decals. This way there is less chance that someone will mis-
takenly take your baggage off the conveyor belt thinking it is theirs.
If you must have black luggage, differentiate your bag from others with a color ful strap that
fits tightly around the bag. Under extreme situations this strap also prevents your bag from opening
and scattering your belongings.
You think one tag is enough? Wrong! Don' t be lazy. Put at least two ID tags on your bag. No
matter how sturdy your tags are one can accidentally be ripped off as your luggage makes its way
from check-in to airplane.
Put one ID sheet inside your bag. Outline your destination and how you can be reached. In-
clude your city but don't include your home address. Nobody needs to know you are away from
home. Include a list of everything in your bag and keep a copy for yourself. Should your bag go
missing, this extra information might be helpful.
Make sure to remove any old baggage claim tags from your last tr ip. Why create room
for mistakes?.
Check your credit card coverage. Just in case your bag is lost, many cards now add some form
of lost luggage insurance.
Reprinted with permission from Journeywoman.com
December 2015 page 21
Ladies’ Luncheon On December 16th, we will repeat one of our most successful traditions....dining at the Cafe Bellagio at the Bellagio Hotel where we can view all the holiday decora-tions. After lunch, we can wander through the display in the adjacent Botanical Gardens. Be sure to mark the date on your calendar, and sign up online. Meet at the club house at 11:15 to car pool to the restaurant. One request: PLEASE let us know if you are going on your own and not carpooling, (as we tend to wait for you if we do not know), and PLEASE let the Club-house desk know if you are not able to come. Out of re-spect for the restaurants where we may have made a reservation for a large party and the need to be consider-ate of their saved space, it is important to let us know if you need to cancel.
Inquiry Club
The next meeting of the Inquiry Club is scheduled for Wednesday, December 9th, at 7 pm. The Inquiry Club is a gathering of young minded men of the Ardiente community for the purpose of fellowship and the sharing of knowledge. Each month a member volunteer gives a short presentation on a subject of interest to the other members. Re-freshments are served at the conclusion of the meetings. The speaker for the December 9th meeting is Steve King, who will talk on "Traffic Signals".
There is a pre-meeting dinner at 5:15 pm at Memphis Barbecue at 4379 North Las Ve-gas Boulevard, Las Vegas, NV 89115.
ARDIENTE WINE CLUB
(48) members of the Ardiente Wine Club enjoyed learning about Sparkling
Wines and the types of food to pair with them at the November Wine Tasting Events. A
very good time was enjoyed by the membership.
The Ardiente Wine Club held their Annual Meeting on Thursday, November 19th. New
officers for 2016 were elected: Dave Silkroski, President; Patsy Israel, Vice President; and
Nancy Phillips, Secretary/Treasurer.
As there will not be a Wine Tasting Event for December sign-up and payment, ($20 per person, due at time
of sign-up cash preferred), for January and February, 2016 will be held on Tuesday, December 1st and
Wednesday, December 2nd between 10:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. each day at the Clubhouse.
For information on the Ardiente Wine Club, please contact Nancy Phillips at [email protected] or by tele-
December 2015 page 22
Ardiente Hiking Club The latest meeting of the hiking club was held on Nov. 18. Turnout was great, and we shared and consumed lots of delicious snacks. We had a robust discussion, with everyone being able to share their thoughts on how we might improve the club and bring in new hikers. The high- lights of the meeting follow: • We agreed to have three hikes per week (dependent on weather conditions). • Hikes on Tuesday and Saturday will mostly be “moderate” hikes, with more “difficult” hikes once or twice a month. • The hike on Thursday will be an “easy” hike. • Since “difficult”, “moderate”, and “easy” are subjective, we felt it should be left to each indi-vidual to decide which hike best fits their ability. • Hikes will be published in advance with a link to a web site that describes the hike - location, length and difficulty level. It was brought out that trail conditions can change over time, especially after sever weather. There is no guarantee that the Internet link to the hike description will be totally accurate. • Each hiker is responsible for their personal safety, and should bring water and snacks, basic first aid and safety items, and wear appropriate clothing for the weather conditions. • We go as a group. No one will be left alone. If a hiker needs to return to the trail head before the completion of the hike they will be accompanied by another hiker. • In the past, the club president has researched and scheduled hikes. For 2016, a committee will meet on a regular schedule to plan the hikes. Committee members include: ◦ Patsy Israel ◦ Terry Gaeta ◦ Debbie Hawkins ◦ Jerry Person ◦ Terry Shackelford ◦ Ron Hassen ◦ Paul Oldale ◦ Bob Pearson • The of- fice of President and Vice President will now consist of Co-Chairs, Paul Oldale,
( [email protected], 702 877-2007), and Ron Hassen, ([email protected], (702) 659-2510)
• ACHE club meetings will be held on a more regular basis - the frequency to be determined by the Co-Chairs and communicated to club members.
December 2015 page 23
Desert steps…..unfinished
by josie
Stretching like a foreign land
Touched by a gypsy hand
dusty winds of the desert’s face
Caressing softly like woven lace
tiny greens sprung thru a crack
Arching like a stretching cat
To the sun whose hot breath beams
Glints of gems or so it seems
Traversing hard- packed, time worn steps
Nights’ sunsets my breath it takes
For as the sands, they may shift
Never tire of natures’ gift
This is your loved ones fi nal
opportunity to live in a NEW
home for the holidays! Pick
your neighbors now!
Our talented designers have
selected some of the most
desired home options and
put them in our Quick Move-
In Designer Homes! These
houses are ready to be called
“Home”.
We want to wish everyone at
Ardiente a safe, happy holiday
and a Happy New Year!
Home for the Holidays!
The low $200’s - $400’s • Off I-15, Lamb Exit
Shea Homes® is a registered trademark of Shea Homes, Inc., an independent member of the Shea family of companies. Sales and Construction by J.F. Shea Co., Inc. (NSCB #0009993) (NRED #1000613). Homes at Ardiente are intended for occupancy by at least one person 55 years of age or older, with certain exceptions for younger persons as provided by law and the governing covenants, conditions and restrictions. This is not an offer of real estate for sale, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, to residents of any state or province in which registration and other legal requirements have not been fulfi lled. Void where prohibited. Models are not an indication of racial preference. © 2015 Shea Homes, Inc. All rights reserved.
T R I LO GY L I F E .CO M | 702 . 2 24 . 8 2 0 0
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
Don’t forget about our $1,000 referral reward
for your friends and family who purchase.
December 2015 page 25
To place an ad in the newsletter, pick up a form at
the front desk, fill it out and return by the 20th of
the month.
*****************************
The primary mission of the Ardiente Newsletter is to provide
a non-political communication link to the members, build
community awareness and inform Ardiente Homeowner
Association members of community news. The Association
provides this publication for informational purposes and
only and neither endorses nor promotes any of the products
or services advertised herein and assumes no responsibility
or liability for the statements made in this publication. We
reserve the right to refuse advertising for any reason, or
cause. We also reserve the right to edit, condense and verify
all articles and graphics submitted for publication.
December 2015 page 26
Ray Stokes aka
SUPERMAN
“Grouchiest Old
Man
at the party!”
As remarked by
Nancy T.
