Hot Air Balloon Rides

Just saw another nice post on the Palm Creek Facebook page reminding everyone about the hot air balloon rides coming up next weekend to support the Cancer center.  All proceeds to go our LOCAL support center.  If you haven't had a balloon ride and viewed our beautiful resort from the air, this will be a great opportunity.  It's awesome!
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(from PC Facebook by Angela Durrell:

"Are you ready to fly? As part of our fundraising effort for the Cancer Support Center here in Casa Grande, we will be hosting hot air balloon rides. There are currently flights available on Saturday and Sunday morning for two types of ride:
Hot Air Balloon Ride—Saturday, February 7th, 2015-$175 per person
Float free and enjoy a journey across the sky with the beauty of an ever-changing landscape beneath you.
...

Tethered Balloon Ride– Sunday, February 8th, 2015- $20 per person. Float above home and see it from a new perspective.
All proceeds will benefit the Cancer Support enter in Casa Grande! Sign up TODAY in the Activities Office to reserve your spot!"
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Upcoming Activities

This coming weekend will be a BUSY one all around the park as we focus on our Cancer Awareness Tournaments and Walk.  Get up to the Activities Office for further updates.

FRIDAY NIGHT:  This is an evening that brings our Palm Creek community together in a personal and emotional way.  Over 4,000 luminaries will be lit all along the entrance, front gate, and Cole Circle leading up to the main clubhouse in honor of or in memory of our loved ones and friends who have experienced a life with cancer.  After a stroll through the area to see the lights after dark, stop up at Palm Park to enjoy hot chocolate, coffee, and home made cookies.  If weather permits, there may be a launching of a huge hot air balloon near the three way stop on Cole Circle.  Here are some photos from last year’s event.

OTHER CANCER AWARENESS EVENTS:

The tennis club is holding a tournament this week that will culminate with an awards banquet Friday night (Feb 4).  The club will hold a cancer awareness fund raising raffle of some great gift items.  Be sure to buy your tickets from any of the club members.

Hot Air Balloon Ride:  A silent auction will be held Friday night for a hot air balloon ride compliments of John Ross. 

Walk around the park:  Saturday morning 9:30 walk, ride your bike, or drive your golf cart around the park.  T-shirts and hats will be available.

Other Saturday events include a golf tournament and “splash for cash” at the pool.  See Activities Dept or your February newsletter for more details.

 

FEBRUARY NEWSLETTER

Remember to log on line at www.palmcreekgolf.com.  Scroll to the bottom of the page and click on “monthly newsletter”.  Keep your calendar and a pen handy so you can write down all the important events that are coming soon.  Don’t miss the quilt show, pottery show, chorus, play, state parties, bus trips, etc etc etc in addition to all the regularly scheduled daily activities.  Palm Creek is the place to be! 

Balloon Glow Info plus more

EXCITING NEWS regarding the February Cancer Awareness Weekend!

After a two year hiatus, the balloons are coming back!   We will once more kick off all of our park’s amazing activities to support our Cancer Awareness weekend.

 Friday evening, February 4th wIll be our balloon glow and also the opportunity to ride as a passenger in the balloon  tether operation adjacent to Palm Park.

Saturday morning , February 5th, we will have a mass ascension from the field just outside the gate at 7:30am.  Everyone is welcome to come out and observe.

ALL THE MONIES COLLECTED WILL BE DONATED TO OUR PARK’S COMBINED DONATION TO OUR GASA GRANDE CANCER AWARENESS CENTER.

However, it does not happen without our wonderful volunteers that assist the seven pilots during our Balloon Glow on Friday evening, and our flights on Saturday morning.   All the details will be coming out from our Activities Center, and all the signups and information will be at the Activities Center.

Whether you wish to volunteer as a crew person for the events, or wish to participate in the Friday night  tether operation as a passenger, or donate the fees to ride in one of the balloons for a flight on Saturday morning , the Activities Center is your one stop for all your answers.

If you have volunteered in the past with a certain pilot, just let the folks at Activities know and we will get you assigned with that Individual once again.

If you have never been around a balloon team before, we will insure you learn how to safely enjoy the experience.

Thanks in advance.

John Ross

Balloonmiester

Thank you, John, for setting up this wonderful event over the years.  It is always a thrill.

 The Firemen's Spaghetti dinner was a HUGE sellout success.  They must have seated and fed 400 people!  I'm glad we Creekers support the firemen as they have certainly been here plenty of times to rescue us. 

CREEKSIDE BAND

I saw this announcement on Nextdoor so want to join them next week to watch their show.  The Creekside band will be playing in the ballroom:

        Wednesday, January 19

        Wednesday, February 16

        Tuesday, March 22

All events are free.  6-8 pm

Get out those dancing shoes.  The band members live in Palm Creek and are available to play at no charge for your street party or event.  They plan for fun!

Speaking of fun:  Fellow resident Ron St. Pierre recently appeared in the Casa Grande Dispatch with his latest remote control project.  I've never seen one that looked like a bird.  Fun!

We should be able to see this winged (feathered??) machine at the next Fly-In event at their airfield.  The next event will be Saturday, February 12 from 9-3 benefiting the Valley Humane Society so mark your calendar.

The park seems to be very busy these days.  I rode past the horseshoe pits and saw they were completely full with active players.

....and the shuffleboard courts were fully occupied!

Folks are out for some early morning fun.

Today's weather is beautiful at 73 degrees and lots of sunshine.  Don took the drone out for a look around the resort.  Enjoy the ride!

Kat and Mouse like to watch all the traffic going by.

CANCELATIONS:

That's Country--The Outlaw Show scheduled for Sunday, January 16 is cancelled due to band member illness.  Hold your tickets until the event can be rescheduled.

The Washington State Party scheduled for Tuesday, February 22 has been canceled and will not be rescheduled for 2022.

Still Working

Good Morning.  I know I haven't posted for a couple days but I keep wondering how many pictures I can take of dirt piles and bricks before you get bored.  Anyway....here is another newly dug hole at Site 1624 on Whisper Wind.  

 
Here is an interesting photo though.  Apparently a dove flew head on into this window.

 
I'll bet it was a very sudden stop!!  You can see the dust left from his feathers....plus it obviously scared the cr__ out of him.  LOL

 
Back at the creek and pond on hole #18, we spotted a green heron resting on a rock enjoying the sunshine.  If you look closely at the right side of the photo, you can spot a little tree lizard also basking.

 
With the flick of a button on my zoom lens, I changed focus and got these two shots.

 
LOVE my little pocket camera!!

 
We were surprised to see even more improvements happening over by the softball field and the concession trailer.  They're installing pavers now between the stand and the tented area.  Very nice!

 

 

 
The grass on the big dog agility park is turning fresh green.

 
Hey....John the balloon guy is back!  Looks like you and the visiting grandkids can enjoy a hot air balloon ride over our beautiful park.  I highly recommend the ride as it is awesome.

 
Check the big decal on John's trailer.  It is a photo taken right here in Palm Creek.  You can see John's website at the top of the trailer so you can check out the rides he has to offer.

 
I took a ride with John last year and took some great photos.  See them at the link below:
Palm Creek by Air

Back at the Bistro, work continues at a frenzied pace as the goal is to be finished and open by November 1.

 

 

 

 

 
Meanwhile, these two ladies were enjoying the big hot tub.  They were the only two to show up for the water aerobics class this morning.  Come join them!!

 
Linda Balzan confering with Bob and Sharon Fahrenbruch.  Looks like Bob might finally be done painting all those stop sign posts.

 
Here's Eddie at work fixing and repair the spotlights along the street that shine up into the palm trees.

 

Gotta run.  Am teaching a Picasa class this morning.  Come join us for computer classes.  See the listing under "Computer Classes" at the top of the blog or on the bulletin board called "Computer Classes" up in Activities.

UP UP and AWAY!!!

What a FUNtastic adventure!!  Thank you to John Ross of FUNtastic Ballooning for a wonderful ride in his hot air balloon!  OH MY GOSH!!!  It was awesome!!!

 
We met at the ballfield at sunup this morning.

 
John and crew soon had the craft assembled and ready for flight.

 
AND AWAY WE WENT!!!

 
That's Don down there taking a video for me.

 
and Avis took a picture as we passed over head.

 
Pickleball Courts

 

 
Softball Field

 
Golf course

 
Lawn Bowling

 
The RC car field and the RC airfield

 
Main complex and the pool

 
Tennis courts, shuffleboard, horseshoes, and the woodshop

 
Mowers at work on the green

 
What a BEAUTIFUL sight!!

 

 

 
Winds were very light and variable so we just seemed to hang up there in the sky to enjoy the view.  A very very gentle breeze finally took us over near Casa Grande mountain where we landed out in an open field.

 
The crew met us with the truck to pack up.

 
This was a wonderful adventure!  I highly recommend it to everyone!!  Be sure to come up to Palm Park this Friday night to see 6 or 7 of these big balloons.  Rides will be available on the weekend.....although I just heard they are all sold out.  Saturday launching will take place from the ballfield and the 18th fairway.  

We are so fortunate to have John staying here in our resort so you can schedule a ride with him some time.  920-858-3168
Check at the Activities Office for more information.

I took a LOT of photos and posted them up on my Picasa Web Album.    See my launch video at:  Balloon Ride with John Ross

View 143 photos at:  Aerial Photos