Getting Ready + Drone Ride

Our summer activity schedule is rapidly drawing to a close.  Soon this announcement board will be loaded with new upcoming activities as the season gets ready to launch.

Reseeding the palm park area.

Lawn bowling area looks green.   More tree trimming in that area.  

Thatching the golf course is a dusty job!

FROM SUNRISE:

TO SUNSET:

We live in a beautiful park!

Enjoy this drone ride!

Tapas Info, new GM,

We had surprise visitors at our Tapas Tuesday dinner yesterday!  We were happy to meet and greet our new General Manager, Scott Houle, and his wife Marguarite who is our new Sales Manager.  They just stopped in to say hello.  We look forward to an exciting year with them at the helm.

Other good news includes our weather forecast.  Finally we see some cooler temperatures.  Yahoo!!

Weather and RC Flyers

Today's Dispatch headline:

If you heard about strong winds and a big storm here in Pinal county, you can relax.  Your house is safe and sound here as the strong storm completely missed us.  We had a little wind and dirt but certainly nothing like they experienced in Eloy (about 20 miles south of Casa Grande).

My son sent this photo as the storm approached Eloy:

We've just had a very uneventful, casual, HOT summer here in our little paradise.  Sure could use some rain though.

Remote Control Flyers club has become very active in the community.  I was asked to post this information for those of our residents who may be interested.

Casa Grande RC Flyers major events for the 2019 - 2020 winter season. Join today and be part of the fun for as little as $3.75 per month. Everyone welcome at our events without joining.
November 9, 2019: National Model Aviation Day Celebration & Swap Meet, 9 AM – 1:00 -
      Benefit for The Valley Humane Society. Planned food service: Salsa Bites.
December 14, 2019: Swap Meet At Club Field, 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM
     Benefiting Pets In Need Action League. Planned food service: Neighborz Gourmet Hot Dogs.
January 11, 2020: Fly-In For Hospice and Swap Meet, 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM
     Benefiting the Hospice Charitable Fund of Central Arizona. Planned food service: Salsa Bites.
February 8, 2020: Swap Meet At Club Field 8:00 AM – 1:00 PM -
     Benefiting the Boys & Girls Clubs of Casa Grande Valley. Planned food service: Coffee & Donuts From Pets In Need Action League and Neighborz Gourmet Hot Dogs.
March 14, 2020: 7th Annual Air Show And Swap Meet, 8:00 AM – 1:00 PM -
      Benefiting the Casa Grande Food Bank. Planned food service: Salsa Bites. Planned RC Vendor: Superstition Hobbies.

Food services and swap meets take place at all of our major events and RC vendors attend specific events. All AMA Club members and the public are always welcome at our events. There is never a parking or entry charge. Non Casa Grande RC Flyers club members are charged a small fee only if they want to sell at our swap meets and fly at our field. The club also holds weekly combat dog fights, monthly Drone & Helicopter Days, Fun Fly Contests and monthly swap meets too Membership detail are on our web site at http://casagrandercflyers.com/howtojoin.html

Getting ready for the season

Welcome back, Marion Nelson!!  Marion is in charge of all our special events.  She arrived Sunday and was back at work come Monday morning.

Lawn bowling area looks beautifully green.

Totally different appearance this year after all the olive trees are removed and bushes trimmed way back.

Infield at the ball diamond is looking good.

How do they trim those trees so nice and round?  Wish I could watch them do that.

Cute!

Don had the drone out again.

Hotel, main pool, ball diamond.

New Emergency Message Service

The age of technology is here to help us communicate.  We've always wished for a faster way to communicate an emergency situation here in the park like:  Water being shut off, electrical outage, major internet shut down, etc.   AND with the golf course believe it or not, there may be frost delays or water problems to report.

Now we have a way to receive those emergency messages on our cell phones.  I found this poster on the front desk this morning.  One side is for the park in general:

and the other is for the golf course:

First question:  How do I do this on my phone?

Go to your text message app on your phone and enter 22452 as the recipient number to call.

In the "message" box, type PALM

Then send the text.

You will soon receive a text like this:

 It will also say "rates may apply.  Reply stop2end, or help4help

Since we don't anticipate there being many of these texts during a year, I'm sure the message rate won't be significant.

Follow this same procedure again by texting to the same number 22452 but this time type GOLF in the message box.  You will then receive a similar text saying you are linked.  

The message you receive from the Pro Shop will read:

"Thanks for joining PALM CREEK PRO SHOP!  Stay tuned for instant news and events from our Pro Shop!  Book a tee time here:  http://su1.co/nw1HSp Up to 4

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I tried both this morning and it worked perfectly on the first try.  Congratulations to our IT department for stepping into the modern age of communication.

Sales Manager, Golf Course, Pool, Softball Field

Now the utility trucks can drive out onto the course and get the palms trimmed.  This will be the first time that both the front and the back nine are being reseeded at the same time.  In previous years, there wasn't enough water pressure to use the sprinklers simultaneously.   Thanks to another huge maintenance upkeep project this summer, the main water line has been cleared which allows for more pressure.  

Work continues at the main pool.  They've started with the pavers now.  

Eddie is still working on that pipe repair.

Work also continues at the softball field.  Dale Schendzielos is mastering the skills to be the blogmaster for the softball blog and he's doing a great job including photos.  Check it out at:  http://palmcreekballteams.blogspot.com/

"The boys" (Dale Schendzielos, Jerry Wellman, John Osgood, and Bruce ??)  were out practicing their throwing and catching skills this morning as they warm up for the season.  Warming up is quite easy to do when it's still in the upper 90s out there.  (Sorry Bruce.  I don't know your last name.)

Welcome Marguarite Houle as our new Sales Manager.  You'll have to wear roller skates to keep up with Marguarite as she seems like a bundle of energy and she's ready to go.

Ashley Delgado, Marguarite Houle, Terri Wellman

I notice a new policy for the upcoming season.  Staff will wear shirt colors to match their departments; i.e, Activities in burgandy, Sales in black, etc.  

One last item:  Thought I'd share this lovely sunset as I headed home from the new pool last night.  Awesome!  Perfect end to another day at Palm Creek.

Practice with new camera

Don and his electronic gadgets:  The man is possessed with new technology so his recent purchase was one of the special hand-held cameras that professional photographers use when on the move.  This is our very first practice round using it.  If we ever get it figured out, it should be fun to use around the resort as it records the audio as well.  I thought it was hilarious to witness my first botched attempt.  

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I want to convey to all of you how much work has been done here this summer with all the landscaping.  The entrance drive has really been given a lovely facelift.

Aerial photos, replacing palm trees

Just a few aerial pictures of the main projects.

There's still not much to see for the new hotel because most of the work is underground installing pipes, wiring, sewer, etc.  

Aerial view over the main pool.  Still doing prep to lay the new pavers.

Work continues on the ballfield.

The new infield area is of special importance.

There were a number of dead palm trees scattered around the park.  This is the summer to remove and replace.  Stumps were removed yesterday.

Today new trees are in place.  They have some growing to do!

Much clean up and maintenance being done this summer.  Looks like management is attacking that ever growing "to do" list of catch up items. 

Gary Lambert was present at our coffee and donuts meeting this week to explain more about the power outage and internet crash we experienced Sunday.  He reminded us again that if we have internet issues, we should contact the front desk during the day or the gate house after hours.  He will keep them informed of the current status.

Jerry Wellman won the metal flower as a door prize from Amazing Dental.  Bob Debonville won the coveted value basket certificate from Culvers.

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