Sonda K. Giles, Vice President
Fifteen years ago, Sonda Giles and her husband went looking for a community with real amenities—and Sun Lakes won them over. They’d spent 36 years in California’s Bay Area (Sonda was raised in Denver, Colorado) before making the move. Then, 11 years ago, came the invitation that changed everything: a party hosted by AAASL.
“We’ve been involved ever since,” Sonda says. The moment she knew she’d found her place was the year-end Gala. “So welcoming and friendly,” she remembers. Her husband of 56 years—who has since passed—truly enjoyed discovering this circle of friends, and Sonda found something just as lasting: genuinely nice people she can call on in an emergency, and great events that keep the calendar full.
Ask her the highlight of her week as a member and the answer comes quickly: “Knowing there is someone close I can call on if needed.” For Sonda, that’s AAASL in a sentence—neighbors who look out for one another.
She brings that same energy everywhere else, too. Sonda stays active in the Tennis Club and does water aerobics, where she’s met “some really nice ladies.” And there’s a perk to her story most of us can only envy: her husband retired from United Airlines, and she still holds flying privileges. She’s put them to good use—England, Hong Kong, Brazil, Paris, Hawaii, and Korea all stamped in the memory book. Back home, her pride and joy are her two wonderful daughters and two granddaughters.
As Vice President, Sonda now helps guide the club she fell in love with at that Gala 11 years ago. And if you’re a neighbor sitting on the fence about joining, she keeps the invitation simple: “Come to our game night, second Saturday of the month at 4 p.m.—get to know a few of the members.”
Come meet us, she says. You’ll be glad you did.