President’s Message
We welcome Judy Gahide as our new board member. Judy is a 15-year resident of IronOaks and, as most of you know, has been an extremely active volunteer in many community organizations. She was appointed at a special meeting one week ago. Judy will also serve as the board secretary and liaison to committees. Her term expires March 31, 2018. We very much appreciate her willingness to serve.
Our initiative to evaluate our facilities for improved and additional uses such as a park, fitness, pickleball, parking issues and more continues on its path. The report of the assigned task force has now been released and next, the board will obtain evaluations from various planners, architects and engineers about how the initial preferences might fit within our campus, whether any should be consolidated, what permitting and other governmental considerations need to be considered along with approximate costs for the several options. Then, as we stated at the last workshop, we will conduct a town hall where interested groups and individuals can make their thoughts known. Next will be the board’s review of all the accumulated information, considered together with our financial options and constraints, changes of use if necessary, timelines and more to end up with a going-forward plan. The final phase will be implementation of the plan. The next board activity in this regard will be a workshop at which we will discuss the task force report, our budget and a proposed new storage facility to replace the metal structures in the parking lot.
The internal audit of our 2016 finances by Butler Hansen continues and is expected to be finalized in early December, so we should have that information before we vote on the 2018 budget. The sales tax audit continues with no new information to report other than it continues on its long, slow track.
In the financial report today, you will hear some good things overall but also some F&B numbers that are not as planned. The board and the Finance Committee are carefully examining all aspects of the new budget. v
December events
December:
Friday, December 1, 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., Tempe Festival of the Arts. Over 350 artists from around the county. Live music, wine tasting and Cottage Arts such as handmade seasonings and soaps. Buy tickets ($17 roundtrip via bus) at the Oakwood Clubhouse Concierge.
Monday, December 4, Holiday Angel program begins. Stop by the Christmas tree in the lobby and select an angel. This helps the community youth and brings a little bit of the holidays to our area children and their families.
Monday, December 4, 3:45 to 6:00 p.m. Paint a Little, Sip a Little Party. Enjoy wine, music, painting, a talented instructor and your friends PLUS you go home with a snowman canvas to decorate for the holidays. Reserve your space ($40 per person includes all art supplies) at the Oakwood Clubhouse Concierge.
Thursday, December 7, 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. 3 International Tenors Holiday Show at 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. in the Oakwood Clubhouse Ballroom – A part of the Billboard Tribute Concert Series. Purchase tickets at oakwoodtickets.com beginning October 12. Tickets are $20.00.
Friday, December 8, 11:10 a.m. to 2:10 p.m. Lunch Time Theater. Frances Smith Cohen’s Snow Queen. A must-see holiday favorite, the Hans Christian Andersen classic set to music by Sergei Prokofiev.
Saturday and Sunday, December 9 and 10, 13th Annual Food Drive and Luminaria Walk hosted by Unit 36C/Diamond Lake. Plan to spend a relaxing evening walking the lake and viewing the beautiful luminaries and homes decorated for the holidays. Last year, 2,020 pounds of food and over $800 were donated.
Thursday, December 14, 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. Eagles: One of Those Nights at 7:00 p.m. in the Oakwood Clubhouse Ballroom – A part of the Billboard Tribute Concert Series. Purchase tickets at oakwoodtickets.com beginning October 20. Tickets are $20.00.
Thursday, December 14, 10:00 a.m. Jingle Jog $10 for Fitness members; $15.00 for non-members. Come join your IronOaks Fitness Center Members for a Winter Wonderland Jog/Walk and social hour after! It’s a wonderful time of year here in Sun Lakes. Let’s get out and enjoy our weather! Includes lunch and beverages.
Sunday, December 17, “I, Joseph” Soliloquy. 6:30-7:30 p.m. in the Oakwood Clubhouse Ballroom. Admission is FREE.
Wednesday, December 20, Holiday Dinner featuring your best, ugly sweater. Join us for dinner, and don’t forget to wear your most unforgettable, ugliest holiday sweater for a prize.
Thursday, December 21, Ahwatukee Foothills Concert Band. 7:00 p.m. in the Oakwood Clubhouse Ballroom. The AFCBand travels to Sun Lakes for an evening full of familiar tunes and musical surprises. There’s truly something for everyone. Come enjoy a song-filled night of fun.
Friday, December 22, Botanical Gardens Bus Trip to see the Luminarias. More details to come
Sunday, December 31, New Year’s Eve Party – Plan to attend and welcome 2018 and bid farewell to 2017. The theme is “Diamonds Are Forever.” Prepare to be dazzled! Dinner, Dancing with Groove Merchants playing, champagne toast at midnight.
Welcome back, Gunnar Edington
If you’ve visited Stone & Barrel recently, you may have recognized a familiar face. In late October, Gunnar Edington returned from V’s Taproom located at Trilogy at Vistancia.
Gunnar graduated from Michigan State with a degree in hospitality business. He enjoys building relationships. This is what drew him, hospitality and specifically working in a community like IronOaks. Being from a small town, Owosso, Michigan, Gunnar looks forward to doing some travel. He has taken some time to get out of the East Valley and visit Sedona, Prescott and Las Vegas. He looks forward to checking out Flagstaff this winter, as he enjoys skiing and snowboarding.
I asked Gunnar what his professional and personal priorities were and what he enjoys outside of work. Professionally, he’d like to be a club manager like Trish. Personally, his goals are to be trusted, loving and caring. He loves all sports. His favorite teams are the Dallas Cowboys and all Michigan teams. Welcome Gunnar … We are happy to have you back!
IronOaks presents a New Year’s Eve Celebration 007 James Bond Style
The Groove Merchants will be providing the music on New Year’s Eve, and the only requirement is to come prepared to have a good time with delicious food and great friends.
Doors open at 6:00 p.m., with a cocktail hour from 6:00 – 7:00 p.m. Dinner is served at 7:00 p.m. and includes a shrimp cocktail shooter, grilled asparagus and hearts of palm salad with sweet elderflower vinaigrette, slow-braised short ribs and fire-roasted halibut with lobster risotto, pot de crème, madeleines, assorted macarons and chocolate-covered strawberries.
Party favors will be provided, along with a champagne toast at midnight.
Dress to impress, and you’ll have a License to Thrill all night long.
Live Music every Friday and Saturday nights from 7:00-10:00 p.m. at Stone & Barrel Taphouse
December, 2017:
December 1 – Exit 40 Band
December 2 – Reign & Country
December 8 and 9 – Flipside 45
December 15 – Exit 40 Band
December 16 – Reign & Country
December 22 – Blues Review Band (Bluesman Mike)
December 23 – Aaron Nelson
December 29 – Aaron Nelson
December 30 – Aaron Nelson
IronOaks Sonoran Course will leave you Green with Envy!
The Sonoran Golf Course renovation is complete, and the overseed went off without a hitch! With the return of moderate temperatures, the cool season grass is “popping” and turning the course into a vast carpet of green velvet! Come join us for a round of golf on the newly-renovated Sonoran course.
Meet another new member of our crew.
Ross Buckendahl has recently joined the IronOaks team as the Golf Course Superintendent. He has been working at The Prairie Club in Nebraska since its inception. Ross’ arrival marks a new era for our golf courses at IronOaks. He has the experience and the success as a superintendent and manager to take our courses to the next level, which will elevate our standing among the best in the East Valley! v
Jingle Jog – December 14
Come join your IronOaks Fitness Center members on Thursday, December 14, at 10:00 a.m. for a Winter Wonderland Jog/Walk and social hour after! The cost is $10 for Fitness members; $15 for non-members, which includes lunch and beverages.
It’s a wonderful time of year here in Sun Lakes. Let’s get out and enjoy our weather!
Attention New Homeowners
Attention IronOaks New Homeowners – You are eligible for a FREE round of golf for two, FREE week of fitness, FREE week of tennis and BOGO meal at any IronOaks restaurant. All you have to do is call the IronOaks Welcome Group, c/o Howard Lundgren, at 480-369-2015 or email him at [email protected] to receive your new homeowners canvas tote filled with useful information about our community.