LIVING
toscana
KEEPING YOU IN THE KNOW
CONDO LIVING JULY 2020
Our Staff. Community Manager Nicole Careaga ncareaga@toscanaliving.net Assistant Community Manager Christine Reeder creeder@toscanaliving.net Lifestyle Director Mark Gatchell mgatchell@toscanaliving.net Concierge Director Katie Lucas klucas@toscanaliving.net Administrative Assistant Wade Longworth wlongworth@toscanaliving.net Community Patrol/Admin Saffron Caudle scaudle@toscanaliving.net Facilities Director John Raabe jraabe@toscanaliving.net Maintenance Staff Ignacio Santana, Daniel Renteria, Tyler Driscoll Night Managers Don Meeks, Jackie Hernandez 480.861.0875 Gate House Staff Chet Sanders, Joshua Oakley, Laura Taylor, Nina Fader, MaryJane Vital, Brian Stower 480.513.0602 ASSOCIATION OFFICE 5450 E Deer Valley Drive Building 2 Phoenix, AZ 85054 480.585.0808
AFTER HOURS EMERGENCY 602.234.9288
toscanaliving.net
o c i x me A TRIP TO
by Sherry London
As our first installment of our Resident Spotlight program, we'd like to take you back to the 70's for a heartwarming story about your neighbors, Sherry and Keith London.
"Back in the early '70s, Acapulco Mexico was a very popular vacation spot for young single people. In spring 1974, I was on vacation there, relaxing by the pool, when a young man named Mark approached me. Mark invited me to come to a beach party later that afternoon. A bunch of people were getting together to hang out, and part of the excitement was to watch a friend of his - this crazy guy - try and go parasailing. In those days, parasailing was a new beach activity so there was a lot of interest in watching someone try it! Around 4 pm, our group piled into rowboats that took us to a beach at the other end of the hotel where they were parasailing. Once we arrived, it was a true carnival atmosphere - with vendors offering refreshments, stands to watch the parasailers, hawkers selling souvenirs and trinkets, and even someone selling INSURANCE on the person going parasailing. So for fun, and a few pesos-I thoughtsure I'll buy insurance, why not? It was a very windy day, the water was very choppy and this guy was absolutely nuts! The ride started smoothly enough and the guy looked to be enjoying himself taking in the view up above everyone. However, when it came time for his trip to end, the winds began to blow stronger and stronger. Everyone watched anxiously as the people working struggled with the ropes and were clearly having trouble bringing him down. As the weather turned more ominous, it was terrifying as It looked like he was going straight into a building. On the positive side, I’m thinking I might collect my newly purchased life insurance policy! It eventually took 8-9 men to grab the ropes and drag him across the beach to save him and bring him down to the shore! The party ended. The parasailing guy was safe. We
piled into the boats and returned to our resort. Was an exciting day and I had a fun time with my new friends. But my story doesn’t end there. That evening I was talking with a group of people in the hotel lobby when out of the corner of my eye I see the crazy guy who was parasailing walk across the lobby to the bank of elevators. I looked up and see him look at me. He walks straight over to me and asked incredulously “Are you the girl who bought life insurance on me this afternoon?” “Moi?” I answered, with a demur smile. The crazy guy and I were married 3 months later. Keith and I will be married 46 years in July and that’s our story." PAGE 2
E L Y T S E IF
toscana
L
by Mark Gatchell
When Our Freedom Began July 4th holds a special place for many of us, as it’s the day when we all come together and celebrate our independence from England. On July 2nd, 1776, the Continental Congress voted in favor of independence. Two days later, delegates from the 13 colonies adopted the Declaration of Independence, drafted by Thomas Jefferson. From 1776 to the present day, July 4th has been celebrated as the birth of American independence. There are many traditions when it comes to celebrating the 4th of July; families gather in public parks to watch a firework show, some enjoy a seaside picnic or join in their local Independence Day parade! This year, with the current COVID guidelines, many of us will be home in our backyards cooking up hotdogs and hamburgers and spending a great day with our families. At Toscana, we hope many of you signed up for the 4th of July party-in-a-bag, which is our effort to help each of you have a fantastic 4th of July. If you're looking for a local fireworks event taking COVID precautions, head down to the Fiesta Mall at 1425 W, Southern Ave. for their free drive in Arizona Celebration of Freedom. If you plan to host a show of your PAGE 3
own, please remember to do so in an open area, and follow recommended safety guidelines to ensure a safe holiday for everyone. As a reminder, the use of open flames is not permitted on Toscana balconies. Thank you to everyone that participated in our Trivia and Feud Nights! I hope all the winners are enjoying their prizes and, of course, buying your Lifestyle Director many wonderful things with your gift cards! Please be sure to check out the Tuesday Lifestyle eBlast for more fun and exciting events. We will be continuing our Poolside Surprises to help you beat the summer heat, and our ice cream socials will be returning. We have a new and fun twist, so we can once again have a root beer float and classic cream soda (physically-distanced) social events! I hope you get to spend your 4th of July with family and friends and please have a safe holiday! Happy 4th, Everyone!
07
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
JULY SUN
MON
TUE
WED 11
Clubs/Classes
Trivia Night
THU
FRI
SAT
22
33
44
99
10 10
11 11
Office Closed
6pm-7pm
4th of July
Association Events
5
66
77
88
Netflix Watch Party 1pm-3pm
12 12
13 13
14 14
Landscape Committee
15 15
Feud Night
16 16
17 17
18 18
Murder Mystery
6pm-7:30pm
2pm-3pm
6pm-8:30pm
Chit Chat 6pm-6:30pm
19 19
20 20
21 21
Lifestyle Committee 2pm-3pm
B1, B10, B11 Parkade Cleaning 26 26
27 27
Fireside Chat 6pm-7pm
28 28
22 22
Root Beer Floats
Insurance Webinar
9am-4:30pm
29 29
Groovytek Webinar 10am-11am
Trivia Night 6pm-7:30pm
NOTES:
23 23
24 24
2pm-3pm
30 30
31 31
25 25
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NEIGHBORS' FAVORITES
Nothing says summer like a piece of peach cobbler
INGREDIENTS 8 large peaches, peeled and cut into eighths 1 cup sugar 1/3 cup chopped crystallized ginger 1 (16.5-oz.) box super-moist white cake mix (such as Better Crocker) 3/4 cup regular oats 1/2 cup butter, melted 1/4 cup ginger ale 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 1 teaspoon vanilla extract HOW TO MAKE IT 1. Toss together peaches, sugar, and ginger in a 6-quart slow cooker. 2. Combine cake mix and remaining ingredients; spread over peach mixture. 3. Cover and cook on HIGH 2 to 3 hours. Remove lid and let stand 15 minutes.
PAGE 6
CONNECTION
community
by Katie Lucas
As we begin entering our fourth month with social restrictions, many of us are beginning to feel a little stir-crazy being at home. Thankfully, there are so many businesses and schools that are offering free classes to not only fill your time, but strengthen your mind, body and soul. See below for a list of (FREE!) online events to help keep you entertained, bolster your mental well-being, expand your knowledge, and more. Looking to improve your memory? Join Iris Reading on Mondays in July for an online course to learn tips, strategies and techniques to help you remember more. This class is ideal for students, professionals and life-long learners. Iris Reading is the largest provider of speed-reading, memory & productivity courses for students and professionals. Join University of Arizona's Health Sciences department for Wellness Wendesdays. UArizona Health Sciences is committed to creating a healthier community and helping individuals and families stay well through these challenging times by offering weekly 30-minute interactive webinars. These events will be hosted online, with a new topic each week. Head online on July 10 for a webinar hosted by the Arizona Attorney General's Office on Life Care Planning: Making your Healthcare Decisions. Learn about the importance of advanced directives and the legal forms that everyone should have completed in the event they become unable to communicate their healthcare and/or mental healthcare wishes. On July 23, UA's Cooperative Extension department is hosting a three-part webinar lecture series, staring speakers in industry, government, and the university system; covering Desert Southwest Soil Health topics. The Arizona Attorney General's Offices is also offering a free course on Opioid Awareness and Prevention on July 29. This presentation addresses the opioid epidemic Arizona. The Attorney General's Office will discuss numerous topics related to both use of prescription opioids as well as illicit usage, focusing on prevalence, prevention, and support. PAGE 7
Nicole's Noteables OPENING UP TO CHANGE by Nicole Careaga Change is inevitable; it can be quite uncomfortable for some, and an exciting world of new ideas, perspectives and viewpoints for others. During my time here, I have seen quite a bit of change. Members of the team have moved on to other communities and amazing opportunities, the changing of community partners and the addition of committees, all assisting with an ever-aging community. Recently we have seen two major changes. Over the 4 years that I have been onsite we have seen a major
change in our demographics. With its fantastic amenities and amazing lifestyle programming, Toscana has begun attracting young professionals, and families, as well as retirees. This shift in demographics has breathed new life into our community operations, as we work to bring new programming, expand our communications to new platforms, and just generally have new perspectives and voices being heard. Another recent change has been the addition of physical distancing in our daily lives. These new guidelines effect how we provide events, meetings and other communication forums. Over the next few months, you will continue to see changes. We are going to begin holding all of our committee meetings again, and soon will host our first Board meeting utilizing the Zoom platform. By offering the meetings via Zoom, not only are we all able to continue to practice physical distancing, we have also
an increase in attendance as you can join us from any city, state or country. Also, a great benefit to this unexpected change, is being able to connect with more of you in a more personal way. As stated above, we have seen a change and it is nice to be able to provide meetings and events at times that are able to be attended by those working all day, maybe provide some fun trivia during a child’s naptime, or a beneficial workshop after the kids have gone to sleep for the evening. We are coming back stronger than ever due to this unexpected change. We are excited about these new challenges as we move through this new way of management. We welcome your feedback to help your experience of living at Toscana better. Keep a look out on the calendar for an upcoming “Fireside Chat with your Community Manager,” a Homeowner Insurance Workshop,” and “General Session Board Meeting”. PAGE 8
This infographic was created to share the team's accomplishments for the month of May. These are by no means the total of
update
OPERATIONS
tasks or projects completed, simply a high level review of items completed in addition to regular work throughout the month.
OVER 9,000 RESIDENT TOUCH-POINTS 5,857 Community Phone Calls* Over 3,200 Emails Sent 83 Violation Letters Sent
434 BINS OF REFUSE REMOVED
*phone call metrics began May 9
SOCIALLY-DISTANCED COMMUNICATIONS 31 Resident eBlasts Sent Created Virtual Orientation Process Restarted Facebook Communications 267 page views in May
CONNECTING HOUSEHOLDS 14 Virtual Lifestyle Events Held including virtual scavenger hunt, chit-chat sessions, and Feud Time 11 New Households Welcomed
PAGE 9
82 WORK ORDERS COMPLETED
I would like to take a moment to introduce myself. My name is Saffron Caudle, and I am the new community patrol and admin. You may know me from my time working in the gate house, or even interacted with me at the Palazzo Centro office over the last few months. Now that our office staff has been given clearance to return to the property, I wanted to explain my new position, and how it affects you, as residents. As many of you may have noticed, I am out and about the community five days a week. Part of my job entails frequent walks around the property and notating any exterior and interior violations, along with many other inspections.
s ' n o r f f a S ircle c
by Saffron Caudle
Our association has a set of governing documents, which includes CC&R’s and other rules and regulations created by your Board of Directors, along with other industry experts. This is in effort to protect the natural beauty of our community and upholding a sense of peace and tranquility between neighbors and maintaining aesthetically pleasing appearance overall. You may be asking what kind of things I most observe around the property. Some common violations include: Improperly parked vehicles Off-season holiday decorations Poor pet etiquette Illegal rentals Balcony violations (storage of bikes, grills, trash and hanging towels over the balcony rails) When it comes to violations, it is important to avoid them altogether. Here are some examples to prevent violations and stay in harmony with your fellow neighbors Read, understand and follow your HOA’s governing documents Keep up to date about new rules and guidelines by attending all the association’s meetings and events Don’t forget to communicate any questions or concerns with our HOA office. We believe most of our residents are good neighbors and would not knowingly violate Toscana’s policies. We appreciate all your help in the effort to keeping our community beautiful! I am available Wednesday-Sunday from 7am-3pm. My phone number is: 480-861-0875
PAGE 10
WADE'S WORLD
by Wade Longworth
BEING THE NEW GUY... Staring a new job or career unlocks feelings of independence that lead to a more freeing state of mind in work and everyday life. Before coming to Toscana, I worked for the purchasing department in the maintenance supply industry for many years. When I first started that job everything was new, and getting to know fellow employees was a real thrill. It was exciting to learn about all the different products that work for all types of applications. As my product knowledge grew, I felt a sense of pride and fulfillment every time our team was able to meet deadlines, service our customers, and complete special projects. Along with that came a more independent mind-frame as I became the person fellow employees would come to wanting answers for their questions. It’s nice a feeling to know others depend on your expertise. However, as my experience and knowledge grew, I noticed the satisfaction in completing those same projects started to dwindle. Most people would agree that sometimes a fresh start is good for the soul. Taking on a new position inspires feelings of independence, freedom and excitement for expanded possibilities; you get to meet new people, are tasked with new responsibilities, and change your roll in a way that can be rewarding. As I transition to my new job here at Toscana I look forward to those same gratifying feelings. In my short time here it has been a pleasure getting to know all of our eccentric staff and kind residents. I am already feeling right at home. It has been fulfilling to learn my new role and responsibilities and has increased my self-determination to get them done correctly. There is something freeing in knowing I will be able to grow professionally and individually surrounded by such a supportive team. Starting a new job is an opportunity to reflect on the past while looking forward to the future. Having the freedom to do so it truly a blessing that does not go unnoticed this month. PAGE 11
CORNER
Chris's by Chris Reeder
Freedom of the pocketbook and searching up restaurant phone numbers for restaurant reservations. An evening stroll for live entertainment or dining out is a luxury many in our city do not have.
Do you love living in a beautiful environment, but hate having to schedule the landscaper, pool person, or sift through exterior paint quotes? One of the best things about condo living is Freedom from Maintenance. Your association is tasked with managing the common area vendor quotes, and the vendor relationships themselves. The management team ensures each vendor carries the insurance needed to complete work on property and the invoice processing for all of the various vendors too. Home owner maintenance is an area where your association can leverage industry contacts and management company relationships to the advantage of the community.
Freedom of Lifestyle is one of the bestselling points of condo living. Having the ability to walk to a sparkling pool to meet with friends or barbeque a meal on a clean grill (and not have to pick up a gas tank at the store!) A new friend who is a lover of ping pong doesn’t have to bring their own paddle. Your association provides both the table and the paddle for a quick game.
In Phoenix, many residents drag giant bins out to the curb for weekly recycling and trash pick-up, or pull out tall ladders to wash the exterior windows. How lovely to have the ability to use time and energy on the fun things in life, instead of the tedium of routine maintenance.
It’s so easy to get caught up in the cycle of what we don’t have, forgetting how fortunate we really are at Toscana. Although communal living Freedoms do come with a level of personal responsibility- such as respecting your neighbor, or picking up your pet wastethe trade-off is so well worth it at Toscana.
Our residents are able to host a card game for friends or shoot pool in a common area - without having to scrub the restroom and pick up around the house. Having your private space remain private is a blessing in our environment. At Toscana we are located so close to everything! We have Freedom of the foot! Phoenix is not known for “walkability”, but at our community, we are situated near shopping, restaurants and other businesses that make walking to local businesses easy. Add to our ability to walk to dinner, our VIP Vendor program and in-house concierge for a little
During this month of celebration of American Freedoms- let’s remember to celebrate our Freedoms in our Toscana Community. And a personal THANK YOU to our residents and staff who have made all of our Freedoms in our community and country possible.
PAGE 12
THE
MAINTENANCE REPORT
by John Raabe
KEEP IT CLEAN, TOSCANA! Lately we have been having a lot of issues with our garbage rooms being “trashed;� so I would like to take some time to go over some of our largest areas of concern, and hope we can all work together to resolve them. When garbage rooms are not used properly, it takes time away from the maintenance team completing other projects, as they work to clear the space.
Pay attention to what you
Please tie off all bags before putting them in the bins (or leaving them
your recyclables, you must
outside your unit if you are in a Casita). If the bags are not tied they cause a
remove the items from the
huge mess in the garbage room, on transport to the compactor or at the
bag before putting them in
compactor. When this happens, our team members have to spend extra
the bin. The best thing to use
time cleaning up garbage and delaying trash pickup at other buildings. It
to hold your recyclables are
can also cause debris to get stuck in the bins, which causes very bad smells.
paper bags from the grocery
are putting in the recycle bins. Plastic grocery bags and
trash bags are not recyclable; if you are using them to hold
store. Pizza boxes, or any If the garbage bins are full, please place the trash bags neatly in the
containers with food residue,
garbage room. When people throw bags on top of the full bins it makes
are not recyclable. Please
garbage go all over the room, and under the bins, making it hard to remove.
throw them in the garbage
We don't tow overflowing bins out to the compactor, as we would be
bins. Milk containers, laundry
dropping garbage all over property. Placing bags outside full garbage
detergent containers, and any
containers saves our staff time as they transfer excess trash to new bins.
other liquid containers need to be cleaned before putting
Do not throw away liquids. Our bins have holes in the bottom to assist in
them in the recycle bin.
cleaning them. If liquid is placed in the bin, it will drain out all over the trash
Styrofoam is not recyclable.
rooms and around property as we transport them to the compactor, leaving
Republic Services will fine us
stains and bad smells everywhere.
for any recycle violations they
Do not place large objects or construction debris in the garbage bins.
increase in the assessments,
Residents must arrange for pickup of large items, such as furniture, with a garbage removal vendor. Check your VIP Guide for large item removal companies like Junk Rescue, The Garbage Guy and The Junk Guys, who offer exclusive discounts to our residents. Construction debris needs to be removed from property by either the unit owner or the contractor. Not only are we unable to properly dispose of these items, placing them in the
find, which cause for an in following years. Please help keep Toscana clean by following these simple rules. Not only does it cut down on potential smells,
garbage rooms can result in fines and cost-of-removal charges.
it frees up time for our
Breakdown cardboard boxes. This goes for all boxes, even the small ones,
other areas of concern
by breaking down the boxes and placing them vertically, instead of horizontally, in the bins you are saving so much space for the other residents in your building. PAGE 13
maintenance staff to address around the property.
LUXURY LANDSCAPE by DLC Resources
July Update As we move into the heart of summer, Bermuda turf is now growing across much Toscana’s common areas, entering the last stages of its transition from winter Ryegrass. With the turf near the end of its seasonal transition back to mature Bermuda, we are applying fertilizer as necessary to help promote the final stages of regrowth. As the Bermuda shifts back to green, keep in mind that turf areas shaded by trees or other structures will struggle to re-establish and develop compared to areas located in full sun, however we will monitor and push growth as necessary in these areas.
summer storms occur late in the day, after crews have left the property for the day. For emergency storm response needs, such as damaged trees in the common areas blocking streets or sidewalks, please call your Community Management team. Full-scale non-emergency storm cleanup generally begins the following morning. Normal maintenance activities may need to be suspended or reduced in scope while the crew clean up debris and perform repairs.
Our Irrigation Specialists are also continuing to monitor and adjust runtimes across the Community, accounting for rising temperatures. We will also track any rainfall that may occur this month, adjusting the system as necessary to best utilize the rainwater and save your Community money and water! In June, we also completed the planting of new flowers at monument areas and in many pots around the Community. Vincas, Potato Vine and Angelonias were among the flowers installed to brighten up your summer. These more heat tolerant additions are typically able to withstand through the brutal desert temperatures! Looking ahead, with monsoon season arriving, we will be preparing for post-storm response. When monsoon storms arrive, the emphasis for DLC Resources shifts to cleanup and repair. Typically, the PAGE 14
COVID-19 UPDATES AS OF JUNE 30, 2020
Community gyms have been closed until at least July 27, following Governor Ducey's June 29th executive order. This order, among other things, mandates the closure of indoor fitness centers, bars, movie theaters, water parks, and tubing. Due to unrestricted gym access, the Building 10 amenity center has also been closed. The community pools remain open, with the following additional restrictions: No guests are permitted Groups larger than five (5) persons are not permitted Individuals are reminded to stay up-to-date on current public health and safety recommendations including physical distancing, frequent hand-washing, and staying home when sick. Palazzo Grande amenity spaces, other than the gym, will remain open with a reminder to place to stay up-to-date on current recommendations Palazzo Centro offices will remain open by appointment only only one visitor will be permitted entrance in the building mask is required for entrance appointments can be booked at calend.ly/toscanadesertridge/business-center Use of amenity spaces and entrance into any common area is at your own risk