Woodbridge April 2015

W oodbridge Volume 5 ▪ Issue 4 ▪ Number 43

LIFE

Your Life. Your Community. Your News.

April ▪ 2015

April

The series of articles featuring Woodbridge groups and clubs continues this month.

Participating in a group or club is a great way to meet new people and to learn something different (or to hone a skill you already have).

Don’t miss Woodbridge softball’s opening day, Saturday, April 4.

Organizers are putting together a special day including participation by many Woodbridge groups and clubs.

In addition to Passover and Easter, there are many things to celebrate in April. For example, you could commemorate National Sibling Day, April 10, by getting in touch with your brothers and sisters. Visit them if they live nearby. Call them, if they live far away. Send them a card, a letter, gifts or flowers. Hug a Friend Day, April 26, is the perfect time to hold on tight and thank someone who has made an impact in your life and helped shaped the person you are today!

Inside

Bedford and Hancock . . . 7 Bridge Scores . . . . . . . . 12 Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Events and Tours . . . . . . . 6 Garden Tasks . . . . . . . . 19 Groups and Clubs . . . . . . 8 Where in the World . . . . . 38 WOA Update . . . . . . . . . . 4

READ WBL ONLINE : http://issuu.com/ woodbridgelife

Contact us:

WBLIFE2012@gmail.com

O T L L WE

FARE

ED AND NANCY SHOUP

By Carol Jo Hargreaves

E

d Shoup has certainly left his mark on Woodbridge. Ed and his wife Nancy have lived on Woodbridge’s Lincoln Landing Way since 2008. Ed grew up in Lodi and retired from the John Deere Company. The friendly residents are his favorite things about living in Woodbridge.

Not long ago, Ed and Nancy decided to sell their Woodbridge home and move to southern California to be closer to family. They have two grandchildren and eagerly look forward to caring for them on a regular basis.

Ed actively participated in a long list of groups and activities at Woodbridge including being a Block Captain and night security patrolman for Neighborhood Watch, serving as secretary of Men of Woodbridge, assisting with both men’s and women’s softball teams, coordinating enrollment in the Stockton Ports’ Silver Sluggers senior baseball fan program, and founding and leading a group that regularly cleans up the Airport Way/120 Highway intersection.

WBL photo by Carol Jo Hargreaves.

My husband and I attended the farewell luncheon for Ed, held at Chez Shari, Monday, February 23. Extra tables and chairs had to be set up to accommodate the overflow crowd gathered to wish Ed goodbye. Following a buffet luncheon of lasagna, green beans, salad and rolls, Ed was roasted by his fellow Men of Woodbridge and other guests in attendance. Emcee Jack Dauler jokingly presented Ed a collection of Dodger memorabilia (Ed is NOT a Dodgers fan – but Jack IS) and a Luxury Bath Spa intended to substitute for a fullsized hot tub until Ed and Nancy can install one in their new residence.

All who spoke appreciated Ed’s help, encouragement and support as a neighbor and friend. He was recognized for “going the extra mile” in all activities he participated in and is irreplaceable, especially to Bob Penzenstadler who praised Ed for helping save his life when stricken with a heart attack on the softball field.

On a more serious note, Jack presented Ed a See

SHOUP page 30

www.ourwoodbridge.net

Woodbridge LIFE

W

Woodbridge softball season officially opens Saturday, April 4.

See the array of articles on pages 22 — 24 about the men and women’s teams, how to be a good spectator and what it takes to get the season rolling. There is also a game schedule you may cut out and post for future reference.

Bill Barnhart shares a recent group tour of the Barbosa Cabinet factory on page 27.

Barbosa is one of the few remaining original contractors working in the Woodbridge community over the past eight to nine years. Bill helps us align

Page 3 • April 2015

By Dodie Miller, Activities Director

By Carol Jo Hargreaves, WBL Editor

April is the month people celebrate April Fool’s Day. I have fond memories of switching the salt and sugar and watching my dad spit out his well-salted coffee every April 1. He never remembered the trick until it was too late. In April we, as good U.S. citizens, are required to submit income taxes to the federal government. Mike Spence has written about both April Fool’s and the IRS on pages 36 and 35.

From Dodie's Desk

From the Editor e are sorry to say goodbye to Ed and Nancy Shoup who are moving to southern California to be closer to family. You have probably read the many farewell wishes and thank you’s Ed has received for his contributions to our community during his residence here.

Ed, as secretary of Men of Woodbridge, was also a regular contributor to Woodbridge LIFE. We appreciated his regular submissions, his reliability and dependability. See my article on the front page for more about Ed.

S Carol Jo Hargreaves, WBL Editor our irrigation systems to the new city rules on page 16 and, when our chores are finished, Jean Kavale encourages us to visit the Grand Theatre in Tracy on page 30.

We are pleased Judy McNamara is recovering quickly from hip surgery and has rejoined our writing team.

Although she cannot tour the community on her trike yet, Judy expresses her thankfulness to Woodbridge residents in “Angels in Our Midst” on page 29.

The Woodbridge LIFE Editorial Team sincerely thanks Pamela Ciapessoni and Riverside Management for treating us to a delicious appreciation dinner at a recent monthly team meeting.

Prepared by Chef Bryan of Manteca Unified School District culinary academy and served with style (and champagne), the purpose of the meal was to thank the team for its ongoing hard work and dedication to producing a high quality monthly newspaper for the Woodbridge community. Thank you, Riverside. We appreciate your acknowledgement.

--Carol Jo and the Woodbridge LIFE Editorial Team

The deadline for submission of articles and photographs for the May 2015 edition of Woodbridge LIFE is Monday, April 6, 2015. (This is one day later than usual because April 5 is Easter Sunday. Please email your articles to wblife2012@gmail.com

pring is finally here! The blossoms are popping and we’ll soon begin to have longer days ahead and be able to have our Happy Hours on the patio. The first Happy Hour is Friday, May 29. This is also the time of year to do that springcleaning and some tidying up and then head on down to the Clubhouse for a spaghetti feed after sprucing up your home. You don’t want to have to prepare dinner after all that hard work.

Let yourself unwind by attending the Rhythm Riders' event for the music of Johnny Cash and Patsy Cline. This Dodie Miller, WOA Activities Director is one of the best Johnny Cash tribute bands in America and is guaranteed to impress. Another night to come out after planting those flowers in your garden is a first-time event of Denim & Diamonds. We would like to see lots of denim and diamonds on the dance floor with music by that special DJ, Jerry Sauceda. A delicious dinner catered

by Mark Angelo is sure to please.

You’ll be seeing many other events going into May in the paper today put on by some of our groups: Men of Woodbridge (Mother’s Day Breakfast), Veterans Group (Vaudeville Variety Show) and the Woodbridge Singers (Spring Concert).

A bouquet of fresh flowers picked from your garden or flowers from a local store in a vase in your home will brighten your days ahead.

HAVE A WONDERFUL SPRING!

Woodbridge LIFE

Operations Manager Update

F

www.ourwoodbridge.net

WOA Update

By Ramon Rivera

Fruit Stop and Merit Injections

By Ramon Rivera

or Woodbridge, April is the start of our busiest time of the year. Opening Day kicks off the softball season that will then be in full swing. Our maintenance duties also begin to ramp up with monthly cleaning of the tennis and pickleball courts.

Also, preparations begin for the opening of the outdoor pool and spa. Over the past couple months, Property and Grounds committee members have been out in full force tackling Reserve Study items we have scheduled for this year. I want to also recognize the efforts of our staff, resident volunteers and our contractors. This first quarter has really been a great start for our community.

Yearly evaluations of our operations personnel have been concluded and I couldn’t have been more pleased with the results. We have set expectations for things we will improve upon as individuals and as a team. Our contractor evaluations will be performed this month as well. As an organization, we feel that, to reach our goals, we must have the right people and companies in place. The majority of our trade partners have performed at higher levels than in years past. GP Landscape is a company I personally want to thank for its outstanding commitment to our community.

Over the past year, GP has stepped up tremendously in all areas and the efforts deserve to be recognized. I also want to thank each and every resident volunteer. In my new role, I have been able to better involve myself in the efforts resident volunteers give to our community. The commitment is excellent and the responsibility that comes with it is no easy task. Your efforts are to be

As the summer months approach quickly, we are taking measures to avoid issues that we ran into last year. GP landscape has completed the spraying of all our common purple plum trees around the Clubhouse and throughout the community. GP has also completed the merit injections for all trees throughout the community to avoid the black sticky residue that comes from aphids during the summer months.

Reserve Study Ramon Rivera, Operations Manager commended and I appreciate each and every one of you as individuals, club leaders and as committee members.

Our team extends beyond the staff we have in place.

We come together as groups, committees and contractors to build a large network to better our community. The efforts put forth by every participant within our network brings us steps closer to our ultimate goal.

I had the opportunity to address these goals at the reception introducing myself to our community. The turnout and atmosphere was outstanding and the support I received was awe-inspiring. As I spoke in front of everyone, I felt my eyes begin to water a bit; I was so humbled by the experience and, at the same time, full of happiness. I made a promise to make our community the best it can be. Under the leadership I will provide, we will get there.

Everyone from our resident volunteers to our staff and contractors will know they played a major role in every step taken as a team to accomplish our goal.

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The Property and Grounds Committee is in full force tackling more of the major components for our reserve study item scheduled for this year. These components include carpeting in our Clubhouse, painting projects and the indoor spa. We look forward to presenting our findings to the board of directors at this month’s meeting.

Parquet Flooring

The parquet floor in the main entry of the Clubhouse is back to prestige. This is another well-executed project delivered by our Property and Grounds Committee. We would like to thank Delta Flooring for a job well done.

Alarm Permit Renewals

City of Manteca requires that all alarm system permits, either residential or commercial, be renewed on a yearly basis. The process is easy and free of cost. To renew your permit, visit www. mantecapd.com and click on Forms and Permits to download the form. Once the form is filled out, it can be faxed or mailed back to the police department. Like we said, quick and easy.

Flyer developed and distributed by the Woodbridge Lifestyle Committee.

Page 4 • April 2015

www.ourwoodbridge.net

From the Boardroom

By Roger Cunning, Vice President of the Woodbridge Owners Association

In this monthly column, Roger Cunning will write on behalf of all board members and include input from other directors from time to time.

A

s we all enjoy spring weather, we also regret that our region has had very little rain this season. While this weather impacts each homeowner, it also impacts our homeowners association as we carefully balance water conservation with controlled irrigation to maintain the quality appearance of our community.

Our Operations Manager, Ramon Rivera, is on top of this challenge and he directs our landscaping contractor and our water management company to achieve the best balance between conservation and necessary irrigation. As an example,

Woodbridge LIFE

Lake Rockwell, behind our Clubhouse, is a reservoir and its water is replenished by wells. That reservoir is used to irrigate the grounds surrounding our Clubhouse. It’s a sophisticated system that requires vigilance to ensure the lake water remains sufficient for our irrigation needs. We thank Ramon for watching over this delicate balance and operation on a daily basis.

The board of directors introduced the scope plus target dates for a number of governing documents that require an update during the March Town Hall meeting. The most urgent document requiring an update is the Rules and Regulations document. Simultaneously, we must create an Election Rules document required by California Corporate Code several years ago but never created.

The Rules and Regulations requires new sections to exclusively outline use of the many amenities to be included in Liberty Park, only months from completion. The management of Liberty Park will then be turned over to the association. At that point, resident usage must follow strict guidelines for the greater good of our entire community. The target date for finalizing and approving the updated Rules and Regulations is the July 2015 board of directors meeting.

From the WOA

Who May Attend Board Meetings?

By Pamela Ciapessoni

O

ver the years I have been asked many times about who is entitled to attend an association meeting of the board of directors. The simple answer is, “Only members.” Who is a member you ask?

A member of the association is defined as an owner of a lot within the corporation.

Often we have wonderful tenants and guests who enjoy the beautiful community and contribute to the overall culture.

This is acceptable and a benefit to all.

However, even though they have every right to the use of the facility and common area amenities of the corporation, board of director meetings allow the board to conduct the business of the association.

Attending these meetings is for members of the corporation only.

The board does have some discretion

Pamela Ciapessoni, Riverside Management with regard to tenants and non-members attending meetings but normally this is not allowed. It is very difficult to regulate who attends the meetings but when it is discovered that a guest or non-member is in the audience, it is not uncommon for them to be asked to leave the meeting.

In California, the law requires that association meetings have an open forum for members to address the board during the meeting. This also gives owners an

Page 5 • April 2015

Election Rules must also be adopted during the July 2015 board meeting as these rules, specified within the DavisStirling Act, provide specific instructions or prohibitions regarding the board of directors’ election process. Topics include, but are not limited to, access to association media, association common area meeting places, candidate qualifications, general voting issues and voting inspectors plus their qualifications. Election of directors will take place in the September to October time frame, so these rules must be in place in advance of the election process.

There are opportunities for members of our association to help formulate or change these documents. Please contact Ramon Rivera if you have a desire to assist. There will be a limited number of members participating in these document upgrades or creations. Once drafted, they will be available for comment by all members of the association.

The board of directors welcomes your input into this process and hopes all residents realize the positive transparency provided by our board.

opportunity to watch the board as they conduct the business of the corporation. As many of you know, having a non-member attend a corporate meeting in a business is not a normal practice.

We have found that being consistent is the best policy. Members know the rules of meeting protocol and we rarely experience a problem. In the next few months, the board will be soliciting input regarding a proposed meeting code of conduct that has been recommended within the community association industry by professionals throughout California. Please make sure to take advantage of the town hall meetings. Your input is welcome.

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Page 6 • April 2015

Woodbridge Owners Association Committees ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW • Mike Wallick, Chair mike.wallick@pultegroup.com FINANCE • April Oakland, Chair april@riversidemgmt.com LIFESTYLE • Dodie Miller, Chair millerdodie@gmail.com 824-7927 POLICY & PROCEDURES • Debby Hickey, Chair

debbyhick@comcast.net 629-8737 PROPERTY & GROUNDS • Ramon Rivera, Chair rrivera@ourwoodbridge.net 495-6803 COMMUNICATION • Ramon Rivera, Chair rrivera@ourwoodbridge.net 495-6803 •

Carol Jo Hargreaves, Woodbridge LIFE Editor and Directory Chair cjohargreaves@gmail.com

823-3538

WELCOMING COMMITTEE • Diana Clements, Co-Chair tenor4@comcast.net 665-4353 •

Jeanne Tebbutt, Co-Chair jltebbutt@gmail.com 923-4356 NEIGHBORS HELPING NEIGHBORS

• Bill Barnhart bill.barnhart@mrbconsulting.us 629-8838

Woodbridge LIFE

www.ourwoodbridge.net

Coming to Woodbridge EVENTS and TOURS - April / May 2015

By Dodie Miller, Activities Director WESSON HEARING – Wednesday, April 1 @ 5 p.m. – Details to follow.

SPAGHETTI FEED – Thursday, April 2 @ 5:30 p.m. — Pasta w/sauce, tossed green salad, bread and butter and dessert. You may bring your beverage of choice. Tickets are $10 per person and went on sale March 5.

RHYTHM RIDERS – Saturday, April 4. Doors open @ 6:30 p.m. – If you haven’t seen this group before, they are very talented and entertaining.

They portray Johnny Cash and Patsy Cline and provide a most enjoyable show. You may bring your beverage of choice. Tickets are $18 per person and are on sale at the front desk.

FILOLI MANSION & GARDENS – Tuesday, April 7. The bus leaves the Clubhouse at 7:30 a.m. — The gardens are spectacular in the spring.

Enjoy a tour of the beautiful mansion and gardens. Lunch at the Trellis Restaurant with four entrée choices.

Coach transportation is included.

Make your reservation through Setness Tours at 209-476-8486.

Cost is $109.

LADIES’ LUNCHEON – Wednesday, April 8 @ 12 noon. – Texas Roadhouse in Ripon.

WIG PALACE DISPLAY - Saturday, April 11 @ 11 a.m. Bobbie Stroller from Wig Palace will show and discuss her many wigs. If you have a preference to color, etc., please let us know when you sign up at the front desk. Refreshments will be served.

WINE 101 – Wednesday, April 15 @ 6 p.m. – Owner/grower Jason Mikami of Mikami Vineyards in Lodi will speak on his family's history, vineyards and the winery. He will bring his awardwinning 2012 Zinfandel to taste. Sign up at the front desk.

VAUDEVILLE TROUPE FROM

Important Notice About Cancellations

LINCOLN HILLS – Saturday, April 18. Doors open @ 4:30 p.m. – The Veterans of Woodbridge will serve a soup kitchen and finger food from 5 to 6 p.m. You may bring your beverage of choice. Tickets are $15 per person and are on sale at the front desk.

DENIM & DIAMONDS – Wednesday, April 22. Doors open @ 5 p.m. – DJ Jerry Sauceda will provide the dancing music. Dinner menu is mixed green salad, BBQ tri tip, grilled veggies, garlic mashed potatoes and a chocolate brownie. Tickets are $20 per person and are on sale at the front desk.

A DAY AT THE RACES – Saturday, April 25 – The bus will leave the Clubhouse at 10:30 a.m. Enjoy a day of horseracing at Golden Gate Fields in the Turf Club and lunch at the Turf Club buffet. Coach transportation, Turf Club seating and buffet luncheon. Cost is $99 per person and reservations are made through Setness Tours @ 209-476-8486.

POTLUCK NIGHT – Tuesday, April 28 @ 5:30 p.m. – It’s going to be Chili & Cornbread night with salads and desserts. You may bring your beverage of choice. Coffee and water will be provided.

COMMUNITY WIDE GARAGE SALE – Saturday, May 2 @ 8 a.m. – This event is advertised in the Manteca Bulletin so we get lots of traffic. Start getting those treasures ready to sell. Have all your items in your driveway by 8 a.m. and cleaned up by 2 p.m.

MOTHER’S DAY BREAKFAST – Saturday, May 2 @ 9 and 10:30 a.m.

– The Men of Woodbridge group will once again serve a delightful breakfast with two seatings. Price TBD. WINE 101 – Wednesday, May 6 @ 6 p.m. – After the April meeting, Jon

When you have signed up for an event, activity or tour and you find you are unable to attend, please, as a courtesy to others, call the Clubhouse front desk (824-7581) to cancel. If the event has a wait list, the front desk can fill the vacancy from the list. Thank you.

Ford will announce details for May. CINDO de MAYO – Tuesday, May 5 @ 5 p.m. -- Information will follow about this Cinco de Mayo celebration. The Lifestyle Committee is working on details.

DECADES BAND – Saturday, May 9 @ 6:30 p.m. – This band plays rock and roll songs of the last five decades. The band’s “wall of sound” draws you into the illusion of some of the greatest concerts you wish you had attended. You’ll find yourself saying, “I remember that song.” Please feel free to bring your beverage of choice and snacks.

Tickets are $18 per person and go on sale April 9.

WOODBRIDGE SINGERS SPRING CONCERT – Tuesday, May 12 @ 2 and 6 p.m. – This concert will be like no other they have done before!

There will be costumed actors, musicians, soloists and dancers who will sing favorite tunes from Broadway musicals like “Oklahoma,” “The Wizard of Oz,” My Fair Lady,” “The Sound of Music” and more!

Sign-ups will begin mid-April at the front desk. Admission is free.

MAMA’S WRANGLERS & CLOGGERS – Tuesday, May 19 @ 6:30 p.m. -This is a family band and cloggers out of Las Vegas. Their confidence, charisma, hot instrumentation, dancing and powerful vocal harmonies will be a show to remember. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the show begins at 7 p.m.

Tickets are $8 per person and go on sale April 24.

POTLUCK NIGHT - Tuesday, May 26 - @ 5:30 p.m. – This potluck will be a Mexican fiesta: enchiladas, tacos, refried beans, rice and dessert.

Coffee and water will be provided and you may bring your beverage of choice.

See

COMING page 12

www.ourwoodbridge.net

Reaching Out Lakeview Clubhouse: 824-7581

Board of Directors

John Johnson, President Roger Cunning, Vice President Christine Carlson, Treasurer Garry Dudley, Secretary Carl Hansen, Director at Large

Resident Directors

Roger: 647-4380 / Garry: 648-4868

Operations Manager

Ramon Rivera:

495-6803

Activities Director

Dodie Miller:

Lifestyle Manager

Erika Smith:

824-7927 824-7581

Management

Riverside Management PO BOX 697 Roseville, CA 9566 916-740-2462

The opinions expressed in Woodbridge LIFE’s feature articles, paid advertisements and editorial content do not necessarily reflect the views of this newspaper or the Woodbridge Owners Association.

WOODBRIDGE LIFE MISSION STATEMENT: “Woodbridge LIFE is a celebration of the diversified residents of Woodbridge by Del Webb in Manteca – a look at their accomplishments, an exploration of their hopes and dreams, a place to share joy, announce activities and bring neighbors together.

Woodbridge LIFE strives to enhance the lives of all residents and exceed expectations with informative articles, lively features, a calendar of events and more.”

Woodbridge LIFE

Woodbridge LIFE

2401 Morning Brook Drive Manteca, CA 95336

209-824-7581

www.ourwoodbridge.net PUBLISHER

WOA

EDITOR

Carol Jo Hargreaves

824-7581

823-3538

ADVERTISING Erika Smith

WBL EDITORIAL TEAM Bill Barnhart Sharyl Burgeson Carol Jo Hargreaves Jean Kavale Ann King Judy McNamara Dodie Miller Volker Moerbitz Pepper Noble Ramon Rivera, chair Erika Smith Mike Spence

824-7581 629-8838 239-1492 823-3538 629-8571 650-464-0151 923-4718 824-7927 239-7965 239-1933 495-6803 824-7581 924-8032

Woodbridge LIFE is a free monthly publication of the Woodbridge Owners Association, a nonprofit organization serving the residents of the Woodbridge by Del Webb community in Manteca, CA. Woodbridge LIFE invites stories, photographs, comments, cartoons, jokes and any other information that would be of interest to residents. We reserve the right to accept or refuse submissions and edit for content and length. We also reserve the right to refuse advertising or articles that in our opinion do not reflect the standards of the newspaper. The opinions expressed, whether by paid advertisement or editorial content, do not necessarily reflect the views of this newspaper or the Woodbridge Owners Association. Content submitted may be edited, reprinted and acknowledged without consent unless specifically requested.

Woodbridge LIFE proofreaders use the Associated Press Stylebook, “the journalist’s bible,” as a writing and editing reference. The publisher is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts or artwork. Materials submitted with a self-addressed, stamped envelope will be returned. Contents copyright © 2015 by Woodbridge Owners Association. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission of the publisher.

Contact us:

WBLIFE2012@gmail.com

Page 7 • April 2015

Page 8 • April 2015

Woodbridge LIFE

WOA Groups and Clubs: Groups & Clubs Artists & Crafters Ballroom Dance Bocce Ball Bridge Bunco Bunco-also contact Chair Volleyball Crochet/Knitting Cribbage Drama Game Night Game Night-also contact Grandparents Hand & Foot

Contact Nedra Ball Patti Barnhart

Phone Meeting Day And Time 815-9309 M-F, Time & Workshops vary 629-8838 Thursdays @ 4:15 p.m.

Sundays @ 6 p.m. (effective Rick Hyden 824-9257 4/4/2015 Don St. Lawrence 825-7137 Mondays @ 10 a.m.

Mary Braun 239-0409 3rd Monday @ 6:30 p.m.

Susan Russitano 275-5817 3rd Monday @ 6:30 p.m.

Various Mondays and Jacquie Steffy 825-4805 Tuesdays. See schedule Renée St. Lawrence 825-7137 Thursdays @ 10 a.m.

Dave Steffy 825-4805 Tuesdays @ 7 p.m.

Dona Eberhardt 629-8069 Thursdays @ 12:30 p.m.

Fridays & Saturdays @ 6:30 Pat Buxton 239-8663 p.m.

Rick Hyden Claudia Watkins Ruth Field

824-9257 823-8678 229-6977

Poker - also contact Joe Victoria Radio Controlled Flyers Bob Umberger Renée St. LawReaders’ Group rence Second Chance Band John Green Senior Golf Chuck Gary Silver Sluggers Softball Butch Larson Strummin’ Wonders Carla Marquardt Tennis Mel Topping Trivia Eileen Hill Veterans Jack Dauler Walking Indoors Jacque Reynolds Wheels of Woodbridge Bill Barnhart Women of Woodbridge Birdie Nieri Wine 101 Jon Ford Woodbridge Singers Elizabeth Cunning

815-9343 239-2983

Wednesdays @ 6:30 p.m.

Days and times vary W-F-SA-SU @ 1 p.m.

Thursdays @ 7 p.m.

M-W-F @ 9:15 a.m.

Fridays @ 6 p.m.

2nd Monday @ 10 a.m.

Patrols Mondays @ 6 p.m.

M-F, Time varies M @ 2:15pm & TH @ 1 p.m.

Wed @ 1:30 p.m. & Fri @ 5:30 p.m.

Wed @ 1:30 p.m. & Fri @ 5:30 p.m.

Days and times vary

Line Dancing Line Dancing (Evening) Men of Woodbridge Neighborhood Watch Paddle Tennis Pickleball Pinochle

Patti Barnhart Bill Goodwin Bill Goodwin Bob Hall Bob Hall Bob Hall Robert Philis

629-8838 823-9767 823-9767 239-5712 239-5712 239-5712 825-3053

Poker

Al Sanchez

239-8235

825-7137 239-5256 834-6795 824-2062 624-3754 239-8718 624-3945 629-8575 629-8508 629-8838 624-3779 815-9803 647-4380

1st Wed @ 10:30 a.m.

Days and times vary Various golf courses Seasonal Mondays @ 2:15 p.m.

SU - TU - TH @ 9 a.m.

3rd Tuesday @ 7 p.m.

2nd Monday @ 4 p.m.

M-W-F @ 8:30 a.m.

1st Tuesday @ 10:45 a.m.

3rd Wed @ 11 a.m.

Days vary Every other Monday @ 7 p.m.

Club Christian Men 55ers RV Group "Just Fore Fun" Ladies' Golf Red Hat Ladies Senior Bowling Women's Bible Study

Contact Mel Reynolds Sue Edmiston Betty Buff Claudia Watkins Barbara Silva Carolyn Johnson

Non-WOA Sanctioned Clubs:

Phone 624-3768 601-9210 479-3568 823-8678 824-0262 239-0936

Please refer to www.ourwoodbridge.net for more detailed information

www.ourwoodbridge.net

www.ourwoodbridge.net

April Activities Sunday

5

Monday

6

Woodbridge LIFE

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Page 9 • April 2015

Friday

3

Saturday

1

2

4

5 p.m. – Wesson

5:30 p.m. – Spaghetti

6:30 p.m. – Rhythm

Hearing

Feed

Riders (Cash & Cline)

7

8

9

10

11

7:30 a.m. – Filoli

12 p.m. – Ladies’

Mansion & Gardens –

Luncheon

17

18

Setness Tours

12

19

13

14

15

16

2 p.m. – Policy &

9 a.m. – ARC

6 p.m. – Wine 101

8:15 a.m. – Casino Bus

4:30 p.m. – Lincoln Hills

Procedures Committee

3:30 p.m. – O'Conner

2 p.m. – Finance

Variety Show

Woods Continuing Care

Committe Mtg

20

21

22

23

24

25

5 p.m. – Denim &

10 a.m. – Woodbridge

Diamonds Dance w/DJ

Show & Tell

Jerry Sauceda

10:30 a.m. – A Day at the Races – Setness Tours

26

27

28

6:30 p.m. – Spain

9 a.m. – ARC

& Portugal Trip

5:30 p.m. – Potluck

Presentation

Night

► Clubs and groups are listed on page 8.

More detailed information may be found on the Woodbridge portal and at the Lakeview Clubhouse.

May Activities Sunday

30

29

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

1

Saturday

2 8 a.m. – Community Wide Garage Sale 9 & 10:30 a.m. – Mother’s Day Breakfast

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

5 p.m. – Cinco de Mayo

6 p.m. – Wine 101

5 p.m. – Sip for

1 p.m. – Listening Post

6:30 p.m. – Decades

Celebration

10

17

Scholarship

11

12

2 p.m. – Policy &

9 a.m. – ARC

10 a.m. – NRO

Procedures Committee

2 & 6 p.m. – Woodbridge

3:15 p.m. – P&G

Singers Spring Concert

Comittee

18

19

13

14

Band

15

16

20

21

22

23

27

28

29

30

5:30 p.m. – Happy Hour

10 a.m. – Woodbridge

6:30 p.m. – Mama’s Wranglers & Cloggers

24

25 31

26 9 a.m. – ARC 5:30 p.m. – Potluck Night

100

Page 10 • April 2015

s t n e v E g n i Com

Woodbridge LIFE

www.ourwoodbridge.net

As a courtesy to Woodbridge residents, we are providing the following event information to assist in planning and obtaining tickets. Please note: This information is subject to change. Contact the Clubhouse front desk if you have questions.

Name of Event The Swingin' Blue Stars Cheese Buffet Tasting Spring Garden Tour Cole Porter's Musical "Anything Goes" - Setness Tours The Illusionists - Setness Tours Second Chance Band Dance '50s Dance w/In-N-Out Burgers Happy Hour Wheels Car Show Blood Bank Drive (date change)

Event Date

Purchase Tickets Starting:

6/2/15 6/4/15 6/6/15

5/7/15 5/7/15 5/8/15

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Now Now 5/28/15 5/22/15 5/29/15 No Ticket No Ticket

POTLUCK NIGHT TUESDAYS 2015 APRIL 28 – CHILI & CORNBREAD MAY 26 – MEXICAN FIESTA JUNE 30 – PIZZAS & SALADS JULY 28 - HEARTY APPETIZERS AUGUST 25 - CASSEROLES

Through the Lens Photo by Michelle Harmon.

Michelle Harmon photographed seven turtles resting on 'turtle rock' in Lake Rockwell.

Photos by Mike Hamiel.

A picture is worth a thousand words. Do you see the differences between the nearby suburban street and the street in Woodbridge?

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Woodbridge LIFE

SPRING MEANS "NEW BEGINNINGS"

By Sandi Larson, Master Gardener

O

ur theme this month is spring. Spring for me means “new beginnings.” Spring in my garden is my favorite time of year, when everything awakens from its dormancy and we are rewarded with lovely flowers, foliage and fragrance. I would like to get you to think about “new beginnings” in your garden.

I recently visited a used bookstore in Modesto with something in mind that I couldn’t find and ended up purchasing six gently used gardening books.

I purchased a book by Sydney Eddison titled, Gardening for a Lifetime. I was drawn by some statements the author made and was even surprised as the reality of them set in. Here’s the quote that gave me a wake up call: “The truth was finally beginning to sink in. … I had created a garden that was impossible to maintain without assistance.

These kind people [her gardening staff] had allowed me the illusion that I was still taking care of my garden. But I had been living in a fool’s paradise. Without them I couldn’t possibly have managed. By this time I was no spring chicken and in the future would need even more help, probably more than Martin and I could afford.”

Wow! That hit me between the eyes! In her book, Sydney goes chapter-by-chapter explaining how she and other gardeners changed their gardens to accommodate their changing and aging bodies and income.

Have you ever wished you could have a bigger yard? Do you wonder why we have a hard time finding folks for the garden tour whose yards are older than a year? We all love our yard when it’s brand

Page 11 • April 2015

new, no weeds, no wild growth, no pruning, no deadheading, bark is fresh…the list goes on of why we love our yards when they’re brand new. Fast forward three to four years later: weeds out of control, trees need pruning, planted too many plants for too small of an area, broken sprinklers, bad plants reseeded where you didn’t want them to, good plants died. We all want our yards to stay beautiful but, at some point, reality sets in. Most of us don’t want to or can’t afford to spend hundreds of dollars to spruce up our yards … because many times WE aren’t doing the work; it’s the landscapers, arborists and irrigation specialists who are keeping it all in control.

I’m here to tell you it’s time to start thinking about keeping a yard that you can maintain well into your retirement days. It will take work, thought, planning and possibly some initial money, but it can be done. The main thing to remember is that we need to simplify our lives.

If one perennial requires way more time and energy than you’ve got, consider swapping it out for a perennial or a shrub that is easier to maintain and doesn’t require as much time. If you find yourself constantly feeling guilty that you can’t deadhead that geranium, consider something easier like impatiens, which require little work.

Consider keeping small trees around rather than redwoods or birch trees that can easily dwarf our single story homes in a few years.

Realize the dependability of bulbs. I’ve got some mini daffodils and peonies that have been consistently coming up for many years now and require very little work.

I’m not advocating a total redo of your yard right away – the drought is not allowing us to do major redos! I would recommend taking one portion of your yard at a time and evaluating it. Do you honestly have the strength, balance, energy, time and money to maintain as much plant material as you have? Maybe Del Webb was right in giving us small yards after all!

NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH OPERATION ID

By Bob Hall

T

he Woodbridge Neighborhood Watch Program would like to remind all residents about the Woodbridge car decal that is placed on the rear window of your car(s) to identify the vehicle as belonging to a resident of the community.

This simple identification helps everyone recognize which vehicles are non-resident’s cars. It is most helpful for the patrol volunteers who drive at night watching for vehicles driving our streets and also when we check the surveillance cameras for crime offenders.

The decal program is voluntary and is not required but it sure makes sense to those of us who want to keep our community as crime free as possible. It is a small action like this that helps you and your neighbors easily keep an eye out for suspicious cars using our streets, day or night.

The decals are free and available at the front desk, along with an instruction sheet telling you where we would like them placed on your car. I thank you for your co-operation in this matter.

When you decide to trade or sell your vehicle, please remove the decal before turning your vehicle over to the new owner.

Also, when your decal becomes frayed and old from the sun and the car wash, please replace it with a new one. The old decals were orange in color. They are no longer made in that color. The blue decals (as shown here) are the only ones we will issue now. Use of either color is acceptable at this time.

Page 12 • April 2015

Woodbridge LIFE

At the Clubhouse The Bridge group meets Mondays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Oxford Room.

Lee Stern Phil McCallion Betty Buff Don St. Lawrence Letha Watson Robi Cornelius Carolee Jones Cherie Ford Don Harris Kathy Comden Grace Pasion Barbara Kreps

4700 4230 4110 4040 3400 3370 3250 2640 2350 2280 1620 1320

Letha Watson Barbara Kreps Lee Stern Kathy Comden Phyllis Tindell Marilyn Larson Don St. Lawrence Robi Cornelius Betty Buff Don Harris Phil McCallion

5310 5220 4890 4860 3940 3860 3210 2970 2950 2250 2070

MAR 16:

Phyllis Tindell Shirley Lopes Letha Watson Kathy Comden Lee Stern Betty Buff

From

By Paul E. Serpa, Senior Fitness Specialist

By Don St. Lawrence

MAR 9:

 FITNESS The Gun Show

 BRIDGE

Bridge Scores MAR 2:

David Lopes Robi Cornelius Don St. Lawrence Don Harris Cherie Ford

MAR 23:

Don Harris Phyllis Tindell Lee Stern Kathy Comden Cherie Ford Robi Cornelius Betty Buff

2690 2550 2450 2220 2120

5720 4950 4330 4300 3920 2420 2100

6260 5080 4850 3490 2980 2690

COMING page 6

HAPPY HOUR – Friday, May 29 @ 5:30 p.m. – DJ Dave Badilla will again start our summer happy hours on the patio. Bring your folding chairs and table (we don’t have enough to go around), your beverage of choice and an appetizer to share at your table. Tickets are $3 per person and go on sale May 1.

�

W

e have all heard muscles being referred to as guns, puppies or peaks. Well, here is a lighter look at gymspeak. Striking a double biceps pose, Wayne kisses each bicep and tells me I need to take him to the veterinarian because “these puppies are sick.” I told Wayne he was going to have to take me to the doctor (as I point to my triceps) “because these cuts are deep.” Wayne then told me he had gotten a call from the beer company because “they wanted their six-pack back.”

I asked Wayne if he had brought tape “because I am ripped.” He said no, but if I come to see him I should bring a hammer and chisel because “I am rock hard.”

www.ourwoodbridge.net Wayne asked me if I was afraid of heights and I said yes and he said, “Well then, don’t look at these peaks!” (Again striking the double-biceps pose).

I told Wayne I was getting a second job - Turtle Wax wants me to be their spokesperson “because I am buffed.”

We all know that humor is good for our overall health, well-being and state of mind, so next time you are at the gym – have fun and laugh at somebody!

Arts  ARTISTS & CRAFTERS It's Coming...the Holiday Boutique

By Penny Dauler

I

t’s already that time of year.

Time to put our clocks ahead one hour. Time to spend more time outside. Time to turn off the fireplace, turn down the heat and replace the candles with flowers.

I know, I know, it’s only April.

Why are we talking about the holiday boutique? Well, I’ll tell you … crafters like to know so they can begin crafting!

This year the holiday craft boutique will be held Saturday, November 14, from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m.

There are a few changes in the upcoming boutique, hence the need for this article so early in the year.

Change number one: Those selling items will need to set up beginning at 7 a.m., Saturday.

There will be no setting up on Friday. I’m sorry. You’ll have to set your alarms.

Change number two: (This one should make you all happy.) There is NO, I repeat, NO dollar cap on how much you can sell.

Change number three: (Here is where the fun begins.) Sellers will be in charge of their own sales.

What does this mean? For us it means no cashier and no checkout lines. For sellers it means staging and displaying your sale items in your space, writing your own receipts, taking care of your own sales tax, both during and after the boutique (the state wants its cut), making your own change and bagging your own items.

Change number four: We will be charging sellers a $25 entrance fee for the boutique.

Change number five: (This is the most important change.)

EVERY PERSON selling items See

ARTISTS page 13

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Woodbridge LIFE

ARTISTS page 12

in the boutique will need a Seller’s Permit (occasional seller’s license or a resale license) from the California State Board of Equalization.

Information is available at: http://www.boe.ca.gov/formspubs/pub107/.

We are hoping these changes make this year’s boutique an exciting one for everyone.

 WOODBRIDGE READERS' GROUP

By Marie Evans

A

&

s always, our reading group met the first Wednesday of the month, March 4, and discussed a very interesting book suggested and presented by Patty DeRoos. The Shoemaker's Wife, written by Adriana Trigiana, led to a lively discussion, especially by those who knew their immigrant relatives, as the story is about two Italians who immigrated to the United States from Alpine Italy. Ms. Trigiana grew up in a small mining town in America, is Italian and her book is thought to be based on a true story.

The Shoemaker's Wife is essentially a story of love and survival.

The interesting twist to me was where this couple ended up - the iron mines of Hibbing, Minnesota, settling in the nearby village of

HIDDEN TALENTS OF WOODBRIDGE ON DISPLAY, aka SHOW AND TELL

By Penny Dauler

T

HE DATE is… Saturday, April 25. Doors open from 10 a.m. until noon and again from 1 to 3 p.m.

Watercolorists, tanglers, knitters, quilters, paper crafters, mixed-media artists and more will give demonstrations.

You might also want to wander through the room and look at the displays of our “Hidden Artists.” Displays include corded baskets, fleece baby blankets, dog and cat beds, as well as prayer bears.

This year we are also offering a “make and take” table to the first 25 people who come by.

You really, really should plan to stop by; you might even find a new hobby for yourself.

SEE YOU THERE!

Page 13 • April 2015

Application forms will be available September 1. Jurying for those who are new to the boutique will be held in October. All of these details will be revealed in the coming months.

So, crafters get crafting!

Chisholm. An unlikely destination to me, but as I read I learned many Italians and other nationalities did migrate to the iron mines in the Mesabi Mountain Range of Northern Minnesota.

This book is a good read although a little predictable and not everyone enjoyed it as completely as others did - some found it very sad - most of us enjoyed it; it is easy to read and the characters are very likeable. The main characters met in Italy and circumstances separated them almost immediately. Both immigrated and settled in the Italian sector of New York City where they met again. Based on a true story of struggle, adaptation, success and love, it is essentially a story of family.

Our book selection for April is Diary of a Sea Captain's Wife by Margaret Holder Eaton and Janice Timbrookep and presented

by Renée St. Lawrence. For our next book, Ruth Fields picked The Unexpected Mrs. Polifax by Dorothy Gilman. All residents of Woodbridge are welcome to join in our reading group or just stop by for a visit.

 STRUMMIN' WONDERS Strummin' Wonders Offers More than Just a Sing-Along

By Carla Marquardt

A

re you too young to remember watching Mitch Miller Sing-Alongs on the TV and watching the bouncing ball? Well, the ukuleles have revived that old family tradition of singing old familiar songs together. Many voices sang along to the third annual Love Song Concert provided by the Strummin' Wonders to celebrate Valentine's Day. Except this year on February 11th, the group played songs from every decade starting with 1910 to the present. The audience sang along as hula dancers and line dancers added plenty of visual excitement to the evening. Some favorites were: "Oh, You Beautiful Doll," "Close to You," "My Heart Goes On," "Wind Beneath My Wings," and, just for fun - "I'm in Love with a Big Blue Frog" by Peter, Paul and Mary. Remember to mark your calendar to attend the next sing-along, which will be a patriotic concert Friday, May 22, to honor our veterans. You don't want to miss this free entertaining evening and maybe you'll see that Mitch Miller bouncing ball!

A 14-DAY TRIP THROUGH SPAIN AND PORTUGAL

S

ightseeing highlights: Granada, Cordoba, Seville, Lisbon, Toledo and Madrid.

Look for the flyer for the presentation of trip details at 6:30 p.m., Monday, April 26, in the Clubhouse.

WBL photo by Volker Moerbitz.

Carla Marquardt leads the Strummin' Wonders in the Valentine sing-along concert.

Page 14 • April 2015

 WOODBRIDGE SINGERS Singers, Dancers Gearing Up for Broadway!

Woodbridge LIFE

www.ourwoodbridge.net

VALENTINE'S DAY DANCE

By Dodie Miller, Activities Director

By Elizabeth Cunning

T

he Woodbridge Singers Spring concert Thursday, May 12, will be like no other that has been done before! The event will include costumed actors, musicians, soloists and dancers with everyone singing along to tunes from Broadway musicals.

Audience members will enjoy appearances of Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodsman and the Cowardly Lion from the “The Wizard of Oz.” And who are those pig-tailed country girls flirting with fellas and singing “I Cain’t Say No” from the musical “Oklahoma”? You’ll just have to come and find out!

Favorite tunes will fill the air from “My Fair Lady,” “The Sound of Music” and many more! Sign up at the front desk in mid-April for your choice of May 12 performances at 2 or 6:30 p.m. There is no admission charge.

W

oodbridge residents enjoyed the seventh Valentine’s Day dance in the Lakeview Clubhouse Saturday, February 14, and the popular event was a “sell out.”

The Multipurpose Room was filled with the color “red” and everyone wore Valentine apparel. The food prepared by Mark Angelo included tacos, pasta and sliders (even though we had a little hitch keeping the sliders coming). Music provided by Crystal Image Band kept everyone on the dance floor all evening, literally. Because we had a bit of a late start, the band played a little longer.

Keep watching. There are more dances coming your way.

 HOW THE UKULELE CHANGED MY LIFE

By Dick Salzmann

I

had a few (no more than five or six) piano lessons when I was nine years old. At my first and last piano recital, I played “Good King Wenceslas” with one finger. I was under foster care then but had to leave that family. My next try at an instrument was a keyboard in my 60s. That did not last long, either.

Joining the Strummin’ Wonders two years ago gave me the support and encouragement from a lot of other 'learners' that has kept me at it. It is fun, relatively easy, and I enjoy playing many of the old songs I loved. I also have enjoyed meeting many other players and getting to know them. I would encourage anyone who likes music to just try it. It is relatively inexpensive, fun, and easy to get started.

Photo courtesy of Carla Marquardt.

After two failed musical attempts on the piano and keyboard, Dick Salzmann has found the ukulele to be his passion.

BOTTLE RECYCLING AND E-WASTE

By Erika Smith, Lifestyle Manager

A

s a community, we partner with San Joaquin Regional Conservation Corps (SJRCC) to collect your recyclables. This program is separate from that coordinated by the city of Manteca. According to Deb Phillips, the Recycling Supervisor for SJRCC, “The SJRCC is a Youth-Based Program which hires youths 18 to 25 as their employees, supporting them with academic instruction, employment opportunities, green job training, life skills, social skills, work ethic and so much more. We work in our local communities providing training and education for our youth and for our communities in the following areas: E-Waste Recovery Program, Used Motor Oil Program, Illegally Dumped Tire Program, Beverage Container Collection Program, Natural Resources Program and River Partner’s Trust Habitat Restoration Program.”

SJRCC currently offers a weekly curbside recycling service for all wine bottles and CA Redemption Value glass (beer bottles) and a semiannual curbside E-Waste pickup.

The weekly curbside recycling service, THE BLUE BAG RECOVERY PROGRAM, can only continue if the Woodbridge community continues to support the SJRCC’s recycling endeavors. Not only does your recycling sustain a better environment, it gives young adults in our community the opportunity to gain valuable work experience and life skills. To start participating in the program, please pick up a blue bag from the front desk at the Clubhouse. Once your first bag is picked up curbside, the SJRCC will leave you a new one to fill. If you would like to participate in the SJRCC weekly pickup, please register with your address by phone at (209) 292-2702.

Beginning Tuesday, April 7, 2015, pickup day will be Tuesdays.

Please have your blue bags curbside by 8:30 a.m.

Mark your calendars. The next E-Waste pickup event will be Wednesday, April 8. Please have your items curbside by 9 a.m. If you have a large item you cannot carry to the curb, call Deb Phillips at (209) 403-9914 to schedule an appointment for April 8, where the SJRCC will retrieve your items and carry them out for you.

www.ourwoodbridge.net

Woodbridge LIFE

Page 15 • April 2015

Page 16 • April 2015

Woodbridge LIFE

Household Hints

By Bill Barnhart

Landscape Water Conservation I was asked to write about the timing of landscape watering.

Bill Barnhart I know Sandi Larson has written about this in her very informative gardening articles, so it shouldn’t be new to any of you.

However, given that March 8 was the beginning of Daylight Saving Time which is when sprinkler controllers should be reprogrammed for summer conservation measures, it was the perfect time to write this article because this year, the switch to Daylight Saving Time was NOT the trigger date for setting your water to a summer conservation schedule. That date was actually January 1. Sounds like a misnomer doesn’t it — setting your sprinklers for summer watering in the dead of winter — but these restrictions are now to be followed year around and they may even get tighter.

Here are the official conservation measures that I’ve taken from the City of Manteca Public Works Department, Water Division web page: http://www.ci.manteca.ca.us/pwt/wdiv/whencaniwater. asp and reworded, placing them in large print so you can’t say you missed them:

1. No watering on Mondays and Sunday is no longer 2.

3.

4.

5.

a freebie day.

Odd numbered addresses water only on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday except during the hours between noon and 6 p.m.

Even numbered addresses water only on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday except during the hours between noon and 6 p.m.

No watering or washing of cars, trucks or boats on any days between the hours of noon and 6 p.m. and only on the days allowed for landscape watering.

Washing cars, trucks or boats requires use of a nozzle on the hose with an automatic shut off

6.

7.

8.

9.

www.ourwoodbridge.net

feature when not being used.

Any water running into the gutter from your landscape irrigation for a period greater than five minutes must be adjusted or repaired.

No washing off sidewalks, driveways or patios at any time of the day.

Any leaks, breaks or malfunctions in a home’s plumbing or irrigation system must be repaired within 24 hours.

All conservation measures apply to business and commercial entities as well as homeowners.

On the first noted violation of any of these conservation measures, a homeowner will receive a letter requiring correction of the violation. The second violation will yield a $50 fine and subsequent violations will yield a $250 fine each. Before any of this happens, check and reprogram your irrigation system if necessary. If you have difficulty doing that, give Neighbors Helping Neighbors a call (209-629-8838) and we’ll have someone take care of it for you.

Here are some suggestions to get more benefit from your irrigation water: 1. When watering grass, the length of time should not exceed 5 to 8 minutes. Anything longer just runs off over the sidewalk and down the gutter. You can even shorten the watering time further and run your sprinklers multiple times a day within the allowable timeframes.

2. When watering in the morning, water before 6 a.m. in warmer months or after 9 a.m. in cooler months. The period of approximately 6 to 9 a.m. is one of the highest water demand periods, which means your water pressure will be reduced during that period. Also, the type of grass most of us have is subject to fungus growth if it is too wet before sunrise in the morning during cool weather.

3. Cutting the grass at about two inches or higher helps the grass conserve moisture although it doesn’t give your yard quite the smooth appearance many of you prefer. One hint: If you run your lawn mower backward over the area you just went forward over, it leaves a nice smooth appearance.

4. Using a fertilizer in early spring to promote root growth allows the grass to capture more water. Remember, water alone does not make for a healthy lawn.

And, before I forget, this is the time of year for the first application of systemic fertilizer around your trees and bushes that attract aphids. If you apply it where spray irrigation occurs, you can use the granular kind. If your bushes or trees are watered by your drip system, you’ll need to purchase the liquid kind and mix it with water per the instructions.

Did you know Bill Barnhart's popular Household Hints articles are posted on the Woodbridge portal? Currently you can find articles published from December 2013 through February 2015 by entering the portal and selecting Resource Center in the gray horizontal bar. Scroll down to Neighbors Helping Neighbors, click the plus sign and then click on Household Hints. You will find a list of topics and the date published.

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Woodbridge LIFE

Page 17 • April 2015

 WOMEN OF WOODBRIDGE Hooray for Hollywood

By Linda Little

Serving the community since 1979.

I

f you enjoy drinking wine, eating and listening to good music, you won’t want to miss the Women of Woodbridge’s fifth annual Sip for Scholarship from 5 to 7 p.m., Thursday, May 7, in the Lakeview Clubhouse. This year’s theme will celebrate Hollywood; you never know who might show up to enjoy a few sips of wine and some great food.

Cost is $25 per person and includes tastings from several wineries as well as the Olive Oil Pantry. Chef Bryan and the students in Manteca Unified Vocational Academy’s culinary program will once again prepare hot and cold appetizers.

Entertainment will feature musical groups from the local high schools.

A raffle will also be held; tickets will be sold in advance and at the event. One of the raffle prizes is a catered dinner for eight

by Chef Bryan and his assistant Chef Jennifer. The winner can choose any type of meal (gourmet to BBQ). The dinner hosts/ guests pay for the food, but Chefs Bryan and Jennifer purchase, prepare and serve the food.

Proceeds from the Sip for Scholarship event will benefit student scholarships at Calla, East Union, Manteca and Sierra high schools as well as at the Manteca Unified School District’s vocational academies.

Tickets for the event may be purchased at the Lakeview Clubhouse front desk beginning Wednesday, April 1. There are no refunds.

 WOMEN OF WOODBRIDGE Norman Rockwell's Predecessor

By Linda Little

B

efore there was Norman Rockwell, there was J.C. Leyendecker, arguably the nation’s most popular and successful commercial artist of the first four decades of the 20th century. On Wednesday, May 27, as part of the continuing Speaker Series, Tod Ruhstaller, Haggin Museum’s CEO and curator of history, will offer insight into Leyendecker’s life as well as information about the artist’s collection currently on display at the museum.

Though few recognize the name of Leyendecker, his work was some of the most popular of its day. He is best known for his cover work for Collier’s magazine and the Saturday Evening Post for which he produced more covers than any other artist. His work was also used to promote a host of other products including soap, automobiles, cigarettes and cereal.

The Haggin Museum’s collection of more than 50 original works

by Leyendecker represents the largest held by any museum.

The collection was assembled by a former director of the Haggin Museum who contacted some of the companies for which Leyendecker had worked, requesting any paintings still in their collection. He also contacted individuals, including Leyendecker’s sister, who had inherited some of the original canvases.

Ruhstaller’s presentation will begin at 2 p.m. in the Lakeview Clubhouse. There is no fee; however, please RSVP at the front desk as a count is needed for set-up and preparation of materials.

Valley Oak Dental Group is a multi-specialty group practice committed to excellence.

Our Pediatric Department provides a comfortable, caring atmosphere for your children.

We provide the latest General Dentistry procedures in a state-of-the-art dental suite.

General Dentistry Mark A. Hochhalter, DDS Bonnie J. Morehead, DDS Rudy R. Ciccarelli, DDS Elizabeth C. Grecco, DDS Ron G. Joseph, DDS Daman P. Saini, DDS Harneet K. Saini, DDS

Our Oral Surgery Department provides general anesthesia and I.V. sedation in a safe, professional environment.

Pediatric Dentistry

• Most Insurance Plans Accepted • Extended Office Hours (Saturdays & Evenings) • Specialists In One Location • On-Site Lab; Same Day Repairs • Dental Implants • Esthetic Dentistry • Oral Conscious Sedation • Same Day Crowns

Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery

Our family welcomes yours.

Mohammad El Farra, DDS* Prachi D. Shah, DDS

*General Dentist Practice Limited to Children

Mark A. Grecco, DMD Diplomate, American Board of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery MEMBERS OF:

• California Dental Association • American Dental Association • San Joaquin P.P.A.

209.823.9341

valleyoakdentalgroup.com 1507 W. Yosemite, Manteca

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Woodbridge LIFE

Page 19 • April 2015

Garden Tasks for April

By Sandi Larson, Master Gardener

A

pril and May are my two favorite months of the year. Spring is just breaking out in the trees, the flowers, shrubs and bulbs.

Sandi Larson

Your lawn can benefit from an application of fertilizer right now.

The last weekend in April is a perfect time to start planting seeds of loose-leaf lettuce before the weather gets hot.

If you haven’t done it already, this is a good month to get your irrigation system tuned up. Check with your landscaping professional for assistance or contact your local nurseryman for names of irrigation specialists. You can save a lot of water by irrigating your plants efficiently.

Speaking of water, again just a reminder that the city of Manteca now only allows watering three days a week: Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday before noon or after 6 p.m. for even numbered homes, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday for odd numbered homes, never between noon and 6 p.m.

Deadhead azaleas, camellias and rhododendrons this month and fertilize with fertilizer for acid-loving plants.

Mulch around plants to a maximum of three inches deep to maintain moisture around your plants but remember to leave an area close to the base for water to sink into the root ball.

Drought tolerant plants are more popular than ever! Here are some of my favorites: Heavenly bamboo, pomegranate, lilac, flowering quince, lavender trumpet vine and Lady Banks rose.

Drought tolerant ground covers include snow-in-summer (also known as Cerastium), lambs ear, daylilies, English lavender, trailing lantana and verbena and candytuft.

Photo by Sandi Larson.

Spanish lavender is a good drought tolerant plant for spring bloom.

Bait for snails and slugs. Even though we have very little water, there’s enough moisture in our evenings that these mollusks are still hanging around.

Our last frost date is near the end of March so now is a good time to plant fuchsias, impatiens, bedding dahlias, peonies and lavender.

Around the end of April is a good time to start planting tomatoes and peppers. Have you considered an heirloom tomato? One tomato that is a good choice for the valley is Brandywine. Peppers particularly like hot temperatures to fully mature. Remember that when our temperatures reach higher than 90 to 95 degrees, tomatoes will not form.

If you haven’t fertilized your roses yet, there’s still time.

On April 18 at the Manteca library, the Master Gardeners club is having a workshop on “Tips and Tricks for Drought Friendly Landscaping.” It is from 10:30 a.m. to noon. Classes are free but all participants must register a week prior to the class at 209-953-6100.

H

appy gardening!

Photo by Sandi Larson.

Candytuft spreads bigger each year. It is a drought tolerant plant that attracts butterflies.

Page 20 • April 2015

Woodbridge LIFE

www.ourwoodbridge.net

Activities Abound in Woodbridge Groups and Clubs, Part 3

By Carol Jo Hargreaves

T

here are so many groups and clubs in our community this article is extending to its third part this month, with more to come. The purpose of the series is to introduce you to the multitude and varied groups and clubs within Woodbridge and to encourage your participation in one or more of them. Every group

or club leader devotes many hours each month to the organization and conduct of activities. We sincerely appreciate every leader for sharing their valuable time and talents with us!

Poker - Al Sanchez (left) and Joe Victoria WBL photo by Volker Moerbitz.

The poker group welcomes you to join in for a game in which the ranks and combinations of players’ cards determine the winner. It is lots of fun and a chance to meet and play with your neighbors. This group meets in the Quincy Room, Wednesdays from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. and Fridays from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Radio Controlled Flyers - Bob Umberger WBL photo by Volker Moerbitz.

Enthusiasts remotely fly radiocontrolled model aircraft using a handheld radio transmitter. The transmitter communicates with a receiver within the craft that sends signals to servomechanisms that move the control surfaces based on the position of joysticks on the transmitter. The control surfaces, in turn, affect the orientation of the plane. If this hobby interests you, contact the group leader for meeting days and times.

Readers' Group - Renée St. Lawrence (contact person) Photo contributed.

Members rotate selecting books for the group to read and leading discussion of the chosen book. The group meets the first Wednesday of each month in the Oxford Room at 10:30 a.m. New members are always welcome.

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Woodbridge LIFE

Second Chance Band - John Green

Senior Golf - Chuck Gary

WBL photo by Volker Moerbitz.

This group conducts golf and putting tournaments at various nearby golf courses. The next season begins in March. Initiation fee is $40 and annual dues are $10. You may choose to play in the competitive or non-competitive group.

Photo Contributed.

Resident musicians and singers practice together to entertain at community events. Practice days and times vary. Contact the group leader for more information.

Silver Sluggers Softball - Butch Larson WBL photo by Volker Moerbitz.

Woodbridge fields five men’s teams, a men’s tournament team and four women’s squads each season.

Governed by the elected Woodbridge Senior Softball Council, this is a wellorganized and active group. There is a place for anyone who is interested in playing, umpiring, keeping score, announcing, maintaining the grounds or helping in the snack bar.

TO BE CONTINUED...

This list will continue in the May edition of Woodbridge LIFE.

Tennis - Mel Topping WBL photo by Volker Moerbitz.

Open doubles play takes place on the tennis courts every Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday at 9 a.m.

Strummin' Wonders - Carla Marquardt Photo courtesy of Carla Marquardt.

The ukulele group practices Mondays from 2:15 to 3:45 p.m. in the Andover Room. Brain testing has documented that learning an instrument is the best stimulation for the elderly brain. Ukulele is the easiest instrument to learn.

You don’t need to read notes and you don’t have to sing. New members are welcome. Come join in the fun!

Trivia - Eileen Hill WBL photo by Volker Moerbtiz.

Teams of six or fewer people answer questions on general topics. New players are always welcome. A $1 fee per game is collected at each session.

This group meets from 7 to 8:30 p.m., the third Tuesday of each month in the Multipurpose Room. Please sign up in advance at the front desk so ample seating is set up.

Page 21 • April 2015

Page 22 • April 2015

Woodbridge LIFE

Softball This Month WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO MAKE IT TO OPENING DAY?

By Butch Larson

A

pril marks the official start of the 2015 Softball Season at Del Webb, beginning with our festive Opening Day activities, BUT there has been work aplenty done during the three months preceding the opener. Volunteers have been active with planning, meetings and practice just to get to the starting line.

New Coaches — We had five of our 10

coaches from the 2014 season step down, necessitating their replacement (two head coaches, three assistants). So, during the off-season, it was a priority to find qualified replacements. Thankfully, volunteers stepped forward, going through a newly established Coaching Selection Committee interview process. This involved completing an application and undergoing interviews with three committee members, Bob Perrin (coaches), Dave Steffy (umpires) and Nelson Connor (players). The result was the approval of new head coaches Bob Hall (Green Team) and Chuck Gary (White Team) as well as assistant coaches Al Sanchez (Green Team), Roger Gibson (White Team) and Bill Kistner (Orange Team). Both new and old coaches have been very busy observing players during our Open Practices (Wednesdays and Saturdays) in preparation for the player draft that took place Monday, March 16. Good luck to all coaches in 2015.

Registration — This year our registration

process began February 2 and ran through February 27. This is an important time for us as it helps us determine how many players will participate and, therefore, how many teams we need to field. We anticipated approximately the same number of players as in 2014 (85) and reached 82 through the one-month sign-up period. To be inclusive, we continue to accept registrations from interested residents both prior to the draft as well as throughout the season. New homes are still being built at Del Webb and we want to give every resident the chance to join us. Come out and play!

Player Draft — We have had several

discussions among our coaches on just how to approach our draft this year. The past few years we have conducted what is called the “Snack Draft.” The teams pick in order, 1-2-3-4-5-5-4-3-2-1-1-2-3-4-5, etc. Some interesting variations have been proposed including a separate picking of Wolverine players and limiting each team to an equal number of Wolverines. The Wolverine team is our Tournament Team and generally consists of those players wanting to play at a more competitive level, traveling around the Central Valley throughout the year playing other Senior Teams in regional tournaments.

It is up to the coaches to agree on the fairest way to select teams. Good luck, gentlemen.

(Let us know if we need to call in the federal mediators.)

Open Practices

— Our spring training period (February/ March) allowed players an opportunity to take the field and loosen up their muscles, swing their Photo by Butch Larson. lumber Players in dugout awaiting turn to bat (from left to right) — Jim Nessi, Dick Turner, Rick (metal, really) and

Cacace, Larry Binkley and Bernie Jenson.

www.ourwoodbridge.net

review the rules of engagement. This year we doubled the sessions for Open Practices and scheduled them on Wednesdays and Saturdays (normal game days). The sessions not only give the players an opportunity to get into shape but also the coaches have a golden opportunity to scope out new players and refresh their memory banks on players from last year. The coaches conducted the sessions covering position drills, batting, running and scrimmages. Thanks to Bob Perrin and Bob Hall for getting the doors open and the field ready.

Committees on the Move — Several

of our committees met to conduct important business before our first pitch was even thrown: Rules Committee — This year our committee consists of the five head coaches as well as five player representatives. They met to review existing rules, discuss changing some and adding new ones. The Senior Softball Rules we follow added one National Rule: All pitchers must wear a facemask. Most pitchers agree this is a much needed safety precaution and are planning to use the mask. Those who resist will be playing different positions this year. We are requiring that pitchers also wear a mask (or stand behind the pitching screen) during official practice sessions. I am pleased to report there were no other changes to the rules we finished with last season. Head umpire Roland Roelling chairs the committee.

The committee plans to meet during the year, as necessary. Meetings will be posted on the portal and players and residents are invited to attend, as they are open meetings.

Sponsorship Committee — Our Sponsorship Committee is now into its second year of raising funds for use in our program.

Sponsors have an opportunity to have their name/logo posted on our dugout banners and the Softball page of Woodbridge LIFE each month. Additionally, we announce their name during games. The funds we raise, along with the money made through the Snack Shack, allow us to keep our program open to all residents without a cost to them. Please take note of sponsors’ names and when you patronize them, thank them for being a sponsor. We hear good reports from them about the amount of business provided to them from Woodbridge residents.

Ground Keepers — Several meetings have occurred with Ramon and our Ground Keeping crews. It’s a dirty job but someone has to do it. Thanks to Perry Gibson and Bob Perrin for representing our interests. Getting the See

SOFTBALL page 38

www.ourwoodbridge.net

Woodbridge LIFE

GETTING READY FOR SOFTBALL

By Roger Gibson

I

t’s that time of year when the sound of bat hitting ball will again become a common sound at the Woodbridge softball field. Registrations for all former players and new residents have been mostly completed (although anyone can register at any time during the season) and the teams will soon be selected.

The schedule begins with the grand opening ceremonies Saturday, April 4, at 9:30 a.m., followed by four softball games with both men’s and women’s teams participating. It will be a great day for our community, so mark it on your calendars and plan to engage in the activities:

• Music from the Second Chance Band • Classic cars owned and displayed by Wheels of • • • •

Woodbridge The team players and the umpires The Woodbridge Singers to perform the national anthem The East Union JROTC to present the colors An important local dignitary to throw out the symbolic first pitch

We hope to see you at opening day!

WOODBRIDGE DIAMOND GALS SOFTBALL HISTORY

Page 23 • April 2015

PART 2 - THE WOMEN TAKE OVER

By Sue Lough

D

uring the 2014 season, Dave Reed stated it would be his last season to coach the Diamond Gals. He believed it was time for some of the women to step up and coach their own team. We agreed this should be the next step in the Diamond Gals’ journey. Since Dottie Aubrey had been helping with the team for some time, she was the logical choice to take over. However, Dottie felt that a team of coaches would best serve the coaching job. Harleene Bebout, Sue Lough and Karen Mower volunteered to assist Dottie. These four women would assist Dave for the remainder of the season so there would be a smooth transition.

Over the course of the next few weeks, the new coaches met and decided to split the "off field"

coaching responsibilities into four separate areas: Council Representative and Secretary, Field Coach, Equipment Coach and Practice Coach. All the coaches would work with the players during practices and games.

We have come a long way since those first few women played softball with the men. Our numbers have grown, our skills and quality of play have improved, and we have female coaches at the helm. We look forward to continuing our progress.

Diamond Gals is open to any female resident who would like to play. We work on skills and strategy throughout the season, so do not think you have to be an accomplished softball player to join us. Registration forms are at the front desk. Play ball!

Page 24 • April 2015

Woodbridge LIFE

www.ourwoodbridge.net

SOFTBALL SCHEDULE 2015 SPONSORS The WSSC would like to thank the many sponsors that support our program.

Below is the list of those who were kind enough to provide their support.

Alhambra Water Arvin Home Systems, Inc. Chez Shari’s Center Appliance Delicato Vineyards Del Webb/Pulte Denise’s Farmers’ Market Environmental Creations Fagundes Meats and Catering Farmington Fresh The Lori’s, PMZ Real Estate Manteca Lighting

Manteca Optometry Old McGowan’s Feed Orchard Supply Hardware Papa Murphy’s Precision Automotive Raley’s Superstores Sandi Larson, Re/Max Svenhard’s Swedish Bakery Ultimate Furniture and Accessories Valero Cruisers

ON BEING A GOOD WOODBRIDGE SOFTBALL FAN

By Roger Gibson

Editor’s Note: Although some of these rules are serious, some are tongue-in-cheek. None of the rules is intended to be offensive.

1. Attend the games. This is essential to being a good fan. It’s

very difficult to be a good fan while remaining at home in your pajamas when the games are being played on the Del Webb softball field.

2. Bring a “bun pad” for sitting on the metal bleachers. Those

metal things were built to provide a test of physical agility in getting to the seats and then to create misery while sitting in them, so you may as well make yourselves as comfortable as possible with your own pad.

3. Get acquainted with the people around you. Otherwise you may not know who your next enemy (person rooting for the other team) could be.

4. Visit the snack shack. Eat some of the great food that is served there but save the donuts for the players. Ha!

5. Be compassionate and forgiving when a player makes an error

or just a dumb play. After all, he or she has a family too (and one of them could be sitting near you) and may be very sensitive about critical comments. They are human and those zingers hurt!

6. Dress for comfort rather than style. This isn’t a fashion show

but a casual, relaxing event for our community. Furs and Gucci bags will be confiscated and sold with the proceeds going to the “Retired Players Association.”

7. Cheer enthusiastically for your team and even occasionally say

“Oooo” or clap softly when a player from the other team makes a good play. You don’t want to encourage too much of that.

8. Have a good time and come on a frequent basis. The schedules

are posted in the Clubhouse and are on the Woodbridge website.

You can expect that the games will be played on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

9. You can be promoted as a fan when you volunteer to serve in

one of the roles necessary to keep this program going. You can serve with field preparation, snack shack attendant, umpiring, massaging sore muscles, etc. Let one of the coaches or members of the council know you are ready to work.

10. Did I mention that you should visit the snack shack? Look

for occasional special promotions with discounts. No senior discounts though!

www.ourwoodbridge.net

Woodbridge LIFE

Page 25 • April 2015

Page 26 • April 2015

Woodbridge LIFE

www.ourwoodbridge.net

WHAT'S FUNNY AFTER 50?

WBL photos by Volker Moerbitz.

Woodbridge residents filled the Multipurpose Room for Dan St. Paul's comedy show, "What's Funny after 50."

Comedian Dan St. Paul mixes humor with real life situations in his show, "What's Funny after 50."

www.ourwoodbridge.net

Woodbridge LIFE

Page 27 • April 2015

BARBOSA TOUR

By Bill Barnhart

A

rmand Barbosa and his two sons, Ed and Ron, established Barbosa Cabinets back in 1978. The Barbosa family initially set up shop in a small 2,500-square-foot building in Tracy, California. However, their growth, due to the quality of their products, had them branching out into a second facility in 1990 to include a fullservice finishing department. In 1997, a counter top division was established which is now located on Harlan Road in Lathrop behind the Ghirardelli Chocolate Outlet and that’s where this story takes place. On a Friday morning in early February, a troop made up of Mike Spence, Garry Dudley, Rich Ferreira and Bill Barnhart from Woodbridge along with Carl Hansen and Mark Volker from Del Webb/ Pulte, met at the Barbosa counter top facility.

Photo by Bill Barnhart.

Computer controlled saw for cutting granite and other materials.

Barbosa is one of the few remaining original contractors working in the Woodbridge community over the past eight to nine years. While the product materials may have transformed due to changing market conditions, the quality of the end product provided by Barbosa has stayed the same through all the years. The equipment used is very high tech and computer controlled. The pieces are cut with exacting precision by automated saws that cut through the solid granite like it was butter. Very little finishing work is done by hand because, just as with the cutting, Barbosa has very large polishing machines to perform this function.

The high speed cutting of stone and man-made products requires a lot of water to both lubricate the diamond cutting blade and to cool both the blade and the material. Following the cutting, a lot of water is again used to wash the slurry off the material.

Barbosa recycles the water through large filters and reuses the water over and over again. The slurry material filtered out of the water is put aside with scrap materials left over from the large slabs and is provided to Caltrans for use as road base in highway construction. Barbosa is definitely doing its best to have the least impact on today’s environment while still providing us a quality product.

Photo by Bill Barnhart.

Take your pick of granite slabs at Barbosa.

Check out the pictures of the slabs of granite.

For me, stepping into the Barbosa facility was just like stepping into a candy store. I appreciate the allure of the slabs of stone and their potential for gracing someone’s home with their beauty. Being a woodworker myself, I wish I had the skill and knowledge to bring the wood and stone to life and make them one.

Photo by Barbosa staff.

(L to R) Mike Spence, Mark Volker, Carl Hansen (Del Webb-Pulte), Rich Ferreira, Bill Barnhart, Clayton Stigman (Barbosa) and Garry Dudley.

Page 28 • April 2015

Woodbridge LIFE

www.ourwoodbridge.net

WOODBRIDGE PEOPLE MAKING A DIFFERENCE

By Gayle Foster, Doctors Hospital Auxiliary

M

any Woodbridge residents are reaching out to make significant contributions in the Manteca community.

Several of our Woodbridge citizens serve as volunteers at Doctors Hospital of Manteca.

The Doctors Hospital Auxiliary will present a program for the Manteca Historical Society, Thursday, April 9, at 7 p.m.

They will present some of the history of the volunteer program and information regarding the duties and opportunities as a member.

Consider serving as a volunteer at Doctors Hospital.

(GENTLEMEN: Volunteers are no longer called "Pink Ladies."

They are “VOLUNTEERS.”) This event will also provide an opportunity to check out some of the amazing history of Manteca and to become a member of the Historical Society that has interesting programs each month.

Place and time: MANTECA HISTORICAL MUSEUM 600 W. Yosemite Avenue, Manteca Thursday, April 9, 2015, at 7 p.m.

WBL photo by Volker Moerbitz.

Doctors Hospital Auxiliary volunteers from Woodbridge: (L to R) Julie Ferreira, Letha Watson, Linda Checchi, Georgie Furrer, Marlene Riley and Edie Brown. Not shown: Joyce Bowmar and Inger Hammer.

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Woodbridge LIFE

Page 29 • April 2015

Triker's Travels Angels in Our Midst

By Judy McNamara

R

egretfully, I've had to abandon my trike and travels for a while due to a fall, breaking my hip, and receiving a brand new titanium hip. I miss waving to you all as I trike around, talking to you and getting to know all of you wonderful folks in the Woodbridge community. As soon as my doc gives the okay, I'll be back, waving and chatting as I pedal through our community.

During my forced hiatus, so many of you angels have been there to support me. This is truly an amazing community made up of guardian angels who are there for one another. I'd feel remiss if I didn't mention my guardian angels and thank them from the bottom of my heart for all the support they have given me, from hospital visits, meals, home visits and encouraging words. I treasure you all.

My guardian angels:

Sue/Warren Gene/Barb

Kirby/Iran Dar

Diana Carolyn

C.J. Bonnie

Elizabeth John/Lynn

Mike Larry/Carmen

Jimmy the Greek Novie

Karen Pam

Ed/Barbara Rose

Carla Nick

Nancy Ken/Eunice

Marilyn Carole

Irma Trudy

Mike/Jan Donna/Robert Carmela/Terry George/Marie We have a very special community family here. We are all in this fabulous place together and should never take for granted the power of the human spirit.

Judy McNamara

Page 30 • April 2015

Woodbridge LIFE

www.ourwoodbridge.net

TRACY GRAND THEATRE

By Jean Kavale

I

n recent years, Tracy’s historic downtown area has experienced significant upgrades. The Grand Theatre at 715 North Central Avenue has especially benefitted from these changes. As I will explain in the following paragraphs, adapting to new forms of entertainment has been an important part of the Grand’s long history.

Conceived and built by a talented German-born entrepreneur, John C. Droge, the Grand opened in August 1923 as a locale for vaudeville shows. By the mid-1920s, which was the height of the vaudeville age, thousands of theatres across America brought singers, comedians, magicians, dancers and other gifted performers to their stages. Many of them performed at the Grand.

Vaudeville began to dim in the United States like an overused floodlight when radio broadcasting, a new entertainment medium, became more and more popular. In the late 1920s, many vaudeville stars abandoned the stage to perform on radio. Silent movies were also appearing on the scene during this period, so the Grand was redesigned to accommodate them. Tracy residents could then watch in fascination as Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford and other great stars of the silent era employed body language and facial expressions to talk for them.

The first American talking movie was Al Jolson's The Jazz Singer, produced in 1927. Because its sound quality left a lot to be desired, engineers diligently worked to perfect sound technology. Their hard work paid off handsomely in the years ahead. During the 1930s, the Grand became prosperous with popular “talkies” such as Mutiny on the Bounty and The Wizard of Oz. At the same time, the Grand’s owners realized the theater’s exterior needed to be updated to fit a new, modern era. In 1941, the Grand’s heyday, remodeling of its exterior finally took place. Art deco features were added along with a large and elaborate marquee. It then functioned smoothly as a movie house for more than two decades.

Unfortunately, the 1970s brought a decline of business in downtown

From

Tracy. The once-busy Grand was often as empty as the sky, except when it was used temporarily as a storage facility. With its glamour gone, it seemed to have come to an unfortunate end.

Luckily, the city of Tracy came to its rescue. For a long time, the city had dreamed of a bright new future for historic Central Avenue, so in the early 2000s it purchased not only the Grand but also its adjoining properties. The city also hired a Berkeley company to design a new arts center where the properties stood. The 37,000-square-foot facility known as the Grand Theatre Center for the Arts opened in 2007.

The renovation proved to be highly successful in the years that followed. The Center is comprised of three art galleries and eight classrooms for students of all ages. Its offerings include art exhibits, musical concerts, dance performances, live drama, lectures and films.

In addition to the approximately 560-seat Grand Theatre (also known locally as the ETK), there is now another smaller theatre.

I had a chance to visit the Center recently and was amazed at how spacious everything looks. The neighborhood is blessed with wide sidewalks, pretty flowers in large containers and boutiquetype shops. It also has some attractive restaurants, including the sidewalk cafe where I ate lunch. The Center is open Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. You can get schedules for evening performances and ticket information by visiting this website: http:// atthegrand.org/, or by calling 209-831-6858.

Because its method of operating the Grand Theatre Center for the Arts is considered highly innovative, the city of Tracy has received awards from the California Preservation Foundation and the California Heritage Council. It has even gotten recognition from the United States Congress.

John C. Droge would be pleased and amazed.

SHOUP page 1

framed Certificate of Recognition from the city of Manteca that read: “In honor and recognition of your outstanding commitment to the Del Webb Woodbridge community and generous contributions for the betterment of Manteca. The Manteca City Council wishes you all the best in your future endeavors.”

A baseball-theme cake upon which was written, “Ed, thank you for all you have done for Woodbridge” was served for dessert.

Yes, Ed, thank you for all you have done.

Woodbridge residents will miss you!

WBL photo by Carol Jo Hargreaves.

Ed Shoup's farewell cake was in tribute to his involvement in the Woodbridge softball program.

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Woodbridge LIFE

Page 31 • April 2015

 WHEELS OF WOODBRIDGE Woodbridge 100 Coming Soon!

By Bill Barnhart, President and Head Lugnut, Wheels of Woodbridge

H

ey, folks, The Woodbridge 100 golf cart races will be coming up Saturday, May 30, this year. Put it on your calendar now so you don’t forget or plan something else on that date. This year our theme for the event is Take Me Out to the Ball Game, so now is the time to start thinking about how you’re going to decorate your golf carts. Something to keep in mind, there are a lot of sports that utilize a ball: baseball, football, basketball, soccer, etc.

For people who have not experienced previous Woodbridge 100s, the events will comprise three races and a people’s choice for Best Turned Out golf cart. The Best Turned Out category is not a prerequisite for participation in the races. The three races are: Woodbridge 100 Sprint which is a 100-yard sprint with a couple of turns to slow down the really fast carts and make it more competitive, the Twist & Turn which is a single person driving a slalom for best time, and the Survivor Race which is aptly named as the driver is blindfolded and expected to drive a timed slalom race with instructions from a passenger. Plan to have your

grandkids here on that day so they can laugh at their grandparents having so much fun. The events take place on the softball field again this year. Next year we might be doing them in our new Liberty Park!

The Woodbridge 100 is hosted by the Wheels of Woodbridge car club with assistance from the Softball Club handling the food sales, the Men of Woodbridge handling the raffle, and Neighborhood Watch helping out in a number of different areas. For the second year in a row, all funds raised at this event will go toward funding upgrades to WOA common areas. Last year all money raised was used to install an automatic door opener going into the Oxford (Club) Room. The proceeds will likely be used for a similar purpose this year unless a higher priority upgrade is found. This is a really fun event for everyone and it’s free! However, we do want you to try your luck at the raffle prize table and buy a hot dog for lunch to help us raise funds to benefit all of us.

There will be flyers and registration forms posted in the Clubhouse and in next month’s Woodbridge LIFE, so check it out!

Page 32 • April 2015

Woodbridge LIFE

 WINE 101

By Jon Ford

F

irst of all, a large apology for the misinformation in Woodbridge LIFE about the March class. I am totally responsible for the article and could not get the changes in to the editor before publication. The portal, my Wine 101 newsletter and the flyers all contained the correct information.

For our March class, we did a blind tasting of Chardonnays.

Participants brought a disguised bottle of Chardonnay for the community table and then voted on their favorites over the course of the evening. All of the producers were revealed later in the event.

We proudly welcome owner/ grower Jason Mikami of Mikami Vineyards, Lodi, to our April Wine 101 class. The class will be held Wednesday, April 15, from 6 to 8:30 p.m.

Since 1896, the Mikami family has produced premium wine grapes in Lodi, selling them to other wineries. Jason represents the third generation; however, he is now growing grapes for himself and making handcrafted, rich, full-bodied Zinfandel. He is one of four new small lot winemakers in Lodi who is changing the region’s reputation for macro-farming, representing a new wave of elegant and distinctive wines.

Jason only makes 125 cases of estate-grown Zinfandel and has won gold medals in three of the last four years from the San Francisco Chronicle wine competitions and Los Angeles wine competitions. Since Mikami Vineyards has produced its own wines for only five years, that is quite a feat.

Jason not only agreed to speak to our class about his family’s history, vineyards and winery, he is also bringing some of his award-winning, gold medal 2012 Zinfandel for all to taste.

This class is sure to fill up quickly and sign-ups began March 13, so be sure to check at the Clubhouse front desk to see if there is still space available.

There is no charge for the class

www.ourwoodbridge.net but we ask that you bring your own wine glasses, an appetizer to share with the group and, since Jason Mikami will be our guest, we challenge you to bring any Lodi wine, red or white, to share at the community table. It is helpful if you cork and re-cork your wine. You may bring other wines for your own table, if you wish.

All are invited but only 101 can attend. No knowledge of wine is required as you will leave knowing more than when you came. The class is educational and fun (and there are no tests!).

Wine 101 is a class designed for anyone interested in wine, from the beginner to the expert.

The format of most classes is a short, educational introduction to the wine(s) featured in the theme of the month, e.g., Chardonnay for March. The remaining two hours becomes a wonderful social where participants get to meet new residents as well as catch up with old friends.

We encourage everyone to give the class a try to see if it's "up your alley.” Sign-ups for 101 participants always start the day after an event. We do ask for small contributions to defray costs of utensils, napkins, plates and water.

We are offering a bus trip to Bent Creek Vineyards in the Livermore Valley on Thursday, May 28, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Registration for this trip began March 9, the day the flyers were posted in the Clubhouse. Cost of this trip is $25 per person with a maximum occupancy of 54 people.

We have had some great visits from winemakers including Susan Tipton of Acquiesce in Lodi, Dave D'Art of D'Art Winery in Lodi and John Concannon of Concannon Vineyards in the Livermore Valley. More winemaker/owners are being lined up for future classes as well as Jason Mikami for this month’s class.

Remember, to enjoy this class, no expertise is necessary. I promise you'll leave each session knowing something new about wine that you didn't know before.

See

WINE page 33

www.ourwoodbridge.net From

Woodbridge LIFE

WINE page 32

I look forward to seeing you at one of our events.

In the meantime, keep exploring those wonderful wines out there.

SO MANY WINES, SO LITTLE TIME!

SENIORS' GOLF

By Chuck Gary

T

he Woodbridge Seniors Golf Group (WSGG) is now an official affiliate of the Northern California Golf Association (NCGA). Members may join the NCGA through our organization at a significant savings. The NCGA manages the handicapping system for golfers. Golfers input their scores from their home computers on the NCGA website or on the stations at the golf course where they play. This is a significant step forward for our group.

Now the Woodbridge Seniors Golf Group is focusing on fulfilling the requirements to become a club sanctioned by the Woodbridge Owners Association.

This will allow the organization to be more efficient in handling our financial transactions when working with golf courses. It will also allow the deadlines for participation in our tournaments

Photo courtesy of Chuck Gary.

Rudy Salvador - Woodbridge Cup Winner

to move closer to the actual tournament. This will be accomplished by being able to establish a bank account at a local bank and write our own checks instead of waiting for checks to be generated by the WOA, which is done only twice a month.

The WSGG held its annual banquet in the middle of February where awards were given to the winners of this past season. The Woodbridge Cup winner was Rudy Salvador who garnered the greatest amount of points over the season that ran from March through September. Dan Pangilinan earned the Putting trophy with the fewest putts taken over the entire season. Approximately 50 people were in attendance including members and their spouses.

The new season started with a warm-up tournament at See page 34

GOLF

Photo courtesy of Chuck Gary.

Dan Pangilinan - Putting Champion

Page 33 • April 2015

Page 34 • April 2015

Woodbridge LIFE

THE BALL IS IN YOUR COURT

From

By Mel Topping

I

know most of you have heard the expression in the title of this article, but did you know that, unlike many expressions we use such as “the whole nine yards” and others, the phrase can be traced directly back to its origin?

It’s true. The phrase is attributable to tennis. In the early days, one player would state to the other that the ball was in his court which indicated he should begin the next game or point by serving. While we no longer use the phrase in tennis, we still use it in everyday speech to indicate that one has done his action and it is now up to the other to do his.

New Year 2015 is a fading memory and our resolutions may be blurring a bit as well. The year is rolling along and spring is here. With this in mind, what better time than right now to decide to participate in one of our great groups and clubs here in beautiful Woodbridge?

There are groups and clubs for almost any interest level and, of course, that includes playing tennis. The Tennis Group gets together Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday mornings from 9 to 11 a.m. for doubles play. Anyone with an

interest in playing is invited to join us.

And, while I am on the subject of “the ball is in your court,” there is another similar phrase we do use while playing. “Ball on court!” When those of us who play tennis or pickleball on adjacent courts use that phrase, it is not a request for the ball to be retrieved.

It is an urgent plea for players to be immediately aware that a ball is rolling loose on their court and that if care is not taken, a player may inadvertently step on it and possibly hurt himself.

Thankfully, injuries are rare, so simple court etiquette is that the ball is retrieved and returned to the rightful court and the point that was interrupted by the loose ball is replayed as a let.

Similarly, all players should be aware of where the loose balls are on their court at all times, and play should be halted and balls cleared before play resumes.

If you are not already participating in the many wonderful activities available in Woodbridge, now is the time to act.

Try something. I know you’ll like it.

The ball is in your court!

www.ourwoodbridge.net

GOLF page 33

Manteca Park, February 25 and 26. The format was a scramble consisting of four team members. Winner for February 25 was the team of Dick Turner, Dave Raxter and Dan Theal. On February 26, the team of Dick Turner, Dave Raxter and Dan Theal tied with the team of John Armstrong, Steve Howe, Mark Gattuso and Chuck Gary.

The next tournament was held at the Swenson golf course on Monday, March 9.

It is never to late to join the club. Get your membership going for the fantastic season that is just starting!

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Woodbridge LIFE

Page 35 • April 2015

DID YOU KNOW...

Compiled by Mike Spence from a variety of online sources including content.time.com and whatisanime.wordpress.com

• The IRS has 1,992 different forms to help us file

our taxes.

• In 2012 there were 146M individual tax returns

filed, bringing in $1.5T.

• In 2012 there were 2.2M corporate tax returns

filed, bringing in $300B.

• As of 2-26-15, the IRS has issued refund checks

for 2015 filers totaling $125B.

• The first income tax was the Revenue Tax of

1861, 3 percent of income above $800.

• After the Supreme Court struck down the

Income Tax in 1895, it was reinstated by the 16th Amendment in 1913.

• The highest income tax rate ever was in 1953 —

92 percent.

• TurboTax® is the most popular self-help

computer program for tax preparation.

• An Enrolled Agent is an IRS credentialed

person who, like attorneys or CPAs, may represent taxpayers before the IRS.

• USA Today reports that the top 10 income tax

paying companies for 2013 were: • • • • • • • • • •

Exxon-Mobil $31B Chevron 20B Apple 14B Wells Fargo 9.1B Wal-Mart

8B Conoco Phillips

7.9B J P Morgan 7.6B Berkshire Hathaway 6.9B IBM

5.3B Microsoft

4.6B

• Currently the highest tax rates for individuals

living in California are 39.6 percent to the federal government and 12.3 percent to the state.

Page 36 • April 2015

Woodbridge LIFE

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APRIL FOOL'S DAY

By Mike Spence using sources such as Wikipedia.com, InfoPlease.com, Hoaxes.org

A

pril 1 each year is the unofficial day when harmless pranks and hoaxes are played on friends, neighbors and relatives: April Fool’s Day. The day is celebrated in the USA, Canada, Brazil, Australia, Great Britain, most of Western Europe and elsewhere. How did it begin? This gets really fuzzy and proof is scarce, but theories abound.

One theory is that with the adoption of the Gregorian calendar, the observance of the new year moved from April 1 to January 1. People who continued to observe the April date were thought by some to be fools. Another theory refers to the Roman Emperor Constantine. One of his jesters, Kugel, told the Emperor he could do a better job ruling the empire. Constantine, amused, named Kugel King for one day. Kugel passed an edict calling for absurdity on that day; it stuck. The French have a tradition called poisson d’avril (April Fish), a weeklong celebration ending April 1. During the celebration, children place paper fish cutouts on the backs of other children. The Scots have a tradition called “Hunt the Gowk.” A gowk is a cuckoo or a foolish person. The prank associated with this tradition is to send someone (read victim here) to deliver a sealed message of great importance to someone else a mile away. The traditional message enclosed reads: “Dinna laugh, dinna smile. Send the gowk another mile.” Which tradition is the true source of April Fool’s Day is not known, but one of the earliest tricks is recorded. On April 1, 1698, several folks were tricked into going to the Tower of London to “see the Lions washed.”

Who are the April Fool’s Day pranksters? Your spouse, a coworker, Uncle Fred or that evil 10-year-old down the street – Billy. They all might be, but they’re amateurs. The big guys, the pros, would be corporate America, government officials, radio and TV announcers or the office of the President of the United States,

but the hands down winner is the BBC. On April 1, 1957, the BBC news show Panorama broadcast a segment about the exceptional spaghetti harvest in Switzerland.

The bountiful harvest from the spaghetti trees was attributed to a mild winter and the virtual demise of the dreaded spaghetti weevil. The film of a Swiss family harvesting pasta from the spaghetti trees was a nice touch.

In early 1997, an email message spread worldwide announced the Internet would be closed for cleaning between March 31 and April 2. Multi-lingual Internet-crawling robots, specifically Toshiba ML-2274s, would do the cleaning. This appears to be an updated version of the telephone hoax in the ‘60s and ‘70s.

Gullible phone users were told the phone lines were to be cleaned on April 1. Customers were cautioned to place plastic bags over the ends of their phones to catch dust that might be blown out during cleaning.

On April 1, 1975, Australia’s This Day Tonight show announced the country would be switching to metric time. Under the new and more efficient system, there would be 100 seconds in a minute, seconds now called millidays. There would be 100 minutes to an hour, minutes now called centidays. There would be 20 hours to a day, hours now called decidays. There would be one day in a day, now called a day. Deputy Prime Minister Des Corcoran appeared on the show in support. (This one took a lot of work!)

On April 1, 1996, Taco Bell Corporation took out full-page ads in six major newspapers announcing it had purchased the Liberty Bell. The bell would now be known as the Taco Liberty Bell. The complaints were fast and furious. Taco Bell announced it was a practical joke later in the day, but not before the White House was questioned about the sale. Then White House press secretary, Mike McCurry, thinking on his feet, replied to a question about the sale. His response was that the Lincoln Memorial had been sold as well and would now be known as the Ford Lincoln Mercury Memorial.

Everything I reported in this article is true and correct. Well, probably.

Photo from www.mirror.co.uk.

Family members harvest spaghetti from spaghetti trees for an April 1, 1957 hoax.

Flyer developed and distributed by the Woodbridge Lifestyle Committee.

Flyer developed and distributed by the Woodbridge Lifestyle Committee.

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Woodbridge LIFE

Page 37 • April 2015

Page 38 • April 2015

Woodbridge LIFE

Where in the world ?

www.ourwoodbridge.net

Wow! Woodbridge LIFE has been circling the globe with our wandering residents!

We will do our best to include ALL travel photographs, but space and clarity will dictate. Preference will go to those not featured in previous editions and, yes, to those in exotic locales and interesting photo ops! Send images electronically to wblife2012@gmail.com using high resolution or actual size. Thank you for your contributions. We're happy that you continue to enjoy Woodbridge LIFE. If your picture isn't here, look for it in the coming months and keep sending them in! Sorry, we can no longer accept print photos.

John and Vicki Bauer with Melinda and Gary Fiorio in Cabo San Lucas.

Send travel photos to WBLIFE2012@gmail.com

Please use highest resolution and type WB TRAVEL in the subject line. All travel photos MUST be submitted electronically.

From

SOFTBALL page 22

proper dirt on the field, dragging it and maintaining proper watering protocols are very important to the program and to the non-playing residents of Woodbridge as well.

Opening Day Committee — Even though this committee only prepares for one day, it kicks off our season and has elevated our Opening Day to a festive affair involving several Woodbridge clubs and groups. Decoration and coordination of all the groups taking the field for introductions can be daunting if not thought through properly.

Many of us moved to Manteca to get away from traffic jams, so we don’t want to see them created on our softball field. Robi Cornelius has been hard at work getting the details ironed out and the volunteers working together. Thank you again, Robi.

Woodbridge LIFE Articles — Most folks don’t know that

articles and announcements that go into Woodbridge LIFE have to be submitted approximately a month before they are published. This falls on the shoulders of our new VP of Communication (currently out of the country for a month). No problem, we have a couple of past VPs who can step into the breach. During the year, we will be asking residents to help softball by contributing articles (or photographs) to us. If you would like to write an article or be a reporter on a softball event, let

Roger Gibson or Butch Larson know. We would love to give you the chance to write.

Softball Schedule of Games — This is not a small task. It has

brought grown men to tears (just ask my wife). Making sure that each team plays the same number of games against each other with a balance of early and late games, that each team does the field lines and bags the same number of times and has equally spaced days off and then throw in a couple of holidays and a Round Robin tournament for good measure is no easy task. We may need to hire a PhD in Softball-ology soon to keep the schedule fair for all. Until then, pass the tissues.

WSSC Council Meetings — They are usually held the first

Tuesday of the Month at 6 p.m. We have already had two meetings and have been conducting WSSC business. All players and residents are invited to attend. Our first General Membership meeting was held on March 11 where the council and coaches were introduced.

Running a club takes many volunteers who are willing and able to work together to bring our players and residents a fun and safe experience. We have a great bunch this year and we are looking forward to another good year of softball with Silver Sluggers and Diamond Gals. Come out and play, watch and try our Snack Shack. It will enhance your living experience here at Del Webb Woodbridge!