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Sagu
aro
New
s
Published monthly bySKP Saguaro Co-op, Benson, AZ
April 2017
BATS in ArizonaPages 6-7
Hollywood Bingo Page 5
Photo ClubPage 3
DSTPage 4
ClubhousePage 8
LandscapePage 8
April 2017 Page 2 Saguaro News
One View From the BoardWhat a different election process this year! I
had some personal things to take care of prior tosaying I would run for the Board of Directors. Thesedid not conclude until after the closing date to beon the ballot. When the opportunity came up later,I threw my hat into the ring. This meant that youdid not get the brief Bio that Kay had in the ElectionPacket. So I thought I would fill you in now.
Born in Everett, WA and raised in MountVernon, WA.
Graduated from Mount Vernon High School andSkagit Valley College with a degree in MiddleManagement.
Worked as a janitor’s assistant, a stock person,Assistant Manager of a department store and a fuelstation manager. The last 30 working years as aSkagit County, WA Corrections Deputy.
As a Boy Scout I earned the God and CountryAward and Eagle Scout rank.
I have been treasurer for a high school boosterclub, a sportsman’s club and an Eagles Aerie. Ihave served on the Board of Directors for a300-member camping country club.
Since coming here seven seasons ago I havebeen on the Propane, Bylaws, Budget, Technologyand Workshop Committees and worked as the“sound and lighting tech”. I was also a volunteer inthe office.
I would like to thank all of you for the supportshown to me since I announced I would accept thenomination from the floor of the Annual Meetingright on through the vote at the Annual Meeting.
Thanks also for the support shown since I becamea Director.
As I write this I have been a member of yourBoard of Directors for about six weeks. And as youknow, what a time it has been!
Remember back before you met your significantother? How many potential mates did you try outbefore you got it right? Some lasted only a shorttime and others somewhat longer. You startedevery one out with the idea that you would be agood fit and somewhere along the way it becameclear you were not. Being on the Board is a littlelike that. Some people are a good fit with the othersand some people, even good, well-liked people,are not a good fit. I believe that is the type of thingthat has happened in the last few months. Eachone of us on the Board has had to make, andcontinues to make, the decision: do we fit in withthe rest of the Board? If the answer is yes, that isgreat and we are off and running. If the answer isno we need to accept that and move on. While it isheart-breaking when individuals leave the Boardwe all are stronger and better people for eachperson that has tried it out.
The addition of Ingrid Kluegel and ChuckHoelzel, I believe, has added a calming influenceto the Board and they will fit in nicely with the restof us.
We, as a Board, have many tough decisions tomake and I know we will make the best ones forthe future of the Co-op. I look forward to servingyou as a Director for the next three years.
Dave Jones
Ice Cream SocialAll others pay 50 cents per scoop.
We offer several flavors of ice cream, including“no sugar added”. Please pay with nothing largerthan quarters or $1 as larger bills can make itdifficult to give change for other large bills.
Thanks to all of the volunteers who havehelped out on these monthly events!!
Come early and bring your bowl and spoon.Jan Petring
The April Ice CreamSocial will be held onSunday, April 2 @ 7:00pmin the Clubhouse. This isthe last event of the seasonand we will be honoring allApril and October birthdaysand anniversaries with afree scoop of ice cream.
April 2017 Page 3 Saguaro News
SKP Saguaro Photography ClubAs we wrap-up our second year as an orga-
nized photography group, the SKP Saguaro PhotoClub has enjoyed a very successful and rewardingseason. Our membership has just about doubledfrom our first year and both guests and visitorshave also participated in our various photographyoutings and workshops. Besides our regularmonthly meetings where we discuss and shareideas on a variety of photo-related topics, thephoto shoots this year have been extremely di-verse and provided an opportunity to expand ourskills in wildlife, landscape, architectural and gen-eral nature settings.
Our most recent trip in early March was toSabino Canyon in northern Tucson. About a doz-en SKPs participated in this day-long outing. Aftera narrative tram ride to the top of the sceniccanyon, we made our way back down to the visi-tor’s center, photographing the colorful canyon,streams and waterfalls, and desert plants andanimals. Some of us walked part or all the 3 milesdown, while others leisurely took the tram whilestrolling at the nine tram stops to take in the viewsand snap a few photos. It was a warm, sunny dayand a great venue for all to enjoy an activityoutside the park.
Our final photo club meeting of this season isplanned for Wednesday, March 29 at 10am inrooms 1 and 2 of the Clubhouse. Please bringsome of your Sabino Canyon pictures to sharewith the group. We will also be discussing theupcoming August 21 solar eclipse and where tobest view it and, of course, tips and techniques forsafely viewing and photographing this event. AllSKPs and visitors are welcome to attend.
Finally, at this meeting we will be making initialplans for next season. An expanded educationalprogram incorporating additional videos and guestspeakers is anticipated. Some suggestions re-ceived already for next year’s photo shoots includeOld Tucson, Saguaro National Park (east), Tomb-stone, Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, and Chir-icahua National Monument. Please join us as yourtime and interests allow; in particular, you do notneed to be a photographer to participate in any ofour outings. They are open to anyone who wishesto enjoy the outdoors at some very spectacularsettings in southern Arizona. If you are travelingthis summer, be safe and take a few pictures toshare with the club when we reorganize in the fall!
Chet Parks and Ken TothCo-Chairs
Saguaro News Page 4 April 2017
DST or NOTThree weeks ago most people in the USA and
Canada followed the saying “Spring ahead inSpring and fall back in Fall” by moving their clocksforward one hour at 2:00am on March 12 or beforethey went to bed the nightbefore. They will remain onDaylight-Saving Time (DST) orSummer Time until November5. That is not the case in mostof Arizona and most of the restof the world.
Since many of us are of acertain age, we remember thedays before DST becamewidespread. However, the firstknown use of DST was 109years ago in Thunder Bay,Ontario, with several largeCanadian cities following suit.The first country to use DSTnationwide was Germany in1916, to minimize the use ofartificial light and save fuel forthe war effort during World War I. Soon some ofthe allies were doing the same thing.
DST was first used in the USA during theWorld Wars. “Fast Time,” as it was called, wasintroduced in 1918 by President Woodrow Wilson.Seven months later the time change wasrepealed. Then during World War II year-roundDST, known as “War Time,” was in force fromFebruary 9, 1942, to September 30, 1945, in theUS and Canada.
Some states and cities opted to continue DST.However, the lack of uniform rules and variouschange dates caused widespread confusionespecially for trains, buses and the growingnational broadcasting industry. So, in 1966Congress enacted the Uniform Time Act. It statedDST would begin on the last Sunday in April andend on the last Sunday in October. The schedulehas been revised several times and now it startson the second Sunday in March and ends on thefirst Sunday in November.
In the USA, the Act gives every state orterritory the right to decide if it wants to use DST— but if it is observed, the state must use the
same DST beginning and ending dates in order toremain in sync with the rest of the country.
Hawaii is the only US state that does not useDST at all. Most of Arizona doesnot observe DST, the exceptionbeing the Navajo Nation in thenortheastern part of the state. InArizona the current argumentagainst extending the daylighthours into the evening is thatpeople prefer to do their activitiesin the cooler eveningtemperatures.
In Canada DST starts andends at the same time as theUSA. One exception isSaskatchewan. Although it isgeographically located in theMountain Time Zone, theprovince observes CentralStandard Time year-round. So,in effect it is always on DST. In
Mexico, the observance of DST varies by location.Sonora does not go on DST and many of thenorthern border municipalities observe the sameDST schedule as their American neighboringstates.
Most European countries change their clockson the last Sunday in March and the last Sundayin October. Apart from a few exceptions, countriesin Africa, Asia, Central America, and South Americado not observe a version of DST.
Barbara Nuehring
SpringForward
SpringBack
Saguaro News Page 5 April 2017
Hollywood BingoThe Hollywood Sign--the Walk of Fame--the paparazzi--it was all on scene Tuesday, March 7th, at
Hollywood Bingo, the "prequel" to the Saguaro Film Festival. Many dressed up in their Tinseltown glitter, and enjoyed a game of Hollywood Trivia during the
intermission. All bingo games included a special prize in addition to the cash winnings, and an Oscarpresented by famed director "Francois Faux Pas."
Hooray for Hollywood, and Hooray for Hollywood Bingo--where Everyone's a Star!Bev Bobo
Saguaro News Page 6 April 2017
Bats in ArizonaThe State of Arizona has
28 species of bats, second inthe United States only toTexas. Only two are nectar /pollen eaters, essential to the
pollination of Saguaro cactus and many types ofagaves. They zip from bloom to bloom, poking theirheads into flowers and transporting tiny vital sporeson their fur. These bats also ingest seeds whichare later disseminated in their droppings.
Bats play a major role in helping to keep insectpopulations in balance, which saves farmers andforesters billions of dollars annually that would bespent on insect control; for example, large coloniesof Mexican free-tailed bats eat hundreds of tons ofmoths each week. This also plays a significant rolein limiting the spread of insect-borne diseases.However, bats are North America’s most rapidlydeclining land mammals. Why this decline? Humanfear and persecution. Also, the blades on windturbines pose a new threat to bats.
Here are some facts that may help all of usbetter learn to live around bats:• Fist sized or smaller, with short fur and thin
wings and many have large ears• Brown, gray, yellow, or red; some have frost-
tipped fur spots or dark eye mask• Eyesight similar to humans• Many eat insects in flight and can eat more than
1,000 insects in an hour, including mosquitos• Use echolocation, emitting sound to locate solid
objects• Hang upside down to rest in dark, secluded
“roosts” during daytime and leave roost toforage for food at night and may temporarilyroost to digest food and groom• Some hibernate during winter• Most have one or two young each each year,
usually between May and July• Females nurse offspring and form maternity
roosts that may contain hundreds or thousandsof bats
While some peopleappreciate bats and theways they benefit us,others fear batsbecause a smallpercentage of them can expose humans and petsto rabies. Bats should always be kept out of placeswhere people live indoors. Bat guano (feces) canpresent disease and odor problems. However, batsare generally harmless to humans and areextremely beneficial for controlling insects andmosquitoes and pollinating some plants. Bats arevulnerable to disturbances by people because oftheir roosting habits and slow reproductive rate.
If bats are in an area, it is probably becausethey are finding food, water or shelter.• Food can include insects that congregate in
areas near lights, agricultural or playing fields,ponds or other water sources.• Nectar-feeding bats may be attracted to
flowering agaves and hummingbird feeders --bats can drain a hummingbird feeder overnight.• Water sources can include any pool, pond or
lake with a long flying corridor that bats canskim.• Shelter can include rough surfaces for hanging;
a bump of only 1/16 inch is enough. Bats cansqueeze into holes as small as 3/8 inch and areattracted to spaces inside buildings and attics,under bridges, in culverts, behind siding onbuildings, in palm trees, and under eaves andporch or patio awnings.Bats should never be allowed to remain in
human living areas. However, bats roosting on theporch, in the yard, or in a bat house are far morebeneficial than harmful, and the small amount ofguano can be cleaned up or used as fertilizer, inexchange for the reduction in flying insects andmosquitoes. The following can help you coexist withbats or exclude them if necessary.
• If a person or a pet is bitten by a bat,immediately wash the wound, attempt tocapture the animal while wearing leather gloves,and contact your local county health department
Saguaro News Page 7 April 2017
Bats, continued
right away. The bat mayhave rabies and must betested to determinewhether the bite victimneeds rabies shots.• If a bat is in human possession, please call
your local Arizona Game and Fish Departmentregional office during weekday business hours.After hours and weekends, call the ArizonaGame and Fish Department radio dispatcherat (623) 236-7201.
All bats are protected under Arizona law, sothe following must be kept in mind:• Bats cannot be collected or killed. Proper
exclusions may be performed where necessary.• It is unlawful to use pesticides or other
chemicals directly on bats.• Bat exclusions should be done only with the
advice of the Arizona Game and FishDepartment or a wildlife control business, andshould not be attempted during the maternityseason (generally May through September) toavoid separating mothers from their young.
If a person wishes to attract bats, installing abat house is an option. Bat houses are availablefor purchase on the internet; simply do an internetsearch and a number of sources will be available.If you wish to build your own bat house, there area number of internet sites that provide instructions,including the National Wildlife Federation’s Gardenfor Wildlife.
*For more information and detail on bats inArizona, see the Arizona Game and Fish article,Living with Bats, at
https://www.azgfd.com/wildlife/livingwith/bats/.
Tom Goode
Helping Hands
A special thank you to the volunteers, workersand all of those involved in any way with the foodauction to make it such a success.
Helping Hands provides short term assistanceto leaseholders and guests in the park in their timeof need, such as visits, meals, pet care, etc,.for aweek; blood pressures,
For your health care, we offer spirometry,andoximetry clinics, and weekly;AED / CPR classes.The Vial of Life can be an essential aid duringemergencies or even regular doctor visits.
Our Lending closet offers wheelchairs, canes,walkers, toilet seat risers, shower seats, etc. forthose with mobility needs.
We assist families and friends in planning andconducting memorial services for those who havepassed away..
The need for additional assistance is subject toreview on an individual basis. We do not know yourneeds unless someone contacts the monthlycoordinator posted on Channel 5. Furtherinformation is available for you to look at on ourhelping Hands display on the bulletin board in ClubHouse Room 2. Thank you to Marian Binder andJean Jones for this display.
Our next meeting will be October 17, 2017.Have a great summer and we’ll see you in the Fall.
Safe TravelsBonnie Berglund & Mary Lilje
Co-Chairs
Saguaro News Page 8 April 2017
Clubhouse Happenings LandscapeThe landscaping season flew by this year and
ended with a flurry of activity. Extensive work wasdone to revitalize the cactus garden. Landcontouring, hardscaping, redesigning, and refur-bishing of the garden benches were all done.Thanks to generous leaseholders who donatedcacti from their lots, committee volunteers were alsoable to increase the garden’s plantings.
Not to be outdone, the Oasis Garden gotspruced up and hosted a garden celebration thatfeatured beautiful harp music, refreshments, andfun. At other sweet spaces, additional plants wereinstalled at the office Shade Garden, and anattractive new flagstone path was laid in theMesquite Grove.
Our gardens will mature and continue to evolveover time, but they will need extra attention thissummer. Last summer’s watering crew wasawesome. If you will be here for the summer orfor part of it, please contact Linda Deckert, Lot#166, to help water. Please remember that“wandering weeders” are always welcome!
Rita KingmaLandscaping Co-Chair
Here we are at the last couple of weeks of the2016-17 season! There are big changes in ourClubhouse Committee. We’ve bid adios to IngridKluegel who has so capably and cheerfully led ourcommittee for about 7 or 8 years. We wish her thevery best as she enters the realm of being on theCo-op’s Board of Directors. We’ll be calling on herexperience, though, as we take over theClubhouse Committee’s responsibilities. Wewelcome the new volunteers who will help fill gapsleft by those who have left our committee to trysomething else.
Our last scheduled entertainment for theseason will be Saturday, April 1, at 7:00pm whenThe Partners will be here for your listening anddancing pleasure.
The last regular session ofBingo will be Tuesday, April18. The last Movie will beWednesday, April 12. We haveno meals scheduled for April.Thank you to the manyvolunteers who have keptthese activities goingthroughout the season. This is a good time to saythanks also to those of you who stick around duringthe “off season” and organize informal events anddecorate the Clubhouse.
As always, keep your eye on Channel 5 forcalendar changes and, especially, for impromptuevents various people plan for our enjoyment.
We look forward to welcoming you back inOctober as we begin the 2017-18 season.
Mary NighswanderMarilyn Wix
Clubhouse Committee Co-Chairmen
Another Director Leaves theBoard
Suzy LeRoy has resigned as President of theBoard of Directors, making six the number ofofficers of the Board who have departed in thelast few months. Two Presidents, one ActingPresident, two Treasurers and one Secretaryhave left.
What is it about this Board that drives itsofficers away? Are there outside factors at work?Are individuals competing for primacy?
It seems a shame.
Saguaro News Page 9 April 2017
SKP Saguaro Co-op600 East Saguaro DriveBenson, Arizona 85602Phone: 520-586-7343FAX: 520-586-4683
Office ManagerTisha Luzadder520-586-7343
Facilities ManagerBob Streeter
307-747-5051Lot 222
Saguaro News EditorJerry LeRoy
Send newsletter submission to:[email protected]
Published October through AprilDeadline is the 15th of the
Previous month
Read Saguaro News on the web athttp://skpsaguaro.org/newsletter.html
Clubhouse Scheduling and CalendarMarilyn Wix
504-254-9089
Saguaro News EditorialIt’s April, and this is the last Saguaro News
issue of the season. I have had a tremendousamount of fun putting together these seven issuesand playing with a new layout (really, it’s only thefront page that’s terribly different).
Thank you to all the regular contributors to ournewsletter. Thank you to the Board of Directorsmembers who have written columns of their “OneView From the Board.” Thank you to those whohave written long articles and short squibs.
And thank you also to our regular readers forputting up with occasional factual errors (”Alternatefacts?” “Fake news?”) and once-in-a-while typos.Those of you who have taken time to tell me yourreaction to these seven issues have made my jobso much more worth while.
Now, however, due to factors not totally underour control, Suzy and I will soon be leaving the SKPCo-op, so this is my last issue. See below.
Jerry LeRoy, Editor
Editor Position Available
Saguaro News needs anew Editor. The positionrequires a person with areasonable command of theEnglish language, and a PCor laptop with desktoppublishing software.Several are available on-line; Serif’’s PagePlus hasproduced this year’s newsletters. Microsoft’sPublisher might also be a good choice.
Seven editions are published yearly, one permonth from October through April. Boardrepresentatives, clubs, committees and “non-committees” provide input.
The position of Editor has for years beenindependent, not reporting to anyone. Forinformation, or to jump on board, contact JerryLeRoy at lot 299, or by phone at 520-591-5585, orby email at [email protected].
