This coming Wednesday, March 16, will be Free Coffee and Donuts at the Ramada, beginning at 8:30 a.m. Come on down and join your neighbors for some conversation, a cup and a donut--all free of charge.

The Volunteer Landscape Work Crew will go to work immediately after coffee & donuts to continue the landscape maintenance and cleanup work they've been doing for the past three months. This week the plan is to work on the walking trail south of Portillo. New members are always welcome. Bring your gloves, a rake, clippers, etc. and plan on helping out a bit and getting some sun and exercise. No time commitment is required; you can work as much or as little as you like. These are always very social outings, and fun, and we accomplish a bit for our neighborhood at the same time.

Don't forget: the Italian Nite Dinner is scheduled for this Saturday night, March 19. Tickets are just $10 and include salad, spaghetti with meatballs, garlic bread, dessert, coffee, and other traditional Italian table drinks. It will be a feast fit for an Italian, put on by EE's award-winning Hospitality Committee. For tickets, see any committee member, or call: Scottie Blum (399-0955) or Sam Barnard (648-5925).

Please check your street lamphead top cover to make sure it is completely latched down. A tab on one side of the cover needs to be clicked over the lamphead body to make it secure. We recently had one cover destroyed, after it blew off in the gusty winds of last week. If you have difficulty, please call 399-0455 for assistance.

If you observed someone twisting your finial in the past few days, that would have been Bill Pratt who lives on Regalo.  Bill volunteered to tighten up as many lamp post finials -- many severely loosened by our recent buffeting winds -- as he could.  In the process, Bill also found that a screw or two could be added to some of the fixtures to make them less wobbly, so he did that too. (Bill is leaving a slip of paper in the mailbox of each lamp post he works on with the name of the fellow who just finished laying the pavers in their front courtyard and entry walk, since he and Rosella are quite happy with his work.)

Hamburger Nite this past Tuesday was a big success, with more than 100 attendees. As a special treat--courtesy of Ed and Mary Buchholz and Lynn Theder--we had home-baked cookies!! If you are missing these nites, you are missing a bit of what is wonderful at Esperanza Estates! Don't let another one go by!

The EE Garden Committee met on March 7, and discussed plans for beautification of our two entrance monuments, the Sunset Ramada arch, and pool entrance. This will be accomplished through the use of colorful pots and ground plantings, designed to complement the ceramic tile on the individual monuments. Before beginning, the Committee intends to seek the advice of the local Master Gardeners group, through the Pima County Extension Service, to assure the types of plantings are suitable to our local conditions and the site specifics of each location.

In order for the project to succeed, the committee will need to find a few people willing to help water the plantings, especially in the summer months. If you want to volunteer to help out in this regard, or are interested in assisting the Committee in any other capacity, please call Bill Berdine at 344-7301. The next Committee meeting will be held today, Monday, at 1:30 PM at Bill's house (802 Calle del Regalo). All members are asked to attend to aid in a decision on pots to be selected.

The March Board Meeting will be held Monday, March 21, beginning at 1:00 p.m. at the Ramada. A meeting agenda will accompany next week's Memo.

REMINDER OF UPCOMING EVENT

Free - Protect your car against theft. Have your Vehicle Identification Number etched on all of your auto glass.

When - Saturday, March 19, 2011, Noon - 3:00 p.m.

Where - Green Valley Sheriff's Auxiliary Garage, located behind the Green Valley Library.

About 30 people attended the Ramada meeting with the GVR4US representative, John Haggerty, last Thursday. This organization is a watchdog group, dedicated to improving GVR by requiring them to adhere to state law and their own organizational documents. Their email address is GVR4US@cox.net, and by going to that address you can sign up for their regular emails. If you are a GVR member in Esperanza Estates, you may want to sign up with this group.

About 65 Rotarians from the Valle Verde Club enjoyed the ambiance of our Ramada this past Friday evening, and had a most enjoyable time.  It is a great venue for club social meetings, so if you are the social director of your organization and you need a place to meet for a social time, the Ramada might be available. There are only a few simple rules, and no charge for EE residents. Call 399-0455 for details.

Pima County will hold a Hazardous Waste Collection Day at Green Valley Village (S.E. corner of the Property) Saturday, March 19th from 8 AM to 12 Noon.

Last but not least, Spring is coming, and with it a number of seasonal scams that are detailed in AARP's Feb. newsletter.  To read more about the scams, click <here>.

Have a good week.

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