January 2024 Newsletter

Dear Neighbors:

Happy New Year to you all. We enjoyed a festive evening at the Catrens in December for our annual Hidden Valley Holiday party. About 52 members shared food, wine and each other’s company. We decided that gathering in our homes is preferred to restaurants which we had done for a few years. We also collected food and household goods for the Salvation Army and Youth on Their Own. Thanks to the Jacobs for dropping off your generous contributions. They filled their vehicle!

Our membership drive concluded with 152 new or renewing members. The new dues payment process was popular with many of you. Thanks are due to Mike Oliver for initiating this as well as streamlining enrollment. Donna Fullerton, Membership Director, recently contacted all those who had not yet renewed with excellent results.

Pete Cinquemani learned that people were riding ATV’s in the park. This is absolutely not allowed. Wes Miller Park is a wildlife sanctuary. We have an agreement with the Nature Conservancy to preserve this space in as natural a state as possible while still providing opportunities for members to hike, picnic and just enjoy the unspoiled area. We also provide an opportunity for groups like Watershed Management and teachers to use the park for education purposes. The board voted to have metal ballustrades erected on either side of the gate so that vehicles can’t be driven around the gate to access the park. We also asked the Pima County Sheriff’s department to increase patrols. We will have a sign on the gate which lists all the prohibitions in the park to include no ATV riding. In the meantime, if you see suspicious activity please call 911 and report it.

We are always looking for hosts for Saturday Socials. Remember this is the easiest way to entertain your neighbors: you pick a Saturday night, provide utensils (we even have Wine glasses you can borrow) . What could be easier? Call Social Director Mary Ann Jacobs at 520-349-2772 to pick your date!

Member Soma Goldman volunteers with newly arriving refugees. She is again collecting clothes for adults and children, household items, hygiene products and shelf stable foods. If you have items to donate contact Soma and she can arrange pick up or you can drop off at her home at 5161 N Sabino Foothills Drive. Her cell is: 520-869-4029.

Hidden Valley again received certification as a Firewise Community. This designation doesn’t come without a lot of work on the part of the Director of Firewise and all of you who keep your property free of debris, overgrown shrubs, etc. Some homeowner insurance companies award discounts for Firewise communities as well. Remember to let Richard know the amount of money you spend on yard cleanup,etc. because he uses that information with Firewise. Also, if you want a free consultation of your property in terms of things you can do to reduce fire risk, contact Richard at richardfloresusnr@msn.com.

Several neighbors who regularly walk in the neighborhood report seeing a lot of small, empty liquor bottles on our streets, this in addition to the “gifts” dogs leave behind. Thanks to all of you who pick up the detritus.

Upcoming events: Saturday Social whenever someone volunteers, community wide garage sale in the spring, and the picnic in the park probably in April since May has proved to be very warm. Stay tuned!

A special thanks to Christy Maley and family for again decorating the Hidden Valley sign for the holidays.

See you in the neighborhood. Norie Nelson