GVR is strengthened by members who get involved and share their time and talents. We’re grateful for the many volunteers who genuinely care about this community, and lend their support to events, clubs, and long-range planning. From Board service and committee work to club leadership and event support, volunteers are the steady heartbeat of GVR. As one longtime member put it, “There’s always something happening here, but what people don’t always see is the volunteer effort behind it.” This story is about those neighbors who quietly, and sometimes not so quietly, help make it all happen.
At the Board level, volunteer service means looking at the big picture. Board members review policies, oversee finances, evaluate long-term plans, and make decisions that affect the entire organization. It is thoughtful, serious work that calls for preparation, discussion, and a willingness to wrestle with complex issues. These volunteers balance priorities and think ahead, always with the membership in mind. Their role is not simply to respond to today’s needs, but to help position GVR for tomorrow so the community we enjoy now continues to thrive well into the future.
While the Board sets direction, much of the detailed digging happens in committees. This is where members roll up their sleeves and take the deep dive by studying proposals, reviewing policies, examining facilities, and exploring new ideas before recommendations ever reach the Board. It may
not always be visible, but this is where much of the thoughtful groundwork gets done.
If you’ve ever attended a GVR event, you’ve seen volunteerism in action. From greeting guests at the door to serving refreshments and helping everything run smoothly, event volunteers create the kind of welcoming atmosphere people remember. One volunteer shared, “Volunteering at GVR events is a great way to meet other members… and contribute back to GVR. Jamie and Nick always make sure you know that you are appreciated. The events you volunteer for are without charge, and you are also rewarded with additional free events of your choosing. I have been volunteering for years and always enjoy the experience!” It’s that spirit, pitching in, connecting with others, and having a little fun along the way, that turns a scheduled activity into a true community gathering.
Then there are the clubs, where volunteer leadership is on full display every single day. Club officers and volunteers manage communications, coordinate activities, oversee budgets, and keep their groups organized and energized. Beyond the logistics, they create spaces where friendships form and interests grow.
Take the GVR Photography Club, for example. As President Kim Holmes shares, “The GVR Photography Club has no paid staff. Instead, the Club depends entirely on over 100
CONTACT US — 520-625-3440
Operational matters hotline@gvrec.org
Board policy matters board@gvrec.org
Customer Service 520-625-3440
RECREATION SERVICES
The following centers are open daily from 5:30am–9pm
MAJOR CENTERS
Canoa Hills
Canoa Ranch
Desert Hills
East Center
Las Campanas
Santa Rita Springs
West Center
3660 S Camino del Sol
5750 S Turquoise Mtn Dr
2980 S Camino del Sol
7 S Abrego Dr
565 W Belltower Dr
921 W Via Rio Fuerte
1111 S GVR Dr
(520) 631-7151
(520) 631-0761
(520) 631-8060
(520) 631-8072
(520) 631-7068
(520) 631-8092
(520) 631-7909
Center Operations Assistants (Yellow Shirts) 520-343-2440
SATELLITE CENTERS 520-549-9733
Abrego North Abrego South
Casa Paloma I
Casa Paloma II
Continental Vistas
Madera Vista
Del Sol Clubhouse, 3355 S Camino del Sol, 6am–9pm Pickleball Center, 2612 S Camino de la Canoa, 6am–dusk
MARCH BOARD & COMMITTEE MEETINGS
BOARD AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
Tuesday, March 10, 1:30–3pm, West Center Room 2 / Zoom
NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS COMMITTEE
Thursday, March 12, 10–11:30am, West Center Room 2 / Zoom
FISCAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
Tuesday, March 17, 1:30–3pm, West Center Room 2 / Zoom
BOARD OF DIRECTORS REGULAR MEETING
Wednesday, March 18, 2–4pm, West Center Auditorium / Zoom
AUDIT COMMITTEE
Monday, March 23, 10:30–Noon, West Center Room 2 / Zoom
ANNUAL MEETING OF THE CORPORATION
Wednesday, March 25, 9–10am, West Center Auditorium / Zoom
SPECIAL MEETING OF THE BOARD
Wednesday, March 25, 10:30am, West Center Auditorium / Zoom
Any change in meeting status will be announced on the GVR website calendar.
BOARD MEETING HIGHLIGHTS
The February 25 meeting highlights didn’t make this issue’s deadline. To read up on the latest Board of Directors’ meeting, please click on the GOVERNANCE tab at GVRec.org.
GVR BOARD
1601 N Abrego Dr
1655 S Abrego Dr
400 W Circulo del Paladin
330 N Calle de las Banderolas
906 W Camino Guarina
440 S Camino del Portillo
GVR BOARD OFFICERS
President: Kathi Bachelor
Vice President: Candy English
Secretary: Beth Dingman
Treasurer: Nellie Johnson
Assistant Secretary: Bart Hillyer
Assistant Treasurer: Steve Reynolds
DIRECTORS
Dave Barker
Marge Garneau
Bev Lawless
Lanny Smith
Jodie Walker
GVR BOARD COMMITTEE CHAIRS
Audit Committee: Bev Lawless
Board Affairs Committee: Candy English
Fiscal Affairs Committee: Nellie Johnson
Investment Committee: Lanny Smith
Nominations & Elections Committee: Beth Dingman
Planning & Evaluation: Steve Reynolds
Email: board@gvrec.org
Can’t attend a meeting in person?
Scan this QR code for ZOOM meetings.
Did You Know?
Many GVR clubs welcome non-members to select events, creating even more opportunities to connect and get involved.
For those who enjoy an evening out filled with music and dancing, the GVR Saturday Night Dance Club hosts lively dances on the second and fourth Saturdays of each month at Santa Rita Springs Anza room. With a modest admission fee and a friendly, welcoming atmosphere, these gatherings are a great way to socialize, stay active, and enjoy a night out close to home.
Photography enthusiasts will find inspiration with the GVR Photography Club, which offers two engaging monthly events at Desert Hills Auditorium. “Showtime” highlights members’ visual storytelling and creative work, while the Speaker Series features informative presentations as part of the club’s ongoing educational programming. Both events are free and open to all GVR members.
To learn more about these and other club activities, visit GVRec.org or pick up a Clubs Catalog. Many clubs also offer the opportunity to “try before you join,” so be sure to reach out directly for specifics on meetings, fees, and participation.
In a season when we celebrate the gratitude we feel for GVR volunteers—those who strengthen our clubs, enrich our events, and guide our governance—we’d like to share how volunteerism lives at the heart of the GVR Michigan Club. “If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look about you.” This proud Michigan Club slogan perfectly captures the spirit of our organization: a community built on connection, participation, and shared purpose. Our goal is simple: to create a space where members can engage their talents, enhance their own experiences, and help our club thrive.
Whether you’re a lifelong Michigander or have never stepped foot in the Great Lakes State, you are welcome here. We strive to provide a fun, rewarding environment for all GVR members. Because we believe everyone has something to offer, we provide a volunteer guide to help match your unique personality and interests with the right role. Even when formal positions are filled, we create support roles to ensure every member has the opportunity to contribute to our shared success.
Beyond our monthly meetings with a catered dinner and entertainment, we stay busy with lively fundraising and community outreach. Members love our 50/50 drawings and our annual silent auction, a high-energy event featuring creative, Michigan-themed items and a bit of friendly competition. We also take great pride in supporting the Food Bank of Green Valley; members who donate are entered into a special prize drawing as a thank you for their generosity.
Together, we’re building more than just a club. We’re building friendships.
—Diane Watts, GVR Michigan Club President
Children’s Pool Hours
West Center
Weekdays: Noon–9pm Weekends & holidays: ALL day
All other pools Daily: 11am–1pm AND 4–6pm
No guest pass required for kids! Children seventeen and younger must be accompanied by an adult at all times. Children six and younger must have an adult in the pool with them at all times.
What sparks your interest this spring?
Welcome to a new month and the beginning of spring. It’s a time for fresh starts, and at GVR, you can find opportunities that focus on your health, stretch your creativity, explore new ideas, and offer connections with others.
Thinking about paying a little more attention to your well-being? GVR’s Leisure Education team offers classes like Best Nutrition, Best Health, Whole Food Plant-Based Weight Loss Cooking, and the new Eat Well, Age Well: Nutrition Basics. These sessions are practical, approachable, and designed to help you feel your best without overcomplicating things.
In the mood for something literary or a little festive? Spend time with Reading Shakespeare in the Desert or head into the kitchen for a bit of fun with Irish-inspired favorites like Millionaire Shortcake and Celtic Pretzel Knot Sliders. Good company and good food are always in season.
For those who feel most at home with a paintbrush in hand, welcome spring with Abstracting Florals in Motion and capture a little of that seasonal color on canvas. It’s a relaxed way to see where your imagination takes you.
Staying active is often part of life, and there are plenty of GVR options to help keep you moving and feeling strong. From Biking and Pilates to Strong Bones, Step Intervals, Pickleball, Yoga, and more.
As always, our team works hard to offer something for everyone. Do you have an idea for a class you would like to see? Reach out anytime at Classes@GVRec.org.
MARCH 2026
Day Trip: Cologuard Classic 7:30am–5pm
16 9 2
GVR Showcase Las Campanas 9am–12pm; East Center 1–4pm
The Curiosity Lounge 10am–12pm Del Sol Clubhouse
Free lecture: Caregiver Support 1:30–2:30pm, EC Lounge Trivia 4:30–6:30pm Del Sol Clubhouse
Morning Game Lounge 10am–12pm Del Sol Clubhouse
GVR Computer Club 1:30–2:30pm SRS Anza room
Showtime GVR Photography Club 2–4pm, DH Auditorium
GVR Foundation Bingo 3–7pm WC Auditorium Wii Play 10am–12pm Del Sol Clubhouse Board of Regular 2–4pm WC Auditorium
GVR Foundation Bingo 3–7pm WC Auditorium
The Curiosity Lounge 10–11:30am Del Sol Clubhouse Audit Committee 10:30–12pm WC Room 2 / Zoom
The New Christy Minstrels 7–8:30pm, WC Auditorium
FREE: The Count of Monte Cristo 1–3pm, WC Auditorium Board Affairs Committee 1:30–3pm, WC Room 2 & Zoom
Lions Club Bingo 3–7pm, WC Auditorium Trivia 4:30–6:30pm, DH Auditorium Annual of the Corporation 9–10am WC Auditorium Wii 10am–12pm, Del Board of Special 10:30–11:30am WC Auditorium
St. Patrick’s Day Dance
Tuesday, March 17, 6–9pm West Center Auditorium
Member/Guest $15; General Public $35
9:30–11am, WC Auditorium
Cases & Couch Cushions 10am–12pm, WC Auditorium
Amigas Meet & Greet
4–5:30pm, SRS Anza room
George Strait Tribute 7–8:30pm, WC Auditorium
9:30–11am,
Doris Day Tribute 7–8:30pm, WC Auditorium Free lecture GV Gardeners
Cases & Couch Cushions 10am–12pm Del Sol Clubhouse
6–8:30pm SRS Anza room Saturday Night Dance Club 6–8:30pm SRS Anza room
Canoa Hills – Santa Rita Art League
Desert Hills – Photography Club
East Center – Artist Dick Foley
Las Campanas – Santa Rita Art League
West Center – Santa Rita Art League
Keep your eyes and ears open for GVR news in KGVY’s community quarterly newspapers and on the air!
Tres Amigos, Rick Myers, GVR Photography Club
volunteers to keep the club relevant, interesting and fun for its 500+ members, one of the largest photography clubs in the country.” From leading classes and coordinating 40 to 60 field trips a year to managing technology, exhibits, events, and communications, volunteers power every aspect of the club’s operations. That’s not just participation, it’s ownership.
Clubs also shine when it comes to giving back. A huge shoutout to our friends at the GVR Cycling Club for knocking it out of the park at the Tom Wilstead Memorial Bike Roundup. More than 100 bikes, plus a whole lot of cycling gear, were generously donated. What a tremendous community effort and a wonderful example of how a shared hobby can make a real difference.
Members of the GVR Michigan Club came together to donate food to the Community Food Bank of Green Valley. The club is proud to support their community while building friendships and having fun along the way. That’s neighborliness at its best.
Since 1988, the Woodworkers of Green Valley have been quietly making a big impact. Annually, about 55 woodworkers and 25 decorators meet weekly to create and decorate roughly 650 beautiful toys each year for children who come from Mexico to receive medical treatment at St. Andrew’s Children’s Clinic in Nogales, Arizona. The club also makes toys distributed by Green Valley Fire and the Salvation Army. It’s a remarkable example of skill, generosity, and heart coming together year after year.
All of this service, whether highly visible or steady and behind the scenes, does more than keep GVR running. It shapes what comes next. When members serve on the Board, participate in committees, lead clubs, support events, or organize fundraisers and service projects, they ensure that GVR remains member-driven in more than name alone.
There is no single way to make a difference here. Some volunteers prepare for meetings and review reports. Others organize activities, staff welcome tables, lead classes, coordinate trips, build toys, collect bikes, or pack food donations. Some roles come with microphones, others come with clipboards or tool belts. All of them matter.
To every member who raises a hand to help, thank you. GVR works because you do, and your time, energy, and generosity continue to shape this community in meaningful ways.
2026 ELECTION
IMPORTANT DATES
January 28 Record date—To be eligible to vote, members need to have paid all outstanding dues by this date or have submitted an application for MAP or for a monthly dues payment plan.
March 9 Voting begins. Ballots are distributed electronically via email. Paper ballots were mailed by request.
March 11 Wine & Cheese Candidate Forum: West Center auditorium, 5pm
March 20 Election ends. Voting ends at 4pm and the new Board Directors are announced
March 25 Annual Meeting of the Corporation
The GVR Photography Club
March Events & Entertainment at West Center Auditorium
March 3 at 7pm
The New Christy Minstrels
The legendary New Christy Minstrels come to GVR for an evening of classic folk, rich harmonies, and timeless songs. Concessions for sale. Bring your favorite beverage.
GVR Members/Guests $35; General Public $55
March 12 at 7pm
Doris Day Tribute
Kristi King brings the golden age of song to life with her radiant voice and signature Doris Day warmth. Concessions for sale. Bring your favorite beverage.
GVR Members/Guests $30; General Public $50
March 5 at 7pm
George Strait Tribute
The George Strait tribute you’ve been waiting for brings over 60 charttopping hits. Backed by the Troubadour Experience, the show delivers the authentic sound and spirit of Strait live at GVR. Enjoy GVR’s beverage service. No outside drinks are allowed.
GVR Members/Guests $35; General Public $55
March 17 at 6pm
St. Patrick’s Day Celebration
Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with lively Irish tunes, laughter, and good cheer. Enjoy complimentary snacks and soft drinks, and bring your favorite beverage.
GVR Members/Guests $15; General Public $35
March 6 at 6pm Dance with Hardscrabble Road
A night of timeless favorites keeps the music going from start to finish. To reserve a table for ten, please email reserveatable@GVRec.org. Bring your favorite beverages.
GVR Members/Guests $15; General Public $35
March 19 at 7pm
Simply the Best, a Tribute to Tina Turner
Feel the passion of Tina Turner starring Jenn Cristy, national touring performer who played with John Mellencamp. The show delivers the energy and spirit that made Tina a music legend. Enjoy GVR’s beverage service. No outside drinks are allowed.
GVR Members/Guests $35; General Public $55
March 10 at 7pm The Laugh Lounge
Two comics, one night. Expect sharp punchlines, quick wit, and plenty of laughs. To reserve a table for eight people, please email reserveatable@ GVRec.org. Concessions for sale. Bring your favorite beverage.
GVR Members/Guests $25; General Public $45
March 26 at 7pm
An Evening of Country Music
Spend an evening toe tapping to live country music that features heartfelt lyrics, rich harmonies, and the easy charm of songs that tell a good story. Concessions for sale. Bring your favorite beverage.
GVR Members/Guests $35; General Public $55
Sunday, March 22
Departs from Del Sol Clubhouse at 7:30am
Cologuard Classic Final Round
GVR Day Trip
Championship Sunday is here as golf legends take the stage for the final round of the Cologuard Classic by Exact Sciences. Feel the tension, excitement, and thrilling moments on the green, all set against the perfect Arizona backdrop.
GVR Members/Guests $79; General Public $99
(Includes tournament entry + round-trip transportation. Price does not include gratuities for the driver.)
Purchase tickets online at GVRec.org, by phone 520-625-3440, or in person at the West Center Box Office.
SHOWCASE 2026
Play Free for a Day at the GVR Showcase Monday, March 2, 9am–4pm Las Campanas from 9am–12pm · East Center from 1–4pm
Stop by for a Showcase that’s full of activity, information, and new things to explore. The day has grown so popular that it now fills two centers—thanks to our members and the community who turn it into a lively, can’t-miss event.
Discover offerings and try a free fitness orientation
Chat with the Membership and Leisure Education teams, get a sneak peek at the upcoming season from the Events and Entertainment staff, and try out some fitness orientations with GVR’s personal trainers.
Meet class instructors and learn about GVR’s 50+ clubs
Discover offerings like cardio drumming, line dance, yoga, Tai Chi, pickleball, and plenty more as you watch demos, chat with instructors, ask questions, and enjoy a few fun surprises along the way.
Savor great food
At East Center, a food truck starts serving lunch at noon, and music keeps the atmosphere pleasant while you browse.
Tune in to a live radio broadcast
Catch the KGVY broadcast—live from the event.
Win prizes—don’t miss your chance to take home something special.
EXPLORE EVERYTHING GVR HAS TO OFFER—ALL IN ONE DAY. No tickets, no reservations, and no membership required. Just drop in!
