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THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF SWEETGRASS • JUNE 2026

A publication of the

Professional Care with a Personal Touch

c e r t a i n f o o d i t e m s f o r p e o p l e i n n e e d ,

b u t i t d o e s n o t i n c l u d e n o n - f o o d i t e m s

( h o m e c l e a n i n g p r o d u c t s , p e r s o n a l

h y g i e n e i t e m s , i n f a n t c a r e i t e m s , e t c . )

t h a t a r e e s s e n t i a l f o r m a i n t a i n i n g a

s a f e a n d h e a l t h y h o m e . T h e s e n o n -

f o o d i t e m s a r e t h e t a r g e t o f t h i s

a n n u a l d r i v e .

Y o u r g e n e r o u s r e s p o n s e o f

a p p r o x i m a t e l y 1 , 1 3 0 l b s . o f s u p p l i e s

a s w e l l a s $ 9 0 0 i n c a s h ( w h i c h w i l l

b e u s e d t o p u r c h a s e m o r e o f t h e s e

n e e d e d i t e m s ) w a s d e l i v e r e d t o

H e l p i n g H a n d s .

T h e a c c o m p a n y i n g p i c t u r e s d o n o t d o

t h e D r i v e j u s t i c e b u t a r e i n t e n d e d t o

p r o v i d e a f l a v o r o f t h i s e f f o r t .

T h e M e n ’ s

C l u b a n d

H e l p i n g

H a n d s t h a n k

y o u f o r y o u r

s u p p o r t !

June 2: Read-iculous Fun | Back Porch at 2p

June 8: Cousins Maine Lobster Food Truck

Parking Lot at 5p

June 9: First Aid Tips | Bluebell at 1p

June 11: Gulf Coast Blood Drive

Parking Lot at 2p

Bluebell at 10a

June 16: Soggy Doggy | Dog Park at 9a

June 23: Pool Party | Outdoor Pool at 5:30p

June 26: Smoke on the Water

Ballroom & Back Porch at 6p

CB: What made you come to Del Webb?

JS: I was living in New Territory when I got divorced in 2015. I came here because I played tennis with Tony, who lives here, and liked the place. I saw a house for sale, so I bought it and here I am

CB: Where were you born?

CB: What was your first job?

JS: I was born in Cincinnati, OH We were a middle-class, very Catholic family. My father’s family came from Ireland and my mother’s from Germany in the late 1800s. I had 2 older sisters and one younger I went to catholic schools. My mother was a homemaker, and my father was an administrator in the trucking business.

CB: What was Catholic school like?

JS: The teachers are all nuns, brothers and priests. We are taught in the Roman Catholic doctrine

CB: After school, did you go to university?

JS: I attended the University of Cincinnati while training in my father’s trucking business That work paid my way through college and funded my golf game.

CB: What were you taking at university?

JS: I was a chemistry major. While in high school, I met Mary Jo, the love of my life at the time. I was 16 and she was 14. We stayed together for three years. My plan was to get a PhD in Chemistry, and she was going to be a nurse.

JS: I worked for Standard Oil in Cleveland. It was the first time I was away from the Catholic environment. I had a very sheltered existence, so being away opened me up to a lot of other people.

CB: Explain to me what that was like?

JS: The Catholic church taught us they were the true believers and encouraged us to stay within Catholic circles. When I got to college, I started dating nonCatholic girls and began seeing the world differently.

CB: What else influenced you?

JS: In 1965, I had a summer job in Cleveland I started reading Ayn Rand which began to change my life. Ayn wrote about self-dependence and focus on achieving your own objectives. I came back to Cincinnati and broke up with Mary Jo. I wanted to see the world and get out of that city, so I took a job at DuPont in Virginia.

CB: Why Dupont?

JS: They said they could get me out of the draft, and it was a good job. This was June 1966. I later got a letter from the draft in September of 66. Dupont said, “We tried to protect you but failed ” I applied to the Navy OCS-officer training in Newport, RI. I was assigned to be a nuclear weapons officer on an aircraft carrier, the USS Bennington

CB: Were you enjoying yourself at this time?

JS: When I got to Long Beach near L.A., I heard music from the officers’ club, so I went over. That’s where all the girls would gather, they called themselves “The Anchorites.” That’s where I met my first wife She was a president of the group; her name was Virginia. She was a telephone operator

CB: Where did you go on the carrier?

JS: We had to pick up the Apollo 4 capsule from Hawaii. I was a deck officer on the bridge. A carrier sails with six destroyers protecting roughly 3,000 people onboard. One time, we had a plane go overboard when landing. It was at night and we lost the pilots.

CB: Is this a happy period in your life?

JS: Happy and boring. Standing watch at all times of the day and night with nothing but the sea in front of you. When we went to ports, like Hong Kong, Philippines, Japan, that was fun. The officers could stay on shore overnight, but the lower ranks had to come back to the ship

CB: When did you go to Vietnam?

JS: I got a letter saying I was going to be posted in Saigon on the river boats in the Mekong Delta. We were on a hospital ship that also served as a gunboat, often firing at the VC at night. During that time, Virginia told me she was pregnant with our daughter Jennifer, and I was allowed to return home We got married, had a short honeymoon in Long Beach, CA, and then I returned to duty

CB: After the service, where do you go?

JS: I worked as a sales manager in Connecticut before joining Baker Hughes, selling drilling equipment in Russia, China and India. While in Russia, I fell in love with a Russian lady called Galina who was an engineer. She was pregnant with our daughter Ekaterina in 1996. My marriage to Virginia lasted 26 years.

CB: Now you married Galina and settled in Houston.

JS: We came over to Houston and stayed married until 2005.

CB: What do you do to pass time since retiring?

JS: I play golf, pickleball and I listen to a lot of audio books. Right now, I am listening to the history of India called Freedom at Midnight. I also run the Dialogue & Learning Club, a group where we discuss all sorts of topics. We meet on the 2nd Thursday of the month and it’s open to all comers. I also met my girlfriend here, Vicky, she is a wonderful lady. We eat together every night.

CB: If you were to invite 4 people from history to dinner, who would they be?

JS: Buddha Jesus Einstein and

FROM T H E D E S K O F SCOUT

Yes, driving or walking in parking lots can be very dangerous. Solid statistics that prove how dangerous are hard to find. But piecing together data from many sources including the National Safety Council , Institute for Highway Safety, TransLine Industries and Zipdo, the statistics should concern us.

Approximately 1 in 5 of all traffic accidents happen in a parking lot or parking garage. Over 90% of these incidents involve reversing vehicles, poor visibility, and congestion. Almost 12% of pedestrian fatalities happen in parking lots.

Even more important than these statistics are the near misses reported by our residents in our Lakehouse parking lot. If you think that a serious accident cannot happen in a parking lot, consider that the Lakehouse parking lot had one accident that totaled one car and seriousl y damaged 3 more. Thank heavens no pedestrians were involved.

Whether you are driving in a public lot or our Lakehouse parking lot, please: When possible, pull through a spot to allow for easier, safer forward exit.

Minimize Distractions: Put down the phone and avoid in-car distractions.

Slow Down: Adhere to low speeds in parking lots, even when they seem empty. Watch for Pedestrians: Constantly scan for pedestrians.

Use Technology Carefully: Backup cameras are helpful , but do not rely on them solely; use mirrors and look over your shoulder.

If you are a pedestrian walking in a public lot, please:

Be aware. Put away phones and be aware of your surroundings.

Be visible. Avoid walking in blind spots and wear brighter clothing in low-light. Watch for backing cars. Look for white backup lights and assume drivers do not see you.

R e a d - i c u l o u s F u n i s t h e p e r f e c t w a y

t o s p a r k y o u n g i m a g i n a t i o n s t h i s

s u m m e r !

U G U S T 4 A U G U S T 4

p e r f o r m a n c e !

CROSSWORD

Answers to crossword on page 20

CLUES ACROSS

1. (I’ve got somethin’ to tell ya!)

5. AI-generated garbage

9. Las Vegas WNBA team

13. Gift-wrapping necessity

14. Little kid’s age reveal phrase

16. Word after “garage” or “bake”

17. Utterances that might get bleeped out

18. Fake items in some fireplaces

20. Cozy ___ Motel (Radiator Springs lodging in “Cars”)

21. Stay away from 22. Monopolize

23. Sexy selfie, perhaps

27. Oinking creature

30. ___-Sun (“Seize the Pouch” juice brand)

31. Listen to

32. Copenhagen resident

33. ”Next time is for real!”

36. Curtain supports

37. Highland games garment

38. Reigns

39. ”___ Miz”

40. Where drinking songs are performed?

42. Sneaky

43. Speck of land, in Spanish

44. Kitchen wrap

45. Near

48. Chocolaty coffee drinks “on the rocks”

51. The ___ of March

53. Bag for a field day competition

54. Orange juice stuff that many people have opinions about

55. Isn’t paid up

56. ”My ___ Is Karma” (Chappell Roan song)

57. Supporter

CLUES DOWN

1. Scoreboard units: Abbr.

2. ___ paneer

3. Water play areas that may have “Bucket Dumps”

4. Garments from the Eras Tour

5. Super pleased with oneself

6. USPS deliveries to Santa’s workshop

7. Honey ___! (Post cereal)

8. Graph with wedges

9. Amid

10. ”Why should I ___?”

11. Come to a close

12. The “S” of GPS: Abbr.

14. Legendary figures

15. Suddenly dive

19. Like a clickbait headline, often

23. Sierra Nevada lake in ESPN

Extreme Games

24. That person’s

25. Inventor Nikola 26. Wound up totaling

27. ”Rush Rush” singer who was an “American Idol” judge

28. ___ peace (emotional serenity)

29. Obtains

30. ___-Alt-Del

32. Very hoppy beer

34. ”So, here’s the situation ...”

35. Pungent salad green

40. ”The Kiss” painter Gustav

41. Stall at a mall

42. Dr Pepper and Coke Zero

44. Big party

45. Jackie of martial arts movies

46. Be without

47. Breach the social contract in a library

48. NYSE debut

49. Mooing creature

50. Longtime CBS forensics show

52. Mole, for instance

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6 t o 8 P M B a l l r o o m & E v e n t L a w n 10:00 AM | Ballr oom F l a g D a y N o R S V P R e q u i r e d

3 0 N a t i o n a l M o n t h f o r P r i d e , A l z h e i m e r ’ s & B r a i n A w a r e n e s s , C a m p i n g , C a n d y , D a i r y , F r o z e n Y o g u r t , I c e d

T e a , M e n ’ s H e a l t h , W o m e n ’ s G o l f B i r t h s t o n e : P e a r l , A l e x a n d r i t e , a n d M o o n s t o n e F l o w e r s : R o s e a n d H o n e y s u c k l e F

F o o d T r u c k

T I TEKC T i c k e t / R S V P R e q u i r e d C r u i s e P l a n n e r s V i s i t 1

Around the Lakehouse

BIG CYPRESS ENJOYI NG THE PARK!

We had a wonderful turnout for our May quarterly meeting in the pocket park nearly 40 residents gathered to enjoy the space together. The park is looking beautiful, and everything planted last year is absolutely thriving (aside from a few determined ant colonies!).

WOMEN'S C LUB REC EIV ES C H ARITABLE RECOGNITION!

Then on May 1st, Women's Club held a Coffee an Crafts for Charity where members crafted 200 bracelets for Friends of Vince Women's Clu purchased the materials, so that all the profits from the bracelets sales could go to support underserve children in the area, the mission of their charity W also shopped for some of their various craft items

Our next event is a Member & Guest Fiesta Hap Hour on July 16 at The Lakehouse Then in Septemb at our Annual Meeting, we will again bring items f Helping Hands. We will wrap up the year with o holiday Jingle Tree celebration at the Houston Museum of Natural Science in Sugar Land As is evident, everything planned revolves around friendship and philanthropy, and is a great Club to be part of!

In March, Sweetgrass Women's Club received a sur nd were recognized for our charitable efforts over the p 00 in funds and donated hundreds of pounds of essentia

Sweetgrass Singles

It’s great to be single but it’s better to mingle. Sweetgrass Singles club is for those who are socially single and interested in knowing other singles and participating in group events. SGS meets in the Lakehouse in odd numbered months (May, July, etc.) and at other venues during even numbered months (June, August, etc). The “other” venues include restaurants and locations offering unique activities. Dues are $12 annually. Be sure to join so you will receive notifications of events.

Sweetgrass

Garden Club

Sweet Grass Garden Club Upcoming Events: Tuesday, June 16: General Meeting in the Lakehouse Ballroom

9:30 AM Check-in and refreshments; 10:0011:00 AM meeting

This meeting will feature guest speaker Carol Clark, Texas Master Naturalist. Texas-tough natives for droughts and floods will be the topic. These two natural weather phenomena create havoc with plants and flowers in our gardens. Carol will share advice on how to counter the effects of drought and

Sweetgrass Clubs and Groups

floods before they occur. Also, we will begin selling tickets for the bus trip to the San Antonio Botanical Garden at 9:30 AM, before the meeting begins. The bus leaves on Friday, October 23rd and returns on Saturday, the 24th. There are only 50 tickets available on a first-come basis! We only accept checks payable to SG Garden Club.

Hear More

Gael Hannan is a renowned humorist, author, and speaker on hearing loss issues. She is a leading international hearing health advocate whose work, which includes awareness programs, dramedy performances and writing, helps people better understand life with hearing loss - both its impact and to live more successfully. Born with progressive hearing loss, she now uses both a hearing aid and cochlear implant. Becoming a mother at 40 led her to discover a passion for advocacy. For 30 years, she has created award-winning programs blending comedy and drama to help others navigate hearing loss.

Come to the next

Hear More meeting on Wednesday, June 10th, 10:00 AM to watch a video with Gael titled “How to Communicate Better with Hearing Loss.” Ever smiled and nodded even though you missed what was said? This candid exploration reveals why this survival tactic sabotages relationships and how honest communication creates deeper connections for everyone, hearing

or not.

Sweetgrass Havurah

What is a Havurah? It has many meanings. The most concise meaning would be a friendship circle, a group of people who come together to form an extended family. It is comprised of Sweetgrass residents who are of the Jewish faith; people who are not of the Jewish faith but have a Jewish spouse or significant other, but honor and respect the Jewish faith; or anyone in Sweetgrass who has a strong interest in Judaism. Here at Sweetgrass, we have one such group that has been together for over 13 years. We started out meeting in people’s homes but grew to need

more space, which the Lakehouse offers. We meet throughout the year to celebrate Jewish holidays, as well as once a month to have Shabbat (Sabbath) services. Our services are informal, yet joyous. We also hold social events and have guest speakers and programming relating to Jewish traditions and heritage. We participate in service projects helping our Sweetgrass neighbors and the larger community. Our Caring Committee helps us to reach out to those in our Havurah who have been ill, lost a loved one, or need help in some way. If this interests you, we hope that you will contact Jay Smolensky at jsmolensky@aol.com.

Family of Del Webb Residents

Big Cypress

Tom Jaros* taj.jaros@outlook.com

Dave Yendrall Dyendrall@gmail.com

Copper Leaf

Valerie Kavalewitz veliak@yahoo.com

Margi Simera mamasimera@hotmail.com

JoAnn Ternand* jternand@comcast.net

Echo Bay

Pat Baker pabaker@comcast.net

Jerry Brooks * jbechobay@yahoo.com

Carol Gremillion carol@carolgremillion.com

Escarpment Ridge

Dawn Allison*

dawn_allison_ada@hotmail.com

Kitty Haynes kittyhaynes@earthlink.net

Andy Mishlan andrew@mishlan.com

Grey Hawk

Diane Gilbert* Dlrgilbert@yahoo.com

*Indicates the Chairperson for

Neighborhood Rep Directory

Heritage Park

Ariana Beck* arianabeck1@gmail.com

Tonya Garcia Trgarcia2016@gmail.com

Dave Waner warnerdave48@gmail.com

Knotted Pines

Deborah Abraham rwaabe@sbcglobal.net

Amie Bogaard amieb5@aol.com

Terri Hopman* terrihopman@yahoo.com

Lost Pines

Mary Johnson marygateway@yahoo.com

Michele Lawson* lindenliving@gmail.com

Susie Resetar susanresetar@gmail.com

Redbud

Virginia Rutherford vwrutherford@gmail.com

Sandra Startz* sstartz@hotmail.com

Gay Taylor gay.taylor59@gmail.com

River Pointe

Chip Swearngan* chipswear@gmail.com

Rolling Ridge

Linda Bair

Lindabair2007@gmail.com

Javier Fuentes valleymite@gmail.com

Marty Gibula* martygib56@gmail.com

Sandpiper

Linda Houlis* lafdh2019@gmail.com

Jim Lauver jllauver1@att.net

Tina Lauver tmlauver2@att.net

Shearwater

Kathy Louvar* kathylouvar@gmail.com

Betsy McNamara betsymcnam@gmail.com

Kassandra Peel apeel@flash.net

Valley Oaks

Linda Countryman countrymanlinda@yahoo.com

Margie Fougeron* Margiefougeron@hotmail.com

Diane Villoutreix dvilloutreix@comcast.com

Whisper Springs

Robert Holloway robhol@sbcglobal.net

Dick Wasser* chicagodick14@gmail.com

Wildflower

Terry Beckler tbeckler@sbcglobal.net

Kathy Rogers kathyrog@sbcglobal.net

Susan Wilson* susansamwilson@yahoo.com

Windflower

Dee Butts* dmb2819@yahoo.com

Beth Carter bethc021953@gmail.com

Sue Sphar sue@msphar.com

Windmill Glen

Cindi Kuykendall cdkuykendall02@gmail.com

Ernie Prochaska* ernie.prochaska1@outlook.com

Randy Stephens randy_stephens@comcast.net

CCGA Directory

Chartered Clubs

A chartered club is a group that shares a common interest and has received formal approval from the board for a charter under the HOA is recognized as an official part of the HOA.

Art at Sweetgrass

Steve Castillo scsketcher@icloud.com

Bocce Ball

Bob Bruce bobbruce25@yahoo.com

Book Club

Dorothy Wrigley amble5601@yahoo.com

Social Bridge

David Connan david.connan1948@gmail.com

Canasta

Lynne Handwerk

lynne_handwerk@yahoo.com

Card Crafters