SunRiver St. George in conjunction with Cherry Creek Mortgage Company has a wonderful new mortgage program…NO PAYMENTS FOR LIFE. The new product is a Home Equity Conversion Mortgage. SunRiver has found that many of their Customers paid cash for a home to avoid payments. The new product allows you to purchase a new home, make your down payment, and make NO PAYMENTS FOR LIFE! Both buyers have to be at least 62 years young, the new home you purchase at SunRiver needs to be your primary residence. One of the big advantages is you can lock the interest rate and take advantage of record low rates. The new program allows active adults that want to travel or make other investments the freedom to decide how they spend their retirement. It’s a product provided through FHA. Ask a sales agent or Brandon Hansen with Cherry Creek Mortgage about NO PAYMENTS FOR LIFE…being retired has never been so FUN! Call (888)688-6556
Archive for July, 2010
No payments for Life!
July 26th, 2010Club Highlight: Meditation Club
July 26th, 2010THE MEDITATION GROUP (Submitted by Lolita Hagio)
THE SUN RIVER MEDITATION GROUP WAS STARTED APPROXIMATELY 10 YEARS AGO, MAKING IT ONE OF THE OLDEST GROUPS IN SUN RIVER! WE ARE A FLEXIBLE ORGANIZATION: OUR ATTENDANCE FLUCTUATES ANYWHERE FROM ABOUT 6 TO 20 PERSONS AT A SESSION; AND PART TIMERS & SNOWBIRDS COME WHEN THEY ARE IN TOWN. OUR INSTRUCTOR & MENTOR HAS BEEN REV. MAXINE SHUTT, WHO INTRODUCED US TO THE BASIC TECHNIQUES OF MEDITATION, AND FREQUENTLY CONDUCTS OUR SESSIONS.IT HAS BEEN PROVEN THAT MEDITATION INCREASES A SENSE OF WELL BEING, MAKES ONE MORE MENTALLY AWARE, AND HELPS ONE TO BETTER HANDLE STRESSFUL SITUATIONS, IE. DIFFUSING CONFRONTATION. THUS, THE MISSION OR PURPOSE OF OUR GROUP IS TO PROMOTE THE PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL, AND SPIRITUAL WELL BEING OF ITS MEMBERS BY MEANS OF THE PRACTICE OF MEDITATION. SEVERAL PERSONS VOLUNTEER TO CONDUCT A WEEKLY SESSION WHICH MAY CONSIST OF GUIDED IMAGERY, CALMING BREATH EXERCISES, AND OTHER TECHNIQUES. THESE PRACTICES HELP US EMPTY OUR MINDS OF DISTRACTIONS,AND‘BUSY’ THOUGHTS, IN ORDER TO CONCENTRATE ON LIVING IN THE PRESENT MOMENT. OUR GROUP CONSISTS OF MEN & WOMEN; AND ALTHOUGH RECOMMENDED, IT IS NOT NECESSARY TO ATTEND EVERY WEEK, IF OTHER OBLIGATIONS INTERFERE.. WE INVITE ALL INTERESTED SUN RIVER RESIDENTS TO JOIN US AT 10:00 ON WEDNESDAYS IN THE CARD ROOM. WE RESUME MEDITATION IN SEPTEMBER.
ONE OF THE MEDITATION’S PROUDEST ACCOMPLISHMENTS IS THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE SUN RIVER LABYRINTH, LOCATED ADJACENT TO THE DOG PARK, AND THE GOLF COURSE 16TH GREEN. WITH THE HELP OF DONATIONS FROM MEMBERS AND OTHER INTERESTED PERSONS, LAMAR MADSEN FROM SUN RIVER DEVELOPMENT, AND ESPECIALLY LANDSCAPER JOHN COSTANZA, WHO ACTUALLY DID THE CONSTRUCTION, THE LABYRINTH IS THERE FOR ALL TO ENJOY BY WALKING IT AND REFLECTING ON THE BEAUTY OF OUR SURROUNDINGS. AS FAR AS WE KNOW, WE ARE THE FIRST ACTIVE ADULT COMMUNITY IN THE UNITED STATES TO PROVIDE A LABYRINTH FOR THEIR RESIDENTS! WALKING THE LABYRINTH IS REALLY A METAPHOR FOR THE PATH OF LIFE: FILLED WITH UNEXPECTED TURNS; YET THE CENTER, OR GOAL, IS CLEARLY VISIBLE. A PERSON USES THE SAME PATH TO RETURN FROM THE CENTER, AND THE ENTRANCE BECOMES THE EXIT. IN OCTOBER 2010 CATHY SYLVIA IS SCHEDULED TO CONDUCT A LABYRINTH WORKSHOP FOR SUN RIVER RESIDENTS, TO FURTHER OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THIS WONDERFUL EXERCISE.
Resident Spotlight: George and Peggy Steffan
July 26th, 2010Welcome George and Peggy
The Steffan’s have made a large move! They loaded in the moving van and headed South across SunRiver Parkway to Country Club Drive…Ok it was only a mile but it seemed like a long way! George and Peggy purchased their second home from SunRiver. They loved the first SunRiver home they owned for almost ten years, they just wanted the quality and comfort of the new homes being built in SunRiver. George and Peggy are very active, enjoy taking rides in there jeep, morning walks and enjoying the wonderful weather in SunRiver. Peggy is enjoying the beautiful view of Pine Valley Mountain from the patio and family room. George is very happy he didn’t have to buy a motor home, isn’t compromise the secret of life. Congratulations on your Brand New Home!!
Cornfest 2010 in Enterprise
July 26th, 2010Cornfest 2010 in Enterprise
Mark your calendar for August 28th, 2010 for the 20th annual Enterprise Corn Fest. It’s a great way to get out of the ‘big city’ of St. George for the day and the drive across Pine Valley Mountain is beautiful and cool this time of year. As usual it will be held at the Enterprise Elementary School complex at 100 East and 200 South.
Cornfest will run from 10:00 AM to 11:00 PM. Plan to stay for the fifth annual “Corn Stock” music entertainment. There will be abundant craft and food vendors to choose from all day with expanded shade tents, bleacher seating, and increased parking. There will be a slow pitch softball tournament, a volleyball tournament, the annual car show, and many other activities for the whole family to enjoy.
http://www.enterpriseutah.org/information.php?pg=29&PHPSESSID=b9b401cfb3c7161c1ca09362ff7fd13a
Home Remedy Drain Cleaner
July 26th, 2010Home Remedy Drain Cleaner:
Put ½ cup baking soda with ¼ cup salt into drain. Follow by ½ cup vinegar. Wait 15-20 minutes, then run hot water down drain for approximately 1 minute followed by cold water for 1 minute.
This remedy is a lot more environmentally friendly than chemicals and won’t rot out your pipes
New St. George Airport On Track for January Opening
July 19th, 2010The St. George Replacement Airport is still on schedule for a January 2011 opening. There’s a great website full of details and photos of every stage of construction – check it out!
Replacement Airport Website:
http://www.sguconstruction.com/index.php
Airport Construction Photos:
Refrigerator/Freezer Energy Tips
July 19th, 2010Refrigerators and freezers consume considerable electricity. In fact, next to an air conditioner or pool pump, a refrigerator is often a home’s heaviest electricity user. Manufacturers of refrigerators have tackled this issue head-on in recent years. As a result, modern Energy Star-rated refrigerators tend to be much more efficient than their predecessors. A new model will often pay for itself in a few years through energy savings.
Whether or not you have an energy-efficient refrigerator, you can take advantage of some of the following tips and tricks to boost efficiency:
Don’t keep your refrigerator or freezer too cold. Recommended temperatures are 37-40 degrees for the fresh food compartment and 5 degrees for the freezer section. To check temperature, place an appliance thermometer in a glass of water in the center of the refrigerator. Read if after 24 hours. To check the freezer temps, place a thermometer between frozen packages. Read it after 24 hours.
Keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible. Of course, the “don’t stand with the refrigerator door open” rule has been around since your dad was yelling it from the living room, but now it is more important than ever. The cold air that escapes when the door is opened is replaced by warm air that must be cooled all over again.
Make sure your refrigerator door seals are airtight. Test them by closing the door over a piece of paper or a dollar bill so it is half in and half out. Is you can pull the paper or bill out easily, the latch may need adjustment, the seal may need replacing, or you might consider buying a new unit.
Keep the freezer stocked. Frozen items in the freezer help keep neighboring items frozen. You can also add containers or bags of ice if you are unable to keep your freezer full of food.
Cover liquids and wrap foods stored in the refrigerator. Uncovered foods release moisture and make the compressor work harder.
The SunRiver Community nears completion of $250,000 Pledge
July 19th, 2010
SunRiver’s Support and Partnership with Dixie Regional Medical Center
As of the writing of this chapter in SunRiver’s history, July 2010, the greater SunRiver community is within months of meeting its charitable commitment to Dixie Regional Medical Center made almost ten years ago. Meeting the $250,000 charitable pledge is another milestone in the community partnership between SunRiver, its residents and the Dixie Regional Medical Center.
SunRiver Development’s Dream of building a community with a lifestyle that prolongs a healthier and happier celebration of the golden years—could it succeed in St. George?
Let’s look at some history and see what has led up to this $250,000 pledge and the partnership with Dixie Regional. Why is it important and how does it impact SunRiver residents?
The SunRiver partners’ dream of building an Active Adult Community with big-city amenities and lifestyle in an inspiring Southern Utah setting required community services that would support superior medical services for active seniors. The selection of St. George, Utah, by SunRiver partners resulted in large part from their belief that the city would precisely meet those medical services including plans for a new “flagship hospital” and the doctors and professional staff it would attract. These planned local community medical services completed the required package for the “wellness environment” Darcy Stewart, managing partner of SunRiver St. George, wanted to provide by supporting those services and the “lifestyle” residents would have available living in SunRiver St. George. Now SunRiver and St. George could attract and support future resident’s wellness needs for those sold on SunRivers’ Active Adult Lifestyle or those that soon would be. It is fair to say that the availability of superior medical services that are close and convenient was essential for SunRivers success as they are a major part of most seniors’ decisions to retire in any given community.
SunRiver/Dixie Medical—the challenge and a Strong past and future Bond
Mr. Steve Wilson, the Hospital Administrator for Dixie Regional Medical Center from 1985 to 2006, believed that medical services must mirror, or be a reflection of the community it serves. The challenge in St. George was to add the medical services ahead of the actual demand. SunRiver was projected to add approximately 5,000 new active adult residents over the next 12 to 15 years and Washington County was gaining a reputation of being one of the nation’s fastest growing and best places to retire.
Mr. Stewart was a major contributor and supporter of the medical community prior to the launch of SunRiver and that involvement gave him the confidence that medical services would keep pace with the projected growth of SunRiver St. George and the surrounding communities. Mr. Wilson explained that “in 1985 there was one hospital which had approximately 33 staff and 29 doctors. This number has doubled every decade with new facilities employing the current staff of 2200 with 215 doctors.” He further states, “…what is equally important is the range of services and the expertise of those doctors and the supporting hospital staff.”
Mr. Stewart worked closely with Mr. Wilson to support and promote medical services based on anticipated community needs. Together, along with other private and local government leaders, they convinced the community to commit to funding the millions of dollars required, understanding the community’s growth and buying into the belief of “build it and they will come”. This was no small feat. It required, among other improvements, the financing and building of the 2nd Campus of Dixie Medical Center located on River Road in St. George.
This medical expansion and improvement began in 2000 when SunRiver had just broken ground and coincided shortly after with the grand opening of this large state of the art hospital campus including ancillary medical facilities in 2003. The new hospital has exceeded expectations at providing the resources to meet the needs of the community proven by its “badge of honor”, a current ranking within the top 100 hospitals in the nation.
Changing traditional medical beliefs for seniors
The hospital is just a portion of what was required to attract residents—the traditional expertise and focus on medical services for ages 50 and above could now be guaranteed. But one other change in traditional thinking was needed. Traditional medical beliefs had to adapt to best serve the SunRiver residents. Mr. Wilson said that “during the preceding decade common wisdom stated that potential residents moving into St. George would already be suffering from respiratory problems, arthritis or related illnesses and hoping to live out their remaining years with less pain or discomfort due to the dry, mild climate.” Mr. Wilson stated that “Mr. Stewart was part of a new wave of thinking and was developing a community that was healthy and robust whose residents wanted to get the most out of their remaining years—a lifestyle that would improve health and extend life. This “active adult” concept changed the focus of the traditional medical practitioners to include services and specialties that would not have been available without this change in paradigm from the traditional “already sick” medical model.
More about SunRiver’s contribution to the Dixie Regional Partnership
Mr. Stewart is especially proud of SunRiver’s own Wall of Honor (See photos) at the new hospital. SunRiver developed a tax deductible opportunity for new SunRiver residents to make a $500 contribution to the hospital that SunRiver St. George Development matched. This not only provided additional financial support but also educated new residents on the quality and importance of medical services in Washington County. “It made our residents part of the hospital family. Many enjoy showing their names on the Wall of Honor and explaining how they helped finance and support this top 100 hospital. As you can see, approximately 250 SunRiver residents’ names are proudly recorded on this permanent plaque.
As mentioned in the beginning of this writing, Darcy Stewart has joined forces with the Dixie Regional Medical Center in gaining community support for new initiatives and in marshalling the support of SunRiver residents to help accomplish ongoing medical improvements. Over the last decade SunRiver has hosted and supported the annual Jubilee Cup Charity Golf Tournament for the hospital, supported the Jubilee of Trees and Trees of Light and Life along with other fundraisers. Many of SunRiver’s residents have provided meaningful service and significant individual financial support on IHC boards and committees and/or have volunteered in numerous capacities.
Mr. Wilson said “It’s hard to say which came first, the chicken or the egg. The hospital and medical services reflect SunRiver resident’s needs and having the hospital and advanced focused services helps attract more active adults to St. George with a hospital that now ranks number one in open heart surgery in Utah and among the nation’s top 100 overall.
Mr. Wilson further states, “The hospital and its medical services have a current capacity typically located in a community with a population of over 250,000 with Washington Counties’ population currently at approximately 150,000.” This commitment to the future is a medical services testimonial of the future growth anticipated in Southern Utah as well as the communities’ active support and investment in that future.
Does a $250,000 contribution make much of a difference?
When asked, Mr. Wilson smiled and said, “The new hospital’s budget is close to $500,000,000 in 2010 so it might seem small to some but this financial support and the equally large ongoing volunteer efforts this $250,000 represents is the ‘margin of excellence’ we are able to provide.”
To further define the results of SunRiver’s efforts and contributions, Ms. Carrie Hepworth, Director of Dixie Regional’s Foundation, expressed her gratitude for the support of SunRiver and SunRiver residents. To summarize she said, “SunRiver’s commitment and involvement really allowed the fund raising to take off. Your program and contributions inspired so many others to go out and do the same.”
The true and immeasurable value of our hospital
“I was biking in the hills here by SunRiver and I was really out of breath,” said Walter Dawe, SunRiver resident. “After resting and trying again there was no improvement. I decided to call it a day and went back home. After talking to my wife we decided to call my doctor. He asked me to come in and take some tests. I took the EKG with radiation dye and went back home. My doctor consulted with Dr. Millar and they asked me to come in immediately. My wife and I went in and were informed that I needed immediate open heart surgery. I prepared for surgery and went in the next morning. I had five bypasses based on the damage to my heart.”
I asked Mr. Dawe what physical therapy was like after the surgery. He smiled and told me they had him up and walking the same day as the surgery. “I was in the hospital five days walking a little further each day. I was then released with instructions on continued walking. I remember the first day at home—I could only walk half of a block.”
Mr. Dawe looks very healthy at age 72, and reports that although the surgery was just one year ago, he is nearly back to 100%. “I took a four hour bike ride yesterday.”
Mr. Dawe is one of five residents that he personally knew that had required open heart surgery, stints or other treatments within the past year. It provides a great deal of confidence to patients, family and friends, that these life saving treatments are available conveniently close to home in the number one rated cardiovascular hospital in the state.
The value of living here in SunRiver with a top 100 hospital and staff truly is immeasurable.
What can SunRiver residents expect in the future?
The SunRiver family is proud to be part of the medical communities’ important efforts to advance quality health care. In fact, Ms. Hepworth in further communicating her sincere thanks, applauded the many SunRiver residents who so graciously volunteer. There are on-going opportunities to contribute to rewarding events, volunteer for part-time positions and other volunteering opportunities. These contributions help maintain the “margins of excellence” for which the Dixie Medical Center is known.
Looking ahead, SunRiver St. George Development continues to attract medical services close to home. The Design Center will be relocated to make room for Physical Therapy, Chiropractic, and other medical services in a shared Clinic with a target opening in late September 2010. These new medical services will be next door to Dr. Christensen’s Dental Office located in the Plaza at the corner of SunRiver Parkway and Country Club. Health and wellness are a continued priority supporting the “Live Young” attitude of SunRiver residents.
Interest Rates at Historic Lows
July 12th, 2010Just when you think things can’t get any better…interest rates continue to drop. When you consider housing prices and great home prices at SunRiver St. George take into consideration how attractive interest rates are. Rates have fallen another ½% since the homebuyer tax credit expired. When you consider a $300,000 home that’s a savings of $15,000. Over the life of the loan that $15,000 would be at least double that considering the term of the loan. Many of the new residents at SunRiver are financing rather than paying cash because of such attractive interest rates!!! Other options like Reverse Mortgage Purchase Contracts allow Residents an option to purchase a home with no more mortgage payments for as little as 30% down. Call an agent for details and current prices at SunRiver St. George. Don’t procrastinate the great deals are moving fast.
Good Bye St. Louis, Hello SunRiver
July 12th, 2010Tired of the traffic, and air you can cut with a knife, Carla and Jerry Bassen decided it was time to head west! Jerry and Carla bought a home that was designed and built ready to be occupied. Despite drama with their moving company, Jerry and Carla have made lots of new friends, and are looking for others to share their interests. Jerry likes aviation and is looking forward to flying his experimental airplane from St. Louis to St. George. Carla is a night owl that loves animals, and Jerry is more of an early bird. Jerry is also a Veteran who served in Vietnam.
Welcome to SunRiver Jerry and Carla!
