Raging Palm Grove Fire Extinguished with Water from 

The Springs at Borrego  

On August 21 a pair of lightning strikes ignited a massive fire in a grove of palms approximately 2 miles northeast of The Springs. Fire-fighting helicopters from the San Diego Sheriff's Department drew more than fifty loads of water from the lake at the ninth green of The Springs Golf Course to help extinguish the fire and save multiple structures that were threatened. 

Click the play button to view fire fighting helicopters loading water at The Springs at Borrego

The courage and skill of the helicopter pilots is truly amazing to watch! We are happy to give a small amount of water to help.

 

 

 

The Springs at 

Borrego Website  

Dennis Mammana's Astronomy Website

The Borrego Springs Senior Center: 

A Place for Us All

 

In the early 1970's, a group of Borrego Springs visionaries led by civic leader Beverly Kuhrts established a goal for Borrego Springs. They dreamed of a dedicated space for the senior citizens of Borrego to socialize, have healthy meals together, pursue arts and crafts, stay fit, and more.

 

Today, the Borrego Springs Senior Center is a light, bright place with smiling faces and helpful hands providing all of the above and lots more.

 

Senior Center Executive Director Lynne Vasquez is a cheerful and bubbly people-person with vast experience in Senior Center Management. When you visit the Senior Center her big smile and warm greeting will make you feel welcome.

 

Senior Center Executive Director Lynne Vasquez (center) with Loyal Volunteers Harry and Stacey Ehrlich  and Nancy Wright (left to right).

 

One of the primary functions of the Senior Center is to serve healthy and delicious meals, both at the Center and delivered to homebound seniors in the community. These meals are carefully planned for nutritional content and professionally prepared by Gary and Darlis Bailey and Kendall's Cafe, Borrego Springs stalwart restaurateurs.  They provide the meals to the senior Center at a price far below their cost of food and labor.

 

Dedicated volunteers pick up the meals at Kendall's each weekday and delivering to the frail and homebound all over the valley. A donation is suggested, but meals are provided regardless of the seniors' ability to pay. Meal delivery volunteers are allowed to ask for reimbursement for their fuel. But they don't.

 

Volunteer meal deliverer  Carlee Hanson on the job.

Meal delivery provides a critical secondary function as well. Volunteers are able to check on the well-being of the homebound, and raise a red flag when needed.

 

(Note: Please don't confuse us with "Meals on Wheels". That's a national organization that does not serve Borrego Springs.)

 

Back at the Senior Center, folks gather for lunch three days per week. Enjoying good healthy food together forms an important social lifeline for the seniors, giving the day structure and purpose in a comfortable and safe place.

Throughout the week, activities are held at the Center to engage and enrich the seniors. Tuesdays and Fridays bring low-impact fitness, Wednesday brings knitting and embroidery in the morning and bridge games in the afternoon.

 

Every Friday afternoon a feature-length movie is shown on our new large high-definition TV with complimentary popcorn and beverages. (Thank you, donors!)

 

On Tuesday evenings October through May, the Center's most popular activity is Bingo, Borrego's only legal gaming activity. Proceeds form a small but significant source of revenue for the Center. 

 

Since assuming the position of Executive Director in November 2012, Lynne Vasquez has overseen many improvements to the center, including a new roof, new flooring, new appliances and a kitchen remodel. At the same time she has increased the meals served by nearly fifty per cent.

 

The Senior Center receives funding for the meals program from San Diego County Aging and Independence Services, but is primarily funded by donations from the public. Major donors this past year have been Doug Kirchner, The RoadRunner Club Association, the Borrego Community Health Society, and others too numerous to list here. The Senior Center is recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)(3) charitable corporation. Donations are fully tax deductible, and can be sent to PO Box 1362, Borrego Springs, 92004. Any size donation is gratefully acknowledged.

 Coming up on November 29th, we are going to have a great time and raise some awareness and funds for the Senior Center with our "Dancing for our Senior Stars" Gala Dinner Party and Dance. We'll enjoy a gourmet meal catered by Kendall's Cafe, have a chance to win some wonderful prizes with a raffle and auction, then dance the night away to Southern California's favorite dance band, Izon Eden starring Patty Holley and Dayton Borders. Tickets are only $50 and can be purchased by calling The Springs Pro Shop at 760 767-0004.

 

The Senior Center is more than a board of directors, an executive director and a building. It's a network of volunteers, donors and members, all contributing what they can to make lives better. Please consider joining us in this effort.

 

You might wonder why you are reading about a Senior Center in an RV resort newsletter. Well, as someone who recently turned 60 years old with parents in their 80's, the issues of aging are clear and present in my mind

 

And then there is this. After the last Senior Center board meeting she ever attended, I walked Beverly out to her car. She turned those beautiful blue eyes to mine and said, "I'm counting on you to take care of the Senior Center and make sure it does well."

 

We're on the job, Beverly. 

 

Beverly Kuhrts, 1929-2013.  Senior Center founder and Borrego Springs civic leader for more than 50 years.