January 2024 Oracle

being improved, and generally has shown great creativity and versatility across all Departments. Serena Reeder, ORPS Lifestyle Manager, has consistently voiced her gratitude for the guidance and support of Abby in helping her to hit the ground running for the season. Finally, Abby is the epitome of “ Ladies & Gentlemen Serving . . . “ Please congratulate Crystal and Abby for the tremendous contributions they provide in maintaining the quality of life you enjoy while at the Resort.

What a year . . . I for one, am glad to see 2023 in the rear - view mirror! Now to make 2024 a hit! If you ’ re not in the Resort, I wish you safe travels back “ home. ” As most of you know, I ’ ve described the current staff as the best I ’ ve ever rubbed shoulders with in my almost 40 - year career. Responsible; Dependable; Caring; Enthusiastic; and Dedicated are just a few adjectives to describe them and I celebrate them, both individually and collectively. Along that line, the Annual Employee Appreciation Party was held on December 15 where two team members were recognized for their continued excellence. The process is this. Each Senior Staff (Department Head) member “ nominates ” an employee for Employee of the Year, which does not have to be from their department and describes the reason for their nomination. Typically, the Senior Staff are not eligible for such recognition. The General Manager then determines, in his sole discretion, to take the names in nomination and determines who is awarded the accolades.

Ed Vitrano General Manager

Your Planning Committee is pleased that our first water dispenser machine has turned out to be a success. We are looking into acquiring a 2nd water machine. Until the current water machine serves 100 gallons of water per day a second machine will not come into the resort. After many years of owners requesting a cash machine, we now have one located just inside El Saguaro. The committee, and I think I can speak as well for the Tennis Committee, would all agree, how wonderful the Pergola shade structure turned out at the (Tennis Center Gathering Area). This space will be used by the tennis players during their events and will be open to all Owners at other times. The committee is currently working with the ORPS Board of Directors on the creation of a Strategic Long Range Plan for our Resort. We are using some preliminary strategic plans and surveys from 2017 and 2019. A new survey will be coming out and that data along with the data collected from the surveys of 2017 and 2019 and the McMahon Survey, will help to create some goals and objectives for our Resort. Lastly, along with some ongoing projects, our Board has asked the Planning Committee to jumpstart the process of renovating our restaurant.

The picture accompanying this article identifies them as Crystal Menard and Abby Lomeli . . . Crystal as Employee of the Year and Abby for Meritorious Commendation acknowledging her consistent assistance and versatility across the departments.

Crystal, who is pictured in the upper left of the shot, was first hired as a Mail Room team member in October 2021 and quickly showed her worth as she was elevated to the position of Supervisor. In early 2023, the position of Maintenance Dispatch was available, and she accepted it as a full - time position. Since then, she has since re - structured the Work Order system (Micro - Main), oversees the distribution of work to both the Maintenance and Landscape personnel, and has streamlined payment of invoices. She does the task with clear and concise communication and follow - up. I ’ m proud to name her as the 2023 Employee of the Year. Abby came to the Resort in July of 2020, right in the midst of the pandemic. Having just graduated from college, holding a degree in Communications with an emphasis on Public Relations, Abby was the first to fill the newly Board - approved Communications Coordinator position. She had to take a new job description, with a rather new GM and improve and carve out new ideas, where some Board members doubted that hiring someone without “ experience ” could pull off. Besides creating the “ What ’ s Happening ”, which keeps Members updated during the off - season, Abby revamped the “ Daily Planner ”, and “ The Buzz ”, created a new website which is still

Michael Curley Planning Committee Chair

ORACLE

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JANUARY 2024

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