Cedar Cove, or Neighborhood 5 (N-5), held its annual neighborhood picnic on Saturday, August 10, at the Fountain View Pavilion from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. N-5 was one of the first neighborhoods opened in Sun City.
James Harper said, “At the picnic, we recognized all our residents who have been here since Sun City opened. The ‘originals’ began a tradition in 1999 when they moved in, lasting 25 years. They cared for each other, checking in on neighbors and being there for each other. They set the tone. We wouldn’t be the kind of neighborhood we are without them.”
The “originals” of N-5 reside on the unique streets of Shirley and Drendel. These streets are named after the original farmland owners, Vern and Shirley Drendel, who still own a home in N-5. The 25 “originals” are Joyce Barker, Don and Pat Eannarino, Erika Garbrecht, Melba Knust, Bill and Lill Lepola, Marle Mascenic, Brigitte Pelka, Arlene Pelland, Al and Ruth Roberts, Betty Salvacion, Johanna Spiewak, Ed and Mary Kay Schnitzius, Mary Werner, and Arlene Zelm.
Rosie Daley said, “Mary Werner is our oldest resident at 95. She knows every neighbor and every dog.”
The 25-year history of N-5 is chronicled through photographs in an album. Daley said, “We have photos from 1999 to the present. All enjoy the album. We are ready to start documenting our events, residents, and memories for the next 25 years with a new album.”
Sixty residents from N-5 attended the picnic.
Harper said, “We are a small neighborhood of 50 homes. We enjoyed the food, games, and conversation. We played bags. We had a lot of fun participating in the game.”
Daley said, “We don’t need an event to get together. Our neighbors walking dogs start a social event. We have Ladies’ Lunch, Drinks on the Drive, and spontaneous wine socials. This summer, we got together to watch the solar eclipse. I had several safety glasses to watch the event. Everyone brought their chairs; we sat at the end of the cul-de-sac, put on our glasses, and enjoyed the event. We enjoy getting together, having fun, and creating memorable experiences.”
Harper said, “We enjoy playing a card game called 99. It was brought from Sun City, Arizona. It’s a fun, weird game. You do have to know how to count to 99. Some of us have a hard time getting there.”
99 is a card game that only requires simple addition and subtraction skills. Players take turns playing cards from their hands, adding value to a running total.
Daley said, “Getting a group together doesn’t take much. When we were moving in, we were unloading our moving van, and neighbors came by to invite us to Drinks on the Drive that night, including us immediately in the neighborhood.”
Harper agreed, “We don’t give new neighbors a choice; we get them involved immediately.”
The neighbors of N-5 have kept the vision of the “originals” going for 25 years, resulting in a cohesive group that enjoys the company and opportunities to get together. There are there for each other when needed.
Harper said, “We owe a great deal to the ‘originals’ for shaping our community and we are forever grateful for their contributions.”
