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President's Message
Did you know our Village pays a yearly fee of $250 to belong to Village Movement California? Is it worth it? YES! We look to this organization for innovative answers to tough challenges and appreciate their resources and solutions. Just as our village is forging new pathways for aging in our community, this statewide coalition knows that new, creative approaches will be required to make the California Villages and Village Movement sustainable. There is a network of 50+ Villages across the state of California, and the Village leaders communicate throughout the year via zoom conversations and email exchanges. We are fortunate to be part of this network.
Three weeks ago, five members of Tierrasanta Village attended the 7th Annual Village Movement California Conference in Sacramento. We were all impressed by the expertise and professionalism of the Executive Directors, Board of Directors, and guest speakers who presented at the conference. At our general meeting on October 6, the five members who attended the conference will be sharing what they learned. We hope to see you there!
Lastly, related to the Village movement, I want to talk about two deeply connected concepts: Kindness and Inclusion. Kindness, the foundation for inclusion, creates the trust and safety needed for everyone to feel comfortable and included. In our Village, we need to make sure everyone feels welcome, valued and part of our community. You may not always get to sit next to your best friend at an event– that’s okay. It’s an opportunity to get to know someone new or something new about a member. If you see someone walking into an event, not sure of where to sit, invite them to sit at your table, or if your table is full, stand up and help them find a seat. Including someone in a group, a game, or a conversation is a direct act of kindness. We need more of that in our world, so thank you to everyone who strives to be kind.
Ginny VanBenthuysen
TVSD Board President
| Village Movement California Conference
Tierrasanta Village members attended the 7th Annual Village Movement California Conference in Sacramento. The two day event was full of helpful guidance for the 50 villages in California. The best part of the conference may have been the opportunity to interact with other village leaders and learn from one another.
The conference agenda is available for review which TVSD members should find very interesting. Bradlyn Mulvey was a panelist in the VILLAGES IN ACTION: SOCIAL CARE FOR HIGH-NEED MEMBERS presentation. Thank you Bradlyn for your time and for sharing your expertise! |  | |
New TVSD Supporting Partner
The TVSD Board of Directors is happy to announce a new Supporting Partner, Atkinson Tech Help. John Atkinson is an IT consultant to businesses as well as residential computer users, including many Tierrasanta residents. Recently, one of John's clients, a Tierrasanta Village member, mentioned to John that the TVSD was in need of volunteer support to help operate the equipment which allows members to attend events virtually. John was happy to volunteer.
The TVSD leadership team was grateful to learn that John was interested in learning more about the Supporting Partner program. A major goal of Village Movement is to support member use of technology, as it is a critical component of aging-in-place. As a Supporting Partner, John can provide technology education, as well as hands on support, and is happy to do so. He's been working with computers professionally for fifty-one years (having started his career seven years before the IBM Personal Computer was invented.) For the past twenty-three years, he's been consulting with computer users, at home and at work, to restore peace of mind when computer technology issues flare up. His goal is to help each computer user with solutions that fit the individual's situation. He simply wants to be of help. As John says, "it's right there in my company name, Atkinson Tech Help".
Over the next few months, the TVSD leadership team will create a survey to determine which technology topics members are most interested in so that educational events can be tailored accordingly. John suggests keeping a list of topics that might be of interest so you can include them on the survey.
John is glad to be supporting the mission of Tierrasanta Village of San Diego, and TVSD is certainly grateful for his support!
Atkinson Tech Help
john@atkinsontechhelp.com
619-318-5431 |  | | Social Committee Update
It’s always a fun time at TVSD Social Events. Diana & Jay Keyes, along with their amazing team of volunteers accomplished another great Happy Hour Bingo event. Thank you to everyone involved!
Here's what's coming up:
NEW EVENT: CASUAL CONVERSATIONS
Casual conversations will be held at various times. This could be a morning coffee chat, an afternoon dessert chat or a happy hour chat. This is an informal gathering aimed at building connections, gaining insights and exploring opportunities. It’s a relaxed discussion without a strict agenda that allows members to connect on a more personal level and build rapport. Why attend a Casual Conversation? To get to know each other, strengthen existing relationships, foster new friendships, share interests and ideas, ask questions and get updated on lives and events.
First event is Tuesday, October 7th 1 pm -2:30 pm
Please register and we hope to see you there!
LAFAYETTE HOTEL TOUR AND LUNCH
Tuesday, October 14th, 1:00 pm
Meeting at McDonalds @ 12:30 to carpool
Due to popular demand, this event can now accept additional registrations.
ICE CREAM SOCIAL
Thursday, October 30th, 1:00 pm
Location: TVSD Club House
Cost: $ 5.00 payable @ the door.
Registration closes Friday, Oct 24th @ 5pm
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR THIS EVENT: One volunteer is needed to help collect payment at the door and two volunteers are needed to help scoop ice cream. Please contact event host Linda Byrd (lbyrd@san.rr.com) to offer your support, thank you!
GEM SHOW & LUNCH
Saturday, November 1, 11:30 am – 2:30 pm
No cost for Gem Show
Lunch at Las Primos
Like seeing (or even buying) beautiful gems, minerals, and jewelry? Then join member Dick Benton and fellow Village members for lunch at Las Primos, 2556 Laning Street, at 11:30. Then walk over to San Diego Mineral and Gem Society’s “Gem Diego” – San Diego’s premiere gem and mineral show – at the Liberty Station Conference Center. Admission is free; there will be numerous high-quality dealers selling jewelry, gems, minerals, and fossils. There will also be exhibits of lapidary work, plus free gem and mineral identification.
Registration closes Monday, Oct 27th @ 5pm
MORMON BATTALION HISTORIC MUSEUM
Friday, November 21, 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
Tour of the Mormon Battalion Historic Museum in Old Town. It was built to honor the unit of Mormons who joined the U.S. Army to fight in the Mexican-American War and marched approximately 2,000 miles from Iowa to San Diego. This is not only informative about our shared history, but the presentation is delightful. We will have lunch after the tour at Casa Guadalajara. The museum is free, but attendees must pay for lunch. Meet at McDonalds to carpool at 10 A.M.
Our social events are only possible because a member has stepped up to lead the event, and members volunteer their time to help plan and set up. The Social Team appreciates all you do to continue our social connections!
|  | | Medicare Annual Enrollment
Hello Friends of Tierrasanta Village!
It is Almost Time for Medicare Annual Enrollment!
Medicare Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) offers the opportunity to shop and compare your current Medicare Advantage and Prescription Drug Plan to what is available in 2026. You will receive information from your insurance carrier called the ANOC (Annual Notice of Changes) by September 30th. It is very important that you review this information. It will describe the changes to your plan from 2025 to 2026. Since plans and individual circumstances can change from year to year, it is important to review it completely. I look forward to doing a complete Health Insurance Review with you if you have questions. If you are happy with your plan, you don’t need to do anything because it will renew automatically!
I am contracted and certified with almost all of the carriers, so I will work to ensure you have the best plan option based on your own personal needs.
Starting on October 1st, I am available for appointments Monday through Friday 11:00am to 7:00 pm to meet by phone, Zoom or in-person.
Just let me know what works best for you and how I can help!
| Thinking Beyond Our Cars
by Jinny Batterson
San Diego and surrounding areas are “car country,” developed since the private automobile became our dominant transportation. Cars can take us to venues from secluded mountain retreats to beaches, with all sorts of commercial and residential areas in between. Car dependency, though, can have downsides as we age—we often become less adept as drivers. How do we plan to navigate if/when (heaven forbid) we have to restrict our driving, or give it up entirely?
Our Village is working to come up with varied long-term future transportation options for Village members. In the meantime, here are some available alternatives “beyond our cars”:
—Consider walking or biking to the small commercial centers that provide many basic services for our “Island in the Hills.” Walking or cycling can be good for our health.—Public and/or non-profit accessible vans may be an option, but typically require advance planning and may have income restrictions. In the Documents section of the TVSD website (under “Admin/Transportation Related”) is a set of recently updated links to area transportation services, both public and private.
—A public bus line (route 25) makes hourly runs through the part of Tierrasanta west of La Cuenta Drive—both westbound and eastbound—along Tierrasanta Boulevard and Clairemont Mesa Boulevard, Monday through Friday, from early morning through early evening. At either end of bus route 25, as well as at the intersection of Clairemont Mesa Boulevard and Ruffin Road, are links with better mass transit—connecting with other buses, and with buses and the green line trolley at the Fashion Valley Transit Center. From Ruffin at Clairemont, Kearny Mesa Transit Center or Fashion Valley, it is possible to get nearly everywhere in the greater San Diego area via bus or trolley. Seniors can get discounted single use ($1.25) or multi-use ($3.00) day tickets. Monthly passes are a great bargain for those who make bus or trolley trips on a regular basis. Once or twice a year, San Diego’s transit system offers a “free day” when all transit services are free and no passes are required. One is coming up soon, on Wednesday, October 1. If you’ve never ridden a bus, trolley, or local train, or if it’s been a while, this would be a great opportunity to check out your options. Given a little advance notice, member Jinny Batterson (919-986-1265) would be happy to help you arrange a trip and/or to be a bus or trolley “buddy” for first time riders. You can get additional information at the transit system website: SDMTS.COM.
—Some of the Village’s “vetted drivers” are willing to provide rides to area venues via the Time Bank, an available feature for Village members.
—Ride-sharing services like Uber and Lyft tend to be fairly expensive, but are typically available on short notice via a phone app. Traditional taxi services also still exist.
—The technology of electric-assist or all-electric scooters, bikes, trikes, and other single-person vehicles continues to improve. You may want to investigate purchasing such a vehicle as a partial alternative to driving or riding in a car.
Stay tuned for further updates about our transportation planning adventures. Meanwhile, happy, safe travels, whatever your mode(s) of choice!
| Decluttering Workshops
Are you overwhelmed with too much stuff? Do you wish to relieve your heirs of some of the burden of disposition of your stuff when you are gone? Do you wish your belongings were more in harmony with your current lifestyle? Do you crave a simpler cleaning routine? Join the TVSD Care Committee for decluttering workshops to learn how to best declutter your spaces! Workshop dates are 10/17, 10/24, 11/7 and 12/5. Each workshop is scheduled 1:00-2:30 p.m. Register for the 10/17 event here. |  | | Elisabeth Smith |  | Jane & Michael Mele | | |
Tierrasanta Village is Hiring
The TVSD Board of Directors has approved the hiring of a new Administrative Coordinator. This is a 15-20 hour per week position and the job description is available for review. Please share this with those who may be good candidates. | Tierrasanta Village Time Bank – Our Yellow Pages
Timebanking is a simple yet powerful idea: every person’s time is valued equally. Whether you’re teaching guitar, walking a dog, or offering tech support – one hour of your time earns one credit. Timebanking empowers communities to build trust, share skills, and rediscover what it means to depend on one another, feel valued, and never be alone. Get your copy of Tierrassanta’s Yellow Pages and get involved.
TVSD Time Bank Committee:
Carmela Cavero: 858-649-3869
Lesley Fitzpatrick: 760-809-1523
Mike Sisson: 619-370-4574 | Care Committee Corner
Apnea - Take It Seriously
Know someone who snores loudly? I’m sure we all do. When you think of sleep apnea, your first thought might be about that person. They probably have sleep apnea—not me. No need for me to worry. Well, according to sleep specialists, we should all educate ourselves on sleep apnea—many more people are affected by it than you might realize.
What is sleep apnea? Simply put, it’s repeated stopping and starting of your breathing while you sleep. It doesn’t just affect your sleep, it can be a contributing factor to other health issues, such as high blood pressure, kidney disease, and dementia. It’s important to know if you have it, and if you do, to treat it.
How do I know if I have sleep apnea? If I don’t have a partner at home to tell me I’m snoring and stopping breathing, how do I know? There are other signs besides snoring (and even without a sleep partner, have you ever awakened yourself with your own snoring?!?). You may have sleep apnea if you are not waking up feeling rested, if you are having trouble regulating your blood pressure, or if you are a senior (that’s us, Villagers!). If you think you may have it, go see your doctor. They can refer you to a sleep center, where you will participate in a sleep study. For a sleep study, sensors are placed on your scalp, temples, chest, and legs, and you’re hooked up to a computer. If sleeping in a strange place doesn’t sound good, there is equipment available to take home. A sleep center is preferable, though, as the home tests only pick up the most severe cases of sleep apnea.
If you are diagnosed with sleep apnea, how do you treat it? Lifestyle changes such as losing weight and limiting alcohol use may help, but the best treatment is a CPAP device. CPAP stands for “Continuous Positive Airway Pressure”. These devices work using a mask you wear which is connected to a pump. The pump blows air into your throat to keep the airway open. There are several sizes and types of CPAP devices. They can take some getting used to, but when you find one that you are comfortable using, the health benefits outweigh any inconvenience. Notable benefits from a 2014 study in the medical journal “Sleep” found that CPAP use for three months improved sleep quality, reduced blood pressure, and lowered risks for heart attack and stroke. These are all good reasons to explore sleep apnea and find out if you have it.*
*This article was excerpted from an AARP article, “Why You Should Take Sleep Apnea Seriously”, by Hallie Levine, published January 25, 2019, and updated September 6, 2023.
Joan McGeachy
TVSD Care Committee
| | Honor Flight Letter Writing
Last month, 14 Villagers helped to complete 223 thank you cards for our veterans! The following note is from Donna Hester, the "Mail Call" Coordinator for the Honor Flight Program.
As always, thank you sooooo very much for all your cards. We sure do appreciate each and every card. Plus, I just love the variety of your cards😊
Thanks,
Donna | | | Financial Focus®
A retiree's guide for National Financial Security Month:
If you're retired, it's easy to let your finances go on autopilot. Since October is National Retirement Security Month, it's a good time to revisit some areas that can impact your long-term financial security and help your money last a lifetime. Consider these suggestions:
• Manage your withdrawal rate. You'll likely need to tap into your retirement accounts — your IRA and 401(k) or similar employer-sponsored plan. But think carefully about how much income you withdraw every year. If you take out too much, especially in the early years of your retirement, you risk outliving your resources. You have the option of withdrawing from these accounts at age 59½. Once you turn 73, you'll be required to take out at least a certain amount each year based on your age and account balance.
• Estimate health care costs. When you turn 65, you will be eligible for Medicare, but you may still need a Medicare supplement plan, both of which will require premium payments. You'll probably also incur a variety of other unreimbursed expenses for doctor visit copays or deductibles, prescription drugs and vision, hearing and dental care. Additionally, about 70% of adults ages 65 and older will need some form of long-term support, according to the Department of Health and Human Services. This may include a paid home health aide (average cost of $77,792 per year), an assisted living residence (average cost of $70,500 per year) or nursing home care (private room average cost of $127,750 per year). (Cost estimates are from Genworth 2024 Cost of Care Survey.) Over the course of your retirement, these can add up, so be realistic when budgeting for health care expenses in retirement.
• Consider when to take Social Security. You can start receiving monthly Social Security checks at age 62, but your payments will generally be larger if you wait until your “full” retirement age of 66 or 67. (The size of your payments will “max out” at age 70.) If you believe you have longevity working in your favor, and you can afford to wait, you may well be better off by delaying Social Security as long as possible.
• Avoid investing too conservatively. Once you’re retired, you might think you should take as few chances with your investments as possible — after all, you have less time for them to bounce back from a downturn than you did during your working years. Nonetheless, it's important to consider keeping a reasonable percentage of growth-oriented investments in your portfolio to help you stay ahead of inflation. Even at a low rate, inflation can erode your purchasing power over time.
• Keep your generosity in check. If you have grown children who need financial help, or grandchildren heading to college someday, you’d no doubt like to do what you can to assist them. However, the hard truth is that they have more time than you to find workable financial solutions, whereas if you deplete your funds through your generosity, you could put yourself in a precarious position. So, be as giving as you can afford — but try not to go beyond that. By preserving your financial independence, you’ll end up benefiting your family as well.
Retirement is ideally an enjoyable time in your life, especially if you feel financially stable. So, take time to check in periodically to keep that stability on track.
This content was provided by Edward Jones for use by Robert Farwell, CFP®, RICP®, your local Edward Jones financial advisor at 858-514-8876, 6050 Santo Rd, Suite 140, San Diego, CA 92124. Edward Jones, its employees and financial advisors cannot provide tax or legal advice. You should consult your attorney or qualified tax advisor regarding your situation. | Wine Tasting Day Trip
If there is enough interest among members, this event will be finalized and opened for registration.
Day Trip to The Valle de Guadalupe, Baja Norte Mexico
The “Guadalupe Valley” has a rich history, as the region has been producing wine since the 1700’s. This part of Mexico in fact is one of the oldest wine-growing regions in the Americas. After colonization by the Spaniards, settlers from other European countries such as Italy and Russia arrived with their own unique grape varieties and planted them in the rich soil found here.
What’s Included?
- 10 hours of service with a private vehicle and driver, road tolls, reservation/itinerary service.
- Selected tastings at 3 hand selected wineries.
- A 3 course, pre set, chef’s menu, gourmet lunch, with a glass of wine for each person at one of Valle’s top restaurants (typically at the famous Finca Altozano!)
- Pickup and drop off in Tierrasanta. Dates are available for the first week of November. You must have a valid passport. An all inclusive price per person is around $209.00.
If you have interest in attending please reply to host Denise Gregor (deniseagregor@gmail.com) no later than Monday, October 6th.
| October Member Meeting
The next Member Meeting is Monday, October 6th at 3pm at the Seventh-day Adventist Church. The guest presenter at this meeting will be PREPARE TIERRASANTA member, Michele Lorenzo. PREPARE TIERRASANTA is a committee of the Tierrasanta Community Council that promotes disaster preparedness for residents of Tierrasanta. Edwing Ulloa and Cody Gallagher from the County Office of Emergency Services will join Michele in this presentation.
Please bring your name badges and non-perishable food items for the Seventh-day Adventist ongoing Food Drive. Thank you for registering. | | TVSD Holiday Party
Save the date - This year's Holiday Party will be held on Monday, December 8th. Thanks to Supporting Partner Carol Mundell of Century 21 for helping to make this lunch event at the Bali Hai possible! Keep an eye out for more party announcements coming soon. | | | | Tuesday Lunch Bunch
Bud's Louisiana Cafe
October 21st, 11:30 a.m. | | ROMEO
BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse
October 9th, 11:30 a.m.
| | |
Solo Network (SNAP)
Golden City
October 25th, 11:30 a.m.
| | Filippi's Fundraiser
Monday, October 20th
4 PM to 8 PM
Filippi's Pizza Grotto Kearny Mesa
5353 Kearny Villa Rd.
San Diego, CA 92123
Filippi’s will be donating 25% of participating sales to our group. Thank you Filippi’s! Check out the menu at https://realcheesepizza.com/kearny-mesa. Show this flyer at the time of purchase.
Thank you for supporting Tierrasanta Village! | |
October 2025 Village Events
Check out the full Event Calendar for all of the upcoming events, classes, and activities!
| | | Tierrasanta Library
The monthly Book Sale is Friday 10/3 and Saturday 10/4 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. | | Wheelchair Dancers Organization (WDO)
| | Thinking about joining Tierrasanta Village?
Attend the next Informational Happy Hour! This event is an excellent way to meet our members and learn about the Village Movement.
Every 3rd Wednesday 4 to 5:30 p.m.
Let us know you'll be there with a Call/Text to 858-569-9119 or email tierrasantavlg@gmail.com. | | | Tierrasanta Village
Clubhouse Address:
5275 Rimpark Lane
San Diego, CA 92124
858-569-9119
www.tierrasantavillage.org
Mailing Address:
10601 Tierrasanta Boulevard, G-405
San Diego, CA 92124 | |