January 2009 Entries
Several UVTO residents share a cherished history with nearby California Lutheran University. Let's meet them!
LUCY BALLARD served the University for thirty-five years, most of them as Director of Health and Counseling Services. She began as a nurse in 1969, became Director in 1972, took a brief leave of absence for a two-year stay in Saudi Arabia with her Air Force husband, Jake, and returned to CLU to serve until her retirement. Of her several recognitions, dearest to Lucy's heart is the Inspiration Award in 1980. She was designated Honorary Alumna in 1996 and Nurse Emerita in 2005. Lucy started a...
- By Nancy Ferguson, Wildwood Resident -
From everywhere: Los Angeles and Ventura Counties but also the San Francisco area and the So. Cal. desert; Colorado, Arizona, Texas, even New York; we hail from all across the USA. Somehow we found our way to this place in the hills of Thousand Oaks. Occasionally it was family who discovered University Village; perhaps friends mentioned it when we talked about “retirement.” Or we wandered here on our own, liked it, and decided to stay. And why wouldn’t we? The surroundings are lovely, the living spaces generous and the available activities numerous. We...
It is the "giving" season, and Stan and Elaine Goff, Villa residents, have been as generous in giving of themselves as any other folks at University Village – perhaps more than many.
Asked about his career, Stan names three: first as a CPA; second as COO and Executive VP of RB Furniture, a New York Stock Exchange company; and third as managing partner of Josam, an investment company in diversified real estate entities. He has also given a lifetime of service to his communities, currently through SCORE, a non-profit organization funded by the Small Business Administration, through which Stan has donated...
Residents of Lakeview, second floor, know her as a caring, hospitable neighbor and communicative Building Representative. Participants in excursions to Hsi Lai Buddhist Temple, the Santa Barbara Orchid Show or Solvang shopping have experienced her group leadership. Who? Exuberant, knowledgeable SHIRLEY JAFFE, of course!
Drama and the stage were always high on Shirley’s interest list, as actress, singer and dancer. Ask Shirley about her first audition under the fictitious name, Patricia Bronson. “Patricia” almost missed her “Please remain to talk to us” invitation, not recognizing the name being called! But a show business career was not in Shirley’s parents’ plans for...
- By Nancy Ferguson, Wildwood Resident -
What a mess! Look at all this stuff. I have lights and decorations and wrapping paper and ribbon. I have “snow” and candy canes and pie and turkey. I have pine needles everywhere and sticky spots on the furniture. I have cake in the rug and baby handprints on the wall. The kitchen is chaos, the bedrooms look like an army slept in them, the living room furniture is all out of place and the dining room is a total disaster.
Somehow, no matter how hard I try, the holidays just keep getting away...