Retiring in St. George, Utah (long-term, move, friendly, communities)

[Chrysaliswriter]

We are going to visit St. George, UT, as well as Henderson, NV and Oro Valley, AZ later in May. We are trying to find out if St. George has an active retirement community. We lived in Salt Lake City for 10 yrs., now in Oregon for 6. We need to get out of this rain and now that we are both retired, looking for some place we can afford to live that has sunshine and warmer temps. Also, if you are not LDS, is there a place for retirees to plug in for social activities? We have been church goers for all of our lives, now empty nesters, and wondering if there is a social connection for retirees, besides the local community churches! NOTE: Is there a Newcomers Club in St. George? I had heard a few years ago that there was one that met at the local Presbyterian Church. Anybody know about this? Tried to get ahold of the church, but phonr # I found was not a correct #. We have contacted a realtor and hope to view some properties the 2 full days we'll be there. Thanks for any help you can offer in way of responses to my questions!

[jrkliny]

St George was on my list of places to consider. I love southern Utah and the climate.

One quick visit was enough to remove St George from consideration. If you are Mormon, maybe. If not, I would look elsewhere.

[flyfishnevada]

If you are in the area, you might want to check out Mesquite, NV. I don't believe that St.George or Mesquite have communities like Sun City, but I know Mesquite has a lot of golf related communites and many retireees. Its about 30-40 minutes from St. George and 80 minutes from Vegas. Not a lot of shopping or culture but if you love golf, you could do worse. Depends on what you want. It's a nice small, but growing, town close to a major metro area.

[BucFan]

I lived in Mormon country for 4 yrs (I'm not Mormon) and had absolutely no problems gettting along.

St George and that region looks like a beautiful place to retire. I could live there -

[Tek_Freek]

We have friends in St. George. Retired, and a wonderful couple. We met them on a cruise last year. They absolutely love it there and have been trying to convince us to move there. We are visiting later this year - so we'll see.

I have asked them if I can DM their email addy to the OP. I also suggested they create an account and post here. I gave them a link to this thread.

[BestintheWest]

St. George was on our short list. We found the people to be friendly and the climate great.
R/E was very expensive in our opinion so we moved elsewhere.

Where to retire, Retirement Community Golf, Sunriver Active Adult Community (http://www.stgeorge.us/communities/sunriver/ - broken link)

[StealthRabbit]

I know 4 retirees (3 couples one single) that tried and left St George for various reasons.

The most general reason was trouble in developing LTR, as it is a 'get-away' destination for much of LDS UT, so transient neighbors. (condos / time shares). Also was not too close to the range of entertainment and services (airports) most desired. They found themselves leaving town frequently and eventually they found other digs more palatable.

I know a couple on Oro Valley who like it except for the age gentrification (they are in late 60's and feel very young amongst peers.)

As usual individual taste / needs / desires vary.

[yellowsnow]

St. George is quite nice. And the Mormon thing was never an issue for me. I always found them to be nice people. There is a large community of retired people there year round and snowbirds as well.

I chose Nevada because the tax picture is better. Too many kids to support in Utah!

[Tek_Freek]

This was sent to me by a friend who lives in St. George. I am hoping it will display correctly and that I am not breaking any rules. I removed some names and email addresses and pictures did not come across.

Lisa's Weekly Reminders

Mesquite Fun Bus Survey
We have had low participation numbers on the last few Mesquite Fun Buses and have had to cancel them. Several Residents have asked that we offer the bus on a different day to take advantage of special buffet options at the casino. Are you interested in traveling on the Mesquite Fun Bus on a different day? Let us know by taking the survey on the website: Login, then click Forms e-Submit/Mesquite Fun Bus Survey. The new day will be determined by the majority of Resident responses. Voting is open until July 12th @ 5pm, just in time to make the change for the August trip! (The July bus still travels on Tuesday - July 13th @ 5:30pm.) Here are the buffet options available - vote for your favorite!

Monday - Small Courtyard Buffet
Tuesday - Small Courtyard Buffet
Wednesday - Large Theme Buffet: Filet Night
Thursday - Large Theme Buffet: BBQ Night
Friday - Large Theme Buffet: Seafood Night
Saturday - Large Theme Buffet: Prime Rib & Crab Night

Welcome Visitors
We will see many new faces over this Holiday weekend as many Residents have visiting family. Please help us welcome everyone to this wonderful place we call home. As with any new place, it takes a bit to get used to how things are done. Please help us educate your guests so everyone can have a good time while still following the rules.

Holiday Children's Swim
The Outdoor Pool is hosting a special Holiday Children's Swim on Saturday, July 3rd from 12-3:30pm in honor of Independence Day! Bring your grandkids down to play! Regular Children's Swim hours are available daily (excluding days that Holiday Children's Swim is held) in the Indoor Pool from 2-3:30pm. Remember, the following rules apply for all Children's Swim times. Children must be at least 42" tall to participate. The CC pool exercise equipment is for Resident and adult guest use only; children should bring their own water toys. Children must be accompanied and supervised by the sponsoring Resident at all times, and must be signed in with a Staff member prior to entering the pool area. Please logon to sunrivertoday.com to review the pool rules prior to bringing your guest to the pool.

Guests at the Community Center
We love to see your family visit and welcome them at the CC! Please follow these policies to ensure everyone has a safe and fun vacation while enjoying the amazing lifestyle available at SRSG.

* Check in Guests - Please stop by one of the desks to check in your guests with a CC Staff member. If the Staff member is away from the Fitness desk, please check your guests in with the Main desk Staff. Each guest must have a current guest waiver on file (guest waivers are valid for one year), your guests will be issued a name tag and your 2010 Guest Card will be punched. One punch covers one guest for the entire day. You may leave the CC and come back later; please inform the CC Desk Staff that you will be returning so they can log your guest's name. Upon your return, you are required to check in at the Desk again.

* Guests must be accompanied by a Resident - You are responsible for your guests and must remain with them at all times. Guests at least 18 years old may participate in all areas of the Community Center.

* Underage Guests - Residents may escort guests that are under 18 years old through all CC Facilities, including the Sports Courts and Craft Studio, but the only activity they may participate in is Children's Swim and other specially approved events listed on the calendar. Guests of all ages are welcome at the Independence Day Breakfast on July 3rd. See the write up below for more information.

Golf Cart Safety
Please be careful when driving golf carts. They may not go very fast, but they are not toys. Many serious injuries have occurred nationally due to golf cart misuse. Please keep these rules in mind as you enjoy the Community in safety.
* Only licensed vehicle drivers are allowed to drive golf carts.
* All traffic laws must be obeyed, including stopping at stop signs and signaling turns.
* Don't drive carts without lights after dusk as they are extremely hard to see in the dark.
* Keep to the far right of the road to allow traffic to go around you safely.
* Don't overload the cart with passengers, especially children. Make sure everyone has a safe and secure place to ride.
* Keep off city streets (the ones with the green signs). You may cross or travel short distances on these streets, but be very aware of the heightened traffic volume and speeds of vehicles around you.

Lost and Found
It's time to clean out the Lost and Found bins at the Community Center. If you've lost your jacket, sunglasses, keys or various other items, check out the display on the tables in the CC hallway from Monday, June 28th - to Wednesday, June 30th @ Noon. Any unclaimed items will be donated to charity.

No Fitness Classes on July 5th.
The CA Office will be closed, and no Fitness Classes will be held on July 5th in honor of Independence Day.

This Week's Fun!

First Responder Meeting Canceled
Diane Mack, First Responder co-chair, has canceled the First Responder Meeting scheduled for Tuesday, June 29th @ 3:30pm. Please watch your e-mail for updated information.

Financial Services Seminar
Have recent market events caused you to lose your long-term focus? The severity of recent market events has many investors focused on short-term safety and short-term performance. In an educational seminar sponsored by Edward Jones on July 1st @ 2pm in the MPR, learn why it may be appropriate to focus
on the next few months, but rather the next decade - and why equities are worth considering for your portfolio.

Independence Day Breakfast
Celebrate America with your family at the Annual Independence Day Breakfast on July 3rd @ 8:30am. There will be a wonderful patriotic short program with our delicious breakfast! The Marines are planning a special flag presentation and patriotic peotry will be performed. Listen to talks that celebrate this wonderful nation! You don't want to miss it! Bring your grandkids too, as this is a special Board approved event where all ages are invited to attend. If you are bringing guests, please remember to bring your punch card and check them in at the desk. Tickets are $9.50 with a deadline of June 28th @ Noon. The yummy menu is full of flavor, featuring cheese blintzes w/berry compote, scrambled eggs, ham slices, sausage, country potatoes, orange juice, apple juice & coffee.

Independence Day Breakfast

July 3rd @ 8:30am
Breakfast @ 9am
Ballroom
Tickets: $9.50
Deadline June 28th @ Noon

Healthy Luncheon

July 7th @ 12pm
Lunch @ 12:15pm
Ballroom/Patio
Tickets: $8.00
Deadline July 5th @ Noon

Scones & Something Hot

July 9th 8-9:30am
Fitness Lobby
Tickets: $1.00 for scone & hot drink, $0.75 for scone only
Deadline July 5th @ Noon

Poolside Luncheon

July 12th @ Noon
Patio
Tickets: $7.00
Deadline: July 7th @ Noon

Mesquite Fun Bus

July 13th @ 5:30pm
Fitness Parking Lot
Tickets: $10.00
Deadline July 12th @ Noon

Summer Breakfast

July 16th @ 9am
Ballroom
Tickets: $7.50
Deadline: July 12th @ Noon

July Single's Dinner

July 16th @ 5pm
Dinner @ 5:30pm
Ballroom
Tickets:$10.00
Deadline July 12th @ Noon

Red Hat Summer Bunco

July 14th @ 1:10pm
Game starts @ 1:30pm
Ballroom
Tickets: $2.00
Deadline July 11th @ 8pm
Tickets on sale Mon. June 28th @ 8:30am

Pizza & A Movie

July 19th @ 5pm
Movie @ 5:30pm
Ballroom

Tickets:

$5 includes pizza, popcorn, and drink - $5 deadline July 16th @ Noon
$1 includes popcorn & drink - $1 deadline July 19th @ Noon

Homemade Root Beer Social

July 26th @ 1pm
Ballroom
Tickets: $1.00
Deadlines: July 21st @ Noon
Tickets on sale Mon. June 28th @ Noon

August Scones & Something Hot

Aug 2nd 8-9:30am
Fitness Lobby
Tickets: $1.00 for scone & hot drink, $0.75 for scone only
Deadline July 28th @ Noon

Upcoming Events!

Healthy Luncheon
Grab a delicious meal that is good for you at the Healthy Luncheon July 7th @ 12pm. The tasty menu includes tomato basil soup with bread sticks, cold cous cous vegetable salad, chocolate chip cookies, lemonade and coffee. All this for $8.00 a person. Keep the house cool and leave the cooking to us. Tickets now on sale at the Main Desk!

Scones and Something Hot
It is English Scone time July 9th in the Fitness Lobby from 8-9:30am! $.75 cents will get you a scone, or $1 will nab you a scone and either a cup of hot coffee, hot tea or hot chocolate. Get your tickets early so Ryan knows how many scones to make. They are available at the Main Desk. We are excited for you to try Ryan's scrumptious recipe

Poolside Luncheon
Ryan will delight your taste buds on July 12th @ 12pm. Sit outside and enjoy the beautiful views or take a dip in the pool to cool off. While you relax Ryan will serve you garlic burgers on ciabatta roll, pasta salad and potato chips. Landen will tickle your tummy with his home-made rootbeer and our very own Debbie will be whipping up her special cupcakes, all for the low price of $7.00 per person.

Mesquite Fun Bus
Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner! Don't miss out on your chance for a night out in Mesquite, Nevada. Let the Mesquite Bus Company drive you to and from this fun night July 13th @ 5:30pm. Gamble, enjoy a movie, play bingo and much more. The bus will drop you off at the Eureka Casino. Please remember your photo ID, it will be required to board the bus. Meet the bus outside the Fitness Side of the CC. Tickets available at the Main Desk for $10.00. Remember, no refunds; the deadline is Monday, July 12th @ Noon.

Summer Breakfast
It's hot outside, so take a break and let Ryan prepare a wonderful meal for you to enjoy on July 16th @ 9am. Ryan has chosen to prepare French toast, scrambled eggs, bacon, fruit salad, orange juice and coffee this month.

Ryan's Kitchen Korner

If you sampled the Mediterranean fare at the recent Greek Luncheon, you tasted a delicious Tzatziki recipe. This is the basic sauce you get on a gyro at a Greek fast food restaurant. Interestingly there are different versions of this yogurt sauce all over the Middle East, Russia and many Slavic countries. Many of the recipes use fresh mint instead of the dill. Feel free to use dried dill, but I don't recommend using dried mint instead of fresh. Happy cooking!

• 3 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tbsp. vinegar
• 2 cloves garlic, minced finely
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. white pepper
• 1 cup Greek yogurt, strained
• 1 cup sour cream
• ½ minced yellow onion
• 2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded and diced
• 1 tsp. chopped fresh dill

Combine olive oil, vinegar, garlic, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Mix until well combined. Using a whisk, blend the yogurt with the sour cream. Add the olive oil mixture to the yogurt mixture and mix well. Finally, add the cucumber, onion and chopped fresh dill. Chill for at least two hours. Garnish with a sprig of fresh dill just before serving. (You can use regular plain yogurt - just get rid of the extra moisture by straining through cheesecloth. Greek yogurt is thicker and creamier.)

Sandy's Snippets

July Sentinel
The July Sentinel is here and ready to be picked up at the Main Desk! You may also read it on the website under the Newsletter link. If you have selected "Mail" as your delivery option, it will be arriving in your mailbox soon. Get ready for a fantastic month, there's tons of fun things to do! Don't forget to enter the Fun Page Drawing, drop your entry into the big green box on the Main Deak by July 12th @ 8am!

Fantastic Sentinel Volunteers!
Preparing the Sentinel for mailing every month is a huge task, luckily we have some wonderful Residents who pitch in and help get everything ready for you. This month I would like to thank for the quick fingers, good humor and great company they shared with us. If this sounds like a project you might like to help us with, e-mail

Clubs and Activities

Travel Opportunities
Imperial Jewels of China Cruise April 21 - May 2, 2011
This phenomenal itinerary presents China's key highlights on the beautiful new Viking Emerald. Special group rate is available to include transfers to and from McCarran Airport in Las Vegas, roundtrip airfare from Las Vegas to Shanghai and returning from Beijing, 12 day Yangtze River Cruise and Tour, gourmet meals and complimentary wine, and an additional 3% discount for check payment. Call for more information. Brochures detailing the itinerary are available on the table in the CC.

Mexican Rivera or Australia/New Zealand Cruise
Cruise to the Mexican Rivera or Australia/New Zealand. All ports of call are very safe. Transportation is available down and back. The Mexican Rivera cruise has experienced a reduction in price - down to $499! Flyers are at the CC Fitness Desk.

Lost and Found
Edward the cat made it home safely. Kathryn would like to thank everyone who helped look for him.

Thank You,

Please click HERE (http://sunrivertoday.com/sunriver - broken link) to visit the Sun River St George web site.

[catfeathers]

Hi...I realize this is an old post...but does anyone have new experience or opinions with St George or the new Sun City Mesquite Nevada location?