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| SUN LAKES LIFESTYLES | DECEMBER 2022 | 7 By Michele Walter Our Community Awareness Program is focused on keeping our community safe and to notify the proper authorities to resolve issues. We want to stay vigilant, keep an eye on our community and provide presentations to keep you informed. Our October meeting was an extremely important and informative one. Linda Hanley and Elisia Marcelino, Vice Presidents of The Bank of Hemet along with two Homeland Security agents, Mike Browning and Brandon Gonzalez, gave a presentation on Elder Financial Abuse and scams. Their presentation dealt with many scams including: financial fraud, family scams, internet dating and caregiver problems. They advised if it sounds too good to be true it most likely is. If you would like to view this outstanding and informative presentation you can go to our Sun Lakes website. Login, click community information, click on Community Awareness Program then scroll down to previous presentations. You will be able to view the entire presentation. Mark Schleiden, Director of Operations, gave an update on incidents occurring in Sun Lakes. Securitas is doing open garage door checks between 8 pm and midnight plus perimeter checks outside of Sun Lakes. Officer Yvette Vaca, Banning's Homeless Liaison Officer gave an informative update on the homeless situation. She indicated that Banning Police Department and Union Pacific Railroad agents were scheduled to clean up the homeless area behind hole numbers 2, 3 and 4. Again, if you see something out of the ordinary please contact 911 and also alert Securitas. Our Community Awareness Program will be dark in December due to the many holiday events and functions in the main ballroom. Our next program will be Tues., Jan. 3 from 1 to 3 in the Main Clubhouse Ballroom. We have changed our monthly programs to the first Tuesday of every month. We will have Officer Montes from CHP giving a presentation on Safe Driving for Seniors Class. This is a great class for seniors; it also includes tips/tricks for golf carts. After taking this short class, you can check with your car insurance to determine if you qualify to receive a discount for taking this course. I have personally taken this short class at Four Seasons. It is super informative and helpful. You will not want to miss this program. SECURITY & PREVENTION TIPS: Who's at the door? Never, but especially during the holidays, feel obligated to answer the door if you do not know the person. Criminals can try posing as a delivery person or someone looking for charitable donations. Hide Packages & Gifts Putting pretty wrapped gifts under the Christmas tree looks nice, but it's also an open invitation for a burglar. Try to keep your Christmas tree, with gifts away from windows or other places with a view. When you are not home it is easy to break through a window and grab all of your gifts. Package Deliveries More and more people are purchasing gifts online and having them shipped to their homes. Thieves like to strike when there is an Amazon or other package left unguarded on the porch. Consider adding a doorbell cam or other security camera to help deter porch pirates. Again, after Christmas shopping! As soon as you get into your car, lock the doors and leave! Do not leave your Christmas gifts in plain sight in your backseat. Put your gifts in the trunk of your car. Be careful leaving the bank if you are getting money from the ATM. Make sure you look around and be mindful if someone is lurking near you. Fire Hazards Fire hazards increase during the holidays. Before you string your lights on the house or the tree, be sure to inspect the strands for frayed cords or cracked bulbs. If you buy new lights, be cognizant which lights are meant for indoor versus outdoor use. Look for Underwriters Laboratory label (UL). This ensures that the cords were tested by an independent laboratory to meet or exceed stringent safety requirements. Worth Repeating — Keep Travel Plans Off Social Media! Never post where you are going, post pictures when you get back. This is prime information letting everyone know your house will be empty. PLEASE REPORT ANY SUSPICIOUS INDIVIDUALS, ACTIVITIES AND THEFTS DIRECTLY TO BANNING POLICE DEPARTMENT, CALL 911! I am pleading with everyone to keep your garage doors closed. An open garage door is an open invitation to steal anything of value. A good idea is to check around 8 pm to make sure your garage door is closed, and all of your doors are locked. If you get in a regular habit of checking, you will feel much safer and Securitas will not have to call you at midnight! Our Community Awareness Committee wishes everyone a safe, happy and joyous Holiday Season. Hope to see everyone on Jan. 3. Let's all be informed and stay safe. For more information please contact Michele Walter, (951) 202-8009 or email crystalwater@dc.rr.com. Community Awareness Program

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