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SOLERA DIAMOND VALLEY | NOVEMBER 2025 9 By Georgeann Wellfare, Resident A big thank you to all who took part in the Sizzler Bash for Cash on Sept. 11. At right is a picture of some residents and friends enjoying the outing. Sizzler donates 20 percent of the ticket sales to our fundraising efforts. The Whiskies of the World event on Oct. 4 proved to be an "enlightening" evening (in more ways than one) as residents were in awe of the history presented and thoroughly enjoyed the tasting of eight different whiskies. Our favorite instructor, Kirk Green, did not disappoint with his knowledge and wit. With snacks between each tasting, everyone was asking "when can we do this again?" Veteran's Day Luncheon on Tuesday, Nov. 11 is in the final planning stages. This year is extra special as we are also celebrating the charter of our club on Nov. 11, 11 years ago. In addition to the offering of donations, the Quilters Club will make a few presentations to some veterans, a great lunch featuring Calhoun's Texas BBQ will be served, and there will be other fun surprises as well. Be sure to make your reservation at the Lodge at our table with the envelopes at the black box ($15 per person) and check the menu choices. The cutoff date is Nov. 4 at 5 pm. November is also the time we have a Food Drive to help those in need in Hemet. Our community has always been very generous. Boxes will once again be in the lobby for your donations from Nov. 10 to 24. Happy Thanksgiving everyone! May your stuffing be tasty, your turkey plump and your pants elastic. Veterans & Friends By Suzette Strauss, Resident When I think of November, I think of Thanksgiving, and when I think of Thanksgiving, I think of the day after: Black Friday! Yes, you rise before the crack of dawn, get in line at your favorite store to be among the first to enter, shop 'til you drop, and then break for lunch. All on the day after Thanksgiving. I think that's why I ate so many carbs the day before. For many years, my favorite store to start my shopping at was Home Depot. They used to have 99 cent poinsettias in a four-inch pot that were packed in boxes of 12, with a limit of two boxes per person. I love to decorate with them and bring them as a gift when visiting friends. One year, my stepdaughter was visiting from Indiana and made the mad dash with me. She couldn't believe how showy those little gems were, so she took some to her other family members. But alas, like so many good things, that has come to an end. But I got to thinking, where did all this begin? The original Black Friday was named after a financial panic and crash in the stock market that occurred in 1869, after two financiers, Jay Gould and James Fisk, tried to corner the gold market. Later in the 1950s-1960s, police in Philadelphia began using the term to describe the chaotic post-Thanksgiving shopping and tourist crowds. By the 1980s, retailers began to see just how profitable that day was and many even brought their financial bottom line out of the red and into the black. I recall the days of the Sears Catalog, do you? My brothers and I would take turns scanning the pages, as we dreamed of that new bike or whatever it was that year. My sister was too little to understand yet, so we would just mark things we thought she would like … I mean doesn't a toddler need a skateboard or a unicycle? Times have changed and Black Friday seems to be toned down a bit. I haven't been caught in a tug-o-war for a sweater, or hit from behind with a shopping cart, in years. Although parking is still an issue, I suppose I need the extra steps anyway. I hope you find some treasures this Black Friday. However, if you come upon a Grinch, just smile and let go of the sweater. FRIDAY — OUT OF THE RED AND INTO THE BLACK

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