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| LIFE IN SOLERA | JANUARY 2026 | 25 Our January message usually relates some of our accomplishments over the last part of the year. Let's go back to our Craft Fair in mid-October. Our Quilting Club held a raff le on a beautiful quilt. The proceeds went to our cause. The Competitive Edge Charter Academy, in Yucaipa, conducted a school- wide collection of excess Trick or Treat candy for the troops. We made up some 300 sandwich bags of candy. In mid-November, we had our music event fundraiser, hosted by Marty and Diana Mangan, along with lots of helpers. It was a sold out event. The 28+ raff le prizes of baskets and other items, plus a beautiful quilt by Penny Quinn, a small Coca Cola refrigerator, a 36" TV and a 50" TV were all big hits. Broadway Salutes Our Troops set a new record for musical fundraisers. Thanks to the Sunshine Club for a generous donation. Each year people in Solera and nearby communities write Christmas cards to the troops. I wish to thank all of you, who did so. Also, the Beaumont High School National Honor Society of Juniors and Seniors wrote cards. Due to the slowdown of military mail during the holidays, I wanted to get an extra weeks start on sending the cards. Last year, two or three units received their cards after Christmas. Dave James and Peter Lock, who organized and packaged the cards last year, did so again this season. Even though we had fewer groups to send to, we had 186 more cards this year. We also had more children's cards this year. Soldiers love cards from children. We mailed 2,821 cards to 23 military units. Last year all the cards were mailed in f lat rate envelopes. This year only about one-third went out this way. The others went out in medium f lat rate boxes. This allowed for more cards as well as four to 10 sandwich bags of candy. During our 20 years of supporting our troops, I may have forgotten to account for a few packages sent. Especially when I spent 19 summers where I split my time sending packages and fishing. At the time of writing this message, in early December, we have mailed 5,730 individual care packages. You all have done one heck of a job. Thank you for caring. ~ Jesse Donardt, 996 Ironwood Road, jdd39@verizon.net, (951) 892-6635 SUPPORT OUR TROOPS VETERAN ASSISTANCE FLAG BRIGADE Billy (Mitch) Mitchell is a resident and Veteran who has voluntarily worked with individuals and the Veterans Administration to assist Veterans in obtaining benefits. If you are a Veteran and want to know which benefits you may be eligible for, contact Mitch at (951) 797-0800. The following have volunteered to put up and take down the flags in the community. These individuals or teams will raise and lower flags at approximately 6 am on the dates indicated below. When the flags are taken down, the group might meet in the living room of the Clubhouse for healthy refreshments (donuts). • Nick Gercis, nick.gercis@gmail.com: Golf Club Drive and Fairway from Golf Club Drive to the front gate • Stuart Osborne, osborne49@verizon.net: Oakmont Clubhouse parking lot • Wayne Otte, waotte@aol.com and George Vawter, hbwisenheimer1@yahoo.com: West side • Ron Selberg, roz212ron105@verizon.net and Ron Garrison, campimg4@gmail.com: Fairway Drive from back gate to Golf Club Drive Flag schedule for 2026 Martin Luther King Day: Mon., Jan. 19 (up 1/19, down 1/20) President's Day: Mon., Feb. 16 (up 2/16, down 2/18) Viet Nam War Veterans Day: Fri., March 29 (up 3/27, down 3/30) Armed Forces Day: Sat., May 16 (up 5/15, down 5/18) Memorial Day: Mon., May 25 (up 5/23, down 5/26) D Day: Thurs., June 6 (up 6/5, down 6/8) Flag Day: Fri., June 14 (up 6/12, down 6/15) Independence Day: Thurs., July 4 (up 7/3, down 7/6) Labor Day: Mon., Sept. 1 (up 9/4, down 9/8) Patriots Day: Mon., Sept. 11 (up 9/11, down 9/14 National POW/MIA Day: Fri., Sept. 20 (up 9/18, down 9/21) Veterans Day: Sat., Nov. 11 (up 11/10, down 11/13 Pearl Harbor Day: Thurs., Dec. 7 (up 12/4, down 12/8)