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26 | OHCC LIVING | JANUARY 2026 | Newbies, the official welcoming group for Ocean Hills Country Club residents, holds quarterly potlucks where new and established residents can meet and mingle. Our goal is to have you walk away with new friends and a feeling of community. Club membership and volunteering are the fastest and best ways for new residents to make friends and become involved in their new community. We encourage Newbies to join clubs and explore opportunities to be of service to others. Living in OHCC is truly a year-round summer camp and we're so glad you're here. This month, we are delighted to introduce new residents Catherine Lepone and David Salko, who relocated from Mamaroneck, NY in June. David, a New York native, was an internet retailer who operated a very successful online store and was an Amazon third party seller. Catherine, also from New York, lived in Los Angeles for 30 years before returning to New York in 2010. She is a retired nonprofit executive. Catherine met David on a hike in 2010 where they struck up a friendship and found they had many shared interests. They tied the knot in 2018 on Martha's Vineyard. Between them they have four children who all live west of the Mississippi, so when they got an unsolicited offer to buy their New York home, they started considering options on how they could live closer to family. When Catherine's daughter announced she was moving from Los Angeles to Ramona, it made the couple start thinking about San Diego as a beautiful place where they might live. No homes really hit the mark until someone told them to look at Ocean Hills Country Club. On their first tour, a man standing near the pool asked if they were considering moving there. When they said they were, he told them, "Do it. It'll be the best decision you ever make." They bought a renovated home on Andros Way and were delighted that they were able to host Thanksgiving for the extended family this year. David has joined the Budget and Finance Advisory Committee, Image and Marketing Committee and the A/V Club; and he's learning Fling Golf. Not surprisingly, he and Catherine both joined the Walkers/Hikers Club. Catherine has joined the Line Dance, Photography, and Aerobics Clubs. In 2026, she will be serving as secretary of the Line Dance Club so she's jumping right in just as David has. Welcome, David and Catherine! The last Newbies gathering was held on Dec. 13, and we will provide an overview of that event next month. The next Newbies event is scheduled for March 7, 2026. For more information, email us at ohccnewbies@gmail.com or visit our website: https://ohccnewbies. wixsite.com/ohccnewbies. Written by Lynn Bible and Rosemary Bray, Newbies Co-Leaders Newbies David Salko and Catherine Lepone Did you know that there are giant sequoias growing near us in the scenic Palomar Mountain Region? Our January speaker is Jim Hamerly, who founded Sequoia Sentinels in 2006, a nonprofit organization promoting cultivation of sequoias on private lands in Southern California. Jim has been planting iconic sequoia trees all around his home on Palomar Mountain for more than a decade. He has nurtured over 100 sequoias in his 20-acre forest. He has also helped to plant many more sequoias around Palomar Mountain where there are currently over 400 cataloged sequoias. His presentation on giant sequoias will include the environmental benefits, climate needs and suitability of sequoias for southern California. He will also discuss the global presence and positive impact to the environment these beautiful trees provide. Sequoia trees can live for thousands of years, and Jim will discuss the challenges these trees face and what can be done to help protect them. Event Details: Wed., Jan. 14, Abravanel Hall, social time at 9:30 am and the meeting starts at 10 am. Although attendees aren't required to be a Garden Club member to attend the monthly meetings, we encourage you to join the Garden Club for just $10 per year – sign up at any meeting. Be sure to stop by the Share Table for gardening treasures. We look forward to seeing you at the meeting! Written by Betsy Davis OHCCgardenclub@gmail.com Garden Club Jim Hamerly