One of the first things you will hear Sue and her husband Rick say, if anyone asks why they left Wisconsin behind, is: “You don’t have to shovel sunshine!” Sue and Rick moved to SCSH in the summer of 2023 after spending their entire lives in Wisconsin, working, camping, fishing, boating, spending time with family and, of course, shoveling snow.

Now retired, they are enjoying all the joys that come with growing older in the warm sunshine, surrounded by amazing friends who have become their desert family.

After working as a legal secretary and paralegal for 22 years, followed by 16 years as a Nursing Secretary/Staff Scheduler at a long-term care facility, Sue and Rick made the cross-country move to SCSH just as Newcomers Club was being formed, which turned out to be such a wonderful gift to our community.

As the months went by, they became more involved with the Club, with Sue helping keep membership information updated and answering questions from members. That eventually led to her becoming Director of Membership and, when a vacancy arose, Club Secretary as well. Now, almost three years later, she is taking on the exciting role of Club President.

Sue and Rick continue to be amazed by the beauty and talent found throughout the Valley. When Sue is not cooking, baking, or canning, they are probably out enjoying palm trees, music, concerts, plays, and the many State and National Parks found both within and beyond the Coachella Valley.

Be sure to say hello. Sue would love to meet you and welcome you to our little slice of paradise.

Steve is a native of Los Angeles. He describes his youth as a mix of the movies, American Graffiti and Endless Summer when the San Fernando Valley was olive and orange groves. Malibu and Ventura County Line were the beaches where Steve and his friends spent countless hours living the California Dream. Disneyland, the Hollywood Bowl and Grauman’s Chinese Theatre were part of our lives, not simply places that we had heard of. Steve served aboard the USS Midway (CVA-41) from 1971-1973 in Vietnam. After earning a degree in Landscape Architecture, he moved from Laguna Beach to Phoenix, Arizona and then Las Vegas, NV to open branches for Valley Crest Landscape in both locations. In 1992, Steve fulfilled his dream of owning his own landscape design/build company in Las Vegas. In 2004 Steve, and his wife Phyllis, moved back to Arizona where they lived for 20 years before coming to Coachella Valley. Phyl wanted to come home to CA, and Steve reluctantly agreed to move back. On Thanksgiving 2024, we sat in our empty new home in Sun City Shadow Hills with our two dogs, boxes all around us, with nothing to do and no friends nearby. We felt completely alone. We are grateful beyond words to be part of this club. When the role of Vice President opened up, I felt obligated to take it on so that I could make certain that other Newcomers to Shadow Hills experienced that same sense of welcome that my wife and I did when we got here. Today, we have an incredible network of very close friends that we met though this club. It is my personal goal to make certain that every new member of this club has a similar experience while transitioning to life here.

Greetings Club Members,

 My husband, Anthony and I looked for our forever retirement home and community for 5 years.  After visiting Del Webb Sun City Shadow Hills, we knew right away this was the place we had been searching for.

 We moved in one year ago and attended our first Newcomers Meeting.  We were greeted by an exceptional group of warm, friendly people, who made us feel welcomed and confirmed we had moved to the best retirement community.  We have enjoyed many potluck meals, activities and events together and have made many close friends thru this club.

The respected past board members committed a lot of personal time and compassion for the Newcomers Club, creating the best activities, events, community companionship and much more. Because of their positive energy, our club has tripled in size.  I am looking forward to supporting the new board as well as our members.  Let’s have some more fun and create great memories!

Diane is woman of many talents, raised five children, and is a former nurse. She knows a budget and has no problem saying, “We can’t afford it,” or “Who’s going to lead a fundraiser for that?” She’s a perfect person for Newcomers Club treasurer!
Her high level of energy, creativity, and organizational skills have benefited Newcomers Club already. She’s the host of our Bigly Hooch Happy Hours as well as serving on the Website Development Committee.
Since July 2024, Diane has been a full time resident of SCSH. Originally from Ohio and North Carolina, she made her way to the Coachella Valley which, she says, “is a Disney World for retirees!”
Newcomers Club has helped her make new friends she considers family. Be sure to introduce yourself to Diane, and you will find a friend in her!

Andrew retired as a Physical Education teacher and brings his unique talents to our highly athletic 55+ activities like Bocce Ball Bash and Putting Parties. He was able to wrangle wildly active elementary students in New York schools, so he is well-suited for keeping geezers in line.

While in high school in Hawaii, he met his wife, Bonnie. They later followed some friends to SCSH and now love living here year-round, with a few travel breaks during the summer.

Those of us who have seen Andrew emcee our door prize giveaways know how entertaining he can be. During his 2025-2026 term as Club President, Andrew helped bring energy, humor, and enthusiasm to the Newcomers Club, and we are grateful he will continue serving on the Board as Past President.

Natasha is still working as a caterer, and that profession has made her the perfect host. Every month, she converts conventional ‘meeting rooms’ into colorful parties where we get to gather and welcome Newcomers to SCSH. A full-time resident here, Natasha grew up in New Zealand, and ended up in America and SCSH by accident. If you want the full story, you’ll need some time for Natasha to tell you about it! 
Natasha is always looking for Club Members who’d like to pitch in on the Hospitality Team - or if you have any ideas for party themes, contact her

Oxana brings a rare blend of creativity and technical skill to the Newcomers Club, leading the design and development of our website. Born in Moscow and raised on the wave of perestroika, she moved to the U.S. in 1991 and has built a career as a professional artist, graphic designer, and e-commerce entrepreneur.

After relocating from San Diego to Sun City Shadow Hills in 2024, Oxana (thanks in part to her husband Francesco’s enthusiastic volunteering) took on the role of Website Director. With their poodle Maximillian often nearby, she’s focused on creating a modern, intuitive digital space that helps members connect with ease.