St Luke’s Home Newsletter April 2022
Executive Director Report
It’s Baile Time!
Now is the Time to get your Baile De Gracias Tickets for Saturday, April 23, 2022 at the Mountain Oyster Club. The event will feature Mariachi Nuevo Azteca, a fabulous raffle, and a lovely spring evening on the patio. The Baile is the oldest annual fundraiser in Tucson and St Luke’s Home’s biggest celebration. We are eager to see you all in person again!
The Baile de Gracias has limited space. Tickets are selling quickly.
In other news, renovations are underway! We have three aims and need community help to make them a reality.
To accomplish these aims we are starting our Major Gift Campaign to raise the $2 million needed to complete the project. Our Elders deserve a home that is safe, functional, and pleasing. We are striving for sustainability and these renovations are the best way to ensure our future.
We have received a major gift from an anonymous donor, a very generous gift from the Diamond Family Philanthropic Fund, and 100% Board of Directors support. This is the beginning, but we need you to help us reach our goal. Please consider donating today. If you would like more information on how you can help, please give me a call at 520 207 0849. I would love to talk with more! Stop by and see what we have already accomplished.
It is an exciting time at St Luke’s Home.
Terri Waldman, Executive Director
Baile de Gracias
Three Raffle Prizes at the Baile
Sneak Peek – Description Only – of one generous donation
Galeria La Sirena will donate a gouache painting for the Baile! The painting is by Raymundo Gonzalez and is about 20” x 27” framed. The title is “La Conquista Mora de Europa” [the “Moorish conquest of Europe”] and provides the artist’s view of how the Europeans felt facing the Moorish conquest with a little of his own hidden whimsy.
La Sirena will also include with it a book about the artist’s work.
Thank you so much to La Sirena. We can’t wait to see who will get this lovely work of art. Will it be you?
March Happenings
Check out some photos of the many happenings in March, including Mardis Gras, St Patrick’s Day, Staff Meeting, and an outing to the Arizona Sonoran Desert Museum. Great Times!
 Staff training on the Camel Chair. Billy volunteers as fallen Elder and Rio supervises.
Tucson Charity Bridge Club
A special Thank You to the Tucson Charity Bridge Club Inc for another incredible donation to St Luke’s Home Tucson. 
Meet Roscoe
St Luke’s Home Mission is to
Provide quality of life for low-income Elders to age with dignity in an assisted-living community.
And nothing says Quality of Life like having friends around.
With Rio’s position as House Dog increasing in duties and seniority, it was time to find him an assistant. We interviewed potential applicants at Pima Animal Care Center where Foster Coordinator Kleighrayne Piasecki helped us find a perfect fit for our Elders.
Roscoe has quite an impressive history of fortitude. In December 2021, this five-ish-year-old Yellow Labrador/Shar Pei mutt was brought to PACC in brutal shape from an unknown trauma and many months of life as a stray. Despite their heroic surgical efforts, the veterinarian team at PACC were not hopeful that this quiet blonde would make it, and they put Roscoe on puppy hospice. However, in the months since his rescue, Roscoe made it clear that he is not a quitter. Much of his wounds have healed and he’s gained an impressive 20 pounds. Still, his age, scars, and continuing medical needs make Roscoe a difficult man to adopt.
St Luke’s Home is happy to bring in Roscoe as a Medical Foster wherein PACC and St Luke’s Home will continue a partnership to ensure all of Roscoe’s medical needs, food, housing, love, and safety are provided for. Roscoe is still up for adoption, but he is welcome to stay with the Elders of St Luke’s Home as long as he likes.
The most important part of Roscoe’s on-boarding was his interview with Rio, which went far better than expected. Roscoe already has a calm and snuggly demeanor with the Elders, he’s inspected and approved the courtyards, and he’s attended several meetings with poise and respect.
Rio and Roscoe are still in the early stages of staff training in this most important position of House Dog and House Dog Assistant, but after only a few days, we are all delighted to have this new man around.
The gang at PACC are a bit overwhelmed with fur babies right now, so check out their list of adoptable friends of dogs and cats. For more information about Medical Fostering, check out Pima Animal Care Center or contact Kleighrayne Piasecki at pacc.medicalfoster@pima.gov.
Tell them Roscoe sent you.
Arizona Tax Credit
St Luke’s Home is a qualified 501 (c)3 organization with Qualifying Code 20211. This means you can receive the Arizona Tax Credit by donating to our Elders.
More Information about the Arizona Tax Credit
Your donations make it possible to provide comfort, cuisine, community, and 24/7 care to Elders who cannot afford the costs of for-profit assisted-living.
Or mail your check to:
St Luke’s Home Attn: Administration 615 E Adams St Tucson AZ 85705
Rio’s Corner
The scoop about St Luke’s Home from the dog with a nose for news.
Rio here! Wow, what a month! I am so glad COVID seems to be decreasing here in Pima County. I have had a case of true cabin fever. As much as I love St Luke’s Home and hanging out with all the Elders and Staff, I was beyond ready for a change of scenery. I was so desperate; I didn’t even complain about a trip to the veterinarian’s office. Hey, you take what you can.
I am doing pretty darn great by the way. I had a mild ear infection which is clear now, and I have arthritis. I am told I take the same medications as my friends here at St Luke’s Home. No sharing medications though! Thanks to the Doctors at Continental Ranch Vet Clinic for fitting me in. What a great team!
This time out in the community felt good. No complaints from your buddy Rio. Next week, I go out again for a nice, hot bath. In my wiser years I have come to see this as a time to relax and get a massage. Spa days are good for everyone.
It appears I am not the only one with cabin fever. Recently a few lucky Elders were able to go to the Arizona Sonoran Desert Museum for an out of this world outing! They had such a great time. Special thanks to Brian Denham and everyone at the Desert Museum for this opportunity to get out of town! Ok, not far out of town, but the road trip was great and the destination truly fantastic. In case you missed it, here is the Facebook Link: https://fb.watch/c3dUCPbkbT/ I highly encourage you to go and see this place. It looks awesome!
But wait, we’re not done… there are even more adventures coming. Rumor has it that U of A Softball tickets are in. And St Luke’s Home has received some funding from Altrusa International for activities promoting cognitive vitality for the Elders. This will include some super fun mini road trips for our Elders. We are so grateful.
But, friends, there’s still more. In just a few weeks the 103rd Baile is going to take place. You read that correctly, 103 YEARS, people years! Did you know the Baile is the longest running social gala in the history of Tucson? I believe this incredible event was first started by our former Board of Visitors. Those women were a tireless and selfless force! We’ve been very blessed to have received the gift of their kindness and compassion. Some Board of Visitor members (ok, not the original ones) and some of their descendants are still involved with St Luke’s Home. Although the Board of Visitors disbanded a couple of years ago, their mark on St Luke’s Home is indelible. What an incredible legacy! We are so grateful. Suffice it to say, we’ve been dancing for years now, and we still aren’t tired. Talk about having an elixir for youth!
I hope you can come my friends. Due to COVID, we are still taking precautionary measures, so tickets are limited, but really, who isn’t ready for a night out? I am ready to put on my dance moves, and I don’t have four left feet either! Maybe there will be a conga line. Do you think there will be a conga line? As Gloria Estevan used to sing, “C’mon everybody let’s do the conga, you know you can’t control yourself any longer, feel the rhythm of the beat getting stronger”. I am ready. The rhythm can come and get me right now. It is coming for all friends of St Luke’s Home. What’s not to love? Fun, food, and festivities, all for a great cause. That, my friends, is as good as it gets. Simply go online to get your tickets.
See you on April 23rd, be ready to have some fun!
Your friend,
St Luke’s Home in the Desert Inc is an Arizona Qualified Charitable Organization (QCO) and your gift may entitle you to a credit up to $400 as an individual filer or $800 as a married couple on your Arizona State Tax Return. Our Qualified Charity Code is 20211. If you haven’t already taken advantage of this wonderful credit, please keep the Elders of St Luke’s Home in mind.
Your donations to St Luke’s Home are deeply appreciated and easy to do.
Click here to make an on-line donation that supports the mission of St Luke’s Home.
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