Letters to the Editor

Editor:

The Orange County Human Relations Commission reports an astonishing and appalling increase of 1,800 percent in hate incidents directed at people perceived to be of Asian origin. That is not a typo. See https://www. occonmmunity services. org.

The commission describes bias-related incidents as “behavior that is motivated by hate or bias toward a person’s actual or perceived disability, gender, nationality, race or ethnicity, religion or sexual orientation, but that is not criminal in nature. Typically these behaviors are protected by the First Amendment right to freedom of expression.” In LW, the recently promulgated GRF Code of Conduct acknowledges that hate incidents are increasing here and states a commitment “to ensuring a safe, secure and respectful environment for everyone.”

It expressly prohibits:

• Abusive language, including threats, slurs and profanity

• Sexual harassment

• Physical assault

• Physical intimidation

• Bullying GRF further “reserves the right to take appropriate measures to address such behaviors on the premises, the phone, email or in writing.”

People who are victimized can report it to Security at (562) 594-4754 and/or incidents can be reported to the Seal Beach Police Department and through the OC Human Relations Commission confidential hotline at (714) 480-6580 or online at https://www.ochumanrelations. org/hatecrime report.

As 2022 begins, I hope residents will join me in reaffirming that we are all Americans and treat all people with kindness and consideration.

Unless one is a Native American, we are all immigrants or descendants of immigrants, voluntary or involuntary, and hate has no place in a community of decent people.

Pat Kruger vice president, SBLW Senior Peace Club Mutual 9 Editor:

On my way to the Health Care Center on Dec. 22 in my wheelchair, I accidentally dropped my purse. I realized that it was missing before I came to the traffic light. I immediately turned around to go get it. I went all the way to my apartment without finding it. I checked my apartment and rechecked the ground on the way back to the Health Care Center for my appointment. I called Security and inquired at the Health Care Center and the Administration Building since Lost and Found was closed. I would like the thief to know of the huge inconvenience and sadness he or she made created my life. I no longer have a driver’s license, Leisure World ID card, credit cards, insurance cards, a COVID vaccination card, an AAA card, a gift certificate for a friend or any money. My replacement driver’s license was lost in the mail. Do you know how difficult it is to do almost anything without a license? The DMV won’t let me reapply until Feb. 3.

Every day, I think of something else that was in my purse that I need to call about. I have spent countless hours on the phone and tears over the action of a lawless, greedy person.

I am a kind and generous person. I am sure that most people who live in Leisure World are kind and generous. If you needed money so badly, you could have asked. I would have given it to you. You did not need to make my life a living hell. The biggest loss of all is my

faith in humanity.

Cathy Reiner Mutual 1

Editor:

I have Parkinson’s disease. PD is a progressive disease; that is, it doesn’t get better with time. Having said this, there are many ways to deal with, live with and, especially, combat this ailment.

These include medications, exercise and attitude.

Sharing one’s life experiences with others in the same situation has also proven to be a very helpful tool toward combating and dealing with the physiological as well as the psychological aspects of this condition.

Only those of us who share this disease can fully understand it. To that end, I would like to form a support group here in Leisure World for residents and their spouses who have Parkinson’s. This would be a safe place to frankly share experiences and offer support. The message would be, “I may have Parkinson’s, but Parkinson’s doesn’t”t have me!” Those interested can call me at (562) 304-0880.

Tom Pontac Mutual 10 Editor:

Seal Beach Leisure World is described on its website as “an oasis for seniors looking for a busy and satisfying life.” Indeed, when I moved here in 2006, the environment of the community was very friendly and supportive.

Over time, however, the regulations affecting our daily lives have become more restrictive, including rules regarding visitors and using on-site facilities.

Traffic, too, which used to be managed internally, has now been delegated to the Seal Beach Police Department, and the friendly warnings, flexibility and consideration of the past have been replaced by automatic tickets.

Accessing basic repair services has become particularly challenging. Traditionally, residents experiencing an issue were able to contact their Mutual director, who would then contact the appropriate department and facilitate timely service. Now, Mutual 15 residents are required to call a hotline where they are asked to leave a message and wait for a response. The hotline system, which may be easier for the directors, is very inconvenient for me.

Those who are hold positions of responsibility within our community should be mindful of the purpose for which residents elected them. Their role is to try to accommodate, rather than exercise authority.

Seal Beach Leisure World is a nationally recognized active senior community, and residents join for its promise of “a busy and satisfying life.” It is the responsibility of the leadership to keep in mind both the purpose of our community and the individual responsibility they have as leaders within it. Kyung Park Mutual 15 Editor’s Note: From Jackie Dunagan, president, Mutual 15: Mutual 15 instituted its hotline several years ago. We were the third Mutual to do so, and several other Mutuals have now established their own hotlines as well. They have been a great benefit to the shareholders as well as to the Mutual directors. As the hotline is basically an answering service, shareholders can call seven days a week, 24 hours a day with their concerns. They don’t need to remember from Friday evening to call on Monday with an issue. Because of the various options (there are nine extensions), they are more likely to touch base with the appropriate director to help them. Perhaps the most important feature to the shareholder is that all extensions are constantly monitored. For example, one director had to leave town due to a family member’s death. Without the hotline, that director’s calls to a personal phone would have been overlooked. There is no way to alert all 502 units of a temporary change of phone contact at the last minute. Because the hotline number is constant, another director can pick up the messages without even a blip to the response time.

Overall, the hotline has been a great success as is evidenced by the adoption of so many mutuals. The number remains constant regardless of the changes in directors on the boards and their moment to moment availability.