M1 unveils new benches from generous bequest

Seven new benches have been installed in Mutual 1 thanks to a bequest by former Mutual 1 resident Marilyn Schatz. The Mutual 1 Board of Directors will honor Golden Age Foundation (GAF) President Anna Derby and the GAF Board for facilitating the $25,000 donation on Wednesday, Aug. 19, at 9:30 a.m. in the Clubhouse 6 Hospitality Room. All are welcome. Cake and refreshments will be served.

Schatz moved to Leisure World in 2013 after a career as a secretary and notary in the South Bay. Almost immediately, she started volunteering for the GAF. She assisted the free tax program by making phone appointments and took calls for the Mobility Aids program. Her journals reflected how much she enjoyed volunteering, as well as her dog, Abby. Schatz donated her entire estate to the GAF upon her death in 2021.

The benches will honor her memory and provide residents with comfortable places to rest, visit with friends and enjoy the outdoors. Schatz’s bequest was also one of the founding resources that led to the creation of the Collaboration Team, which brought organizations like the Orange County Council on Aging, Alzheimer’s OC and Adult Protective Services to Leisure World, providing shareholders access to licensed social workers. These organizations are located on the northeast side of Building 5, near GRF Member Resources.

For more information on how to donate to the GAF, or learn about its many programs, visit www.goldenagefdn.org.

—Linda Johnson, GAF emeritus member, Anna Derby GAF president, and Mutual 1 Director Phuoc Germine

Mutual 1 Board members and GAF board members at one of the new Mutual benches.

Paul Kryczko