Director's Message — June 2026

Kristen Tarzwell helps one of our members register their key tag and take an ID photo at the check-in kiosk.

​The official start of summer is just weeks away and by all accounts we are in for a toasty one. I am sure that I speak for most of you when I say we will miss the colorful displays of flowers and budding trees that come with spring, but the eternal sunshine and consistently warm days are very appealing. I hope you are all getting the opportunity to enjoy it.

I am excited to welcome a new face to the Center. Kristen Tarzwell has joined our administrative team and will be assisting Barbara at reception, Lydia with programs, and me as needed. Kristen is outgoing, kind and incredibly knowledgeable. Many of you have probably already seen her in the Social Hall helping members sign up for their membership key tags. If you need assistance during the day with anything, please don’t hesitate to reach out to her. And if you haven’t met her yet, be sure to introduce yourself and give her a warm Foothills Community Center welcome.

The implementation of our new key tag system is going very smoothly. Russ will provide more detailed information later in the newsletter about the many ways these tags can be used, but I do want to emphasize how important it is for everyone to pick up and regularly use their key tags. The data collected through this system is extremely valuable and helps us better demonstrate the impact and activity within our Center. Every time you check in, you help strengthen our ability to secure funding opportunities that support important goals — including the new building we all hope to see become a reality. Remember, when you check in, we all win!

That brings me to an update on our building campaign. As I’ve mentioned before, while things may appear quiet on the surface, meaningful progress continues behind the scenes. To date, we have approximately $425,000 invested through our investment company from donations received. Those funds continue to grow through earned interest. We are also actively working with several donor prospects and remain hopeful that these conversations will significantly increase our funding.

In addition, I recently had the opportunity to meet with our State Legislator Mike Steele to discuss the funding requests we have submitted over the past several years. He expressed optimism regarding the capital budget process and our potential to receive funding through that source in the next budget cycle. Mike continues to be very supportive of the work we are doing here at the Center and I truly believe we may be approaching an important turning point in the coming year. My greatest goal is to ensure that all of you have the facility and space you deserve to continue enjoying the programs, activities and connections that make this Center so special. We will get there.

Finally, I would like to remind everyone about our upcoming Annual Meeting and Board Member Elections. We are fortunate to have three wonderful candidates willing to serve the Center and they need your support. Their photographs and biographies are available for you to read on the next page. This year’s meeting is especially important because members will be voting on proposed bylaw changes. These changes require an in-person membership vote and cannot be completed by absentee ballot.

To conduct the vote, we must have at least 4% of our membership present — approximately 80 to 90 members. Your attendance is essential as we continue working to represent the membership in the best way possible. The meeting will take place in the Social Hall beginning at 1 p.m. on June 17. After votes are collected and tabulated, we will discuss the state of the Center and provide an opportunity for members to ask questions.

We hope you will plan to join us for this important annual event. A roast beef lunch will also be served that day, so please make your reservations early as we expect it to fill quickly.

Thank you for being a member of Foothills Community Center. Every one of you helps make this community special.

~Lisa