Saying Goodbye...

We are sad to say goodbye to long-term employees of Salem Green, Gus and Giselle. We had a get together and shared some delicious food and cake and told stories about the years they have spent here. There were many laughs and a few tears.

Gus and Giselle have been with Salem Green for eight years. They were caretakers for the 1465 building. They have three beautiful children, Jeremiah, Isabella and Emily. They decided to leave the frigid cold of Minnesota and move to the beautiful beaches of Peru, to a town called Trujillo. We can all picture Giselle selling empanadas on the beach! Gus and Giselle said they loved working here at Salem Green and that their favorite part was being part of the Condor Corporation family and seeing the residents.

We are sure going to miss them and we wish them all of the best!

Gus and Giselle reading a farewell card from the staff.

A Season For Giving - Food and Toy Drive at Salem Green Apartments

Food and Toy Drive

The holiday season is a time for getting together with family and friends, exchanging gifts and enjoying delicious meals. Unfortunately this is not a reality for everyone. Many children are not so lucky and will not be receiving a brightly wrapped gift. Also, for many Americans, hunger, especially during the holidays, has become a way of life. One in six Americans doesn’t know where their next meal is coming from. Food banks all over the country are doing their best but it is not enough. There are many hard-working adults, children and seniors who simply cannot make ends meet and are forced to go without food for several meals or even days.

We are asking for your help! We are starting a toy and food drive to support our local community and bring smiles to the faces of needy children during a magical time of the year. We will be collecting non-perishable food along with new and unwrapped toys in the Salem Green Rental Office from now until December 20th.

Please take a moment to read the list of what is needed most:

Toys:

Art Supplies
Sports Equipment
Blocks, Building Toys, Legos
Dolls
Books
Games

Food:

Canned: tuna, peanut butter, milk, beans, soup, fruits and vegetables
Dry Goods: flour, cereal, pasta, and seasoning
Powdered Milk
Instant Oatmeal

Where your donations will be going: 

We will be bringing the toys to the Toy Shop Salvation Army. The Twin Cities Salvation Army is one of the largest providers of toys to children who may not otherwise receive gifts during the holidays.

The food will be brought to Second Harvest Heartland. They have donated more than 51 million pounds of food to local food shelves in shelters throughout Minnesota and Western Wisconsin. In the fight against hunger, every donation makes a difference. We appreciate all of your help!

Does your family need help?

Everyone needs a little help from time to time. If you, or someone you know, needs nutritional assistance, The United Way can help you find assistance close to you and can give you information about a variety of services.

•Cell phone users call 651.291.0211

•Dial 1.800.543.7709 for the toll-free line.

If you need a little help with getting gifts for your children please visit the links below to register for help: http://salvationarmynorth.org/community/twin-cities-metro/community-pages/2013-toy-shop-online-registration-form/ to register online. Online registrations are open now through Thursday, December 5th. You can also call the hotline Monday-Friday from 9am-4pm to answer questions and take registrations over the phone. Click here for guidelines http://salvationarmynorth.org/community/twin-cities-metro/community-pages/toy-shop-registration/.

Decorations Merry And Bright! Reminder About Decorating Your Apartment

We love to see holiday decor around the community and we encourage our residents here at Salem Green to make the season merry and bright with decorations. We ask that it also be safe. Please remember that real trees and wreaths are prohibited in your apartment, on patios and balconies, and on hallway doors because they can be a fire hazard.

Feel free to decorate with lights, ribbon, artificial trees and garland. We love seeing all the creative ideas our residents come up each year. Plus, we have our Holiday Balcony Decorating Contest which will be judged in December and a cash prize will be awarded!

Be Sure To Enter The "Giving Thanks" Contest!

Thanksgiving is almost a week away and it seems like everyone is getting ready for the big day. This year we would like to hear what our residents will be thankful for on this Thanksgiving Holiday.

Salem Green's Thanksgiving "Giving Thanks" Contest

This Thanksgiving one of our residents could be lucky enough to be selected for our "Giving Thanks" drawing! All you have to do is visit our Facebook post and leave a comment telling us what you are thankful for this year. On Monday, November 25 we will hold a random drawing to select a winner from everyone who shared their Thanksgiving thoughts with us.

The Prize

We will be giving away a gift basket to one lucky winner containing:

• $25.00 gift card to Cub Foods (For a Thanksgiving Turkey!)
• $10.00 gift card Baker's Square (For Thanksgiving pie!)
• Festive Thanksgiving decorations and disposable dinnerware

Let us know today what you're going to be giving thanks for this Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving From The Salem Green Staff!

Thanksgiving is a time for togetherness. It is time for the warm and loving company of family and friends, and enjoying turkey, stuffing, pumpkin pies, and maybe some football. It is also a time for remembering, cherishing and being thankful for all the good things you have been blessed with. How are you celebrating this holiday?

These are some of the favorite Thanksgiving traditions for Salem Green staff

Julie: Spending time with my family and decorating.

Janelle: Watching holiday movies. My favorite is “It’s a Wonderful Life”.

Brittney: Watching football with family and eating stuffing.

Steve: Hunting season has arrived!

Matt: Spending time with family and putting up the tree.

Val: The food, especially Sopapilla Cheesecake Pie!

Val was kind enough to even share the recipe she likes to use for Sopapilla Cheesecake Pie - Check it out here: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/sopapilla-cheesecake-pie/

Sopapilla Cheesecake Pie

Ingredients:

• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened 
• 1 cup white sugar 
• 1 teaspoon Mexican vanilla extract 
• 2 (8 ounce) cans refrigerated crescent rolls 
• 3/4 cup white sugar 
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
• 1/2 cup butter, room temperature 
• 1/4 cup honey 

Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Prepare a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Beat the cream cheese with 1 cup of sugar and the vanilla extract in a bowl until smooth.
3. Unroll the cans of crescent roll dough, and use a rolling pin to shape each piece into 9x13 inch rectangles. Press one piece into the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Evenly spread the cream cheese mixture into the baking dish, then cover with the remaining piece of crescent dough. Stir together 3/4 cup of sugar, cinnamon and butter. Dot the mixture over the top of the cheesecake.
4. Bake in the preheated oven until the crescent dough has puffed and turned golden brown, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and drizzle with honey. Cool completely in the pan before cutting into 12 squares.

Wow! One Year Already - Congrats Brittney!

Brittney, one of our leasing agents at Salem Green, is celebrating her one-year anniversary with Condor Corporation. When asked what her favorite part of her job is, Brittney said, “Meeting lots of new people and the residents.”

Just how awesome is Brittney? Recently we received some feedback from our resident survey, which you can take here, from a resident that was impressed with the way Brittney went "Beyond the Expected." The resident wrote: 

"I want to say thank you to the nice young lady Brittney who said she worked in the office. I recently had surgery and I was trying to bring groceries home and was have trouble. She stopped and got out of her car and helped me bring all my groceries home. I am very grateful."

Brittney, as we celebrate your first year here at Condor Corporation, we wanted to let you know how much we appreciate everything you do. Here’s to another year!

Happy one-year anniversary, Brittney!

Cool Running November Style

November is the perfect time for a run, right? Well there are some fun runs coming up this month that will certainly keep you moving, smiling, and hopefully warm.

You + Fitness Room Treadmill = 5K Training

Do you wish you were a runner or do you want to get in shape for these events? We have two treadmills in the fitness room at Salem Green Apartments where you can work toward your fitness goals even when it's cold and snowy outside! If you are starting out as a new runner it is a good idea to have a plan to work up to your goal. A popular program is a training regimen call Couch to 5K which helps you prepare over the course of a number of weeks to be able to run a 5K, or 3.1 miles.

November 16 - Touring Beer Run 5K

Get a guided running tour through Minneapolis. You will stop and visit local restaurants, bars and pubs along the way. Your reward at the end is… yep, you guessed it, BEER!  http://www.cityrunningtours.com

November 23 - 5K Cherry & Spoon Group Run

Enjoy a run starting at the Mary Tyler Moore statue in downtown Minneapolis and finish at the Cherry & Spoon in the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden. http://www.cityrunningtours.com

November 28 - St Paul Turkey Trot

Burn those calories before you devour the BIG feast. This is a scenic run along Sheppard Road looking over the Mississippi River in St. Paul. You are encouraged to have your turkey swag on as you run & have fun. www.turkeytrotsaintpaul.com

November 30 - Moustache Run

This is an 5K run event for the fight against prostate cancer. Make sure you wear your mustache and blue with pride. This run starts and finishes in the City of Minneapolis. www.moustacherun.com

November 30 - Ugly Sweater Run/Walk

This is the Original fun run. If you enjoy being silly, like hot cocoa, enjoy a lager or 2 and running is your thing this is a great way to wrap up November and start feeling festive for the holidays. This event is held at Harriet Island. www.theuglysweaterrun.com

Thank You To All Our Veterans!

Veterans Day is Monday, November 11 and it is a special day to thank the men and women who have served, or are currently serving, in the nation's armed forces. Thank a veteran on this day! Below we have compiled some Veteran's Day events as well as some local businesses and restaurants that are giving free meals or discounts to veterans.

To all of the veterans who live at our apartment community: thank you for your service!

Veterans Day Events

3rd Annual Military Service 5 around Como Lake, St. Paul
9 a.m. on Sunday, November 10
1360 North Lexington Parkway
Pre-registration is closed - Race Morning Registration Opens 7:45-8:45 a.m.
Website: http://www.charitieschallenge.org

Annual Veterans Day programs at the Veterans Memorial Community Center
8:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. - Free community breakfast
10 a.m. – Program
8055 Barbara Ave.
Inver Grove Heights, MN 

Free Meals and Retail Discounts For Veterans

Sources

• TheMilitaryWallet.com has a great compilation of restaurants and companies that are offering discounts or free meals to veterans. You can see their updated list here: http://themilitarywallet.com/veterans-day-free-meals-and-discounts/. We have posted some of that information below, as well as updating it for locations that are local to our area.
• Military.com is another great resource for finding discounts for service members on Veterans Day. Check their list out here: http://www.military.com/veterans-day/veterans-day-military-discounts.html.

Two notes before jumping in:

1. Always call ahead to verify locations, times, and participation. Many of the listed companies are franchises and may have different policies. 
2. Proof of Military Service. Most companies require some form of military ID. These include:

• Military ID Card (active/reserve/retired)
• Current Leave and Earnings Statement (LES)
• Drivers License with Veterans Designation
• Photograph in uniform, Simply wearing uniform (if your service permits)
• Veterans Organization Card (e.g., American Legion and VFW)
• Discharge Paperwork (DD214)
• Other restaurants and companies may go by the honor system.

Restaurant Discounts & Free Meals

Find an updated deals list at:  http://themilitarywallet.com/veterans-day-free-meals-and-discounts/. 

Applebee’s: Free meal to military veterans and active-duty service members. There will be 7 entrees to choose from. Military ID and proof of service required.

5855 Blaine Ave.
Inver Grove Heights, MN
(651) 451-9029

Champps Americana: All veterans and active-duty service members will receive a free burger. Proof of service required.
8418 Tamarack Vlg.
Woodbury, MN.
(651) 735-5050

Chili’s: Free meal for veterans, past and present. Offer valid from 11am-5pm. Proof of military service required.
3625 Pilot Knob Rd.
Eagan, MN
(651) 686-5152

Denny's: Free all you can eat pancakes

7805 150th Street West
Apple Valley, MN 55124
(952) 432-2022

Little Caesars Pizza: Free crazy bread with proof of military service.
6485 Cahill Ave.
Inver Grove Heights, MN
(651) 457-2001

Outback Steakhouse: A week of free bloomin’ onions and cokes during the week leading up to Veterans Day. Offer valid with Military Personnel with an ID.
5723 Bishop Ave.
Inver Grove Heights, MN
(651) 457-7688

Subway: Free six inch sub with Military ID.
6555 Cahill Ave.
Inver Grove Heights, MN
(651) 552-1512

The Olive Garden: Free entrée with proof of service and even better, 10% all month for Veteran’s.
8367 3rd St. N.
Oakdale, MN 55128
(651) 264-1447

Retail Discounts

Find an updated deals list at: http://www.military.com/veterans-day/veterans-day-military-discounts.html.

Bed Bath and Beyond – 20% off entire purchase on Nov. 9, 10, and 11. This is good for active duty, DoD, reserves, guard, retirees, veterans, and military spouses.

1295 Promenade Place
Eagan, MN 55121
(651) 686-4800

Big Lots – Veterans, active duty, reserve, and retired military personnel and their immediate family receive 10% off their entire purchase on Saturday, Nov. 9.

1284 Town Centre Drive
Eagan, MN 55123
(651) 456-0175

Great Clips – On Monday, Nov. 11, customers who come in for a service can get a free haircut card to give to their favorite veteran. Veterans can also receive a free haircut or get the free haircut card. Haircuts are redeemable until Dec. 31. 

2018 South Robert Street
Saint Paul, MN 55118
(651) 455-7673

Home Depot –10% discount to all veterans during Veterans Day, Memorial Day and Independence Day. Home Depot offers the 10% discount year round to for active duty and retirees. 

1300 E Mendota Road
Inver Grove Heights, MN 55077
(651) 552-9020

JCPenney – Veterans, active duty and family members receive an extra 20% off in stores Nov. 6-11 with coupon. Simply visit www.jcpenney.com and select coupons and you can print off the coupon. 

8348 Tamarack Village
Woodbury, MN 55125
(651) 501-4676

Lowe's – 10% discount. The offer is available in stores only.

1795 South Robert Street
West Saint Paul, MN 55118
(763) 367-4139

Walgreens – Walgreens is offering 15% off eligible store items and 20% of Walgreens brand items.

4560 South Robert Trail
Inver Grove Heights, MN 55077
(651) 256-2066

Mindy's Halloween Cookers - A Heartwarming Story

One of the great things about working for a family-owned apartment management company is the close-knit relationships that develop between the staff. One recent heartwarming example of this was the annual Twin Cities Kidney Walk where the staff of Condor Corporation came together to show support for one of their own.

Mindy is the Community Manager at Raven Hill, which is a Condor apartment community in Burnsville, and she has been battling kidney disease for some time. Last month the Condor Corporation staff stood in solidarity with Mindy by walking with her in the Annual Kidney Walk held at the Thompson-Reuters campus in Eagan, MN. They had an awesome team name and costumes to boot! They dubbed themselves "Mindy's Halloween Cookers" and had all sorts of fun dressing up for the event. Staff from each of our apartment communities in the Twin Cities, plus members of Mindy's family, took part. Julie, Salem Green's Community Manager, and her daughter Josie were part of the team!

The National Kidney Foundation, which is the sponsor of the event, says this on their website:

"With your help, we raised $262,000 to fight against kidney disease. Your contribution will help fund our initiatives in awareness, prevention and treatment. Without your dedication, enthusiasm and support, we truly could not accomplish all that we do."

Everyone had a great time and the weather for the event was perfect! The team theme of Halloween Cookers was creative and prompted some fun costumes. Mindy would like to thank everyone who came out for the walk; she was encouraged by everyone's enthusiasm and felt loved by their show of support.

Of course, we have to share with you some awesome photos from the walk! Enjoy!

Mindy's Halloween Cookers - banner, costumes, and big smiles. These people know how to do it!

Mindy and her family all dressed up for the walk!

Salem Green Community Manager Julie and her daughter Josie all dressed up for the Kidney Walk!

The Minnesota Wild Mascot was even there!

Yeah! Mindy's Halloween Cookers had a great time!

Eat Frozen Yogurt And Support Kids Through Tribute To The Troops

One of the reasons our residents love living at Salem Green is that we are nestled along a lake shore with a bit of a country feel and at the same time it's a short trip to get to shops in Inver Grove Heights or West St. Paul. Today we would like highlight a local shop called CherryBerry

Business Highlight: CherryBerry “Just Swirl, Top, Weigh & Pay”

Did you know that there is a CherryBerry in Inver Grove Heights? It is located off of Cahill Avenue by Cub Foods. The location opened in May and they have been rockin’ ever since!

CherryBerry is a fun and family-friendly place to hang out and enjoy self-serve frozen yogurt. They have over 50 premium, healthy, and fat-free frozen yogurt flavors that rotate on regular basis, and over 50 toppings. You get to pick whatever you want! Not only do they have delicious yogurt but it’s a great place to hang out. They have two large flat screen TV’s with every channel you can think of! They also have Wi-Fi and great chairs and couches to sit back, relax and enjoy.

We had a chance to talk to Kayla, the store manager, and she let us in on all of their great events and specials going on at CherryBerry. For this Veteran’s Day (Monday November 11th) CherryBerry has partnered with Tribute To The Troops to raise funds for their 529 Education Fund. These funds go to help Minnesota children who have lost a parent who was actively serving in the Iraq or Afghanistan conflicts. Please help support Tribute To The Troops Education Fund by stopping by CherryBerry and getting a treat for you and the entire family!

Stop by the Salem Green Rental Office before you go to get a coupon for 10% off at CherryBerry. Get to CherryBerry, grab a cub and start mixing!

CherryBerry

7810 Cahill Ave.
Inver Grove Heights, MN 55076

Self-serve frozen yogurt at CherryBerry

Yummy toppings! Sprinkles! If unicorns existed they would shop here.

More toppings!

The Inver Grove Heights CherryBerry is a short trip from Salem Green Apartments

Support kids who have lost a parent in service to our nation.

Do We Dare Say it….Winter Is Here!

Cold air, wintry winds, and a white fluffy substance have arrived. Although we only got a little over an inch of snow, that chill is in the air and we know more is coming. Our next chance for snow is this weekend, and even though it is only a 20% chance, there’s still a chance! Did you know that the average Minnesotan shovels nine inches of snow in the month of November? Don’t worry about that, we will take care of that for you!

Are you a snow lover or hater? Whether you love or hate the snow, it sure does look pretty. Take a look at the pictures from Salem Green’s first snow fall. We would also love to see your pictures. Please share them on our Facebook page. Just yesterday we were sharing with you some beautiful photos of fog and Schmidt Lake. We always love it when our residents share photos from around our community with us.

With the season’s first flakes we have already received numerous inquiries about our underground, heated garages from residents calling and stopping by the office. Make sure you get a reserved parking stall soon, before they fill up. Our past experience says they will fill up fast!

First snowfall of the season at Salem Green

The trees still have some of their pretty fall colors, even as we got our first snowfall yesterday.

Eventually Schmidt Lake will freeze over and the grass will disappear. Winter is coming!

November Holidays

November is an exciting month! It is the start of the holiday season and everyone seems to be traveling somewhere. All of these holidays can bring added stress as we prepare for them, but they are also occasions for joy as they are great opportunities to spend quality time with those you love. We've already passed two big days: All Saints Day and the end of Daylight Saving Time - but there is so much more coming in November.

Here's your list of reasons to celebrate this month

November 11th - Veterans Day

Originally called Armistice Day, we celebrated the cease fire that ended the “Great War” now known as The First World War (WWI). The war ended on November 11th 1918 at 11:11 (11/11 at 11:11). The first official Armistice Day was observed with the U.S., England, and France each burying an unknown soldier at 11:11 on November 11th 1921. President Eisenhower changed the holiday to Veterans Day in 1954, as a national holiday to honor all of our U.S. soldiers who have valiantly served or died in any wars or conflicts.

November 21st - The Great American Smoke Out

No need to wait another month and a half to start your New Year’s resolutions. Since 1977 The American Cancer Society has been encouraging all smokers to snuff out the cigarettes on the third Thursday of November. With a short term goal of extinguishing the “butts” for one day, their obvious long term goal is to give smokers the boost to kick the habit for good.

November 27th - Hanukkah

Wow, that’s early! Hanukkah is in November this year! This holiday begins on the evening of November 27th and lasts until Thursday, December 5th. The fact that it overlaps Thanksgiving is actually quite unusual. It's so unusual that it's not expected to happen for another 77,798 years. This has prompted some Jewish Americans to combine the two holidays and dub it "Thanksgivukkah."

Hanukkah commemorates historical events that took place in 168 B.C. According to the Talmud, one of Judaism’s central texts, Judah Maccabees and the other Jews who took part in the re-dedication of the Second Temple witnessed a miracle. Even though there was only enough untainted olive oil to keep the menorah’s candles burning for a single day, the flames continued flickering for eight nights, leaving them time to find a fresh supply. This wondrous event inspired the Jewish leaders to proclaim a yearly eight-day festival.

November 28th - Thanksgiving Day

The first Thanksgiving was 1621 between the Pilgrims and the Native Americans. The feast lasted 3 days and was a time to be thankful for a bountiful fall harvest, and to thank the natives for their kindness. Thanksgiving as a national holiday today has evolved quite a bit over the years. The Continental Congress declared the first national Thanksgiving holiday in 1777 following the American Victory at Saratoga. In 1789 George Washington was the first President to proclaim a day of Thanksgiving. He set aside November 26th (a Tuesday not a Thursday) as a day to thank God for our new Constitution. 

November 29th Black Friday

A shoppers dream (or nightmare)! Black Friday seems to be starting earlier and earlier each year. This day is called Black Friday because many retailers operate in the red, or in debt all year long, that is until the Holiday shopping season where there ledgers are finally in the black.

Schmidt Lake Offers Beautiful Views For Salem Green Residents

Schmidt Lake really adds beauty to Salem Green's grounds. We have some wonderful views all year long. In the summer the lake is adorned with green trees all around it and the water is calm and peaceful. And each winter we get to watch as the lake slowly freezes over and becomes a winter wonderland. The trees will be frosted and the frozen surface of the lake will be covered in wind-swept snow that creates interesting patterns.

Autumn around Schmidt Lake is no less spectacular. The trees are filled with bright colors as they drop their leaves. Last week were able to enjoy a spectacular scene with the area covered in a blanket of fog. The combination of mist and colorful tree leaves was a special treat. We were able to get some great photos and we'll post them below. Enjoy!

Meet Your New November Neighbors!

Please give a big welcome to your new neighbors here at Salem Green Apartments. We had some awesome new residents move in at the beginning of the month and they were all great about smiling for the camera as they came to move into their new homes.

We think all of our residents are important and are so glad each of you chose to make your home at Salem Green. We asked your new neighbors why they chose Salem Green and you can see their responses below.

Ron and Kathryn chose Salem Green Apartments because they think we have a perfect location and it brings them closer to work.

Ron and Kathryn

Leticia decided to move to Salem Green because her friends referred her here. (Thanks, Leticia's friends!) Remember, you can get a referral bonus of $500.00 off one month's rent if you refer a new resident to us and they move in! So let your friends, family, and coworkers know how much you like living at Salem Green Apartments!

Welcome to Salem Green, Leticia!

Some residents come to us for the view. Mark decided to move in because he loves being by the lake.

Community Manager, Julie, welcoming Mark to Salem Green.

Anne and Eric said that one of the draws to Salem Green was all the unique floor plans they could choose from.

Anne stopping by the Salem Green office to pick up her set of keys.

Remember To Set Your Clocks Back Tonight

The end is nigh - for Daylight Saving Time. Remember to set your clocks back tonight before you go to bed. Technically Daylight Saving Time ends at 2:00 a.m. on Sunday, November 3, but we recommend adjusting your clocks before your head hits the pillow.

With it getting dark outside so early now, we want to make sure all of our yard and parking lot lights are in working in order. If you happen to notice any that are not lit please let the rental office know. We do regular checks on the lights but always appreciate our watchful residents who help us keep our communities safe.

Enjoy the extra hour of sleep (hopefully...)!

Spectacular And Spooky! Lots Of Fun At The Salem Green Halloween Party

We had a wonderfully spooky time at Salem Green Apartments this week! Thank you to everyone who came to our Halloween Party on Wednesday. It was such great fun to see all of your cute and spooky costumes. At the party we handed out some goodies and had some kid-friendly activities, as well as a "photo-shoot" area where we got some great pictures of our residents' costumes. Plus the Salem Green staff got into the spirit (spooky choice of word, right?) of the holiday and dressed up in some fabulous costumes. We'll post some of those photos below, and you can see even more on our Facebook page.

As you can see, life at Salem Green is lots of fun!

Coloring activities at the Halloween Party

Don't put your hand in there!

Janelle and Ava

Julie, our Community Manager, dressed as a hippie, and her daughter Josie, a mini-Minnie Mouse!

Pin the tail on the Skeleton game at the Halloween Party

Pin the tail on the Skeleton game at the Halloween Party

Ronda and her awesome witch costume, right before she spun around and disappeared in a puff of smoke!