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Val's Kountry Corral |
February 2011
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Editor: Reid Brenan |
Since the last Newsletter, there has been a number of new folks in the Park as well as the "after Christmas" crowd. To all of you, we say "Welcome". It is always great to see all our old friends again and then to meet the news ones that have chosen our Park for this season. We hope you will become a regular resident!
I would like to share this short story with you on how I truly realized that I was getting old. Something I just never have given much thought to. I have been reasonably healthy, which probably has helped! Oh, I admit I can't do some of the things I could do even 10 years ago, but that never really had the impact that the following event had. I was at the "Dance with D.J. Judy" at the Rec Hall a couple of weeks ago, with my camera, and taking pictures of people having fun. I realized about halfway through the event that the music being played was fro the 60's or later. I asked Judy if she had any songs in her repertoire that were popular in the late 40's and 50's. On the computer, she then pulled up about 70 songs from that era and told me to pick out a couple. The first one I picked, "In The Mood", was a song made popular by Glenn Miller. For those of you too young to know who Glenn Miller was, and who have perhaps never heard the song .. You missed a great period of some of the best music every written! Anyway, NOT a soul got up and danced to this song!! That's when I realized I was the oldest one there and the rest of the crowd probably had no idea how to "jitter-bug", which is the type of dance we did to that song.
I left shortly after that .. Realizing for the first time how old I really was!
Editor
RACE TRACK IS "NOT" OPEN
Maybe that's the type of signs we should have posted around the Park. It sees like the colder it gets the faster some of you drive! PLEASE slow down before someone becomes a casualty. Think about it .. Is it REALLY necessary to run 10, 15 or even 20 mph inside the Park? The answer is NO! I have said this several times in the past - our hearing is not what it used to be and we can't move as fast as we once could .. So, please SLOW DOWN when driving in the Park! It also wouldn't hurt to mention our speed limit to anyone visiting you and/or doing work for you! Thank you.
DEC. & JAN WERE VERY BUSY MONTHS
We had 12 different events going on during the month of December and 16 in the month of January. We owe much of this to our Activity Directors. They will be trying out different things and would like your input. They have lined up some very good talent that is performing throughout the valley. If you missed the Gary Crain show or the Alaska String Band, you missed two VERY good shows. Watch the bulletin board for other entertainers during February and March. The Christmas Gift Exchange always draws a good crowd and is a lot of fun. The Christmas Dinner found the hall full for another GREAT dinner. Thanks to all who had a part in putting everything together.
January was a busy, busy month with the "Soups On" attended by many. The Pancake Breakfast as usual brought out another good crowd. Then there was the ultimate challenge .. The "Windy Money Machine"! Several residents were lucky enough to at least try their luck inside this contraption with several of them being lucky enough to "trap" a considerable number of bills which they then got to keep. The "Pot Luck" luncheon was followed by the very funny "Auntie Kreamsaugen" .. a real blast .. With several people in tears from laughing so hard! There will be plenty of pictures of this show in the Photo Album to remind you that were there, what a great afternoon it was! Add to all of this, two "Pot Luck" suppers, Spanish Classes, Bible Study, the movie "Hoosiers" one Saturday night and finally the event where I realized I was getting "old" .. "Dance with DJ Judy".
Good Friends are like quilts; they never lose their warmth.
HOLIDAY LIGHTING CONTEST WINNERS
First Place: Lot 20 - Ken & Sharon Cromwell
Second Place: Lot 102 - Richard Weenink
Third Place: Lot 64 - Ken & Lynn Schmidt & Lot 103 - Marvin & Irene Grenier.
Congratulations to all of you!!
FEBRUARY ACTIVITIES
We have already had the "50th Anniversary" Luncheon. Attending the luncheon, held at Mimis Café were 16 couples, all of whom have enjoyed more than 50 years of wedded bliss! Try squeezing 32 people in a 5' x 8' space to take their picture! Restaurants are not set up for this sort of thing. Had it been nice outside, we would have had an ideal location on the patio for picture taking. They went for the food, which was very good .. More important than having their picture taken!
Then there was the "Omelet-In-A-Bag" breakfast! Fifty people showed up with their zip-lock plastic bags. Two eggs were cracked & put into the bag, along with other chosen condiments . the bags were then given to the "cook-of-the-morning" who dropped them into a large pot of boiling water. Approximately eight minutes later, they were ready to eat! Ron Myers was the experienced cook for the morning, having done this many times while camping. Great idea! Good turn-out! Thanks for introducing many to a new way to make an omelet Ron.
SUPER BOWL CONTEST WINNERS
1st Quarter: Bill Logan, #27 $100.00
2nd Quarter: Eleanor LaCroix, #97 $100.00
3rd Quarter: Vern Ollar, #30 $100.00
Final: Marvin Essex, #52 $200.00
LaCroix's now have two wins in a row. Some people have all the luck. Congratulations to all of you!
ADOPT-A-HIGHWAY PROJECT
A good number of folks showed up to help clear the roadside area of trash on Bentsen Palm Drive. This once a month operation during the regular season covers the road from the railroad tracks to the State Park and has been our contribution to the Adopt-A-Highway program for many years. Thanks to all of you who took part in this clean up.
UPCOMING EVENTS FOR FEBRUARY
Park Sale Day - 8 AM - Noon, Saturday, February 12th
John Sager, Singer - 7 PM, Saturday, February 12th - Cost $5.00 per person at the door. This new entertainer to the valley from Branson, MO has a great voice!
VALENTINES DAY DINNER
This annual event will be held on Monday, February 14th at 5 PM. Tickets to this event are held to 80 & unfortunately, as usual is SOLD OUT! Get your tickets early next year.
CHECK YOUR EVENTS CALENDAR
February 19th @ 6:30 PM - The very funny movie "RV" will be shown in the Rec Hall.
February 23rd @ 5:30 PM - Pot Luck Supper
February 25th - "Ladies Day Out": Miniature Golf at "The Zone". Meet at the Rec Hall at 9:15 AM. See Bulletin Board for more information.
HOT DOG DAY @ "THE PONDEROSA"
February 26th @ 2 PM - Activities furnishes the Hot Dogs, & you furnish the salads, desserts etc. . See the bulletin board for sign-up & information. Entertainment will be provided by "Bill Woodbury" on the keyboard. Important: For those of you new to the Park. You should take an outside table and/or your chairs to the Ponderosa early in the day to "mark" your spot.
FLAGS & FLAG POLES
I made a little survey the other day. We have 21 flag poles of various types in the Park. I am saddened that 12 of those poles have NO flags on them. Maybe it's because I'm a Veteran and grateful to live in this country where freedom prevails. You can buy budget-priced American flags at the Don-West Flea Market or at Wal-Mart. Even our friends from Canada fly our flag and their's together. It would be nice to see those 12 empty flag poles flying the American flag. Several sites have smaller flags, attached to wooden dowel rods, and the rod attached somewhere on the lot. It would also be nice to see more of those displayed. Please give this some thought. (Editor)
50-50 RAFFLE WINNER
Tickets sales for this were very good with a total of $388.00 being collected. Thanks to the efforts of the 15 "sales people" .. your help is greatly appreciated by both myself and the Activity Directors, whose Activity Fund benefits from the proceeds. Congratulations to the winner, Peter Sas on Site #77. By the way, he was a ticket seller & a Canadian!
WANT TO LEARN CRIBBAGE?
The game is played each Thursday at 1 PM in the Rec Hall. If you would like to learn the game, practice sessions can be arranged.
LAPTOPS & COFFEE DON'T MIX
Our Assistant Manager, David Hongisto learned this the hard way. He was having his morning coffee while he was on the computer. You know what happened . Right .. He upset the coffee on to the open computer! Would you know what to do if this happened to you? This is what Dell, the computer company suggested. Turn the computer off. Take the battery out. Put the computer into a "V" formation & set it up so it looks like a tent and let it drain & dry for a couple of days. There is no guarantee this will save the computer - and in David's case .. He has a new computer.
STORY OF THE MONTH
Forrest Gump dies and goes to heaven. He finds the Pearly Gates closed and St. Peter standing in front of them. St. Peter recognizes Forrest and welcomes him. He informs him that he will have to take a three question test and must get each of them correct. Forrest says, "Shor hope the test ain't too hard; life was a big enough test as it was." St. Peter says, "I know Forrest, but the test is only three questions.
Here is the first one: How many days of the week begin with the letter "T"?
Second question: How many seconds in a year?
Third question: What is God's first name?
Forrest leaves to think the questions over. He returns the next day and meets St. Peter at the Pearly Gates. St. Peter asked Forrest if he has the answers to the questions.
Forrest says, "well, the first one .. How many days in the week that begin with the letter "T"? Shucks, that one was easy .. That'd be Today & Tomorrow The Saint was not ready for that answer, but says "you have a point and I will give you credit for that answer.
How about the next one .. How many seconds in a year? Now that one's a bit harder, says Forrest, "but I thunk and thunk about that and I guess the only answer can be twelve." St. Peter says, "Twelve? How in Heaven's name could you come up with twelve seconds in a year?" Forrest says, "January 2nd, February 2nd, March 2nd .. Hold it, interrupts St. Peter, "I see where you are going with this, and I see your point, though that wasn't exactly what I had in mind. However, I will give you credit for that one too!
Now the final question. Can you tell me God's first name? "Sure" replied Forrest .. It's "Andy". At that an exasperated & frustrated St. Peter says, "I can understand how you came up with your answers to the first two questions, but how did you come up with "Andy"?". Shucks, that was the easiest question of all. I learned it from a song .. ANDY WALKS WITH ME .. ANDY TALKS WITH ME .. ANDY TELLS ME I AM HIS OWN ..
St. Peter opened the Pearly Gates and said . "Run Forrest Run"
UPCOMING MARCH ENTERTAINMENT
Mar. 5th - Singer "Tucker"
Mar. 19th - DJ "Jack Medlin" @ Year-End Party
We look forward to seeing all of you there!
Ken & Lyn would like to take this opportunity to thank EVERYONE for the super spirit of volunteerism exhibited by the residents of the Park. Without each of you, our Park Activities & Events would not be the success they are!
.. Until next time.
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