Hello Gators,

     I am thrilled that our Club has so many exciting events and trips planned for this year.  Please visit our website, sign up for our weekly email blast and look through our newsletter to see them.  Please keep spreading the word about what we have to offer to your friends and co-workers.  The larger our membership grows, the more fun events we can offer to entertain you. 

    The closing of the North Palm Beach Country Club has been postponed until September 30^th.  It will not reopen for at least 18 months.  Our final meeting there will be in September.  I will miss the August meeting because I will be living it up on the Alaska Cruise with 14 other lucky Gators, but your capable Past President, Evie Houston, will lead the meeting.   

    Starting in October we will be moving to the Marriott in Palm Beach Gardens.  A lot of you may remember that we used to meet there before coming to the Country Club.  Unfortunately, we are not allowed to bring snacks.  They will give us happy hour pricing from 6:30 PM until the end of the meeting.  This will include a $2.50 draft beer, and we will have discounts on other beers, house wines and well drinks.  You will also be able to purchase discounted appetizers. 

     Our 2018 ski trips are selling well.  Sign-ups began in late April for our next ski season.  Our fabulous trip to Valle Nevado, Chile leaves this month.  Our 2018 destinations available include Winter Park, Colorado, Steamboat, Colorado; Andorra and Barcelona, Spain; Taos, New Mexico; Jackson Hole, Wyoming and Sierra Nevada, Spain.  Two trips, Jackson Hole and Sierra Nevada, have been sold out and expanded.  They are taking wait list applicants.  Please sign up soon to get the trip of your choice.  Please visit our website, read our weekly email blast and download our newsletter regularly to keep up with our trips. 

     This year we will be celebrating the start of our fall season with a fantastic free party with the theme of “It’s All About the Fun!”  It will be held the evening of Saturday, September 23^rd at the Moose Lodge.  This exciting party will feature our ski trips, special activities trips and socials.  We will be entertained on the dance floor by an amazing DJ, Bone Daddy Dave.  This event is being organized by your VP of Socials/VP of Special Activities, Debbi Haselmire.  She is planning an incredible event for you, so be sure to come and don’t forget to RSVP.   

    August marks the first time we have had two beachfront getaway weekends in the same month, the Weekend Getaway to Pirate's Cove in Port Salerno on August 4^th to 6^th , and the Key Largo Adventure Weekend on August 25^th to 28^th.  The Gators are enjoying an incredible summer with so many fun events.  Kudos to Lee Chitty for leading the first one, and Deb Haselmire for organizing the second. 

     The second of two summer Blue Jean Night Out happy hours will take place on Tuesday, August 15th at the Snuggery in Palm Beach Gardens.  Thank you, Ben Smith, for organizing them!  Please come, bring a snack to share, and join in the fun.   

    Betty Williams hosted her Fourth of July Party on Saturday, July 1^st.  This was her final party and many of us were there to celebrate the end of a wonderful era.  We all give a heartfelt thanks to Betty for her generosity in opening her home to entertain the us over the years, and wish her well in her new condo.  

     The Gators had a great time at the Miami Marlins versus the LA Dodgers baseball on Sunday, July 16^th.  We enjoyed traveling by chartered bus to the air conditioned stadium.  Thank you, Debbi Haselmire, for organizing this wonderful event, and thank you, Karl Haselmire, for stepping up to lead it when Debbi was not feeling well.    

     Come to our Friday night happy hours, arranged for you by Debbi Haselmire with input from the Social and Special Activities Committee.  Happy hour is an great way to start the weekend with your Gator friends.  We have included some new and exciting venues mixed in with Club favorites.  If you have any ideas for happy hours, please contact Debbi. 

     The volunteers on our Social and Special Activities Committee meeting are working hard to bring you fun parties, events and trips this year.  If you have an idea for an event, please bring it to the committee.  If you would like to get more involved, please join the committee, volunteer to lead an event or trip, or offer to assist other officers.  We are looking for volunteers to help us with our events, so please watch for our next meeting.  With your help we can make your Club even better. 

     Thank you for the opportunity to serve you. 

Sincerely,

Sharon Long

 President