Hello Gators,
Our Club has a wonderful calendar of exciting trips and entertaining events! Please visit our website, read our weekly email blast, download our newsletter or visit our Facebook page to find out more. Please invite your friends and coworkers to check us out so more people can join in the fun. The larger our membership grows, the more fun events we can offer for your pleasure and entertainment.
Our first ski trip of the year to Winter Park with 22 travelers was fantastic. Fortunately, it snowed just in time, and we got a couple of days of fresh powder. There were good mountains to ski with lots of slopes. Everyone had a delightful time on this very affordable trip. Thank you, Linda Elie, for doing a great job leading this awesome trip!
Our second trip, the main FSC trip to Steamboat Springs with 48 Gators, has just returned. Steamboat is superb with huge runs and skiing for all levels. Skiing was excellent and we had fresh baby powder snow. Trip leader Ken Kingston did a tremendous job. Assistant trip leader Scotty Howard also did a terrific job. Thank you both! The Gators came in third in the FSC Cup race. Congratulations, racing team, and thank you, Race Captain Carol Ashley!
Our third trip to exotic Andorra and Barcelona led by Kelly Lunsford goes out on February 24th. Our fourth trip, the FSC trip to exciting Jackson Hole, Wyoming led by Chris McArdle, departs on February 25th. Our fifth trip going out on March 7th is another amazing international trip to incredible Sierra Nevada, Spain led by Walter Marussich. Although our trips are full, wait list positions open up frequently, so if you are interested, please contact the trip leader.
Our Club is looking for volunteers to fill positions on the Board for June 1, 2018 to May 31, 2019. We need your help to remain a vibrant and active club. Our election will be held at the April General Meeting. Ildiko Haidacher has volunteered to be Election Supervisor. Thank you, Ildiko! She will conduct the first round of nominations in our February General Meeting and the second in our March General Meeting. Although nominations will be welcomed for any position, we especially need volunteers for President, VP / Ski Trips, VP / Special Activities, and VP / Socials. In addition, we are looking for volunteers to fill the appointed positions of Membership Director, Communications Director and Event Comptroller Director. If you are interested in any of these positions or want more information, please contact me or Ildiko.
Our Florida Ski Council (FSC) non-ski trip to Australia and New Zealand is now on sale. Join the Gators on this bucket list trip of a lifetime during the spring season on November 4 - 18, 2018. Please visit our website or contact trip leader Karen Eslary for more information.
For the first time ever, the Gators will visit the fantastic new Manatee Lagoon on Saturday, February 17th, where manatees gather in the warm water near the FPL power plant. Afterwards we will enjoy a special Saturday happy hour at Rafiki Tiki. Please RSVP so we can get a headcount for Rafiki Tiki. Thank you, Cory Reed, for arranging this marvelous event.
On another brand new event, the Gators will be going on the Barley Barber Swamp Tour Hike in Indiantown on Saturday, March 3rd, where we will board a bus that will transport us to the Barley Barber Swamp. We will hike on the boardwalk where we will view one of the most magnificent old-growth cypress communities in the nation. Thank you, Kathy Levas, for organizing this splendid experience.
December 2nd marked the fourth Leisure Bike Ride in the series with Guest Leader Tim Kuhn leading a fabulous ride in Jupiter Farms. The next ride will be on Saturday, February 24th during the special weekend camping trip at Lake Okeechobee with Guest Leader Patti Bochniak. The cabins go quickly, so make your reservation now. Look for a new ride every month.
The closing of the North Palm Beach Country Club has been postponed until May 2018. It will not reopen for at least 18 months. Starting in May we plan to move to the Marriott in Palm Beach Gardens.
Come to our regular Friday night happy hours, arranged for you by Debbi Haselmire with input from the Social and Special Activities Committee. Happy hour is a 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 great 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. Help us to make your Club even better.
Thank you for the opportunity to serve you.
Sincerely,
Sharon Long
President
