South Florida Winnie Gators

JANUARY 2008  OUTING REPORT

By Marlene Sholtes

Our January Outing took place at Marina RV Resort in Moore Haven on the shores of Lake Okeechobee.  Warm, balmy breezes greeted 22 member coaches and one guest coach.  We were also visited by member Sylvia Smith’s sister-in-law, Marty Smith, and later by Harvey Peacock’s son’s father-in-law, Ted Phelan.  Also, guests Bob & Debbie Wiersum were voted in and became members, as this was their second chapter meeting.  We are very happy to have them!  Our happy hour was held on the deck of the club house with our Raffle-Babes-In-Training, Mo Shaughnessy and Virgin Vandervlugt, selling tickets.  For dinner Marcel Drapeau and Bill English grilled hamburgers and cheeseburgers, accompanied by baked beans expertly prepared by Barbara Drapeau.  Barbara also was surprised when her husband, Marcel, presented her with a big birthday cake.  The campground also has an all-you-can-eat ice cream social for $1, which went very well with the birthday cake. 

Friday morning Marcel Drapeau and Joe Sholtes led a group of members out on the deck constructing a clothes drying rack that can be hung from the rear ladder on the motor home.  They came out very nice!  Later on we had our 50/50 happy hour with Raffle-Babes-In-Training, Mo Shaughnessy and Virgin Vandervlugt selling tickets.  The lucky winners were:  Lee Macdonald, Joan Gill, and Joan Krajack.  On Friday evenings the campground provides a delicious dinner for only $6!  This was much easier than cooking!  Our entertainment for the evening was Harvey Peacock singing our favorite tunes by the huge campfire built by Peter Vandervlugt.  We had fun sitting around and singing along.  The campground also offers a “Pickin-N-Grinnin” session in the club house for anyone wanting to participate.  So much to do!

On Saturday we awoke at 5 AM to the roar of air boats taking off for a day of hunting ducks.  We then were treated to a breakfast buffet in the campground club house, once again giving the cooks a break!  We then had our Board and Membership Meetings.  The officers for 2008 were sworn in by Chairman of the Board, George Shaughnessy were:  Rick Bunn, President, Charlie Travers, Vice President; Marlene Sholtes, Secretary; Damaris Travers, Treasurer; Board Members, Marijo Bierie, Barbara Drapeau, Bob Gill, Marge Shaughnessy, Joe Sholtes and Peter Vandervlugt.  Our entertainment during the day was watching the alligators swim nearby.  They were big and ugly, but they left us alone.  Our Duck-Hunting Raffle Babes entertained us during happy hour with their pop guns and elusive fuzzy ducky that made the rounds.  For dinner we dined on catfish, deep-fat fried by Bob Gill and George Shaughnessy.  Joan Gill made hush puppies, Marlene Sholtes made cole slaw, and members provided the decadent desserts.  Yummy!  Our evening entertainment was Card Bingo, led by Damaris & Charlie Travers, assisted by Joan Gill.  The big winners were Virgin Vandervlugt and Sylvia Smith (splitting a prize), Marge Shaughnessy, Joe Sholtes, Joan Krajack & Peter Vandervlugt (splitting a prize), and our guest Marty Smith.

We finished off the successful weekend Sunday morning with freshly baked cinnamon buns provided by Becky Bunn, Barbara Drapeau, Helen Herndon, Marge Shaughnessy, and Virgin Vandervlugt.  We had our coffee and buns outside between the coaches, and then hugged and said our farewells until next month.

Harvey Peacock entertaining us around the campfire.