SOUTH FLORIDA WINNIE-GATORS NEWSLETTER

MARCH 2008    Vol. 36  No. 3

www.winniegators.org/sf-winnies

 MARCH 2008  OUTING REPORT

By Marlene Sholtes

Our March meeting took place at Clerbrook Golf & RV Resort.  We had a total of 24 coaches attending.  Two coaches were visitors:  Joe & Gloria Stumphauzer from Ohio, friends of the Weismans and Wiersums; and Ed & Gloria Daubel from Long Island, New York.  In celebration of the upcoming St. Patrick’s Day, our theme for the campout was very Irish.  The weekend started out a little on the chilly side but soon warmed up to perfect weather.  After dinner we played one of our favorite games, Chase the Ace.  It really draws the members out to join in.  Dick Williamson was the lucky winner.

On Friday, some of the members visited the nearby Lakeridge Winery and stocked up on some of their delicious wines.  At the happy hour and 50/50 raffle, Irish Raffle Babes, Sylvia Smith & Mo Shaughnessy sold tickets donning green wigs and shirts.  The winning ticket numbers were held by Rick Bunn, Damaris Travers and Helen Herndon.  Our dinner included Chicken Phillies, Fish Phillies and Chips, topped off with scrumptious desserts donated by the members.  Later in the evening Damaris Travers led us in Crazy Cards, and the winners were Debbie Wiersum, Chuck Seager and Marlene Sholtes.

Saturday breakfast consisted of scrambled eggs, blueberry pancakes and sausage patties.  Frankie Morgan donated fresh grapefruit from her tree at home.  Arts & Crafts was in two parts.  Joe Sholtes helped those who needed to make hats for the upcoming Rally and Lee Macdonald led a class in painting on wine glasses.  We didn’t know we had such artists in the group!  It was a first time for everyone.  Happy hour was quite entertaining!  Besides the two Irish Lassie Raffle Babes, Becky O’Bunn and Damaris O’Travers, they found a handsome Irish Laddie along the way.  No one could guess who he was.  Such a disguise!  It turned out to be none other than himself, Butch O’Crosby.  The beverage dispensers, Joe O’Sholtes and Chuck O’Seager, also wore matching green hats and served the thirsty members.  George Shaughnessy has been involved with cooking every meal at our campout, and the best was yet to come!  He and his leprechaun helpers, W.C. O’Herndon and Bill O’English, prepared an outstanding meal of corned beef, cabbage, potatoes and carrots.  Barbara O’Drapeau purchased 15 heads of cabbage, pounds and pounds of potatoes, carrots, onions and peppers (for Friday’s dinner).  Great job Barbara!  Damaris served her famous Irish Coffee.  For dessert we had green ice cream and delicious cookies Butch Crosby brought in honor of his wife Pat’s birthday.

The entertainment for the evening was “Irish” Trader emceed by Virgin O’Vandervlugt and helped by Lynn O’DeSepio.  Everyone participating brought a green gift in a sealed bag.  The popular items were a green frog and a six-pack of Irish beer.  Lots of fun for one and all.

After our Sunday morning breakfast, we held our monthly Board and Membership Meetings.  Some members stayed a few extra days in order to travel on to the Florida State Rally later in the week and continued having more fun.