P A L M B E A C H G A T O R S N O W S K I C L U B President s Message

Transcription

1 GATOR TALES T H E O F F I C I A L M O N T H L Y P U B L I C A T I O N O F T H E D E C E M B E R B O A R D M E M B E R S PRESIDENT Sharon Long wmarussich@comcast. net PAST PRESIDENT Evie Houston sgjewelers2@aol.com VP SKI TRIPS Walter Marussich gsscmem@comcast.com VP SPECIAL ACTIVITIES Debbi Haselmire fun45insun@yahoo.com VP SOCIALS Debbi Haselmire fun45insun@yahoo.com TREASURER Ann West awest1020@bellsouth.net SECRETARY Kathy Levas MEMBER AT LARGE Cheryl Barnes cherylb2108@aol.com COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR TBD MEMBERSHIP DIRECTOR Tim Dai aftd930@gmail.com EVENT COMPTROLLER DIRECTOR TBD P A L M B E A C H G A T O R S N O W S K I C L U B President s Message Hello Gators, Our Club has a fantastic array of exciting trips and activities for everyone! Please visit our website, read our weekly blast, and look through this newsletter to find out about them and to sign up. Please spread the word about us and invite your friends and coworkers to check us out so more people can join in our fun. The larger our membership grows, the more fun events we can offer for your entertainment and enjoyment. I would like to welcome our new Treasurer, Ann West, who was appointed in November. I would like to offer my deepest gratitude to our Board Members for their tireless dedication to our Club. They are the reason that we are enjoying such a great year. If you happen to talk to one of them, please let them know that you appreciate them. We will be offering a marvelous holiday party on Friday, December 8th in lieu of the General Meeting. We will celebrate the season with a DJ-hosted dinner dance. Thank you, Evie Houston, for organizing this elegant event. The deadline for reservation and payment has been extended to Wednesday, December 6th. Anyone trying to sign up after that will be charged $10 extra. We will be having another spectacular full moon dinner at the beach on Sunday, December 3rd. We will bring our own food and chairs and enjoy watching the moonrise over the beach in Jupiter. The first one on November 5th was wonderful, and this one should be just as nice. Thank you, Kathy Levas, for organizing these fun events. Join the Gators as we view the annual Palm Beach Boat Parade at Juno Park on Saturday, December 2nd. This amazing parade of festively decorated boats will light up the Intracoastal Waterway for spectators in the evening. Be sure to come early to get a parking space. We will be enjoying a new tradition, the sold out holiday candlelight walking tour in the Old Northwood Historic District on December 17th. We will visit showcased houses with various homes offering tastings from local restaurants and chefs. In addition, all homes will have wine, beer, and water to enjoy! Kudos to Kathy Levas for arranging this marvelous experience! November 18th marked the second Leisure Bike Ride series with Guest Leader Ray Collie leading an enjoyable ride in Abacoa. The next ride will be at Juno Beach in Abacoa on Saturday, December 2nd with Guest Leader Estela Basso. Look for a new ride every month, and don t forget about the special weekend camping trip and bike ride at Lake Okeechobee in February. The cabins go quickly, so make your reservation now. Our 2018 winter ski destinations include Winter Park, Colorado; Steamboat, Colorado; Andorra and Barcelona, Spain; Taos, New Mexico; Jackson Hole, Wyoming; and Sierra Nevada, Spain. Jackson Hole has an opening for two people in a room with a queen bed. The other trips are taking wait list applicants. Spots open up frequently so I encourage you to get on the list. Please visit our website, read our weekly blast, and download our newsletter regularly to keep up with our trips. A number of Gators have recently returned from the special Halloween cruise on the Harmony of the Seas in the Western Caribbean where they had a blast. Thanks, Debbi Haselmire, for organizing this fun trip! A group of Gators represented the Club at the Florida Ski Council Meeting in Orlando on the first weekend of November. Attending were President Sharon Long, VP / Ski Trips Walter Marussich, FSC Steamboat Trip Leader Ken Kingston, Carol Ashley, FSC Jackson Hole Trip Leader Chris McArdle, FSC New Zealand Trip Leader Karen Eslary, and Acting Event Coordinator Patti Bochniak. At these meetings, we plan the trips that the FSC will be offering. For 2019, these include a January trip to Big Sky, a February trip to Park City and a March international trip to Cortina, Italy. Our next FSC meeting will be in early June Please contact me if you are interested in attending. The Gators had a fabulous time at the Patriotic Luau party on November 11th where we celebrated Veteran s Day. We enjoyed a barbecue dinner and appetizers along with dancing. The prize for the best tropical drink was won by Ann West, who brought not one but two rum punches. Thank you, Debbi Haselmire, for organizing this fun event! Thanks also to everyone who helped. 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 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. I wish you and your families a joyous holiday season. Sincerely, Sharon Long President Next General Membership Meeting: Thursday, January 11th at the North Palm Beach Country Club, 6:30 PM Social Hour; 7:30 PM Business Next Board of Directors Meeting: Thursday, January 4th at the Double Tree Hotel, Palm Beach Gardens, 7:00 PM

2 December 2017 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 5:00 PM Happy Hour Dirty Martini 2 10:00 AM Bike Ride 4:30 PM Boat Parade Full Moon Dinner 7:00 PM Board Meeting :00 PM 17 Holiday Home Tour Northwood Happy Hour Ceviche Arigato :00 PM Happy Hour Two Drunken Goats :00 PM Happy Hour Cabo Flats

3 P A G E 3 PRINTED DIRECTORY By popular demand, the Board is working on a printed directory of our members. PLEASE make sure your information and privacy settings are correct. View or download/print these step by step instructions on how to update your contact information and privacy settings. The closing of the North Palm Beach Country Club has been postponed until May It will not reopen for at least 18 months. Starting in June, we plan to move to the Marriott in Palm Beach Gardens. Dear Members: If you would like to make a payment for a ski trip with a credit card, please notify your trip leader and an invoice will be created for you to pay online. You can request to pay an installment or the full balance of your account. (Invoices are created by the Event Comptroller per request of the Trip Leaders.) From Communications Team STAY CONNECTED... Go online to the Gator website and update your & mailing address! Did you know you can advertise in this newsletter for as little as $10? Condolence and Sympathy Messages If you know of anyone in the Club who is suffering from an illness or from the loss of a loved one, please notify our Member at Large, Cheryl Barnes, at (781) or cherylb2108@aol.com. We would like to let them know we are thinking of them in difficult times.

4 Ski Trips From VP of Ski Trips, Walter Marussich P A G E Ski Season in Full Swing! The 2018 ski season is well underway. We know you are eager to make your plans for next year's skiing adventure, so go ahead! Registration is now open for most trips. Here is what we have so far: Winter 2019 Luxury Ski Trip to Vail, Colorado. Working on this for next year! Jan. 6-13, 2018 Winter Park, Colorado Ski Trip (26 spots), Trip Leader: Kevin Murtha. This is our No Frills-All Thrills ski trip that includes 7 nights in studios (double occupancy, 2 per studio) at the Vintage Resort Hotel which features 2 queen beds and kitchenette, round trip air from Palm Beach International (PBI) to Denver, ground transport, lift tickets, pre- and post- trip parties, après-ski happy hours, Club dinner, and bandana. Only $1,420.* Available for sign up. Contact Trip Leader at (954) or icu1274@gmail.com. Jan , 2018 Steamboat, Colorado - Florida Ski Council Ski Trip (60 spots), Trip Leader: Ken Kingston, Assistant TL: Scotty Howard. Saturday to Saturday 7 night ski trip to Steamboat, Colorado with the FLORIDA SKI COUNCIL. Standard Package includes: Lodging at Dulany at the Gondola Condos, 2 bed/2 bath, 4 per condo. Flying from Fort Lauderdale into Hayden. Includes ground transfers, 5-day ski lift ticket, pre-trip party, FSC welcome party, FSC Casino Night theme party with DJ, Club dinner, after ski happy hour(s), NASTAR race and voucher for lunch on the mountain, ski week commemorative pin and ID badge, and bandana. Only $2,080.* Available for sign up. Contact Trip Leader at kkingston57@msn.com. Feb. 2-13, 2018 Andorra and Barcelona Ski & Tour Trip (24 spots), Trip Leader: Kelly Lunsford. This is a 10 day ski and tour trip to Europe: 7 nights in Andorra and 3 nights in Barcelona. Standard Package includes: round trip air from Miami to Barcelona via Swiss Air, round trip bus from Palm Beach Gardens to Miami Airport, all transfers in Europe. Lodging at 4 Star Hotels both in Andorra and in Barcelona. Daily breakfast and dinner in Andorra, daily breakfast in Barcelona, 5-day lift ticket, private bus to ski resort daily, 4 hour bus tour of Barcelona, 4 hour bus tour of Montserrat, pre-trip party, welcome and farewell drink, Club dinner, Club après-ski happy hour(s), bandana, all taxes and fees. All that for only $2,195.* Optional day tour to Carcassone, France: scenic 3 hour drive to the medieval city of Carcassone for $79. Available for sign up. Contact Trip Leader at or kellykay27@bellsouth.net. Feb. 3-10, 2018 Taos, New Mexico Ski Trip (32 spots), Trip Leader: Bonnie Boaz. This is a Saturday to Saturday 7 night ski trip to Taos, New Mexico. Lodging at Snakedance Condos 2 bed/2 bath, 4 per condo. Ski in/ski out. Flying from Fort Lauderdale into Albuquerque. Includes ground transfers, dinner at La Hacienda, visit to the city of Taos, visit to the Rio Grande Gorge, pre-trip party, welcome reception, Club dinner, happy hour(s), bandana, fleece vest, taxes and fees. Only $1,745.* Available for sign up. Contact Trip Leader at or Bonnie.boaz2411@gmail.com. Continued on the following page Come to our next Social and Special Activities Planning Meeting being organized for January Meet at 6:30 PM; Meeting begins at 7:00 PM. Watch for date and location to be posted soon. For more information contact Deb at or fun45insun@yahoo.com.

5 Ski Trips From VP of Ski Trips, Walter Marussich Continued from the preceding page P A G E 5 Feb. 24-March 3, 2018 Jackson Hole, Wyoming - Florida Ski Council Ski Trip (42 spots), Trip Leader: Chris McArdle. We are sold out but have a waiting list. This is a Saturday to Saturday 7 night ski trip to Jackson Hole, Wyoming with the FLORIDA SKI COUNCIL. Lodging at Teton Village Condos 2 bed/2 bath, 4 per condo. Free shuttle to slopes (3 minute ride). Flying from Fort Lauderdale into Jackson Hole Airport. Includes ground transfers, 5-day ski lift ticket, pre-trip party, FSC welcome party with DJ, FSC theme party with DJ, Club dinner, after ski happy hour(s), fun race and voucher for lunch on the mountain, ski week commemorative pin and ID badge, bandana, and use of Sundance Swim Club hot tubs. Only $2,190.* Waitlist sign-up available. Contact Trip Leader at (home), (cell) or cmcardle0152@gmail.com. March 7-18, 2018 Sierra Nevada, Spain - Florida Ski Council 10 Day European Ski & Tour Trip (64 spots) Trip Leader: Walter Marussich, Assistant TLs: Vi Ware and Chris Yanuzzi. This trip was expanded from 42 to 64 passengers due to popular demand. We are sold out, but there is a very short waiting list. With this many passengers, there are bound to be some cancellations. Standard Package includes: 3 nights in Carmona, 5 nights in Granada, and 2 nights in Torremolinos. In more detail, it includes round trip bus from PBG to Miami, round trip airline tickets from Miami to Malaga, Spain, 3 day stay in the Parador of Seville at Carmona, Spain (breakfast and dinner), 5 days accommodations in Granada, Spain (breakfast daily, 4 Dinners), gala party in Granada, 4 days transfer from Granada to ski area, 2 days accommodations in the Torremolinos-Malaga area (breakfast daily), and all ground transportation in Spain. All accommodations are hotel rooms double occupancy. Lift tickets are NOT INCLUDED. All for only $2,640.* Waitlist sign-up available. Contact Trip Leader at or gsscmem@comcast.net. Several side trips to historic and natural wonder attractions will be offered: Granada & Alhambra Tour, Tropical Coast & Nerja Caves, Alpujarras. Side trips to Gibraltar and Seville will be included with your tour price. *Prices are per person, double occupancy. Terms and conditions subject to change without notice. Familiarization trip to Cortina, Italy is available. All trip leaders, current, former, assistants and trainees that have completed three training sessions are welcome to apply. If you are a current trip leader, you will not be as likely to be selected. You must be able to attend business meetings and make reports. Significant others are not allowed to accompany you even if they pay their entire fare. Come to our next Social and Special Activities Planning Meeting being organized for January Meet at 6:30 PM; Meeting begins at 7:00 PM. Watch for date and location to be posted soon. For more information contact Deb at or fun45insun@yahoo.com.

6 P A G E 6 Special Activities From VP of Special Activities, Debbi Haselmire Price includes transportation, ticket, free food, beer, and wine throughout the game in the Sky Box. See flyer on website under Special Activities for details. HELLO GATORS!! HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO EVERYONE!!!! Leisure Bike Ride Schedule is posted; please see website for monthly bike rides planned by Ben Smith. Back by popular demand, March 24, 2018, Florida Panthers vs Arizona Coyotes Hockey Game. Jump on the bus!!!! Be sure not to miss the Cruise to CUBA on board the NCL Norwegian Sky, April 23-27, 2018 (5 days/4 nights with 2 full days in Cuba). SOLD OUT BIKE & BARGE!! Contact Estela Basso to be placed on a wait list for another fabulous Bike and Barge along The Danube: Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary with 3 nights in Prague, September 8 19, As always, I am looking for some motivated Gators to help plan/run any event in Special Activities. Please contact me if you are interested in stepping up to the plate and joining in the making of FUN FUN FUN!!! Please join us at the next Social and Special Activities Planning meeting (TBD) We need your help!!!!!! Let s come up with some exciting Special Activities in 2018!!!!!!!! Deb Haselmire (VP Special Activities) BUS TO FLORIDA PANTHER HOCKEY GAME, MARCH 24, 2018 Leaving from the Airport Hilton on Southern Boulevard, join the Gators for a great night of hockey as the Panthers take on the Arizona Coyotes. HAVANA, CUBA / APRIL 23-27, 2018 Don t miss out on this chance to visit Cuba!!!!!!! Enjoy and relax onboard The Norwegian Sky for a 5-day / 4-night cruise, leaving from the Port of Miami, with two full days in Havana and one day at Great Stirrup Cay. This trip will sell out quickly so don t hesitate to book your cabin with NCL Group Specialist, Emily Bell. See flyer on website under Special Activities for full details. THE DANUBE BIKE AND BARGE 2018 / SEPTEMBER 8 19, 2018 Cycle and sail with Estela Basso as she leads the Gators along the River Danube traveling through Germany, Austria, Slovakia, and Hungary on one glorious holiday!!!! After the week of bike and barge, you will spend three nights at a four-star hotel in enchanting Prague. Only 26 spots available so don t delay signing up. Find full details on the website flyer for this exciting trip in 2018!!!!! Come to our next Social and Special Activities Planning Meeting being organized for January Meet at 6:30 PM; Meeting begins at 7:00 PM. Watch for date and location to be posted soon. For more information contact Deb at or fun45insun@yahoo.com.

7 Socials From VP of Socials, Debbi Haselmire Hello Gator Members, P A G E 7 Be sure to check out some of the new and exciting Happy Hours that are being put together for the club as well as keeping the club favorites on the schedule. Feel free to contact me with any new ideas for Happy Hour venues. I will try to provide as much variety as possible. One more Full Moon Dinner on The Beach is scheduled for Sunday December 3rd. See flyer for information on time. With the Holidays in full swing be sure to attend the following event scheduled for December 2nd: watching the annual Palm Beach Boat Parade pass by Juno Park. Don t forget to get your tickets for the Annual Holiday Party to be held on Friday December 8th this year at the North Palm Beach Country Club with Janelle providing your dancing music. Very popular last year, Old Northwood Candlelight Tour, to be held this year Sunday December 17th, SOLD OUT. Contact Kathy Levas to be placed on wait list. Watch the website in 2018 for new Social Events being planned. Deb Haselmire VP Socials FULL MOON DINNER ON THE BEACH Be sure to come out and view the Full Moon on the beach. Check the flyer out for time and details. VIEWING OF PALM BEACH BOAT PARADE, SATURDAY DECEMBER 2, 2017 Meet up with the Gators at Juno Park to view the annual Boat Parade. Juno Park is located just north of PGA on Elison Wilson Road (intracoastal side). Be sure to bring a chair, a cooler, and something to share. Meet about 4:30 PM. Parking could be hard to find if you come later. Boats will be by about 7:00-7:30 PM. ANNUAL HOLIDAY PARTY / FRIDAY DECEMBER 8, 2017 Enjoy a fine meal and dance the night away. An event not to be missed. Sign up and pay for the Holiday Party before it sells out. Tickets only $32 for members and $37 for non-members. Contact Evie Houston or pay online. OLD NORTHWOOD CANDLELIGHT HOME TOUR, SUNDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2017 Join the club for a fantastic evening of viewing the decorated houses in the Old Northwood area of West Palm Beach. Be sure to secure your ticket with Kathy Levas as limited number of tickets are available. Come to our next Social and Special Activities Planning Meeting being organized for January Meet at 6:30 PM; Meeting begins at 7:00 PM. Watch for date and location to be posted soon. For more information contact Deb at or fun45insun@yahoo.com.

8 Please Visit and Like Our New PBGSSC Facebook Page P A G E 8 The Palm Beach Gator Snow Ski Club is proud to announce our new Facebook page. Please visit us at and like our page. You are encouraged to post pictures and comments.

9 P A G E 9 Visit Our Website Take a tour of our new website. We hope you like it! It features: Event Information: On ski trips and all social activities. Blogs: Each of your Board Members can keep you up-to-date on the news from their area of responsibility. Event Registration: Register online and pay with credit card (or checks). Join/Renew: Membership online. Members Only Area*: Password protected area with a searchable Directory and other content. Forums: Where members can discuss topics of interest with other members. Surveys: Where members can vote on preferences. Customizable Member Profile: You can add a head shot of yourself and set your privacy settings (what information would you like to share and what to keep private). Photo Albums: Pictures taken at our events...are you there? *In order to access the Members Only area, your membership for the current fiscal year (June 1, May 31, 2017) must be current or the system will not let you in. If you need to join or renew your membership, you can do so online. Your login is your . Each member needs a unique . If you are logging in for the first time, click "Forgot Password" and a password will be ed to you from webmaster@gatorsnowskiclub.com. If you do not see the shortly, check your spam/junk folder. If you have joined/renewed recently via check and you cannot log in, your check may be being processed. Otherwise, we may be missing your or there may be a typo in it. Please contact the Communications Team at webmaster@gatorsnowskiclub.com for help.

10 P A G E 1 0 Gator Snow Ski Club Advertising Rates on Website or blasts WEBSITE ADVERTISING: Select the size and the page(s) where ad will be shown for 12 months. All ads include a clickable link to your website. Full Size Display (300 x 300 pixels) Home Page plus Sponsor Page One Inner Page plus Sponsor Page Sponsor Page Only $400 $300 $200 Half Size Display (300 x 150 pixels) Home Page plus Sponsor Page One Inner Page plus Sponsor Page Sponsor Page Only $200 $150 $75 Continued on the following page

11 P A G E 1 1 Continued from the preceding page Page Banner Any Page (600 x 150 pixels) $500 Quick Links ( 1-4 words with hyperlink) Example of Quick Link: My Company is Great! Home Page plus Sponsors One Inner Page plus Example of Quick Link: My Company is Great! Page Sponsors Page Sponsors Page Only $125 $100 $80 Your ads will run in the locations selected, for one full year. All the ads will be image-maps or links, that will take the user to your website when they click. Make all checks payable to the Gator Snow Ski Club. Don t have an ad? NO PROBLEM! I will create one for you (fee $50/hour payable to Gator Snow Ski Club). Most ads take 1 hour, perhaps 2 hrs. if many revisions. Do you want to use your business card? That would fit nicely in the half size display. Scan it and send it to me via . Or I can scan it for you for $20 (again, payable to the Club). Contact: Estela Basso webmaster@gatorsnowskiclub.com BLASTS Add your ad to our weekly blasts. Your ad size should be up to 600 pixels wide, and up to 150 pixels tall. All ads include a clickable link to your website. Price per inclusion ONLY $10 Buy 4 inclusions $8/each Buy 10 inclusions $6/each Buy 20 inclusions or more: $5 each!!!!

12 P A G E 1 2 Check us out on Facebook Create your own free Facebook account, then search for Gator Snow Ski Club. You can join the group or just "like us". Event Planning Committee: MEETS ONCE A MONTH Join Debbi every month for the Event Planning Committee Meeting. Look for dates to be announced. Betty Williams Debbi Haselmire VP / Special Activities Join Us at Our Events Gator members have fun at Carmine s Happy Hour on August 18, Look for our Mascot at Happy Hour Look for the Gator Sign and the Alligator Head full of candy, seen here at the Snuggery for Blue Jeans Night Out on August 15, Volunteer for Club Activities Estela Basso volunteers as guest leader for Ben Smith s Juno Beach Bike Ride on December 3, 3016.

13 P A G E 1 3 Membership Renewals for New Club Year Starting June 1, 2017 Our membership year began on June 1, In order to participate in most of our trips and weekend events, you must be a member. Please take the time to renew your membership. Your dues are used to pay for our operating expenses, our Membership Picnic, and the free food you get at many of our meetings. Please support your Club. Member name tags are available upon request at our general meetings. Membership applications can be downloaded on-line at our website at They are also available to fill out at our general meetings. Dues are $40 per year for single memberships and $60 for family memberships. You can mail in your application, turn it in at a meeting, or pay on-line with a credit card. For your convenience, a membership application is included on the following page of this newsletter. Your Club Needs Volunteers! Your Club Needs Volunteers! We are looking for volunteers in several categories to help our Club succeed in the year that started on June 1st. Social and Special Activities Planning Committee We need more members to help with our events and activities. If you have ideas for new events that you would like to help implement, come to our next meeting. We meet every month on a Tuesday at a date and location that will be shown on the website under the All Events Calendar. Come at 6:30 PM to order food and drinks. The meeting starts at 7:00 PM. For more information, please contact Debbi Haselmire at or fun45insun@yahoo.com. Trip Leaders and Assistant Trip Leaders For Ski Trips, contact Estela Basso at or estelavpofski@gmail.com; for other trips, contact Debbi Haselmire at or fun45insun@yahoo.com. Event Leaders If you are interested in leading one of our events, please contact Betty Williams at or msbettywilliams@att.net or Debbi Haselmire at or fun45insun@yahoo.com. Officer Assistants Volunteers are needed to be assistants to the VP/Ski Trips, VP/Special Activities, VP/Socials, and Treasurer. Must be members in good standing and comfortable with computers and with experience using , Excel, and Word.

14 P A G E 1 4 Palm Beach Gator Snow Ski Club P.O. BOX Palm Beach Gardens, FL Here is your copy of GATOR TALES