G A T O R S N O W S K I & A C T I V I T I E S C L U B

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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 G A T O R S N O W S K I & A C T I V I T I E S C L U B B O A R D M E M B E R S PRESIDENT Richard Wennet rwennet@gmail.com VP SKI TRIPS Sheri Agnew gatorskivp@gmail.com VP SPECIAL ACTIVI- TIES Connie Flow vpgatorconnie@yahoo.com VP SOCIALS Betty Williams TREASURER Walter Marussich SECRETARY Tammy Walkoff nuwithu@aol.com PAST PRESIDENT Bruce Holtzman gatorprez@att.net MEMBER AT LARGE Pam Strickland pamilou254@aol.com COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR Estela Basso MEMBERSHIP DIRECTOR Harry Patat hpatat@earthlink.net PUBLIC RELATIONS AM- BASSADOR Evie Houston sgjewelers2@aol.com President s Message Happy New Year s Gators!! I would like to begin this New Year s message on a personal note. Most Gators know that the bylaws provide each board member with a free ski trip worth an excess of $1600 which the rest of the members pay for. This means that we pay approximately $13,220 per year to the Board of Directors for their service. I wish to inform you that for the first time since this benefit was established the board has voluntarily chosen to decline all or part of this benefit and return over $9,100 to the membership. These funds have been used to pay for the annual Holiday Party, providing food at our monthly membership meetings, and for other Gator activities. I want to commend and thank the Board for their generosity. It may very well be that this Board will recommend a bylaw change to substantially reduce or eliminate this Board benefit and return the funds back to the members of the club. You may very well see this option on the ballot at the election meeting in April. On to the news. Before I get to the New Year I would be remiss if I did not spend a little time on the year that has just transpired; and what a fantastic year it was!! Have you seen the December Gator Tales Newsletter, all 19 pages? (Courtesy of Sharon Long) If not please print a copy of it as I did. It is replete with photographs of all past events, detailed information of all future ski trips and activities, a list of our 32 new members since last month, a guide for the use of our spectacular new website (Courtesy of Estella Basso) and a host of other neat material to keep you up to Gator Speed. Did you miss the Holiday Party? If you did then you lost out on one heck of a party (Courtesy of Evie Houston, Connie Flow, and Betty Williams). Almost 1/3 of the entire membership of the club, 110 people, enjoyed cocktails, a sumptuous feast, and dancing into the wee hours to the music of an awesome DJ. I could go on and on about last year but that s enough about the past. Let s talk about 2014 and what a stellar Gator year it will be. Our ski trips will be some of the best we have had in years. Our Happy Hours will be simply superb. Our special events will be the greatest. Our socials will be the most outstanding. And our members will be the happiest. If you really want to enjoy the club get involved and volunteer to be a trip leader or come to the social committee meeting on the 2nd Monday (new date) of every month at 7pm at Gander Mountain. Get involved and get happy. How about a 14 day trip to Italy including Naples, Rome, Florence, Venice, the wine country and so much more? The trip of a lifetime. Don t miss this extravaganza and we need a trip leader to serve without compensation to reduce the cost of the trip so more Gators can afford it. Well that s enough for now. IT S GOOD TO BE A GATOR. Warmest Regards; Rich Wennet, President Next General Membership Meeting: WE ARE MEETING 30 MINUTES EARLIER! Thursday, January 9 North Palm Beach Country Club 6:30pm Social Hour 7:30 pm Business Next Board of Directors Meeting: Thursday, January 2 at Tall Gander Mountain, North Palm Beach, 6:30 pm

2 P A G E 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". Events Planning Committee: Meets the SECOND MONDAY of each month FROM NOW ON Join Betty and Connie the SECOND Monday of each month at 7 PM at Tall Tales at Gander Mountain in Palm Beach Gardens. Join Us at Our Events Susie Wypasek and Bob Miller enjoy the Gator Holiday Party on December 4th. Look for our Mascot at Happy Hour Look for our Gator sign and the alligator head full of candy, seen here at the December 6th happy hour at Tall Tales. Participate in Community Activities Gators on the Social and Special Activities Planning Committee at our December meeting. We plan many kinds of events. We need volunteers & invite you to join us! G A T O R T A L E S

3 P A G E 3 Our New Website is UP 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: your membership online. Members Only Area*: a 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, 2014) 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 Estela Basso webmaster@gatorsnowskiclub for help.

4 P A G E 4 From your VP Ski Trips, Sheri Agnew We are on the slopes!!! John Paglialungo and 27 Club Members have returned from a GREAT week doing their early season skiing in Vail, Colorado. It was quite chilly for them, but the snow was AWESOME for this time of year and even more runs were open than last year! Check out the Gator Facebook page & our website for pictures! We have quite a bit of time between Vail and the four other trips on our docket, with the FSC Snowmass Trip, January 25-February 1, 2014, led by Everett Barber & Cheryl Barnes coming up next. They are taking 61 Members & might still have room if you hurry!! Our shorter, budget friendly trip to Keystone has been SOLD OUT for quite some time with Trip Leader Chris McArdle and 34 Skiers! This trip takes off February 2-7, 2014! And Marie York & Kathy Salata keep signing people up for FSC-Park City with Deer Valley & the Canyons thrown in, February 22, 2014, and are now at 52 with the possibility of fitting you in, so don t delay! Our trip for Spring Break at Arrowhead in Beaver Creek has just opened up, with Trip Leaders Evie Houston & Terry Sussman!! The resort is so excited that we are coming, that they keep letting us add on! And our Tour Operator has found us extra low cost air, soooo if you ve been sitting on the fence on this one, jump OFF and sign UP! There are 2 FSC Site Inspection trips available next August: Telluride & Crested Butte. Site inspections are to learn about resort lodging, their mountains, dining & other activities. Telluride will be: 08/05/14 arrival (3 nights lodging provided) 08/08/14 departure & Crested Butte: 08/08/14 arrival (3 nights lodging) 08/11/14 departure. Additional information will be shared at a later date. If interested in going, please apply for the FSC Trip Leader/ Assistant positions now available. A FAM trip to Mt. Bachelor is also available March 204, This FAM will include: 3 nights lodging, Bend Downtown Double Tree by Hilton (Phoenix Inn & Suites), 2 day lift ticket, 2 day ski/board rental, most meals, sled dog experience, roundtrip airport transfers, Portland to Bend. Not included is the cost of air, however, if approved by the Board, there will be a reimbursement of 50%. If you are interested in attending any of these, please me at gatorskivp@gmail.com or call me at (561) & I will send you an application. You must be a current Member in Good Standing with our Club to apply. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Have you seen the Call to Action requests for your input and your leadership? Our Website, Facebook & Newsletter request your completion of our Trip Survey and your service as a Trip Leader or an Assistant for next season s ski trips. It s your turn to make a difference! Are there destinations that you want to ski more than any other? How about the type of package you would like to purchase? Would you like more choices in putting together your ski vacation? We can t help you if we don t hear from you! We also need your help in leading the trips to the places you want to go to. The rewards for leading your fellow Club Members on a great vacation to a great ski destination are plentiful. As with many groups and clubs across the country, we are experiencing a shortage of worthy volunteers. So if you have been sitting on the side lines wondering if you could make a difference or if this should be your turn ~ you can and it is! The FSC-Telluride & FSC- Crested Butte trips are taking applications now. Please me for the Survey or Trip Leader Application, or get them online on our website: You must be a Member In Good Standing, a member for two years to apply as a Trip Leader, and one year as an Assistant, and per our current By-Laws, cannot lead a trip as a Leader if you led a trip the year before. You can however, apply as an Assistant. As always, stay tuned for new information & updates on our Facebook Page (The Gator Snow Ski Club) and our website. Until next time, Gator Mates, Sheri Agnew VP Ski Trips, (561) ; gatorskivp@gmail.com

5 P A G E 5 Vail, Colorado - Ski Trip Vail 2013 Dec 7th 14th We arrived in Vail, at The Lodge at Vail to a snowy, wintery wonderland! The Lodge welcomed us, we got our lift tickets, and we were off! With temperatures well below zero, the first 3 days we bundled up, and skied and boarded with plenty of snow. As the week went on, the bowls were opening up, and we continued to increase our miles on the mountain! We had two great après skis and a group dinner, with a Christmas photo on the Lodge grand staircase. The Lodge at Vail couldn t have been more gracious in their service. We met each day, with small groups that grew, and, then, broke off into smaller groups once again as the day wore on. The lift lines were small, the restaurants were not crowded, and once again, our December trip proved to be rewarding in many ways. We ended our week with a party in one of our condos, sharing our memories of the week, and having made new friends, vowed to return to Vail!! Snowmass/Aspen, Colorado Ski Trip January 25 to February 1, 2014 The Florida Ski Council trip to Snowmass/ Aspen is poised for take-off! We had some late add ons and we are now 60 strong! At this time, we will only be accepting stand by applications to back fill spaces if we have cancellations. Please contact our trip leader, Everett Barber, if you are interested in being on the stand by list. We have a great bunch of Gators ready to enjoy some fantastic Colorado skiing and partying! Snow has been falling in the Rockies and we are looking forward to great conditions. By now, everyone renting skis should have followed the instructions in the last general note that was sent out and should have reserved their skis. If there are any problems with that, please contact your trip leader, Everett Barber. Our race captain this year is Rich Ruvido and he is very excited about our chances to bring home the gold, the coveted Florida Cup! We will be signing members up for the race when we meet for our pre-trip party! It s fun so sign up! Our pre-trip party will be held the weekend before our departure. Watch your for details on when and where. The next general will also contain info on roommates, and confirm which airline the members will be flying. If you do not have that by 1/1/14, please contact Everett! Here is a recap of what our Snowmass crew is going to enjoy! We will fly from PBI to Eagle via either Delta or American with a short ground transfer to the lodge. Ski in/ski out from the Crestwood Condos at Snowmass or take a short shuttle bus to ski Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands or Buttermilk Village. Five day lift ticket with an option for a 6th day. Enjoy the FSC après ski party, the theme party (Fabulous Fifties is the theme) and help compete for the coveted FSC Florida Cup team trophy. Feast at a Gators only dinner party at a great restaurant in Aspen! Meet, ski and party with old and new friends, members of our terrific ski club! If you have any questions are need additional information, please contact Everett Barber, Trip Leader at or him at barbever@msn.com. G A T O R T A L E S

6 P A G E 6 Keystone, Colorado Ski Trip February 2-7, 2014 Hey skiers! Do you want to get away and ski inexpensively at one of Colorado's premier resorts? Do you want to ski with SHORT weekday lift lines and NO holiday traffic? If that sounds good to you, then come join us at KEYSTONE- After a quick one hour bus ride we will arrive at The Inn at Keystone and your skiing dreams will come true! Our package for flight, hotel at The Inn at Keystone, bus and baggage transfers, four days of skiing and pre-trip party is only $999.00! Park City, Utah - Ski Trip Park City trip leaders are taking names on standby so if you want to ski three exciting mountains: Park City, The Canyons and exclusive Deer Valley resort, please let us know. The historic town, home to the Sundance Film Festival, has amazing night life and restaurants. Our Shadow Ridge condominium is a short walk to the main lift area as well as Après ski hot spots and ski storage. Park City FSC Skier's Choice Trip! Feb 22 Mar 1, 2014 $1759 (4 day lift tix); $1812 (5 day lift tix) Skier s Choice to ski Park City & Deer Valley & Can- Where on Earth can you find such a deal? And if all of this isn't good enough for you, your lift ticket to Keystone also includes the other premiere ski resorts of Breckenridge and Vail. Breckenridge is a short 40 minute free shuttle away, and Vail is only slightly longer. Please contact me, the trip leader for more information: Chris McArdle, , cell , or me at cmcardle0152@gmail.com. Come on and join us for a great four days of skiing! yons. You choose! Trip includes: 7 nights lodging at Shadow Ridge Condos (just across from the lift) Roundtrip air from PBI to Salt Lake City Transfers to the resort (a short 35 minute ride) Two FSC dinners/parties ~ Party is "Beach Theme" Gator dinner in historic Park City Contact Marie York, Trip Leader lifecoach@yorksolutionsllc.com or Kathy Salata assist. trip leader kathymsalata@gmail.com Beaver Creek, Colorado Spring Break Ski Trip Beaver Creek Mountain! A dream to ski! And Arrowhead Village, deluxe condominiums ~ offering Ski In/Walk Out! You will love the quaint town of Beaver Creek! And the price of this trip is amazing for Spring Break Season!! So if you don't want to miss this opportunity, sign up on our active wait list, as you never know what might change!! Also, your lift ticket package includes Vail, Breckenridge & Keystone! And there is so much to do even if you don't ski! Beaver Creek is known for its fine dining, shops and of course the breath taking scenery! And where else can you go, and get hot chocolate & chocolate chip cookies served to you at the end of the day? Wow, that is worth it alone! Come join me and Terry Sussman for what will be a fantastic week in Beaver Creek next March! Trip Leader: Evie Houston (561) ; sgjewelers2@aol.com Asst. Leader: Terry Sussman (772) G A T O R T A L E S

7 P A G E 7 Special Activities From VP of Special Activities, Connie Flow I hope you have been enjoying the holidays! "Happy New Year to All". This month except for Happy Hours and Holiday Parties and Pageants, the Special Activities will begin again in the new year. Look for information on the upcoming September Wine Country Tour in next month s Gator Tales or call me at LEISURE BIKE RIDE - Jan. 4 Mark your calendars...first ride of 2014 Gator Leisure Bike Ride at Jupiter Farms Tim Kuhn who lives in the area will be the guest leader. (Thank you, Tim.) Cell phone (561) Meet Saturday January 4, 2014 at 10 AM at Tim Kuhn's house at rd Ct. N. Go west on Indiantown Rd West of I-95 and the Turnpike to Jupiter Farms Rd. Turn left and go to the stop sign at Sandy Run (about 3 miles). Turn right. Go to 110th and turn left. First road on right is 153rd Ct. N. Turn right. Go past stop sign. It is the second house on left. We will ride about 12 miles at 8-10 mph....option: Afterward lunch at Tim's. Please bring a side dish and Gene & Tif will set up for lunch after the ride. Tim will do hamburgers and chicken. For information, contact Ben at or bbsdob525@aol.com. LEISURE BIKE RIDE & CAMPING - Feb The weekend Lake Okeechobee Full Moon Bike Ride will be held at 10 AM on Sat., Feb. 15. Optional camping is available at the KOA at 4278 S US 441 in Okeechobee City. They have17 cabins and numerous RV and tent sites (tent camping should not be windy like Pahokee)...tent area # hole golf course, tennis, bocce, pentaque, adult only pool, hot tub, campfires and the Shanty Lounge with live music and dancing. There is a $4 per day use fee if not staying there. Reservations: call to reserve or visit for KOA Camping Cabins & Deluxe Cabins Rentals at KOA Campgrounds. Please book now as every time Ben talks to them they have less cabins available!!! Also there are some motels on Hwy 441 near the campground. DAYTONA 500 Feb Betty Williams is leading the Daytona 500 Race Weekend. This includes race tickets, welcome party and 2 nights at the Playa Resort. We have 6 rooms left. The price is $295 per person. For more information, contact Betty. GRANT SEAFOOD FESTIVAL - Feb. 28 Mar. 1 Bill Lobb is leading a weekend event trip to the Grant Seafood Festival in Grant, Florida near Palm Bay. This features a discounted stay in the Best Western in Sebastian and a Friday night pub crawl. On Saturday, visit the festival with free admission, free parking, over 100 crafters exhibiting, live continuous entertainment, along with a scrumptious menu of succulent seafood. If you can t make it Friday night, join us on Saturday 9 AM to 7 PM at the festival. For more information, please contact Bill at billgolf2020@yahoo.com or A TASTE OF ITALY - June 8-22, 2014 The Gators will be heading for historic, picturesque Italy next summer where we will visit 4 major attraction areas with minimal travel/bus time while in Italy. Price is $3,980 (approx.) for flying out of Miami to Europe. For more information, please contact Walter Marussich at or gsscmem@comcast.net. We are still looking for a trip leader, but there will be no compensation for this work. If interested, please contact Connie. Connie VP Special Activities Come to our Social and Special Activities Planning Meeting: Monday, January 13th (Date Change) at 7 pm at Tall Tales (inside Gander Mountain)

8 P A G E 8 Social Activities From VP of Socials, Betty Williams Hello Fellow Gators, It's been a fun and busy month. Thanks to everyone who participated in the early Christmas party, the Club holiday party and the Christmas Pageant they were all fantastic. Also, thank you Evie for the great job you did on the Holiday Party. Our happy hours have been fun, and I encourage you to come and join us. Please check our website for pictures of all our events. We have a lot planned for the new year, starting with our New Year s Eve party at 8 PM my house. Then we have the social meeting on January 13th at Tall Tales. This has been permanently moved to the second Monday of the month so we can get the private room. Our Valentine s Day Dance Party is coming up on February 14th 7 PM - 12 AM at the American Legion Hall in Tequesta. Tickets are $20 for members and $25 for non-members. Please see the flyer in this newsletter. What better way to experience the excitement of the Daytona 500 Race Weekend than to join the Gators on Feb ! We are staying at the La Playa Resort and the cost is $295 per person. This includes race tickets and a welcome party. We have 6 rooms left. Please see the flyer in this newsletter. We ve had a wonderful month. I am looking forward to many more with your support and enthusiasm. Come and enjoy all the fun. Happy Holidays! Betty Williams VP Social Activities I need volunteers! If you would like to help, please contact me. Photos from Social Events UPCOMING HAPPY HOURS Duffy s Oakbrook Square - Happy Hour 03 Jan 2014 Drinks half price all night US Highway 1 North Palm Beach, FL Carmine s Ocean Grill - Happy Hour 10 Jan 2014 Happy hour until 7pm Free appetizers 6-7pm 2401 PGA Blvd Ste 160 Palm Beach Gardens, FL The Brass Tap - Happy Hour - City Place 17 Jan 2014 Drinks half price all night Free appetizers 6-7pm Betty at Gander Mountain Happy Hour Gator Welcome Table Holiday Party - Cheryl Barnes, Paul Damigos and Rose Miranda 550 S. Rosemary Ave. #158, W. Palm Beach, FL TBD - Happy Hour 24 Jan 2013 TBD - Happy Hour 31 Jan 2013 Come to our Social and Special Activities Planning Meeting: Monday, January 13th (Date Change) at 7 pm at Tall Tales (inside Gander Mountain)

9 P A G E 9 Valentine s Day Dance Friday, February 14th 7 PM 12 AM American Legion Hall - Tequesta 775 U.S. 1, Tequesta, FL (561) $20 Members, $25 Non-Members Dinner included. Cash bar (drinks inexpensive, i.e., beer approx. $2) Register online (no penalty) or mail a check to the event organizer: Betty Williams th Ave North Palm Beach Gardens FL (561)

10 P A G E 10 Daytona 500 Race Weekend February 21st - 23rd

11 P A G E 11 Grant Seafood Festival February 28 - March 1 Join the Gators for a weekend event that includes a pub crawl on Friday night and the Grant Seafood Festival on Saturday. If you can t make it Friday night, join us on Saturday 9 AM to 7 PM at the festival. We will stay at the Best Western in Sebastian across from Capt. Hyram s. The pub crawl will be at the 3 bars within walking distance of the Best Western. Capt. Hyram's will have a band Friday & Saturday nights. Free admission, free parking, over 100 crafters exhibiting, live continuous entertainment, along with a scrumptious menu of succulent seafood makes this a seafood festival no one should miss. What sets this festival apart from others is that it runs through a 100% volunteer effort! All preparation, whether it be on the grounds or with the purchasing, cooking or serving of the various menu items is accomplished by volunteers from the community. There are no food vendors on site. All booths are run with volunteers: many booths are made up of family members, often times having several generations working along side one another. It is this complete volunteer effort that makes this festival unique. The Best Western motel address is 1655 US Hwy 1. Reserve for Feb. 28 March 1, Friday & Saturday night discounted rate of $90 per night plus tax for a double room. The Grand Seafood Festival is on March 1st & 2nd. To reserve a room, call and tell them you want a room held for the Gator Snow Ski Club members. For more info contact the Event Organizer: Bill Lobb at billgolf2020@yahoo.com

12 P A G E 12 Special Activities Adventure

13 P A G E 13 Recent Special Activities Event Leisure Bike Ride - Juno Beach December 7th Ben Smith organizes leisure bike rides that are held during the cooler months. Guest leader Chris McArdle led the third Leisure Bike Ride of the season at Juno Beach on Saturday, Dec. 7th. Everyone met up at South Loggerhead Marine Life Center and continued on to the beach parks in Jupiter. Many thanks to Chris for leading and to Ben for the overall coordination. Upcoming Leisure Bike Rides on the schedule this season include: Gator Snow Ski Club Leisure Bike Ride at Jupiter Farms, Saturday January 4, 2014 Gator Snow Ski Club Leisure Bike Ride at Boca/FAU, Saturday February 8, 2014 Gator Snow Ski Club Leisure Bike Ride at Lake Okeechobee, Saturday, Feb. 15, 2014 (includes optional camping at KOA in Okeechobee City) Gator Snow Ski Club Leisure Bike Ride at Riverbend Park, Saturday, March 8, 2014 Please watch for them on our website and in the newsletter. Contact Ben Smith at bbsdob525@aol.com or or if you would like further information.

14 P A G E 14 Recent Happy Hours Tequila Cowboys Happy Hour November 1st The Gators enjoyed a night out in City Place at Tequila Cowboy Bar & Grill. Here many of our members enjoyed the ambience of this trendy country barbecue restaurant and bar. Tall Tales Happy Hour - Nov. 8th Tall Tales at Gander Mountain in Palm Beach Gardens is one of our regular happy hour destinations. Here many of our members enjoyed the ambience of this Western lodge themed restaurant.

15 P A G E 15 Recent Social Event Early Christmas Party November 30th Betty Williams hosted the early Christmas party at her home in Saturday, November 30th. Her decorations were fabulous, and a wonderful time was had by all. Thank you, Betty, for your selfless dedication to the club in opening your home for this event! Left, Ildiko Haidacher, Betty Williams and guests on the porch. Above, left Sharon Long, Brenda, Downey, Ray Collie, guest and Don McGee beneath the Christmas stockings. Above right, raffle grand prize winner Ed Scheer holding his $50 gift card. Right and left, Gators enjoying the food and company in the family room. Lower right, Trish Baker and Don Chalaire enjoying the party on the porch. Upper left, Sharon Long, Tim Kuhn, guest, Randi Van Fleet and Carol Kelley in the kitchen. Upper right, Paul Damigos and Rose Miranda. Lower left, Don Fessman, guest, Roberta Rubin, and Jovana Pahl. Below, Bill Cook and Orchid Rodriguez, Lower right, Paul Damigos, Betty Williams, Estela Basso, Walter Marussich and Don Chalaire in the Jacuzzi.

16 P A G E 16 Recent Social Event Holiday Party December 4th The Club held our annual Holiday party at the North Palm Beach Country Club on Wednesday, December 4th. This elegant event was attended by around 110 Gators. It featured a marvelous buffet dinner accompanied by a DJ with dancing. Evie Houston did a fantastic job of planning, coordinating and setting up this event, and deserves our accolades. Betty Williams donated her Board Benefit to the Club, and the Board voted to use the money to subsidize this event, which was offered to the membership at half price. Thank you, Betty, for your generosity. Clockwise from upper left: Mike Coscia & Vi Ware; Ben & Brigitte Valenti; Jeff Saxson & Ildiko Haidacher; Evie & Phil Houston; Eileen Long & John Suslavich; Mike & Sheri Agnew. Below top row from left: Evie Houston, Ildiko Haidacher, Estela Basso, Ben Smith and others on dance floor; Rick & Jovana Pahl; Gail Paglialungo, Brian Crawford, Michelle Van Cleave & Connie Flow, Bottom row: Arlen & Mary Morris, John & Gail Paglialungo; Roberta Yackira & Warren Murray; Peggy Adams-King and Allan King.

17 P A G E 17 Recent Social/Special Activities Event Christmas Pageant December 14th Betty Williams led a Club trip to the 30th annual Christmas Pageant at the First Baptist Church in Ft. Lauderdale. This Broadway quality show featured live animals, including camels and horses as well as spectacular sets, beautiful costumes, great choreography, a live orchestra and amazing vocal talents. Afterwards the Gators enjoyed a Japanese steak dinner at Saito s in Coral Springs. Clockwise from above: Chef preparing meal; Bill Cook & Orchid Rodriguez; group waiting for bus; group boarding bus; Walter Marussich & Betty Williams by Buddha in restaurant; Margie & Mike Hanratty next to Roman soldier from pageant; camels waiting to enter pageant.

18 Communications Director A Message from your Communications Director, Estela Basso Affordable blast advertising We send blasts to our members and contacts at least once a week. If you have a business or an upcoming event you would like to promote, please consider advertising through this venue. It is quite affordable! Your ad size should be up to 300 pixels wide, and up to 300 pixels tall. This is a nice size ad, like the example shown here for Lee Chitty s accounting services. All ads include a clickable link to your website. Price per inclusion $20 if you do it only once. Buy 5 inclusions $15/each (Save $25) Buy 10 inclusions $12/each (Save $80!) Buy 20 inclusions or more: $10 each!!!! If you do not have an ad, I will design one for you for free. Let your fellow members know what you do, people like to do business with people they know. You will be helping your Club, too! Estela Basso; Communications Director webmaster@gatorsnowskiclub.com P A G E 18 Your Club Needs Volunteers! We are looking for volunteers in several categories to help our Club succeed: Social and Special Activities Planning Committee We need more members to help with our events and activities. Please Contact Betty Williams at Trip Leaders and Assistant Trip Leaders For Ski Trips, contact Sheri Agnew at or gatorskivp@gmail.com; for other trips, contact Connie Flow at Event Leaders If you are interested in leading one of our events, please contact Betty. Candidates Elections will be held in April and candidates are needed. Nominations will be held at the general meetings in February and March.

19 P A G E 19 Member Spotlight An Interview with Lee Chitty Tell us the basics about yourself: Name: Lee Chitty Origin: Born in Jacksonville, FL. Father was a Navy Pilot at JAX NAS. Our family moved to Eugene, OR when I was 7 and returned to FL in July I have 32 first cousins and 2 half-brothers & sisters from JAX to MIA. Years in ski club? I joined the Gator Ski Club in 1985 when they were meeting at the Tanglewood Apartments. Occupation and Hobbies: I am a semi-retired CPA and financial consultant. I have an active tax practice and prepare financial statements for various small corporations. My hobbies include: traveling (went to Norway, Sweden, Finland, Russia & Estonia in the summer of 2011 and drove 14,200 miles from Palm Beach to Fairbanks, Alaska in the summer of 2012), fishing (salmon in the NW & Off Shore in FL), golf (poorly but enjoy the game), and most outdoor activities. Skier? I have been skiing since I was 10. I became one of the youngest certified ski instructors in the NW division when I was 17. I taught skiing for 24 years. Must confess, not as fast as I used to be, but. Skiers never grow old. They just keep going downhill! What social activities and special activities are your favorites? I enjoy a variety of Social and Special Activities. I have participated in the Gator s volleyball team, softball team, golf events and many other activities throughout south Florida. My favorite social events include picnics at Jupiter Park, Juno Beach, DuBois Park, themed parties and the happy hours. Why are you a member? I am a member because I enjoy meeting people, sharing a smile and learning new and unusual stories from our fellow members. The Club is a Treasure Chest of wonderful people who have experienced every walk of life. Just ask a member and you will hear some very interesting stories. What does being a member mean to you? Helping other members celebrate the life that we are so fortunate to enjoy. Seeing member s smile, laugh, being positive, creative, resourceful, excited, energetic, and having fun. Ever served on a committee or had a leadership position? I have served in various positions within the club. These include: President, VP Activities, VP Skiing, Treasurer, Snowmass trip leader (2006), Florida Ski Council Representative, and active participant in many socials and special activities. Future plans: The future of the Club is in the hands of the current leadership. It has reached a critical turning point in its growth and vitality. It is not enough to maintain the ongoing socials, activities and trips conducted in the past years. The time is now, for the Club to re-engineer itself if it wants to remain active and viable.

20 P A G E 2 0 January 2014 Calendar

21 Treasurer s Report A note from your Treasurer, Walter Marussich Dear Members, Hopefully you have had the opportunity to enjoy this holiday season. As we approach the mid year mark (our fiscal year ends on May 31), our membership numbers may have already surpassed last year s closing numbers. Our board remains united in the careful management of your club affairs. We continue to look for ways to reduce operating expenses while improving the benefits integral to your membership. The fact that so many of you attended and enjoyed our low -cost holiday party validates our belief that we are listening and adjusting according to your needs. In addition, our new festive meetings with food are cost neutral because so many officers have donated their benefits back to the club. This year, the amount of dollars from dues or fees allocated to board benefits ranks amongst the smallest since the board was awarded a full benefit in the bylaw revision. In order to control costs and offer a more affordable trip, your board has approved the Italy trip without a trip leader benefit. This would result in a $175 to $200 reduction in the cost of the trip per passenger. We have completed a CPA review of our books, an expensive requirement in our bylaws, and one that was not performed in number of years. The CPA s report will be posted on line for your review once it is presented to the board. At the end of last year, we renewed our check signers bond and also purchased liability insurance for Officers and Directors at a total cost of $1,288. Prior to that, the only potential relief for the officers was the indemnification clause in the bylaws. Thank you, Walter Gator Snow Ski & Activities Club 1001 Jupiter Park Dr. Ste. 112 Jupiter FL P A G E 21 J A N U A R Y Here is your copy of GATOR TALES