Discover Switzerland, Austria & Bavaria with Oberammergau Passion Play

Transcription

1 JAN/FEB 2018 Exploring the world with the FSB Connect Club Discover Switzerland, Austria & Bavaria with Oberammergau Passion Play June 26 - July 5, 2020 See inside for details

2 REFLECTIONS Happy New Year! I hope you all had a wonderful holiday spending time with family and friends. I am truly grateful to have such an amazing position where I am able to meet so many wonderful new friends. I am looking forward to spending time with all of you during Along with the New Year comes a brand new look and feel to our Connections Newsletter! I am delighted that so many club members (and guests) read our newsletter and take advantage of all the events we offer throughout the year. We hope you love reading the new newsletter as much as we enjoyed putting it together! Valentine s Day is soon approaching. When was the last time you told someone you loved them? This is a great day to express your feelings to the people who have enriched your life by letting them know how much you appreciate and care about them! With that being said Happy Valentine s Day to all of our Connect Club Friends! Let s connect during 2018! Please call me or stop by with any questions you may have or to sign up for one of the many upcoming events in the newsletter. I look forward to seeing you soon!

3 Pacific Northwest & California Don t miss one of America s most beautiful regions! Explore the majestic Pacific Northwest and California on this amazing adventure, from the wilds of Mount St. Helens and the Columbia River Gorge to the sophistication of Portland, Seattle and San Francisco. We will travel along Oregon s beautiful Pacific coast, visit Redwood National Park and explore Eureka, a historic timber and fishing village. Then we ll cross the Golden Gate Bridge and discover the City by the Bay, San Francisco. Pricing includes round trip air from Cedar Rapids, air taxes and fees/surcharges, hotel, transfers, gratuities for included services, travel insurance and baggage handling. A $ deposit is due with your reservation. Your final payment is due on or before April 18, June 17th- 24th, 2018 (8 days) Book Now $3, pp Double Stop by my office or call me at to learn more about this exciting tour!

4 CANADA & NEW ENGLAND Fall Foliage Cruise October 4-13th, 2018 (10 days) With this incredible tour, you will be able to unpack, unwind and relax as you enjoy this stunning area bursting with many coastal treasures! The New England coast is filled with charm, rich history and breathtaking natural beauty. You will enjoy seeing the rugged coastlines, lush parklands and so much more! And there s no better time to visit than the fall when the foliage is brilliant in every imaginable color. Join us on a wonderful journey to Canada & New England with an overnight stay in Montreal, overnight stay/tour of Quebec City, a wonderful 7-day cruise, and an overnight stay/tour in Boston! Stop by my office or call me at to learn more about this exciting tour! Book Now Cabins Range from $3,595 - $4,629 pp Double

5 Magical November 9-15, 2018 (7 DAYS) Northern Lights You won t want to miss this incredible, unforgettable journey that holds a surprise around every corner! Discover Iceland a land and culture forged by fire and ice. Steaming lava fields and massive glaciers sculpt mountains and valleys, leaving thundering waterfalls and plunging fjords. In this land of many natural wonders, enjoy the rare opportunity to see the aurora borealis one of nature s most dazzling light displays, also known as the northern lights! When revealed you will be amazed by the flickering display of light bursting with color that unfolds before your eyes! Stop by my office or call me at to learn more about this exciting tour! Book Now $4,359 pp Double

6 Switzerland, Austria & Bavaria with Oberammergau Passion Play June 26 July 5, 2020 (10 days) The distinct cultures of Switzerland, Austria, and Bavaria await you! We will explore the delightful city of Bern on a panoramic sightseeing tour featuring the Bundeshaus (the Swiss Parliament), the famous Bear Pit, the Rose Gardens, and the gothic cathedral. Our time in Lucerne, the Swiss Paradise on the Lake, includes a leisurely paced Alstadt (Old Town) walking tour. While in Innsbruck, we will enjoy a panoramic visit to this city s Olympic landmarks. In beautiful Salzburg, we will stroll through Mirabell Gardens and along the quaint Getreidegasse (site of Mozart s birthplace). We will enjoy a dinner in Austria s oldest restaurant, St. Peter s. Fairy tales come to life with a picture stop at Bavaria s most famous castle, Neuschwanstein. Our amazing journey concludes in the charming village of Oberammergau. Here we ll witness a spectacular performance of the Oberammergau Passion Play, whose origins date back to We will watch as the entire village comes together to present us with their rendition of this Biblical story. Don t miss out on this once in a decade experience! Pricing includes round trip air from Chicago, air taxes and fees/surcharges, hotel, transfers, gratuities for included services, and baggage handling. Insurance can be purchased for an additional cost. A $750 deposit is due with your reservation. Your final payment is due on or before February 27, Stop by my office or call me at to learn more about this exciting tour! Book now $5, pp Double

7 MOVIE DAY 1462 Twixt Town Rd, Marion Tuesday, January 16, 2018 Join your Connect Club friends for your choice of five movies currently showing at the Collins Road Theatres. The doors will be open at 8:30. Enjoy all the free popcorn you can eat and all the pop or coffee you can drink! The concession stand is also open to purchase anything else you might like to have. At 9:15 we will have announcements, door prizes and a synopsis of the movies being shown that day with a chance to change theatres for the movie of your choice, and to get those refills before we start the show! No reservations are necessary! Please remember our FREE events are for members only. NEXT MOVIE DAY: Tuesday, March 13, 2018 S E M I N A R Sign Language and the Deaf/Hard of Hearing Community February 20th at 2:00 pm Elmcrest Country Club Join the Connect Club as Tammy Silver a Sign Language Interpreter teaches us some signs and educates us about the deaf/hard of hearing community. It s a brand new year and every day is another opportunity to learn something new. Not only is learning a second language good for your brain, it s also a great way to expand your communication skills. When someone you care about can t hear, sign language is a great way to communicate in a rich, meaningful way. It s also the best way to develop awareness and sensitivity to the Deaf culture, a community of non-hearing individuals numbering more than one million in the United States alone. Whether you learn sign language to communicate with a deaf friend or family member, you are using a full-bodied form of communication that will enhance your relationship as it improves your mind and spirit. Stop by my office or call me at to sign up for this seminar!

8 MEN ONLY MAN + VACATION = MANCATION Join me & our host Andy Petersen (WMT On-Air Personality) On Saturday, July 21, 2018 for our first ever Mancation! When it comes to genuine male bonding, after-work drinks just don t cut it. We need to hit the road to make new friends and deepen the friendships we have already gained in the Connect Club! Whether you are single, dating or married you are welcome to join us for an fun filled day filled with surprises! Our road trip will take us on an adventure where you will be treated to delicious food, thirst quenching drinks, thrilling entertainment, and some well deserved relaxation! If you sign up by January 31, 2018, you will be given a chance to stop by my office and spin the wheel to win a prize! Finally, a trip that s built just for men! $130.00

9 Hello Ladies! The time is here to treat yourself to a Ladies Day Out! Thursday, July 12, 2018 $ Save the date and write it down for the grandest celebration of them all! Please join me for a day of flowers, art, perfume, shopping and laughter as we enjoy good friends, good food and a good time! Stop by my office or call me at to sign up for this exciting tour! A Recipe to Warm the Heart Pineapple Bundt Poke Cake Ingredients: 1 20 oz. can crushed pineapple, 1 box yellow cake mix, 1 package instant vanilla pudding (4 serving size), 4 eggs, ¾ cup vegetable oil, 1 vanilla bean pod-split in half, 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 Tbsp melted butter, confectioners glaze (recipe below). Instructions: Preheat oven to 350ºF. Spray 12-cup Bundt pan with cooking spray. Drain pineapple; measure ¾ cup juice to use with cake mix. Reserve remaining juice for soaking mixture. Beat cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, oil and ¾ cup pineapple juice in large bowl with an electric mixer for 2 minutes. Scrape half vanilla bean pod; combine with cake batter or mix 1 tablespoon vanilla extract into cake batter. Fold in crushed pineapple. Pour into prepared pan. Bake 38 to 42 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Soaking Mixture: Combine remaining pineapple juice, powdered sugar and melted butter in a small bowl while cake is baking. Scrape other half of vanilla bean pod and mix with juice mixture or stir in remaining 1 tablespoon vanilla extract. Remove cake from oven and set on a wire rack. Poke holes in cake with skewer at ½-inch intervals while still hot and in pan. Pour soaking mixture over cake (NOTE: if soaking mixture begins to pool, poke additional holes). Allow to cool in pan 30 to 40 minutes, then flip cake upside down onto serving platter; remove pan. Cool completely then drizzle with glaze, if desired. Confectioner s Glaze: Combine ½ cup powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon cold milk; whisk until completely combined. Cover with plastic wrap until ready to use.

10 Ft. Atkinson, WI The Klopcic family has owned the Fireside since The Fireside has been the premier entertainment destination in the Midwest for superb musicals featuring Broadway performers, fine dining, and boutique shops in a one-of-a-kind setting. I invite you to join me on one or all of the professional performances held in I know you will have an unforgettable adventure filled with wonder, imagination, inspiration and a little something known as Fireside magic! Phantom Wednesday, January 24, 2018 $135 Rediscover the passion of the Phantom! For over a century, audiences have been captivated by the tragic story of the disfigured genius who makes his home in the cavernous underground of the Paris Opera House and falls in love with Christine the beautiful soprano he can never have. Hailed as the finest PHANTOM of them all, Arthur Kopit s and Maury Yeston s moving presentation digs deep into the life of this tortured soul in a show filled with romance and mystery, thrills and excitement, colors and humor and, of course, their lyrical and luxurious music. Your heart races, your soul soars, and you will fall in love all over again. It is, quite simply, an unforgettable theatrical experience! 42nd Street Wednesday, April 25, 2018 $135 The ultimate show-biz musical, 42ND STREET is a celebration of Broadway, Times Square, and the people who make the magic of musical theatre. Aspiring chorus girl Peggy Sawyer comes to the big city from Allentown PA, and soon lands her first big job in the ensemble of a glitzy new Broadway show. Then just before opening night, the leading lady breaks her ankle. Will Peggy be able to step in and become a star? With a score chock-full of Broadway hits, including You re Getting To Be A Habit Wit Me, Dames, We re In the Money, Lullaby of Broadway, Shuffle Off to Buffalo and Forty- Second Street, this show is every musical lover s dream come true! Grease Wednesday, September 12, 2018 $135 An eight-year run on Broadway and two subsequent revivals, along with innumerable school and community productions place GREASE among the world s most popular musicals. Here is Rydell High s senior class of 1959: Duck-tailed, hot-rodding Burger Palace Boys and their gum-snapping, hip-shaking Pink Ladies in bobby sox and pedal pushers, evoking the look and sound of the 1950s. Head greaser Danny Zuko and new (good) girl Sandy Dumbrowski try to relive the high romance of their Summer Nights as the rest of the gang sings and dances its way through such songs as Greased Lightnin, it s Raining on Prom Night, and Alone at the Drive-In Movie recalling the music of Buddy Holly, Little Richard, and Elvis Presley that became the soundtrack of a generation. Elf Wednesday, December 19, 2018 $135 Based on the beloved holiday film, this hilarious fish-out-of-water comedy is now a mustsee holiday musical. Buddy, a young orphan, mistakenly crawls into Santa s Bag of gifts and is transported to the North Pole. The would-be elf is raised, unaware that he is actually a human, until his enormous size and poor toy-making abilities cause him to face the truth. With Santa s permission, Buddy embarks on a journey to New York City to find his birth father and discover his true identity. Faced with the harsh realities that his father is on the naughty list and his half-brother doesn t even believe in Santa, Buddy is determined to win over his new family and help New York remember the true spirit of Christmas. This modern day holiday classic is sure to make everyone embrace their inner elf! Stop by my office or call me at to sign up for these exciting shows!

11 Wednesday, June 27, Schedule BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY $135 Based on the best-selling novel, and developed by the Pulitzerand Tony Award-winning creative team of Jason Robert Brown (The Last Five Years, Parade, Songs for a New World) and Marsha Norman, The Bridges of Madison County captures the lyrical expanse of America s heartland along with the yearning entangled in the eternal question What if...? Winner of the 2014 Tony Award for Best Score and Orchestrations, this sweeping romance about the roads we travel, the doors we open and the bridges we dare to cross will leave audiences breathless. Francesca Johnson, a beautiful Italian woman who married an American soldier to flee war-ravaged Italy, looks forward to a rare four days alone on her Iowa farm when her family heads to the 1965 State Fair. When ruggedly handsome National Geographic photographer, Robert Kincaid, pulls into her driveway seeking directions, though, what happens in those four days may very well alter the course of Francesca s life. MAMMA MIA! Wednesday, July 25, 2018 $135 Over 54 million people all around the world have fallen in love with the characters, the story and the music that make Mamma Mia! the ultimate feel-good show! A mother - a daughter - three possible dads - and a trip down the aisle you ll never forget! Writer Catherine Johnson s sunny and funny tale unfolds on a Greek island paradise. On the eve of her wedding, a daughter s quest to discover the identity of her father brings three men from her mother s past back to the island they last visited 20 years ago. The storytelling magic of ABBA s timeless songs propels this enchanting tale of love, laughter and friendship, creating an unforgettable show. A large cast, non-stop laughs and explosive dance numbers combine to make Mamma Mia! a guaranteed smash hit for any theatre. Stop by my office or call me at to sign up for these exciting shows!

12 PRSRT STD US Postage PAID Permit No. 214 Cedar Rapids, IA Faster. Stronger. Better th Avenue PO Box 569 Marion, IA RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED Kathy Leesekamp Connect Club Director SAVE THE DATE Cookie Day (January 3) Movie Day (January 16) Fireside-Phantom (January 24) Cookie Day (February 2) Seminar-Elmcrest (February 20) Ireland (March 19-31) Pacific Northwest Tour (June 17-24) Ladies Outing (July 12) Mancation (July 21) Canada & New England Cruise (October 4-13) Iceland (November 9-15) Dates and events are subject to change. This announcement does not include all Connect Club events. Check your future newsletters for further updates.