President: Bulus Leflore Secretary: Gloria Brady-Cross Muster Master: Diane Thompson Newsletter Editor: empty Vice President: Dr. Lou Finkle Treasurer: Gerald Durbin Historian: Kathy Padgett Praise the Lord, Smart Magnolias I know that you are probably saying that this President has been missing in action and I can only apologize for that. I guess you can sometimes have too much on your plate. I will take time to speak to that effect and provide an opportunity to everyone that can participate. I enjoy being part of the Smart Magnolias and the camaraderie that we have when get together at a muster. No matter what the exceptions, we meet the expectations and that is a sign of an exceptional group. I ask that we continue in this fashion and continue to be that Outstanding Chapter that we are as an example for others to follow. We are going to need new people that are willing to serve in the up and coming year and do not be afraid of mistakes for we all make them. Smart Magnolias, we have challenges and I know that we can overcome them for This Is Our Winning Season. Respectfully submitted. Bulus E. Leflore Jr. Smart Magnolias President Greetings to all the MS Magnolias The Smart National Muster in Mineola has ended and those few Magnolia members who attended have probably returned home by now. An official meeting of the Magnolias could not be held at the muster due to lack of a quorum of the BOD. A meeting will be held at our Nov. joint muster with the Cajuns at Picayune to discuss several events in our chapter s future, including chapter musters for the spring, a vote on the 2019 Chapter Officers and a possible need to update our chapter bylaws and SOPs. Any one interested in taking over the chapter office of Newsletter Editor, please give President Bulus Leflore a call. As President Bulus said in his President s Message, we need chapter members who are interested in the other chapter officer positions also. These officers have been in office for at least two years, and some more.
It is still not too late to register for the Cajun/Magnolia Smart Muster Ms Magnolias/Smart Cajuns Joint Muster Nov 1-4, 2018 at Picayune, MS. Applications are still being accepted by Ann and Denny Olvany, hosts for this muster. at Sunroamer s RV Resort. This muster is held during the Picayune s Street Fair weekend. The registration form in on the website, but you need to call Sun Roamer s (601-798-5818) to reserve your RV site. There are cabins on site for those Cajuns and Magnolias who no longer have RVs but would like to be at this muster. Denny and Ann will be on a cruise Oct 16-26 and will not be able to communicate with anyone during most of that cruise, so please get your registration forms in before the 16 th if possible. Ann Olvany has said that an agenda will be sent out later to the muster members but she said to tell everyone that the following is some of the things that will be happening. There will be a potluck Wednesday night, for early arrivals. A dinner will be provided Thursday night, Oct 31 (Halloween Day). Friday morning after a breakfast there will be a Magnolia chapter meeting which President Bulus Leflore will drive in to attend. Dinner will be provided Friday night. Saturday morning after a breakfast, those muster members who wish to will be going to the Street Fair in Picayune. No other meals will be provided Saturday. Sunday breakfast and dinner will be provided. There is a Catholic Church mass Saturday evening at 4:00 and Sunday morning at 9:00. The Street Fair will continue through Sunday. Ms Magnolias Traditional Christmas Muster Dec 4-6, 2018 at Biloxi, MS. Hosts are John Cross and Gloria Brady-Cross at Parker s Landing. This is a free muster for members with a $15/pp fee for nonmembers. The Dirty Santa game will be played as usual with gifts provided by attendees. The dates are during the week so that those football season ticket holders can still drive in on Monday afternoon after a weekend of football and leave Friday morning for the next weekend of football. Info is on the website along with the registration form. Call Parker s Landing to make your RV site reservations. Ms Magnolias/Alabama Smart Joint New Year s Eve Muster Dec 29, 2018 Jan 2, 2019 at Magnolia Springs, AL. Hosts are Gloria Brady-Cross and Anne Heyob at Southwind RV Park. Come and have some fun celebrating New Year s Eve and the following day. Registration form and info is on the website. DO NOT CALL Southwind for RV reservations. That has already been done by the hosts. Volunteers and helpers will be greatly appreciated by the hosts to help make these musters a fun time or all.
We need to schedule a muster in late Feb or early March to have our recommended musters. Any suggestions for dates and places to meet?? Give Muster Master Diane Thompson a call if you do. Denny Olvany reported that William (Bill) Littell replaced Chuck Krieger as SCRD at the Smart National in Mineola, TX and will continue in these duties for the future. Chuck Krieger and Tracy were unable to complete their journey to Mineola and had to return home after Tracy became ill Treasurer s Report: Gerald Durbin reported that the Treasury was doing well with more that $1900 in the account after the deposit of $166.36 from the SC Regional Muster. Updates on several MS Magnolia chapter members: Welcome to two new MS Magnolia Members that joined at the National Muster in Mineola, TX. Dennis and Yvonne Bowen along with Bob and Elaine Comeaux are now official members of the MS Magnolias. They will receive their chapter swingers at the next chapter muster they attend. John Cross and Gloria have been working with the VA to have some adaptations made to their home for John s safety and comfort beside changing all the lighting fixtures to provide more light to aid in John s vision problems. We hope to have everything complete in January, 2019. Gerald Durbin and Phyllis Durbin will be traveling to Gulfport and then Oak Grove Fam Camp in Pensacola after the Picayune muster. Phyllis has a few doctor appointments coming up in the next few weeks. Lou Finkle and Diane Thompson were away on a Panama Canal Cruise for a while but are now back to looking for a new RV. Both of them hope to be back to RVing soon. Lee and Irene Fontenot were at the National in Mineola and plan to attend the Picayune muster. Lee will be cooking one of the dinners in Picayune. Bob Glazier is now walking with a cane after his hip surgery. Any RVing is not in the plans at this time. Anne Heyob, Alabama Smart President has been finalizing the dissolving of that chapter and is not sure if she can attend the muster because of possible company at that time. Diane LeBlanc had knee surgery Oct 2, but hopes to be able to come to the Picayune muster. Warren Kelly had to cancel his trip to the National due to some doctor appointments and a breakdown of his RV in Gainesville, FL several weeks ago. He hopes to travel again soon.
Jim and Magdalene Martin are in Gulfport for the Cruisin the Coast right now. He will begin his bladder cancer treatment Oct. 15. Bill and Connie Fessler have been on the roads all summer long visiting family and friends. They plan on attending the muster. Mary Ferguson will have her knee surgery at the end of Oct, but hopes to make it to the Christmas Muster. Larry and Cynthia Sockwell will be participating at the Picayune Street Fair and plan to join us at the muster when they can. We hope everyone else in the Chapter is doing well. On the left is Bill Littell, our new South-Central Regional Director. On the right is Gerald Durbin, our chapter treasurer who accepted the 2018 Outstanding Chapter Award for the MS Magnolias. GO MISSISSIPPI MAGNOLIAS!!.
On the left, Larry Sockwell is getting ready to retire his flag at the Flag Retirement Ceremony at the National. On the right, Ann and Denny Olvany is dancing to an oldie, but goodie at the National muster. Lee Fontenot and Yvonne Bowen were just some of the door prize winners at the National. SMART is a not-for-profit 501(C)19 Veterans Organizations all Donations are Tax Deductible S*M*A*R*T Headquarters 600 University Office Blvd #1A