Texas North Star Sams Area 17 2006 October Newsletter ------------------------------------------------------- The President s Corner It is good to be home. We had a great summer, saw lots of marvelous scenery, and stayed cool. Still, we missed you guys. I understand you have stayed busy during the summer with campouts and Wednesday night social gatherings, and I applaud you for that. We were glad we could make the October Meet n Greet where it was great to see everyone both new and familiar faces. I look forward to getting to know the new folks. Kathy Helwick At the October campout, there will be a business meeting on Saturday morning. One of the major topics on the agenda is the election of the 2007 officers. Elsewhere in the newsletter you will find the proposed slate for the elected officials. These folks have all agreed to run for the office listed with their name. However, nominations from the floor are welcomed and encouraged. Think about who you think can make the best contribution. Hopefully, we can generate a lively, healthy discussion before the actual vote. As always, feel free to contact me with questions and/or comments. Kathy Helwick Khelwick@msn.com Cell: 972-849-6727 Home: 972-416-6727 Officers: President: Kathy Helwick Newsletter Editor: Sherry Moran Vice-President: Steve Young Special Projects: Pat Foitek Treasurer: Jim Bailey Sunshine/Chaplain: Sherry Young Secretary: Del Duerr Web Master: Tim Moran Wagon Master: Lew Foitek September Meeting: There are no minutes available from the September campout at Cedar Mills.
Upcoming election and Slate of Officers: October 21 st, at the Corsicana Campout, is Election Day! The slate of candidates for elective offices is President - Del Duerr Vice President - Steve Young Secretary - Jackie Reid Treasurer - Laura LaTurner Wagonmaster - Lew Foitek Happenings: The plans for the November Meet & Eat are not finalized at this time. See www.ntahc.org/northstarsams Upcoming Events for more details Wagonmaster Lew Foitek Future Campouts: October Campout: October 20-22 (Corsicana) Be sure to bring scissors to use on the flannel robes! We want to give these to the Cancer Center in early December. Because we will have access to a very large meeting room, campers might want to bring board games or puzzles to help fill the hours. See www.ntahc.org/northstarsams Upcoming Events for more details and a map November Campout: November 17-19 (Whispering Pines/Tyler) See www.ntahc.org/northstarsams Upcoming Events for more details and a map What to do in Corsicana? Since 1896, it s world-famous for the Collin Street Bakery. They not only have good pastries and breads, but also Deluxe brand fruitcakes which they send to every American state and to 190 foreign countries. The Bakery is open 7 days a week. There are dozens of restaurants and pecans can be bought at the Navarro Pecan Co. 7 days a week. Dee s Place was founded in 1905 and is one of the oldest continuously operated soda fountains in Texas.
There are antique stores, historical homes, and a Factory Stores of America outlet. Navarro Mills Lake is nearby. Historical architecture includes the onion dome of Temple Beth-el, which you will see as you come in on Highway 31. The Palace Theater opened in 1921 to show films, and on Oct. 21 st, while we re there, the Oak Ridge Boys will be performing at 7:30 p.m., if anyone would like to go. Museums include Pioneer Village which has historical buildings in a village setting, the Lefty Frizzel statue and museum, and the Pearce Civil War Documents Collection. It sounds like Corsicana has something for everyone or you can kick back and vege out! Past Events At the September s M&E at Joe s Crab Shack in Lewisville, the Guys and Gals lined up, waiting patiently for FOOD! Thanks to Becky Moller for the pics. September also saw Sherry and Steve Young throw a birthday party for Del and Jackie. Among the festivities and a GREAT dinner was Sherry trying to teach us all a Wash the RV line dance.
September s campout was held at Cedar Mills on the southern shore of Lake Texoma. Friday night s dinner was at the on-site restaurant Saturday s gathering was held on the veranda of the club house. The Jims cook. Then everybody eats. Thanks to Jim Moller for the pics.
Here we are at October s M&E at CozyMel s at the Grapevine Mills Mall Member s Trips: In August the Youngs & Duerrs traveled to Tahlequah,Oklahoma. Sherry Young has a college roommate who was taking part in the Illinois hot air balloon fest in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. Tahlequah is located on the northern tip of TenKiller Lake and is the capital of two tribes, the Cherokee Nation and United Keetoowah Band. Northeastern State University is located in Tahlequah, which has historic Seminary Hall as its centerpiece. Seminary Hall was built as the Cherokee National Female Seminary in the 1880s. We drove all around the lake to see the area and drove into some of the RV parks, some good some not so good. On our return back to Dallas we took a long shortcut to see Turner Falls located in Oklahoma above Lake Murray Oklahoma, another great place to go RVing!
In September, Tim & Sherry Moran began a nearly 3 week trip, stopping first in Overland Park, KS, so that Tim could attend a 50 year class reunion with his sister. Then North to Nebraska where adventures included the Strategic Air Command Museum in Ashland, Doane College in Crete (which Tim attended), visiting friends in Grand Island, seeing the HUGE steam locomotive #844 arrive in North Platte, climbing Scott s Bluff, and roaming around Carhenge and Ft. Robinson. Union Pacific Steam Locomotive X844 (a 4-8-4) arrives in North Platte, NE The road west to Cheyenne, WY brought about the 40-50 MPH wind out of the north that unfurled and nearly destroyed their awning. Sorry, no pictures, but a truly FRANTIC time! Sherry at Carhenge in Alliance, NE. Colorado was wonderful, even with the threat of snow! They saw more friends, toured the Air Force Academy, The Garden of the Gods and drove halfway up Pikes Peak. Sherry at the Air Force Academy Chapel. Because Sunday services were over, they toured the chapel. AWESOME! They also rode two trains A diesel through the Royal Gorge and an 1880 s steam train from Durango to Silverton (remember C.W. McCall?) Tim with Engine 473 in Silverton, CO. Engine 473 blowing off some steam, creating a rainbow
Sherry fell in love with the United Campground in Durango because the trains to and from Silverton ran right through the campground! From Durango, it was on to Santa Rosa, NM, Lubbock, TX, and Abilene, TX. Abilene had a hot air balloon festival. The balloons were great on Friday night, but too much wind ended the flights on Saturday morning. On the way home, Sherry and Tim stopped and looked around MORAN, TX. There are 10 towns named Moran in the United States. They now have 8 to go. They arrived home two days early, but got to see all their kids and grandkids at a Sunday morning breakfast. Here are some pictures that recently arrived from Pat & Lew Foitek. Be sure to ask them about their summer.
From the Editor: Please send any news you d like included in the newsletter to me before the last week of the month. Please remember to take LOTS of pictures to share with us. Sherry Moran sjmoran@ticnet.com The Last Word: If you would like to have one of those little Map of Visited States to insert under your signature on your camping related correspondence, here s how you do it. Go to web site http://www.epgsoft.com/visitedstatesmap and check off the states that you have visited. Choose a map size and picture format and click on Create Map. Right click on the map and save it to your computer. THEN, whenever you write somebody and want to show them how much you get around, just insert the map, under your signature, in your message. Tim Moran Oh Almost forgot. Provinces are there too.