As a member of the Good Sam Club I pledge to give aid to others in need, respect nature and the environment, give back to the community and those less fortunate, treat others with dignity and respect, and to wear a smile (like Good Sam and Good Samantha s) and promote the pledge of the Good Sam Club to others. President Joe Mehrtens 904-910-3935 Vice President Kate Deaton 904-307-2610 Secretary D McDade 904-797-3320 Treasurer Al Richardson 904-264-5003 Newsletter Editor Don Dishman 904-641-4059 dondish37@att.net February 2016 January (21) 24, 2016 Ft. McCoy KOA Campground Ft. McCoy, Florida The following are points of view from the hosts, John & Sue Johnson, co hosts, Jim & D McDade and newsletter editor/layout coordinator, Don & Tressa Dishman. The New Year s Eve bash was a hard act to follow, but the 1 st campout of the New Year, at Ft. McCoy KOA, was just as exciting. Frank Diegel brought Linda & their 2 hairy family members, Mattie & Sammie out on Wednesday night to assure them a choice parking spot. Linda stayed behind as Frank had to work on (Early Bird) Thursday, but returned later on Thursday afternoon. Jim & D drove in by car Thursday morning, as their motor home was in the shop for repairs. Linda dove right in & helped set up tables, chairs and food at the club house. Thank you very much for that much welcomed assistance. Her leg problems didn t slow her Happy Birthday February Joe Mehrtens - 7th; Linda Diegel - 9th; John Fortson - 24th; Don Dishman 27th Happy Anniversary February Paul & Mary Frederick - 18th (37 years!) Apologies to Russ Langley (Birthday January 4) and Kate Deaton (Birthday January 9) whose birthday information were either omitted or incomplete. down. Laura & Bennie Davis also arrived on Wednesday for the festivities. Sheila & Bob came in early on Thursday; Al and Lucy broke off from the caravan coming from the Jacksonville/Orange Park area, and arrived next, while the others (Don & Tressa, Carla, Jyn & John, John & Sue, Harriet & Larry, and Buddy & Joe) stopped at the Square Meal in Salt Springs to enjoy breakfast before heading in to register and get set up. Others joining on Thursday were Carmin & Peggy. The aroma of a wonderful beef stew permeated the hall, making everyone hungry and ready to eat - but, before that, D encouraged all to participate in the fun activities she had planned - Beautiful Baby Pictures, Where are we?, Man s best friend, How many rice kernels?, and Color Me Pretty. Thank you, Lucy, for handling the posting of the beautiful pictures that were colored by the members! Once the happy campers settled in & while the sun was out, socializing began with a few drinks around a picnic table & out came the lawn chairs. All knew that cooler & perhaps rainy weather
was on the horizon. Along with the stew, for dinner we enjoyed rice, homemade cornbreads (as well as other breads), one of Sue s super salads and yummy desserts. After dinner, Frank & Linda lead card Bingo, with most of those in attendance playing. To make things nice, D had asked that all non-winners (we don t have losers!), put their names in the hat for a special drawing on Saturday. Too keyed up to rest, Sue, Carla, Sheila and Tressa enjoyed a couple of games of Rumicube. Now how did she make that move???? Then to bed for a good night s rest. Friday morning, along with a bit cooler weather, we welcomed (?) the rain. Sue provided a warm breakfast of sausage gravy, biscuits, fruit, juices, and breakfast bread. This was supplemented by oatmeal from Jyn & John and yogurt & granola. Carmin was a sweetie and set up his key board, playing a great variety of songs for us to either just enjoy listening to or join in singing. D had made arrangements for a fun craft project - making Valentine refrigerator magnets, and decorating them. In her absence, D asked Tressa to demonstrate the craft as she knew that Tressa has always loved doing crafts of all kinds in the past. The end results were very impressive, even a few of the men jumped in and enjoyed the craft. Deb Dlugosz arrived midmorning. She brought another game with her - Krupp - a noisy (because of the tile floors) but fun game based on being able to toss sticks from one side of the hall to the other in order to knock down wooden pins. John & Sue s son, Eddie & wife Missy, some of their friends with young family members also RV d in later in the afternoon. Bob & Sheila finally decided it was time to learn how to play Jokers. Partnering with Al & Sue, it was interesting to watch everyone get to go bye-bye as they bumped each other back to home. Congratulations to Bob & Al on winning that game. Visiting around the non-functioning fire place, watching the weather on TV and just resting took up most of the rest of the afternoon. Shortly after lunch time, Russ & Robin rolled in, greeted folks and got set up. And they brought the sunshine (if not the heat) with them! Thank goodness the rain ended in time for some of the men to break out the grills for our all-american hotdog and hamburger cookout. Slaw, beans, chips and other condiments rounded out the meal, with great desserts (again) being offered. Russ set up his Karaoke equipment, so we could enjoy some background music during dinner. Of course, those brave enough to do so got into the swing of things by entertaining us with songs. Additional games of Hand and Foot, Jokers, followed the excitement of watching (and participating) in John s Jurassic Downs. The wood for the campfire was too damp, so enjoyment of that activity was put off for another time. Saturday morning s breakfast of pancakes, scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon, fruit, and juices was enjoyed by folks looking for a way to get their inner engines started and warmed up. D and Jim drove back in to visit with us and to participate in the chapter meeting. Our new chapter officers, Joe Mehrtens, President, Al Richardson, Treasurer, and D McDade, Secretary, presented an informative meeting (see Meeting Notes under Bits and Pieces for information concerning the meeting). New President, Joe, admitted to being nervous as he had never been a leader of any kind. He did great job, well done. Kate Deaton, our new Vice President, and her hubby, Nate, had just returned from a trip to Japan to visit with family, thus were not able to be in attendance. After the meeting, a new member, Laura Davis, was awarded $37.50 in a 50/50 raffle. Prizes & surprises were given to winners (randomly drawn) for their efforts in the contests. Oh yeah, a package of toilet paper & a Readers Digest magazine was handed out as a Bonus Prize, won by Larry Haire. Boxes of Valentine chocolates were also given to participants (randomly drawn names) who created a Valentine magnet. Because of the hearty breakfast, most people opted out when it came to lunch, choosing to wait for and enjoy the ice cream novelties - Klondike Bars and Drumsticks, in the afternoon. During the afternoon we were presented by Mother Nature with a few snow flurries - no, Russ, sorry, there isn t enough for snow angels! Games of Farkel and Sequence, along with Jokers were enjoyed by some, while others rested, visited, or explored Ft. McCoy. Roasted pork and rotisserie chicken were the basis for our Saturday evening feast - and of course, members brought a great variety of sides to compliment the meat. There were so many different types of desserts that it was hard to choose a favorite. At dinner, we experience the Good Sam Pledge in action, when a couple (Jason and Rachel) and their son (Ethan) who were camping in tents were invited to join us. We even got Jason to join us - singing a couple of songs - boy did he sound like Satchmo! Much of the leftovers were donated to their food pantry - thanks to Jyn and John for asking and Sue for welcoming them! More songs, games of Farkel and FINALLY, the campfire were enjoyed after dinner. Sunday morning broke cold but clear. Everyone started closing up before going back to the hall for a brief devotional concerning compassion, gifts and service provided by Tressa for D. Then many of the group headed out for the Square Meal for breakfast, while the rest finished packing up and visiting a bit before heading for home. 2
Both Sue & John and D & Jim wish to express their sincere appreciation to all who pitched in with the activities, and especially Carmin (keyboard) and Russ (Karaoke) for providing our musical entertainment. The many hands working together made for a perfect weekend Sue said (and we all agree!). Weekend Photo Gallery Above: Caravan to campground; Stopping at Square Meal - (left side) John F., Carla, Joe, Sue, Larry (right side) Harriet, John J., Buddy, Don and Tressa; Arriving at campground;scenery at campground (cold but beautiful). Below: ; Parked at last! Our temperature on Sunday; The result of a windy night - branches blown from dead tree near Lucy s rig. Activities, Games and Entertainment Above: Beautiful Baby Pictures; Carla s picture before coloring; Carmin working on his picture; Joe working on a Valentine magnet. Blow: Carla and Jyn working on Valentine; Jyn shows her handy work; Lucy puts on the finishing touches; The final product! Pool players - Frank. Russ and Larry - a serious game for fun guys! Above: Frank and Linda get ready to call Card Bingo (filling in for D and Jim); A selfie - Carla, Peggie, Carmin and Tressa - dealing cards; Jyn hopes for a winning card - other players - Laura, Bennie; Harriet, Larry, Buddy, Joe, Sheila and Jyn. Non-winners put their names in a bowl in hopes of winning a consolation prize on Saturday, following the chapter meeting. 3
Above: Jyn considers her next move in Jokers, while Al, Bob & Sue look on; The winning card - Bob is ready to play; Farkel - Sheila, Tressa (with Brett helping) & Brian play their die right. Below: Brian, Carmin, Peggy & Tressa enjoying Sequence; Sheila gets a little help from a friend; Friday night s games of Jurassic Downs were enjoyed by all; Brian & Larry - one team playing Holey Board! Above: Carmin s keyboard - ready to play; Carmin playing while John looks on; Buddy croons a country song; Jyn - singing Over the Rainbow. Below: Jyn &Tressa - singing about 9 to 5 ; Jason, sings What a Wonderful Life ; Tressa tries Mr. Sandman - an oldie but goody; Our music host, Russ, singing a beautiful love song. Meals and Miscellaneous Pics Above: Al, Deb & Linda enjoying burnt dogs thanks to Bob & Larry (outside in the cold) cooking burgers & dogs! Below: Paleo Cornbread Muffins (recipe to follow); Carla s new BACON book; Carla on way to get food; Robin, Russ & her sister &brother-inlaw relaxing before lunch. 4
Above: Our new officers presiding at their first meeting; Ye old fishing hole (a bit dried up); Laura, Linda, Carla & Frank visiting. Below: Laura, Tressa & Don visiting; Deb (cutting up with Peggie and Carmin) Where do you think you are going to put that money? Russ trying to make snow angels from our little bit of snow flurries - nice try, Russ! Meeting Notes: At the January meeting, the following items/issues were discussed: Rally activities in Tallahassee: President Joe reported that he had requested Dr. Sambones and Door Prizes for the Chapter s participation/service. Sue and John reported that the VA 50/50 Booth will be set up and folks would be needed to assist in the ticket sales. President Joe shared that North Florida Lifetime Sams (many of the members belong to this chapter as well) would be distributing donuts on Thursday, and if anyone was interested, additional hands would be appreciated. Chapter vests: D brought to our attention that many of the newer members did not have a chapter vest. Following a discussion by those present, it was voted that the chapter would purchase a bolt of the material and an appropriate amount of the piping (after comparing prices from several vendors), and that those who could would help in putting the vests together. Chapter shirts: Tressa announced that Sharon had provided her with order blanks and the catalog for the shirts. A discussion was held concerning the possibility of using the Getaway Sams logo (either in white relief or in color - screen printing) in place of the Good Sam/Good Samantha currently used on the backs. President Joe and Secretary D will check with vendors to get the costs for design and set-up prior to a final decision being made. Campout Sign-up Sheets: The question of utilizing the Campout Sign-up Sheets was discussed. Electronic forms will be provided to the President and Vice President for distribution to the hosts of upcoming campouts. Name Tags: Several of the newer members have asked about the availability of name tags. Most of the members have secured their name tags at the State (Samboree) Rally. Order sheets from the appropriate vendor will be secured and made available to anyone desiring to order the tags (for those who will not be attending the up-coming Winter Rally). Recipe for Carla s Paleo Cornbread Muffins: Several folks asked about this recipe - so here it is! Besides being very tasty, these are great for those who are gluten intolerant. Enjoy! Ingredients: ¼ C - coconut flour; ¼ C - coconut oil or butter; 2 eggs - room temperature; 1 T raw honey; ¼ tsp. - baking soda; 1 tsp. - apple cider vinegar. Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 6 muffin cups with unbleached liners. Mix together the coconut flour and oil until smooth, then beat in eggs until smooth. Add the remaining ingredients and stir well. Divide between the prepared cups and bake about 20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean and the top springs back when lightly pressed. 5
GETAWAY SAMS 2016 CAMPOUT SCHEDULE SIGN UP SHEET (Early Bird Dates) MONTH/DATES HOSTS LOCATION Jan. (21) 23-24 Sue/John Johnson Ft. McCoy KOA, Ft. McCoy, FL D/Jim McDade (352) 546-5500 Feb. (2) 3-7 Winter Rally North Florida Fairgrounds, Tallahassee, FL (NOTE: Program attached to transmittal email) Feb. (25) 26-28* Carol/Steve Coastal Georgia RV Resort Deb/Bob Brunswick, Georgia 912-264-3869 March (24) 25-27 Joe/Buddy Pecan Park, Jacksonville, FL Harriet/Larry 904-751-6770 April (5) 6-10 Spring Rally Okeechobee KOA Resort, Okeechobee, FL April (21) 22-24 Tressa/Don Walkabout RV Park, Woodbine, GA 912-729-4110 May (26) 27-29 (30) Al Richardson Rock Crusher Canyon, Crystal River, FL Jyn Fortson 352-564-9350 June (23) 24-26 Frank/Linda Diegel Paradise Oaks, Bushnell, FL Dan/Mary Arnold 352-793-1823 Sandra/Bob McKinley July (21) 22-24 Aug. (25) 26-28 Sept. (22) 23-25 Oct. (27) 28-30 John/Jyn Fortson Lucy co-host Kate/Nate Robin/Russell Deb Dlugouz Nov. (15) 16-20 Fall Rally Southern Palms RV Resort, Eustis, FL Dec. 30 2016 Jan. 2, 2017** Lake City RV Park 386-752-0830 Chapter Officers Where possible, phone numbers for the campgrounds are included. This is so that you can make your reservations in a timely fashion. Remember to tell the staff that you are with the Getaway Sams. THEN - make sure you notify the hosts of your plans to attend. **Dates adjusted at a Chapter meeting in order to avoid Christmas and overlap New Year s. Please remember that all members are expected to host/co-host at least once a year. Applications for Good Sam Rallies can be located on the web site - http://goodsams-florida.org. When possible, these applications will be included in the newsletter. 6
Coastal Georgia RV Resort 287 South Port Parkway Brunswick, Georgia 31523 Thursday (EB) February 25 - Sunday, February 28, 2016 912-264-3869 Rally rates $35.70. The campground has 'back in' or 'pull thru' sites. Make a request when you book. Exit-29 North of Florida Border ½ mile off I-95 Thursday February 25, 2016 Early bird coffee with sweet rolls in Clubhouse 5 PM Dinner in PAVILION Hosts to provide pulled Pork and Buns. Please bring side dishes and desserts. 6 PM Assortment of Games in Pavilion (Wll Bowling, bingo and a few surprise games of luck and skill). Prizes awarded Friday February 26, 2016 Early bird coffee with sweets 10 AM Bloody Mary's and Mimosas at the Guittar/Barnette's. If you do not care for any refreshments, come on anyway for the fun and fellowship. We will be outdoors weather permitting. 1 PM SHARP--Depart campground in front of the Office to caravan to Jekyll Island. Tour the Island and see Historic sights with 4 stops and many photo opportunities. Learn the rich History of the Georgia Golden Isles. $15.00 PP and will last 90 minutes (1:30-3 PM with restrooms along the way). Also, plan to pack a simple picnic lunch for yourself and we will stop for a casual lunch overlooking the ocean. If too cold, there will be other places to picnic. 6 PM FISH FRY DINNER WITH 'ALL' THE FIXINS'--at the Pavilion Just bring yourself - fish, hush puppies, French fries, coleslaw, potato salad, cocktail sauce, cheese grits and desserts furnished. GAMES AFTER DINNER---PLACE TO BE ANNOUNCED. Saturday February 27, 2016 Early bird coffee--clubhouse 7:30-8 AM FULL BREAKFAST - Eggs, biscuits, meats, pancakes and assorted syrups served in the CLUBHOUSE Afternoon for resting, visiting or exploring the area. St. Simons Island is a neat old fishing village approximately 30 minutes away. Lots of really interesting shops there. 5:30 PM Dinner at ZACHARY'S (next door to the campground) famous for their seafood and steaks. Games and gathering at the PAVILION for anyone interested after dinner. Awards given for "BEST Of"... more information to follow. Sunday February 28, 2016 Early bird coffee in club house 7:30 AM Grilled cheese At the Barnette s... If too cold, the Pavilion. The Campground is less than 20 minutes from Historic downtown Brunswick and Jekyll Island. There is a small outlet mall nearby, as well as GREAT restaurants. You can also enjoy visiting Starbucks, the Waffle house, Denny s, the Flying J (full service) and Winn-Dixie (a brand new store). Click here: Coastal GA RV Resort - Area Attractions 7