Our Current Newsletter
December 12, 2009
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all my camping buddies!!!
Well, we had our last camping gathering for 2009 having our Christmas Party at All Occasions in Wabash. Shelley Agness did a great job planning, arranging and hosting the event!! All the special touches were great! Thank you so much, Shelley. The attendance was great having the following there: Ron and Carol Koenes, Tim and Terry Finster, Daniel and Terry Wilson, Lee and Betty Wilkinson, Gary and Carolyn Rexroad, Ron and Melodie Thompson, Bill and Nancy Plummer, Lance and Shelley Agness with children Alicia (Gwen) and Ethan, Guy and Jan Givens, Steve and Iris Lewis, Wilbur and Ginny Haggerty, George and Sherry Gehring, Allen and Carolyn Crist, and Ken and Sharon Dickman. It was GREAT seeing Daniel and Terry as camping weekends always seem to conflict with other events in their lives. How AWESOME it was that Steve made the trip back from Tennessee to be with us!! And it was a BLESSING to have Lee and Betty with us as they have had so many health issues with which to deal this past year.
Lance shared a prayer then we all enjoyed a wonderful buffet dinner. With full tummies, it was time for the “infamous” gift exchange. All was going quietly then the “swapping” began!! Seems poor Ron and Melodie Thompson got picked on the most but they survived. Eventually we all settled with our choices and unwrapping began. Gifts ranged from the practical and useful to the hilarious and bizarre. Ron finally ended up with a rendition of “You Know You’re a Redneck IF…” and Jan ended up with the perfect gift for her….doggie slippers!! But checking down further in her package she also found a “Hooter Hoister”!!! What a “hoot” (pun intended)!! You just had to have been there. Upon opening her “Hoister” Terry Wilson was inspired to share an appropriate joke with us: What did the one sagging boob say to the other sagging boob?..............We better get some support soon or we’ll both be nuts!! Go, Terry! (And no, the Hooter Hoister was not from her!) The “special traveling Christmas rope” was on Iris’ gift so we will look forward to seeing what she does with it next year. Door prizes were also provided and a drawing was held for them. Ron Koenes passed out the 2010 handbooks so if you weren’t there you’ll need to see Ron to get one. The handbook is getting quite full with our club growing; he did a great job putting it all together. Thanks, Ron. Keeping with the new “Circus City Sams Birthday Tradition” the members attending with December birthdays gathered (Ken, Gary, Lance and Daniel) with Ken winning the “honor” of wearing the “birthday hat” while we sang to all. After visiting for a while, it was time to head home. It was a great evening. We extend best wishes for safe travels to those heading elsewhere over the holidays or south for the winter.
Arkansas Trip notes:
Plummers, Givens and Rexroads caravanned to Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge in Eureka Springs, Arkansas the latter part of October. The Agness family sooned joined us and over the weekend the Dickmans arrived. It was really great spending a lot of time with the BIG cats and other critters; great place to see. While there we also had side trips to Oklahoma and Branson. At the compound some repair work was done, helped with the Trail of Terrors for Halloween, and turned their camping area into a Haunted Campground during their Howl-O-Ween Spooktacular! Our members transformed into some CRAZY ghouls! It was great fun! We hosted a meal one night for all the staff and enjoyed live entertainment around the campfire. Rexroads and Givens continued traveling and went on to West Memphis, Arkansas. While there they camped ON the Mississippi River (Tom Sawyer Campground) and spent time in Memphis, TN. Following that the Rexroads traveled to Land Between the Lakes. They camped at
Hillman Ferry Campground which was awesome if you love being in the woods and on the water!
November Dinner:
We all met at the Streamliner in Rochester and had quite a selection of meals from which to choose. Of course, we had to celebrate November birthdays with our Birthday Hat. Carolyn Crist was the only birthday so she had the honor!! Following dinner we were all invited to the Thompsons’ home. Thank you for your hospitality; you were quite the hosts! Joining us also were our new Australian friends Marty and Karen Crouch. They held true to their word and met up with us again before heading back to their son’s near Toronto, Ontario. In true Good Sams Spirit, hospitality was given to them at both the Givens and the Rexroads. We really enjoyed having them stay with us and they enjoyed their stay. Thanks to Dick Helm, Marty enjoyed a golf outing. Thanks to Dickmans they enjoyed the Chicago sights. And among other things, Givens and Rexroads took them to the wineries in Michigan and Givens showed them the Christmas light display in Marion. They enjoyed their “first” Thanksgiving at the Rexroads. We did keep them busy! They have now safely arrived at their son’s home having made a stop in Frankenmuth on the way and visiting some Canadian friends.
This is the last newsletter until April 2010 so here is the schedule thru then:
Dinners at 5:30PM: January 16 Lincoln Square, Peru Host: Bergs
February 20 Beef O’Brady’s, Peru Host: Iris Lewis
March 20 Harvey Hinklemeyer’s, Peru Host: Crists
April campout: April 16-18 Bozarth’s Campground 7309 E400S, Lagro Hosts: Givens/Cohee (details later as campout approaches)
As always, for dinners and campouts PLEASE notify your hosts as early as possible that you are coming so accurate arrangements can be made! :o)
BIRTHDAYS AND ANNIVERSARIES!
Belated birthday wishes to Nick Berg (Nov. 29th) and, not belated but omitted with the December birthdays, to Samantha Berg (Dec. 21st).
Birthdays: Anniversaries:
January 5 Allen Crist None
9 Jeep Langer
19 Eric Cohee
February None None
March None 31 Paul and Tonya Berg
April 15 Iris Lewis 10 Ron and Melodie Thompson
19 Ethan Agness * 28 Al and Addie Goletz
20 Shelley Agness
23 Wilbur Haggerty
* Denotes child
That “should” cover it all. Best wishes to all for a blessed Christmas and a healthy 2010!!
Carolyn Rexroad
Corresponding Secretary
Note: Aren’t ya proud of me…got it done in only 2 pages!! :o)
Email us at ccsams89@circuscitysams.org
