Minutes of Meeting November 4, 2019

I’m excited to start the new year as your Activity Director and even more excited that Lee and Gayla will be working with me during this season. Lee because he and I have different strengths so we make a perfect team when it comes to running an Activity Office. Plus, I just kind of like having him around!

 We are both happy to introduce Gayla Henry who will be joining our Team as our Activity Clerk. She will be in charge of the Craft Sale, New resident meetings, obtaining all the prizes that we give out, and a host of other things as they come up.  We know that she will be a great addition to the team. She is a go-getter and very enthusiastic and that is what we need in the Activity Department. She has already been a great addition here at Southern Comfort. She and some of her friends did the great Halloween Table decorations for the tables and did a ton of work for the Halloween Party. She also volunteered to be in charge of the Mardi Gras Celebration. She will be one busy lady this season. Also, for those that don’t know, Gayla is the daughter of Bob Garrity. 

Our emphasis as your Activities Team is to make sure that all of you all stay informed and have a great time at Southern Comfort with lots of opportunities for things to do. We also have an ”open door” policy. Just come in if you have an idea, a question or a concern. We will do our best to take care of you. We want Southern Comfort to be an enjoyable place to be and we know Laura shares that goal. So, let’s work together to spread the love! 

On a sadder note, we will miss Marlene as she is such a sweet person and we hear now that she has some serious health problems so please keep Marlene in your prayers. Marlene and her husband have not traveled to the Valley this season.

While we are talking about how things work at the park, I’d like to have all the Coordinators and Team Leaders for all the activities at Southern Comfort stand up (cards, billiards, darts, bocce, etc.) These are the people that are here every week for one or more activities in the park. They are the bread and butter of the activities going on in the park and the Activities Department is the peanut butter and jelly that is added to make life even more enjoyable. Thank you all for what you do! Give them a hand folks!

PICTURE DIRECTORIES:

The picture Directories are in and will be distributed before and after the Monday Morning meetings. Some of you have already picked yours up and any of you that want to take yours with you today, can do that after the meeting. Gayla and Lee will be handing them out. We have divided the list into A-l (Lee) and M-Z (Gayla) so make sure you wait in the right line. We need your signature that you received your directory. These will be distributed before and after the Monday meetings.

COMMUNICATIONS:

As some of you are aware, I’ve done my best in the past to improve the communications in the park using Southern Comfort Friends and the Yard Sale Facebook Groups. I also started a blog that anyone with internet can use without having to be on Facebook or having a sign-on. The blog has a lot of information that is especially useful for residents that have not been in the park for a long time. Actually, there is information that is useful to all of you. One of the pages that is on the blog is the page of “Who is Who” and it lets you know who to call for information on all of our activities and groups. To get to the blog: www.SouthernComfortActivities@blogspot.com.

Signup Sheets and Activities Information is located at the front of the Hall behind the Coffee machines in case you haven’t found them yet. I have had some people ask where the signup sheets were for events that were at the end of the month. There is only so much room on the tables and so the events that are early in the month will be posted first and as they are past the other items will appear. You will have plenty of time to sign up.

The Boards above the Table for the Signup Sheets will have current information about what is going on at Southern Comfort and Country Sunshine. The other large board will have information on boat trips and other types of recreation that are ongoing. The large board in the front will have information about plays, musicals, concerts, etc. for the valley.

Our cork to resurface all the bulletin boards has been ordered and should arrive shortly. We hope to get it done quickly after it arrives. The way the signs are now on the boards in the Hall is just temporary and it will be fixed when we get it done. It is just another  step toward improving the looks of the Hall.

PROJECTS:

Lee and I have been working on several projects. Since I started working in October, Lee volunteered his time to paint and repair the walls and woodwork in the Activity Offices area and he just finished painting the doors in the Business Office. He finished up just in time to begin working on Friday.

You have probably noticed the changes in the Hall. If you are looking for the Signup Tables, they have moved to the front of the Hall behind the Coffee pots. The Veteran’s Wall has been cleaned up a bit and the Veteran’s tree was removed and thrown away. It was so dirty it was unbelievable and we think it must have been a flocked tree at one time but if it wasn’t then it really was in bad shape and unsanitary. We are going to replace the Veterans' tree with a POW Table and the materials for that are now on order and should be here soon. We are going to spend a bit of money on this wall in the future and I believe you will all like the results so please give us a chance to make this a special wall for our veterans that doesn’t have such a cluttered appearance.

We are also in the process of negotiating a deal on a new 9’ Christmas Tree for the Hall. The money that was raised from the sale of the Craft Show Pies will be used toward the tree since I have had quite a few women ask me if we could have a Christmas tree this year and we thought it would be a good thing to spend that money on. Thanks to the ladies who made the pies and to the Resident Board for letting that money go to decorating the Hall. If any of you would like to donate to decorations for the tree, just stop in the office. We would like to get nice decorations for a nice tree.

We also removed the cloths from all the Bulletin Boards and have ordered a roll of cork that Lee will be putting on all the boards to improve their looks. During the summer the Bulletin Boards off to the right of the stage were removed and the Resident’s Board, I believe, is making more changes in that area. If you used a space on the boards that were removed, please come see me later on today or tomorrow and we’ll talk about where you can post your information. I know that the Church and the Biking Club need some space but other than that I didn’t notice too much going up on those boards last year.

ACTIVITIES THIS WEEK (Nov. 4^th – 10th):

Mondays Lunches start today. I apologize I thought they started in December and I didn’t have a Green Sheet on it to keep me straight. They will be on the calendar in December. So do remember that for the rest of this month!

November 6^th , Happy Hour with Diego: We will have our first Happy Hour on November 6^th from 3 to 5 in the Hall. I posted a Happy Hour listing on the bulletin board in the front of the hall behind the coffee pots with all the Happy Hours for the season. They are always on Wednesdays and most of them are filled. I know you all enjoy these Happy Hours and we will be able to keep having them as long as the entertainers feel like they are being compensated well. I never know how much they receive but I know many of you are generous. I just want to make sure that you all understand that in order for me to book these Pass The Hat functions, the entertainers need to make money so they return.

November 7^{th –} Casserole Brunch: Jennie Draper and Sondra Plowman are the leads for the Casserole Brunch which starts at 10:30 AM on the 7th. There are signup sheets at the back of the Hall. We also need volunteers to make some either breakfast or lunch casseroles and there is a signup sheet for that also. Bring your own table service.

November 8^th – Immunization Clinic. The Other Guy’s Pharmacy in Weslaco will be doing an Immunization Clinic from 1 to 4 PM in the Outback. They are a preferred pharmacy and take most insurance cards. Please bring your insurance cards and a checkbook with you in case your insurance does not cover the charge completely. They will be doing immunizations for flu, shingles and pneumonia. Carol Case is signing up people for any immunizations you need. She is at the back of the Hall. Later the box will return to the signup tables by the stage. There are sheets to write out your information and then place in the box. We are doing that because they need to keep your information private because of HIPA Laws. If you haven't had your shots yet, this is convenient for you and we want to keep you all healthy.

November 9^th – Happy Hour at 4 and Cookout at 5 PM. Bring your own table service and the meat you want to grill. A baked potato, a roll and dessert will be provided. Please sign up at the tables behind the coffee pots. The Horse Races will not start until next month. Mark that off our calendar.

November 10^th – Ice Cream Social. The Ice Cream Social will be Sunday the 10^th and they will be serving Sundaes with all the fixings. The cost is $1.25 per person.

November 11^th – Veterans Day Program: It is Country Sunshine’s turn to do the Veterans Program this season. There is a signup sheet at the back of the hall for the veterans who plan to attend and another for the spouse’s or significant others that will attend. The program starts at 11 AM and the meal is at Noon. It is a potluck luncheon. The meat and lemonade or tea will be provided. Bring your table service.

Presenter:  Now I have the privilege of introducing Joe Graham from Breakaway Cruises. I have set up a cruise with him for the South Padre Island Lighted Boat Parade on December 7^th. We’ll put signup sheets out for this closer to the event. Last year we watched the parade and it was great to see how many boats participated and we loved the lights. This year we have an opportunity to be on one of Breakaway Cruises boats and be in the parade. It looked like the people on the boats were having a great time. Maybe Joe can tell you more about that too – just a little advertisement for a December event. Let’s give Joe Graham a hand and thank him for purchasing your donuts this morning.

Hidalgo Lights: There is a signup sheet out for a group trip to the lights which includes a chicken dinner, VIP seating for whoever performs that evening, a train ride to see all the lights. I know you aren’t ready for Christmas planning just yet, however, I will need to get tickets early if we are going to go. They do sell out. There are two seatings but I’ll have to figure that out once I know who wants to go and what tickets are available.

COMING UP SOON: 

November 13^th – Get together at Stephano’s Italian Restaurant in Harlingen. We meet at Stephano’s at Noon and enjoy a meal together. We went there once during the summer and enjoyed it. You can order off the menu. Sign up sheet is out.

November 19^th – Get together at Ranch House Burger here in Weslaco. Meet there by 5 PM – you can order off the menu. Sign up sheet is out.

November 23^rd – Riverside Cruise. Be there by 10:30 – 10:45. The boats leaves at 11 AM and lunch is at Noon.

November 27^th – at 8 PM you can set up tables in the Hall for Thanksgiving.

November 28^th – Thanksgiving Dinner at 1 PM. Sign ups for tables will be set up closer to the event.

November 29^th – Tram Tour of Estero Llano State Park. If you have a Texas ID and are over 65 the tour is free. If you don’t have a Texas ID or Texas Park Pass, the cost is $5 which is the entrance fee to the park. There is a limit of 20 people – 10 in a tram so signup in the hall on the tables behind the coffee pot. Please use one line per person on the signup sheet! If you don’t, someone will think they are on the trip and won’t be and I don’t want to have hurt feelings.