We grew from 829 to 844 residents
in the park this week.
Welcome home
Welcome home
Winter Ranch residents!
Important Information:
- Due to a large water leak, your water will be off today until it is fixed. We are sorry for the inconvenience. UPDATE: Leak is fixed; water is back on.
- WEATHER WARNINGS: If there is a severe weather warning (thunderstorm, tornado, etc.) for this area, Alamo does have a storm siren. If we have this type of weather, you can go to either of the shower buildings or inside Friendship Hall in the bathrooms or anywhere away from exterior walls or windows.
- If you are planning on doing any enhancements to your site including: cement work, installing rock, planting trees or bushes, you need to check with Larry first. Don't put yourself in the position where you need to remove what you just put in because you did not check!
- The Activities Office is now taking reservations for next year's activities. Each and EVERY activity needs to complete a yellow form in order to have their activity on the calendar next year. Please do this as soon as possible. This is a first come-first served situation. Don't lose your room or dates because you didn't complete the necessary forms.
- Please do not pull through sites. You can run over lines and cause some major problems. Also start watching your speed whether you are in a golf cart, bicycle, car, or truck! And, all vehicles, including bikes and golf carts, must stop at the stop signs. The office has had numerous complaints from your friends and neighbors. We know you don't mean to hurt anyone but you could!
- The Picture Directories are in and if you purchased one last year, you can pick it up in the Activity Office. There are also some pictures that were ordered last year in the Activity Office.
- Please return your completed Directory Information Sheets to the Business Office as soon as possible so that the Computer Group can start working on the Directories for people in Winter Ranch this season. The sheet was in your Welcome Packet when you arrived.
- The Business Office has some Winter Ranch 25th Anniversary booklets left for $1. Stop in the office.
- The Computer Group is still having Help Sessions on Wednesday mornings right after the park meeting in Activity Room #3 (except for the 1st Wednesday of the month when the room is otherwise occupied). Please don't knock on the doors of our resident Computer Group volunteers or stop them as they are passing by to ask for help with your computer problems. Use the Help Sessions if at all possible and if that won't work for some reason, e-mail or call the person you'd like to speak to and set up an appointment that will be convenient for both of you.
- We have a sewing machine that is used for Quilting for the Needy that is missing a part. If you borrowed that part, please return it or that machine won't be usable.
- A BIG THANK YOU to Don Mueller for building the shelf above the Chuck Wagon. It looks great, Don!
- The Business Office has tickets for the remaining two Symphonic Band Performances on Tuesday, February 12th and March 26th, at the Trinity Worship Center. The tickets are $5.
- Linda Doerschug reminded the group that the Quilt Show will be on January 29th from 9 AM to 1 PM in Friendship Hall. There will be a Quilt Show Meeting on January 24th at 3:15 PM in the Loft. Please come to the Quilt Show as it is one of the main fundraisers for Quilting for the Needy!
- Ladies Luncheon Group fundraiser - buy chances on a GPS with free lifetime updates. They will be sold before and after the Wednesday morning meetings and in the Small Hall during the week. The GPS will be awarded in February.
- The Men's Luncheon that was rescheduled for February 7th has now been cancelled. To obtain your refund, stop in at the Activity Office.
- Beef Stew Fundraiser for Quilting for the Needy on February 6th at 4:30 PM. $5. Beef stew, french bread, Home-made salads, Home-made desserts, Tea, Coffee and Lemonade. Your table service will be provided. Tickets will be on sale in the Small Hall from Monday-Friday from 10-11 AM.
- Integra Wellness will be doing Health Risk Assessments for us again this year on January 31st starting at 9 AM. To schedule an appointment online go to www.integrawellness.com or call 800-884-6251.
- Complete Wellness Package (4 vascular test plus osteoporosis) $125
- Full Vascular Package (4 vascular tests ) $100
- Any 3 tests $90
- Individual test $40
- Ladies Luncheon on February 11th at Noon. The program will be Ms. South Texas. Brisket, potato salad, sauteed green beans and dessert will be served. February 6th is the last day to purchase tickets.
- The Celebration of Life Memorial Service will be held on the February 26th. Keep that date on your calendar.
- Margarita Party on February 25th at 4 PM - $6 selling tickets now.
- Walking tacos and special margaritas
- Costume Party
- Prizes
- 50/50 Drawing
- Pool Cue Drawing
- Another 4-hour AARP Driving Class will be offered on February 7 and again on March 7th in Friendship Hall from 8 - 11 AM. This course is for those who have not taken the safety course for 55+ to qualify for the insurance discount. 8 hrs of classes is required for the insurance discount and Don will work with you to get in the other 4 hours. No testing is required. Don DeKeyrel is the contact person for questions concerning the course.
- Lee Clement gave an update on the Variety Show which will be held on February 15th at 6:30 PM. The theme will be A Starry Night In Texas. There will be a monitor for singing so if you would like to entertain us either singing or standup comedy (park appropriate, of course), you can sign up an act on the signup list by the mailroom. We will have a backdrop for the performance this year. There will be two rehearsals in February. You also need to let Lynn in the Activities Office know that you are participating.
- The Woodshop's Spaghetti Dinner will be held on February 19th at 4:30 PM. Spaghetti, garlic bread, salad, cake, lemonade, and coffee will be served. Bring your own table service. $?
- The 50th Wedding Anniversary Celebration will be held on February 10th at 2 P:M. Jan and Paul Wilson are the Coordinators for this event. There are three different signup sheets for the event:
- Anyone married between June 62 and May 63 who will be celebrating 50 years of marriage.
- Anyone who is not celebrating their 50th this year but has been married over 50 years.
- Guests who want to share in the celebration. Guests, please do sign up as we don't want to run out of ice cream. We need a head count!
- The Entertainment Line-up is complete and tickets are available in the Activity Office. The Concession Stand will be open for these events. This is the January line-up:
January 24
|
7 PM
|
Red Head Express - $7
|
January 31
|
7 PM
|
David Church*
|
*David Church tickets will be $10 for general admission or $12 to reserve a seat in the first five rows (100 seats).
Calendar Updates:
- Gail McCrabb and Jean Holmes will be leading a Card-making class on February 7th from 1 to 3 in the Library. Cost is $2 and you will make 4 cards. Class is limited to 10 people.
- Super Bowl Party in Friendship Hall on February 3rd beginning at 4 PM. The Concession Stand will be open. Game on the Big Screen TV. Bring you lawn chair and drinks and/or snacks.
- An old-fashioned Barn Dance will be held on February 12th at 3:30 PM in Friendship Hall. We will have a Grand March and community dancing. It should be fun for all!
- The Valentines Dance is scheduled for Valentines Day, February 14th at 7 PM. Jealous Heart is playing. You can reserve your tables and buy your tickets now in the Activities Office. Don DeKeyrel will be taking pictures in the library at the event. You can purchase a 5 x 7 for $5. The proceeds from the pictures will be donated to the Alamo Parade Group so they can buy more parade decorations.
- The Minnesota Potluck is on January 27th at 11:30 AM.
- The Missouri Potluck is on February 1st at noon. Bring a dish to share and your table service. Drinks will be provided.
- The Kansas/Oklahoma Potluck will be on February 2nd at 11:30. Bring your table service and a dish to serve 10 to share. Bring 2 serving spoons for the dish you are sharing. Coffee will be provided.
- Card Games Class - If you would like to learn how to play a new card game, you can attend the last session on January 25th at 1 PM in the Loft in Friendship Hall.
JD gave us an update on the bus. We have had to cancel a couple more bus trips because we have run into a glitch in getting our permanent plates. One of these days we will be on the road again! A couple of new trips have been added. For a current listing of the Bus Trips that are available, see Bus Trips on the right hand column of this blog under CURRENT INFO.
Tours:
The February 18th Trip to New Orleans is still a go. You can still sign up to be on the waiting list for that trip. See the Bulletin Board for information on other trips that are available.
Volunteers and/or Donations Needed:
- JD needs people to set up for Red Head Express on January 24th, Thursday, at about 2 PM in Friendship Hall.
- Barb DeGaramo will store anything that you might want to donate for the Christmas stockings for next year. If you have something lying around, just give her a call.
- Cathy Chapin is looking for volunteer flag bearers for our Call of the States during an upcoming Wednesday morning meeting. Please signup in the Business Office.
- Linda Doerschug requested that we save our old t-shirts to give to the Quilting For The Needy group. They are using these to make diapers for Easter Seals. These diapers are given to people with very little and the need is desparate! Ours is the only park that does this so we really need your support!
- Zion Church is looking for old blankets that they use as batting when they make quilts for the needy. They will even take old electric blankets. See Ginny Toman, Lot #635, if you would like to donate one or more blankets.
- Nora Minor is still looking for volunteers on the Decorating Committee. The Committee decorates for all the holidays and special
events. She is looking for both men and women to join her committee.
You can contact her at Lot 567.
- Lynn would like a Coordinator to lead a new Garden Club group that would assist in beautifying the public areas of the park. Talk to Lynn about what would be involved.
- Lynn would like a Co-Coordinator to assist her with the Christmas Party next year. Let her know if you are interested.
- Lynn is also looking for someone to tackle a new position as Coordinator for the Christmas Golf Cart Parade so that the date is set early in December and it can be advertised well.
From the Blog Administrator:
If you see pictures on the blog where I don't have people identified - most of the time they show an xx - and you know who they are, send me an e-mail and I'll remedy the situation. I try hard to identify everyone but knowing everyone in this park is like knowing everyone in a small city!!
If you want to share some news or have pictures from any of the events or bus trips trips that you would like to share on the blog, you can send them to me and I'll post them on the blog. Just send them to my e-mail at : blogwinterranch@yahoo.com
Thanks,
Mary Benfield
