DECEMBER 2015 LUNCH and SPRING 2016 RALLY

DECEMBER 2015 LUNCH

We normally have a lunch once a month on the second Friday of the month unless we have a Rally.  Our next lunch is on Friday December 11th, 2015 at 1 pm at:

My Place
930 U.S. 59 Loop N
Livingston, Texas

(Note: This is their new location which is the former location of Texas Pepper which is just before Catfish King on the Hwy 59 frontage road)
We will be meeting in their back room.

SPRING RALLY 2016

Thursday March 31st to Monday April 4th Rusk KOA
Rusk, Texas

featuring a ride on the steam powered train from Rusk to Palestine and back. The dogwoods should be at or near their peak of blooms at this time and make for some beautiful viewing.

There are cabins on site available for those who do not have an RV or choose not to use it.

We will provide more details as the logistics and agenda are worked out by our Wagonmasters,  Stephanie and Ray Borgman.

Email me,  David Horton, at dhorton2@aol.com if you want more information on Chapter 10 or this message.

Our President Gene Jensen will not be able to attend the lunch so I will lead the Pledge of Allegiance and make any introductions of new members or visitors.

David Horton
Chapter 10 Communications
Chapter 10 Vice-President
dhorton2@aol.com 

Joining Chapter 10

As stated on the Escapees website:

About Chapters

Chapters are the social arm of the club and the best way to keep the close family feeling that is so important to all of us. They are also the easiest way to get to know other Escapees and form lasting friendships with those who share your interests. Whether or not you join a chapter, you can attend chapter rallies throughout the U.S. as well as in Canada and Mexico.

Joining Chapter 10 

Chapter membership is open to all current Escapees members.   To join, attend one of or lunches or mail in your registration.   The dues are $5 per year for an individual or a couple.  Checks should be made payable to:

 SKP Chapter 10

To register by mail,  send in your $5, along with your name(s), email address, mailing address, telephone number, and SKP#.

Send your registration to our newly established PMB:

CHAPTER 10 
115 Rainbow Drive PMB 1532
Livingston, TX 77399

Checks payable to:  SKP Chapter 10

Chapter Officers and 2015 Fall Rally continued

Chapter Elected Officers and other positions

At the Rally Bruce and Yvonne Horton agreed to continue in office and Gene Jensen and David Horton became newly elected officers.   Cora Boyett will continue as Historian and Ray and Stephanie Borgman will continue as Wagonmasters.   Bruce,  Yvonne,  Cora, Ray, and Stephanie have all done a great job and I appreciate that they will be continuing in their positions.  A special thanks to Bob Olsen who served as the Chapter president this past year. 

• President - Gene Jensen
• Vice President - David Horton
• Secretary - Yvonne Horton 
• Treasurer - Bruce Horton 
• Wagonmasters - Ray and Stephanie Borgman 
• Historian - Cora Boyett

Next Chapter lunch

There will not be a Chapter lunch in November.  Traditionally we do not have a Chapter lunch in the month when we have a Rally.  We will have a Chapter 10 lunch in December on Friday, December 11th.  We tentatively will have the lunch at 'My Place' at their new location.

     Chapter 10 lunch
     December 11, 2015 - 1 pm
     My Place
     (former location of Texas Pepper
     near Catfish King)
     930 U.S. 59 Loop N
     Livingston, Texas 77351

We decided that our annual hot dog feed and Auction will likely be in February this coming year.  I will update as the plans solidify.

Saturday Afternoon and Evening

Saturday afternoon we enjoyed visiting on the rockers and chairs on the porch outside the rally room.  The weather on the porch was very pleasant.   Some worked on a group puzzle, watched some college football, or visited in the Rally rooms while we waited for the BBQ.

The park provided a large trailer mounted smoker/grill fired with charcoal and pecan wood.   As scheduled the coals were ready at 5 pm.  Cooking the meat was fairly slow,  being smoked more than grilled.   Eventually Ray adjusted the draft on the smoker to increase the air flow which resulted in a hotter grill to finish the cooking. Many choose to eat some of the other parts of the meal while waiting for the meat to finish cooking.  Half of the people wore Halloween costumes.   Cora took pictures for our memory book of the costumes.    At the end of dinner we decided the dates for the next Rally.  Loretta and Nina shared that they took a self guided tour of Columbus following a printed card.  It included going past some beautiful houses. 

Spring 2016 Rally

We decided on the dates for the Spring Rally at the Rusk KOA in Rusk,  TX.  The Spring 2016 Rally like the Fall 2015 Rally will run from Thursday through Monday.  For the Spring Rally the days will be Mar 31,2016 (Thursday) until April 4, 2016 (Monday) We plan to include a ride on the Texas State Railroad on the steam locomotive powered train that runs 25 miles between Rusk and Palestine.   The dogwoods should be at our near their peak during the Rally.   We will likely take part either as a group or as individuals in the dogwood festival activities. Our agenda and the logistics are still being worked on by our Wagonmasters.  

Sunday morning church

Some of those at the Rally as a group attended the Columbus First Baptist Church service at 11 am.  Everyone was on time adjusting correctly for coming off of Day Light Saving Time by turning their clicks back an hour.   We were treated to an excellent musical performance by MLB stars Tim Flannery and his Uncle Hal Smith (Pirates and Cardinals).  Both are retired from Major League Baseball.   Tim is the Co-founder with his wife of the Love Harder Project. 

The Love Harder Project uses music to raise money and awareness to assist victims of violence.   http://www.loveharderproject.org/

Sunday Lunch/Dinner

Following church and during dinner some finished the jigsaw puzzle.  We ate chicken from the local Church's franchise.   Phyllis showed videos of her dogs Rain and Rumor in nose work trials (competition).  Gene Jensen, our new Chapter president gave a short acceptance speech expressing his plans to work for the good of the Chapter and his desire to hear suggestions on how to make the Chapter better.

Some gathered in the Rally room to play Mexican train and for dinner we ate leftovers.

Tomorrow morning we will have a hitch up breakfast of pastries, juice and coffee and the Rally will be complete.  Thanks again to Ray and Stephanie Borgman for being Wagonmasters and for everyone else that pitched in to make this a successful and fun Rally.