Christmas concert ends 2009 Snowbirds season

The Snowbirds meeting on Tuesday was great. The Niceville High School Opus I Chorale group performed for us. What beautiful voices! Their Christmas music almost made me want to be up north in the snow and cold, but after a while, the feeling passed.

This was the last meeting until January 2010. As of today, 386 Destin Snowbirds have signed up. At Tuesday’s meeting, I talked with John Bell, a new Snowbird from Minnesota. He is quite impressed with the club and the entire area. Look out, John. Before you know it, we’ll have you signed up as a volunteer. It is exciting to meet new people and welcome them. They bring fresh and fun ideas as well as their stories to share.

The Christmas party was a success, with 102 tickets being sold. Good food, and with Rusty as the entertainment, a lot of fun was had. Both scheduled parades were canceled this past weekend because of weather. Our Snowbird float surely would have been one of the favorites in the parade (oh, well — there’s always next year). The New Year’s Eve party is our next event. We will welcome in 2010 on Thursday, Dec. 31, from 8:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. at Captain Kidd’s, with music by Rusty. This includes finger food, party favors and fireworks at midnight. The cost is $20 per couple, with happy hour/cash bar. For more information, call Don Cooksey at 850-837-3637. In January the big registration is on Monday, Jan. 4, from 2-4:30 p.m. Regular registrations are to be held on Monday, Jan. 11, and Monday, Jan. 25, from 1-3 p.m. There is no registration on Jan. 18, Martin Luther King Day. Additional registration can be done on Wednesdays, Jan. 6, 13, 20 and 28, from 1-3 p.m. The general meetings will be held Tuesdays at 8 and 11 a.m.

Golf registration is on Monday, Jan. 4, from 2-4:30 p.m. Golf course vendors will be on hand selling six-, 10- and 12-round play cards from at least a dozen courses.

January also offers many other activities, with concerts, a fashion show, golf tournaments, card groups and classes at the college. The computer club has given us a wonderful rate, as we are only here for a short time. There is also a computer expo on Saturday, Jan. 23, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. This is free and open to the public. There will be displays, door prizes and vendors. For more info, visit the Web site www.apcug.net or nwfacug.org.

The January mixer/party (Just Another Day In Paradise) is 2-5 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 23, at St. Andrews Bythe-Sea Episcopal Church, 307 Harbor Blvd. in Destin. Entertainment is by Chuck Lawson. Cost is $12. Don’t forget your flip-flops.

If you would like to share a hobby or craft with us, please let us know — we welcome new ideas. This is a lot of information for upcoming events in the Destin Snowbirds, but there’s even more on our Web site, www.destinsnowbirds.org.

To all our friends who are headed home for the holidays, we wish safe travel and happy holidays to you and your families. We’ll see you in January.

Diane Neeb is publicity director for the Destin Snowbirds and can be reached at neebsnook@hotmail. com.