Who has more fun than Destin Snowbirds?

President Bill kicked off the first double meetings of the year in grand style! This year’s slogan: Who has more fun than Destin Snowbirds? NOOOBOOOOODY! The 1,000th member, Kay Petch, from Nepean, Ontario, was honored with a gift basket from Barbary Coast East. Monday saw an additional 300 members register. Was great to see so many returning members, and a special welcome to those who are joining for the first time. A reminder that our next registration will be Wednesday, Jan. 18 from 10 a.m. to noon as the Community Center is closed Monday for Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

We have a great season of entertainment lined up for each Tuesday at 8:30 or 11 a.m. David Seering performed in splendid style after a three-year absence from our stage. Next week we will hear Chuck Lawson. He will give us a sneak peak of the music he will perform for our Pirates of the Caribbean Party Jan. 28 at the Seascape Conference Center. Tickets are limited, so don’t be left out. Purchase your tickets at the front of the hall $15 per person, which includes a buffet dinner from 98 Barbeque.

Tickets will be sold for both golf events. The Ladies Tournament Feb.15 will be held at Bluewater Bay. Tickets are $40 including a light lunch and prizes. Our Kline/Walsh Memorial Cancer Event will be held Feb. 22, this year at Emerald Bay. Come out and play for $50. Proceeds will be presented to the American Cancer Society at a meeting following the event. Be sure to check out the special snowbird rates at many local courses. See Rick Paquin for details.

All of our regular activities have begun. For times and contact information check your activity sheet or www.destinsnowbirds.org. Many of the coordinators will be on hand to answer your questions about bowling, blood pressure checks, bridge, casino bus trips, chorus, computer club, fishing, pinochle, poker, table tennis and tennis, before the 8:30 meeting and between the meetings.  Please note that Funology will be in the Fishing Museum for next Monday only, due to the holiday.

Jim Boehlert is happy to report the best start to the tennis season in years.  The warm January weather has brought snowbird players to Silver Shells for tennis three times a week. Everyone plays, in a round robin format matched to skill levels. Watch the bulletin board in the lobby for other activities. New members bring us new ideas and enthusiasm.

The friendship club held their first luncheon at the Golden Corral this past Tuesday. Next week they will meet at the Florida House following the 11 a.m. meeting. This group of snowbird singles will meet every week at a different restaurant.

The annual Fashion Show tickets are also available now. Your $25 ticket includes lunch at Captain Dave’s on the Gulf, and a style show featuring The Dress Barn.

This Sunday some of our group will bus to New Orleans to set sail on a Western Caribbean cruise. If you missed this year, details for next year‘s cruise are already in the making. The trip will be from Tampa, aboard the Carnival Legend, Jan. 13, 2013. Don Cooksey will be taking deposits for this trip before March 1, 2012.
The bus is full for the annual Mardi Gras trip to New Orleans in February. Please see Don Cooksey to pay for your bus fare as soon as possible.

Last week’s meeting closed with a great compliment of door prizes. The prize committee would like to recognize again the generosity of our many sponsors. As many as 20 of them set up in the display area at the back of the auditorium prior the meeting.

Nancy Hewitt is publicity director for the Destin Snowbirds and can be reached at pnatthebeach@gmail.com.