Newsletter
NOVEMBER 2007
West Texas Unit – 100 of Wally Byam Caravan Club International
President: Lillie Phillips November, 2007 Newsletter Editor: Ewart Phillips Volume 42 Number 11 ewart@phillips123.com
Lines From Lillie:
We had a great rally in Lubbock with lots of fun fellowship and food. Thank you so much for the grand response at the auction. We had some beautiful handmade things and several other items, including Gene’s pralines. Thanks to one of our members who no longer travels. She sent a gift to the auction and sent $50 with a friend to shop for her. Isn’t that great! This unit is amazing! Thanks to all of you who contributed and purchased items. It was a big success.
Our unit is doing a great job of supporting this program. We raised a total of $345 at Lubbock. I believe that brings our total to $610. If you haven’t contributed & would like to do so, send a check to Laura Garrett at 2905 Bonham, Odessa, TX 79762
Remember to save your pull tabs and used stamps and card fronts!
Report on October dinner meeting:
Present were: Donna Freeman, Virginia Gentry, B. W. Haskins, the Boyds, the Byars, the Garretts, the Jarvises, the Phillips, the Roses, the Summers, the Wadles, andthe Wilsons
November dinner meeting:
Dinner will be at 5:30 at Cattlemans Steakhouse; Big Spring Street at Wadley.
Lucky Dog Award:
The October “Lucky Dog” was won by Jack & Myrna Coffman, affiliate members from Lubbock.
Birthdays and Anniversaries
11/04 Bob Rose
11/09 Gladys Breithaupt 11/21 Ashley & Debby Coco
11/16 Dick Jarvis 11/24 Rayburn & Mary Lou Clark
11/23 Donna Hightower
11/26 Lillie Phillips
Communication Committee Report:
We haven’t heard any news about anyone. Lillie will have a cyst excised from her back on November 1. She’s still having trouble with her ”trigger finger.” (Yes, that’s what the hand specialist called it.)
October Rally Report:
The Lubbock rally was attended by the Clarks, the Coffmans, the Cocos (in both trailers), B. W. Haskins, the Hightowers, the Jarvises, the Phillipses, the Prices, the Summers, Johnny & Wilda Wadle, the Wilsons, with visiting David & Jan Thompson, president of the Top-O-Texas Unit. Activities included a visit to the High Plains Food Bank, which was very interesting and informative, and the meal served there was excellent.
We enjoyed lunch at Shiloh’s on Friday and several went on a tour of Pheasant Ridge Winery. That evening we had our annual business meeting. During the business meeting we voted to sell one of our coffee makers to the Texas Alamo Unit for $115. (Lillie & Ewart delivered the coffeepot at the Alamo Unit rally in Lampasas and have a check for Laura.)
On Saturday morning we had breakfast provided by the hosts, followed by a free day for shopping, etc. Saturday night we had a delicious salad supper with cake & ice cream, followed by our auction for the benefit of Common Cents for Kids.
Dates to Remember:
November 14-18, Rally at Fredericksburg RV Park on Highway Street.
December 1, Christmas Party/Installation of Officers, at Ranchland Hills Country Club. Our cost will be $15 each. Send your money for tickets by November 26 to Laura Garrett, 2905 Bonham, Odessa, TX 79762.
At the business meeting, we decided not to have a gift exchange this year, but we will support the West Texas Food Bank and Common Cents for Kids.
December 2 – Breakfast at 8:00 am at Midland’s Cracker Barrel on Loop 250, provided they are open. Otherwise we will go to IHOP.
Membership:
We have renewals for 29 unit members and 4 affiliate members for 2008, as of this date. Lillie has called those who did not renew. We will miss them. Thanks to all of you for your renewals. What a great group of people we are!
Closing thoughts: You know you=re a senior citizen if:
Your trash collector isn’t sure about what stays and what goes.
People compliment your lizard-skin boots…and you’re barefooted.
You attend an auction of antiques…and three people bid on you.
You no longer think of the speed limit as a challenge to exceed.
Your senior class reunion was held in a 1961 Bambi.
OCTOBER 2007
West Texas Unit – 100 of Wally Byam Caravan Club International
President: Lillie Phillips October, 2007 Newsletter Editor: Ewart Phillips Volume 42 Number 10 ewart@phillips123.com
Call to Annual Meeting:
The annual business meeting of the West Texas Unit of WBCCI will be held Saturday, October 20, at the October rally in Lubbock, Texas. Agenda items include the report of the nominating committee and the election of new officers. For those who wish to attend without their RV, there is a motel adjacent to the Loop 289 RV Park. Elected officers will be installed at the December 1 Installation Dinner/Christmas Party.
Nominees for office are:
President: Alan Byars
First Vice-President: B. W. Haskins
Second Vice-President: Ashley Coco
Corresponding Secretary: Bambi Byars
Recording Secretary: Donna Freeman
Treasurer: Laura Garrett
2006-2008 Director: Myrtle Wilson
2007-2009 Director: Johnnie Wadle
2008-2010 Director: Gene Wilson
Dues are now payable. Please mail your International dues ($55) and your unit dues ($12) to Laura Garrett, 2905 Bonham, Odessa, TX 79762. Dues must be received at November 1 to have your information in the 2008 International Directory. Dues envelopes will be mailed to all who haven’t renewed already.
Lines from Lillie:
We had a wonderful old-time rally in Roby. It was a fun time for all.
We are looking forward to another good time October 17-21 in Lubbock. The hosts have planned great activities for us. We hope many of you can attend.
Report on the September dinner meeting:
There were 10 in attendance, including guests and prospective members Jay & Norma Hembree from Midland.We hope they join us soon.
October dinner meeting:
Don’t forget the dinner meeting at 5:30 next Tuesday, October 2, at Cattlemens Steakhouse.
Lucky Dog Award:
The Lucky Dog for September was Rayburn & Mary Lou Clark. The yield for Common Cents for Kids was $25; adding to that from other sources brings the total to nearly $35.
Birthdays and Anniversaries
10/09 Georgia Summers
10/17 Debby Wadle
10/27 Elwanda Culvahouse No weddings in October.
10/27 Barbara Dezendorf
10/27 Donnie Wright
Communication Committee Report:
Emmett Garrett is doing well with his new defibrillator. They made a trip to Illinois with Denise and their granddaughter doing the driving.
Harvey Knezek is doing much better.
Dick Jarvis is in Corpus Christi having test this week. He and Cathy were able to make the Roby rally before heading back to Corpus.
Cal Freeman was able to get out to dine with Conoco friends at the Barn Door in Odessa. Way to go, Cal!
September Rally Report:
Roby was a good location. The building is one of the best we have used. The men enjoyed sitting on the porch telling tall tales while the ladies played games. The Popes & Hightowers did a superb job hosting the rally. They cooked & cooked and we all enjoyed the good food.
On Thursday we went to Sweetwater for lunch at Allen’s, a family-style restaurant, and then spent the afternoon shopping. Some returned to Sweetwater on Saturday.
The rally was a quiet one and everyone had a great time. Attending were B. W. Haskins, the Jarvises, Popes, Clarks, Hightowers, Cocos, Wadles, Wilsons, and Phillips.
Thanks to the hosts for a wonderful rally!
Auction for Common Cents for Kids:
Please bring your auction items and lots of money for your purchases at the auction during the October rally in Lubbock. We will have minimum bids on all items. If you are home-bound and can’t attend the rally but would like to have a part in our project, please make a donation when you send in your dues. This money will be given to a child with severe health issues at the International Rally in Bozeman, Montana next year. One sweet member gave Lillie $20 not long ago for our projects. I appreciate all you do for our club.
Late-breaking news:
Pat Brantley is back in Texas! And back in banking. We just received a card from him announcing that he is the branch manager for the Sierra Blanca branch of the Transpecos Banks.
He and Louise are at P. O. Box 293, Sierra Blanca, TX 79851. Welcome home, Pat & Louise!
Dates to Remember:
The October rally program is enclosed in this newsletter.
Remember the November rally in Fredericksburg, November 14-18. We have to give them a guaranteed number so make your plans early and let Lillie know.
The Christmas Party/Installation will be Saturday, December 1, at the Ranchland Hills Country Club in Midland.
Closing thoughts: You know you=re a senior citizen if:
Your favorite rock group is sponsored by AARP.
You consider it a good day golfing when you find more balls than you lose.
You have more room in your closet than you have in your medicine cabinet.
When you see the sign “Say ‘no’ to crack,” you pull up your pants.
When people ask how you are, you tell them in excruciating detail.
You give up all your bad habits and you still don’t feel any better.
HALLOWEEN RALLY
Loop 289 RV Park; Lubbock, Texas
October 17-21, 2007
WEDNESDAY, October 17
Parking all day
5:30 Brown Bag Supper – Dessert and drinks furnished
6:30 Games of choice
THURSDAY, October 18
Breakfast on your own
11:00 Tour and Lunch at Lubbock Food Bank – Please bring 2 items per person
to donate to the Food Bank
Afternoon on your own (Women can shop and men may visit Texas Tool Company)
5:30 Snack Supper in Rec Room (Bring your favorite snack to share)
6:30 Games of choice.
Door Prizes
FRIDAY, October 19
Breakfast on your own (new Cracker Barrel now open near campground)
11:30 Lunch at Shiloh’s (BBQ Buffet)
2:00 Tour of Pheasant Ridge Winery
6:00 Supper on your own
7:00 Card Bingo w/prizes in Rec Room; also games of choice
SATURDAY, October 20
8:00 Breakfast Casserole, Fruit and Coffee will be served
Lunch on your own and afternoon free (You may want to go to Abuelo’s)
6:00 Pot Luck Salad Supper (bring your favorite vegetable, fruit or meat salad)
Bread and crackers will be furnished. Also dessert and drinks.
7:00 Silent Auction for Common Cents For Kids (See Lillie’s comments in newsletter)
SUNDAY, October 21
8:00 Coffee and sweet breads
8:30 Devotional by Ewart Phillips
HAVE A SAFE TRIP HOME
HOSTS: Dick and Cathy Jarvis
Gene & Myrtle Wilson
Hugh & Georgia Summers
AUGUST 2007
Lines From Lillie:
We enjoyed the International Rally, but we are glad to be back in West Texas. We had Debby Coco and us as unit members in attendance. Our affiliate members Halls, Bells, and Dezendorfs were also there. We attended the seminar, Board meeting and Delegates meeting. The motor home issues were voted down, so we are still all Airstream.
We’re looking forward to the August rally and hope to have more of you come. Call us before August 5 if you can come.
My arm is doing well. Dr. Power says it’s 85% healed and I can lose the cast. No therapy needed!
Further report on International:
Here are a few figures from the International Rally:
1024 memberships were registered
$5624 from church offerings, divided $1874.66 each to three charities in Perry
2436 pounds of tabs were brought in, netting about $1600 for Ronald McDonald House
(This is approximately 4 million tabs, at 1200 per pound.)
65 pints of blood were given
1939 stuff animals were collected
110 baby blankets were crocheted
3 boxes of toiletries
250 pairs of booties
More than $8000 was contributed to the Common Cents for Kids Fund, given to a young girl who will need a lung transplant in the near future. (Region 6 alone raised $2689.08; I don’t know how much Region 9 gave.)
Perry will not soon forget the impact that the WBCCI had on their community, with over $15,000 in gifts, not counting the monetary impact of 2000 people shopping, eating, playing, and staying in this town of about 17,000 population!
August dinner meeting:
Don’t forget the dinner meeting at Cattlemens Steakhouse at 5:00 on August 7. See you there!
We’ve been gone so long, I hope you recognize us. (I’ll be wearing a Mexican guayabera.)
Lucky Dog Award:
Now that summer is behind us and we’re back on a more normal schedule, Lillie will reinstitute that Lucky Dog Award with our August rally.
Communication Committee Report:
Gail Hall has a broken bone in her hand, but it is healing well and she can leave off the cast.
Harvey Knezek is slowly recovering from extensive artery repairs, with a bad case of “cabin fever.” It’s hard to stay in the house when you have been used to being up and outside. He tires easily, but is improving.
Dick Jarvis had his first chemo treatment (of this round) this week and has another on Aug. 1. They hope to make the dinner meeting.
Georgia Summers is feeling better. Her back is improving after a setback caused by an auto accident. A car backed into her and totaled her car, so she is out car-shopping. Their grandson from Tucson is visiting now.
Wayne & Elwanda Culvahouse are on a trip to Alaska. His sister is doing better. We missed their anniversary on July 20 and Wayne’s birthday on July 24. Sorry about that.
Other Items of Interest:
The Cocos have a darling new Bambi. It is so nice. They are going to be using it while they are restoring their vintage trailer.
C. C. Gartman & Carla are our new Region 9 2nd VPs. They will be good additions to our Region staff.
The 2008 International Rally will be in Bozeman, MT. Start making plans now to travel west. We already have our itinerary scheduled to go to the Region 8 rally in Abilene, KS and proceed north to I-90 and west through Rapid City, SD and Gillette, WY, the site of the International Rally in 2010.
Directory Changes:
Add affiliate members David & Jan Thompson; 7109 Jameson Road; Amarillo, TX 79106; phone # 806-355-4914, cell 806-679-8337; e-mail: slimdst@ cox.net or David@highsiesta.com. David is president of the Top-O-Texas Unit. Welcome aboard, David & Jan.
Dates to Remember:
September 4 Dinner at Cattlemens Steakhouse in Midland – 5:30 pm
September 19-23 – Rally in Roby, TX (Cottonwood RV Park, 1 mile south on Hwy 70)
October 2 Dinner at Cattlemens Steakhouse inMidland – 5:30 pm
October 17-21 Rally in Lubbock (Loop 289 RV Park at 34th Street)
November 6 Dinner at Cattlemens Steakhouse in Midland – 5:30
November 14-18 – Rally at Fredericksburg RV Park on Highway Street in Fredericksburg
December 1 – Christmas Party & Installation; Ranchland Hills Country Club in Midland