Monday Jan.16th

 RVE CLUB MEETING –Chair Judy Nordquist called

meeting to order. We recited “Pledge to the Flag” & sang “God Bless America”. Meeting closed by singing club song.

Accompanist – Jan Delashmit

Invocation – Steve St.Clair “Let God Be In Control”

Secretary –Virginia Baker

Treasurer – Sandy Olson

If you’d like your blood pressure checked, Nancy Gonnerman is behind the stage (quilt room) on Mondays 8:30-9 a.m. before our morning meeting.

Thanks to these donut gals for serving at Monday club meetings this entire season ... Patty Lamp & Phyllis Branstetter; and to George Morgan who brews the coffee If anyone is interested in buying donuts for any particular Monday meeting, see chair Judy Nordquist.

Sharon Reiss & Lowell Gilbertson will provide donuts next Monday. The following Monday, Rich & Collette Mason have volunteered to bring the donuts.

It was announced the “donut dolly sign” seems to be missing. Anyone know where it might be?

Managers’ Report – No manager’s report today. Website for park is riovalleyestates.com

Board Members -- Properties – George Morgan, Lynn Stamp, Jose Ponce; Finance – Vicki Davis, Janel Baker, Sandy Olson. If you have issues to present, contact any board member. They sit in a group toward the right front of Friendship Hall prior to Monday meeting.

Virginia Baker gave Secretary report. It was approved.

Sandy Olson gave Treasurer’s report & it was approved.

Properties committee tells us refrigerator fans in kitchen have been repaired. Repairman will be bringing freezer repair part.

Dances are scheduled for 2023 season according to chairs Craig & Dana Daves. Cost is $8 pp. Craig tells us the South Texas Ramblers is the band tonight, 7 to 9:30 p.m. Schedules are on back wall. We need to get some of our new residents involved too. South Texas Ramblers has a really talented fiddler.

Marylyn Mason, Entertainment chair, thanked those who attended last Friday night program. She said Lindley Creek will provide our program this Friday, Jan. 23, $10 pp. 50-50 draw will be held. This is bluegrass, gospel & a very enjoyable group. Attendance is running low as it is all across The Valley. We encourage our residents to attend!

If you don’t have an RVE name tag, check with Donna Gabbert who makes these, $3 each. We encourage folks to purchase & wear them.

Donna Gabbert puts cards in office area for your signature. If you know of someone needing card due to illness or death in family, call her at 956-968-6684. Cards up this week: Sympathy cards to Marylyn/David Mason and Christy Jones.

Donna Gabbert keeps us informed with a blog. Find her blog at www.donnasramblingsatrve.blogspot.com Her email is bodogabby@aol.com.

No mail delivery today as it is Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Upcoming Events:

Jan. 19 – Kentucky Derby Dance Party, $10 pp tickets on sale, doors open at 5 p.m. for pictures

Jan. 24 – “Painting With Pals”, 1:30 p.m. see sign up sheet

Feb. 2 – Craft Sale, 8-noon .. Pies are needed (sign up please)

Feb. 9 – Italian Dinner, $10 pp, Lasagna is on the menu!

Feb. 14 – Bus Trip to Space X Rocket Ranch, $50 pp

Feb. 22 – 2nd Bus Trip to Space X, see sign up sheet

Feb. 23 – Ladies’ Old Fashioned Tea Party, more info later

Have you missed Saturday Morning Breakfasts? Sandy Olson announces our RVE Club Board will be preparing breakfast for us Jan. 21 & 28. They’ll begin with egg casserole this coming Saturday…$5 pp. This will be offered with a change in time to 8-10 a.m. You still have time to make it to Dummy Rummy .. eat first, then head over to card room. Thanks to Ed Tice and his crew who will cook on Feb. 4 & 11. You are asked to bring your own table setting.

Would you be interested in helping residents with Federal taxes? You can volunteer; they will train you. Sharon Sprague & Judy Nordquist can give you more info on this. This is through AARP.

A Medicare Fraud Poster is on back board. Residents may wish to hear this next Monday, 1 p.m. Meeting is at no cost.

Mark Probst takes items to Recycling Center Tuesday afternoons. Residents may drop these off at #54 or #55

TY to George Morgan who will pick up your trash bags at end of your driveway if you are unable to take these to dumpsters.

Social Hour on Wednesdays at 4 p.m. has been moved to card room hall. Pool tables are covered to protect them.

Single Deck Pinochle begins Thursdays at 1 p.m. says Sharon Bussinger.

Bean Bags will not be held in Friendship Hall this Wednesday & Thursday .. but can be played outdoors.

No Cribbage this Thursday, the 19th.

Steve St.Clair invites interested residents to attend Bible Study at 6 p.m. on Tuesdays.

Donna Gabbert thanks all who got their pictures taken for the 2022-23 pictorial album. The rest of the photos are being scheduled Jan. 17, 18 & 19. Photographer will set up equipment today in back room. It’s free to have your picture taken & put in album. You may purchase a CD with your photos for $20. You can take the CD anywhere you choose & get pictures made. The photo album is $20. Be sure to bring money at the time of the sitting. Directories should be available April 1.

Mary Norby reminds all of the Kentucky Derby Dance Party on Thursday, Jan. 19. Pictures will be taken in a photo booth by John Norris beginning at 5 p.m.. Ken Barnhart is emcee. Del Hickey will be bugler. Tickets at $10 pp are still available from Kathy Cochran. 168 tickets plus tables for entertainers have been sold. If tables are not sold to RVE residents, sales will open up to out of park folks. Committee is selling tickets by entire table of 8. Please have one person in charge of each table with the $80 in hand. Individual tickets may be purchased & will be located at a table where you can meet new friends. There will be food, mint juleps, horse races, much fun. Directions will be on each table instructing how to place $1 bet & you can win up to $6. Table service is provided. BYOB. Steven May will entertain. Decorate your table from 10-11 on Thursday if you wish but no prizes for best table. There will be prizes for best Derby hats. The horses at $5 each have all been sold! Itinerary of activities at Derby Night is posted on back bulletin board.

“Painting with Pals” has been planned by Vickie Carlson, Lot 74, on Tuesday, Jan. 24, 1:30 p.m. Artist is Amy Baldridge with cost of $20 pp due at the time of class. Cost includes all supplies & mat. This will be held in the card room. You may sign up in the back of big hall. Bring your own wine & glass if you want to paint-n-sip. *Volunteers are needed to bring cheese & crackers.

Our annual Craft Sale is scheduled Thursday, Feb. 2. We have a new chair, Julie Lawrence. Lunch will be served and residents may donate pies. Schedule for workers and pie donations is posted in the back of Friendship Hall. Robert Norby is known as having eaten the MOST pie .. 9 pieces in 4 hours. Anyone want to challenge him?

Happy to announce Feb. 9 we can again enjoy Lasagna at the Italian Dinner. Chair Mark Kunkel is asking for a couple people to check prices at Olive Garden. Tickets at $10pp will be available Jan. 23 & 30 for tables of 8. Final tickets will be sold on Jan. 30.

Bill Jones at #20 has set up two Rocket Ranch Space X Bus Trips. Due to some cancellations, the 1st bus on Feb. 14 has a few openings. A second trip is offered on Feb. 22. Money to secure seat is needed. The bus will pick us up at 6:30 a.m.,return us all at $50 pp. They will stop for “pay for your own lunch” at Vermillion Restaurant. Questions, contact Bill.

Nancy Gonnerman at #23 tells us a Ladies’ Old Fashioned Tea Party will be held Thursday, Feb. 23. Committee has yet to decide whether this will be held morning or afternoon. More info on this early in February.

Judy Shively is chairing this year’s Women’s Salad Luncheon on Thursday, March 9. Cost is $1 pp plus a salad.

Looking ahead .. a Midwest Reunion of RVE folks will be held in Galena, Illinois with Aug. 3-7 set as tentative dates. Steve St.Clair says this is being hosted by some of the same folks who planned the Cobden Peach Festival last summer. Wineries, many tours, reasonable prices of places to stay are available in Galena. Kathy Cochran has promised to transport some of those delicious Illinois peaches to Galena for our enjoyment. If you attended the fun time in Cobden last summer, you know it was so much fun!! Indicate if you are interested (no obligation) by writing your name on sheet.

Here’s a late announcement from Ron Henderson .. the Weslaco Fire Department will be here next Monday to talk about Vial of Life. This project was begun a few years ago & it’s a good idea. You have a “vial” that you write your medical information on, place vial in refrigerator where it can be found by fire department or ambulance crew in case of emergency. They can read what meds you may be taking or special medical needs you might have.

GAME RESULTS: Place scores, winner names, complete info on dates & name of game in plastic container back of Friendship Hall. WRITE LEGIBLY!

BEAN BAGS – Jan. 10 – Russell Branstetter, Diane Branstetter

Jan. 11 – David Cochran, Ron Henderson

Jan. 12 – Russell Branstetter, Robert Lingle

CANASTA – Table of 6 –

Jan. 9 – Jewel Kruckman, Judy Greenlee, Mardell Blom 36725

Jan. 13 – Beverly Yancey, Juanita Fisher, Linda Palermo 47880

CRIBBAGE –

DOMINOS – Mexican Train – Jan. 10 – Janel Baker, Dottie Sanders, Mary Lou Sirovy, Diane Branstetter, Sue Pio, Phyllis Branstetter, Margaret Thomas, Rex Pio, Marilyn Cummins Jan. 15 – Mary Lou Sirovy, Rex Pio, Russel Branstetter, Marge Reishus, Margaret Thomas, Barbara Fisher, Lois Henderson, Janie Maxwell, Phyllis Branstetter, Diane Branstetter

DUMMY RUMMY – Jan. 14 –

1st – Judy Nordquist 242 2nd – Beverly Yancey 246

3rd – Virginia Baker 260 4th – Al Lenius 267

PINOCHLE – Single Deck – Jan. 12 –

Sharon Bussinger, Jewel Kruckman

SHUFFLING - Jan. 10 – Judy Greenlee, Tim Dillon, Ron Henderson, Larry Carlson, David James Jan. 11 – Russel Branstetter, David Cochran, Ron Henderson, Larry Carlson

Jan. 13 – Larry Carlson

TEXAS HOLD’EM POKER – No Date Shown

1st – Marlene Prohaska 2nd – Dottie Sanders 3rd – John Quail

TIC – Jan. 11 –

1st – Patti Lamp 127 2nd – Dick Topel 142

3rd – Mark Probst 171 4th – Janel Baker 178

A few final thoughts from your retiring editor ..

“Remember, it is HEALTH that is real WEALTH .. and not pieces of gold and silver.”

I read this a few years ago before I got this old.

Your kids are becoming you but your grandchildren are perfect!

Going out is good. Coming home is even better!

You forget names but it’s OK because other people forgot they knew you!

You realize you’re never going to be really good at anything .. especially golf.

The things you used to care to do, you no longer care to do , but you really do care that you don’t care to do them anymore.

You sleep better on a lounge chair with the TV blaring than in bed. It’s called “pre-sleep”.

You miss the days when everything worked with just an “on” and “off” switch.

You tend to use more 4 letter words .. “what?” “when?” ???

You notice everything they sell in stores is “sleeveless”!!

What used to be freckles are now liver spots.

Everybody whispers.

You have 3 sizes of clothes in your closet .. 2 of which you will never wear.

But “OLD” is good in some things:

OLD songs .. OLD movies .. and best of all,

Our dear OLD FRIENDS!!!