Our first attempt to come together and celebrate the gift of each other was everything we had hoped it would be, and more! Thanks especially to Louise and Julie for their part in organizing, collecting the funds, and purchasing the food and refreshments. A special shout out to Louise for her work in coordinating the Five Star Giving Tree.

For those of you that were unable to make it, there were several highlights I would like to share with you. The first was the two-hour play period. We had six courts with 26 players engaged in friendly, yet competitive play. It was quite a sight to behold; even better to be a part of it. From the courts we went to the upper deck of North Ridge’s facility. What a terrific and convenient place to host a gathering; we need to take more advantage of that in the future. Players immediately grabbed a refreshment and took the opportunity to carry on conversations that were previously impractical, given our busy schedules. Later, we were treated to a well selected lunch menu, complete with deserts, and had a chance to finish our conversations.

Perhaps the biggest highlight of the party was the White Elephant Gift Exchange. Suffice it to say that there was quite a battle over many of the items. Sakae somehow managed to walk away with her slippers; Neil was able to trade his voice-over device; and rumor has it that Dan used some shady tactics to re-trade for his Beer-Pong game. Thanks to Santa Phil for coordinating the show!

Although we had more fun than I had imagined, I am most touched by the generosity of our players. Together, we contributed $365 to a charity that was selected by drawing at the end of our party. Ornaments that listed the charity and names of all the donors were displayed in the North Ridge foyer up until the time of our event. This year’s winner was Jeff Shockles. Jeff’s charity was Best Friends Society/Sanctuary. The organization is dedicated to treating sheltered animals humanely and finding alternatives to untimely euthanization.

In closing, the thought of holding this event next year was shared by just about everyone. Next year seems a little distant right now, but it’s certainly an idea worth pursuing. I’m all for it! Let’s just say,

“The good Lord willing, and the creek don’t rise”, let’s do this again next year!