"And a Good Time Was Had by All"

Thanks to Tom Callahan and Don Parks for an excellent program yesterday, Jan 28th.  With ninety-one members present, some tasty chicken-fried steak, and one great Czeckoslovakian story, we had a great time.

First up was Frank Kumzak, Mueller's Funeral Home.  Frank gave us an update on "End of Life Planning." Something rather grim to consider, but also something important to keep in mind for those left behind who must handle all the arrangements, one way or the other.

The second part of the program was presented by Ben Leggett and the Richland Elementary Steel Band, and what a show they put on! 

As you can see by the pics, everyone enjoyed the program and some even got up and did the "hoky-poky" with the kids around the room.


In other news: 

Our legislative team is off to Olympia this week to meet up with the legislators.

Connie Bailey handed out free lunch tickets to those who have brought in two or more new members.

Jim Bumgarner announced that Stevens Middle School is looking for science fair judges.  The fair will be held on Feb. 7th from 8am to 2pm.  If interested, just be there sometime that day. 

Tom Callahan won the Free Lunch.

Thanks to Elmer Bailey for manning the PAC collection jar at the door and taking care of the donations for the past 18 months!

And thanks to All of our Telephone
Tree members led by the most able Bette

Evans and JoAnn Deichman for the super job they do with notifications and reservations!!

All of the primary Chair positions have been filled for the State Convention coming up in June in Pasco.  We will be asking for volunteers to head up the Registration Desk, to take tickets at the banquet room doors, and we will be looking for a few folks to serve as pages. None of these positions can be held by delegates, so if you aren't on, get your "Volunteer Hat" on and step forward.

"And Here We Go"

Now that the holidays, and the elections, are behind us it is time to get back in the saddle and start moving forward here at BFSRA.  Thanks to Tom Callahan, we have some interesting programs coming up for the remainder of the year, and everytime I check out the menus coming up, my mouth waters up a bit. 

Our scholarship collections continue climbing and Shirley Frare has the wheels rolling in regards to getting the newly modified applications out to our area schools.  I find this such an interesting and rewarding part of what we do in "growing our own" here at BFSRA. Please keep those hundred dollar bills coming into the envelopes, and don't forget about the books and puzzles, and maybe a notecard or two, to help out.

The teacher mini-grant program is also warming up for this spring.  Clarence Alford does a great job with this program and we look forward to hearing about the good those funds will do for the teachers and students involved.  It's too bad we can't find a way to bring those teachers, and maybe some of their students, in to one of our general meetings to share the excitement the mini-grants always generate.  We also look forward to any new members that Clarence might be able to find in the process.  Go get'em, Clarence.

We are so fortunate to have such great people like the Fosters and Elaine Banks to bird-dog the goings-on over in Olympia.  Hard as it is sometimes to find the time and the wherewithal to sit down and write the legislators a letter/note, the importance of doing so cannot be shuffled away.  It our welfare and our way of life we are protecting here, as well as that of the younger folks coming through the tunnel, the Plan II'ers and III's.

The State Convention in Pasco looms ever closer.  The planning is ongoing and it is beginning to look like somthing that might actually happen.  If you want to check it out, go to the tab above, just under the header, titled, "State Convention Planning."

I look forward to the rest of the year.  I'm having a blast, as we used to say way back when, and I hope you are too.