PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Summers for Chapter 2247 are usually a time for recovery, maybe some time for planning a trip, and mostly relaxed lunches where the members just exchange thoughts. What happened this year?

We had lunches all set up, a paddle wheel boat trip was possible for a short time except the management for the boat could not hire a cook and we had 30 inches of rain in Ormond. The boat might have floated successfully, but the members would want their lunch. We had to step back and take a more flexible water taxi trip to New Smyma Beach. The day before the water taxi trip we received the news that the Red Lobster, our meeting place for the last 10 years, had permanently closed. We had no monthly meeting place.

The trip to New Smyma Beach went as planned. Some of us had the pleasure of meeting with Marge Gilliland and several members of the New Smyma Beach Chapter 1844. Hal Kelten of Chapter 1844 had been most helpful in setting up the meeting between the two Chapters. Hal gave us a personal tour of the city. Hal was most kind and helpful.

Back in Ormond we still faced the loss of our meting place. The Executive board set up committees to review suggested restaurants and visits to the actual locations. The room had to accept an audio system; have seating for at least 40 people in a semi-private room, be central to the membership, and provide reasonably priced lunches.

Three restaurants met these demands. They are: the new Morrison Buffet in the Bellaire Plaza, the Olive Garden on A1A, and the River Grille Restaurant on Rt. 1.

On June 15^, 2009, 25 members met at the Morrison Buffet for lunch and to check the facilities out.

On July 20 we will try to get as many members as possible to meet at the River Grille on Rt. 1 for the same evaluation.

We will meet in the Olive Garden on August 17, 2009. At the Olive Garden Restaurant, we will vote for a meeting place for September, October and November. The Christmas Party will be in December which is already established by date, time, and place.

In the past, we have had no Newsletter during the summer months; however, the issue of a meeting place requires the involvement of as many members as possible. Thus, this Newsletter will be sent out by the post office and by e-mail as well. The issue will also be a topic in the NARFE Newsletter Blog. We have sent in a news announcement to the Neighbors section of the N.J. newspaper and the Hometown News. We will also use the telephone committee to announce both restaurant meetings and the importance of voting on a meeting place which might become our permanent meeting place.