PRESIDENT'S CORNER
President’s Corner for December 11, 2015
This is my Hannukkah edition, 5th day. Here’s a little poem to set the tone…
Hanukkah menorahs are like love:
Alive with light, dancing, yet serene.
Now you light the candles one by one,
Undoing all the anger in your soul.
Kindle, then, like candles thoughts that prove
Kind and generous, and words that seem
As sweet as silver songs, and when you're done,
How beautifully your burning heart will glow!
[Author unknown]
By all the happy visiting, nibbling of goodies and scrutiny of the Winter Term schedule at a glance, I think our Holiday Reception on Wednesday was a success. We missed our ailing Director but we all tried to step up and do our jobs so you could have a good time. I want to highlight the work of our Special Events Committee, co-chaired by Judy Kelly Minor and Janet Rogers. Here, in Judy’s words, is an account of the event and its preparation:We had a full crew: Janet Rogers, Francis Brown, Diane Lofstead, Kathy Hanko, Sumitra Reddy, Kay Gray, Rebecca Littleton. Becky Turtin, a Knit and Purler, and Diane Lofstead counted the votes for the Treat Championship. Hometown Hotdogs owner, Tonya Woods catered the event by preparing Caprese Picks, Pear Slices with Pomegranite Seeds and Goat Cheese and a Cranberry Dip with Crackers. Angela and the committee shopped for the Eclairs, Cookies, Cream Puffs and Nuts. Punch was also prepared.
In addition to the Reception Food Tables, the Treat Table provided a wonderful variety of different foods and each serving plate was empty in the end with some going very quickly. Just goes to show that "homemade" items are always a success at our events.
This committee works extremely hard and fast to get the tables set, decorated, the food ready to be eaten and then the clean-up. Their intense day began at noon and ended at 4:00 pm long after others had exited. There is time in preparation long before the event. After the Veteran's Day Luncheon the committee met for an hour as well. Lots of work and stress go into preparing these receptions and special events. Please do not forget how much time and energy Angela spends on these as well.
By the way the refrigerator [donated by Angela and Brent] has helped tremendously and I bring the trays and utensils home for washing.
Kay Gray and Kathy Hanko do additional preparation of the handmade center pieces for the tables from the plants given to members at the first reception, to the poppies for the Veterans to the Centerpieces given today. Tremendous amounts of time go into these projects far beyond the food preparation and serving.
I would love to spend my next column on the work of the Membership and Promotions Committee. You certainly will have been aware of their contribution to the Holiday Reception, led by Nancy Wasson. We also had a visit from Santa, who circulated, visited at each table and read us “The Night Before Christmas.” And thanks to our office staff, Diane and Sonja for doing so much to support the event.
If you’d like to really get in the holiday spirit, drop by Film Forum next Wednesday afternoon at 3 PM in Classroom A for The Lion in Winter, a Christmas test of wills between King Henry II and his exiled Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine and a textbook in great acting. Catharine Hepburn won the Best Actress Oscar for this film that also featured Anthony Hopkins’s film debut as Richard the Lionheart, and Peter O’Toole as Henry. It’s all set in a chateau in Chinon, set off by a gorgeous musical score by John Barry (Oscar) and James Goldman’s Oscar winning script. 1968. 2 hours and 15 minutes.
Jim Held, President