April 2009 Newsletter

Text Box: Smith Family Newsletter
April 2009

Text Box: April brings another birthday for me and for my friend, Barbara. April also brings the celebration of the Easter Holiday, which this year will be celebrated during our Chapter 400 Spring Rally. It is also the month when we end up at our home base, Myrtle Beach, after all is done. All of the above events play out in a most enjoyable manner with a common thread of warm meaningful friendships!

We expected to see John & Barbara in Myrtle Beach, but since Barbara’s birthday was a week ahead of mine, Bob & I drove from Ladson to Myrtle Beach to help celebrate it with her. Paul & Angie had already talked John & Barbara into joining us at the Rally. They planned to drive down, stay over night, which enabled them to join us on two of the tours and a pot luck supper. Then after the rally, Paul & Angie and Bob & I joined John & Barbara again in Myrtle Beach. The rally itself was outstanding, with great 4 o’clocks, wonderful tours, as well as some interesting activities. Most of this Newsletter will be about the people involved. It is how we help each other and of course, what we do for fun together.

Bob & I were the first attendees to arrive early and after us, people started to come in gradually. Our 4 o’clocks were small at first, but grew. The picture above was an early one, with George telling the story of a trip to the emergency room. We are all seniors and this can easily be our reality on the road. In fact the second picture is of Irene, who is still being treated for cancer and joined us for this rally. She gave a lesson on being prepared on the road with personal medical information. She is a real ’trooper’!

When Bob & I arrived at Briarcliffe for Barbara’s birthday, something seemed to be missing? Our coach!! We drove up in the jeep of course and it really seemed strange not having the motor home with us! Picture of Barbara with her cake and with all of us with her.

Back in Ladson, more of our 400 family were arriving daily and things were beginning to take shape. Our president, Judy and host couples did a great job setting things up. Judy has another job as ‘Beautician’ for many of us and has set up ‘shop’ for at least a couple of days. We all line up for appointments, Bob & I included. Since Judy has been president, we have been making donations to the local ‘food pantry’, as a way of contributing to local communities. In this case we contributed food to one and made a monetary contribution to another.

We help each other in so many ways. The last picture is of Carol, one of our single members, who operates a Fifth Wheel all by herself and travels alone. In the picture she is getting some information from some of our more experienced members on traveling in the North East part of the US, where she plans on going this Summer. This kind of sharing is going on between members all the time.

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