January 2001 News

By Fred Thompson

  Happy New Year everyone.  It's hard to believe that another year has come and gone.  Looking back at the year 2000, it was a year of the good, the bad, and the ugly.  The good times were all the great drives and fellowship that is always present when our club gets together.  The bad times were of course the canceled drives, the drives that had rain
or cold.  Then we have the time when death shows it ugly face and we loose a club member.  For the club members that hadn't heard, Mike Cook passed away November 22, 2000 due to cancer.  Mike was only a member for a short time, but in that time, he hosted the Oak Opening drives and became President for the year 2000 only to have to give it up due to his health.  To his wife Joyce and the rest of his family, the members of the Black Swamp Driving Club would like to express our sorrow and will greatly miss him.  

  November 18th was the gathering of the Black Swamp Driving Club at Sauder's Barn Restaurant for our annual banquet and meeting.  Once again we had a great turnout with approximately 85 members and friends showing
up.  I think our club put the staff at the Barn to a test.  I know for a fact that I was not the only one that went up for seconds-or was it for thirds?  The food just kept on coming and we just kept on eating.

  President Roger Higgins finally had to bring the meeting to order. The election of officers was held.  The trustees presented three nominees and with no nominations from the floor the elections was closed.  The new trustees for the years 2001 will be Joe Bell serving a1 year term, Mike Kuhlman and Roger Higgins serving 3-year terms.

  Gary Gillfillan presented for the second year the prestigious Dime-on-Ring to a deserving member.  This year's recipients were Angie and Al Hohenbrink.  As most of you know, Angie designed our web page and does a fantastic job of making it one of the best.  She has been an officer in the club and Angie and Al has hosted many drives.

  We had a very nice assortment of door prizes this year thanks to Mark and Marla Newman. I'm sure the members that won these prizes appreciate it also.  The winners were Gary Gillfillan, AnnaBelle Bible, Ruth Joseph, Daryl Zehlner, Pat Burghardt, Marilyn Rasey, and Linda Spears.

  I'm not sure who suggested it, but someone asked if we could go around the room and introduce ourselves and give a little run down on what we drive and what we hitch.  That was a great idea and good for some laughs.

  Roger Higgins brought up that if anyone is interested in a Black Swamp nametag please get in touch with Sandy Young. Roger also announced that we would have a meeting January 14.  He then asked if anyone had a drive
scheduled for 2001 and sure enough we had three already. (Details on both later in article.)

  Then Roger turned the remainder of the meeting over to Roger and Sue Murray.  Roger and Sue had taken a three-week "Carriage Cruise" in Italy earlier this year and they shared their trip with us in a "Travelogue"
type slide show.   It definitely had to be an experience that you would not forget.  Thank you Roger and Sue for sharing your trip with us, it was great.

 Our first meeting for the year 2001will be held at the Trinity Lutheran Church on W. Bigelow in Findlay, Oh.  It will be on Jan. 14th between 2pm and 4pm.  Directions:  From 224, go west over I-75 to the first light which is Northridge Rd. (Cracker barrel Restaurant is on the corner), turn right and go to the end.  The church will be on your right.  Please bring snacks to share and coffee and punch will be provided


Birthdays

January  4             Abby Hohenbrink
January  7             Jim Evans
January 18            Sandy Young
January 19            Virginia Secrist
January 21            Renee Walker
January 22            Roger Higgins Jr.
January 25            Patrick Bisel
January 27            Linda Gardner
January 30            Katie Thompson
January 31            Glenn Knight
January 31            Marshal Evans
February 2            Chayton Newman
February 3            Linda Spears
February 7            Ross Knight
February 8            Ken Davis
February 10          Peter Bisel
Februray 13          Al Hohenbrink
February 14          Jessie Evans
February 21          Jim Ruffing


Upcoming Events:

January 14.. Meeting at Trinity Lutheran Church in Findlay
May 6...Spencerville drive hosted by the Fairchilds
August 26..Drive at Sandy Young
September 9..Drive at Oak Opening hosted by the Shapler