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President’s Letter – November, 2005By Dick Stafford Greetings Fellow Skålleagues! Our club had an enjoyable evening at the Heart of Palm Beach Hotel in November. The meal was very good and Ron Stevens introduced the Chef (Ron's job placement at the hotel) and the banquet staff to the club at the conclusion of the dinner. We had 2 prospective members join us as guests of Lee Smolinski. Heidi Bruni from NCL Cruise Lines and Tasso Rumell from Revelex.com Several of the members recounted their experiences with Hurricane Wilma. Ron Stevens and Paul Cook had considerable damage to their residences. Lee Smolinski presented the board's proposal for the 2006 dues structure to the members which received strong approval. The new plan for payment of meeting charges in addition to the annual SKAL Dues which must be paid before January 31, 2006 will be as follows: Active members will have 2 options:
Visiting SKAL members will pay $50.00 for each dinner meeting attended. Guests will pay $50.00 for each dinner meeting attended. Each member that brings a guest as a potential member and pays for their first dinner meeting will be reimbursed the $50.00 for the first meeting when the guest officially becomes a member. If the guest paid for their first dinner meeting and becomes a member they will also be reimbursed the $50.00 from the first meeting at the time they pay their membership dues This new payment structure will be a positive step in bringing in new members. We have found that many of the prospective new members have extensive travel schedules that makes it very difficult for them to attend all of the meetings throughout the year. Consequently they are hesitant to commit to the annual cost of 10 meetings. This is particularly true at this time when many companies are not willing to pay the SKAL dues and meeting charges for the members. The new structure will also be helpful to our current members who are in the same position regarding business travel or at times are unable to drive to some of the meeting venues. Lee Smolinski gave a report to the members on the October Congress in Croatia that was also attended by Bill Pullen and Carlos Banks. Members were reminded of the locations for our upcoming dinner meetings. They are: December 13, 2005 Meeting is at the Bridge Resort - Boca Raton We will be returning to the Bridge Resort for the 3rd year for our Formal Holiday Dinner Dance. As usual, our resident musician Ron Stevens and his Trio will be providing the music for your listening and dancing pleasure. Ron Stevens and Larry Magor are heading up the Silent Auction for the Holiday Dinner Dance. You will be receiving an e-mail for Ron & Larry requesting your support in their endeavor. All of the clubs members should provide an item for the auction. In addition those members who have the ability to solicit gift certificates, cruises, travel vouchers or prizes from other organizations should assist Ron & Larry in this effort so that we have a number of valuable and interesting items for our members and guests to bid on during the auction. Mark your calendars and RSVP early for this traditional festive event - remember that we have moved the date one week earlier in the month so the party is not scheduled on Christmas week. January 17, 2006 Meeting is at the Deer Creek Country Club - Deerfield Beach Bill Pullen announced his retirement from an active role in the hotel industry. Bill said that the Holiday Inn has been sold and he is winding down his responsibilities at the hotel in Stuart. Bill will remain involved in the industry and will be doing some consulting work in the Treasure Coast area. Paul Cook spoke to the club about the memorial service for Paul Bell. Paul and Jim Ponce represented the club at the Celebration of Paul Bell's life held on Saturday October 15, 2005. Don't forget to check the clubs website for additional club news and pictures. www.skalpalmbeaches.org Looking forward to seeing everyone in December Holiday Party at the Bridge Resort in Boca Raton. SKAL
Dick Stafford |