For me, the Christmas Party is one of the highlights of the year. Every year I look forward to the gathering of friends to celebrate the Christmas season. Christmas is such a special time anyway. I love to see the lights and hear the music. Christmas is a time of celebration. The year is drawing to a close and the anticipation of a new year lingers in the air.  Christmas is a time for sharing, a time of giving, a time for family. There is a warmth in family that you get nowhere else.

That is what makes our Christmas party so great. It is a time of family gathering. Riding our bikes it great. It is my therapy. But when we ride, we really don't get to spend a lot of time with each other. Some quick conversations occur at breaks and over meals, but it's not usually quality time. The Christmas party is a time when everyone sets aside a few hours to gather, share some food and to enjoy this wonderful family we have called STAR Chapter 111.

For the fifth year, the party was held at our house (Gary & Maria) and it was great. Twenty members showed up, each arriving with their dish of food to add to the table. By a little after 7:00 pm everyone had arrived and it was time to eat. Good thing too....I was hungry. After taking a moment to give thanks for the food and for each other, we dug in. There was turkey and ham furnished by the chapter and prepared by Doug & Teresa. We had several types of salads, multiple vegetables, bread and plenty of desserts. Ice tea, soft drinks and coffee were available to wash it all down.

After everyone was full....well....actually I think after two and three trips to the "buffet" everyone was over-full...we sat around and shared stories and good time. After everyone had time to settle somewhere, we had some door prizes and handed out tickets to give the stuff away. There were shirts and caps left over from Andersonville along with some sweet treats for a few lucky winners. Everybody got something. Doug then presented a few IWMAOFS rockers. Recipients were Malon Metz, Rick Campbell, Maria Kohl and Gary Kohl (hey...that's me). A very short discussion was held regarding officers for the coming year and it was unanimously decided that the current officers would remain in office.

Then it was time for some fun and games...actually...one game that was a lot of fun. Cindy Metz brought along Catch Phrase and got almost everyone involved in the game. I know that everyone who played had a blast. Good times.....that is what it is all about. The game was played until somebody ruined the fun and decided it was time to go. That triggered the mass migration to the cars. In a short time most everyone had gathered their empty dishes, said all their goodbyes and were on their way home.

When we hit the pillows after everyone was gone, it felt good. Yes, it felt good to lay down...it had been a long day. But, more than that, it just felt good. It felt good to have shared time with everyone. It felt good to know that we have that many people that we love and that love us. It felt good to be a part of STAR Chapter 111. It felt good to be so very blessed that we get to ride motorcycles for fun and get to do it with these people. It felt good.

Thanks to everyone who brought toys and a big THANK YOU to Rick Campbell for getting those toys to an organization that can share them with children this Christmas.

Thank you to everyone who came to the party. Thank you to everyone who rides with us for being a part of our family.

MERRY CHRISTMAS to all. God bless us, everyone.

Family Members Attending:

Doug & Teresa Turco
Gary & Maria Kohl
Malon & Cindy Metz
Preston & Stephanie Howard
Rick & Barbara Campbell
Henry & Francis Williams
Rick & Marsha Curtis
Tim & Diane King
John & Sharon Saari

Guests - Angel Dunlap & Clint Wells