35 minute read
Club Listing
CLUBS AT CRESSWIND
The staff and homeowners at Cresswind at Lake Lanier know that one of the best ways to learn more about an interest you already have or to make friends is to band together in the spirit of common experience. Our residents eagerly get involved in establishing their own interest groups. Do you like stamp collecting, photography, orchids or antique cars? Clubs are born from having a common interest! Below are a number of clubs that are already active at Cresswind at Lake Lanier. Join one of these or start your own. Yes, we have all the clubs you would expect and MORE! Visit the Cresswind website for additional information on Clubs.
Arts & Crafts Clubs Artist’s Corner Creative Fun Creative Spaces is a Success Friends of the Alphabet Make & Take Crafts Needlecraft Pottery – Cone 5/6 Exchange Adv. Quilting Structures and Surfaces in Clay Watercolor Painting Writers in the Wind
Book Clubs Tuesday Clubs, 1st, 2nd, Morning Monday Clubs, 3rd Book Babes Book Buds Book Worms Cover to Cover Book Club In the Stacks Reading between the Wines Theatre Goers Book Club ABC Men’s
Card Game Clubs Bridge Clubs Bunco-Ladies Hand & Foot Canasta Clubs Hearts Mah Jongg Men’s Card Club Mexican Train Club Mixed Card Club Pinochle Pokeno Poker Club Rubber Bridge Rummikub Samba Club
Dance Clubs Ballroom Dance Club Clogging Dance Rhythms Lake Lanier Bouncers Line Dance Rapid Rhythms Dance Club Wendy’s Choreography
Musical Clubs Blue Grass Club Jazz Club Neighborhood Bands Small Bands Ukulele Club
Performing Arts Clubs Cresswind Community Chorus Cresswind Neighborhood Theater Cresswind Performing Arts Club Cresswind Storytellers Club Liar’s Club Performing Arts Technical Team Scene Actors Guild (SAG) Variety Show Club
Sports & Games Clubs Men & Women’s Billiards Bocce Club Bowling League Fishing Club Golf: Ladies & Men Kayak Club Pickleball Club Ping Pong Club Sports & Games Tennis Club Trail Club
Travel Clubs RV Club Travel Club
Religious & Bible Study Clubs Couples Ladies Men’s Shalom Club The Way
Special Interest Clubs Bourbon Cabinet Club Bourbon Tasting Club CIC Investment Club Community Flag Club Cooking Club Cresswind LL Community Fund Garden Club Genealogy Club Great Decisions Investment Club: The Falls Italian Club Ladies Luncheon Club Living Stylishly Martini Club Model Railroad Club Scotch Lovers At Cresswind Slot Car Club Social Singles Spanish Club Tequila Club Veterans Club Volunteer Connection Wine Tasting
Submitted by: Dave Dittmeier
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness so that the servants of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Tim 3:1617 NIV)
The combined Bible Study Clubs held a Nondenominational Prayer Service on April 3rd which was widely attended. Prayers were made for our world, our country, our community, our churches, and our families. A time of fellowship followed the service. Plans are also being made for a joint meeting with the Shalom Club and Bible Study Clubs to learn more about the Jewish faith.
The Women’s Bible Study meets Thursdays from 4-5pm in the Savannah Room. Diane Denniston DianeDenniston222@gmail.com and/or Jami Dittmeier SJDittmeier@gmail.com
The Men’s Bible Study meets Fridays from 10-11 in the Georgia Room. Dave Dittmeier DaDittmeier@ gmail.com
The Way Bible Study meets in the Savannah Room in 6-week stints. Meg Bohn megbohn57@gmail.com
Couples Bible Groups continue to meet throughout the community in private homes. Joanne Randall joran1088@gmail.com
Great Pines Couples Bible Study is meeting in the Savannah Room every other Thursday at 7:00 pm. (you do not need to live on Great Pines to participate) Mark & Susan Hopkins hopkins2240@comcast.net The ABCs Men’s Book Club meets the 3rd Wednesday of the month at 1:00pm in the library. For those who may be curious ABC stands for Annuitants, Bibliophiles and Curmudgeons. If any of the males in the audience would like to join us, please email Dave Dittmeier at DaDittmeier@gmail.com to get signed up and for the current month’s reading selection. We only read non-fiction and focus primarily on history, spies, and biographies. Also, we have no dues!
BOOK BABES BOOK CLUB
Pat Hilger patricia.hilger@outlook.com
BOOK BUDS BOOK CLUB
Meets the first Tuesday of the month at 7:00 in the home of a member. No meeting in July. Zona Buchen zbuchen51@charter.net
“For the word of God is alive and active…” (Heb 4:12 NIV)
BOOK CLUBS
3RD MONDAY BOOK CLUB
Joyce Allen jallen8734@gmail.com
TUESDAY MORNING BOOK CLUB Jancie Dittmier sjdittmeier@gmail.com
1ST TUESDAY BOOK CLUB
Lynne Tryon lynnetryon@gmail.com
2ND TUESDAY BOOK CLUB
Julie Cottingham julie.cottingham1@gmail.com
BOOK WORMS BOOK CLUB
Cathy Koenig kckl110@gmail.com
COVER-TO-COVER BOOK CLUB
Donna Brown donnabrownga@comcast.net
IN THE STACKS BOOK CLUB
Kandi Andrade kandialpha@aol.com
READING BETWEEN THE WINES BOOK CLUB
Janet Nelson jnotesto87@gmail.com
THEATRE GOERS BOOK CLUB
Marilyn Young mayoung517@gmail.com
CRESSWIND BOWLING LEAGUE
Submitted by: Paul Capal
The Cresswind Bowling League completed the 2021/22 season on April 13th. The winners will be published in the next issue of the Waterfall. Congratulations to all Cresswind bowlers on a fine season. We look forward to everyone coming back for the 2022/23 season that will begin September 7, 2022.
The Cresswind Bowling League will have a summer session of 10 weeks beginning June 1st and ending
August 3rd. We are a handicap league and invite anyone at Cresswind to come out and enjoy a fun time with friends and neighbors. This summer the cost will only be $7.00/week. We will bowl on Wednesday mornings at Station 300 on Browns Bridge Road starting with warmups at 9:45 am. If you have any interest in bowling as a substitute or fulltime on a team, please contact any of the board members and additional information can be found using the link on the Cresswind at Lake Lanier website under clubs.
CIC INVESTMENT CLUB
Submitted By: Cathy Hoskinson
The CIC Investment Club invites all Cresswind residents for a Lunch and Learn Seminar on Thursday, May 19, 2022 from 11am-1pm in the Clubhouse Ballroom to hear Moore’s Wealth Management’s top two advisors, Chris Moore and Brian Moore, as they discuss how money could be potentially falling through the cracks in your retirement. Registration is required for this event. Please send an email to Cathy Hoskinson at cathy.hoskinson@ gmail.com no later than Wednesday, May 11, to make a reservation.
Moore’s Wealth Management has won Best in Hall County for six consecutive years in the financial/advisor category and has been featured in both Forbes and Kiplinger magazines.
If you are interested in the CIC Investment Club, we invite you to join us as a guest on the first Monday of the month from 1-3pm in the Clubhouse kitchen. Membership is limited to 30 residents who all actively participate in the research, evaluation, and investing opportunities of the club. Please contact Len Greco, President, at lengreco1104@aol.com or Cathy Hoskinson, Vice President, at cathy.hoskinson@gmail. com to attend and learn more about the club.
BEGINNER & INTERMEDIATE CLOGGING
Submitted By: Wendy O’Hanlon
Wendy and all the cloggers want to give a heartfelt “Thank you” to Mary Woulf for all the time she has dedicated in preparing routines and teaching the Beginner and Intermediate levels at Cresswind for the past 3 years. Prior to moving to Gainesville, she also taught clogging in Florida, and we were fortunate she was willing to continue sharing her talent when Sharon Bragg relocated. Mary taught two classes each week and also led the cloggers in performance dances for the Variety Show and Community Fund meetings.
Clogging classes will continue under the direction of Wendy and will run on Tuesdays at the current schedule with the goal to eventually combine both levels. The cloggers were invited to perform on St. Patrick’s Day for the Community Fund meeting and there are plans to perform again. Wendy will be introducing another style of clogging with her Advanced cloggers to perform at the September Variety show and also another performance routine unlike anything Cresswind has seen before.
COMMUNITY TRAVEL CLUB (CTC)
Submitted by: Debbie Aery
CTC is busy planning for your next trip. Go to the Travel Club Website and take a look at all our trips listed for 2022. At the top of the page is a green box – click on it, check out the trip listing the month/date, then block these dates on your calendar.
In February the Travel Group traveled to the Georgia Aquarium. We had a very educational and fun day with a behind the scenes tour where we explored the secret world behind the GA Aquarium plus much more. This Aquarium is the largest in the world housing more than 100,000 sea creatures. We took a break and enjoyed lunch inside the building with various types of food to
choose from.
March was a fun trip to Hindu Mandir. The Mandir located in Lilburn, Georgia was inaugurated in August 2007 after only 17 months of construction time. It is comprised of Turkish limestone, Italian marble, and Indian pink sandstone. The stone pieces were carved by hand in India, shipped to the US and then assembled in Lilburn. The structure is breathtaking. We had a guided tour of this magnificent shrine and even had an option of staying for a service. Afterwards, we were driven to Krog Street Market in Atlanta where we could choose from an assortment of food options.
In April, our trip was a tour to the Atlanta History Center, Cyclorama Tullie Smith Farm, and then a delicious lunch at the Swan House. Please be sure to pay your $5.00 membership dues in order to go on our CTC trips if you have not done so!!! Join us in the Clubhouse each month as we present more trips and give away four (4) Gift Certificates to four (4) lucky winners. See you soon!
THE COOKING CLUB
Submitted by: Jill Loftus
Derby Day is fast approaching, and the preparations are awesome if that is any indication of the event, the Cresswind is in for a treat. The tent is ordered, the bar is being stocked, and the menu is in the tasting phase as we speak. We have added a Sharpest Dress Gentleman Category along with our Hat Contest. We will be having the race on an outdoor movie screen so everyone will be able to see. The entire event will be held outside. After the winners of the contest are announced plan on staying around for a little Derby Dancing. Some will be richer on the way out!
Our Q2 classes are being offered on a lottery system for the first time. This will enable everyone to have an opportunity to participate if your number was selected. Instructions were sent to all current members, and we are hoping this works out well. The Cooking Club is a great way to meet your neighbors and enjoy great food and events. If you are new to the community contact Jill_Pastrick@yahoo.com for membership information.
Submitted by: Paul Burzotta, Stan Goldman, Mark Nestle
did not hold back our strong group of Cresswind volunteers! After 3 hours we counted . . . 600lbs of
GARBAGE! Wahhooo! Great work Cresswind!!!
The “Cresswind Cleanup Crew” is not an official club, but AWESOME neighbors which consisted of several members of the Cresswind Kayak Club, Cresswind Trail Club, Cresswind Boat owners, and several neighbors who graciously stepped in to help. What a FANTASTIC turnout! THANK YOU!
Chattahoochee Riverkeepers, “Sweep the Hooch” is held in March and Lake Lanier Associations (LLA) is in the fall (TBA). Being that Cresswind is a private community this means we cannot be a site for any public cleanups. However, with the help of Riverkeepers and LLA, they supply us with all we need for safe and healthy ways to complete such tasks and we just count the lbs. to help them. It is completely up to our Cresswind LL community to become involved and take charge by getting this “runoff trash” out and properly disposed twice per year. Plastics, foam, tin, and rubber should not be filling up our only source of drinking water ~over 1/3 of the State of Georgia relies on this water to live.
CRESSWIND SOCIAL SINGLES CLUB
Submitted by: Elaine Vetter
Spring has been busy for the Social Singles with a variety of fun activities. After a 2-year hiatus we brought back the Chili Cook-off Fundraiser and it was our most successful one to date. Through the generosity of our members, we made a donation of $1129.00 to Good Samaritan Food Ministries of NE Georgia.
Special thanks to Nancy Gladwell and Sue Wells for organizing the event plus they continue to set-up dates for members to volunteer at the food bank.
Our annual membership meeting was held on April 10th and included voting on new Guidelines followed by social time with pizza & salad. Our May get-together will be on the 14th when we will take over the 3rd floor for Game/Social night which is always a popular event. In between our monthly gatherings we hold a Mingle on the 4th Wednesday of each month either in the Crow’s Nest or patio depending on weather.
Springtime outings have been to Gibbs Gardens, Healan’s Head Mill and the Gainesville Botanical Gardens plus walks on Wilshire Trail and Williams Mill Greenspace. The guys continue to enjoy their monthly dinners at local restaurants, and we hope to add back ones for the whole membership soon.
After being “on hold” for 2 years our members keep coming up with new ideas to make up for lost time, and we are trying our best to squeeze in as many as we can. Plans are being made to try our luck at the Escape Room in Gainesville (we flunked 3 years ago), gold mining in Dahlonega, tubing in Helen, a combo Luau/Beach party in the clubhouse, along with more hikes, lunches, etc.
If you are single and would like to get involved, have ideas on how we can connect and/or want more information please access our link on the Cresswind website and share your contact information. We’d love to have you join us.
On March 21, 2022, the Cresswind Social Singles representatives presenting Good Samaritans Food Bank Ministry with a $1129.00 check from the Chili Cook Off party proceeds. Great job!
CRESSWIND FISHING CLUB NEWS
Submitted By: Gus Brown
Spring is here and there is no better time to wet a line on our beautiful Lake Lanier. Cresswind 2022 Fishing School is giving members new techniques to catch more fish. Spotted bass, crappie, and big striped bass are finding their way onto our lines. Join the fishing club and join the fun.
Submitted by: Dave Dittmeier
The biggest news in the genealogical world since the last issue of the Waterfall was the release of the 1950 census. Most, if not all, Cresswinders are listed in this census, some for the first time. Club members have had a fun time searching for themselves versus searching for dead people. What a change!!
The Genealogy Club is open to all residents who may be interested in searching their family tree. We meet the 4th Wednesday of the month January – October at 7:00 pm in the Georgia Room. Still want more information. Contact one of the facilitators: Howie Mueller - accudart556@yahoo.com or Dave Dittmeier - DaDittmeier@gmail.com.
You might be a genealogist if……....you can remember obscure information about your great-greatgreat grandfather, but not what you had for lunch.
CRESSWIND LADIES GOLF
Submitted by: Jill Loftus
We are off to a great 2022 season. First of all, the Ladies Golf did not disappoint. We had a great showing in the Mardi Gras Parade with many of the ladies getting together and decorating the cart. It was so much fun marching down Cresswind Parkway with our golf flags cheering for our team. Although we did not win, we definitely showed!
Golf Lessons started the first week of March on Tuesdays and Fridays at Royal Lakes Golf Club with the pro Luke James. We are improving by leaps and bounds.
Nine and Dine had their first event on March 21st. After golfing they enjoyed a wonderful meal of lasagna, ratatouille, salad, and dessert. The weather could not have been better, and the Chattahoochee Golf Club was perfect. If you are a member of the golf team, get
a partner and come join us. Next event is April 18th and then again May 25th. Contact Judy pallo@aol.com for more information.
The Official Golf Season started April 7th. We have over 50 ladies golfing this season so you know we will be laughing having fun and hopefully improving our score! Play is at Royal Lakes Country Club. We would love to have you join us. Just a group of ladies having fun! Contact Jill Loftus at Jill_Pastrick@yahoo.com.
sub-freezing temperatures and wind. Everyone had a great time and enjoyed being active together. The medal winning teams can be found on the Cresswind at LL Pickleball Group Facebook page.
The Clay Myers Tournament was played also on a blustery day in the neighborhood. It was another great and fun event that was wrapped up with a potluck gathering that evening. We want to thank Dr. Evgeny Krynetskiy of Specialty Orthopedics, a foot and ankle specialist, for providing snacks and water for the tournament. Our winners are:
LIVING STYLISHLY CLUB
Submitted by: Bobbie Kopkin
Our Living Stylishly ladies have been very busy recently. We donned our flowery hats, put on our colorful boas, carried our Victoria’s Secret shopping bags, and “stylishly” participated in our Cresswind’s Mardi Gras Golf Cart Parade. In March we had a safety presentation in the Crow’s Nest -- “What Would You Do?” Babs Lester, a Cresswind resident who was in law enforcement for 24 years on the New York City police force, demonstrated various safety items and gave each of the participants a personal alarm whistle. Everyone learned many ways to be aware of our surroundings. We also received some great common-sense tips to use in our daily lives.
Our next adventure will be a visit to the Lakewood Flea Market in Cumming, Georgia. This large market features unique home and garden decor, art, jewelry, and classic antiques/collectibles. After our shopping spree, we will meet for lunch and social time.
We are also planning some fun events for this summer and fall. We are coordinating our Fall Fashion Show in October with the Ladies Luncheon Club, so be sure and join Living Stylishly so you can attend this fashionable event. Your $5 check should be made out to Living Stylishly and deposited in our club mailbox in the clubhouse lobby.
PICKLEBALL CLUB NEWS
Submitted By: Brenda Newman
Our Cresswind Pickleball Club players have proven themselves to be a hearty bunch this winter. Our Polar Express Tournament lived up to its name. There were 96 players and several volunteers who braved
Women’s Advance
Gold – Lisa Brown
Silver – Susie Holbrook
Bronze – Becky Lyons
Women’s Intermediate
Gold – Lynn Williams
Silver – Linda Brown
Bronze – Vicki Lazarri
Low Intermediate Mixed
Gold – Danny Brown
Gold – Mary Gammon (tied)
Bronze – Deena Demchak
Men’s Advanced
Gold – Harry Takemura
Silver – Carl Kologinczak
Bronze – Gary Kruse
Men’s Intermediate 1
Gold – Jack Williamson
Silver – Al Pileggi
Bronze – Marty Prah
Men’s Intermediate 2
Gold – Dave Johnson
Silver – Ted Holbrook
Bronze - Stan Kopkin
We also had a wonderful turnout for the Mardi Gras Golf Cart Parade. Our volunteers did an outstanding job decorating our golf cart. Thanks to all of them and to players who marched behind supporting the club!
We are all looking forward to warmer temperatures and hopefully less wind! Keep an eye out for spring leagues, scrambles, and other events. Remember to mark your calendars for the Reed tournament and dinner on October 15th.
See you on the courts!
CRESSWIND PING PONG CLUB
Submitted By: Steven Gould
If your knees are not quite what they used to be, but you still want to keep physically active and mentally sharp, table tennis, one of the fastest growing racket sports, may be a perfect fit.
Ping Pong is not just for kids; according to a recent article in the New York Times, the sport offers more health benefits than it would appear at first glance. Table tennis is a fast game that requires quick thinking, flexibility to reach for shots and clever footwork to play well. Popular for more than 100 years, table tennis has changed over the years, becoming increasingly fast-paced and complex. When played with great skill, table tennis is a real work-out compared with moderate rowing or playing racket ball. Ping Pong may also help older adults fight off depression, frailty and prevent cognitive decline.
A 2014 Korean study, published in the Journal of Exercise Rehabilitation, of 164 women over the age of 60 found that regular physical activity can prevent age-related functional decline and promote psychological and social wellness. Exercises that require the use of tools, such as the paddle and ball in table tennis, had a more positive effect on older women’s cognitive function than other activities that included dancing, walking, gymnastics and resistance training. From: theoldish.com article.
Come join the Ping Pong Club on Tuesday or Thursday afternoons from 3pm-6pm in the Lanier Room for open play. For those still working we have Monday evening from 7pm8pm.
PINOCHLE CLUB
Submitted by: Alex Ford
Six years ago, a friend invited me to go to the clubhouse to sit in on a Pinochle card game. I had never played Pinochle before and felt I should not even be there since I would only be interfering with the players. The group not only welcomed me with open arms, but they also interrupted their game so I could sit in on a couple of open hands in order to learn the game. Once I got the gist of the game, I then played with another player assisting me until I was completely on my own. The whole process of learning to play Pinochle was quick, and I was on my own within an hour or so.
So, if you have never played Pinochle before or have not played in many years, do not let this stop you from joining us. We are a friendly group who would be happy to help you learn the game, and we are always looking for more players. It is a fun and relaxing way to spend the afternoon. We play on Saturdays from 1-4pm, Clubhouse Card room on the second floor
Pinochle players: Standing L to R: Steve and Cathy Remsen, and Marilyn Glasser. Seated L to R: Gary and Judy Lowen, Renee Rizzo and George Sampson.
POKER CLUB
Submitted by: Jerry Warlock
Joe Willis is the winner of the 2021 Cresswind Hold’em Championship Tournament. The Poker Club plays every Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday nights. If interested in playing contact jerryworlock@gmail.com for more information.
QUILTING CLUB
Submitted by: Sheran Connolly
The Quilters Group meets every Thursday at 1:00 p.m. in the Arts and Crafts room. We love beginners and will share our ideas with anyone interested in learning a new art. We are working on a Quilt of Valor to be donated. Come see the pattern we are using. Our group works together on projects for different groups such as Senior quilts, Kids quilts, Veterans, and of course our Raffle Quilt in the Fall. Contacts are Jonnie Grimm and Sheran Connolly for additional details. See article: “QUILTS OF VALOR FOUNDATION (QOVF)” for information about the organization.
QUILTS OF VALOR FOUNDATION (QOVF)
A Quilt of Valor is… “Thank you for your service, sacrifice and valor in serving our nation.”
When the Quilts of Valor Foundation (QOVF) was founded in 2003 by Catherine Roberts, its mission was to cover our nation’s military touched by war – that is, to cover them with quilts and honor their service. The first Quilt Of Valor was awarded November, 2003
at Walter Reed Army Medical Center (WRAMC) to a young soldier from Minnesota. Catherine recalls: Chaplain John Kallerson opened the door for us at Walter Reed primarily because his wife Connie Kallerson happened to be a quilter. She impressed upon him how comforting quilts can be.
On that day ½ of the 300 QOVs were awarded to the physically wounded and ½ were awarded to those struggling with psychological/emotional trauma and distress.
Our focus is…on those most in need of comfort and healing first; those who need to know their sacrifice is acknowledged, those who need the affirmation of a hug, and those who never heard the words “Welcome Home”. Quilts = Healing
Catherine Roberts’ Dream Quilts of Valor Foundation began in 2003 with a dream, literally a dream. Founder Catherine Roberts’ son Nat was deployed in Iraq. According to Catherine: The dream was as vivid as real life. I saw a young man sitting on the side of his bed in the middle of the night, hunched over. The permeating feeling was one of utter despair. I could see his war demons clustered around, dragging him down into an emotional gutter. Then, as if viewing a movie, I saw him in the next scene wrapped in a quilt. His whole demeanor changed from one of despair to one of hope and well-being. The quilt had made this dramatic change. The message of my dream was: Quilts = Healing.
The model appeared simple: have a volunteer team who would donate their time and materials to make a quilt. One person would piece the top and the other would quilt it. I saw the name for this special quilt: it was Quilt of Valor.
A MESSAGE FROM: THE CLL RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS TEAM (RAOK)
Amelia Earhart, long remembered as a courageous and pioneering woman aviator, has been credited with saying…
“A single act of kindness
throws out roots in all directions, and the roots spring up to make new trees, thereby spreading beauty across the land.”
The RAOK team, consisting of six people, continues to anonymously and randomly place “BUTTERFLY BLESSINGS” throughout Cresswind LL as a way to spread kindness and thoughtfulness across our “land”. You may have found that a solar-powered butterfly, flower and/or garden statue mysteriously appeared in your front shrub bed, only to have it disappear several days later. Or perhaps you may have simply seen their colored lights in front of a neighbor’s house while taking an evening stroll. What you are seeing is your CLL friends and neighbors clandestinely “planting” the blessings of hope, kindness, compassion, and belonging in support of building a gracious and grateful community.
Conceived during the social isolation and despair caused by the COVID pandemic, this effort has aligned with our CLL Community Garden Monarch Butterfly project, where living butterflies are born, fed, and freed as symbols of hope and good tidings.
If you want to help the RAOK team spread the “roots” of kindness throughout our community, you can contact us by emailing: raokindness2021@gmail.com.
THE RV CLUB - TIME TO HIT THE ROAD AGAIN!
Submitted By: Ken and Priscilla Stockwell
Once again, we have shaken off the winter cold, dewinterized the RVs and started to head out again for another fun year. Many of our members used the winter months to take care of maintenance, maybe even shop for new RVs (always a fun thing to do) and otherwise prepare for the season. Early spring trips underway or recently completed, include: • April 24 – April 28, 2022: Creek Fire (Savannah, Ga) • April 28 – May 2, 2022: Mt Pleasant (Charleston, Ga) • May 3 – May 6, 2022: Cape Hatteras Resort (Rodanthe, NC)
If you missed those, additional trips are already planned for the fall, including: • September 10 – September 18, 2022: (Memphis, TN/ Arkansas) • October 13 – October 18: Gatlinburg, TN
We are always looking for new neighbors to join in the fun, so if you have an RV (or are shopping for one!) and are inclined to spend some time with your fellow travelers, please let us know. Whether it is a longer planned trip, or simply a “pop up” trip for a few days at one of our many Lake Lanier parks, we always have a great time together.
Come join the group for an experience you will not soon forget! Visit our website at https://sites.google.com/site/ cllrvclub/ or email us at cll.rvclub@gmail.com. Our website has the detailed upcoming trip details.
SHALOM CLUB
Submitted by: Miriam Rosenberg
In Shalom Club news, we are happy to share a fun program we had in March. We enjoyed a baking session before the holiday of Purim. We made delicious
hamantaschen (fruit filled triangular cookies) that are traditionally made for Purim. We had a wonderful morning of baking, eating, and visiting.
Our next program is a pot-luck brunch on Saturday, June 6th at 10:30 am for Shavuot, holiday of the giving of the Ten Commandments. A dairy meal is traditional for this holiday. We hope to see new and old members join us for this upcoming program.
If you’d like more information about the Shalom Club, reach out to Miriam Rosenberg (grammycooks716@gmail. com) 954-501-9249 or Karen Walters (karsuew@gmail.com) 301-461-1900.
SMALL BANDS UPDATE
Submitted by: Harold Timms
With Spring in the air, several of the Cresswind Small Bands are starting to get active again.
Uke Orchestra performed during the Mardi Gras parade.
Just Jazz is a new jazz combo here in Cresswind and played its inaugural gig at the recent Mardi Gras party here in the clubhouse.
Joyride have made some changes and will be performing here at the June First Friday on June 10th.
Out Past Nine is a Rock and Roll band made up of Cresswind residents better known as your neighbors. We have been together for a few years and have played here in Cresswind at the Variety Shows, First Fridays and even club events. Additionally, we have played in the town park for the city of
Hiawassee residents!
We play hits from the 1950’s, 60’s and 70’s to include everyone from Linda Ronstadt to the Shirelles, Roseanne Cash and even the king himself…TINY TIM…ooops ELVIS!
We enjoy playing for our neighbors here in Cresswind and are scheduled to play June 24th so keep an eye out to your Daily Update for more information. The band offers the added enticement: the 500th guest gets to kiss the drummer!
The band also has several performances in the area in June and July which are open to the public. We will be performing at the town park in Hiawassee, Georgia on July 23rd. This is our second year playing for the town, and it has been a lot of fun. Private events coming up include performances at Twin Lakes on June 17th and the Georgia Police and Fire Games at the Midtown Greenway in Gainesville on June 20th.
TENNIS CLUB
Submitted by: Sandy Barmak
The arrival of Spring brought lots of activity to the tennis courts! Our Resident Mixed Doubles league enjoyed 6 weeks of exciting competition on Friday mornings on four courts. Nancy Gould and Shirley Osterloh were captains of Doubles Vision and Roger Otto and Norman Slovis led team Survivors. Everyone enjoyed the opportunity to play with new partners and against other players. Watch for information in late summer for the formation of new teams for our Fall Resident Mixed Doubles league. Now that this league play is over, Friday morning “open play” mixed doubles has resumed. Start time is 9:00 am, just show up and play!
Thanks to the research and design efforts of club members, Phil Vinyard and Harry Takemura, the tennis courts have a new amenity – a backboard. This is something that many of our members have been requesting. The tennis club expresses its gratitude to the “Help Me Please” volunteers of the Cresswind Community Fund who worked on the installation of the Backboard. A special shout out to Jeff Agnew, Denny Allen, Ron Massey, Harry Takemura, John Ulam and Russ Williams for their time and expertise in getting the job done. The tennis club appreciates the HOA’s financial support for the Backboard amenity. We anticipate many players utilizing this new amenity to improve their strokes. An additional thank you to Russ Williams and Ron Massey from “Help Me Please” for their hard work in building our new bulletin board outside of court 1. What an improvement!
Monday mornings were especially busy on the courts. Dan Skeels and his Silverball team played against outside community teams. The ladies were also active as we had two USTA 3.0 Ladies 55+ teams representing Cresswind. Debbie Cortjens and Cindy Halperin were co-captains of one team and Shirley Osterloh and Nancy Stockwell were cocaptains of the second team. There is no rest for the ladies though. As soon as the 55+ teams completed play, our
USTA 3.0 65+ team began their competition. We all enjoyed a brisk fun evening cookout on the patio on March 19th, which was preceded by a tennis clinic led by Bill Papciak and his instructors. Judy Cox and Judy Mota, our social committee co-chairs, assisted by board members Donna Fillmon and Martha Roberts did a fabulous job organizing the event and seeing that we had plenty of hamburgers, hot dogs, drinks, and fixings. Delicious side dishes were brought by members to round out the meal. Thank you to Nancy and Steve Gould who skillfully worked the grill and assured we all had enough to eat. We look forward to more fun social events.
You can stay informed about all tennis events by checking out our website, https://cresswindll.wixsite.com/cwtennis. You can also contact our president, Sandy Barmak at sandybarmak@gmail.com.
THE ARTIST’S CORNER
Submitted by: Diana Thurmon
Thurmon to join in, 678-481-7644.
The Artist’s Corner club meets each Tuesday from 9:00 am to noon to hone and acquire new painting and drawing skills. Many supplies and instruction are included.
Call Diana
VETERANS CLUB
Submitted by: Bill Edmondson
Our Veterans Club has been very busy these past few months. Our mentors continue their coaching and gatherings to help area veterans in our court systems. Our hospice qualified members continue their visits and presentations to Hall County Veterans within the Hospice program…year to date we have provided six (6) Hospice military recognition ceremonies honoring these men and women and thanking them for their service to America. Our program to help area veterans
Barbara and John Kalina has provided eight (8) drawing the winning raffle ticket. needy veterans with financial assistance in the form of rent, utility payments, gift cards for food, and temporary housing aid. There has been an increase in requests for assistance this year with several referrals coming from the Veterans Administration and area non-profits, so we have added an additional member (Deborah Ulam) to help with the vetting process making sure their need is true and how best we can serve.
And most recently, you have likely seen our efforts to raise funding to support these programs by raffling a week vacation in Hilton Head. The owners of this house, Barbara and John Kalina, have been very gracious in donating a week stay for two (2) years now, and they drew the winning ticket for this year on Friday April 1st…and the winner is… Betty Wages! Betty, we appreciate your support and hope you have a very enjoyable visit.
We thank all Cresswinders for supporting our many efforts…THANK YOU!!!
Veteran Club Board with the Kalina’s… ticket sales totaling $4,225. Thank you Cresswind!
WENDY’S CHOREOGRAPHY DANCE CLUB
Submitted By: Wendy O’Hanlon
We are thrilled to be able to once again entertain and encourage senior participation at the Gainesville-Hall County Senior Life Center on Prior Street. On March 23rd Wendy O’Hanlon, Cathy Jeffrey, Debbie King and Debbie Seymour from Choreography handed out leis and performed a Hawaiian and Polynesian Dance led by Mary Ramatowski. Cheryl Vassiliadis, our Cresswind ballet instructor, led two more
dances to Scottish reels. Cheryl has been running her Creative Movement hour with the seniors for several years and it is evident that they enjoy being able to participate along with her fun and easy steps. Before parting with our “Happy Trails” song, everyone donned their cowboy hats and Wendy led her Choreography ladies to a line dance she created. The Choreography group is currently working on a jive routine, choreographed by Wendy, with plans to perform it in the future at Cresswind. Stay tuned!
CRESSWIND LADY’S LUNCHEON CLUB (CLLC)
Submitted by: Abby Saccomanno, President
The CLLC was formed to gather the women of Cresswind together for luncheons and events to socialize with neighbors and meet new friends in our community. CLLC recently had its second luncheon event March 23rd with a sell-out crowd. A catered lunch of three (3) types of soup, salad, bread, and an amazing chocolate fountain for dessert was served. It was a nice afternoon of mingling, eating and relaxing. There is an upcoming luncheon/fashion show event with CLLC along with Living Stylishly with Neighbors in October. Dates and details will be forthcoming in the Daily Email. Be sure to watch for it as you do not want to miss out on this fun event!
MY WONDERFUL WORLD OF GOURDS!
Submitted by Glenn Burkhalter
It was 1990 and I needed some gourds to put up a two-tiered martin pole in my backyard. So, when I planted my vegetable garden, I added a row of birdhouse gourds---and those gourd vines “took over” my garden! Now, I only needed 16 gourds for birdhouses, but when the gourd leaves and vines died back that Fall, I picked up over 200 nice big gourds! So, I began to wonder what could I ever do with all those extras?
And that’s when I met a man who grew gourds for a living. He told me about the American Gourd Society, and the Gourd Show held every October in Mt. Gilead, Ohio. And when he said he took a pickup truck load up there every year and came back with a thousand dollars in his pocket, he got my attention!
So---come October, Carolyn and I packed for a fun weekend at the Ohio Gourd Show. I loaded my 200 gourds in the bed of our Dodge Dakota pickup and packed my shaving kit. But Carolyn packed four suitcases, two handbags, and three pairs of shoes. Just where did she think I could put all that luggage? So, we compromised; I put two suitcases and one handbag in the bed of the truck with my gourds, but I still didn’t see any need for more than one pair of shoes; the pair she was wearing! Well, she finally agreed, and we headed out for Ohio.
When we reached Mt. Gilead, the first thing we saw was a big banner stretched over the street. It read: “WELCOME TO MT. GILEAD, OHIO, HOME OF THE WORLD’S LARGEST GOURD SHOW”, and they weren’t kidding! As we approached the fairgrounds where the show was being held, cars and pickup trucks were parked bumper-to-bumper along both sides of the street and in every vacant lot we passed by. At the fairgrounds, at least fifty pickup trucks were circled around an area about the size of a football field--and it looked like every vendor was selling gourds! They had big gourds, little gourds, tall gourds, short gourds, fat gourds, skinny gourds, round gourds, flat gourds, green gourds, dry gourds, warty gourds, luffa gourds, painted gourds, and any other kind of gourd you could imagine. So, I checked in with the vender salesperson, paid my $50 vendor’s fee and sold my gourds. Come Monday morning, I didn’t have $1000 dollars in my pocket, but I did have a really bad case of gourd fever! The next spring, I planted more gourds---about an acre of them---but I made sure I planted them as far away from my vegetable garden as I could get them.
Growing gourds became my hobby; it was hard work and long hours, especially in June, July, and August, but it was a hobby I enjoyed, and it paid for itself. Not many hobbies do that. Over the next 23 years, I delivered or shipped gourds to most all US states and five foreign countries. We were vendors at Gourd Shows in 14 different states, including Arizona and New Mexico. For ten years straight, we drove the 3600-mile round trip to the Arizona show. It was our most profitable show, by far; and four times, we extended that trip on to the California coast. Somewhere, in the main building of the Los Angeles Botanical Gardens, I have one of these knotted gourds on display.
Carolyn and I traveled thousands of miles, selling gourds coastto-coast and border-to-border. And when I finally sold my last gourd, gross sales had exceeded $250,000. So---if you ever want to start a conversation with me; JUST ASK ABOUT MY GOURDS!
