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Updated Feb. 3, 2011

Welcome to the Walton County Snowbird website.  Our Snowbird Club boasts a membership of over 2000 and our activities are open to all winter visitors. The club is led by its members, financed by its members, and is for the recreational, social, fellowship, travel and enjoyment of all who participate. Use this site to view all of our activities, general meeting and registration information, photos and announcements.  If there is an activity that you would like to see us offer, and you are willing to be chairperson for that activity, we will do everything we can to accommodate you.  We always have need for volunteers to help with meetings, registration and activities. So please consider doing your part to help our great organization continue to prosper, and have lots of fun while doing so.  Please feel free to contact any one of the board members (below) with your suggestions.

General Meeting on Wednesday,  Feb. 8th.                 ****There will be an Auction of a Overnight Trip to New Orleans to see The Lion King - March 14 - 15.

From Our President's Desk.................................

Welcome to all the Snowbirds who arrived in time to enjoy the magnificent February weather we have enjoyed this entire winter.   It has been warm and mostly sunny in November, Dec., Jan., and now February.  Unlike the past three or four years many of us are wondering why we have so many winter clothes here now. 

The Walton County Snowbirds, Inc. is in full swing with 34+ activities a few of which have ended but there is still time to join many others and add to the fun you will have on the Emerald Coast.

 Our February meeting is at the Destin United Methodist Church, 200 Beach Drive, Destin at 10:00 a.m. on Feb. 8.  We will be welcomed by Sara Commander, District 4 Commissioner for Walton County.   Sara will invite you to a special festival in late February for snowbirds with historical events and tours of the rich history of DeFuniak Springs, the county Seat of Walton County and home of the 2012 Winter Chataqua.

The entertainment is by David Hall, a vocalist, guitarist and keyboard wizard who appears at the Ocean Club on Saturdays and Sundays.  David will be followed by the door prize awards including a special auction for a motor coach to New Orleans, accommodations at the Drury Hotel and orchestra ticket to The Lion King Broadway Musical

Tickets are still available for the Ladies Luncheon on Feb. 22 at the Embassy suites with fashion apparel by Bealls, a delicious lunch and door prizes.  Enjoy the Art show at the meeting and for the first time the Craft Activity will have their work displayed.    You will find a variety of very interesting activities from Discussion club, Computer Club, many exercise options, card game activities, fine arts and crafts are just naming a few.  All of these and others are clearly spelled out in the activity sheet passed out at each registration and on the website here. Also REMEMBER to get your tickets at Registration Feb. 6 or the meeting Feb. 8 for that FABULOUS BASKET of goodies to support the Walton High School Scholarships.  If you haven’t gotten your Soundsations tickets, they too will be available. 

This was a year of change.  The board has accepted with great regret the resignations of the current Secretary, Donna Bruder, our long standing Treasurer, Betty Cardwell and her Assistant Treasurer, Hugh Barnard and our Information Officer and webmaster, Betty Swenson. 

However we have some very good news to report.  Bill Neidel has agreed to become our future Information Officer and manage the web site.  Bill has a great deal of expertise and access to several people to assist, including his son.  Bill is from the Rochester, NY area.  Irene Hinds, from Ontario, Canada, will serve as our future Secretary.  We welcome her to the W.C.S.B. board for 2012-13.  Tom and I are lining up volunteer leaders for activities whose current leaders are retiring and that is going well for next year.  Many will stay on to lead next year.  

Hopefully someone will step up to lead the Christmas Party.  It is a nice dinner, we are lead in carols by someone from one of our music activities and in the past there has been a white elephant gift exchange where ‘white elephants and now a black one and a red one’ have started to appear.  There is a budget, helpers can be found to assist, and it is a nice evening out before the holidays. 

We are looking for a Treasurer and an Assistant Treasurer.  The Treasurer will serve on the board, file financial reports required by the State of Florida and create monthly financial reports for the board about the state of the W.C.S.B.  The Assistant Treasurer will assist the Treasurer when needed and serve in her/his absence.

The 2^nd Vice President position is still open. She/he is the contact person for ½ of the activities in the event they need advice or assistance.  The 2^nd Vice President is a training position as is the 1^st Vice President, whose responsibilities are the same with the other half of the activities.  They both attend one board meeting a month (about 1 ½ hr. long), the monthly general meeting, and Monday registrations when possible.  That is where they make the most contacts with the leaders.  Each year everyone moves up toward the Presidency and following that,  they assist the new incoming President. 

The great thing about becoming 2^nd Vice President NOW is that YOU ALREADY HAVE ALMOST THE WHOLE YEAR DONE!   How good it that? 

You may contact any board member to learn more about any of these positions.  I know we can make it work for you. 

This is turning out to be a very good year.  We are weathering a lot of changes in the near future, but for me personally I embrace change as a new opportunity to make improvements while preserving tradition that works. 

Sincerely,

Bonnie Schwichtenberg

Walton County Snowbirds, Inc., President

All of the positions above have guidlines and reports from those who have served before you, to make your job easier.  These are not all consuming tasks, but the opportunity to serve in the above capacities will allow for the continuance of the Walton County Snowbirds.

Please take time to volunteer.  Contact Bonnie Schwichtenberg   850/650-5255  or Nancy Gehrke  837- 9937

 Here's a computer tip to help you access this website quickly.  When you open this site,  click on this favicon (blend of "favorites" and "icon") which is located just to the left of "http://www.waltoncountysnowbirds.com" in the address bar above.   Now, hold down your left mouse key and drag the favicon to your desktop (you may need to minimize the page so you can see the desktop.)  From now on, you can just click on this on your desktop and not have to type in the entire URL to access our website!     

View Season 2010 Video Summary of Events ( May require a Microsoft add-on [Please Allow] Use broadband for best results)

If you have any information to share, please contact Betty Swenson, webmaster at sweny99@scacable.com

Here are our Walton County Snowbird Officers for 2011-2012

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