We had another outstanding reunion this year! As I sit here thinking of all the events that occurred, I become overwhelmed with it all. What a terrific group of people we have as an extended family!
We had a great business meeting. We discussed and approved moving the checking account to another bank which will allow us free checking. A storage space was rented and paid in advance for the year for storing property belonging to the Association.
The Association also agreed to send out financial statements and a list of attendees at the 2009 reunion along with the 2009 video this year. As mentioned in the meeting this year, this is something we really need to enforce and make happen every year.
With the size of this organization growing from about fourteen couples the first year to well over 50 couples to date, we cannot continue operating it in the same manner as past years. Therefore, at this time, we are undergoing other major changes as well. These changes will be revealed as they occur.
The Association created committees for Kitchen, Secretary, Bookkeeping, Planning and Ann Post Memorial Grant Fund. Annie Bassham will keep track and organize our financial books. Sharon Hansche will head up the secretary committee with Anita Bjorling, Jerri Dillon and Wilma Hood helping her. Pat Grimes will, of course, continue as head of the kitchen committee. She has yet to comment on her choice(s) for help but, I’m sure, will come up with some very good selections. Anyone interested in helping Pat should email her at patgrimes@windstream.net.
Kathy will head the Ann Post Memorial Grant Fund Committee with Don Eades, Anita Bjorling, Linda DeRyke and GG (Gail Genereau) helping her to create a Ann Post Memorial Grant Fund form we can use for the committee to decide who should and who should not receive grants. The committee will make these decisions, not just one or two persons as in the past. Kathy will also continue taking care of hotel accommodations in Branson.
GG will head the planning committee with help from Linda DeRyke and Judy Eades. I will continue keeping the website updated (although I haven’t in several weeks). Millie Lill had elected to take over as newsletter editor, but with her situation in getting moved back to Iowa from Canada, I will stay as newsletter editor and will continue as newsletter editor and will continue to publish the BransonGoers Gazette due to concerns from some of our members. I hope to get help and input from some or all of you. Millie, however, will continue to publish our annual calendar(s). Any questions or comments should be directed to me at don_hansche@yahoo.com.
With the size of this organization growing from about ten members the first year to well over 150 to date, we cannot continue operating it in the same manner as past years. Therefore, at this time, we are undergoing other major changes as well. These changes will be revealed as they occur.
Judy has agreed to do a monthly column labeled ‘Supporter of the Month’. Over the past three years, I have done a column labeled “Getting to Know You” (started by Millie when she was editor and I continued) which featured different polio survivors. Judy and I agreed it will be good to bring out more highlights on your supporter(s) since your polio stories already include much of what we published in that column. Her first story in this issue follows this column, so I’ll let her tell you how she will get the information for hers.
As most of you know by now, Sharon and I renewed our wedding vows at the reunion this year. Not that we thought we needed to renew them, but because Sharon had never worn a wedding dress. We married in 1983 in the home of our church’s minister. I guess it’s something every woman dreams of. Anyhow, thanks to GG for bringing her wedding dress for Sharon to wear. The wedding dress was not only beautiful, but Sharon looked beautiful in it! Thanks also to Paul Genereau for allowing me to wear his tux to go with her beautiful wedding dress, and for being such a terrific friend as to walk Sharon ‘down the isle’, so to speak. And thanks to Tom Post for performing the ceremony. It was absolutely wonderful!
Saturday night supper was in a Hawaiian Luau theme. Pat cooked up an excellent Hawaiian Chicken! Everyone was dressed in their Hawaiian clothes, except for the bride (who would have worn that gown all weekend if she could have). The Bransoneers, from what I understand, outdid themselves again this year, thanks to The Big Kahuna, Don Eades, and Big Pineapple mate, Paul Genereau! It was absolutely hilarious!! If you’ve never seen one of the Bransoneers’ shows, you don’t know what you’re missing. You can go to http://www.postpoliobransongoers.com/gallery/videos/videos.html to view this year’s show and past shows. Make sure you go to the potty room before you begin watching these hilarious men (or shall I say, ‘boys’) in action!