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Conroe Reunion
"CAMPER CARAVAN OF RETIREES"
By, Ken DeFoor -
By the time you read this, the March 2004 reunion and campout will be a pleasant memory for the history books. To say the retired officers’ campout at the Conroe reunion was a roaring success would be an understatement. Not only did our hosts, Albert and Mary Nichols, and our co-hosts, Don and Barbara Cotten, arrange for all the activities for the campers, but the meals were put together in such a way that it was fun, and nobody went home hungry! We were blessed with the most perfect weather campers could ever ask for on this first weekend of Spring with forty plus people bringing twenty RVs to participate.
If you have an RV and have never camped with this group, you have no idea of the fun and fellowship you are missing. “War stories” are an accepted fact of life, with lots of time for some great rest and relaxation. For many of us, this was our first "“summer” campout after dusting off our RVs from their winter storage. However, for some of the others, like Albert and Mary, who are now “full-timers”, it was business as usual. Some “new” rigs were on hand, like Ike and Joanne Eickenhorst’s trailer and the motorhome of Phil and Margie Frank – nice RVs folks!
Two real “troopers” were also in attendance, and we were so glad to have them with us…Sue Turbeville and Orville Walker. These two prove you can’t keep good campers down for long. We all felt well protected when our local K-9 patrol was on duty. Forrest Wayne and his trusty boxer, “Brutus”, cruised the campsites in their golf cart.
Thursday evening we all dined on a delicacy of hot dogs prepared with finesse by the gourmet chef himself, Don Cotten. You did good, Don! Friday evening was our traditional potluck dinner and door prizes. You have no idea what great cooks we have within the camper crowd. Our grand ladies could put Betty Crocker to shame any day of the week, and the guys could put a Hoover vacuum cleaner to shame! It seems the most revered door prize donated by Phil and Margie’s company, went to Ron and Theresa Mashue. You would never think that winning such an exotic ice chest would put Ron in danger of being hi-jacked by some of his fellow retirees!
I mentioned the activities provided by our hosts, which are well documented by the attached photos. But, that’s not all of it. Patti Walschburger arranged for and instructed all the wives to participate in an arts and craft session. Patti was ably assisted by her granddaughter, Taylor.
It seems that several of our retirees take the games of washers and horseshoes very seriously, as well as the more sedate games of chicken foot and the 42 tournament. Last year’s champs were unseated, with this year’s gold metal winners being:
| Ken Smith and Willie Osborne |
Washers |
| R. C. Rich and Chuck Smith |
Horseshoes |
| Steve Felchak and Ike Eickenhorst |
42 tournament |
| Barbara Cotton |
Chicken Foot contest |
These highly-prized awards, which rival the Hollywood Oscars, were presented to these well-deserving recipients at Saturday night’s “Left-Overs” dinner held at the campground clubhouse. No doubt these winners will have to defend their titles next year!
Sunday morning found most of the campers heading home or else on to the next campground. For those of us who are more “home bound” due to our businesses, personal obligations and/or other community commitments, we can only cast our eyes toward the open highways and wish our fellow retirees who are “full timers” a safe journey and God’s speed until the next time we can “circle the wagons” and fellowship once again.
Happy highways, all,
Ken and Jo
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