Vicki Baker
Christmas is the season for kindling the fire of charity and the genial flame of hospitality. Kiwanis Club members and spouses packed the Wildhorse Lounge on December 19 for their annual Christmas celebration. Dressed in the festive colors of red, green and gold, everyone came to share the season with friends old and new.
Following the welcoming announcements the club dined on a buffet dinner prepared by the Wildhorse Grill featuring chicken piccata, salad, green beans and garlic bread sticks. Susan Galbraith prepared a luscious treat for dessert: a massive Black Forest cake topped with cherries and whipped cream.
Just after dinner, Déjà Vu, comprised of Kiwanians Carol and Bill Rauhauser and Mike Weaver and chief songmeister Gene Heathcoat, led the group in singing a selection of popular Christmas carols. No one promised to be a good singer, and in fact most of us were a bit off-key. But that’s part of what makes holiday songs so special, the familiar tunes that lift us up and fill us with the Christmas spirit.
And that Christmas spirit was ever present throughout the evening especially during the live auctioning of six houses and two sleighs all made from gingerbread baked and assembled by Barbara Leurig. Without much experience in such things, Maureen Lehrer, Susan Galbraith, Sally Reyerson, Barbara Hicks and Char Cottingham stepped up to the challenge and did a fantastic job decorating the houses and sleighs with chocolates, M&Ms, gumdrops, candy canes, pretzels, life savers and Tootsie Rolls. Auctioneer Dave Everly handily sold all the items bringing in $510 for the club’s charitable foundation.
The annual Christmas party was a lot of fun and a great time to mix and mingle with club members all in the spirit of the season, celebrating our successes and opening our hearts (and wallets) to the many good works of Kiwanis Club RR.
Interested in sharing the spirit of the season year round? Then come visit a Kiwanis Club RR meeting on the first and third Fridays of each month at 8:30 a.m. in the Clubhouse or contact Art Masciere at [email protected].