SPY’s Community Newsletter
(12/25/23)
Happy New Year
Dear Readers: As you begin the New Year---
May your troubles be less,
May your blessings be more, and
May nothing but happiness come through your door.
It Must Have Been Quite A Thrill
To say that Jari Collins is an avid card player would be quite an understatement. She is a fierce competitor regardless of the game, be it euchre, hold ‘em, or solitaire. But, surely her recent experience tops everything. As she tells it, she was looking for something to occupy her time while her husband Buddy was watching his hunting shows on TV. She happened to run across an on-line site that featured a card competition. It was a site called Club World Poker Tour. To make a long story short, this past June she won the “2500 Pride Championship” by besting over 2,000 other Texas Hold ‘Em competitors.
By winning this championship, she qualified for the Club WPT World Championship that was held at the renowned Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. She was given an all-expense paid trip out there for four nights for the first rounds of the World Championship competition, where she was pitted against 10,513 other competitors, all vying for a piece of the $40 million in total prize money. The initial rounds went from Thursday thru Sunday. At her table there were three well-known professional poker players she had to go head-to-head against. There were cameras everywhere filming the competition, which will be televised at a later date.
We are sorry to report that she did not end up as the World Champion, but oh what an experience! Congratulations Jari!
SPY's Annual Meeting Coming Up On
Saturday, January 13, 2024
Here are the basics: Saturday, January 13th-----Sunfield Community Room---6 PM-----Catered Dinner.
The purpose of the Annual Meeting is to bring the membership up to date on all of our activities in the community; give the membership a full financial report, so you can see what our combined efforts have produced; hold the election of officers and conduct the transition of leadership; as well as provide an opportunity to get to know other SPY members and guests better, especially our newest members.
Members please note, that if you are planning on attending you must please let us know as soon as possible by calling our Secretary Renee Strimback at 269-967-5787, or simply reply to this Newsletter via email. We need to know how many people to plan for. Please do it now!
Contributions
A BIG Sunfield Area SPY salute goes out to Terry Quilllan who works for ESI Heating & Cooling for his recent contribution. We thank you Terry for helping us help kids!
Parting Comments
· Deep Thought of the Week: Live every day like it’s your last, ‘cause one day you’re gonna be right.
· Notable Quote: “Some of my friends exercise every day. Meanwhile I am watching a show I don’t like because the remote fell on the floor.”
· That’s Puny Department: I’m still trying to get my head around the fact that ‘Take Out’ can mean food, dating, or murder.
· Did You Know Section: The oddest fact about the Civil War---The 1860s brought war to the doorsteps of many Americans, but none as literally as Wilmer McLean, who witnessed the beginning and end of the Civil War from his own home. McLean and his wife, Virginia Mason, moved to Manassas, Virginia, in 1853, shortly after their wedding. A few years later, the couple was surprised when Confederate General P.G.T. Beauregard commandeered their property to serve as his headquarters ahead of the first major land battle of the Civil War, the First Battle of Bull Run (although several smaller skirmishes had been fought during the months prior). The home was so close to the action that a cannonball soared through the kitchen and landed in the fireplace. The battle ended on July 21, 1861, in a Confederate victory, and as the fighting continued, the McLeans decided to head south. As fate would have it, by 1863, the McLeans were reestablished in a small village called Appomattox Court House in southern Virginia. On April 9, 1865, the couple received a knock on their door. It was Charles Marshall, the aide to Confederate General Robert E. Lee, asking for a secure meeting location for the general. McLean showed Marshall surrounding properties, but none was as suitable as his own home, which he eventually volunteered. Later that day, Lee arrived at the McLean house, followed by Union General Ulysses S. Grant. It was at this meeting in the parlor that Lee formally surrendered to Grant, signaling the end of the American Civil War.
· Did You Know Section Holiday Bonus: “Jingle Bells” is one of the most recognizable songs in American history, and the jaunty tune is as much a part of the Christmas season as twinkling lights and shiny ornaments. Take a closer look at the lyrics, though, and an interesting detail emerges: The song doesn’t mention the holiday at all. That’s because “Jingle Bells” wasn’t actually written for Christmas. Even with its undeniable ubiquity, “Jingle Bells” has a rather murky history. We know that in 1857, the song’s composer, James Pierpont, copyrighted the tune under the title “One Horse Open Sleigh” while living in Savannah, Georgia. But various theories about the song’s meaning have surfaced over the years: One suggests it was simply written in the style of other popular sleighing songs at the time; another says the song was written for Thanksgiving. A plaque in Pierpont’s childhood hometown of Medford, Massachusetts, even claims “Jingle Bells” was composed in a local tavern, years before its copyright date. (Research into the latter two claims has concluded that neither origin story is likely.) “Jingle Bells” features no direct mention of any holiday, nor even the month of December, but the song nonetheless became a Christmas staple following its release. In December 1943, Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters released a record featuring renditions of “Jingle Bells” and “Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town,” cementing the song’s status as an inescapable Christmas classic.
Notices
1. If there is any organization or business out there that has something they would like to advertise or promote, please feel free to submit it to this Newsletter and we will help publicize it. There is no charge. We are glad to provide this means as a public service to help keep the community informed.
2. If you are looking for further information about the SPY’s events---Corporate or Platinum Sponsorship information---scholarship forms---youth sports reimbursement forms---past SPY newsletters---etc.---just go to the SPY website at www.sunfieldareaspys.com.
3. NOTE: If you know of anyone who would like to receive these SPY’s Newsletters, just send me an email at john.sandrafisher@gmail.com with their email address and we will add them to the distribution list.
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