WINTER RANCH ACTIVITIES: 2013-2014 Season In Review

(Note: This has a lot of pictures so it will take awhile to load most likely. Turn on the page, get yourself a drink and come back a few minutes later. That's what I do! Of course, you may have a quicker internet than we do!!

If you have a Facebook account, go into your account and look for Winter Ranch Resort Activities. I have put all the 2013-14 Season pictures on that site and they come up much faster there. You can click LIKE on the Winter Ranch Resort Activities page so that you can find it easier the next time! I am going to keep linking the blog pictures to the Facebook page so they will be both places.)

It is that time of year again, when we Winter Texans all head back North. It is hard to say goodbye to everyone and we'll sure miss all the fun we have together. This place is a playground for seniors and we are always eager to return the next season to see old friends and play!

Here's the 2013-14 Season in Review:

October

HALLOWEEN

Rosie Ewald and Donna Steward

Dale Loerch as Mrs. Doubtfire

Mike and Carol Earley

Kathy and Dale Loerch

Diana Mollerus, Carolyn and Lonnie Sommers

Bill and Nancy Knecht

Darlene Peters

Semi-Finalists in the Costume Contest:

Darlene Peters, Dale Loerch, Lee Benfield and Bill Knecht

And the Winner are:

Darlene Peters and Dale Loerch

Golf Cart Parade

Now it is time for the Halloween Golf Cart Parade

Bill Knecht

Bill "Will Trade Candy For Beer!"

Crypt Babies

Rita and Arnie Huether with Jacie and Halle

Macel and LeVere Groth

Judith Simpson

The Sommers and the Loerchs

BEANBAG TOURNAMENT

WINTER RANCH VS TROPHY GARDENS

Winter Ranch Participants Above and Below

Larry keeping score and Cathy chasing down Bean Bags!

Betty Smith

Kathy Maynard

Unfortunately, Trophy Gardens won the coveted

Squash Trophy this season!!

HALLOWEEN DANCE

Now it is almost time for the Halloween Dance

This is Diego's family all ready for the party:

Diego, Edith and Natasha

Judy and Steve Good

Delta and Roger Quaintance

Helen Best

We had a lot of strange visitors at the dance tonight!

NOVEMBER

BUS TRIP TO Ol' D's Soda Shop

Russ Schierholz with Ray Uselman who ordered

the Double Decker Burger!

Double Decker on stage with Rob Carter

Elvis Reincarnated - only he's a she!!

Rob "Mustang Elvis" Carter as singing to Judy Good

Judy, Mary Benfield and Elvis singing to Terri Thurston

Wally and Mary Snead

VETERANS DAY CELEBRATION

Volunteers: Judy Teply, Arlene Krebs, Pat Cullett, Betty Smith,
Kathy Loerch, Della Orndorff and Diana Mollerus

Judy and Dennis Foley

Charlotee and Norm Winner

Donna and Dwain Steward

Lynn and JD Murray, our
Activity Directors

Presenting the Flags

JD and Dale Loerch holding the POW Flag at the POW Table

HB Hulsey

BUS TRIP TO THE KILLER BEES GAME

Dick and Karen Larson and Cathy and Scott Maynard

Dave and Terri Thurston

The Killer Bees Mascot

GO BEES!

THANKSGIVING

One Group of Many (Above and Below)

at the Thanksgiving Dinner Celebration

Roy and Lois Hansen and John and Joan Seiler

Chuck and Pat Pierson

Bill and Marie Siglin

Marilyn and Gene Brown

December

DECORATING FRIENDSHIP HALL

FOR CHRISTMAS

That's Charlie Minor holding the wreath

Mary holding the ladder and Ken Stanek hanging off the ladder

Carolyn Sommers and Elinor Kroll Finishing

the Large Christmas Tree

CRAFTING GROUP WITH THEIR

TOWEL REINDEERS

DECEMBER LADIES' LUNCHEON

Marsha Bender, Our Chairperson

Carol Stallwitz and Rose Williams

Joella Buccholz and Pat Cullett

Co-Chair, Kathy Loerch, drawing door prizes with the help of Santa

Myra Green - our Entertainment for the luncheon

Marlene Schwab and Faye Stoliker

Judith Simpson won a door prize

Carolyn Sommers made this gorgeous wreath

and Carrie Halberg won it!

Charlotte McColl, Santa, Brenda Granger,

Maggie Moody and Kay Schultz

BUS TRIP TO THE HIDALGO LIGHTS

Winter Ranch Group Waiting For the Tram to See the Lights

Hidalgo Square

Ramon Ayala's Home

Jack Hulsey, our bus driver, by a London Bus

Entertainment This Evening - Estudiantina Guadalupana Group

Wreath Making Class

Brenda Nolte and her finished wreath

Rita Huether, our instructor, showing us how to make a bow!

Fay Campbell

MYSTERY BUS TRIP TO

HARLINGEN

The History of Mexico and Mankind Mural in Centennial Park

Jerry Ritchie next to a 1970 Chevrolet El Camino SS

at Cooley's Classic Cars

Getting Ready to Leave Grimsell's Seed Store

Back at the Ranch

Nothing like enjoying the pool in December!

CHRISTMAS CAROLING AT THE RANCH

Some of Our Carolers

Barb and Bill Lester

Janet Handlos, Phyllis Lauritsen and Brenda Nolte

Marianne Stout singing along with the carolers!

Janet and Sam Hobson out caroling

Jane Drake listening to the carolers

Myra Faust listening to the Carolers!

Mary and Lee Benfield heading back after caroling

BINGO

Larry Chapin Calling Bingo on Wednesday Night

The Bingo Crowd

BUS TRIP TO ALFRESCO WESLACO MID-VALLEY
LIGHTED CHRISTMAS PARADE

Jack and Donna Hulsey and Beth Bishop
Waiting For the Parade

Charlotte McColl and Lee Clement Horsing Around

CHRISTMAS PARTY

Carole and JA Carmack

Lynn Murray with the Secret Santa Gifts

Darlene Peters, Elinor Kroll and Jan Wilson

Our Manager, Larry, all festive!

KITCHEN HELP: Nora and Charlie Minor, Donna
and Dave Lewis, Ginni Westby, Jim Blawat, Char and Jack Leach

Entertainment: Penny Vollrath

More Entertainment: Karen Timko and Lee Clement
as Santa and Mrs. Claus

More Entertainment: Patti and Bud Becker

Karen and Pete Timko

Wendell and Fran Knight

We lost Fran Knight to breast cancer in 2014. She was such a sweet lady and will be missed. I thought this was a really nice picture of Wendell and Fran!

ANNOUNCING THE WINNERS OF THE
CHRISTMAS LIGHTING CONTEST

Making Spirits Bright Category - Ron and Linda Doershug

Silent Night, Holy Night Category - Larry and Dody Anenson

Charlie Browniest Category - Nora and Charlie Minor

Clark Griswold Category - Brenda Granger (Don not present)

Lynn and Cathy Chapin, our Manager, at the
Secret Santa Table

Martha Steward Would Be Proud Category
went to Darrell and Betty Luster (not present)

CHRISTMAS DINNER

Del Elberhardt

Pat and Tony Hyde

Marlene and Lee Miska

Deb and Gary Blackbourn

Donna and Dave Lewis

CHRISTMAS DINING GROUPS

John and Ginni Westby

Arah and Dwayne Carlson

Shirley Snell
NEW YEAR'S EVE PARTY

David and Judie Anzivino

Pat and JoAnn Sullivan

Larry and Cathy Chapin

Lud and Connie Lerdon

Minors, Staneks and Westbys

Ralph and Shirley Ress and Don and Sylvia Short

Linda and Tommy Fort, Sue and Jim Hundley
and Leon and Jeanette Hodge

Sandra and Robert Garcia with Patrick and Jane Snook

Richard Beall and Donna Jenkins, the Hights,
the Benfields and the Thurstons

Darlene Peters and Jack Bass Selling 50/50 Tickets

JD and Lynn Murray

Selling The Agency Dance Tickets

The line waiting to get The Agency Dance Tickets

Darlene Peters buying a bunch of The Agency Tickets From JD

Okay, the deal is: JD bet Lee and I that we could not sell 100 tickets to people in the park for The Agency! I took this picture just after he sold about 120 tickets to park people!! We don't have to buy him a case of beer but he has to help Lee put in the block for our pad for the golf cart!!! Don't you love that face he's making!!!

JANUARY
The Agency Dance

Sue Henderson, Kathy Doddridge, and JoAnn Sullivan

The Agency

It's a Full House!

Marsha Bender, Kathy Loerch and Lynn Murray

BUS TRIP TO THE ELVIS FESTIVAL IN LOS FRESNOS

Della Rae Orndorff and Elvis

Jo Kinkead, Elvis and Donna Ritchie

CRAFT SHOW

Melva Bronkhorst and Deloris Lind

Erika Stratton and Dawn Nabozny

Bob Ross Art Class With Larry Weirs

Larry Weirs and Judith Simpson

Larry Weirs and Theresa Zimmerman

Pearl White in the Bob Ross Art Class

Winter Ranch Quilt Show

Linda Doershug

Trailer Trash Party

Jack and Char Leach

One Trashy Looking Group!

Bob and Kathy Doddridge

Mary Benfield, Nora Minor and Lynn Murray

Judging Mary Hazlett

First Place Costume Winners
Darlene Peters (White Trash) - Princess
Mike and Martie Senkler - King and Queen
Jack Leach - Prince

We have a lot of pregnant women here for a 55+ Park!

Dianna Drake - Winner of the Twinkie Eating Contest

The Carmacks and the Sommers

Beer Can Toss Contest - The Women Won By 1 Point
and Ruth King tossing a can

CARD MAKING CLASS

Jean Holmes, Mary Benfield, Pat Hyde and Gail McCrabb

FEBRUARY

Crochet Group with Scarves they made for the Special Olympics

50TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

Pat and Damien Kenkel

John and Donna Rosbak

Jean and Herb Holmquist

The Volunteers Who Worked The 50th Wedding Anniversary

MARGARITA - 50's THEME PARTY

Bob and Phyllis Lauritsen

Lavere Groth

Winners of the Costume Contest: Roy Darby and Dianna Drake

Jim Drake and Al Bell

That's Brenda Granger Out Front

Deb and Neil Kanne

VALENTINE'S DAY DOGGIE PARADE

Mary and Isis Lawrence

Eleanor Haddock and Kerri Ann

Carol Javis and Jim McCubbins

Cheryl Hazelton with Gypsy and Charlie

The Parade

VALENTINE'S DANCE

Kitchen Helpers: Don and Ann Draker and Fred and Sue Wallace

Jim and Myra Luetje

Char and Jack Leach

John and Martha Anderson

Jerry Ritchie, Donna and Rich Ritchie

Josie Ferring and Tom Thinnes

Sandy and HB Hulsey

Julie and Art Abegg

Bill and Peggy Page

Pat and John Schuermann

Don and Sylvia Short

SENIOR OLYMPICS WINTER RANCH BOWLING TEAM

A Flight won 2nd place from left to right: Steve Good,
Judy Good, Jan Bell, Al Bell, Leon Green

C Flight won 3rd place from left to right: Kent Halberg, Jean Henderson, Kathy Doddridge, Bob Doddridge, Bert Hughes

B Flight won 2nd place: Team from left to right: Lud Lerdon, Connie Lerdon, Diane Kosanke, Fred Kosanke, Jim Thomas

VARIETY SHOW - RAZZLE DAZZLE

Jerry Rezac, Master of Ceremonies

Judy Teply, Virginia Baughman, Rita Hebl,
Dorothy Powers and Penny Vollrath

Carol Earley

Mary Rita

Doug Elkins singing to Sherrye

Winter Ranch Bikers

Trip To South Padre Island

Bikers Senior Olympics Event at Bensen Rio Grande Valley
State Park: We had 38 bikers in the Senior Olympics Biking Event.

Jean Snyder showing her latest Stained Glass Project

Bob Ross Art Class With Larry Weirs

Morning Class

CHOIR CONCERT

Thelma Dick plays the Prelude

Roger and Norma Richardson sing a duet
arrangement of "In The Garden"

Jerry Hill, Ed Griffiths, Roger Richardson, Ron Doerschug, John Caster and Roy Hansen singing "Dry Bones"

THE ALAMO INDEPENDENCE DAY PARADE

Jo Kinkead

Darlene Peters and March Deschamp

Donald DeKeyrel - Ringmaster

Winter Ranch Bikers Riding Elephants Today

Penny Vollrath, Darlene Peters, Bob Babler and Nicole Kenward

Pearl White and Shirley Smith

Our Park Manager, Larry Chapin

Winter Ranchers Watching the Parade

Lois Green

Donna Ritchie Driving Martha Anderson
Martha is cracking the whip on the lion in the following cart

John Anderson, the Lion

Delora and Don DeKeyrel

Winter Ranch Float

Rex and Betty Humke

Don and Delora DeKeyer (Parade Coordinators) and
Larry and Cathy Chapin (Park Managers) with
our two 1st Place Tropheys
One for best in the Senior Division
One for best in Parade Overall!
Yeah Winter Ranch!

SHOW AND SHARE DAY

Dave Langfield - Woodworking

Ron Jensen - Woodworking

Delores Bergstrom - Ceremics

Sharon Huether, Mary Benfield and Rita Huether

Ross Croft - Stained Glass

Beth Bishop - Knitting

Bonnie Langfield - Quilting

Some of our Artists

Jane Martin and Barb DeGaramo at the March Ladies Luncheon

LAST JAM OF THE SEASON

Pam and Don Hoppe

Jamming

Goodbye and Thank You Plaque
David and Jody Nunn

Dale Loerch manning the Sound System

St. Patrick's Day Parade (Winter Ranch and Trophy Gardens)

Don and Delora DeKeyrel

Chuck and Pat Cullett

Lee and Mary Benfield

Bob and Kathy Doddridge

Martha and John Anderson

Donna and Rich Ritchie

Part of the Parade

Winter Ranch Golf Carts Lined Up Watching the
Entertainment at our Neighbor Park, Trophy Gardens

JD Pays Off His Bet
Over the The Agency Dance

JD is giving me that face again as I take a picture of him
helping to pay off the debt!

BUS TRIP - WINTER TEXAN APPRECIATION DAY
IN NUEVO PROGRESO