President’s Message – December 2023

Well, it’s finally here, the last month of 2023.  If you’re like me, you have to look at the calendar to believe it’s the end of another year. I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving and are preparing for the celebration of the end-of-year holidays. With the hustle and bustle of the next few weeks, let’s make sure to remember what we’re really celebrating and give thanks for the opportunity to live in the greatest country on earth.

As we wrap up another year at the CFMC, we are pleased that our club continues to recover from the effects of the pandemic. We have increased the number of our club activities and events this year while maintaining our membership levels. I want to thank all those members who have hosted events this past year as well as the members who supported them through their participation.  I hope that these trends continue into the coming year. It is essential that our members support our club through participating and hosting club activities throughout the year.

As we announced recently, our CFMC annual meeting and holiday party will be held on January 14, 2024, at the Circa 1922 restaurant in Wilmington.  As a part of our celebration, we’ll be electing new officers for 2024-2025.  This includes a new president of our club.  I have appointed a nominating committee to identify potential candidates.  I encourage any member that is interested in volunteering to be a candidate for the upcoming president vacancy, to contact me (rcarmike@aol.com), Tom Pane (toe45@aol.com) or Paul Reinmann (reinmannpf@gmail.com) with your expression of interest NLT December 15, 2023. We’ll also continue the tradition of the “Yankee Swap” gift exchange at the holiday celebration.  Because of the limited space available, attendees are asked to advise Rick and Judy Judson of your plans to attend ASAP.  Please see the details on this event in this month’s Ragtop Tales newsletter.

As a reminder, 2024 dues are payable by December 31, 2023. Please see Mary Sue Wahl’s article in this month’s newsletter for details and other important information.

Please remember the United States “day of infamy” on December 7, commemorating the 82nd anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. The number of living veterans of World War II is rapidly dwindling. We must never forget the “greatest generation” nor the subsequent generations of men and women, and their families, who have answered the call of service and sacrifice for our country.  We have the freedoms we enjoy due to the price they have paid for all of us.

I wish each CFMC member and their families a joyous, safe, and happy holiday season and my hope for a new year filled with peace, joy, happiness and good health. I’ll see you soon!  Zoom-Zoom!

Ron Carmichael

President’s Message – May 2023

Spring is in full bloom and summer is just around the corner. As I write this month’s column, Judy and I are in Boise, Idaho for a reunion. Spring is a later arrival here with snow cover at the higher elevations. Spring blooms are about 3-4 weeks behind our area, but you can tell it’s…

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President’s Message – April 2023

Spring is in full swing!  And this year is flying by, with one quarter of the year now past.  April is the month of resurgence and renewed growth.  We celebrate important religious holidays of Easter and Passover along with the 53rd anniversary celebration of Earth Day which occurs on April 22.  And of course our…

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President’s Message – March 2023

Not yet!  March is here and with it, St. Patrick’s Day and the much awaited coming of spring.  We’ve been teased lately with spring-like weather, but the 70- and 80-degree temperatures that have blessed our area for the past couple of weeks are premature  As any native North Carolinian knows, when March comes in like…

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