December 17th will be our annual Christmas dinner/meeting night at Creekmore Park in Ft Smith. This year we'll be having TURKEY as the main dish, and our members and friends are all invited to bring a dish to round out a big meal.

Follow this discussion as we add dishes according to what has or has NOT already been promised for the meal. This is always a great meeting and dinner and I look forward to seeing every AOAS member that evening at the dinner table.

This year will see some new and unique entertainment that everyone is sure to enjoy. Bring your friends and families.

See everyone there!!!

Hi!

We (Lora and I) are bringing broccoli casserole.

I'm inputting the dish for Dr. Larson and his wife, Loretta. They will be bringing a Sweet Potato Casserole.

The usual--Rolls and Pumpkin and/or Mincemeat Pie.

I've relocated my message from Charley about who's bringing what for Christmas dinner. The additions to the menu items above thus far are:

Roberta -Swedish Meatballs
Cathy -Green Salad
Sylvia -Cranberry desert
Bob -Mashed potatoes and Potato Salad

Don't be shy about offering up a dish that you enjoy fixing and sharing. Our December dinner/meeting has some of the best food you've ever had. But more important than the food is our getting together as friends. I hope all of you can make it out to this dinner/meeting. It may very well be the last time we meet at Creekmore Park.

I'll bring deviled eggs and something else.

Yummy, yummy! I can't wait!

Question? Do we each bring something to drink or is the club providing? Do any of us need to bring plates, napkins, etc?

Roberta

Good question, Roberta. Usually someone volunteers for each of those. If no one has volunteered for plates and utensils, and if no one else has volunteered for the drinks, then we need to pick that up by the club. I'll send out an email to everyone with an email address and see if we can get those items volunteered for.

I'll make sure that I pick up whatever we need of these items when I pick up the turkey a couple of days before the meeting.

Thanks

I can bring some drinks and if I have time and ambition I can bring some macoroni and cheese.

I've received news that Dave and Lora Grosvold will be unable to attend the dinner/meeting next Friday night. That's a broccoli casserole up for dibs if anyone wants to claim that as their dish to bring.

Like so many folks, Dave has other Christmas parties scheduled with two happening next week other than the AOAS party. We'll miss them this year, but we will be changing our date to meet from the third Friday to the fist Friday of even numbered months. This change has been accepted with not just approval but with praise. It seems all of us would rather have the date changed to the first weekend and we all liked the idea of changing oyur meeting site to the River Parks meeting rooms downtown at Harry E. Kelly Park under Garrison Ave Bridge, too. We'll be meeting in the west side room overlooking the Arkansas River every meeting there beginning February 4th, 2005.

Changing our dinner/meeting date for the first Friday of December 2005 will put us meeting on the night of the 2nd. I'm certain we'll have better turnouts from now on because of these two changes. Maybe we'll have all our members in attendance there next year.

The announcement will be made official at the dinner/meeting, next Friday, December 17th, at Creekmore Park. This will be the last meeting for AOAS in Creekmore Park after 19 years of meetings there. Come see us off to our new meeting room, by saying goodbye to our old one next weekend.

I hope to see everyone there.
Bob

I guess it goes without saying that Lora and I are disappointed that we can't make it to the Christmas Dinner/Meeting this year. We have found that the last weekend before the holidays is always absolutely nuts from the standpoint of activites we are expected to attend. I'm afraid that this year, the company Christmas party has won out. Since it's in Bentonville, it will be impossible for us to try to get by the AOAS gathering on the same evening.

We do want to express our warmest holiday wishes to everyone, and we are gratified at the support and progress that the AOAS has enjoyed over the past year. We feel very strongly that the AOAS and Coleman Observatory are both worthy endeavors, and deserve our support. See you all next year!

Happy Holidays!

I have some platters (not just ordinary plates) for us to use at the party. I hope that you arrive hungary!

I am looking forward to the party, but I am sad that so many of our usual group won't be there. I agree that moving the meeting date will really help.

Roberta

I don't really like broccoli ...But I will be glad to bring a green bean casserole.
Frank