Snowbird NEWS

Michigan

By Dan Mills
The Michigan Club of Alabama meets at The Island Church on Canal Rd. Jan. 22, Feb. 5, Feb. 19, and March 56. Doors open at 9 AM, with the meeting starting at 10AM. Join us for coffee and donuts, fellowship and fun, as well as opportunities to win coupons, discounts, and prizes. Membership is just $5! Michigan Club 9 hole golf is every Tuesday at 10AM at Gulf Links in Foley. The first Michigan Club Breakfast scheduled for January 29th. More info: michiganclubalabama.com. The Michigan Club of Alabama meets on Thursday mornings at The Island Church on Canal Road. The Club meets Jan. 22, Feb. 5 and 19, and March 5. The doors open at 9AM to gather and kibitz, with the meeting starting at 10:00. Join us for coffee and donuts, fellowship and fun, as well as opportunities to win coupons, discounts, and prizes. Membership is just $5! And if you are looking for opportunities to golf, 9 hole golf meets every Tuesday at 10AM at Gulf Links in Foley, and 18 hole golf dates are Jan. 15 and 23 at Glen Lakes, Foley. The first Michigan Club Breakfast is Jan. 29 at 8AM at Tacky Jacks, Gulf Shores.

G.S. Speaker Series every Friday

Gulf Shores will present a speaker series on Fridays in January and February from 10:30 – 11:30 a.m. at the Gulf Shores Activity Center, 260 Clubhouse Drive, Gulf Shores. The series features a different expert each week to discuss a specific topic.
• Jan. 23: Emily Blejwas, representing Alabama Folklife will lecture about the traditions and stories that shape the state’s identity.
• Jan. 30: Archaeologist Curry Weber will discuss artifacts and discoveries across the Gulf Coast.
• Feb. 6: Danielle Green will discuss the Wounded Warrior Project and its work with veterans.
• Feb. 13: Dr. Susan McCready from the University of South Alabama will speak about modern and classical language and literature.
• Feb. 20: Sarah Bliss Wright will speak on Alabama cotton and the Bemis Bags story. Her talk will connect agriculture, industry and local history.

Wisconsin Synod Lutherans

Gulf Shores area WELS/ELS members will have local church services with Holy Communion on Jan. 11 & 25 and Feb. 1 & 15 at St Jude by the Sea Lutheran Church, 312 E 16th Ave, Gulf Shores. Services will start at 4 with Bible class to follow. More info: Yvonne Quint at 262-599-9607 or email jyquint@wi.rr.com .

Indiana

By Kari Glebe
Indiana Snowbirds Club will continue bi-weekly Breakfast meetings. The next is on January 29th at GT’s on the Bay; doors open 7:45, breakfast 8 am, 26351 Canal Rd OB; $14 pp. Enjoy an amazing buffet breakfast, door prizes, & area speakers!
Our club president will be calling BINGO on Wednesday, Jan. 21 and Feb. 18 at Picnic Beach in Gulf Shores! Cards are $1 each and proceeds will be donated to a charity of our choice!
Also, Artsy Fartsy Fridays are at 3pm, biweekly, starting on January 23 at Picnic Beach in Gulf Shores. We will be paint wine glasses on Jan. 23 and Mardi Gras necklaces with beads on Feb. 6! RSVP by the Wednesday prior on Facebook or email.
Hoosier Social Lunches will continue at Lulu’s, 200 E 25th Ave. in Gulf Shores on Monday, Feb. 2 @ 11am. Followed by the Original Oyster House on Feb. 16. We are also working on a Dinner Dolphin Cruise. Cost is $30 pp. Please watch Facebook or email for more information. Check out our Facebook page for more club info.

SnowBird Cribbage

SnowBird Cribbage – Every Friday through Friday March 27, 2026 at 1:30 pm at the American Legion Post 99, 2101 S McKenzie St. in Foley.

“Murder in the Building” Dinner Theatre

“Murder in the Building,’’ a Gulf Coast REP production, will take stage in Magnolia Hall, which is nestled within Luna’s Eat & Drink Courtyard on Canal Road in Orange Beach, every Wednesday in January and February. Tickets are $55.60 including dinner, which will be served beginning at 5:30 p.m. Showtime is 8:30 p.m. Dates are Jan. 21, 28, and Feb. 4, 11, 25. For more info or tickets, visit gulfcoastrep.com

Missouri Snowbirds

By Mark Rethemeyer
We have multiple activities every week during January and February, and you are invited and encouraged to join us. It is just this easy – go to our website and sign-up for our activities – and then just show up. missourisnowbirds.org.Like us on Facebook: Missouri Club of Gulf Shores. You don’t have to be from Missouri to join us. We meet weekly for breakfast at Tacky Jacks on Wednesday mornings; Golf Scramble at GlenLakes Golf Club on Wednesday afternoons, and Happy Hour at Cobalt’s on Mondays. We have other parties and activities planned, but you’ll have to go to our site to sign up.

Fish-Fry every Friday at St. Thomas

The Knights of Columbus at St. Thomas by the Sea in Orange Beach will be offering their delicious fish fry for eight consecutive Fridays from 4-6 p.m. through February. The menu includes fried whitefish, fries, hush puppies, and your choice of green beans or cole slaw. Drink offerings include lemonade, tea, and coffee, along with a cookie dessert for only $15. Beer and wine are available for an additional donation. Musical entertainment will be provided by Joe Lila, one of our snowbird friends from Wisconsin. All proceeds go to charitable organizations in the Alabama coastal community.

Beginner pickleball clinics every Wed.

By Sam Strite
Bama Beach Pickleball Club is offering beginner’s clinics from 1-4 p.m. every Wednesday at the Church of Christ, 2414 West First Street in Gulf Shores. Get there early, as each class will be limited to the first 30 participants.
More info: SandraDavino@gmail.com. Cost is $5 per session, and the clinic will run every Wednesday until further notice.

Tacky Jacks Winter of Fun

Tacky JacksWinter of Funs at its Gulf Shores and Orange Beach locations continues thru mid-February. For updates, reservations, and the calendar, visit tackyjacks.com or social media. Schedule:
• Monday, Jan. 26, 10-11:30 am (Gulf Shores) – “Beachy Ball Cap” – Create your own custom ball cap using patches, paint, and accessories. All ages lunch and learn $30 includes a $10 Tacky Jacks Gift Card. RSVP online.
• Tuesday, Jan. 27, 10-11:30 am (Orange Beach) – “Create-with-Paint – Pinecone Flowers on Wood” Learn how to make a custom art piece.
• Monday, February 2, 10-11:30 am (Gulf Shores) – “Tie-Dye Mardi Gras Scarf” – Create a one-of-a-kind Tie-Dye Mardi Gras scarf and look fabulous.
• Tuesday, February 3, 10-11:30 am (Orange Beach)- “Mardi Gras Shoes” – reate your own pair of Mardi Gras shoes. Choose adult sizes from 5 to 10.

Snowbird Coffee Feb. 3 at The Grove

The Grove, a 55 and over community on County Rd. 12 in Foley (8647 Arlington Dr.) will host a Snowbird Coffee Meet & Greet on Tuesday, Feb. 3 from 9 a.m. ‘til noon. Enjoy live entertainment and conversation in a 55 plus community setting. The event includes refreshments, music bingo, welcome bags and gift card giveaways. For more info, visit grove.heilercommunities.com.

Frank Calma Memorial Snowbird Dance Jan. 30

Get ready to welcome back the Snowbirds at the Frank Calma Memorial Dance which will be held on Friday, Jan. 30 from 6-9 p.m. at the Foley Civic Center, 407 E. Laurel Avenue (Hwy. 98). Again this year the dance will be a tribute to John Brust who blessed our lives for the last 40 years here on the Gulf Coast with the Allstar Band. John went to be with the Lord on June 29, 2023 and our lives are forever changed. BYOB- Setups, Chips, soft drinks and water will be furnished. Feel free to bring appetizers. Entry is $25 per person, casual dress. Ticket info: 251-752-7422 and 251-504-8904
Jerry Anderson has put the Allstar Band togetther , and we want you all to be with us as we continue to celebrate a tribute to John Brust and the All-star Band. It will be a wonderful evening of dancing and celebrating the music of this band.
This will be the 18th Annual Frank Calma Memorial Welcome Back Snowbirds Dance sponsored by the Knights of Columbus, Elberta Council 2736 to raise money for local charities. John and Jerry are the reason our dance has been so successful. Frank’s dream has been realized each and every year because of this band. So thankful for their support all these years and our sponsors, volunteers, and most of all the dancers! Thank You! See you on the dance floor!

Pennsylvania

By Donald Minteer
The Pennsylvania Snowbirds group will be meeting again starting Jan 7 thru the second week in March every Wednesday at 9 am at Buzzcatz. We have a good time of fellowship and wonderful door prizes are given out donated by local businesses and individuals. Please join us. For further information, call Don Minteer, president, at 724-498-3472.

Retired Law Enforcement Luncheon Feb. 19

By Tom Westgate
The annual Snowbird Retired Law Enforcement will be held at noon on Feb. 19,2026 at the American Legion Post 44, 6781 Gulf Shores Pkwy
(Hwy 59) in Gulf Shores. All retired and former law
enforcement and their spouses are invited. Active enforcement officers are also welcome. We normally have police, corrections, court, state, federal, and others that were/are involved in law enforcement. RSVP to Tom Westgate by calling or texting at (269) 252-7029 or a head count.

Welcome Wednesdays at ‘Bama

Welcome Wednesdays potluck lunches are back at the Flora-Bama every Wednesday from Jan. 7 thru Feb. 25 from 11 a.m. ‘til 2 p.m. The weekly lunch features live music, followed by drawings for goods, services and merchandise compliments of the Flora-Bama and local businesses. Music begins at 11 a.m. The noon buffet is free for those bringing a covered dish. The Flora-Bama is located directly on the Gulf at the Florida-Alabama state line. More info: florabama.com/events.

Seniors can enjoy zoo for $10 on Wednesdays

Every Wednesday thru Feb. 25, The Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo in Gulf Shores will offer senior adults (age 62 and over) regular admission at a discounted price of $10. The zoo is open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m, and additional adventures may be added such as Giraffe Feeding ($5), Sulcata Tortoise Feeding ($5), South American Sloth Adventure ($24.95), and Destination Madagascar Lemur Adventure ($24.95). All animal adventures are weather permitting.
The non-profit zoo cares for over 280 animals and connects the Gulf Coast community to wildlife and the importance of conservation. More info: alabamagulfcoastzoo.org.

Illinois

By Lu Douglas
Breakfast, January 9 & 23, Friday 7:45
February 6 & 20, Friday 7:45 at GT’s On the Bay-Orange Beach, 6189 Canal Rd. Reservations are Necessary 1wk Before. Call Lu Douglas 815-541-9952 Or Bobbi Butler 630-532-7397.
IL Potlucks & Games: January 22, Thursday 5:00 pm: February 12, Thursday 5:00 pm. Both events at Orange Beach Senior Ct. Bring a dish to pass.

Off The Wall Dulcimer Club

By Michelle Fife
All players are welcome! There are free lessons are from 9-9:45 a.m. Rental dulcimers are available for $25 for the winter, (plus a refundable $20 deposit). The beginner book, First Lessons in Mountain Dulcimer by Joyce Ochs is available for purchase for $15. There is a jam session each Monday from 10-noon. We meet at St. Andrew By The Sea Community Church,17263 Ft. Morgan Rd. in Gulf Shores through March 9. Enter the through the rear door
A workshop with Dee Dee Tibbits, a professional musician from Michigan, is planned for Feb. 9. Reservations and more info: 317 446-0500.

New York

By Frank Panczyszyn
The New York Snowbirds return to the Alabama-Florida Gulf Coast for another winter of great weather, socializing, golf, and fundraising. They will also gather at Ginny Lane on Jan. 22, Feb. 5 and 19, and March 5. Registration is at 11 a.m., followed by lunch. A $1 per person donation is requested to help cover administrative costs and lunch for guest speakers. There will be a 50-50 raffle to create a treasury for donations to the needs of the communities who host us. Door prizes will also be made thanks to the generosity of local businesses and individual donations. Reservations are required by email to nysnowbirds@gmail.com, at least 3 days before the scheduled luncheons.

Iowa

By Sue Holst
All Iowans and their guests are welcome to all club events held through March; no membership fee. Our January and February breakfast meeting location will again be at GT’s On The Bay, 26189 Canal Road in Orange Beach. Reservations must be made by noon one week prior to the event. Sign-up through alabamagulfcoastsnowbird.org (preferred), or by calling Chris Hedlund at 319-430-4597. No late reservations. Upcoming breakfast meetings are Jan. 28, Feb. 11 and Feb. 25.
Attendees have an opportunity to invest in a Calendar Drawing and a 50/50 lottery where half of the proceeds are used to help defray club expense.
Our first cocktail party is Jan. 23 from 5p.m. – 7p.m. at the Caribe Resort, Building D, 28103 Perdido Beach Boulevard, Orange Beach. Please park in an unnumbered parking space or any outside of the parking deck. Reservations are not required. Bring your own beverage and a dish to share (plates/utensils provided). Golf schedule and sign-up for tee times is on the club website. Check site often for updates, sign-ups, and a listing of activities.

Wisconsin

The Wisconsin Sno-bird Club will gather at the Orange Beach Event Center (4671 Wharf Parkway) (OBEC) on Thursday, January 22, at 8:30 am for coffee and donuts with the meeting beginning promptly at 9 am. We have a puzzle/book exchange and collect: box tops from General Mills and Johnson & Johnson, motel-size soap and toiletries, pop-top rings and empty printer cartridges at each meeting. There will be a speaker and information about volunteer opportunities, day trips, music and Mardi Gras events as well as a potluck and picnic to sign up to attend. Join us if you are from WI! Meet other Sno-birds from your area of the state.
Sheepshead card players get together every Friday from 9 am to noon at The Lighthouse, 455 E. Beach Blvd, Gulf Shores. Golfers meet at GlenLakes, so ask about special rates. Our 3rd meeting will be Wednesday, February 4, at the. OBEC as above. More info: (715) 927-3927 OR wissnobirds@ yahoo.com.

Minnesota

By Nancy Poferl
The 2026 Minnesota Snowbird group meets weekly for breakfast Tuesday mornings – Jan 27, Feb 3, 10, 24 – at GT’s on the Bay. Registration is required one-week prior to the breakfast, each week. Registration form is available on our website at mnal.org. All snowbirds are welcome, old & new. A great place to meet new friends and reconnect with old friends. We also host golf events weekly on Monday & Thursday’s at various 18 hole courses in the area. See website for details at mnal.org and/or email inquiries to Mnsnowbird1@mnal.org.

Sweet Harmony/Barbershop Chorus

By Pamula Rustan
Men & Women Singers Come Join Us. The Sweet Harmony Chorus/ Four Winds Barbershop Chorus. Time: 2 pm – 4 pm Every Monday through Feb. 23. Place: Choir Room at GSMC (Gulf Shores Methodist Church). Website: sweetharmonychorus. org.
Sweet Harmony Chorus & the Four Winds Barbershop Chorus are combining to form a Mixed Barbershop Chorus; who like to sing acapella music in the barbershop close harmony style. We are inviting any men or women who would enjoy singing to join us. More info: 701-260-0670. Also visit us on our website sweetharmonychorus.org.

Gulf Shores Snowbird Coffee Club

By Larry Cole
The Gulf Shores Snowbird Coffee Club meetings will be held every Monday morning from 8 – 8:30 a.m. through early March at Ginny Lane Bar and Grill at the Wharf, 4851 Wharf Pkwy. E.,
Orange Beach. Doors open at 7 a.m. and membership information is available at these meetings. The oldest continually active snowbird club, celebrating 49 years, has more than 200 members from twenty-six states and three Canadian provinces. Besides raising money for local charities, the club holds weekly golf outings, and conducts breakfast meetings for members and spouses.

Michigan Club Low Country Boil is Jan. 31

In conjunction with the Michigan Club, St. Andrew by the Sea Community Church will host a Low Country Boil on Saturday, Jan. 31. A delicious meal of shrimp, sausage, potatoes, corn and green beans along with a roll and a drink will be served for $20. per person. There will be three seatings for the meal: Noon, 1:30pm and 3pm. Tickets are available at the church office during regular hours or by phone at 251-968-3900. Proceeds from the event will be donated to the St. Andrew by the Sea Preschool.
St. Andrew by the Sea is located at 17263 Fort Morgan Road in Gulf Shores. More info: 251-968-3900.
Blending the strengths of staff and skills of community partners, the St. Andrew Preschool aims to provide a rich learning environment that will encourage children’s native curiosity and develop school readiness.
St. Andrew by the Sea is a multi-denominational church where all are welcome to worship. While the Preschool will reflect broadly shared values, all families, religious and non-religious, will be welcome.

Perdido Key Hootenannies

Visiting snowbirds are invited to Snowbird Hootenanny events to be held at the Flora-Bama. Enjoy some live pickin’-and-grinnin’ music as well as games and door prizes, followed by a delicious lunch provided by the legendary Flora-Bama chefs. The next hootenanny on Jan. 23 is beach bum party. The theme is rock your decade. Feb. 6 is Beach House Saloon and the theme on Feb. 20 is Mardi Gras Mambo. Admission for each event is $10. Tickets are limited and can be purchased online at VisitPerdido.com, or in person at the Perdido Key Area Chamber, 15500 Perdido Key Dr.

Trivia Night Feb. 28 at O.B. Event Center

New name, same incredible event! Annual Winter Trivia will be held on Saturday, Feb. 28 at 6 p.m. at the Orange Beach Event Center. Doors open at 5 p.m. Proceeds support the South Baldwin Literacy Council and Orange Beach Public Library. Register online at southbaldwinliteracycouncil.com. Tables of eight are $160. Individual tickets are $20.
Participants can also drop off registration and payment to drop boxes at the Orange Beach, Gulf Shores and Foley libraries, or mail or drop off to South Baldwin Literacy Council, 21441 US Hwy 98 Foley, AL 36535. The deadline is Feb. 20. More info: 251-943-7323.
As always, bring your own food and drink. There is also a prize for Best Table Theme. The competition consists of 8 rounds of 10 questions. Mulligans allow one free answer per round. Pick-A-Pot Tickets are available on the night of the event. Heads/Tails contest during the mid-evening stretch.

Gulf Shores area WELS/ELS members

Gulf Shores area WELS/ELS members will have local church services with Holy Communion on Jan. 25 and Feb. 1 & 15 at St Jude by the Sea Lutheran Church, 312 E 16th Ave, Gulf Shores. Services will start at 4 with Bible class to follow. More info: Yvonne Quint at 262-599-9607 or email jyquint @wi.rr.com .

Masonic Lodge chicken dinner Feb. 7

Sonora Masonic Lodge #635 F&AM will hold its 2026 annual fried chicken dinner fundraisers on Saturday, Feb. 7 and March 7 from 11 am-1 pm or until supplies last at 202 E. Jackson Street in Summerdale. Adult plates will be $12 and a child’s plate will be $6. Delivery is available on multiple plate orders. The dinners will include chicken, mashed potatoes with gravy, cole slaw, green beans and complimentary tea and dessert for dine-in guests. Proceeds generated from the fundraiser will be used towards monthly lodge expenditures, providing scholarships and supporting local community and school events. More info: edeanmott@gmail.com or Facebook page.

Fish-fry every Friday at St. Thomas by the Sea

The Knights of Columbus at St. Thomas by the Sea in Orange Beach will be offering their delicious fish fry every friday in Jan. and Feb. from 4-6 pm. Fried whitefish, fries, hush puppies, and your choice of green beans or cole slaw, lemonade, tea, and coffee, along with a cookie dessert for only $15. Beer and wine will be available. Musical entertainment will be provided by Joe Lila-one of our snowbird friends from Wisconsin. All proceeds go to charitable organizations in the Alabama coastal community.