Snowbird News

Senior softball twice a week

By Mike Dunaway
Come join the Coastal Alabama Senior Softball group this winter by calling Wayne at 225-313-8516 or visiting coastalalabamaseniorsoftball.com for our complete schedule. We play twice a week in the mornings around 10 a.m. at either the Orange Beach or Gulf Shores Sportsplexes. We have local players, but we welcome and encourage snowbirds to join us. Our players are all over 50. We welcome females as well. See you there.
Pictured: Coastal Alabama Senior Softball Group representatives Mike Dunaway & John McCabe present Orange Beach Mayor Tony Kennon with a team uniform in appreciation of the city making its facilities available to the group for practices and games.

Son Sowers sewing group

The local chapter of Son Sowers, a community of local spirit filled individuals who are also handy with a needle in their hand, will host sew/sows the first and third Thursday of each month from 1- 3 p.m. at GSUMC classroon A138. The meetings consist of card making, cutting, embellishing, ironing and pattern tracing. For more info, contact Jackson at sewsowensuziastic@ gmail. com or 205- 753-0281. Future chapter meetings are: April 18, July 18 and Oct. 17.

Snowbird Play at SBCT

By Robert Gardner
In February, our Snowbirds return and put on their own show at South Baldwin Community Theatre (with the help of a little local talent)! The audience solves this comedy murder mystery and deduces which dummy did it.
All hell breaks loose and the laughs fly when five outrageous contestants show up at Vinnie’s Belly Laugh Club for the final talent competition. A ventriloquist with moving lips, a foul-mouthed stand-up comedian, a baton twirling bimbo, the flamboyant owner of a lip-synching poodle, a chanteuse with a questionable accent and a hypnotist with a twitch all fight to win the grand prize. When Vinnie turns up dead, they’re all suspects and the audience has the time of its life grilling them and fingering the murderer. Shows: February 8th through 12th & 15th through 19th. Tickets: SBCT.biz. South Baldwin Theatre
2022 West Second St. Gulf Shores.

Wisconsin Synod Lutherans

Gulf Shores area WELS/ELS members will have local church services with Holy Communion on February 5 & 19 at St Jude by the Sea Lutheran Church, 312 E 16th Ave, Gulf Shores. Services will start at 4 with Bible class to follow. For more info contact: Jim Diehm, jkdiehm@gmail.com or 231-598-0383.

Dulcimer Beginnner Lessons

By Irene Morrison
Mt Dulcimer Players meet Jan 9, until the beginning of March, Mondays 10-noon, St Andrew by the Sea, 17263 Fort Morgan Rd, Gulf Shores. Questions? Michelle 317-446-0500. Want to learn to play mt dulcimer? Free lessons Mondays 9-9:45 a.m. until mid-March. St Andrew by the Sea, 17263 Fort Morgan Rd, Gulf Shores. Dulcimers available to rent. Please call Michelle to register 317-446-0500.

New York

By Frank Panczyszyn
The New York Snowbirds will be meeting on February 9th and 23, and March 9th at Ginny Lanes at the Wharf in Orange Beach, AL at 11am. The NYers will order off their special lunch menu, with separate checks. That will be followed by a meeting, their 50-50 drawing, and door prizes. $1 per person is collected at registration for expenses and year end donations to the community. RSVP at nysnowbirds@gmail.com.

G.S. Men’s Snowbird Coffee Club

By Larry ColeBy
The Gulf Shores Men’s Snowbird Coffee Club will hold their first meeting of the season on Monday, January 2 at 8 a.m. All meetings are held at Ginny Lane Bar and Grill at the Wharf, 851 Wharf Pkwy. E., Orange Beach every Monday and Friday mornings from 7:30 – 8:30 a.m. Membership information is available at these meetings. The oldest continually active snowbird club has more than 200 members from twenty-six states and three Canadian provinces.

Sweet Harmony Chorus

By Pamula Rustan
Woman and men singers come join us! Sweet Harmony Chorus is a group of men and women snowbirds and local residents who like to sing acapella music in the barbershop close harmony style. We meet through mid-March, one day a week {Mondays 1:30 pm – 4:30 pm} for a limited commitment. All ranges of talent are welcome. We have training tapes for rapid learning. The chorusers have a lot of fun, laughs and musical experiences. We perform locally 3-4 times in February and March. And men who enjoy singing are welcome to join us. More info: Pamula Rustan, 701-260-0670 or email director at viewpt01@gmail.com oe sweetharmonychorus.org. Gulf Shores United Methodist Church is located at 1900 Gulf Shores Parkway.

Iowa

By Amos Glanz
The Iowa Snowbird Club invites its members and their guests to attend its next breakfast meeting on Wed., Feb. 22 at 8:30am at the Event Center at The Wharf, 4671 Wharf Parkway W., Orange Beach. We have Mike Turner, popular songwriter, as our presenter (miketurnersongwriter.com/about) and local author Linda Spangrud who will be holding a book signing of her 3rd children’s book. Breakfast is buffet-style at a cost of $17.00 each. Reservations are mandatory and cannot be cancelled after the deadline (Noon, Feb. 15). For reservations, see our website, Iowa-Alabamagulfcoastsnowbirds.org (preferred) or by texting/calling Chris at 319-430-4597. The Iowa Club charges no fees to join. We schedule several golf outings at various courses in the area. Visit our website for tee-times and to register.

Wisconsin

By Nancy Durgin
The WI Sno-bird Club will meet on Thursday, February 16, at the Orange Beach Event Center near the Wharf. Everyone from WI is invited to attend. We meet at 8:30 am for coffee and donuts with the meeting starting at 9 am. There will be books and puzzles for exchange and always door prizes! Golfing at GlenLakes and Sheepshead cards are played every Friday from 9 am to noon at the Gulf Shores American Legion on AL-59. You can sign up for a Golf Fun Day, Picnic, 8-Pin No Tap bowling, Trivia Night and a Zoo Fun Day. Keep Saturday, March 4, in mind for the Baldwin County Heritage Museum fund-raiser: the Jim Lorenz Memorial Jambalaya feast. It will be at the Museum on US-98 east of Elberta from 11 am – 2 pm. We also collect box tops from General Mills and Johnson & Johnson products, motel toiletries, empty printer ink cartridges and pop top rings. If you have any questions, concerns or comments, please contact Kenn at 251-967-2463 OR wissnobirds@yahoo.com.

Michigan

By Dave Ferguson
Michigan’s Club next meeting will be on February 16 at The Island Church, 25550 Canal Road in Orange Beach, Coffee 9 AM, meeting starts at 10 AM. During this this meeting, we will be collecting nonperishable food items, toiletries, and paper goods. Everything will be appreciated, and donations will go to the Island Church Food Bank. On February 13, 2023, we will be sponsoring the Pleasure Island blood drive at the Gulf Shores Adult Activities Center, 260 Clubhouse Drive from 9:00 to 3:00. The club’s final picnic will be Feb. 23 at noon. The location has been changed to the Orange Beach Events Center. Be sure to sign up at this week’s meeting. We will be golfing every Monday and Wednesday until March 8, 2023. Our golf schedule can be found at the Michigan Club website at “michiganclubalabama.com”. This year we are again welcoming all snowbirds from all the snowbird clubs to join our golf outings. Our next four golf outings and contacts are as follows: 2-13-23 at Rock Creek Golf course, call Sheri Plumley, 231-690-2686; 2/15/23 at Solders Creek Gulf Golf course, call Dave Ferguson 989-435-9085; 2/20/23 at Craft Farms Golf course (Cypress), call Bob Imhoff, 616-897-5290; 2/22/23 at Glen Lakes Golf course, call Dyna Lehman 517-983-8225. We will also have Ladies golf. It will be every Tuesday at Gulf Links Golf Center on 59. We will meet at 9:30 AM, with Tee times at 10. If you would like to join or have questions, contact Sue Beach at spbeach260@charter. net or phone number 231-429-0952.

Retired Law Enforcement Lunch

By Tom Westgate
The annual Snowbird Retired Law Enforcement Luncheon will be held at noon, Feb. 22 at the American Legion Post 44, 6781 Gulf Shores Pkwy (State Hwy 59), Gulf Shores. All retired and former law enforcement officers and their spouses are invited. Active officers are also welcome). We normally have police, corrections, court, and others that were/are involved in law enforcement. Please RSVP to Tom Westgate at (269) 252-7029 for a head count.

Indiana

By Becky Chatham-Heidenreich
You are so important to the Indiana Snowbird Club and we would like for you to join our club. Our third meeting will be Thur., Feb..9 and our last meeting will be Thursday, Feb. 23rd at 8 AM at the Orange Beach Community Center, 27280 Canal Rd. (it is on the left hand side of Canal Rd., just before #2 fire station.) Turn left at the first drive on the west side of the Center, park in the back parking lot and enter at the back door. Doughnuts, coffee, tea, and juice will be served. We have mandatory annual dues of $2.50 per person. There will also be a charge of $2.50 per person at each meeting for doughnuts. Please bring the correct currency or a check with you. Please contact Sharon Kimmel (260)229-4344 if you are attending. We do welcome walk-ins. We have door prizes and a 50/50 drawing.
Our speakers are: Feb. 9-Nicole Bryant-Sea, Sand, & Stars School at Orange Beach Elementary; Feb. 23-Brad Johnson-Recreation Facility Maintenance Coordinator Coastal Resources
A luncheon is planned for Mon., Feb. 20 at Original Oyster House just off SR 59. You do not need to be a member to attend, but reservations are requested to be made 3 days before the dinner you would like to attend. Please sign up at the meeting or call Becky Heidenreich (260)760-5130. Please leave a message with a phone number if your call is not answered.

Snowbird Trivia Feb. 11

The Friends of the Orange Beach Public Library are also hosting Snowbird Trivia Night on Saturday, February 11th at the Orange Beach Event Center. Locals are welcome. Doors open at 5 p.m. and play begins at 6 p.m. There are eight players per table, $160 per table. For more information, contact Sharon or Larry at 405-630-8731 and leave a message. Registration forms are available at the public libraries in Orange Beach and Gulf Shores.

Pennsylvania

The Pennsylvania Snowbird Club meets weekly for breakfast on Wednesdays in February, and the first two Wednesdays jn March. Breakfasts are at 9:00am at the Buzzcatz Restaurant on Canal Road in Orange Beach. For information call Rich Smith at 610-217-6674.

Gulf Shores Winter Concert Series Feb. 16 and March 3

The remaining Gulf Shores Winter Concert Series lineup includes Marc Broussard on Feb. 16 and Paul Thorn on March 2. Concerts will be held at the Erie Meyer Civic Center and tickets are $35 each. Shows begins at 7 p.m., and doors open at 5:30 p.m. Food trucks and a beverage tent will be onsite before and during the show. For more information, visit gulfshoresal.gov/winterconcertseries. Fans can also purchase tickets at the Gulf Shores City Store, located at 1821 Gulf Shores Pkwy during regular store hours: Monday through Friday 8 a.m.-5 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
More info: 251-968-1171.

Volunteers are needed for GSP Give Back Tuesdays

Give Back Tuesday community work days are back at Gulf State Park. Volunteers are needed for projects focusing on wildlife protection, trail maintenance, campground restoration, park beautification, and invasive species removal. Cmmunity work days are every Tuesday from 8 a.m. ‘til noon. More info: cindy.langston@dcnr.alabama.

Welcome Wednesdays at ‘Bama

Welcome Wednesdays potluck lunches are back at the Flora-Bama thru March 3. 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 $6 per person. The Flora-Bama is located directly on the Gulf at the Florida-Alabama state line.