Newsletter: 12/5/2003

DECEMBER, 2003 NEWSLETTER DECEMBER, 2003 NEWSLETTER

THE CLRC OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS WOULD LIKE TO EXTEND SEASON'S GREETINGS TO ALL OUR MEMBERS AND THEIR FAMILIES. HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

IT'S OFFICIAL! The following individuals have been re-elected to serve for two years: Herb Koch, President, Bob Ciolino, Treasurer, and Directors Irwin Bross, Lyle Eimen, and Swav Kojro. The Election Committee wishes to thank all those who came to the run-meet to vote and those who mailed their ballot even though the positions were uncontested.

THE CLRC CHRISTMAS PARTY will be held on December 12 at Proksa Park, 30^th and Wisconsin Avenues in Berwyn, Illinois. This is a special event for the children and you are encouraged to attend with your children, grandkids, or nieces and nephews. The Berwyn Park District is joining your club to make this a special evening, at no cost to you. We are told that Santa Claus will be taking time from his busy schedule to present a gift to all the children who attend. He should arrive about 7:30 P.M. So bring the kids; have them run some trains, visit and have their picture taken with Santa, and have some pizza and soda. The layout should be up and running before six o'clock

OPERATION LIFESAVER will take place at Proksa Park on the following day, December 13. Your club is participating as one of the stations in the program. The layout will remain up over night at the park. Members are needed to help guests run trains on Saturday beginning about 9 A.M. If you can help, contact Herb Koch at (708) 361-2483 or at the party on Friday. Please wear your nametag and/or your club shirt if you have one. Take down will be Saturday afternoon.

THE JANUARY 2004 RUN-MEET will be held on January 16 in a church building next to the Ace Hardware Store located at 3935 W. Irving Park Road in Chicago (just east of the corner of Irving Park Rd. and Pulaski). The set up and run times are as usual. This is a good opportunity for some of the members from the north and west sides of Chicago to attend. The layout will remain there over night and will be open to the public on Saturday, January 17. Member Lou Napravnik, the owner of the Ace Hardware, is sponsoring this event. Both he and his son, Ken, were at the December meeting and explained the purpose of this" reach-out event" Members who will be helping on Saturday will get preferred parking and will be treated to lunch. Members are also offered a discount on Lionel items at the Ace Hardware. Again let Herb Koch know if you will help run trains.

IT'S TIME TO RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP! If the address label on this mailing says "Expires 2-2004" then you need to send your dues for next year. A form is enclosed with this newsletter. However, unlike years past we are not going to send a renewal form with the next three mailings. If you should misplace this form, you will have to go to our web site and down load one from there or see Bob Ciolino or Rich Thayer at a run-meet or special event and get another one. The form will be on our new web site at www.clrctrains.com, which should be up and running soon after the first of the year.

DURING THE BUSINESS MEETING HERB KOCH ANNOUNCED that there would only be one Boy Scout Merit Badge Jamboree which will be held on October 16 & 17, 2004. In addition he would like to see our club participate in the LOTS convention in Cincinnati, Ohio, and the LCCA convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Both of these conventions will be held in July 2004.

DIRECTOR JOHN FLINN REPORTED that the Spring Hill Mall Show may be cancelled so our participation in that event is uncertain. He also mentioned that the new volt meters have been installed on all transformers, and that there were still a few left if members wished to purchase them. John reminded everyone that the deadline for ordering the "city" club cars is January 31, 2004. Anyone interested in the special offer to purchase a club locomotive and a green or yellow CNW cylindrical hopper and receive an additional green hopper free should see John at a run-meet or contact him at (847) 541-7339. The price for this combination offer is $310 plus $10 shipping and applicable Illinois tax.

SOME ADDITIONAL ITEMS THAT WERE MENTIONED DURING THE BUSINESSMEETING WERE that we are working on doing something special for the club's 10^th anniversary in 2004. If anyone has an idea for a special event, contact Herb Koch or one of the Board members. Bob Ciolino brought everyone up to date on the search for a permanent home for the club and its layout.