Contributed by Kristine Vanacore
On Saturday, July 3, a momentous occasion occurred (drum role please) THE FIRST LPR GTG since the Covid shut-down in March of 2020. The 4th of July Celebration was hosted by the incredible Highley/Bennett team in the Highley’s beautiful backyard.. Attendance was limited to 30 guests and completely sold out – ok so 30 guests and 4 small dogs. The pups, Bennett’s Farley, Morgan’s Chico, and Highley’s Buster and Buddy provided lots of entertainment to all!
Best of all, Ken and June Iles made it to the feast. So good to see Ken up and around with June on his arm.
As always, the food provided was a wonder, especially those deviled eggs, right Greg Sickle?!? Multiple appetizers started out the event with Kevin manning the bar. “Keep those margaritas coming, Kevin,” I think I heard Peter Ridgway cry out. His wife Jacqueline was seen buzzing around helping our hosts with last minute details. I, on the other hand, was fulfilling my Vice Presidential duty collecting the money at the door.
Peter, Tony Vanacore and Bruce Moe were playing with fire, not really. They were tending the BBQ, grilling up hamburgers and polish sausages. Side dishes were an insane variety of Debbie Bennett’s yummy salads – coleslaw with pineapple, her famous potato salad, and a fruit salad that couldn’t be beat!
As everyone groaned and rubbed their full bellies, the Horse Races were announced. I’m not really sure how “handicapping” a race works. Guess I’m just math handicapped (ha!). Kevin figured out the odds after club members bet on their favorite nag. If you’ve never seen this game in play I can’t describe it exactly as it was played. Hopefully one of John Reed’s photos will feature the game. I hadn’t bet, so was appointed the dice roller. Every time I rolled the three dice, whatever numbers appeared from the roll gave that numbered horse a move towards the finish line. Emilie Highley was the big winner!
Following a short meeting outlining upcoming events, Peter expressed the clubs gratitude to the Bennetts and the Highley’s. In lieu of a hostess gift from the club the hosts requested that the hostess gift money be donated to Morgan Autism Center.
OK, dessert anybody? A full on ice cream sundae bar instantly appeared with all the fixings. Num, Num!!
At the end of the evening many hands helped with clean-up while the 4 pooches vacuumed up the seating areas.
Enormous thanks to the Bennett’s and the Highley’s for all their hard work!! It was greatly appreciated!