Thank you for a wonderful year. We have done a great deal and have achieved much. All of the cooperation and consideration was tremendous. Thanks to the Board of Officers for helping guide and support when we all needed a little help. To Joan Crowell, who ensured a lovely final Chapter Night, thanks for your Family Involvement meeting. Thanks also to all the new candidates and their families for becoming ladies of the Moose. Thanks to Governor Ray Tuttle and members of his Board, including Tom Meadows, Richard DuBrock, Fred Jewitt, Gene File, and Bob Hollowell, for coming to the open meeting. Also, thanks to the Fellows who attended, in addition to those just mentioned: Norm Donohue, Bob Cushman, Bill Cressman, Mark Suder, and Tom O’Toole.

Last but not least, I would like to say a big Thank You to my husband, Tom O’Toole. I would not have been able to do it all if not for his support. I know at times I drove him up the wall, but he was always there to help and lend a hand when needed. It has been a pleasure. Now on to bigger and better years. Gail O’Toole

Hello Everyone,

For those of you who do not know, I am Jan Richardson and I am now beginning my year as your new Senior Regent. If you don’t know me, please do not hesitate to come up and introduce yourself. I would like to get to know you!!

I would also like to take this time to invite old and new Co-Workers alike to attend our meetings – the 2^nd and 4^th Tuesdays of the month at 7:00 p.m. We have some great times and you will be surprised at all of the fun you can have and people you will get to know.

I would like to commend the wonderful Co-Workers who have been your Officers for the past year – Gail O’Toole, Sr. Regent; Gloria Ebersole, Jr. Grad Regent; Jayelynn Krupczak, Jr. Regent; Agnes Smith, Chaplain; Pat Beaudoin, Secretary/Treasurer; and Helen DuBrock, Recorder. They did an outstanding job!! Their dedication and belief in what the Women Of The Moose (WOTM) is all about was shown in everything they accomplished this past year. The many fun social events they planned and held throughout the year, the excellent community service activities they were involved in, the great support they gave to our LOOM Brothers, the dedication and support to Mooseheart and Moosehaven, and the wonderful job they did in increasing our membership. You can tell they really put their hearts into it. They deserve a very large "thank you" from all of us. The next time you see them, please let them know how special they are. However, they will tell you - they could not have accomplished what they did without the help and support of their Chairmen, Appointed Officers, the LOOM Officers, and each of you. No one can accomplish all we do alone. It was a great year and I only hope that the upcoming year will be as great.

By the time you read this message we will already have held our Installation of Officers for the new year and attended our semi-annual WOTM Conference in Tampa in April. We already have several functions planned for the May/June timeframe that we hope you will participate in.

Our first Enrollment meeting of the new year will be held Tuesday, May 13^th at 7:00 p.m. This is a very special meeting because we are very proud to be honoring our 5 Co-Workers (Eleanor Colletrella, Agnes Smith, Nunzia Maine, Carol Meeks, and Denise Jansen) who received their Academy of Friendship degree at our Conference in Tampa. There will be a special "ring ceremony" honoring these Co-Workers along with our enrollment that night. Please make every effort to attend and support our Co-Workers.

On May 3^rd we will be having a "Cinco de Mayo" party in the Social Quarters. We will have Mexican food and of course, plenty of margaritas will be available.

On Saturday, May 10^th we will be supporting our LOOM Brothers with the Annual Special Olympics activities. We will need volunteers to help with the shuffleboard, pool, darts, horseshoes, and plenty of dancing and food for all of the special attendees. It is a very rewarding and enjoyable day for all who participate. If you would like to volunteer, please contact Ray Tuttle who will be heading up this event.

Some of us will be attending our International Conference in Chicago the last week of May. Our Ritual Team will be competing on Sunday, May 25^th. Please keep good thoughts for them on that day. Believe me, they will be thinking of all the folks here in Florida who helped them get this opportunity!! We are very proud of them and know they will make us even prouder at that time. We wish each of them all the luck in the world. We also want to congratulate Ellie Hollowell who will be receiving her College Degree at Mooseheart during that conference. Congratulations Ellie!!!!

Don’t miss the first meeting in June (June 10^th) because we will be informing you of all that we learned at the International conference – so please make sure you attend to keep up with the latest changes/ information we receive.

I would also like to remind all members, we have a beautiful Lodge home and if anyone is interested in holding a wedding reception – the WOTM do a wonderful job of helping you make that day a special occasion for the bride. I know from experience, they work with the family as it is planned, make sure everything is done to their satisfaction (food, set-up, decorations, etc. -- and then even do all the cleanup afterward). Gail Garrison and Marcelle Wetherington would be glad to discuss your plans with you. Give the Lodge office a call and they will get you in touch with one of them.

In closing, I would like to speak for all of your new officers, (myself; Gail O’Toole, Jr. Grad Regent; Agnes Smith, Jr. Regent; Joanie Meadows, Chaplain; Judy Edwards, Secretary/Treasurer; and Ellie Hollowell, Recorder). "Thanks to all of you for your confidence in us by electing us for this new year". But please know that we are only in these positions to serve the WOTM and each of you Co-Workers. But, as I said earlier in this message – we cannot do it alone. We need each of you to participate. If we have failed to ask for your help – please don’t think that means we don’t need it or want it. It means we don’t know what you would like to help with. Please attend our meetings. Let us know what your interests are, what types of activities you would like to see our Chapter involved in, or what unique talent you may have that you would like to share. We also want you to continue to invite your friends and relatives to join in our great organization. It takes a "team" to be a successful Chapter and that is what we want ours to be – "successful".

Yours in "Faith", "Hope" and "Charity",

Jan