In spite of hurricane clean-up, threatening rain, and a long detour to Big Island, our annual picnic on 11 October was a great success.

Fifty-four members and friends showed up bringing enough scrumptious covered dishes to make the tables sag. Our bellies bulged from over-indulgence on David Clement's superlative barbeque, coleslaw, and potato salad, and Thelma Jensen's buckets of fried chicken. We thank both of them for making our picnics so special each year with their wonderful contributions.

It takes a lot of people working together to coordinate our picnics. Besides doing all that cooking, David provides all those beautiful picnic tables (he makes them!) and the trailer full of canoes for everyone to enjoy after lunch. He also is the one who does all the shopping for food and table items. Tom Gregory oversees all the logistical items such as coordinating

volunteers, rounding up all the equipment necessary, ordering the port-a-john, and organizing the set-up of the site. Russell Williams, as he has done for many years, mows the lanes, the parking areas, and the picnic

site. Lynn Kinard mans the grill and cooks hamburgers and hotdogs to order. Pat Tyrrell provides shuttle service for all guests before and after the picnic. Reece Kain places all the FODR signs along the roads and picks them up at the end of the day. Don Tyrrell provides the gas grill and helps with the table set-up. And there is always a group of ladies who set up the table of food and see to all the kitchen duties. And this year, Felicity Ericson stood duty at the FODR table, collecting fees, selling T-shirts and sweatshirts, answering questions, and running errands.

And even though they were unable to attend this year, two people are always a big part of the picnic scene. Davis and Sharon Rhodes are usually the first to arrive at the site (sometimes around 8 a.m. - remember, they have to drive from Chesapeake!) and start unpacking a trailer, full of everything from rope, nuts and bolts, to lawn chairs, drinking water and ice. Even though they weren't there this year, Davis brought his trailer up to the site early with all those items that we simply couldn't do without.

Many others also helped out in many ways and we thank all of you for your help and support each year to make our picnics memorable and happy occasions.

Teta Kain