Last week we enjoyed our annual Christmas party, complete with a Cavalcade of Costumes and Yankee Swap. MC for the evening was the unforgettable Laurie Zimmerli, who claimed that (a) her mother ensured that she learn a plethora of new words; and (b) that she isn’t tacky, she just riffs off what is said by her audience. Which in this case is us. 

We suspect that a number of outfits were purchased on the Thrift Shop Layaway Plan – you know, borrowed today and returned tomorrow. In any case, the audience appreciation of Christmas costumes – ugly sweaters, Holiday glamour and just plain fun – showed that there were many favorites, but in the end, Judy deGraw’s Christmas elf won by acclamation. This author thinks honorable mention should go to Sue Hochstein, for perpetually standing under the mistletoe.   

Then the Main Event: The most important rule of the evening was that the word of the MC is the final word; don’t bother arguing. Brian McGrath chose the first (and last) ticket, and most popular items went toward hard liquor – last year’s penchant for lower-proofed wine was indeed a remnant of Christmas past. We also learned that Tom Churchill has a hard time understanding Monica’s instructions when it comes to tacky gift avoidance. Jeff Long opened the much-sought-after scratch-off ticket, and Irene Fowle the dreaded socks. All in all, a fun night for all. 

The evening was tempered by the loss of Craig Tukey, long time member, past president and a remarkably kind and loving man. In many ways, his death represents the end of a generation, and we are the lesser for losing him.   

The Clubhouse will be dark for the next two weeks; our next meeting will be Jan. 4. Meanwhile, the Big Gray Rotary barn, after a remarkably successful year, will close its doors until April. 

But the work of Rotary continues. The club has a fundraiser for the Home Heating Oil fund underway: We’ve pledged to match $5,000 of donations by the local community. You can donate online at https://givebutter.com/RotaryFuelFundMatch.    

And at their last meeting, the Board voted to pledge $10,000 toward a grant to partner with Partners for World Health and outfit a healthcare facility in Uganda. As word spread of our commitment, a Ugandan businessman pledged $5,000 to join us. More will be discussed at a Zoom meeting to be held this week; stay tuned for more information. All that is really important to know is that we are spreading holiday cheer around the world. 

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and all the best for 2024. See you on Jan. 4.