First place team: Mike and Marilyn Palatas, Thera Reed, Rosemary Topper, Lous and Tony Glorioso and Ilene and Jack Carter
Trudy Rossi
As the Sputters 2018-2019 year was coming to a close, the ladies and their guests were busier than ever working on and enjoying the annual Founder’s Invitational on Sunday, April 14. The weather was beautiful, the course was difficult and the individual holes were crazy as one tried to putt with oven mitts, a wooden mallet, a plastic club with a head 50 times bigger than normal and a golf ball that must have had a Tequila worm in it as it never stopped spinning and never went straight, nor around a water hazard, or through the famous Fat Lady’s legs…you get the idea! None of the 14 holes were easy putting but it was a lot of fun. Meeting afterwards in The Vistas for dinner, the Sputters and their guests were treated to an outstanding meal and also dozens of door prizes and again, lots of laughs. So many members pitched in to make this another memorable occasion that we cannot possibly thank them all in this article. However, special thanks go to our guests Vivian Timian, General Manager and Jane Chanik, PGA Assistant Pro who was assigned the difficult task of marshalling the field. Special thanks to Monica Light and Judy Anick, long-standing members, who have volunteered at this event for many years. Again, we wish we could thank the dozens of Sputters and the spouses they dragged along to help but there is much to report as we close out this very busy year.
Winning teams were 1st place: Marilyn and Mike Palatas, Ilene and Jack Carter, Rosemary Topper and Thera Reed and Lois and Tony Glorioso; 2nd place: Barb and Ken Turner, Trudy Rossi and Vivian Timian, Carole and Leo Croteau and Patsy and Bud Chase and 3rd place: Alida Wilkes and Laverne Tucker, Mickey and Mike Levich, Carolyn and Keith McLean and Mary Ellen and Lee Sensiba. Congratulations to the winner and thank you to all who attended.
The final lunch meeting of the season was held Monday, May 6. This is when we say “so long!” to the existing Board and welcome to the new members, as well as award the skill prizes and the “just for fun” prizes. Welcome to our new Board members Lydia O’Connor and Barbara Rempel, co-presidents; Cathy Howard and Jan Deschamp, co-vice presidents; Tammy Brown and Mickey Levich, co-secretaries and Donna Bujnovsky, treasurer. We are certain the 2019-2020 year will be as busy and as much fun as this past year. Thank you for a job well done to Lisa Lefebvre, Jeannine Laframboise, Linda Malone, Marilyn Shipman, Deborah Gryniewiz, Donna Gruninger, Donna Bujnovsky and Mickey Levich for your service as past officers.
For the 2018-2019 season, winner of the lowest average was Marilyn Palatas; winners of the lowest score were Susanne Mosier, Hazel Roper and Marilyn (again). The Sputter with the most holes-in-one was Susanne Mosier with 40 and the Sputter with the most money-holes won in the least number of rounds was Opal Larkin. Rounding out the skill prizes was Debbie VanBurkom as the most improved player. The Spirit Award, which is an annual acknowledgment of the Sputter who has contributed the most to the good of the membership, was Monica Light.
In closing for this year, all of the Sputters would like to give a very special thanks to past president Lisa Lefebvre. Lisa, almost single handedly, was in charge of this fun-loving, sometimes wild bunch of ladies. Lisa’s unique humor, patience and love for the members made every Monday fun on the green and most amusing in the afternoon as we read her emailed wrap-up for the day. Those who have done the president’s job before and those yet to come will appreciate and learn from Lisa’s example. Thank you, Lisa, for joining the Sputters only three short years ago and stepping up to run the group in the most fun way.
If you have an interest in joining or learning more about the Verde Sputters, please contact Elaine Ackerman at 520-825-8123 for information.