Hey!

Lashley Marine in Punta Gorda is helping our clause. They have offered to donate 5% of your purchases back to the club. Just show them your Charlotte Harbor Parrot Head Bladge and they will automatically keep track of our purchases and donate the monies back to the club. What an easy way to help out. Thanks for the reminder, Bob!

From the "Peace River Tracks" The Quarterly Newsletter of the Peace River Wildlife Center, page 5:

The Charlotte Harbor Parrothead Club has made both monetary and in-kind donations to the Center in memory of one of their members, Janice Brandt. Additonally, at their monthly Club meetings, they are collecting aluminum cans for the Center, and have already collected over 1,000 cans, which greatly helps the environment. The Center sells the cans and the money received helps feed our residents and patients. Again, many thanks.

The club is also listed under GIFTS/BEQUESTS/MEMORIALS on page 7.

"Janice Brandt of Punta Gorda, FL was memorialized by members of the Charlotte Harbot Parrothead Club by in-kind and monetary donations."

While walking through a parking lot, you see a vehicle with a Parrot Head license plate and you wonder if the owner is a member of the CHPHC or just doesn't know about the club. So now you can pull out a club businees card from your wallet or purse, write your name on it and put it under the windshield wiper. If the person joins the club, you get to meet a new member of the club in person.

That's the premise of our new club cards. On the front is the club logo, the mailing address, the club's email and web site addresses. On the back is the time and location of our meetings and a space for you to write your name. When a perspective new member shows up and joins the club, you get a Parrot Point for recruiting them. Plus it can be used as a tool to meet the new member. Just ask Charlotte if anyone turned in your card and ask her to point them out. It's a good way for the new member to feel welcome, too.

The cards are free to our members. If you would like a few cards, stop by the registration desk and ask Charlotte for a few cards.

If you would like to purchase personalized cards, you can go to QuickPrint at 1869 Manzana Ave., Punta Gorda, FL 33950 (caddy-corner from the Habitat for Humanity Retail Store) and talk to Steve Blackman. You must present your current club credentials. Prices are $25/250 and $45/500 cards.

The CHPHC adopted three families for Christmas, one through Englewood Helping Hands (EHH) and two through the Salvation Army (SA) in Punta Gorda. The two families adopted through the SA were anonymous. The family adopted through the EHH was the Klinger family. Linda Harrison, Jane Walker and Dave Walker purchased presents and food and donated them from monies raised in raffles, auctions and the $5.00 donation members paid with their tickets to the Christmas party on December 20, 2009.

The other two families also received donations of presents and food, but the SA prefers to have the families remain anonymous.

The Christmas party also raised money and donations of toys for Toys for Tots.

Members of the Charlotte Harbor Parrot Head Club presented a check for $1,500.00 to Sheriff William Wise and Joe McLeod. President Tracy Lehn, along with Nav-A-Gator owners Dennis & Nancy Kirk represented the club. Several other members of the club were on hand to watch the presentation. Sheriff Wise, Zalmon Sherwood (the local rep for the ranches - not pictured) and Joe McLeod, the YR Donor Relations Officer accepted the club's donation. All three gave short speeches to thank the club for its donation and for its support of the ranches, which give guidance to kids in troubled circumstances. Other photos can be viewed here.

We have PHantastic meetings and outstanding special events. At this year's birthday party we had many members step up and do a tremendous job of helping out!

Now we are in need of PHull time (sort of!) team members (Willis, CHPHC Social Director & Linda, CHPHC M-A-L in charge of Raffles both have done a tremedous job of recruiting a team) If we can get a few members for each position, everyone will only have to work a few minutes every month. We need:

1. Store Chair/Manager - Jane Walker (CHPHC treasurer) & her darling hubby Dave have been running the store for the past several months...they deserve a break (no parrot in a club this size should have to do 2 jobs!!) Surprised? E-mail Jane if you are interested in learning what this position needs!
2. Store Team Members - Parrot Heads to help out a half-hour or so every couple of months at the store during Monthly social meetings. You'll still have time to party!
3. Membership Team Members - We all know our Wonderful Membership Director, Char (AKA Charlie Rose) Kiss...isn't it about time we let her out from her corner to enjoy a bit of the music & Monthly socials?...again several members are needed to volunteer to help out every couple of months with new memberships & renewals. E-mail Char if you are interested in becoming a helpful Parrot! PHCharlierose@yahoo.com
4. Communications Director & Newsletter Team Members - Another CHPHC task that takes longer than you think. We are looking for a few Parrot Heads to take on the task of updating the Parrot Party Line weekly (list of dates of club events & music in Charlotte County), a Parrot Head to do a monthly "Another Trip Around The Sun" (birthday listing) and another Parrot Head to do some sort of monthly CHPHC member profile. E-mail Mitzi if you are interested in becoming a helpful Parrot!

Ok, it is time to step up ... Many of you have asked at one time or another if there is anything you can do...Well here is it!

We're "down on the Knees of our Heart" .. so to speak!

~Gimpy Greg Vogel, CHPHC VP in charge of begging ;)