DUCKY 56ers NEWS:

Welcome to our New Members:  Glen & Vicki Belter, Rick Rempert and Beverly Tripp!

 Treasurer Report: Current Balance - $2919.44
                                 Charity Fund -      $1875.56
                                 General Fund -      $1043.88

•  McTrain Information - Because there were funds left over after completing the McTrain project, we were able to upgrade the project with new transformers and other items.  The club expenditure is approximately $2000. to date.

•  Pat Jelinek Doyle has retired as our Treasurer.  Cheryl Merkel has kindly volunteered and we all voted unanimously to make her our new treasurer!!

• Club Dues are NOW DUE!! $15 per couple

• 2004 Ducky 56ers Christmas Party will be at the Ronald McDonald House this year.  It will be held on December 14^th.  Catering will be done with Corky’s.  There will be no alcoholic beverages served at the party.  Leftovers will be donated to the Ronald McDonald House.  Everyone in the club should bring some type of a dessert.  The cost for the party will be $10 per person, due at the party.  Please RSVP no later than Thanksgiving to Michelle.  The gift exchange will again be somewhat of a Dirty Santa theme.  Although this year, instead of “stealing” someone’s gift, you will “steal” their package.  No packages will be open until everyone has a package.  We will be “stealing” according to the wrapping job!  The gifts must have a Christmas theme and cost $15.  No gag gifts.  At the Christmas party/meeting, Scott & Dawn Campbell will be present.  They are Department 56 representatives.  They will introduce the new products. 

• Congratulations to Richard Wyllie, our president, for receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Illinois Council of Teachers of Mathematics.  Way to go, Rich!!

• There will be no Gingerbread House project in November as originally planned.  We were unable to find enough interested parties.

• The Wacky Willagers were trying to change their meeting time, so they could attend our meeting and vice versa, but unfortunately, it could not be done.  So Wacky Willager meetings will continue to be the same night as ours.  

• JBJ in Champaign, IL is going out of business.  They are discounting all their merchandise.  Sale starts November 11^th.  Wendi went to JBJ and at the current time the discount is 10%.

• The Village Chronicle published its last issue, Nov/Dec, 2004.  They will really be missed.  Subscriptions are being transferred to Collectors Edition. 

• Celebrations Magazine will run an article in Spring, 2006 about Ducky 56ers and our McTrain project.  McDonald’s published an article about our McTrain project in their newsletter.  

• Ducky 56ers shirts and vests are available at Holy Cow in Downers Grove, corner of 63^rd St. & Main.  

• Holiday Housewalk will include: Nordhem, Cavanaugh, Kasdorf, Kennedy, Wyllie and Belter.  It will be held on January 8^th.  Members only housewalk will be on January 9^th and includes: Eckerle, Novak, Davidsmeyer, Alton and McCollum.  

• Ronald McDonald Thank you Letter was read to us by Kirk.  It was thanking us for the McTrain Project.  It included an invitation for all of us to attend The Ronald McDonald Holiday Tea on December 5^th from 1:00 to 3:00.  Email Rich Wyllie @ kingcalc@aol.com by Thanksgiving if you will be attending.  

JUST DUCKY NEWS:

• The Retirement Party Raffle gathered $290

• Just Ducky will have at least 12 North Pole “SANTA” letter “S” buildings available.  As of this date, Just Ducky has not determined how they will distribute these 12 buildings.  The “A” building, Alfies, is available only online at Dept56.com and purchase is limited to two.

NCC NEWS:

• John Eckerle has NCC Pins, if interested, see him.

• NCC Deerfield Beach, FL Gathering will be in August 2005 - It is being called North Pole South