Innovations since 2003 have included the return of the popular Outdoors Explorers interest group, which sponsors field trips to sites such as Alligator Point Bird Sanctuary, Mashes Sand, Piney Z Lakes, Marianna Caverns and the FSU Marine Lab. During the past few years, monthly programs have featured visits to the state-of-the-art FSU School of Dance in the renovated Montgomery Hall, the FSU Film School, The Moore Center Athletic Department Training Facility, the Medical school, the Magnet Lab, the FSU Flying High Circus and the Claude Pepper Institute. Off-campus special events have included visits to the San Luis Mission and Tall Timbers Research Station and The Beadel House.

The Newcomers Wine & Cheese Party has been combined with the Welcoming Reception, now annually held in the beautiful FSU Alumni Association Ballroom. In 2005, the 26 past presidents still residing in Tallahassee, beginning with Scottie Baker from 1953-54, were honored with roses. Annelise Leysieffer was honored with five roses for her five years as president. In 2006, Alice Nichols was honored with her continual dedicated service as scholarship chair since 1994.

With the advent of the digital camera, our historians have taken many pictures of our Club’s events. In 2004, Barbara Elam, as past historian, collaborated with Tom Hart to create a continuous slide show to be presented at the Fall Welcoming Reception. This was well received and has been taken to greater heights by Neil Charness, our current historian, who has added music and captions to the slide show.

During her year as president in 2006-07, Beth Charness worked with the College of Information to have our web site updated. It is located at http://facultyclub.fsu.edu and is being kept current by a faculty member in the College of Information. Photos are periodically added from various events and interest group meetings, and the newsletter is added every month.

The Billy Bowlegs 5K & 1 Mile Walk continues to be our primary fundraiser with a popular brunch following the run added in 2003. With the introduction of the Billy Bowlegs Brunch, many more Club members participate each year either in the run or the walk. The brunch takes place in the Seminole Golf Club Renegade Grill across from the College of Engineering where the race begins and ends. We all thank Larry Giunipero for co-chairing the race all 24 years since its inception in 1984.

Larry Giunipero’s dedication has been instrumental in the Club being able to raise enough funds that, combined with donations from our members, has enabled the Club to award 76 $500 scholarships by 2007. Later that year, at the discretion of the Board, it was voted to add some partial scholarships to eligible part-time students, still with the same criteria of being at least 30 years of age and maintaining a minimum GPA of 3.2, with the result that in 2007-08, twelve full and partial scholarships were awarded to deserving students for a total of more than $4,000. This amount is quite a bit different from the $50 loans first offered years ago.

Beth Charness

Annelise Leysieffer

November 2008