03/14/2013

Dear Friends: Thank you all so much for your support and member input during 2012. We have had a LOT of members send in their 2013 renewal information already and your new 2013 membership cards are in the mail. Hopefully they will all arrive before the crush of holiday cards and packages fill the mail box. If you have NOT YET renewed or joined for the 2013 season, Memberships for 2013 are open now, $20.00 per family. EASY membership sign ups are on line now at our web site HERE http://www.friendsofsanjosefamilycamp.org/

Tonight we had our Dec. board meeting and unanimously re-elected 6 of our board members for new 2 year terms. Please give a warm welcome back to: Ralph Occhipinti (Fund Raising Chair) Harry Wellman (Board Officer/Secretary) Steve Lownsbery (Board Officer/ Treasurer) Angela Corcorran Helen Rice Deborah Hollis (Membership Chair).

We also welcome back our President and Vice President for another term, Garry Solmonson and Tom Bonsack. We appreciate all the time and effort these volunteers put in to help maintain the FOSJFC organization.

We would like to remind everyone to tell your friends and neighbors, co-workers and family in Santa Clara County that the new *RESIDENT DISCOUNT* for family camp is COUNTY WIDE as of 2013 season. The City of San Jose has worked hard to extend this incredible offer to more families here, and now all residents in Santa Clara County can receive the same great rate that SJ residents have enjoyed in years past. Help us get the word out to county residents and let your friends and family know that county residents can join us at camp at lower resident rates.

With more friends and family taking advantage of camp, we remind you to keep an eye on the CITY WEBSITE for sign up start date and web site location.

The 2013 season marks the 45th anniversary of San Jose running camp, and we are excited to help the staff collect camper memories/ photos from years gone by. If you have pictures *uploaded* somewhere on the web, please let us know what the address is and send along permission to repost them or contact SJ Parks and Rec. Family Camp management.

**FISH CAMP IS COMING**. Yes, April 26, 27 and 28 is the opening of the 2013 fishing season and another great opening weekend for all of us at camp! You can mail or fax in your reservation starting early in 2013 for ease of sign ups. (The Friends will again serve their traditional Friday night [4/26] "all you can eat" spaghetti dinner!). Adult dinners will be $8.00 each, and kids 12 and under eat for $5.00. Derby registration is $5.00 per person for a chance at some great prizes. FISHING LICENSES for those 16 and over are required and must be purchased before arriving at camp (we suggest most sporting goods stores such as Big 5 or Mel Cotton's ). Experience is not required, but a love of cold early morning air is suggested. Total weekend costs available soon at city web pages or through FOSJFC site.

Want to help out with our work weekends? Please let our work party Chairman Ray Pirlot know at xray1946@gmail.com Want to donate some items for our fund raising Raffle? We would love to add to our perennial offerings of Friends of Family Camp T-shirts, caps, mugs, and polo shirts and other extraordinary fantastic items! Please let Ralph Occhipinti know what you have to donate at rocchipinti@earthlink.net Raffle will start with Fish Camp and continue through the Camping season. Raffle will start with Fish Camp and continue through the Camping season.

Friend us on Facebook GROUPS HERE and PAGES HERE for our Facebook family. Winter is upon us, and with the holidays, we often forget just how fast camp arrives, sites book up, and the summer will be here again. Mark your calendars for important dates, work weekends, and fish camp so that you don't overbook and miss out on the fun!