As I look out my window today it is hard to believe that a few weeks ago we were talking about how warm is was for December. This morning it is +2 degrees outside and looks like the frozen Tundra. What a difference a few weeks can make. Speaking of, by the time you get your newsletter we probably have already been to the first toy show of the year at the Atrium for Peotone FFA. It will be quickly followed by the National Farm Show in Louisville which is followed by the IH Winter Convention which is followed by the Senenca Toy Show which is followed by the Sublette and so it goes. It seems like this last year just flew by. If anyone has information about events and their dates, please send them on to me. We probably have also had our first Directors meeting by now too. We are going to talk a lot about the Ride the River event and lining up sponsors. My hope is that we can far succeed 2016 goal so that we can begin sending funds to the FFAs every year. I think it will help them budget better than every other year. We will also talk about some of the events coming this summer and decide how we can best represent CIGC. On a different note the pink barge wagon has been ordered and should be here in early February. If anyone would like to take the pair to a Show to sell some tickets, that would help out greatly.

–– Craig