John Devoti and his crew kept up our reputation as the best RG on the East Coast. Extra kudos to Judy Matray-Devoti for her superwoman job running and doing most of the chores in hospitality and to Uncle Frank Zollner for his superman job as the Snowball Treasurer and also helping in hospitality.
Saw lots of old faces and some new faces too. By Sunday the faces had one thing in common. They were exhausted. There was so much to see and do and so many people to talk to that sleep was almost non-existent. Lots of out of town members and officers were there. Hmmm, must be an exciting event!
It takes an incredible amount of time, energy, planning and good old fashion hard work to bring Snowball to you. Imagine inviting 270 people to your home for the weekend. How much food and drink would you need?
The hospitality committee consists of about 8 people. Including setup time and cleanup time they share the 50 straight hours of work required for this amazing feat. Then there is purchasing, transporting, setup and cleanup of cases of water, beer, wine, juice as well as the other foodstuffs that together make up the magnificent fare you saw presented.
We need a committee of volunteers for 2011 but particularly: Snowball Chair, Speaker Wrangler and Hospitality as well as assistants in these areas. We don’t want the committee to experience burnout, for then there is no Snowball. Donate a couple of hours to preserve our finest event.
If you have any comments or suggestions, for 2011 let me know and we will try to make it happen. All those interested in applying for these rewarding positions please contact me at locsec@cnj.us.mensa.org for immediate consideration.
— Paul McKeon, President
Hello. My name is John Devoti and I am chairing Snowball XXXVI. I thought I would write a short column about Snowball for this webpage. First, you should know a little about me. I have been a member of Central New Jersey Mensa for twenty-five years. I attended my first Snowball in 1987 in Princeton and was hooked. It was a wonderful party. The next Snowball Frank Zollner introduced me to Judy Matray and two years later I married her (Judy, not Frank). Frank likes to say he appreciates that we are still talking to him. Actually we will be forever grateful to him.
Sixteen years ago, in 1994, I volunteered to take the plunge and run Snowball XX. I made the usual rookie mistakes, but I did not blow up the hotel, no one was killed, and as far as I know, I am not wanted by Interpol. In fact, I was amazed when the CNJM board asked me to run it again. I think this is the sixth Snowball I have run, and I will keep doing it until I get it right. Actually Judy has promised to lock me in the basement and get a divorce if I try to do this again.
When I have spare time from my Mensa duties, I work as an adjunct professor at Philadelphia University, teaching American history. This is my ninth year at Philly U. Along with that I have written a book that nobodyhas read called, The Patriotic Business of Seeking Office: James K. Polk and the Patronage. It is currently 4,896,952nd on Amazon.com’s best seller list.
I would like to say something about the people who attend Snowball. The website mentions several times that we need volunteers to help, and we really do. But I want to talk about something else. When I first ran Snowball, I was told that all I would get was grief. Everyone would be coming up to me and complaining about this or that, and no one would appreciate my work. Were they wrong! Every time I run Snowball, people come up and thank me. The only criticisms are ones I deserve because of my own mistakes, and these comments are usually constructive.
Elsewhere in the website you will see a list of the Snowball Committee. These are wonderful people who make this all possible. They do not ask for anything, but they do appreciate appreciation. Please do not forget to thank them for their hard work. If you see them carrying a heavy case of water, offer to help. If you see some trash, pick it up. Above all, continue to be the most wonderful group of Mensans I have the pleasure of knowing.
