by Casey Sluys, President, National Horseshoe Pitchers Foundation

Ladies and gentlemen, please allow me to broach a subject that is seldom spoken of. It is, indeed, a delicate subject, and I will attempt to speak about it with utmost decency. The subject matter pertains to all of us, and it is our eventual end-of-life predicament that we all face.

Recently, we had a member of our charter pass away and his obituary stated that it was his wish, in lieu of flowers, that donations be made to the Northern California Horseshoe Pitching Association. In my 30 + years with the NHPA, I dare say that this is only the second or third time I have seen this in print, where a person is willing to direct donations to the organization and sport that he/she loved.

Have you ever given any thought about what you would want your obituary to say? How do you wish people to remember you? Wouldn’t it be nice if we could all think far enough ahead to have a statement in our obituary that says “in lieu of flowers, please send a donation to the NHPF?”

This is not to say that you can’t leave folks with a choice, perhaps opting for a hospice organization or some such, but the sport and the organization that brought so many countless hours of fun can be remembered here also.

Similarly the subject of one’s distribution of assets comes into account here. If you belong to Rotary International and have a living trust drawn up by an attorney who is also a Rotarian, he or she will ask you to leave a stipend to Rotary International. This is generally around $1,000 or so, depending on the person’s status. If we could ask each NHPA member to add a sentence into their own living trust or will, that they wish to leave some contribution to the NHPF, it would greatly enhance our ability to ensure the future of horseshoe pitching.

I sincerely hope I have not offended any of you. My only thought is to provide you additional ideas of ways to contribute … maybe of some you have not previously thought.

Recently, at the Hall of Fame, the foyer, the Hall of Fame, the restrooms and both entrances to the courts were given a fresh coat of paint. Thank you, Quail Ridge Horseshoe Club member Mark Neubauer, for volunteering to do the job. The indoor courts were all re-striped also. Thank you to all who assisted in that precise project. The place is looking great for the upcoming Hall of Fame Invitational on April 29- May 1.

Special Thanks to Our Donors

We express our sincere thanks to the following most recent donors:

Donating $10-95

Charles Bunner, West Virginia

Leo & Debby Bratland, Illlinois (in memory of Rich Andrysiak)

Donating $100-$200

Arthur J. Anderson, California

Dave & Carla Sidles, Nebraska

Bricks Purchased

Do Drop Inn Horseshoe Club, Illinois

Iowa Hawkeye HPA

Dave & Carla Sidles, Nebraska (2 bricks)

(Wm) Bennie Underwood, Texas (2 bricks)

Quail Ridge Horseshoe Club, Missouri

Northern California HPA

Other Income

$350 Rent, NHPA Game Related Sales

$2,500 Rent, Quail Ridge Horseshoe Club