Here we are at the New Year, 2009, with all of its exciting possibilities, expectations, and uncertainties. The beginning of the year can inspire people to set new goals, such as planning vacations and spending more time with family and friends. We hope that you will find your way to the beach. Here are several ways that we suggest:

• Enjoy a Winter Sunset in North Myrtle Beach - Sale rates start at $48 for a fully equipped oceanfront condo (some restrictions apply). Details at 866.446.9925.
  
  
• Golf Packages - Among the exciting options is booking tee times at the exciting "cats" courses of Ocean Ridge Plantation, just across the SC/NC state line in Ocean Isle, NC. Play their Lion's Paw, Panther's Run, Tiger's Eye, and Leopard's Chase courses during March 12-26, 2009, for as low as $119 per person (some restrictions apply).
  
  
• Special Tour Package - Whether your fantasy tour is by air or sea, we have it covered with a helicopter special and a sailing charter special, both of which can be customized to meet your particular wishes. Click here to view our specials.
  
  
• Plan a Valentine Get-Away - Please Be Mine, Valentine! Mark February as the month to pay tribute to ever-lasting love at Avista Resort. This package special brings you and your love together for tender moments in a charming ocean setting. Click here to learn more about our package.

As Avista Resort looks forward to greeting the many guests of 2009, may we invite you to come to the beach and explore the many options of the Grand Strand.

Your Friends at Avista Resort!

The "old" year is finally behind us, run out here at Avista with our pinnacle event, the 2008 New Year's Eve dinner party! As we review the proceedings, this event has been deemed a shining success and perfect finalé to the year. With tables set for 8 place settings, Avista reached its expectations of about 170 people in attendance. According to eye witnesses on scene to the very end of the evening, guests enjoyed this party to its fullest extent! One attendee who requested anonymity said that the Hip Pocket Band, known as a "variety" band, played music with a range of tempos so that more people could enjoy dancing. "It wasn't all beach music," she said, "and we had fun and enjoyed the band's own songs, as well as classics from other types."

The food by Chef Reggie at Avista's signature restaurant Just Off Main was "phenomenal," according to one guest between bite-fuls -succulent lobster, roasted chicken, and so much more. "Great service!" "Really good quality!" ...and the accolades went on through the evening with the place remaining at full turnout, only dwindling after about 1 am.

Right in line with the Times' Square clock in "the big apple," the Avista Resort ball dropped on time and produced a loud cheer, confetti, and noise makers from the crowd, but no one departed. Instead, the fun continued on. "I'm having too much fun!" Said someone out on the dance floor.

Good news. Spirit Airlines is beginning service on March 1st from Chicago and Myrtle Beach. Details on fare specials are available at www.SpiritAir.com, but the word is being spread that some rates started as low as $9 for introductory fares which were not scheduled to be available for very long. The new service links our Grand Strand area with the big urban areas of Chicago by their other links to Atlanta, New York, and Boston. "We'd like to thank the Myrtle Beach community for their support and look forward to continuing to serve this market with low fares and no hidden fees," said Spirit's Chief Marketing Officer Barry Biffle.

Travelers looking for great bargains will find them not only in this air carrier, but also at Avista Resort which has some fabulous deals, both for the golfers and for non-golfers as well. For example, between January 22nd and February 11th, the North Bay Golf Package (courses include Thistle, Crow Creek, and River's Edge) has an attractive price of $93 with accommodations. Click here for more details or call 866.682.5699 and ask about the North Bay Golf Package. Other packages with other courses have equally striking prices, subject to time limitations.

According to Bill Golden, President of Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday, "Spirit's new daily service will provide timely and affordable access to great golf, value, and warm weather in the Golf Capital of the World." So all of you suffering from the sleet, cold, and ice, come on down

Myrtle Beach Seaside Resorts is working in cooperation with the American Cancer Society to conduct a fund raising event in the spring of 2009 called Relay for Life. This important event is to be held on April 24th, 2009, at The Ripken Experience in Myrtle Beach, and it will include a designated team not only from Avista, but also from each of the Myrtle Beach Seaside Resorts properties: Towers on the Grove, Prince Resort, Horizon at 77th, Grande Shores, and Seaside.

Teams are taking shape among all the Myrtle Beach Seaside Resort properties. In particular, Avista Resort, headed by Abbey Phillips, Event Coordinator, has linked with Seaside at the south end of North Myrtle Beach. Directed by Abbey, the two groups will form a working group of staff members for this effort.

Please look for more information about this exciting Spring '09 event in the next newsletter. The cause is great, and the need is greater. For more information about the activities with the Avista / Seaside team, see the web site. For more information about the American Cancer Society's national effort of Relay for Life, please see www.RelayforLife.org.

Just before Christmas, the Reservations staff of Avista Resort orchestrated an Avista-wide effort to help make Christmas a little merrier for children of some of the Grand Strand's disadvantaged families. The larger effort was coordinated in the Grand Strand area by the Salvation Army. For us, this event was, by necessity, built with a very tight time-line. After all, Christmas Eve is only once a year!

Provided with a list from the Salvation Army, including first names of the designated 9 children (2 girls and 7 boys), their ages (3 months to 11 years), sizes, and partialities, staff members went into "elf" mode. Avista Resort staff contributed to 6 of the children, and Grande Shores contributed to 3 of them.

Like Santa's helpers, these elves moved into high gear, not only to find, buy, and wrap toys and clothing for all the children on the list, but also to collect monetary contributions. Reservations even conducted a raffle in cooperation with the Dixie Stampede to sell fund-raising tickets for the Stampede dinner event; they raised $160 on behalf of the families. In addition to toys, other gifts going to these families included stocking stuffers and even fruit baskets for the parents.

While Reservations coordinated all the details and, as one participant said, "made it happen," certainly this was a team effort from all parts of Avista including senior management, Engineering, Front Desk, and Housekeeping to name a few. Using whatever it took, including extra time and efforts beyond work hours to complete it, Reservations saw to it that delivery of the gifts went on time to the Salvation Army, with all the toys and clothes brightly wrapped and garnished with colorful bows. Once in the hands of Salvation Army representatives, it was up to "Santa" to see that the designated families received them in time for Christmas.

While little is known about how and where "Santa" delivered the items to these Horry County families, we do hear that they had a much better Christmas than they would have otherwise. Thank you, Elves, wherever you are!

This delicious winter recipe for nutritious cabbage soup provides servings for 8 people and is perfect for watching the Super Bowl game on TV or any cold weather pastime.

Assembly time is 10 minutes. Cooking time is 45 minutes, with a total preparation time of about an hour.

This is one of those recipes that can be modified to suit personal tastes. For example, instead of water and bouillon, try beef or chicken broth. Other variations might include carrots, celery, and/or Italian seasoning. As with most soups, the second day's serving is usually more flavorful than the first.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 quarts water
• 4 teaspoons chicken bouillon
• 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
• 1/2 head cabbage, cored and coarsely chopped [size varies, so gauge by how much thick you want your soup to be - more cabbage means thicker soup]
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can Italian-style stewed tomatoes, drained and diced

Directions

• In a large stockpot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Stir in onion and garlic; cook until onion is transparent, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in water, bouillon, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then stir in cabbage. Simmer until cabbage wilts, about 10 minutes.
• Stir in tomatoes. Return to a boil, then simmer 15 to 30 minutes, stirring often.

Originally from the Coopersburg, PA, area in southeastern Pennsylvania, Engineering Supervisor/Technician Dennis Gaugler has been with Avista Resort for four years. Originally, he came here because he loves the beach (and the mountains, but he couldn't be in both places at the same time). The gleam in his eye as he described his work and responsibilities showed evidence that he enjoys working at the beach.

With a 7 to 3:30 shift, he supervises 12 employees and handles all kinds of problems at all levels of the building: plumbing, electrical work, and complicated problems of equipment, plus routine problems such as finding lost children and helping people locate Tanger Outlet Mall. He said that no two days are exactly alike.

"We're here to help the guests," said Dennis. "We can't always do everything, but we try."

In his down time, he enjoys keeping tabs on the Eagles football team and Penn State!

2/1. Murrells Inlet Community Theater (: 4450 Murrells Inlet Road, Murrells Inlet) presents A.R. Gurney's "Later Life." Enjoy a romantic comedy/drama about a couple who reunite at a party after 30 years. Starts at 8 p.m. Cost: $10. Reservations required to this "kid-friendly" event. 843-651-4152 www.mictheatre.com.

2/2 Groundhog Day. Originally a weather day, Groundhog Day is when the woodchuck emerges from his hibernation hole and check the weather. If he sees his shadow (that is, the sun is out), then he retreats back to his burrow for 6 more weeks of winter. If he does not see his shadow (that is, the day is cloudy), then winter will soon end. See the countdown at www.groundhog.org.

2/5. Grand Strand Strutters Invite You to Square Dance. Starting at 7 pm and lasting until 9 pm, this variety of square dance includes a pre-dance training from 6-7 at the Grand Strand Senior Center (1268 21st Ave N., Myrtle Beach). For more information, call 843-497-0470.

2/12-15. The 12th Annual Bi-Lo Myrtle Beach Marathon. Pasta dinner, expo, fun run, 5K, half-marathon, and marathon (no relay this year), with a post-race party. For more information, 843.293.RACE or www.mbmarathon.com.

2/11 to 3/1. Enjoy live theater at Theatre of the Republic, performing "Blood Brothers." This musical tells the story of two fraternal brothers, separated at birth. finding friendship, love, and betrayal. Theatre location 337 Main St. Conway, SC 29526. For more information: 843-488-0821.

2/13. Meet the Snowbirds. Held from 2 pm to 4 pm at the North Myrtle Beach Chamber (270 Hwy 17 N in North Myrtle Beach), this reception honors visitors and residents from Canada with door-prizes, give-aways, refreshments. For more information, call 877.332.2662.

2/14. Valentine's Day. What a great opportunity to get a Valentine's special package at the Avista!