A Santa Claus Afternoon in Sunny Fort Myers
Fifty-two cheerful guests strolled into the festively decorated Silverlakes Clubhouse in Fort Myers, immediately proving that Santa has excellent taste in winter getaways. Before long, bartender Urs Brunner was pouring the apéro wine, and the room filled with lively chatter, laughter, and plenty of Christmas cheer.
Once everyone had settled in our president Vicki welcomed members, guest, and honorary members, and introduced the board members—the hardworking elves who made this merry afternoon possible. She gave quick overview of the next three events and a reminder that all the information and event pictures are available on our website. Next came the moment as the Wanderpokal was presented to Chris Stern, winner of our Mini Golf Challenge back in October—for the second year in a row. Chris then took the floor in his role as our representative to the Council of Swiss Abroad, sharing a few updates and keeping us all in the loop.
No Swiss gathering would be complete without a little drama—this time in the form of a last-minute Fleischkäse challenge. Luckily, our events director Urs Pfister stepped in with a quick vendor switch and by producing his very own homemade Fleischkäse. Crisis solved. Pia added an extra sweet note by bringing chocolate straight from Switzerland, and Santa himself surprised us with leaving a traditional Gritibänz. When dinner was served, the room fell quiet—always the clearest sign of a successful meal. Dessert followed shortly after, featuring an irresistible selection of homemade Christmas cookies baked by some of our talented members.
The afternoon flew by, and guests clearly weren’t in any hurry to go home. When it was finally time to close the doors, everyone left smiling, and grateful for a wonderful afternoon spent with friends—and proof that the Swiss American community knows exactly how to celebrate Santa Claus day, Florida style.
Text by Vicki Burkhard and Photos by Vicki Burkhard
