Wheeler Dealers Camping Club celebrates Christmas

The men model their special holiday wear during the Wheeler Dealers Camping Club annual Christmas Party held at the McCord Senior Citizens Center hosted by Gary and Nancy Shepard, Ponca City. (SUBMITTED).

Story and photos submitted by Kathy Tippin.

Wheeler Dealers Camping Club members wearing their Christmas sweaters and shirts got in the Christmas spirit at the annual luncheon held at the McCord Senior Citizens Center in Ponca City.

Hosted by Gary and Nancy Shepard of Ponca City, members gathered for lunch catered by El Potrillo Mexican Restaurant. First-time guests were Sherry and Bud Burgess, of Harrah, and Sharon and Randy Bowen, of Stillwater.

Following lunch, members wearing ugly Christmas sweaters and shirts introduced themselves. Members then voted for the ugliest men’s and women’s sweater. Randi Olsen, of Bartlesville, won Ugliest Sweater for the men with Gary Piersall second. Winning for the women was Nancy Shepard, who declined the prize as she was the hostess, so first place went to Vie Bottger, of Ponca City. Tied for second were Barbara Davis and Kathy Tippin, of Ponca City, and Karla Hill, of Bartlesville.

Members played Dirty Santa with wrapped white elephant gifts of something you can use camping. Members drew numbers and unwrapped or stole gifts from other members with much laughter.

“Everyone went home with some item.  Whether it will be used in 2022 or end up in the Dirty Santa exchange in 2022 remains to be seen,” said Clarice Olsen, club secretary.

Members signed up to host campouts in 2022 starting with a lunch in February at Luigi’s in Bartlesville to be hosted by Joe and Pat Brown and Randi and Clarice Olsen. Most campouts are held in Oklahoma, Kansas, Arkansas, or Missouri with two or more couples planning the location and campout activities which often include visiting area attractions, eating at a local restaurant, games and pot luck meals. Dates not selected will be offered to members who were unable to attend the luncheon and finalized at the February lunch in Bartlesville.

Wheeler Dealers monthly campouts are held weekends from March to November with only lunch or breakfast gathering in February and August and a special Christmas Party in December. Members can make their own reservations at many of the Corps lakes through recreation.gov, the Corps of Engineers reservation service.  

 Current members are from Bartlesville, Edmond, Harrah, Nowata, Norman, Owasso, Ponca City, Sand Springs, Stillwater, and Tulsa. However, anyone is invited to join.

Persons interested in joining or knowing more about upcoming campouts should contact Clarence, president, at 405-612-7781 in Bartlesville or Vie, vice-president, at 580-761-6925.