We have a few serious news items to pass on to Joe's Ponders and friends of the web site.

Sadly, Sherry LaPrade's mother, Marie K. Magne, 81, passed away in Florida on January 18, 2006. Sherry is presently with her family in Florida, but will be back at Joe's Pond soon. Marie leaves her husband of 61 years, Henry "Joe" Magne, a son, two daughters, six grandchildren, five great-grandchildren, and several nephews, nieces and cousins. Our sympathy goes out to Sherry and her family.

We just learned this morning that Don Walker, that energetic golfer/swimmer/tennis player/ game time-keeper and long-time resident of Montpelier, Vermont and Joe's Pond, collapsed last week on the tennis court. I spoke with him this morning and he is upbeat and feeling well, but will go into Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, NH on Friday for open-heart surgery to repair a faulty valve. He expects to be at DHMC for about a week, and then will recouperate at home under Audrey's watchful eye. I'm sure Don will be back on the courts and links soon, and will be taking his usual daily plunges (regardless of the temperature or weather) into Joe's Pond. We'll keep you posted on his progress as he recovers.

Don't forget to get your Ice-Out tickets in before April 1st. Many have already been returned, some without adequate information, and a few without any money. We'll try to get in touch with as many as possible to be sure your ticket(s) will be in the contest, but the best way to insure that is to have all necessary information AND the correct amount of money included - $1.00 per ticket! If you don't wish to enter the contest, it would be helpful if you simply send back the unused tickets so we can sell them to someone else. Ice-Out tickets or requests for information should be sent to: Joe's Pond Association, PO Box 111, West Danville VT 05873.