Arizona. The Penn and Wharton Club of Arizona Second Annual Ben’s Birthday Bash is on Thursday, Jan. 15, at the Scottsdale Resort and Conference Center from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. We hope you can join us! Details will be posted at (www.pennclubaz.org).

Calling all Snow Birds Do you spend the winter in Florida, Arizona, or some other warm climate away from home? Don’t forget that you can stay involved with Penn wherever you go! Alumni operate Penn clubs in Miami, Naples, Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Sarasota, Tampa, Arizona, San Diego, etc., and they invite “snow birds” to participate in their activities during the season. Go to (www.alumni.upenn.edu/club/index.html) to get the contact information for all our Penn clubs.

Atlanta. Mask & Wig is coming to Atlanta on March 5! Save the date and check our Web site for details (www.alumni.upenn.edu/club/atlanta.html).

Boston. All Boston-area alumni are invited to attend the following January events: an organizational meeting on Tuesday, the 13th, at 7 p.m., at 1 Financial Center, dinner will be provided. To RSVP, please e-mail <info@pennclubofboston.org>. Ben’s Boston Birthday Bash will be held on the 14th at Finale, more info on our Web site (below). A Penn-Yale-Princeton Happy Hour will be held on Thursday, the 22nd, 6—9 p.m.: likely location is the West Street Grille, 15 West Street. For more info, contact <aileen@pennclubofboston.org>. The book club will read Bobos in Paradise; purchase at (www.amazon.com), and meet to discuss on Sunday, the 25th at Trident Cafe, 338 Newbury Street. RSVP to <aileen@pennclubofboston.org> or <pesieminski@yahoo.com>. For more info, visit (www.pennclubofboston.org).

Fore! Golf fanatics, get ready for Penn Alumni’s first-ever golf outing at Pine Hill Golf Club on Friday, May 14. Pine Hill (www.golfpinehill.com) is a Tom Fazio design that has been named #31 in Golf Magazine’s list of the nation’s “Top 100 You Can Play.” A fun day for everyone and a unique opportunity to play a special course, look for more information in the 2004 Alumni Weekend Guide—arriving with the March/April issue of the Gazette —or at (www.alumni.upenn.edu/alumniweekend2004).

D.C. Read some bestselling non-fiction this winter: Benjamin Franklin: An American Life, by Walter Isaacson. The D.C. Penn Club and the Federal City Club have invited the author for a winter evening of “Cocktails & Conversation,” so stay tuned! This is a good opportunity for members of the Penn club to meet and mingle with members of the Federal and we will all celebrate Ben’s Birthday (a little early) on Jan. 14. The club will again participate in the Penn Reading Project: this year’s selection is The Quiet American by Graham Greene; a group discussion of the book will be on the agenda for our meeting on Thurs., Feb. 26. There will be a reception and briefing at the Embassy of Belgium, co-sponsored with the Wharton Alumni in D.C. If you’re single, please note that we’re hosting an Ivy Singles Social Club dinner at the Cosmos Club on Jan. 15. Please email Charna at <abfall4u2@aol.com> for more details. Check the DC Penn Club Web site (www.dcpennclub.com) for date, time, and place for all events.

ACA From now through June 30, staff of the Alumni Council on Admissions, Penn’s resource for undergraduate legacy applicants, are available for informal Q&A sessions about legacy admissions every Monday and Friday (except University holidays) from 12:15 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. in the Sweeten Alumni House, 3533 Locust Walk. This time enables visiting families to attend an information session and campus tour offered by the Undergraduate Admissions Office. Reservations are not required. For more information, visit (www.alumni.upenn.edu/aca) or call (215) 898-6888. During March and April, the Q&A sessions will take place every weekday (Monday through Friday).

Delaware. If you are interested in helping plan events for the club or would like a specialty UP license plate, please contact Carolyn Diehl at <cwdiehlde@msn.com> or (302) 731-1294.

Chicago. To celebrate Ben’s Birthday, the Penn Club of Chicago plans to see the much-acclaimed musical Hairspray, at the Oriental Theater on Thursday, Jan. 22. Before the show, join the club for dinner, at 5:30 p.m., at a nearby restaurant, followed by the show at 7:30 p.m. Please RSVP to <president@pennclubchicago.com>. Cost is $35 per person.

Fairfield County, Conn. Come cheer on the Penn men’s basketball team to victory at Yale on Jan. 30 with your fellow Fairfield County alumni. For more information on tickets, please contact Joanne Kahan at (203) 222-8949 or <FairfieldPenn@aol.com>. Save the date! On Saturday, March 13, the Penn Club of Fairfield County will be proud to feature the highlight of our year with a full-theater performance by Mask & Wig at the newly renovated, state-of-the-art Saugatuck Elementary School Auditorium in Westport.

Gold Coast, Fla. Join us Sunday, Feb. 29, for A Day at the Races and a Beach Boys Concert, at Gulfstream Park, Hallandale. We are making this an “All Ivy” event, inviting members of all of the local Ivy alumni associations. Over 100 paid attendees from South Florida so far. $40 per adult and $20 per child (under 12) includes admission to the races, lunch, and general admission to the concert. March: One-day community-service project—club members will volunteer their time to help those in need in the local community. Details to be announced. Thursday, May 20: The Producers, dinner and theater at the Broward Center in Ft. Lauderdale. May: Penn Alumni Association Golf Tournament and Lunch. May: the End of Year Dinner will be held at Gibby’s, Ft. Lauderdale; guest speaker to be announced. We will also be welcoming the incoming Penn freshman from our area. Check our Web site (www.penngoldcoast.com) for the latest details.

Greater Wilkes-Barre. To join the club and for more information on upcoming events, please contact Bill Runner at (570) 675-5055 or <runner1@epix.net>.

Houston. Join the Penn Club of Houston on Friday, Jan. 16, for an Aeros Game: they play San Antonio at the brand-new Toyota Center, $11 for end-zone seats. Call club president Beverly Vosko at (713) 464-0055 to reserve a seat.

Israel. It is with great pride that we announce the success of the Penn Club of Israel’s inaugural event. Over 50 alumni from the Class of 1949 to the Class of 2002 gathered to toast the Jewish New Year. Keep up the momentum by joining us for our upcoming events. Elections for the club will be held in January. More events are in the works! If you have an idea for an event, please e-mail us at <penn_israel@yahoo.com> and visit our Web site at (www.geocities.com/penn_israel) for information about joining the mailing list as well as updates about our events.

Kansas City. To join the club and for more information on upcoming events, please contact Ned Reitzes at (913) 451-1505 (day) or (913) 685-7998 (evening), or at <nreitzes@Lnc.com>.

Los Angeles. Come celebrate Ben Franklin’s birthday with the PennClubLA! Tuesday, Jan. 13, from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., at The Shack, 2518 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica. There will be happy-hour specials, 7—8 p.m. E-mail <melisakirkup@yahoo.com> or <daynaplatt@yahoo.com> with questions. Pennfest 2004 is on Feb. 24 at The Knitting Factory. The deadline to submit entries for this annual showcase of Penn cinematic and musical talent is coming up. To submit work for consideration, please contact: Films—Todd Shotz C’96 <Pennfestla@aol.com>; Bands—Melisa Kirkup C’01 <melisakirkup@yahoo.com>. For more information about PennFest or if you would like to volunteer, please visit the Web site (www.pennfestla.com) To learn more about upcoming events at PennClubLA, please register for newsletters at (www.pennclubla.com).

Metro New Jersey. On Jan. 22, the Alumni Council on Admissions will visit with us again to discuss “Selective College Admissions.” Based on the success of the presentation last year, we expect an informative and interesting discussion. On Friday, Feb. 13, we will cheer the Penn men’s basketball team in their annual visit to Columbia University; mark your calendar and plan to join us for an after-the-game get-together. Check our Web site (PennClubMetroNJ.com) for details and contact information.

Northern California. Ben Franklin Birthday Party, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2004, 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., Wish Bar, 1539 Folsom Street (between 11th and 12th Streets), San Francisco. Advance tickets are $10 by going to (www.acteva.com/go/ncpennclub). At the door, tickets will be $10 for dues-paying members, and $15 for non-members. Contact club president Phil Crosby with any questions at <pcrosby@sbcgobal.net> or visit our Web site at (www.ncpennclub.com).

Palm Beaches, Fla. The Annual Arts & Literary Society Dinner will be held on Jan. 15 with speakers, Adam Corson-Finnerty, University of Pennsylvania Libraries, and Harris Hollin CCC’57, author and publisher. Feb. 19: our Annual Dinner, with Dr. Robert Vitalis as featured speaker on “U.S. Policy in the Middle East.” March 2: join us for the Piano Invitational at Gilman Theater, City Place. Don’t forget the annual joint alumni-clubs summer event in July. Contact Adrienne Huston Griffin for more information at <ahg@associationhq.net>.

Philadelphia. Upcoming events include a happy hour in January to celebrate Ben’s Birthday Bash; brunch at the Museum of Art for the Manet and the Sea show; a Chinese New Year dinner at Joe Poon’s; Penn’s men’s basketball vs. Princeton; Mask and Wig at their Clubhouse, and many more. Check the Web site for details (www.pennclubphilly.org).

Portland, Ore. Third Thursday happy hours continue. On Jan. 15 and Feb. 19, we’ll meet at a venue to be determined; check out (www.fhzal.com/penn) for specifics. As always, look for a familiar face or the discreet Penn flag. We’ll also be following the Quaker hoopsters as closely as possible from our distant vantage point: Cornell on Saturday, Feb. 14 (Have any plans for Valentine’s Day?), and Columbia on Saturday, Feb. 28—both on the YES Network, tentatively at the Silver Dollar Pizza and Sports Pub, but, again, check the Web site for exact time and location. Back in October, we welcomed Dr. Michael Ryan of the Penn Libraries to Portland with a dinner at the Governor Hotel; his presentation was excellent, and we look forward to the opportunity to host similar events in the future. Furthermore, club turnout was fantastic—best in the West!

San Diego. Check out our new Web site (www.pennwhartonsd.com) for more information on our club and upcoming events. Join us on Jan. 14 for a Wharton Alumni Forum, with Wharton marketing professor Pete Fader on “Musings about Mathematical Models and the Music Market,” at 6:30 p.m. The 298th Annual Celebration of Ben’s Birth will be held on Saturday, Jan. 17, 6 p.m., at King’s Fish House in Mission Valley, 825 Camino De La Reina. Please RSVP to TJ Zane at <tjzane@san.rr.com> or check our Web site (www.pennwhartonsd.com)

Sarasota and Manatee Counties, Fla. Join us for our regular luncheon meetings: Feb. 21 at the Bird Key Yacht Club; March 20 and April 17 at Sara Bay Country Club. For more information, please contact George Hennessy at <HVGrey@cs.com>.

Scranton. To join the club or for more information on upcoming events, please contact Bob Kelly at (570) 207-3066 or <rkelly@mbklaw.com>.

Southwest Florida. Join Penn alumni in Southwest Florida at these events: Jan 23, Ben Franklin’s Birthday Bash and Annual Meeting at Vineyards Country Club; Feb. 17, Pirates of Penzance at the Naples Dinner Theater; March 9, satellite TV broadcast of the Penn-Princeton men’s basketball game at Spectators Sports Bar; March 21, Skimmer Day celebration on the Naples Princess; April 4, the Ivy League Alumni Picnic at Vineyards Country Club; April 7, the Fourth Annual Scholarship Fund Golf Tournament, Cypress Woods Golf Club.

Westchester, N.Y. Join us at these upcoming events: Saturday, Jan. 17, Ben’s Birthday Bowling Bash, an adult bowling party (dinner included) at White Plains Bowl, 8 p.m. For information, e-mail <pennwestchester@aol.com>. Friday, Feb. 13 at 7 p.m., Penn at Columbia for men’s basketball, followed by a post-game reception. For tickets and information, e-mail (above). Saturday, Feb. 28, at 7:30 p.m., the Penn-Cornell tennis party will be held the at Armonk Tennis Club—dinner and tennis, lots of fun. For information, e-mail (above).

Western New England. Cheer on Penn at the men’s basketball game against Yale in New Haven on Jan. 30, or get together when the Quakers play against Ivy and Big 5 competition on local cable TV broadcasts. For further information, contact Bill Squires C’71, at <squires774@aol.com>.

Western Pennsylvania. Join us for our Harvard and HYP luncheons. Upcoming dates include: Tuesday, Jan. 20, Dr. William Trueheart, president & CEO of The Pittsburgh Foundation, will speak on “The Pittsburgh Foundation and Education.” Tuesday, Feb. 17, Laura Fisher, senior vice president of the Allegheny Conference on Community Development and director of the French and Indian War 250th Anniversary Committee will speak on “Pittsburgh’s leadership role for the national commemoration of the French and Indian War (2004-2010).” Please call the HYP-Pittsburgh Club for reservations at (412) 281-5858. The lectures are held from noon to 1:15 p.m. at the HYP-Pittsburgh Club, 619 William Penn Place. Lunch is $15 for members of the Harvard or HYP-Pittsburgh clubs and $18 for guests. For more information on these and other upcoming events, please visit our Web site at (www.alumni.upenn.edu/club/westernpa.html) or contact Ed Breaux at <ebreaux@pghpioneers.com> or (724) 935-9401.