Dear Friends,

Spring flowers are already blooming and the sun is warming the temps daily to the mid-60s…and it's only early February! Bathing suits and shorts are in the stores and talks of "what are you doing for Easter" and "spring break" are the topics of choice with family and friends. Our reservation lines have been ringing off the hook with people excited about hitting the Myrtle Beach shoreline for a little fun. Can't wait to see you!

Until Then,

The Grande Shores Family

Grande Shores News & Happenings

     Don't forget your bathing suit!
All of the pools (1st floor, 7th floor and Indoor) will be heated from March 8 through Easter so that they're splash-friendly and inviting for all of our Spring guests! Of course, the spas are always warm and bubbly, year-round.

     Make sure you make it to our Bar-B-Q on March 15!
When: Saturday, March 15th
Where: 1st Floor Pool Area
Time: Beginning at 12 pm
Cost: $12 for Adults, $6 for Kids Under 12 (plus tax)
Menu: BBQ Ribs, BBQ Chicken, Corn on the Cob, Baked Beans, Tossed Salad, Potato Salad and Peach Cobbler

In celebration of Can-Am Days, and to appease some good 'ole Spring fever, Grande Shores is throwing a Southern Style Bar-B-Q out on the first-floor pool deck and lawn (weather permitting). A delicious picnic-style feast with traditional bar-b-q favorites will satisfy your hunger, while a very special musical guest, Brian Tiernan, will be on hand to keep you and your family thoroughly entertained.

Brian's performed his popular, world-class music/ventriloquism show for big-name corporate clients, and on American Classic Voyages' New Orleans riverboat, The Mississippi Queen. As an actor, Brian appeared on daytime dramas All My Children, The Guiding Light and One Life to Live; performed as one of Buddy Holly's Crickets in the Broadway show Buddy, The Buddy Holly Story, and played a role in the Godfather III. Currently, he is a featured performer for Sun Cruz Casinos.

We're very excited about seeing everyone, enjoying Brian's performances, and diving into some delicious food! We hope you'll join us for some Southern Style fun!

     Just a Friendly Reminder:
With so many various room types available, the Grande Shores makes every effort to ensure your reservation details are correct. We invite you to carefully check your confirmation when you receive it, verify your dates and room types, and to call us at 877-798-4074 with any questions you may have. At check-in, confusion and misunderstandings can be avoided if you have your confirmation with you. Thanks for helping us make your check-in fast and smooth so you can start enjoying your stay right-away!

     Holli update:
So many people have shown interest in keeping up with what's happening with our adopted soldier, Holli, and her experiences in Iraq…so, we've decided to pass along her latest letter. Previously, Holli, her team, and the 101st Airborne decided to try to do something for some of the children they frequently encounter throughout their daily activities. She sent an email out to her friends, family and adopters asking if they'd like to join in the effort. As you can tell by the letter below that she sent out due to the email response for more information, she was spot-on about people's willingness to try to change the world, one small gift at a time:

"The response I have gotten from you guys about the shoes and socks for the Iraqi children has been amazing! We are calling this project "Operation Footprints." Many of you have asked questions about this... we are looking into getting socks and shoes for kids between the ages of 1 - 12, so use your best judgment on sizes. We would like to have all the items collected sent to us by the 1st of March, so this gives you about a month for the collection of items. From there, we will be getting them to the 101st Airborne... from there we will do a humanitarian mission to pass out the shoes and socks to the children. Please note: You may not get a lot of recognition for your donations! I apologize for this, but due to security reasons, we may not be able to take pictures. Our goal is to take as many pictures as we can so you can see the results of your efforts, so we'll see what we can do in a safe manner. I'll keep you updated on this project! Thanks again...
Holli"

The Grande Shores staff members have already donated new shoes and socks for the project based on Holli's recommendation of sandals and sneakers. If you are interested in learning more about the project, please feel free to contact Paula Davis at paula@grandeshores.com.

     Employee Spotlight

George Thompson
Aside from our great staff members, our most popular amenities have to be the fantastic water features located throughout our property. Guests expect sparkling, clean swimming pools; and because of their high importance, the Grande Shores is very lucky to have George Thompson as our Pool Supervisor. George has taken care of all 11 bodies of water (3 pools, 2 lazy rivers, 5 hot tubs & 1 kiddie pool) since Grande Shores opened March 2001. A capable and conscientious individual, George carefully ensures a continuously clean and healthy water environment for adults and children alike-no easy task when you consider how popular the pools are and that our season is nearly year-round!

As the senior member of our Engineering staff, George has also guided and trained many not-as-experienced staff members in complicated repair techniques that go above and beyond his official title. As his picture depicts, the affable and quietly charming George is a favorite with many of our snowbirds---as he starts his day at the property at 5:30 am, a time when many of our early-riser snowbirds like to walk the beach, hit the fitness room and pools before other guests are up and about. George's friendly manner (even that early in the morning) have made more than one snowbird stop Paula in the hallways to sing George's praises.

Away from work, George enjoys spending time with his four grandkids-and we bet they love spending time with him!

The Three words Co-workers use to describe George: Ready, Willing and Able!

     Thank You!
To the following groups who stayed with us in January and February:
Glenns Bay Baptist Church Retreat; South Carolina Association of Clerks to County Council; and Woodside Church Retreat

Around Town

3/6-3/8 National Shag Dance Championship 25th Anniversary
Studebakers. Couples compete in five divisions in the exciting finals.
More information: www.shagnationals.com

3/8-3/16 CAN-AM Days 47th Annual Festival
Fun events all across the Grand Strand. Visit the Chamber's special Web site for places, times and details: www.myrtlebeachinfo.com/canamdays/events.html

3/8 Spring Beach Party
6-10 pm. Broadway at the Beach.
Live music by Cowboy Mouth, fireworks and more.
More information: www.broadwayatthebeach.com

3/10 Atalaya's Special Day
10 am-12 pm. Huntington Beach State Park.
Special celebration at the National Historic Landmark featuring a tour of the castle and refreshments. Fee: $10. More information: 843-235-8755

3/14 North Myrtle Beach Community Band.
7:30 pm. J Bryan Floyd Community Center.
Free performance by trained professional musicians and skilled amateurs.
More information: www.nmb.us

3/15 St. Patrick's Day Parade & Festival
9 am-4pm Begins on Main Street, North Myrtle Beach.
Parade, followed by live music all day. Food. Arts & Crafts. Kids events.
More information: www.stpatnmb.com

3/22 Spring Swing/Big Band Fest
12-5 pm. La Belle Amie Vineyard.
Live music, vineyard tour and wine tasting. Bring lawn chair.
Fee: $10 for ages 18-80 (everyone else, free!)
More information: www.labelleamie.com

All staff members we encountered were very helpful, courteous and pleasant. The lady who cleaned our room did a great job---our room was extremely clean. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay. January Guest Comment

Having owned a travel agency for 21 years, I send golf groups to many destinations and deal with many golf directors. Your director…his knowledge of the courses and his attention to detail…Brain Hanselman…is the primary reason our group keeps coming back. Of course, your attention to keeping a clean, friendly and pleasant facility are also essential. January Guest Comment

Restaurant was very good, and (the) help most accommodating. The personnel there day, or night, (are) excellent. Enjoyed the pool, and (our) room (was) kept clean. Will be back next year, and recommend to others. January Guest Comment

A very pleasant experience. I was able to sleep-in late and the maids still cleaned my room each day. At some places, they won't come back after noon. January Guest Comment

We have stayed at this property at least once a year every year since Days Inn first operated the original Inn. We were glad Grande Shores acquired and improved the property. Grande Shores is the ideal place for us because it is located centrally to the places and restaurants that we like. Also the beach area is almost "private" for nearly a mile. January Guest Comment

We were pleased with everything. All of our needs were met promptly, and the staff were friendly and knowledgeable. We were particularly impressed by the housekeeping staff. January Guest Comment

My wife and I have been spending Christmas at the Grande Shores for several years now and plan on spending every year that we can. We enjoy your location and service. Thank you, Ron

Fun Facts

Ground Hog day, February 2, was first celebrated in the 1800s with Pennsylvania's earliest settlers.

The first Monopoly board game debuted on February 6, 1935.

Mardi Gras always falls 46 days before Easter; and is observed on the Tuesday (Fat Tuesday) before the first day of Lent

Polar bears are left-handed.

It is believed that Valentine's Day was named after a 3rd century priest who performed secret marriages during the rule of Emperor Claudius II, who thought single men would more likely enlist in the army. Valentine was imprisoned and executed on February 4, 270; and was believed to have sent the jailer's daughter notes signed, "From your Valentine," a phrase that carried on through the centuries.

Did you know that children grow faster in the springtime?

The average American eats 35,000 cookies in his/her lifetime.

During the month of February, the moon has been referred to as the Hunger Moon, Chaste Moon, Wolf Moon and Snow Moon.