Who’s Who on the African Safari?

     Here are the names of the 18 folks who have signed up for our African Safari, and a little something about how they may have gravitated towards this particular trip.

     First of all, your tour organizer, Joe Laufer, of Vincentown, has been putting trips together since 1993.  Having back-packed through Europe for the first time in 1985, Joe became hooked on international travel.  Through his job as Dean of Community Services at Burlington County College, he organized his first group tour in 1993 – a Mediterranean tour which included Spain, France and Italy.  Since then he has organized over 25 tours to Europe and Asia, introducing hundreds of individuals to international travel for the first time.  Dozens of these individuals have repeatedly joined Joe on his trips, with the “record” being held by Doug Ghaul who has been on eleven of Joe’s trips. Joe’s website (www.LauferTravel.com) lists the 50 countries Joe has visited since 1985.  Joe’s wife, Penny, has accompanied him on about half his tours.

     Participants on our African Safari who have traveled with Joe before are Doug Ghaul of Burlington City (Paris ’97, Spain & Portugal ’98, Italy ’99, Central Europe ’99, Scandinavia ’00, China ’00, Great Britain ’02, French Riviera ’03, Hawaii ’04, Russia ’05, and Amalfi/Sicily '07 ); Beverly Marinelli of Lumberton (Thailand ’03) and Dixie Lee Anderson of Mount Holly (Paris ’94).

     Thanks to this nucleus of “repeat” travelers, our group has grown to include the family of Dixie Lee Anderson:  her daughter Sara Jo Anderson of Lumberton; a son, Curt Anderson and his wife Lisa of  Myakka City, Florida; and a daughter Norma and her husband David Carlson of  Iowa City, Iowa. Dixie was also intrumental in encouraging two of her Mount Holly friends to join our group and fulfill a long held travel dream. They are Marge Monahan and Maureen Perinchief, both of Mount Holly. Sue Dauterman of Largo, Florida is the most recent addition to our tour. She is a co-worker of Lisa Anderson.

     Beverly Marinelli is being joined by her cousin Carol Storms of Greentown, Pennsylvania. Carol told a friend about the trip, and as a result we have two additional travelers: Suzanne Sheffield of Naples, Florida and her friend, Flora Bell of Grand Isle, Vermont.

     Our group is complemented by newcomers Ray Holshue and Joyce Goldsmith of Marlton. Joyce is a "colleague" of Joe through his involvement with the Burlington County Division of Cultural Affairs and Tourism.  Ray is Joyce's husband.

     We should get to know one another fairly well during our two weeks together on this exciting travel adventure.  For most of us, this is the culmination of our travel fantasies – an actual Safari on the plains of Africa!