February, 2014 Newsletter

Haddonfield

65 Club

      The Retired Men’s Club of Haddonfield

         Web address: http://haddon65club.blogspot.com/ 

110 Rhoads Ave                     

Haddonfield, NJ 08033                                              February 1, 2014

Thought for the Month

It is hard to think of Spring with a foot of snow on the ground, but according to the US Naval Observatory, our daylight hours have increased from nine hours twenty minutes on the Winter Solstice to ten hours eleven minutes on February 1.  That is an increase of fifty-one minutes of daylight. However, our hardy perennials will not venture their heads into the air in this arctic climate in spite of our longer days.   This is very disappointing to those of us who keenly search for early signs of Spring. The harbingers of warmer weather will not give us solace as we are digging out our cars from mounds of snow. We hear of many last minute reservations to warmer climes by some of our winter weary friends.

February really is a great month! The lengthening days, the sun higher in the sky giving us a warmer feeling on our faces gives us a glimpse of Spring, Even in this inhospitable weather, we can look at the new buds on forsythia and pussy willow bushes and take heart that this stretch of unpleasantness will end.

Speaking of unpleasantness, Trenton has enough to entangle the state for a good while. It seems we are going to witness a long series of Fifth Amendment pleadings before this act is over. We hope this distraction does not affect our state as long as some pundits have predicted.

We have a federal budget! Who would have guessed?  The debt ceiling is the next big hurtle that will get all our attention. We can only hope our representatives and senators will do their jobs and be able to keep our great country from defaulting on any of our debt.

  – – Frank Gaudiano

President’s Message

At our business meeting in January, our board of directors and officers were sworn in. A new precedent was established as the existing president continues for a second term. I must admit that I didn’t campaign for this honor, nor did I spend any money seeking re-election; it was just the simplest solution to a problem that arose last year; that being that the two vice-presidents resigned in mid-term. This left us in a very unusual situation, but with some begging and pleading we recruited a 2^nd vice-president, Dennis Kille.

To help Dennis Kille step into the role of 1^st vice-president this year, whose primary job is to recruit speakers for our weekly meetings, the board of directors decided that the task of recruiting speakers would be shared among a trio of members. That committee consists of Dennis Kille, Ron Howley and Bill Brown.  It seems to be working very well as we already have speakers booked into April.

Last year, my goal was to increase our membership. I’m happy to say that through the efforts of our membership chairman, Joe Ade, the newspaper articles by Bill Hitchens and perhaps the wine and cheese party, we were able to increase our membership to over 150 from a start-of-the-year membership in the 130s. In addition, many of our members did individual recruiting. At this time new club brochures are being printed and an aggressive distribution campaign will take place.

For my unexpected second term, I would like to see increased participation at our regular meetings as well as an expansion of our trip activities. Certainly we will continue the casino trips, but others will be added along the way. For example, a trip is planned for Tuesday, April 8, the destination being a triple header. First we will travel to Seabrook, NJ a Japanese American community of over 2,500 Japanese Americans that were recruited from the internment camps during WWII. Next will be the Millville Air Force Museum that houses many interesting memories of the war years. Lastly will be a beer tasting at the Glasstown Brewery. Details will follow. Hopefully spouses will join us on this trip.

Speaking of spouses, through the coordinating efforts of Sally Howley, women are welcome to bowl at Laurel Lanes on Friday mornings on alleys near the 65 Club. A few wives are also taking bridge lessons at the club. We would like to explore ways to expand wives’ participation in these and/or other activities sponsored by the club.

We have a great group of active board members, a strong secretary and treasurer and two excellent vice-presidents in Dennis Kille and Neil Wise. The continued success of the 65 Club is assured, but don’t go along for the ride, get involved yourself.

– – Bill Brown

Happy 100^th Birthday!!

Members of the club helped celebrate the 100^th birthday of Marshall Warrington on January 30^th. Marshall is a long time (and current) pinochle player at the club and we were delighted to have him at the regular Thursday meeting. The celebration was topped off with a beautiful and delicious cake, and Marshall's favorite, strawberry ice cream. A rousing rendition of Happy Birthday was sung by the members and accompanied by Joanna Darrow on the accordion. Marshall is pictured here with his pinochle buddies.

 

 Special Trip

We are planning a trip for April 8, to leave the Wedgewood Swim Club at 9 AM. The first stop will be the Seabrook Educational and Culture Center in Upper Deerfield Township. Seabrook was a vibrant farming area producing a wide variety of produce during the war years. But, most of the farm workers were serving in factories and the armed forces. Permission was received to recruit Japanese from internment camps to work on the Seabrook Farms. Approximately 2500 workers were obtained by this effort. The story of how these people lived is very interesting and is explained at the Seabrook Center.

The second stop on the trip will be the Millville Air Corp Museum. Many people today are not aware that this base was used for air force gunnery training during the war years. The museum houses much interesting memorabilia regarding the war years, and even some space age items. There are also some planes from those earlier times parked on the tarmac.  The final stop will be the new Glasstown Brewery for a beer tasting, if they can accommodate us.

Lunch will be provided and we expect to return around 6 PM. For more information contact Bill Brown. To reserve your spot contact Jack Aharon at 429-7271. The total price for the day is $35.00. Seating is limited.

Dues Last Chance!

That’s right. All Dues are due by February 15 (before the final letter is sent out).There are still 23 members who haven’t paid their Dues as of now. If you are not sure if you have paid, call Walt Baker at 856-429-7288. Send a $20.00 check made out to 65 CLUB, to W. Baker, 400 N. Haddon Ave. Unit 209, Haddonfield, NJ 08033-1736.

New Members

Donald McCallum and his wife Lois live at 437 Longwood Dr., Haddonfield. The telephone number is 856-428-4618. Don retired as a Teacher for the Cherry Hill Board of Education. His hobbies are bowling and pinochle.

Earl Slimm lives at 100 Ramble Road, Cherry Hill. His phone number is 856-667-6968. Earl retired as a Service Engineer for the Xerox Corporation. His hobbies are fishing, bowling and golf.

George R. Fisher resides at 203 Chews Landing Road, Haddonfield. His telephone number is 429-5752. George was a Physician and a book publisher (Ross & Perry, Inc., Publishers). His hobby is the card game of bridge.

Gentlemen, we are glad to have you as members and hope you enjoy the 65 Club.

Address Changes

John Browne and his wife Pat are now living at; 30 Lowell Drive, Marlton, N.J. 08053; telephone unchanged.

Warren Tomlinson and his wife Ann’s new address is; 23 W. Wyoming Ave., Haven Beach, N.J. 08008.

The telephone (cell) number is 856-287-2521.

Obituary

Edward J. Poynton, Jr. passed away on January 27, 2014. Ed was 84 years old. He is survived by his wife Jane (Sherman) Ed was father to Janet Garman, Crownsville, Md. and Nancy Giordano, Cherry Hill, NJ. Ed is also survived by two sisters; Carol Verven of Mass. and Joan Fleming of N.Y.

Ed graduated from Rutgers Univ. and served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. Afterwards, he became a partner in the insurance firm of Andersen, Jackson, & Metts, in Haddonfield. He was active in a number of local civic groups; the Y’s Men, the 65 Club (21 years), the Mabel Kay House and the Inter-faith Caregivers.

The Club Memorial was sent to the Lighthouse Hospice, 1040 N. Kings Hwy, Suite 100, Cherry Hill, N.J. 08034.

“I mount! I fly!

O grave where is thy victory?

O death where is thy sting?”

– – Alexander Pope, English Poet

My War Time Story

This song started my story:

OFF we go into the wild blue yonder,

Climbing high into the sun.

Here they come zooming to meet our thunder

At ‘em boys, Give ‘er the gun!

Down we dive, spouting our flame from under

OFF with one helluva roar!

We live in fame or go down in flames. Hey!

Nothing can stop the Army Air Corps!

The words and stirring music of the Air Force song had much to do with my choice to serve.  At the end of WWII, I was an ‘almost’ mature 18-year old kid, in school at the Univ. of Pittsburgh, waiting to be drafted. When I heard the U.S. Navy Air Corps offered a fancy cadet program; this was my enlistment choice, instead of getting drafted. So, I sat for the written test along with about 200 other guys.

The handful of us who passed the written part were put on an all-nighter Pennsy railroad coach to Philly from Pittsburgh for the rigorous pre-flight physical. We spent the long night smoking, buying real Cokes and sugars from the candy-butchers at every stop and eating bunches of carrots to improve our eyesight for the much-heralded and ominous eye exam in the morning.

After stoking all night on nicotine, caffeine and sugar, my blood pressure was through the roof and I failed the physical, and was rejected for service. I came home and busied myself with studies, my fraternity, Pi Kappa Alpha, and a steady girlfriend (GF)

When my draft number was called, I wasn’t ready to give up the good life – especially the GF. So, when I was called up for my draft physical I repeated the caffeine, nicotine and sugar drill. It worked, like my Navy Air Corps rejection – I flunked, again, but this time on purpose! Now I was a bona fide “4F”, unfit for service. Anyhow, the shooting was over, but not the formal end of the war. I had regrets.

Then life dealt a series of cruel blows. I lost my GF, was flunking organic chemistry and carried around a war guilt feeling like Judas trying to give back his 30 shekels. One day I jumped into the nearest recruiting station, didn’t mention my ignoble “4F” experience, and enlisted in the U.S. Army. Starting out in the infantry, then the Quartermaster, and finally the Adjutant General Dept., I ended up with buck sergeants stripes. I even earned a meritorious service commendation for running a typewriter. I was also offered a chance to go to Officers Candidate School, but I declined. (Ironic detail, the day before I was to report to my Army enlistment, the Navy requested I come back for a retest pre-flight physical—mebbe another shot at being a flyboy. Some of those guys I originally tested with wound up ‘in space’.)

Born one year too late for the shooting in WW11, I was classified as a vet on the technicality that war wasn’t declared over until after I enlisted.

– – Al Kadar

February Birthdays

1  W. Bernard Schaming	5 Michael Manning	16  Edward S. Moore	25  Mark Heston
3  Robert Mathers	7 Jack Poupard	17  Neil Wise	25  Howard Rementer.
4  Edward E. Davis, Sr.	14  Bill Carroll	25  George M. Durgin, Jr.	26  Henry Bauer

Clubhouse Programs

Thursday	Feb 6	Directors meeting	10:00 AM
Thursday	Feb 6	ST PAUL'S FOOD PANTRY IN CAMDEN…………………….Dick Hammond	1:30 PM
Thursday	Feb 13	Business meeting + BRIEF TALK BY VISITING JAPANESE STUDENTS	1:30 PM
Thursday	Feb 20	TBA	1:30 PM
Thursday	Feb 27	FINE ART APPRAISING (Bring your art)………………………..Andrew Huber	1:30 PM
Thursday	Mar 6	Directors meeting	10:00 AM
Thursday	Mar 6	BRIGHTVIEW SENIOR LIVING (refreshments)…………………Mari Roman	1:30 PM
Thursday	Mar 13	Business meeting	1:30 PM
Thursday	Mar 20	SOCIAL SECURITY.(Pizza & soda)…………...….Tim Gallager & Tom Mower	1:30 PM
Thursday	Mar 27	HADROSARUS FOULKII HISTORY/COMMEMORATIVE SITE Butch Brees	1:30 PM

NOTE: We have an insatiable appetite for presenters. We rely on the vast experience of our members to satisfy this need by suggesting speakers. So, be on the alert and notify Bill Brown (429-4368) if you have any suggestions for speakers.

Activities

Bowling

You’re missing a good time every Friday Morning at Laurel Lanes, Rt. 73. Come on out and do some bowling. It’s only $6.55 and you get three games, a ball, shoes, coffee, Danish and good, no, great fellowship. Come out and see how Bill Brown makes his ball curve (Sometimes). Averages: C. Legge – 116; D. Gimigliano – 126; T. Mervine – 126; R. Fuller – 137; B. Coggins – 141; B. Brown – 140; W. Baker-164.

– – Dick Gimigliano and Walt Baker

Bridge

Cumulative Bridge Scores Through January 27, 2014
51.5	Bob Ball	24.0	Hank Bauer	17.5	John Petrozzi
45.0	Howard Rementer	23.0	Bernie Schaming	16.5	Frank Gaudiano
39.5	Jack Walden	20.5	Milt Leontiades	15.5	Phil Aronow
37.5	Tom Mervine	19.5	Rich Cosentino	15.0	George McConville
25.0	Bill Hoeberg	17.5	Bill Hitchens

We play at the Clubhouse every Monday. If you are interested in Duplicate Bridge please join us.  We start at 1:00pm sharp so please arrive by 12:45.

– – Bernie Schaming

Pinochle

Cumulative Pinochle Scores Through January 22, 2014
65	Bud Pusatere	49	Howard Rementer	31	Bill Hoeberg
61	Ron Howley	46	Henry Leimkuhler	28	Albert Cipolone
60	Jack Walden	46	Tom Mervine	24	Don
56	Len Walden	42	Joe Ade	20	Mart Warrington
50	Roland Heilig	36	Charles Legge	12	Lloyd Gardner

Pinochle is played every Wednesday at 12:30 PM at the Clubhouse. Play begins at 12:30 PM; please arrive by 12:15 PM. You are invited to join us.

– – Tom Mervine

Golf

The schedule of courses to be played during 2014 will be published next month.

Natural Laws

· Law of Mechanical Repair – After your hands become coated with grease, your nose will begin to itch & you'll have to pee.

· Law of Gravity – Any tool, nut, bolt, screw, when dropped, will roll to the least accessible corner.

· Law of Probability – The probability of being watched is directly proportional to the stupidity of your act.

·  Law of Random Numbers – If you dial a wrong number, you never get a busy signal & someone always answers.

· Law of Biomechanics – The severity of the itch is inversely proportional to the reach.

· Oliver's Law of Public Speaking – A closed mouth gathers no feet.
· Murphy's Law of Lockers – If there are only 2 people in a locker room, they will have adjacent lockers.

Bill Hitchens                  Editors                   Frank Gaudiano

      Composing Editor Bernie Schaming