January 2019 SIR 34 Newsletter
"There are two seasonal diversions that can ease the bite of any winter. One is the January thaw. The other is the seed catalogues."
- Hal Borland
- Hal Borland
Big SIR
Jim Benham
I want to start by wishing everyone a Happy and Healthy New Year. In addition, thanks to our Big SIR, Adrian Verduzco, we had another great year and Adrian has left our branch with some growth in membership and a solid balance sheet. I also want to applaud all of the activity volunteers for another fun year; hopefully we may be able to add a few more activities this year. We are busy lining up some interesting speakers for 2019 and anticipate a great year.
Lastly, I am happy to report that our luncheon prices will not increase in 2019 and will remain at $25.00.
Jim Benham
Little SIR
Bill Staack
Our speaker in January is our own new Big SIR, Jim Benham who is going to present the history of military night vision from WWII to present and the future.
Treasurer's Report
Tom Reif
Please note: If you come in late for a meeting and there is no one at the table to buy a lunch ticket, please check the sign at the table to see where a treasurer (Wendell Moen, Jack Ogden or Tom Reif) is sitting and buy your ticket. Thanks for your help.
Jim Benham
I want to start by wishing everyone a Happy and Healthy New Year. In addition, thanks to our Big SIR, Adrian Verduzco, we had another great year and Adrian has left our branch with some growth in membership and a solid balance sheet. I also want to applaud all of the activity volunteers for another fun year; hopefully we may be able to add a few more activities this year. We are busy lining up some interesting speakers for 2019 and anticipate a great year.
Lastly, I am happy to report that our luncheon prices will not increase in 2019 and will remain at $25.00.
Jim Benham
Little SIR
Bill Staack
Our speaker in January is our own new Big SIR, Jim Benham who is going to present the history of military night vision from WWII to present and the future.
Treasurer's Report
Tom Reif
Please note: If you come in late for a meeting and there is no one at the table to buy a lunch ticket, please check the sign at the table to see where a treasurer (Wendell Moen, Jack Ogden or Tom Reif) is sitting and buy your ticket. Thanks for your help.
Annual Dues Collection Time
Starting at our next meeting on January 3rd, we will be collecting
the annual $20.00 member dues. Checks made out to SIR
Branch 34 are preferred and will improve your chances of being
credited properly, but cash is also acceptable. It will be helpful to
some of us old guys (like me) if you show us your badge when
paying with cash.
Lunch
Ron Jensen
Please note, there is NO need to inform the attendance chair whether you will be absent from this meeting or any other meeting. If you have a conflict and cannot attend, you will marked as absent from that luncheon by the fact that you did not use your badge that month.
Ron Jensen
Please note, there is NO need to inform the attendance chair whether you will be absent from this meeting or any other meeting. If you have a conflict and cannot attend, you will marked as absent from that luncheon by the fact that you did not use your badge that month.
Membership
Don Bartel Chairman
New Members
John Plotts TV101 Golf
1221 Orloff Dr
Pleasanton, CA 94566
jeplotts@gmail.com
Member Changes
James Foley Passed away Active to out
Don Bartel Chairman
New Members
John Plotts TV101 Golf
1221 Orloff Dr
Pleasanton, CA 94566
jeplotts@gmail.com
Member Changes
James Foley Passed away Active to out
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January
Dennis Alcalde Steve Annen Darrell Bender Robert Bills Don Bush Tom Crawford Dick Fields Don Keith Tim Kennedy Ken Lewis |
Birthdays
Peter McIntyre Jim McClean Scott Paulson Tom Pico Don Roberts Daryl Silva Bob Steuben Fred Walz Peter Weeks Ronald Zaine |
GOLF
2019 Golf Schedule
We will not be playing during Christmas and New Years week.
Happy & Joyful New Years!
Jim Kenna (925) 989-9062
2019 Golf Schedule
We will not be playing during Christmas and New Years week.
Happy & Joyful New Years!
Jim Kenna (925) 989-9062
GOLF PLEASANTON FAIRWAYS
STEVE THOMAS
Please join me for nine great holes at the Pleasanton Fairgrounds on Monday and Thursday, 8:00
AM tee off. Show up at least 15 minutes earlier for pairing.
STEVE THOMAS
Please join me for nine great holes at the Pleasanton Fairgrounds on Monday and Thursday, 8:00
AM tee off. Show up at least 15 minutes earlier for pairing.
Wine Tasting
Larry Lindsey
925-593-5487
larrylindsey@hotmail.com
Wine Tasters Club
It’s 2019! Time to get our wine tasting for the year rolling. January tasting will be on Tuesday, January 8th, 6:30 at Larry & Sharron Lindsey's home. We like to support the Livermore wine industry so bring any wine from our Livermore wine region. Do not bring any desserts because the host home will be providing a desert. It is important that you respond that you are going to be attending so the host has an idea of the number of people to plan for.
A few weeks ago I sent an e-mail requesting host homes for 2019 wine tasting and specifically requested that those members who have been in the group for a while and to date have not hosted a wine event to please volunteer to host this year. We have March, April, June, September and November still to be filled for 2019. It is fun to host, please give it a try.
January 8th 6:30
Larry & Sharron Lindsey
1975 Foxswallow Cir
Pleasanton, Ca 94566
846-7813
Larry Lindsey
925-593-5487
larrylindsey@hotmail.com
Wine Tasters Club
It’s 2019! Time to get our wine tasting for the year rolling. January tasting will be on Tuesday, January 8th, 6:30 at Larry & Sharron Lindsey's home. We like to support the Livermore wine industry so bring any wine from our Livermore wine region. Do not bring any desserts because the host home will be providing a desert. It is important that you respond that you are going to be attending so the host has an idea of the number of people to plan for.
A few weeks ago I sent an e-mail requesting host homes for 2019 wine tasting and specifically requested that those members who have been in the group for a while and to date have not hosted a wine event to please volunteer to host this year. We have March, April, June, September and November still to be filled for 2019. It is fun to host, please give it a try.
January 8th 6:30
Larry & Sharron Lindsey
1975 Foxswallow Cir
Pleasanton, Ca 94566
846-7813
BRIDGE
CHUCK BROWN
In December, we met at John Knox Presbyterian Church 7421 Amarillo Road, Dublin.
We had 3 tables and the winners were: Chuck Brown, Bill van Gelder and Randy Cotton.
Our next meeting will be January 8, 2019 at 1:00 PM.
Camera Club
Don Roberts
Any questions about Camera Club get in touch with Don Roberts at 846-5145 or email don dwrwghb@comcast.net.
Chaplin
Larry Brumm Please call Larry if you hear of any SIR sick, hospitalized, or injured so he can let everyone else know.
CHUCK BROWN
In December, we met at John Knox Presbyterian Church 7421 Amarillo Road, Dublin.
We had 3 tables and the winners were: Chuck Brown, Bill van Gelder and Randy Cotton.
Our next meeting will be January 8, 2019 at 1:00 PM.
Camera Club
Don Roberts
Any questions about Camera Club get in touch with Don Roberts at 846-5145 or email don dwrwghb@comcast.net.
Chaplin
Larry Brumm Please call Larry if you hear of any SIR sick, hospitalized, or injured so he can let everyone else know.
History Club
Stephen Jackson
For those of you who are history buffs this club might be of interest to you. We meet every second Wednesday of the month at 10am (next one Wednesday January 9th), for the moment at the Corner Bakery Café near intersection of Bernal and Valley near I-680. We have a list of topics we want to explore and are currently working on Civil War stories. Please join us if you are interested and bring a fact or two with you to share.
Stephen Jackson stivescoop@comcast.net
Stephen Jackson
For those of you who are history buffs this club might be of interest to you. We meet every second Wednesday of the month at 10am (next one Wednesday January 9th), for the moment at the Corner Bakery Café near intersection of Bernal and Valley near I-680. We have a list of topics we want to explore and are currently working on Civil War stories. Please join us if you are interested and bring a fact or two with you to share.
Stephen Jackson stivescoop@comcast.net
Bocce & Beer Outings
Steve Annen
Bocce Ball is the 1st and 3 rd Tues at 10 am at the Pleasanton senior center.
I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas! There is NO bocce on Tues Jan.1 We will be playing the 3rd and 5th Tues in Jan It will be at the senior center if the courts are dry enough at 10 am, if not we are lined up to play at Rubino Winery and it will be at 2 pm, Steve will let everyone know beforehand if we’re playing at Rubino. Happy New year to all Steve. Steve will have Beer Outing information during our January meeting.
Steve Annen
Bocce Ball is the 1st and 3 rd Tues at 10 am at the Pleasanton senior center.
I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas! There is NO bocce on Tues Jan.1 We will be playing the 3rd and 5th Tues in Jan It will be at the senior center if the courts are dry enough at 10 am, if not we are lined up to play at Rubino Winery and it will be at 2 pm, Steve will let everyone know beforehand if we’re playing at Rubino. Happy New year to all Steve. Steve will have Beer Outing information during our January meeting.
Poker
Jim Benham
This is a fun causal game, come join us some time. We usually meet on the last Tuesday of the month, first hand at 6pm, last at 10pm. The holidays got in the way of our poker outing in December, we expect to have a full compliment the last Tuesday in January.
Jim Benham
This is a fun causal game, come join us some time. We usually meet on the last Tuesday of the month, first hand at 6pm, last at 10pm. The holidays got in the way of our poker outing in December, we expect to have a full compliment the last Tuesday in January.
Men's Once a month Dinner Club
This is another new group, grab a hold of Carl Churilo during the meeting to get more information about the next dinner outing.
This is another new group, grab a hold of Carl Churilo during the meeting to get more information about the next dinner outing.
Dance Club
Carl Churilo
The dancing still goes on and there are plenty of places to go out and become a hero to your spouse. As you all know, women love to dance, so why not take them to one of the places mention below and have a great time together.
The following are places to go Dancing which my opinion are very good and reasonably prices:
Carl Churilo
The dancing still goes on and there are plenty of places to go out and become a hero to your spouse. As you all know, women love to dance, so why not take them to one of the places mention below and have a great time together.
The following are places to go Dancing which my opinion are very good and reasonably prices:
- Rossmoor Senior Community: last Sunday of the month, great dance floor, DJ music, and a is only $5 per person.
- Merry Mixers at the Elks Club in Walnut Creek: twice a month – 1st and 3th Friday of each month, live band, smaller dance floor but fun.
- Castle Rock Restaurant, Livermore: every Sunday and Tuesday night. Live band.
- Two Left Feet, Danville, every Sunday afternoon, DJ music, and nice dance floor.
The once a month Breakfast Group
Jim Benham
We usually meet the last Wednesday of the month at Vic's All Star Cafe on Main Street in downtown Pleasanton. Due to the holidays, we skipped December but we will meet January 30th at 8:30 for interesting conversation and a good breakfast. Come join us.
Jim Benham
We usually meet the last Wednesday of the month at Vic's All Star Cafe on Main Street in downtown Pleasanton. Due to the holidays, we skipped December but we will meet January 30th at 8:30 for interesting conversation and a good breakfast. Come join us.
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Wood Carvers
John Peterson The Wood Carvers meet every Tuesday from 9 to 4 and at 6-8 pm every Thursday at the Wood Shop in the Senior Center. They take a lunch break on Tuesday at the Sage Cafe in the Senior Center. This September 8-9 is the 48th annual show at the Pleasanton Vetrens Center. This year the theme is animals in a carousel, come to the show for a roaring good time! |
SIR 34 TRAVEL Opportunities in 2019 and beyond (subject to change)
Bill Britton, SIR Travel Chair, bill.britton@comcast.net, 925 443 9913
Werner Schlapfer, SIR Assistant Travel Chair, werner@schlapfer.com, 925 443 8291
2019:
Feb. or March: Sierra Scenic Train to Reno.
Organized by Jack Parker
May 20 - 24: 5-day Motor Coach trip to Southern Oregon with American Stage
Tours. Stay 4 nights at Holiday Inn Express in Central Point, OR, with day trips to Crater Lake, Hellgate Rogue River Jetboat excursion, Alpacas Ranch, Broadway Musical (“Hairspray”) in Ashland and much more. $ 1245 per person, dbl. occ. Send an email to Werner for more details.
June 19: Motor Coach Day Trip: Napa Valley Wine Train and Wine Tasting at Grgich
Winery. Send an email to Werner for more details.
September 3 - 13: 10-day cruise on Grand Princess from San Francisco to Alaska
by Inside Passage. Ports of Call: Juneau, Skagway, Glacier Bay, Sitka, Victoria.
$ 2155 – 3440/pp. Send an email to Werner for more details.
September 5-18, 2019 – Spotlight on Tuscany & Rome (escorted by Bill)
If you are interested, or just curious, come to the Informational Meeting on Thursday, January 10th, at 3:30 pm at the main Livermore Public Library, Community Room A. Attending gets each person a small savings.
This trip is escorted by Bill Britton. Bill has arranged to combine two separate Collette Spotlight trips into one. A Spotlight trip is one in which you stay in one hotel for the duration of the tour, no moving every few days. We will move once when we finish the Tuscany portion and move on to Rome. Here are some of the highlights:
Tuscany: stay in Montecatini Terme (a town with thermal baths) and visit Florence, Lucca, the Gothic Line (WWII site), Pisa, Siena, San Gimignano, have a Tuscan Cooking Class, Winery Tour and visit a Cheese Farm. There are two optional tours while in Tuscany. A “Tuscan Villa Dinner and Entertainment” and a “Day Trip to the Cinque Terre.”
Rome: stay in the heart of Rome and either join a Walking Tour or a Mosaic Masterpieces Tour, visit the Colosseum, Vatican Museums, St. Peter’s Basilica, Tiber Island, and have a Cooking Class Roman style. You will also have free time to explore on your own. And there are two optional Roman tours, “Rome by Night” and the “Villas of Tivoli.”
Always Included in the price: Roundtrip Airfare, Insurance, Air Taxes, 4 Star Hotels, Hotel Transfers, Transportation to/from SFO from Livermore.
Pricing: Double $6,218/person, Single $7,318, Triple $6,158/person.
Space is limited. We have only 16 spots reserved. I will have flyers at the next luncheon. You can also get a copy of the flyer here.
Travel in 2020: (in “thinking about it” stage, if enough interest. Let Werner or Bill know)
Spring or late Summer: Magical Rhine and Moselle River Cruise, 12-13 days visiting 14 cities in the Netherlands, Germany, France, and Switzerland. (Bill) We had a good time last April on our Springtime Tulip River Cruise and many people said they would love to sail on a Collette Amedeus cruise again. I am working on the details for this cruise that goes from the Netherlands to Switzerland. Keep your eyes on future newsletters for details.
June 26 – July 2 : Spotlight on South Dakota with Collette: 7 days (6 nights) in one
hotel in Rapid City, SD, with daily bus trips to nearby sights: Mount Rushmore, Badlands, Devils Tower, Custer and Deadwood. (Werner) Discover the spirit of the American West. Travel to the legendary Black Hills and see the American prairie as it was 300 years ago. Explore the legends of the city of Deadwood, home to Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane. Travel the backcountry of Custer State Park and along the impressive Needles Highway lined with famous granite spires. Visit magnificent Mt. Rushmore. See Crazy Horse Memorial, the world’s largest mountain sculpture still in progress. Journey through the natural beauty of Badlands National Park by coach or take a guided hike on one of its trails. Discover the fascinating history and stories of the Lakota and Sioux through a Native American chronicler.
Aug: 13-day Canada Rail Circle Tour (Totem Rail Explorer) from Vancouver (escorted by Werner)
Travel by ferry to Vancouver Island, where you’ll experience its loveliest attractions. Continue north by sailing the Inside Passage to the charmingly rustic town of Prince Rupert. Board the local Skeena train to Jasper and then travel south through the Canadian Rockies by motor coach, including overnight stays in the three gem towns of the Rockies. Complete the circle on board the Rocky Mountaineer train as it travels from Banff to Vancouver on the historic CPR line. This is a journey you’ll never forget!
Werner Schlapfer, SIR Assistant Travel Chair, werner@schlapfer.com, 925 443 8291
2019:
Feb. or March: Sierra Scenic Train to Reno.
Organized by Jack Parker
May 20 - 24: 5-day Motor Coach trip to Southern Oregon with American Stage
Tours. Stay 4 nights at Holiday Inn Express in Central Point, OR, with day trips to Crater Lake, Hellgate Rogue River Jetboat excursion, Alpacas Ranch, Broadway Musical (“Hairspray”) in Ashland and much more. $ 1245 per person, dbl. occ. Send an email to Werner for more details.
June 19: Motor Coach Day Trip: Napa Valley Wine Train and Wine Tasting at Grgich
Winery. Send an email to Werner for more details.
September 3 - 13: 10-day cruise on Grand Princess from San Francisco to Alaska
by Inside Passage. Ports of Call: Juneau, Skagway, Glacier Bay, Sitka, Victoria.
$ 2155 – 3440/pp. Send an email to Werner for more details.
September 5-18, 2019 – Spotlight on Tuscany & Rome (escorted by Bill)
If you are interested, or just curious, come to the Informational Meeting on Thursday, January 10th, at 3:30 pm at the main Livermore Public Library, Community Room A. Attending gets each person a small savings.
This trip is escorted by Bill Britton. Bill has arranged to combine two separate Collette Spotlight trips into one. A Spotlight trip is one in which you stay in one hotel for the duration of the tour, no moving every few days. We will move once when we finish the Tuscany portion and move on to Rome. Here are some of the highlights:
Tuscany: stay in Montecatini Terme (a town with thermal baths) and visit Florence, Lucca, the Gothic Line (WWII site), Pisa, Siena, San Gimignano, have a Tuscan Cooking Class, Winery Tour and visit a Cheese Farm. There are two optional tours while in Tuscany. A “Tuscan Villa Dinner and Entertainment” and a “Day Trip to the Cinque Terre.”
Rome: stay in the heart of Rome and either join a Walking Tour or a Mosaic Masterpieces Tour, visit the Colosseum, Vatican Museums, St. Peter’s Basilica, Tiber Island, and have a Cooking Class Roman style. You will also have free time to explore on your own. And there are two optional Roman tours, “Rome by Night” and the “Villas of Tivoli.”
Always Included in the price: Roundtrip Airfare, Insurance, Air Taxes, 4 Star Hotels, Hotel Transfers, Transportation to/from SFO from Livermore.
Pricing: Double $6,218/person, Single $7,318, Triple $6,158/person.
Space is limited. We have only 16 spots reserved. I will have flyers at the next luncheon. You can also get a copy of the flyer here.
Travel in 2020: (in “thinking about it” stage, if enough interest. Let Werner or Bill know)
Spring or late Summer: Magical Rhine and Moselle River Cruise, 12-13 days visiting 14 cities in the Netherlands, Germany, France, and Switzerland. (Bill) We had a good time last April on our Springtime Tulip River Cruise and many people said they would love to sail on a Collette Amedeus cruise again. I am working on the details for this cruise that goes from the Netherlands to Switzerland. Keep your eyes on future newsletters for details.
June 26 – July 2 : Spotlight on South Dakota with Collette: 7 days (6 nights) in one
hotel in Rapid City, SD, with daily bus trips to nearby sights: Mount Rushmore, Badlands, Devils Tower, Custer and Deadwood. (Werner) Discover the spirit of the American West. Travel to the legendary Black Hills and see the American prairie as it was 300 years ago. Explore the legends of the city of Deadwood, home to Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane. Travel the backcountry of Custer State Park and along the impressive Needles Highway lined with famous granite spires. Visit magnificent Mt. Rushmore. See Crazy Horse Memorial, the world’s largest mountain sculpture still in progress. Journey through the natural beauty of Badlands National Park by coach or take a guided hike on one of its trails. Discover the fascinating history and stories of the Lakota and Sioux through a Native American chronicler.
Aug: 13-day Canada Rail Circle Tour (Totem Rail Explorer) from Vancouver (escorted by Werner)
Travel by ferry to Vancouver Island, where you’ll experience its loveliest attractions. Continue north by sailing the Inside Passage to the charmingly rustic town of Prince Rupert. Board the local Skeena train to Jasper and then travel south through the Canadian Rockies by motor coach, including overnight stays in the three gem towns of the Rockies. Complete the circle on board the Rocky Mountaineer train as it travels from Banff to Vancouver on the historic CPR line. This is a journey you’ll never forget!