Kiwanis Club of Sand Lake, NY

President Gerald Tysiak                                                                                                       Secretary Peg Weiss

President-Elect Mikki McSherry                                                                             Treasurer Robert S. Pasquarelli

Vice President Gary Meislin                                                                                  Immediate Past Pres Joe Behson

Sandpiper Editor Jo Moccia                                                                                                 Photographer Pat Lane

                                                       Issue editor Jim Colabelli                                                                                  Webmaster David E. Booker   

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Scott Paul, Ray Turner, William Whipple

Bryce E. Cutler, Skip Patton, James E. Rogers

John C. Brownrigg, James M. Colabelli, Eve M. Ward

Club Bulletin Committee

Jo Moccia, Chair

Jim Colabelli            Pat Lane

MEETING OF NOVEMBER 24, 2008

PRESIDENT Gerald Tysiak presiding

GREETINGS & INVOCATION by Mikki McSherry

WELCOME GUESTS: Don and Audrey Hisert, Rose Dorr, Lynette Mancini, Szanne Brownrigg

WELCOME BACK: Armand Mills

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

The bell tonight was replaced by a gong from Viet Nam

• Tonight members sat at Committee member discussion tables

• John Brownrigg was Presented a Certificate from K International Foundation for his generous support of  Kiwanis Children’s Fund

• Ways & Means Chairperson: Chet Melius and Kevin Sarsfield (sales coordinator) announced end of Citrus Sales Fund Raiser. Orders and money due tonight.

• Thanksgiving Distribution & Delivery of Food Boxes from WSL Fire Hall on Saturday, November 22.  Mikki McSherry,  Eve Ward, Bill Whipple, Bob Loveridge, Jerry Tysiak. 62 families and 111 children served. (see picture on right)

• 11/20/08 22 Girl Scouts helped to distribute food

• Christmas tree Sale Project Chaired by Joe Behson. Crew set up tree racks on Saturday morning, November 22.

Thank you to: Bill Whipple, John Brownrigg, Jim Colabelli, Dudley Dorr, Skip Patton, Dick Johnson, Jerry Tysiak.

• Friday 11/28/08 trees will arrive and James, Tysiak, Turner, Loveridge and Brownrigg will unload

• Tree sales start Saturday morning, November 29. May need a couple of extra Kiwanians early to supervise Sheriff’s work crew.

• 60 Charter/Holiday Dinner next Monday, December 1, drinks at 6, dinner at 7 PM. Troy Club our original sponsor will make an interclub visit. Don’t Forget Teenagers Gifts for Charter & Holiday Party on December 1.

• Note BOD Meeting will be moved to Monday, December 8 due to Charter/Holiday Dinner on Monday, December 1.

• Bells of Life at Crossgates by the OLD Macy’s December 6 10AM-6 PM. James, Loveridge, Blais, Turner, Parslow, Fioravanti, Lane.

• Hannaford’s will donate $1000 for Children’s Hospital

• Doors of Hope unload truck 12/5 and 12/16

PROGRAM: The Funny side of Vietnam, or “Where in the World is Bob Reiter?

From Target to Tourist

PROGRAM SPEAKER: John Brownrigg accompanied by Bob Reiter

In 1963 Bob had a draft number of 17. He went to college to avoid the draft but “no luck”. John described the 4 goals of his trip back to Viet Nam

1.       to present Kritters and clothing

2.     have a memorial service

3.     create a documentary

4.     become a tourist

After a 32 hour flight to Sai Gon they landed in a brand new airport. John had his first encounter with PTSD while back in country when he saw his first NVA soldier. Many connections occurred on the trip. Song, their tour guide, had a brother who worked with John 39 years ago. Trong had 3 connections, moon shine, was assigned to John when John was on his first tour with the 101^st, and interrogated the nurse that John had captured and flown to safety.

John showed many slides of the trip including those of the Montenyard people and the water buffalo. He described walk-abouts, 5 star hotels, rice wine and colorful people.

Memorials were described. One memorial was at a rubber tree plantation where Agent Orange had been used to wipe out the plantation in 1967. The plantation was restored. John described miles and miles of tunnel systems and rockets, etc.

John Prentiss was lost in 1967. His brother Steve wanted to find the place where he was killed. John was an advisor to the special ops in that area. He read the rudimentary map and used some email info and plotted the way to the place where John Prentiss died.

Michael had prepared for a vision quest with 402 prayer bundles to be burned in a Native American ceremony. Michael was not allowed to venture out of the village but the members on the trip guarded him in shifts to allow him to venture out and have his vision quest.

The group visited the John McCain spot in Hanoi.

Two thirds of Viet Nam was decimated by Agent Orange and the film “Agent Orange: A Permanent Mark” is being made now.

John shared a picture of himself holding a young boy. He said that this was the first child he held in 39 years because of the atrocities he had experienced in Viet Nam. One story he told was of an 8 year old girl who pulled a grenade and killed 4 of his men.

The meet and toast with former enemies concluded with John sharing Bob’s statement, “thank god none of us were good shots or we wouldn’t be here”. This was said after some rice wine as the story goes!

John finished the program with many pictures of temples and other landmarks. The tour ended on a mahogany slow boat to the China Sea and finally a 28 hour plane ride home! Welcome home and Thank you John and Bob and our other Vets.

HAPPY DOLLARS

$Nancy gave 3 happy dollars—2 for Amtrak to California and back and one for her son who was in fine shape.

$Bob P for a great trip to Ireland

$Gary M is very happy that his staples were removed and he didn’t fall apart, he has been cleared to drive, and his son and daughter helped him out

$Fred W spent 2 weeks in Viet Nam and highly recommends it

$Bob R reports that he had 2 incidents in Viet Nam: a cardiac event and was caught in a rip tide and survived both!

$Ken James is part of a deer hunting club called the James gang. One of the hunters spotted 2 moose on 43 up the mountain!

$Pat Lane is thankful to be here

$Jim Colabelli gave 7 happy dollars: 1 for Jim Rogers who is on the mend, 5 for a narrow miss on the road in Connecticut, and one for the program tonight

$Bill W $4: 1 for his granddaughter’s 7^th birthday on 11/6, 1 for the 233 rd birthday of the Marines on 11/7, 1 for the wedding anniversary (1 year) of his daughter, and one for being part of Kiwanis

$Joe C for the program tonight

$Armand $20 for guys like Bob and John who protect my freedom everyday

$John for the 2 blonds at Summerfest who got me to go back to Viet Nam and for Lynette and her parents for coming tonight

$Bob R for John B as he would have been proud to have served under him

DOOR PRIZE  from Mikki McSherry won by Rose Dorr. The prize for last week was won by Skip Patton (Jerry to deliver)

50/50 for $22.50 won by Dudley

MEGA 50/50 ($ 135.00 + 15= 150) with 41 cards. Card drawn by:  Bob Reiter   Card Drawn: King of Hearts. The saga continues…..

NEXT WEEK         PROGRAM CHAIR: Jerry Tysiak

PROGRAM: Charter/Holiday Party with Historical Footnotes by Woody Hacker, Bob Carpenter, & Barb Fioravanti. Also, Holiday Songs and Gifts for Teenagers                        

                             INVOCATOR/GREETER:  Woody Hacker

SPIRITUAL THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK:

The nation which forgets its defenders will be itself forgotten."
   - Calvin Coolidge

Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, to assure the survival and success of liberty."
   - John F. Kennedy

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