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Executive Committee

Big Sir: Jim Waltz Little Sir: Les Church Secretary: John Zeiter Asst. Eckart Sellinger Treasurer: Ron Gurich Asst. Bill Risch Directors: John Noren Jack Friesen Joe Sauerland Ed Sabrack Bill Bunderson Kent Dutrieux

CHINA CAMP/INDIAN VALLEY January 2017

Big Sir’s Message

Jim Waltz

Pg.

Anniversaries 10

Activities 5

Area 6 Activities 11

Birthdays 10

Cell Phone Law 4

Christmas Party News 2

Christmas Party Photos 6-9

Member News 3

Menu 2

Roster Information 5

Speaker 10

Sunshine & Clouds 5

Treasurer Report 4

What’s Inside

Gentlemen of SIR Branch 68, Welcome to the New Year. As your new Big SIR, my

primary goal for the coming year is to rebuild and strengthen our Membership. I

believe this to be the most pressing current issue facing our branch. It is critical for

our branch survival to recruit new members. If you look around the room at our

monthly luncheons you can see that we are not getting very good attendance from

our current members. Most importantly you see very few new faces. As you all

know this past year we have been identifying and removing those members who

either could no longer make the luncheons or who had passed away.

We have a desperate need to bring in new members and I’m looking to every one

of you to help in this endeavor. It is critical that recruitment needs to be at the fore

front of all our minds. I know we ask all of you to reach out to get new members

but gentlemen we are not getting that many new members. SIR Ed Addeo is our

Recruiting/Advertising Chairman, he needs all of us to help support him with new

ideas and our hands-on support.

One way we can help is by leaving the Branch 68 Business Cards you find on your

luncheon table at the places that you frequent, you don’t necessarily need to hand

them out to individuals. Give them to your barber or have your wife give them to

her hairdresser, they would know who could use them. We must make the effort,

that’s what is important.

The opportunity for brotherhood presents itself every time you meet a human

being. Jane Wyman

I look forward to the next year and the hope that we can all come together to

strengthen our Branch and keep it a going concern.

Big SIR Jim Waltz

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Branch 68 January

2017 Newsletter

Christmas Dinner

Lunch Menu for January:

Beef Stroganoff with

Egg Noodles

Low: Grilled Salmon

If you can’t make it to the January 9th Luncheon Don’t forget to contact :

Gene Gallagher (415) 472-7865 To report your absence.

Roger Burstrem

Tom Egan

Co Chairmen

PBS Tom Egan & I received a good amount of positive feedback regarding the Branch’s December 9th Holiday Party. As you will see in the attached collage of pictures, all that attended are enjoying themselves and the Entrees were excellent.

I would like to say thanks to Joe Grasso, John Zeiter and Ray Crawford for assisting in taking pictures to supplement my photos, which enhanced the variety of shots in the collage.

We were able to cover the costs of the party and band with a little left over for the treasury; we broke through the 70 break even plateau with 73 attending, including spouses, partners, family & friends.

Tom and I will be doing a survey (electronic and some paper) in the near future to see if there is a way to increase the at-tendance, seeing that we only had 37 members present at the party, out of our over 100 members in the branch.

We hope everyone had a very enjoyable holiday season, wherever you were. PBS Roger Burstrem

Pictures on

Pages 6-9

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Branch 68 January

2017 Newsletter

Member News

Brian’s Travels

From Ireland, we hop back across to the continent aboard a Ryan Air jet for 30 Euros to Brussels, home of NATO and the de facto capital of the European Union. However, they were not staying in Brussels but, just transferring to a train to continue their journey on to Bruges. Upon leaving Brus-sels the view from their train windows changed from a bit grimy and dated 21st century city to a more historic looking countryside and a city that came from another century. Bruges dates to the 9th centu-ry and was a major port for Europe in the 14th century. The city had several ups and downs but be-came a tourist destination in the early 1900’s. The silver lining behind Bruges’ sluggish period of stagnation is that its buildings from the golden age were not destroyed in the name of progress. The city slept for several hundred years with little change. When Bruges in the early 20th Century was rediscovered by tourists, the old buildings were spruced up, and the city’s antique charm remains for us to enjoy today. While in Bruges they stayed in a lovely apartment in a lovingly restored Eighteenth Century home right on a canal. Right outside their front door was the oldest sur-viving stone bridge in Bruges, dating back to the Fif-teenth Century. It spanned a placid old canal in the heart of the historic center. They spent their time touring the city on canal boats and on foot. In Bruges, they stumbled across a unique Catholic church, St. Magdalene. It is a collaborative effort with a local Catholic college. The architecture students every year are invited to reimagine a spiritual space and then the best ideas are installed in this church. And it works. The old church felt alive with youthful energy and vision. Their tour of St. Magdalene’s began with stepping stones across a pool of water, which gives the illusion of walking on water. There were many interest-ing corners to explore in the old church. A favorite of Brian’s was a swing just in front of the altar. It had a big carved log as a seat, attached by a thick rope to the ceil-ing fifty feet above, providing a long and graceful arc with a beautiful view of the stain glass windows above. It takes the stiffness and formality out of a church to be on a swing. The experience of swaying silently through the air in a big wide crescent, in a quiet holy space, was actually very consoling. St. Magdalene’s is a church with its purpose re-stored. Upon leaving Bruges for Amsterdam they stopped in Antwerp to meet up with a couple that they had first encountered on the cruise from Brazil to Spain. This couple Steffan and Tara have carved out an interesting life for themselves. Their pattern is to work in stretches of five years or so, save their money, and then quit work and travel for a year or longer. When they met them on the cruise ship, they had just completed a camping trip through the Andes in South America. Steffan is Belgian by birth. His parents still live in his childhood home on the outskirts of Antwerp and they were just wrapping up their year abroad before heading back to Portland. They left our bags in a locker in the Antwerp train station. They enjoyed a mid-day walking tour of central Antwerp, chatted amiably, catching up on their travels since parting company several months earlier in Barce-lona. It was a most delightful day! Steamed mussels, fries with mayonnaise, and beer. How very Belgian. Then, back on the train to Amsterdam……

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Branch 68 January

2017 Newsletter

Business

Public Service Announcement

Treasurers Report

Dec 2017

Beginning Balance $3,629.78

Deposits $5,305.00

Expenses $1,924.00

Outstanding Checks $0.00

Cleared Previous $0.00

Ending Balance $7,010.78

Branch 68 Honorary

Lifetime Members

Don Gregory

Jim Phelan

Eckart Sellinger

Hans Sommer

Roger Burstrem

CELL PHONE LAW effective January-1-2017 This was passed along to me by a fellow SIR in branch 42, who is also a volunteer police officer for the San Rafael Police Department.

Just a heads-up about a change to the law about using a phone or other hand-held device for any reason while driving – just in case somebody you know occa-sionally does this..... The local police and CA Highway Patrol will be watch-ing even more closely for this, as it is a major cause of traffic accidents.

This is also one of the reasons the police are driving more SUV’s – it’s easier to look down into the cars next to them on the streets & highways! Read the police notice below carefully and pass along to your friends, children and grand children. SIR Roger Burstrem Cell Phone Law 2017 (23123.5 V.C.) Starting January 1st, 2017, it will be illegal for a person to drive a motor vehicle while holding and operating a handheld wireless telephone or electronic wireless communications device unless it is specifically designed and configured to allow voice-operated and hands-free operation, and it is used in that manner while driving. In addition, the phone must be mounted in a five-inch square in the lower corner of the windshield nearest to the driver and outside of an airbag deployment zone or 7-inch square in the lower corner furthest from the driver. The driver’s hand must be used to activate or deactivate a feature or function of the handheld wire-less telephone or wireless communications device with the motion of a single swipe or tap of the driver’s finger. So in essence just by holding the phone in your hand looking at an app, reading GPS, or touching the screen would be a violation. The section to use for the violation is 23123.5 V.C. which has been amended to the above.

Ron Gurich

Treasurer

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Branch 68 January

2017 Newsletter

Activities

Bowling Update

Roger Burstrem

Bowling Chairman

With only two weeks remaining to determine the first-half winner of our Friday morning SIR Bowl-ing League, January 6th and 14th, 2 of our branch teams, team “Zeiter” & team “Aster” are tied for 2nd place, only one point off the lead team. An-other branch 68 team, “Self-Abuse”, 2015-16 League Champions, is only 3 points out of 1st. One or two of these teams will definitely be in the roll-off on January 13th for the 1st half cham-pionship.

Week 12 only two bowlers broke the plus 20 pin recognition plateau, both from the same team, with Charles Salinas taking home the $15 jackpot by rolling 50 pins over his three game average; John Zeiter had a 504, 3-game series, for a +39 pins. John Noren makes the board with a nice 201 game.

Our branch bowlers went from famine to feast this week, with 10 members earning recognition. Charles Salinas came right back as the top jack-pot bowler in Week 13 to win $17, giving him some spending money for the Branch 68 Holiday party that evening by shooting 82 pins over his 3-game average. Jim Phelan and Jack Devlin both bowled 51 over; Don Gregory +48; Jim Sadasue

& Bill Bunderson were both 47 over; Les Church +29; Ray Crawford +27; Joe Grasso & John Evans each bowled 26 over.

Rich Berkvam game himself a nice holiday gift by bowling what I believe are his highest game and 3-game set ever: a 257 game and a 610 3-game set for 145 pins over his 3-game average, to take home the jackpot of $17 – GREAT BOWLING RICH! Coming in 2nd with a nice +72 was Bill Bun-derson; his teammate, Jim Sadasue +66; Jack Poland finally came back from his travels and bowled +45; Steve Medvic continues to improve +42; one of our newer bowlers, Art Boudreault +35; and Joe Grasso +34.

See you all in 2017!

Sir Roger Burstrem

415-234-6018

Branch 68 Sunshine and Clouds

A Get well card was sent to Phil Fecteau who was

hospitalized with pneumonia. Joe Sauerland

Sunshine Chairman

2017 Rosters

An Electronic version will be distributed in Janu-

ary which will be updated every 4 months, how-

ever a Printed Copy will still be available and it

should be ready for the February Luncheon.

Kent Dutrieux

Editor

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Branch 68 January

2017 Newsletter

Miscellanies

JOAN & AUTHUR COSTAMAGNA 01/04/1958 59

BARBARA & BILL SHOEMAKER 01/15/1996 21

NANCY & DAVID CROWNE 01/26/1980 37

PETE DOYLE 01/01/1947 70

MICHAEL LOWERY 01/01/1945 72

DAN HEAGERTY 01/04/1939 78

JOE HOFFMANN 01/08/1932 85

JEFF FRANZINI 01/09/1960 57

GARRY ALTAMIRANO 01/09/1933 84

RICHURD SOMERS 01/11/1933 84

JESSIE ALVAREZ 01/13/1949 68

RICHARD LEFRANCOIS 01/14/1922 95

RAYMOND KELLEHER 01/18/1937 80

WILLIAM RISCH 01/21/1938 79

BILL BUNDERSON 01/23/1945 72

JOHN PETERSON 01/25/1932 85

BRIAN JOHNSON 01/26/1956 61

ROLLAND SMITH 01/31/1924 93

All the Best and a

Happy Anniversary

From Your friends at

China Camp/Indian Valley SIRs

Happy Birthday

From Everyone at

China Camp/Indian Valley SIR’s

Have Many More

Les Church

Little SIR

When WWII broke out in 1939 Gisela Zebroski’s privileged childhood came to an ab-

rupt end. The Soviet Union took over Latvia, the country of her birth. Her parents,

destined for deportation, fled to Germany and settled in Poland.

In 1945 the family fled again from the approaching Red Army. Her father had been

drafted and was missing in action. Her mother and four siblings survived air raids and

found safety in Austria.

In 1954 she immigrated to California where she married an American scientist who

inspired her to go to college. She graduated with a degree in psychology and minors

in creative writing, history and philosophy. Her two novels, THE BARONESS and ME-

PHISTO WALTZ, recount the world of her past.

Her own story is a work in progress under the title of SELFIE SIDEWAYS.

SPEAKING TOPIC:

The Berlin Airlift, the Candy Bomber and I

In 1948 Stalin blocked all land access routes to the city of Berlin. That left 2 million Berliners and 8,000 occupa-

tion forces without sustenance. A forceful breakthrough of the blockade could have ignited WW III. Instead,

Harry Truman ordered: “We shall stay! Period.”

On June 25, 1948 General Clay established an airlift: Operation Vittles. Over the following 11 months American

and British bombers became transport aircraft that flew 300,000 missions and delivered 2.3 million tons of

supplies. This operation deterred Stalin’s invasion of Berlin and Western Europe.

The speech covers some of the details and historical background that led to the Iron Curtain and the Cold War.

The story concludes in 1989 with an eyewitness account of what could have been a full-scale military crack-

down that killed the people climbing over The Wall.

January Speaker, Gisela Zebroski

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BRANCH 68 MEETING: Monthly Luncheons & Executive Committee Meetings are held on the SECOND Tuesday of the month. Branch Executive Committee (BEC) meets @ 10:00AM; Social Hour starts @ 11: AM Member Luncheon at Noon at The Club at McInnis Park in San Rafael (415) 492-1800.

ATTENDANCE NOTIFICATION As soon as you know that you will NOT be attending a month-ly luncheon and no later than the Thursday before the lunch-eon, IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU CALL ATTENDANCE CHAIRMAN GENE GALLAGHER at 472-7865 So you will be excused and not AWOL, and we will know the number of members attending the luncheon.

BRANCH 68 & AREA 6 ACTIVITIES

ATTENDANCE:

RULE 60; Members are obligated to attend all luncheon

Meetings unless prevented by illness or absence from the branch

locale.

RULE 100: A member may be notified in writing by his Branch

of the pending termination of his membership.

RULE 107 should he be responsible for any of the following:

(a) Miss "THREE" (3) consecutive regular luncheon meetings

without having been excused by contacting the designated

Branch Attendance person prior to the meeting date.

(b) Nonattendance at "SIX" (6) regular Luncheon meetings with-

in the previous "TWELVE" (12) consecutive months. "NOTE:"

Excused meetings may not be included to achieve the Six (6)

meeting minimum.

(c) Attendance at Ladies Day functions may be excluded by the

Branch Executive Committee.

NON RESPONSIBILITY DECLARATION: All activities arranged for or

by, or sponsored by, Sons in Retirement, Incorporated, and its

Branches, are for the convenience and pleasure of the members

and their guests who desire to participate. Sons In Retirement,

Incorporated, and its Branches do not assume any Responsibility

for the well-being or safety of the participants or their property,

In any matters pertaining to said activities. RULE 345

2017 Luncheon Schedules of SIR Branches in Area 6

Branch # 7 The Club Restaurant, McInnis Park, SR 1st Thursday

Branch # 22 The Club Restaurant, McInnis Park, SR 1st Tuesday

Branch # 47 The Club Restaurant, McInnis Park, SR 4th Tuesday

Branch # 68 The Club Restaurant, McInnis Park, SR 2nd Tuesday

Branch # 134 Embassy Suites, San Rafael 1st Tuesday

SIR, Inc. 2017 STATE

OFFICERS

President:

Jerry Strain (209) 551-8220

Vice President:

Derek Southern (925) 253-1646

Secretary:

Ron Flagel (209) 338-8109

Secretary Assistant:

Richard DeVoe (925)-932-5546

Treasurer:

Karl Ryden

(916) 961-6137

Treasurer Assistant:

Jim Johnson (916) 961-8092

Region 10 Director:

Jim Filippo

(415) 892-2063

Area 6 Governor:

Frank

Sokolowski

(415) 892-5442

Get SIR Happenings Sir Happenings is Published

Quarterly Every Winter,

Spring, Summer and Fall At

the Sir Website at http://

sirinc.org/sirhappenings and

download the latest issue.

Happy Reading!

Branch 68 Website

http://branch68.sirinc2.org

Bicycling Bob Forsyth Br 134 883-6285 Bocce Ball Jim Phelan Br 68 472-2330 Bowling Roger Burstrem Br 68 234-6018 Computers Tom Egan Br 68 499-9079 Digital Cameras Art Costamagna Br 68 456-7031 Fly Fishing Fred Holmes

Bill Walker

Br 134 897-1572 883-5780

Genealogy Jeff Vailant Br 134 897-7808 Golf -18 Hole Ray Kellerher Br 68 479-8436 Golf - 9 Hole Jack Friesen Br 68 491-1086 Great Books Club Dick Locke Br 134 897-1572

Investors Lunch Bunch Will Kaefer Br 47 927-1043 Men’s Bridge Bill Cline Br 134 892-0209 Poker Jack Poland Br 68 287-6645 Rolling Roamers (RV’s) Ray Canziani Br 22 453-4463 Tennis Robert Chandler Br 68 450-5237 Travel Henry Puccinelli Br 22 457-3990 Vintage Cars Joe Sauerland Br 68 479-8442 Walking/Hiking Bob Hiday Br 68 892-5231 WWII Events/History Ted Cohen Br 68 479-7010

Branch 68 January

2017 Newsletter

Area 6