L Messer Chapter of the North_Sep2011

AUGUST 2011
MESSER NEWS
NOTES
VOLUME 30
ISSUE THREE
......see page three
for more photos of
recent events......
Please give me a call about events and things you are doing or that
is going on........your friends want to know.......!!!!
A Few Thoughts on our
Fellowship
by David Bast, President
This is the start of a new cycle
of leadership for the Messer
Chapter. We have done that
many times during our
previous 79 years of history.
And now, as we celebrate 80
years of Retiree Fellowship
and leadership in the Midwest,
I look forward to doing my
best for you, our member, as
we provide ways for you to
enjoy old friends in the
chapter.
First, I want to thank my friend
Jim Furrie for his leadership of
the chapter during the past 4
years. He has provided us with
strong leadership and we are
ready for new projects and
events as we prepare to meet
many new retirees from area
YMCA’s.
Our parent organization, AYR
(Association of YMCA
Retirees) will also have new
leadership for the next three
years, beginning at
Septembers’ National Reunion
in San Diego. The new
president is Len Wilson, from
Philadelphia. I want to
“borrow” a few thoughts from
him to complete my first
column to you.
This past January AYR
leadership and every Chapter
President met in Orlando to
prepare for our future. Len
clearly helped me realize the
importance and high value of
our retired fellowship as he
said that "we as YMCA
Retirees are the Remembers!"
As we reacquaint with former
colleagues and meet new
retirees, we grow.
(continued on page 2...)
The official publication of the L. Wilbur Messer Chapter of the Association of
YMCA Retirees and their spouses
Pat Nelson, Editor, 2040 Royal Blvd., Elgin, IL. 60123/email: pnelson@wowway.com, (847-644-0788)
MISCELLANY
.President’s Note from page 1.....
We share our time together at
chapter meetings and share our
stories, memories, and our piece of
the history of the YMCA and of
our YMCA experiences. We
recognize the legacy of service we
have provided. We must continue
to help one another remember how
we may have been called, or how
we began our careers and that we
built those memories on the
shoulders of those who have
preceded us.
“No other retiree organization or
profession in this country has the
history and the potential for
fellowship and service as we do
through AYR and especially
through the Messer Chapter”.
As we move forward during the
next 12 months, let us invite other
friends to join us and reach out to
colleagues who cannot attend due
to illness or mobility. We will plan
many opportunities for fellowship
and sharing with each other
through a variety of Chapter
activities and events.
“Remember, we were, and still
are some of the best group
workers in this country and in
human service and caring. We
need to be sure to practice our
craft once again.”.
******
Page 2
October
Dick/Margaret Bertucco
Jim/Karen Kohler
BIRTHDAYS
September
Nicki Doehler
Marilyn Burdett
Mary Ann Sommers
Joe Martin
John Casey
Margaret Bertucco
Wes Walker
Larry Hemdal
Phil Keller
Leigh Kendrick
6
9
13
16
18
24
27
28
28
29
October
Dan Lee
Art Holland
Cliff Benham
D’Ann Lagerblade
Del Arsenault
Ed Knapp
Joyce Erdal
Shirley Scott
1
4
5
5
17
20
21
22
November
Kathy Nelson
Alta Thiel
Bob Rhodes
Mickey Erdal
Cliff Lothery
John Esposito
Gloria Patinos
Charlaine Kohn
Tom Scott
Mary Glenn
Barb Arsenault
Roth Holtz
* * * * * * *
ANNIVERSARIES
September
Dennis/Cindy Mohrman
Les/Mary Ann Sommers
Suzanne/Ed Dietrich
2
2
4
5
7
9
10
11
12
20
28
28
4
4
8
9
16
November
John/Pat Casey
12
* * * * * * *
CONTRIBUTIONS
(Since Oct. 29 - July 19, 2011)
Stormy Webster
General
John/Pat Casey
Memory of
Ottaviano’s, Bill Kuntz, Hank
Thomas, George Georgandes
John Root, Shirley Hollenbeck, Joe Rocknick, Dick
Snoddy, & Ken Thiel
Pat/Kathy Nelson
General
Sandy/Larry Stinson General
Caryl Kennedy Lucas &
Richard Lucas
Honor of
Glenn’s and Memory of
Kennedy’s
Jane Kuntz
General, GWC, Ad.
Alta Thiel
Honor, Messer Bd.
Pat/Kathy Nelson
Admin.
Percy/Margo Evans Memory of
Elizabeth Pulley, Eteria Rowe,
and Hattie Murphy
Wes/Connie Walker General
Kay McGovern
General
Leigh Kendrick
General
Jane Kuntz
GWC
John/Pat Casey
General
Richard Protzmann General
* * * * * * *
Program’s to Plan For
80th Anniversay Celeb. Oct. 12-13
at Lake Geneva, Wi.
Mid-State Lunch Nov. 11th at
Starved Rock
Annual Christmas Lunch 12-7
GREAT LAKES CHAPTER EVENTS
Page 3
MEMBER DOINGS
Page 4
The following “bio” is a continuation of “A Life in the YMCA” by Bill and Mary Glenn. This
is part 2 of what will be a three part series. (Note: keep this newsletter so that when part
three arrives you can refer back to part two..........).
It was at summer camp in early January, 1961 that I got word asking if I would go to Istanbul,
Turkey to deal with the situation of the YMCA there.(Was that Ezra’s suggestion again?) We hadn’t
been home in four years so we looked forward to family visits before moving on. My three month
furlough included back surgery but as soon as I was allowed, I flew into Istanbul with Dwight Haas,
a recent GWC Masters graduate and lived in the Y until I could find an apartment. Once the
furniture arrived by ship from Montevideo, Mary joined me with the four children.
Lawson Kately, whom I would be replacing, had done a great job maintaining the Y during a
difficult time. I arrived in Moslem Turkey as the revolution to overthrow the Menderes regime was
just winding down. To avoid using the word “Christian” in the name of the YMCA, the Turks
delicately termed it the American School of Business and Languages - the “Dersane“, in brief. It
faced one side of the magnificent Hagia Sofia and included a dorm with about 50 cots for travelers,
office space, a gym, classrooms and a beautiful camp on the Sea of Marmara. The staff associate
director was Esad Kural, a well educated man who was placed on the Dersane staff by the Ministry
of Education. His purpose was to be certain that the foreign directors not proselytize and to further
guarantee this, we were prohibited from working with any Turkish children under the age of twelve.
As a first concern, Dwight and I wanted to involve Esad Bey, (Bey is a polite term of address), in
our planning and to expose ourselves to him sufficiently as to gain his trust. He became a
wonderful colleague and his sense of mission toward youth equaled ours. When I arrived at work
one morning, with a busy schedule ahead , my secretary alerted me “Mr. Glenn, I got a call from
the police and at precisely 4 o’clock a car will arrive to take you to the central police station. The
Director of Provincial Police wants to talk to you”. I couldn’t imagine what I might have done or
what might be on his mind. Esad Bey hadn’t a clue either about what might be ahead for me.
At the Central headquarters, I was led into a comfortable, book-lined office. Almost immediately,
a scholarly gentleman entered with a smile and extended his hand in greeting. He introduced
himself as Nejdet Ugur the director of the provincial police. Picking up a thick file from his desk, to
my amazement and amusement, he indicated that he probably knew more about me than my wife
did. His point was made when he told me that he could help me achieve my goals and objectives if
I would use my abilities to help him achieve some of his.
With the revolution having disabled society, he was concerned with the unusual number of
street kids who were destined to become a greater policing problem. Nejdet Bey assigned 4
policemen and a woman lawyer on the police staff to work with Dwight and me in developing a
course of study in juvenile work. The police chief, with Esad Bey, was able to obtain government
permission for the Dersane to work with people of all ages. Now, children were free to enter the
front door instead of sneaking over the wall to toss balls in the courtyard. Together, we taught the
psychology of children, youth work and community organization. The police practicum was at the
Dersane and also at a day camp begun up on the Black Sea. They worked with our shop stude
nts building playground equipment and brought parents together to install it in their neighborhoods.
(To be continued in the November issue of Messer News Notes.)
JOY OF LEX
More Everyday Things You
Never Knew Had Names
01. Skeuomorph: “A design
feature copied from a similar
artifact in another material, even
when not functionally necessary.”
For example, rivets on jeans, copper
color on pennies, the shutter sound
on a digital camera, and the
pointless handle on a syrup bottle.
02. Feat: A dangling piece of curly
hair.
03. Peen: The side opposite the
hammer's striking side.
04. Dysania: The state of finding
it hard to get out of the bed in the
morning.
05. Mondegreen: Misheard
lyrics.
06. Philtrum: The groove located
just below the nose and above the
middle of the lips.
07. Purlicue: The space between
the thumb and the forefingers.
08. Aglet: The plastic coating on a
shoelace.
* * * * * * *
Written by a 90 year old
This is something we should all read
at least once a week! Written by
Regina Brett, 90 years old, of the
Plain Dealer, Cleveland , Ohio .
"To celebrate growing older, I once
wrote the 45 lessons life taught me.
It is the most requested column I've
ever written.
My odometer rolled over to 90 in
August, so here is the column once
more:
Page 5
1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next
small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time
hating anyone.
4. Your job won't take care of you
when you are sick. Your friends and
parents will. Stay in touch.
5. Pay off your credit cards every
month..
6. You don't have to win every
argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It's more
healing than crying alone.
8. It's OK to get angry with God.
He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with
your first paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate,
resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it
won't screw up the present.
12. It's OK to let your children see
you cry.
13. Don't compare your life to
others. You have no idea what their
journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a
secret, you shouldn't be in it.
15. Everything can change in the
blink of an eye. But don't worry;
God never blinks.
16. Take a deep breath. It calms the
mind.
17. Get rid of anything that isn't
useful, beautiful or joyful.
18. Whatever doesn't kill you really
does make you stronger.
19. It's never too late to have a
happy childhood. But the second
one is up to you and no one else.
20. When it comes to going after
what you love in life, don't take no
for an answer.
To be continued
* * * * * * *
Vocabulary
1. Moratorium: any authorized
delay or stopping of some
specific activity.
2. Panegyric: a formal speech or
piece of writing praising a person
or event.
3. Eisteddfod: a yearly meeting
in Wales of poets, musicians, and
others at which prizes are given.
4. Gruyere: a yellowish Swiss
cheese rich in butterfat.
5. Primordial: first in time,
existing at or from the beginning.
6. Lapidary: a person who cuts,
polishes, and engraves precious
stones.
7. Assonance: likeness of sound,
as in a series of words or
syllables.
8. Julienne: cut into thin strips;
said of vegetables, cheese, and
cold meats.
9. Adumbrate: to foreshadow
vaguely, intimate, to suggest,
disclose, or obscure.
10. Nictitate: wink.
* * * * * * *
Certain circumstances are
characterized by a degree of
wonderfulness so extreme as to be
inconsistent with the parameters of
what is commonly accepted as
reality.....or in other words ........”it’s
too good to be true”.
BOARD STUFF
L. Wilbur Messer Chapter
Celebrating 80 Years of Fellowship
Mid Month News for You!
Please keep our members in your
Thoughts and Prayers:
John Casey is recovering from
surgery to remove a portion of his
lung. Pat says he is doing well but
has opted for a round of
chemotherapy to prevent future
impact. John and Pat can be
contacted at 728 W. Berry Ave
Apt1E, Chicago, IL 60657.
Shirley Scott is recovering from
her hip replacement and some post
surgical complications. She is home
and continues to progress. Tom is a
fantastic caregiver. They can be
reached at 2s474 Beechwood Lane,
Glen Ellyn, IL 60137.
It was great to have Carol
Hemdal join us for the Chicago
River Cruise. She has progressed
well after having both knees
replaced. Carol and Larry are at
Box 361, Kouts, IN 46347.
Wes Walker continues to get
around with his walker, although
experiencing discomfort from his
foot. He also made the River
Cruise. Connie and Wes wait for the
right time to have the long
anticipated surgical relief. They can
be reached at 1474 Sandbar Road,
Kankakee, IL 60901.
David Bast’s father passed away
Saturday, Aug. 20th. Service will be
small quite. Our sympathies.
Upcoming to Plan for Now!
I am getting very excited about the
wonderful experience and
fellowship ahead of us on at our
80th Anniversary Outing October
12-13, at the Lake Geneva Campus
of George Williams College. All
overnight accommodations are
reserved in the newest lodge and are
adjacent to our meeting space and
dining facility. This will be a great
celebration and retreat for us as we
enter the fall.
Our final meeting of the year is
always on of your favorites and this
year will not disappoint. It is our
Annual Christmas Party on
December 7th. In recognition of
our 80th Anniversary and in
consideration our growing
attendance at this wonderful
celebration of the holiday season, I
am challenging our Chapter to
increase our attendance and have
80 members and their guests join us
on this day.
Finally, I will be representing our
Chapter, along with the Danielson’s,
Lothery’s, Prado-Shaw’s at the
National Reunion in San Diego,
California from September 13-17.
* * * * * * *
Board Backgrounds
In coming months we will provide
regular profiles of your leadership
in the Messer Chapter. This month
I am pleased to introduce three of
our newest Board Members to you.
I look forward to working with
them.
Barbara Johnson – Naperville,
Illinois
Barb retired earlier this year after
thirty years at the Naperville Area
YMCA. She is a MAC person!
And a “jack of all trades”. She
could and did keep some of us (me)
and program directors organized
and responsible. She was officially
the Graphic Arts Director and her
work has been seen by most of you
and many of our colleagues around
the country. By doing the job she
did, she accumulated more program
awareness and knowledge than most
Page 6
program directors have. Barbs
daughter is now the Graphic Design
Director at B.R.R Ryall YMCA and
does an equally fantastic job.
Dennis Mohrman – Normal,
Illinois
Dennis is a long time friend of
many of us in the Illinois Alliance of
YMCA’s. He worked at several
YMCA’s but most notably as the
CEO at the Monmouth and
Bloomington Associations. He did
a great job at coaching program
staff in their jobs and careers,
directed great YMCA’s and raised
money even in communities losing
companies In addition, Dennis will
be your go to person for any
Basketball, Football or Baseball fact
or event. He travels often,
especially for sports, but recently he
has been to Maui, Clearwater
Beach, FL. and the YMCA of the
Rockies in Estes Park.
Jerry Prado-Shaw – Naperville,
Illinois
Jerry has been a member of the
Messer Chapter since his retirement
as the Chief International Officer
for the YMCA of the USA. Jerry is
currently the President of the World
Fellowship of YMCA Retirees
(WFYR). He travels often and
proudly shows his Messer affiliations
to other retiree groups around the
world. He has actively served
YMCA’s for 42 years and has been a
member for 63 years, as you get to
know Jerry, you will also learn about
his interest in model train, soldiers
and woodworking. It is fascinating.
FUNNY BONE
Re-Defining
1. ARBITRATOR: A cook that
leaves Arby's to work at
McDonalds.
2. AVOIDABLE: What a
bullfighter tried to do.
3. BERNADETTE: The act of
torching a mortgage.
4. BURGLARIZE: What a crook
sees with.
5. CONTROL: A short, ugly
inmate.
6. COUNTERFEITERS: Workers
who put together kitchen cabinets.
7. ECLIPSE: What an English
barber does for a living.
8. EYEDROPPER: A clumsy
ophthalmologist.
9. HEROES: What a guy in a boat
does.
10. LEFTBANK: What the robber
did when his bag was full of money.
11. MISTY: How golfers create
divots.
12. PARADOX: Two physicians.
13. PARASITES: What you see
from the top of the Eiffel Tower.
14. PHARMACIST: A helper on
the farm.
Page 7
15. POLARIZE: What penguins
see with.
16. PRIMATE: Removing your
spouse from in front of the TV.
17. RELIEF: What trees do in the
Spring
18. RUBBERNECK: What you do
to relax your wife.
19. SELFISH: What the owner of a
seafood store does.
20.SUDAFED: Brought litigation
against a government official
* * * * * *
Perks Of Being over the Hill
There is nothing left anymore to
learn the hard way.
Things that you buy now won't
wear out.
Your supply of brain cells is finally
down to a manageable size.
You no longer think of the speed
limit as a challenge.
Your investment in health insurance
is finally paying off.
You can quit trying to hold in your
stomach no matter who walks into
the room.
Your secrets are safe with your
friends because they can't
remember them anyway.
**********
You can sing along with elevator
music. Your joints are more accurate
meteorologists than the guy on the
television.
Your eyes won't get too much
worse.
Kidnappers are not very interested
in you.
People call you at 9 p.m. and ask,
"Did I wake you?"
You can get into a heated argument
about pension plans.
You can eat dinner at 4:00 in the
afternoon. In a hostage situation you are the
most likely to be released first.
No one expects you to run -anywhere.
You are no longer viewed as a
hypochondriac.
* * * * * * *
* All you have to know about
money matters is that it sure does.
* Humility is similar to underwear:
essential, but indecent if it shows.
* A revolving charge account is
something that can spin out of
control.
Top card is circa 1916 of the San Diego YMCA in honor of the September AYR
Conference scheduled. Bottom card is the Saginaw, Mi. YMCA around 1924. I love the old
cars.............