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Editor, Frank T. Gasper                                                January 2012           Vol. 24  No. 1                                                      Publisher, Ron Greenberg

                                        On the Web at www.theactivitiesclub.org

             The Activities Club is sponsored by the Community Church of Glen Rock, Glen Rock, NJ 07452

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P.O. Box 124, Glen Rock, NJ 07452  

 Message from the President

Happy New Year to us all. Let’s plunge into our 2012 calendar and survey the situation. We actually have twenty-six different activity groups including four that are irregularly scheduled which are almost always dining opportunities. Each of these has a faithful following who see their group as an obligation on their personal calendars. Others attend when topics of interest are offered as part of the activity program. Some members are just curious or are encouraged by a recommendation by a friend. In short, attendance fluctuates for lots of reasons. I am pleased that we have some very popular offerings such as bridge, the computer groups, the Science Group and the long-established and popular Personal Finance Group and Walking Group.

However, those groups with smaller attendance on a regular basis share the same characteristics as stated for the above groups. As long as there is a willing and able leader with an associate leader and a few who wish to attend, there should be no thought of disbanding. Our last five Club presidents have all worked to have members join in more than one of our offered activities. I join them in urging you to give a new group a try. The rewards could be informative and fun for both you and the activity.

We are working to make the presentation of activities during the general meeting more informative. This is a subtle change that is geared to make your meeting experience more enjoyable. If you have missed recent meetings, this may be a good reason to earmark your calendar for our January 17th meeting starting at 1:00 PM.

November Tasted Great

 Mr. Joel Mitchell of Beekman’s Wine and Liquor was our guest speaker and also provided a wine tasting for meeting attendees. His presentation provided an excellent and informative discussion on selected wines for the holidays. Joel responded to 30 minutes of questions from our thirsty Club members. Each recommended wine was sampled by the attendees to their delight. Many of our members followed the recommendations of Joel, as did your editor, to the high praise of his guests at Thanksgiving. Thanks, Joel. A job well done.

Cares and Concerns

Member Charlie Tanner is at home recovering from a very serious auto accident. He suffered several broken vertebrae in his neck, a shattered kneecap, broken ribs and lung damage. He is rehabing at Kessler and is striving for gradual improvement. Member Jim Bohan has been doing well with respect to his malady, but has had a relapse. Richard Fitzgerald will be following up on his status after the holidays.

While visiting their daughter for the Christmas/New Year holidays, Charlie Flynn’s wife, Mary, suffered a heart attack which required a by-pass procedure. Just before New Year’s, the NewsLine learned that all went well and Mary is in full recovery in the Virginia/Washington DC area. Charlie and Mary are awaiting their doctor’s follow-up regarding their return to Glen Rock. Charlie and Mary, you are both in our thoughts and prayers. Come on home.

Editor's Tidbits

This issue of the NewsLine is a combined December 2011 and January 2012 edition. An earlier monthly calendar was issued during December.

Our NewsLine production Manager, Charlie Flynn, remains in Virginia with his family due to the illness of his wife Mary (see Cares and Concerns). Ergo, the photos from the December 14th Holiday Luncheon will be appended to the February NewsLine issue.  Thank you for your understanding.

Enclosed with this NewsLine please find new membership cards issued to dues-paying members as well as our honorary members. Should corrections be required please contact Bob Willes.

January Club Meeting

The Club's first general meeting in the new year will be held on Tuesday, January 17th in the Community Church Fellowship Hall.  Coffee and refreshments will commence at 1:00 PM.  Come socialize and talk about all the new ties you received over the holidays.  President Gordon Wallace will start the formal meeting at 1:30 PM sharp.  This month’s guest speaker will be Mr. David Ganz, a four-term Bergen County Freeholder who will discuss 2012 Freeholder Board issues and possible resolutions.  David is also an avid coin collector and will share his experience thereof. Please plan to attend.

Classic Movies

Roger Ebert gives it 4 stars!  It won a Best Picture Oscar!  One prominent poll has it #56 as best picture ever and yet maybe you’ve never heard of it.  It is called The Lives of Others. It is about an East German official in 1984 who spies on his own comrades to determine, not only their loyalty, but also that of the nation's most prominent writer.  It is certainly suspenseful, but quiet; not a constant car-chaser thriller.  The film won the Best Foreign Film Oscar in 2007.   Our regular group attendees enjoyed the Dutch offering Black Book a couple of years ago, and this should be another winner on Friday, January 20th at the Wallace abode commencing at 1:30 PM.

Book Group

The book for January is a well-researched history of the war in Europe as seen through a focus on the three most powerful, decisive American generals on the scene from 1942 through 1945: Eisenhower, Bradley, and Patton.  These career soldiers knew each other as friends and colleagues over decades, and author Jonathan Jordan aptly titles the book Brothers*Rivals*Victors (subtitled) Eisenhower, Bradley, Patton and the Partnership that drove the Allied conquest in Europe.  American history is one of our group’s favorite subjects, and this volume comes highly praised by two among us who have read it.  Go to the Glen Rock Public Library reference desk where  copies should be available.  The discussion is Monday, January 30th at 1:30 at the Community Church.

Bowling

Bowling at the  Brunswick Fairlawn Lanes is every Monday at 9:00 AM and the price is three games for $6.00.  For further information please call Art Waltking.

Personal Finance

The first Wednesday of each month the Personal Finance Group meets for two hours in the Ed. Building at 1:00 PM.  On Wednesday, Febuary 1st , we will discuss "Protecting Your Profits From A Downturn" and "Why Survival Of The Euro Is The Only Option."  For further information please call Art Waltking.

Lunch Bunch

The group will start again in the spring of 2012.  Details of this group will be in the February news letter with date and destinations.  For further information please call Ed Szulis.

Bocce

The group is still seeking new members to participate.  We plan to commence playing in late spring, so we have some time to gather additional members to join in.  For further information please call Ed Szulis.

PJ Clark Sortie

As has become our “unofficial” tradition, Club Past President Bob Croland led a group of 14 members in NYC for our fifth annual “Holiday Hamburger & Guinness Trip.”   Shown below  is our group, along with our usual server, enjoying the festivities of the season and the best burger in the City.  Thanks Bob, well done (which is not rare) once again.

Bridge Group

Twenty-two Club members have signed up for the activity.  Typically three to four tables are played each Tuesday afternoon in the Community Church Ed. Building starting at 1:00 PM.  For further information please contact Howard Hanes.

Volunteers

Shown below is a photo of Club members who volunteered to help erect the traditional Christmas Crèche in front of the Community Church during the week before Christmas.  Howard Hanes, our volunteer chairman, arranged to have ten club members to assist in the project.  They included, Bill Gilligan, Brian Cassin, Steve Beiter, Bob Croland, Charlie Flynn, Frank Gasper, Bob Sinkway and Howard Hanes. On Monday, January 9th the Club will complete its assignment by dismantling the crèche  starting at 10:00 AM in front of the Community Church on Rock Road.

Digital Photography Group

The group will next meet on Monday, February 6th at the usual venue. The topics will be a review of the specifications of the new versions of compact digital cameras, and the arithmetic associated with camera settings for optimum photo results. For further information please contact John Byrne.

Genealogy Group

Ed Foster will next convene his group on Monday, January 9th in the Community Church Ed. Building starting at 1:30 PM. Call Ed for further information.

Past-President Outings

Chairman Bob Croland is finalizing further outings to places such as: lunch and tour of Yankee Stadium, trip to Princeton, American Gangster Museum in NYC and a cruise around Manhattan in the spring.  Stay tuned for further announcements at Club meetings and in the NewsLine.

Science Group

The Science Group will continue its exploration of the fundamental science underlying the technological advances of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries on Wednesday, January 11th at 10:15 AM in the Ed Center.  The subject of that session’s Teaching Company lecture will be “The Electromagnetic Spectrum-Part 2.”  Future lectures in the current series will ground us in relativity, atomic physics, and the quantum world. 

We will then jump directly into a new series on the technologies of the future with a different presenter.  That transitional moment is a great time to join us if you haven’t already, because the new lectures will provide tools for understanding your future life for those who have any intention of living it. Each lecture is self-contained and does not rely on previous knowledge of science (although it doesn’t hurt) or on earlier lectures.  Much  more about the new series will be presented in future NewsLines, general meetings and emails.

Our legendary science-oriented trips will resume when weather permits; Bernie Beck already has some itineraries in the planning stage and is anxious to receive your suggestions for others.

Walking Group

Shown below are photos of 18 members of this popular group enjoying their monthly breakfast at the Daily Treat in Ridgewood.  This group is currently meeting regularly at the GSP Mall at 8:00 AM.  Call Stan Levin for further details.

Chess Group

The group will next convene at the Community Church Ed Building at 1:30 PM on Thursday, January 19th. For further information, please contact Ron Coll.

Classical Music Group

The group will next meet on Wednesday at 1:30 PM on January 25th at the home of Ed Breuer, 160 Harding Road in Glen Rock. For further info please contact Ron Coll.

Veterans Home Volunteers

Member Bernie Beck is the newest member to join this helpful group led by Stan Feldman. As it stands, the group now comprises of six members. Stan needs more help. Please give this some consideration in 2012.

Popular Music Group

On Thursday, January 12th, the group will meet at the home of Stan Feldman, 125 Woodvale Road in Glen Rock starting at 1:30 PM. During February they will convene at the home of Bernie Beck, 657 Prospect Street in Glen Rock. For further info please contact Stan.

Computers (Advanced)

Due to illness in the Flynn family this group will not meet in January. Further info on future meetings will be announced at a later date.

Coin Collecting

The Coin Collecting Group had its last meeting on December 2nd. The topic of the month was the one-ounce Silver American Eagle bullion coin as an investment. There were five members in attendance for this meeting. In addition to the topic of the month, a few club members brought in coins from their collection to show the others and also some for evaluation. We also discussed the impact of WWII and the bombing of Pearl Harbor on the U.S. monetary system. It was during this period that our nation took significant steps to ensure the appropriate metals were available to meet the needs of the Department of Defense. Additionally, we saw an example of, and discussed the special currency that was created by the U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing solely for Hawaii in the event that it fell into the hands of the enemy. This special currency, which looked like our standard currency except for the fact that it was overprinted with the word "Hawaii" on the front and back of the bill was the only permissible currency allowed in Hawaii between July 1942 and October 1944.

Three members of the group also attended the Parsippany Coin Show on Sunday December 4th.

The next meeting of the Coin Collecting Group is scheduled for Friday, January 6th at 1:30 PM in the Ed Building. The topic of the month will be "Mercury Dimes" presented by one of our members who has significant knowledge about these coins which were minted from 1916 through 1945. Time is scheduled to discuss any other news on coins, bills, gold and silver. Don't forget that members of the group are prepared to provide a first look evaluation of any coins you have. All members of the Activities Club are welcome and encouraged to attend our meetings. No specific coin knowledge is required.

Please note that there will be a second Coin Collecting Group meeting this month on January 27th at 1:30PM in the Ed Building. I am anticipating a good turnout for this meeting. The topic will be "The Big Ripoff - What You Need to Know Before Selling Your Gold, Silver Or Jewelry."

Computer Ability Group

Bob Willes will next convene his group on Wednesday, January 18th at 1:OO PM at the Community Church Ed Building. The principle topic of discussion will be "Internet Explorer 8." Attendees will be given notes on this subject during the session. We will also hold our usual round table discussion regarding computer issues. For further information please contact Bob.

Birthdays

Dec. 10	George Strunz	Jan. 3	Ed Cronin
Dec. 14	Bob Bourne	Jan.11	Bud Kobuskie
Dec. 14	Dave Holzbaur	Jan. 15	Ron Onorato
Dec. 15	Edward Dunn	Jan. 21	Philip Corbo
Dec. 16	Melvin Diner	Jan. 23	Bill Perkins
Dec. 18	Bill Kauffman	Jan. 31	Bill Hepper
Dec. 20	Charlie Flynn	Feb. 2	Bob Steckline
Dec. 24	Bob Barry	Feb. 3	Stanley Levin
Dec. 30	Pete Liman	Feb. 9	Gene Rogers
Jan. 1	Jim Salvato	Feb. 10	Ed Chen

 

 

 

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