[CBB's Home] [2009 Archive] [2008 Archive] [2007 Archive] [2006 Archive] [2005 Archive] [2004 Archive] [2003 Archive]

CIGAR BOX BULLETIN

Volume No. 52, No. 9        June 30, 2004

President BOB CHURCH opened the meeting at 10:00. RAY SLOAN led the pledge. CORY DUNHAM led singing to celebrate the Fourth of July; My Country Tis of Thee, Yankee Doodle Dandy, and You're a Grand Old Flag. BOB ALDEN did the flag honors at the piano. Rec. Sec. BILL DYNAN recapped last week's meeting. Acting Cor. Sec. JACK SWEGER reported he saw a new service on the local golf course, if you are clever enough to get it. HERB EGLI reported on the RMA budget and finances which are in good shape.

ANNOUNCEMENTS: GRAHAM WHITEHEAD reported on the July 12 raft-up. Returnees: CHUCK STANDARD (FL), PETE LASORSA (Canada), PETER SCHEURITZEL (ME), PETER SCHIEFERDECKER (France/Holland), and EMIL SMERIGLIO (AZ/CA)

COMMITTEE REPORTS: Visiting: CHUCK STANDARD reported on PETE JACKSON, GENE GORMLEY, KARL DAVIES, JOE KOLOK. DOM DIMAIO, recovering from surgery, is in intensive care - no calls, no visitors. Program: SAM  MARASSO  reported Navy Captain Drew Bisset would speak on his personal experiences in Iraq with the Navy Seals. Also, next week  Charles Firlotte, Pres. of Aquarion Water, will speak on issue facing them. Membership: DOUG TAYLOR reported 187 present, 179 members, seven candidates and one guest. Candidates: J. Minor, J. Pollack, P. Disario, R. Cohn, L. Davenport, L. Rebak and E. Porter. Guest: A. River (KURT SCHAFFIR). BOB and JOMARIE DRESEL celebrate their 61st. wedding aniversary July 3, and TONY and THERESA BOLOGNA celebrate their 66th July 2. Birthdays: RUSS VERNET 92, DEREK OTTLEY 77, GEORGE RAYMOND 80, JOE GUARISCO 85, JOHN PHILLIPS 84 and HENRY GUNDERS 80. HAPPY BIRTHDAYS! Special Events BILL HORTON reported openings for Tanglewood and Foxwood, see below. Volunteer ROGER PIERCE reported 710 outside hours by 72 men and 117 inside hours by 27 men.

INDUCTEE: Sponsored by BOB OPPENHEIMER and BOB VIRTUE, GERRY POLLACK was inducted into the RMA. He went to Swarthmore, received graduate degrees from Princeton, as an economist served in the Federal Bureau of Economic Analysis and worked for Exxon. A member of the Democratic Town Committee and the Council on Foreign Relations, his hobbies include photography and the cello. He and his wife, PAT, live in Old Greenwich at 27 Irvine Rd. (648-2408). Welcome GERRY. 

SPORTS: Bridge: LORING WEBBER reported 8 players and top scores of 2390, AL HARTIG, 1390 JOE ROE and 1330 GENE SCHWARTZ. Golf: BOB JOHNSON reported the largest turnout of the season, 49 men teeing up and all safely returning. Nearest the pin # 7  M. SMITH and # 15  B. ROSENBERG, longest drive # 17 D. BARTHOLOMEW. Low gross 80 D. GRIEB, 88 E. BURNS and 84 D. BARTHOLOMEW.  

PROGRAM

Captain Drew Bisset of the Navy Seals told of the demanding training the Seals go through, evidenced by a 80% failure rate, and the inculcation of the teamwork necessary for survival when alone behind enemy lines or in the water to become the best  advance elements in the military. Trainees need his approval to become seals. While the Seals had been used to support forward military forces, they are now themselves forward units, supported by the regular military, as part of the change to use special forces as the tip of the spear when attacking an enemy. There are now 2600 active seals and orders from high command will increase that number. Capt. Bisset was assigned to set up radio and TV stations even before the military had control of their service areas in Iraq. He did so in Southern Iraq, was first into Baghdad and then went into Northern Iraq. He stressed how much the military was doing to help win the hearts and minds of the Iraq people which is little reported by the U.S. press. And, this campaign may well determine the outcome there. For example, the military builds schools and rebuilds other facilities looted by the 100,000 criminals released by Hussein. But the Iraq school children desperately need (and their parents do appreciate) school supplies. These can be left with Westy Storage in Stamford for shipment to Iraq schools or donations may be made to the Navy League. 

CORY DUNHAM, Editor

SPECIAL EVENTS

July 11,  Tanglewood - bus from OG Civic Center 8:45 AM - openings
Aug. 26, Goodspeed Opera - bus from St. C. 9:30 AM (wait listed)
Sept. 9,  Foxwood Casino - bus from St. C. 8:30 AM - openings at $22pp
Oct. 2,    West Point Football Game and Officer Club Dinner - (wait listed)

NEXT WEEK

Charles Firlotte, Pres. of Aquarion Water, will speak on issues facing them.