|
Naval
Weather Service Association |
||
|
** NWSA
Lone
Star Chapter **
Joe McKinzie has been busy scouting for members and getting the Lone Star Chapter off the ground. New members continue to filter in and most of the membership will be in attendance at the first Chapter meeting. After the Chapter meeting, Joe will be visiting family in San Diego and attending the NWSA Reunion immediately thereafter. He will be visiting family again in Colorado and Kansas in June. Between almost daily stints on the golf course and chasing 4 and 5 year old grandchildren, he manages to stay off the streets and remain active. Charlie and Ann Jordan plan to fly into Seattle for the NWSA Reunion in Everett WA. Charlie is anxious to see his shipmates and to show Ann a region where they were never stationed! During the past year, Ann and Charlie have stayed extremely busy tending to Ann's mother after her major stroke. After the NWSA Reunion, they will take a side trip to Victoria BC and a day to visit Ann's sister who lives in Seattle. Roy and Betty Eshom have not been able to do any traveling these days. Betty has advanced Alzheimer’s. Roy takes care of Betty at home. Betty also has Parkinson’s disease and diabetes. She is unable to walk. Roy is past president of the University Investment Club (7 years). He also has served as Legislative Chairman for the local retired teachers organization for the past 15 years. Sammy Erwin Hello from the hills of western Arkansaws. I finally got rid of my camper and got a 22 ft. motor home – more comfort. Just spent week in Pensacola – on the beach in an RV park. Watched the surf caress the silver sand as the sea breeze caressed the palms. Stirred up memories of the Ligayen Gulf on the west coast of Luzon. All that was missing was bananas, coconuts, San Miguel and a pretty native girl! Last word I had was Ferell Johnson, in S.W. Ark. Was recovering from bypass surgery. Was still cowboying! Haven’t heard anything lately – hope he is okay. Am headed to San Diego tomorrow to visit Ron Shemanski and “Coke” Coquia – also granddaughter. Hope to see you in Seattle. Ben (Benny) McCaig I live in Wills Point, TX. (pop near 4000 and holding) which is approx 50 miles east of Dallas, near Canton (known for first Monday trade days). I retired the 31st of April 2006. Due to health issues, the rest of the year was pretty well shot. However, I am well again and looking forward to our get together in San Antonio. Leo Scott Your letter came while I was in the hospital. What started as a normal hip replacement went bad. After multiple problems, I took a massive heart attack and had to be rebooted. (Stop and re start the heart) I don't believe I will be ready to attend in early May. Jim Maxwell: Retired from the National Weather Service at Fort Worth in 2004, finally got bored enough to go back to work in October 2006. Part time only, at Dallas Love Field as an "ASOS Sitter". I enjoy it though! Had triple bypass surgery 2 months ago, and all is well. Will head off for a couple of weeks of R&R in the Colorado Rockies in July, to get out of this Texas heat. Looking forward to seeing all in San Antonio. Source: Aerograph February 2007 New Chapter formed in Texas LONE STAR CHAPTER
President: Joe McKinzie Congratulations to the Plank Owners of the NWSA’s newest chapter, the Lone Star Chapter! 27 NWSA dues paid members makes it one of the largest chapters in the association. It was stretched out to include two Oklahoma members and is open to including members from other neighboring states if you happen to know of anyone interested. Joe McKinzie will be serving the first year as President and Becky Shannon has graciously accepted appointment to the Secretary/Treasurer position. A general election for next year’s officers will be held at the currently planned Fall ’07 meeting (No firm date or place as yet). The first Chapter meeting will be in the San Antonio area during the first weekend in May. All members will be contacted with details. Lone Star Chapter Plank Owners are: Thomas Berry, Bob Davis, Roy Eshom, Irwin “Mike” Fastow, Moises “Ray” Gonzalez, Bill Goodner, Roger Graham, James Grego, Harry Hale, Gene Hathaway, Charles R “Charlie” Jordan, Larry Kennaley, Jesse Lofton, Ray Martinson, James Maxwell, Ben McCaig, Joe McKinzie, William Orvis, Bonnie Page, R. J. “Bob” Plante, Billy Rose. Leo Scott, Becky Shannon, Charles Smith, Ray Tennison, Jose Valdez, and Alan Zahnle The Chapter extends a special THANK YOU to Don Cruse for setting up an organizational meeting and giving us the kick start that led to the formation of the Chapter.
From:
Joe McKinzie Congratulations Plank Owners of NWSA's newest chapter! 27 NWSA dues paid members makes us one of the largest chapters in the association. We stretched out and included two Oklahoma members and are open to including others if you happen to know anyone else interested. By popular acclaim, Joe McKinzie will be serving the first year as President and Becky Shannon has graciously accepted appointment to the Secretary/Treasurer position. We hope to have a general election for next year’s officers, at the currently planned fall ’07 meeting (No firm date or place as yet). The responses to the query sent out last month were in general agreement as follows: 1. President nominations – Joe McKinzie 75% 2. Secretary/Treasurer – Bob Plante (unable to accept due to other commitments. Becky Shannon volunteered to serve in this position for the first year). 3. Only 3 additional members resulted from the request for other names that might be interested in membership. 4. It was unanimous in favor of first year officers being appointed from the number of nominations received. 5. Most were in favor of some minimal amount of dues and that it be determined at our first meeting. 6. A large majority favored two meetings per year, one in South Texas (spring) and the other in North Texas (fall). Some also suggested a meeting in Oklahoma in the future and that the Chapter host a National Reunion in the near future. 7. A number of responses indicated an inability to travel significant distances to meetings and that when we meet, we should schedule for overnight due to the travel distances. Also, that the meetings consist of more than a luncheon and business meeting. Perhaps, tours of local attractions and possibly a golf outing for those interested. I think we have done well in establishing the chapter with so many participants. As your first President, I will do my best to plan an interesting and fulfilling meeting in the spring. I am initially anticipating scheduling our first meeting, the first weekend in May and it will be in the San Antonio area. As information comes available, I will keep you informed via email or the postal service. I would welcome your input for planning the next meeting and I am looking forward to meeting those of you that I haven’t met and renewing old acquaintances. Best Regards, Joe McKinzie
From:
Charlie Jordan We have formed a chapter and requested a logo! Currently we have 22 members (see attached LSC Roster). This letter went out, by email and USPS (to some members) to begin to meet some of the requirements from the NWSA Constitution & Bylaws (see attached NWSA Constitution). We are in the process of developing officers and establishing some sense of order for this chapter. Joe McKinzie has worked like a Trojan to get all this enrollment activity complete in the last week or so. Charlie
-----Original
Message----- Greetings ex-Navy Weather Guessers, to the Lone Star Chapter of the Naval Weather Service Association! I believe we owe a special thanks to CDR Don Cruse for giving us a kick start in getting this new Chapter off the ground. For those of you who weren’t aware of or unable to attend, Don arranged a planning meeting on October 21st in Fredericksburg, TX, for the establishment of a Texas Chapter. The meeting was attended by Bob Plante, Gene Hathaway, Mike Fastow, Joe McKinzie and Charlie Jordan. We subsequently obtained from the NWSA Sec/Treas, a list of all current Texas NWSA members and the last known locations of ex-NWS people in Texas. From the list, we have been able to contact numerous people of which, 22 have indicated interest in NWSA membership and in becoming plank owners in the Lone Star Chapter. All of the non-current NWSA members were provided an NWSA application form and a copy of the most recent Aerograph. (A list of those who have indicated a desire to participate is attached to this mailing). We are continuing to solicit participation so if you know of others in Texas, let me know and I will attempt to contact them. Even if you don’t have their phone number but know where they live or have lived recently, I may be able to track them down. The next step in the organizational process is to outline the plans and purposes of the Chapter. We need to elect a President and Secretary/Treasurer. I am not proclaiming candidacy myself but to get this rolling, I am asking that each of you submit nominations from the attached list, for these offices, to me by phone, email or letter no later than 5:PM November 20th. I am suggesting for expediency that for the first election for the first year, the nominees receiving the most nominations be appointed to those offices to avoid drawing out the election process. Future elections would be by nomination and majority vote. As regards the plans and purposes of the Chapter, basically we want to renew old friendships, perpetuate camaraderie and relay news and happenings within the Chapter. It has been suggested that we not require annual dues but there will be some minor expenses for postage and mailings to members who do not have email. I suggest that we establish a General Fund for this purpose to which contributions would be strictly voluntary at this time. (Something less than $10). Some members have also indicated that it would be difficult for them to travel and participate in gatherings or meetings due to travel distance and/or physical restrictions. (Many of us are at that point in our lives or soon may be). After reviewing, our members list, I see that we are nearly evenly split between North and South Texas. Since NWSA bylaws (See attachment) require two meetings per year, I suggest one meeting in South Texas (San Antonio?) and one in North Texas (Fort Worth?) each year. I personally am looking forward to meeting or becoming re-acquainted with some of my old shipmates. All would be welcome at either meeting but would be especially encouraged to attend the meeting closest to them. Physical attendance at any Chapter meetings should never be mandatory to remain a member in good standing. In review, I would like your input on the following:
1. Nomination for President Harry Hale, AGCM
$$ Members who need an AEROGRAPH and will utilize the NWSA membership
application. Then they will enter the Lone Star Chapter.
From: Charlie Jordan The past week has, for me, been a blur because I received the AEROGRAPHS and had to prepare them for the bulk mail center, get the there, and get a few of the AEROGRAPHS to the overseas mail. It seems that I needed to almost reorient myself so far as the Lone Star Chapter is concerned. Joe McKinzie had been doing a great job. He has located three members - at least they were interested in the chapter. I am including each one as a member with this mailing. The way to avoid being a member is to tell me otherwise <grin>! I urge each one of you to check the Texas roster and get someone to commit to membership. We have nine members right now. One more member and we can select a president and a secretary/treasurer. Then we can request chapter recognition from NWSA and have a chapter logo designed that we can use. I’m not about to make rules concerning this forming chapter. However due to the size of the state and the difficulties in just traveling to have any sort of face-to-face meetings, I want to suggest that the Lone Star Chapter only have one annual meeting. I feel that meeting should be in the fall. Summers are difficult – due to vacations. Springtime has some pretty extreme weather for someone in Texas about once every 10 days. Winter time can be extremely difficult for the Panhandle and West Texas travelers. In truth, I envision that we move our meetings around the state. For instance, we could meet in San Antonio one year, Dallas/Ft Worth another year, Midland or Lubbock another year, Houston, East Texas, etc. I don’t believe that, at this time, there should be any dues. (If I have to use postal mail for some members, that’s okay. I’m a retired E-9, drawing Social Security – I can afford some stamps and envelopes.) When we have an annual meeting, for now, I figure that we can generally do “pay as you go”. I see no requirement for a rule concerning required attendance at any meetings. With the use of the internet, telephones, and US mail we should be able to conduct our chapter business with few problems. All of the foregoing two paragraphs were my suggestions, I’m sure that we must have a consensus before any edicts are established. But right now we need one more member – desperately! Then we can take the next steps. Please let me know your thoughts about what we can/should accomplish in the founding of the Lone Star Chapter. We NEED members.
Very respectfully
P.S. The members
without email will receive this email and roster via the postal
service. CJ
Thomas Berry AGCM
From: Donald A. Cruse Good evening.
Just returned from Texas. We had a successful organizational meeting of
our newest regional chapter, to be known as the Lone Star Chapter. Don Cruse
24 September, 2006
Aerograph August
2006
Copyright © by Naval
Weather Service Association All Right Reserved. |
||
