From: Dick Thayer
Sent: Monday, April 02, 2007
Subject: status info
News from the Gulf Coast Chapter
The Gulf Coast Chapter met on Saturday 24 March at the new Pizzaz Restaurant in Diamond Head. This was the first meeting in nearly a year due to most members having many other concerns and obligations resulting from Katrina. A number of long time Gulf Coast members have moved to other areas of the country and it was uncertain if there were sufficient numbers to warrant the continued existence of the chapter. Our mailing list has been reduced from 85 to about 45.
But based on the turn-out for a great dinner and drinks and the prevailing sentiment of those who attended, the chapter remains active and functioning. Still many Katrina stories to share and lots of discussions on new restaurants popping up on the Coast.
Those in attendance were:
Dick Thayer
Terry Latham
Mike McGlothin
Rich Bouchard
Bob Coniglioni
Frank Schatzle
Angie Walker
Bill Burnett
Pat Salts
Dave Reucher
Doug Maxwell
and a number of spouses
Officers elected:
Dick Thayer - President
Bill Burnett - Vice President and Secretary
Bob Coniglioni - Treasurer
Other members recently sighted or heard from include Phil Newkirk, Amos Fields, Dan Munger, Tim McGee, Jon and Jill Johnson, John Tancredi, Bob Weir, John Wasserman, Russell Balch, Gretchen Breland, Bob Allen, Don Conlee, BobCutting, Greg Eisman, Mike Foster, Pete Furze, Chris Hall, Terry McPherson Bob Kiser, Dave Pashkevich, Craig Petterson, Don Roman, Fred Zeile, Melanie Sigafoose, Bob Garrett, Rich Jeffries, Dan Banks and Kelly Collins.
Although all members in attendance have returned to their homes or have procured new residences, the Coast as a whole continues the long, long process of rebuilding. Many of the best helpers continue to be the tens of thousands of volunteers from the main-stream churches throughout the US and Canada. This continues to be an amazing outpouring of generosity and is greatly appreciated. Especially heartwarming is the number of high school and college youth that elect to spend their spring break here rebuilding houses and removing debris. Much of the new single family housing is developing North of I-10. The beach road (US 90) remains mostly in ruins with the exception of the casinos and a number of large new high rise condos.
