Are you retired or semi-retired and want to make new friends, participate in fun activities and better enjoy your leisure time?
Link to state SIR site
Join Us!
Bob Johnson
Welcome to SIR Branch 101
Big SIR, Bob Johnson – November 2025
-condensed from the November bulletin-
I hope you enjoyed the presentation on the James Webb Telescope at our October luncheon. The photos were amazing! (Editor’s Note: At the November luncheon, Paul McCandless, shared his experience serving as a judge for the Olympic Biathlon in Salt Lake City in 2002. Great timing with the 2026 Olympic Games happening soon in February.) Soon it will be the end of the year and the end to my term as Big SIR. It has been an honor to serve in this capacity. I want to thank the many people who keep our branch functioning. I especially want to thank all of the Activity Chairs and our Branch Executive Committee (BEC) for all they do to provide a wide range of great activities and events.
I want to especially thank Terry Tikalsky for doing a great job as Little SIR. We will be in good hands when he becomes Big SIR. Thank you to Brent Dixon who stepped up to be the next Little SIR. Secretary Bill Leach and Treasurer Roger Grimm deserve much thanks and gratitude for all they do to keep the branch running. Of course I have to give a shoutout to Bill for his monthly “Story Time.” I want to thank Larry Wiley for his work as Membership Chair and for stepping up to become the next Walking/Hiking Chair, and thank you to Scott Henderson for becoming the new Membership Chair. Of course I can never say enough about Art Hull’s incredible record as Walking/Hiking Chair for over 19 years. He built a wonderful, enduring program that has the most participants in our branch. I thank Steve Skedzielewski and all of his excellent work to produce the Bulletin. A big thank you and much appreciation go to Dennis Gately, who takes care of our website and to John Didlake who manages Constant Contact so that we can communicate to all our members. John also prepares important data in various lists needed each month. A special thank you to Dwight Lang who set a great example for me to follow as Big SIR and for always being readily available to answer questions. A big thank you to the Wednesday lunch group at the Ale House, who became my informal focus group, or kitchen cabinet.
January Luncheon
Whether you are prepaying for your lunch or planning to pay at the door, please click the button on the invitation to RSVP that you are attending. It is also helpful if you let us know if you cannot attend. And remember, please be sure to let us know if you are bringing a guest.
Join us early at the luncheon (Doors open at 11:00 am.) to catch up with fellow members. Remember, new pricing for our 2025 Luncheon is $35 for prepay, & $38 at the door. Please see the November 2025 Bulletin for details on paying for the luncheon.
Branch Dues
You can & should support our branch with your yearly $30 dues. SIR promotes entertaining and enriching our lives through many activities as well as branch meetups, like in-person luncheons, If you have not already paid for the year, please do so! Note: With inflation taking a bite out of our usable funds, especially those with fixed retirement income, if you find it difficult to pay the yearly dues and/or the cost of the luncheon, please see me discreetly. We have funds to help. Also, if you need a ride to the luncheon contact, via email: bigsirofsir101@googlegroups.com, we can have someone pick you up.
Just visiting our webpage?
For readers that are visiting our SIR Branch 101’s website and want to know more about us, please click on the provided “Send E-mail” link on this page. We’ll get back to you with information about how you can enjoy your leisure time, with us!
SIR (formerly referred to as “Sons In Retirement”) is a nonprofit public benefit corporation for retired men. The purpose of SIR is to provide members with a variety of activities while renewing friendships and making new friends. Having fun is our goal. Starting in 2023, a small yearly fee has been required from branch members. This provides funding for special events such as a yearly picnic and holiday dinner. The only other requirement for membership is that you need to be able to attend 5 of 10 monthly luncheons, with some exceptions. From its inception in 1958 SIR has grown to over 10,000 members. Branch 101 in Livermore has about 132 active members.
Our Activities:
Hiking, Kayaking, Dining Out, Bocce are just a few of our activities. Branch 101 has over 16 Activities. What Activities might you be interested in? See the Current Newsletter link in the drop-down menu above. We are always open to trying new activities. We’ve heard suggestions like: Scrabble, Mexican Train (dice game), or even a board game night. If you are interested in any of these or have other ideas, please see me, Dwight Lang, or 2024 Little SIR, Bob Johnson.
To find out more:
Send us an e-mail with your name and phone number, and someone will contact you within a week.
Send your e-mail to: bigsirofsir101@googlegroups.com