LUNCH DATE: 3rd TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 19th AT 11:30 AM
SEASCAPE GOLF COURSE MONARCH ROOM
BIG SIR MESSAGE: RICK POWERS “THE ROSTER’S CACA-DOODLE-DOO”
Gentlemen, it’s getting cool and crisp outside, the holidays will soon be upon us. As we head into California Fall season, many concerns face us in our otherwise tranquil life. Are we having fun yet? I hope so.
This month we’ll have another blockbuster speaker. We had the opportunity of hearing from him in the past, and I am looking forward to enjoying another great presentation. Sheriff Jim Hart who soon will be retiring, and hopefully joining our jolly band, is our guest speaker. He will update us on new developments on the Sheriff’s Department and will introduce us to Chris Clark, who will be stepping up to the Sheriff’s position in December.
Our lunch selections for this month will be Roast Pork Loin, Grilled Salmon Salad and Wester Veggie Salad
Kudos to Joel Dedrick for the work he put into improving the microphone sensitivity and audio quality. . . Thanks again, Joel.
Some members have expressed they are still having problems hearing. Our last speaker gave what I thought was a very thoughtful and interesting presentation, unfortunately, she tended to look downward as she spoke. This places the microphone at a bad angle and distance to achieve good sound quality, defeating the audio improvement. I will remind future speakers how to properly hold and use the microphone.
Meanwhile: if you continue to have issues hearing, please let me know so that I can arrange strategic seating for you to be closer to the speaker. I think Joel’s work and all speakers properly briefed about using the microphone correctly should improve our hearing with each speaker in the future.
As you know, we have been experiencing problems with members who commit to attending our luncheons, but then end up not showing. This leaves the branch having to pay for their remissness; we pay. An interesting aside. . .Just as I had finished writing the September Fencepost article, I got a phone call from a member who had hoped and planned to attend our last two meetings, but medical complications forced a last-minute cancellation of his plans. He called me to ask for the address to send a check to pay for his missed lunches. Men of character like this, are who make our SIR Branch as great and strong as it is. . . God bless him. Needless to say, I would not accept his payment.
I’m looking forward to seeing you all on the 19th, stay warm.
Branch Executive Committee members, please plan to attend a short meeting at 11:00 A.M. prior to our regular meeting.
LUNCHEON PROGRAM: Speakers Jim Hart and Chris Clark
Our speakers will be retiring Santa Cruz County Sheriff Jim Hart and the newly appointed Chris Clark. Jim has been Sheriff for the past ten years and has been with the Sheriff’s Dept. For 36 years.
The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors has recently voted unanimously to appoint Chris as the new Sheriff beginning Dec. 7th, 2024. He has worked for the Sheriff’s Dept. since 2006, serving as a patrol deputy, crime detective, Coroner’s office, and advanced through the ranks.
Sheriff Hart had four years remaining on his current term when he decided to retire. Chris was the Sheriff’s spokesman in the August 2020, fire and was seen nightly on local television.
LUNCH ARRANGEMENTS – Meal Selections. Cost $27
We have the following threemenu choices for our lunch. Please be sure to let your monthly caller know your choice for lunch to ensure you and your guest receive your request. The cost will be $27 per person.
Option 1: Roast Pork Loin: Topped with apple and red onion cream and served with garlic mashed potatoes and fresh sauteed seasonal vegetables
Option 2: Grilled Salmon Salad: mixed greens, tomatoes, red onions, and cucumbers with grilled salmon and topped with raspberry vinaigrette
Option 3: Southwest Veggie Salad: Mixed Greens, Corn, Black Beans, Tomatoes, Red Onions. Topped with Avocado, Tortilla Strips and Ranch Dressing.
NOVEMBER BIRTHDAY BOYS: SIR Harvey Bell, SIR Mike Epperson, SIR Warren Grande, SIR Charles Landram, SIR Mike Morgan, SIR Frank Penko, SIR Gary Perkins, SIR Rick Powers, SIR Jim Stott, SIR Fred Tapella, SIR Carey Williams
Remember, you must be present at the drawing to win the free lunch.BRANCH #104 MEMBERSHIP: SIR Rick Hornbeck.
We want to welcome our newest member, SIR Tim Grolle. Tim attended the October luncheon and enjoyed it enough to immediately join our little group. Welcome, Tim! We look forward to getting to know you better.
Since the beginning of the year, 13 new members have joined Branch 104. Great job, guys! We now boast 109 members.
WE CARE – If you know of any member who is experiencing any difficulty with health or personal issues and you feel it can be shared with the all the members, please let your caller know when they call about the next meeting or let the BIG SIR Rick Powers know while attending the monthly meeting.
BRANCH 104 ACTIVITY ANNOUNCEMENTSCOFFEE AND CONVERSATION – SIR Joel Dedrick
Joel Dedrick has launched a new group which he calls “Coffee and Conversation”. The group meets every Wednesday at 10:00AM at Loft Coffee, on the Cabrillo College campus, near Twin Lakes Church.
We don’t have a formal agenda, at least so far; we discuss politics, religion, current events, public policy, technology, and pretty much anything else that’s on our minds. The conversations are spirited but always respectful – and I guarantee you’ll learn something new every week.
No RSVP required – just swing by if you can!
BOCCE—SIR Brent Paine Email: brentp1955@gmail.comPH: (408) 355-4623
We will be playing pick-up games. So, just come, have a good time and everyone will play!
Bocce play is scheduled from 10:00 AM to 12:00 Noon on the 1st Tuesday of the month at the Felt Street County Park. Following Bocce, optional Dutch Treat lunch with the guys at a local restaurant.
GOLF – SIR Doug Deaver Email: ddeaver@yahoo.com PH: (831) 234-1210 :
There is an afternoon 9-hole golf group on Mondays and Thursdays at Aptos Seascape that is organized by Doug Deaver.GOLF – SIR Jim StottEmail : JimPams@sbcglobal.netPH: (831) 212-3393
The eighteen-hole (multi-branch) SIR golf group plays on Monday mornings at various courses and is coordinated by SIRJim Stott.
BOOK CLUB — SIR Rick Hornbeck Email: rhornbeck@sbcglobal.net PH (831) 226-4350)
The next Book Club meeting will be on Thursday, December 5th. This will be the last Book Club meeting of the year. John Dickinson has again graciously offered for us to meet at his home at 2pm. We plan to meet to talk about books, movies, and television shows. Please join us if you’d like!
For additional information and updates, please contact SIR Rick Hornbeck.
INVESTMENT CLUB
We continue to do a Zoom call on the first or second Tuesday of each month. On the call we share ideas and usually drill down on a couple of stocks. We share our mistakes and occasional wins. We can’t promise big gains, but we usually have some laughs.
Until we find a new lead for this group, please contact Doug Deaver at ddeaver@yahoo.com or (831) 234-1210for further information.CARDS AND BOARD GAMES
Come to the Aptos Grange to join other SIRs in card, poker, cribbage, and any other games of your choice. This is a new activity that we are pulling together that will meet from 1:00 – 4:00 on the second Wednesday of every month at the Aptos Grange on 2555 Mar Vista Dr.
Please come by to join us with the poker club and other SIRs to have some fun competitive games and good conversation. So, bring your deck of cards, dominoes, cribbage boards or whatever game you would like to start a group to play every second Wednesday. Also please feel free to bring drinks (non-alcoholic) and food for yourself. Please contact Rich Hamlin at hamlin.rich.w@gmail.com PH (276-732-134) for further information. OTHER UPCOMING EVENTS TO MARK IN YOUR CALENDARSSchedule for Rest of the Year SIR Monthly Luncheons. Not too early to mark your calendars!
Tuesday December 17th
Branch 104 Website https://sirinc2.org/branch104/ Webmaster: SIR John Ryan (650) 743-3040 or John.E.Ryan@comcast.net. Our Website has been recently been re-organized and updated in order to provide easy access to all the SIR activities within our Branch and SIRs State news and activities.
Branch 104 Fencepost Newsletter Editor: SIR Bob Basel (707)-373-2484 or rbasel@sbcglobal.netGARY OING’S SHARING GOOD THOUGHTS WEBSITE (SGT):
This is the month to be thankful for everything you have received and, just as importantly, to be optimistic about the future.
This link will show you a short TEDtalk about why the future will be shaped by optimists — https://www.ted.com/talks/kevin_kelly_the_future_will_be_shaped_by_optimists
Here is a website with some great quotes about optimism — https://www.happierhuman.com/optimism-quotes/
And I know many of you will recognize this song that encourages optimism. It is performed by the Youth Singers of Silicon Valley. Check it out at – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNYC0IACb0c
In the US, we have a special day in November devoted to “giving thanks”. It allows each of us to express our thankfulness in our own personal ways for the good things that we have been given or that have been done for us. Many of us have great family members who still go out of their way to be helpful – I know I do.
When I checked what Wikipedia had to say about thankfulness, it directed me to the topic labeled “gratitude”. It was interesting to see the various philosophical and religious approaches to this topic. If this interests you, go to — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gratitude
And here is a link to some great ideas about gratitude — https://www.happierhuman.com/category/gratitude/
After scrolling down the webpage, I learned about the value of a “gratitude journal” and how to set up prompts to help me make one. Check it out at — https://www.happierhuman.com/gratitude-journal-templates-jp1/
In closing, let me suggest that we all be thankful and optimistic for the time we each have on this planet.
As a reminder, you can find the above links and much more at Gary’s SGT website. I encourage you to save the link to the SGT website and visit it throughout the month to help remember my suggested topic of “thankful optimism”.
The link to Gary’s “Sharing Good Thoughts” (SGT) website is — https://www.gk.eoing.com/good_thoughts
Let me know if you have found Internet content that you use for your “mental health”. If so, share those links with me and I can add them to my website. Stay well and mentally happy by thinking good thoughts.
