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To:  Members and Friends of Island MCB 7 at Large

From:  John Blaisdell, Secretary/Treasurer, Island MCB 7 at Large

Subject:  summer of 1998 Newsletter on Reunions, National Conventions, and other Stuff

Spring has sprung upon me so fast that I failed to get out a spring newsletter.  Did anyone out there even notice?  I guess a couple of you did.  Thanks, brother.  We had an incredibly mild winter and spring was here in February so I sort of lost track of time.  No good excuses and I apologize for my neglect.  However, it did give Ken Burnette a chance to get his newsletter out to you and to tell all of you about the reunion in St Louis, MO., scheduled for August 27 thru 30.  The list of names is now nearly 800.  We printed 803 labels.  Ernie and Sandi Asher have helped with the motel accommodations and the activities.  They suggest w could spend a week there and still have activities to spare.  A Seabee thank you to Ernie and Sandi.

Ken and I have started a roster of e-mail addresses.  If you have and use e-mail, please contact either of us with that address and we will add it to our list.  (mcb-7kjburnette@webtv.net)  We have our web site up and running thanks to Donna.  (cserv.com/mcb7/)  Some have e-mailed saying they have had a problem accessing this site so please remember to use lower case letters and if you still have a problem send me a note and I’ll see what I can do.

All things come to he who waits, as long as he keeps working while he is waiting.

I have made plans to attend the National Convention and Reunion in Beloxi/Gulfport, MS, August 11 thru 14 of this year.  The NSVA has made arrangements with the Imperial Palace Hotel and Casino.  I will try to represent the Island in a proper and professional manner.  We will be entitled to, I believe, six delegates to the convention, so I will again accept four more member volunteers who would like to serve as delegates.  August 1999 it will be in Albany and in 2000 in Buffalo, NY.  You can make plans accordingly.

If Columbus had had an advisory committee, he would still be at the dock.

I would like to schedule the Annual Island Meeting for 9:00 on Saturday morning the 29th of August while we are in attendance at St Louis.  This would be an hour before the tour begins and we should be able to get our business in hand in that hour.  If this is a problem, please advise.  This, of course, will place the meeting before the trip to Anhueser-Busch.  Thought that might be a good idea.  The Island this year has 107 members of which 65 are life members.  Life membership in the NSVA is still a bargain and a good idea.  For those on an annual dues paying schedule, I have enclosed an application form for renewal of your membership.

Of all the things I have lost, I think I miss my mind the most.

I have heard a rumor that the 1999 reunion will possibly be held in the San Francisco Bay area.  Our area helpers there are Pete Pederson and “Smokey” Peters.  Anyone who wishes to help them will be welcome I am sure.  Back to the East Coast in 2000 and the Dever brothers, John and Joe, would like to set up something in New Hampshire in the fall.  Of course, all this is rumor as far as my information is concerned.

Viagara…….now there is a standup product.  (Wish I had bought stock in that one!)

I have been amazed by the weather this spring and summer.  Violent storms in California, in Arizona, South Dakota lost a whole town, Binghamton and Albany had severe damage, and southern Minnesota lost two towns and part of another.  And there was a tornado a half-mile east of here, took a few shingles off our roof, broke a few branches and scattered some leaves.  But others lost the whole roof, the whole tree, and lost power for days.  Then, two weeks later, the same in another suburb lost roofs, trees, and power.  All thanks to El Nino, I guess.  Plenty of work around here for the building trades.

The question the men are asking each other these days?  Where’s the first tee.

PGA Professional Pete Hotopp says to play better golf, you should play more golf.  Practice, practice, practice.  Practice your chip shots.  A well place chip shot saves you a put and a stroke.  And that what it is all about.  And if you should happen to have a bad round, remember you’re playing a game on the green side of the sod.

Enough for now.  I would appreciate it if all of you annual dues paying members, the $17.00 ones, would respond by return mail with your signed checks and applications forms so that I look good in the eyes of the National Secretary.  Well, that, and I know you enjoy belonging to this organization dedicated to the welfare of the Seabees from MCB 7.  I am also sending this out to some of you who chose not to join us last year, hoping that you might consider rejoining the Island.  We would like to have you back aboard.  Remember, this is YOUR Island.

Yours in the Can Do spirit,
 

John Blaisdell