Newsletter

Mar/Apr 2010 - #136

March - April 2010 / Alumni Newsletter

Newsletter Highlights!

Subject: March/April 2010 newsletter

FLORIDA PICNIC--- Sat., March 20 at Juniper Springs National Recreation Area on Florida Rt. 40 between Rte. 19 and Ocala.   There is a small daily entrance fee.   We want as many of you who live in FL to attend.   Now don't say   that you won't know anyone; even if you don't, we will make you feel welcome.    Be sure to bring something to eat--dessert, chips and dip, chicken, salad--anything.    We Magees   will bring some new (2009) complete rosters and some up-dated inserts (2009) for those of you who already have a 2006 copy. Looking forward to seeing you there.

CONTACTS & EXPLANATIONS:   On page 2 of the 'mailed-out' newsletter, there are   "beautiful" pictures of your Alumni Association "staff."

You may contact your Ships Stores purveyor (what?), Richard "Archie" Moore, at P.O. Box 216, Rangeley, ME 04970   Phone 207-864-2714   or email mooreinthemtns@myfairpoint.net    He has everything that Joe Quintana had, but has not put out a catalog or listing for the newsletter or web-site as yet, so if you want something, contact him to see what he does have on hand.  

Ralph Papa can be contacted at 8393 Grand Messina Circle, Boynton Beach, FL 33437 or Phone.   561-740-2046 (email address at top).   He will take any type of memorabilia that you want to contribute to the association.   Check out the web-site at vp8alumni.org and see what a great job Ralph has done.

As way of explanation, you will note that we now have an assistant treasurer, Bill Stewart.   Don felt that he needed a back-up just in case something happened so that he could not take care of business as usual.   This is just a precaution and smart idea; Bill was our treasurer for a few years and is very familiar with what needs to be done if an emergency should arise.

DUES:   You guys have been great this year about getting dues in. Check out page 2 to see who still owes.   You must pay before the May issue goes out if you want to continue as a member Widows, you must return the valentine if you wish to continue the newsletter.   Dues are not required of you.   THANKS TO ALL OF YOU WHO SENT EXTRA MONEY!!

REUNION, 2011--Dates are locked in now   for Thursday, Oct 20-through Monday Oct 24 (breakfast) with an optional day, Oct. 25th added.   For tentative schedule please check web-site and click on Reunion Info. Dates and shortened schedule are to be sure we can meet the squadron and get better hotel rates over a weekend.   Itinerary itself may be modified.

THE WEATHER:   Boy was it cold in January.   Temps dipped into the teens here in MS, and some places here   had snow.    Unfortunately, our heat gave out and Frank was reluctant to call a repairman while it was so cold, expecting that it might have to be torn apart for days.   It would work for 24-36 hrs., then start blowing cold air.   Flipping switches in the middle of the night for a couple of hours might get it back on.   We finally called the repair man and it was fixed at a nominal price in just over an hour.   Now I know lots of people believe in global warming and some people believe the change is cyclical, but this was our coldest weather in 25 years!   So, you make up your mind.     What about that record snowfall in the mid-Atlantic states!!   And we had more snow in MS on 2/11!
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Bulletin: /Change of Command for VP8 at NAS JAX on April 23, 2010

This input came from VP8 CDR Sean Liedman

Please feel free to include an announcement of our first Jacksonville change of command in the alumni newsletter - former Tigers are always welcome. It will be held at 10:00 AM on Friday, 23 April at Hangar 511 at NAS Jax.

* Click here for photos taken Ralph Papa at the VP8 Change of Command on 4-23-10. Congratulations CDR Villa and CDR Liedman.

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New Alumni RostersAvaliable!

New Alumni Rosters Avaliable!

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Complete up-dated 2009 roster is $8 if it is picked up and $13 if mailed

If you have a loose leaf roster with 2006 as the date, all you have to do is order the up-dated insert which is $4.50 mailed or $2 picked up.

Order by sending a check made out to VP8 Alumni Assn. to Don Rickel, 33 Bridge St., Topsham, ME 04086. When he receives the check, he will let your roster editor know, and it will be mailed out as soon as possible

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The new roster is loose leaf, so as you get changes from each newsletter. I suggest that you put a piece of notebook paper in the roster section and keep up with the changes as they come out--until a new roster is published.

The new roster is very different as it is divided into Sections.

SECTION ONE contains TAPS, the origin of the association, a list of reunions, the actual roster with an index, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, and a map showing how many people we have listed from each state.

SECTION TWO contains the history of VP-8 along with lists of Commanding Officers.

SECTION THREE contains other interesting and important documents.