And yet another Hero for me.

I know I am getting a lot of them, but I found another today on the Purdue Campus.
My granddaughter Mandy Rutherford sister of another of my grandchildren Lucas featured below serving now in Iraq. She is in her second year in the Naval ROTC program at Purdue. Mandy will be a good Naval Officer one day before we know it. She tells me this summer after her sophmore year that she will spend a month on a cruise on a Navy ship. She hopes to be stationed on an nuclear attack air craft carrier one day like the one in the picture to the right. But today Mandy was the Officer in Charge of this event. The OIC the gunny refered to her as.

Her gunnery Sgt William Conner who is a Marine Corps Gunny and trains well the future Navy and Marine Corps Officers at Purdue tipped me off to this event while I was in Florida. He said you should try to be here as Mandy was put in charge of organizing and planning this event last year and it looks like she will pull it off in fine style.
The event was the first annual Boilermaker Naval ROTC Open Time Matrix. She got several surrounding Colleges to send NROTC members here today to compete in Marching Drills,Color Guard,Rifle and Pistol shooting, Basketball and Indurance Running. That girl was all over the campus today making sure that all of the events were happening as planned. Most of it was in the Armory but some were in other locations on campus. Teams were from Notre Dame, Ohio State, Miami of Ohio and Missouri and Purdue.

I quickly purchase a T-shirt that told of the event so that I would "fit in" and not just look like the Mandy's grandpa for this event...Tried for a picture of Mandy and I with our matching T's but she said there will be plenty of time for that later Grandpa...Well you don't see the picture do you?

But that is OK Mandy I got my shirt on right now typing this so what the hey....
It was a good day I got a little bored watching the shooting events and asked Mandy if I could take a nap somewhere... She said sure grandpa go upstairs to the midshipmans lounge and tell them to get out of there so you can take a nap on the couch... Well I did not do that I put my ear plugs back in my ears so I could not hear all that shooting downstairs and the bull being shot in that room plus the TV. And off to dream land I went..A little side note, I talked for a bit with a Naval officer from Miami of Ohio college today and told him I was Mandy's grandfather. He had recently been station as an officer on a US Navy attack submarine in the Pacific. He said your granddaughter gave an excellent breifing today to the visiting officers before this event started....yes it was a very good day. Mandy congrats on a job well done...

Check this out also....

http://www.trdaniel.com/Marines/index.htm

"Back Home again in Indiana"

Well that has happened to me. I am here and Hoosiers owe me big time, as I brought them nice weather. The fact that a front is approaching and the nice weather will be gone is not my problem...I brought it, and they could not hold onto it, so I guess we all suffer together here. It is always good to get back home where my family and Hoosier friends are near. Always also good to go the other way in the fall and see again my Florida friends. It was a good trip it went fast I made it to a cracker barrel parking lot the first day about 30 miles north of Atlanta. I had free internet there climbing on some "Days Inn" wyfi and liked that and did some emails.
That was 650 mile of the 1200 so the next day the last 550 was like falling off a log and I got home at 5:30...I marvel at my "Co Pilot" GPS guidance program I have in my lap top. with an antenna attached to a printer port it takes constant readings off satalites and leads me to any address I put in it. I call it "Oscar" for short as it has a male voice, is sometimes obnoxious when I get off for fuel and get more than 1000 feet maybe from the designated road course. It starts telling me to go to the next road and then follow its course around a few blocks to get back on the interstate..When I got a new computer this fall and did a update download they did make the guy a little more user freindly. He used to just say as soon as I was off course "TURN AROUND" in a rather loud voice..Some one must have complained, personally I got a kick out of it, but anyway now he in a politically correct manner, just starts me on a path around a block that will turn me around and back on course. Any way he is so reassuring for a lone traveler with no "breathing" co pilot as any time a course change happens he alerts me at 2 miles out then again at 1 mile then at 300 feet and even a forth time right at the intersection.. Tells me which way to turn and what road to take. It is a good program and does deliver me to where ever I want to be.

Each year as I cross the Ohio river into Indiana I break out in "back home again in Indiana" the song. Now of course Linda and I used to do it together in a somewhat guarded voices as neither of us were really star search material. But now with no one around I let it happen, I put it out there, and hey it just ain't even too bad if I have to say so myself. And hey I know I am not going to be challenging Jim Nabors with the singing of this song at the Indy 500 each year, nor would I want to but I have learned most of the song, I like the song and so I sing it each time I enter Indiana after an absense of any time to speak of. No I will not come sing it for you, its just one of those things that they say, "you just had to have been there". You were not, you missed it.

Planting will start in about a month maybe if weather permits. I look forward to that each year as I do this year. Corn usually goes into the ground first and then the soybeans. Last year field conditions were so that I reversed that but as a rule that is the drill here. Then I will after a couple weeks of my hobby level farming have the rest of the summer off to do what ever I like. Will be doing some fishing some mushroom hunting, maybe occassional golf, in May after the 15th will take my motor home to Traverse City Bay RV resort in that city in Michigan and agressively hunt those big supposedly plentiful sponge mushrooms. And consider purchasing a lot in that RV park that many people I know in Silver Lakes do already own lots there. I doubt that I will do that, but I am going to consider it. Not sure just why, well yes I know why, because so darn many people have told me I should. So I will take a look, and take a feel of the place and see what comes of it all.

OK that is it for today you know of where I am so I think it may be time for a nap.

Randy and Patty Kington

Update.....
The date for Randy Kington speaking as decribed below has been changed.....

They will now be here and speaking on Sunday August 17th at the 8 and 10.30 service at Dayton Methodist Church and again also on July 18 at 7 on Monday evening, and not July 27th as described previously in this blog....
Jack

A web site of Randy's speaking engagements... http://www.randykington.com/speaking.html


Many wonderful things and people have crossed my life this past, soon be a year, since loosing my wife of 29 years to the monster cancer. It has actually been or is becoming fun again to awake each day and see what happens between sun up and sun down. Finding this bunch of Marines as recommended by my freind Bill Slepcevich the Financial wizard in Naples,has been like walking into or joining a family that wants you there.

And then in the middle of that has been meeting Randy and Patty Kington. It happened at the first Country Club dinner setting I went to and was introduced around by Loran Loy. When I first shook Randy's hand and seen his smile and heard him speak I knew he was a man of great charactor. I have since read his great book "What A Life", about how the Nam war affected one Marine. I tell you all, this is the best book I have read in years, it is both a factual account of the war as Randy saw it, and he does is so well. The first maybe nine chapters are rivoting as he takes you from boot camp to taking the bullet that paralized him for life below the waist. But the very best part is the last couple chapters or so when he meets the love of his life Patty in the VA hospital. It then turns into one of the best love stories you will ever read...Get the book you will treasure it, and you will think of people who also would be blessed by reading it.

At one of the weekly luncheons someone said something about Randy speaking at a church that next Sunday. I sent him and email and kind of invited myself and he told me where it would be in downtown Naples. I pictured a small woooden church with 50 people in it so I did not take my camera so my eyes are the picture I am showing you now. As I approached the downtown I noticed an awful lot of traffic headed to that area, and I thought well something else must also be going on there that day...Parking was a problem and when I accomplished that I headed toward that park. People were coming in droves from all directions and suddenly my little wooden church kind of evaporated and there was this amphitheater with folding chairs everwhere under the trees. I grabbed one and found a seat maybe a couple hundred feet from the stage. Our color guard was there as the church was honoring veterans that day and the featured speaker was setting patiently off to the left side in his chair. He was in full dress blues bedecked in his many medal he had earned. I knew I had made a big mistake in not bringing the camera that day.

All the different services were ask to stand and honored, lots of Marines were there and then they sang some worship songs, and introduced Randy Kington. He rolled his chair out to the center, was totally in control and relaxed, and delivered one of the most uplifting testimonies about his Nation, His Marine Corps, and His God, that I think I may have ever heard. When it ended 1100 people were on their feet applauding this man for who he was, and for what he had said to them. If your ever get a chance to hear Randy do this, well its just something you need to do, you don't think about it, you just do it. And I think no one is prouder of this Marine than his gorgeous 5 foot red head wife Patty. Randy gives her credit over and over again for all he is and has been able to accomplish. He claims humorously that the Nation was so good to him, that they even issued him a wife. You see Patty visited Randy on a good will basis in a VA hospital. After the two hours of that visit it was love at first sight for both of them. Neither of them stood a chance of getting out of this single from that day forth. I was honored to have dinner with them one night a month ago and it was such a delight to be with both of them. I suggested to them something that Randy agreed with also, that the government did not issue him a wife. As he had been issued an angel, and that only God issues angels. Acutally I think Randy pretty much admits and protrays that in his talks.

You who are stuck here in Paradise called Naples will have the chance next year at the same church under those trees probably in Feb. to again hear this man, he changes his message from time to time so it will not be the same but my guess is the affect on people is the same. But for those of you who read this blog from my home town of Dayton Indiana near Lafayette, put August 17th and 18th on your calendar and don't even think about it....Just be at the Dayton Methodist Church one of those days when Randy and Patty have agreed to come and speak and all of those people will be blessed as were those 1100 that day. Randy's book will be available that day also, and I will be helping Patty sell those to the wize. He will tell his story at both the 8 and 10:30 services on Sunday and the 7 PM service on Monday evening. This will allow any of you who do not want to miss your own worship service on Sunday to catch Randy's good message on Monday evening.

I hope they bring plenty as after that service in that park a huge line formed to buy his book and have Randy sign them and shake his hand. I laid back and did not get in line as I was thinking maybe they would sell out...They did about 100 did not get to buy one that day but am sure got one at a book store here in Naples later.
My pastor John Walls back home hears your name once and he has it. I think Randy has been blessed with that also as I enjoyed standing about 25 feet away and just watching Randy talk to peeople and sign the books. He was talking to a gentlemen and caught me in the corner of his eye and said after meeting me only once, "Hey Jack", and never missed a beat continued that conversation.

So yes the Marine Detachment and the City of Naples and the County of Collier are all pretty darn proud of their own, the Kington's Patty and Randy.

Semper Fi, Randy and Semper Fi, Patty

Jack

A bigger story than just a parade.

Yesterday's parade was great, but there is a bigger story here, one that unexpectantly unfolded for me as I arrived an hour early and began taking pictures of my fellow Marines, especially the ones of the World War Two vintage. They represent what is so good about America, they represent an era that America saved the world from the tyranny of dictatorships. When our boys were trained and went "over there" in two directions things got better for this world. These men made it happen, cleaned up the crime, and some came back home. Some did not, a lot of them did not, and of course they are now our revered and most galant of hero's.

But yesterday as I took these pictures, I realize that I needed more than pictures. I borrowed a pen that I did not return, and I found a reciept in my pocket and I started asking questions of these men. Everyone loves are Sgt. Major Miller and he is now 94 years of age and I don't see any sign of stopping in this guy. He is a veteran of the firt major battle in the Pacific on Guadalcanal. We salute you Sgt. Major and may God continue to bless you with good health and you one day ride in this parade a proud Marine of 100 years of age. You can do it Sir.

And I talked to Pappy Wagner who also is a Iwo Jima veteran. I think I may have borrowed the pen from his daughter not sure, but I know if it was she understands that it was for a good cause. Also talked and photographed Tom Leavey in the Red Coat and Ron Lucas both of these men are veterans of Iwo Jima. And yet another that still fits into a sharp looking set of dress blues and that is Everette Short. Everette is a veteran of Guadalcanal, Bouganville, Guam and Iwo Jima... These guys just kind of got hauled out there and left to do the job till it was done. Iwo was the bloodest battle I believe that the Marines ever faced. I set by a Marine in my church each sunday in Dayton Indiana who also walked off or lived throught that battle, his name is Ken Bettag, Ken told me last summer when I talked to him about it that only 17 of the 250 in his unit walked off the island.. He also told me that interestingly that the first 2 weeks he was scared that he would be killed. But he then said that the last 3 weeks of the 5 week non stop battle he worried that he would not be killed. I think I understand that, in that loosing so many of your guys you knew so well works funny things in your head, why am I not like my buddies and dead?

We have so many good warriors in this unit, several from Korea where at the Chosen Reservoir the 1st Marine Division was surrounded by 12 Red Chinese Divisions, newspapers proclaimed that the marines would most likely be wiped out, but yet they were able to inflict heavy damage to these enemy, and fight their way in almost constant below zero temps to the safety of Navy ships on the coast line. And then be reentered into the battle later on. Our Nam Vets are numerous and served equally well for freedoms cause. America changed in that era and lost the pride of country that we once had. These guys were so unappreciated and it was indeed a shameful time for the nation to have allowed this to happen. Our nation is comming back to the sense of pride that we need and once had....And veterans groups across this land are banding together and they will not allow this to ever happen again. They gather anywhere they are needed to protect our national monuments and or shield our present warriors from the shameful disrespect of the uniform of our armed forces...

I feel a sense of pride and honor to be a part of this Marine unit. I told them that at my first meeting when introduced, I told them I wanted to make it clear that unlike most of them I had been in only one war, and that war actually took place in San Diego California in the summer of 1956. And that war was between the Marine Corps and me, and that I was glad to annouce that the Marine Corps had won that war and then allowed me to become one of them. We were well trained but the call never came for us as it did for so many of the good men who gather each week here about 60 strong and eat lunch together. And then once per month they do and evening event with their ladies fair. But they are not just about fun, they do a tremendous amount of good volunteer work in this great community of Naples Florida....

A couple appreciations need to happen here my thanks to Grant Nuttall for some of the parade pictures that are taken from the sidelines, I suppose maybe his wife Maureen may have taken them but I asked for any that was out there and they responded and even one of I in the second rank on the march.

Also Homer Helter had everyone come by the Museum after the parade and he had a cook out for us. Good food, I even shook hands with a Medal of Honor winner there. Thanks Homer it was a nice gesture.

And I appologize to a few that I failed to talk to and recognize. Actually probably as many as I did recognize here. Maybe next year there will always be next year.

Come back tomorrow I want to tell you about Randy Kington.....

Everyone Loves a Parade

Especially in Naples Florida and one of their best efforts Is the St. Pat’s Day parade that happened yesterday. Always a parade watcher, yesterday I was in one, and it was so much fun and felt so good. It felt so good because a month ago I joined the Marines again right here in Naples, and was welcomed by this contingent of the Marine Corps League, who are a magnificent cross section of men who has served their nation so galantly. It is a tradition going way back here that the Marines lead the St. Pats Parade, well truthfully we were second behind the Collier County Sherriffs Color Guard. (pic to the right)
Ten of us marched the maybe 2 mile course that was lined on both sides with well wishers clad in a sea of green. In the 5th Ave. area they were maybe 15 deep, and with all the “Semper Fi’s” and the “OOHHRRAA’s”, we got and “thank you for your service”, I tell you it swelled your chest and your heart. We were led by our color guard carrying the Marine and Nations flag and two men with M-1 garand rifles. Followed closed by our own Randy Kington in his motorized wheel chair and then we marchers, by the way a couple times I heard people proclaim “my gosh they are all in step”. In step we were most all of the time thanks to some candence called by our British Royal Marine member Peter Kingsley Thomas.
I never turned around to look, but I think behind us was a float filled with our many men who served in World War two and Korea and Viet Nam but chose to ride this one out. It was a hot day, and they all had spent many a day “marching to the sound of guns” for the cause of freedom, and surely had earned this ride. Also trailing us was our pick up truck with a model of the Marine Flag raising over Iwo Jima. It had a PA sytem playing the Halls of Montizuma at appropriate times. By the way we have several of these guys who were there and saw that happen while watching their buddies hurt and die in that 35 day loss of 7,000 brave Marines. I guess when it gets down to it, that is why we march in Parades to honor those fallen hero’s that answered the call and paid the highest price. We hear the “thanks for your service”, but we know we hear it for them as well. I guess that is the part that sometimes makes the eyes get a little moist.
Also back there was our Commandant Bob Knee driving a BMW German WW TWO motorcycle with side car with some real fire power. This piece of equipment provided by another Marine I have come to respect Homer Helter who owns the Military Mall here at 5510 Shirley Street here in Naples. If ever in Naples don’t even think about it, just go there, you will be amazed at how much stuff can be cramed into 12,000 sq. ft., but yet be displayed so well and most of it is even for sale. I like this guy, he maintains an area inside where veterans can hang out and reminisce and swap the saltiest of sea tales of the soldiers of the sea.
I think that was our presence I hope I have left nothing out. But anyway the pics will give you a flavor of what it was like here as we did what Marines love to do, “impress the ladies fair”.
Ok come back tomorrow when I will feature some of these men who are members of this E.T. Brisson Detachment of the Marine Corps League who I have come to love and respect.
I will close to just again state how dam good it felt to again be digging that left heal into the black top as I heard candance called. It just all comes back rather quickly. I actually expected a boon dock to be applied to my rear as the first 100 yards I did have some trouble snapping out of my “cheap civilian shit” and again becoming a part of the nation’s finest. You see farmer steps are maybe 34 or even 36 inches. Marine marching steps are a precise 30 inches and you have to get it and get it quickly…I did, and then it did feel so dam good to be doing it again. I think adrenaline somehow swells ones chest and maybe your heart with some pride to have been and still a part of this Nations armed forces. I really would have loved to do one more “column right” and went around the 2 miles again but we had our turn and others awaited theirs. It is a huge parade and when we finished and dismissed it was a full hour before the last of the parade left the starting gate.
Thanks for marching and riding along with us….see you tomorrow

Fishing in the Big Cypress Swamps

My honey hole fishing spot has changed, now there are competitors and I think they ate my lunch. I went yesterday to my favorite fishing hole 47 miles down US 41 from the Collier Blvd and 41 intersection. In previous years I could catch 25 fish and hour there and expected to again to obtain the main ingredient for a summer fish fry.

In the top picture to the right you see that "ditch fishing" spot. When I arrived there was two large gators across the ditch as seen in the second picture suning themselves. Also a larger one I think maybe 12 feet in the center of the channel.
They pleased me by dashing into the water, and out of sight and I baited up and began what I had hoped to be a 3 hour 75 fish afternoon. I fished about 15 minutes with zero bites, moving from hole to hole that I had found so productive in past years.

I had not seen gators in this exact spot before but began to wonder if these guys had not cleaned out my honey hole. I think they have cleaned it out because about that time my freinds returned, they were no longer doing what gators are supposed to do and that is making themselves scarce. As you can see in the third pic down there were "Irish eyes a shining on ME." And soon just off to my right was another of the gator patrol and I began to wonder if I was the only one fishing there.

I tossed them a few stones and they snapped at them but did not go away. Instead slowly moving closer. I don't know but I have heard about how fast they can climb a bank and run at pretty high speed for maybe 100 feet...My car was about 200 feet away and the fish were not biting anyway, these guys had already eaten them, and now they may have been hungry again. I think the larger one to my right was smiling at me. You know what? They sell nice perch at Sams club back home...I think I like nice Perch or Talapia even better than Oscars I was trying for.

So my secret fishing hole is now public because I am hereby turning it over to the camera buffs who love to photo these fish pirates. I think they are getting thicker and braver here in SW Florida. May be time to bring back gator hunting and gator eating but the inviro whacko's have the upper hand in this nation so now we have lots of gators and not enough oil.

That's it for the day. The Canadians are doing their semi-season gormet breakfast at the club house and then I am headed to the St Pat's day parade in downtown Naples where I will help the Marine Corps League lead the parade as they do each year here.
Should be fun and sore feet maybe....ha

Grandson Clinton my Hero Too

Recieved this from my Grandson about a week ago..He has a good head on his shoulders. He has one more year yet in the Purdue School of Restaurant and Hotel Management. He is doing quite well and has several offers from Indianapolis hotels for intership this summer and one or more for full time employment after graduation.

Clint said it was ok to print this and share it with you all...He makes many good points here about the restaurant business and how maybe common sense and self discipline needs to happen instead of government interference. Can not help but be real proud of this young gentleman as he has come very far to achieve what he is about to achieve...I must tell a joke on myself when he was in about the 8th grade he was getting a poor grade in Algebra and I was somewhat disgusted with this as I had taken freshman algebra and surely I could help him out. I asked him if he wanted me to help him and he said yes Grandpa I would...So I said, "well you get that book home tomorrow night and I will be over to show you a few things"...

Well I went over and I read the lesson for that day and I was blown away...This algebra was far more advanced than any I had when I was a year older than he...I finally closed the book and said, "Clint your in big trouble cause I have not got a clue as to where to even start"...Some how he got it and ended with a passing grade.
So read his paper here he does have some good ideas.....




Clint Sheets
HTM 291
3/2/2008

Restaurants and Nutrition

Contrary to current legislative debate over the issue, I do not believe that restaurants should be required to publicize their menu items nutritional values. This is completely ridiculous and is a perfect example of a radical liberal view that has become more and more common in the United States. That view is to always place the blame on someone else. If life hands you a lemon, no worries, just pitch it at the closest innocent bystander. Someone sues a marble company because the person was dumb enough to get a marble lodged in their nose, another sues a glue company for not mentioning on their label that the glue should not be eaten, and of course there is the infamous lady who sued McDonald’s after spilling coffee on herself because the coffee was, “too hot”. These absurd cases are no different than current lawsuits that have begun to come to surface from overweight individuals who are attempting to blame restaurants for their own obesity.
There is no question that obesity is a serious epidemic that continues to grow in the United States. 65% of Americans are considered overweight and 31% are considered overly obese. Obesity has serious consequences including the risk of developing diabetes, heart disease, some types of cancer, and many other health problems. Childhood obesity is growing rapidly and this is even scarier because the risks are even greater when obesity is present at an early age. Even though this is a major problem, it is unfair to place the blame on restaurants. Nutrition experts state that, “weight gain is caused by burning fewer calories than we consume.” The growth in childhood obesity is just as much a result of a lack of physical activity as it is unhealthy eating habits. The number of children walking or biking to school has dropped by 75 percent and almost a third of all high school students do not engage in physical activity.
The restaurant industry is not what is causing obesity. While many restaurants do serve high calorie items, it is ultimately the consumer’s decision to choose what they eat. Many restaurants have stepped up in recent years and offered healthier alternatives on their menus. In most cases these items are well advertised and reasonably priced. The ironic thing is that most of these items do not bring in profits anywhere close to the less healthy items. This is because many consumers are choosing the higher calorie items over the healthier options, knowing very well that they are not making the wisest choice. You cannot tell me that customers are completely oblivious to the idea that a Big Mac is a high calorie item. Adding full nutritional details next to each menu item will not contribute much to people making healthier choices. People will continue to seek comfort food for pleasure because bad habits are hard to break.
I believe it is a moral responsibility of restaurants to provide nutritional information in some form, but this does not need to be publicized next to menu items. Many restaurants, like Subway for example, provide nutritional information through other channels such as websites, napkins, and handouts. These channels along with the introduction of healthier alternatives on menus are a sufficient effort by restaurants to decrease obesity. Even after these measures were added, the obesity rate continues to grow at an average 2 pounds per year which illustrates my point that publication will not stop unhealthy habits. Listing nutritional information for every item on a menu will only cause aggravation for both restaurants and consumers. Health information will only clutter the menus, increase the number of menu pages, and take away the sense of escape that people seek when going out to eat. People do not seek to be educated when dining out. Increasing menu size will mean higher printing costs for restaurants, especially for restaurants that have constantly changing recipes. The cost to conduct a nutritional data analysis is another financial burden presented to restaurant companies, with an estimated cost of $1000 per menu item for analysis. This may not be as significant for large restaurant corporations, but for smaller companies this is back breaking.
The solution to decreasing obesity is not to slam restaurant companies with litigation as public interest groups in Washington may suggest. The solution is that people will have to make a choice to live healthier lifestyles. This means choosing healthier food items, eating smaller portions, and getting plenty of physical exercise. If public interest groups would spend less money lobbying congress to hit restaurants and spend more on school programs to educate the general public we may finally see this epidemic begin to subside.

Triplamania to the Max

If you scan down to my 9 girls on a blanket story, you will see these gals and now they have surfaced again on my blog. My Triplet grand daughters are pretty close, I guess it all starts with 9 months of rubbing elbo's and hey, you get used to each other. So used to each other that recently one of them shared with me that they had made a campus to campus visit and made the mistake of taking pictures and sending them to Grandpa.

You see two of them Elizabeth and Lilly are Purdue Boilermakers and they missing their sister Abby who is a Butler Bulldog went down to spend the night with her one week end. I guess they played a lot of ping pong and enriched themselves with a visit to a art museum to raise their culture level a little....I think they had fun there. Recently they visited me here with their family and went backwater fishing with me into the 10,000 islands of SW Florida....They do care deeply for each other and I am sure will always be the best friend that each of them will have, maybe with the exception of their future husbands who will spoil them so badly that no other man would ever want them...And they will deserve it I am sure....

Asian Night at Silver Lakes

Wow, what a production we saw last night. This one will be held as a target for future events at this Paradise retreat I have come to love. The show definitely had Joy Davidson’s fingerprints all over it and I understand and hope I have this right that Char Davis wrote the script and also I may add kind of stole the show with participation as one of the Three maidens that just happened to land at Silver Lakes, a nice warm place a far piece from the Orient.

Everyone who participated was just marvelous, a number of attendees almost equaled the cast with their attires…It was hard to tell them apart…

And the food, fabulous, the committee gets a smart salute.....

All in all a fabulous night at a little place located on the road to Marco….

See my pics on the side.