The Old Guard, Inc.
MARCH 2019 NEWSLETTER
Volume 55                                                No. 7

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STORYTELLER
 CODE OF CONDUCT


MARCH PROGRAMS
Mar 5            Nathan Grube, Travelers Championship Golf
                      Tournament
                      Introduced by: Jeff Lee
                      STORYTELLER: John Keleher

Mar 12         YMCA Presentations
                     Josue Irizarry, Executive Director
                      Harold Sparrow, President/CEO Hartford YMCA
                      Jeff Lee, YMCA Board Member
                       Introduced by: Bob Schaefer
                      STORYTELLER: Lou Aiello

Mar 19          Jason Jakubowski, President/CEO of Foodshare
                       Cherie Trice, Director of Giving & Major Gifts
                       Officer
                       "Foodshare Update"
                       Introduced by: Tom Goodrum
                        STORYTELLER: Tony Woodin

Mar 26          Sara Capen Salomons, Director of Development &
                      Communications, Journey Home
                      "Innovative Solutions to Homelessness "
                       Introduced by: Mark Fox
                       STORYTELLER: John Welch

PRESIDENTS MESSAGE                       Bob Schaefer, President
I am writing this awaiting the snow that caused us to cancel our meeting today, and I am reminded how much I miss spending Tuesday mornings with Old Guard friends. The Old Guard is an important part of our community and lives, and it is an experience that we should share with others whose company we enjoy. Invite a friend or neighbor enjoy one or all of the events planned for the balance of the season. Tom Goodrum has arranged a variety of great speakers for March, and Paul Dean has planned athletic games and trips. If you are looking to get out of the house or to become better acquainted with fellow Old Guard members, attend the Thursday morning bowling or try one of our volunteer opportunities. There is plenty of good times and good fellowship! Thank you, Board members, for giving us an opportunity to enjoy this great organization.
 
STORYTELLERS                                Bernie Weiss/Jim Doran
The winds of March include no hot air from our Storytellers: John Keleher on the 5th, Lou Aiello on the 12th, Tony Woodin on the 19th and John Welch on the 26th.
 
HOSPITALITY                                       Ray Goulet, Chairman
To any members who do not have transportation and wish to attend the weekly meetings please call 860-521-9567 and arrangements will be made with a fellow member in your area to provide you with transportation.

UCONN HEALTH VOLUNTEERS    Bob Henricks, Chairman
We Need More Help at UConn Health Center!  Right now O.G. members are volunteering at UCHC in the Musculoskeletal Institute (MSI) during the morning and the afternoon on Mon., Wed., Thurs. and on Fri. morning.  WHY?  To help patient by answering different questions, giving directions, aiding and moving wheelchairs, and many times there is other stuff to do!  UCHC wants and needs more volunteers at the MSI.  If you are interested, please contact Bob Henricks to see the current schedule of volunteers and on what half days during each week or every other week needs more volunteers and, also, if you are interested in becoming a substitute for a guy who can't make it some days or is away.  To get detailed information call me on my cell phone 860 716-8509, send me an email to beckybobh@comcast.net  or you can find me and talk at the O.G. Tuesday meeting.

HABITAT for HUMANITY                       Ron Robinson
We have been presented with an opportunity to help make a family's dream come true - the dream of home ownership. We want to gather a team to help build a house at 2682 Main Street, Hartford (near Keney Park) on Thursday, April 4 (7:45am - 3:00pm). No special skills or tools are necessary - just a desire to help. The Habitat supervisors do a good job of providing instruction and emphasizing safety. There is great fellowship - one of the keystones of Old Guard - and a tremendous sense of accomplishment and service - the other keystone. Please consider signing up. (For more information call or e-mail Ron Robinson at 860-521-5129 or robinson3568@sbcglobal.net
 
SENIORS JOB BANK                         Hank Boulton, Chairman
The Seniors Job Bank is very pleased with the number of Old Guard members that have stepped up as volunteers, Board members and Officers. Also, many Old Guard members have found enjoyable and profitable part time work through the Seniors Job Bank. In addition, the Seniors Job bank has helped our neighbors with tasks around the house and local businesses with part time office work. Our community benefits from this great organization. Get involved! Contact Hank Boulton: h.boulton@snet.net or 860- 830-2386.
 
WEST HARTFORD FOOD BANK           Lou Aiello, Chairman
Every first Tuesday of the month we will be collecting money to be donated to West Hartford Food Bank, Loaves & Fishes, Windsor Food Bank and/or Foodshare. WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT. We had contributions last May of $34,000 in food value money:FANTASTIC! Our goal this year, is to help as much as we are able for with our contributions, we are helping others in their time of need(s)! As of  February 8 we have received $38,000 in food money value (this is not a mistake - thank you for giving!). We have to preserve, protect, and help our community with the changes going on in our world, and have Old Guard out in front as a top contributor to support our community. The need is greater than ever.
Every $1.00 donated equals 2 and 1/2 meals served! Or, if an OG member donated a $20 bill that would equal 50 meals! Very powerful! We could donate money to West Hartford Food Bank and/or Foodshare: Greater Hartford & Tolland County; also Loaves & Fishes.
1. For collecting non-perishable food will be for the West Hartford Food Pantry. 
2. To contribute by check for West Hartford: Paid to the order of -Town That Cares-West Hartford Food Pantry, and for Foodshare: Paid to the order of Foodshare. Will accept donations for Loaves & Fishes. 
3. To contribute by charge card: West Hartford FoodBank  www.westhartford.org/townthatcaresclick on Donate Now. Foodshare (860)286-9999 or www.foodshsre.org . For Loaves & Fishes (860)524-1730 Alice Hild 646 Prospect Ave., Hartford, Ct. 06105 and for Windsor Food and Fuel Bank is the website www.windsorfoodbank.org. Let me know if you contribute by charge, so I can add contribution to our total. All money is tax deductible. Any questions call me (860) 970-6502.
Thank you for your help, appreciate, Lou

POPS & JAZZ FREE PERFORMANCE
Hall High School will be offering a free performance for senior citizens on Wednesday, March 13, 2019 from 2:00-3:30PM in the Hall High School auditorium. Refreshments are also being provided. The Y office will be sending out an email a few weeks before with more details but if interested mark your calendar now! Please be sure to arrive early for best seating as tickets are not required and it's first come, first served.
 
CORRESPONDENCE VIA EMAIL
We currently have 166 members who have opted to receive their Monthly Newsletter via email. If you are not currently receiving your newsletter via email and would like to receive yours that way please contact Sharon in the Y office and she will make the change for you. All new incoming members will receive the newsletter by email only. The newsletter can always be found on the Old Guard website at www.oldguardct.org. We always have paper copies available at meeting as well. You can email her at sharon.tagulaid@ghymca.org. PLEASE NOTE : IF YOU CURRENTLY RECEIVE YOUR NEWSLETTER VIA EMAIL IF YOU EVER RECEIVE ANY EMAILS FROM THE YMCA PLEASE DO NOT  UNSUBSCRIBE AS YOU WILL BE BLOCKED FROM RECEIVING THE NEWSLETTER BY THE EMAIL DELIVERY SERVICE PROVIDER.

BOWLING, REGULAR PINS            
                               Chairman, Gene Knorr      519-0436
                               Assistant, Tom Goodrum    712-0434
Place: Callahan's Bowl-O-Rama, 2143 Berlin Turnpike, Newington, CT 06111
Time: Thursdays at 9:00am
Costs: $8.00 plus $0.25 for automatic scoring; free shoes and coffee.
General: The bowlers are having a good time. We have new bowlers; you too can come and join us; no skill required. FYI, bowling is cancelled when West Hartford schools are cancelled or have a delayed opening.
 
INCLEMENT WEATHER MEETING CANCELLATION REMINDER : If the West Hartford Public Schools are closed or have a delayed opening due to inclement weather there will be NO meeting held. Please check your local news, the WHPS website or you may visit the Old Guard website and there are links provided to these pages.

SPECIAL EVENTS                                     Paul Dean, Chairman
( Read enclosed Flyers )
UCONN CINCINNATI MEN'S BASKETBALL GAME SUNDAY FEB 24 @2PM
new Price $26 a seat
T his is a Revenge Game for an earlier loss to Cincinnati .Join us in our court side seats in Section 218 in cheering on the team and celebrating the 20 th anniversary the 1999 championship team in a half time ceremony featuring Coach Calhoun and 10 of the team members.
 
UCONN Hockey Games at XL Arena
UCONN recently extracted itself from last place by an overtime victory over 13 th ranked Northeastern and 5 to 0 victory over Merrimack.
 
February 26 Tuesday Night at 7:05PM UCONN versus Providence
March1 Friday Night at 7:05PM UConn versus Vermont
March 8 Friday Night at 7:05PM UConn versus UMASS
 
Hartford Yard Goats Baseball Game at 10:30 AM ,Wednesday April 17, 2019
Enjoy AA Baseball Game against the Richmond Flying Squirrels and sit in one of the 60 Box seats that we sat in last year

Living and working in 18 th and 19 th New England Trip Thursday. April 25, 2019
This trip focuses on recollecting the lives of the citizens of Deerfield and Springfield
Massachusetts during and after the revolutionary war as recounted by the docents of Historic Deerfield the National Park at the Springfield Armory.
 
May 21,2019 OLD GUARD end of Season Lunch at the Hartford Golf Club Tuesday at 11 AM
  •  Great food and company at a scenic golf club
  •  Awards, recognition and changing of the guard
  •  Guest Speaker Joe D'Ambrosio
MEMBERSHIP                                    Jim Schepker, Chairman
As of this writing we have so far welcomed 32 new Members to the Old Guard ranks during this current season.
 
We are deeply grateful to our Members who have reached out this year and encouraged these newest Members to join us: Bert Berlin (2); Jim Bixler; Hank Boulton (2); El Harp (2); Paul Dean (4); Stanley Fellman (4); Bob Hoffman (2); Denny Hooper; Alan Klatsky (2); Jeff Lee; Jim Lin; Bruce Marshall; Al Nweeia; Bill Pickens; Bob Schaefer (4); Jim Schepker (5); Dave Simpson; Kevin Slane; Bob Smith; and, Forrest Wright....a real team effort.
 
Our most recent 4 inductees, profiled below, represent the extraordinary caliber and character that are the hallmarks of our Old Guard ranks:
Bob Harris, MD : Bob and his wife Evelyn are West Hartford residents, where they have raised 4 children: Gayle, Marsha, Ben and Henry. His personal interests include music and volunteer work with local hospitals. He earned his undergraduate degree at Yale University, and his medical degree at New York University School of Medicine. A specialist in pediatrics and neonatology, his medical career began in private practice, with early privileges at Hartford Hospital, where he also founded the Hospital's newborn intensive care unit (later merged with UConn Medical Center, and now based at the Connecticut Children's Medical Center), serving as its director for 11 years. That role was followed by a full-time position with Berkshire Medical Center. He later served as a medical consultant in Okinawa, returning to the U.S. and then holding locum tenens positions with local Hartford-area hospitals. He currently has emeritus roles at Hartford Healthcare and the UConn Medical Center. Sponsor: Stanley Fellman
 
Charlie Leach, MD : a Farmington resident, Charlie and his wife Joan have raised 4 children - Nancy, Cynthia, Caroline and Charles. His personal interests have involved him in the Farmington Historical Society, the Farmington Land Trust, service as a docent with the New Britain Museum of American Art, and as a board member of the New Britain Foundation where he served as finance chairman. A veteran, he served with the U.S. Army, 1962-1964. He completed his undergraduate degree at Amherst College, his medical degree at Columbia University, his residency training at Bellevue Hospital and Memorial/Sloan Kettering, and his cardiology fellowship at New York Hospital. He retired from practice in 2000 but continued teaching at the UConn School of Medicine as clinical professor until 2017. Sponsors: Forrest Wright and Alan Klatsky
 
Al Mulvey : Al resides in West Harford with his wife Sharon, where they have raised 2 children - Lisa and Brian. His diverse personal interests have included local acting and international travel. He belongs to the Farmington Country Club, the Woodbridge Lake Association, and has been active with the Somers Village Players. Volunteer activities have included service with the Alzheimer's Association and a community property management group. He earned his metallurgical engineering degree at New York University, and his MBA with Xavier University. He retired as a vice president of sourcing with Pratt and Whitney. Sponsors: Paul Dean and Bob Schaefer
 
Dave Wadhams : lifetime Connecticut residents, Dave and his wife Nancy currently live in Avon and have raised 3 children locally: Bill, Sarah and Jane. Dave is a member of the First Church of Christ and past chairman of its Mission Board. He is also a past board member and volunteer with Hands on Harford. He has previously served with the Bear Island Conversation Association, the Simsbury Land Trust, and Foodshare. Additional volunteer work has included tutoring in Hartford's north end, and work with a community farm in Simsbury. He completed his undergraduate degree in economics and psychology at Trinity College, and his MBA in finance with the University of Hartford. He retired from Connecticut General and its successor, Cigna. Sponsor: Bob Smith
 
An Added Incentive!
 
To further encourage new Member recruitments, please remember that two anonymous Old Guard members have offered to provide a free 2019 Taste of Hartford coupon book to any Member who welcomes a new recruit during February and March of this season - a $25 value if purchased retail, and representing over $2,000 in savings at popular local restaurants, retailers, and area attractions throughout 2019.
 
And this gift is offered in addition to the usual $10 Dunkin' Donuts gift card offered by another anonymous Old Guard member for the recruitment of a new Member this season.
 
Finally, please continue to welcome guest visitors to future meetings. To date, 48.6 % of visitors have converted to Member candidates - usually within a week or two of their visits!
 
And one final, final suggestion: This newsletter is a great item to share by email with candidate Members because it profiles the speaker topics, historic trips, sports outings, volunteer activity access - and most importantly - the caliber of new Members joining our mission.