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The Clippings
Central Atlantic Chapter
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Greetings!
Welcome to Spring, a hopeful time of vaccines, our world opening up to some normalcy, spending time with family and friends, and especially being able to hug our children, grandchildren and those special people.
We all have experienced a year that was not ever fathomable in our lives, but we are resilient and are coming through it with a better understanding and appreciation of everything and everyone that touches our lives. So, let’s get started with a new year with hope, promise and togetherness.
Throughout this year we have had some changes on our board. Betteann Kramer is taking over the Treasurer position from Veronica Elias; Debbie Zvanut is our new World Service and ISC Director who is replacing Carl Sabold, and yes, we finally have a new Clippings editor, Vicki Childs.
We thank Veronica and Carl for their dedication to our chapter and wish them well. Nancy Gray, our Program Director is beginning to plan our fall excursion for a train and winery trip, Len and Joyce are planning a picnic at their beautiful home in Strathmere, and our Holiday Party is scheduled for Dec. 9 at Lambertville Station.
Also, YMCA Alumni Reunion '22 is all set for New Orleans Jan. 12-15 with an Caribbean cruise on NCL's Breakaway immediately following.
Michael Graves has been working closely with the National YMCA Alumni Service Project National Project Task Force which will be revealed in the May issue of The CONNECTION. He has turned his post over to Gary Graham who will be our chapter representative. Thank you, Mike, for your work on the project.
Enjoy spring, our new found freedom, family and friends and this issue of The Clippings.
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Barbara Taylor, President
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Zoom Meeting:
April 15, 10 a.m. (ET)
Guest:
Andrew Corley,
CEO, Sioux YMCA
Your invitation to Zoom will be sent via email prior to the date.
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You are invited to a Zoom meeting with Andrew Corley, CEO of the Sioux YMCA. Our Chapter has donated for many years to their mission that provides health, education, counseling, and so much more to their members and the community.
Last year at our Christmas/holiday annual Holiday Party, we raised $3,600 through our Zoom auction. We will learn, how the Sioux Y is doing in this time of crisis and hear how our chapter donation has made an impact and what we can do in the future to continue assisting them.
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Summer Picnic on the Jersey Shore
Weds. Aug. 11 (Rain date, Aug. 12)
If pictures are worth a 1,000 words, then this announcement more than speaks for itself. These photos by Wendy Fox capture the fun and fellowship our chapter members enjoyed at Len and Joyce Wilson’s Jersey Shore home in Strathmere, N.J. We could fill a scrapbook with photos taken during the six luncheons our chapter has enjoyed here, except, of course, during 2020.
Let us make up for it this summer with a terrific turnout. Strathmere is about an hour’s drive from Philadelphia and 20 minutes from Atlantic City. It is a barrier island with wonderful short-walk access to the bay and oceanfront.
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The food is always plentiful, with attendees bringing their favorite summer dish and drink. There are always great conversations about the past and present, and this year we can share our vaccine story, as well as travel plans in the future. We’ll enjoy outside games like croquet, Kube or Bocce, or just a walk on the beach. The best part is being with friends and past colleagues in the YMCA.
Coming in the fall: Delaware River Railroad Excursion (Warren County Winery Train) and traditional Christmas lunch at the Lambertville Station, Lambertville Pa.
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Members 'arrested' at Bar Louie
*last names withheld to protect the innocent
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Well, it finally happened! Yes, Bill (left) and Ken (right) got together for the first time in over a year.
But, the two were not as clever as they thought. They were caught sneaking out of Bar Louie after enjoying a long-awaited Martini. Little did they know, they were being followed by the COVID police who were waiting for them just outside of the bar.
After they were nabbed, they were searched for guns as we know those COVID breakers will do anything after a year trying to get together. The COVID police can’t be too careful.
The search got the COVID police just what you would have expected. Bill was carrying! His heavy coat did not fool them for one minute. They were able to pull out two AK-47s, 6-9mms, and many bows and arrows. (They should have checked his car…that boy was packing).
After dutifully putting the weapons in a safe place, the COVID police finally took mug shots. They both looked a little confused after their Martini. Afterwards, Ken made his statement to the press. He noted Bill was a little worried and concerned about all the charges he was facing. Ken was just glad they arrested the real criminal.
Later, Ken confessed that as the COVID police locked Bill up, he was back in Bar Louie with his lovely wife, Chris, enjoying another Martini.
Don’t you just love that criminal, Bill. It was a special time after over a year.
(The Clippings takes no responsibility for any inaccuracies in this story as reported by Ken)
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During the pandemic, tremendously talented John Schmiechen completed this wonderful painting of a very familiar location to many chapter members from previous gatherings. The 12 x 16 inch oil on canvas painting of John’s husband, Ted, pointing to the Philadelphia skyline is a view from their roof deck. |
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From the Editor:
When it was announced that I would be taking over “The Clippings,” I received numerous ideas for items to include in the chapter newsletter. I was very intrigued and really, overwhelmed, by the number of individuals who informed me of the culinary talents of Ken White. Most requested one of his recipes.
I immediately reached out to Ken, explained to him what our readers wanted, and asked for one of his many recipes to include in my first edition.
A recipe to remember; one of his specialties that we would possibly pass on to our families to add to our cook books as a tradition for gatherings or parties. No recipe arrived, but he did send us a photo of his famous banana bread.
--Vicki Childs, Editor
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Our Central Atlantic Chapter had only 12 donors who contributed a total of $1,970 to the YMCA Emergency Assistance Fund last year in support of Y Colleagues who needed emergency financial aid. Those who gave so generously totaled only 20 percent of our Chapter membership. I hope we can do much better this year.
Nationally, 294 YMCA Alumni members from 17 Chapters contributed nearly $70,000. This enabled EAF to provide $175,000 in both financial and emotional relief to 49 deserving recipients in what was a very challenging year.
One of those grateful recipients was a member of our own Central Atlantic Chapter. The ability to apply for the EAF grant due to an unexpected emergency situation,is only available to National Y Alumni members... a very important benefit in case you ever need help.
To those who have given in the past: "Thank you," I hope you will again donate this year. For those who have yet to decide, please consider EAF and its positive impact on our Y family.
Click the button below to donate securely online or mail your check to: Emergency Assistance Fund,
c/o YMCA of the USA--Financial Development,
101 N Upper Wacker Dr. 16th floor,
Chicago, IL, 60606
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Got Vax? Time to travel again... Bon voyage to Walt and Cathy; There's still room on YMCA Alumni Travel Club Fall cruises, but move fast |
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Walt and Cathy Fromm recently re-booked 8-day Viking river cruise to the south of France (Lyon to Avignon) in late September, including a 3-day pre-post package to the French Rivera including Monaco.
They will be sailing on the scenic Rhone River through the beautiful French countryside, exploring the famed region of Beaujolais, the colorful fields of Provence and taking in lots of history. A sister and brother-in-law will be joining them.
They all enjoy red wine and are looking forward to tasting the delicious wines of this region. This trip celebrates Ed’s recent retirement of 33 years, as a nurse anesthetist, at Abington Hospital. They are hoping the world will be healthy again to travel.
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And speaking of traveling...
If you have itch and need to scratch it now, don't wait. Your YMCA Alumni Travel Club (you are automatically a member) has two cruises that will sail out in the fall. There is VERY limited space left on both.
Join us on "Active and Discovery on the Rhine" river cruise Sept. 28-Oct. 5 via Avalon Waterways from Amsterdam , Holland to Frankfurt, Germany or on "Trade Routes of the Middle Ages" Viking Ocean Cruise from Barcelona, Spain to Bergen, Norway Oct. 4-18. You're protected fully if the trips are cancelled, but all signs are "go."
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Feel more comfortable waiting until 2022? Then, check out our Caribbean Reunion Cruise in January; Portugal River of Gold river cruise in May and our Historic Colorado Trains tour in August. More trips to be announced soon as the world opens its doors again. As our motto goes: "The best way to travel? With friends." Just click the button to our YMCA Alumni Travel Club website.
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Registration is open for YMCA Alumni Reunion '22 in 'The Big Easy' |
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There's no better place on earth to "let the good times roll" than New Orleans. Plan to be there for YMCA Alumni Reunion '22 Jan. 12-15, 2022.
Reunion and hotel registration is now open and plenty of details are available now on our YMCA Alumni website.
Be sure and check out our Travel Club's 7-night Caribbean Post-Reunion Cruise sailing from the Port of New Orleans.
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Nancy Gray, Chapter Program Chair, volunteered to knit winter hats to send to the Sioux YMCA Emergency Relief Fund as our service project. Nancy’s hope is that they enjoyed them as much as she enjoyed making them. |
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A man and a woman had been married for more than 60 years. They had shared everything. They had kept no secrets from each other, except that the little old woman had a shoe box in the top of her closet that she had cautioned her husband never to open or ask her about. For all these years, he had never thought about the box, but one day, the little old woman got very sick, and the doctor said she would never recover.
In trying to sort out their affairs, the little old man took down the shoe box and took it to his wife's bedside. She agreed that it was time that he should know what was in the box. When he opened it, he found two crocheted dolls and a stack of money totaling $95,000. He asked her about the contents. "When we were married,” she said, “my grandmother told me the secret of a happy marriage was to never argue.” She told me that if I ever got angry with you, I should keep quiet and crochet a doll.
The little old man was so moved; he had to fight back tears. Only two precious dolls were in the box. She had only been angry with him two times in all those years of living and loving. He almost burst out with happiness. "Honey,” he said, "that explains the dolls, but what about all of this money? Where did that come from?" "Oh,” she said, “that's the money I made from selling the dolls."
--Thank (or blame) Hank Van Zanten for this one
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Central Atlantic Chapter Leaders
World Service /ISC: Deb Zvanut
Click on name in blue to send email.
The mission of YMCA Alumni is "to enable members to promote a nurturing worldwide Christian Fellowship that provides educational, social, service and charitable opportunities."
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