The Old Guard, Inc.
FEBRUARY 2019 NEWSLETTER
Volume 55                                                No. 6

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STORYTELLER
 CODE OF CONDUCT


FEBRUARY PROGRAMS
Feb 5            Roger & Isabelle Phillips, Owners/Operators of 
                      Sub-Edge Farm
                      "Sub-Edge Farm - Organic Farming"
                      Introduced by: Tom Goodrum
                      STORYTELLER: Jim Schepker

Feb 12          James Golden, Education Director, Mark Twain
                     House
                     "Missouri Morals, Connecticut Culture: Mark 
                     Twain's Places"
                      Introduced by: Jim Schepker
                      STORYTELLER: John Keleher

Feb 19           Vernon Reddick, West Hartford Police Chief  
                       Introduced by: Bob Hoffman
                        STORYTELLER: Bernie Weiss

Feb 26          Shari Cantor, West Hartford Mayor
                      "State of the Town "
                      Introduced by: Jeff Lee
                      STORYTELLER: Bob Jeffreys

PRESIDENTS MESSAGE                       Bob Schaefer, President
I hope that you had a wonderful holiday and are energized for the balance of our year. As you can see above, Tom Goodrum has lined up an array of featured speakers to educate, entertain and inspire us at our weekly meetings. Fascinating meetings, together with bowling, trips to sporting events and continued volunteer opportunities offer much to occupy us through the winter. February marks the anniversary of the first Old Guard meeting, and we will begin the fifty-fourth year of this great organization. Attendance at weekly meetings is up this year along with membership, and I encourage you to continue your participation in our fellowship and to invite a guest to share in the fun and service that we have planned.
 
STORYTELLERS                                Bernie Weiss/Jim Doran
Ground Hog Day will have passed by the time we gather to hear our February Storytellers. But don't be surprised if on the 5th, Storyteller and purveyor of groan-eliciting jokes Jim Schepker asks if you enjoyed your ground hog (sausage!) holiday dinner. Jim will be followed to the platform by John Keleher on the 12th, Bernie Weiss on the 19th, and Bob Jeffreys on the 26th. Just three Storyteller dates remain unassigned, all in April and May. To grab one, please contact Jim Doran (860-521-0314, jmdoran@comcast.net) or Bernie Weiss (860-521-3902, weisstbag@netzero.com) .
 
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
At the time there are 17 members volunteering at UCHC-Musculoskeletal Institute (MSI) and 3 members at the Outpatient Pavilion (OP) next door to help patients by answering questions, giving directions if needed, aiding with getting and moving wheelchairs along with other stuff.  UCHC WANTS MORE VOLUNTEERS!  If you are interested in joining the 'group' and becoming a volunteer every week or every other week or a 'substitute' volunteer for about four hours either in the morning or afternoon and receiving a free breakfast or lunch, please contact Bob Henricks at the Tuesday meeting, by cell phone (860) 716-8509 or at beckybobh@comcast.net  for our 2019 schedule at MSI. He can also give you additional information. Just to let you know, Bruce Hamilton is still volunteering at MSI on Wednesday afternoon after all these years!
 
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  January 8 we have received $35,500 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
 
CORRESPONDENCE VIA EMAIL
We currently have 162 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
HOCKEY
Big East hockey is well under away in February. Some of the strongest hockey teams in the nation (BU, Boston College, Northeastern ,and Providence) will be visiting Hartford this month to play against UCONN. Most of these team are populated by players from other countries and current National Hockey League draft picks who are destined to become future stars players. The competition is fierce and severe. When seated in our preferred seats in Section 106.you will feel like an emperor at the coliseum. Act quickly, good seats will be hard to get at our bargain group rates. See the attached flyer for more details.
TRIPS
April 25, 2019 Trip Living and Working in 18th and 19 th Century New England
Our trip takes us back to the scenes of the early conflicts between existing natives, European stakeholders and colonists that occurred in two Massachusetts towns during the 18 th and 19 th centuries DEERFIELD MASSACHUSETTS. At the time of the English colonists' arrival, the Deerfield area was inhabited by the Pocumtuck nation, who settled a major village by the same name. English colonists arrived in 1673, and Deerfield was incorporated in 1677. Settlement was the result of a court case in which the government in Boston returned some of Dedham to Native American control in exchange for land in the new township of Pocumtuck, on which Dedham residents could settle. The Dedham settlers' agent, John Plympton, signed a treaty with the Pocumtuck, including a man named Chaulk. But he had no authority to deed the land to the colonists and appeared to have only a rough idea of what he was signing. Native Americans and the English had different ideas about property and land use; this, along with competition for resources, contributed to conflicts between them. In the pre-dawn hours of February 29, 1704, a joint French and Indian forces (including 47 Canadians, 200 Abenaki, along with some Wyandot, Mohawk and Pocumtuck natives, all under the command of Jean-Baptiste Hertel de Rouville) attacked the town in what became known as the Raid on Deerfield . They razed much of the settlement and killed 56 colonists, including 22 men, 9 women, and 25 children. The attackers took 112 captives, including women and children, and forced them on a months-long trek to Montreal nearly 300 miles to the north. Many died along the way; others were killed because they could not keep up.
SPRINGFIELD MASSACHUSETTS was founded in 1636 by English Puritan William Pynchon as "Agawam Plantation" under the administration of the Connecticut Colony . In 1641 it was renamed after Pynchon's hometown of Springfield, Essex, England, following incidents that precipitated the settlement joining the Massachusetts Bay Colony. The original settlement was located atop bluffs at the confluence of four rivers, at the nexus of trade routes to Boston, New York and Montreal with some of the northeastern United States' most fertile soil. ] In 1777, Springfield's location at numerous crossroads led George Washington and Henry Knox to establish the United States' National Armory at Springfield , which produced the first American Musket in 1794, and later the famous Springfield rifle . From 1777 until its closing during the Vietnam War , the Springfield Armory attracted skilled laborers to Springfield, making it the United States' longtime center for precision manufacturing. The near-capture of the armory during Shays' Rebellion of 1787 led directly to the formation of the U.S. Constitutional Convention . Reopened in 1978 as the Springfield Armory National Historic Site, the original 1840's arsenal houses the world's largest collection of historic American military firearms. Year-round public programs, exhibits, and special events are hosted
 
MEMBERSHIP                                    Jim Schepker, Chairman
New...Special 2019 Member Recruitment Offer...!
 
Encouraged by recruitment efforts so far this year, two Old Guard members - who wish to remain anonymous - have offered to provide a free 2019 Taste of Greater Hartford coupon book for any Member who welcomes a new Member during February or March this year.
 
This coupon book is a $25 value, if purchased retail.
 
It represents over $2,000 in savings at popular restaurants, retailers, and area attractions throughout 2019.
 
The book includes over 450 participants... Carbone's, Abigail's, Ruth's Chris Steak House, Effie's Place, Fernwood Restaurant, First & Last Tavern, Highland Park Market, Hall's Kitchen, Geissler's, Shop Rite, Bow-Tie Cinemas, Playhouse On Park, Veterans' Memorial Skating Rink....and a host of others, from Avon to Windsor Locks.
 
To receive your free 2019 Taste of Greater Hartford coupon book, all you need to do is to recruit a new candidate Member for a vote in February or March.
 
And this gift is offered in addition to the standing offer of the $10 Dunkin' Donuts gift card offered by another anonymous Old Guard member for the recruitment of a new Member.
 
Finally, in your conversations with candidate Members, please remember that the pro rated annual dues, effective February 1 st , is reduced to $50.00; and effective March 1 st , it is $40.00.
 
So please talk to your neighbors, family members, friends and former co-workers soon to help us reach this season's 40-new-Member-goal before the end of March!