Florida 24th IDA February 2, 2011 Luncheon
Florida 24th Vets newsletter
Thirty-seven Taro Leafers, spouses, family members and significant others came together at our seventh quarterly Florida 24th luncheon at our regular place, the Golden Corral, Leesburg, FL. [Golden Corral Map]
![[Golden Corral Map]](2010/Golden_Corral_map.jpg){kind=link}
We welcomed eight for the first time, and discussed several items of importance to the group. I asked my good friend and photographer, Carol Becker, to take some photos with my camera, including couple pictures. She got most of those there with a couple of exceptions, herself included. My intent was to take a group photo as well but for various reasons I did not get that accomplished. Next time we will even though it is difficult.
Let's start with photos of our first time attendees (click on photo to enlarge, and then on the back arrow to go back).
Maurice Canty and his care giver Candy Brown
(hidden behind Kenneth) and Maurice's son,
Kenneth. Maurice came all the way from Naples; his son lives in
Tampa. Maurice served with the 21st Infantry Regiment.
Next are Frank and Maxine Jennings of Melbourne. Frank is current
president of the 5th RCT; he and Maxine were
at the November Mini-Reunion.
Then there was Carl Russell who lives in Leesburg in the winter. I met Carl at
some of our Chapter 169 KWVA meetings and only know that he served
in the 24th.
And last but not least, Ed and Marie Tinney from Spring Hill. Ed
served with the 34th Infantry Regiment.
Welcome to our newest CF24th luncheon attendees; we hope you
become regulars.
Next we want to single out the couple who comes the most
distance, from Miami; that's Harley and Sandy Joseph. Harley and
Sandy have been one of our most regular participants, including the
Mini-Reunion. Harley served in the 34th in Japan; he has a nice
photo album that he promises me he will narrate so that I can post
it on our web page. Several have he and another regular Don Van Beck
in the same photo although I do not think they knew each other at
the time!
And we again welcomed Al McAdoo from Tampa, who is past 24th Association
president as well as the founder, past-president, and several other
contributions to the 5th RCT. Al was accepting donations for
beautiful flats of strawberries, which he was promoting as a fund
raiser for his KWVA Chapter 175, the LT Baldomero Lopez MOH
Chapter.
Now
to some of our more or less regulars; from left: Gene and Barbara
Ames of Bradenton, Earnest and Nancy Boggs of
Lakeland, Jim and Becky Bradford from Winter Haven, Bob Chalupa of
Leesburg, and Herman and Mary Critchfield of Orlando.
Duane and Eleanor
Hall of Leesburg in the winter and Pinkney, MI in the summer, Jim
and Dorothy Hird of Ocala, Ted and Marilyn Jansen of Leesburg, Bill
Kane of Orlando, and Paul Miller and Flossie Gespart of Inverness.
And Tony Polemeni of Holly Hill,
yours truly (Tom Thiel) of Eustis,
and Woodie and Dottie
Woods of Silver Springs.
Sorry that we missed Carol Becker, Bill Stokes, Paul Boulay, and Don Van Beck; we'll get you in May!
And we will also get a group photo.
We spent some time discussing our
November
Florida 2010 Mini-Reunion, and planning the one this
November 3-6, 2011, at the same facility in St. Augustine, FL. We
hope a lot more of you can come this year.
And, since we had no takers for hosting our May Luncheon at another location in central Florida, we will be holding our it again in Leesburg.
You will recall that in March of last year, Paul Miller and I took several boxes of donations for veterans to the Malcom Randall Veterans Medical Center in Gainesville (actually Paul did all the work and I rode along). We discussed doing a similar project again this year. Paul mentioned that the number one item they request is socks, actually long socks. If we are to do this we will need to bring our donations to the May 4 and Aug 3 luncheons. Actually, we could also accept them at the Nov. Mini-Reunion as well. But we will begin to accept your donated items starting with our next meeting.
I also want to thank all of you participating in the 50:50 drawing to help support our program. Frank Jennings was our lucky winner!
See you all May 4.
Feb 2011 Florida 24th Vets newsletter