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Summer Chapter Meeting – April 2010

Madisonville, Kentucky

16 - 18 July 2010


Judy Hines decided to host the Chapter Summer Meeting in beautiful downtown Madisonville, Kentucky on the weekend of 16-18 July. The site chosen for our Safe House and Hospitality Room was the Holiday Inn Express. This wasn’t a first for Judy as far as hosting a meeting was concerned, but it was a first for Madisonville, Kentucky.

Like all the other meetings before this one, the troops started gathering at the Safe House sometime around noon. Those of us who were going to the theater on Friday night wanted to get settled in, unpack the suitcases, have a couple of beers in the Hospitality Room before leaving for the theater at 1830 hours.

Theater?” you might ask. “What’s this thing about a theater?”

That’s right, Bobby. Judy, the “Couth-Control Officer”, had gotten many of us tickets from the Glema Mahr Center for the Arts for their presentation of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s South Pacific. After all there are still a few of us who cherish a little sophistication and refinement instead of wasting away hours with the “Uncouth” elements of this chapter.

The stage play, which featured local talent, was surprisingly good. The acting, the singing, the scenery were well presented and the Glema Center is well within it’s right to feel proud.

But, all good things must come to an end and eventually we returned to the Safe House and rejoined those members who chose to remain at the Hospitality Room. Once again the “couth” and the “uncouth” joined forces to spend the rest of the night drinking the beer and retelling the old war stories that have circulated throughout this chapter for the last thirty years.

Saturday came early for most of us. Many gathered in the breakfast area for meals of eggs & cheese omelets, biscuits and gravy, coffee, juices and fruit. Judy had mentioned an Amish country store a couple of miles away and some of us ventured there to try the meats and cheeses. The meats & cheeses were delicious and the prices couldn’t be beat.

Everyone assembled at the Safe House at 1245 hours and we journeyed to Judy’s house for our meeting at 1400 hours. Judy only lived about five minutes away from the Safe House but she was going to have the ladies tour her home. Now why, you might ask, would anyone want someone to tour their home. Well you see, Judy happens to have a sort of one-of-a-kind type house. This post antebellum home was built in 1895 and has stood for over 115 years against the test of time and weather. I understand the foyer, with it’s spiral staircase, was the perfect setting for many weddings. I don’t have a clue if Judy is going to continue that tradition or not.

Our Chapter meeting was held in Judy’s living room. We only had 19 members present for the meeting which wasn’t enough for a quorum. This meant we could hold a meeting but it would not be official. Sid briefed us on what went on at the Chapter President’s meeting during the National Convention in Fayetteville, NC in June. Jimmy Stewart briefed us on what went on at the General Membership meeting and Stan Shank gave us an update on the Wounded Warrior program.

Stan also gave us an advanced briefing on his hosting the next chapter meeting in Fayetteville, NC in October. It will be held on the weekend of 1-3 October at the Holiday Inn Ceder Creek. The price of the rooms is $85/night (king or queen) and it includes a full breakfast. Stan suggests the meeting be held around 1000 hours on Saturday in order for all the members to make the Oktoberfest at the National grounds starting at 1300 hours. The price for the Oktoberfest is $10/head for the meal (no beer included) or $20/head for the meal and beer. This $20-price also includes a clay mug which is yours to keep. Stan will publish more on this meeting in the near future, but everyone has enough info to make their plans to attend.

The Winter meeting is tentatively set for the 3d weekend of January 2011 in Newnan, Georgia. More information on this will be available at the Fall meeting in October.

At 1830 hours everyone met at the Country Cupboard for a good old-fashion country buffet. Judy had coerced the proprietors of the establishment to let us use the side room for our dinner. There was only one problem—no beer allowed. Not to be deterred, some of us used our magical powers to transform unsweetened tea into our favorite beer. Mine happened to be Becks.

The highlight of the evening was the plaque presentation by Sid Morgan to Megen Eversole, daughter of chapter member Bill Eversole. She was accompanied to the dinner by a long-time family friend, Bill Stewart. Megen plans to fulfill Bill’s wishes and remain on the homestead. She also hopes the place will stay in the family for many generations to come. Megen, by the way, has quit her job as nurse and has returned to school to become an anesthetist. All the luck in the world, Megen.

Back at the Safe House, Sid presented Bobby Burke, the last of the founding fathers, with his plaque as a Charter Member.

Sunday also came early and with it the end of the chapter gathering. Some met in the breakfast area for coffee, biscuits and gravy and more coffee. The bills were paid, the vehicles loaded and the members started their short or long, some very long, drives home. Judy has hosted a really great meeting and it's a shame not more members showed up. Hopefully, we'll have a better showing at our October meeting in Fayetteville, NC. It's true we're not getting any younger and our health may be on the wane and the drives may be a little difficult, but many of our members make all the meetings regardless of the aches and pains or the distance.

There were photos galore taken. You can view some of them in the photo album.

Copyright © 1994 Chapter XXXIII SFA. All rights Reserved.
Chapter XXXIII, SFA, The Larry Alan Thorne Special Forces Memorial Chapter
Summer Meeting was created 21 July 2010