GALA AFFAIR MARKS START OF NEW YEAR

As the dusk settled over the Holiday Inn Santa Ana, not far from the John Wayne Orange County Airport, efficient staff members put the final touches on beautifully decorated grand ballroom tables, setting the stage for an elegant business/social meeting. The attractive, well-lighted, room decorated in pastel colors was perfect for a very special occasion.

Members of the Orange County Chapter gathered for the first meeting of 2008 and the installation of officers, and to hear the Council’s new president COL Warren Enos speak on “Serving the Wider Military Community,” a 25 minute briefing on CAL-MOAA and its statewide activities.

The room was full of new or continuing officers and board members as well as some of the most delightful and interesting chapter members you’d ever want to meet.

–LtCol Bruce Bauer, USAF-Ret, 95 years young, was the oldest member present. Stooped yet spry and clear-headed, this member of the P-38 design team told stories of America’s mobilization during the early years of World War II;

–Major Walt Little, USAF-Ret, chaplain, and his spouse Jackie who serves as chapter secretary, provided transportation for Colonel Bauer. With his invocation and benediction as well as commentary, Walt gave evidence that members hold a strong Judeo-Christian value system.

–Hedy Shephard is a new member of the Board and serves as Auxiliary Liaison to MOAA National and the chapter’s honored auxiliaries. During World War II she served as one of the WAVE secretaries to Fleet Admiral Ernest J. King.

–Judy Moore, another auxiliary who serves as the chapter’s secretary, has developed a reputation as “Wonder Woman;”

–LTGEN Baily McCune, ANG (RET), visiting for the first time and a new chapter member, and accompanied by a retired warrant officer who served as his driver, could recite chapter and verse the early history of the California National Guard, and especially the 40th Division;

–Jackie Jacobson, yet another Auxiliary and new board member who is Chair, House and Welcoming Committee, is a pure extrovert, gregarious and full of fun, quick to make members feel welcome and at home.

Prominent among those present were COL William J. Reals, USA (RET) and his wife Mary. A past chapter president, Bill now serves at the state level as CAL-MOAA Director, Area 6. He has been instrumental assisting chapters in difficulty, providing management consulting services, inspiration, and encouragement. He has been making a real difference.

CAPT Al Ashurst, USN (RET), who will continue into another term as chapter president, noted that “members seem to be a highly diverse amalgam of interesting personalities that seem to get along quite well.”

The dinner was a spectacular gourmet meal prepared by a very personable chef who went from table to table greeting guests while a cadre of wait persons cheerfully tended to every need and desire.

The new officer and Board member installation ceremony was conducted by COL Enos with dignity, following a slightly modified MOAA National script.

COL Enos provided a summary of how the California Council of Chapters (CAL-MOAA) supports its 44 affiliated chapters and 5 satellite chapters and members by representing them to various organizations, providing a wide variety of events and activities, and communicating worldwide by use of e-mail and an award-winning website with an interactive weblog technology.

He was presented with an honorary chapter membership.

Orange County Chapter was chartered in 1959, making it almost 50 years old and one of the oldest in the nation. In the early years, TROA was very popular and the chapter had more than 1,300 members, making it difficult to manage. In the late 1960s-early 1970s timeframe it was decided to split the chapter into five separate chapters, four of which still exist–Orange County, Golden West, South Coast, and Los Alamitos–and over time Orange County remained the largest chapter with about 400 members. The chapter held meetings at the El Toro Marine Air Station until the facility closed in the 1990s and since that time has been meeting at the Holiday Inn.

The chapter has 171 members today including 45 auxiliaries and 15 honorary members. It has been a five star chapter once and a four star chapter twice these last three years.

The evening was a rousing success with some observing that “I tell you, this is the best of times.”

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