C:\GRAAHO~1\dec1998.htm

The Wayback Machine - https://web.archive.org/web/20011214183159/http://graa.gsfc.nasa.gov:80/~graa/dec1998.htm

GRAA

DECEMBER                     NO LUNCHEON MEETING

January 12, 1999              11:30 AM, GSFC RecCenter - Regular Luncheon Meeting - Pls call Alberta -
                                         301-937-7762 - (We need to discuss the possibility of electing new officers)

May 16,1999                    Bermuda Cruise from Baltimore - This sold out last year. If you are interested call Alberta for                                          Reservations. Outside, Category 7 $1,189 plus $163 port charges, inside, Category 10, $1019                                          plus $163 port charges
September 1999               GRAA will return to Branson. If interested, call (301) 937-7762 for details
November 6, 1999           Queen of the West - Sternwheeler Cruising on the Columbia, Willamette, and Snake Rivers,                                          includes tours to Hells Canyon, Mount Hood via railroad, and many others. Limited cabin space. 7                                          days $1,850 plus $124 port charges and estimated $400 round trip air to Portland, Oregon. $300                                          per person deposit required at time of reservation. Call Alberta for brochures and information                                         301 937-7762

MAIL STUFFERS, FOR NOVEMBER : R. McChesney, Milt & Helen Sing, F. Wrigley, B. Miller, S. Schmidt, J. Steckel, J. Webster, E. Montgomery & R. Van Allen.

TREASURER'S REPORT: Donations were received from Joe Dunst and Don Menard. Printing cost of the 1998 Membership Directory is 8% higher than the previous (1996) edition. The new Directory is several pages larger and more copies are required to accommodate the Association's increased membership.

IDEAS FOR GRAA MEMBERS: PAI Corporation, a 15-year-old Tennessee scientific and engineering consulting company, is interested in contacting recent NASA retirees with safety, reliability, maintainability and quality assurance experience regarding their interest in part- time employment in the Washington, D.C. area. Interested retirees may call Charles Boardman, member of the Board, (423)483-0666 collect, or e-mail at paicorphq@aol.com.

Rec'd following note from J. Weinman, GSFC Code 975 (Micro Sensor): Weinman recently visited Washington & Idaho Universities -- the Universities are developing courses in distance learning for their remotely located populations. Much of the communications is via the web using chat-rooms. Undergrads are currently communicating with their profs on campus, creating quite a burden of grading e-mail "papers" and responding to questions. An interest in remote "teaching assistants" (TA) has been expressed. The TAs could provide tutoring in undergrad science and math courses via the web. Perhaps GSFC retirees might find it interesting to work in some capacity as virtual TAs. They could pursue this activity with a suitable university department in any part of the country. If interested, pls contact Weinman, 301-614-5657.

ITEMS OF INTEREST: The Maryland Senior Olympics Committee released the official results of the 1998 Senior Games held at Towson Univ. in October. Three members of the GRAA did well in track and field competitions and have qualified to compete in the National Senior Games to be held in Florida at Disney's Sports World in 1999:
      PETER HUI Age Group 65-69                                    TOM PAGE Age Group 70-74
        1500 Meter Racewalk -- First Place -- 9 min. I sec.      100 Meter Dash -- 2nd Place -- 14.8 sec.
        10,000 Meter Run -- Second Place -- 52 min.               200 Meter Dash Ist Place 31.6 sec.
                                                                                             1 Mile Racewalk Ist Place 11 Min. 32 sec.

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL - - (Maybe some of you could jump in there and give competition next year)

Christmas Gift for that Special Child in your Life! GRAA receives a payment each time one of us buys a copy of the children's book, "Tailey Whaley" - written by GRAA member Charles Boyle. A description, plus reviews, may be seen at Amazon.com Retail price $15.70 (incl. tax) GRAA price $12.00. Autographed copies are available at the GEWA store. For copies inscribed to a child by name, call 410-266- 8523 or send e-mail to tripub@erols.com.

APPALACHIAN TRUCK -- Frank Martin will again pick up clothes/toys/etc. at GSFC on December 8 and December 15 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM. Besides donations, how about volunteering yourself and helping Frank with the loading of the truck -- If you think you can, pls contact Frank by calling 301-384-7788.

GRAA ELECTION : According to the rules of GEWA, under which GRAA operates, an election of officers should be held early next year. Any one wishing to serve, should put his/her name in nomination. Those nominated will be placed on a ballot presented at the Luncheon Meeting in February 1999. Each person present will vote for seven (7) nominees. Once the Board is elected, it chooses from its own membership, the President, V. President, Secretary, and Treasurer required by GEWA. So far, all board members have been "local", in the sense that they all live near enough to GSFC to be pretty regular attendees at our monthly luncheons. However, we don't think that should be a requirement to be on the Board -- so if anybody from a distance wants to be on it please feel free to nominate yourself. Probably the only requirement would be to be available for a phone call or e-mail, when we are called upon to make one of our occasional Board decisions. The current members of the Board are:
                    Wilma Chigas                                 Robert Wigand, Treasurer
                    Elaine Montgomery, Secretary        Robert R. Wilson
                    Alberta Moran                                Robert Pickard
                    George Pieper, President

All nominations are welcome -submit your nominatee (name, address, phone number) to Alberta Moran, FAX 301-937-5423 or phone 301-937-7762. You may be surprised how much you can contribute to this organization -- and how much you personally can benefit -- So - send in your nominations.

OBITS:
VINCENTE GEPUELA - Died 11/7/98 - Retired from GSFC 9/76 after 14 years.
ROBERT B. WHITE Died recently in Sebring, Florida
LORETTA A. KAZLEY Died 10/30/98 in Hyattsville, MD
BERNARD J. TRUDELL Died 11/9/98 - Retired from Goddard in 1984 - He joined NASA in 1962 where he worked on forerunners of today's commercial satellites. Mr. Trudell was "mission manager" during development of the tracking system, which colleagues described as having saved nearly 9,000 lives around the world since 1982. The satellites track ships and small planes carrying emergency locators and relay information about emergency signals for rescue officials. He also was instrumental in encouraging 30 other nations, including the Soviet Union, to join the system, colleagues said. Soviet officials presented him with the Yuri Gagarin Medal in 1987 for his work in the life-saving program. He also was awarded the NASA Exceptional Service Medal.

Nov	DEC	Jan
	14
2000	2001	2002