SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:

March ll, 2003      GRAA Regular Luncheon - ll:30 am - RecCenter -"GRAND FAREWELL - LES MEREDITH" - also,
                               GRAA Election Bd Voting - (See Dr. Pieper's Comments Below) Pls call30l-937-7762 for Reservations

April 8, 2003         GRAA Regular Luncheon - ll:30 am - RecCenter - Pls call 30l-937-7762 for reservations

April l6-l8,2003     THAILAND - $2000 Sgl $l800 Dbl - For more info Pls Call GEWA Store 30l-286-8565 -  Enjoy sightseeing at the grand                                 palace, famous temple and golden triangle, shopping, see the Phuket Fantasea & Thai New Year Festival

April 29-May 5     BERMUDA CRUISE - 6 Days - 963 Ft Long Ship - CARNIVAL LEGEND - 2l24 Guest Capacity - 2003 Dpt from Baltimore                                 Dundalk - Full Gym & Spa - Gourmet Dining, Full Casino, docking in Bermuda at King's Wharf (3 days) - 2 full days at                                 sea - Full Casino - Per Person: Upper Deck: Twin Beds or King Size - $l,236 (includes Port Charges & Custom Fees &                                 Taxes) or Inside Stateroom: Riviera Deck : Twin Beds or King Size - $986 (INCLUDES Port Charges & Custom Fees &                                 Taxes. Third & Fourth Person Rates available - If interested, pls call Alberta, ASAP, 30l-937-7762

May l3, 2003        GRAA Regular Luncheon - ll:30 am - RecCenter - Pls call 30l-937-7762 for reservations

July 9 - 2l, 2003    THAILAND - Same as April Trip above with Candles Parade Festival replacing the Thai New Year Festival - $300                                Deposit due now - Balance by May, 2003 - Call 30l-286-8565

Sep. 25-29,2003    BRANSON, MO - 5 DAYS - If interested, pls call Alberta 30l-937-7762 for details/reservations

Oct. 26 - Nov. 9    Switzerland/France/Italy/Austria/Munich (Germany) - $2409 pp (Includes air transportation/tour director/hotels/hotel                                service charges/tips/baggage handling/local taxes/motor coach, etc.) A $300 deposit due now - Final payment due                                7/l5/03 - Call Pat GEWA Store 30l-286-8565 - .

COMMENTS FROM GRAA'S PRESIDENT, DR. PIEPER: One of the ripple effects from the devastating loss of the Columbia shuttle was a severe clogging of the GSFC printing/mail room operations for several days. As a result, our GRAA February Newsletter did not get printed until just before the February llth Luncheon Meeting. Copies were available there for the attendees but envelope stuffing and mailing occurred only after the luncheon. We regret the delay in getting the Newsletter to you. Nonetheless, the Luncheon did take place and the thirty-odd attendees who showed up anyway heard an excellent presentation by Bob Phillips, a GSFC Code 240 Retiree and a tri-athlete (with a pacemaker, no less) about his hiking the 2l68-mile Appalachian Trail its entire length from Georgia to Maine. Bob brought dozens of photographs taken on the trail and showed us much of the equipment he carried and used en route. It was informative and enjoyable.

Another thing affected by the delay of the February Newsletter was our election of the GRAA Board, which has slipped a month. Those who attend the March ll Luncheon can vote there. Also, all votes received by mail will be counted.

Please choose seven from the volunteers listed below Ballots will be collected - results will be announced as soon as the election process is completed.

                          Dick Baker                                          Henry Hoffman                               Bob Morrissey
                          Charlie Boyle                                     Bob Hutchison                                George Pieper
                          Ron Browning                                   Maureen Locke                                Bob Wigand
                          Barbara Hamilton.

THE MARCH llth LUNCHEON will be a Grand Farewell to LES MEREDITH. Les has finally retired and will be moving to the family compound in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, soon. This is the opportunity to say farewell to one of the truly outstanding figures in the history of Goddard. Put the date on your calendar.

NEWS RE FRANK MARTIN, Goddard's coordinator of the Appalachian Christmas Donations for the John Lamb Foundation for the people of West Virginia for over thirty-one years has suffered a house fire resulting in the hospitalization of his wife and having to find temporary living quarters for himself. We all of GRAA wish to express our concern and please let us know what we can do to help. Those of you who would like to contact Frank, pls check your 2002 Membership Directory for his address and telephone number.

UPENDRA DESAI RETIREMENT DINNER!! A retirement dinner will be held Friday, March 7, 2003, at 7:00 PM at the Sir Walter Raleigh Restaurant, 6323 Greenbelt, Rd, Berwyn Heights, MD 20740-23l8 (Located behind Shell gas station)on left past Kenilworth Ave., going west (away from Goddard) on Greenbelt, RD. Upendra Desai worked for many years at Goddard in the Lab. for High Energy Astrophysics, Anyone planning to attend should contact Brian Dennis, GSFC Code 682, Tel. #30l-286-7983, FAX: 30l-286-l6l7 or Email: Brian.R.D.Dennis@nasa.gov

TREASURER'S REPORT: Donation was received from Paul Marcotte

MAIL STUFFERS FOR FEBRUARY: Hugh O'Donnell, Agnes R. Smith, Mary & Bob Wilson, Rose McChesney, Bob Wigand, Marge Gustafson, Frank Wrigley, Bill Shields and George Abid.

LETTERS WE GET LETTERS!!!
HARTENSTEIN, RAY of Cushing, TX - "can't thank you guys enough for keeping the Goddard 'spirit' alive" - PS "See you in the spring (when the snow melts)"
FRASER, ROBERT S. of Silver Spring, MD - sends note with mailing address change that he appreciates receiving the alumni letter.
FAMILY OF BEA & BARNEY HOYT - Sends thanks for the GRAA's generous contribution and the individual contributions to the Memorial Fund set up for their grandson Michael's children.

OBITS:
SMITH, HARRY M. of Glen Burnie, MD - died September 6, 2002 - he worked in Goddard's Power Plant and according to his wife, Audrey, he loved every minute of it.
PASCIOTTI, EDWARD of Southington, CT - died November l0, 2002.
SEGREE, CALVIN ANTHONY of Crownsville, MD - died January 27, 2003 - worked in Code 5l5 from l970 to l996 when he retired.
MCFARLAND, HENRY T. A Greenbelt, MD resident died February 20, 2003. Retired from Goddard in l990 - also, led a musical group that specialized in German and Polish music in Blob's Park in Jessup, MD from mid-50's to l970.

NEW BADGE/CARD POLICY FOR ALL GRAA MEMBERS; - A new policy issued by NASA HQ, effective at Goddard on February 3, 2003, calls for the replacement of the current "NASA Retiree Badge" with a wallet-sized identification card. While the new cards will not afford retirees automatic access to the Center , they will facilitate the issuance of badges for retirees and their guests. Retirees wanting to access the Center must stop at the Receptionist Desk in Bldg 9 (Main Gate) sign in and obtain an Official Visitor Badge. The following procedures apply: (l) Retiree badges will not be honored at the Center's gates. Retirees may only access the Center after being processed for an Official Visitor Badge on each visit, (2) Your Official Visitor Badge should be displayed at all times while on the Center and deposited in one of the drop boxes at the gates as you exit the Center, (3) When attending an event at the GSFC RecCenter, please ensure you have a ticket or have provided your name and the names of your guests to the event sponsor. Your NASA Retiree ID Card will be honored at all NASA Centers; however, you should check with the respective Center's Security Office for information concerning access procedures. Please remember to have the card with you to exchange because other Centers are not easily able to verify your retirement status. If you have questions regard this new policy, pls contact the GSFC Security Office at 30l-286-SAFE (7233).

PS (Additional Comment from Dr. Pieper) It is strongly recommended that all retirees get the new GSFC ID - however, a special arrangement has been made with the Security Office that will allow those not eligible for the ID card (spouses, alumni,etc.) to be admitted through the Soil Conservation Rd gate to our monthly luncheons if each shows one's name is on a list provided by Alberta to the Security Office and each shows a valid picture ID (Driver's License, etc.) It has always been important to call Alberta for a luncheon reservation to get a proper head count. Now - if you're not on the list you can't get in.

                                                                                ********FLASH*********

Bea Hoyt passed away on Wednesday, February 26th, after several months of illness. She had assisted Barney in managing the GSFC Recreation Center for many years. Viewing will be on Sunday, March 2nd between 2-4 pm and 7-9 pm at the Evans Funeral Home at the corner of Annapolis and Racetrack Roads in Bowie. The funeral will be Monday at 11 am at Ascension Church in Bowie.