SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:

Nov. l8, 2003    GRAA Regular Luncheon - ll:30 am - RecCenter - NOTE NOT USUAL DATE Pls call                           Alberta 30l-937-7762 for reservations (Date changed due to ll/ll/03 Holiday)

Dec 9, 2003      Christmas in Lancaster, Pa.-Round trip bus, shopping at Rockvale, Christmas show at the                          American Music Theatre, backstage tour, Dinner at Showboat, $75.00 per person                          301-937-7762

Dec. l0, 2003    NO LUNCHEON - This has been our custom since there are so many activities at the                          RecCenter during December - HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!

Dec. l3, 2003    RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL CHRISTMAS SPECTACULAR - New York City, NY - Full                          Course Dinner, R/T motor coach, tips. taxes. gratuities. - $l69 Per Person - ONLY ONE                          TICKET LEFT!!! Bus Departs Visitor Center at 6:30 am and returns approximately ll pm. Call                          GEWA 30l-286-8498.

Feb. 2-l3, 2004 Thailand Trip - Sgl $2000 - Dbl $l800.-- $300 Due Now - Balance in 5 payments - Final                          payment due NLT l2/l3/03 - For further information pls call Pat (GEWA) 30l-286-2349 or                          30l-286-8565.

COMMENTS FROM GRAA'S PRESIDENT, DR. PIEPER: The GRAA October lunch featured a power point presentation (fortunately Ron Muller knew how to make one work) by Dr. Gilbert Levin, a principal investigator on the two Viking Lander missions to Mars in l976. Dr. Levin made a strong case for the view that his labeled release experiment really did find evidence for microbial life on Mars, in spite of the lack of confirmation from another experiment (which apparently didn't work) and lack of support from the NASA hierarchy. It would be nice to see Gil get proper credit, even at this late date.
On November l8, our speaker will be Dr. Malcolm Niedner of GSFC's Lab. for Astronomy & Solar Physics, who will tell us about some of his favorites from the many remarkable results from the Hubble Space Telescope in the recent past. It should be good fun with many beautiful pictures.
There will also be a meeting of the GRAA board at the November lunch - ALL BOARD MEMBERS ARE REQUESTED TO ATTEND.

TREASURER'S REPORT; Donations were received from Ron Browning, J. Gay Clevenger and Joseph P. Cappello.

MAIL STUFFERS FOR OCTOBER: Marge Gustafson, Agnes R. Smith. Mary and Bob Wilson, Frank Wrigley, Hugh O'Donnell, Harold Maurer, Elaine Bobbitt, George Abid and Bob Wigand.

ROAD CLEANUP: Clean-up of the stretch of Good Luck Road along GSFC's eastern boundary will be held after our November luncheon. Volunteers are welcome..

LETTERS WE GET LETTERS !!
JOSEPH P. CAPPELLO: of Columbia, MD - (In a note to Marge Gustafson) "We are doing well as can be expected - Thanks for thinking of us".
J. GAY CLEVENGER - Along with change of address in Annapolis, MD - Sends "Thanks to all who work so hard on newsletter".

OBITS;.
TRUSEN, PAUL of New Carrollton, MD died June 28, 2003.
MORRIS, EUGENE (GENE) of Grand Prairie, TX died September 2l, 2003.
MANUEL, STANLEY D. of Silver Spring, MD died August 3, 2003.
SERRA, ELIO V. of Silver Spring, Md died October l7, 2003 - Worked in the early days at Goddard as a scientific engineer specializing in optics, crafting telescope lenses for the Orbiting Astronomical Observatory.
BRONSNAN, FRANK M.. of Chester, MD died l0/l6/03 - Worked in the planning and estimating section of facilities engineering with NASA - retired in l978.
REUSCHLEIN, RICHARD W. of Fort Myers, Fla, died October 4, 2003 - Worked at NASA installing satellite tracking systems - retired in l983.
TRAINOR, JAMES of Seal Beach, CA - died October 4, 2003 - Since joining NASA in l964, served in a number of significant positions that included those of Instrumentation Branch Head, Assoc. Chief of the Lab. for High Energy Astrophysics, Dep. Dir. of the Sciences Directorate - Dir. of the Space & Earth Sciences Directorate, a NASA Project for OGO, S3, IMP, AND Helios space flight projects and the balloon and sounding rocket programs.
MENGEL, JOHN T. of Davis, CA - died October 22, 2003 - an electronic pioneer whose team took the first space photograph and who later became one of Goddard 's first employees - served as head of the electronic instrument division of NRL - moved to Godddard in l958. From l959 to l973, served as Dir. for Tracking & Data Systems - retired in l974.

ITEM OF INTEREST:

MARTIN, FRANK - Rec'd following message - "The Appalacian Truck will not visit the Center this year - after 3l years - experienced an extensive and expensive house fire this year and will be taking care of my wife who received injuries - sends thanks for all of the past support." (Note: Now it's our turn - pls call if we can do something for you/GRAA).

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HOLIDAY GIFT BENEFIT FOR MEMBERS AND FOR GRAA:

We have arranged a 20% discount price for two books as holiday gifts. Both were written by one of our members, Charles Boyle. One is "Shuttle Rising", a 500-page story of star crossed lovers in a global conspiracy, techno-thriller, science fiction, space adventure. The other book "Tailey Whaley", a children's picture book whose hero is a little whale born with an enormous tail. He is ridiculed and bullied because he is "different". The book is appropriate for kids to age nine. Now is its second printing, it may be pre-read at www.whalebook.com, along with an excerpt from the novel. Both books sell in stores for $l5 plus tax. GRAA's price to our members is $l2 mailed to you and the GRAA treasury receives $3 for each autographed book sold. To make a purchase send checks to GRAA c/o Elaine Montgomery, PO Box l63, Seabrook, MD 20703 or for add'l information, call Elaine at 30l-464-0476.

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GEWA EXCHANGE STORE - HOLIDAY ITEMS: - CALL GEWA STORE 30l-286-8498 for more information

Honey Baked Hams/Turkey Breasts/whole Frozen Turkeys (smoked or roasted)/cinnamon walnut cake - Orders must be placed NLT ll/l9/03 - Delivery ll/24/03 - Pickup between l-3 pm at the GEWA Store.

2004 ENTERTAINMENT BOOKS (included thousands of great savings) - Wash/MD $35 - Wash/VA $35, Baltimore $26 - Other states plus Canada also available. The 2004 books may be used immediately.

CAMERAS - 50% off - all in stock except for single use (disposable) -

Pecan Halves - One lb. bag $6.95.

AVON products - available at GEWA Store - Orders go in every two weeks - No tax and l0% discount - however, a 50 cents service fee is added to each order.

Turn Blue Monday into a Happy Smile Monday by saving l0% every Monday - between 8 - ll am on all items with the exception of photos, theme park tickets & TicketMaster now thru Dec. 25th.

Medieval Times Dinner and Tournament located at Arundel Mills - Adults $38.95 - Children l2 and under $3l.95 - Tickets available at GEWA Store - (Not good for Saturday)

GRAA MEMBERS; Arrangements have been made to admit retirees directly through the Soil Conservation Road entrance for the October Luncheon - YOU MUST HAVE RESERVATIONS, and ID AND/OR YOUR RETIREE PICTURE BADGE - Call Alberta for reservations - 30l-937-7762.