Steering Committee Discusses 2006 Denver Reunion
On Saturday, May 14, a meeting of the 2006 Denver Reunion Steering Committee was held at the Executive Tower Hotel in Denver. In attendance were Greg Miller of Morrison, CO, Local Reunion Coordinator; Frank Schlatter, 33rd ABAA CEO and his wife Carole of Roswell, NM, as well as son and daughter-in-law David and Christi Schlatter of Aurora, CO; Lowell and Verna Skabo of Colorado Springs, and Dick Hays of Bloomfield.
The numerous opportunities for activities at the 2006 reunion were discussed , and it was noted that because of the location of the hotel and the attractions that downtown Denver and the area surrounding Denver have to offer, those attending the reunion might well wish to arrive a day or two prior to the event and/or stay a day or two later. With that in mind, it was suggested that if people planning to attend the reunion expressed sufficient interest in seeing one or more sights outside Denver, the committee might consider hiring one or more buses for such junkets--for the day preceding the reunion and/or the day following the reunion.
The Executive Tower Hotel is right across the street from the Denver Performing Art Complex. The Art Complex's schedule for the third weekend of June 2006 is not yet established, but when we do get that information, we will provide it in a newsletter or special mailing so that those wishing to attend whatever is on the program will have sufficient time to make arrangements for tickets. As noted in the last newsletter, the 16th Street Mall is within easy walking distance of the hotel. (It's just a block away.) Free buses provide transport from one end of the mall to the other, where there are numerous shops and restaurants--the two-block long Denver Pavilion's dining and entertainment center being one of the main attractions on the mall.
Within a mile of the hotel is Coors Field for those who might be interested in attending a Rockies baseball game, if the Rockies are in town that weekend. Also within a mile of the hotel are The Denver Art Museum, the Capitol Building, the Denver Mint, and Six Flags--Elitch Gardens. The latter attraction has more than 50 rides and also offers other kinds of entertainment.
The tentative schedule for the reunion proper and details for possible day trips outside Denver will be provided in the next newsletter. In the meantime, the committee would like to have some idea of the number of former 33rders and family members and friends who are hoping to attend the reunion, who want information about pre- or post-reunion actitivities, and who are interested in bringing their instruments to play following the Saturday night banquet. Therefore, included with this newsletter is an addressed, stamped postcard that you are encouraged to complete and return within the next week or two. (Please bear in mind that what steering committee needs at this time are simply some ball park figures for the number of rooms we'll be using at the hotel, and the size of the hospitality room we'll need. for the reunion sessions you want planned, and the sorts of activities in Denver and the surrounding area that are of interest to you. So at this time we just want to know if you and members of your family--or significant others--are hoping to attend, and if you do, what you'd like us to incorporate into our planning.)
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Specific Reunion Details Now in Place
Location:
The Executive Tower Hotel, 1405 Curtis Street, Denver, CO 80202.
Phone of Hotel: 800-346-8357
Dates: June 16-18, 2006, with the possibility of pre/post-reunion activities, one day
before and/or one day after the reunion proper.
Room rates: $90 single; $95 double, with rates extended to two days before and/or
after the reunion.
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About the 33rd Army Band Alumni Association
The 33rd
Army Band Alumni Association is a not-for-profit organization that has been
developed to provide a means for former members of the USAREUR Band to be in
contact with one another via the quarterly newsletter Passing
In Review and through periodic reunions.
33rd
ABAA CEO: Frank Schlatter, 3111 Futura, Roswell, NM 88201.
E-mail: obfusa@rt66.com Telephone
number: 505-622-6898. Fax:
505-622-1611.
Webmaster
for the 33rd ABAA internet site: Dee
Tonning, 2265 Tawny Woods Pl., Boise, ID 83706.
E-mail: dtonning@aol.com.
Local
Coordinator for 2006 reunion in Denver the third weekend in June: Greg Miller,
5252 Golf Course Dr., Morrison, CO 80465-2104. E-mail: greg-miller@comcast.net.
The
organization's web site: http://www.rt66.com/~obfusa/33rd.
Persons who are not former members of the 33rd Army Band but who are interested in participating in the activities of the alumni association are welcome as associate members. Annual dues for all members: $15, payable to the 33rd ABAA and sent to the CEO. The normal dues cycle is from January to January. but dues can be paid at any time.
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In Memoriam
Shirley Hays, wife of Dick Hays (57-58), passed away in January after an extended bout with cancer. Passing In Review extends condolences to Dick.
Pictures and Stories Sought
Frank Schlatter, editor of Passing In Review, is seeking pictures and stories related to the USAREUR Band that can be placed in the newsletter. The pictures can be e-mailed to the obfusa@rt66.com address, or sent to Frank via the postal system. At the request of those sending pictures through regular mail channels, photos will be returned within 30 days after they are copied. Appropriate stories are always sought for the newsletter -- as are updates from individuals regarding their current personal activities. Present-day information about former 33rders is the basis of the "Mail Call" column.that follows.
Thanks go to Don Meyerson (54-56) and Ken Drake (55-56) for the photos at the end of this issue of Passing In Review.
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David L. Sage (88-95) wrote that he was looking through the alumni directory and noticed it shows James Gerding as 1st SGT. David's comment was as follows: "I am going to have to say that is wrong. During that time when Major James Allison was in command, I was wearing the diamond and was their first shirt until I left in 1995 for Atlanta. I do not know who this other person is."
Gene Karjala (57-58) wrote to say that he is a volunteer at the Mpls/StPaul airport as a TA (travelers assistant)? He said "I tell people where to go and how to get there, and none of them so far has used the same approach with me! At any rate, I'm on early in the morning. I really do enjoy it and (at a later date) will take the time to relate some of my experiences to you."
Larre Robertson (70-71) requested that we note a change in this newsletter of his e-mail address. It is now larreidaho@cableone.net.
Bob Granzow (80-85) wrote to provide a change in his official e-mail address: lgranzow@cox.net.
William Meynier (72) also has a new e-mail address: wmeynier@ke.rr.com,
Ken Crawley (78-81) indicated that he has digitized some of the recordings of the band into .mp3 files and noted that he still plays the horn. Ken, who is also an electronics engineer and inventor, provided his website address, which shows him on his way to Mt. Brooke, 125 miles north of McMurdo, Antarctica, to install his telemetry relay which he designed and built. The URL is http://ken.crawley.org.
Art Rodriguez (68-69) made contact with us for the first time in May of this year, seeking information about John Hutchins (67-69). Included with remarks about himself were the following: "I was sent to Heidelberg from Ft. Monroe, VA in January of 1968. The Fasching gigs were the first ones I played with the 33rd. Heidelberg was my last assignment and I got out in June, 1969. I was in the percussion section and started playing the drum set while stationed there. I split the Jazz Band drum chair with a guy named Fernando Silva. I didn't see his name on your site. He was a good drummer (from Sacramento)."
"When I got out I decided to give the music business a go. Up until now it's been my only career, as a player and more recently as a private instructor. I still perform quite a bit but am less apt to accept gigs on the road, although I traveled quite a bit in 04."
"If you go to my website http://www.artrodriguez.com/ you can get info on my career as a professional musician with some recent photos."
"Also, if you log on to http://homepage.mac.com/artrodriguez/PhotoAlbum21.html there are some photos to view. I update them periodically."
Robert B. Salley (91-94) was named for us as a former member of the band by his mother Kaye Salley. She wrote in May to indicate Robert had been a clarinet player with the band, saying that he was with the 33rd during the 50th D-Day commemoration. She noted that she did not see his name on the roster of alumni, and she said that he is presently serving with the 3rd infantry (Ft. Stewart, GA) and is in Baghdad at this time. She provided the following address and phone number: 905 Pamela Dr., California, MO 65018. 573-796-3629.
Dick Hays (57-58). In a letter expressing his sadness at the passing of Marvin Schatz, Dick informed us of the passing of his wife. He wrote to say that Shirley, like Eunice Schatz, realized how much the association with the 33rd Army Band meant to those who performed with the band. He wrote "Her times playing flute and piccolo at Albuquerque and Minneapolis with the band helped teach that." Dick said they had been planning to return to Germany in 2006 for their 50th anniversary.
Dennis Rutz (77-80) made his initial contact with us within the last week and noted that he had served with the band from November of 1977 to November of 1980, during which time the 33rd went through the transition "from a regular army band to a special band." His address is 12010 Chappel Rd., Arlington, WA 98223. Telephone: 360-691-5922.
Melvin L. Good (55-56) made his first contact with us on the same day as Dennis Rutz. Melvin wrote: A few days ago I made perhaps the most startling discovery I ever made on this computer - a wonderful website for the 33rd Army Band. I never dreamed that such a website existed and not even bothered to look for one. Needless to say, I am delighted, and appreciate all the work it must have taken to get the information together.
"...I was a member of the band from May, 1955 to August 1956. It was so good to see some of the guys I knew so well on the listing of members and, sadly, to see that several had passed away. My name is listed but there is no mention of my instrument(s) and my status is listed as 'unknown'. I would very much like for you to correct this information if possible. I played flute and clarinet in the band and saxophone in the dance band. I also sang in the chorus and participated in several small ensembles (woodwind quartets)."
"Again, let me thank you and any others who might have been involved in putting the website together. It brought back many memories and has provided hours of joy reading the various links and articles."
When Melvin was asked to provide some additional information about himself, he wrote the following in a subsequent e-mail. "It has been fifty years since I left Heidelberg, and I often thought of the many friends I had in the band. It will be great to get some information on them."
"My activities since I left the band in 1956 include teaching band and elementary choral groups in Westmoreland County, Virginia, for two years. In 1958 I entered the University of Virginia and spent three years getting my Ed.D. degree in music education. After my graduation in 1961, I accepted a job with the State Department of Public Instruction in Raleigh, North Carolina, as a state music consultant. Our division of music gradually expanded to include art, theater and dance in addition to music, and in 1980 I was named director of the division. After retirement from the Department of Public Instruction in 1991 I took a temporary job as assistant principal for one year in a middle school and two years in a high school here in Wake County near my home. I then spent three years with a law firm helping distribute tax money to retirees who had been illegally taxed by the state. Since that job ended I have been pretty much a couch potato."
"...I am happy to say I am lucky to have a wonderful wife. We celebrated our fortieth anniversary about three weeks ago on May 8th. She has recently taken up oil painting, watercolor painting, piano and computer classes. Quite a gal."
"You also asked about my address, and phone number. The address is: 910 Collins Drive, Raleigh, NC 27609. The phone is 919-787-6052." Melvin's e-mail address is mgood1@nc.rr.com.
Frank Schlatter (56-58) reports that, in addition to his activities with the band alumni association, he has recently directed fourth and fifth grade students at two local public schools in plays that he wrote. One of the plays was an adaptation of Daisy-Head Mayzie by Dr. Seuss; the other, "The King Who Was Never Happy" was an original story. The second play was replete with medieval costuming that the classroom teacher and students put together. Both productions were well-received , and the actors and actresses appeared to enjoy themselves.
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