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Retirees’ Corner |
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Bill (Engineering, 1989) and Sue (Engineering, 1983) Simecka performed in a production at Sun City Anthem last April. The name of the show was “Anthem Bandstand.” It consisted of songs from the 50’s and 60’s, and was a take-off on “American Bandstand.” This was Bill’s first time in performing, even though he is the President of the Performing Arts Club. Bill sang, “A White Sport Coat.” Sue danced with her dance group, where she is the team leader. They danced to “Locomotion,” and she embellished all of the ladies’ costumes. Often she designs and sews her own and her group’s costumes. Sue also danced a solo dance to “Do You Love Me.” Bill and Sue are in rehearsal now, for yet another upcoming show to be performed in November. Sue recently retired from the position of Lead Anchor for Channel 99, after three years of weekly productions. Bill and Sue just completed building a casita (guest house) on their property for friends and family to stay in when they visit. Bill and Sue are going with friends to New York next month for a week of playing “tourist.” They continue to enjoy the entertainment and fine dining the Las Vegas area provides.
Since Steve Mick (NAI, 2000) and his wife, Alicia Watson, retired they have been increasingly active in community efforts. Steve is now the Chair of the Alamo Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee. Appointed by the Contra Cost Board of Supervisors, this committee provides advice and guidance on park improvements and new park development in Alamo. They also sponsor a vibrant recreation program that includes classes and workshops for all ages. A summer music concert series is presented at Livorna Park which has been received enthusiastically by Alamo residents. Alicia is the Chair of the Alamo Beautification Committee. Their charter is to evaluate landscaping needs in the Alamo area. Their current effort is to identify and tag all the trees in the Boulevard of Trees Project. Doing this will help ensure that these community trees will continue to receive the care and maintenance they require. Steve and Alicia are also involved in the Alamo Incorporation effort. Steve is the webmaster for the Alamo Incorporation Movement (AIM) website, and Alicia will be gathering petitions for the proposal. Anna Lim and Barbara Smyth, Co-presidents of the Del Valle Home Economists, cordially invite graduates of Home Economics and related fields to come to a Back-to-School-Party and Apron Fashion Show presented by charter member, Pat Hoenig and her committee. The event will be held on Thursday, September 13 at the Alden Lane Nursery Patio, 981 Alden Lane, Livermore from 4-5:45 PM. This group meets monthly throughout the school year and welcomes guests and prospective members. October meeting of the Del Valle Home Economists featuring Bay Friendly Gardening will be held on Thursday, October 11 from 4-5:30 PM in the garden of Kat Weiss, 857 Placenza Street, Livermore. Kat is a landscape architect who specializes in Bay-Friendly gardening. Graduates with degrees in Home Economics or related fields are welcomed to attend. Please email Anna Lim at annalim@LLNLretirees.org by October 8 if you are able to attend. Join LLNL Retirees at their regular luncheon on September 19 to learn how counselor Jim Gioia of Las Positas College creates programs to help retain students with disabilities, particularly during the difficult first year of school. The approach is to establish “learning communities” so that identified students can share experiences and provide mutual support. This semester, some 400 of the College’s 8,000 students are participating. Dr. Gioia is a licensed psychologist who began private practice in the Tri-Valley in 1984. He worked part-time in counseling at Las Positas before becoming Coordinator of Disabled Students Programs and Services six years ago. The title of his talk is, “College Learning Communities.” Please mark these future events on your calendars: (1) We scheduled the annual dinner-dance for the evening of Saturday, Feb. 9, 2008. The dinner-dance is usually held in October, but we decided to postpone it because of the many other evening events in October. The dance will be at the Elks Lodge in Livermore, and the band (the Treble Makers) will be the one that got rave reviews at our dinner-dance last year. We will send more detail later in the year. (2) With no dinner-dance in October, we will have an October luncheon. It will be on the usual third Wednesday: Oct. 17, 2007. (3) The November luncheon is scheduled for November 14, one week earlier than usual. The topic will be Open Enrollment for benefits changes. There are two reasons for the change in date. One is that the usual third Wednesday is the day before Thanksgiving, and we thought a lot of retirees might be traveling or hosting. The other is that LLNS and LLNL advise us that Nov. 14 should be an appropriate day for an Open Enrollment presentation. (Note that no Open Enrollment period has yet been scheduled or defined, nor has the LLNS health program coordinator been named. We are told to expect both, however.) The luncheon will be held as usual at the Elk’s Lodge in Livermore, 940 Larkspur Drive, across from the Springtown Golf Club. Food will be served at noon. Price is $17, payable at the door. Jane Olson has changed her mind so Gus and Jane will continue to do the Retirees’ Corner. Please send any input to them. E-Mail: Gus@LLNLretirees.org or Jane@LLNLretirees.org. This article appears in the first September issue of Newsline, 2007. |