150^th Pioneer Turners Lunch

By Ken Bounds

On March 10, the President of the Pioneers group of the American Turners – Northwest Chicago, our own Charles Kaiser, hosted the 150^th Pioneers Luncheon at the Northwest Turners facility in Schiller Park.  The luncheon was open to all Pioneer Turners members and featured a special invitation to our group.  Over 25 NIRG members, family, and friends enjoyed a nice meal and an afternoon of V-8 camaraderie.  On a sunny, 60-degree late winter day you might expect to see several Early V-8s in the parking lot.  Sadly, there was only one – your editor’s ’50 Crestliner, kept company by Len Vinyard’s ’57 T-Bird.

Before the luncheon, the emcee introduced President Kaiser, our own President Tom O’Donnell, and yours truly as National V-8 Club President.  We were then served a scrumptious lunch featuring an absolutely delicious corned-beef sandwich.  The beers were so inexpensive that some of us thought we should hang out there more often.

After lunch Charles presented a series of videos, beginning with the Century of Progress exhibition in Chicago, followed by very early V-8 Club picnics at the Groot farm in St. Charles and the Braun home in Prairie View.  We thank Charles and co-organizer Ron Dopke for setting up a nice event and for presenting the interesting videos.

If you are not familiar with the American Turners society, they have a long history in the US, going back to pre-Civil War days.  You can learn much more about the local group at www.northwestturners.org.

Participants included: our host Charles Kaiser, Ron & Arlene Blum, Ken Bounds, Norm Collins and family, Joe & Marie Dispensa, Ron Dopke with Norm Lang, John Judge, Joe Kozmic, Paul Linzer, Frank & Phyllis Madrigali, Tom O’Donnell, Dan Pudelek, John & Este Scheve, Joe Serritella, John & Barb Slobodnik, Stan & JoAnne Stack, and Len Vinyard.