45th Anniversary Cruise - July 29, 2012

By Tom O’Donnell

Sunday, July 29 had the best weather of any Sunday in July.  I don’t know how Marty & Bill Valters managed to pick such a beautiful day way back in February, but they did.  Sue & Ron Dopke, who are also celebrating 45 years with the RG this year, Ben & Ginny Ashley, Tom Barosso & Betty Klafta, Ron Blum, Judy & Tom Buscaglia, Robin & John Emmering, Nicole & Scott Gilday, John Judge & Guest Yolanda, Nell & Joe Kozmic, Julie & Neil McManus, Joe Novak & Millie Olds, Angie & Bob Paladino, Diane & Dan Pudelek, Este & John Scheve, Delice & Joe Serritella, Barbara & John Slobodnik, JoAnne & Stan Stack, Irene & Len Vinyard, and Lois & Alan Wall, met Madeleine, our guests & me at the Wheeling Township Center.  Everyone was there before 11:00 and the bus showed up at 11:20, giving us many anxious minutes.  The bus was very nice, but the ride downtown had everyone worried that we would miss the boat.  Traffic was very bad on the Kennedy and we did arrive late.

Bill Valters had a Captain-to-Captain talk with the Boat Captain.  I have no idea what the conversation consisted of, but the Mystic Blue was waiting for us and we had instructions for the bus to drive onto the pier and offload us very close to the boat.  Good job, Bill.  We are glad that you knew the right words to use. Ken Bounds worked his magic and met the bus with a wheel chair for Sue Dopke and then kindly wheeled her onto the boat.

On board the boat we joined our hosts Marty & Bill Valters, Carolyn & Ken Bounds, Joanne & Paul Linzer, Phyllis & Frank Madrigali, and Roger Obecny.  Everyone was given a 45^th Anniversary pin.  Sam Van Bruggen designed the logo for the 45^th anniversary, and I asked Ken Bounds to have the logo made into pins for people attending the cruise.  Bill Valters bought the first round of drinks and we all lined up to eat the good food on the buffet.

Ken Bounds, our National President, asked Ron Dopke, 44 6/12ths years with the RG, Alan Wall, 40 years with the RG, Dan Pudelek who has been Vice President for so many years that I lost count and then served as President for 5 years and the new kid on the block, me with 35 years in the RG, to stand up by the wall.  Ron Dopke thought we were all going to be shot.  Carolyn did shoot us with her camera, while Ken presented a 45^th Anniversary Certificate from the National Club.  The Anniversary Cake was then served.

Many of us then walked around the boat, enjoyed the nice cool breeze from the lake and the scenery.  By then everyone had just about forgotten the ride in and were glad to be among our V-8 friends.