VP Dave Shaheen ran the meeting for President Bob who had a work conflict.

 

Saturday,  January 6th is field hockey practice at St Margaret Mary school (Kessler center) with our Adult Boy Scout troop.  See Louis DiPrima to participate.

 

VP Dave informed us that both Jennie Gugino and Linda Szefc are on the mend following knee surgeries.

 

 

 

Les Kaszuba graduated high school in 1968.  His family were immigrants so initially he did not know English.  He was in a body shop mechanic class in school when he realized this was not the type of work he enjoyed.  Being new to the country, there were no mentors to help him choose a career path.  He heard about IBM school and went there to learn about computers but was drafted into the Army in 1969.  He was not a US citizen at this point so didn't think he could be drafted or go to war in Vietnam but he did both.  He went to Fort Dix for basic training.  Very grueling training  but it made him a "fighting machine".  He went next to Fort Eustis in Virginia and was trained to be a Chinook helicopter repairman.   Because Vietnam was technically a conflict (not a war) he could be drafted even though he was not a citizen.  And, of course, he then got orders to go to Vietnam to Cameron bay.  Once there, he felt like he was a million miles away from home and this was as a 19 year old boy.

 

In Vietnam, he was assigned to 101st Ghostriders as a gunner and a transporter for killer teams into enemy territory.  No Chinooks where he was sent.  He suffered a monsoon season which meant everything was wet for days on end leading to rats, insects, etc.,  and then the heat would come...   After 7 months his luck changed as he became a an officer driver in a safer area.  Initially, he and his Dad kept it secret that he was in Vietnam from his Mother who would worry.  She eventually found out though.  Lots more horrific details that Les experienced but did not want to share during a "dinner" meeting.  All told, Les spent a total of 11 months in Vietnam.  After his service ended, Les returned home to no fanfare.  In fact, he needed to travel separately from his fellow soldiers in civilian clothes so as to not suffer ridicule from those at home who were against the war.  Very sad situation - one that the nation hopefully has learned never to return.

 

Even though Les was initially told he would be automatically made a citizen by serving in the army, that did not happen.  He had to go though the same citizen application and pay $25 like everyone else.  Another sad way to treat those who so heroically served our country.  Hopefully, this process has also changed since then.

Multiple contributions for:  Les Kaszuba's program tonight and all the Vet Programs from the club; Happy New Year!; Jennie Gugino and Linda Szefc knee surgeries.

 

Lou DiPrima - being stuck on Thruway for 3 hours making total trip to/from Toronto 11 hours after driving daughter to airport,  daughter Stephanie moving to Italy,  and helping daughter Elena with bad car battery; Louis DiPrima - going to Buffalo to watch the Bills playoff game next week and sister moving to Italy;  Bob Scheidt - Ancestry.com DNA tells him he is part Polish (lucky guy!); Les Kaszuba - for his Rotary "Family" and closing on a new building for his store in Irondequoit on Ridge Rd. near Red Rose Florist;  Jim Kozlowski - driving to PA with frozen windshield wiper fluid; Terri Bastuk - for Jim Kozlowski helping her "cut the cord" for TV cable this weekend; BJ Cunningham - for all the Vets who have served our country including husband Jim; Kenn Van Dieren - Rotary Foundation as usual; Norb Rappl - getting new cell phone "contraption" and learning that old cell phones can still make 911 calls so good to keep in glove box in case of emergency; Lynn Wozniak - not having much time to decorate for Christmas, and passing of a neighbor who was in 9/11.