Next is the status of our VIP’s. George Braceland continues to be our Oldest and today just happens to be his 94^th Birthday. I’m sure you will all join me in wishing George a Happy Birthday and many more!! George has slowed down a little from last year but still does more than many half his age. He has stopped going to the gym but added a third day with his personal trainers in his home. He also still swims and exercises in his pool five days a week. And he still enjoys his gardens but is now able to do less of the work himself. He says that in summary he is less physically active than he was a year ago.

Bill Sapp, a former "Oldest", at 92 remains our second oldest. Bill suffered a great loss this year when his wife, Marguerite, died in April. Three months later he gave up the responsibilities of being a single home owner and moved into a retirement home. Shortly after that he checked into a hospital for a lengthy stay. He’s out now and back into the rehab section of his retirement home where he continues to recover. Get strong, Bill. I’m sure you’re missed at the Dog Track!

Next I want to mention our last VIP—the one residing at the tail end of our list and known as our "Diaper Dandy". He’s a newbie to both the Oldest Program and to the Association. He was only 59 years old when he joined and he’s still only 60 so he truly is a baby. In fact he is still working for a living and plans to do so for another five years just to get some maturing. I guess I should tell you his name is Ron Bogard. He lives in Wichita, KS where he holds a management position with Cessna Aircraft. Ron had a 22 year Air Force career in Photography—mostly in aerial photography and most of it while in flying status. About three of these years were in Photomapping as an Aerial Photographer in the late "60’s and early ‘70’s. Ron and his wife, Brenda, had planned to be here this year but something must have happened. I hope it wasn’t a bad case of Colic.

Now I don’t want to get into the philosophical question of when life starts; that is at birth or at conception, but if it is the latter, then this year marks the 10^th anniversary of the Oldest Program. As you may recall it was proposed at the 1997 reunion in Biloxi and approved by the Board and the Membership in 1998 in St. Louis. In reflecting on this great occasion, I decided that being around for 10 years and growing every year since conception warranted some more formalization than we have enjoyed in the past. Since it looks like we may be around for awhile I thought first we should decide just WHAT we are. If you look at past issues of the Newsletter or the Website or just listen to the few people who mention us you’ll hear us called a Program, a Group, a Club and probably by other names. I’ve been associated with it since the beginning and even I don’t know what we are. So for my first decision of the year I declared us a Club. So hence forth we are "The World’s Oldest Photomapper Club". Now that is a mouthful and probably more than young guys like Ron Bogard can handle. Thus I looked for something shorter that would describe us. It came to my attention that some prominent members of our beloved Association were calling us "The Old Farts". So, says I, why not go with that sweet term of endearment for a nickname and build our identity on it.

OK, now that we are a Club don’t we need a motto? I thought so, so I adopted a form of one that you all have heard many times I’m sure and one that incorporates our new Nickname. It is the truism that says: "Don’t mess with Old Farts! Age and treachery will always overcome youth and skill! Bullshit and brilliance only come with age and experience." (Listen and heed, Ron!!)

Lastly, to commemorate this 10^th anniversary I needed something that would last as an icon for the year. I thought what better than a fine wine? I contacted the world famous Boutinot Wine Estates of East Hanover, NJ. They have made their name by traveling the world to identify just the right grapes from which to develop truly memorable, year specific boutique wines for the very wealthy among us. I had to allow them to market our product to the general public in order to swing the deal for a price we could afford—which was nothing. Here is the result. It is a very fine red from the vineyards of France. It is appropriately called Old Fart Red. Let me read a little from the label: (Read). I had planned on bringing a bottle for everyone but Judy was just too weak to carry that much, so I brought this single bottle. I debated what I should do with it once I showed it to you all and finally decided it should go to our oldest member present. According to my list that would be a young man born on April 21^st, 1921. Can anyone top that? (The bottle was awarded to Robert Gunther who was born in 1918). Come on up and get it, Bob. You might want to consider keeping it unopened and watch it appreciate in value. The last time I tried, I couldn’t find it anywhere. Some wine stores have speculated that is because it is so bad no one would buy it so they quit distribution. I choose to believe it is so good they can’t keep it on their shelves.

That summarizes the Club’s activities for the year. We are now a Club without dues or officers but firmly postured for the future with a motto, an Anthem and a signature wine. Doesn’t that make all you non-members want to join? I hope so. Enrollment forms are in the Hospitality Room. It costs nothing to join and as I mentioned there are no dues. Next year I plan to review the goals and the rules of the Club for any new guys who happen to be present and I promise to talk longer just to keep Bob Cross happy!!