This has been another successful year for the Oldest Photomapper Club numbers-wise. Since the last reunion 18 more Association members have enrolled, bringing the total since program inception to 212. As for losses, we were notified of the deaths of six members and we lost two for non-payment of dues to the Association. The bottom line is that there was a net gain of 10 members which is down from last year but still pretty good I think for a Club that is now officially 10 years old.

  Now on to the status of our VIP's. For those new here, our VIP's are our current Oldest member of the Club, any former Oldest members who may still be alive and our youngest member-who holds the title of our Diaper Dandy. It has been a bad year for those at the Oldest end of our roster. George Braceland continues to be our Oldest. Earlier this month he celebrated his 95th birthday. Shortly after our last reunion George fell in his home and fractured his hip. The doctors felt the best course of action would be partial hip replacement surgery and because of his excellent physical condition they felt he could tolerate the procedure. He did but his rehab went slower than was hoped and then other, unrelated medical problems emerged. As a result George spent nearly the entire year in either a hospital or a nursing home. Currently he is in a nursing home where, as one would expect from one so physically active all his life, the two things he enjoys most are his daily physical therapy and walking with his walker.

  Our FORMER Oldest VIP, Bill Sapp, died on October 12, 2007, just short of his 93rd birthday. His active interest in Photomapping and the Photomapping Association lasted until the end. The fact that he felt compelled to write an article on his Ground Station Guys after he was 90 attests to this. In fact he was still looking for a mainstream publication to publish his article when he died. He wanted to do this so he could donate any proceeds to the Association. Among his personal effects the Executor of his Estate found several things related to Photomapping and he sent these to me for disposition. A couple of them I plan to send to the Air Force Museum to be added to the George Horn collection. However, I have put a lot of stuff in the Hospitality Room and anyone interested in having any of it, just help yourself. I particularly encourage you Ground Station Types to take a look and take what you want. When Bill died he was #2 on our roster. Although he won't be considered a VIP because as yet he has never been our Oldest, our new #2 is Roland Taff of Belleville, IL. He is currently 93.

  Now to the other end of our age spectrum. For the second year Ron Bogard has held the title Diaper Dandy as our youngest. He's a youthful 61 and still working. Hopefully we can get him to one of these Reunions sometime to see just how he is aging. Statistically, unless we find a younger guy to replace him, Ron will be the one drinking "OUR" bottle of Scotch so we want to be sure he ages as well as the booze!

  Those of you who were here last year remember that at that time we celebrated the 10th Anniversary of the CONCEPTION of the Oldest Program by designating our group a Club, by adopting a motto and anthem, and by officially acknowledging our nickname as the Old Farts. And we even gave away a bottle of fine Old Fart Red wine to the Oldest member of the Association present.

  This year we celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the BIRTH of our Club. In pondering what would be appropriate for this occasion I decided to make a blatant and extended appeal for new members. Ever since the initial enrollment period for the Club 10 years ago netted only 52 members, I've felt something is wrong. Since then the enrollment list has steadily grown and now stands at 212. Still, I can see no reason why EVERY Association member isn't interested in joining the Club; especially since it is free and for most people involves no work of any kind. The only conclusion that makes any sense is that some members of the Association just know too little about the Club or have misconceptions about it. So, I've decided to rectify that today by briefly covering the important things in our Charter and then answering any questions. After doing this, if there are still those that don't want to join please tell me why because I just don't get it. Should you want to read the Charter in its entirety there is a copy in the Hospitality Room and one is on the Oldest Club page of our Website.

  The intent of the Club is to continually keep a very nice "Tontine" in the possession of the oldest living member of the Club until only one remains. Such clubs are particularly popular among Military groups and investment clubs. Since the word tontine is not one you hear everyday, I should tell you it means that which is jointly owned by all members of the Club and is passed down to the last one standing. In our case the tontine consists of two things. First is a beautiful traveling trophy of walnut, maple and glass that contains a bottle of single malt scotch that is currently over 36 years old. Of course the ultimate is to be the last man standing and get to drink the booze; however just to possess the trophy and display it in your home as the oldest currently living Photomapper is an honor worth pursuing! Pictures of the Trophy are in the Hospitality Room and on our Website. For those that don't want the alcohol involvement, also within the tontine is a nice walnut perpetual plaque engraved with the names of all the Oldest to date. That is currently on display in the Hospitality Room.

  The idea for the Club was proposed at the 1997 Reunion and approved at the one in 1998. It was recognized that if the Club were to go until the planned end, it would undoubtedly outlive our Association, so a Committee was appointed to administer the Club outside the legally established Association but with the support of the Association for as long as the Association exists. I was asked by the Chairman of the Association to pick and chair this Committee. I should mention that the same five members have composed this Committee for the entire 10 years. We think we have the rules and procedures in place that will, if followed, assure the Club's survival until its planned end.

  To be eligible for the Club requires two things. You must have been a MEMBER of a qualifying USAF Photomapping organization prior to the deactivation of the last dedicated, aircraft related photomapping resources. That is prior to 31 December 1975. And second, you must be a CURRENT dues paying member of the Association for as long as it exists. This last criterion is important. In the 10 years we have lost 14 Club members for not paying their dues. Note that the Club is not open to spouses, other family members or honorary members of the Association. I tell you this because we have had spouses try to enroll and we've had to say no.

  Enrollment forms for the Club are available at each reunion and are on the Oldest page of the Website for downloading. They are also available in all issues of the Newsletter-The Photomapper. One of the frequently asked questions is why we ask for a Designated Contact on the enrollment form and why we recommend it be a beneficiary of your estate. The Club was established to be something fun for the members but it is HEAVILY dependent on others (the designated contacts) for it to be successful. It will be their job to know where you are and your status at all times, where you keep the trophy or plaque and its shipping case, and it will be their job to ship the trophy on to the next most eligible person in case of your death. So it is important that the person selected is someone close to you and is one that is extremely reliable. We recommend a beneficiary of your estate because at the time of your death, that person will be geared to cleaning up all the many details involved. Hopefully the shipping of the trophy will be on his or her list. At the time you get the tontine, a letter will be sent to both you and your contact outlining specific duties involved in keeping the traveling trophy traveling in case of your death.

  At least annually a current roster of Club members ordered by age will be provided to all members. For those attending reunions there is always one there. There is a copy in most issues of the Newsletter also; but the best place to monitor your position on the roster is the Website. Thanks to the dedication of our Webmaster, Jimbo Kinter, that roster is updated within a day or two of any change.

  Before opening up for questions, I want to mention one more important rule. It states that should a new member of the Association or a present member who later decides to join be OLDER than the present holder of the Tontine, his/her name will be placed on the eligibility list immediately AFTER the current holder. We made this rule to prevent Association members from waiting until they were the oldest before joining the Club and thus causing unnecessary turbulence in getting the tontine in the right hands. In fact, in the only handoff of the Trophy to date the trophy WAS handed off from a younger to an older instead of visa versa as intended. In this case, however, there was a good reason for it and the holder happily relinquished the trophy to his elder. To prevent this from happening again, please sign up for the club while here and then just sit back and watch your name go up and down on the list as others join and others pass on.

  Keep in mind that no matter your age you have a statistically even chance to at some time hold the tontine. Of course you younger guys are more apt to get to drink the booze; but either way I can see only advantages in being in the Club. There are no costs connected directly to the Club; you must only keep your Association dues current. And there is no work involved unless you serve on the administrating Committee-and that is voluntary so you can always decline that if asked. Are there any questions or comments? I'd particularly like to hear from those reluctant to join. Perhaps I can clear up any problems or misconceptions.

  Finally, as noted earlier, last year the Club presented a bottle of our French imported signature, Old Fart Red wine to the oldest Association member present. Bob Gunther who was just a few days short of being 89 at the time was the winner and he reported the wine was excellent. This year we decided to do something a little riskier in that we are going to honor our SPOUSES. Instead of the Red we are giving a bottle of our French imported signature, Old Fart's Wife Chardonnay to the oldest wife or widow here at the Reunion. I know it may be hard for some to admit their age but, hopefully, they will be proud of the years they have achieved and will own up to it. Believe me, the wine is worth it. It is a 2005 vintage and that was an excellent year for French Chardonnay. Since a lot of our spouses don't attend these business meetings (and who can blame them?) I'm going to hold off presenting the bottle until the dinner tonight. So you all go back and convince your better halves to own-up to their ages in order that we may present the bottle to the true oldest here!

  Thanks for bearing with me on this. I promise you and Bob Cross that I won't do this much recruiting on company time again for at least 10 more years!!

Gordon Barnes

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