THIS DATE IN HISTORY
On this day in history, April 16th, 1902. It rained.
TODAY’S QUOTE
“It is better to have to have played and lost than never to have played at all.”
---The New York Yankees
OPENING CEREMONY: The opening ceremony was breathtaking. I’m too choked up to talk about it, but you have to take my word for it. It was.
PRAYER AND BENEDICTION: Suffice it to say that The Benediction was inspiring and The Prayer was magnificent beyond words, despite the fact that both Bishop John and his ecclesiastic sidekick, the inestimable Rev. Lee Carozzi, were absent, presumably attending to Things Holy.
CLUB PRESIDENTS REMARKS
President Mark Seiden was eloquent in his opening statements. He introduced our guests and then announced that he had $3.00 left over after paying taxes and that his real estate business has been booming of late. (Ahh, Spring and the budding of dollars!) Dean then flabbergasted us all by pointing out that he has recently lost 20 pounds (We stood and applauded.)
He then called for Community News and was rewarded when Geraldine Mahoney rose to announce that the Briarcliff Library was planning a compost bin sale. She urged us all to attend and to make a purchase.
On May 7th, the local Platform Tennis Courts, President Seiden said, will be officially named the “Ernie Pacchiana Platform Tennis Courts.” (I was too choked up to observe it, but I am told that several members of our Club broke out in tears.)
The president then went on to remind us of the Upcoming Membership Drive… On June 25th we will brainstorm about people to invite to be potential members. On July 9th, we will disperse after lunch and speak to potential members, inviting them to meetings on July 16th and 23rd at which we will have motivational speakers, Carlo Pelligrini (juggler) and Bart Oats (football Giant) speakers.
He then introduced our speaker, Mr. Ben Cornelius, a structural engineer who spoke to us interestingly on the subject of “Engineering Art in Culture.”
OUR SPEAKER, Mr. Cornelius was very, very good. He started out by giving us an intriguing review of the History of Architecture--going back to the time of the Industrial Revolution and then went on to distinguish between the wide gap existing between architecture and “putting up something.” (There’s a mammoth difference between the Two.) He continued by calling our attention to The Trade Center Disaster and what actually happened on that fateful day when it came crashing down, devastated by a planned plane-crash, and ending up in smithereens. It was a miracle that even more people were not killed.
Mr. Cornelius was most interesting We should have more speakers like him (Congratulations, Sy, for finding him.)
WINNER OF THE DRAWING
The winner was—drum roll, please--ME (High fives all around and loud, lusty cheers)
MEETING CONCLUSION
The meeting ended precisely at 1:30. Glutted and hopeful, we returned to our homes and businesses, satisfied with an hour or two well spent.
Don Wilde, for the Briar-Crier
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