.Summer is here! Go kayaking or standup paddle boarding guided by the most enthusiastic, inspiring ganger, Jacky G. Get on your bikes and feel the wind as you gaze at the blue ocean or the banks of the San Gabriel River. Have you ever done a CicLAvia? See our city in a most interesting way; always a fun, interesting event
Coming soon is a night out at the Hollywood Bowl thanks to Fred T. August 9th is our annual picnic, which will be partially catered. It is at a new beautiful location.
On a slightly more serious note I have to say that I was disappointed by the tiny response to our “Free Lunch” Board meeting in May. You would have had a chance to see your board and all the activity leaders working so hard for all of us. You could have added you comments, suggestions etc. Planning for the picnic and Fall Gala has been going on for months. All activities are always planed far in advance. Carl M. has our winter ski trips ready to go!
Soon we will have elections and all of you will be able to participate in the decision whether or not to change our name from “Over” to “On”. You will have the board’s reasoning in detail with the next newsletter.
Have a great summer and PARTICIPATE in your club’s guidance.
Al
Happy post-Gala to all Gangers. You have voted, and we are now the On the Hill Gang Los Angeles. I never lost faith that you would all vote—all 62 of you—but the vote went according to our Bylaws and it stands .
I would like to thank again all our wonderful volunteers for their creative and arduous work on our behalves. Personally, I had a glorious time at Asilomar and Cambria—biking, hiking, touring and dining with my wonderful fellow Gangers. This letter is too short to thank and name each person as I tried to do at the Gala, so I will end hereHappy Holidays to all of my fellow On the Hill Gang members. On Sunday, December 11, over fifty of us gathered for our annual December party at Wanda Y.’s recreation room. What a boisterous fun-loving group we were. Conversation and libation flowed even though the hour was early. The food from Stonefire Grill was delicious and the leftovers were happily taken home in provided containers. Eight members won large, beautiful poinsettia centerpieces to take home to add to their holiday décor. There were several new members at the party, and we welcomed them all. Our club is growing, but there is room for many more, so spread the word. Special thanks to Audrey J. and her hard-working crew for making the party a wonderful success. As always, it takes several months of coordination to achieve this result.
I am writing this message on July 4, which is a bit early for the August-September newsletter. Sometimes necessity demands flexibility, even though by the time you read this I will have turned 77 and will be even less flexible than ever
Two weeks ago our members, along with four VCOTHG, enjoyed a wonderful Sunday social at the beautiful home of DB L. As always, great wine, appetizers and conversation prevailed. Thursday, July 2, thirty Gangers, led by ever-capable Fred T., enjoyed an incredible outing and picnic at the Hollywood Bowl. Smokey Robinson plus fireworks were outstanding. In a couple more weeks we will enjoy our annual picnic, and soon after an evening picnic and concert arranged by Gary C.
Now, thinking of October, the Fall Gala has already been planned and all who attend will be rewarded with excellent food, entertainment and camaraderie. Finally, I predict that El Niño will strike in late September; so keep those legs strong for skiing. Thanks, A
It’s hard to imagine that we are halfway through the year already. OHGLA members have been busy with skiing, bike rides, hiking, urban adventures and kayaking. Thank you to all the activity leaders who make these all possible for us to enjoy. And special thanks to Rose Marie Tashima who gets the word out.
The rest of the year is equally full of activities. We have a wonderful group outing planned to the Hollywood Bowl. More than 25 people will be attending. Our annual picnic is coming up in August. Hope to see many of you there.
As you know, our long time member and former president, D B Lion, passed away recently. OHGLA has made a donation to the Unrecables (a ski club for disabled skiers), a club dear to her heart in her memory.
Our annual meeting and elections will be in the fall. We have candidates to fill each open position.
At our last Board meeting, there was interest expressed in travel options as a group. I have agreed to start and chair a committee to investigate, arrange and organize a group trip for OHGLA. If you are interested in participating in this committee, please email me at annettemann@sbcglobal.net.
Many of our members will be traveling this summer. Odette Ricasa will be off to Pakistan, I am headed to Europe, and our secretary, Ed Newhall, just came back from Iceland. Happy and safe travels to all.
Stay healthy, stay active.
Annette
I just came back from an incredible journey to Antarctica. It truly is a trip of a lifetime. Imagine an entire continent unspoiled by man’s tinkering. Imagine a continent of ice and rock yet teeming with life - penguins, whales, seals, birds. Imagine in the world of ice an active volcanic caldera, with sand warm to the touch. I get goosebumps just thinking about it. But now, I am back in Los Angeles, a city where almost every inch has been altered by man, with the aim of “improving on nature” but more often, a city destructive of nature. Yet, amid all the development, there remain pockets of nature’s wonders.
And that’s where OHGLA comes in. Most of our activities seek out those pockets, skiing or snowshoeing in Mammoth, hiking nature trails around Los Angeles and Orange County, kayaking in the local waters, biking along the beach. I’ve always thought about OHGLA as a club focused on activities, but I realize that we are an organization focused on exploring nature’s bounty in our own neighborhood. How wonderful to have a group of friends and share in these explorations. We have a fabulous year ahead of us to do just that. Many adventures are already planned. Many more will follow. So, please check the calendar; come to our activities. Bring your friends. Participate by leading our adventures. Let’s make 2020 OHGLA’s best year ever. I hope to see you soon.
