ILLIANA NEWS

FEBRUARY 2007                                       ISSUE 2

 

MEETING:

The 2nd meeting of 2007 for the Illiana Antique Power Association will be held on Feb.  19th at 6:30 P.M. at the clubhouse.  We will begin with our usual carry-in dinner, so bring a dish to pass.

The Building Committee will present their projected five year plan for the club;  all members are encouraged to attend.  Let’s continue to add to our mowing fund with the merchandise drawing and  bring something for the table.

 

PINE CREEK AND WESTERN RAILROAD:

Members met in December and discussed: Safety, hauling the public, grade crossing at the club ground’s entrance, track work, grass cutting, painting some parts of the equipment, possibility of constructing, borrowing or renting rider cars during the Illiana Show and History Day, rider platform at upper loop, visiting other tracks and the possibility of having an invitational run in the future.

Charlie Lupinek

 

ROCKY FORGE BLACKSMITH’S:

The blacksmiths met at Ted’s shop for the January meeting with 22 attending.  Three guests were present and we hope for their return as members.  The day was spent learning about scrolls, how to design them and build the tooling to make them.  Before the day ended, several members were making scrolls.  The February 10th  meeting will be at 9:00 A.M. in Ted’s shop and we will focus on the design and construction of a metal sign for the guild to put out when we are demonstrating at various places such as the Illiana Show, Independence, State Fair, Gaithers Fall Festival or Eteljorg Museum.  Having a sign will allow people to find us and others to identify us.

Ted Stout

 

NOTE:

We have been very fortunate to get our newsletter printed without any cost to the club.  That is how we have been able to include the minutes from the previous meetings.  But, we’ve been informed that we have to limit it to one sheet.  So, unless we take it to a photo copy store, this will be the last letter to have the minutes included.  We will have a discussion at the meeting to decide what to do.  If you are unable to attend the meeting please send your comments to: 

steamers@localnet.com

 

REMINDER: MEMBERSHIP DUES FOR 2007 ARE DUE NOW.

 

 

       TO ALL THE KIDS WHO SURVIVED THE

                  1930'’s, 40's, 50's, 60's and 70's!!

                                                  Submitted by:    Alan Stutler

     First, we survived being born to mothers who smoked and/or drank while they were pregnant.  They took aspirin, ate blue cheese dressing, tuna from a can, and didn’t get tested for diabetes.

     Then after that trauma, we were put to sleep on our tummies in baby cribs covered with bright colored lead-based paints.

     We had no child-proof lids on medicine bottles, doors or cabinets and when we rode our bikes, we had no helmets, not to mention, the risks we took hitchhiking.

     As infants & children, we would ride in cars with no car seats, booster seats, seat belts or air bags.  Riding in the back of a pick-up on a warm day was always a special treat.

     We drank water from the garden hose and NOT from a bottle.  We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle and NO ONE actually died from this.

     We ate cupcakes, white bread and real butter and drank kool-ade made with sugar, but we weren’t over-weight because WE WERE ALWAYS OUTSIDE PLAYING!

     We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the streetlights came on.  No one was able to reach us all day.  And, we were O.K.!

     We would spend hours building our go-carts out of scraps and then ride down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes.  After running into the bushes a few times, we learned to solve the problem.

     We did not have Playstations, Nintendo’s, X-boxes, no video games at all,  no 150 channels on cable, no video movies or DVD’s, no surround-sound or CD’s, no cell phones, no personal computers, no Internet or chat rooms......!!  We had friends and we went outside and found them.

     We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth and there were no lawsuits from these accidents.  We were given BB guns for our 10th birthdays, made games with sticks and tennis balls and, although we were told it would happen, we did not put out very many eyes.

     We rode bikes or walked to a friend’s house and knocked on the door or rang the bell, or just walked in and talked to them.

     Little league had tryouts and not everyone made the team.  Those who didn’t had to learn to deal with the disappointment.....Imagine that!!

     The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law was unheard of.  They actually sided with the law.

     These generations have produced some of the best risk-takers, problem solvers and inventors ever!  The past 50 years have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas.  We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned how to deal with it all!!   If you are one of them....CONGRATULATIONS!

 

KIND OF MAKES YOU WANT TO RUN THROUGH THE HOUSE WITH SCISSORS, DOESN’T IT??

 

The quote of the month by Jay Leno: “With hurricanes, tornados, fires out of control, mud slides, flooding, severe thunderstorms tearing up the country from one end to another, and with the threat of bird flu and terrorist attacks; Are we sure this is a good time to take GOD out of the Pledge of Allegiance?”


 

 

  FROM OUR PRESIDENT:

 

HELLO TO ALL,

 

     I can’t believe January is gone already.  I know one thing and that is that time didn’t pass this quickly when I was sitting in school some years ago!  A big THANK YOU to each and everyone that attended our January meeting on such a cold, rainy evening.  As always, the food was great!  Thanks also to all the volunteers that agreed to undertake their various tasks during our 2007 show.  Exciting News!!  It was announced at our January meeting that our five year planning committee would present their plans and recommendations at our February meeting.  This is even ahead of schedule and I take this opportunity to thank them for their time and efforts devoted to the betterment of our show and grounds.  Mark your calendars and attend our February meeting. 

 

     ATTENTION ALL DIRECTORS;  I want to have a directors meeting following the adjournment of our February meeting. 

 

     SEE YOU IN FEBRUARY!

 

     Tom Swanson

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SINCERE SYMPATHY:

Our sympathy goes to members Dick Fountain and Denny Olin.  Both Dick and Denny’s mothers have recently passed away.  Our thoughts and prayers are with them at this time of loss.

 

Remember to check our web site: illianaantiquepower.com