New Blog Created For the 134 Gang....
When I retired from The Post and Courier newspaper in 2004, I was invited to join the
P&C Retirees Group.
I did become a member.
It's been fun to meet quarterly (Jan/Apr/July/Oct) on the last Friday for lunch and BS sessions.
I must have missed a meeting a few years back.
Now I am the one who makes the lunch plans and sends out the meeting notices.
Memo to self: Don't miss meetings.
My first quarter or two we met at Ryan's in West Ashley.
Then, for about 5-6 years, at the grille next to the Shrine Club on Patriot's Point.
Last year that grille closed and we moved up Highway 17 to the Liberty Taproom and Grille.
Every three months I would prepare to announce the upcoming meeting.
I have learned to NOT mail the postcard until the evening of the Friday before. I forgot once a few showed up a week early.
A Friday is a Friday when you're retired.
About 60 postcards go out and 20 notices are emailed electronically.
I have watched postage climb over the years.
Wish everyone had access to computers with the joy - and ease - of email.
MUCH easier for me.
At the Liberty, the General Manager Michael Ball and our server T.J., arranged the tables the way I requested.
We have had as many as 25 show up for a quarterly lunch and as few as 7.
Retired people don't bother with RSVP so every time attendance is a surprise.
This time there were 15 of us and a few new faces were in the crowd.
One of the newcomers suggested we post some pictures of the group so other members would see what they were missing.
Not a bad idea.
I had my camera - of course - and was taking pictures.
When I got home I created a new blog for the
Retirees Group. Click on the link if you want to see more.
Because the newspaper was at 134 Meeting Street for many decades, when the new plant opened further uptown, it was numbered as 134 Columbus Street.
I proposed changing the name of the retirees group to the
134 Gang and it was approved.
We actually could sing "
Hail, hail, the gang's all here" if everyone showed up.
(Click on the photos for more details.)
Yes, you noticed the dreaded fisheye lens followed me to the meeting.
They were impressed.
Well, that's what they said to my face.
Thanks for stopping by.
Labels: fisheye lens effect, GM Michael Ball, Liberty Tap Room and Grill, postcard postage rates, retirees group, Ryan's, T.J., the 134 Gang, The Post and Courier
Taking Liberty With A Meeting.....
I retired from
The Post and Courier newspaper about 71/2 years ago.
Shortly after my last days working down on Columbus Street, I was invited to join a group of other retirees at a quarterly luncheon. They had been doing this for years.
My first time was at
Ryan's in West Ashley and there was a nice group of men, many of whom I recognized. Lots of food. Good company.
Looking around, I asked if no ladies had ever retired from the paper and was told they had a "ladies only" group.
About a year later, I was informed the quarterly gathering had moved to East Cooper to the
The Point Sports Bar & Grill next to the Shrine on Patriot's Point.
Somehow during the next several years I must have missed a meeting. Now I was in charge of setting them up every three months.
Rule of thumb: don't
ever miss a meeting.
At last October's lunch, we were told the restaurant would be closing so we started looking around for a new site. We had several months to check for a good one.
The
Liberty Tap Room (formerly TBonz) in Mt. Pleasant was the choice and looks like we'll be happy there.
I worked with Kelly to book the space and she said we'd have the downstairs Raw Bar as a private room.
Didn't really know how many would show up (I taped a note with directions to the front door of the closed restaurant we had been using).
The General Manager
James Romano was kind enough to have tables moved around so we would be clustered together for easier conversation. Our server was Chris who did a fine job.
That's really why we gather ..to reminisce and find out what's been going on with each other. And to enjoy a great lunch.
It was a beautiful sunny Friday and the turnout was above average. Several wives came along and sat together for lunch in the main restaurant.
I had e-mailed the meeting announcement - with directions to the new site - to about 25 members and sent postcards to the other 60 members.
Computer usage is not common across the board.
A few years ago we changed the name to
THE 134 GANG.
That was the street address for the paper when it was on Meeting Street for many years and the number selected when it moved to Columbus Street.
The Gang has a new hangout.
(Click on the photos - twice - for more detail.)
This is the
498th posting on my blog and I'm starting to focus on the 500th.
The first posting was March 2006.
Labels: James Romano, Liberty Tap Room and Grill, Ryan's, TBonz, the 134 Gang, The Point Sports Bar and Grill. Post and Courier Retirees Group
