The New England Chapter
of
The Old Antarctic Explorers Association

Membership By State

Chapter Membership Dues

     OAEA-NE By-Laws establish voluntary annual dues of five dollars for each member to help cover the Chapter's administrative expenses.  The fiscal year starts on October 1st with a dues drive.  Dues can be paid in person at a Chapter meeting or mailed directly to Secretary/Treasurer Marty Diller at the mailing address on the OAEA-NE web site "Officers/Contact" page.  Please make out all OAEA-NE checks to "OAEA-NE".  If you have any questions about your dues, please contact Marty Diller.

New England Chapter Spring Meeting

By Marty Diller,
New England Chapter Secretary-Treasurer  

With winter weather fading fast, members of the New England Chapter flocked in droves again this year to the Spring Chapter meeting. Seventy-nine people including 55 members, gathered at the Ivy Garden Restaurant in West Warwick, R.I. Appearances by OAEA President Jim Heffel and guest speaker Ben Koether, Chairman of the Glacier Society, highlighted the meeting's schedule of events.

Chapter Business

The business meeting began with the Pledge of Allegiance - led by Life Member Charlie "CB" Bevilacqua, who keeps these special ceremonial South Pole Station US and POW/MIA flags (flown every Christmas Day at the Pole) while they are on temporary loan to the Chapter from the NSF during the austral winter, and who dutifully provides them for display at Chapter meetings. This particular POW/MIA flag was signed by Senator John McCain (R, AZ) during his visit to Pole in December 2005.

In "New Business", CB Bevilacqua announced that he is collecting used books in good condition to ship to the library at New South Pole Station. The books will be picked up and delivered by the New York Air National Guard's ski-Herk squadron in Scotia, NY. Attendees are asked to bring these books to the Summer Chapter meeting. In other new business, Marty Diller related information on a free slide scanning service available for members of the Antarctican Society. To take advantage of this service, contact Charles Lagerbom at (207) 338-3129, or visit the Society's website at www.antarctican. org. and click on "Slide Scanning Service".

Featured Presentation

Glacier Society Chairman and former USS Glacier Navigator (DF'60, 61), Ben Koether, was the featured speaker for this meeting. Ben presented information on the youth and educational projects ongoing at the Society today. Current programs involve the Society's Arctic Scout, a diesel powered, 39 foot, former U.S. Coast Guard Arctic survey boat and the smaller Arctic Gayle. Meanwhile, with availability of Coast Guard icebreakers at a low point today, Ben is leading a strong effort to have the Glacier restored and brought back for icebreaking duty. The USCG, Homeland Security, DOD and the Navy are all discussing the need, and the Society's Glacier can and will fill part of those requirements.

The Glacier Society, a nonprofit 501(c)3 Educational Foundation, is dedicated to the restoration and operation of the USS / USCGC Icebreaker Glacier in honor of all who have explored the polar regions. For more information, visit their website at www.glaciersociety.org.

Fundraising

Limited-edition, color OAEA-logo belt buckles were again the featured fundraising items at the meeting. OAEA-logo ball caps and polo shirts were also available for sale. In previous Gazettes, owners of buckles 3002-061 were listed. New owners include: Fred Tiscareno (062), Dale Cockrill (063), Fred Santino (064), and Jim Trussell (066).

Distribution of the OAEA-logo belt buckles continues on a first-come basis. Remaining belt buckles can be obtained for $25 plus $4 shipping and handling. To order a belt buckle, please contact Dave Hazard either via phone (207) 353-9068 or email dhazard@gwi.net

Also, the Chapter still has a quantity of Noel Gillespie's original-edition books about VX-VXE-6, "Courage, Sacrifice, and Devotion", and is now selling them for $15.00. A bookplate signed by the author accompanies each book.

A special thanks to "CB" Bevilacqua for his donation of $41 to the Chapter. CB raised this money by offering Antarctic charts and booklets to meeting attendees for a small donation. CB was ably assisted in this fundraising effort by Carolyn Brown.

Meeting Schedule

The Summer OAEA-NE Chapter Meeting is scheduled for 1 PM on Saturday, June 27, 2009, at Princeton Station Restaurant in North Chelmsford, MA.

New England Chapter Elects New Slate of Officers

The New England Chapter of the Old Antarctic Explorers Association conducted its bi-annual election this past summer, which resulted in major changes to the make-up of the Board of Directors. Chapter By-Laws require that the President, Vice-President, and Directors may not be elected to the same office for more than 2 consecutive terms, so out-going President Dave Hazard, who has led the Chapter for 2 terms-ever since the Chapter was formed in November 2004- stepped down for good after the September 20th Chapter meeting. The new Board of Directors consists of President Fred Santino, Vice-President Mike Hall, Director Hoot Hartman, Director Nick Pellegrino, Secretary-Treasurer Marty Diller, and Immediate Past President Dave Hazard. A very respectable 64 percent of Chapter members voted in this election.

During Dave Hazard's tenure as President, the Chapter grew from 66 members in November 2004 to 161 members as of this date. He has doubled as the Chapter Merchandise Coordinator throughout this period, and he will continue with that duty. As Merchandise Coordinator, some of the items he has developed and still sells include OAEA-logo and Chapter-logo polo shirts, OAEA-logo limited edition belt buckles, OAEA-logo ball caps, OAEA penguin lapel pins, OAEA license plate holders. Also, Dave was the Assistant Chairman of the Reunion Committee for the 2006 OAEA National Reunion, which was hosted by the Chapter. Dave is a Retired Navy Aviation Boatswain Senior Chief Petty Officer, and served with the Navy's VXE-6 squadron as a LC-130 Loadmaster during DF '70-74. He continues to sit on the Board of Directors as the Immediate Past President.

Taking over the reins as Chapter President is former Vice-President Fred Santino (VX-6 DF '65 Strip Avionics, DF '66 Strip Ops Coordinator). Fred was appointed to the VP post in March of 2005 when Charlie Verba resigned for personal reasons. In 2006, he was re-elected to the VP post. Fred lives in Arlington, MA. and teaches business management courses at Bunker Hill Community College in Charlestown, MA. Cancer claimed Fred's wife, Ruth Ann in May 2001, and through their exhaustive efforts at gaining treatment, Fred has become an active cancer patient advocate. CBS featured Ruth Ann's story in a May 2001 "60 Minutes" segment. Fred was a member of the 2006 OAEA Warwick Reunion Committee, and is a life member of both the OAEA and the VFW.

The new Chapter Vice-President is Mike Hall (VXE-6 Asst.Loadmaster DF '70-73), who has served as a Chapter Director since April 2006, when former Director Don Leger resigned for personal reasons. Mike and his wife, Paula, live in East Greenwich, Rhode Island. He has worked for Electric Boat since 1979 and is a Production Control Electrical Planner at EB's Quonset Point Facility. He was also a member of the 2006 Reunion Committee.

Replacing Mike Hall as Director is Nick Pellegrino (VXE-6 DF '71-71). Nick and his wife, Mary, live in West Greenwich, Rhode Island. Nick is a retired Warwick Police Lieutenant and a former Chief of Investigations for the RI Fire Marshal Office. Nick is proud to have submitted the VX-6/VXE-6's "Courage, Sacrifice, and Devotion" as the winning entry for the WWPD's slogan contest while he was with the Police Department. Currently, Nick works as an armed security officer at the Newport Grand Sports Club. He has a BS degree in Administration of Justice and an Associate degree in Criminal Justice.

Rounding out the Board of Directors are senior Director Hoot Hartman(who has another 4 years to serve in that post) of Warwick, RI. and Seretary-Treasurer Marty Diller of Brunswick, Maine.

Of note, at the Fall Chapter meeting, members voted to extend the President and Vice-President terms of office to 4 years from 2 in order to reduce expenses (primarily postage) associated with Chapter elections - which are conducted by mail. A by-product of this change also required the extension of Hoot's 4 year term in office by 2 years; his second term as Director was to end in 2010, but with the 2010 Chapter elections eliminated by Chapter meeting vote, he will serve for an extra 2 years. The extension of their terms of office came unexpectedly to the new Board members, but to their credit, they have all taken this sudden change in stride.

     Noel Gillespie was at the 2006 OAEA National Symposium/Reunion signing copies of his book "Courage, Sacrifice, and Devotion". He sold out very quickly leaving many members still wanting copies of his book. The New England Chapter has received signed copies of Noel's book and now has them available for order.

Cost: $15.00 plus shipping.

To order "Courage, Sacrifice, and Devotion"
Please contact Dave Hazard via:
Phone: (207)353-9068 or
Email: Dave Hazard