Summit Old Guard

Come for the Programs . . .

During normal times the Old Guard of Summit New Jersey meets every Tuesday in the Council Meeting Room of the New Providence NJ Municipal Center at 360 Elkwood Ave, New Providence NJ 07974.

* For the duration of the covid-19 shutdown, meetings have moved online as video conferences using Zoom and start at 10:00 AM. Visitors are welcome and may request access by sending an inquiry to [email protected]

Meetings start at 9:30 AM with coffee and socializing (suspended during shutdown). At 10:00 we sit down, maybe sing a song or two, and hear a few jokes & announcements. The invited speaker starts at around 10:15. We ask visitors to arrive by 10:00 AM.

Programs consist of stimulating talks by people such as past governors, mayors, politicians, physicians, Nobel Prize winners, judges, professors, historians, scientists, authors, economists, journalists, financial advisors, medical specialists, conservationists, etc. The subsequent Q&A is lively. Put on your business casual attire or jacket & tie (or something more casual from May to September) and attend a meeting with us. All visitors are welcome. Admission is free.

Stay for the Friends*

After the meetings, many members join together to have lunch at various local restaurants.

In addition to the weekly meetings, there are activity groups for golf, bridge, hiking, trips, computer help, tennis and more.

* Or, as one member put it recently, "Come for the Jokes, Stay for the Talks", since we start each meeting by singing a few songs and enjoying a few jokes :-)

Policy on Weather Cancellations

When New Providence Schools are closed due to weather, the Old Guard meeting is cancelled. New Providence posts closure notices at its school website https://www.npsd.k12.nj.us. We will also post a notice at our website and send an email to members, usually by 7:30 AM

For more information, contact:

James Hewitt, Chairman, Membership Committee (908) 233-5507, [email protected]

On Retiring – A Stimulating Road Ahead

Where will you find a sense of purpose and satisfaction? How will you find mental stimulus and a sense of community? Click on this PDF file to consider an answer to these questions.

Donations to Old Guard are welcome and greatly appreciated (although they are not tax deductible).

September Program Chair – Paul Groom

Sept 7 "Historic Places of Plainfield, New Jersey and the People Behind the Scenes" – Nancy Piwowar, president of the Plainfield Historical Society, provides an overview of Plainfield's role in the Revolutionary War, site of the Blue Hills encampment; Washington Rock, Green Brook; Drake House: Drake family, Caesar, and John Harberger; Muhlenberg Hospital and the Obama connection; Fitz Randolph family; and Evarts Tracy, architect and World War I soldier. Plainfield historic districts are also highlighted. [video]

Sept 14 "Rising from the Ashes—World Trade Center 20 Years After 9/11" – We will mark the 20-year anniversary of 9/11 with a review of the World Trade Center. Peter Rinaldi, retired Port Authority engineer, who worked on its original construction, recovery, and was the general manager overseeing its rebuilding, will talk about pre- and post-9/11, but mostly the rebuilding of the facility and revitalization of the area. One World Trade Center is, again, the tallest building in New York City and the World Trade Center site is an active business center, memorial, and vibrant public space. [no video]

Sept 21 "Institute of Jazz Studies at the Dana Library of Rutgers University" – Vincent Pelote is the senior archivist and digital preservation strategist at the largest jazz library in the world at Rutgers in Newark, New Jersey. Mr. Pelote will describe his work of preserving that most American of cultural endeavors—jazz recordings. He will also describe the development of the Institute and Library from their inception, including the library's treasures and rarities. [video]

Sept 28 "In 1970, Three Friends Take a Trip from New York to San Francisco in a VW Kombi" – Summit resident Marty Alexander climbs aboard a 1960 VW Microbus and learns about the history of cross-country travel and its impact on the culture and zeitgeist of America. In his book, “The Idea,” Marty looks back at a trip taken a half century ago. It is a memoir of his youth and friendships growing up in Brooklyn leading up to the journey, and a tale of what the travelers discovered about the country as it existed at the close of the turbulent 1960s.. [video conference – contact [email protected]]

October Birthdays – Jim Burgmeyer

For speaker photos, visit us on facebook

For videos, visit our YouTube Channel

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