Come for the Programs . . .
* Since the Covid shutdown ended, we have been running in-person meetings with "hybrid" access by Zoom. To join by Zoom send a request to [email protected]
Meetings start at 9:30 AM with coffee and socializing. At 10:00 we sit down, sing a song or two, and hear a few jokes & announcements. The day's invited speaker starts at around 10:30. Visitors are asked to arrive by 10:00 AM to sign in.
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 follow-up 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
During very bad weather or when the NPPC is unavailable to us, our meetings simply move online with Zoom. We will post a notice at this website and send an email to members.
For more information:
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).
Dues are $55 a year with a $10 early-payment discount, and can be paid using this dues link.
January Program Chair - Rich Lander
- Jan 6 - U.S. Civil War: Causes and Comparisons to Today – Rich Lander Old Guard member Rich Lander is a great grandson of John R. Lander, a Union soldier. John emigrated from Germany,enlisted with an Illinois regiment at age 14, and was a soldier for the duration of the war. Generations of the Lander family since then have been interested in and studied the Civil War and have been members of the SUVCW (Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War). His presentation will describe the events leading to the Civil War, including cultural, political, economic, and military. Attendees may recognize parallels to current events. [in-person and on Zoom]
- Jan 13 - A Brief, Selective, Personal View of the Apollo Program: What Did We Do? How Did We Do It? – Dr. Dean Eppler The Apollo Program was one of the seminal engineering and science achievements of the 20th century, one which completely changed our perception of the history of our planet, and what it was possible to do with space travel. However, many of the achievements and difficulties have fallen into the “fog of history,” are poorly remembered and often inaccurately portrayed in popular media. Dr. Dean Eppler will concentrate on the areas he thinks are key to the success of the missions and discuss Apollo’s accomplishments and continuing contribution to human spaceflight. Dr. Eppler is a retired NASA scientist with over 35 years of experience in human spaceflight. He has a broad background, including Apollo Program history, advanced space suit systems engineering and testing, facility development for the International Space Station, training the astronaut group in field geology, and making the astronaut selection in 1990,1996, and 1998. [in-person and on Zoom}
- Jan 20 - New Jersey Volunteer EMS: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow – Howard Meyer is a past president of the EMS (Emergency Medical Services) Council of New Jersey, the largest association of volunteer squads in the country. Prior to that he served as volunteer legislative director for the council for over 20 years. Among the offices he has held in his squad are president and chief. He has served with volunteer squads in rural, suburban, and urban environments in NJ since 1971. Howard will describe how the volunteer EMS system began, the changes and advances made through the years, and the volunteers’ importance to the New Jersey EMS system. He will cover some of the most notable state and local events, as well as the challenges local volunteer squads face moving forward. [in-person and on Zoom]
- Jan 27 - The Forgotten Victory Trail: The Battles of Springfield and Connecticut Farms – Bob Gula is a trustee of the Forgotten Victory Trail Association and is the education officer of the West Fields Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution. He is also the patriotic instructor of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War and is a member of the General Society of Mayflower Descendants. The Forgotten Victory Trail explores one of America's most overlooked Revolutionary chapters in the brutal campaigns of 1780 in NJ, when burning towns, secret networks, and fierce local resistance helped turn the tide of the war. The Battles of Springfield and Connecticut Farms in June 1780 were critical in the defense of New Jersey (and Washington’s forces in Morristown) and in the weakening of the British forces ahead of the Battle of Yorktown. [in-person and on Zoom]
February Birthday emcee: Mort O'Shea
For speaker photos, visit us on facebook
For an archive of videos of past meetings,
