Snowbirds Living in the Philippines : Dodie Katague will be the Guest Speaker of Sons in Retirement( SIR)

Saturday, December 27, 2014

Dodie Katague will be the Guest Speaker of Sons in Retirement( SIR)

My oldest son, Dodie will be the guest speaker of SIR( Walnut Creek Branch) this coming January 8, 2015 ( see announcement at bottom of the page). This is the first time I heard of this organization, Sons in Retirement, so I was curious and googled it. The following is information I found in the web. There is a branch here in the Sacramento area # 69. I am interested in joining the group if they have a duplicate bridge group since I do not play golf.

Who we are and what we do...

As they say in New Orleans,"Laissez les bons temps Rouler". Let the good times roll. Fun is what we're all about.

We are Branch 146 of Sons in Retirement (SIR), part of a larger organization with branches in many communities in Central and Northern California. The purpose of SIR is to provide opportunities for retired men to socialize. The number of members in Branch 146 is about 270 - large enough to provide opportunities for members to renew old friendships and to develop new friends by participating in any number of many activities that might be of interest to them. Branch 146 holds its luncheons in the Boundary Oak Golf Course Clubhouse in Walnut Creek on the 2nd Thursday of the month.

Branch 146 members are a congenial group of guys. A lot of friendships have been formed over the years since the branch's inception in 1988. Energy and a willingness to contribute to the good of the branch are personal qualities that have been dominant factors in our steady growth.

Golfing remains the largest activity, involving half the membership. Foursomes for regular Tuesday golf are selected randomly using an innovative computer program, which ensures that members play with different players each week. In addition, there are many "away golf" outings throughout the year, some of which include golfers from other branches. Bowling is another activity. Our bowlers participate in a larger bowling league and in state and other local tournaments. Bocce ball, table pool, duplicate bridge, party bridge, and cribbage are also part of the branch's activities scheduled once or twice per month. Many other social groups round out the weekly and monthly social calendars, including four cooking groups, fishing, gardening, investment, four poker groups, SongSirs, theater, veterans, and walkers. Importantly, members' spouses and significant others participate in special social activities including scheduled dances, couples' bridge, ladies day luncheons, wine tasting events, and travel both domestically and internationally.

The Sons in Retirement organization and especially SIR Branch 146 is, at least in the hearts and minds of its members, second to none!

• SIR 146 Monthly Luncheon -- 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Jan. 8. Guest speaker will be Deputy District Attorney Dodie Katague, head of High Tech Crimes Unit of the Contra Costa County District Attorney's Office, speaking about "High Tech Crimes." Katague is an expert in the field of high crime and white collar crime and has prosecuted these types of crimes since 2000 for the DA's office. Katague has a nationwide reputation within the law enforcement community and has authored legislation in California related to high-tech issues. Clubhouse at Boundary Oak, 3800 Valley Vista Road, Walnut Creek. $25. Reservations by Jan. 2. 925-937-3833, www.sir146.com.

No comments:

Joys of Retirement

I have been retired from USFDA since 2002. At first, I feel I have lost my identity as an individual or have lost my contribution to society. However, within a few weeks all these feelings were gone. It started when my wife and I started baby sitting one of our grandchildren. As some economics professor states: "Your children are your capital investments, but your grandchildren are your profits. That is why you love your grandchildren more than your children". I really agree with the statement. Retirement also gives you lots of time to do things you like to do, such as your hobbies and of course travel. In my case, I turned my hobby of gardening and landscaping into a small business in the Philippines. This endeavor was planned about five years before 2002. That year my wife and I started construction of our retirement home in Boac, Marinduque , Philippines. The next year we built a beach house, followed by a Conference Hall two years later. Needless to say, planning and executing the landscaping was a challenge and very enjoyable. With the help of local labor, I not only enjoy the time gardening and landscaping, but also help improved the economic situation of the province by providing work and jobs to the local residents. With plenty of time, I have engaged into two specific activities as follows: First, I created a website for my small business. By trial and error, I created and design the website, www.chateaudumer.com I have never been a computer nerd or expert. But with plenty of time and patience, the fruits of my labor could be enjoyed if you visit the website above. The second activity, I have not done before was to utilize on-line activities, such as shopping, paying bills ( save you stamps) and playing computer games in the Internet. I really enjoyed playing duplicate bridge on line. You play with players all over the world and can chat in between games. But be careful, you are not spending too much time in the computer. It is very addictive. With a lots of time, my wife and I devoted more time on our favorite humanitarian project. For the last 15 years, we have been involved with medical mission to the province of Marinduque. For details please visit the website: www.marinduqueinternational.org As a summary, the joy one gets on retirement is very specific for an individual. Some enjoy their free time by learning new activities, getting involved with humanitarian projects or spending more time with their grandchildren. Others hate it, since they missed their former jobs and co-workers. Others with no children still enjoy retirement by traveling, turning their hobbies into business or more community involvement. Of course those that retire and hate it, is believe to die earlier than those that enjoy their retirement years. So, plan your retirement as early as you can. The happier you are on retirement, the longer you will live.