FEDERAL LUNCH JULY 2011

Congratulations to all that made the effort to brave the July heat to be with our fellow Federal Retirees. My gratitude also goes to the Telephone Committee, Linda Gardener, Kay Seemiller, Lee Sherman and Mary Araya; and of course all the spouses. The conversations that I was aware of appeared to be simulating and encouraging. The lunches are an attempt to foster friendships and build lasting relationships among the members of the NARFE ORMOND Beach Chapter 2247.

Now, please enjoy the accompanying video.

REDISTRICTING

NARFE 2247 NEWS #37 stated that once every decade the States have a chance to change the shape of the Congressional Districts based on voting population. This is the year for Redistricting. A public hearing will be held at the News Journal Center at Daytona State College on Tuesday, July 12, 2011 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Some of our Ormond Beach Chapter members attended that meeting. An article “Voters seek compact districts” appeared the next day on the front page of the News Journal. Mr. Derek Catron did an excellent job of reviewing the Redistricting meeting. I hope you all had a chance to read his article.

There are two types of districts, Congressional and State Districts. Volusia voters have been divided into three Congressional and four State Senate and six State House districts. Thus right within our Ormond Beach Chapter we have two different Representatives representing us in the US Congress and it could be three in the future. More is not better! Less in this case is better. For example John Mica lives in Winter Park (suburb of Orlando and78 miles away from us). We all know his interests are in trains and big business. By the way John didn’t think what Volusia people had to say was important enough to attend the meeting the other night in Daytona.

The Congressional districts are in a mess, but the State districts are even worse, if that is possible. Deltona is divided up into two US Congressional districts, two State Senate, and four State House districts.

The most glaring problem at the Tuesday meeting was that the politicians were not prepared. They had nothing but excuses. The people came hoping to see at least suggestions, if not plans.

We went away disappointed.

CAFE 101 JUNE 29, 2011

NARFE 2247 NEWS #38

The location for the July Lunch has changed. We will meet at Giovanni’s Italian Restaurant on Monday, July 18, 2011, at 11:30 a.m. Giovanni’s is where the Red Lobster Restaurant had formally been and where the Chapter met for over ten years.

The address for new members is 2735 N Atlantic Ave, Daytona Beach.

Please, inform me of your intent to attend by clicking REPLY and then SEND.

REDISTRICTING: Congressional Districts

NARFE 2247 NEWS #37

Once every decade the States have a chance to changes in the shape of the

Congressional Districts based on voting population. This is the year for Redistricting.

This summer, Florida legislators are holding public hearings statewide to gather

public input on “redistricting”. In the past the politicians chose their voters

rather than the public choosing the makeup of the Congressional District the way

the Constitution intended.

This summer, we have the chance to change that or at least provide public

pressure on the politicians to change their ways.

Please plan to attend a public hearing at the News Journal Center at Daytona

State College on Tuesday, July 12, 2011 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Even if you don’t

reserve a place on the agenda attend the hearing anyway and be informed. Your

presents alone will make a necessary impression.

Please plan to attend a public hearing July 12th. and urge legislators to

provide draft redistricting plans for response from the public.

To RSVP click on the following link:

http://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Redistricting/RSVP/07-12-2011-Daytona%20Beach

OR

Copy and paste the above link into your web browser's "address" window.

If you make a reservation to attend, please inform me of your intention.

~ An Ode to America ~

The following was sent to me by a Chapter 2247 member. My only comment is that I hope an outsider made this Observation. Whether it came from the outside or not doesn’t really matter. The words stand by themselves.

We rarely get a chance to see another country's editorial about the USA.


Read this excerpt from a Romanian Newspaper. The article was written by Mr. Cornel Nistorescu and published under the title 'C'ntarea Americii, meaning 'Ode To America ') in the Romanian newspaper Evenimentulzilei 'The Daily Event' or 'News of the Day'.

~ An Ode to America ~


Why are Americans so united? They would not resemble one another even if you painted them all one color! They speak all the languages of the world and form an astonishing mixture of civilizations and religious beliefs.

On 9/11, the American tragedy turned three hundred million people into a hand put on the heart. Nobody rushed to accuse the White House, the Army, or the Secret Service that they are only a bunch of losers. Nobody rushed to empty their bank accounts. Nobody rushed out onto the streets nearby to gape about.

Instead the Americans volunteered to donate blood and to give a helping hand.

After the first moments of panic , they raised their flag over the smoking ruins, putting on T-shirts, caps and ties in the colors of the national flag. They placed flags on buildings and cars as if in every place and on every car a government official or the president was passing. On every occasion, they started singing: 'God Bless America !'

I watched the live broadcast and rerun after rerun for hours listening to the story of the guy who went down one hundred floors with a woman in a wheelchair without knowing who she was, or of the Californian hockey player, who gave his life fighting with the terrorists and prevented the plane from hitting a target that could have killed other hundreds or thousands of people.

How on earth were they able to respond united as one human being? Imperceptibly, with every word and musical note, the memory of some turned into a modern myth of tragic heroes. And with every phone call, millions and millions of dollars were put into collection aimed at rewarding not a man or a family, but a spirit, which no money can buy. What on earth unites the Americans in such way? Their land? Their history? Their economic Power? Money? I tried for hours to find an answer, humming songs and murmuring phrases. With the risk of sounding commonplace, I thought things over, I reached but only one conclusion... Only freedom can work such miracles.


Cornel Nistorescu

It took a person on the outside - looking in - to see what we take for granted!

GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!

CECE'S 93rd. BIRTHDAY