AU Help a Beginner                    NEWSLETTER                 March 2005

    Hello and Greetings from Central Oregon. 

   Firstly may I welcome the new members who are receiving a newsletter for the first time. This is your newsletter and if you would like to contribute by an article a photo or anything that you may find interesting please let me have it, and then I can include it. Pictures are published at the end of the Newsletter under Photo Call. 

CONGRATULATIONS 

   I would like to start this newsletter off my congratulating all who sent results in for 2004. It was very obvious to me that everyone worked very hard and some spectacular results were submitted to us for calculation. Please click on the following link for The Roll Of Honor.http://www.redroselofts.com/help_a_beginner.htm 

A NOTE FOR OUR MENTORS 

        Once again may I thank you all for the tremendous work in 2004, without you guys this program would not be possible.  I am already receiving enquiries for the 2006 program and I am looking to recruit more experienced flyers who can step up to the plate and work with a Beginner. Please pass the word out amongst your friends and Club Mates. 

CLOCKS 

   The AU is currently appealing for used clocks to be held in a Bank at the Offices in Oklahoma City. These clocks will be loaned out to Beginners to help out over their first couple of years when we all know this is the most expensive time for a new starter.  If you have a clock for donation or you are a Beginner in need of a loaner clock please contact Karen Clifton at aupromo@aol.com   Thank you. 

BIRDS ON OFFER TO BEGINNERS 

   Once again I am pleased to offer birds which have been donated to the program by some gracious flyers 

   Mr. Frank Esposito of New Jersey is breeding a round of young birds to be given out to beginners.  I believe these birds will be ready around April lst Please e-mail Frank at cthomash@optonline.net.  Frank is a top flyer on the East Coast, but does not fly young birds any longer due to hosting The East Coast Challenge One Loft Race. 

   Once again our good friend Rick Marchal of The South West Challenge will be donating the birds not required back by the breeders after the race.  If you would like to get on his “Beginners” list and enjoy some great fun with his draft selections please e-mail Rick at rmarchal@infowest.com  

       My Oregon friend Mr. Kyle Drovie has several 2004 birds, which he has kindly donated to the program, please contact Kyle at kd2985@msn.com . 

   My good friend and HAB Mentor Bob Boltz of Ohio will be breeding extra young birds to donate to beginners please contact Bob at bmboltz@juno.com  

   Tammy from The American Homing Pigeon Institute informed me that there are still a few birds at our disposal from The Gold Band Donation.Please e-mail Tammy at pigeoncenter@aol.com  

   We have several more futurity races helping us out again this year, including The Highlander One Loft Futurity for the third year, The Lou McElroy on Loft Futurity Race and The Colorado Gold Rush. Details of how to apply for these birds will be sent out later in the year 

RED ROSE LOFTS – BEHIND CLOSED DOORS. 

I often wonder what other pigeon flyers do besides Pigeon Fly. 

    Steve and I have many other interests we like to participate in when we get the chance.  My main other hobby is crochet work; at present I am working on my entries for the Local County Fairs. In my younger days I was a very keen Motorcyclist preferring to ride The Old Brits such as BSA Triumph and Velocette Most of my working life in England was spent in the Construction Industry working for a Housing Development Company.  One of my duties was to arrange and furnish our Show Homes, which lead to my interest in Interior Design.  Before I left England I was working on a Design degree never dreaming that I would live in America I chose the American Art Deco Period and the works of Frank Lloyd Wright for my chosen specialty’s also like to read and dabble in Military History.    

   When Steve graduated he joined the Navy and did two tours of duty in Vietnam as a Plane Captain aboard the carrier USS Constellation, during his time in the Navy he gained his pilots license. Steve has participate in may activities before the pigeons came along which included building and racing drag cars, bench rest shooting, constructing a large model railway system, snowboarding and riding several Harley Davidsons (UM!!!)  After leaving the Navy Steve went to work for Texaco at their Refinery in Anacortes WA and was with the company 29 years before his retirement in 2002. 

   Besides the pigeons we have several pets.  We have two Australian Cow Dogs, Sophie our 3-year-old female is a Kelpie and Whiskey our two-year-old Male is a Blue Heeler, I have a Green Parakeet named Garbage Guts and we have several Koi in our backyard pond. 

   Together we are great Base Ball Fans and support Seattle Mariners although I have a liking for the Yankees and Steve, The Boston Red Sox. We love to travel especially to futurity races and every year we look forward to meeting our old friends and making new ones. But most of all we LOVE picking on each other 24 hours a day.!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Our Trip to Boston

   We traveled to Boston on January 13^th to attend the marriage of our dear friend and HAB Mentor Mr. Frank McLaughlin to his lovely lady Robin. 

   We left home with good intentions of doing the sites in Boston and visiting with our friends out there.  These hopes were dashed to a certain extent when it took United Airlines 26 hours to get us there. We can understand fully that flights can be delayed and diverted through bad weather, but when “The Trolley Dollies” (flight Attendants) abandoned us in St. Pails we were a little put out to say the least we were then dumped at O’Hare Airport at one in the Morning and we had to spend a very uncomfortable night at the Airport. We spent Friday with our good buddy John Sampson, visiting his lofts and enjoying a great Italian Meal with his dear good Lady Janice. 

   One of Steve’s lifelong ambitions was to see Fenway Park and The Big Green Monster. Early Saturday morning our friend and 2004 Beginner Joey Parady collected us at the Hotel.  After a hearty breakfast we spent some time with Frank McLaughlin at his lofts, Joey and Frank were partners in 2004.  Joey received a beautiful son of The End as a gift from Frank. 

   After we left Mac Lofts we drove into the City through parts of the “Big Dig” to The Fenway Park Area. Joey introduced us to Dunkin Do Nuts before we made the visitor tour of the Ballpark. The Big Green Monster lived up to our expectations and it was so nice to see a Ball Park with so much history. 

   Saturday Evening was “The Main Event” and it was a tremendously exciting occasion.  Everything was perfection and it was so nice to meet members of the family and Pigeon Folks from the Boston Area. On Sunday morning we breakfasted with Mr.Keith Williams, President of The Boston Concourse and of course I took the opportunity of recruiting Keith to the Program, welcome Keith.  After a tremendous Sunday Brunch with the family and friends we all went our separate ways taking home some taking home some wonderful memories and in my case the worse dose of flu I have ever suffered in my life. 

PHOTO CALL 

Frank and Robin Cutting the cake.

 

 

 

Colin and Ronda Mariani-Haworth My elder son and daughter in law.

 

 

Joey Parady and me with the Big Green Monster in the background. BTW I’m the little one.

 

 

2004 team of Frank McLaughlin and Joey Parady. 

Well folks that’s about all for now other than to say if you have any problems whatsoever, please do not hesitate to contact me. 

Take care

Enjoy your Pigeons 

Linda