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.
Note: For the present, in-person attendance requires full Covid vaccination. Face masks are optional.
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 following 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.
October Program Chair – Roger Walker
- Oct 7 – Four Hundred Years of History in Six Miles – Our returning speaker Daniel Bernier is director of Park Planning and Environmental Services int Union County. Dan will take us on a virtual trip along the six-mile long Watchung Reservation History Trail, with 16 stops at historical markers, narrating some surprising events that occurred in that area prior to construction of the park and in the early years of the park. Historical references will include a colonial-period roadway, Lake Surprise, farm settlements, the Deserted Village of Feltville, the Copper Mine, the Stationer’s Hall Press factory, and Hermit’s Pond. Dan last spoke to us in Nov 2022 during Covid. [in-person and on Zoom]
- Oct 14 – Ladies Day Luncheon – No Meeting
- Oct 21 - Developing a Coal Export Project in Colombia – Old Guard member Larry Cunningham will recount some of the unique experiences he had during the development of the Cerrejón Coal Project in northern Colombia. By 2016 Cerrejón had become Colombia’s largest coal producer. As Larry will tell us, this was not your everyday engineering project. Even flying in a helicopter in this region was a little hazardous considering the Colombian Army’s directive to crack down on drug smugglers. Indeed, this was a volatile time for Colombia’s coal mining industry. His presentation will draw on his 35 years of expertise in project engineering and management of ports and marine terminals. [in-person and on Zoom]
- Oct 28 - Abandoned Mines and Route 80 Sinkholes – Timothy Rack is safety and compliance manager for the Morris County Parks Commission and is responsible for both employee and visitor safety within Morris County’s park system. Milepost 34 on NJ I-80 became a well-known location for motorists after three sinkholes suddenly formed along this part of I-80. Road closures followed after the earth suddenly opened up into sinkholes. Timothy Rack will explore the history of mineral mining in NJ that has led to abandoned and often forgotten mines, and how they may now pose a threat to the present. Some have said that the area is like a geologic “Swiss cheese.” Tim’s focus will be on those abandoned mines within the Morris County Park Commission. [in-person and on Zoom]
November Birthday Emcee - Bob Beller
For speaker photos, visit us on facebook
For an archive of videos of past meetings,
