It was a great honor to serve ROAL for so many years.
My first “gift” from Ralph after we married was a Life Membership in “ROAL,” now almost 36 years since Dec. 30, 1984.
Ralph’s late wife
was President of the ROAL San Francisco Club when she died so suddenly. Ralph himself has been a member since Nov. 1, 1948, dedicating 72 years and serving in many dedicated places and offices.
It was an honor to put pen to paper for many years trying to keep ROAL and its many goals and deeds alive and vibrant.
The years of work at the Club level in California through almost all the offices;
the work as President of the Department of California; moving and working in the Department of Texas both in Houston and Dallas ROAL and the privilege of serving on the National ROAL Board as Secretary/Editor filled many hours and brought many friendships
to my (our) lives.
Sometimes the hours were long and all without pay; but nevertheless gratifying and fulfilling.
Thank you, Henry, for working closely with me as ROAL transitioned into ROA. The fledgling ROA Family
Support Group under the direction of Anne Groskreutz has been a big step for the ROA organization and changes for each individual member.
We look forward to this new “Group” being productive, and to its being a conduit to a new frontier for
the former ROAL members (now ROA members) AND to the rest of ROA.
Again, I am touched with being awarded The Sword and Pen Award, and especially The Ben Franklin Award for the ROAL Newsletter 70th Anniversary Edition.
It
was with PRIDE and a heavy heart to write both the “History and the Benediction” of ROAL.
Thank you for the recognition that will remind all of our members just how hard we had worked to organize, survive and succeed for those 70 years!
Thank
You/Semper Fi!
P.S. Ralph celebrated his 95th Birthday via ZOOM in October.