There was a topic that came up at a recent Men's Center board meeting that I wish to address. These views are mostly my own and may be shared by some/many board members. The issue that was brought up was if The Men's Center could get involved in political issues (lobbying, protesting, etc.). The legislative session is in full swing at the State and National capitols. Since The Men's Center is a 501 c.3 charitable organization, The Men's Center cannot lobby the elected officials about issues. The Men's Center could loose its 501c.3 status making us unable to solicit funds from charitable organizations. The purpose of The Men's Center is to provide resources to individuals needing our variety of services. If The Men's Center wants to go in a different direction, I believe our members would have to vote on it.
I am part of the Knights of Columbus, a Catholic fraternal organization. One of our strict policies is to have no politics brought into the organization. I did bring in some local political candidates one time to a meeting and was told afterwards it was against our organization rules. I learned a lesson then also: an organization can have a variety of views within its members. A split on those rules can potentially drive some individuals away. I would prefer to focus on providing the services we do now at The Men's Center.
I do encourage you to get involved on issues that are important to you. I have talked to my legislators. I have protested at the State capitol. I have been on the side that has been protested also (it's kind of fun). But please keep The Men's Center out of it. At least our organization will not be affected by government budget cuts.
With that, I am also proud of The Men's Center for what we have. We have two dedicated staff persons, we have volunteers who donate their time to keep the organization running and the monetary contributions you make to The Men's Center are much appreciated and are meticulously spent. Again, thanks for what you do for The Men's Center.
For Men, For All,
Tom Perrault
Board Chair
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VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!
Have you visited the Men's Center library -- checked out a book or just browsed? Please do so - it's a membership privilege! It's an easy process. Just write your name and phone on the book card, put it in the box provided – and read. Take the book with you or relax in the library with a bagel and coffee, pop, or tea.
Many current periodicals and magazines are available as well as archive copies for research:
- Men's Health
- Voice Male
- Everyman
- Lavender
- Men's Journal
- Transitions
- Rainbow Families
- Bi All Means
- Wellness Journal
- The Edge
- and others
These magazines have excellent articles that might be of interest to you.
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Memories of a Younger Brother
I was in the first grade when Edwin was a Senior in high school, so my memories of him in the early years are limited. He was a good football player, and I recall that when I played football years later, a local resident reminded my how good Edwin was as a half-back. After Pearl Harbor, in December of the year he graduated, he went to Los Angeles to work in defense plants and on this date, Feb 25 in 1942 he married Marie, a Catholic. This was frowned on as we were staunch Presbyterians, but Edwin broke a rule, and 4 of his 5 siblings broke the same rule and married Catholics! We didn't go to the wedding, but did take a family trip that summer to celebrate the birth of Phyllis, and we had great fun.
Over the years I remember Phyllis and Janice coming to stay with us on our farm during the summer months, they are closer in age to me than Edwin, so we played and gardened together.
My main memories of Edwin are as follows:
- April 1959 just after I got out of the Army and came home to find that Dad had decided to quit farming because of a heart attack, meanwhile Edwin had moved from Iowa to South Dakota, in hopes of buying the funeral home in Tyndall. As we were cleaning the manure out of the horse barn, he said "I don't want the farm, do you?" I said, "No I went in the Army to get the GI Bill, so I'm going to college." So it was settled, the farm was rented, and we followed our separate paths.
- Family gatherings at the Funeral home, and Edwin handling funeral arrangements for Darlene in 1973 and Dad in 1974.
- Golfing with him once on the Tyndall golf course, of course he was much better than I, and watching him golf on the course back of their house in Mesa, while sitting in their back yard. Golf was very important to him.
- The most precious memories are of our visits in the years of our winter visits since 1997, the year Joyce and I went there to celebrate Edwin and Marie's 55th wedding anniversary. He and I always went for walks, including when he was in the Nursing home. We also had a couple of family gatherings in which Mavis, Maxine and Berdel and Joyce and I were there to visit, play pinochle, and in 2002 celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary, in January, but it was great.
- The final visit was January 1, 2003, when Joyce and I came, and celebrated, one day early, his 79th birthday, and 2 weeks early, my 68th. I remember teasing him that he was then, 12 years older than I, ie effective January 2d. This time when I invited him for a walk, he had a clear "No", and pinochle was not an option either. But we have precious pictures of us together at this final birthday party. After the party I drove Marie and Edwin to their residences, and said Good Bye, thinking it might be the last time. I take this opportunity to share these memories of my big brother, as final way of saying "Good bye"
Love, Norman
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