Dateline: Friday, October 23, 2009
So much has happened over the course of the past two weeks that the only way we could even approach it all is to simply throw it up here on the Blog and let it ride ! "County Recurrent" took a trip to Southern Section earlier this week, and frankly, it was such a beautiful day in Manhattan Beach that this life long Central Section recurrent paused and said to himself, "Wow ! Why am I not working here !?"... You can see for yourself in the two photos above from this past Tuesday, Oct. 20 at noon..... The reason for the trip was a business lunch scheduled at LACo Recurrent, Chris Bredesen's Manhattan Beach Restaurant, "Memphis At The Beach." Which is highly recommended ! Just check out the special Calamari Salad and the Bison Burger (as opposed to Moose, no relation to Jay Butki...).
So, take a breath and have a seat.... Here goes:
1. We recently heard from LACo Recurrent (ret.), Bradd Schwichtenberg, who was just posted permanently to Wash. D.C. with the U.S. Army Corp. of Engineers, which prompted "County Recurrent" to ask when his outfit was going to make good on its decades old promise of rebuilding the Santa Monica Breakwater. The Jury and the Corp are still out on that one ! Woo Hoo ! In any event, here is what Bradd has to report about this recent move from the shores of Jacksonville, Florida to our Nation's Capital:
"Will,
By the way, don't know if I told you I am working permanently here in Washington DC at Army Corps HQ (todays my first day on new job). My new job is to help coordinate coastal, navigation, and flood control projects in the southeast US between the folks doing the work at the state level, our Division office in Atlanta, and folks here at HQ where the decisions are made. Got some interesting studies I am helping with including Savannah Harbor (big harbor deepening study), ACT/ACF (involves 3 states sharing water), Florida beaches and harbors, etc.
It's a big move for the family from Florida I can assure you. We are busy settling in, kids in their new school, moving our stuff to DC, fixing up our Florida house, etc. Taking the subway to work is a change - do miss the beach - a lot. Nice hiking and kayaking, here. Nice to be back in a big city except for the housing expense and commute. All trade offs!
Hope you are doing well - keep sending the lifeguard related emails - I love em!"
Take care,
Bradd R. Schwichtenberg, P.E.
CECW-SAD
441 G Street NW, 3H81
Washington, DC 20314
desk (202) 761-4552
cell (904) 910-4068
email bradd.r.schwichtenberg@usace.army.mil
2. Cal Porter reports that there are a couple of new stories he's written on his blog. Per Cal, the best way to find him online is to google his name. Strange thing is when I try that with the name "Phil Topar" all I find are references to "Vegetarian" restaurants and "Skin Moisturizers"... but that's another story. In any case, go see Cal's blog !
3. Arthur Verge, Phd, a Central Section recurrent now working southern section.....sent us the following b/w photo of a group of paddleboard water polo players back in the day, which according to Arthur's dad, Art, was a big time sport amongst the beach lifeguards in the 40's and 50's.
4. Kip Jerger has sent us some more great recent surf shots from Bali. Just check out this sequence of photos showing Kip rippin' it up!
It's not all good news from Kip in Bali, though, as he shows us what happened when a friend borrowed his board on a Big Day recently...
(Photo above Courtesy of Kip. "Troy borrowed my board on the big day and broke it. Cost to fix it $ 60.00. Kip")
5. Bob Burnside has a short monoski video that features some great footage of Utah powder. Contact Bob at: monoskibob@earthlink.net to see this video.
6. LACo Capt. Angus Alexander gave us a heads up of an online YouTube video of "Jack The Rescue Dog", wherein a very talented Lab rescues a guy who should not be in the ocean... woo hoo ! You can see this video by searching "Jack the Rescue Dog" at www.YouTube.com.
7. Joel Gitelson recently reported the profits earned at the recent Manhattan Beach Home Town Fair from the South Bay Surf Club's annual "Fish Taco Booth", which "County Recurrent" recently blogged about.
According to Joel:
FISH TACO BOOTH 2009 RESULTS
WE TOOK IN $6,501.00 FOR BOTH DAYS
WE SPENT $1,817.77 ON:
BOOTH FEE, FISH, SMART & FINAL, PROPANE, VONS, ICE
THANKS TO CHRIS BENNETT OF GOOD STUFF RESTAURANTS FOR ONCE AGAIN DONATING 2500 CORN TORTILLAS! CHRIS, YOU’RE AWESOME! OUR TAKE TO THE CLUB WAS $4,683.23 !!!
ENORMOUS THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO HELPED."
*** Congratulations to Joel and the whole crew who worked so hard toward yet another successful mission accomplished ! ***
8. File under "On the Verge of Another Coincidence. The undersigned Editor of County Recurrent bumped into Art Verge, Ph.d (Senior), Prof. Emeritus, History, Santa Monica College and former Santa Monica City beach lifeguard yesterday morning at Callahan's Restaurant on Wilshire Blvd. in Santa Monica. As the photo below shows, Art stopped by for his morning breakfast routine of a bagel, cream cheese and coffee and had in his possession a b/w reprint of the Naval Ship he served on during WWII, which he is going to use as a prop in an upcoming Kiwanis Club presentation. (Caveat: We think Nick Steers goes to these 'boondoggle' drink fests too).
And then this breakfast of yesterday takes another coincidental turn. The guy at the next booth sees the photo of the ship and takes some interest in it and mentions that he was in the Merchant Marine. I think, "Dennis Wells", the former S.M. City and LACo Recurrent, Class of 1974, who left lifeguarding to pursue a career in the Merchant Marine. Turns out this gentleman diner, Achim Huber, knows Dennis Wells, and furthermore, Achim's stepfather was our own Wally Reeves, (R.I.P.), the famed L.A. City and LACo Boat Captain for many years. Wally has since passed away and Achim is hoping that we all can locate any photos any of us may have of Wally so that Achim can give them to his mom who still misses her husband Wally very much.
9. The Professional Lifeguard Foundation (aka, PLF), has just announced its annual Donor Recognition Event, set for Thursday, November 12, 2009, as follows:
Please join us for the 2009 Professional Lifeguard Foundation Donor Recognition event. We welcome all previous and future donors.
Thursday November 12th 6 pm to 9pm at:
Santa Monica Windjammers Yacht Club
13589 Mindanao Way
Marina Del Rey, CA
90292
Please RSVP with Ms. Elizabeth Glick at: prolifeguardfoundation@gmail.com
10. And Last But Certainly Not Least, in a new segment we present to you: "Lifeguards: Missing In Action" (aka, LG:MIA). In this sequence, you will see shocking and dated photos of Lifeguards who are missing in action and otherwise unaccounted for, or for that matter, acknowledged. If you know the whereabouts of any of these recurrent lifeguards, please contact the authorities...
Until next time.....
Will Maguire
"County Recurrent" News
http://CountyRecurrent.blogspot.com
Service • Training • Commitment
*** Keeping the County Recurrent "in the loop"..... whether he/she likes it or NOT ! ***
DISCLAIMER: County Recurrent is not affiliated with nor sponsored by LACOLA or LACoFD.
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