NEWSLETTER
October 2006

Dear Shipmates,

Another great reunion with a good turnout, we had 91 members attend, total people was 156.

Our trip to Wright Patterson Air Force Base on Friday and the Aquarium at Newport on the levee on Sunday was well attended and we think everyone was pleased with both. We had church services in our hospitality suite on Sunday morning conducted by our Chaplain Herman Carter, 70 to 80 people attended.

We had a motivational speaker on Friday night who was absolutely fabulous. Our group is very close, over these 14 years our reunion's have become more like a family reunion than a ships reunion - but I think this speaker brought people even closer together.

The high stepping Grandma's, ages 62 to 82 were also great-, they were inspiring to us old people but I can't talk Lois into trying out for the group.

We really missed some of our regular attendees who for various reasons had to cancel out for medical reasons or had previous commitments.

Capt. John and Bertha O'Neill, Henry and Phyllis Winstead, Paul and Mary Papez, Solomon and Francis Honeycutt; Herbert and Corine Hatch, Warren and Virginia Me-ssick, Kevin and Nancy Reidy and Glen and Jacqueline Wood, Bruce and Mary Borgschatz, Ralph and June Cannon, Ron and Pat Cornelius, AI and Jerian Crosby, Larry and Grace Delgaudio, Jim and Florence Gifford, and Ralph and Mary Landon. We missed all of you and hope and look forward to seeing you next year.

Our banquet dinner and raffle went very well thanks to our working ladies Esther Wyatt, Lois Robbins, Sue Birdsong, Helen Williams, Kate White, Jane Porter, Fran Wright and Jerri Canfield. A special thanks to Tom and Linda Kotulski for their excellent job of getting people to the photographer without having to stand in long lines.

Our raffle was another financial success. A special thanks to the people who could not attend but sent raffle items. We had 126 items for the raffle which included $975.00 in cash prizes. We really appreciate your support of our raffle, it pays for all our extras at each reunion.

We had 20 first time attendees, we hope you had a good time and that you will come back next year.

Harold and Carol Ferguson had to leave early Sunday morning due to Carol's mother passing away. Our thoughts and prayers are with you Carol.

On Agent Orange - the Court of Appeals has made a new ruling regarding "Boots on the ground" for more information call or write to me.

Many people requested order forms for the F.B. Parks jacket, I have mailed them out but in case I missed anyone in the confusion please write or call me for an order form. We have a new item in our ships store - a license plate frame that as "Tin Can Sailor" on top and "USS F.B. Parks DD884" on bottom. Price is $15.00 including shipping.

A special thanks to the 1970s group for supplying snacks for our hospitality suite, and especially Capt. Erner for his efforts in locating people and getting them to attend reunions.

We have updated membership and email lists which are available upon request.

Remember our San Diego Mini Reunion which will be sometime in March or April if you live out of the area but plan on attending please let me know, I'll send a letter out to everyone once we set the date.

Charlotte Woodring, made a beautiful scrapbook and photo album with pictures and mementos from all previous reunions and donated it for the raffle. It was won by Darrell Catherman.

Darrell said since it contained pictures of everyone and all previous reunions it should be for everyone to enjoy so he donated it to the Association so it could be displayed in the hospitality suite at future reunions. What a thoughtful and generous gesture, thank you Darrell from all of us.

Election of Committee Members

Since Tom Wyatt and myself have not had any success in getting people to volunteer to replace us we took another approach.

We recruited someone to take my place, between now and next September. He will select people he wants to work with, they will be nominated from the floor and voted on at our next reunion, this satisfies the requirements of our by laws.

The person we recruited is Bill Birdsong who is at present our Vice President and very active in the Association.

We have every confidence in Bill and his wife Sue has been very active in the Association for the past few years: She has been more help to me through the past few years than anyone, she is familiar with all our policies and procedures and is an untiring worker. She is a definite plus to the Association. Tom and I will still work with Bill and whoever he selects for as long as it takes.

Our Chaplain Herman Carter has been our Chaplain for 14 years and also wanted a relief, and fortunately Harry Brantly (YNCM 1966-68) volunteered to replace him. Thank you Herman for an excellent job all these years.

Harry is a good choice, he is totally dedicated to the Parks Association and everyone looks forward to working with him.

Please remember our dues are due in January of each year, dues are $15.00. Make check payable to USS F.B: Parks Assoc. and put in memo dues for 07.

If you have any suggestions or comments positive or negative about our reunion please let us know, we can do a better job if we have your input.

Tom (352) 344-5424
Robby 530-283-2165
Bill 951-789-5309

From The Chaplin's Corner.:.....

Another FLOYD B. PARKS' reunion has come and gone. What a blessing it was to assemble once again and share our experiences in Northern Kentucky.

It is an honor to serve you as PARKS' Chaplain. Herman Carter will be a tough act to follow. He served us long and well and deserves a rest. Thanks and blessings my brother.

We now look forward to next year's reunion on the West Coast. I want to quote some wisdom from an old Navy publication entitled: For All Who Go Down To the Sea In Ships. "HOPE means to keep living amid desperation and to keep humming in the darkness. HOPE is knowing there is LOVE, it is TRUST in tomorrow, it is falling asleep and waking again when the sun rises. In the midst of a gale at sea, it is to discover land, In the eyes of another it is to see that he or she understands you. As long as there is still HOPE, there will be PRAYER. And God will be holding us in his hands."

My HOPE and PRAYER is that you stay healthy, continue to live life to the fullest, and that you will join us next September for another FLOYD B. PARKS reunion.

For God and Country!

Harry W. Brantley, MS,MA
Master Chief Yeoman
U.S. Navy (Retired)

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