Highlights from the LAFRA Reunion:
Ed and Juanita Diaz were celebrating their 75th wedding anniversary at the Reunion. They met while frequenting Sunday tardeadas (an early afternoon dance) in their L.A. neighborhood in 1940. It wasn’t long after that they married on July 5, 1941, in Las Vegas.
Ed was working on P38’s at Lockheed when he was drafted into the Navy in 1944. He went to Norman, OK where he further trained as an aircraft mechanic. He was mustered out in 1945 and joined the LAFD in 1948. He retired with 30 years of service in January of 1978.
Bob Borgman and Ed Diaz were at the same Navy aircraft mechanic’s school in Oklahoma in 1944 but didn’t meet until they joined the LAFD bowling team in 1945. They have been buddies ever since. Bob retired in June of 1978.
—–
All were invited to the Martini Competition out front of Maga’s trailer on Thursday evening. There was quite a selection of entries – from the usual Violet and the Pomegranate to the unique Pineapple Upside-Down Cake and Key Lime Pie, all the way to Caramel Cinnamon Toast. With that said, the hands-down winner was a familiar favorite, Dave’s Dirty Martini.
—–
A subdued crowd piled onto the trolley on Wednesday morning for a tour of the Temecula Valley. After visiting three wineries and a micro-brewery, the decibel and merriment levels were quite the opposite when they returned to the clubhouse that afternoon. Couldn’t make out exactly what song they were crooning but I’m pretty sure it was Bruce Galien who was doing pull-ups from the trolley rafters.
—–
Your Relief Association hosted dinners at the clubhouse on both Tuesday and Wednesday evenings. Tuesday was a beer and wine party with pizza, and Wednesday was a beer and wine party with BBQ chicken and tri-tip. A good time was had by all!!
—–
LAFRA Trustee Tim Larson doubled down on the opportunity of a captive audience and an open mic to explain the inner workings of the Widows, Orphans & Disabled Firemen’s Fund. The appreciative crowd ended up buying $3200 of Golf Drop tickets, sales of which directly benefit the WODFF.
—–
On Thursday morning the duffers rousted themselves from their racks for an early round at Journeys, Pechanga’s award winning links. Tim Larson was NOT arrested for fishing in the lake this year but the boys were pretty tight-lipped about their golfing adventure. I guess whatever else Terry Depackh, Jim Morrow, Gib Martin, Bob Steinbacher and Barry Hedberg did on the course, will stay on the course.
—–