8-2 West Newsletter




Signal 8-2 West
"The Buckslip"
Las Vegas, Nevada
Spring 2009

Annual Las Vegas Vacation
The Klawsky's & The Lafer's




Mel & Anita Klawsky's (Retired - JFK) With Dorien (Mel's Sister)
Angie, Abby and Jerry Barnickle

Aaron & Marilyn Lafer (Retired - JFK)
Abby, Angie & Jerry Barnickle

Aaron Lafer & Abby Barnickle	Marilyn & Aaron Lafer
Marilyn Lafer with Abby Aaron Lafer & Angie Barnickle	Marilyn Lafer & Abby Barnickle

Gene Leary, Bill Korbul, Rich Depietro, Harvey Jarratt, Gene Kriegg and Abby,
Al Lopez, Pete Smircich, Larry McKevitt, Ron Willoughby, Willie Trotter,
Richie Howell, Jerry Barnickle, Lenny Marone, Joe Nicoletti, Tommy Miller,
Bob McCreddy, Gus Kapsis, Bill Hoover, and Bernie Frain

"PATH-Mondays 3rd Annual Vegas Trip"

We did it:

Our second year and I'm happy to say, we topped our first year's membership. Thanks to all of our brother's and sister's, we have not only kept most of our "Charter Member's, but have had many new brother's and sister's join us.

Our goal to some day unite us all in a "Coalition" for all our PAPD family to belong to. Some of us are making an annual visit out this-a-way and it makes us realize how important our PAPD family is to us all...

Mel and Anita Klawsky (Retired - JFK), Aaron and Marilyn Lafer (Retired - JFK), have just just left from a visit and we had a great luncheon together, yes we still talk about "Old" times and how much more they mean to us now. Thank goodness all four of our brothers and sisters are doing great and yes, still enjoying their retirement. We are all looking forward to geting together next year.

The PATH-Mondays (Pete Smircich's Group), on their third Annual trip to visit their West Coast Brothers and Sisters on May 4th and the turn-out is getting larger every year. Be sure to check out the website (www.signal8-2.com) for the photo's of the annual trips and their monthly "Get-Togethers".

John Walsh (Retired - JFK) keep's in touch and is still going strong, along with his "GROWING" family. John is certainly the happiest man alive with his wonderful family. However, the elections are another story...

Bill Butler (Retired - LGA) still traveling with his lovely wife Alla just returned from a vacation with her family in Odessa, Ukraine. They went to the opera in their old style Vienna style opera house, took a cruise on a Russian ship in the Black Sea and got to see the Crimea. Bill said Alla goes home once a year and he goes every other year for the past nine years. Angie and I are amazed we even moved to Las Vegas...

L Cullen "Beau" Beauden (Retired - GWB) is needless to say his happy "YOUNG" self and still enjoying life and reminiscing all the "PADDY'S Day"parades. Beau said to be sure to say "HI" to all his old friends and Bothers...

Bob and Jenny Brack (Retired-GWB) have returned from Europe and sent a few fantastic photo's of our European Police brother's and sisters. I'll say the male Officer's look sharp and the female Officer's look lovely...

Ed and Liz Forker (Retired - BT) mentioned he remembers back in the 60's when visiting the "John Barlycorn", how our late brother and passed President of the 8-2 West, Jerry O'Malley (Retired - JFK), would pull them out of the line and made sure they had the best seats. Ed your letter really brought back some fond memories of Jerry and we certainly miss him. We still see Alice, she lives a few block's from us here in Vegas...

Ken Vitty (Retired - CIB) President of our newly formed PARDA, is planning a visit out this way in June and it will surely be a great visit. Ken has been doing a great job with his Association. The "PAPD Coalition", is on it's way to becoming a reality for all our brothers and Sisters. Ken has made both our Associations stronger and now with the "8-2 South" and it's new Board working hard to bring us all together across this great nation of ours...

Paul Baden (Retired - PATH) is now a proud "Grandfather", thank's to son Jonathan and his wife Denise. Stella Rebecca arrived on February 18th at 6 lbs 15 oz., Congratulations to Paul, and thanks for the new PONYA Family member. Paul said thanks to all, he was very touched by the out show of concern from all his brother's and sister.

Dick Grieser (Retired - JFK) is still sending in his "Grieser Factor" articles along with many of those TEXAS jokes and hand gun info, thanks Dick...

Ted and Joyce Niedzwiecki (Retired - CIB) wrote and thanked us for sending out some "GOOD" news for a change, referring to Paul Badens new Granddaughter Stella Rebecca.

Paddy Heslin (Retired - JFK) is still going slow, but strong and keeping us all supplied with his Irish humor. Paddy said "HI" to everyone and asked you to drop him a line at:
PHeslin@Tampabay.rr.com

Tom and Peggy McKinney (Retired - JFK) were proud to let us know that their son is serving in iraq and that their prays are out to all parents like them. I'm sure our prayers are certainly with them and all our son's and daughter's in Harms Way...

Matt Besheer (Retired - CIB), once again becomes a HERO, only this time with the Punta Gorda, FL. PD. For saving the life of a
young lady drownding. Our loss was Punta Gorda's gain...

Bill Hoover (Retired - SIB) was presented with a plaque by "The PATH-Monday's" membership for being the first President of "The Signal 8-2 West"...

This coalition will also tend to bring our various associations all together, under one umbrella. By being a member with these associations (we should be members of all), you are all part of the "Coalition". Giving us all the strength, recognition and unity we deserve through out the country.

Once we are completely formed in numbers, we will establish a "PAPD Retired Coalition",on the East Coast to work with and be recognized with the PA. (It can and will work).

Dave LaBonte (signed)

Written in response to a series of letters to the editor in the Orange County Register

Dear Editor:

So many letter writers have based their arguments on how this land is made up of immigrants. Ernie Lujan for one, suggests we should hould tear down the Statue of Liberty because the people now in question aren't being treated the same as those who passed through Ellis Island and other ports of entry.

Maybe we should turn to our history books and point out to people, like Mr. Lujan, why today's American is not willing to accept this new kind of immigrant any longer.

Back in 1900, when there was a rush from all areas of Europe to come to the United States , people had to get off a ship and stand in a long line in New York - and be documented. Some would even get down on their hands and knees and kiss the ground. They made a pledge to uphold the laws and support their new country in good and bad times. They made learning English a primary rule in their new American households, and some even changed their name names to blend in with their new home.

They had waved good-bye to their birth place in order to give their children a new life; and they did everything in their power to help their children assimilate into one culture!

Nothing was handed to them. No free lunches, no welfare, no labor laws to protect them. All they had were the skills and the craftsmanship that they had brought with them to trade for a future of prosperity. Most of their children came of age when World War II broke out. My father fought along-side men whose parents had come straight over from Germany , Italy , France and Japan . None of these 1st generation Americans ever gave any thought about what country their parents had come from. They were Americans fighting Hitler, Mussolini, and the Emperor of Japan. They were defending the United States of America as one people.

When we liberated France , no one in those villages were looking for the French-American or the German-American or the Irish-American. The people of France saw only Americans.

And we carried one flag that represented one country. Not one of those immigrant sons would have thought about picking up another country's flag and waving it to represent who they were. It would have been a disgrace to their parents who had sacrificed so much to be here These immigrants truly knew what it meant to be an American. They stirred the melting pot into one red, white and blue bowl.

And here we are in 2008 with a new kind of immigrant who wants MORE rights and privileges. They want to achieve that by playing with a different set of rules, one that includes the entitlement card and a guarantee of being faithful to their mother cou country I'm sorry, that's not what being an American is all about.

I believe that the immigrants who landed on Ellis Island in the early 1900's deserve better than that for all the toil, hard work and sacrifice in raising future generations to create a land that has become a beacon for those legally searching for a better life. I think they would be appalled that they are being used as an example by those waving foreign country flags.

And for that suggestion about taking down the Statue of Liberty, it happens to mean a lot to the citizens who are voting on the immigration bill.

I wouldn't start talking about dismantling the United States just yet.

(signed) Rosemary LaBonte

FOR THE WRONG THINGS TO PREVAIL, THE RIGHTFUL MAJORITY NEEDS TO REMAIN COMPLACENT AND QUIET. LET THIS NEVER HAPPEN !

I hope this letter is read by millions of people all across our nation!!

A Veteran - Whether Active duty, retired, national guard, or reserve,- is someone who at some point in their life, wrote a blank check made payable to "THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA", for an amount up to and including his/her life.
Remember to thank a veteran for the freedoms we take for granted.

** SIGNAL 8-2 CLUB of FLORIDA **

President

Clem Merola

West Coast VP

Angelo Sparacia

Recording Sec

George DePancis

Treasurer

John J. Collins

East Coast VP

Maria Silhan

Trustees

Andy Tarpey

George Welsh

Bill Griffenkranz

May we all join together as one PONYA Family!!

732-363-4441 or

home at: 732-363-3127

www.samsanthonytravel.com

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Las Vegas, NV 89145
702-304-8084
www.steinerspub.com

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