Fresno Commodore User Group Reunion

 

On August 26, 2006, twenty current and former members of the Fresno Commodore User Group gathered at El Bajio restaurant for a reunion lunch. Photos by John Weaver and Dick Estel.  Read the complete story below.

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Robert Bernardo, Dick Estel, Jack Dickey, Bill Gilbert (behind post), Bob Loving (blue shirt), Lloyd Warren, Lupe & Del Contreras Dick Estel, Jack & Christine Dickey, Bill Gilbert, Lloyd Warren Doug Cunningham, Dick Estel
Randy Clays, Doug Cunningham, Bill Terry Robert Bernardo, Dick Estel, Jack Dickey, Bill Gilbert (behind post), Bob Loving (blue shirt), Lloyd Warren, Lupe & Del Contreras Dick Estel, Jack & Christine Dickey, Bill Gilbert, Lloyd Warren Doug Cunningham, Dick Estel
 
Bob Loving, Del Contreras Lupe Contreras Robert Bernardo John Weaver
Bob Loving, Del Contreras Lupe Contreras Robert Bernardo John Weaver
 
Meredyth Dixon & Del Contreras Barbara Monis & Keith Sohm Tiffany & Beth Sohm Jack & Christine Dickey
Meredyth Dixon & Del Contreras Barbara Monis & Keith Sohm Tiffany & Beth Sohm Jack & Christine Dickey
 
Sanjiv Kapoor Lloyd Warren Bill Terry Randy Clays & Doug Cunningham
Sanjiv Kapoor Lloyd Warren Bill Terry Randy Clays & Doug Cunningham
 
    
Bill Gilbert & Barbara Monis Keith, Beth & Tiffany Sohm; Jeff Adolph Lloyd Warren, Lupe & Del Contreras Dick Estel, Jack & Christine Dickey, Bill Gilbert
 
     
  Jeff Adolph & Bob Loving    
 

One of the immutable facts of life is that just as people join organizations, they also leave them.

Over the past two years, my thoughts have occasionally turned to the people who have come and gone in the Fresno Commodore User Group during my 18 years as a member. This led me to suggest to the club that we have a “reunion lunch,” inviting all former and current members to join us and renew old acquaintances.

We set August 26 as the tentative date, and in early June I began calling former members, using an old membership list dating from the mid 1990s. I also found some names and phone numbers of people who had left the club even earlier by looking in back issues of the club newsletter, The Interface. A couple of our current or former members, Doug Cunningham and Keith Sohm, put me in touch with people for whom I had no contact information.

I was surprised and pleased to be able to reach a large percentage of the people I called, and without exception they were glad to hear the club was still active, and were interested in the lunch, subject to other conflicting plans.

As August 26 got closer we confirmed the date with El Bajio Mexican restaurant, and sent written and Email notices. We started hearing back from people, and made a second call to some who had been interested. Eventually we had a list of about 25 people who would attend if possible.

On the 26th I arrived at the restaurant early, and was immediately joined by one former member. As the official time arrived, others started coming in. Most of these people had not seen current members or each other for up to five years or longer, so there were many greetings exchanged as people renewed old acquaintances. As well, some of the long-gone members had never met our president, Robert Bernardo, and some other “newer” members.

We had a great lunch, handed out our latest newsletter and a list of Commodore websites, and sent everyone off happy and full.

The complete list of those attending were current members Bill Terry, Dick Estel, Keith Sohm with wife and daughter Beth and Tiffany, Meredyth Dixon, and Robert Bernardo; and former members Barbara Monis, Bill Gilbert, Del Contreras with wife Lupe, Doug Cunningham, Jack Dickey with wife Christine, Jeff Adolph, John Weaver, Lloyd Warren, Randy Clays, Robert Loving and Sanjiv Kapoor.

People I spoke with, but who were ultimately unable to attend, were Art Gumprecht, Ben Briscoe, Jack Fisette, Pat Spears, Ruth Seibert, and Zella Mallard.

Considering the positive response and the success of the event, we hope to repeat it again in a few years.

--Dick Estel, August 2006                            Back to top

 

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Articles Page 1

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Fresno Commodore User Group Reunion Lunch

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Gaelyne Gasson Commodore

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Updated September 22, 2018