“Never was so much owed by so many to so few.”
      Winston Churchill - August 1940

   Snow has yet to fall here in the East but already our club is up and running. We are not just a group of skiing enthusiasts. We are a group dedicated to the Watchung Ski Club. You can take a ski trip to the mountains by yourself, but will it provide the camaraderie to create lifetime memories? Our history is full of wonderful adventures that we have shared. There are stories like the time the bus left without us at Belleayre or eating cheese and crackers while sailing on the Petrol out of Manhattan. There are also many stories that have yet to be written about our next event or trip. Right now we are writing our own history. Will you be a part of it?

   It is with the deepest sorrow that I tell you that Al Ruh, a long time club member of 69 years, just passed away. Despite the fact that I never knew Al, I feel I know all about him. Through conversations with Erling, Tage, and Ernie, I have heard wonderful stories about the life and times of longtime Watchung members from the early years. I only wish I could have known him. The quote above is dedicated to all the club members who make our history possible, to the senior members who no longer ski but keep Watchung in their hearts, and to our present Chungers who make it happen now. We have a variety of events going on all season, and just a handful of dedicated people donate their time and talents to keep the joy and spirit alive. Al Ruh would have been proud.

   We have a monumental occasion coming up. On Sunday, December 7th, 2008 we at WASC will be celebrating our 70th birthday! The party will be held at the Mountainside Elks at 4 PM. Historically the Club had held our birthday parties on Sundays and this year the Club Council has decided to go back to tradition for this grand event. This will be a covered dish event, so please bring your favorite meal. I would also like to ask you to dig down in your archives and bring all of your old pictures from over the years, the older the better. If you have any old equipment or ski wear, feel free to bring them as well. I especially encourage the senior members to attend and tell the tales of when skiing and Watchung was young. I hope you will join me in showing our club pride by sporting our Watchung wear at the party!

   I encourage our newest members to meet our longtime members as we celebrate our 70 years of fellowship. We are 70 years young and have lots of memories yet to write. Come be a part of our history in the making.

Bob Gittleman
President, WASC
Phone 732-770-0205
E mail berniesw@aol.com