All told there were about 20 couples attending our husband and wife meeting that evening, as well as various members who came stag. At
8:05 pm Sergeant-at-Arms Martin Hochhauser, (recently returned from Thailand) sounded the gong and called the assembly to order. Martin introduced Dan Ashley who called on Paul Rashba to introduce the evening's speaker; Steve Press, an accomplished actor with more than a half century of work to his credit. Mr. Press is currently a professor of drama at Dutchess Community College and a resident of Poughquag but he is no stranger to Broadway, having directed over 75 productions there. However, of all his body of work, it seems clear that the accomplishment he is most proud of was his very first role; that being the part of the teenage Peter Van Daan in the original production of “The Diary of Anne Frank." The play premiered on Broadway in 1955 when he was 21. "Anne Frank" was pivotal in our perspective of the Holocaust, said Steve, because it personalized that tragedy in a way that the mind numbing enormity of its numbers could not. Indeed, he said, when Anne's original diary was published by her father after her death, it was met with scant interest from readers who were weary of war stories. The success of Anne's diary as a book was due to the success of the play based on it, said Steve, and not the other way around. "The Diary of Anne Frank", said Steve, is the story of Jewish Family hiding from the Nazis but its message is that Anne could be a young woman of any race or religion because her humanity is universal. Steve also credits the play's stunning impact to its adaptation by screenwriters Francis Goodwin and Albert Hackett, who wrote, he said, the "perfect script". Steve recounted how when the play's final curtain came down, night after night, the only sound that was heard in the theatre was the stunned silence of the audience. Steve was most proud of the play's impact act on the young people who came to see it, first on Broadway and later on tour through the American South, because they directly identified with Anne and Peter as teenagers living their lives with hope in spite of horrendous circumstances. If they carried away Anne's message with them then the play had done its job.
Club Business: Gary Mayer said that, for those who had not already prepaid, the admission to the June 13th Kosher Deli Night at Locust Grove would be $40 at the door.
Larry Rosenberg informed us about the Harding Club's Golf Outing and Picnic which will take place on Wednesday, August 15th at Baird State Park, which will be open to members only and will feature kosher hot dogs and kosher pulled pork sandwiches as well as various salads and desserts. Admission will be $24 said Larry.
In a secret ceremony which, for the first time in memory, was being witnessed by outsiders, President Dan Ashley called on Lou Newman to read the slate of proposed club officers for the Harding Club's upcoming term.
As read by Lou, the slate includes: John Weisman for President; Lew Sims for Vice-President; Bernie Cohen for Treasurer; Peter Albenda for Secretary; Martin Hochhauser for Sergeant-at-Arms; Dick Schwed for Ways and Means; Larry Rosenberg for Steward; Rich Levine, Martin Hochhauser and John Weisman for the Speakers Committee; and last, but not least, Stu Chimkin and Lou Newman for the Sunshine Committee. The incoming Board of Governors would remain the same as the present one with the exception that Marty Finkelstein would be taking the place of the outgoing Gene Glanzberg. The slate as read was put to a vote by the assembled club members that night and was passed unanimously.
Congratulations to all!
Respectfully Submitted,
Peter Albenda
Harding Club Night Out at the Renegades
Hudson Valley Renegades vs. Brooklyn Cyclones
July 18th – Picnic at 5:30 games starts at 7:05
This event is open to entire family so bring your kids and grandkids.
Prices is $22/person which includes picnic dinner and reserved seat. We are limited in available seats so sign-up now so you are not shut out. Please email or call Rich Levine to make a reservation
(richlvn@optonline.net or call 845-462-1190 )
And make sure you get a check to him no later then June 13th.