Boston Prime Timers, Inc.
An Organization for Mature Gay Men and Their Admirers
Carol O’Shaughnessy, who performed at our anniversary party, will be holding her Christmas CD release party at Club Café [R.S.V.P. online] on December 3rd at 2 PM. Come enjoy the show, pick up a CD for $10 and have dinner for 20% off (drinks not included).
If you have a story that you would like to tell, either about being a member or about what the Prime Timers have done for you, feel free to submit it Harry by e-mailing it to everharry@aol.com or mailing it to 3 Vale View Road, Wakefield, MA 01880. If it would be difficult for you to type this up, Harry can help you by recording your story; just give him a call at (781) 587-1429.
Below is one sent in by our former office manager, Bob Adams, who took over the office from Dick Bourbeau, as many of you may remember.
My entry into a gay lifestyle began when I moved to Boston in 2002. Until then, my life was a totally straight. Being new to Boston and new to a gay lifestyle, I needed to build a circle of gay friends and that is exactly what happened when I attended my first PT meeting in January 2003. This first meeting convinced me to join and get fully involved. Shortly thereafter I volunteered to assist in the office. Dick Bourbeau took me under his wing and patiently taught me all I needed to know to take on the management of the office which I willingly did.
By doing so, I got to know the entire active membership and greatly expanded my circle of gay friends–true and caring friends, many of whom I remain in contact with today!!!
Looking back, I am so thankful and grateful for all the Boston Prime Timers brought into my life. The monthly meetings, the monthly dinners, the after-meeting dinners, pot lucks, weekends in P-town and Ogunquit and anniversary and holiday parties. I can’t even imagine what my gay life in Boston would have been without the Boston Prime Timers. Thank you for all the joy and enjoyment you brought into my life.
hosted by Norman Pelletier & Jim Garrity
WHAT: Valentine’s Day party at Harry & Philip’s house.
WHEN: Saturday, February 10th, 2-6 PM.
WHERE: 3 Vale View Rd, Wakefield
FOOD: Call or e-mail Norm (see roster) if you would like to bring something to contribute.
COST: $2 to the host for incidentals.
RSVP: Please call or e-mail Norm (see roster) to RSVP before February 7th.
MAXIMUM GUESTS: 25.
DIRECTIONS: Take I-93 to 128/I-95 N. Follow Exit 38A to Main St. (MA-28). Take the sharp left onto North St. which continues into Prospect St. Turn left onto Vale View Rd.
VIA MBTA: Commuter rail to Wakefield Center & call Harry (857) 544-3630 for pick-up.
hosted by Ben Gallo
WHAT: A Chinese New Year’s Party/Yankee Swap. Bring a gift for the Yankee Swap if you like (something not expensive).
WHEN: Sunday, January 14th, 1-? PM.
WHERE: 15 Trifone Rd., Revere
FOOD: Chinese food, salad, dessert, soft drinks, and coffee will be provided. BYOB.
COST: $10 at door for food, beverages, and incidentals (plates, cups, utensils, napkins).
RSVP: Please e-mail benpgallo@sbcglobal.net or call Ben at (781) 808-4911 by January 2nd.
MAXIMUM GUESTS: 25.
DIRECTIONS (GOING NORTH): From I-93N, take left exit 27 onto I-93 N/Tobin Bridge/US-1 N, Take Sargent St. exit toward W. Revere (0.2 mi). Turn right onto Sargent St. (0.2 mi). Turn right onto Washington St. (0.3 mi). Turn left onto Trifone Rd. (0.1 mi). Ben’s is the second house on the right.
GOING SOUTH: Take US-1 S to Rte. 60 exit toward Malden/Revere. Enter rotary and take the 1st exit onto Squire Rd./Rte. 60W (the Revere Theater is on the right). At the 2nd set of lights turn sharp left onto Washington St. (gas station is on the left). Follow Washington St. (0.5 mi). Trifone Rd. is on the right. Ben’s is the second house on the right.
VIA MBTA: Take the Blue Line train to Beachmont Station, and board the 119 bus (Northgate/Beach St.) Get off the bus at Malden St. & Washington St. (immediately after Lucia Ave.) Turn left onto Washington St. and walk 6 short blocks to Trifone Rd on the right side of Washington St. Ben’s is the second house on the right.
On Tuesday, January 13th at 4 PM, we will attend a performance of Shakespeare in Love, put on by the SpeakEasy Stage Company. They are located at the Calderwood Pavilion, 527 Tremont St., Boston in the South End. The closest T stop is Back Bay Station and it is about an 8 minute walk on Clarendon St. across Columbus Ave. From Park St., the 43 Bus has a stop in front of the Pavilion. Parking can be a bit of a problem. I know the theater validates at the Clarendon St. Garage at Back Bay Station.
In order to qualify for the group discount, we would need 10 or more members to attend. The price will be $35. It would be a great way to spend an afternoon with your group members. There are many restaurants near the theater as well as Club Café which is about 10-12 minutes away.
If you are interested in going, please fill out the tear sheet and return it to the office by December 29th. If we do not receive enough for the show, we will refund the money.
The Holidays are upon us. The Thanksgiving Dinner at Club Café was a success. Jim Morgrage, as always, did a beautiful job. The Holiday dinner is just around the corner on December 10th 1-4 PM. The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence will be in attendance enjoying the time with us. They will also be collection donations for their sixth annual Sister Santa Holiday Drive. The Boston Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence are working with the community again this year to provide gifts to the less fortunate children who are being cared for by the Department of Children and Families and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Please bring an unwrapped non-violent toy or gift to the party. The Sisters will be happy to take your cash donation as well. Please visit their website at thebostonsisters.org/sister-santa-returns/ for more information.
2017 is just about over, so I’d like to thank you for a great year of fun and memories, especially those of you who volunteer your time and efforts to make it so. You are the backbone of this group. I’d love to see more members participate. Voicing opinions and ideas helps, but active participation is what will really keep this a great fun club.
In the coming New Year, we will be looking to grow our group with new outreach campaigns. We will be updating the webpage to make it more useful and user friendly. We will be creating new activities and events for you to enjoy, some with the other New England Prime Timer chapters. We are looking for more hosts for potlucks. A great group of people have formed to look for new and interesting speakers for our meetings. If you’d like to volunteer to join a new committee to reach to reach out to members who are under the weather please call Harry or Jim Buckley. We’d like to increase our presence in the 2018 Pride Parade, possibly with a float. In the past, our floats have been award-winning. Money constraints, parade rules and lack of volunteers have prevented us from entering floats in recent years but its time for the Prime Timers to show our community what we can do! As always, any ideas and help will be graciously accepted and greatly appreciated.
It has also been a challenging year for our community. The rights and freedoms we have gained over the past few years are being attacked and some are being reversed. It seems we take two steps forward and one back, but we will continue the battle and we will win. Remember it gets better and it will.
I’d like to remember our friends who have passed. Some of the gentlemen who have gone on to a better place left a lasting impact on our group and community. We thank them for their service and friendship and we hold them in our hearts and minds forever. These are big shoes to fill but some of our members have taken that challenge and we thank them for it.
I hope you all have a wonderful holiday and a Happy New Year!
The first luncheon has been postponed and will be Monday, March 19th, 2018, from 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM. The cost of the luncheon will be $11 (or you may order from the menu). The January date listed previously has been cancelled. The third Monday was chosen as there were no other LGBT events on that day. This will be held at S & S Deli until further notice, depending on projected attendance. (If there are 30 or more people, it will be at Ryles.) S & S Deli is at 1334 Cambridge Street, Cambridge; Ryles is across the street (to the south) at 212 Hampshire Street.
Should you need to get there by T, take the Red Line to Central Square, then catch either the 83 or the 91 at the bus station on Magazine St. just south of Mass. Ave. Both buses stop on Hampshire St. between S & S and Ryles (just before the intersection with Cambridge St.). Alternately, you can take the Green Line to Lechmere and take the 69 bus down Cambridge St. to the intersection with Hampshire St.
Join us and bring a friend!
On Saturday, December 2nd at 3:00 PM, JP Jubilee (who performed at October’s meeting) will host a concert at Hope Central Church (85 Seaverns Ave., Jamaica Plain) with the Parkway Community Orchestra. Please support Boston Prime Timer Jim Flavin and the rest of the chorus who graciously entertained us!
The easiest way to get to the show by MBTA is via the Orange line; get off at Green St. and go northeast on Gordon St. which becomes Seaverns Ave. after you cross Elm St. The church will be on the right, just after Elm.
JP Jubilee is a class for all seniors who want to learn new songs and musical skills, make friends, promote good health and perform for the community. They meet weekly at the JP branch (at 30 South Street, Jamaica Plain) of the Boston Public Library (Fridays 10:30 AM-noon). There are no auditions, nor fees required. After the December concert, further performances start again in February for another 12 weeks. Contact lizanker@comcast.net or visit her website for more information.
On Wednesday, January 10th at 6 PM, we will be dining at the Mount Vernon Restaurant & Pub. For $25, you have the choice of boneless stuffed chicken, traditional roast beef dinner or baked haddock dinner. Unfortunately, we do not have a vegetarian option for this dinner, but we will try to arrange one in the future.
If you would like one of the choices above, please get your tear sheet in with your selection by January 2nd, or you can come and order off the menu.
The restaurant is at 14 Broadway, Somerville, MA 02145 and you can view their website here. It’s located just a short walk from Sullivan Station (Orange line, buses) or the following buses stop in front of the restaurant: 89, 89/93, 90, 92 and 101. For more information, you can call them at (617) 666-3830.