Basu Guragain will be our guest speaker at the February 17th, 2018 BPT meeting. He is the youngest new BPT member as of November 2017. He is an Intern at Fenway Institute of Health. Basu Guragain hails from Kathmandu, Nepal and is also part of the Boston University MSW program. He completed his undergraduate study at Tribhuvan University in Kathmandu and the University of Hawaii at Hilo. He has previously worked for several non-governmental organizations and community-based organizations in Nepal, primarily in the fields of LGBTQ rights and advocacy, and in health programs to promote HIV awareness and prevention among at-risk.
Month: January 2018
Upcoming Events
Hello Gentlemen,
Happy New Year!!! There are several new faces in our group. I’d like to ask everyone to make an extra effort to reach out, introduce yourself and welcome new members when you meet them. Assimilating into a new group can be daunting for some so we’d love to make it a little easier for new folks. We’ve all seen new guys come by meetings, sit quietly and then never return as we’re all caught up with chatting with the friends we usually associate with. This is an area where we have been weak in the past. We can do better. A hello or chat at a meeting or perhaps making the extra effort to invite them to a potluck, event or dinner would be helpful. Learning their name and introducing them around will help them feel more comfortable and invited.
We will be sharing pictures of club events in the Prologue and/or website soon so if you take photos, we’d love for you to share with other members. We will not post your photo if you do not want it. Please let us know if you do not want a photo in the Prologue. If you have not yet filled out a photo release form, please contact the office. Over the years, many of you have chatted about and shared interesting and important stories about your lives. If you’d like to write and share a story in the Prologue, please let Harry know. It can be about an experience as gay men, as seniors, an important life event or experience, your travels, your experiences with Prime Timers… We all have a story and we’d like to hear them!!!
The Mohegan Sun bus trip is February 24th (see below for details). The Hasty Pudding show is March 1st. Tickets are on sale already. Make sure you sign up!!! There are a few upcoming potlucks. Norman and Jim’s party is on February 10th. Gary Gropman’s Mardi Gras party will be on March 24th. As always, please contact Tony and Steve to set up a potluck event at your home. Thank you to Ben Gallo and Jim Sutfin for a fantastic party this past week.
We will not have a speaker at the March Meeting. Jim Morgrage and Club Café will be preparing a delicious Boiled Dinner for us in celebration of Saint Patrick’s Day. This will be $25 per person and you can sign up for this on the tear sheet now. We look forward to seeing you there!
Member Stories
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 founding member, Jim Norris.
Boston Prime Timers Founder
I have done many things in my life to be proud of: I joined the Navy at 17, got elected to the job of Lakeville Town Treasurer & Collector, and I was one of the first men to join the Herb Society of New England. It took me three years to join, I never gave up. But one of the proudest moments was when I became a founder of the Boston Prime Timers.
In August 1987, I saw a small ad in the Bay Windows, advertising there would be a meet up group for older gay men. You see, back then, gay men were the pits of society. Older gay men, were the pits of the pits. Because of this organization, we moved from the back burner to the front burner.
When you’re 40, you think 80 is old. But when you are 80, it is old. Who better than us to know what prejudice is all about? From one side, we’re hit with scorn from the heterosexual world, on the other side we get the prejudice of young gays against older gays.
On August 15, 1987, my partner, Bill Belliveau, drove us into Boston, to attend this meeting. On one of the hottest days in August, we walked up to the second floor of a building with no air conditioning. Boy, was it ever hot. 42 men from all over New England showed up that day.
The guy who had this brilliant idea was Professor Woody Baldwin. Woody was a professor at UCLA and Simmons College. He also was a Unitarian Universalist. Woody and his partner Shaun chaired our meeting. We chose the name, “Boston Prime Timers,” after a few names were tossed about. We all realized we really hit on something great; so many stories were shared, some very sad. We set up a date for our next meeting in September. The energy was high, and we came out of that building with some lifelong friends.
Prime Timers became a brotherhood of mature gay and bisexual men and their friends who join together for educational support and social activities. Our diverse membership, some retired, some still working, are involved and focused on improving the image and quality of gay life through activities like volunteerism, politics, gay issues, arts, sports and entertainment.
Today, the Prime Timers Worldwide, has thousands of members in more than 70 chapters on three continents. Today, out of the 42 founders, we have 4 left, and I am proud to say, I am one of the 4. I am also a founder of the Rhode Island chapter along with my partner Frank Girard.
Hasty Pudding ’18: Intermission Impossible
We have reserved 30 tickets for the March 1st Hasty Pudding Theatrical. Tickets are $30.00. The performance is at 8 PM.
So don’t delay,
send in your tearsheet today,
after February 5th, they’ll go away.
Location: Farkas Hall, 12 Holyoke Street, Cambridge, just outside of Harvard Square.
“Places, everyone! World War II is over, New York is booming, and alcoholic playwright TENNESSEE WHISKEY is making his Broadway debut. After aging actress FAYE DINAWAY is deemed too old for her role, struggling deli waitress MEGAN ITBIG gets her chance to audition. But when America’s sweetheart and ditzy pageant queen AMBER WAVESOFGRAIN lands the lead, Megan teams up with Faye to reclaim the spotlight. Will hunky sailor SAL PACIFIC find his first mate, or will he stay at half mast? Will cranky Southern matron AUNTIE BELLUM learn to accept the “alternative lifestyle” of her nephew Tennessee? Will Shakespearean director TOBY ORNOTTOBE realize his vision, or will it turn into a comedy of errors? Can no-nonsense taxi driver HAILEY CAB learn that all’s fare in love and war? Will it ever be explained why RICKEY RAT can talk? Catch these dames putting the broad in Broadway in HPT 170!”
This year’s writers are Shaun Gohel ’18 & Mike Skerrett ’18.
The Menopausal Mermaid
Join the Prime Timers for a Special Showing of the drag parody The Menopausal Mermaid. Prime Time members and their friends can use our special code PRIME when ordering to save $5 per ticket. Makes a great holiday gift too!
Cabaret-style table service for brunch-and-a-show (20% off brunch buffet with your show ticket so all-you-can-eat brunch for only $14).
Ariel, everyone’s darling from The Little Mermaid, is not feeling it. Betrayed by Eric, cursed by Ursula, she is ready to kick ass and take names in this 90 minute musical parody that picks up where the Disney fairy tale left off. Tired of playing by the rules, Ariel is reinventing herself, and along the way she takes on love, fame, Walt Disney, and anyone and anything that’s ever tried to keep a woman in her place.
The show is a kaleidoscope of fantastic drag, sexy sailors, outrageous costumes, and all your favorite 80s disco tracks re imagined and served up hot. Grab your bestie, throw on something cute, and get ready to rock the house with Ariel and her boys in this must see theater event!
Tickets: menopausalmermaid2018.bpt.me, choose date February 11th, and then click “Enter a password or discount code,” and enter PRIME (all caps), then click show available tickets. This will provide you with an option for a $25 ticket.
Facebook: facebook.com/pg/menopausalmermaid
Web: menopausalmermaid.info
March Dinner
Tuesday, March 27th
Cocktails 6 PM, Dinner 7 PM
Choices: (1) Chicken Picatta, (2) Steak Tips, (3) Shrimp and Scallop Scampi, (4) Spinach and Mushroom Ravioli.
Club Café, 209 Columbus Ave, Boston. (617) 536-0966
Nearest T Stop: Back Bay Station on the Orange Line or Arlington Street Station on the Green Line. The Inbound № 9 Bus from Broadway Station (Red Line) stops across the street at Berkeley St. & Columbus Ave.
Cost: $28.00 per person includes Soup/Salad, Entree, Coffee/Tea, Dessert as well as Gratuity.
Your payment must be received by March 19th.
Should you need a tear sheet to send in, the most recent one can be found on the forms page.
Mardi Gras Party
hosted by Gary Gropman
WHAT: Mardi Gras party at Gary Gropman’s house.
WHEN: Saturday, March 24th, 6 PM – ?
WHERE: 36 Stevens Street, Malden
FOOD: Please contact Gary to discuss what you should bring.
COST: $2 to the host for incidentals.
RSVP: Please call Gary at (781) 322-2516 to RSVP before March 16th.
MAXIMUM GUESTS: 30.
DIRECTIONS (FROM THE SOUTH): Take I-93 to exit 29 for MA-28/MA-38 towards Somerville/Medford. Keep right at the fork, merging onto MA-28 N./Fellsway. Turn right onto Revere Beach Pkwy. then right onto River’s Edge Dr. & continue onto Commercial St. Turn right onto Medford St. and right onto Main St., then immediately left onto Acorn St. Acorn ends at Hancock St. where you turn right, then immediately left on Lowell St. and left again on Stevens. Gary is the 3rd house on the right.
DIRECTIONS (FROM THE SOUTH): Take I-93 to exit 32 for MA-60 towards Medford Sq./Malden (3rd exit from the traffic circle), becomes Salem St. Turn right onto Fellsway W. and left onto Medford St. which ends at Main St., where you will turn right. then immediately left on Acorn St. Acorn ends at Hancock St. where you turn right, then immediately left on Lowell St. and left again on Stevens. Gary is the 3rd house on the right.
VIA MBTA: The nearest train stop is Malden Center Station. If anyone needs a ride, please call Gary.
February Dinner
Tuesday, February 27th
Cocktails 6 PM, Dinner 7 PM
Choices: (1) Chicken Parmesan, (2) Pork Chop, (3) Salmon Filet, (4) Pumpkin Ravioli.
Club Café, 209 Columbus Ave, Boston. (617) 536-0966
Nearest T Stop: Back Bay Station on the Orange Line or Arlington Street Station on the Green Line. The Inbound № 9 Bus from Broadway Station (Red Line) stops across the street at Berkeley St. & Columbus Ave.
Cost: $28.00 per person includes Soup/Salad, Entree, Coffee/Tea, Dessert as well as Gratuity.
Your payment must be received by February 19th.
Should you need a tear sheet to send in, the most recent one can be found on the forms page.
February Mt. Vernon Dinner
On Wednesday, February 14th at 6 PM, we will be dining at the Mount Vernon Restaurant & Pub. From now on, rather than sending in a Tear Sheet, just 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.