new prime times 2020-mar-apr · 2020. 3. 4. · prime times the official newsletter for prime...

PRIME TIMES The Official Newsletter for Prime Timers Worldwide vol. 33-2 March-April 2020

Presidents’ Roundtable

wanted a face-to-face with

each chapter by 2021.

Chapters visited to date:

Austin TX

Columbia SC

Cross Timbers TX

Des Moines IA

Ft. Lauderdale FL

Houston TX

Las Vegas NV

Harlingen-McAllen TX

San Antonio TX

Upcoming in April/May:

Atlanta GA

Chattanooga TN

Huntsville AL

Nashville TN

Raleigh/Durham NC

Palm Springs CA

Santa Barbara CA

In This Issue

1-5 From The Board

6-8 From The Chapters

9-12 Promotions

We’re always online at prime�mersww.com

Road Trips to

Visit with You!

2 Prime Times March-April 2020

“Marking the Trails to 2021”

PRIME TIMERS LEADERSHIP TEAM

Vice President/Chapter Care

Sam Powell - North Carolina [email protected] Directors-at-Large

Rafael De Jesus - Colorado [email protected] Don Gillett - British Columbia [email protected] Henry McMorris - Illinois [email protected] Michael Sinn - Nebraska [email protected] Chair, Independent Chapter

Ron Young - Florida [email protected] Newsletter Editor

Adrian Liau - Illinois [email protected]

Hosted Chapter Websites

Brian Minnette - Texas p [email protected]

Treasurer

James O’Brien - Virginia [email protected]

Emeritus Directors

Michael Stone - Florida [email protected]

Richard Tobiason - Michigan [email protected]

President

Mark Hatten - Texas [email protected]

Like Columbus in 1492, I’m heading out a bit uncharted. But, I believe in people more than in maps. So my plan is:

Chapters

The Presidents Roundtables charted our path for the next two years, identifying the need to visit and strengthen local chapter operations. See our progress with the Directors-at-Large and Vice President leading a new outreach campaign and communication.

Projects vs. Operations

A single resource cannot deliver day-to-day work and al-so have time to build for the future. So I am reorganizing how Worldwide “functions” and not overburden ANY of our volunteers or Board. Got a skill to share?

Committees and task forces will be organized when we need extra hands for special Worldwide projects. Team interviews with other leaders ensure candidates will enjoy volunteering and be a valued contributor.

Communications

Newsletter Exchange Network is being managed by Adrian. Each chapter can OPT IN to participate and distribute to other chapters - as requested by a chapter president or newsletter editor.

If you want to view another chapter’s newsletter, just check with your local newsletter editor for a copy. He can always request one from another local chapter be sent to you. Or check that website.

Adrian now posts up your chapter news to the website blog. Submit your news for review using:

theprimetimersww.com/newsletter-submission/

Conventions in 2021 and 2023

A continuous Convention Committee will actively manage these events with the hosting chapter. Worldwide is committed to repeat Jack Nimmo’s 2019 success by featuring social opportunities and individual enrichment for attendees at our Regionals and Conventions. I’ll look forward to seeing you in Las Vegas in May!

The Official Newsletter of Prime Timers Worldwide 3

That is so true. After 30+ years old, what are

we going to do when we grow up? As the

Original Prime Timers Worldwide, what is our

objective for tomorrow and how do we get

there? And, just who is going to contribute

time and money to make that happen? Here

are the next steps.

Strategy & Future Committee

The Board created a group to identify

where “we” should be as a worldwide

society. With technology, social apps,

and fewer bars to frequent, how do “we”

exist as a face-to-face organization at the

local or worldwide level?

Chaired by Glenn*, the chapter leaders

above have volunteered to provide inputs

and recommendations to the Board later

in 2020. There are always going to be

gay/bi men asking about social

opportunities. We simply need to be

ready with answers in the future..

The Prime Timers “Brand”

Updating the logo may be a part of our

Strategy & Future. Check out the ad

below and submit your ideas!

Nameplate and copyright registration is

another key action being taken to ensure

our “brand” is protected. Some religious

social groups also using “Prime Timers”

in their name.

NEW LOGO CONTEST

Prime Timers Worldwide is looking for a logo incorporating a handshake, ‘1987’ and diver-

sity. Deadline to submit your designs is:

April 11, 2020

Email and attach your design to:

[email protected]

Creator of the selected logo will receive a free registration to the 2021 convention.

Image by Youssef Jheir from Pixabay

“If you don’t know where you are going, you may end up somewhere else.”

Christopher Columbus, 1493

Prime Timers: Forward, Next Generation, or ???

Charlie Butler President of Sacramento

Duncan Mills President of Edmonton

Glenn Bottomly* President of M’polis/St. Paul

Harry Fullerton President of Boston

Jim Schwartz President of Chicago

John Bell President of Columbus OH

John Hudson President of Atlanta

John Rachau President of Phoenix

Mark Hatten President of Dallas/Ft Worth

Michael Reyes VP of San Antonio

Michael Scott President of Cincinnati

Pat Karr Past WW President

Rafael DeJesus President of Colorado

Sam Powell Chair, Independent Chapter

Steve Kagan President of Rhode Island

Steve Minnie President of Toronto

Tony Kimble President of Vancouver


Best Practices for Chapter Operations

Newsletter and Web Editors must be sure that the owner of any photo being included in your chapter communication is duly owned and released for your specific publication that author or photographer. An authorization is a MUST HAVE for legal protection against a claim, especially if the newsletter is available on ANY website.

Some photographers accept giving them credit for free user. Others charge royalty fees to use the image AND also note the author’s name. So simply listing the author’s name may not be enough legal protection to publish that content.

Always give credit to the photographer!

Look for free images at pixabay.com or unsplash.com, however if you or your chapter photographer take that pic, then YOU know it’s OK to use freely.

Careful! Don’t select ‘sponsored stock’ as you will pay a fee to use that image!

Robots scour websites comparing images around the world with copyrighted photos taken by professional photographers. If no fee is on file, the robot triggers a legal process that can claim $750 - $2,000 in damages to use the image - even if the site is taken down, copyright damage is done.

* All convention photos courtesy

of San Antonio Prime Timers

N1 - Newsletters

Ownership Publishing a Photo or Graphic Image

W1 - Websites

First Impressions Count, Home Page “Must Haves”

https://theprimetimersww.com/best-practices-in-chapter-operations/

W1.1 MEET US

Feature at least one regular, monthly event listed at a public venue to demonstrate your chapter is ongoing and open to “walk in” info seekers and members. A simple “Meet Us for Coffee” can work wonders.

W1.2 WHAT WE DO

Your calendar of events and activity list signals a chapter operates year-round. Picnics, cards and table games, pool parties, walking groups, tours, and adventures show we do more than socialize at a dine out.

W1.3 CONTACT US and PRIVACY

Local chapters must protect member information to maintain privacy and trust in today’s world of technology.

DO NOT display personal telephone numbers or private e-mail addresses, unless pre-approved by that owner.

DO NOT identify individuals in photos, unless those pictured have agreed and signed off and agree to be published on the website.

Photo by Benjamin Dada on Unsplash


Launching 2020-21 Chapter Care Program Sam Powell, Vice President, Prime Timers Worldwide

San Antonio was an exceptional conven-tion and, during the various sessions of-fered there, the new Board members of Prime Timers Worldwide (PTWW) heard from attendees about how the Board of PTWW could help chapters no matter their history or headcount of members.

After the convention, PTWW formed a Chapter Care Committee made up of the Vice President and all Directors-at-Large and they were charged with documenting a Chapter Care Program which was ap-proved January 23.

The four PTWW Directors-at-Large now use it as their guide for work with their assigned chapters in Canada or the US. To make this more widely known, that list of assignments is now part of the Chapter Care Program manual with the purposes and goals to:

Provide a better path for communi-cating with existing chapters

Help organize existing chapters

Provide guidance to existing chap-ters operating successfully

Assist chapters experiencing opera-tional and/or growth issues.

Answer any question from chapters

Provide best practice information to chapters by phone or email commu-nications

Provide periodic visits to chapters to either recognize their good work or assist them with growth issues, membership retention concerns, etc.

The program’s target is for each chapter to

be visited at least once during a 2-year timespan.

PTWW has never before had funding to cover travel for Board members for any in-person chapter visits. The Board, after hearing from members in San Antonio, decided that this program was very im-portant and it has worked to develop some funding for travel for a two-year time span. New written travel guidelines, processes, and documents were developed and are in place. As this funding is limited, there will be a major effort to use the travel funds wisely and do the best to be able to visit PTWW chapters through 2021.

In the Board’s effort to further encourage communication and support, PTWW is soliciting four Regional Representatives (selected by the PTWW Board but not Board members) whose role will be to assist their respective Director-at-Large to encourage communication. This is a totally new effort to give even more channels for contact, input and information transfer to assist chapters.

Another feature of the Chapter Care Program is a twice-a-year conference call event offered to chapters served by each Director-at-Large and Regional Repre-sentative. Via these calls and all other types of contact, Directors-at-Large gather and document best practices, sharing the information to with all chapters.

(continued on page 12 )


Prime Timers of Central Florida: Tour of Stetson Mansion

Ron Bush, Secretary & Editor, Prime Timers of Central Florida

A group of Prime Timers of Central Florida

members journeyed one early January

morning to DeLand, Florida to see the

Stetson Mansion decorated in its holiday

finery.

The historic frame vernacular house at 1031

Camphor Lane was designed in 1886 by

Philadelphia architect George T. Pearson for

John B. Stetson, hat manufacturer and

inventor of the now classic cowboy hat, as

Stetson’s winter home. Pearson also

designed the Stetson factory buildings in

North Philadelphia and several buildings on

the campus of Stetson University which is

also located in DeLand.

To maintain the home, the owners operate

Our January meeting is always one of our

favorite occasions because we have a chili

cook-off and then we play Bingo, and this

year's meeting lived up to expectations.

After munching on appetizers and visiting

with each other, we turned our attention to

the chili cook-off. First, we were served

tours and rent out the home and its grounds

for special events such as weddings.

For the full article and pictures, go to: https://

theprimetimersww.com/2020/02/26/prime-

timers-of-central-florida-tour-stetson-

Charlotte Prime Timers: January Meeting Max Carroll, Communications Manager, Charlotte Prime Timers

small samples of each pot of chili, voting for

our favorite when we had gone through the

line. After the sampling, Raymond Phillips

was announced as the winner of the

cook-off.

Then we feasted on the chili and the side

dishes and desserts that volunteers brought.

Instead of a speaker for the evening, we

played five games of Bingo, competing for

luxurious” showcases of prizes, donated by

the members.

For the full article and pictures, go to:

https://theprimetimersww.com/2020/02/26/

january-meeting/

Photo courtesy of Max Carroll

Photo courtesy of Ron Bush


Visit to Des Moines, Iowa Michael Sinn, Director-At-Large, Prime Timers Worldwide

I made a chapter visit at Prime

Timers of Central Iowa. As a

At-Large Board Member of

Prime Timers Worldwide my

visit was part of The new

Chapter Care program. The

Des Moines Chapter was

having a Pot Luck and annual

meeting to Vote for new board.

President Jim Sterba asked me

to give a short talk about Prime

Timers Worldwide. There was

also time for questions. I am

so glad to meet such a nice

group of guys and they know

how to cook! I look forward to

working with Jim Sterba and

the group from Prime Timers of

Central Iowa.

Photo courtesy of Prime Timers of Central Iowa

Newsletter Exchange Program Update

Adrian Liau, Newsletter Editor, Prime Times

I am the point person for the

Newsletter Exchange Net-

work, with 10+ chapters

taking part in the exchange.

And I also receive printed

newsletters from other

chapters that are NOT part

of the Exchange, along with

e-newsletters.

If you as an individual or as

a chapter officer wish to

receive multiple newsletters

from other chapters in

exchange for sharing your

chapter’s newsletter, drop

me a line and I will include

you in the distribution list.

If you only seek a newslet-

ter from a specific chap-

ter’s website, contact

them from the PTWW

Worldwide web directory

to ask if they will share

their chapter’s newsletter.

Email me with any news-

letter exchange questions.


Austin Prime Timers Veterans Group Mike Watkins, Treasurer, Prime Timers of Austin

Prime Timers Mid Missouri: Fundraising

Rad Fountain, Past President, Prime Timers Mid Missouri

Prime Timers Mid Missouri made two check

presentations in 2019 both to Rainbow

House in Columbia. We raised $200 from

our photo booth at Mid MO Pride, and from

our members, we donated $500 as our

Christmas project.

Rainbow House is a safe house for all

children including those kicked out at home

for being LGBT.

For more pictures, go to: https://

theprimetimersww.com/2020/02/26/prime-

timers-mid-missouri-fund-raising/

On Veterans Day weekend 2018, a panel of

our veteran members spoke before the

attendees of Austin Prime Timers’ (APT)

monthly general meeting, expressing their

experiences on active duty in their various

military branches.

Around this time, APT’s president, Terry

Neal, spearheaded the formation of a

veterans’ sub-group within the Austin

chapter. Interested veterans brain-stormed

ideas with Terry about this group’s mission.

Colonel Paul Dodd, Army Chaplain, opened

his home for this purpose. It was decided

that the group would meet at least twice per

year, coinciding with the two major military

related holidays of the year, Memorial Day in

the Spring and Veterans Day in the Fall.

Although we regard ourselves as a veterans

group, non-veteran members of Prime

Timers Austin are welcome to attend our

events and some have.

Our veteran participants have demonstrated

their commitment to continuing this group

into 2020 and beyond while evolving into the

kind of group that serves individual

purposes.

For the full article and pictures, go to: https://

theprimetimersww.com/2020/01/14/austin-

prime-timers-veterans-group/

Photo courtesy of Mike Watkins Photo courtesy of Rad Fountain


Regional Gatherings for Prime Timers

Western Regional activities include:

Monday 11-May 9 AM Hospitality Room*, 6-8 PM Meet-and-Greet

Tuesday 12-May 9 AM Continental breakfast, 10 AM Mob Museum talk

Wednesday 13-May 9 AM Continental breakfast, 10 AM Health Seminars

2 PM Open Roundtable w/Worldwide Board Members

Thursday 14-May 9 AM Continental breakfast, 10 AM Health Seminars

6 PM Closing Banquet in Desert Wind Salon.

* Hospitality Room in The Derby Suite will be open 11 AM to 11 PM.

For more info, email:

[email protected]

May 11-15, 2020 The Plaza

1 Main Street, Las Vegas

Get registration forms online at:

lasvegasprimetimers.org

Click on Regional May 2020



August 5-9, 2020 at the Crowne Plaza/Chicago Loop

REGISTER ONLINE:

Come to Chicago to enjoy social opportunities and gay life with your

fellow Prime Timers before the Northalsted Market Days® 8-9 AUG

with 100,000 attending the Midwest’s largest gay festival.

Prime Timers’ Regional activities include:

Wednesday 5-AUG Welcoming reception

Thursday 6-AUG Health seminars, On-Your-Own Greektown dinner

Friday 7-AUG Health seminars, PT Worldwide Roundtable

Saturday 8-AUG 11 AM north to Halsted Street, Banquet at hotel

Sunday 9-AUG 11 AM north to Halsted Street, closing reception

* Hospitality Room at the hotel will be open in evenings.

For more info, contact Jim, Chicago Prime Timers at 773-213-0928.

http://chicagoprimetimers.org/2020gathering


“After Labor Day Weekend” Changes

to WED 9-SEP to MON 14-SEP,

due to new hotel group room policy and rates

Central Oklahoma Prime Timers invite you

to the 24th Annual “After Labor Day Week-

end” Gathering, held at the premier gay

resort in the Southwest - The Habana Inn.

Socialize with over 150 Prime Timers from

both US and Canada with two pools, three

bars, and a restaurant onsite located in the

heart of the Oklahoma City gay district.

Your hotel room is not included in the event

registration fee! You must book separately.

Hotel reservations begin on WED 18-

MAR at 8:00 AM CDT. Call 405-528-2221

or 877-303-2221 toll free. Use the special

Prime Timers discount code COPTOF2020.

You can choose a Full/$200 or Basic-no-

dinners/$140 (no dinners) Package by

15-APR. Rates increase on 31-MAY, 10-

JUL, and 11-AUG. After that, at-the-door

prices are Full/$280 and Basic/$220.

COPT has local tours around town and the

National Monument, as well as museums,

dining districts, shopping, and an onsite

bridge game to be announced.

For more information:

Call 405-603-8997

email [email protected]

Schedule includes a continental breakfast daily, plus:

THU Happy Hour, Welcome Party

FRI Box Lunch, Happy Hour, dinner

SAT Box Lunch, Happy Hour, Banquet

SUN Brunch, Happy Hour, dinner

MON Farewell brunch

web: chapters.theprimetimersww.com/centraloklahoma/labor-day-get-a-way-2020/



Unpaid Cruise Promotions

The following items on this page are unpaid promotions not directly sponsored by a recognized Prime

Timers chapter and are published as a public service announcement of social activities which may inter-

est gay/bi men. Prime Timers Worldwide does not receive any compensation nor proceeds from these

activities and in no way assumes any liability for claims, errors, or omissions nor negligence arising from

these promotions or activities. Activities may be listed up to 365 days in advance and in chronological

order, subject to review and approval by the Board of Directors of Prime Timers Worldwide.

Year Departs Destination

2020 18-JUN Northern Europe cruise

2020 17-OCT Barcelona-Transatlantic

2020 31-OCT Bahamas cruise

2021 16-JAN San Juan cruise

2021 23-JAN Western Caribbean

Promoter Telephone

Ron Camp 614.581.2700

Michael Stone 941-359-8212

Jerry Conner 828.255.0249

Ron Camp 614.581.2700

Michael Stone 941-359-8212

Chapter Care Program (continued from page 5)

Publishing Guidelines

for Prime Times

Our priorities focus newsletter content on:

1. Official communication from World-

wide Officers on administration or topics of

interest to all members and leadership.

2. Chapter highlights on visits or events

from local leaders and Directors-at-Large,

edited as space allows, with any spillover

content redirected to website.

3. Human interest or feature content

submitted by an individual may be pub-

lished as space available; however no au-

thor can be published in two consecutive

issues unless content is part of a series.

4. Public Service Announcements may

published when regional/chapter gathering

events are approved by the Board.

In addition, if there is an organizational or membership issue for which a chapter de-sires assistance, there is a documentation process to get that issue to the forefront of our Worldwide leadership team.

PTWW will distribute our Chapter Care Program manual to the leadership of all chapters, providing contact information for each Director-at-Large. Board member contacts are also available on the newly-redesigned primetimersww.com website.

“What about new chapters?”

There is a new version of the manual titled “The ‘How To’ Manual for Chapter Crea-tion,” which will be used when PTWW works with groups of guys that hope to have a new chapter in their area.

More about that and Chapter Care in fu-ture Prime Times issues.

new prime times 2020-mar-apr · 2020. 3. 4. · prime times the official newsletter for prime...

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