1985
January, 1985, began with a New Year’s day brunch at Louise Davy’s in Lincoln. The Second Anniversary dance was celebrated at the Heritage Hall in Lexington at a cost of $4 for members and $6 non-members. Munchies and a sheet cake were consumed by 205 tall dancers. The calendar page was redesigned by Mark Merritt and Mark Yockey, and Louise Davy began a “President’s Message” column each month. John Callahan became Treasurer. Other cold weather activities were house parties at Thurman Smith’s in Boston and Linas Alinskas’ in Ashland and happy hours.
By February, 1985, membership had grown to 165. Happy hours were changed to social gatherings due to a Massachusetts law making happy hours illegal. Events included skiing at Weston Ski Track and Lincoln Guide Service, a Valentine Day Social and Dance at the Great Escape and Dick Syatt’s Hot Line in Weymouth.
The first of several of Brian O'Malley’s ski trips took place in March, 1985, at the Victor Luv Ski Club in North Conway, NH. The dances became so popular that a permanent dance committee was created with Lee Michaels as chair and Bill Jewett as co-chair. Theme dances were held every two to three months with the March one in Lexington at Heritage Hall drawing in 154 dancers. Two students from Boston University interviewed and filmed members for a special project. A brochure designed by Mark Merritt and Karen Ralston and printed by Ed Spadafora contained a typical calendar of social events and information about the club to send to prospective members. Other activities included skiing in Needham organized by Holly Nylander, “Beware of the Ides of March” vigil at Duca’s in Framingham, a Board meeting, a paper put-out and house parties at Lyn Rule’s in Newton and a “Last Blizzard of 1985 Party” in Brookline at Elaine Richman’s. The club continued to grow with a 180 members which necessitated computerizing a member list.
Members joined Holly Nylander in April, 1985, for an Easter parade in Boston and a winery tour in Nashoba Valley, Louise Davy in Lincoln for a brunch and games, Carol McRae in socializing at the Holiday Inn in Randolph, and Lyn Rule who hosted a Taco Party and dance at the Lexington Racquet Club. Charges for house parties was suspended.
The special event in May, 1985, was Brian O'Malley's first Memorial Day canoe trip to North Woodstock, NH, where a fleet of 9 canoes and 2 inflatable rubber boats rode the Baker River. Several activities filled the calendar including a bike ride along the Charles with Mark McKay, solving a mystery at “Shear Madness,” and socializing with Brad Poole at the Newton Marriott, Morris Ferrari at Friday’s, and Mark McKay at 33 Dunster St. An annual meeting and dinner dance was held at Paris 26 in Newton to thank the 35 members in attendance for a year of dedication.
The club membership grew to 190, dances were held bi-monthly and the social calendar listed two events on a few dates. Ed Spadafora took over as “the Voice” of the club from Mark McKay who had answered an average of 40 telephone calls a month. Other events listed for June, 1985, included volleyball with Holly Nylander in Needham, miniature golf with Fred Appel, a Boston Harbor Cruise with Monika Hoehn, a bar-b-que at Morris Ferrari’s and a walk through World’s End in Hingham with Judy Kelliher and Diane Mathieson. Rich Kubin volunteered to write a monthly column reviewing other tall club newsletters. Since BBTC was not yet a member of TCI, he called his column “Dateline:TCI.” His first column centered on how TCI was founded by Kae Sumner Einfeldt in 1938. She formed the California Tip Toppers, who lobbied hard for mass production of king-size beds. Louise Davy, our first BBTC delegate, attended the TCI convention in late June in Portland, Oregon, where BBTC was voted in as the 45th member club. The Moonrakers of NJ sponsored BBTC. After a $50 initiation fee, the club pays TCI $2 per member due each January 1st.
The second election in July, 1985, brought back Louise Davy as President, with Patrick Squires as Vice-President, Donna Gould as Secretary, John Callahan as Treasurer, Lee Michaels and Ed Spadafora as Membership Chairs, Mary Ellen (Melon) Labonté and Bill Renehan as Social Chairs, Barbara Lampkin as Publicity and Monika Hoehn and Karen Ralston as Newsletter Chairs. The warm weather of July brought out members, now 207, to a 4th of July concert on the Esplanade, beach parties at Kevin Fallis’ in Peabody and Bill Renehan’s in Manchester, roller skating at the Skate Palace in Milford, a social hour with Melon Labonté at Gazelle’s in Quincy, a train ride to Hyannis, and a polo match at the Myopia Hunt Club in Hamilton with Barbara Lampkin. Rich Kubin continued his TCI Dateline by discussing in detail the merits of “weekends” that are listed each month. Membership cost $15 single and $25 couple.
August, 1985, found tall members at Singing Beach in Manchester with Bill Renehan, a scuba boat dive in Marshfield with Monika Hoehn, a dancing cruise in Boston Harbor aboard the Providence, a concert on the Esplanade with Anne Burke, and a bike ride along the Charles with Mark McKay. Other social hours and/or dancing continued with Monika Hoehn at the Vibrations in Lowell, Vicki Fox at Sterling’s in Brookline, and Kevin Fallis at El Torito in Saugus. For the first time new and renewal members were welcomed in the newsletter. Candy Wooney presented “And Now a Word From” moaning about tall people and how she’d start her own club and call it the “Beansprout Club.”
September, 1985, brought Robert Fricke’s first pizza party where only 7 of the 14 pizzas were consumed, much to his surprise. Other activities this month were a train ride to Hyannis with Melon Labonté, dancing with Dick Syatt at the Palace in Saugus hosted by Kevin Fallis, Friday night at the movies with Melon Labonté in Dedham, and cocktails with Bob Rosenberg and Bob Ryall at Houlihan’s in Boston. Candy Wooney continued to bemoan tall people and their height advantage; nothing is ever out of their reach. Over 156 tall members danced the night away at the Heritage Hall in Lexington where admission cost $4 members and $6 non-members. The newsletter was packed with six pages of cartoons, social activities, future engagements, “Dateline:TCI” news and articles by Beanies who totaled 219 tall members.
The “Bermuda Dog” actually had its picture in the October, 1985, newsletter and this was an ongoing saga from the summer. Anne Burke went apple picking at Lookout Farm in Natick and walked along the Freedom Trail; Melon Labonté played bingo at a house party in Weymouth, Louise Davy held a brunch in Lincoln, Jeff Trubisz canoed along the Concord, and Barbara Lampkin hosted at the Regattabar in Cambridge. Halloween was celebrated in full costume in Salem with Joan Vanarsdale and at a house party in Arlington with Vicki Fox. Rich Kubin initiated a Ways and Means Committee to explore ideas and suggestions brought forth by the Board. Louise Davy was a guest on the Dave Rosier Show, WTTP.
In full fall fashion November, 1985, opened at the Newton Marriott with Kelli Kelly, followed with Melon Labonté bowling in Boston, Ed Spadafora sharing a buffet in Medford, Holly Nylander having a “Mid-Life Crisis” party in Needham. Ed Spadafora initiated a “split the pot” at the dance which netted $98 for the club. The door prize was won by Jeff Trubisz, a $25 gift certificate to Dom’s restaurant in Needham. Melon Labonté surveyed members who requested more sports activities and branching out to other cities. Several people wrote letters regarding Candy Wooney’s lack of appreciation for tall folks.
December, 1985, brought an article “What Women Want in a Man,” a poem and many calendar events. The twelve days of Christmas were celebrated at a different home with recognition given to that particular theme. Other events included Robert Fricke’s first taco party where 10 Beanies consumed 61 tacos, wine tasting at Holly Nylander’s in Needham, and listening to folk music in Brighton with Sally Fessler. The Second Annual New Year’s Eve party was celebrated at Lyn Stinson’s in Lexington. The final membership count as of December 31 tallied 223 members.
