1988
In January, 1988, 250 people celebrated at the BBTC fifth Anniversary Dance at Sons of Italy in Wilmington. Twenty-five Hi-Hubbers (circa 1947-65) also joined in the fun. Other winter activities included cross-country skiing with Jeff Trubisz at Waldon Pond, a poker game with Corey Prevost in Arlington, volleyball in Burlington, brunch at Long Wharf in Boston, roller skating with Brian O’Malley in Norwood and several social hours. These included Marie Jensen at the Rusty Scupper in Acton, Ed McFarland at Charlies in West Roxbury, Jewel Knowles at the Sheraton Milford, and David Snyder at Harry’s Tavern in Boxboro. Vanda Sendzimer lunched at the Premier Deli in Boston and tall folks gathered to root for their team at Super Bowl XXII with Louise Davy and Blair Greene in Sudbury. Due to time constraints Ginny Rambow took a sabbatical from the newsletter while Susan Piaggio became TCI correspondent.
In February, 1988, Board changes included Genna Parker replacing Kathy Quill as Publicity co-chair. Outdoor activities had Brian O'Malley leading the club’s fourth annual ski weekend to North Conway at Eastern Inn and Patty Norton and Cheryl Hey ice skating at the Janas Rink in Lowell. Social hours continued to occupy members at the Village Coach House in Brookline with Terri Delahunty, at Christopher’s in Cambridge with Jan Blomberg, at 33 Dunster St in Cambridge with Marty Reuman, at the Averof in Cambridge with Suzanne Alent and Chardie Spackman, and at the Worcester Marriott with Bonnie McDonald.
Membership in March, 1988, grew to 316 (137 men and 179 women). Robert and Bobbie Fnicke welcomed members for the Second Annual Calzone Party in their new home in Braintree. Susan Kollmeyer danced the night away at the Juke Box in Boston, Melon Labonté bowled in Boston, and Brian O’Malley celebrated St. Patrick’s Day in Walpole. Other activities members had to choose from included Nickel’s in Merrimack, NH, with Ginny Rambow and Micki Botterman, Chevy’s in Framingham with Sharon Gallagher, the Newton Marriott with Mike Vaughn, and Catch of the Day in Cambridge with Steve Trinwood. At the monthly Board meeting several Board members raised questions about the club sending a representative as Miss Tall Boston to the annual convention this year. This resulted in sending Miss Tall Boston to this years pageant, but bringing the issue to the club members as a whole after convention but before December, 1988. A motion was passed that the delegate have the responsibility of placing the issue of having a pageant on the agenda for the upcoming delegates meeting at convention. A questionnaire in the March newsletter soliciting members opinions regarding this issue elicited 8 responses. indicating not a strong interest in this issue.
The club continued to expand with membership at 326 (140 men and 186 women) in April, 1988. Warm weather brought Barry Greenhalgh hiking in NH, Torn Todd canoeing on the Assabet river in Concord. Melon Labonté attending “The Music Man” in Weymouth, and Helen McHowell catching the Mandelia Folk Dances in Canton. Corey Provest led the crowd for a repeat performance at Alex’s in Stoughton while the Beanstalkers socialized with Jack Phelan and Doug Buckser at the Newton Marriott, Jim Charmichel at Friday’s in Londonderry, NH, and Marie Alner at the Last Hurrah at the Parker House. The month was topped with Tom Todd’s canoe trip to central Vermont.
In May, 1988, the Dead River in Maine was the site for a white water rafting trip led by Kathy Quill while Jeff Trubisz canoed the Concord river. Jan Blomberg was found at the Top of the Hub in Boston, Elaine Milosz and Bonnie MacDonald shared drinks at Shamboom’s in Worcester, and Ginny Rambow held a photo contest of Beanstalk events in Nashua. Brian O’Malley held his fourth Annual Memorial Day Canoe Weekend in North Woodstock, NH.
The monthly dance at the Sons of Italy in Wilmington opened the June, 1988, calendar. Events continued with Elaine Richman who held a pot-luck supper in Brookline, Joan McGrath who consumed chocolate at the Chocolate Buffet in Boston, and Peter Krupp who hosted a dinner at Sol Azteca in Brookline. Jazz night with Basil Dixon in Hudson, NH, socializing with Susan Kollmeyer at 33 Dunster St. in Cambridge, dinner with Lucille Tawa at Turner Fisheries, a cocktail party in Marblehead at George McQuilken’s, and the Annual Membership Dinner Meeting in at the Yangtze River Restaurant in Lexington rounded out the month.
In July, 1988, the election results brought back Brian O’Malley as President; Susan Kollmeyer as Vice-president, Robert Fricke as Secretary, Jan Huffman as Treasurer, Suzanne Alent as Membership, Genna Parker as Social, Danielle Roth as Publicity, and Blair Greene as Newsletter. Our own Melon Labonté, Miss Tall Boston, represented BBTC at the Annual TCI Convention in Los Angeles while Susan Piaggio served as our TCI delegate. At the 50th TCI Convention Susan Piaggio submitted a proposal that bylaws be amended to: “Replace with standing rules for a process to select a national representative, regardless of gender, who will best represent the TCI through their personal enthusiasm and ability to articulate our goals and interests.” At Convention the proposal did not pass although Susan Piaggio’s summary reported that some clubs “did maintain that a change was in order.” Events held locally included a cookout at Genna Parker’s in Beverly, canoeing along the Charles River with Jan Huffman, dancing at the Juke Box in Boston with Sharon Gallagher, socializing with Fred Appel at the Sheraton in Needham, hiking Mt. Wachusset with Norman Linson, bike riding around Burlington with Susan Kollmeyer, a tour of Lowell State-Federal Park led by Jan Huffman, and a weekend spent on the Cape at Tom O’Brien’s second Wellfleet trip.
The dog days of August, 1988, found the Beanstalkers celebrating their third Annual Weekend, this one at the Colonial Hilton in Wakefield. The Beach Blast Weekend was highlighted with tours given by Brian O'Malley in Boston and George McQuilken in Marblehead; dancing and partying. Peter from Philly and Suzanne from Boston won the Hot Legs contest. Miss Tall Boston, Melon Labonté, and Miss TI, Susan LaPierre, performed the Canadian handshake on Peter from Philly. Saturdays were the preferred dance night so they were booked at the Quality Inn in Waltham costing $5 for members and $8 for non-members. Elaine Milosz danced at Chevy’s in Framingham, Marie Jensen held a house party in Lancaster, Lucille Tawa watched ballet at the Hatch Shell in Boston, and Sharon Gallagher held a beer tasting/cookout party in Brookline. Pool parties cooled off members at Carl Pieper’s and Bonnie MacDonald’s in Northborough and Irma DeJon in Newton. A summary of the monthly Business meeting was published in the newsletter for the first time.
The first house party of September, 1988, was held in Reading at Bill Weimar’s, a second pool party at Irma DeJon’s in Reading, a games and cookout at Louise Davy’s in Sudbury, and the last house party of the month at Robert and Bobbie Fricke’s in Braintree for the fourth pizza party. Laurie Keyes reserved the Old Colony Ski Club in North Woodstock, NH, for the Highland Games, Brian O'Malley dined at the No-Name restaurant in Boston, and Tom Todd canoed and biked for his fourth annual weekend in Vermont. Single Awareness Week was celebrated September 18-24 at Vincent’s Night Club at Lombard’s in Randolph with members staffing a table with information about the BBTC. A membership meeting was held at Pine Manor in Chestnut Hill to continue discussion regarding the pageant. Several impassioned letters in the newsletter encouraged members to come for a discussion. Louise Davy suggested “Keep our Queen and add a King!” Thirty-six members attended the meeting where the issue “to replace the Miss Tall Boston Competition with Man and Woman of the Year awards and to stop participating in the Miss Tall International Contest until it is modified to be non-sexist” was voted down 21-15. A motion that “BBTC not include bathing suits as part of our selection criteria for Miss Tall Boston” was approved.
Bob Spence provided knives for his second Pumpkin Carving contest in Sherborn in October, 1988. Susan Kollmeyer biked around Burlington. Sharon Gallagher held her second lasagna party in Brookline, Jon Mann hosted the Newton Marriott. and Helen McHowell celebrated St. Patrick’s Day in October at the Old Irish Ale House in Dedham. Horseback riding with Helen McHowell in the Blue Hills, canoeing with Jeff Trubisz along the Concord river for his eighth trip, and volleyball in Burlington kept Beanstalkers in shape. The month was completed with several Halloween costume parties: the dance in Waltham at the Quality Inn and a house party at Bob Kvietkauskas in Carlisle. Membership rose to 425 while dues increased to $20 a single and $35 a couple.
Peter Michaud volunteered to host at 33 Dunster St. in Cambridge in November, 1988, while Mary Quay socialized at Tapas in Cambridge, Ed McFarland went to the dogs at Wonderland Track in Revere, Mary Kivior hosted at the Worcester Marriott, and Teresa Hall munched at the Rusty Scupper in Acton. Dancing cheek to cheek at Wonderland Ballroom in Revere with David Snyder or “basically black” with Mike McGinnis at AXIS/DV8 in Boston provided Beanstalkers with a variety of dancing options. Louise Davy served Thanksgiving dinner while Lee Michaels opened her house Thanksgiving evening for more snacks and drinks. Cindy Culbreth resumed Secretary duties after Robert Fricke resigned. At the members meeting the pageant was discussed again with a motion “we give this membership meeting the right to start a committee to decide how Miss Tall Boston will be selected and to identify candidates” with Susan Sinclair in charge. The issue of the pageant was hotly debated but left unresolved. Danielle Roth, Publicity, organized ten Beanstalkers to appear on the TV program Talk of the Town.
December, 1988. left little room for Beanstalkers to rest with every day but two filled with activities. The first quarterly members meeting was held with Joan McGrath being elected the first club Historian. Steve Trinward submitted the winning slogan for the T-shirt/sweatshirt contest: “Everyone is born short, only a few can rise above it.” Jon Mann and Herb Kliger appear on People Are Talking and discuss being single in the 80’s. Marty Reuman chaired a committee to form TCI by-law changes. The pageant discussion rose again with Jeff Otterson submitting his name for consideration of “Miss Tall Boston” since the idea of the selection was to vote on a spokesperson. His name was respectfully removed as he did not fill the requirement of being “female,” according to TCI rules. But it was hoped that in the future a Mr. Tall Boston position would be available for him to enter. Mark McKay began the holiday with lunch at the Stage Deli in Boston, and festivities continued with a cookout with Stan Knutson in North Reading, a trim-a-tree party at Genna Parker’s in Lynnfield, a concert/pot luck with Louise Davy in Concord, beer tasting with Marie Alner at Jacob Wirth’s in Boston, caroling with Jan Huffman and Susan Sinclair in Newton, and country dancing at the Blue Star in Saugus with Jim Carmichael. Lee Michaels shared her home on Christmas Eve in Sudbury and Sharon Gallagher celebrated New Year’s Eve in Brookline.
