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October 2023 Circumbits

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Oct 022023

Visit Woodstown, NJ to see dozens of Halloween scarecrows. *Photos by Dottie Mink.*

Welcome to October

“I am so glad to live in a world where there are Octobers.” – L.M. Montgomery

Best wishes to all our members, family and friends for a wonderful start to autumn. Please make sure to send us info on your travels!

Thank you, photographers

Our photo contest raised funds to benefit the Circumnavigators Club Foundation. Following are the top photos in each category as judged by our team of professional photographers. You can find all of the photos by clicking on the photo tab on this site or link to: https://circumnavigators.org/2023-photo-contest/

Architecture

Hatshepsut Temple in Luxor, Egypt by Judy Swanson (Naples Chapter)

Landscape

Central Park by Judy Joseph (New York Metro)

Flora & Fauna

Mighty Lion in South Africa by David Mink (New York Metro)

Human Interest

Searching for Dao Bapa Kami in Jerusalem by Jennifer Teague (Washington DC Chapter)

Celebration of Life

Several Circumnavigators were among a crowd in New York that honored the late Circumnavigator Albert Podell, author and adventurer who recently passed away. Given that Albert had no heirs, treasures from his trips to every country were offered to guests as keepsakes. It was a great tribute to an amazing person.

Circumnavigator Brad Vogel with Albert’s “stuff”

Chapter Highlights

Pacific Southwest Chapter members had a very special time at the home of Kathleen and George Beebe complete with dancing girls, flight attendants, and a video presentation of the Beebe’s’ 15th circumnavigation with tips on how to travel using miles from credit cards.

Chicago Chapter members gathered at Cliff Dwellers Club for a lovely September evening event with a presentation by Dr. Nina Kraus of the Brainvolts laboratory at Northwestern University on the topic of “The Sounds of Languages”, following cocktails on the terrace and dinner overlooking Michigan Avenue.

Circumnavigator Cynthia Bassett (At Large Ohio) and her niece Lisa Kaeser had a sensational safari to Zambia where they enjoyed the scenery and photographing the wildlife. Lisa went fishing on the Zambezi River where she caught (and released) a 71-pound Vundu catfish.

Circumnavigator Bill Ashley (Washington DC Chapter) completed his 7th circumnavigation on a solo trip. Among other things, he visited two new nations—Nauru and Timor-Leste. He has now been to 178 countries. On the trip, he enjoyed catching up with friends around the world.

Circumnavigator Mark Pross (Washington DC Chapter) visited the Porta d’Europa (Gateway to Europe) on the Italian Island of Lampedusa. The monument, located at the southern-most point of Europe, is a memorial to all the mostly Sub-Saharan migrants who died while making the perilous boat journey from Libya and Tunisia.

Circumnavigator Suzanne Frye (New York Metro) celebrated her birthday with a camel ride in Mongolia.

Circumnavigators Lion & Donna Curran (New York Metro) enjoyed a trip to Kauai which was spared the terrible fires that devastated its Hawaiian neighbor Maui. Lion says Kauai is the wettest place on earth.

Circumnavigator Jason Chang (President, Washington DC Chapter) is touring around the region of Marseille, France and taking in the local flavors.

Circumnavigators Norm & Susan Dailey (Washington DC Chapter) are on the move again. After a visit to Lebanon, they headed off on the next leg of a 30-day trip that would encompass the five Stan’s (2 T’s, 2 K’s and a U). They visited the burning crater of Darwaza and ancient city Merv in Turkmenistan. Then the Shah-i-Zinda complex of mausoleums in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. On to the Iskander Kul in Tajikistan, the Altyn-Emil National Park in Kazakhstan and finally feed the birds in the Ala Archa National Park in Kyrgyzstan. More about this ambitious trip will recounted in the next issue of The LOG.

Circumnavigators Tareq Salahi & Lisa Spoden (Palm Beach Chapter) made their first trip to the Arctic Circle. The couple are new members from Florida. Tareq is captain of the American Polo team and board chair for Hotels@Sea.

Circumnavigator Ed Hotchkiss (New York Metro) and his wife Khadija Musa are exploring the “Stans”, shown here with a group of school children in Samarkand. Ed is a new member of the Circumnavigators Club.

The Last Shot

Thanks to Circumnavigator **Bryan Koontz** (At Large with the US Army) for this brilliant nighttime shot of the famed ghats in Varanasi, India.

Do you have a good photo for The Last Shot? Please send to club@circumnavigators.org.

Luck to you!

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David A. Mink
International President
club@circumnavigators.org

September 2023 Circumbits

The Blog Comments Off

Aug 312023

School yard in Tanzania — Schoolyard in Tanzania. *Photo by David Mink.*

Welcome to September

It’s back to school for many youngsters and on the road for many Circumnavigators. Best wishes for a great month and Labor Day holiday to our members, family and friends. Please send us photos and info on your travels.

Never too old to explore the world

Circumnavigators honored our new members Ellie Hamby and Sandy Hazelip who made headlines by traveling around the world in 80 days at the age of 81. The Dynamic Duo gave a lively presentation of their ambitious trip that drew headlines from press around the world. More than 30 members and friends enjoyed the program at the Yale Club. There will be more about their adventure in the next issue of the LOG.

There is still time

There is still time…Our biggest event of the year is coming next month. The Order of Magellan will be awarded to authors and travel experts Tony and Maureen Wheeler on October 6 at the historic Union League Club in New York City. If you would like to make a reservation to attend, please contact headquarters at club@circumnavigators.org or call 201-612-9100. Overnight accommodations can also be made at the Union League Club.

Last chance, Photographers

Deadline for the upcoming photo contest/exhibit is September 15. If you haven’t made an entry, please consider submitting a photo for this fun event. The event helps support our Foundation. Click here for details: https://circumnavigators.org/product/2023-photo-contest/

Circumnavigators David & Dottie Mink (New York Metro and Naples Chapter) cruised from Athens to Venice which brought them for the first time to fascinating Croatia and Montenegro. The trip was historically & culturally illuminating and also very hot—108F in Athens.

Circumnavigator Gigi Sutton (Washington DC Chapter) visited Serbia’s Belgrade where her friend David Vuich received a lifetime achievement award for his role in the Apollo Mission as one of the Serbo 7. Gigi loved Serbia with its lush farmlands, castles, fabulous restaurants on the waterfront and charming citizens.

Circumnavigator Carolyn Stein (President, Miami Chapter) enjoyed a trip to London and Turkey, although she found conditions hot and crowded.

Circumnavigators Steve & Henna Fuller took their running shoes on the road again where Steve ran marathons in New Guinea and New Zealand, and Henna ran a 10 km race. Henna enjoyed meeting friendly local ladies.

Circumnavigator Suzanne Frye (New York Metro) was on the road again with a visit to Alaska where she enjoyed Running Reindeer Ranch in Fairbanks.

Circumnavigator Russ Bredholt (Palm Beach Chapter) and wife Chris crossed the Atlantic on the Queen Mary 2 where they experienced smooth sailing and excellent entertainment. After London, they traveled to Bredholt, Denmark where they visited the Bredholt Estates on the Jutland Peninsula. Later they stayed with Chris’s family near Copenhagen.

Circumnavigators Paula & Roger Weatherburn Baker (Naples Chapter) enjoyed a barge cruise in northern France. More about this interesting experience will be in the next issue of the LOG.

Circumnavigator Rick Jennewine (Naples Chapter) visited the beautiful Japanese Gardens in Portland, Oregon.

Circumnavigators Tom & Judy Van Horn (Palm Beach Chapter) went to Germany, but not in Europe. They visited Frankenmuth, Michigan’s Little Bavaria. They enjoyed authentic German food and shopping for Octoberfest clothes.

Circumnavigator Neil Mandt has been more active than ever on the travel front. The Emmy Award director has been to four continents in the last month. He visited Andorra which he calls a “cool” little country. It is his 126th country.

Chapter Highlights

Chicago Get together. 40 members of the Circumnavigators Chicago Chapter and the Chicago area Travelers Century Club had a joint club gathering to share travel stories and memories in the backyard of Dan & Melanie Peterson’s home. They had a great time even as they weathered the 100-degree heat.

Michigan Chapter members enjoyed the classic Woodward Dream Cruise weekend in Detroit. Vintage autos, good dining and friendship were the highlights. Twenty-five Circumnavigators and guests joined the crowd of one-million who were entertained by 40,000 cars.

Scuttlebutt

Congratulations…First Vice President Dan Peterson (Chicago Chapter) will receive the prestigious Good Scout Award in Illinois. A dinner honoring Dan will be held in October. The Good Scout dinner, held since 1970, honors leaders who have had a tremendous impact on their communities and on the Scouting program. The organization recognizes Dan’s long time contribution to Scouting at the Troop, Council, & National levels.

Good press…The Wall Street Journal published a story on round-the-world travel that prominently featured the Circumnavigators Club.

The Last Shot

Thanks to Circumnavigator **Ellie Hamby** for this stunning sunrise shot of Ahu Tongariki, the largest Ahu on Easter Island, with 15 Moai statues.

Do you have a good photo for The Last Shot? Please send to club@circumnavigators.org.

Luck to you!

David A. Mink
International President
club@circumnavigators.org

August 2023 Circumbits

Circumbits, The Blog Comments Off

Jul 272023

This photo by C. Pat Hammers (At Large – Hawaii) was a winner in the last Photo Contest. Photos are encouraged to send in shots for the upcoming event.

Welcome to August!

Summer is flying by and Circumnavigators are exploring the world. Best wishes to members, family and friends for a wonderful month.

July Spectacular

Circumnavigators Suzanne Frye and Sue Murphy (both New York Metro) shared with us the amazing fireworks display on Independence Day in New York.

Meet the Dynamic Duo

Circumnavigators Ellie Hamby and Sandy Hazelip are the 81-year-old best friends who circled the globe in just 80 days, resulting in numerous news features on CNN, The New York Times and others. The Club will be honoring them at an event on August 23 at the Yale Club in New York City. You won’t want to miss this exciting event.
Invitations have been sent via email. Contact headquarters to confirm your reservation club@circumnavigators.org.

Naples Chapter Ladies

The group gathered for their third summer meeting where C. Michelle Doyle gave an outstanding presentation on her trip to Turkey.

Shots Around the World…Send us your best photos for the annual photo event which helps support the Foundation. Just one photo will be appreciated. Let’s try to set a record for submissions. The deadline has been extended to September 15.

Our Annual Photo Contest is fun for our members and helps support the Circumnavigators Foundation. It is a great way to share our photos with the membership.
Categories: Human Interest, Flora & Fauna, Landscape, Architecture
Rules: Photos are to be submitted via email as an attachment to club@circumnavigators.org. Please put PHOTO CONTEST in the subject line of the email. Members are limited to five submissions. There is a $10 fee for each photo, which is a tax-deductible contribution to the Foundation. The photos do not have to be recent. The photos will be judged by professional photographers. There is no form to be filled out. Just send your email with the photos including the following:

Your Name
Chapter
Category of photograph
Title of photograph
Photographer’s statement

Entry fees can be sent via PayPal on our website: https://circumnavigators.org/product/2023-photo-contest/or by check to “Circumnavigators Club Foundation” and mailed to the Circumnavigators Club Foundation, PO Box 465, Ramsey NJ 07446. Let’s support this event! All photos will be shown on the Club web site.

Chapter Highlights

Singapore Chapter…Singapore Chapter President, Mr. Ang Hao Yao hosted the annual mid-year, dinner event at the magnificent Sheraton Towers hotel.

Members enjoyed the outstanding food supplied by the hotel’s renowned Cantonese restaurant Li Bai, great wines and wonderful musical entertainment. Mr. Ang Hao Yao presented the membership certificate to new member Mr. Elvin Too on that special evening.

Welcome to all New Members

Fourteen new members were approved at the Board of Governors Meeting recently. The Club is seeing its numbership grow. Among the new members are three leaders of the Pan Am Museum Foundation, further solidifying our long, unofficial relationship with that storied airline. The Pan-Amers are Linda Freire (Foundation Chair), Patricia Iassogna and Wendy Knecht. Circumnavigators should let them know if planning to attend the dynamic museum on Long Island.

Other new members are:

James Bamford  (Washington DC Chapter)
Warner Blow  (Naples Chapter)
Tiffany Jungco  (At Large Philippines)
Lydia Kerr  (Naples Chapter)
Luis & Ronilynn Ramos  (Naples Chapter)
Mary Nice  (Naples Chapter)
Tareq Salahi  (Palm Beach Chapter)
Ron & Staci Schnell  (Miami Chapter)
Lisa Spoden  (Palm Beach Chapter)

Scuttlebutt

Postcard memories…C. Tom Van Horn (President, Palm Beach Chapter) received a pleasant surprise from his 94-year-old Aunt Doris. She sent him all the postcards he had mailed to her from his trips – 147 postcards from 2003-2015. It was wonderful way to relive all of his travels. Do any Circumnavigators have a collection of old postcards? Might make for a good feature in The LOG’s Collectors Corner.

A bit of whimsey…Circumnavigators Geoff & Marilyn McGrath (At Large – Virginia) shared this humorous photo from Washington DC.

One of the Best…This writer has written plenty about some of our historic members. Watching Wimbledon last month, I recalled that tennis great Arthur Ashe was a member, having joined in 1978. Here is a copy of his application.

The Last Shot

Do you have a good photo for The Last Shot? Please send to club@circumnavigators.org.

Luck to you!

David A. Mink
International President
club@circumnavigators.org

July 2023 Circumbits

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Jun 302023

Historic Circumnavigator John Philip Sousa epitomizes freedom. The band-leader’s last march was dedicated to the Circumnavigators Club.

Freedom Rings

July brings home the great gift of Freedom—-Freedom of speech, religion and importantly for Circumnavigators, the freedom to travel the world. Best wishes to members, family and friends for a wonderful July.

Save the Date

Our biggest event of the year will be the Magellan Award presentation to Travel Experts Tony & Maureen Wheeler from Australia. The Wheelers are internationally known for their books and guidebooks the Lonely Planet which have sold millions of copies. They have been honored as Officers of the Order of Australia for “distinguished service to business and commerce as publishers of travel guides, and as benefactors to a range of Australian arts and aid organizations.” The Circumnavigators Order of Magellan black-tie event will be held on October 6, 2023 at the Union League Club in New York City. Headquarters can make arrangements for overnight reservations at the Union League or the Yale Club. Formal invitations will be on the way to members.

Meet the Dynamic Duo

Circumnavigators Ellie Hamby and Sandy Hazlip are the 81-year-old best friends who circled the globe in just 80 days, resulting in numerous news features on CNN, The New York Times and others.The Club will be honoring them at an event on August 23 at the Yale Club in New York City. You won’t want to miss this exciting event. Invitations will be sent our shortly.

Attention Photographers…Please submit your best photos from places you’ve traveled for the Circumnavigators Club Photo Contest.
Deadline: August 31, 2023
Categories: Human Interest, Flora & Fauna, Landscape, Architecture

Our Annual Photo Contest is fun for our members and helps support the Circumnavigators Foundation. It is a great way to share our photos with the membership.
Rules: Photos are to be submitted via email as an attachment to club@circumnavigators.org. Please put PHOTO CONTEST in the subject line of the email. Members are limited to five submissions. There is a $10 fee for each photo, which is a tax-deductible contribution to the Foundation. The photos do not have to be recent. The photos will be judged by professional photographers. There is no form to be filled out. Just send your email with the photos including the following:

Your Name
Chapter
Category of photograph
Title of photograph
Photographer’s statement

Collectors’ Corner

Do you have a travel collection that can be featured in the next issue of The LOG? Please contact headquarters with information.

Chapter Highlights

Washington DC Chapter…Circumnavigators joined with members of the Explorer’s Club to attend the World Cup Polo Event in Leesburg, Virginia. Team USA beat the Moroccan team 16-10. The USA team captain, Tareq Salahi, submitted his application to join the Circumnavigators Club, along with his wife Lisa Sponden. The Chapter looks forward to making this an annual event.

The Chapter held a recent meeting at The Royal India Restaurant where a beautiful Indian buffet was offered. The speaker was an executive from Silver Seas Cruise Line who explained various expeditions to Antarctica and the Arctic. The new president of the Palm Beach Chapter, Tom Van Horn, his wife and Elizabeth Rogers joined the festivities. The Chapter looks forward to many exciting meetings in the fall and increasing its membership.

pacific southwest — Janelle McCullough, Diane Louise Cole, Arthur Hammonds, Virginia Foster, Kathleen Beebe, George Beebe, Lynn Payette, Larry Branton

A Garden Party was held at the home of Virginia Foster & Arthur Hammonds where Circumnavigators enjoyed a festive feast and played a travel game which tested everyone’s knowledge of the 330 world countries and territories. The game involved drawing pictures to give clues to the secret country the other team represented.

Pacific Northwest Chapter…Circumnavigators gathered for their first hybrid Zoom meeting, allowing members to enjoy the company in person or on screen. The event was enjoyed by all.

Circumnavigators Susan & Norm Dailey (Washington DC Chapter), inspired by Circumnavigator Suzanne Frye’s article in The LOG, went to Algeria. Here they are at the Roman ruins of Tipaza in front of the Basilica, circa 4th Century AD. Inspired by the God of wine Bacchus, they are moving on to the wine regions of France, Chateau Neuf-du-Pape, Burgundy, and Champagne.

Circumnavigators Maria & Gunther Winkler (Naples Chapter) are traveling in Sicily. Here they stand in the historic town of Regusa.

Scuttlebutt

The Travelers Century Club and the Circumnavigators Club have a lot in common. Both historic clubs have members who love to explore the world. At our Annual Meeting, we got this photo of members of both clubs who attended the meeting. Also, photographed is Circumnavigator Steve Fuller who happens to be president of the TCC. Steve is a marathoner with amazing credentials. He has run more than 250 marathons, including one on all seven continents.

Circumnavigator Henri Van Bentum, who passed over the horizon last year, was honored with the Deployment of a Living Reef Memorial in Spring Bay, the Salish Sea, Victoria, B.C. The Canadian Henri was an avid Circumnavigator for decades. The reef is composed of Henri’s cremated ashes, crushed oyster shells, sand and a bit of low-alkaline cement. Very soon it will be inhabited by many ocean creatures. Like his life, Henri’s memory is vivid and strong.

The Last Shot

This photo by Circumnavigator **Steven Barnett** was a winner in our last photo contest. Please consider participating in the upcoming photo event.

Do you have a good photo for The Last Shot? Please send to club@circumnavigators.org.

Luck to you!

David A. Mink
International President
club@circumnavigators.org

Naples Chapter Ladies’ lunch at Seasons 52 on June 10th

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Jun 132023

From left to right: Mary-Elizabeth Beadle, Marge Weaver, Michelle Doyle, Kathleen Gunderman, Sophie Classen, Teresa McAlister, Marilyn Varcoe, Anne Granata, Yvonne Locker, Kay Krone, Christine Sadry, Pat Garvy, Cheryl Glorch

June 2023 Circumbits

The Blog Comments Off

May 292023

New officers — Officers and Governors at Annual Meeting. Jeffery Peterson, Michael Bell, Kristen Koontz, Greg Rider, David Mink, Howard Matson, Jim Franch, Michael Puldy.

Historic Gavel Taps in Annual Meeting

The Circumnavigators Club completed its 121st Annual Meeting last month at the Penn Club in New York. Members attended from far and wide including Oregon, California and Peru. Committee reports and Club finances were reviewed with the state of affairs in good order. The Circumnavigators Foundation also reported good standing. After the meeting, members and guests enjoyed a fascinating presentation by Malaysian Azman Mokhtar who discussed his epic circumnavigation of 77 days on 77 trains.

About the Gavel

As a bit of history, the gavel was given to the Club by celebrity member William Jennings Bryan in 1908. Mr. Bryan, having run unsuccessfully for president three times, has been described as the most famous American in the period. Here is a little update from this writer—-for last year’s meeting, president David Mink was given possession of the gavel because Executive Director Tracy Sancilio could not attend. David reports he has never been more nervous about any possession. How would it feel to by the president who lost the gavel! It spent a year in a safe deposit box at the Jersey shore and was delightfully handed back to Tracy for the meeting.

Did you get your copy of The LOG?

Our venerable Club publication has finally been published. Members should have received it in the mail. We invite you to give us feedback and comments about the issue. Also, if you don’t save your copy, please don’t throw it away. Pass it on to friends or neighbors, or give it back to your Chapter president for future use in welcoming new members. Finally, please note: No unsolicited stories will be accepted for upcoming issues. If you have a good story, please review it with the LOG staff.

Chapter Highlights

Singapore Chapter…Singapore Chapter President Mr Ang Hao Yao presenting membership certificates to new members Mr Peter Ho and Mr Allan Lim.

Bill Ashley (Washington DC Chapter) recently returned from a wonderful trip to Iraqui, Kurdistan. Not only did he see many sites that date back thousands of years, he saw sites that showed Saddam Hussein’s lifestyle and the torture he as convicted of through his gassings in several villages.

In February, Bill visited the island of Socotra, the island owned by Yemen. Even though it is most known for its endemic Blood Trees, there are also Bottle Trees (see above) which are also endemic to the island. When in bloom as he saw elsewhere on the island, they have beautiful pink blossoms.

The Last Shot

Daniel Mink Belize — Thanks to Daniel Mink for this stunning night shot on the beach in Belize. Summer is Beach time!

Do you have a good photo for The Last Shot? Please send to club@circumnavigators.org.

Luck to you!

David A. Mink
International President
club@circumnavigators.org

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