OMC’s GREAT DOZEN of the GREATEST

Tom Brokaw brought The Greatest Generation (“TGG”), to the fore-front with his book that recognizes men and women of a generation, American’s citizen heroes and heroines who came of age during the Depression and the Second World War and went on to build the new America. “The generation was united not only by a common purpose but also by common values---duty, honor, economy, courage, service, love of family and country, and, above all, responsibility for oneself.” 1 In the late 1990’s the Osterville Men’s Club had it’s own Greatest Generation Members by the dozens, really by the hundreds: there were 350 Town of Barnstable OMC “members”: Members (250), Associate Members (50) and Waiting List (45- 50). At that time, the large majority of members were of the Greatest Generation, born from 1900 to 1930. OMC also had it’s own Great Dozen of the Greatest Generation. They could be defined by being the dozen members that served in OMC positions for ten or more years and a few for fourteen. Six served as Vice President/ President, and most all were elected Honorary Members. From the mid 1990’s to the early 2000’s the Osterville Men’s Clubs meetings were held at picturesque Anthony’s along the Kings Highway near Yarmouth Port. Still “Holding the OMC Fort”, were OMC’s Great Dozen. “Sitting at the Right Hand” of all Presidents, for fourteen years was loyal Warren Roche, Secretary: under Committee Reports there were Chairman’s: Eddie Kondrat, Membership; Fred Hulme, Bowling; Ernie MacInnes, June Ladies Wianno Luncheon and/or the Christmas Party; George Shulman, Scholarship, Carlos Monje, Good Guy Award, Thorton Cody, Fellowship; and John Richmond, Historian. In behind the scene always was James MacInnes who served possibly, up to a decade, as Member-at-Large on the Executive Committee. In addition to these nine there were three more of the Great Dozen: Robert Grunewald, Eugene Holley and Richard Colella, whose services are honored below. All of OMC’s Presidents up till Anthony Purbrick -2002=, were of The Greatest Generation also known as The G.I Generation . Purbrick followed by Thomas DeRiemer, William Cutcliffe, and David Richardson , 2003 through 2005, are of 1930’s “Depression Baby Achiever’s Generation” (DBA’s) 1930-1946)as known as The . The core of the loyal Great Dozen continued to serve and support the new Guard. Roche, Kondrat, Hulme, MacInnes, Shulman, Richmond, Colella respectively Secretary and Chairman’s of Membership, Bowling, Social Parties, Scholarship and Historian all, in their 70’s, continued to serve The Club up into 2000- 2006. - over -

A few specifics of our dedicated group of men.

THE GREAT DOZEN WHO SERVED OMC for a DECADE or more 1. Ernest MacInnes Chair of Ladies Day Wianno Luncheon for a decade plus, Past Vice President/President (1995-1996) and Vice President, Honorary Member 2. Fred Hulme, Chairman of Bowling for a Decade plus, Vice President/Past President (1994-1995), Honorary 3. Warren Roche, Secretary for 14 years, Honorary Member 4. John Richmond, Past Vice President/President (2000-2001), Historian, Fellowship Chair, and Honorary Member 5. George Shulman Chairman of Scholarship for a decade or more Honorary Member 6. Edward Kondrat Chairman of Membership for fourteen plus years, Honorary Member 7. James MacInnes Executive Committee member-at-large for a decade, and a Robert Gruenwald Good Guy. 8. Thomas S.Cody, Past Vice President/President (1993-1994), Honorary Member, Chairman of Fellowship Committee 14 plus years. 9 Carlos Monje founder of Good Guy Award, Vice President/President (1997-1998) Honorary Member . 10. Richard Colella. Honorary Member ..A member of the June Picnic cooking staff and the Golf Committer since the mid 1990’s and yet participates today. If there has ever been the ranking, smile ling, welcoming OMC Member it’s everyone’s friend Dick Collela. Dick “is the kid” in Group a bit young,”on the cusp” between T.G.G. and what I have named the younger generation, Depression Baby Achievers. A.k.a. DBA’. 11. Eugene Holley, Honorary Member and Vice President/President (1991-1992) 12. Robert Grunewald Vice President/President (1988-1989)The super volunteer, organized Red Cross Driver’s to Boston Medical Facilities, so much everyone’s Good Guy that OMC’s Gruenwald Scholarship Award was named after him.

OMC’S GREAT DOZEN OF THE GREATEST GENERATION were “united not only by a common purpose but also by common values---duty, honor, economy, courage, service, love of family and country, and, above all, responsibility for oneself “ 1 WE, ALL MEMBERS OF OMC, greatly benefited from their SERVICE AND DEDICATION. w.cutcliffe 6/2014 …… historian

For the past couple of decades I have been a student of social CYCLES/. The most referenced cycle, the Baby Boomer Generation’s (80 million plus U.S. born from 1946 to 1965) so impacted society, both economically and socially that it brought the recognition of cycles/generations to the forefront. Earlier and later generations, such as the the Traditionalists or the Bob Hope* generation (75 million born 1903-1943) and the n the Echo Boomers or X Generation (1965 to the 1982 about 50 million) began to be household words.

* Bob Hope was born in England, UK and lived from 1903 to 2003