Honoring Norm

[Surpriser]

Norm and Phyllis had planned on attending the Minnesota Messabout at Lake Pepin on June 3-5. I was looking forward to seeing them both again.

Dave Richards and I were talking this morning and we both were thinking that we'd like to do something to honor Norm at the messabout. We just didn't know what that might be, so we're tossing it out to you, his friends. What could we do at the messabout to honor Norm?

Bill Paxton

[whb]

I think the best way to honor someone of Norm's calibre is to learn from them and to emulate them. Other than a raised glass I don't think Norm would have expected or in fact wanted anything more.

Howard

[Steve McMahon]

Perhaps you could find some kids who have never been exposed to boats and take them boating. It can be majical. smile.gif

[Peter Kalshoven]

Steve, I think you've hit it square on the head. Increase the number of Grandneighbors.

Norm will be proud.

[Leon m]

I'll second Steves idea .

[BrianR]

Right on Steve. Call the local boy or girl scouts - they probably have a merit badge they could earn with a little help with guys like you. Maybe a token "scholarship" to student who intends to pursue a career in woodworking, etc.

[Hughman]

Funny.

Today I read in the local paper of parents organizing a fishing outing for kids in honor of their son who was an avid fisherman.

They've found a way to turn their grief into positive energy.

I think you're on to the reght track

[boatlover]

I have been looking through the older pages of Building/Repair, looking for threads on the building, launch and sailing of "Prairie Islander." Of course, the pictures have disppeared on those old threads.

I found the launch - "Pictures at Ten" - and the mysteery 3/16ths hole neatly drilled in the side of the centerboard case. (That was on page 168 (or so), 08-08-2001. Most of the building pics must have been posted before the Great Crash.

With the search engine on the frits, it is very time consuming to search for the relevant threads.

Does anyone have a collection of the old photos and the threads they appeared in ? If an album of pictures and captions from Norm could be put together, I think that would make a real nice tribute to Norm.

Regards,

Ed R

[StevenBauer]

This is Norm's imagestation album for Prairie Islander:

http://www.imagestation.com/album/pictures.html?id=4291093711

You should be able to find the links to the other 30 or so albums he has there.
Don't miss the Humblebee one. Part of the fun of visiting Norm and Phyllis at WoodenBoat last summer was to check out and ride in Humblebee! And P.I., of course.
Steven

[Steve Lansdowne]

Margo Geer has begun to compile a memorial album. Contact Margo if you'd like to have Phyllis' direct mailing address.

Margo e-mailed me as follows:

WBF Friends:

I cannot presume to speak for Phyllis or the Messinger family, but I know when I lost Dave, our WBF friends were my lifeline and the kindness of so many of you on the Forum touched our lives forever.

One of the most special moments occurred in the dark weeks after Dave’s death when I received a package from David and Theresa Tabor (Sailor Dave). It was a horrible afternoon, one of the hurricanes was bearing down on us, and I was missing Dave tremendously. But I opened the package and out tumbled a beautiful album started at the WBS, organized by David, and put together by Theresa with personal notes and cards from Forumites all over the globe. Mike Field served as the Down Under connection and even scanned everything onto a web page.

Because of the need for secrecy, many of you may not of even known about the album, but it is, and always will be one of my most treasured possessions. It will also have a permanent home in Sarah’s salon.

I would like to do something similar for Phyllis. If any of you would like to send a card or note for the album, please do so. Just take a few minutes to write down a simple memory, favorite verse, or simple condolence. Handwritten notes have a little more meaning, but e-mails are fine too. I will collect items over the next few weeks and then put together an album for Phyllis (and Wes).

My mailing address =

Margo Geer
249 Argonaut Road
St. Augustine, FL 32086
Fax = (904) 797-1996

boatwrks@aug.com

Godspeed to a good friend.

[ 05-15-2005, 01:56 PM: Message edited by: Steve Lansdowne ]

[boatlover]

Steven,

Many thanks for the link !

When I forst joined WBF, I skimmed all the pages of D/P and B/R and Misc. Boat Related, but I never picked up a link to Norms albums. My bad.

Great albums. It will give me a bunch of hours to just go through them.

Regards,

Ed R

[boatlover]

Steven,

Many thanks for the link !

When I forst joined WBF, I skimmed all the pages of D/P and B/R and Misc. Boat Related, but I never picked up a link to Norms albums. My bad.

Great albums. It will give me a bunch of hours to just go through them.

Regards,

Ed R

[Surpriser]

Your ideas about inviting kids to the messabout hit the mark. I've updated the event website, contacted local scout troops, and put the word out on local radio.

Thanks for the suggestion.

Bill

Minnesota Messabout at Lake Pepin
http://www.paxtonconsulting.com/gpage3.html