Hawaiian evening

March 21, 2007

Imagine this guys: you’re going to a plush clubhouse in an expensive village to attend a charter anniversary celebration of a prominent club headed by a famous president. You might think that people will go there with their neat and flashy coats and gowns? Nahh, that never happened. Instead, the men came with their casual and flowery polo shirts, and the ladies came with their swaying and equally flowery dresses, as if going to a hola-hola dance party in those tiny islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean !

Yep yep, it was the 10th charter anniversary celebration of RC Makati-Forbes Park headed by always-smiling classmate Palmy Layug, held in Manila Polo Club, and the attire was Hawaiian! Food was a-plenty, leis were a-flowery, wine was a-bottly, and guests were a-many. I think about 20 club Presidents were there. A number of district officials and PDGs, as well as some GSE team members also showed up.

This guy Palmy, he’d go around his classmates several times and ask them if they are ok-de-alright. Last night, I was tempted to tell him, “Look Palmy! If I’ll have food indigestion this evening because of the food you prepared, it will be your fault! And I shall enlist the brains of our lawyer classmates (Ces S., Ricky M., Lawrence A., others) to make sure that you will pay my hospital bill, physical, mental, moral and other exemplary damages!” But I don’t want undesirable breakdown of friendship with this nice guy, so I restrained myself from eating too much.

The Hawaiian dancers from Quezon province; the lady singer; the speeches, and the dancing and swaying after the formal program, were all fine-de-alright. Many thanks for that evening, Palmy!

Btway guys, last March 13, Tuesday, do you know that there were at least 4 clubs that celebrated their charter anniversary that same day? They are RC Makati (Pres. Conrad), RC Makati-Bel Air (Pres. Sonie), RC Taguig-West (Pres. Ana), and RC Las Pinas-East (Pres. Julie). The last 3 clubs had their parties in the evening.

I was able to attend only classmate Conrad’s club celebration. His club is the biggest in our district (192 members!) and 2nd biggest in the Philippines . I think there were around 20 club Presidents (probably more) who also attended that noon-time event. It was a modest event. But “modest” here is still “big” by small clubs standards. Food was plenty, project funding extended to other clubs was big, and the raffle prizes were grand – like an overnight stay for 2 at Manila Pen. A picture of RCM building, soon to be finished, was also shown. It will be the first club in our district which will have its own building, and it’s a big one!

Conrad, thanks for that opportunity to visit your club. Sonie, Julie and Ana, thanks for the invite too to your club charter anniversary party. Sometimes when opportunities like these invites would knock on your door all at the same time, you also have little time to spare. Oh my, oh my…