ASA Chitose Association Inc.
Secretary's Report/ Updates

                                           

         Roy Gettz

       Roy Gettz
 
Roy Gettz  email address is: asachitoseassn@att.net .
Website email address as is  
asachitose@aol.com or asachitose@gmail.com



 October 11, 2011 FASAF REUNION- We are anticipating close to 200 attendees ( quite a few from Chitose) for this event and we have requirements for over 80 rooms, and 75 rooms blocked with only 20 reservations. The hotel will not increase our block until we have more reservations and if we wait too long rooms might not be available. If you are planning on attending and have not made reservations please do so as soon as possible. Planning is well under way to hold the event from Monday, March 19, 2012 to Wednesday, March 21, 2012. We’re trying this (on a trial basis) at an earlier date than usual in an attempt to make it available to a larger number of ASA vets. We’ve noted in the past that a significant number of Florida snowbirds head north before our usual May gatherings. We’ve also found that the May date creates a conflict when “grampa” and “gramma” have a high school or college graduation on their calendar that takes priority. The Crown Plaza Hotel has been selected as the headquarters. The hotel offers deluxe beachfront accommodations at $94.00 per night. This is a great rate for an oceanfront hotel at this time of the year and the rate is also good for 2 days prior to and 2 days following the reunion. The hotel offers free transportation to and from Melbourne International Airport. Melbourne is served by Delta and US Air through Atlanta and Charlotte, respectively. Further details are still be worked out, but those interested are asked to contact Roy Gettz at 3091 Blackbird Court, Melbourne, FL 32935; telephone (321)-259-7039; e-mail:
asachitoseassn@att.net. We will be glad to add your name to the mailing list. Please keep in mind that while FASAF is a Florida based group and annual reunions are usually held somewhere within Florida, all former ASAers are welcome and encouraged to attend this annual event. Roy Gettz - 3091 Blackbird Ct,
Melbourne, FL 32935 - 321-259-7039
asachitoseassn@att.net,  
 Part of this may be a repeat for some of you but please read on.
 
Hi, Many of you were recipients of the service I used to provide - remember?  I called it the "ASA E-Mail Address Exchange/Newsletter service." I'm preparing to raise the flag and step out again.  Knowing this, the "locals," (identified as "the Melbourne area ASA breakfast group," of which I am a member, asked me to start notifying my 1400, or so, subscribers about next year's FASAF (explained above) reunion.  I agreed to do so since it gives me the opportunity to let y'all know I ain't quit, and find out how many of you are still around and, of those who are, who's interested in renewing their free subscription.  So…I ask you to send me a message burtsASA4870@cfl.rr.com telling me whether you're in or not.  If, perchance, you know another interested party or two who didn't get this message, ask them to contact me as well.  Thanks. Burt Slesinger
 



 

The requirement for Active membership, for eligible personnel, is payment of $5.00 annual dues. Active
membership is required to receive the newsletter and attend reunions. Dues may be paid as far in advance as the
individual desires. Widows (who pay no dues) are requested to contact the secretary every 2 years to let us
know they are interested in maintaining active status. Newly located personnel are carried on active status as a
courtesy for the dues year they are located in. The dues year starts on January 1. We are now in dues year 2011.
Your dues status is above your address, if 2010 is above your name your dues expire at the end of December,
dues notices are not normally sent out to keep expenses down. Dues check should be made out to ASA Chitose
Assn. and sent to Roy Gettz- 3091 Blackbird Ct, Melbourne, FL 32935.
Membership Status- Our active membership is at 870, an increase of 172. We have located 2657 a gain of 48.
We still have 3991 people we are looking for. It is to be noted that most of our increases are now made through
our home page. Unfortunately we have 894 on our deceased list. We have contacted another 60 people who do
not want on the roster. If you have an old friend you are looking for, send me his name and we will give you
what ever info we have to help you in your search.  If you are not sure of when your dues
expire, you can find this information posted on the mailing label of this newsletter. Your dues expire in
December of the year posted under the return address.

Roy Gettz - 3091 Blackbird Ct,
Melbourne, FL 32935 - 321-259-7039

asachitoseassn@att.net

 

CHITOSE BRATS

    David Shaner the son of Stanley Shaner , now deceased, Chitose 57/64, has been appointed to be the ASA Chitose Brats Coordinator by president Andy Goodrich. David and his wife Kim live in Delray Beach, Florida. A Chitose Brat is any child of a member assigned to or attached to ASA Chitose who accompanied their parents at Chitose. Chitose Brats are eligible to be associate members of the Association and can be active or inactive depending on their dues status (dues are currently $5.00 a year). They are eligible for all the benefits of the association except that they can not hold elective office of the association. They will be carried on the roster as a separate section. Our current roster of the Chitose Brats is included in this newsletter. It would be appreciated if all who had Children review this list and send corrections or additions to Roy Gettz who maintains the roster. It is hoped that in the future our newsletter will have at least 1 page devoted to the Chitose Brats. Any input for the Brats Page should be sent to David Shaner at 9774 Savona Winds Dr, Delray Beach, FL 33446-9762, e-mail at mikeshaner@chitosebrats.org 
        David (Mike ) Shaner the Chitose Brats coordinator for the ASA Chitose Association has set up a website at http://chitosebrats.org/  for the Brats. The site is in the development stage and all are encouraged to take a look. The Chitose Brats are eligible to be associate members of the association either active (dues paying) or inactive members and will be carried on a roster separate from our regular members. They will be eligible for all the benefits of the organization except voting. These benefits include receiving the newsletter (which will include a Brats section until they are organized to the point of putting out their own newsletter) and attending the reunions which we hope will become a family affair for them. For our regular Chitose members who had children at Chitose please pass this on to them and have them contact Mike at: By Phone: 561-865-1248 or 561-504-2902  
The following was submitted by David Shaner

  As a dependent, I lived in Chitose 1 for 6 years (1957 to 1964). I returned to Chitose, accompanied by my wife, this past May with friends from the ASA Chitose association. This was the first time I had seen the place where I had grown up, since 1964. Needless to say the memories started pouring out of the hidden recesses of my mind and literally burst out of me in many ways. Of course, the city and camps had changed in so many ways that most of what I remembered was gone and would remain only a memory. But those things that remained made my trip there a very wonderful experience.

  I moved to Chitose from Tokyo in 1957, and our first year we lived off camp, in a converted duplex about 1/2 a mile away from Chitose 1 and right next to the Chitose river. I was shocked, overwhelmed and exceedingly delighted to discover that that house still stood and, indeed was inhabited. It had been converted back to a duplex but there it stood. Remarkably enough, was the fact, that in spite of all the changes, I was able to walk from the Airport Hotel directly to that house, as if it were yesterday.
  My six days in Chitose were equally filled with wonder and discovery of those sites I remembered so well, that were still around. I was even able to climb Mt. Tarumae, with my wife, which I last climbed in 1963 as a 16 year old. The 20 members of the association who traveled with us were wonderful and truly made the trip a great one. I fondly remember them all. Sheila McCann, always ready to get us to and from everywhere, she was like a special aunt; Dick and Mary Ott, our special newspaper deliverers; everyone touching our lives in special ways. Our Japanese hosts were also wonderful, especially Ben Saka, who I know is in all of our prayers. So many of them Knew my father and could tell me stories of their relationships. The Chitose reunion trip and the stay in Tokyo have truly been one of the most wonderful experiences in my life. As a result, I have been in contact and even had dinner with several “Chitose Brats” and we all agree to continue to communicate and meet and to try to find all the Chitose Brats. Our plans are to develop a web site and eventually, become part of the ASA Chitose organization. We would love to have all ASA Chitose members provide us with information on former Chitose Brats through their parents. Please feel free to contact me at mikeshaner@chitosebrats.org with any information.