Page 12 The Shoreline September 2004
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Friends of the Library
Book Sale Sets Record
The semi-annual book sale held in early August by
The Friends of Bogue Banks Library set a record,
topping the $1,000 mark for the first time. President
Bill Johnston reported that $1,186 was realized, some
$400 above the average for the sales, conducted each
year in April and August. Johnston attributed the grow
ing success to donation of good books by residents, the
efforts of volunteers to set-up and conduct the sale, and
by the fact that books are displayed by category, provid
ing a “road map” for purchasers to easily find what they
are interested in. Books may be contributed throughout
the year by dropping them off at the library.
Johnston thanked all those who donated books and
the group of dedicated volunteers, most shown in the
accompanying photos, who worked on one of the hot
test days of the year to tote the books to Shepherd of the
sea Lutheran Church, site of the sales, and arrange the
displays. The volunteers included; Ellen Von thaden,
Mary Clark, Lois Strube, Bill White, Yvette Bannen,
Norman Beattie, Paulette and Bob Murphy, William
Strube, Jane Hobson, Fred Boring, Bill Johnson, Dora
Tate and Stacey Veros.
The ROIVIEO Clul) By Bob Ruggiero
‘Retired old men eating out’ was formed approxi
mately three years ago by area residents Tommy Russell
and Ralph Thomas, the father of our county sheriff.
Both Russell and Thomas were visiting an old Navy
acquaintance in Houston Texas reliving old war stories.
While there, their host invited both to a monthly lunch
that former veterans attended. It was the first time that
they had heard about the ‘ROMEO’ club. They attended
and both enjoyed listening to Texas tall tales about
World War experiences.
When they returned home, both agreed that some
thing similar might just bring veterans from the area
together to share camaraderie and fellowship. Also to
see if area residents could rival those Texas tall tales.
I spoke with Tommy Russell, one of the founders, to
hear of his war experiences. Mr. Russell, a genial and
sharp eighty-five-year-old former first class machinist
mate, was attending Elon College while the war clouds
were forming over Europe. He saw that war was inevi
table and, filled with youthful patriotism, he enlisted in
the Navy in 1939. During his tenure in the service he was
assigned to several APA ships that had been taken out of
mothballs and recommissioned during WWII. His last
assignment was aboard the renamed USS Grimes that
plowed the Pacific delivering supplies to the islands as
far south as Australia (shades of Mr. Roberts). His
service ended in 1945 and he returned to Elon College
under the GI bill.
A native of Carteret County, Russell saw an opportu
nity when the N.C. Motor Vehicle Department started
inspecting windshields of registered vehicles for cracks
and other problems that might cause an impairment of
vision while operating a vehicle. He seized the opportu
nity and opened a glass repair business. Russell Glass is
still at the same location serving the area since then.
The ROMEO club is made up of a loose gathering of
veterans who have shared similar experiences as ser
vicemen during World War II. The club has no officers,
no dues and no bylaws, just as the founders wished.
They meet bi-monthly over lunch to share a sense of
unity with fellow retirees and share a meal with the
greatest unorganized organization in the world.*
Their next meeting will be Oct. 4 at the Hanover
Lodge on the Marine Corps Air Station at Cherry Point.
For this meeting they have obtained the Second Marine
Aircraft Band to perform a band concert for club guests.
Any World War II veterans interested in attending the
luncheon can contact George Cribb at 637-6937. Tommy
Russell says, "Come and share fellowship and remi
nisce about a monumental period in world history."
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