MARTINEZ BOCCE 1 FEDERATION January 2014 News Letter C ONTENTS Page1/2........News Page 3......Seasons Greetings Page 4....Important Dates & information for 2014 Page 5...Roster Form for 2014 Page 6.. Mari Grillo Memorial Tournament Page 7..CPR Demonstration Page 8/9.. MBF Calendar & Events Page 10.... Hagin s Automotive Sponsor Page 11..Christmas Cartoon Page 12......... Les Schwab Sponsor Page 13......MBF Goodies Page 14......Useful Contacts & Connections Page 15/18..Peppermill Tournament in Reno Photos Page 19...Gene A. Schnabel & Jason Vitucci Sponsor Page 20.. Court Etiquitte Page 21.. The Scoring Boards Page 22.. HeartStart AED Page 23..Tees for the New Season Page 24/26...Unusual topics to celebrate in January Page 27... Happy Christmas and New Year Welcome to 2014 The Board of Directors wishes you all a safe, peaceful & Happy Christmas and a Wonderful New Year. Preparing for the new season The beginning of the season from February, leading up to the first roll of competitive play somewhere towards the end of April, is the most busy and pressing time of the year for the MBF board members. Roster Forms have to be collected and worked on. Setting up the divisions reflecting last season s results have to be established. Sorting out whether teams can move to other days and if we have room for them. Accepting New Team registration. Last season we had another record sign up and we will probably better that in 2014. When all the teams are registered, we start the Scheduling. With 220 plus teams in various divisions and groups, scheduling court assignments for around 20 weeks becomes quite a time consuming process. We then have to update emails for the MBF address book and this is why it is important for you to fill out the Roster Form legibly and preferably on your computer so we can have a printed copy and not hand written. We understand that not everyone will be able to do that and we thank those of you that are able to. I would like to make a special request to the Capos and ask you to include all email addresses of your team mates so that as many people can be kept in touch, personally, with the Club, whether it is via the News Letter or by email for the special times EG, Rainouts or the Play Offs. All members can subscribe and your details are kept private within the Club. Then we have the Hand Book to publish. Next year as every year, there are seats available, coming up for election to the Martinez Bocce Federation Board of Directors. If you feel that you can be of assistance to the Club or that you have a special talent that can improve what we do and you wish to serve on the Board, please write in and I will pass your name forward for the ballot at the February 4 th Registration meeting. Senior League for 2014 For 2014 the Senior Thursday Morning League, will come under the umbrella of the Martinez Bocce Federation. This has come about for several reasons. It will now be run under the Rules of the MBF and registration will be held at the same time as the rest of the league, Tuesday, Feb 4 th at the Moose Lodge. See the NEW TEAM ROSTER form on page 5.
2 Remembering Loved Ones and Friends From time to time, members have asked me to include words of appreciation and memories of team members that passed and so from January we will be including your thoughts and memories of those that cannot be with us. I have had some members saying, why didn t I mention their friend or relative in the News- Letter but of course, although I know many of you, I don t know what goes on in every team and my know knowledge of the MBF only goes back 8 years. If you have someone special that you would like to have remembered send me some copy and add a photograph and I will include your thoughts. So, hopefully with this new set up we can bring some joy and satisfaction to those who wish to have friends and loved ones remembered, both past and recent. NOW THEN!!! CCC Indoor Bocce During the winter months I know that some of our members, who cannot wait until next spring to roll some balls, are playing in the Contra Costa County Indoor Bocce leagues in Antioch. Their season runs from late November until the end of March. During this time they will host several tournaments and these will be shown in the MBF calendar of events. If available, I will post fliers in the newsletter. The first tournament will be held on December 14 th and on January 18 th they hold the 4 th Annual Mari Grillo Memorial Tournament. See flier on page 7. Here s a chance for you to voice your opinion. If you have any suggestions or comments as to how the Club can benefit from certain changes why don t you put your thoughts in writing and send them to me. I will circulate them to the board and they will discuss it at future meetings. You may even find your letter and suggestions in subsequent newsletters.
3 Season s Greetings
4 The 2014 Bocce Season will soon be upon us Please take note of the following date for registration, Tuesday February 4 th @ 6.00pm in the Martinez Moose Lodge You will be notified by post if you are listed as the Capo of the 2013 team and will receive a roster form for your 2014 season. You also have the option to complete the roster form and print it from the website. It will make it easier for you and for the people who have to transcribe the information to get the paper work ready. Click on the link to take you to our website. http://www.martinezboccefederation.org/rosterforminfo.html Scroll down and click on Online Roster Signup Form If you are thinking about starting a NEW team you will have to check in at the Club House on the Saturday after registration day which will be Saturday February 8 th @ 9.00am Bear in mind that the line forms early. We work it on a First Come First Served basis. I have personal experience of this and sometimes the line forms before 6.00am. I m not saying that it will happen this time but it may and this is just a heads up on the situation. As you know, the week nights have been full and only Sunday s were available for new teams in 2013. Season 2014 could well be the same but sometimes vacancies may occur during the week and if you wish to capitalize on it, the further up the line the better chance you have of getting the slot you require. Open fee for 2014 is $270 per team. Volo fee for 2014 is $175 Senior fee for 2014 $100 Some Important Dates for your Calendar February 4 th Tuesday at 6.00pm in the Martinez MOOSE LODGE (REGISTRATION MEETING) February 8 th Saturday at 9.00am at the Martinez Courts BOCCE CLUB HOUSE (NEW TEAMS SIGN-UP) April 1 st Tuesday at 6.00pm in the Martinez MOOSE LODGE ANNUAL CAPO S MEETING for 2014 April 19 th April 19 th April 20 th Saturday 9.00 am. Annual Clean Up Day at the Bocce Courts Pre Season Dinner & Dance at the Martinez Moose Lodge Sunday, Season opens Opening of the SENIOR BOCCE LEAGUE to be decided at a later date
5 Roster Form for 2014
6 4 th Annual CCC Indoor Bocce Tournament In celebration of Mari Grillo WHEN: January 18 th, 2014 Team Sign In @ 8:30a.m Play Begins @ 9:00a.m WHERE: Indoor bocce Courts CCC Fairgrounds in Antioch PRICE: $30/ Per Person Includes: Coffee, Doughnuts & Lunch CASH PRIZES: 1 st Place thru 4 th place Make checks payable to Lou Grillo. Send to: Lou Grillo, 3027 El Monte Court. Antioch, CA 94509 DEADLINE: January 13 th, 2014 For More Info contact: Joe Roman 925-757-4170 TEAM NAME: PLAYER 1: PHONE: PLAYER 2: PHONE: PLAYER 3: PHONE PLAYER 4: PHONE:
7 CPR Training You will see some photos of board members undergoing a CPR demonstration at our November board meeting and also use of the AED that was installed in 2013. We may be able to offer the instruction to our members and as long as there is sufficient interest we will go ahead and see when the instructor is available. If you would like to participate in one of the classes write to me and as I said if we have sufficient replies we will go ahead. vicdelpine@martinezboccefederation.com Pamela Dodson demonstrating an AED device
8 Martinez Bocce Federation Calendar & Events The link below will take you to Tournaments & Events on the Club s Home Page. Click on the individual event that you are interested in and download the flier if available. If you are interested in using the Club s facilities in 2014, please email the MBF for available bookings. From time to time we will list tournaments and events outside of the MBF. All events held at our club will be highlighted. http://www.martinezboccefederation.org/mbftournaments.html Dec 14 th Pittsburg Elks Tournament Antioch Indoor Courts Jan 18 th Mari Grillo Memorial Tournament Antioch Indoor Courts Jan 25 th Druids Al Saco Tournament Antioch Indoor Courts Feb 4 th Registration Night and Election of Board members for 2014 6.00pm Feb 4 th Board Meeting & Election of Officers for 2014 7.00pm Feb 8 th Sign Up for new teams and night changes at the CLUB HOUSE 9.00am Feb 22 nd Open Bocce Tournament Antioch Indoor Courts Mar 15 th Sal Lucca Annual Bocce Tournament Antioch Indoor Courts April 1 st Capo s meeting 6.00pm April 19 th Annual Clean-Up Day 9.00am
9 April 19 th Pre Season Dinner/Dance held the Martinez Moose Lodge 6.00pm April 20 th Opening Day of the 2014 Bocce Season 5.00pm April?? Opening Day Senior League 9.00am or 9.30am May 17 th Colombo Club Dave Nardi June 7 th NorCal PROVISIONAL Vicky Mercado June 14 th Martinez Rotary Al Morris Aug 30 th Colombo Club Dave Nardi Also, don t forget the Community Calendar supplied by Gay Gerlack The link below will take you to the website. http://martinezboccefederation.com/download/communitycalendarupdate.pdf
10 Hagin s Automotive Andy, Cathy and all the staff at Hagin s Automotive invite you to bring your car into their Alhambra Avenue location for a FREE complimentary 21 point inspection. Simply mention the Martinez Bocce Federation. Visit them on the web at http://www.haginsauto.com No Coupon required. 925-228-5115
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12 FREE BRAKE CHECKS Every vehicle s brakes wear differently, so you ll never get a proper cost estimate unless you receive a thorough brake inspection. We offer this service free of charge for most vehicles, so stop in or give us a call to find out more. ALIGNMENT FREE BRAKE ESTIMATES Having your car properly aligned means better handling and longer lasting tires. Bring in your vehicle and let us check your alignment today. We offer three different alignment options. There are many reasons why a brake system may not work as designed. At Les Schwab, we pride ourselves in making sure you are informed about the condition of your vehicle before making a buying decision. After our trained technicians do a thorough brake inspection, we provide you a free written estimate so you know the costs involved in having your car repaired. Dwayne, Manager Martinez. Click on link to go website: - http://www.lesschwab.com
13 Martinez Bocce Federation Goodies Official Club Shirts Official MBF Club Hat Hats $20 In addition to the official MBF caps being offered we are now making official MBF shirts available with the Club logo above the left breast area. Shirts will be in sizes ranging from S to XXL at a cost of $25 (PAYMENT WITH ORDER). License Plate Frames Martinez Bocce Federation license plate frames are available at $5 each Shirts will be made to order. Please write to:- vicdelpine@martinezboccefederation.com Colors being offered are Gray, Green & Red
14 Useful Contacts & Connections HOT LINE 925-295-2003 SMOKEHOUSE 10 Club Contact Email Address vicdelpine@martinezboccefederation.com A sponsor of the Martinez Bocce Federation Monthly Newsletter NEWS LETTER ARCHIVES If you wish to refer back to a previous edition of a News Letter, as from the November 2011 edition, they are being archived. The link below will take you to the website. http://www.martinezboccefederation.org/newsletter.html Visit their website at www.smokehouse10.com Please note:- Our website ends in (.org) www.martinezboccefederation.org Our email is (.com) info@martinezboccefederation.com Emergency Number 925-933-1313
15 Peppermill Tournament In Reno Friday & Saturday November 15/16 th 2013
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20 Important Court Etiquettes 1).The Cone Zone. If a court has a Cone placed on it, that court must not be used. It may have been recently groomed, may be reserved for an upcoming event or game or may simply be soft and is waiting to dry out. Please respect the Cone Zone 2).Grooming. If you find it necessary to groom the court prior to your match, all activity must be completed 30 minutes before your games commence. See Rule II (H) of the 2013 rules. Therefore, if your first game starts at 6.30pm all grooming must end at 6pm. For a 5.00pm start, everything must be completed by 4.30pm. 3). Bouncing of Balls on Concrete Court Surround. In the past, some members have been seen to Bounce the bocce ball on the concrete edge of the court to remove grit and oyster shell. This practice must be discontinued as it not only may weaken the integrity of the ball but also will eventually crack the court s concrete walls, which will lead to costly repairs.
21 The Scoring Boards Please put markers at the top of the board, as shown, when returning them to the clubhouse.
22 The Philips HeartStart OnSite AED The Martinez Bocce Federation has purchased an Automated External Defibrillator, AED, which will be located in the Club House. The link below will run you through the procedure for using this device. Please take the time to see how this AED functions. You may save a life. http://www.allied100.com/demonstrations/onsite/ Phillips HeartStart OnSite AED Device For Sale Philips, the worldwide leader in automated external defibrillators (AEDs), designed the HeartStart OnSite Defibrillator for the ordinary person in the extraordinary moment. The first and only AED available without a prescription, the OnSite is designed to be the easiest to set up and use and the most reliable defibrillator available. Their innovative technology, based on extensive research and user feedback, has produced a defibrillator so easy to use that you can potentially save the life of a coworker, friend, or anyone else stricken with sudden cardiac arrest. Weighing just 3.3 lbs./1.5 kg, the HeartStart OnSite Defibrillator is small and lightweight. Using clear, calm voice instructions, it guides you through each step of defibrillation, including CPR coaching. Integrated SMART Pads placed on the victim s bare skin sense and adapt the defibrillator s instructions to your actions every step of the way. HeartStart OnSite includes highly proven Philips technologies for heart rhythm assessment (SMART Analysis) and defibrillation energy delivery (SMART Biphasic). And like all HeartStart Defibrillators, it can be used to treat infants and children as well as adults.
23 Tee s for the new season We still have club tee shirts with the MBF logo available. Email to the address below:- info@martinezboccefederation.com Small - 1 - $15.00 Medium - 1 XL - 1 XXL - 1 White - Short Sleeve: $15.00, except small Small - 6 - $12.00 Medium - 6 Large - 11 XL - 11 XXL - 6 Grey - Short Sleeve: $15.00, except small Small - 4 - $12.00 Large - 8 XXL - 2 Grey - Long Sleeve: $20.00, except small
24 It s a New Year, which means 12 new months to observe some offbeat, obscure and just plain odd holidays. Like these! January 1st: First Foot Day A Scottish New Year tradition, the first person to step into someone s home is called the first-footer and is thought to represent good fortune entering the household in the form of gifts including coal, whiskey, cash and/or cheese and bread. Sorry ladies and blond men, in order to be considered lucky the first-footer should always be a dark-haired man. January 3rd: Fruitcake Toss Day Although it may sound like a culinary Olympic event, Fruitcake Toss Day just marks the time when it is finally socially acceptable to trash all of the holiday fruitcakes you received. If you choose to turn the event into a throwing contest, make sure to have paper towels handy. January 4th: World Hypnotism Day According to the official website, World Hypnotism Day was created to educate the people of the world that hypnotism is more than just staring at a swinging gold watch whilst being told how sleepy you are getting. To further your learning, you can download audio clips from the site or search for events in your area. January 4th: National Trivia Day January 7th: National Old Rock Day Have you thanked a veteran rock today? Though no official creator has stepped forward, paleontologists must be behind this holiday honoring the fossils and rock formations that are as old as time. January 9th: National Static Electricity Day Crazy hair image via Shutterstock
25 Grab your balloons and sweaters! It s time to build up your static charge and conduct some electrons. This is the perfect holiday to occur in the dead of winter, when the air is extra dry the optimal conditions for storing up those negative charges that shock you at the most unexpected times. January 10th: Peculiar People Day This holiday commemorates the unicorn in all of us. Although there is no official origin story, National Whatever Day theorizes PPD may have spun off from an obscure Christian denomination in England known as The Peculiar People. January 14th: National Dress Up Like Your Pet or Dress Up Your Pet Day There are conflicting reports as to the specifics of this holiday, but January 14th is definitely either a day to make your beloved pet extra fancy or a day to dress up similarly. For the latter, it is unclear whether this means matching outfits or literally donning a full fur suit. January 16th: National Nothing Day A non-holiday created in 1972 by journalist Harold Pullman Coffin, National Nothing Day requires you to not observe, celebrate, honor or commemorate anything.. However, for most Americans it is a work holiday, providing the perfect opportunity to at least do absolutely nothing. January 17th: Kid Inventors Day The Kid Inventors Day website attributes television, water skis, earmuffs and the Popsicle to the minds of brilliant minors. Technically the man who invented the first working television, Philo Farnsworth, applied for the patent at age 21 in 1927. But, he showed an early design for his TV to his teacher at age 14. The purpose of Kid Inventors Day is to celebrate and encourage the ingenuity of children so the Farnsworth blueprint counts! Fun Holiday Fact: the name of the holiday makes the acronym KID. January 18th: Thesaurus Day On this day in 1779, British lexicographer Peter Mark Roget was born. He is most famous for publishing The Thesaurus of English Words and Phrases (aka Roget s Thesaurus ) in 1852. This holiday is a day to honor, celebrate, extol, laud, praise, revere or salute his contributions. January 20th: Penguin Awareness Day Not to be confused with World Penguin Day on April 25th, this holiday encourages you to cultivate even more knowledge of the Spheniscidae family. For example, there are between 17 and 20 species of penguins in the world. Or were you aware that contrary to popular belief, some penguin species are only monogamous during mating season not for life? There s so much awareness to go around! January 22nd: National Answer Your Cat s Questions Day If animals could talk, what would they say? We may never know the real answer, but January 22nd is a day to remember the thoughts and feelings of your domestic feline. Don t worry if cat whispering isn t your forte. Catoriented websites like Cat Channel offer some great icebreakers to get the conversation started. For example, Are hairballs a common malady? What can my human do to prevent them?
26 January 24th: Beer Can Appreciation Day 77 years ago to the day, the first beer was sold in cans. Since then the beer can has become a barbecue staple, a collector s item and a maligned receptacle for some beer snobs. Today, pause before chugging, shotgunning or crushing and take a moment to reflect on what your beer can means to you. January 25th: National Opposite Day January 25th is definitely not national opposite day. January 27th: Thomas Crapper Day Often incorrectly credited with inventing the toilet, Thomas Crapper was a plumber and businessman who did, in fact, champion the modern wash closet and also invented the ballcock that floating ball in the body of your toilet. His apropos surname was just a coincidence; the word crap already existed in the English language at the time of his birth. January 28th: National Kazoo Day Founded by Chaplin Willard Rahn of the Joyful Kazoo Band, National Kazoo Day celebrates 162 years of this plastic instrument. The organization behind the holiday, Kazoo America, hopes to one day make the kazoo America s official musical instrument. They ask that you please remember the kazoo is definitely NOT related to the Vuvuzela. January 30th: National Inane Answering Message Day Officially, this holiday s purpose was to assign a day for people to clean out old and pointless voicemails on their answering machines. However, some people have since interpreted it as a day to leave inane voicemails for others. With the proliferation of text messages and decline of landlines, take the opportunity to observe this holiday now before it becomes as obsolete as home answering machines! Read the full text here: http://mentalfloss.com/article/29671/18-offbeat-holidays-celebratejanuary#ixzz2kaznhjx3 --brought to you by mental_floss!
27 To all our members, their friends & families, a Very Happy Christmas Enjoy your Bocce and I wish you all the best during this festive season, Vic Delpine, Editor.