I served as Secretary of Wayne’s USS Andromeda AKA 15 Ship Reunion for ten years. I started out as just being a regular secretary, helping Alex Ptasiensky of New Jersey, who was the reunion chairman. As time went on, I took over the complete planning of the 4-5 day reunion each year. It was a hard job doing the planning and keeping the expenses down as well as finding a fun location to suit the most part of the reunion group. I served as the only secretary they had in 10 years of meetings.

In 1996, we had our reunion in Harrisburg PA. Vince Malatesta had a heart problem and I was very worried about him. When he started to feel ill, I watched him carefully each day. When we had our last day banquet, I saw him slip out the door and was worried that he might be very ill. I asked for someone to check on him and before they did, he appeared with a hotel towel covering a large object. He waited for a break and announced that he wanted me to come over to where he stood. Only then, did I realize why he slipped out when he presented me with the gift from the group. The picture above was my reaction of surprise as he uncovered my Pouting Child gift. I named my pouting doll “Andy” after the ship. He was so lifelike in his little boy clothes.

Now for the funny part. I had to take Andy on the plane home with me from Harrisburg, PA to OK City. I carried him in my arms and not too gracefully while juggling luggage too. Several people looked at me in amazement but when they realized it was a doll, they just smiled. I placed the doll on the conveyer belt feet first so the people who were at the end of the X-ray scanner would not be too shocked when he passed through. They were shocked anyway. We got on the plane in the first group that boarded, so not many people saw me put Andy in the overhead storage bins. When we arrived at Memphis, TN, I had to retrieve him. I heard several gasps and then sighs, when they realized this crazy lady had not placed a small child in the overhead bin. The same thing happened when we arrived in OK city. It was becoming funny by that time. Beth and I got a kick out of watching people’s reactions.

We went to our Grandson Darren's home for the night. I propped Little Andy up against the wall by the entry door. When Darren came home, he stopped and patted Andy’s head muttering sweet nothings, then jumped back and said "My God, that isn't a kid!” I had not meant it for a joke, but it turned out that way.

The next year, the Andromeda group gave me a little pouting girl doll that I named Annie. She is dressed in our grand daughter, Ashley's 4 year old dress. Many people, who came to our home, have been taken aback by Andy and Annie. In my next mailing to the reunion group, I added a note at the end of my message directed to Vince who purchased the two dolls for me. It read "PS; Vince, please help me. I can not get Annie to stop pouting and would you please send more support money? She is just too demanding." The last year that we held our ship’s reunion, the group gave me a baby doll wrapped in a blanket in a small wicker basket. A few years ago, I moved them to the back room.

The dolls were given to me in appreciation for my hard work done for the old Salts. I gathered ship history, pictures and information from each of the shipmates to make a “book” for them. They named it “Blue Book” because I had placed the first section in a blue notebook cover. Each year, I added new information. It became the highlight of each reunion. The first thing the men would do when I appeared each year was to scramble for the new inserts that I had made. Their appreciation was enough thanks for me. The dolls were a bonus.