Scribbles
by Bob Curtis, Local Secretary

October, 2017

October is the tenth month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian Calendars and the sixth month to have the length of 31 days. The eighth month in the old Roman calendar, October retained its name (from the Latin ôcto meaning "eight") after January and February were inserted into the calendar that had originally been created by the Romans. Among the Anglo-Saxons, it was known as Winterfylleth, because at this full moon (fylleth) winter was supposed to begin.—Wikipedia

Angela Daidone, our new testing coordinator, advises me that she has scheduled the next Mensa admission testing at the Rochelle Park library in October.

Mid-Hudson Mensa continues to encourage us to participate in their events. They have an events page at http://tinyurl.com/MHMEVENTS

Central Jersey Mensa continues to invite us to join them in beer tasting. "Hunterdon Hops" meets for tasting on the 3rd Thursday of each month. Email buccine@gmail.com if you have any questions.

You can visit our NNJM Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/groups/nnjmensa/ and our website at http://nnjmensa.org. I have put a few more pictures from the picnic on the website.

Some members have expressed a renewed interest in our scholarship program. If you can, please contribute to help support our program. The Wendy Sailer Scholarship is an award given annually by Northern New Jersey Mensa (NNJM) based on an essay contest. It is funded by contributions from members of NNJM and is given in memory of Wendy Sailer who was very active in NNJM. In 1983, Wendy Sailer, a 34-year old computer programmer from Lodi, and her friend, Israel Weiner, 55, a professional proofreader and an amateur photographer from Garfield, were flying in his Cessna 182. On September 9th, they flew into a sudden storm over the Montana wilderness and their plane crashed in the Crater Lake area near Kalispell. For nineteen years search parties hunted for the plane without success, but two hikers found the wreckage by accident on August 9, 2002.

Both Wendy and Israel had been very active members of NNJM. Wendy had served as Local Secretary and was a major supporter of the scholarship program. Their loss was devastating to many members who decided to establish a scholarship in her name. Funds were actively solicited through the 1990s, and the scholarship is still being paid out of what was raised then. (Yes, the scholarship still needs contributions. If you can, please mail a check made out to Northern New Jersey Mensa, to our Treasurer, William Holzmann, 163 Morningside Road, Paramus NJ 07652.)

In 1995, a great friend and supporter of NNJM, Irwin Arnold Meit, a neo-natal nurse, passed away at the age of 54. Contributions were made by members and his friends, and the Irwin A. Meit Memorial Scholarship was begun in 1996 for an adult who is studying for a career change. Unfortunately, this scholarship ran out of funding (about 2010) and has not been awarded since. We would be happy to re-institute this scholarship if adequate funding could be provided. Please consider making a contribution.

Activities for our gifted youth: Check with Stephanie Janssens on Facebook or email her at stillstephanieglenn@gmail.com for further information. NNJM's young Mensan Facebook page is at https://www.facebook.com/groups/NNJMensanYouth/