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 Bob and Judy
Bell
Where goest thour, my Canadian Longevity bonus?
The
American Longevity Dream Bonus given to double Diamond Associates
was created to provide funding for "non-essentials",
more for upscale cars, grand vacations, and educational expenses,
than for food, shelter, and clothing.
My
Dream Bonus will be split three ways. First, I have a great
affection for history, especially the history of the old west.
To that end, I will use my first Dream Bonus check to "sponsor"
a buffalo. There is a program here in Texas, similar to the
one in Montana, that will allow me to underwrite the restoration
of a herd of America's native animal, the buffalo. Knowing
that my business plan would allow me to reach the Double Diamond
level, I made a trip to see the buffalo herd and I selected
my personal buffalo which I will underwrite.
I
have named my buffalo "REAGAN" in honor of America's
longest living President.
Secondly, my Dream Bonus will be invested in the future college
educations of my grandchildren. A mutual fund account for
each of the three grandchildren that I have now has been established
with a local stockbroker and regular contributions from the
Dream Bonus will be made to each account.
Thirdly,
a 2002 Mitsubishi Montero SUV has been purchased for use as
my personal vehicle, but also to carry the American Longevity
products to the meetings that Judy and I hold in various cities
in Texas and Louisiana.
Maintaining
Cemeterys pays
Respect
to the Dead
It's
an old Southern tradition that may be conducted in many parts
of America, but as a child I remember going with my Grandparents
to spend a day working in the cemetery by their local church.
Tombstones were straightened, weeds were pulled, tree limbs
were trimmed, grass was mowed and raked, stories were told
about the people in the graves, and, in general, it was a
time when the community history and the people who made it,
was shared by the living.
I
remember helping my Granddaddy Bell paint part of the white
fence around the cemetery while other members of my family
would work on the family plots.
Now, nearly half a century later, I chose to do my volunteer
service by returning to that old family tradition of participating
in cleaning up cemeteries. The work was done at tow cemeteries:
the Bryan City Cemetery where my parents are buried, and the
Bright Light Bapt6ist church Cemetery, a small plot of land
beside this country church in the rural area of our county.
The
Bryan City Cemetery is maintained by the municipal government,
but the annual community workday involved picking up trash
in and around the graves and the acreage dedicated: for future
use". Several tombstones in the older section were washed
and mild was removed from many of them. I was a part of a
group of about sixty people who turned out to volunteer their
time and energy.
On
Sunday, May 19th, Judy and I worked at the Bright Light Cemetery
in much the same way that I worked with my Grandparents many
decades ago. We picked up trash, pulled weeds, washed tombstones,
and read many interesting headstones while we worked.
Too
few people take time to visit cemeteries, I suspect. The history
of an era, or of a community is to found there. It was almost
like taking a trip back in time for me to spend my hours there.
Thinking about hose days as a child when I would go with my
Grandparents and spend a workday, as well as seeing the markers
of many people whom I had known during their lifetimes, flooded
me with memories.
For
me, perhaps the greatest value of becoming a Double Diamond
was the required opportunity to volunteer myself for a trip
to the past.
Bob Bell
June 13, 2002
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