In This August 2026 Edition…
The Sirs Newsletter is intended to provide information for Sir members
and their spouses. Please enjoy!
Message from the Big Sir (2)
From the Editor and Treasurer (5)
Upcoming speakers (6)
August Birthdays (6)
Quick reference for Br 77 contacts (7)
Weekly and Monthly Sirs Activities (8)
September Picnic Flyer (9)
What You Need to Know and Do Before the Next Meeting…
Next luncheon meeting: Noon on Thursday, August 13, 2026 at the
Sonora Elks Lodge.
Next BEC meeting: 10am on Thursday, August 13, 2026 at the Sonora
Elks Lodge
Make your lunch reservation: Lunch invitations have already gone out
to members. If you have not responded to your lunch email invite,
please do so now!
What’s for lunch: Cordon Blue (tender chicken breasts wrapped
around salty ham and melty Swiss or Gruyère cheese, then coated in
breadcrumbs and cooked until crispy).
Speakers: Christina Slocum and Lori Steigenga Adventist Hospital’s
cardiac rehabilitation program.
Wear your favorite Hawaiian Outfit. Find your badge and wear it to
the luncheon.
Invite a friend or neighbor to attend the luncheon.
Message From the Big Sir, Donald Ronalter
Reminder For September Picnic/BBQ. Please see the flyer aLached to this
newsleLer for further informaNon. We have a great lunch planned and John
White has some fun games in store for you.
Branch 77 September 10 th Annual Family OuNng at the Moose Lodge 11:00 Social
Hour & Noon Dining.
We are fortunate to have the same award-winning professional BBQ Crew cooking
again at our ouNng. (They normally charge $35 for their events but we got them to
charge us only $25).
Choose BBQ Tri-Tip or BBQ Chicken with Potato Salad, Baked Beans, Bread,
Dessert, Iced Tea, Ice Water, & Soda.
$25 Pre-Purchased Tickets Only at Monthly Membership MeeNngs Or Contact
Craig Hempler 588-1096.
Order/Change/Cancel Cutoff is September 1.
Adult Beverages are only available from the Moose Lodge.
Propane Program Reminder
As required in our SIR Branch 77 Policies and Procedures, all Propane Program
ParNcipants must:
- Be current with their annual registraNon and dues by March 31, and
- ALend a minimum of three Monthly Luncheon MeeNngs each year.
This month I will be sending out individual email warnings to all propane program
members that have not aLended three meeNngs as of July 31 this year.
Li7le Sir Needed
We are sNll looking for a 2027 LiLle Sir to keep our Branch open. Generally, the
LiLle Sir assists the Big Sir in operaNng the branch and running the monthly
meeNngs and acNviNes with the ulNmate goal of becoming the Big Sir the
following year. It’s a fun job. Please contact me at sierrasir77@gmail.com with any
quesNons you have or any (confidenNal) referrals.
Membership Update
We welcomed one new member this month and now have 124 members. Please
introduce yourself and make him feel welcome at our upcoming meeNngs. Craig
Ringer, #38 (Sponsor: Danny Laureta). Please help our branch grow by referring
your friends to join. So far this year:
- David Siudzinski 1 new member.
- Pat Hendrix 2 new members.
- Danny Laureta 3 new members.
Thank you, gents, for helping our branch conNnue to grow.
August Lunch Update
This month’s entrée is Chicken Cordon Bleu. It’s very good and something you
won’t want to miss.
Lunch OpNons:
$25.00 (white Ncket) Monthly Entrée ($18.00 food + $7.00 room rental). $25.00
(blue Ncket) Fish (Cod) Special ($18.00 food + $7.00 room rental). $15.00 (green
Ncket) Dinner Salad ($8.00 food + $7.00 room rental).
Monthly Speaker
Our August speaker will be representaNves from the Alexian Brothers Hospital
Cardiac RehabilitaNon Unit. It’s Nme we start listening to our hearts as we want
you around for a long Nme.
If you have quesNons for our speakers, or have suggesNons for future presenters,
please contact us at sierrasir77@gmail.com.
A Special Thank You
I’d like to offer a special thank you and recognize three individuals that help make
our monthly meeNngs work so well. John Houlthouser Sign-In RegistraNons. Andy
Shenefelt Sign-In RegistraNons. Gary Osias Opening MeeNng InvocaNons.
RSVP ReservaFon System Update
Two members recently reported that they did not receive a confirmaNon email
aper submiqng their RSVP. Here is what happened:
- If there is a Typo in your email, it sNll goes to that email. The form does not
check if it is your real/valid email. - If you enter one of your other email addresses, the conformaNon goes to that
other email, not the one you are using for the RSVP. You can always resubmit a
corrected/confirming RSVP and just add a note in the Comments before sending.
The RSVP Form automaNcally closes at midnight on Monday before the monthly
meeNng with message “Sorry, reservaNons are closed for our SIR Branch 77
Thursday meeNng.”
Member RelaFons
Our Member RelaNons Chair is Derle Davis.
If you learn that a fellow member is ill, hospitalized, has suffered a loss, or is
experiencing another significant life event, please contact Derle so we can send an
appropriate acknowledgment. Phone: 925234-5742 and Email:
goldcoin3@aol.com
Thank you for helping us support and care for our fellow members.
Big Sir Donald
From the Editor and Treasurer
I am pleased to inform you that our Sirs Branch is doing financially well. Our
luncheons have been running around 56% of membership, which is low compared
to other Sir branches. We should be at the 70% or higher mark. Please plan on
attending these luncheon meetings. As you know if you reserve a lunch meal and
then do not attend the meeting, you are billed for the ordered but unpaid lunch.
We have absolutely no room in our budget for unpaid meals. Again, I am pleased
to report that the recovery of these lunches has been fantastic with the branch
recovering approximately $325 in lunches. That’s 13 lunches! If you order a
lunch and then cannot attend, please let me know and when possible, I will
deliver your lunch to you.
We have been soliciting for a Little Sir since the beginning of the year. It is now
critical that we find someone. Without a little sir, we do not have the required
officers to continue our branch into next year. That would be catastrophic. The
current Big Sir is willing to train you and transition you to become the next Big Sir.
Typically, the Big Sir runs the meetings and is the public face for the branch.
However, if you are not gifted in that area, there is no requirement for you to do
so. Please consider taking on this role for next year.
Upcoming Speakers
Our August speaker – AdvenNst Health
Cardiac RehabilitaNon Group. As we get
older, we need to listen to our bodies and
take a more acNve role in our health. The
consequences of not doing so can be
deadly. At the end of last August, the
unthinkable happened to me…I had a he
art a:ack. All four of my arteries were so
severely impaired that I needed open
heart bypass surgery. My life has not been
the same since. Our guest speakers will be
ChrisNn Slocum and Lori Steigenga from
Alexian Brothers Hospital’s cardiac
rehabilitaNon group. We’re going to do
some exercises and find out how you can
take be7er care of your heart. Your life
may depend on being there.
Happy Birthday to You
Please join the BEC in wishing the following 14 SIRS a very happy August birthday.
Special birthday wishes to Robert Nath, who turns 93 at the end of August!
Dave Banbury, 8/1 69
Leo Basurto, 8/1, 82
John Brasesco 8/3, 76
Steve Campbell, 8/26, 78
Mike Clay 8/23, 80
Derle Davis, 8/3, 65
Joe Del Razo, 8/6, 68
Larry Goss, 8/11, 71
Frank Mello, 8/23, 67
Bob Myers, 8/21, 87
Robert Nath, 8/31, 93
Rod Salvi, 8/17, 81
Jim Walczak 8/19, 83
Joe Zertuche, 8/20, 88
Need a Badge?
Think you don’t need a badge because everyone knows you. Think again! All Sir
members should be wearing their badges at every Sirs Meeting. If you need a
replacement badge, the cost is $10 and can be ordered at the registration table.
Failure to wear your badge is subject to a reoccurring $1 fine. You will receive a $1
refund of your fine at time of purchase for a replacement badge.
Quick Contact Reference for Sirs Branch 77
Big Sir, Donald Ronalter, 209-984-9383
Treasurer & Newsletter, John White, 408-355-5991
Secretary, Mike Coe, 209-769-3413
Propane Chair, Craig Hempler, 209-588-1096
Golf Chair, David Siudzenski, 925-915-9877
Bowling Chair, Rick Bronner, 408-318-4826
Speaker Chair, Joe Domogalia, (209) 532-6295
Branch Relations Chair*, Derle Davis, 925-234-5742 & email goldcoin3@aol.com
Postal address: 222 Barretta St., #14, Sonora, CA 95370
Sirs email: Sierrasir77@gmail.com
Notice of Photography, Recording, and Filming
By your presence at our luncheon and other Sirs activities and events, you
acknowledge that you are aware that you may be photographed, recorded, or
filmed for advertising and other purposes. By your presence you acknowledge
that you have given us your consent for your likeness and voice to be included
without compensation, credit, or other consideration. If you do not wish to be
photographed, recorded, or filmed, then you should leave the event immediately.
Thank you for your cooperation.
(From “Habits of men who age well”) Pain isn’t weakness. Pain isn’t weakness.
It’s information. That nagging backache or constant fatigue isn’t something to just
“man up” about. Rest when you need it. Stretch. Get checked out if something
doesn’t feel right. Ignoring the signs doesn’t make you tough. It just sets you up
for bigger problems.
SIR Sonora Branch 77 