AFOVA Newletters of Year 2001

Page 38 of 52 Imagine what the drink must be doing to your soft intestines and stomach lining! Request to all: Forward this message to your friends to increase the awareness of the great “Assumed soft drinks”. In India, people hesitate to pay Rs. 7-8/- for a tender coconut but prefer to pay Rs. 10/- and drink these dreadful products. Please forward this to all your friends.... YOU CARE.... %%%%%%%%%% We Seldom Realise ... till it is too late... 38. An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer-contractor of his plans to leave the house-building business and live a more leisurely life with his wife enjoying his extended family. He would miss the pay check, but he needed to retire. They could get by. The contractor was sorry to see his good worker go and asked if he could build just one more house as a personal favour. The carpenter said yes, but in time it was easy to see that his heart was not in his work. He resorted to shoddy workmanship and used inferior materials. It was an unfortunate way to end a dedicated career. When the carpenter finished his work the employer came to inspect the house. He handed the front-door key to the carpenter. “This is your house,” he said, “my gift to you.” The carpenter was shocked! What a shame! If he had only known he was building his own house, he would have done it all so differently. So it is with us. We build our lives, a day at a time, often putting less than our best into the building. Then with a shock we realize we have to live in the house we have built. If we could do it over, we’d do it much differently. But we cannot go back. You are the carpenter. Each day you hammer a nail, place a board, or erect a wall. “Life is a do-it- yourself project,” someone has said. Your attitudes and the choices you make today, build the “house” you live in tomorrow. Build wisely! Remember... Work like you don’t need the money. Love like you’ve never been hurt. Dance like nobody is watching. &&&&&&&&&& 39. We have received a letter from one of our members relating to the Madras Gymkhana Club, which we thought is best shared with all of you. “Despite the fact the land belongs to the defence and the lease agreement is signed by the Army HQ Lands & Cantonment Board the hold in the club is minimal. The GOC ATNK&K Area is the Patron and despite all this we have absolutely no say in any matter where it matters to us. Slowly and steadily over a period of time our benefits and privileges have been withdrawn. This is despite the fact that many rules are in favour of us but we cannot get them implemented for a simple reason that nobody wants to implement them. These problems cannot be solved by sheer negotiations. It can be solved only legally and it has to have a Court Order to back it. To go the courts we should be financially sound and put up with dedication and fight it in strength and not as individuals. The various committee of Gymkhana Club know this weakness and are exploiting this in every possible way. I understand that the lease for the Club is due in the year 2003 and this can be used to our advantage provided we make the correct moves. Firstly we cannot expect much help from those who are still in Uniform as they have restrictions and we aware of the same. Secondly we are fighting for privileges to the Garrison Retired Officers only and not for those who are Garrison serving. We have to have it that way only to fight out a legal battle. We have an organisation now existing and I am sure that members of this organisation who are also Gymkhana Club members can pool in money to form an Association and fight the case in