August tends to be a quiet month at the club. Last month, though, there were plenty of activities to participate in. From Thirsty Thursdays to Wing Night and Chicken Dinner (and more!) there was something for everyone. However, just when I was told that the Street Festival this past June was the best party ever held at the Bonnycastle Club, our Anniversary Formal Banquet Committee out-did themselves! My wife Liz and I returned from a much-needed vacation just in time for our team to host Chicken Sunday. I cannot tell you how many people approached me to tell me that the 100th Year Anniversary Formal Dinner and Dance was the best party ever held by the Bonnycastle Club. I have heard nothing but rave reviews! The pictures were amazing. Can you believe how dressed up everyone was for the dinner and dance? Between the lovely ladies stealing the show and the men in tuxedos, the Bonnycastle Club was the toast of the town. The entertainment was fantastic as the Barb Polk Trio played the night away. How about Mr. Jim McGee, CPA on the percussions? I think Jim wants give up being an accountant and just travel with Barb entertaining the masses. I must give a shout out to our Anniversary Dinner and Dance Committee. Without these volunteers the night would not have been the overwhelming success it was. Next time you see Pat Pfister, Chris Whigham or Btian Harlow, please take the time to say thank you for all their efforts.
LifeTime Member Spotlight
Over the past six months I have written about our life-time members in honor of the club’s 100th Year Anniversary. As I mentioned today to a life-time member, it has been an honor and privilege to write about these amazing men. It not only brought up memories from the club all the way back to its conception but told a special story about these few individuals that have lived to tell their story. In my final Life-Time member tribute, I had the privilege to interview Phillip Bullock. Phil joined the Bonnycastle Club in 1969 and has been a member for 50 years. Phil was born and raised in the Highlands. He attended grade school at St. Agnes and went onto St. Xavier High School – Class of 1953. Immediately after that, Phil went to Bellarmine University and graduated with a degree in History and English, with a Minor in Philosophy – Class of 1957. He knew he wanted to teach, and joined Jefferson County Public Schools, teaching for 30 years. As it is such a small world, Phil knows my wife’s aunt and uncle who taught for JCPS their entire lives. Phil also went back to school and received his Master’s in History and Education from Spalding University, class of 1967.
Philip loves the club. He talks about Walt Pflumm asking him to take over setting up the club for Dartball on Wednesdays. He also remembers when the Dartball boards were reassembled and disassembled every Wednesday night as they were temporary. The setup committee was elated when the club decided to make the Dartball boards a permanent fixture of the clubs infrastructure.
He was also on the Picnic Committee when the Picnics were held in Jeffersontown. He can remember icing down the kegs of beer at the fishing tackle and bait store in downtown J-Town. While under different ownership the store still exists today. Everyone knew that was the most important job of the entire day!
Phil was involved in a group at the Bonnycastle Club infamously known as the Noise Makers. They met every Sunday morning at the club around 10:00 am for some good old fashion camaraderie and boisterous fun with Nelson the bartender. Nelson would give out stock market tips and when he spoke, everyone listened. Phil remembers teasing Walt Pflumm that the Bonnycastle Club ran out of Walt’s old cigar boxes because that is where he kept the money and receipts. When Walt needed two cigar boxes, everyone knew the club was growing and doing well.
Phil is a hardened lifelong bachelor and never married. Both teaching children and the Bonnycastle Club were his passions. Phil summarizes the club as “Good Friends, Good Times and Good Memories”.
While I am sad that Philp was the last of the lifetime Member Monthly Spot Light that I have been honored to write about, I will have to think of new ways moving forward that we continue this tradition and keep many of our wonderful members in the lime light allowing me to let the other club members and spouse to get to know these individuals.
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Summer is almost over as September is upon us. What does that mean? It’s the beginning of Dartball season, College Football, and the NFL. For the ever faithful Cards fans and their away games, come up to the club and join me for some food and cheer the hometown Cardinals. Even better come and watch the Cats and look for the “almost world famous” Bud’s Brats. This year we will start the season off trying something new… food prepared by Mark Allgeier of Cumberland Brews at 1pm as you enjoy the NFL games (the menu will change every week, and the price is TBD). We have the NFL Sunday Ticket, so we’ll have a bunch of different games on at the same time.
Our wonderful volunteers are diligently preparing for 2019 100th Year Anniversary edition of Bonnycastle Club Oktoberfest. I can’t wait to taste Bill Ritzs legendary Limburger cheese and onion sandwich. Coming shortly in the month of October we will be having another special event at the club: a gourmet dinner and entertainment hosted by TLJ. Stay tuned as Chris will start advertising it in the next several weeks.
Over the past 4-5 years the club has grown at an exponential pace. The club is now offering more activities and events than ever before. With that we need more volunteers for just about everything. It can be as simple as a cleanup crew that is only needed for a few hours every other month to helping stuff envelopes, to hosting a Thirsty Thursday event. The club is only as good as to what we all put into it. Let’s keep the old traditions going and continue building new ones. This can only be done through time and talents and treasure of our membership.
I will leave you with these thoughts. I am reminded by a quote from Winston Churchill: “We make a living by what we get but we make a life by what we give.” Last month I referenced that we are continuing to build upon the Club’s legacy. “Please think about your legacy, because you are writing it every day” as Gary Vaynerchuk so eloquently wrote.
Yours truly,
Larry Marko
Bonnycastle Club 2018 / 2019 President