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Vol. II Number 3 July, August, September
1997
SACRAMENTO HOSTS GASA POT-LUCK PICNIC
Sacramento, CA July 19. The sun giveth warmth, the Siquijodnons taketh it. It was such
a beautiful warm Saturday that everyone who participated in the GASA picnic and
mini-sports festival, enjoyed the whole day of fun, under the sun.
The green and spacious McKinley Park in the heart of Sacramento proved to be an ideal
picnic site. A large area reserved exclusively for GASA was right in the middle,
surrounded by 10 tennis courts, 2 baseball fields and a very large swimming pool where
many of the GASA children frolicked and splashed.
Ken and Celing Gonzales, together with Art and Carmen Zosa, and other Siquijodnons in
Sacramento, coordinated the activities.
By 10:00 A.M., Siquijodnons started arriving. Many coming from the Bay Area cities of San
Jose, San Francisco, San Bruno, Fremont and Union City. Stockton and the Napa Valley were
very well represented and of course the biggest crowd was from the Sacramento Area.
Ken had the large barbeque pit started and the air started to fill with the aroma of food
cooking. As more Siquijod-nons arrived, many took turns to gather around the grills to
assume the Chef's role.
By noontime, among the crowds, two figures were seen struggling from a distance, si Leo
Mamic-pic ug si Carmen Zosa. Bet-ween them, a large tray full of boiled bananas.
Hilabihang daghana ag linung-ag nga ripe planteens and sab-a, naglisod tawon sila ug
yayong while negotiating the course from the parking area. At the sight of the bananas...,
ay, excuse me, Leo and Carmen diay, ag mga gutom, nanglukso ug hing-tabang.
At the tennis courts, many braved the hot temperatures and started the games. Dr. David
Lim together with Ike Cuaresma, his children Eli and Jed, Nanding Larot, JunJun Guirit,
and 'Nong Jr. Miraflor.
As the mercury rose, so did the number of very eager players. Temperatures on the courts
easily hit the 100's but it never stopped the members of the Wimbledon
"dreamers" club. Leo Mamicpic, Rene (Bimbim) Rocamora, Gilbert (Boy) Larot, his
wife Becky and their tennis playing family composed of Gilbert (JunJun), Regan (Popoy) and
Garnett, Celing Gonzales and Rudy Modelo, Boyet Cuaresma, all took to the courts and
displayed their top spins and smashing backhands.
At the end of the day, Nancy Rocamora together with Rene, distributed the "historical
first" Certificate of Participation Awards of the GASA Tennis Open.
During the day, under the shade of many large maple trees, a parallel game of volleyball
was played. Ken Gonzales and son Brian had set up the court that quickly attracted a
number of "spikers". Many of the ladies proved equal to the men and showed their
killer spikes and service aces. Zenaida Maghanoy, Queenie Concepcion, Phoebe Miraflor,
Metzie Katada and Cyd Deale proved to be much better than many. They easily showed better
forms than some of the boys, labi na ag mga "senior citizens".
J. Romero (Dodong) Miraflor, and 'Nong Regalado Gahob, Alan Gubuan, Al Quijano, Godfrey
Guirit, Juanito Calibo, Jr., Roy Miraflor, Bonito Quijano and Angel Concepcion had willing
spirits for the game but their feet and their lungs had other plans, and it wasn't
volleyball.
Don (Dodong Donski) Ligutom, Ben Gonzales and son Steven, Ken Gonzales, Anthony
Concepcion, Rail Cuaresma, Fredo Ruby, Jr. and many other sideliners decided to join in
the "toss" of the ball and added more excitement to the games.
Our loyal GASA supporters, siblings Lou and Doris Ausejo, Susie Preston, 'Nang Teling
Katada, Joe and Isabel Macias, Felix and Mae Bayani gathered to cheer the players.
Meanwhile, Laling Calunod had her share of fun. She volunteered as the "keeper"
of the children and herded her pack to the swimming pools. The cool waters refreshed the
children so much, they almost forgot about the games waiting for them. Dan and Cyd Deale
prepared an array of prizes for the children's games. The eager parade of children
gleefully gathered around the drinking fountain, filling hundreds of balloons for the much
awaited events.
The highlights were started with the sack races by both children and grown-ups. Al
Quijano, Jr. Calibo, Bertha Paculba, Celing Gonzales, Lita Montalvo and Dan Deale, all
showed signs of diminishing returns. A few literally ended on their faces.
Much of the now growing crowd enjoyed the water balloon games with delight. Cindy and
Chuck Balacy, Sean Guirit, Jason, Shaun and Sharon Gubuan, Maryknoll Manay, Isobel, Kim
and Jordan Miraflor, Ian Deale, Jed Cuaresma, Aica Larot, Steven (Sonny) Taylor, Andrea
and Anjelica Concepcion, NavyAnne, Jilliane and John Cullen Calibo. Sammy Katada had to
leave early and missed some of the games which was capped by a riotous water balloon
fight. That reduced a few participating elders to "mischievous" children.
Terrific fun, if not a cool misting in the hot summer afternoon was had by all.
The amused sidelines were Pedrit Gubuan, Sheila Guirit, Michel, Vicvic Monte, Jerry Manay,
Alan Gubuan, Eleazar (Dodong) Balacy, Nina Balacy, Josefa (Peping) Canlas, Junjun Garcia,
Emmanuel Cuaresma, Bonito Quijano, Roy and Popo Miraflor, Dan and Inday Fua, a group from
the teenage generation whose names yours truly could no longer recall (forgive me please),
ug daghan pa gayod.
It was close to sunset when the frolickers decided to call it a day. Hipos diri, hipos
didto. Bring house diri, bring house didto. Althoughthe picnic at the park was over, the
fun did not stop there. Into the evening, at the invitation of Corito and Penny Salindo,
many extended the party at their lovely home.
In all, everyone had a good time. Most were tired but very happy. The tennis players
survived the 100 degree temperature at the courts. The volleyball players, in spite of
sore muscles, survived the "falls" and the spikes. The children, well, most were
asleep on the long trip home
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So folks, that was our GASA picnic. The next GASA event will be a Masquerade Ball on
Saturday, November 1. Once again, this one promises to be another evening of fun, much
like our previous dinner dances. We are inviting everyone, young and the not so young, to
come and join us. It will be a costume ball, so we encourage everyone to come in your best
costume.
We'll see y'all at the ball!
Otit Yohc
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