When I first joined Chapter 421 it had a different name.
How come?
When I looked back into the history of the chapter, I found that the original members met in a church in a community within the Baltimore City limits.
Which community?
I’m not going to say. At the time the chapter started, it may have been a nice place, but it had become crime-infested. It may be better now, but I’ll leave it nameless. Don’t want to offend anybody.
Okay.
Anyway, when I joined, the members were concerned that the name was keeping people from joining the chapter. Because of the community’s reputation.
They felt that our meeting notices were being ignored.
By then most of the members lived in Catonsville, so they wanted the name changed accordingly.
So when I became president the first time — remember I was president three times — I contacted the appropriate manager at headquarters.
What happened?
I was turned down.
I was told that the only way to have a different chapter name was to to dissolve the chapter and re-apply for a new chapter. Nobody wanted to do that.
So what did you do?
Nothing. Then.
Fast-forward to the second time I was president. So happened that the picture had changed. I read in a headquarters publication that a chapter could change its name for good cause. So I pursued it.
It took many trips to the Maryland office complex in downtown Baltimore.
It seemed I had to fill out stacks of paperwork.
I had to dig through our files for our original Articles of Incorporation.
And apply for a new set.
But finally the day came when the change was approved.
Finally we were AARP Catonsville Chapter 421.
I guess the members were pleased.
They were. About that and, I guess, about all I had done for the chapter. Enough that they gave me a certificate.
