Jim Walberg’s Annual Board of Director’s Meeting – A Bocce Ball Tournament

Once a year four men get together to check in on the status of their lives, both professionally and personally.  Then there is a discussion about how each of them can be of support to the others.

The definition of Jim Walberg’s “Board of Directors” is, a gathering of four friends who have known each other for more than 20 years through Rotary, and who care about each other’s lives and have participated in ALL aspects their lives – all the joy, good, bad and awful experiences.  So, this group gets together at least once a year for a day of sharing and catching up.  This is our annual “rendezvous” of the Board of Directors.  The Board includes, Steve McNichols - attorney, Jeff Turner – retired attorney, Gary Riele - commercial Realtor, and me.

For many years we met at Wente Winery Restaurant  in Livermore for this annual event.  They have always accommodated us with a luxurious outside table knowing it will a long day including a sumptuous lunch, fine wines, cigars and port.  This year the venue was changed.  Last week our annual meeting was held at Campo di Bocce  in Livermore.

We first had talked about playing a round of golf at The Course  in the Wente vineyards,  but the consensus was that the three of us who are over 60 had too many aches and pains this year to play 18 holes of golf and then enter into one of our typical five hour lunches.  So, the Bocce Ball venue was suggested.

In order to have this annual event be even more fun it was titled, “The 1^st Annual Board Of Director’s Bocce Ball World Championship”.  We each studied the rules of the Bocce Ball before the gathering at Campo di Bocce so at least we would know how to play the game.  We arrived and the venue welcomed us to an unforgettable day of laughter, fun and solving most of the world’s problems, fine dining, great wines, a cigar or two, and delicious Port. 

We decided that the two teams would be made up of the “liberals” and the “conservatives”.  Jeff and Gary were the Conservatives Team and Steve and I were the Liberals Team.  Let the games begin!  Being absolute rookies of Bocce Ball, we decided that the championship would be the best two out of three games.  We only made it through one game in our 1 ½ hour time slot.  The Liberals Team easily took the first game with the win being dedicated to President Obama.  At this pace it may take two more years of our annual meeting to complete the Bocce Ball world championships.  So, stay tuned.

This group of dear friends is so fortunate that their paths crossed in 1989 and have been together all of these years as key parts of each of others lives.  We are all blessed beyond measure.  I wish for each of you to have these types of friendships.  Please let me know of any of your friendship stories, too.  Until next time…your East Bay life style detective remains on duty.

Related posts:

1. Sully Sullenberger Honored At The Wine For Wheelchairs Ball!
2. Danville Sycamore Valley Rotary’s Annual Dictionary Project!
3. Jim Walberg Hosted The 34th Annual Men & Boys Campout

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Filed Under: Blog, Memorial Moments

Tagged: Bocce Ball, Campo de Bocce, east bay real estate, Gary Riele, Jim Walberg, Steve McNichols, The Course - Livermore, Wente Vineyards Restaurant