RURAL AFFAIRS - RENO REUNION, OCTOBER 19 - 21, 2007

                                Then out of the night that was laced with cold rain,
                                And into the din and the glare
                                A group staggered in (some were haggard and thin)
                                To the drama they knew would be there.
                                Then they looked all around till they finally found
                                (And they looked till their straining eyes hurt)
                                Found the man who had called them to gather in Reno,
                                The man who is known as Bert. 1


        Since the 1930's, when Nevada passed laws making gambling and divorce easy, Reno has been known as an easy town -- a haven for tourists, gamblers, divorcees, and instant marriages. It became known, in its own immodest words, as the "Biggest Little City in the World."
        Things have changed, however. Since late last year, Reno is also known as the easy haven for the 4th Rural Affairs Reunion, which took place at the Silver Legacy Hotel October 19 - 21.
        The group that staggered in was some 40 of us. Our intent was to renew friendships, rekindle memories, and explore our different paths to the present. 25 were former members of Rural Affairs in Vietnam and others were family members or guests or friends of RA, many of whom had also lived in Vietnam in earlier decades. Who was there? A group photo is shown below this text.
        The man we searched for was Bert Fraleigh, our host at the 2003 Sequim reunion, who had galvanized support for a gathering at Reno. We soon found him, waiting in the lobby to direct us to different casino and reunion activities. Isabel Le and Vlad Lehovich, co-organizers, were also on hand to bring calm to the no-sleep, no-rest Reno casino atmosphere and steer us to our private exploration of Vietnam past and America present.
        Friday was the key reunion day. Saturday was time for an outing and fun.
        Friday bridged past and present. We assembled informally in the morning in a comfortable conference room to enjoy breakfast pastries and, more important, a period of unstructured socializing. Various of us met people we had not seen for years -- in many cases, four decades and longer -- and exchanged greetings, news, life histories, and addresses. It was a moving event.
        Friday afternoon was the key "reunion" meeting and featured scheduled and impromptu speakers. The format ranged from straight narrative, to recent fiction, to stand-up improv comedy. Isabel Le led off by playing a DVD she and her daughter Anne-Marie had produced. It captured images, personalities, and reminisces from Rural Affairs going back to its 1962 origins at the old USOM Saigon building at 32 Ngô Thời Nhiệm, with a background of period music from Saigon cabarets and golden oldies. Rufus Phillips and Bert Fraleigh opened with brief remarks on how Rural Affairs came about and what it was like in its founding years. Others who spoke included Mrs. Ha Lang, Phil Schreiber, Mr. Hoat Tran, Don Wadley, Mike Chilton, Tony Lam, and Tom Luche. Deborah Oakley-Melvin gave a rich remembrance of father George Melvin, Nguyen Thai Hao read his short story about the Mekong Delta in the early days of Communist rule, and Tony Cistaro and Cal Mehlert delivered uproarious monologues about their years of stumbling and achievement in Vietnam. It was an amazing four hours and captured elusive highlights of an earlier era. It also served as a prelude to a seafood dinner and much conversation.
        A cold, brilliant Saturday was a perfect time for a group trip to Virginia City, an historic silver mining town that once financed growth in the immediate region and San Francisco. We took a tour on an ancient railroad of the mining region and enjoyed the honky-tonks, shops and museums in this living relic of the Wild West, punctuated by lunch in a saloon with passable food and splendid atmosphere.
        An evening banquet in a gracious private setting led to conviviality, good conversation, and spirited toasts and speeches. Inevitably, music followed. We were lucky to have in our group Nguyet Mehlert, at once a prominent singer known as Thu Ha and a prominent California physician, who sang some marvelous songs. Tony Lam also provided spirited singing to end the evening.
        Next morning, a radiant Sunday, some went to Lake Tahoe for a boat ride followed by lunch, some stayed in Reno to gamble and relax, and others went back to daily life at home. All were enriched by a gathering marked by friendship and a sharing of interests and experience.
        We look forward to the next, 5th, Reunion.
                                                                                 -- Vlad & Co.

1Robert Service's 1907 classic, The Shooting of Dan McGrew, borrows liberally from the verses in this report.

 

Front: Mary Nguyen, Peter Nguyen, Hao Nguyen, Tony Lam
Middle row: Bong Nguyen, Huong Nguyen, Nguyet Mehlert, Hoat Tran, Thanh Tinh Nguyen, Tony Cistaro, Minh Chau Chilton, Mai Schreiber, Brenda Wadley, Isabel Le, Winnie Luche, Pipa Lehovich, Jane Maeda, Kim-Lien Peck, Anne Dahlstedt, Tu Chau, Lang Ha, Hop Nguyen
Top row: Cal Mehlert, Mike Chilton, John Yardas, Don Wadley, Deborah Oakley-Melvin, Bert Fraleigh, Tom Luche, Vlad Lehovich, Rufus Phillips, Phil Schreiber, Earl Rhine, Dwight Davis
Attending but not shown: George Melvin, Anne-Marie Balmeo, Nham Tripodes & Jim Tripodes

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Isabel's photos

Vlad's photos

Tu Chau's photos

George's photos

Comments, Letters, Messages (includes Lang Ha's pictures)

This website is compliments of Bert Fraleigh's generosity