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Columnists - Columnists: Jeff Jardine

Thursday, Apr. 23, 2009

Jardine: In tough times, retirees' group has inexpensive fun

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It was supposed to be the culmination of the great American dream: retirement.

Travel. Play lots of golf. Go bowling. Hang out with friends.

Then, the economy went south — and I don't mean to a timeshare in Cabo San Lucas. Many retirees and near-retirees were hit, just like other investors, with severe losses to their investment accounts. Some decided to put off retirement for another decade, only to find themselves downsized as part of the downturn and sent packing with a severance check.

So what do they do?

They play golf, go bowling, travel and hang out with friends. Some do this — even on a tighter budget — by joining Sons in Retirement. It's a men's nonprofit organization that has 21,000 members from Bakersfield to Shasta, and more than 750 spread among three branches in Stanislaus County.

The organization charges no dues and has no paid officers or staff. Everything is done on a volunteer basis. It claims no political or religious leanings.

"It's a social organization," said Julius Manrique, governor of SIR's Area 22, which includes the three Stanislaus County branches.

The rules are pretty simple. There's no age limit. Members of the three local branches range in age from 45 to 95. You just have to be semiretired or retired, and thus available to attend at least six of the 12 monthly lunch meetings each year. Miss three in a row, and you'll get a call from a member asking why. Boredom is prohibited.

The first Modesto club formed in 1983 and grew so big that it split into two branches, each with more than 200 members. The third branch is based in Turlock and has nearly 350 members who meet in Denair each month.

Yes, they play lots of golf, staging 50 tournaments a year, mostly at municipal courses. Organizers shop for the best green fees, and their tournaments average more than 80 golfers.

And they bowl. Those with the financial means go on cruises, on RV trips and other excursions. But there are many activities and events that cost nothing, which is important in an era of belt-tightening.

"I've noticed a change in that people are coming to the meetings, but I noticed that some aren't buying the lunches," said Bill Caldwell, a 71-year-old Modestan who retired from Stanislaus County's probation department and the E.&J. Gallo Winery. "I've lost half of my retirement in the last year and a half. I do have enough for a brandy- and-water and lunch. But I haven't noticed a drop-off in golf, and that's something that's going to cost people."

Those golfers include Lee Schwark, an 86-year-old who has been retired 29 years — the same amount of time he worked as an educator.

"I still try," he said. "But they made the ground lower and hole smaller, and those clubs they advertise to go an extra 10 yards? That's a bunch of baloney."

They organize fishing trips. They offer computer classes, teaching retirees how to use SIR's Web sites. Members run a book exchange. Bring one, take one.

The benefits include networking with other members who like to play bridge, poker, pinochle and dominoes, said Joe Futch, an 87-year-old who sold fertilizer application equipment before retiring.

"Our top four activities are golf, bowling, bridge and travel, in that order," he said.

While women aren't official members, many of the events — including the card games, RV camping, wine tasting and picnics — are open to wives and families.

Mostly, the organization aims to help members "take some of the stress" off new retirees, Futch said.

"We can't take care of the homeless or put a roof over your head, but we can give (retirees) something to think about," Futch said.

And something to do, much of it on the cheap.

Jeff Jardine's column appears Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays in Local News. He can be reached at 578-2383 or jjardine@modbee.com.