Men's retiree group aims at keeping active, having fun
By Eric Kurhi
Oakland Tribune
Posted: 04/23/2011 12:00:00 AM PDT
Updated: 04/23/2011 05:25:36 PM PDT

SAN LEANDRO -- As Chuck Pereira pointed out his friends standing at the Manor Bowl lanes Thursday, it was apparent that he is proud of the fellows who make up the Sons In Retirement. "That's Jake Michaels. He worked for the railroad for 40 years," Pereira said. "There's Lou Pagni. He was a school principal, right here in San Leandro. Andy Teyssier -- he served with the French Foreign Legion." He could have gone on, but right now Pereira is hoping to add new blood to the group, which fosters camaraderie among retired men by renewing old friendships and making new friends.
Pereira heads the chapter covering the area from Oakland south through Union City. There's also a Fremont chapter, and one in Alameda. All told, SIR boasts about 22,000 members in Northern California. "We're looking for retired people," Pereira said. "They don't have to be totally retired, just semiretired. As long as they can attend six luncheon meetings in a year, those kind of people." But Pereira said the group offers much more than just six luncheon meetings a year. "If they're active like I am, we offer the ability to keep active every day of the week," he said.

Pereira is heading a membership drive because recent years have seen a drop in SIRs, as they call themselves. "When I joined four years ago, there were 89," Pereira said. Over the next three years, it went down to 59." Members die, or sometimes move away from the area. Pereira said the current roster of 63 has members ranging in age from 62 to the mid-90s, with an average age of 79. Pereira has a birthday coming up that will make him an average-aged member.  "That's what worries me," he said. "We need more youth!"

SIRs pay no dues. They pay as they play, be it at weekly bowling or golfing events, or the regular luncheons at Dino's Restaurant in Castro Valley, jaunts to museums or trips to the horse track. They also take vacations -- a seven-day Hawaiian cruise is coming up, and they're making plans to go down to Pasadena for New Year's to see the Rose Parade.

And they chew the fat. There's a lot of story-swapping going on at SIR events, Pereira said. "There's an awful lot of one-upmanship," said Pereira, a Korean War veteran. "A guy will tell you a story, and then you tell him a story. You can pass days, not hours, talking about your days in the service." Pereira said such socialization is vital in life. "It gives people something to look forward to, it can keep them from getting depressed."
Pereira stressed that goal, and outlined what they don't do.  "We don't have a political or religious agenda," he said. "We don't solicit, and don't allow anyone to solicit our members. We're protecting them from many of the adult organizations that are involved in gaining money." He said there's nothing wrong with collecting money for good causes and the like, but it's simply not what the SIRs is about. "Our goal is solace, camaraderie, the ability to socialize without pressure from someone who's trying to sell something," Pereira said.

For more information about Pereira's chapter of the Sons In Retirement, contact him at 510-782-8113 or go to www.branch6.org. For general information about SIR, go to www.sirinc.org or call 877-747-9066.

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