The Indiana Chapter had another excellent meeting on Saturday, Aug. 23, in which we had 25 attendees, including several new people who are potential TCC members. The activities began with an enjoyable reception and lunch, during which time the members introduced themselves and exchanged travel anecdotes. After a fine lunch, we heard and saw a very professional presentation titled “Syria: Just Before the Meltdown” by Don Knebel, who is a travel columnist, civic leader, attorney, lecturer and avid traveler. He provided wonderful insight into the religious and political ramifications of events and included many slides of sights that have been destroyed since his visit. He responded to questions after the presentation.
Gregg Schmidt, TCC Silver Member, then provided an update on TCC countries and membership information as well as other travel-related news. St. Louis Chapter Coordinator Charles Merkel assisted Indiana Chapter Coordinator Frank Basile with meeting logistics.
The next meeting is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 22, from noon to 3 p.m. at the Seasons 52 restaurant. It is located at 8650 Keystone Crossing, which is close to I-465 on the north side of Indianapolis. TCC members and other avid travelers are invited. RSVPs should be sent to me at frank_basile@sbcglobal.net or phoned to (317) 578-3585.
We have arranged for an unusual program for the November meeting. David Cook, who is co-coordinator of the local chapter of the national organization, American Pilgrims on the Camino, will present a program titled, “On the Road Again, And Again, And Again” The organization consists of people who have walked all or a part of the 500-mile Camino de Santiago, which is often referred to as a life-altering adventure. Click to view the American Pilgrims on the Camino Web site »
For background information, following is an excerpt from the website:
El Camino de Santiago, in English “The Way of Saint James,” is the pilgrimage to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in northwestern Spain, where legend has it that the remains of Jesus’s apostle Saint James the Elder lie. The Camino has existed as a Christian pilgrimage for well over 1,000 years, and there is evidence of a pre-Christian route as well. Throughout the medieval period it was one of the three most important Christian pilgrimages undertaken. Indeed, it was only these pilgrimages—to Jerusalem, to Rome, and to Santiago de Compostela—which could result in a plenary indulgence, which frees a person from the penance due for sins.
Where does one begin describing or explaining it? At its most fundamental level, it is basically a long walk. At deeper levels, it becomes a spiritual journey; it is certainly a wandering through a 1,200-year long cultural, spiritual and religious history, a history that will come alive as you traverse it; it is a commingling of kindred souls in a vast community of pilgrims, a strange community that is not fixed in space but flows ever westward toward Santiago de Compostela. Perhaps ultimately it is an analogy for life itself.
In his email, David Cook said that the film version expanding on this theme would be the 2011 movie “The Way” with Martin Sheen and his son, Emilio Estevez.
I hope you will be able to attend this unique program.
—Frank Basile, Indiana Coordinator
