Red Dragon Vol 1 Issue 3 - Wentworth Military Academy & College

Published by the Wentworth Military Academy Alumni Association
Volume 1 Number 3 November 2010

Contents
Volume 1, Number 3
November 2010
Publisher
An Official Publication of the
Wentworth Military Academy
Alumni Association
amccormick@wma.edu
(660) 259-2221 x1237
Editor
James M. Wright, ‘66
jimwright@kc.rr.com
913-642-2219
Director of Alumni
Al McCormick, ‘67
amccormick@wma.edu
(660) 259-2221 x1237
President
WMA Alumni Association
John Francis, ‘83
john.francis@metavante.com
(414) 815-4447
Wentworth Military Academy
Alumni Association
1880 Washington Avenue
Lexington, MO 64067
(660) 259-2221 x1237
amccormick@wma.edu
© Copyright 2010
Wentworth Military Academy
Alumni Association
1880 Washington Avenue
Lexington, MO 64067
(660) 259-2221 x1237
alumni@wma.edu
Front cover photo by Jim Wright
131st Year Begins At WMA.......................................... 10
Alumni Association Elected Officers..............................3
Alumni Auction A Success........................................... 15
Alumni Pause For A Photo............................................9
Alumni Trap Shoot....................................................... 20
A Piece Of History Donated...........................................9
Attention Class Members of ‘64, ‘65, ‘66.......................7
Band Reunion - 2011................................................... 22
Chicagoland Rally....................................................... 12
Colonoscopy - Fun...................................................... 14
Contents........................................................................2
Dates To Remember......................................................2
Director’s Corner...........................................................5
Duck - Final Word..........................................................7
Editor’s Notes................................................................6
Former Cadets Wed......................................................8
Golf Outing.................................................................. 19
Homecoming 2010 In Review............................... 17, 18
Homecoming - The Game........................................... 16
Honolulu Rally - Coming Soon.................................... 11
Jim Skelton Promotion..................................................8
Joe Aull Picture..............................................................8
Membership Application.............................................. 23
President’s View............................................................4
Rappelling Old (And New) Boys.................................. 13
Regional Alumni Chapters And Contacts......................3
Truck Raffle To Benefit WMA.........................................8
Tulsa Rally A Big Hit.................................................... 19
Work Weekend A Great Success................................ 21
Dates To Remember
October 29-30, 2010 - Red Dragon Rally - Omaha, NE.
November 12, 2010 - Red Dragon Rally - Honolulu, HI
June 20, 2011 - Red Dragon Rally - Manitowoc, WI.
August 5-7, 2011- Work Weekend
October 7-9, 2011 - Homecoming - Lexington, MO.
The Red Dragon | November 2010 | 2

Regional Alumni Chapters
And Contacts
Arizona
George Hittner, ‘97: (480) 596-4704 or
(480) 290-1798
george.hittner@atsol.com
Chicagoland
Anteco Cross: (913) 205-9113
anteco-cross@adp.com
Dallas/FT Worth
Jim Sellers: (901) 828-6325
jimsellers3@gmail.com
Hawaii
Col Michael A. Ceroli: (910) 916-2917
mceroli@aol.com
Lexington, MO Area
Al McCormick, ‘67: (816) 255-0641
amccormick@wma.edu
Eastern Nebraska/Western Iowa
John Stahlnecker: (402) 738-8908
togetherwebuild@cox.net
Pat Jarrett: (402) 210-6662
patrick.jarrett@pbpresortservices.com
San Francisco/Bay Area
Steve Smith, ‘83: (831) 588-7838
steveinsv@yahoo.com
SE Wisconsin
Bob Kerscher: (920) 973-0759
bobkerscher@comcast.net
South Florida
Francisco Jose Palacio, Jr.: (954) 270-0276 or
(561) 691-9983
Francisco.J.Palacio@MediaMentoring.Org or
Francisco.J.Palacio@gmail.com
Venezuela
Raul Zambrano, ‘82: 58412-6395808 or
58212-2562953
raulzambranog@gmail.com
If you are interested in participating in a Regional
Alumni Chapter, please contact one of the Regional
Commanders above.
WMA Alumni Association
Elected Officers
President
John Francis,’83: (414) 815-4447
john.francis@fisglobal.com
Vice President
Guy Harkness,’63: (816) 863-4340
glharkness@gmail.com
Treasurer
Slick Heathman,’56: (660) 259-3927
sheathma@ctcis.net
Secretary
Vacant
President-Elect
Jim Wright,’66: (913) 642-2219
jimwright@kc.rr.com
If you wish to start a Regional Alumni Chapter in
your area, then contact either Al McCormick or the
President of the WMA Alumni Association.
The Red Dragon | November 2010 | 3

President’s View
By John Francis, ‘83
As I travel the country meeting with old boys, I am
amazed at the level of dedication they have for family,
country, and Wentworth. The order may differ from
alumnus to alumnus, but dedicated nonetheless. This
was evident the first weekend in October on the Wentworth
campus. Yes, the 2010 WMA homecoming is
in the history books and has been recorded as one of
the best in recent years. Over 130 old boys and their
families united over the three day reunion to share
cadet stories, updates on family/professional life, and
most importantly, support the school. For some it was
their first time back on campus in over 25 years and
for others it is an annual event. The weekend was
filled with activities including a golf tournament, WMA
versus Kemper trap shoot, Saturday parade through
Lexington, BBQ tailgater, opportunity to descend the
rappelling tower, and, of course, the football game.
Speaking of the football game, WE WON!
The football team was firing on all cylinders and
blanked the opposition 41-0. Dates for homecoming
next year are October 7-9, 2011. The theme is
Band…return to Headquarters! So all you headquarters
old boys, dust off your trumpet, tighten up
your drums, and get back to Lexington. All returning
band members will be marching and playing in the
Saturday parade. More info will be forthcoming, but
please mark your calendars and plan on returning to
campus.
Wentworth is fortunate to have an alumni network
that continues to work in support of the school, regardless
of the occasional challenge that may come our
way. Some educational institutions face an ebb and
flow with Alumni due to the economy, politics, school
leadership, and other life events. Many schools find
themselves having more vocal critics than supporters
when times get tough. That has never been the case
with Wentworth graduates, students, or faculty. The
tireless dedication of your alumni corps is a direct reflection
of the values instilled every day at Wentworth
Military Academy.
This will be the last Red Dragon newsletter for 2010
and with that I leave you with a quote from one of our
nation’s most admired presidents:
It’s not the critic who counts…the credit belongs
to the man who is actually in the arena…
whose face is marred by dust and sweat and
blood, who knows the great enthusiasm, the
great devotion and spends himself in a worthy
cause…far better it is to dare mighty things
than rank with those poor spirits who neither
enjoy nor suffer much because they live in the
grey twilight that knows neither victory or defeat.
Theodore Roosevelt.
I will chat again with you in 2011. Have a great holiday
season.
John Francis
The Red Dragon | November 2010 | 4

Director’s Corner
By Al McCormick, ‘67
Collectively we
make a difference
That’s right, collectively.
As a group we
can make a difference
in any organization we
belong to and have a
positive impact on the
amount of good it can
create. That applies to
our own Wentworth Military Academy Alumni Association
as well.
Membership is open to any former cadet who
wishes to support our objectives through financial
assistance by year to year membership or
by life long membership. If you are reading the
Director’s articles you probably noticed we are
stressing our annual objectives and support programs
in print during each issue. It’s our goal to
keep them in front of you as they are worthwhile
and each of us who are dues paying members
believe in the impact strongly.
As a review let’s take yet another look at what
we support on behalf of the academy:
Cadet Scholarships. Currently you are awarding
two. Among all the things we concentrate on
as priorities this area needs the most attention.
We count on you who wish to support us with
membership dues to fund this along with proceeds
from the annual silent and live auctions.
The long range plan is to provide more for cadets
which is a wonderful benefit to not only them but
to the academy.
Annual Alumni (graduates) Pizza Party. We
were able to reduce your cash outlay this year by
enrolling Valentino’s pizza of Lincoln, Nebraska
as a corporate sponsor. They have re-enrolled
for 2011. Cash outlay remains at approximately
$1,000.00 for this event.
Memorial preservation, work weekend, the
annual Commander Ed Ellis golf tournament
serve as our remaining priorities.
Each of these priorities are deserving of your
support as we grow and yes, we want to grow. If
you are a current dues paying member, here is
how you can help: Ask someone (a classmate or
a buddy) to join. If your dues are up for renewal,
send them in. I invite each of your reading this to
join our association and be a part of our growth
and building our collective strength.
At the end of this newsletter you will find a membership
application, please complete it and send
it to me right away and then, come home and
participate, our collective abilities are productive
and fun as we develop and expand our fellowship
circle.
Thank you for a great Homecoming and please
mark your calendars for Homecoming 2011, the
50 th anniversary year of the class of 1961.
October 7, 8 and 9, 2011. Our football opponent
is Windsor. See you then if not before.
Al McCormick
The Red Dragon | November 2010 | 5

Editor’s Notes
By Jim Wright, ‘66
Homecoming 2010 is history and was a big success.
In this issue of The Red Dragon, we have
included many articles and pictures of the homecoming
fun. I hope you enjoy the review. We tried
to at least include pictures of each event, even if
we could not include an article on each. And, of
course, we have to send along a big congratulations
to our football team who won the homecoming
game 41-0 over Kansas City East High
School. Wow! What a great game.
We are coming to the end of the 2010 calendar
year. It has been a good year for Wentworth
Military Academy and for our Alumni Association.
School enrollment is up and WMA is more stable
financially. Our association membership continues
to grow (more than doubled this year) and
a number of old boys have become new lifetime
members. And of course, we have started publishing
The Red Dragon to keep everyone upto-date
on the comings and goings at the school
and of our alumni.
2011 looks like a great year in the making.
Hopefully — the economy will start to show real
signs of a return to normalcy (for us regular people).
Hopefully — Wentworth will continue on its
positive growth trend. Hopefully — our Alumni
Association will continue on its positive growth
trend and be able to do much more to support the
school and alumni. Hopefully — each and every
one of you will be able to say that something very
positive happen to you and your family in 2011.
Plan on attending a WMA Rally in 2011. We will
keep the listing on page 2 up-to-date with the latest
information. If there is not a rally scheduled in
your area, contact Al McCormick or John Francis
for help in setting one up. It is not hard, is a lot of
fun, and is very rewarding.
Plan on attending a work weekend at the school.
The date(s) will be announced soon. These are
also great fun (and work). It really is fun when
you can get together, socialize, and accomplish
something positive for the school.
Plan on attending Homecoming on October 7,
8, and 9, 2011. In addition to the regular class
get-togethers and events, the 2011 Homecoming
will be marked by a “Headquarters Company”
reunion. That’s right. A reunion of the band. So
get your instruments dusted off and get ready to
play and march during Homecoming. I was not a
member of the band but am still looking forward
to this. As old boys and friends of Wentworth, we
have always been proud of our band. This will be
a once in a lifetime event for all of us, band members,
old boys, friends, and the school. Don’t
miss this one.
Plan on getting involved with the WMA Alumni
Association. We can always use the positive influence
of people who volunteer to help. We will
need some new officers next year. Actually we
need a new Secretary right now. Anyone interested
in the job? We need volunteers to write articles
for The Red Dragon. We need pictures, old
and new, for The Red Dragon. We need workers
for the work weekends. We just want to hear
from you and get to know you. That is what it is
all about.
A final note, this issue of the Red Dragon is very
long. That is because there was so much news
to report. I will try to keep the issues shorter in
the future.
On behalf of all of the officers and members of
the Wentworth Military Academy Alumni Association,
I want to wish all of you the very best of what
life has to offer in the coming year. Have a Merry
Christmas and a Happy Holiday Season.
Until next time, I hope you enjoy this issue of
The Red Dragon. I will be looking for you on the
Quadrangle.
Jim Wright
The Red Dragons Win Homecoming Football Game
Photo by Jim Wright
The Red Dragon | November 2010 | 6

Duck Invades Alumni House
Captured and Released
Honors Pending
Your article could be in the next Red Dragon!
All you have to do is write an article that you
think Wentworth Alumni would enjoy reading
and send it, along with some pictures, I hope,
to the Editor.
We welcome articles by Wentworth Alumni.
Sometime on a Sunday or a Monday during
the week of June 6 th , a wild Duck discovered an
opening of opportunity at the Wentworth Alumni
House and took advantage of the situation. The
female duck may have been seeking shelter and
security to lay and hatch eggs and start a family.
Al McCormick, a member of Senior Staff was
quoted as saying; “There can be no other logical
reason for this unlawful invasion, and we will get
to the bottom of this”.
Rishae Proffitt of the National Management
Group led the delegation to capture and rescue
the invading duck from the alumni house and prepare
it for relocation. Immediately upon hearing
the news, John Francis, President of the Wentworth
Alumni Association issued a proclamation
and requested a unanimous vote by all alumni
members to bestow honorary alumni status on
the duck and declaring it a member of the class
of 2010. Mr. Francis was quoted as saying; “We
must be kind to our web footed friends”.
Rishae Proffitt and Heather Ratliff relocated and
released the duck at Lions Lake, a more natural
home for a fine feathered friend. The duck invasion
ended quietly and peacefully on June 9 th .
This is the last chapter in this duck saga.
Attention Class
Members
of ‘64, ‘65, ‘66
C.R. King, ‘66 is seeking
members of the classes from
‘64, ‘65, and ‘66, who are interested
in attending Homecoming
and holding a reunion
during the 2011 Homecoming
that will be held on October
7-9, 2011.
If you are interested please
contact C.R. at:
cr@royalexchangeranch.
com. We hope to have a great
turnout.
The Red Dragon | November 2010 | 7

Former Cadets Wed
Former Cadets Drew Overby and Brie Pinkerton
were united in marriage on July 31st and had
a beautiful wedding. They are now back at home
and reside at 221 N 184th plaza Apt. 206 Elkhorn,
Ne 68022.
The Honorable Joe Aull (right), Missouri
Representative, pauses to pose for a picture
with Academy officials, Bob Levy, William
Sellers, Mike Lierman, and Tom Dinsdale,
Chairman of the Board.
Jim Skelton Promotion to Colonel (USA)
The Red Dragon | November 2010 | 8

WMA Alumni Pause For A Photo During Homecoming On October 2, 2010.
What A Handsome (And Pretty In Some Cases) Group!
A Piece Of History Donated
by Al McCormick, ‘67
Thanks to Patrick Walsh ‘80 who saved and preserved
the rules from the stables at the country
club! Patrick returned this year for Homecoming
and presented an artifact to the Academy;
the WMA Stables Rules for Horse Back Riding
(Please see accompanying picture).
The document was turned over to Bill Sellers,
President who will be sending this valuable document
to a qualified firm who has the capacity to
restore and preserve it.
Thank you Patrick! Very good of you to turn in
this most valuable memory.
The Red Dragon | November 2010 | 9

131 st Year Begins At WMA
by Al McCormick, ‘67
The one hundred and thirty first year of Wentworth
Military Academy begin on Monday, August 23,
2010 in the Memorial Chapel to celebrate the
beginning of yet another academic year and to
officially welcome cadets to the historic campus
of Wentworth and the city of Lexington.
COL Tim Casey, Academic Provost opened
the ceremony with the invocation followed by
honoring America with “The Star Spangled
Banner” presented by the Wentworth Band under
the leadership of Capt. Gary Love, Bandmaster.
Encouraging and positive messages were offered
by COL Mike Lierman, ’73, Superintendent, a
representative of the Lexington Mayors office,
and COL William Sellers, President of WMA.
The Honorable Ike Skelton ’51, United States
Representative, Missouri 4 th District, provided
the keynote address, sharing some personal
stories about how he came to realize Wentworth
was a grand opportunity while he was a student.
He also shared encouragement with everyone
in the 131 st Corps to apply themselves and take
advantage of the many opportunities Wentworth
has to offer.
The 131 st Battalion Commander, Cadet Michael
Waldron, Lake Wales, Florida was introduced
by COL Lierman. Cadet LTC Waldron set the
expectations for the cadet corps and challenged
the members to be the best they could be
throughout the entire academic year.
The Cadet oath was led by Interim Commandant
and Director of Operations, COL Rick Cottrell.
Following the cadet oath and the sounding of the
cannon, the cadets were dismissed to resume
classes signaling the official beginning of the
academic year.
A reception following the ceremonies was held
in Groendyke Hall by the staff to welcome and
thank the many old boys and city leaders who
attended the event.
131 st Corp Of Cadets Takes Cadet Oath In Memorial Chapel
The Red Dragon | November 2010 | 10

“The Best thing that you can
do for Wentworth is to refer a
potential cadet”
John Groendyke, October 2005
Honolulu Rally - Coming Soon
Date is Friday, November 12
Time is 1700 (5 PM for Charlie Company
Old Boys, dinner time for Alpha Company,
Mickey’s little hand is on the five for HQ
Company Old Boys).
Place is Sam Snead’s Tavern
Address is 943 Valkenburgh Street
Honolulu, HI 96818-3910
(808) 421-7267
RSVP to COL Mike Ceroli, 910 916 2917,
or mceroli@aol.com.
Dress is aloha casual.
Hope You Can Make It
New Wentworth-Kemper Alumni Partnership
Wentworth and Kemper
alumni have entered into a
new cooperative partnership
to help keep memories
of our old sister school
alive. As a first step, a large
group Kemper alumni unveiled
and dedicated a new
display during the recent
WMA Homecoming weekend.
Wentworth is proud to provide
the display space in
Groendyke Hall. We have
been informed that the
Kemper Alumni Association
is planning on providing a
scholarship to some Wentworth
students in the near
future.
Photo by Al McCormick
The Red Dragon | November 2010 | 11

Chicagoland Rally
by John Francis, ‘83
On September 18 th of this year a group of Chicagoland
old boys met at Ditka’s restaurant for a
pre Homecoming rally. The gathering was a precursor
for the Wentworth Homecoming weekend
two weeks later in Lexington. As with most Red
Dragon rallies, old stories were told and classic
question of “do you remember so and so” was
asked and most of the time answered. The date
for next year’s rally has yet to be determined,
but will most likely be moved from the city to the
suburbs in an effort to attract greater numbers.
Joe Frueh ’83, John Francis ’83,
Rick Scheer ’84, JB Meyer ’86 and
Anteco Cross ’93 were a few of the
alumni attending.
Photos by John Francis
L to R: Patti Francis, John Francis, JB Meyer, Rick Scheer, Joe Frueh, Anteco Cross
The Red Dragon | November 2010 | 12

Rappelling Old (And New) Boys
by John Francis, ‘83
With the new rappelling tower up and operational, it only seemed fitting to offer returning old boys the
opportunity to take a shot at the “long drop”. Just prior to the bonfire activities on Friday night, a number
of alumni and many onlookers assembled at the tower and suited up for the four story decent. After detailed
instructions, including a dry run off the side of a hill, a group of daring souls climbed the forty foot
stairwell to the top of the tower. One by one folks disappeared over the edge and made their way down
the structure. With the first attempt completed, rope goers become more and more confident with each
additional belay. By the end of the evening each alumni had survived the event and the tower got quite
a work out. Master Jumper Ed Fiora of Wentworth oversaw every aspect of the event and ensured the
safety of all who participated. When asked “who was the best rappeller today”, he responded, “Richard
Scheer”. That’s right, Rick Scheer’s (’84) twelve year old son Richard got the nod as top tough guy of
the evening. The fact that he took 10 trips down the tower may have helped his odds.
Photos by Jim Wright
The Red Dragon | November 2010 | 13

Colonoscopy - Fun
by Guy Harkness, ‘63
I ALMOST WAITED TOO LONG. It was an early
December day in 2005, & my cousin, John Harkness,
& I were in northern Indiana on a business
trip. In between sales calls, I needed to phone
the Doctor’s office back in Kansas City to receive
the results of my colonoscopy examination that I
had undergone the previous week. I spoke to a
nurse when I called, & when she put me on hold,
rather than simply saying all was fine, I had suspicions
of some possible complications. When
the nurse came back on the line and said, “Mr.
Harkness, the Doctor would like to speak to you”,
I knew I was likely in for some soon to be life
changing events. The Doctor then confirmed that
I had Stage 3 colon cancer, but fortunately the
tumor had not yet perforated the intestinal wall.
I was 59 years old when all of this occurred,
and yes, I should have had a colonoscopy AT
LEAST 10 years earlier to establish a baseline,
even though I had never really experienced any
of the tell tale signs or symptoms. This is obviously
where I almost waited until it was too late.
In my case, the primary circumstance for contracting
the disease was most likely heredity. My
Father succumbed to pancreatic cancer in 1982
at the age of 69, and at the same age of 69 my
Mother died of breast cancer in 1984. As I would
come to learn and realize, these facts pretty
much sealed my fate.
Fast forwarding, and on Valentine’s Day in 2006,
I had 18 inches of my colon removed, & a colon
re-section successfully accomplished. Again, fortunately,
I also didn’t have to have a colostomy
bag, & after a three day hospital stay I was back
home.
During the surgery, they also removed several
lymph nodes from my lower abdominal cavity,
and some cancer cells were found in one of the
nodes. This, then, started me on my next journey
forward.
My Oncologist advised me that the odds of
survival were obviously significantly greater if I
would undergo chemotherapy treatments. So,
again, fast forwarding ahead, in early April of
2006, I began six months of treatments. My particular
regimen amounted to three days worth of
treatments every other week. I would report to
the clinic first thing on a Monday morning, and
receive a roughly 4 hour “cocktail drip” through
a “port” that had been surgically implanted in my
chest. After this “drip” was completed, I was then
given a “fanny pack” containing another “lovely
cocktail” that was metered into me over the next
2 days. On a Wednesday afternoon I would return
the “fanny pack” to the clinic, get my “port”
flushed out, & then look forward to a week off.
Just when I would get to feeling a bit better, the
following Monday would be upon me, and the
regimen would be repeated all over again. As I
said, the treatments lasted six months - until the
first part of September, 2006.
Since I had/have my own business, along with
John Harkness, I did keep working throughout
this six month period of time. I obviously had
some very interesting and humorous times during
this period. Suffice it to say, I did leave lots of
my “marks” in lots of grassy areas throughout the
U.S.A. - before, during, & after many/most of our
sales calls!!!!!.
I apologize for some of the rather lengthy details
in this article, but PLEASE honestly know that my
sole reason for “going public”, so to speak, is to
obviously heighten awareness and strongly
urge each and every one of you who are over
50 to undergo a colonoscopy examination IM-
MEDIATELY, and certainly if you haven’t had the
procedure recently!!!. Had I not done so back in
late 2005 I would likely not be writing this “article”
today.
In closing, I saw my Oncologist in early August
and she reported that I’m still doing very well. I
will visit her again in February of 2011, which will
roughly be my 5 year anniversary, and then also
have another colonoscopy. If I’m “clean” once
again, I can then graduate to annual visits, or
even less frequently, if feasible.
Please remember, I almost waited until it was
too late. Please don’t make the same mistake I
did. For the very minor discomfort of flushing out
your system prior to a colonoscopy, get your test
scheduled much sooner rather than much later,
as time is of the essence for sure!!!.
The Red Dragon | November 2010 | 14

Alumni Auction A Success
by John Francis, ‘83
Breaking news! The alumni auction and raffle
during Homecoming weekend raised over
$7,000! Thank you to all who donated items and
those who bid on them. The event consisted of
both silent and live auctions with items ranging
from Wentworth collectibles to a week vacation
in the Bahamas. The most unique item up for bid
was a set of pink boxer shorts autographed by
Sheriff Joe Arpaio (Arizona). The proceeds will
be used to support the day to day operations
of the Association and help support the alumni
scholarship fund. Your Alumni Association will
be providing two scholarships in the amount of
$2,000 each. This is a large increase from past
years. Any and all donations are welcome for
next year’s auction.
Photos by Jim Wright
The Red Dragon | November 2010 | 15

Homecoming - The Game
Photos by Jim Wright
The Red Dragon | November 2010 | 16

Homecoming 2010 In Review
Photos by Jim Wright
The Red Dragon | November 2010 | 17

Homecoming 2010 In Review
Photos by Jim Wright
The Red Dragon | November 2010 | 18

The Golf Gang
Tulsa Rally A Big Hit
by Al McCormick, ‘67
Thirty were in attendance at the Tulsa Red Dragon
rally on September 9 th . Along with Oklahoma area old
boys, parents of current cadets enjoyed an evening of
camaraderie and light hearted conversation.
The event was held at the home of Dr. Traub, ‘79 and
along with co-host Ron Sipes, ‘61, attendee’s enjoyed
first class food in a wonderful Tulsa setting. JB Meyer
and Al McCormick were on hand from Wentworth
to update the group on current happenings back on
campus. Following the event, one of the parents in
attendance contacted Wentworth and thanked them
for the invitation and said “we are 100% sure we made
the right decision in choosing Wentworth for our son’s
education”.
A great time was had by all. Dates for the next rally
in Tulsa will be published soon.
Annual Commander Ed Ellis Golf
Outing Held During Homecoming
by John Francis, ‘83
With the greens freshly cut, the sun shining in
the sky and the beverage cart fully stocked, Wentworth
old boys took to the golf course for the first
annual Commander Ed Ellis golf outing.
Twenty-eight alumni and faculty battled Friday
afternoon for the right to hoist the winner’s trophy
high above their heads. Through “hole sponsorships”,
a cut of the greens fees and the sale
of Mulligan cards, the event raised over $1,000
for the school. The winning team of Darryl Lynn,
Tom Butherus, Huck Peckinpaugh, and Steve
Saltz took first place and will have their names
engraved on the Ed Ellis trophy.
Thanks to all that participated and we will see
you again next year. If you have any interest in
sponsoring a “hole” in the future, please contact
Al McCormick.
The Golf Winners
The Red Dragon | November 2010 | 19

4th Annual Kemper-Wentworth Alumni Trap Shoot
by Bill Heltzel, ‘77
Homecoming Day 2010 dawned clear and bright as
the teams gathered for the 4th Annual Kemper-Wentworth
Alumni Trap Shoot. This year’s tournament was
held at the Missouri Department of Conservation’s
brand new Lake City Shooting Range in eastern Jackson
County. As in years past, the range staff made the
participants most welcome, opening the event with a
safety briefing and acquainting the shooters with the
amenities available at the new facility.
After exchanging a few “pleasantries” and renewing
some old acquaintances, it was time to get to the
business of the day. The contestants shot at 25 targets
on each of two fields. After tallying the hits for
each shooter, the top four scores were added together
to determine this year’s winner. The adopted scoring
format calls for the top five scores to be taken as an
aggregate, thus allowing for competition, while still allowing
for all to participate in the name of fun. The format
was altered this year to accommodate a shortfall
in the number of WMA participants.
Wentworth was represented this year by Marvin
Wrisinger ’80 of Lexington, MO, Norton Dillard ’69
of St. Louis, MO, Jay Johnson ’77 of Jasper, GA and
team captain Bill Heltzel ’77 of Short Pump, VA. All
are veterans of previous shoots. Congratulations to
Wrisinger, who took honors as the high gun for WMA.
The Red Dragons came to play, but were outnumbered
by 2-1. Because the scoring format allowed
Kemper to throw out fully half its scores, when the
smoke cleared the Yellowjackets came out on top.
This series now stands tied for the first time.
The next renewal of the
Wentworth-Kemper rivalry
will be October 8, 2011.
This is your opportunity
to help WMA regain the
lead in this event. With
the scoring set up to encourage
participation, it
is important that the Red
Dragons field as many
shooters as possible. If
you were never a varsity
competitor as a Cadet,
here’s your opportunity to
BEAT KEMPER!
Pictures by Laura Williams of the Kemper Alumni Association
The Red Dragon | November 2010 | 20

Work Weekend A Great Success, and Fun Too
by Chris Butler
Eighteen years ago the call went out for alumni to support a new program to benefit Wentworth Military
Academy. The program would be called “Alumni Work Weekend” and was the brainchild of Christie
Butler, ’71 & Carl Stempel, ’72 Alumni Council members. Thus began the tradition of alumni gathering
on the first weekend of August to bring their talents, hammers, saws, paintbrushes & energy to work on
projects that needed help around the Academy.
Over the years the projects have varied from painting classrooms, barracks, football stadium railings
& bleachers, hand railings around campus, sheet-rock patching, refurbishing buildings, drill rifle stock
repair & refinishing, planting flowers & bushes, trimming bushes, general yard maintenance, roofing the
stadium concession stand, painting the library, moving books, cleaning out storage facilities, refurbishing
and repair memorials, and numerous other projects.
During all this work something else was accomplished; the coming together of different alumni classes
in support of our Academy and sharing “war stories” and building friendships.
The “Old Boys” gave of their time, talent, finances, slept in the barracks and ate in the mess hall,
cooked, carried water and enjoyed the time they spent on campus. Some contacted their former roommates,
brought family members all in support of Alumni Work Weekend. The ages of workers have run
from 3 years old to mid 70’s. One young supporter helped plant flowers & every year comes to see how
“his flowers” are doing. Another young man, age 5, started as a “gopher” the first year & later graduated
from junior college. This year he was unable to attend for the first time being deployed in Afghanistan
but e-mailed Chris Butler to say “I owe you a weekend and will work twice as hard next year.”
Throughout the years over 9,525 hours have been volunteered with an estimated value of $120,000 in
man-hours and supplies. This year’s work weekend 12 came back to Wentworth to continue the tradition
and worked on the Vietnam Memorial, Health Center & Alumni House.
So, mark your calendar for the 1st weekend in August and come join your fellow “Old Boys” in helping
our Academy and continue the tradition.
Pictures by Chris Butler
The Red Dragon | November 2010 | 21

The Red Dragon | November 2010 | 22

The Red Dragon | November 2010 | 23