Wayne White's responses to emails from President's message April 2026 (some editing done to take out excess blank space and personal contact information-no other content has been changed or removed). They are in order received:
From Member A. J. Oxton
> A little factoid here...how many of you know that
Christina Koch of
> the recent Artemis lunar mission is an Old Antarctic
Explorer? She
> wintered at South Pole Station and did a season at
Palmer Station
> during the period between 2004 to 2007. It appears
Antarcticans are everywhere.
"A high-carb, low-fat liquid diet has proven to relieve the distressing symptoms associated with cold sobriety" —-JCL
Fantastic and thank you for your continued support!
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From Member David Blanch
Hi Wayne I look forward to attending the reunion in Sept I live about 30 minutes from BWI Last year I sent a large donation to the scholarship fund and and check was returned no such address I would like to make a donation , please send me a good address Looking forward to seeing you in Sept David Blanch Deepfreeze 61
Wayne says:
Hello David,, looking forward to seeing you at our upcoming reunion and let me say thanks for the donation and sorry it was not received. We did have address change but mail still should have been forwarded. Our correct mailing address is: OAEA Scholarship Chairman, 256 Spirit Circle E, Suffolk VA 23434. Checks should be made out to OAEA and a designation for scholarships made in the check note block.
From Member Stella Leak:
Wayne,
Thank you so much for keeping me in the loop it brings back many, many good memories. My late husband (Patrick T. Leak) was a navy corpsman at McMurdo in the late 50s, early 60s. We married January 1960, another 1 from VXE6 Ivan E. Gray (also deceased) was our best man, his wife Lois was my best friend.
The news about Christine Koch is wonderful, what an amazing woman she is and what a special person she must be.
Thank you again, both for your service and your commitment to the OAEA.
Stella Leak
Wayne says:
Thank you and your note made my day! You certainly married "The ice" and the deeds of your late husband Patrick and all those that went before us will live on through our organization. Wayne
From Life member Jim Volner
Wayne, thanks for the up-date. Barbara and I always look forward to the OAEA reunions. We also attend the VX6/VXE6 reunions. To this day I am confronted by all ages with questions related to Antarctica, however, most times they're thinking about the North Pole. Maybe we need to arrange Santa to start shipping out of South Pole Station.
I was deployed to ODF "67-68" as an E-3 SN out of Quonset Point, RI and to this day, 5 y years later, everyone wants to know what Antarctica was like. Our Governor, of Tennessee at the time I was on the ICE sent me a state flag to fly at the pole. He indicated in his letter that I was from a volunteer state and volunteered to serve in the U S Navy. I did raise the Tennessee state flag at the pole, made the local news and was honored to do so.
Sadly, we will not be able to attend this year as we scheduled a two week vacation (September 14-27( in Africa near a year ago. Because I was fortunate to spend time on the continent of Antarctica, Africa will be my seventh continent to visit. My wonderful wife and I have been married for 55 years this 04JUN26 so, she will have visited six continents.
Appreciate all the work you have done for the OAEA thus far. We will miss being there to speak with you, friends, many others and guest speakers.
Many thanks,
Jim and Barbara Volner
Wayne says:
Jim, thank your for the update and sorry we will miss you at our upcoming reunion. I was able to spend some time in the "Volunteer State" and it was something special. You were the ULTIMATE volunteer!
I hope you enjoy Africa and while there will be thinking of us and a bit back to a frigid place you once spent quite a bit of time. Wayne
Hello Stella and thank
you for the kind thought of congratulations for scholarship winners. The
scholarships are one of the greatest things the OAEA is involved with and while
most of us are not getting any younger we can help hardworking young people to
achieve dreams. Yes I was the winter manager at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole
Station for three winters. As you mentioned our beloved Billy-Ace, all I can
say is he was a great man and I stand in his shadow. Hope you continue to enjoy
your Mexico experience! Thanks for your support! Wayne
From member Steve Smith
Wayne,
I take it since you did not include the year, that the reunion is this year (2026), correct? Just wanted to make sure. Thanks.
Respectfully,
Steve, J. Smith, AG2, W/) 93-84
Wayne says:
Steve thank you for your attention to detail and you are correct 2026. Hope to see you there! Wayne
From member Jerry Gustin
Great update. Thanks for doing the work to put it together and get it out to us.
Jerry Gustin.
Wayne says:
Jerry, thank you for maintaining you membership and hope to see you at our upcoming reunion in Baltimore! Wayne
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