On behalf of all the Officers of the Builders Tee Club, we wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and Happy and Healthy New Year!

It was a good afternoon for bowling, and it started out hot as Tony Alexander started his day with a 299.  His twelfth ball was a good shot and easily could have been a strike.  Nice game Tony.

There were other good scores out there with handicap.  Greg Lewis 273, Matt Janda 268, Mike Christophersen 251, and Danny Woodward 246 in the last game which won him the survivor.  Good going Danny.

"That's Why I Am There" Paliga came back to earth with two bad games but bowled good in the second game, good enough to win him about four pots. My team bowled the blind team, and we bowled good enough to win all seven points.  Hopefully that will put us right back in the thick of things.  I was another dismal 3 for 6 on ten pins, but I did bowl well over my average.  My buddy Waldo was 0 for 2 on seven pins.

The Bears came through on Sunday beating those Cleveland Browns 31-3.  A very good overall game putting them back on top of the division with a 10 and 4 record.  But now they have the Packers on Saturday night.  Their biggest game in about seven years.  It is at Soldier Field so the home crowd should help them. If they can run the ball like they did in the second half of the last game against the Packers, they should do all right. Put some pressure on Love cause a couple turnovers like they've been doing and it should lead to victory.

I am very sad the best team in football, according to all the experts, the Dallas Cowboys, are not going to make the playoffs again and there are three games left.  Not very good for such a good, good team.

Forgot to mention deferring the coin toss last week.  I am on a roll with it.  About 45 watched games in a row without it making a dam difference.  Bears take the ball and ram it down the Packers throat.

Your secretary,

DJ

P.S. Go Bears

Happy December Birthdays

Greg Will (1), Gary Klonowski (3), Mike Loye (4), Bob Schaefer (6), Joe Eppolito (11), Daniel Grimes (12), Todd Johnson (14), Dan Heraty (16), Bob Kennedy (16), Mike Sutko (19), Nick Mady (21), Gene Banas (23), Jack Carter (23), Chuck Cahill (25), Bart Crosby (28), Dick Kerkstra (31)

Historian News

Today I would like to tell you a little bit about one of our members who has had an amazing story of success from meager beginnings. George Les joined the Builders Tee Club in 2010. He has been an avid golfer with the BTC playing most Tuesdays and also in Jim McDermott’s Thursday Group.

He has brought a few of his longtime friends into both groups. Lou Vardikos, Ron Kogut and Nick Voutiritsas are a few of the newer Members who have become regulars on the weekly BTC golf schedule. Nick has even started playing tennis with the BTC, something that George has threatened to do if he can leave his restaurants long enough to play.

During his time with the BTC George has won a Presidents Cup as well as a Club Championship both in Division 1, which means he has been one of the best golfers in the Club for many years. George also won a Two-Man Championship with his partner, Joe Bonarigo.

But George’s story goes back 56 years to when he came to the United States from Greece when he was 12 years old in 1969. In 1972 his father as well as his brother Bill along with George opened a restaurant on 87th and Ridgeland that they named Steak and Egg. George learned the restaurant business the hard way being a busboy, a waiter and, as he really emphasized, as a cook.

In 1975 George along with his brothers Bill and Angelo took over complete ownership of the restaurant and renamed it “Les Brothers”. Most restaurants on average only last for five years but Les Brothers has been at the same location for over fifty years. That only happens when you are great at what you do and have a great support team around you. From receptionists to bus boys to waiters through cooks and managers everyone has to be great at what they do.

As if running one restaurant is not enough George told me that he has opened ten different restaurants over the years. He has sold eight of them to others but still owns Les Brothers as well as Prime Time on 95th Street in Hickory Hills. George and his wife, Soula, are very involved in his Church and their two sons, Bill and Jim, as well as their daughter, Georgia, are all involved in the restaurants with their Parents.

Whenever George and Soula have the time, they spend it with their five grandchildren. I can add that, from playing golf with one of them, his golf prowess is rubbing off on at least one of his grandsons. So, when you see George at our next event you will now know a little more about a true BTC success story.

Thanks for listening,

Your Historian,

Bob Vizdal