Sometime before March 1969 a group of AARP national members began gathering for a meeting and light lunch in their homes. Minutes show that in March they began meeting at Hunting Ridge Presbyterian Church, Edmondson Avenue at Winans Way. Nellie Cockey acted as President, L. Wiscett as Vice President, and Julia Dione as Secretary.
Meetings were the second Tuesday of each month at noontime. They had speakers from existing AARP chapters or other persons speaking on topics of interest to seniors.
Except for for a few meetings at Hutzler's store, the members continued to meet at Hunting Ridge until March 1975, paying $5 per month for the use of the hall. There were no set dues, but rather they passed a cup to collect pocket-change donations. In April the meeting place was switched to the Christian Temple, Edmondson Avenue at Academy Road, where it has remained to this day.
With the help and advice of other chapters, the founders applied for chapter status with the national AARP and were designated Chapter 421. The same officers were for 1970, and in addition Maud Brown was elected 2nd Vice President and Mrs. H. Hewitt became Assistant Secretary. In March 1970 the group was presented its chapter charter by national representative Schluderburg.
Maud Brown was elected President for 1971. Mrs. L. Wescott was elected 1st VP, but she later resigned and in June the Board of Directors elected Mary Zumbrun to replace her. The chapter's first Christmas party was held in December at Hecht's Courtyard Restaurant in conjunction with the North American Benefit Association, since both groups were small. The chapter charter was beginning to show signs of wear, and at the suggestion of Rev. Harpold the document was framed (and is still in good condition).
In April 1972, when the attendance was 38, President Brown appointed John Burger to chair the Membership Committee, and John began working in various ways to increase chapter membership and attendance. In August he suggested starting a chapter newsletter and began organizing it. Forty members attended a party in Carroll County that year, and in December 60 persons attended a Christmans party.
Mary Zumbrun was elected President for 1973, and by March the attendance was 92 and membership was 102. April saw the first issue of the chapter newsletter, and membership reached 137. The meeting time was changed from noon to 11 a.m., and an American flag and stand were donated to the chapter by Harriet Brandt in memory of George Brandt.
Mary Zumbrun was elected President again for 1974, when membership reached 190 and as many as 175 attended chapter meetings. The sound amplifying system was purchased and paid for by free-will offerings.
In 1975 John Burger became President, and in April the meetings began at the Christian Temple, Edmondson Avenue at Academy Road, when the attendance was 169 members and 57 guests. At the December meeting, Mary Zumbrun announced her engagement to to Walter Booze. George Pray became the first over-90 member, and since then any member over age 90 has been considered a life member not required to pay dues.
The chapter bought our large projection screen, and most members wore name tags for easy recognition. There were several active committees. The Telephone Committee called members to remind them of coming events. Tours often filled two buses.
John Burger was re-elected President for 1976, but no member would accept nomination for 1977 and John filled the position until Dorothy Kern was elected to succeed him in 1978. Attendance and membership continued to increase; attendance reached about 200, and in August the Board decided to limit membership to 400.
The Board was fully supportive of Elizabeth Reitze, our delegate to the Baltimore County Association of Senior Citizen Organizations, and of BCASCO's ultimately successful effort to have senior centers established throughout the county. A large Maryland flag was donated to the chapter by Thelma and Bernard Schramm.
From the mid-Seventies through the mid-Eighties, the chapter recorded many positive accomplishments. The chapter was active in a number of charitable activities in the community, holding picnics and parties and many bus trips. A choral group, the AARPSCHORDS, entertained at nursing homes and on various occasions. Chapter committees held fundraising affairs.
That period, however, also had its downside. From 1978 through 1985 Baltimore County rapidly expanded the number and size of its senior centers, which offered daily activities that attracted many of the chapter's most active members who preferred the centers' daily activities to the chapter's monthly ones. In November 1978 the 400-member limit was no longer needed and was dropped.
In 1978 Paul Yearley began chairing a very active Tours Committee, which offered many interesting trips during his tenure, which lasted until 1992. In 1979 the chapter celebrated its 10th anniversary in conjunction with a Christmas party. It was so well attended that Edith Kane, who chaired the event, had to close off reservations due to limited space. During the program, Mr. C. Peed outlined the chapter's 10-year history.
No member would accept the nomination for President for 1980, so Dorothy Kern, who had already served two years, continued for another year until A. Kane was elected for 1981. From 1981 through 1993, chapter membership and attendance continued to drop gradually, the one exception being a Christmas party chaired by Catherine Barker that attracted 212 persons.
In 1982 Ann Rossberg began editing the chapter newsletter, and for seven years she produced excellent monthly papers until April 1989, when Spence Coleman took over the task through December 1991. When he resigned and subsequently was elected President for 1992, Ann resumed the editing of the well-received newsletter.
At the 1984 Christmas party, John Burger read a short resume of Chapter 321's 15 years of history from 1969 through 1984.
In November 1994 the chapter celebrated its 25th anniversary with a luncheon at Snyder's Willow Grove restaurant. On that occasion, the attendees were presented the above brief history of AARP Chapter 421, current to that date.