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| OHCC LIVING | FEBRUARY 2021 | 27 Just in case: Check with your club contact to confirm meeting place, date, and time. On one of the trips my wife Jean and I took with our Travel Club in a previous community, we found the Galapagos Islands to be the most interesting. The 13 Galapagos Islands are part of the Republic of Ecuador and lay 563 miles west of continental Ecuador. The islands are an archipelago of volcanic islands and are known for their large number of endemic species. Charles Darwin developed his Theory of Evolution by natural selection here around 1839. The islands are home to a variety of animal and marine life, including fur seals, frigate birds, marine and land iguanas, swallow- tailed gulls, sea lions, whales, marine turtles, blue and red-footed boobies, the Galapagos tortoise, and Galapagos hawks. Almost extinct, the Galapagos Tortoise is one of the islands more famous species. The last survivor of the dynasty of land tortoises was Lonesome George, pictured above. He was found in December 1971 and taken to the Charles Darwin Research Station in March 1972. George went on to sire over 1700 hatchlings, saving the Galapagos tortoise. The blue-footed booby is a marine bird native to subtropical and tropical regions of the eastern Pacific Ocean. It is one of six species of the genus Sula – known as boobies. It is easily recognizable by its distinctive bright blue feet. The name booby comes from the Spanish word bobo ("stupid," "foolish," or "clown") because the blue-footed booby is, like other seabirds, clumsy on land. They are also regarded as foolish for their apparent fearlessness of humans. The Galapagos sea lion breeds on the Galapagos Islands and, in smaller numbers, on Isla de la Plata (Ecuador). Being fairly social, they are often spotted sun-bathing on sandy shores or rock groups or gliding gracefully through the surf. Their loud bark, playful nature, and graceful agility in water make them the "welcoming party" of the islands. They are the smallest sea lion species. The picture here suggests these two might be married. The Galapagos land iguana is a species of lizard in the family Iguanidae. It is one of three species of the genus Conolophus. It is endemic to the Galapagos Islands. Charles Darwin described the Galapagos land iguana as "ugly animals, of a yellowish orange beneath, and of a brownish-red color above: from their low facial angle they have a singularly stupid appearance." Being cold blooded, they absorb heat from the sun by basking on volcanic rock, and at night sleep in burrows to conserve their body heat. These iguanas also enjoy a symbiotic relationship with birds; the birds remove parasites and ticks, providing relief to the iguanas and food for the birds. There are also sea iguanas, much uglier. ~ Submitted by Bob Johnson to the Travel Club Travel Club Village Vets In looking at recent Veteran Administration online publications, I learned that Veterans who may have thought they had no VA benefits, but served in the Republic of Vietnam, anytime between January 9, 1962 and May 7, 1975, or served on active duty at Camp Lejeune for at least 30 days between August 1, 1953 and December 31, 1987, or rewarded a Purple Heart, likely are eligible for some VA benefits. If you served in any military service, and this information applies to you, I suggest you contact the VA to see what benefits are available to you. Our elected Officers' for 2021 are Commander David Hefler, Vice Commander Tom Brennan, Secretary Linda Strohm and Treasurer Robert Smith. Treasurer, Bob Smith has set up a special box inside his front gate at 5059 Dassia Way for 2021 dues. As you may be aware, we continue to provide support to our military friends even during these difficult times. Our dues are $10 per person. Please include your phone number or email on your check so we can contact you for any additional information, and mark it "2021 dues." Agoura Hills native Rishi Sharma has been on a mission to get as many on-camera interviews with as many World War II veterans as he can. He has interviewed over 1,100 Veterans, including about 50 in the San Diego area. He turns over the interviews to the veteran's family, museums, and universities for educational resources. If you or family are interested, call him at (202) 315-8743. For more information visit heroesofthesecondworldwar.org. We intend on keeping members informed with our monthly Bugle publication both online and delivered to them.

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