On April 2, 2010 Ben Goland gave his senior craft talk. 

Ben was born in a part of New York City called “Little Italy.”  Ben’s grandfather and father were from Sienna, Italy (part of Tuscany).  The family name was originally “Golanti,” but was later Americanized into “Goland.”

When Ben was one year old, his parents moved to New Jersey, leaving Ben without many memories of New York. 

Then in 1937, his father brought the family to Los Angeles, viewing the homes of such movie stars as Dick Powell and Shirley Temple.  They lived in East Los Angeles where Ben went to Theodore Roosevelt High School.  [Interestingly, this was only blocks away from the Dolores Mission Parish where in 1988 our next speaker, Father Greg Boyle was to found Homeboy Industries.]

In World War II, Ben volunteered for the U.S. Army Air Force, serving on a B-17 bomber as an armor gunner with several machine guns.

In 1944, Ben flew to England to take part in the allied offensive.

1945 found him in Bury St. Edmunds, a town near Cambridge. Ben went to a dance where he met his future wife Irene Bell.  She invited him to enjoy a home-made supper.  On May 27, 1945 they were married. 

Two children were born to the couple, Alan and Maureen.

Later, Ben’s first wife Irene fell victim to cancer and passed away.

Their son Alan eventually went to UCLA for his undergraduate education, but then to USC for his graduate school where he studied cinematography in preparation for his career in motion picture production.

Their daughter Maureen eventually accepted a job with United Guarantee Mortgage in Greensboro, North Carolina. 

Greensboro is a very attractive community which became the home town for both the families of Alan and Maureen.

Meanwhile, after WWII ended, Ben worked briefly for the Bank of America.  Later, he became a bank examiner, a position which required him to travel around in California, Nevada, Arizona, Hawaii and Guam.  In Guam, Ben found the heat to be too intense for his liking.

In 1977 Ben was living in San Marino.  While there he became a member of the San Marino Rotary Club. He was there for 8 years before deciding to join the (more active) Arcadia Rotary Club.

At some point during these events, Ben met his future wife Mickey.  In September, 1985, Mickey and Ben were wed.  Mickey had two children by a previous marriage (who are now Ben’s stepchildren), Linelle and Drue.

Ben’s wife Mickey is a travel agent.  As a result, the couple has had occasion to do a lot of traveling (e.g., Europe, Mexico City, Denver, Minneapolis, Salt Lake City, etc.) as well as to do Rotary “make-ups” in diverse places (e.g., England, Hawaii, North Carolina).

In Arcadia Rotary, Ben has served as Treasurer for five years, and as Secretary for two years (working with Barbara Barnes).