By Patricia Baldwin

Photography by Chris Little

A club is a haven of refuge and accord in a world torn by strife and discord ….

When he wrote these words some decades ago now, as part of a poem titled "The Club," ClubCorp founder Robert H. Dedman Sr. signed the verse simply "St. Andrews, Scotland" to give it a sense of historical importance. He acknowledged authorship a couple of years ago when he wrote his book, King of Clubs. The subtitle of that book is especially meaningful as I write this message: Grow Rich in More Than Money.

A club certainly is a haven of refuge but, over the years, we have learned it is much more than a physical place — it is a community of people, a community that stands the test of time.

We at Private Clubs dedicate this issue to our affiliation with the members and employees of the World Trade Center Club in New York, an affiliation that continues in our hearts. We look forward to working with master sommelier Andrea Immer, wine and spirits consultant to the World Trade Center Club and author of Great Wine Made Simple. In future issues, she will use our pages to give our readers a "Windows on the World" view of wine and spirits.

The lives of members, employees, families, and friends of the World Trade Center Club were tragically touched on Sept. 11. But the view will remain forever etched in memory.