Wednesday, July 4, 2012

Website Additions

Cathy Labazetta Stalter and
Bobbye Cooke Gluesenkamp
Thanks to the hoarding instincts of two classmates, Cathy Labazetta Stalter and Bobbye Cooke Gluesenkamp, there are some really remarkable new additions to the Wayne Valley Class Directory website (www.waynevalley67.net)

In addition to photos from the 45th, of which this is one, Cathy called me about a month ago and said she had a whole collection of stuff cluttering up her home and she was sure that, in time, it would all just go into the trash heap of history, so she was going to package it all up and send it out to me.

Sure enough, several weeks later, an amazing time capsule shows up. True to her word (just  like the magnificent banner she and her production staff produced for the reunion) she had enclosed programs from several all school plays and productions, GAA programs and a news article from the local Wayne rag, and Junior and Senior Prom directories. Even a GAA banner. Even blue spirit duplicator copies of the GAA Blue Team routines! I'm busy posting this material to the website, and sharing reunion photos from Bobbye as well. Busy, busy, busy, scanning and posting.

We're hot and heavy into Linda's class reunion now. The venue is set. We're really putting on the dog. No more $12 per person for us. We're up to $20 now, with a cash bar (we went dry  last time) for a real sit down 2 meat choice meal. So we've got block stadium seating for a football game with a cross town rival, class t shirts, a golf outing for the duffers among the class, a school tour preceding the event. There will be plenty of group photography (including the veterans photo I forgot last time) and the photos will be available free for download. We're even planning a special surprise which shall remain a secret until the great unveiling on September 8. Reservations are pouring in on the buzz from our "44th" and the building of their class website. It's getting busy. But after the business ends, and Milton sits out on the deck (not for too long because the temp is 98 at 7pm around here lately), his gears are still turning. Linda says the gears are spinning but the clutch needs adjusting.

All of these events of recent past and current events has engendered another series of high school flashbacks. I don't know whether it is the proximity of the recent reunion, increasing age, the cumulative effect of preservatives and whatever all else I ingested in the past or just the new stream of communications with old classmates (what other kind is there anymore?), but I've been doing a lot of thinking lately and not just of the past. I've been thinking about the future as well.

I was thinking about how a lot can happen in 5 years. I keep on thinking about Dave Spae and how sometimes things happen even in 3 or 4 months. Every time the weather changes, I get another reminder of my mortality. I am also reminded about Tony Gravagne's comment about how the class of 66 seems to have evaporated. I know those folks are out there. Rich Santoro and Tony are evidence enough that they are.

Maybe we should do something in between 5 year reunions. Nothing formal, nothing fancy. Just a get together. Maybe we should include the 1966 folks too. Maybe Delucca can put together a band......Just thinking out loud......and wondering if other people are thinking out loud too......

3 comments:

  1. Indefinite antecedents abound. I have no idea what you are talking about. How can we have a 44th reunion in the future when we just attended the 45th? Just a few random thoughts.

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    Replies
    1. Since you comment as an anonymous person, I suppose the same could be asked of you.

      We are people who believe that the past helps define the present; that remembering those with whom the past is shared provides valuable insights. We believe that high school was a formative time and that the memories of that time deserve to be remembered together every few years. So again, who are you?

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  2. I was referring to a 44th year gathering here i n Evansville. Their 45th reunion will take place in September. I thought it was clear when I referred to Linda's reunion that I was speaking in that particular paragraph about the Reitz Class of 1967.

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