Update 1-13-09

Hi,

Several notes, an investigation, and some Alumni Association minutes:
   
    First, from Judy Brill:  OK, let's talk about basements.  We had a finished basement in our house on Rosedale Road, and we built our junior float there (class of '68).  Some of us smoked cigarettes -- not me, yet -- and I remember my father worrying that with the basement filled to the windows with paper flowers, we were going to burn down his house.  The worst thing to happen was getting harassed by a couple of carloads of guys from North one night.
   
    Second, from Mary Ferranti Khan:  I was just playing with one of my new Christmas toys -- a slide-to-digital converter -- and I found some slides my father took of the Valley Stream South High marching band.  This is from a 1962 parade, which might be for Memorial Day or for something called the Sunday School Parade that I believe we also marched in.  We are wearing our old, original, red and grey uniforms.
        I am the tall, gawky piccolo player looking at the camera in the first picture.  I've also included a picture with Mr. Liest  -- pre- Mr. Emig, and a photo of the Coolettes.  I thought some other of our classmates might enjoy seeing these.
   
    [Rich -- I'll try to get these three photos online, or I may ask Stu Borman to add them to his linked site, if that's still active.]
   
    From Jerry Bittman:  A quick note regarding a former Forest Road student.  The very beautiful Gwen Camhi is married, living in New Jersey, and has forty-year-old twins.  Also, Gwen was with Judi Fingerhut when she passed away almost thirty years ago.
   
    From Amy Lieberman,  a Billy Valentine and the Stuart Elster Trio update for South folks living in Los Angeles:  On Saturday, January 24th, we're checking out this great old jazz club in the San Fernando Valley and hope you can join us.  Spazio, 14755 Ventura Boulevard, Sherman Oaks  91403.  Phone:  818-728-8400.  8:00 PM to midnight.  Tables reserved for dinner.  Please call ahead to reserve.  If you're just coming to listen and drink, you have to find a seat at the bar.  Hope to see some of you there.
   
    Next, the investigation I mentioned begins with a comment Barbara Blitfield Pech made about June Reising in a July newsletter.  The comment:  I came across a brief notation in an obituary which mentioned a June Reising Veronneau.  It unfortunately mentioned that she had died on November 11, 1988.  Of course, that doesn't necessarily mean it's our June Reising.
   
    From Joanne Shapiro Polner:  I do not remember reading some of these updates because I was very busy in July, partly on vacation.  Now I've caught up on my reading, and your comment struck a bell because our class would like to have contact information for Eva Reising, who is related, I am sure, to the South graduate June Reising.  It sounds likely. 
        To reassure you that the deceased June Veronneau was not your June Reising, I got the following from  the Social Security Death Index:  JUNE E VERONNEAU, born 25 July 1928, died (no day) November 1989.  Burlington, Chittenden, Vermont.
        But I did find online information on a woman listed as Hamlin, June (Reising) [no city given].  When I clicked on the name, this comes up, the profile page; no photo:  June Hamlin, 61-year-old female, member since February 2000, high school -- Valley Stream South Junior/Senior High School.
        Isn't this a Bingo?  Where is she now?  Unfortunately, no location was given.  But after several more searches, I found these:  June R Hamlin, born October 1947, living in Gainesville, Florida.  This may be an old address because I also found another listing for June R Hamlin, born October 1947.  This says she's living in Lake Worth, Florida.
   
    And the response from Barbara:  Hi, Joanne.  Thank you so much for your note, detailed response, and follow-up on the late June Reising, gratefully not "ours."
        As said in the July newsletter, our June was last living in Florida.  Lake Worth is about an hour-and-a-half north of Miami, so it's a very plausible town considering where I last thought her to be.  I am also confident that the October 1947 birthday is likely to the class of '65.
        I will make every effort to contact her over the next few days and advise you.  As I said, I was class friends with June when we were at Harbor Road School before my parents moved to Green Acres in 1960, and I was fascinated by her farm and family history -- it was nothing like my own family's weekly "schlep to see bubbie in Brooklyn every Sunday."  I used to play at June's house after school, but I do not remember her having a sister.  She did have a cousin who lived next door on the property, but it's too many years ago for me to recall any details.
        Again thanks for your research.  I hope I can return the favor very soon.
   
    Finally, highlights of the November 6, 2008 Alumni Association minutes, respectfully submitted by Roberta Brill Birnel:
        President Emily Kleinman Schreiber called the meeting  to order at 7:25 PM.  Present:  Roberta Brill Birnel, Booker T. Gibson, Karen Grimm, Eileen Howell, Arlene Ainbinder Lynn, Enid Koss Parness, Claire Brush Reinhardt, Ray Richford, Emily Kleinman Schreiber, Eric Spinner, and Irene Sundal.  Regrets received from:  Irwin Kotcher, Linda Tobin Kettering, and Dennis Shapiro.  Maureen Henry was a late arrival.  Before the formalities of the meeting, the group learned of and discussed the planned demolition of the Cloverfield Pedestrian Bridge, which links the school to the Mill Brook (Green Acres) neighborhood.  The commission of a serious crime and the poor condition of the bridge have resulted in the decision to eliminate it.
        Homecoming:
        Just under fifty alumni attended Homecoming.  The Fall Festival in South Hall was also well-attended by South families.
        Thanks to Claire Brush Reinhardt, Terry Gunderson Kaiser, and Roberta Brill Birnel for
    attending Homecoming-planning meetings at the school, to all attendees who made the day so special, and to the present South student who conducted a tour through the building.  The set up in the library was perfect, with decorations, food, and lots of bagels!
        Because of the great response, we'd like to make Homecoming an annual event for alumni.  The tentative date for next year is October 17, 2009, but this is very tentative, so don't make any plane reservations yet.  Photos from Homecoming will be posted on the Alumni Association web site:  http://www.vsshs-alumni.org
        Scholarship Committee:
        Chairman Eileen Howell and seven other members of the Scholarship Committee met before tonight's
    meeting to discuss the criteria, rubric, and application form for this year's scholarship.  Eileen will work
    with the committee's suggestions and put a report together before the December 4th meeting.
        Acts of Kindness:
        There were several suggestions for this year's Act of Kindness.  Among them were:  adopt a family from
    Newsday (Claire Brush Reinhardt), entertain at or donate to a senior home (Enid Koss Parness), conduct
    a clean-up/beautification project in Valley Stream, donate plants and/or bulbs, and contribute to Fletcher
    House -- the Valley Stream Historical Society.
        Arlene Ainbinder Lynn and Karen Grimm are the co-chairs for the beautification project.  They will
    research where the needs are and report to us at the next meeting.
        Principal Maureen Henry informed us that the daughter of one of South's teachers is a soldier and might
    enjoy receiving a care package.  We will consider this as our Act of Kindness for this year.
        Old business:
        The Alumni Association encourages people to check out our new web site, which is up and running
    thanks to the work of Eric Spinner.  Modifications have been made to our application form, including the fact that all dues/donations are tax exempt as per 501(C)(3).  You can also check off your desire to be an officer or trustee.  A donor form has also been added to our web site.  The Association will send a formal acknowledgment of donations made for $250 and up, and Arlene Ainbinder Lynn will check with a CPA about the need to register with the Charities Bureau of New York.
        When Maureen Henry joined the meeting, we asked her several questions regarding our scholarship award:
        What is the earliest date that applications for scholarship can be submitted by students?  (Maureen Henry will check on this and get back to us.)
        How are our applications distributed?  (An announcement is made that they are available from the
    Guidance Teaching Assistant, Miss Gaeta.)
        Can we meet with the academic committee or get the applicants GPAs?  (No. Students can get their GPA and put it on their applications.)
        Can we place an article in the Observer about the scholarship?  (There was no objection to this idea.)
        Maureen Henry also told us that the school's Character Action Team would be helping Hewlett House with financial contributions in the fight against breast cancer.
        Events:
        South High is already planning Career Day for March 24, 2009.
        South's Junior High plays are this weekend.
        A Health Fair, which will bridge activities between departments, is planned for next spring.
        South's students have been participating in presidential election activities:  debates, an examination of the
    electoral process, and a student vote.  The results of that vote were:  Barack Obama -- 922; John McCain -- 227.
     The meeting was adjourned at 9:05 PM.