Update 12-8-09

Hi,

A couple of things.  Several people have already said they plan to be at the 45th reunion, and I suspect that others will think about it after the holidays. 
    I may start a running list in the newsletter of people who've said they're coming.  That's informative, but it also could be intrusive.  So please give me some guidance about that.
    And I need to update the online contact list.  One reason I've stalled is I'd like to add the names and e-mail addresses of people outside the class who read this newsletter.  That would be useful, but I won't do it without permission.  So I could use some guidance on that, too.

Thoughts from other people:

First, a suggestion from Tom McPartland:  I recently organized a 45th reunion party for our class, '64, at the Irish Coffee Pub in Islip. That's where Booker Gibson plays the piano on Saturday evenings.  Your class might think of going there on your Saturday night.

[Rich -- That could be good.  We could have dinner at the hotel or at a restaurant like Captain Bill's from  5:00 to 8:00-or-so and then caravan to the Irish Coffee Pub to hear Booker play.  But this isn't something we need to decide on soon.]

Also from Tom:  I may have Lynn Drimal's e-mail address.  Is Chuck -- Charles Drimal, Jr. -- her brother?

[Rich -- Possibly.  Anyone have confirmation?]

From Allen Moss:  Hi, folks.  It's hard to believe that another year has passed.  I hope everyone is happy and healthy and will be enjoying the holiday season with partners, friends, and family.  And I really hope that I'll get to see everyone this spring or summer as it seems like the momentum is building for a 45th reunion.
    I'm grateful that another year has passed and I'm still employed with the state of Maine.  Like other states, Maine is having its financial troubles, and we have been through the usual horrors of lay-offs and downsizing.  It's tough to stay motivated when your sense of job satisfaction is tinged with lingering anxiety, but I'm learning just to take it one day at a time and to stay as involved as I can.  Meanwhile, I'm enjoying my little community in Maine, and I'm still as happy as I was about moving here way back in 1996.  Yikes --has it really been almost fourteen years?
    So until the reunion, lots of virtual hugs and good thoughts from me to all of you.

A quick follow-up from Eric Hilton:  Thank you very much, Allen, for that warm greeting from Maine.  Living in Florida, I’m not sure how you guys still do winter -- Dan and Jean Cohen Oklan, that goes for you, too.  And as much as I would have loved to have spent Thanksgiving in front of a fireplace, drinking wine with good friends, I ended up drinking wine while walking on the beach with my family on Captiva Island.  That’s near Ft. Meyers, Florida.
    I know you have offered an invitation many times for friends to come north, but I hope, when I do join you, it will be in the warmer fall, to photograph the beautiful countryside and coastline of Maine.  Until then, please stay warm and have a wonderful holiday and New Year.

Some cautious news, from Barbara Blitfield Pech:  I'm not sure how many people still remember Bob Spath since he and his family moved from Valley Stream when Bob was in sixth or eighth grade.  Later, he was my neighbor for a while in Florida, and then he moved to another part of the state.  But we've kept in touch, and I've just heard that he could be in better health.  So if you'd like to wish him well, and you're already on Facebook, you can easily check in.

A reminder about this Thursday's Alumni Association party:  The Alumni Association invites anyone interested to gather at Goldie's Restaurant at 6:30 PM on Thursday, December 10th.  The restaurant's at 153 Dubois Avenue in Valley Stream.
    The cost of dinner will be $23.95 per person, and if you're planning to attend, please RSVP to Irene Sundal at:  LeanOwl@aol.com.

Finally, highlights of the September 10th minutes of South's Alumni Association meeting:
    Present:  Roberta Brill Birnel, Paul DeMartino, Vincent Fileccia, Booker Gibson, Karen Grimm, Eileen Howell, Terry Gunderson Kaiser, Arlene Ainbinder Lynn, Edie Mandel, Claire Brush Reinhardt, Ray Richford, Emily Kleinman Schreiber, Dennis Shapiro, and Irene Sundal.
    Emily started the meeting by telling us about Irving Saffrin’s 90th birthday party.  She brought a copy of a book she presented to Irv, featuring many congratulations from alumni and illustrations from her biology notebooks.  She also thanked Terry Gunderson Kaiser for purchasing the gift cards for the pre-prom party in June.  In appreciation of that, we received a nice "thank you" note from South's Parents’ Club.
    Chatram Deochand, recipient of an Alumni Association scholarship, also sent us a very nice "thank you" note.  And Justin DelGrasso, recipient of the Carmine Cervone Scholarship, thanked us and let us know of his intentions to use the money at SUNY-Delhi.  The $500 scholarship in memory of Carmine Cervone was provided by Barbara Eisen-Herman’s, and we appreciate Barbara’s generosity.
        The June minutes were amended to reflect the correct number of scholarship applications we received. There were 13.
        Booker Gibson Night at the Irish Coffee Club in August was a great success.  About 85 people attended, and $115 in new membership dues was collected.
        It was decided that we need a membership chairman, and Roberta Brill Birnel volunteered.  There will be a guest book for Association occasions and a “bucket” for donations to our scholarship fund at all our events.
    It was suggested that for 2010, we award 3 scholarships, with rules for distribution of the money by percentage to be determined. 
    Claire Brush Reinhardt has again volunteered to be the Association representative at the School Culture Committee meetings.
    The Alumni Association has voted to donate $200, plus personal donations, for the Food Bank for November.
    Principal Maureen Henry joined our meeting and introduced South’s new Vice-Principal, Manny Urena.  Maureen informed us that because we've changed our meetings to the second Thursday of the month, we would not be able to use the school library until March 2010.  Until then, our meetings will be in the teachers’ cafeteria, which is located off South Hall.
    In response to President Obama’s request for community service, South High has planned the following activities for each grade:
    7th –  flags for Franklin General Hospital
    8th –  letters to soldiers
    9th –  a paper drive for Hewlett House
    10th – donations to a food bank
    11th – "thank you" letters to rescue workers
    12th – a school supply drive
    Other school activities will include an outreach to the district elementary schools and community clean-ups.
    Maureen Henry informed us that The Southern Bell has a new editor, Mrs. Panvini, and we were advised that the bridge to Mill Brook has been taken down.  In return, we asked Maureen to get information about the “Distinguished Alumni Award” presented by the district. 
    Homecoming Day at South is October 3rd.
    The class of 1984 is having a reunion on October 9th.
    The class of 1964 is having a reunion on October 17th
    The Class of 1959 is having a reunion on October 24th.
    The Class of 1968’s 41st reunion is being planned for early fall.
    The tentative date for the annual 1966 reunion dinner is January 30th in Boca Raton.
    Please send any information regarding reunions either to Eric Spinner at:  eSpinne@schools.nyc.gov  or to Emily Kleinman Schreiber at:  cre8em@aol.com.  Information to Eric will be posted on our web site, and information to Emily will be included in the Alumni Association Bulletin.
    Meetings for this year:  October 8, November 12, December 10, January 14, February 11, March 11, April 8, May 13, and June 10.
    Finally, Irwin Kotcher’s wife isn’t well, and we send her a wish for a speedy recovery.

The South '65 e-mail addresses:  reunionclass65.blogspot.com

The South '65 photo site:  picasaweb.google.com/SouthHS65


Rich