Update 3-16-10

Hi,

After last week's storms, I hope all of you living in the New York City area are well.  My mother and Linda Tobin Kettering mentioned that trees are down all over what used to be called Green Acres, and my brother, David, in northern New Jersey, said his power is expected to be off until Wednesday or Thursday.

In some class business:  I just got the annual letter from South's principal, Maureen Henry, saying she was "pleased to inform [us] that our Senior High School Scholarship Awards presentation will take place on Wednesday, June 9, 2010, at 7:30 PM."
    For those of you who may not know, we support two $500 scholarships at South, one honoring the still-vibrant Booker Gibson and the other honoring the late, but possibly also vibrant, Vince Tampio.  This will be the seventh year of our projected ten-year commitment, and we presently have $68 in the Booker Gibson fund and $25 in the Vince Tampio fund.
    I never know what to expect when I ask for the annual donations.  Some people initially committed to support the awards and have faithfully followed through, and other people graciously support when they can.  We need $432 towards the scholarship in Booker's name this year and $475 towards Vince's.
    As before, please make out your checks to me, Rich Eisbrouch, and send them to:  23030 Dolorosa Street, Woodland Hills, California  91367.  Please indicate in the bottom left corner of the check which scholarship you'd like to support, or if you'd like your money to be split between them.  I'll let you know as soon as the goals have been reached.
    Last year, as I wrote on 4-14-09, "we collected $850 from 24 people in 7 days.  Added to the $243 we already had, that brought us to $1093, which will leave $68 in the Booker Gibson fund and $25 in the Vince Tampio fund after the awards are given in June.  I'll take careful care of that $93 till next year."
    Obviously, I still have the 93 bucks and hope it will soon be more.  As Maureen Henry also wrote, "Your generous support allows us to recognize these students and to reinforce the value of good citizenship as we shape our youth to become the leaders of tomorrow."

At the Oscars, a bit over a week ago, one of South's leaders of yesterday, Rick Goldsmith, didn't win for Best Documentary, but I'm sure he would have appreciated the financial encouragement when he was heading off to college.  In fact, being a maker of documentaries, he still might.

From Bill Linkner:  You really made Joe and Desi Argenzio's day.  Thanks so much.  He really loved teaching you guys.

[Rich -- if you haven't already sent a card to Joe Argenzio, you still can.  Again, his address is:  St. Mark Village, 2655 Nebraska Avenue, Palm Harbor, Florida 34684.  Even if you never knew Joe, you can write your name on a card, over "South" and the year you graduated.  He'll figure out the rest.]

From Jerry Bittman:  I haven't read the class updates in a long time; therefore, I had no knowledge of when the next reunion is being staged.
    I do know that I will be in Colorado the last 2 weeks of May.  I am looking forward to seeing Artie Halprin and his wonderful family again.  We are planning to attend a Rockies game.  It would be great if Neil Guberman could make it out as well.
    I will also be in New York this summer though I'm not sure what my time frame will be.
    Finally, so glad that Eric Hilton saw Joe Argenzio.  We were so lucky to have 3 Phys. Ed. teachers like Joe, Mr. O'Brien, and Bill Linkner. I have a great story about a former Phys. Ed. teacher named Mr. Allen.
    I speak to Mr. O'Brien about once a month.  His grandchildren keep him busy. One day Mr. O'B's grandchildren will constitute the majority of the U.S. Senate.

From Zelda White Nichols:  I am not Zelda Genin, as you pointed out.  I was not a good student at South.  I was dyslexic and somewhat ADD, at a time when these conditions were still an unknown.  In 10th grade, I was sent to a private school but still maintained friendships with former South classmates.
    That school was very small, our senior class only had fifty-three students, so we didn’t even have a senior prom, just a dinner.  Fortunately, I did much better at that school and went on to college.

From Betsy Fels Pottruck:  Zelda Genin Kastin lives in Atlantic Beach and teaches at Brandeis Day School.  I am in touch with her sister, Deena, all the time.

Finally, some thoughts about our coming 45th reunion this summer:

From Peter Rosen:  I think Rich has the reunion plans nailed -- no big party, one central location and we all hang out.  Location seems to be an obstacle, so what about a hotel near LaGuardia?  That can work for locals and out-of-towners.  Hanging at the bar, lobby, and just being low key sounds good to me.

From Les Glasser:  I live in Florida and am trying to time my visit to Long Island around the reunion time.  I agree with Peter -- the reunion should be at a central location and should have meeting rooms and a hospitality room.
    Huntington, around Long Island Expressway exit 49, has a few hotels and is convenient to Islip airport and LaGuardia.  Southwest flies to Islip.  As for car rentals:  I suggest at Islip, using Priceline, and bid about half the going rate or a little better than half.  All car companies are in the terminal, and you really can't lose on this.  Someone living in the area of Huntington should contact the Marriot and Hilton there and try to negotiate a good group rate.  Hotels are hungry now, and we may be pleasantly surprised.

[Rich -- As I wrote Les:  It's not the hotel rates; it's the catering prices we can't afford, especially for a small group.  The catering costs take the price per person up to between $75 and $100 for the Saturday night dinner, and that's more than most people want to pay, so they decide not to come to the party.
    For the 40th reunion, Paul DeMartino, Dennis Shapiro, and Robin Feit Baker spent a lot of time checking out hotels and getting the best prices, only to lay out an advance and then risk losing it.  That's why we're trying to stay away from those kinds of costs.]

Les wrote back:  Now that you mention it, I remember costs being an issue at the 40th reunion, and I can understand how $150 to $200 for two people for a dinner is lot, especially when you factor in hotel, airfare, rental cars and other meals. 
    For my summer visits, I drive up and stay for free and mostly eat with our children, so its not a lot of money for us.  Does the Irish Coffee House have a little private room there?  Do they have a certain area of the restaurant set apart?  If you get deposits from people, maybe you could guarantee some money to the restaurant for a given area, with a final head count a few days before.  We could then order individually off the menu, and each person would take a credit from the bill for the small deposit amounts given.  No-shows would lose their deposits, and left over money could go towards the tip or into a kitty for Booker Gibson.  A deposit of, let's say, $10 per person may be all that was needed.  I know that if I had to give $20, and my plans didn't work out, I wouldn't be upset if the money helped out the classmates who attended.

Also from Betsy Fels Pottruck:  the Class of '67 had its 40th reunion at the Huntington Hilton.  They seem to do these reunion things all the time.  If I remember, the rooms were about $149. per night.  They have a bar, restaurant, and there were other places to eat right nearby.  It really worked out well.  They have all-day dining in the lobby, and we sat for hours eating and laughing, and no one felt like we had to leave.  Just a thought for you for your 45th.

[Rich -- Thanks.  We had our 40th at the Huntington Hilton, and it was great.]

Also from Zelda White Nichols:  I was in charge of making hotel arrangements for a conference in Las Vegas last April.  One option you might consider is learning if the hotel of choice offers not a conference room but a suite where everyone could meet.  The hotel I chose had a suite with a sofa, easy chair, and a four or five other chairs, and the hotel provided additional seating for us. In this way, we all had a comfortable place where we could get together and get rowdy without disturbing others in the restaurant or lounge.  Two of us arrived a day early and went to the local Costco where we stocked up on food and several cases of wine.  Everyone chipped in, of course, and the person who stayed in the suite paid the same room rate as everyone else, because the suite was more expensive.  We split the remaining difference between all of us.

[Rich -- as I wrote Zelda:  we tried a hospitality suite for our 37th.  It turned into the Marx Brothers' stateroom, and all 75 people crammed into the four adjoining rooms almost got thrown out of the hotel.  Security was called.  Voices were raised.  We reconvened in the hotel bar and continued the party.  That's why I've been suggesting that, this time, we start in the hotel bar to begin with.]

Zelda wrote back:  Sounds like it was a lot of fun.

From Peggy Galinger Menaker:  Kennedy Airport's also a possible convenient hotel location.  Maybe even hotels in New Jersey's Meadowlands, close to Newark Airport.

From Peggy Cooper -- about Hauppauge:  I hope we can still hold our reunion there.  It's very easy for me, personally, as I can fly Southwest, non-stop, from Palm Beach International to Islip.  Barbara, and any other Floridians, are welcome to stay at my home the night before the morning flight and drive to the airport with me.

[Rich -- again, a generous offer.  There's also been a suggestion that we should take a vote, but I mentioned that -- like Jerry Bittman -- not everyone reads the updates all the time, so people might be left out of a vote.
    Another suggestion is that we should thank Valerie Nelson Gillen for her generous pool party offer, tell Booker how much we'd like to hear him play, but, instead, just stick to one airport hotel for the entire weekend, and keep logistics simple.  I don't necessarily think we need a vote, but -- as the Quakers say -- a sense of the meeting would be great.  And soon.]

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

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


Rich