Update 3-9-10

Hi,

First, two letters from Eric Hilton:
    1. The e-mail forwarded from Bill Linkner -- was that about Joe Argenzio being in an assisted living facility? I wish I had known that a few months ago as I was up in Palm Harbor, a beautiful area, photographing a couple of multi-million dollar homes for realtors.  I would have loved visiting Joe.
    I have great memories of him.  I remember -- and I only did this once -- wising off in Joe’s wrestling class.  So he picked me for a demonstration to show the rest of the class how much the human body can actually bend before snapping.  He was an extremely strong and very cool teacher.
    2. Bill Linkner’s e-mail from Mrs. Argenzio showed incredible timing.  It just so happens, my wife Gilda and I did a photo shoot today in Tarpon Springs, about a hundred miles north of Sarasota.  As we were coming back, we decided to take a scenic road instead of the Interstate, and it took us directly through Palm Harbor.
    Gilda placed the address from Bill Linkner’s e-mail into the GPS and found we were three miles away.  As we entered Joe’s room, he looked at me from his wheelchair but wasn’t sure who I was.  I told him I was one of his gym and wrestling students, and then I think he remembered me.  I mentioned some other teachers and students' last names, and he filled in the first names, which meant he remembered.
    I hadn’t seen Joe in about forty-five years but still recognized him.  Gilda and I stayed about thirty minutes with Joe, until he got tired and wanted to rest. I told him I was hesitant imposing or coming without calling first, but he told me he was glad we did and that our visit truly made his day.  I mentioned the e-mail with his address and told him he would probably be getting letters from his former students.
    I don’t handle nursing homes or hospitals very well and was not sure I could handle seeing Joe.  But after leaving him, I felt so good, knowing it had made him happy that people remembered and still cared about him.  His room is empty, and I know it would be uplifting for him if other students wrote letters or sent cards.

[Rich -- I think Eric made a great suggestion, and I think we should each send Joe Argenzio a card, even if we didn't know him or know him well,  Again, his address is:  St. Mark Village -- 2655 Nebraska Avenue, Palm Harbor, Florida 34684.]

Next, from Danny Stellabotte:  I will definitely be at the reunion.  Please put me on the list, with no question mark.
    I also recently learned that Valerie Nelson Gillen lives in West Sayville.  I live in Sayville.  Please add a note to the next update and list my e-mail address: allie3j@aol.com.  Valerie, send me an e-mail.  Thanks.

A comment from Robert Fiveson about Paul Zegler being cast as a sleazy villain:  As Paul's life-long fan and erstwhile director, I am glad to see he is finally being cast against type. 
    Also, is Zelda White Nichols the same person as Zelda Genin?  If not, how many Zeldas could one small school have?
    And if this is not the same person, what ever happened to the other Zelda?  Or to Barry Rubin or Alan Biener?
    And does anyone still get named Zelda anymore?

[Rich -- Our class had two Zeldas though Zelda White Nichols moved before we graduated from South.
    We're not in direct contact with Zelda Genin Kastin, who, reportedly, doesn't use e-mail.  But, at last check, Peggy Cooper Schwartz was still in touch with this Zelda.
    According to my notes, Paul DeMartino left a phone message for an Alan Biener who lived in Forest Hills, but that Alan never got back to us.  That was, possibly, before the 37th reunion. 
    There's been no sign of Barry Rubin.  Or of Barry Cohen.]

Next, some reunion thoughts:

From Stu Borman:  Hi.  For the 45th reunion, one thing I haven't heard mentioned is transportation.  Staying in different hotels and meeting at specific venues in Rockville Centre and West Sayville seems quite challenging logistically.  Does this mean that people who don't live in the Long Island area and aren't planning to drive to the reunion would need to rent a car to get around?  It seems practical for us to select several hotels somewhere between Rockville Centre and Hauppauge and that all who need hotel space would stay at those places so shared rides could possibly be arranged.  I would be interested in sharing a hotel room with someone, so please write me at: sborman@gmail.com  if you're interested in that.  I may only stay one night, Friday evening, and then return home after the event at Valerie's.  Regards to all.

From Peter Rosen:  I’ll put in my two cents again about the reunion.  First of all, I’m really looking forward to it and to seeing everyone.  Secondly, it should be in one place like our 37th.  I don’t think it makes sense to be meeting at different restaurants for a number of reasons: logistics, safety (drinking and driving), convenience, noise, and limitations on seating.  I think we would all enjoy a central location, and the food is definitely secondary.  We could order in pizza and subs.  I also think we are going to get a lot more than the original twenty-five, which is great.  Thanks.

From Barbara Blitfield Pech:  I am (personally) not thrilled with Hauppauge.  I (as many) cannot fly there from my hub airport (Miami) and would need to go to Ft Lauderdale (not a viable option) to fly to Islip Airport, rent a car in an area that I am not familiar with, and then be way out on the Island, having to drive a timely distance to go to Valley Stream, one of the (other) side trips many of us are likely including in our weekend planner.  As far as expense of the hotel room:  getting and staying in Hauppauge would add to the expense greatly over the Nassau County area and truly impact my time and stay for the weekend.

[Rich -- My feeling is we've gotten mainly negative responses about hotels and motels in Rockville Centre, in terms of cost, noise, and security.  The objection to Hauppauge -- besides the fact that few of us can consistently spell it -- is mainly that it's east of where several people want to be.
    As for us having a big party in a hotel:  the problem is expense -- it keeps people away.  But we can all check into any well-appointed, reasonably priced hotel, gather at its bar, eat as a group in its restaurant, and chat around its pool.  The choice of Hauppauge was based on our familiarity.  As soon as anyone comes up with a suitable alternative, I suspect everyone coming to the reunion will cheer.
    As for the current list of planned attendees, other than Danny Stellabotte's confirmation, it hasn't changed this week and stays between thirty and thirty-five people.]

Berliner, Jay
Bittman, Jerry (?)
Blitfield-Pech, Barbara
Borman, Stu
Brody-Pilger, Ellen Sue
Cohen-Greenseid, Linda
Cooper-Schwartz, Peggy
Eisbrouch, Rich
Epstein-Silver, Ellen (?)
Feit-Baker, Robin (?)
Forbes-Tatelman, June
Gabbay, Henry
Glasser, Les
Guberman, Neil 
Halprin, Art
Hartstone, Judy 
Hilton, Eric
Hoenig-Barry, Sharon 
Kandel, Stu
Kellman, Barnet
Minsky-Hahn, Roz
Moss, Allen
Nelson-Gillen, Valerie 
Nudelman-Villagran, Lynn
Peters-Sylvan, Judy
Pizzimenti, Dennis (?)
Rosen, Peter 
Rugen, Larry & Joanie
Saunders-Goldstein, Irene 
Scheidt, Bernie
Shapiro, Dennis (?)
Sipp-Green, Mary
Stellabotte, Danny
Williams-Teeuwe, Janice

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

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


Rich