Update 4-22-14

 

Hi,

 

I was planning to start off with some happy news, but, unfortunately, I have to start off with something sadder. 

 

From Bill Linkner:  Some sad news, even on this day of resurrection.  I just received a call from Diane Argenzio, who said Joe had had a stroke and passed away.  Joe's wife, Desi, lives in the assisted living home where Joe was staying.  Her address is:  2655 Nebraska Avenue, Room 525, Palm Harbor, Florida 34684.  She asked if you could pass the information on.

 

[Rich -- I suspect that Desi Argenzio would like to hear from as many people as possible, so it would be nice to send on old memories of Joe.]

 

The happier news:  Jay and Elaine Kinder were in Los Angeles this week, so on Thursday night, they had dinner with Paul Zegler and his wife, Becky, and me. Later, Jay wrote:

 

From Jay Kinder:  Elaine and I had great time last night.  So many memories. I look forward to seeing all of you at the reunion.

 

And Paul added:  Yes, that was one very cool dinner.  Loved the restaurant and the company.  It's really nice when we can get together like that.

 

Some other people who wrote, saying they hoped to be at next year's reunion:

 

From Carol Bunim Okin and Bob Okin:  Looking forward to attending our next reunion.

 

From Jay Berliner:  I expect to be at the next reunion.  Meanwhile, congratulations to Andy Dolich.

 

From Booker Gibson:  I'd like to bring my wife, Frances, to  your Saturday night party.

 

From Neil Guberman:  Here in Pittsburgh, it was in the 70s the last couple of days, but right now, it's snowing.  Yoi!  Assuming that will not impact next April, count me in.

 

From Danny Stellabotte:  Please count me in.  Missing it is not an option.  I am local and any location is good, but Hauppauge has some good hotel choices.

 

[Rich -- That's 27 people who've said they'd like to be at the party, and considering it's just about a year away, that's not bad.

 

And here's the rest of the report on the hotels from the Priceline . com search.  As I mentioned last week the search criteria were:  hotel rooms under $200 per night (I had that wrong last week and said $150), 3-5 star rating, banquet room for 75 people on Saturday night at $45 per person with a cash bar, restaurant and bar in the hotel, and good public transportation.  I did the search on 8 locations:  Valley Stream, Rockville Center, Garden City, Great Neck, Melville/Farmingdale, Hauppauge, JFK Airport, and Manhattan.  I was immediately told the search was submitted to 60 hotels, and 16 replied with bids.  5 were in New Jersey, and 1 was in Connecticut, so I eliminated those.  11 responded with No Facilities Available.  Here are the 10 from Long Island that bid, in order of price per room:

 

Clarion Hotel, Ronkonkoma -- $109 + 11.6% tax

UpSky Hotel, Hauppauge -- $109 + 11.6% tax

Hilton Garden Inn, Melville -- $139 + 11.6% tax

Hilton Garden Inn, Stony Brook -- $149 + 11.6% tax

Radison, JFK -- $169 + 14.75% tax

Crowne Plaza, JFK -- $169 + 14.75% tax

Danfords Hotel, Port Jefferson -- $199 + 11.6% tax

Garden City Hotel, Garden City -- $219 + 11.6% tax

Grand Hyatt, 42nd Street, NYC -- $269 + 14.75% tax

Hyatt Place, Garden City -- $500 + 11.6% tax

 

This was the first search.  There are other hotels that possibly don't book through Priceline.  And if the initial bid was submitted to 60 hotels and only 27 replied, there are obviously plenty of 3-to-5 star hotels, even just on Long Island.  Of this batch, most were 3 star.

 

I'll do further research, but we need to decide on a location in the next month-or-so.  That way, we'll have a hotel locked in.  But if we're planning a party for 30 people, it will be easier than one for 75 +.  For 30 people, we can use a comfortable hospitality suite to gather and talk on Friday through Sunday and local restaurants and the hotel bar for meals and drinks.  For 75 people, we need a buffet dinner and a cash bar for Saturday night and perhaps a DJ to provide music for dancing.  And we'd still need a comfortable hospitality suite for Friday night.]

 

One final note:  Barbara Blitfield Pech writes that her former family home at 20 Jasmine Lane just sold for $399,000.  Unfortunately, the Blitfield family didn't get a cut.

 

The class of '64 reunion:  Friday, October 10, 2014, 6 to 11 PM.  $70 per person, cash bar.  Hyatt Regency, Hauppague, New York.  Committee phone numbers:  Tom McPartland  570-223-2577.  Ken Silver: 631-463-2217.  Bette Silver: 631-463-2216.

 

The class of '65  50th Reunion dates:  April 24 through April 26, 2015

 

The South '65 e-mail addresses: reunionclass65 . blogspot . com  (remove the spaces)

 

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

 

 

Rich