Update on 50th Reunion plans as posted on FB by JoAnne Harris

Posted in late Dec. 2018 on FaceBook:
Happy New Year Everyone! Reunion plans are moving right along. There looks like there will be a change of date, as we could not get the hall on the date we wanted. The new date is October 5th, 2019! That’s the Saturday night dinner event. There will be a Friday night get together, TBD, and probably a Sunday event too.

VERY IMPORTANT! Please EMAIL me your email addresses! Many of you who are on this site have not done so. I want to make sure everyone’s info is current. If you want to include your phone # and street address too, that would be great.

Those of you with surname changes please include your last name when at Amundsen. Please send me anyone’s info that you are in touch with, so I can contact them to see if they are interested. MY EMAIL: jojojewel@comcast.net
Thanks so much!!!!😊

50th Reunion Plans – Weekend of Sept. 20, 2019!

Dear Classmate:

The following message is a FaceBook posting by JoAnne Harris and Sue Hill who are trying to organize the 1969 50^th Class Reunion.  I am helping out this effort by posting here in case those who don’t know about this may be doing a search.  Best form of communication is to call or email your friends and keep them informed.  The success of the event is in the hands of a quick response to the following!   My best to all this holiday season!

Bonita Lovison (nee Bonnie Jackson)

******************************************************

Our 50th (!) reunion is currently in the process of being planned. Right now we are looking at the weekend of September 20, 2019.

*We need to get an idea of how many people are interested in coming (including spouses, significant others, etc).
*We need to get an idea by 12/31/18! Please respond ASAP.
*We also need to forward this info anyway you can to fellow classmates. I know a lot of people are not on FB, but you can give them my email:  jojojewel@comcast.net
We hope to have a Friday night event, Saturday evening dinner and dancing, and a Sunday event.
We welcome any input you have on places to hold events.
We are currently looking into the same American Legion Hall in Morton Grove where the 45^th reunion was held for Saturday night.

Thank you   –    Susan Hill and JoAnne Harris Hoffman

Amundsen High School 45th Reunion Class of 1969

Posted Sept. 15, 2014:
I am going to start posting the 45th Reunion pictures this week. Those classmates wishing to have their photos on this blog site, send to Bon – you know the email by now! In the meantime…here’s a trip down memory lane for some taken the summer of 1969.

Woodstock Nation!

 

Posted July 27, 2014
Hello 45th 1969 AHS Reunion ticket holder (one of 75)!
Really this is my last communication to all those attending the 45th AHS 1969 Reunion!
We made it! Your support of the “collective” ideal to keep costs down but fun/quality up has paid off. All the important details are below – take the time to read them please. The most efficient way of providing your drink tickets is described therein. I’ve been asked this question numerous times “dress code?” and the answer is – please come to be comfortable. It’s your time so wear whatever costume you want! And that’s how I feel on that topic! You want to be a prom queen, a biker-type, a hippie – go for it!
Bulleted points are important:
• My cell number was sent in my last email/hard copy letter to classmates (not for posting here)
• Bring your cameras so we document this! Not cell phone cameras as posting pics from them on the blog site will not give a good rendition.
• Bring pics of the younger you – see info for Sat. night.
• If you forget everything, know that it is posted on the blog site minus my cell number:

Amundsen High School 45th Reunion Class of 1969

One more thing: Mr. Bohme (the Bohmeister!) will be in Chicago from Aug. 7 to the 9th. I believe he is staying at: Best Western Hotel/9424 Waukegan Road, Morton Grove, IL/1-800-992-2698 or 847-965-6400. If you are so inclined….give him a jingle and see if he might be available for a rendezvous! Here is his email as well: katybo@tds.net

FRIDAY NIGHT, AUGUST 8, 2014 – 5:30 pm to…well, closing is 3:00 am
RICOCHET’S TAVERN
4644 N. LINCOLN AVENUE, CHICAGO
Recently enlarged and renovated, Ricochet’s is located in Lincoln Square which is now a very popular and upscale restaurant area. Rick, the owner, has hosted many reunions and is very excited to be hosting our first event. Your ticket will buy you two $5.00 drinks (most wine/beer is in this price range) which you will be compensated for when you register and get your name tag (any drinks above that price and/or beyond is a cash bar). We will have appetizers but that will be first-come-first-served. We’ll start at 5:30 and you can leave and return (dinner in the neighborhood?) or just stay all night to see who arrives. You can remain till the tavern closes in the wee hours if you so choose. Expect to hear lots of 60s music and bring your dancing shoes—I recommend (but don’t care one way or the other) very casual attire. Early birds will find free parking and there are six affordable parking lots in the area (as described on Ricochet’s web site). Here’s the link to further information about the tavern: ricochetstavern.com

SATURDAY, AUGUST 9TH – 6:00 pm to…everyone off site by midnight when the parking lot closes
MORTON GROVE AMERICAN LEGION MEMORIAL CIVIC CENTER
6140 DEMPSTER AVENUE, MORTON GROVE
Dinner, dancing, entertainment and lots of surprises! We have the largest dining/dancing hall at the center and the adjoining patio area as well. The evening starts at 6:00 p.m. with cocktails and appetizers and ends with dessert and coffee. Your ticket will cover all the above and the cost of two drinks which you will be compensated for when you register and get your name tag (wine and beer are $2.00 and $3.00 anything beyond that cost is a cash bar) and includes all the above. There is free parking! Remember, this is a BIRTHDAY PARTY as well as a celebration of our era so…bring a picture of yourself as child enjoying your favorite birthday party(ies) and we’ll have them all on the cake table. Put your name and age on the back of the picture. Heck, bring any picture you like and we’ll include it as long as it’s from the late 50s or 60s!! ALSO, if you have a 60s song(s) that you simply must hear send me the title. Our DJ will have an extensive list but he wants to be sure to fill every request. Unlike the tavern, the center is rented and thus the party is over at midnight—we have to be off-site by that time so DEFINITELY arrive on time.
(Of note: both event sites are handicapped accessible.)

And that my friends “Is all she wrote!”
Looking forward to see everyone – I ask that you come with a party-hearty spirit to mix and mingle! Rock n’ Roll! Bon

Posted July 6, 2014: Now that our 45th reunion is only a month away I wanted to let classmates know that all is happening as described below! Procrastinators you are running out of time! Send in your check and get on board! NEWS: Alan P. Bohme, Science/Chem teacher extraordinaire is coming to our 45th! He was the hit of the party at the 40th and wants to see his students once again – traveling all the way from Minnesota to say hello! If he can do it–so can you.

Posted Oct. 14, 2013: The main events for our 45th Class Reunion have been finalized. We took a consensus and the results are in on what everyone wanted and, making a promise to stay within a workable price range in this economy, we have achieved success! In fact, we’ve gone beyond expectation by exploring many options and extensively comparing costs. How appropriate that this information is launched to you on Columbus Day—time for you to “discover” each other all over again!!

As posted previously on our website, a theme for this reunion came to us in an email from Cindy Kaiser quite a while ago – she sent a “Welcome to the 60s” email birthday card to me. How appropriate as this tagline serves two purposes to our theme—we’ve all entered our 60s and we all experienced our formative years during the 60s. So come prepared to party on both levels and dress to celebrate anyway you choose!

A ticket for $100.00 per person covers the cost of both events listed below. In 2009, if you went to all the events you would have spent $155, plus bar costs and parking downtown. We also slashed the cost of the hotel bill by almost half but it is highly recommended that you reserve now (limited number of rooms) you won’t be billed until arrival and there is a lenient cancellation policy (see below).

Because this ticket price is so reasonable I’m going to answer the one question I’m guessing some of you will ask and the answer is, no. The price is firm in order to pull this all off. We cannot give you a half-price ticket because you can only attend one event. If you are in that dilemma, know that your collective participation has helped make it possible to have this reunion.

Kudos, again, to Al Gerber for being the best ever Cohort in this endeavor, not only a classmate, but a true friend. I could not have pulled this off alone living in New England. Also, to Pat Waring (Kolder) who came through with a solution to what was becoming a ridiculously pricey Friday night event. Enough gushing!

I plan on arriving in Chicago early and most likely will be offering up more opportunities to gather informally for those who may want to do the same. Those events won’t be included in this ticket and you will be alerted by email to check the website for information as the time draws closer. If you have any ideas of what you’d like to do: an evening at Gino’s? The best place ever for a roast beef sandwich? Your favorite hot dog stand? A free concert at Grant Park? And my favorite – which I’m definitely going to arrange – an architectural river cruise of Chicago over lunch! Just let me know and I’ll put a list together and post it on the website.

Here is what you get for your ticket:

FRIDAY NIGHT, AUGUST 8, 2014; 5:00PM till ??
RICOCHET’S TAVERN
4644 N. LINCOLN AVENUE, CHICAGO

Recently enlarged and renovated, Ricochet’s is located in Lincoln Square which is now a very popular and upscale restaurant area. Rick, the owner, has hosted many reunions and is very excited to be hosting our first event. At this time, your ticket will buy you two drinks and all the appetizers you can eat. We’ll start at 5:30 and you can leave and return (dinner in the neighborhood?) or just stay all night to see who arrives. You can remain till the tavern closes in the wee hours if you so choose. Expect to hear lots of 60s music and bring your dancing shoes—very casual attire. Early birds will find free parking and six affordable parking lots in the area. Here’s the link to further information about the tavern: ricochetstavern.com

SATURDAY, AUGUST 9TH; 6:00 pm cocktails, dinner at 7:00
MORTON GROVE AMERICAN LEGION MEMORIAL CIVIC CENTER
6140 DEMPSTER AVENUE, MORTON GROVE

Dinner, dancing, entertainment and lots of surprises! We have the largest dining/dancing hall at the center and the adjoining patio area as well. The evening starts at 6:00 p.m. with cocktails and appetizers PLUS free parking! At this time we anticipate your ticket will cover the cost of two drinks and all the above. I guarantee this will be a night to remember. Remember, this is a BIRTHDAY PARTY as well as a celebration of our era! ALSO, if you have a 60s song(s) that you simply must hear send me the title. Our DJ will have an extensive list but he wants to be sure to fill every request. Unlike the tavern, the center is rented and thus the party is over at midnight—we have to be off-site by that time so DEFINITELY arrive on time.

(Of note: both event sites are handicapped accessible.)

This time I hope more partners/spouses/friends join in the fun because those that attended in 2009 commented on what a great weekend it was even though it wasn’t their reunion. Bring your guest and enjoy an evening together.

MOST IMPORTANTLY CLASSMATES: I’ve put $2,000 of my own money into our reunion bank account for deposits to secure our room reservation, entertainment and catering. I would appreciate it if you would consider purchasing your ticket as soon as possible so that the holidays happen at my house this year!

Please, make your check out to: “Amundsen 1969 Reunion” and send it to me at:

Amundsen H.S. 45th Reunion Fund
% Bonita Lovison
27 Bruce Roy Lane
Becket, MA 01223

If you are buying more than one ticket, let me know if this is your partner/spouse/friend/relative and their name.

You will receive a confirmation email from me. If you don’t get a confirmation within a week of sending your $$, please let me know right away. The confirmation email should be printed and brought with you to the events.

PLEASE pass this information on to our 1969 classmates. With Cathy Amato’s list and mine from 2004, we have managed to obtain 172 email addresses but we had 400 in our class. The hunt for contacts was a full year’s worth of research in 2004 and that’s only become more difficult with the onset of cell phones (plus I don’t have access to the expensive fact-finder I was using). No snail mailing will be done this time since the website has been established for five years and there will be postings on social media sites as well.

Hope to see you in 2014!!

Bonita
(aka Bonnie Jackson)

P.S. Good for you if you’ve read this far! One thing you don’t see is a tour of Amundsen High School because we did that last time and it was very well attended plus Amundsen periodically hosts reunion tours during the fall. It was not easy to get them to open up their doors in the summer. I haven’t asked this time but I will if I get feedback from enough of you to do so. Let me know.

Here is a little something for inspiration: Even if you’ve seen it before, watch it all the way to the end for a special message:

RECOMMENDED PLACE TO STAY:
Best Western Hotel/9424 Waukegan Road, Morton Grove, IL/1-800-992-2698 or 847-965-6400 (53 rooms)

If you book early, the average cost is $65 to $75 (plus taxes) per night including continental breakfast (smoking or non-smoking rooms) and you won’t be charged until your time of arrival. There is no group rate or special code required. While there are other reasonably priced hotels/motels in the area this one is 3 miles to the Sat. night event site (Morton Grove Civic Ctr.) and 11 miles to Friday night event (Ricochet’s Tavern in Lincoln Square) and has a better-than-average rating.

http://www2.reservationcounter.com/hotels/show/174009/best-western-morton-grove-inn/?TID=s2yt1LkAh_dc|pcrid|16734943107&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=%2Bbest%20%2Bwestern%20%2Bmorton%20%2Bgrove%20%2Bil&utm_campaign=Hotel%20Chain%20%20B&mm_campaign=61e23501c3a7666376c173fa44c75e69&keyword=%2Bbest%20%2Bwestern%20%2Bmorton%20%2Bgrove%20%2Bil&hotelid=174009

Also for those traveling from afar:

ABOUT AIRFARES:
I have been watching airfares for months and find that they have doubled since last we met. There really doesn’t seem to be any “deals” out there anymore. For instance: I jumped on offer that Southwest was advertising in to Midway – the fare was less but the flights had very long overlays and left at 5:00 am or 9:00 pm. In researching about the best times to purchase cheaper tickets frankly, a recent article I read ends with “all in all you won’t find a single magic bullet” or so it seems. Wishing you luck on that note. I’m going to check again after the holidays as Jan. and Feb. are pretty slow months for airlines. Good Luck!

Planning our 45th Reunion for 2014!

Hello Classmates!

Hope you are having a fantastic July 4^th weekend!  Remember to drive safely and consume all things responsibly! 

I’ve been going over some of the emails I have been receiving from a few folks with regards to a 45^th Reunion in Chicago for the class of 1969.  We need to make some decisions on what we’d like to do, especially in this economic downturn that is affecting many of us. 

The question seems to be, do we go all out and have another Saturday evening event that can be pretty pricey or do we downplay this decade and save the big one for our 50^th?  Al Gerber and I have put our heads together and come up with two scenarios but please know that this is JUST A DRAFT and that any and all ideas are greatly welcomed.

A date has not been set and so we need your input on that as well.  Tell us if you want to gather during a weekend around the same time in 2014 i.e., between mid-July and mid-August.  Also, if anyone can get special prices for a good location on a hall, band, or caterer just drop me a line and I’ll follow up.  Any recommendations are welcomed.  Probably we can get a room deal with the Hyatt again…I think it was around $200/night if we had about 20 people reserving. 

Scenario One – a little less pricey and as always, you will be able to pick and choose what you want to attend as the events will be individually priced out:

• First “meet and greet” again at the Hyatt Regency Chicago on the Riverwalk around 5:30 for cocktails and light munchies on a Friday night.  Cash bar; munchie costs will be kept to a minimum. 

• The next day, Saturday, an informal gathering over a light catered lunch from noon to 4:00 pm at the Morton Grove American Legion Civic Hall. 

·        With advance notice of everyone who is coming, alumni can organize their own dinner/party gatherings all around Chicago on their own for Saturday night.

Depending on how many attend (I’m using 100 people), this scenario should keep the cost to the two organized events around $50/person. 

Scenario Two – again, you will be able to pick and choose what you want to attend as the events will be individually priced out:

•  First “meet and greet” again at the Hyatt Regency Chicago on the Riverwalk around 5:30 for cocktails and light munchies on a Friday night.  Drinks are buy your own; munchie costs will be kept to a minimum 

• The next day, Saturday, a gathering over dinner starting with cocktails at 5:00 pm (cash bar) at the Morton Grove American Legion Civic Center.  This would be a little more upscale, nice dress, catered buffet dinner with either a live 60s band or DJ.  Party has to end at 11:30 – we have to be completely out by midnight.

Again, the costs will depend on how many attend and the entertainment.  My guess using 100 participants is that this scenario would cost around $100/person for both events.

I’m placing all this on the web site and asking you to forward email addresses for those I don’t have.  A lot has changed in 4 years!  All information can be reviewed easily by going to the following site: 

https://amundsen1969reunion.wordpress.com/2008/11/01/welcome-to-chicagos-amundsen-high-schools-class-of-1969-website/

Once we get feedback, we’ll send out the formal plan by email (no snail mail this time around to keep the costs down) and get busy on collecting the bucks again in advance because everything requires a down payment.  At that point, start calling your friends and get them on board! 

Looking forward to seeing you all and having an even better and hopefully, bigger gathering than the last one!

All the best,

Bonita Lovison

(aka Bonnie Jackson)

Keep it going…

Another six months have passed since I last posted a comment. At that time I was hoping that, as a class, we might get together for a late summer picnic. Well, as it turns out…folks did get together in many small ways–reunions to celebrate birthdays, motorcycle trips across the country together, once-a-year extravaganzas to an exotic locale, or just a meet-up on someone’s back porch.  Yep, we did it “our way” and I encourage anyone reading this to please continue to gather with re-acquainted classmates for I’ve just finished posting yet another obituary and this time it is one of my club sisters. She’d be the first person to encourage me to continue this message and so, Lynnie, I am, in your honor.

Live to the fullest and love till you burst we don’t have forever. BL

————————————————————————————

We didn’t have a summer picnic after all (see post below dated in March 2010) however, friends who re-connected at our 40th Reunion in 2009 continue to meet up, email, and yes, even phone each other! A recent posting to the Faculty Tribute page by our wonderful Amundsen teacher liaison, Rosemary Tirio, mentioned the following: “I’m sorry to inform you that Librarian Mrs. Marie Cantwell also passed away Sept. 8, 2010.”

I remember Mrs. Cantwell – what patience and kindness she showed me when I brought my high energy into her quiet library! This was a reminder to me that each day is precious and so are old and new friends so I decided to share the responses I received to an email I sent to everyone who attended the reunion. It was sent on the first anniversary of our last reunion. It read:

Hello to all those who participated in the 40th Class Reunion of Amundsen High School! It’s been one year to the day since this group gathered in 2009– HAPPY BIRTHDAY! HAPPY NEW YEAR! Etc., etc.

I hear that many have continued their renewed friendships and that’s very uplifting. Please stay connected and practice good health so we can see you at the 45th!

I leave you with “The Organic Commandment” written in 1940 by Frank Lloyd Wright

Love is the virtue of the Heart
Sincerity the virtue of the Mind
Courage the virtue of the Spirit
Decision the virtue of the Will

May the very best in life be yours,
Bonita

I considered every response to that email a gift and while some continue to praise the work undertaken to create the 40th reunion, know that it took ALL of us to make it a reality that we enjoyed! I hope these messages will inspire you to participate again if you did and to reconsider participating in the next reunion. Here are the “voices” of the class of 1969. Bonita

Bon, Along with all the others, I can’t believe a year has zipped by already either. It was such a wonderful weekend. I am still in awe of the fabulous job you did arranging everything. It was probably the best reunion ever! It was so wonderful to connect with people I hadn’t seen in at least 10 years (since the 30th) and some I hadn’t seen in 40! At this stage of our lives, it no longer matters if you weren’t the cheerleader, or the most popular kid in school. Those things come and go. I don’t care how successful someone is, what I care about is how you treat me. What really matters is what kind of people we turned out to be. I’m please to say that I think we all turned out to be pretty darn nice people! It is a truly special group of people who want to stay connected and look forward to seeing each other again in 4 years. I can’t thank you enough for all you do to keep the connection going. Hugs,
Janice
(Janice Purdy Bednarz)

Thanks so much for the reminders & for your dedication.
Georgiana L. Barrie

Bonnie-
Thank you for reminding us. It was a great weekend…..
This past week I heard the Air and Water Show promos on the radio, I thought of the reunion last year. Wow, what a year it has been. I retired a second time! After three years as Principal I decided to retire. It was one thing to work during the day, but 3-4 nights a week was too much. So on June 18th I walked out and on June 20th I was winging it to Europe for 10 great days……About 3 weeks later, I went to New York for 6 days….About 2 weeks later I was in Lake Tomahawk, Wisconsin, boating.
Wow, tough life. Stay in touch
Tom (Dr. Tom Baba)

Amen to that! Had a great time seeing everyone and can’t wait for #45!!!
Cindy Kaiser Hart

Yes, Bonita, thank you for everything especially your friendship. And thanks to all of you who have stayed in contact with each other since the reunion.
I have a few wonderful relationships with some of my former classmates because of you, Bonita. You are truly a gem. Love you.
Lisabeth Ross Cummings

What a lovely sentiment….. I couldn’t have said it better myself…. hello to all my classmates, happy anniversary of our reunion, and may you all have a good year!!! Thank you Bonita for the “force” that you are! and for keeping in touch,
Love to all,
JoAnne Harris Hoffman

Ditto on acknowledging and thanking you for your energy and thoughtfulness. It’s hard to imagine that a year has gone by in a proverbial blink of an eye! Friendships that last a lifetime are the virtue of our Interconnectedness. Frankly, an unexpected and welcome surprise…Smiles and hugs to all. With love, Susan (Sue Hill)

Happy 41st! I was just talking to someone this weekend about being home for my high school reunion. That was one great weekend. Thanks again Bonnie and I’m looking forward to the 45th; I am planning on flying home for that. Hope this finds everyone well and in good spirits.Wish Australia wasn’t SOooooo far away.Thanks Bon for the quote, I like it and something that is very helpful. Love to all
Kathy xo
(Kathy Koclanis Horan)

I add my thanks to Bonita L. for her hard work and all who were able to attend or kept in mind last year’s reunion…I have reconnected or connected for the first time with a number my classmates… It has been a pleasant and enriching experience. Something to think about? I had a thought about a class bail fund… LOL! All are welcome to message me, rattle my frequency, smoke signal, etc. I trust everyone’s summer is going well.
Best Regards! John B. Krug

Happy 41st anniversary to us all! Thank you, Bonnie, for your perseverance, creativity, and time — your efforts have been a great gift to all of us! Thank you for the poem. I, too, look forward to our 45th! Peace,
Andrea (Andrea Bliss-Lerman)

Once again i have to thank you Bonnie for all your hard work. it was wonderful seeing people i haven’t seen for 40 years, if only for a minute. Thank you for sending me our picture from your house (a teenage outing)–that was so cute. Also, Charmaine Badal Gallagher brought to me a new perspective regarding my ovarian cancer. She lost her beloved sister to this awful disease. Her sister was so pretty and so talented. My cancer is back once again and i am currently on chemo. I want to visit Kathy (Lorber) Pepin but i don’t drive and need someone to get me over there. Once my daughters can get things together, we will go. I’m sure we will have a great time reminiscing. She was a great teacher and my daughters loved her so. Have a great rest of your year and i do pray I see you for the next reunion. Love and peace to you. Sharon.
(Sharon Albrecht Gonzalez)

Bonnie, What a star you are! Many of us absorbed in our busy daily lives, just think of how nice it would be to stay in touch with our old friends, and you, being so generous with your time, reminding us that we are as close as a click away… many heartfelt thanks and look forward to being together again in 2014 . Carolyn (Carolyn Rose Avila)

Bonnie, thank you from the bottom of my heart for making sure we all were able to create a wonderful memory. It has brought so many of us together again and I cannot wait for our 45th. Thanks to you and your dedication, time and love. You are the best. Bonni
(Bonni Holzman Van Buren)

Hello Fellow Classmates –
Happy 41st plus a day! Today’s a beautiful day in the Chicago area not unlike last year. I’ll add my thanks to Bonnie without whose efforts and determination none of this would have taken place. Since this past year has gone by so quickly we’ll all be meeting up at the 45th before we know it! Best Regards to All,

Nick Cosmas

Bonnie, I again want to thank you for all of the work that you did last year. The Good Lord Willing, I will see you at the 45th. Stay safe and always be careful, Jim Kehoe

Bonnie-You are just a force of nature! Thank you so much for all your efforts on our behalf. If there is anything I can do to help you with the 45th, please let me know. I can’t wait. Joanne McCarthy Schoch

Greetings Classmates,
Just the other day I was looking at photos from the reunion. It’s hard to believe another year has whipped on by. Here’s hoping all are well and thanks again to all that made the 40th happen! Bob Deckert

Bonnie- You may not have been a cheerleader in high school, but you’ve certainly made up for it in the after life. Your Pom Poms may be a little lower, but you are still getting the job done! Rah Rah
JTC (Joanne Tegtmeyer Clark)

Thank you so much I enjoyed the 40th looking forward to the 45th.
Love to everyone.
Rickie Gates Taylor

And of course, there have been a zillion emails from my co-heart Alan Gerber, who can’t seem to stop saying thank you because he continues to experience the rewards by staying in touch with classmates and because, like Jan, he is only concerned with who they are today. Love you too Alski!

BL

Welcome to Amundsen High School’s Class of 1969 Reunion Information!

April 24, 2011

Hello to all.  It seems I tend to blog on special days of the year and this Easter Sunday I sadly add one more picture to the In Remembrance page.  As we come one year closer to our next reunion, two more have passed away (that I am aware) bringing the total to 26.   But, spring has sprung in my part of the world and with it the reminder that while we may sleep some part of us continues, as does all things in nature.  Make each moment count classmates!   And keep it healthy so we can meet again.     Bonita

Even though the goal may be a thousand miles away, it takes the first step to begin.  JFK

March 17, 2010

Happy St. Pat’s to all who celebrate the day!

I’m amazed at the number of hits the blog site still receives.  Mostly folks seem interested in our photos which leads me to believe that we are thinking about each other.  So, being the consummate party planner I’ve been thinking about having a “gathering” shall we call it.   Around the first weekend  in August  2010 on a Saturday–BEFORE the Air and Water Show weekend….if you please.  Just an informal meet-up at a picnic pavilion, probably out in the burbs, a “bring anything you want to consume” event…well, let’s do keep it legal for the sake of the one being held responsible.  Wondering if there are any ’69ers  interested in attending?  (Click here to respond.)    Just a way to keep “The Chain” rattling as we march toward the GULP!!!!!! 45th year.   I’ve been pondering that reunion too…thinking of putting together an event (year 2014) with lots of genre music which was sorely lacking previously–although I sure did try to provide it.  Oh well, we were pretty busy talking as I recall.  Missing you all and wishing Vikings everywhere a great summer and prosperous, adventurous, and mighty fine 2010.

Bonita

p.s. To all those who have kept in touch, thanks so much for the memories, both old and new.

SAFE AND HEALHY NEW YEAR TO ALL VIKINGS!!

HAPPY 2010!

Thanks for the memories…That’s the refrain I hear from everyone who attended the class of 1969’s 40th Reunion…around 115 alumni, about a dozen friends and many, many spouses.  However, let the pictures speak for themselves as you look through the various pages (pictures and comments posted by event).  There is also a page “On the Town” that was created for those who broke out into individual parties and also for alumni pictures of any sort.  I also began a page of family photos…why not? (Send me photos on a CD or a few at a time via email (lovison@gmail.com or click here) and I’ll put them into tabs by event (enclose your thoughts and they’ll be posted too).

A special thank you to all those who have submitted photos thus far:  Tom Smoody, Kathy Koclanis Horan, JoAnne Harris Hoffman, John Krug, Susanna Hartig Burke, Wayne Schleehauf, Lynn Rizzo Gaffney, Susan Hill, Cindy Kaiser Hart, Alan Gerber’s help in fowarding CDs to me, and anyone I have forgotten.

This blog site will remain up as long as WordPress is in business; hopefully long enough to organize the 45th reunion in–gulp, 2014.  I can only promise that if I have a hand in the organization of same it will be different–in a good way!  Send me your ideas and I’ll post them.  Lots of time to consider where/when/how.

I have received emails and phone calls from alumni that have told me they are continuing to gather – either in relation to the grade school they attended, clubs they were in or regions they currently live in.  I hope you have been a participant and I can help facilitate your participation if you send me a note by email letting me know who you are looking for.  I’ll do my best to put you in touch with a friend.

Here is a wonderful posting by Phil Ollerich – one of the earliest responders to the 40th reunion.  Something to ponder.

“Thanks to the excellent work of Bonnie and the Reunion committee, I was able to not only get reacquainted with old friends in person, but also with those who could not attend, through email.  By establishing contact with most AHS Alumni throughout the country and providing a comprehensive list with multiple communication options, Bonnie has made it possible for me to locate old classmates and have some good online chats with them.  Also, by finding out about those who have passed on, I now realize that time is getting short, and the opportunity to contact them has slipped by, sometimes only by a year or two.  My wife and I like to attend “Oldies Concerts” where surviving 60’s musicians still perform.  The list of those artists still active grows smaller with each passing year.  So it goes with the Class Of ’69.  How many of us will be able to attend the next reunion?  Now that we all know the status of most classmates, there is perhaps one more opportunity to connect with some of them before time marches on.   Thank you, Bonnie, for making this possible.”

No, thank you Class of 1969!

A quote from one who inspired me…
Dr. Leo Buscaglia: The essence of love is getting out of oneself and into others. When we care less about our feelings, our rights, our happiness, our security, etc., and begin to concern ourselves with the feelings, rights, happiness, and security of others, we will have found the true power of love.
We can ask ourselves daily what we have done to make the world a better place, to make someone smile, to help someone to feel more secure, etc. It’s the simple things which have the greatest effect. We must never underestimate the strength of a smile or act of kindness.

And, something to ponder from the journalist P.J. O’Rourke who wrote, “…one finds, especially by the time one reaches their fifties, that there are a limited number of types of people in the world, and you went to high school with every single one of them.  You can visit the Eskimos, you can visit the Bushmen in the Kalahari, you can go to Israel, you can go to Egypt, but everybody you meet is going to be somebody you went to high school with.”

Till we meet again, HAPPY TRAILS!   Bon

Photos to:

Bonita Lovison
27 Bruce Roy Lane
Becket, MA 01223

Amundsen High School Today; copyright Bonita Lovison, 2007-2008