PRA

Dump any anxiety at the door, I promise, if you are even a little willing, in less than five minutes of showing up you will be transformed into a teenager once again!

These are all friends, we are all totally different and very much similar to the way we were.

It is true that I cannot drink the same vast quantities as in my youth, but it is less necessary for all of the right reasons!

So, one little story: when I was 14 I had a little aluminum boat with a 5hp engine that I used to run around on the lake. My sister was 16 and decided to sneak into the then Salty Dog (what is now Castaways). Well, knowing she would be there, I decided that I could manage the same behavior, especially if I boarded by sea!

So, with Mom in bed sleeping (yeah, right), I put on my best cool guy clothes (you can use your imagination, the only thing you should know is that whatever those clothes were, they were not cool) and headed down to the boat.

To digress for a minute, being that I always needed gas for the boat and I was always with no cash for gas, that resigned me to the nasty habit of siphoning gas from the tanks of my neighbors cars along our road. Now, I know this was not nice, nor was it particularly healthy or safe, but it was a necessity and I was a rather ambitious child when it came to adventure.

So, off I went into the night, across the dark water, up the inlet and to the first bar I went into as an "adult". Snuck onto the deck there adn hung out with the really cool folks, might have had a little beer, but most 14 year olds in Ithaca probably had a little beer at that time (the ones I knew anyhow).

So, for me, Castaways will be a double trip, a homecoming, a full circle, a Saturn return, a return to the scene of the crime, etc, so on and so forth.

It also marks my last official night as Communications Czar, so there will be a little ceremony, maybe some cake (kidding). Just fun and dancing. See you there!

Finishing Touches - Details

Reunion Schedule:

Friday 7/28, 5PM - Boatyard Grill, Old Taughannock Blvd, Ithaca, NY

We'll have a tent set up on the lawn by the inlet. There will be hot and cold appetizer, Beer and Wine $5 each. Comp beverages for kids (soda, etc). Other beverages are available at the regular bar. There will be a band playing in the outside bar area, some seating and lots of room to mingle. (Oh yeah, and a whole bunch of sort of familiar faces hanging around). Parking will be tight, so car pool if you can; otherwise you might need to hunt a bit for parking and walk a ways.

This evening was originally planed as informal and 5PM - 7PM, but with the addition of the tent, the exit time is no longer fixed. But, remember, you have a big day on ....

Saturday 7/29 Noon - 5PM RH Treman Park (Lower)

Chicken BBQ picnic, potatoes, salads, watermelon and lemonade/water. We'll have some other snacks and beverages, too, throughout the afternoon.

At ~12:30, we hope to do a kind of welcome/yahoo toast thing, for which there will be some appropriate "toast-able" beverage; otherwise, the rest of the beverages from our end are nonalcoholic, so if you want any alcohol, you have to pack your own.

Lunch will be served between 1:00 and 2:30. We'll have meal tickets to pass out to the folks on the list.

If you think you'll want to swim at any point, come prepared. Parents should be responsible for their children (we are still attempting to get some kid coverage, but consider that a surprise bonus should it happen). There will be some kid/adult activity stuff there like balls, art stuff, periscopes, etc.

Park Fee - $7 per car to get into the park! Again, car pool if you can, otherwise, if it is a hot and sunny day the parking lot will fill up fast and parking there is going to be a zoo. I have warned the park, so they will just have to deal with us!

Guests. There may be several former teachers in attendance and all are welcome, so feel free to extend an invitation. If they would like to eat, too, it'll cost just $10 for them, but WE NEED TO KNOW BEFORE they are coming, to ensure that we have enough chow on hand. So, if you think someone else might come, please let me know!

Hopefully the weather will be fine, there is seating within the pavilion, but you may want to prepare to sit/spread yourselves out on the grass or wherever; remember - casual picnic! If it rains, we'll figure something out, but, to be safe, imagine clear skies!

Things will end at the park by 5PM latest, giving you time to relax, eat, maybe shower and prepare for ........

Saturday Night, Castaways Dance Party, 8PM-1AM, Old Taughannock Blvd, Ithaca.

From 8 - 1, a private night for IHS grads and their friends, ANY class year, so invite away! There will be a DJ playing great music all night long. There is no cover charge and it is a regular cash bar. This is going to be really fun! Come prepared to dance and carry on!

Optional weekend events:

These are events for interested folks, though not part of the formal reunion. I am listing the event and the contact person for you to get in touch with, then it is up to you and them!

Golf: Contact Deb (Cook) Donnelly We have a 8AM tee time for Saturday July 29 at Hillendale Golf Course 218 N. Applegate Rd. I've reserved 4-foursomes. If there's going to be more, I'll need to know ASAP. Thanks, Deb

Music: Music/Jam Opportunity: explore the possibilities by contacting Chris Gibbons (of Crossroads fame)

Gay, Lesbian, Bi Social Hour: tell everyone they're welcome to the LGBT cocktail hour at 6pm Sat. at "Felicia's" on West State St contact either Greg Hewett , or Eve Raimon

Prayer Gathering: Saturday, 5PM at Treman Park. Contact Kaye (Walters) Ingram. Note: anyone interested in this who might also play guitar or keyboards, she'd be happy to hear from you, soon!


I have tried to get in touch with EVERYONE from our class (and then some), but there is no guarantee that I was successful (in fact, I definitely was NOT successful in reaching everyone)! Therefore, if you would like to see someone in particular at the reunion, then please make the effort to contact them yourselves (I can help to an extent, just let me know). For example, I just called someone today that I hadn't heard from yet. We hadn't spoken in 20 years, invited him to the Castaways party and he's now coming! If I hadn't called, he would probably not have shown and it would have been my loss, actually all of our loss! Due Diligence!

Bring digital cameras if you want. I will have something set up at the picnic for getting small group shots ongoing. But, I also hope to be able to gather a mass of good photos together to put up a gallery online to entertain the classmates who couldn't make it (and for us, too)!

I think that is all I have, save this last comment via Sue C: "We are going to have a great time! It will be great to see everyone"! And from Bobby McFerrin: "don't worry, Be Happy"!

See you this coming weekend! Any questions from you, email me and ask; I'll answer something! I leave Wednesday for Ithaca. So, after Wednesday, AM, I am in computer blackout for a week! Woohoo!

Pete

Who's Coming?

IHS '76 2006 Reunion

The picnic/reunion crowd includes the list below. Because the Saturday night thing at Castaways is "fee-less and reserve-less," all sorts could turn out for that part - I have no idea what will happen, but I expect that there are some who will feel most comfortable in that somewhat less focussed social environment, lower stress, whatever! As long as whoever comes wants to be there, it doesn't really matter, it'll be fun! The Castaways range so far is from IHS '66 - IHS '78

Here is the list, but I have to say that there are at least twenty more who aren't on the list yet who I know are coming (J Nicholas, R Carmean, M Ward, R Ruoff, D Doepke, S Smith, T Thoren, N Baugh, E Wilson, .........) or that will likely show up at some point (D Alling, R Burke...). Total reserved (including spouses/partners and kids) three days ago was 150, two days ago 165, today it is 172. Three days to go; this does nothing good for my blood pressure! But, it makes for an exciting weekend!

M Alexander
D Anastasio/Augustine
K Apgar
J Arthur
Ausby Hardaway
G Barlow
B Bauer
M Bertero
Bill Lowe
M Bizzell
J Booker
Boyd
R Burns
J Button
D Call
R Carey
J Carlton
cindy Martin
Clare Grady
M & K Stanton Clark
T Cole
J Conley
S Cosentini
P Cramton
Dan Leibovitz
S D'aprx/Hurlbert
Dave Peters
M Deboer
Dodd
S Eaton
F Eggleston
P Feitner
S & B Ferguson/hogben
L Firestone
T Fox
P Gallagher
Gary Underwood
D Gaylor
C Gibbons
D (Abramson) Gorter
R Gowan
J Greer
D Haller
G Hewett
J Hopkins
C Hull
J Ingram
Jan Cary
Jim Armstrong
Jim Bentkowski
Joanne Snyder-Bray
Joanne Vorhis
Joe Carroll
C Keller
Lecoq
A Leed
F Leonardo
B Lowe
Lucky Dentes
M Lumbard
McIntyre
C McLaughlin
Mike Day
Mike Mahool
Moody/mary pearson
T Moyer
M Murphy
K (VonBerg)Noyes
T Putnam
M & E Raimon
Robert West
K Robertson- Rover
Saxby
P Schwan
J Shaheen/Wanderstock
K Sterns
Stone
J Stouffer
T (Eagan) Suggs
Tod Machover
B Turco
E Vitale/Lisberger
J Wanderstock
J Wayman
Williams
Young

Baby, Oh Baby!

IHS '76 2006 Reunion

We are cooking with gases now! Just over one week to go and the numbers have started to creep up and up - we've got a party!

There will be at least one more post here that goes up before next weekend and will definitely be an emailing to the list. It will contain last minute info on details, arrangements, etc; a suitably debaucherous (sp) story to get you all in the mood, a reunion travel list, and maybe a little "reunion primer" for any of you suffering from PRA (pre-reunion anxiety)!

We can fix that!

Sue's Turn as a Blog star!

IHS '76 2006 Reunion

Here is a photo of Sue stolen from the website for her construction company in Ithaca. This way you'll be able to recognize her when you show up for the reunion!

If you google her name, you'll get the website and can read other information there about her business.

Castaways party info

IHS '76 2006 Reunion


Greetings IHS Alumni!

We are having a party and you are invited!

On Saturday night, July 29th, join the IHS Class of 1976 in it's revels and celebration as we dance the night away at Castaways, Old Taughannock Blvd in Ithaca, NY.

This is an Open Class event, so if you are an IHS alumni, any year, you are invited to socialize and dance!

The party starts at 8pm and carries on 'till closing time.

The arrangements are simple: private party for IHS alumni, family, and friends, no cover, cash bar and DJ rocking dance music! (sort of a Haunt, Nines, North Forty, all balled into one)

They tell me the venue can hold up to 400 people, casual, room for dancing, room on the deck on the inlet; it will be social mayhem. A noisy, sweaty night of dance, laughter and general hysteria! It'll be whatever we make it and it'll be more fun if you are there, too!

So, call up an old classmate, your favorite dancing partner, take the plunge and join us for the big adventure!

IHS Alumni Party
Saturday Night July 29, 2006
Castaways, Old Taughannock Blvd, Ithaca, NY
8PM - 1AM


If you haven't seen some of your IHS friends in a while or if you missed the last reunion or know somebody who did, are going to be in Ithaca or want an excuse to visit, this will be a good opportunity to get together and hang out for an evening, low pressure, low cost; as much fun as we want to have!

Cheers!

July 7

IHS '76 2006 Reunion

Another photo from the pit I call my home office. This one of Jeff Boronkay and me on the ice offshore at Stewart Park. What can I say about this one, well, we don't look quite like that anymore! And, that coat that I have on, the one with the sheep wool stuff on the inside and leather on the outside, somebody made a fortune selling those coats in the mid 70's! Those coats and those big leather hiking boots! Fashion, go figure.

Hopefully you have all gotten the latest email about details for the reunion. There will be some more refinement, but we are almost there!

Keep in touch!

July 3

IHS '76 2006 Reunion

HI All!

So, things are progressing nicely as we head into the final four weeks before the reunion.

I wanted to be sure that you all had the link to the IHS Alumni Association website (bet you didn't even know there was an Alumni Association)!

http://www.ithacahighalumni.com/

The site has great information, some great photos and contact information for a variety of folks. I have gotten some great help from folks there regarding the reunion. CHECK IT OUT!

I will have a bunch more updates over the next few weeks, and a little blizzard of email to send out, so keep checking back!

Thanks and see you soon (bring your dancing shoes)!