Reunion Welcome

 

It's Time!!!

Welcome to The Mother of ALL Reunions !!!

 

The time has finally arrived for what promises to be our best-ever reunion. We are expecting about 190 attendees, comprising 125 classmates and "friends of the class" plus spouses/guests … the largest turnout ever! The Mayor of Huntington is entrusting us with the Key to the City for the weekend! For those of you who have sacrificed to be here, we thank you and we feel confident you will not regret it. For those who could not make it … or just chose to pass, we will miss you and we sincerely hope that somewhere down the road, you will catch the spirit that has "afflicted" the rest of us and reach out for the contact that we are enjoying so much with those who shared our youth.

Now for the nitty gritty ….

Many of you will be checking into the Radisson Hotel (1001 3rd Ave., 304-525-1001) starting as early as Wednesday, July 24. There will be almost 50 rooms of us!! Our Hospitality Suite is the Governor’s Suite, Room 1112 which will be open from 4pm on Friday until noon on Sunday …except during scheduled events. All classmates and friends are invited to stop by. See Sue Cook Burford (304-697-4811) or Harvey Taylor (at the Radisson) for the key if it’s locked. In addition, Bob and Traci Wysong will have The Presidential Suite for lounging and conversation on a schedule they will advise.

For the early arrivals, a casual dinner at The Heritage Station is still on for Wednesday night from 6:30pm. Just show up if you are interested. Cost depends on your taste since it’s on you, but the prices are very reasonable. Call Kay Thornburg Lewis (304-522-6630) with any questions.

Thursday is on your own but you will definitely want to attend the play in the Ritter Park Amphitheater (near Gobbler's Knob). The play will be CARNIVAL and tickets are no more than $10 each. Becky Phillips Payne is in charge and will bring some quilts and lawn chairs for our comfort. Call her if you know you are coming so she can get a special rate for us. This is a very casual occasion. Wear something cool. Various eateries bring their wares to sell at the top of the hill should you need a lemonade or hot dog or frozen yogurt. A pre-show begins at 7:00pm and the play will begin at 8:30pm. It will be a lovely evening, full of fun.

Friday is again at leisure until the evening "Garden Party" at Larry and Cheryl Tweel’s lovely home at 528 11th Ave, starting at 7pm under a large festively decorated party tent. Come hungry … there will be plenty to eat including "oldie favorite" local foods. Special tunes from our own HHS Reunion Oldies CD’s will be provided for your reminiscing and/or dancing pleasure. Dress is summer casual. Be sure to pick up your nametag and register at "the door". IMPORTANT … Parking will be difficult even though 11th Ave between 5th and 6th Sts will be blocked off for the party (that Tweel boy has some pull, huh!), so here’s a few options. You can park at either the Radisson or First Sentry Bank, located at the corner of 8th St. and 9th Ave, and you will be picked up by a Greyhound bus (courtesy of Bob Wysong) which will shuttle you between Larry’s house and the Radisson or First Sentry Bank, going to and fro as needed.

For the Saturday morning early risers, a Walk in the Park is planned at 8:00am. Again, Becky Payne is in charge and you should just show up (preferably sober) in appropriate walking attire. Just how brisk a walk this turns out to be depends on the walkers, but don’t expect a major workout … mostly gossip we expect. Those interested should gather at the Tennis Courts for what should be no more than an hours stroll/saunter/jog/whatever to permit time to get ready for the next event!

At 10:30am on Saturday, we will gather in the old HHS Auditorium for a special Memorial Service to honor our deceased classmates … 37 of them. Dress is casual. You can park in the First Sentry Bank lot or nearby but don’t park directly on the HHS grounds. Much work has gone into this event to make it very very special. You won’t be disappointed. And you can expect to see a number of local classmates who can’t attend any other function but this one. Immediately after the 30-minute service, we will have refreshments and then tour the old building to see what they have done to the old place since we left. Answer?? A lot!

Saturday afternoon is open but don’t be late for the MAIN EVENT at the Radisson in the evening. Check-in (to get a new nametag) and cocktails (cash bar) begin at 6pm and our Group Picture will be taken at 7:15pm promptly so if you aren’t there by then … tough! You must sign up at check-in and pay then if you want one of the Group Pictures at $12 each which will be mailed to you later. A beautiful steak and chicken combination dinner will be served at 7:30pm and our special program, MC’d by Frank Booth, will start at 8:30pm. Dancing to "Highway Star", a 12-piece band from Washington, D.C., will be from 9-12pm. This is an extraordinary band that will have you on the dance floor in no time! Dress for the evening is "coat & tie optional" … interpretation: you won’t be under-dressed without a coat, but many (if not most) will wear a coat, and some will wear ties ... at least initially! (Does that help?)

After all of these exhausting but exhilarating activities, you’ll want to unwind with our casual Brunch on Sunday in the John Marshall room of the Marshall Memorial Student Center at 11:30am. This beautiful venue overlooking the campus, is normally closed in the summer but WE HAVE CLOUT and have arranged to have it opened just for us. The downside is that Anne Dragovich, who is in charge, MUST have your firm commitment (and preferably your check) by Wednesday night. Cost is $17.25 including gratuity, but it will be worth it for the de-brief discussion alone, on top of the food which will be no less than exceptional! Seventeen of you indicated you would come on your reservation slips but we need to firm this up ASAP. Call Anne at 304-529-1860.

What have we forgotten?? Something, we’re sure, so if you have any questions or concerns, call Anne (304-529-1860) or Becky (304-525-2379) or Harvey (770-399-9241 until Wednesday .. then at the Radisson).

See ya soon!!!

The "Committee"