Happy Birthday Peggy!

Happy birthday, Peggy Tull!

I remember all the fun times at Hill's Cleaners!

More Picnic Pictures

Peggy Tull and Gary Addy

What a great couple!

Bonnie Mills and her special fella, Tom Goodnow

Bonnie and Tom came down to Atlanta in April, and I met up with them to visit the pandas at the zoo.

Donna Stricklin - guess she's smiling cause she knows she's going to win the raffle later

Harvey Gordon and his sweet wife, Jean

Denny McLaughlin and his wife Leslie didn't make the reunion in October.  I'm glad they were able to join us this time.

Sue Ritchie and Ron Lear and Sandy Granato - familiar faces!

Let the Pictures Begin!

Bill Burgher, Bill Ischinger (who looks shell-shocked) and Denny McLaughlin

In the front, Linda and John Eichman and John's old flame, Tina Hollingsworth

At the back table, Harvey Gordon in yellow, his wife Jean to his left, Tony Pileggi, Shirley Bolmarcich, Gary O'Hara, and Howard Johnson

And Bill Ischinger heading for the food tables!

Shirley Bolmarcich and Gary O'Hara (Mr. and Mrs. O'Hara)

Tony Pileggi - I don't know what this man eats, but he hasn't aged a day!

Diane Cimini and her husband John MacQuarrie

I'm so glad she could make it this year - she gave us a scare with some heart surgery last October

UMHS Class of 63 51st Reunion Picnic

The picnic that almost wasn't. 

We were scheduled to have our picnic on May 17 at Lower Perkiomen Valley Park in a nice semi-enclosed pavilion.  Everything was set.  Food ordered.  Drinks bought.  Decorations ready.

Then it rained on Friday.  I got a phone call in the morning from the park, saying that there was a strong possibility that the pavilion might be flooded.  Panic set in!  I couldn't have 35 people standing ankle deep in water.

Luckily, the staff at the Holiday Inn Express in Warminster, where I was staying, came to our rescue.  I met with the Sales director, Dennis, and he was able to offer us the meeting room.  I grabbed it.

Now to contact everyone.  Of course, I came with just the names of the attendees - no phone numbers, e-mail addresses, or even my reunion book from last October.  I got on the phone with my committee members and gave them people to contact.  By early the next morning, we had contacted everyone.  Special thanks to John McDonald, Tina Hollingsworth, Nancy Lyons, Judy VonGerichten, and Bonnie Mills for jumping in and getting hold of our classmates.  Couldn't have done it without you!

Early on the morning of May 17, I checked the meeting room.  6 large tables were set up with long white linen tablecloths.  Nice, but way too fancy for a picnic.  I set out to get decorations to make this look like a picnic.

Each table was covered in either purple or gold over the white linen.  Sand buckets (purple and gold of course) sat in the middle of each table.  Filled with lollipops, paddle balls, leis, and water pistols.  There were a few hula hoops hanging around the room.  Purple and gold balloons and bows on the walls.  Buckets filled with ice for the sodas, water, wine and beer.  (The state park didn't permit alcohol, so this was a nice treat!)  Two large tables set up for food.  And oldies music from Pandora playing.

As the picnic-ers started arriving, they were put to work helping with decorations and setting up snacks.  We had so many snacks, we filled both tables!  More and more arrived, to whoops and hollers, especially for those that we didn't see in October.

Drinks were shared, a lot of mingling and getting together, lots of snacks.  We were almost too full for the food when it arrived.  Tina brought 4 or 5 big trays of hoagies and all the fixings, cookies, and a big sheet cake.  Two big pans of fruit salad.  More snacks.  No one went hungry!

The afternoon was fun and slightly sedate until...the water pistols came out.  I admit I was the first one to fill a gun and start shooting, but everyone got in the act.  A few tried the hula hoops, but alas, they are not meant for folks our age.  We did a 50/50 drawing to help recover the additional cost of the meeting room (thanks everyone!) and Donna Stricklin walked away with a nice bit of pocket change.

All too soon, people started leaving.  Everyone helped with the clean-up, and by the end of the afternoon, the room was in great condition.  I heard quite a bit of talk about another picnic next year, and I'm hoping that we can do it again.

I'll post pictures in a bit.

Happy Birthday Howard and Joan!

I apologize - my computer has been acting wacky for the past week or so and I couldn't get on the internet.  How did we ever live without the internet!  So I missed a couple of birthdays - and haven't posted anything about the reunion picnic yet.  But I will.

First the birthdays!

Happy belated birthday, Howard Johnson!  So glad you could celebrate your special day with us at the picnic on May 17.

And a happy belated birthday (May 20) to Joan Freeland!

Change in Picnic Plans!

Some last minute picnic plan changes - thanks to Mother Nature!

There has been heavy rain today in the Philadelphia area.  I got a call this morning from someone at Lower Perkiomen Valley Park, informing me that there was a chance the creek would rise and flood the pavilion.

Rather than take a chance, I decided to move the picnic.  It will now be held at the Holiday Inn Express in Warminster, at Jacksonville and Street Roads. Thanks so much to the sales manager, Dennis, for making the meeting room available to us.  I'm staying here and have seen the room and it should work out just fine for us.

The actual address is 240 Veterans Way, which comes in off of Jacksonville Road.  The hotel sits behind Costco.  Time for the picnic will be 12-6.  We're still providing the same food and sodas.  You can bring beer or wine if you wish.  Dress is still casual.  Only real difference is not having to worry about rising water and mud!

Special thanks to John McDonald, Nancy Telmosse Lyons and Tina Hollingsworth Owens for helping me call everyone on the list and spread the word.  I also put a message on Facebook.  By one means of communication or another, I think we were able to get in touch with everyone.

Sorry for the last minute changes but I wasn't about to take a chance!  Hope to see you all tomorrow!

Who's Coming to the Picnic on May 17?

As I did for the 50th reunion, I'll list the people who are coming as the checks arrive.  Just starting to get some responses.  If you haven't sent a check yet, what are you waiting for?  We're planning to have fun!


Harvey and Jean Gordon
Jim McGhee
Lynne (Rose) Gabel
Denny and Leslie McLaughlin
Ray Roberts
Shirley (Bolmarcich) and Gary O'Hara
Tina (Hollingsworth) Owens
Howard Johnson
Jim and Terri Pearson
John McDonald
Judy (VonGerichten) and Barry Pfeil
John and Linda Eichman
Bonnie (Mills) Rausch and Tom Goodnow
Donna (Stricklin) Mazza
Sandy (Granato) Belli
Karen (West) Terry
Suzanne (Ritchie) and Ron Lear
Peggy (Tull) and Gary Addy
Diane (Cimini) and John MacQuarrie
Nancy (Telmosse) and Jim Lyons
Bill Ischinger
Tony Pileggi
Bill Burgher
Joan (McNickle) Morris

Carole (Bruner) and Stew Ackerman send their regrets - they'll be out of town

C'mon - let's get those checks rolling!

UMHS Class of 63 51st Reunion Picnic

The letters about the picnic will be going out in the mail in the next day or so.  I'm sending them to those who responded to my last letter and some others who expressed an interest.

Feel free to print out the letter from here on the blog if you don't receive one in the mail.  The more, the merrier!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

UMHS CLASS OF 63

51ST REUNION PICNIC

We have the date and place. Saturday, May 17, from noon to dusk at Lower Perkiomen Valley Park. The park is located near Valley Forge. Directions enclosed.

We'll be supplying food and drink, games and music. Just bring yourself and spouse/significant other/friend. All for $15 per person.

Now, if you'd like to bring some nibble-type food (chips, pretzels, something like that), we won't turn it down. Park regulations state no alcoholic beverages, so we'll have to skip the beer and wine this time. Bring lawn chairs and/or blankets if you wish.

We have an enclosed pavilion with plenty of picnic tables. There is plenty of room outside for games and socializing.

We'll be putting out the food around 1:30 so plan accordingly.

Dress is super casual. Just come and enjoy yourself!

Checks should be made out to Lynne Gable and mailed to the following address:

3305 Hutchinson Road, #18101

Cumming, GA 30040

Mark UMHS Class of 63 on the memo line please.

(For those who didn't know, I'm no longer Lynne Rose Pistilli – just a simple change in status and name, but the same old me!)

We need all checks and replies by May 1 so we can order the right amount of food.

Any questions, call me at 678-622-5986 or e-mail to gabel.lynne@yahoo.com

Looking forward to a good time with good friends!

Driving Directions to

Lower Perkiomen Valley Park

from Willow Grove

Take the turnpike going west. Exit at Exit 328A (on the left) (Valley Forge exit). Merge onto 422 W. Follow 422 for about 7 miles. Exit at the Oaks Exit.

When you get off 422 at Oaks, stay toward the right. You'll make a right at the end of the exit ramp (Egypt Road), then an immediate right at the first light – New Mill Road.

Follow New Mill Road to the entrance for the park, then look for the Main Pavillion.

There is a big parking lot above the Pavillion.

_________________________________________________________________________________

RETURN THIS WITH YOUR CHECK BY MAY 1

_______ Number attending @ $15 each

(check made out to Lynne Gabel – put UMHS 63 on memo line)

Names attending: ___________________________________________________________________

Return to:

Lynne Gabel

3305 Hutchinson Road, #18101

Cumming, GA 30040

Happy Birthday Lynda!

Happy belated birthday Lynda Wildermuth!

I really goofed!  I was so sure her birthday was in May when it actually was April 9!