A collection of Followup Correspondence received after the completion of our 50th Reunion events. If you have additional thoughts, impressions, feelings you would like to share please send an email to Dan Nelson or Ray Schaeffer.
- From: sandyg2551@sbcglobal.net (Sandy Lyons Gardner)
- Subject: WOW!
- Date: August 8, 2010 7:42:16 AM CDT
It was wonderful - everyone did a magnificent job and it was a pleasure working with you all... see you in five years!
Sandy
- From: empenpek@hotmail.com (Elaine Statz Penpek)
- Subject: RE: WOW!
- Date: August 8, 2010 8:22:11 AM CDT
I totally agree with Sandy. The entire weekend was great fun. Good job, guys!
Elaine
- From: brenneis@wisc.edu (Ginger Crownhart Brenneis)
- Subject: Re: WOW!
- Date: August 8, 2010 1:09:38 PM CDT
Wonderful is the right word! Attendance was great. Thanks so much to those who worked so hard to make this an event to remember.
Ginger
- From: bkjalbrecht@gmail.com (Barb Jallings Albrecht)
- Subject: Re: WOW!
- Date: August 8, 2010 3:55:19 PM CDT
I agree!!!!!!!! It was great fun and I think everyone had a great time.
Barb A.
- From: sharonc@crcwis.com (Sharon Reynolds Chamberlain)
- Subject: Re: WOW!
- Date: August 8, 2010 9:37:03 PM CDT
So many compliments from so many people - many felt the food stations made the night a success in that they got everyone to move - you all did a great job - congrats.
Sharon Reynolds Chamberlain
- From: jeanneskilton@comcast.net (Jeanne O'Neill Skilton)
- Subject: RE: WOW!
- Date: August 9, 2010 8:12:24 AM CDT
Here are some of the comments from classmates:
"The best reunion weekend yet!"
"Talked to more classmates than at any other reunion."
"Glad that we didn't have one of the major events-like the picnic-on Sunday because we go home on Sunday."
"Having the food stations was a great idea. Met lots of people just getting the food." (at the Madison Club)
"Food is delicious." (at the Madison Club)
"People mixed well both nights."
"Enjoyed having the grade school reunion." (John Burley, Susie Zweifel Porto and others for Shorewood and Allison Keith - and Joan Bures Shands-brunch at her home. )
"Loved ending the weekend with the breakfast at the Memorial Union with our special friends from youth group." (Youth group -which included West and Wisconsin High people-met from 8-10 a.m.)
"What a special way to celebrate the 50th-by having the event at the Madison Club!"
"Fun having so many classmates at the Inn on the Park and having drinks outside together after the Saturday event."
"Great name tags!"
"Watched the "who"s coming list" and it inspired me to register."
"So fun to reconnect with so many classmates and with 75 of us on facebook-I'll have to get one of my kids or grandkids to get me to stay connected!"
"Having the wonderful website is great!"
GREAT JOB EVERYONE.
Also, thank you Sharon for having us for so many meetings and providing lunch several times-especially that last lunch.
Jeanne (Skilton)
- From: mlvrstdt@msn.com (Fred Milverstedt)
- Subject: Something for the update page, should you have one
- Date: August 9, 2010 10:48:36 PM CDT
- To: rdannelson9@tds.net
I think the weekend was wonderful.
You know, with 200 people or more, it's all but impossible to be in touch with everyone. I probably spoke with barely half. Each night, it seemed as though I never got out of the first corner of a room I stepped into. But even with that, I was impressed by the fact that in almost each exchange, briefly or longer, there was something meaningful said, something that we touched upon commonly.
One of the things I found myself saying is how fortunate I think were were--to have grown up where we did and when, an almost perfect social, naturally beautiful and comfortably semi-urban environment. I think it contributed greatly to who we each have become, how we came to learn to deal with others, and whatever successes as time came to pass we may have managed to achieve.
A few acknowledgments gleaned from the evenings:
To Andy Dambekaln, who fell in with "The Group," a pack of louts, maintained his maturity and dignity in spite of us and went on to a distinguished career marked by patriotism, commitment and courage.
To Sandy Cameron, for being a Dew Drop.
To Bob Kelley, for making it through.
To Gene McKiernan, for reminding me of George Carlin.
To Kenny Reigle, my teammate, who I rank among the top five wrestlers I ever wrestled. The other four were state champs.
To Nancy Larson, for being a natural sweetheart and a nearly dead-ringer for Laura Bush.
To Bill Platz, for walking the straight and narrow.
To Danny Nelson and Ray Schaeffer, for maintaining this web site. And to Danny for not long ago through this venue becoming a correspondent and friend.
To Glenn Schoenenberger, for calling Donna Shalala's bluff.
To John Feldt, a graduate of Central High, who came to the reunion because he knew many of us well and had always wanted to go to West.
There's more. Maybe I'll think of some later.
Only one more for now:
To Kenny Kissinger, who following years of the secret marriage between Kenny Alt and I, has come of late to appear as though he is the surrogate bearer of our first conceived child.
Our Wonderful 50th
The end result of all your hard work in planning such a stupendous blast is many warm remembrances of youth, the growing years and how far we've come. I salute the team and am proud to have been a member of this graduating class.
What a class act!
Lawrence A. Buckland Jr.
Please convey the thanks of all, which I presume to offer as class president, to all who helped organize the great reunion just finished.
Many thanks,
Philip Koch
The whole weekend was just wonderful! And the Shorewood Hills Reunion was an incredible bonus. I loved it. Looking forward to 5 years from now, and hope to see some of you in the interim!
Karen Weatherwax Miller
I thought everything was just wonderful, with just one possible exception, each time i went up for shrimp, it was empty. But that seems understandable given the gulf oil spill.
Kudos to you all for a wonderful time and a job well done!
Ray Schaeffer
That reunion was so fun, the best ever! Great venue and the idea of food stations was a great idea--easy to move around and see more people.
Thanks for all your work.
Pam Grassman Sohlberg