HHS Class of '80 35 Year Class Reunion Details (May Update)

It's hard to believe our 35 year class reunion is just over three months from now.  It doesn't seem possible we graduated from HHS 35 years ago, does it? Last night, when five of us met to make plans for the reunion, and we got on the topic of how we might play music there, I couldn't help but laugh when Scott Simmons said, 

"I saw where they have these rocks that you can set on your patio and they will play music from your iPhone."

I tried to imagine ourselves way back then, over 35 years ago, and how few us could imagine sitting together 35 years later and speaking those words! A rock that plays music from our phone, with no wires! We then started telling my 12-year old daughter about phone booths, calling our parents collect and having them refuse the charges, as a signal to pick us up at the high school, rotary phones, party lines, and rushing home to wait for a phone call or watch a favorite television show. Life has sure changed since then! However, one thing has not changed...we still love hanging out with our classmates and laughing.

Anyway, here is the most current information about the upcoming class reunion and a chance to hang out with classmates and laugh.

Friday, August 14

Float Decorating—6:00 pm - We will meet at Jamie Dale's house at

14633 Crull Rd., between Lacey Rd. and SR 1 to decorate the float. This is BYOB and we will probably order pizza and share the cost. Scott Carpenter has secured a wagon and said he can use his dad's truck to pull it. (Scott can you confirm this?).  We should probably have a back up truck and wagon, just in case. I know there are lots of other details we haven't thought of yet, like where to get straw bales, how to decorate it, who will purchase and bring supplies, etc.  We would LOVE it if a classmate would volunteer to coordinate all the float details.  One of the problems I am having is with remembering what people have told me they will do, so if you already told me you would do this will you remind me?! 

 

Saturday, August 15

Ride the Float- Meet at the HHS parking lot 9:00am, the parade will begin leaving the parking lot at 9:30 to reach Main St. by 10:00am. There is no cost but please bring candy to throw and wear your class t-shirt (info below).

Dinner at Willie & Red’s-5:30pm - $20/person includes smorgasbord & tip (must be paid in advance). W&R's is the former Welliver's on Main Street.  No program is planned so this will simply be a time for classmates to re-connect, visit and to possibly stand and share high school memories with the group (however, we all agreed maybe some of those memories are better left unspoken ;-)

Casual Gathering at the Meeting Place—7:00pm  - The Meeting Place is the former McCollough Center, right across the street from W&R's and just a block from where Band Bash activities will be taking place (which means convenience in visiting with old friends from other classes and hearing good music). One problem is parking will be on nearby streets because there is not a large lot close by; however the building is wheelchair accessible. Maybe someone would like to coordinate a shuttle or car pool from a public or private parking lot in the area? We are asking classmates to either bring drinks, snacks/desserts to share OR pay $5/person to help cover the cost of refreshments that will be provided by the class fund.  (The class is not officially able to provide alcoholic drinks but guests can unofficially bring them, if you get my drift). We plan to have simple decorations and activities, such as a photo booth with props, photo and memento displays, slide show, etc. Would a classmate like to volunteer to coordinate decorations and activities?       

           

T-SHIRTS - The plan is to produce a simple and comfortable soft vintage purple/heather t-shirt with a white tiger and HHS Class of '80, to wear on the float.  Cost of each T-shirt is $10.00 (if the cost ends up being higher the class fund will subsidize the rest). We have gotten a couple of quotes from local businesses, with a lower quote coming from a business in Cambridge City, but we feel we should purchase them from a Hagerstown-owned business even if they are a little more expensive (maybe they will lower their price if we explain our position). Classmates will need to place their order for t-shirts by July 10 (by using the order form that will be shared).  

We need information and updates from everyone for a directory/booklet we hope to have printed for the reunion (address, phone number, e-mail address, marital status, spouse's/partner's name, children names and ages as well as a brief narrative of what you've been doing since school and are doing currently).  There is a place on the registration form for that or you can e-mail it to me and I'll pass it on to Beth Ann Rathbun Tong, who plans to create the directory/booklet. 

To reduce postage costs, the invitation/info/registration form will be posted on Facebook, e-mailed to those who have given us their e-mail addresses, and mailed only to those who have given us their mailing addresses and aren't on Facebook or didn't provide e-mail addresses.  We have tried to find updated addresses for all classmates but know many of those are probably outdated. Please, don't assume we have been able to share the reunion information with all classmates, so please share this information will all classmates you can and have them e-mail me their current contact info.

Payment for the dinner, gathering and t-shirts can be made by check and I'm trying to figure out if by Paypal. Maybe one of you can advise me about that? (My 12 year old probably knows how). We must have payment for the dinner and t-shirts ahead of time so we can plan ahead and we don't have people back out and leave us with the expense. I'm sure you'll understand!

Thank you all for feedback and assistance you have given so far.  We realize we can't please everyone and a handful of people can only do so much with our limited resources -- especially because we're getting so old we can't see anything, hear anything, and remember anything, plus our energy is limited!

Please call or e-mail me or Tara Weber Bavender if you have questions or if there is something you would like to help with:

Julie Esker Dishman - julie.dishman@gmail.com, 765-993-0383
Tara Weber Bavender - bavender1@comcast.net, 765-332-2889