AFTERMATH - REFLECTIONS ON OUR 40TH REUNION

AFTERMATH - REFLECTIONS ON OUR 40TH REUNION

Dear All,

Peggy Jones called her reflections on the reunion "Afterglow," which tickled the heck out of me. I'll call mine "Aftermath" in honor of one of those great 1960's Rolling Stones albums (AKA LP's) of the same name.

It was a pleasure and an honor being at the hub of the wheel for our 40th Reunion. We knew our Reunion would be good, but we had no idea it would be THAT good. I was thrilled when it took on a life of its own ... Charmaine organized the lunch for "the girls" the day before the Reunion ... Ron West organized the Alemany Golf Classic ... somebody who shall remain nameless (Jan Zemba Wilkes) organized the Friday night pre-reunion get together at The Odyssey ... the Post-Reunion party at El Presidente and the Sunday morning brunch at The Odyssey happened ... You picked up on the websites and submitted great pictures and blogs and HILARIOUS comments under the various "posts" ...

I wasn't much of a jock at Alemany (somebody had to keep the bench warm), but I felt like the Quarterback for the 40th reunion. I'd get an idea hand it off and you all took the ball and ran, while I stood there in the backfield and gleefully watched you score. I think I know how Gieg felt on the football field behind Alemany.

One of the things of which I'm most proud is using email to keep in touch with everyone. This truly was The Cyber Reunion, to paraphrase Kerry Beaulieu's comment about Paula Carabelli's Cyber Wake. I was also very proud of my idea to pass out the class email addresses to everyone. That was a pass that you all caught and ran with, that resulted in TOUCHDOWN AFTER TOUCHDOWN. I was thrilled when you got in touch with old friends and teachers long before the reunion, and started encouraging each other to come. So many times I heard, "I wasn't going to come, but my dear friend badgered me into coming. I'm SO glad they did."

As you probably figured out, I just love Bob's Big Boy and how it relates to our class. I manage to find a Bob's somewhere and get my Big Boy Combo fix about once a year. I wanted to include "Bob's" in our reunion theme because it was our hangout when we were at Alemany. I put Bob's on the Flickr.com picture site and you all went with it, just like I hoped. Renee (Olsen) Laurent had an old Bob's menu and scanned it and sent it in to us. WOW. Mary Ganssle sent in a picture with her and Bob together. LOL. It was great.

I got an idea to put a Bob's Big Boy Statue in the centerpiece at each table, but the centerpieces had already been planned and "Bob" didn't fit in.

Plan B was to give out awards at the Reunion, and give each award recipient a Bob's Big Boy Statue (actually just a bank, but don't tell the recipients). I had to get Bob in there somewhere. So that's what we went with .

I had to go to Santa Paula for a baptism about a month prior to the Reunion, and went to the Bob's Big Boy Express (a "fast food" Bob's if you can believe it) there to get my Big Boy Combo and pick up ten banks. That was the day that this picture was taken ...

The awards were going to be given for things like "Who traveled the farthest" and "Who had the most grandkids," etc. They were scheduled right after the Slide Show, but in my infinite wisdom I didn't anticipate that when the "credits rolled" at the end of the Slide Show that everyone would scatter, just like they do when they go to the movies. So I was left holding the bag (of ten beautiful Big Boy awards).

So a Plan C emerged. The Bob's banks became Thank You Gifts and acknowledgements of contributions to the success of the Reunion, which was probably a lot better anyhow. I started giving out the banks later in the evening. Here is one of the first proud recipients ...

Charmaine's award was given ostensibly for giving me the idea to create the AHS-66 blog site (I copied her blog site, truth be told). Actually, she got it just because I liked her and because she is such a kick and inspiration and artist. I didn't know Charmaine prior to the 40th Reunion preparations.

Over the course of the weekend I passed out all the banks to various classmates. When I got home I kept thinking of other people who should rightfully receive awards. I knew I had to get more banks. I went to Bob's Toluca Lake but they were sold out. Boo. I ended up going on the Internet and finding them at http://www.bigboy.com. We bought over 20 banks in all.

Then I realized that there should be a certificate given with Big Boy award to make it official and properly ceremonial, and this certificate emerged ...

So we hereby proudly present you with the list of esteemed recipients of the AHS-66 40th Reunion Certificates of Appreciation and Big Boy Awards:

TERI (ARTEAGA) ROMERO

"For wonderful reunion photos, kindness and support"

JOHN BARREIRO

"An incredible Committee Member and friend"

CHRISTINE (BELLE) MONROE

"Slide Show Historian and Faithful Friend"

> Chris was part of the 10th Reunion Slide Show team

FRANK BONACCORSO

"For being The Batman"

> and later for helping The Shadow in his prognostications

COURTNEY BOWLES

"For the wonderful music at our Reunion Mass"

> You'll hear Courtney's Ave Maria on the DVD

CHRISTI (BRECHT) AND GARY MOORE

"For photographs, kindness and friendship"

> Gary has provided us with over 800 photos from the original slide show, and from the 10th, 30th and 40th reunions

> Christi and Gary were part of the original 10th Reunion Slide Show team

MAUREEN COSCIA (MRS. RICHARD COSCIA)

"For invaluable help locating missing classmates"

> and for cajoling Ed Bertell and countless others into coming to the Reunion

FRANK DIAZ

"For making our Reunion Mass so special"

> Frank was The Producer of the 40th Reunion Mass and made all the arrangements and got everyone together

> He also created and printed the program for the Mass (I think we still owe him for paying for the printing of the programs, girls)

MARY (GANSSLE) JOHNSON

"For humor, and tenacity in finding lost classmates"

> Mary found Kathi Gibson using sheer tenacity; for that effort alone she deserves an award

> and for 40 years of glamour

CHARMAINE (HALEY) COIMBRA

"For being our Mother Blogger, Inspiration and Friend"

> Charmaine's Blog was the inspiration for our blog

PAMELA (HARDING) CARDILLO

"An incredible committee member and friend"

> Pamela contributed much in the planning stage of the Reunion

> she got us onto the Warner Brothers lot to find props and decorations for the Reunion (I REALLY enjoyed that - Thanks, Pamela)

CLAUDIA (HAUGH) STEPAN

"An incredible committee member and friend"

> Claudia received all the RSVP's and is our Treasurer

> Claudia, Penny, Monique, & Karen are the ones who created the wonderful event at The Odyssey, and did the invitations, bulletin boards, center pieces, got the DJ & photographer, etc., etc. etc.

PAULA (HUEBNER) MCHALE

"For Reunion Printing, Kindness and Support"

> Paula did our Reunion printing, and did it at cost or didn't charge us

ROBERT MAGNUS JOHNSON

"For work above and beyond the call of duty"

> and for coining the term "Sub-Committee on the Media"

> Robert joined "The Team" and the "Sub-Committee on the Media" late in the game and completed the Reunion Book and became the editor of our websites

> He has contributed untold hours to "the cause" and to the DVD

KAREN KING

"An incredible committee member and friend"

> Karen created the program for the Reunion, among her many other duties

BRAD KOPP

"For coming all the way from Germany for the Reunion"

> and for talking Bob Cosgrove into coming to the Reunion

MONIQUE (LUSSIER) PADBERG

"An incredible committee member and friend"

ELLIE MCCONNAUGHY

"For being a kindred spirit and good friend from Our Lady of Peace School"

> Ellie traveled from Massachusetts for the Reunion

PENNY (MERTENS) LAPREZIOSA

"An incredible committee member and friend"

MARTIN D. MOLIDOR

"For work above and beyond the call of duty"

> It was Marty's idea to convert the 10th Reunion Slide Show into a DVD so everyone could have a copy

> Marty has contributed untold hours to "the cause" and to the DVD

BOBBIE (MOSHER) NOREEN

"For enthusiasm and for the wonderful Flower Drum Song photos"

> When we received the scans of Bobbie's "Flower Drum Song" prints we were moved beyond words because they were such wonderful photos and so clear

BARB (NAPOLEONE) HULL

"For invaluable help locating missing classmates"

JAY PELZER

"Monarch Master of Mischief and Mirth"

Thanks to everyone. It's been a wonderful experience.

Love,

Danny McMahon