Cold in the Warmth of Winter

The 55th Reunion has come and gone, and the winter of 2022-3 proved to be an exceptionally warm one, with early bulb flowers and grass greening already although my cherry tree is running really late. Other than that,  Nature is going wild. We humans however, are just growing older. We continue our journeys making note of those of us whose journeys got cut short this winter. We lost:

Martha Berry Moore in March of this year; Carolyn Holmes, in January of this year, Terry Hurt and Barb Walsh in December of '22. Some of us are seriously ailing and we send our best to them for recovery. For those of us still hale and healthy, a heartfelt thanks to our lucky stars.

Last year we sold our RV thinking that between the work involved in maintaining it and Linda's assessment of my driving that it was time to stop pounding the roads. Last month, we both decided that we missed it, so we got a small travel trailer for shorter trips here and there every now and again. At least we can if we decide to. The same is true for getting together. 

It makes me wonder if we should not think of getting together more frequently but for the effort. Perhaps if we keep it real simple........Let us know what you think!

Oh, Linda asked me to remind you that if you have moved or changed email (especially important with the increase in postage), please let us know

The 55th Reunion has come and gone, and the winter of 2022-3 proved to be an exceptionally warm one, with early bulb flowers and grass greening already. Nature is going wild. We humans however, are just growing older. We continue our journeys making note of those of us whose journeys got cut short this winter. We lost: The 55th Reunion has come and gone, and the winter of 2022-3 proved to be an exceptionally warm one, with early bulb flowers and grass greening already. Nature is going wild. We humans however, are just growing older. We continue our journeys making note of those of us whose journeys got cut short this winter. We lost: The 55th Reunion has come and gone, and the winter of 2022-3 proved to be an exceptionally warm one, with early bulb flowers and grass greening already. Nature is going wild. We humans however, are just growing older. We continue our journeys making note of those of us whose journeys got cut short this

DOUBLE NICKELS

It's been 11 years since the no longer "new" Reunion Committee reimagined what our Reitz 67 reunions could look like. We increased outreach and contacted everyone; we kept the pricing as low as possible to allow everyone to attend without worrying about breaking the bank. We tried to provide a program to provide some structure to the event while being flexible enough to not be overbearing. We tried to make sure that everyone who attended felt welcome. We've tried informal to formal venues and motifs. We tried to stage "in-between" events to keep momentum moving forward. Through careful fund management, we actually have a bank account with some money in it. 

And then Covid arrived hit us all hard in unforgettable ways we are even now figuring out. It introduced many of us to self doubt about our immortality and questioning the slightest throat tickle or sneeze. In short, a lot of water under the bridge that we'll never get back. It's definitely time to get together again as self affirmation and group therapy. What better way than a 55th reunion?

Here's how we've decided to handle the "Double Nickels" reunion:

Friday, October 7, 5pm, food and soft drinks catered by Country Cupboard of Madisonville served at 6pm featuring fried chicken, ham and the now famous Willis BBQ pulled pork and 3 sides and desserts with conversation and festivities till we poop out whenever, BYOB. Cabin 18 at Burdette Park (the one by the BMX track with lots of parking and nearest to the RV campground.) The price will be $25 a person. Reservations will be taken beginning June 1, 2022. 

We look forward to seeing you all there. If you have any questions, feel free to contact Linda at 812 425-3255 or linday7632@gmail.com.

 

Milton Who?

Yeah, I know. It's been a while. I've had my reasons, as you'll see, so read on. 

It's been a crappy year. I can't think of any year (even my crappy college years) that was worse.

It wasn't just the sheer helplessness we all felt; waiting for the other shoe to drop; the loneliness of not being able to see loved ones; watching the evening news as the death count kept going higher. I started comparing the death count to the populations of major American cities and tried to imagine everyone in that town dropping dead at once just so that I could come to grips with the magnitude of the losses. I was really getting morbid and it took a lot from Linda to kick my ass out of that mode. I'm still working on it quite honestly.

This past October, Linda and I finally got up the nerve to pick a place where the infection rate wasn't quite so high because we, like the rest of us, just needed to get out of the house. We decided to go to Cleveland and visit the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. We were on the road and just north of Columbus when we got a call from my sister that my 97 year old father had been stricken with a heart attack and that things didn't look good and that we needed to divert to McLean VA. So in October I ended up losing my dad. But that wasn't all.

During the past couple years, we kept losing Reitz classmates. We lost Bill Burgdorf, Roger Cox, Paul Ensinger, Gene Helfert, Myrtle Sutton Hibbs, Austin Sammons, Bob Wolf, Brenda Cosby Gatewood, Bill Shaeffer,  Jim Nunn, Jerry Purdue, and we lost Sam Still's wife, Brenda. 

Just when we thought it couldn't get any worse, Linda and I contracted Covid-19 in mid-January of
2021 (we always do everything together); we were lucky, only getting mild symptoms (mild like getting run over by a hit and run driver and then someone driving a spike into your brain then having an elephant sit on your chest for a few weeks and then having the stamina of a 2 year old for another month or two). I spent an observation day in the hospital but we're above ground looking at the sky and that means everything.

As gruesome as this all was, things are looking up. Evansville is opening up slowly (maybe a little too quickly for my still masked taste). Linda and I are now vaccinated. We're seeing our Great granddaughter regularly. The 100th WSNC Fall Festival is on, as is the Henderson Handy Blues Festival. And Reitz is going to have a graduation this year which, if outdoors, we will be attending to watch our grandson get his diploma. 

I am almost ready to clap my alcohol gel-chapped hands at the slow upward progress of vaccination numbers, and the pandemic cloud seems to be breaking up. Did I mention that 2022 is going to see our 55th anniversary reunion next Fall ( don't jump the gun - not this fall, but the next one.) We will be announcing planning meetings later on this year and collecting ideas for next year. We've got plenty of time but we always want to do things a little different every time and next year will be no different. With any luck we'll be hugging and shaking hands and making merry. I so look forward to it. In the meanwhile, send us your new email addresses, change of addresses, and new contact phone numbers to make sure that you don't miss a thing as they develop. 

One thing this year definitely taught us is that time is fleeting and we never know what the Fates have in store for us. I witnessed and tasted mortality this year, and it was bitter. Whatever it is, do it now. Don't wait to say it; say it now.

So folks, I'm back from the edge of the abyss and I hope this finds you and yours in good health and good spirits. Talk to you soon.

Other Countries Heard From

Hi folks. Yes, it's been a while and while I've been honey-doing for Linda and doing my best to corrupt the youth of Mt. Vernon, there have been some doings on FB, including new and recent activity from Billy Beale, Mike Derrington, Barbara Cappy, Judy Kay Moore, and Myrtle Englert. So it's time for me to crack my arthritic knuckles and get to blogging.

By now you probably already know about the passing of Pam Fogle Irwin, Darlene Hines Barnes, Dana Sharp, Carolyn Becker, Clarence (Gene) Helfert, and Steve Schnarr. Also of note was the passing of Eddie Merritt, and Jack McKendree (who our Daniel Wertz classmates will remember)

This month also marks the somewhat anticlimactic Reitz 100th birthday celebration marked by a historical presentation by Reitz history star teacher Jon Carl (he also wrote a book published by MT Publications which is really quite good) and a beer crawl. Big Blue Boosters also took the money that was raised for the celebration and will be overseeing the building of entry gates to adorn the school entrances once they get the blessing of EVSC.

On a more immediate birthday celebration, we are cooking up plans for a 70th birthday celebration in October of this coming year (2019). Nothing fancy, probably at Howell Shelter (after such a great event on the Friday before the 50th reunion). Hey, the Class of 1967 never misses an opportunity to plan for good food, good company, and building great memories. Again, we'll try to coordinate the timing with the Westside Nut Club Fall Festival so out of town classmates can come to the birthday bash and do a twofer while they're here. As long as dessert is included, I'm all in. More details to come as the plans take on more reality and we actually have a skull session with the Reunion Committee.

A Reflection on a Very Successful Reunion

It's been a few weeks since the F.J. Reitz Class of 1967 held its 50th reunion. After nearly every event that we have had a part in organizing, I know I usually Monday morning quarterback the event, dissecting the positives and negatives and begin a list of things not to do again or definitely repeat for next time. This time I deliberately held back my natural tendencies (well, alright, the foot surgery had something to do with it but that's just a minor distraction) and delayed my critique till this week.

In general, I've concluded that Reunion Committees as a rule, overthinks everything. Give people a place to meet, a place to sit, a decent meal and plenty of time to talk, they will consider the event a success. It's only the Reunion Committee that noodles over details that in the big picture will not make or break the event.

And the single most important thing? That everyone feel invited and welcome. Let us not forget that our involvement with the reunion began with one powerful impetus. You've got a really stubborn classmate who was determined to find and contact everyone. EVERYONE. That is the heart of the matter, plain and simple. Once you've been contacted, it's no one's fault if you've become reclusive over the years. Just like rogue nations, there are reasons that such things happen and a reunion committee invitation is not going to make a difference one way or another if you've been becoming isolated over a 25 year period. Based on my experiences with my own high school some of which I have related to you over the years, I know that a 35% participation rate is really high for as many years as we've been out of school. So I'm delighted if we get over a 125 or so classmates to come to every event. It's not always the same people just because of life. It's called life, and life happens!

Well, life continues to happen and the Reunion Committee is already plotting and scheming our next get together. With the success of the Friday night pork party, we're hearing talk of a 70th birthday party for the class. We may even serve birthday cake, but without candles. Burning down the Bishea building just wouldn't do, now would it? Planning it for around the Fall Festival again would be great, wouldn't it? Needless to say, we'll be meeting and sending out invites when the time comes.

Here's a picture of the room all decorated just before we left for a rest on the morning before the reunion. I was sitting here speculating about older classes who have far smaller attendance than we do simply because of the nature of age and mortality. I know we're a long way from that but it does remind one why it's important that we do this as often as we can.

So here I am sitting in front of my computer and Linda tells me that she had just heard that Max Harth passed away in Switz City. Max went to Cynthia Heights and was apparently one of those people who had been in poor health for many years and who I was destined never to meet. I immediately thought of the picture of the empty reunion room, but I also thought about all the new classmates I was able to meet this time, like Tim McMahon, and Terry Williams, and Angela Hempen and so many others. I haven't given up hope that I will continue to meet new classmates yet, next time, in two years and two years from now I know that I will still have the same lingering regret about not having had the time to speak with each of you. It's definitely not because I think so much of myself; rather it is because there is too little of me to go 'round. That certainly goes for everyone on the Reunion Committee with their responsibilities, but it applies to all the rest of us too. See ya in two years if not sooner.

It's Reunion Time

The time is drawing down for the 50th Reunion of the FJ Reitz Class of 1967!

So here it is in a nutshell:

FRIDAY September 29, 2017: The Warm-up at Howell Shelter 5:pm-10pm

An informal get together, a prequel to the following night featuring BBQ Pork Butts prepared by Bob Willis. All ya gotta do is show up with either a covered dish, or 2 liters and snacks or a dessert. It's pot luck and a lot of chat. And it's free. That's right. It costs nada, nil, zilch, zero, courtesy of the Reunion Committee that has been wise with your class funds (if we don't say so ourselves) to provide for this cooker extravaganza. Nothing fancy. Just good food and fun.

SATURDAY September 30, 2018: The School Tour 9AM-11AM at Reitz HS

Show up at the link and enter the main entrance to FJ Reitz at 9AM (There is handicap access in the form of an elevator in the right hand entrance). The tour lasts about 2 hours and will be conducted by Beth Carnahan, Reitz class of  1980 and current principal of Reitz. Beth bleeds blue and grey and is one of the most active and popular principals in recent memory. This is the tour that is sure to be remembered and a great way to spend the morning of the Reunion.

Additionally, if you're a golfer, contact Larry Broerman  (lebcrdlr@aol.com) who is setting up an outing.

SATURDAY September 30, 2018 The REUNION 4:30/5:00 PM  St. Phillips Conservation Club

This is it. It has been 50 years since you last passed through the doors of Reitz HS. You'll find all of your old friends and acquaintances from back then waiting for you. Catered by Gasthof of Montgomery IN, cooking in their mobile kitchen, cash bar and soft drinks and desserts. Good food, good friends, great memories. It doesn't get any better than this. Additionally, we've got some class business that the reunion committee wants to run by you for future reunions.

Dress comfortably and have a good time.

So it's not too late. As of now, we're running our usual 30% participation, but we can always do better! If you're local, there's definitely time to attend - just call or email Linda (812-425-3255 or linday7632@gmail.com to get your money in . If you're not, there's still time to make plans, but time grows short. Don't forget that Fall Festival begins the following week.

We will post exacting instructions to get to the Conservation Club in the near future. If you can use the odometer in your vehicle, you will find your way.

It's Reunion Planning Time: Two Steps Forward, One Step Back

By now you've all probably seen Linda's post about the planning for the 50th Reunion.

So, here's a recap. We made arrangements to rent the St. Phillips Conservation Club Meeting room this past July for October 7, 2017. Yesterday, we discovered that due to an internal conflict at the club, that we were bumped to September 30. Needless to say, we were upset and scrambling like Andrew Luck in his own end zone. There were some domino-like fall-out. Schnitzelbank, our first choice for catering, let us know that they were unavailable for the new earlier date. Just when we thought it was going to start raining toads, Gasthof in Montgomery came to mind and not only could they deliver for that date, they could do so for the same price with additional sides. There just had to be a silver lining somewhere. So, I know we've said this before, but now the place is paid for and the catering is set:

The date is September 30 starting at 4:30pm; serving dinner at 6pm; program and festivities after that till 11pm. The meal will consist of two meats, 4 sides, and included beverages such as sweet and unsweet iced tea and lemonade and some 2 liters of carbonated beverages. Dessert will also be served. Additionally, there will be a cash bar with beer by the can and an assortment of mixed drinks.

As we have done in the past, there will be a program, group photos ( I swear we will gather all our veterans together for a group shot, something I regretted having missed last time, especially since we have so many veterans) and of course, more conversation and reminiscing than you can throw a stick at. Based on what I've seen so far in the past 6 years since we've been involved in planning these events, I think the class could meet in the middle of a cornfield and still have a good time. Fortunately, this will be quite a bit better than that.

We will be producing a new class directory (an anniversary edition!) that will include some memorabilia from graduation and the 60's, updated class information and in a larger format too. I hope to have all this completed well before the Reunion so that it can be ordered and then used to contact your friends and make arrangements. Speaking of contacting people, remember to get in touch with us with new addresses and email addresses and phone numbers if you've moved, gotten a new cell phone carrier, changed internet suppliers either out of frustration or corporate mergers. I want to make the directory a useful tool for everyone and that relies upon you folks to get me the latest information. Thanks in advance for spreading the word.

Finally, the 50th reunion only comes around once in each person's lifetime. It is the big one; the one you shouldn't miss. We're working hard to make it special. We hope you think so too.