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Reunion 10-25-03
Jim Reich's Reunion
Speech
1. Want to take a moment, on behalf of the committee, to welcome everyone.
I will keep it short because we feel that people want to spend the evening
catching up with old friends, and they don't want a long program.
2. I am quite aware of the love and affection we all have for each other
as I see it every time our reunion committee meets. Meetings last long after
the formal meeting ends, as people just enjoy hanging around and talking.
But after last night's pizza party at Joyce's and the Klondike party at Judy's,
I realize that the committee's feelings toward one another is only a reflection
of the whole class's feelings.
3. While we are enjoying this evening, I think it appropriate that we pause
for a moment of silence for those in our class who have passed on.
4. I thought you'd like to know how this all began
A. As you know, Sissie Berkowitz Schwartz, of blessed memory, spearheaded
our past reunions. She called the meetings, got things started, and did an
enormous amount of work in executing the plan. We lost Sissie four years
ago
and nothing much was done until one day in about July, 2002, I was
walking along Forbes avenue, minding my own business, and who do I run into
but Joyce Barnett Pearl. She said we should get a reunion started. I had
my doubts as we had just had on in October, 1995, but we decided to call
a meeting committee members from past reunions and put to the group whether
we should have a party celebrating our 65th birthday. The committee voted
unanimously to have one and here we are. We determined to have as many people
attend this birthday party as we could. At our last reunion, we think we
had 140 attendees. Not knowing how many we could expect this time, we budgeted
for 125, 150, and 175 people. You can imagine how thrilled we are to tell
you that over 200 people are in this room.
B. Our first task was to locate everyone in the January and June classes
that we possibly could. Unfortunately, we lost track of many of our classmates
over the years. Bette Nadel Balk and Marcia Esman Raphael were assigned this
task of locating as many people as we could. Both of them really got into
this problem, and using the Internet and other means, they did a tremendous
sleuth job. At this point, we can account for everyone in the January class
but 20 out of the 120 that were in that class, and for everyone in the June
class but 40 out of the total of about 335
and you can bet that Bette
and Marcia won't rest until they have found more.
C. Esther Latterman Schwartz has been our secretary, web page liaison, list
keeper, you name it. When we started, back in August 2002, some of us had
heard of web pages and we wanted one for our class. But no one on the committee
had a clue how to get one started. After contracting with two web masters,
neither of whom worked out, we found Jim L. From that time on it has been
smooth sailing. I hope all of you have found our web page. This committee
plans to meet quite regularly in the future and we also plan to keep the
web page up to date. So, refer to it every once in a while.
D. We had some problems getting our money matters under control. So, I asked
Marcia Levaur to be our treasurer with the promise that there was nothing
to it. But keeping track of money, paying bills, etc. does take work and
I want to publicly thank Marcia for stepping in and doing a great job.
E. The committee feels a great deal of gratitude to Jim Weisman, who is still
quite active in law practice. Jim "donated" his secretary, Ann Abel, a very
lovely young woman, to handle our mailers, our mailing list, and all that
sort of thing. I don't know what we would have done without her, and for
that we thank Jim.
F. I've singled out a few members of the committee, but everybody did a
tremendous job. So, now I would like the entire committee to stand for a
bow.
1. Sandy Gold - Photographs
2. Biff Friedland Greenberg - Reservations
3. Annette Roscow Kranich and Barbara Weil Walkow - Entertainment
4. Roz Mann Markowitz - Name Tags
5. Rita Weinstein Seltman - Pictures
6. John Spear - Venue Arrangements
7. Natalie Wagner Klein
8. Gene LaFace
9. Judy Feldstein Smalley
10. Marshall Wnuk
11. Spike Zimmerman
G. By the way, our committee is by no means a closed society. We would welcome
any of you who would like to participate to come and enjoy our get-togethers.
5. Now for some smaller points, and then I'm finished.
A. We have a photographer, Jim L., whom you've seen. By the way, he is also
our web master. We will be taking a group picture of the January class at
9:30 and the June class at 10:00. This will be taken in the back of the room.
At our advanced ages, we really don't separate the classes in our minds very
much. But we felt that if we took both classes together, there would be too
many. Also, Jim will be walking around taking candid pictures. Many of these
will appear on the disc. You can purchase the class photo and disc for $25,
including shipping and handling. So, if you haven't done so already and would
like this package, please see Sandy Gold. Finally, if you would like to have
a picture taken of a smaller group, say of those who lived on the same street
growing up, or a team, or whatever, just tap Jim on the shoulder and he'll
be glad to take it.
B. Tomorrow morning, we have arranged for breakfast, dutch treat, at Panera's
restaurant on the Boulevard of the Allies. It's across the Boulevard from
the old Isaly's. Breakfast will be from 9:30 until 11:30, and we have a private
room in the back of the restaurant. So, come and go as you please.
C. The beautiful centerpiece, a creation of Carol Kochin Wolsh, is edible.
So, take a few bars and a few kisses.
D. Now that we have the web page, we would like to keep it as up to date
as possible. So, if you change addresses, phone numbers, or anything, keep
us informed.
5. Now, I want to tell you that Chico Roth, the Oscar Hammerstein of the
Class of '56, wrote an entertainment. So, while you are still eating, I will
call Chico to come up and perform the entertainment he wrote called the "Know
Something, Be Something, Do Something" rap..
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