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Vanessa Carter (Chamberlain)

One goal of the dinner event Saturday is to personalize it - to MAKE IT OUROWN" so we'll be creating a Selfie Station rather than using a photo booth. There will be room in it for individuals, pairs of friends, but also groups of classmates. There is a choice of 3 backgrounds: #1 50th/Golden Anniversary (Gold not Old) where everything that glitter IS gold, #2 red and blue South High from the good old days,and #3 We are the Bulldogs! There all all kinds of corresponding props which will help make your selfies into keepsakes, but feel free to bring in any mementos you collected or saved from your South High Years to use. So bring your bightest smile and any Ludites (like me) among you can even bring a real camera and not just use your phones.

Vanessa Carter (Chamberlain)

Kevin just checked and the payment system is not quite ready to go. George has already set up a bank account for us but it is taking a long time with the logistics of tying it into a payment mechanism for the dinner. At that point everyone can register for which events they plan to attend. We have an absolutely wonderful site for the Saturday dinner. There is an outside deck (overlooking changing leaves and a pond) where we can have cocktails/hors d' ouevres. Then the interior of the Saratoga Elks is beautiful. It was built as a banquet hall and is very spacious with room for a selfie station, dancing, a cash bar, some fun activities and lots of mingling with friends. It will be even prettier with Autumn themed decorations Natalie and Hope are doing. There is a sound system and Kevin is updating the photos in a retrospective slide show. The dinner should be delicious. We met with the caterer and she is quite well rated, was very helpful in helping us select food that should not only taste great but meet people's dietary tastes and restrictions. Everyone should contiue to monitor this site - the 5oth Reunion  tab in the blue column on the left - and all the events should show up soon.

Sharon/Sherry Hiter (Neble)

re Missing classmates who have not yet been contacted, our classmates below are registered on classmates.com, I have sent a message to the 6 names below and referred them to this Web site re 50th Reunion info:       Ralph Ball, Melody Condon, Paul Martin, Deborah Ostrander, Kathleen Salley, Danny Smith

Vanessa Carter (Chamberlain)

I've been in contact with Melody Condon Hartung. She knows about the reunion and has the web site information but will not be attending so will have Kevin remove her from the :lost classmates:list.

Kevin Chamberlain

YOU'VE BEEN  WAITING FOR THIS!  REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN for our celebration on the first weekend of October! Visit the "50th Reunion" page at left. Addtional events are just about set. If you cannot make the entire weekend, just attend the events you can: there are several planned. The highpoint is a catered dinner dance Saturday evening.

By the way, if you have an excuse for not attending, check out our rebuttals here!

PLEASE REGISTER AS SOON AS POSSIBLE (even for the free ones), as we need to work with the numbers. There are deadlines listed for a couple of the events but those are the latest dates POSSIBLE to register; we really need fairly good counts well before that. Also, note that the hotel block is only held through early September.

We are still trying to track down "missing classmates." See the list here for those that are not registered on the website (and if someone is making an attempt). If you know anyone on the list, please ask them to register on SouthHigh73.org. As you know, it's entirely free and carries no obligation to do or attend anything.

Whle waiting, you can post song requests for the dinner playlist in the Message Forum, and you can update your profile with pictures -- some of those will be included in the slide show.

Hope Hewitt (Ballou)

Vanessa Carter (Chamberlain)

I thought there would be an influx of people signing up - at what point do we decide there is not enough interest in continuing because speaking only for myself I do not wnt to be responsible for the cost of this if people do not come. I don;t begrudge the work we're doing but will not be happy about that. Sorry

Sharon/Sherry Hiter (Neble)

Vanessa, it's only been 5 days since people could reply & 

speaking for myself, it's my busiest time of the year. Having said that, we should send an URGENT posting to all registered classmates on this site  saying if we don't hear back from you by Sept1st (or pick another date) we will assume there is not enough interest & we will unfortunately have to cancel our 50th dinner event!   Deposits have been made by 3 classmates & will be lost  if we don't get enough response.   we must have a date they have to respond by, at least with their intentions to attend & then payment by Sept 6. People may want to wait to pay? 

(ps I thought kevin's excuse page was very well done!) 

Keith Gilligan

If someone would like to attend that is from out of town and a place to stay is stopping them from attending , I have a camp in Thurman that is 1 bedroom and only a half hr from exit 17 of the northway . I can accomodate a couple there for no charge . Just reach out to me . P.S It has WiFi and all the other comforts of a hotel room except the noise !!

Susan Measeck (Estabrook)

Hope Hewitt (Ballou)

Keith Gilligan

I stopped and saw Gail Kearney today and she said that she is not interested

Vanessa Carter (Chamberlain)

My mom went to lunch yesterday with Randy's mother and sister and he will not be coming.

Kevin Chamberlain

Sue (and others!), if the dinner falls through, everyone will get back their deposits with the possible exception of the non-refundables that were placed out of personal funds up-front. We HAVE a commitment from the caterer and facility.  The only way the dinner will not happen is if we can't get enough people to commit. Right now, there are only about 20 people signed up.

Susan Measeck (Estabrook)

John Joseph

thanks kevin for all your hard work so far. i'm really looking forward to seeing everyone. dinner should be fun, and my wife karen will like dressing up.

Kevin Chamberlain

All, to clarify refunds: the software we're using requires that an event either HAVE a refund date or be flagged as "no refunds." This applies even to free activities. This makes no sense to me but I can't change it. Anyway, the free activities' cancellation dates are now set as the event dates. I hope that does not cause further confusion.

For the dinner event for which there IS cost, registrations/payments need to be made by Sep 23. Refunds need to be requested by Sep 30. (After that, there are no refunds because we have to pay the caterer for you whether you attend or not, just like a wedding.) If the event needs to be canceled -- regardless of date -- refunds will be paid. 

Please note that the only way that the event will be canceled is if not enough people sign up! Please consider signing up soon!

Also, note that the block of rooms reserved at the Holiday Inn Express are only held until Sep 6.

Keith Gilligan

Thanks Kevin for the clarification on refund 

Keith Gilligan

I've been bugging Mike for weeks and he messaged me yesterday and said that he registered finally 

Kevin Chamberlain

Keith, keep up the good bugging!

Barbara Green (Byrtus)

I've come up among the living! Sorry for "ghosting" and being unable to join the committee. It's been a difficult year health wise but things are looking up.I.so appreciate all of you who have worked so hard for this reunion. As someone who has planned large functions, I'm very aware of the difficulty!.

I can contact Bonnie Haxton Wood about the reunion. Her sister goes to my church so once I realized the connection I asked for her contact information. Her sister said that she doubts Bonnie will attend due to her health but I'll let you know what I find out. I know the whereabouts of a couple other people but read that they've been contacted by others already. 

I'm looking forward to catching up. See you soon! Barb

Kevin Chamberlain

Barb, if you have contact with ANYONE else, please push the reunion. Even if they have been contacted before, your nudge may be the one that gets them motivated. And tell Bonnie that we're ALL falling apart! It would be nice to see her.

Sharon/Sherry Hiter (Neble)

Kevin, please update missing classmate page of those contacted 

the following classmates were registered on classmates.com & I sent the names below a message telling them about our 50th and referring them to this web site: Ralph Ball, Melody Condon, Deborah Ostrander, Kathleen Salley & Danny Smith. Thanks Sherry

Sharon/Sherry Hiter (Neble)

how can we see total numbers signed up for each event? 

Keith Gilligan

I've seen Ralph Ball many times and told him about the reunion . I just don't think He's interested