55-Year Reunion Happenings 

Event: The 55th Reunion was held on Friday, August 6, 2010.

The 55th REUNION was held on Friday, August 6, 2010 at the beautiful Windsor Park Conference Center, 4022 Edison Lakes Parkway, Mishawaka, Indiana.  Check-In and Social hour started at 6:00 PM.   Attendees were greeted by Judy (Kelley) Bauer and/or Sharon (Wiekamp) Showalter,  our co-chairpersons, who checked them in and assisted attendees in finding their name tags and the classmate was given a List of Attendees.    After checking in - people moved to find a table, to the bar for refreshments, and over  to the Hor D'Oeuvres table for "goodies". 

At 7:00, Judy formally opened the Reunion with a welcome to all attending and our thanks for attending.  Judy introduced Sharon who acknowledged classmates who have passed away since the 50th Reunion by reading their names.  We've lost fifteen (15) classmates in the interim five (5) years, including two (2) from  our standing Reunion Committee, Mary (Dykes) Delnat and Doris (Wachs) Musary.  

Sharon then gave the following Invocation: 
        Dear Lord,
            Today we come together with our memories,
            The students and friends we once were, with some of these friendships spanning the years.
            Reunited for a time,
            Reliving our shared past.
            Everything that happened played its part in shaping us,
            So we return to remember the youth we were.
            We also honor those who taught and encouraged us.
            We remember old friends—those with us now, those who couldn’t be here, and those who are no longer with us.
            May we always remember with gratitude their part in making us who we are today.
            And now, bless this food and fellowship.
            In Your name we pray, amen.

        Sharon Showalter for 55th reunion from MHS, 2010.
    Thank you Sharon.

Then the buffet was ON ...  Windsor Park personnel released tables to go to the buffet.   The dinner buffet featured Carved Roast Beef, Pecan Crusted Raspberry Chicken, tri-colored Fettucine, Green Beans Almondine, Roasted Red-skin Potatoes, Carrots, pre-set Salad, Warm Loaves of Bread, Chocolate or Strawberry Mousse for Dessert, and Coffee.  The served buffet service was excellent and the food outstanding and enjoyed by all.  

Following dinner, Judy spoke briefly thanking the committee members and the fine services extended by the Windsor Park Conference Center.  There being no other formal program, people were free to move around and socialize the rest of the evening.    

Sharon organized the photography moments by MHS feeder schools.  It was a beautiful evening here in Michiana especially for our Reunion and we could enjoy the Windsor Park outside facilities over looking the beautiful landscape and ponds.  She called classmates by schools to go outside to have their class "informal" pictures taken. No professional photography here .... just me and some others taking pictures as best we could.  It's always a challenge getting more than two people to look the same direction at the same object while a picture is being taken .... so you can imagine how it is with 10 -20 people in the same picture.  Good fun getting organized.  The temperature was so fine, that many just stayed outside to enjoy after the long hot summer we've had this year.  A break in the evening temperatures was planned by our co-chairpersons and they did well!   After pictures, people went back inside to continue checking our various tables and friends.  Everyone seemed to have a great time socializing.  

After taking these informal class pictures, I  opted to wander among the tables and take more pictures.  Unfortunately, I did not get everyone's picture, but did catch many.  If people would just stay at the tables, like good little boys and girls, getting all their pictures would be so much easier! (Humor).  Others were also moving around taking pictures and I've asked some who I bumped into to send pictures to me for the website (digital cameras are great). These pictures can be viewed at 55th Reunion Pictures .     

Everyone I talked with had a great time and all enjoyed the reunion including the beautiful facilities, easy parking, excellent dinner, tremendous service & organization and best of all visiting with each other.  We had positive comments and several voiced that they would like to have another reunion in five (5) years; some also said maybe we should actually have them more often, like again in two (2) years.  At our ages, maybe we can't plan too far out.  Time will tell.  Not sure just how many more reunions the (still - standing)  reunion committee has - some new or previous committee participants would definitely be welcomed.  I have an insider's view that our two (2) chairpersons won't accept the office again, so we definitely need new committee participation.  We added two (2) new members this time and that was great and appreciated ... the other side is that we also lost two (2) committee members over the past five (5) years.  

Comments by: Dale Bauer

OTHER REUNION ACTIVITIES:

Event: The MHS Alumni Luncheon, Wednesday, August 4th, 2010 at Noon.  The MHS Alumni Luncheon, Wednesday, August 4th, 2010 at Noon.  We had 58 classmates & spouses reservations to attend this great MHS Alumni monthly function.  John Moore was so helpful to reserve an entire bank of tables for our group.  Sharon (Wiekamp) Showalter was so special in that she ordered and picked up helium filled balloons to be used as attention getters at the luncheon so classmates could find our grouping.  The best part of this task is that she picked them up that morning in a downpour with wind and rain.  The story goes that she couldn't get the balloons into her car .... (anyone who has ever done this will understand - so don't laugh) ... but of course in Sharon's case it was also raining.  So by the time she finally got all the balloons safely inside the car, she was soaked.  She had to go back home and change into dry clothes before going to the FOP.  Of course when she got there ... she had to get those *X$&@ balloons from the car into the FOP.  By the time Judy and I arrived at the FOP, there was Sharon and Fred's wife Jane - trying to unravel the strings attached to the balloons and the bags containing rocks (that I understand were "borrowed" from the neighbors yard.  I've even heard that scissors were finally used.  Anyway .. success -- Sharon and Jane successfully separated the balloons into three (3) sets that were then located at the head, middle and the other head of the tables marking MHS '55 group.  GOOD JOB.  Judy (Kelley) Bauer the other chairperson, was situated at the front door holding a sign to catch incoming '55 classmates to direct them where our group was located.  Worked out well for all.  The luncheon was fine and the '55 group were treated to a very special dessert -- Sharon (in her spare time) home baked chocolate chip cookies for our happy MHS '55 group and the cookies were gooooood.  The entertainment was "The Hollisters" presenting "Remember When".  Two members of the musical trio are MHS grads ... but the 3rd (guitarist brother of lead singer) - well - he was a "Penn" person - but was still a great musician - with good sense of humor.  This was a great outing enjoyed by all. 

Event: Breakfast at Honker's Restaurant, Mishawaka, Saturday, August 7th, 2010.  We had twenty-seven (27) attend this last minute planned event.  We met at 10:00 and Honker's had a separate private room for our little group.  Everyone was able to go to the buffet and get what they wanted.  We had plenty of coffee available and it was very nice and cozy for socializing.  However on the other side of the portable wall was a group of "Penn" alumni celebrating also.  But they were good as were we so no problems.  Afterward people were heading out either back home away from Michiana or home locally like us.   Again, we heard that another Reunion in five would be good.   So Those of us attending (on the committee) felt gratified with the all positive comments we'd heard after the Reunion.  

eBooklet: The typical Reunion Booklet was not printed this time as the Committee thought this was one area we could save money and work as a down sizing effort from the big 50th.  But  there is a 55th eBooklet that's available on this website.  Attending classmates were given the User Name and Password that is necessary to access the eBooklet.  Reason for User Name / Password is to facilitate sharing the eBooklet with MHS '55 classmates via the Internet as opposed to leaving it public where the whole Internet world would have access.       

REUNION STATISTICS:

Returned questionnaire responses:   (The reunion eBooklet content is based upon the returned questionnaires.    Final statistics at the conclusion of August 6, 2010 Reunion.

Demographic Statistics

Responding Classmates Representation By States/Country

Last Update: September 8, 2010