Class of 1957 Golden Anniversary Celebration--A Smashing Success
The Class of 1957’s 50th Anniversary Reunion was a successful event in which 33 classmates participated last October 18-20, 2007 at Kendall Green. The participation count was the highest ever since similar celebrations were done in the past, and the planning committee is overwhelmingly happy with the reunion accomplishments.
The three-day reunion activities were solidly booked starting with fascinating Washington DC Ducks Tour Thursday morning (October 18), and concluded on Saturday night banquet event which was well attended. According to Sam Sonnenstrahl, the Gallaudet Alumni Director, the Class of 1957 had so much energy because our banquet event remained open almost all night while the banquets of other classes ended at a much earlier time. Smile. Yeah, the Peikoff Alumni House, well known as Ole Jim, was a fitting place for our Saturday night occasion, and the time wasn’t a factor for we were having a great night.
An opening reception was held on Thursday afternoon at Ole Jim where the dedication program was done in remembrance of our departed classmate, Gilbert Eastman. The Class of 1957 Memory Book, Gallaudet University Spirits, was dedicated to Gil who had given numerous good-will deeds to Gallaudet University and the Deaf environment worldwide.
There was an impressive medallion ceremony on Friday afternoon. President Bob Davila and Provost Steve Weimer were at the Chapel Hall ceremony along with some of the GUAA Board members. The attractive medallions were given to all members of the Class of 1957 who showed up at the reunion along with some of the 50-plus year alumnus who attended the ceremony. President Davila was also awarded the medallion by Provost Weimer.
The Class of 1957, as was noted in recent Gallaudet Alumni eNewsletter, is among the top fund-raising classes in Buff & Blue Fever competition. We are in the second place with a total donation of $8,102.00 (as of November 14). We made the donations of $6,575.00 during the months of October and November.
Among the top four anniversary classes in participation, the Class of 1957 is leading the way with a 42.67%. We have shown our utmost support for the drive, and we hope some of the non-reunion participants will also want to help boosting the class drive. LET’S DO IT—the competition expires December 31, 2007. For more information, please contact Patsy Bowman, Assistant Director for Annual Giving, Office of Development, Gallaudet University, 800 Florida Avenue NE, Washington, DC 20002-3695.
And, the Class of 1957 reunion participants have shown their financially support toward the depleted class treasury by donating twenty dollars or more per person at the Saturday banquet event. Julian “Buddy” Singleton made the $20.00 suggestion, and the classmates overwhelming made the monetary donations. Thanks for the staunch support from the Class of 1957.
The reunion days were climatically ideal, and everyone extremely enjoyed attending the event. We owe our deep thanks to Daphne Cox, Associate Director, Alumni Relations, for her help in the planning committee’s reunion work. Daphne was the one who helped engineering the success of our reunion. Thank you, Daphne.
The committee met once again recently, and we have decided to retain the voluntarily services of Ted Hagemeyer as our class treasurer, Kay Francis and Joe as the class Website coordinators. Speaking of class Website, please feel free to submit some class-related articles for submission in the Website at any time in the future. Your cooperation will indeed make the Website look good. Smile.
In conclusion, we want to express our graciously thanks to the committee people who have completed their reunion assignments in fashionably and timely manner. From bottom of our hearts, we thank Lois Burr, Alice and Ted Hagemeyer, Virginia Luke, Gerald Pelarski and Robert Scribner.
Ronald Hirano pitched in and heavily helped the committee with the video (CD) assignment. The show slides of the class activities were shown during the Saturday banquet event, and the show came out successfully. He also made some large donations to the class treasury, and we shall everlastingly remember his kind deed. Thank you, Ronald.
Alice Obray, with Larry’s help, made beautiful bison place cards introducing the diners’ names to the dinner mates. The construction of the place cards was cleverly done, and we appreciate their constructive task. Please accept our thanks for your help, too.
We, the reunion participants, enjoyed the recitations of Helen Pendergraft and Ruth Ann Wilding’s songs at some events. Thank you so much, ladies. And, some of you who have served as emcee of the programs, we thank you, too. George Wilding, we thank you for your blessing at the banquet event.Most of all, on behalf of the planning reunion committee, we thank some of you for your reunion participants, and we are truly very sorry that some of you could not make it. The participants have made the reunion a SMASHING SUCCESS.
We, also, must not forget Suzanne Stecker who has voluntarily setting up our class website, and of course, Daphne, again.
We love you all, and thank you for your help.
Happy Holidays and May you find happiness in the coming New Year.Joe and Kay Francis
