The 6/9/10 Reunion Committee Meeting Review

Thanks to Dave D., Kent H., Rita A. our meeting was very productive. We were sorry Linda H. couldn’t be with us this time. Two Fulton information Meetings, at Beks Restaurant are being planned so there will be lots of time to add thoughts and input.

Setting the Date for the Reunion:
To Linda and those in KC who worked with us to nail down the Fulton Street Fair weekend as our reunion date: I want to thank you for your input but I’m afraid that date won’t work. As I mentioned in an earlier blog, the date for the FSF is always set to happen on Father’s Day weekend and we wanting to avoid dates attached to family holidays. SO… the second date we discussed early on, to have it during the FHS Homecoming in the Fall, has now become the date of choice. We will confirm this as the official date soon and hopefully get the ball rolling to organize some fun activities. If you have any comments or thoughts about that date, please contact me either through this blog, or by personal Email.

We also will be checking with FHS Alumni Associations date to see if they have activities we might want to join in on so we are not reinventing the wheel and competing with places to meet, etc…

For those who read this blog but do not make comments. Please break your silence and let your thoughts be known. Either email me or click the comment word at the bottom of this post. Then, just type in your comment in the comment box, confirm your google account (if you have one that pops up as your google identification) or register for a free google account. Lastly, type in the funny security word in their security box, push the "post" bar near the bottom and your comment should be posted. We always love to hear from you.

The Next Step will be have a couple possible information meetings with Fulton folks to get some interest and organization started. Let us know what you think.

Hi Guys,
After spending nearly a week with my family in KC (Kids, grand kids and dogs) I'm back at work to get a date set for next year's 40th Reunion.

A quick review on finding a date:
You might remember that the weekend closest to the 4th of July has always been the date we have used for our reunions in the past. Although that was great date for many years, the suggestion was made to not have it during this family focused holiday since many of our children no longer live near us and traveling to see children and grandchildren has become a priority for many.

Progress Report:
Up to this point all the different groups we tried to reach for suggestions on a date, (those who live long distances, the KC group and some short distance folks) have all agreed it would be good to have the reunion in conjunction with the Fulton Street Fair next year.

A Snag In Our Plan:
This past week I checked with the Fulton Chamber of commerce and found the date for the Fulton Street Fair (FSF) always is in conjunction with Father's Day. Arrrrggg.
This may effect some of those not wanting to break personal traditions or family plans.

Responses Requested:
The Reunion will not run over to Sunday except for Long Distance folks so it may not be a problem for KC, Short Distance or Local people. I'll be contacting some of you for an official opinion on date suggestions. Please, feel free to jump in on this blog to give your opinion or ask a question, just push comment, register (free), fill out the info and push submit. I'd love to hear from you all.
Thanks.
CCH

Fulton High School (MO) Alumni Association

Steve Baysinger suggested we link the FHS Alumni Association Website to this blog but I'm afraid I don't know how to do that. So, for those who are not able to google it, putting the address below in your internet address box and it should get you there.

Don't forget to send me some family photos or personal favorites of other classmates Let me know if you want them shown on a slide show on this blog, other wise I'll keep them for the reuntion presentation and memory book.

Thanks again to those who were able to join me In KC. So sorry Paul and Jenny Rice were unable to be there. Thanks Jenny for your thoughtful message. Don't worry, we are hoping to get together for a Royals game tailgate sometime this summer. I'm in KC a lot so I'm sure we'll see each other. As a matter of fact, My daughter Grace lives close to you I think. Talk to you soon.
Heres the FHS AA site address

http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&aq=1h&oq=&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4GFRC_enUS209US211&q=fulton+high+school+alumni+association

KC MEETING REPORT

My sincerest "Thanks" to everyone who participated in the KC meeting yesterday, (4/25/10). My husband, Randy, was right when he said, "Fultonions can be an amzingly loyal bunch of folks." I would add patient to that list since they are helping me as I work with a huge learning curve on this project. No wonder I didn't hear from many people about the KC meeting, they thought the meeting was over before they got the letter because of my clerical error. “Duoooogh!”

I was sorry I hadn't remembered to take my camera to the meeting so I could post pictures of Matt Meyer, Steve Baysinger, Jill and Bill Riester, and Steve and Carla Maerz and my daughter Grace Anne (who went with me since Randy was in Minnesota on business). Sorry Dave (Danuser) that you couldn’t join us. I hope your Mom’s estate auction went well. I had planned on supporting your sale but like you, don’t know how to be two places at one time.

The KC meeting was great. We talking over old times (of course) and I heard stories about Steve Maerz and his buddies I had not heard before, thanks to his wife Carla.
Carla Maerz helped answer Steve B's good question about what I had in mind for spouses to be a part of a reunion that mostly focuses on the past. She and Steve told us some great John Jameson stories that had us all rolling in laughter. (Way to go Carla and Steve).
A shared interest in nursing helped Jill Riester and my daughter Grace illustrated how Spouses can find others who share common interests and form new friendships. Of course we had current interests to share about our kids, businesses, surgeries from old high school injuries that makes our reunion not just about the past but about who we are today. Matt gets the prize for most loyal for making the effort to attend the meeting on crutches. Hope the hip heals up quickly.

Some of our discussion included: The value of staying in touch
• The need for accurate addresses and contact information
• Linking the Fulton (MO) Alumni Association web site to this blog.
• Making the date of the reunion the first part of June, in connection to the Fulton Street Fair.
• Having lots of fun activities to make it interesting for everyone. [Like: the usual golf, a service project Linda (Landrum) Houston and Tanna (Crump) Schmidli might get going, a pool (billiards) tourney, something in Columbia, a tour of the High School, Walk on the trail, a picnic, some competitive opportunities with a scavenger hunt around town, a barn warming cocktail hour, etc…]
• Bill suggested A Tale Gate for a Royals game this summer as a warm up for next year. He said, "Even if the Royals don't play well we can have fun together in the parking lot or at Legions (sp?). (wherever that is???)
• Matt helped keep me focused by asking Q: what’s the next step? A: To contact folks and encourage them to get involved and connected to send in ideas.

Thanks again everyone for your time and patience. It was great fun seeing you all, I look forward to the tailgate. CCH

Meeting in Kansas City

A KC Committee meeting has been set
Sunday (4/25/10) afternoon - 1:30pm
at the Baha600 Restaurant on the Plaza.
For any FHS 71 graduates who would like to join the conversation, we will hope to talk over reunion plans and ideas for next year.

Those in the Fulton area and surrounding region stay tune of a meeting near you.
C U Soon
C Crews H

Coming To KC

Hi,
Anyone in the KC area who would like to talk to me about ideas or helping with activities for next years reuntion, I plan to be in KC this weekend. Please contact me through any of the ways listed in my letter I sent 2 weeks ago. only Glenn Lawrence's letter came back as undeliverable so the rest must have been received.
I also do not have a current address for Kenny Lawrence. Anyone who might know how to contact either of these Lawrence boys, let me know or let them know how to contact me. Either way is good.
Hope to hear from you soon,
CCH

Sharing Photos

Hi Guys
If you will send me photos of you or you with your family I'll get a slide show started for this site. You can scroll down and see my first contribution of me with our newest granddaughter. Surely you all don't want to just see my photos. Come on and join the fun. You can also send me old High School photos etc or funny pictures of other classmates. We'll do a fun thing at the reunion with them and add some competition to make it more fun.

I am excited about finding out about every one's life after we've "grown up". True, some of us may still be searching for what we want to do when we "grow up" but by 55+ we surely can get past High School and enjoy life long friendships, renew old friendships of the past or make new friendships with those we might not have had the opportunity to know in the HS years.

For instance, I was a florist for 12 years and found out someone else shared that love and experience. We now, more then before, can relate over a shared interest. Each of us have grown and hopefully matured to be even better friends then before.

Another example would be my dear friend, Laurel Gilmer T. In High School we were friends, but lost touch with one another while in college. After college our friendship was renewed and strengthened and then after we married and moved apart in location and life style we lost touch again. Then, when looking for address for the last class reunion, in 2006, we once again were reunited and now enjoy a renewed and closer friendship with our famiies. That has helped to inspire me to continue reaching out to make connections with those who I've known or considered friends but have "lost touch". How about you? Are there any HS friends you would like to say "Hi" to or "I'm Sorry" or "What's up"? If so, you need to send me an E-mail so I can anonymously get a message to someone for you. We may have a King and Queen type of thing for the person who most people would like to see at the Reunion. Who would you like to see there? Send me an E-mail at hushai@gmail.com to let me know. Just put in the subject line. I'd like to see...

My last example is less fun. If you will remember, or go back through this blog to read it's beginning several years ago, you will see that I asked a question about wanting to find someone who had been on my mind. She was someone I respected but we did not have shared classes or interests in HS so we were not close. I wanted to know how she was and asked, "Where is Pam Oliver?" Well, a year or so later I happened to see her in a local store in town, we chatted and said we would get together for tea sometime. That never happened. Within the year she died of Cancer and we never had our chat. That is another inspiration for me to not put off doing or saying what I can to strengthen friendships. We have to realize, time is moving on and there is no time like the present to let others know how important they are or have been to us. So, Send me your. "Glad you are in my life..." list by Email for a project we want to do for the reunion. ALL E-mails will be respected and privet for the purpose of encourageing others. NO names of senders will be given. We want to encourage participation so feel free to get your lists and ideas to me as soon as you can.

Hope all of you are enjoying a beautiful Spring and Easter Holiday.
Blessings,
C Crews H