Welcome to my afterthoughts on the reunion! I thought you might enjoy some of the inside scoop. And if you weren't able to make it, I'll try to fill you in on the details so can enjoy the reunion in word and image. The project took 13 months from beginning to end. And we actually needed more time! And the big weekend itself was such a whirlwind! Enjoy these ramblings and keep in touch.
- Cassie
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Reunion Trivia
Did you know . . .
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Assembling reunion decorations in Bob and Cindy's basement.
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The "Easy Button" was the most-used tool in decorating for the reunion. Whenever someone finished a task, we heard, "THAT was easy!" (Um, NOT.)
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Duo team Sam and Eric, class of 2007, did whatever we needed!
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Alumni from the 70's, 80's, 90's and 00's were involved in making the reunion great! How cool is that?
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Jenny Benett Wallace, pro wedding planner, can handle a glue gun with precision!
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It took Bob Kelly and Jim Cavallo a few hours to assemble the lighted arch at the doorway of Tritity Hall. Hope you enjoyed it! (Me and my bright ideas. And those darned Chinese decorating kits.)
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Also hope you liked the decorations on the hall's outside decor. Those were truly a feat. I recall at one point, Bob Kelly was standing on a ladder by a brick pillar with wire in his teeth as I stood on the pillar and gripped the brick and Jim Cavallo wrapped plastic and ribbon around us. Several times, Bob and I were laughing so hard we were afraid we'd fall!
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After midnight: "I HATE this! Why don't you just KILL me?!"
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Bob Kelly is truly the perfect guy. He ran any errand I asked him to do without question. ("Can you go get several hundred bobby pins at K-Mart?") He did stuff the first time without a reminder. (Something my husband hasn't learned after 12 years of marriage.) Bob had no qualms about walking around Chesterton covered in decorating glitter if it was absolutely necessary. And he boldly went where no many has gone before: to Hobby Lobby to get more topiaries for the Reception. (Though he told the clerk that he needed something that sounded like "torpedoes.") However, Bob Kelly surprisingly hates assembling fru-fru decorations past midnight. That's where he draws the line. So consider yourself warned.
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Jeff Lanter of Barbara Funke: "This is MY coach."
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Most alumni have expressed feelings about the reunion in terms of pleasure mixed with pain: "My heart is so full it aches." Or "I have an ice-cream headache from too much happiness." Or "I'm smiling and crying" or "I had such a great time it was frustrating." Truly. This gathering stirred up every emotion for everyone involved.
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At the Friday Reception, each coach had a cluster of "kids" around them.
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Most common regret of those who didn't make it (that I've heard): "My God, if I'd known WYCOFF was going to be there I would have come!" Yes, you should have. You really missed quite a party.
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Mr. C. with Greg Lanter
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Jim Cavallo was actually a bit nervous about making small talk with so many alumni. In the end, he was the last one hanging around at each event. He talked so much he hardly had time to enjoy the food -- after we had Italian Proscuitto with Melon just for him!
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Jim Cavallo with Tom Marlowe (90's), Rory McGinty (70's), and Garth Shaner (80's) at the CHS Open House.
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The DuBreuil Family with Mike and Pauline Gotch -- for the first time.
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Patrick DuBreuil and program alumnis, Kristy BruBaker DuBreuil named their adorable son Remy Paul in memory of Paul Gotch, deceased program alumnus. Little Remy met Paul's family for the first time at the CHS Open House! It was quite a moment.
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Most common question among alumni before the reunion: "Are the old pictures hanging at the [new] high school?" Answer: Yes, indeed! The tradition goes on!
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Old pictures even hang in the (sound-proof) practice rooms in the Speech & Debate wing of CHS. That's right: practice rooms. This new generation has no concept of appreciation for the old pool hall!
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Couldn't resist! Wow, do I actually have that many teeth?
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Jeff Lanter and Garth Shaner photograph their photographs!
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Mark Jensen had his kids say thank you to Mr. Cavallo for teaching "Daddy" (Mark's now an attorney) debate. Well done, Mark. Our kids truly owe our coaches.
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Another common post-reunion comment among alumni: "I'm so glad I had the chance to say thank you to my coach!"
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During the reunion, at one time or another -- most of our alumni cried! Younger and older. Men and women. Bawled. Or bawled on the way home. (You know who you are.) I myself am not a crier, though crying became my most popular past-time in the months of July and August. Now I can't even make it through Oprah or Hallmark commercials.
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The last song played by our DJ at the Gala was Queen's "We are the Champions." Did you request that song? Hey, so did I! (And about everyone else who submitted a song request.)
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Cindy with Bob and daughter, Taryn at the Sunday Picnic.
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We enjoyed tiramasu for dessert at the gala in honor of Cindy Kelly. When selecting our menu items, Bob Kelly chose his wife's favorite dessert just for her. That's how much he loves her. (Awwwwwwww!)
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The Reunion Event Details
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