THE 45-YEAR REUNION HIKE, APRIL 16, 7:00AM

The starting point of the hike first proposed by Tim Bedient is the Pima Canyon Trailhead, shown in the map in this link. We're told to expect a lot of people on a Saturday morning in April, with parking at a premium. Let's try to meet at the trailhead ramada at 7:00 and head out from there. The hike is about 3.5 miles with a 250 ft elevation change. The duration will be two hours or less, allowing plenty of time for nourishment and naps before the main event later that day!

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Great Reunion Response

The '71 buffs who enthused about a potential 45-year reunion when asked last fall were right on. It seems that there has been a pent-up desire to get back together! All right, let's do it.

The main event, which will get underway at 5:00 pm on Saturday April 16, 2016 at the Rolling Hills Golf Course Clubhouse, features a cash bar and buffet dinner with live musical entertainment. The band will include no less than five of our '71 classmates, plus two "children" of one of them. Yeah, it's a good-sized band, and as you might expect, they're going to play stuff we all like! There will also be a few other fun surprises not to be spoiled here. Cost to attend, including dinner is $35.

The reunion weekend will kick off with a guided tour of the hallowed halls of THS on Friday, April 15, at a time still to be determined. We'll be sure to get the details out early when we get them nailed down.

Then, Saturday morning at 7:00 am, we're going to take a group hike in the east end of South Mountain Park, leaving from the parking area at Guadalupe and 48th Street in Ahwautukee. Tim Bedient is the organizer and promises about a two-hour, fairly easy hike. A post-hike meal at a local eatery is an option as well.

Make your reservations by e-mailing ths71reunion@gmail.com. At this writing, the number of our classmates attending is approaching 60!!!

He's a current list of confirmed THS classmate attendees posted on Leap Day (Feb. 29, 2016):

Terry Abbott                                                   Debbie Jones Ramsey
Roy Aguayo                                                    Robert Larchick
Rosa Alvarez Wehrman ('78)                         Denise Larson Kobel
Vicky Bader Dempsey                                   Ken Lassen
Tim Bedient                                                    Debbie Logan Willette
Carol Bellows Agne Poole                             Anne Marquis McKeeman ('72)
Patti Bender ('72)                                            Paul McCaw
Janet Boyd Lopez                                            Paul McNeil
Sharon Branham Day                                      Tom Montalvo
Betty Bryant Rohloff                                       Jone Moss English
John Busch                                                       Gary Neely
Salvatore Cafiero                                             Deborah Nelson
Debra Carbajal Coate                                      Diane Palatinus Watkins
Judy Coate Williams                                        Judi Paris
Jeff Cole                                                          Tom Pian
Jacque Cooper                                                 Chuck Ramsey ('67)
Les Cox Lassen ('73)                                       Dorothy Rarick Barnes
Sherry Crawford Gallagher                             Mary Reeder Kenyon
Pat Davitt Burdette                                          Deb Renner Hull ('72)
Tom Ditsworth                                                Kim Roberson
Duane Ernst                                                     Kas Safriet Mangas
Cindy Ewing Arbuckle                                    David Schneider
Patrick Fleming                                                Vikki Schrock Larchick
Tara Fuchs Roesler                                          Pat Smith Ruiz
Mark Hannah                                                   Nadine Speth
Martha Hartman DeMott                                  Anne Spooner Crowe
Dave Hausman                                                  Susan Torgerson Cappelloni
Mike Hudnall                                                    Jim Wehrman
Don Hull                                                           Susan Whalen Irby
Donna Hull Wallace                                         Suzie Wootton Rogers
Roma Israel                                                      Shirley Worbs Ditsworth ('73)
Fred Jones

ALS Claimed Two Classmates in 2007 and 2008

We recently learned that two of our THS Class of 1971 classmates passed away from ALS (Lou Gerhig's disease).

John Philip Moschel:

John passed away on December 6, 2007, from ALS (Lou Gerhig's disease). His obituary can be found below.

Nila Jo (Sales) Perkins:

Nila passed away on June 14, 2008 in Colton, California from ALS, or Lou Gerhig's disease. Although I haven't been able to find an obituary, there was a touching photo and paragraph about her in a publication called NeuroTalk, in an article titled "In search of the face of Lou Gehrig's disease "
Leo Greene, Staff Writer
(Article Launched:10/08/2006)

"I think ALS is the loneliest disease," said Nila Perkins from her room at the Reche Canyon Rehabilitation and Health Care Center in Colton.

The 53-year-old Nila had been an active woman, a longtime executive for the Girl Scouts.

In 2002, she first experienced shaking in her hands and difficulty negotiating stairs.

Nila knew something wasn't quite right. But when a doctor suggested she needed to slow down, "I was outraged," she said.

Eventually, in May 2003, a Loma Linda specialist diagnosed ALS. Nila had been living on her own in Redlands at the time.

By July 2003, she quit driving. A walker became necessary in September of that year. And by February 2004, she needed a wheelchair.

So as not to be a burden to her daughter, Nila decided in May 2005 to move to the Reche Canyon center. It was a wise decision, she said.

In her year-and-a-half at the nursing home, Nila has survived several other ALS patients. As for longevity with this disease - "It's 95 percent attitude," she said.

Her grandchildren keep her going. Nila said she wants to live long enough for the youngest, who's 3, "to remember me," she said.

Reserve Your Spot!

Registration for the 45-year Reunion main event has been really active! We may have to cut it off if we reach the capacity of the facility as set by the Tempe Fire Department.  (We're asking what that number is).

To be safe, register right away! Just send us a line at ths71reunion@gmail.com! Then you'll get an invoice for the $35/person fee later, but you'll have a spot reserved.

We're looking forward to a great time with live music and a yummy buffet dinner. Other surprises are still to be announced.

Register for the 45-year Reunion!

HOW TO OFFICIALLY REGISTER FOR THE 45-YEAR REUNION:

Our class now has its own e-mail address: ths71reunion@gmail.com

To register for our April 16, 2016 reunion at Rolling Hills, just send a message indicating your name, and the names of any other folks you'll bring along. Also please tell us how you prefer to be contacted with additional information (we'll even use postal mail, if that's what you want). That's it!

Complete contact information would be great, but we have learned not to expect that. We just want to include as many people as we can!

In your message, you can let us know if you have any special requests, suggestions, ideas or expressions of feelings about all of this, but this is strictly optional.

Once we figure out the arrangements for food and associated things, we'll send out a notification of cost per person. One of the main goals in setting this up is to keep the cost low and include as many 71 buffs as possible!

We're looking forward to hearing from you!

WHY ATTEND THE 45-YEAR REUNION?

It's a new year. It's a time when healthful vows and resolutions are made. 

Consider attending  the 45-year reunion of the THS Class of 1971. It would be good for all of us. We all need it.

Those us us who have had any kind of therapy know that revisiting the past is generally deemed to somehow be therapeutic. It’s always a key element in diagnosis, at least. Looking at the things that helped get us here can assist in affirmation, or formulation of course correction.

So, if not for yourself, attend the reunion for the rest of us. 

Furthermore, it will be cheaper than a single session with a mental health counselor!

Bison and Buffaloes

Bison and Buffaloes

There have been a few posts on Facebook lately featuring depiction of bison and the confusion behind the name "buffalo."

Laurel shared an interesting article about the genetic purity of Utah bison:

http://www.ksl.com/?sid=37798442&nid=1288&title=study-pure-herd-of-bison-living-in-utah&s_cid=queue-2

Here's a little synopsis of some comments:

Jeff Cole Interesting article. I hope they don't DNA test Tempe Bison; they might discover my impurities.

Unlike · Reply · 1 · December 18 at 2:13pm

Debbie Logan Willette TMI Jeff Cole?

Unlike · Reply · 2 · December 18 at 3:11pm

Patrick Fleming Yes, I believe that we THS "buffs" are bison, based on all of the photos, logos and taxidermic evidence that I've come across. The "buffalo" name that we took on is simply less formal and more friendly, and probably not the result of genetic impurities from European or Asian species. I'm not so sure about brucellosis, however.

Like · Reply · December 18 at 3:30pm

Jeff Cole Actually, we had bison heads in the gym, but a "buffalo" is an African critter. Just sayin'.

Like · Reply · December 18 at 5:56pm

Patrick Fleming Aren't there some Asian buffalo species, aka water buffalo? I think they excel mostly in the diving events.

Like · Reply · December 18 at 10:44pm

Jeff Cole That's the point. American Bison are not buffaloes. A misnomer that stuck!

Like · Reply · December 19 at 2:04pm

Write a reply...

Phil Lundberg Aren't we all Africans?

Unlike · Reply · 1 · December 18 at 7:37pm

Patrick Fleming And all cousins, too.

Like · Reply · December 18 at 10:40pm

Donald Hull Tell me Buffaloes. Aren't badass Pat!

Unlike · Reply · 1 · December 1 at 8:53am

Donna Wallace Thanks Pat. Looking forward to it. Merry Christmas and a Happy, Healthy New Year to all!!!!

Unlike · Reply · 2 · December 1 at 9:15am

Judi Paris Cool picture - thanks for sharing all you have Pat & ditto on Donna's message smile emoticon

Unlike · Reply · 1 · December 1 at 11:22am

Now Planning the 45-year Reunion!

Reunion Practice Feedback:

It was a good, valuable practice, clearing out a few cobwebs, getting a little loose and looking ahead to the season. We have a strong potential to gel into a fine team of classmates.

Without exception, every person from our graduating class that I encountered at the All-Buffalo Roundup last week was having a great time, and everyone I asked said that a 45-year reunion was a really good idea! So let the planning begin!!!

Our graduation date was June 3, but everyone with whom I’ve discussed potential reunions has said that it’s usually too hot then to draw out-of-towners, and even the locals wouldn’t enjoy, say, a picnic type of event. Spring and Fall tend to be preferred by most. So, I nominate Spring!

Spring Break, Easter, and Spring Training are common planning issues for the spring. Considering those, a proposal for scheduling our 45-year reunion in Tempe for the weekend of April 16, 2016 is hereby put forth. Further, let’s try for a catered, buffet-type meal for an evening at the Rolling Hills Golf Course Clubhouse for one event, and perhaps a picnic event with an invited food truck for another, say somewhere like Kiwanis Park.

This is a suggested framework only. There is a vast spectrum of other possibilities, but getting consensus seems challenging without someone making a clear proposal. And time waits for no one.

Now I am seeking feedback and planning committee volunteers!

UPDATE:

We have no money, but we do have a treasurer!  Debbie (Logan) Willette has offered to serve in this capacity, and I have enthusiastically accepted!  Neither Debbie nor I live in the Tempe vicinity, so we'll be looking for other committee members to create a local presence.

The April 16, 2016 event at Rolling Hills is becoming more clearly defined, but additional details will only be available after further negotiation and agreement.  We're still seeking representatives to set up a second event, probably for Sunday April 17.