Know the email address of a missing Classmate? Click here to contact them!
CAN YOU BELIEVE IT'S BEEN 50 YEARS??
In 1970, the Concorde made it’s first flight, the US lowered the voting age to 18, 100,000 people protested the Viet Nam war in DC, The Beatles disbanded and the greatest class in the history of Shawnee Mission South graduated.
Unfortunately, The Beatles are not getting back together. But we are. AND WE DID!
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SO...we finally did it. We had our 50th reunion, almost 52 years later. And it was a blast. Now, we're moving on...but not apart.
This site will stay up. You can contact your friends, add thoughts or memories, plan get-togethers, whatever you want. After 50 years, we finally have a way to stay in touch. That's a good thing.
Work it. And get other alums to join if they haven't. Because we're gonna have another reunion...sooner than you think!
We all had a great time at the 50th Reunion. And we all chipped in to benefit our SMS Foundation. Add to this check a personal donation by Susan Fowler and we gave the Foundation nearly $1300! Well done, Raiders...
IT HAPPENED!
After almost 2 years of delays, we finally gathered to celebrate 50 years of the SMS Class of 1970. It was a great weekend of remembering and catching up. For those who were there, it was great to see you. And for those who couldn't make it, we missed you.
You can stay in touch with classmates thru this site for the next few months...and maybe longer. We're working thru how to keep funding this platform.
As soon as we can gather photos from the weekend, we'll post them for everyone. If you'd like to view the video we played at the event, you can see it here: https://youtu.be/iOKe0Hk_HMs
Raiders Forever,
Your Reunion Committee
IT'S ON! APRIL 30TH, MILBURN CC!
We are full speed ahead this time. Plan to join your fellow 1970 Raiders starting a 6 at Milburn. If you haven't registered for the evening yet, go to: https://sms70payment.mystrikingly.com
Other activities around this gathering are being planned now and details will follow. Come reconnect, remember and share!
NEW HOTEL RESERVATION LINK
Hopefully, you're planning on joining us for our (again) postponed reunion gathering this spring, April 29-30. We've secured a group discount at The Courtyard near SMS. Here are the details and a link to make reservations for just $99/night.
Shawnee Mission South Class of 1970
Start Date: Thursday, April 28, 2022
End Date: Sunday, May 1, 2022
Last Day to Book: Thursday, April 7, 2022
Hotel(s) offering your special group rate:
Courtyard Kansas City Overland Park/Convention Center for 99 USD per night
After seeing the Covid trends and consulting with many of our classmates, we have made the responsible decision to postpone our SMS70 Reunion gathering...again.
We have booked Milburn for our gathering next spring on April 30th, 2022.
Yep, we hate it, too. But all on your reunion committee have pledged to keep the faith and keep working to make our gathering not only safe but special. And after 50 years, what's another 7 months to assure more of us can get together safely? Here are a couple of details:
> If you've registered and paid, you can choose to request a refund or, hopefully, leave your money with us and be ready to go next April 30th. Be aware that a refund will be approximately $67.67 for each person due to payment platform fees. We hope that's not a problem. And we really do hope you'll keep your registration intact.
> While the main gathering on Saturday is postponed, we are continuing with the unofficial, informal Friday night event at Vivo, 119th & Metcalf, in the Gametime District. Come join us and rock out to classic tunes by The Sneakers, featuring former classmates. Yes, rock and roll never dies...or fully retires.
If you have questions or wish to request a refund, email us at sms70reunion@gmail.com. And over the next 7 months, continue to urge other classmates to register at sms70reunion.com.
Yours in safety, patience...and green and gold,
YOUR REUNION COMMITTEE
UPDATE RE: SHERATON RESERVATIONS
There was a snag making reservations at The Sheraton. Ben has worked it out and here is the latest info:
Good afternoon Ben,
Sales Manager, Randy David, has given me the SM South Class of 1970 room block file, and I am pleased to introduce myself as your Event Manager. As your event manager, I will be your point of contact to make your time at the Sheraton Overland Park a success.
· Guestrooms: It’s my understanding your guests will be making their own reservations. I have included a customized link for your attendees to book the discounted rate: Book your group rate for SM South Class of 1970
They can also call our Central Reservations Number to book via phone. They must mention that they are with Shawnee Mission South Class of 1970 in order to secure the group rate. The telephone number is: (866) 837-4214.
The cut-off date for guest rooms is scheduled for Thursday, September 2nd. Please note, our cancellation policy is 48 hours prior to arrival. Any reservation cancelled less than 48 prior to arrival is subject to 1 night’s room & tax charge.
· Billing: I show your room block will be Individual Pays Own. Individual reservations must be guaranteed with a major credit card and guests will be required to present payment at check-in. The hotel requires full room & tax plus a $50 incidental authorization up front.
We are doing our 50+1 Reunion September 16-18! And you need to register today.
The votes are in, the message is clear and we are ready to gather to remember our high school years and friends. It promises to be an awesome time...and we hope you'll join us. Here are the details.
You can register and pay for the official gathering Saturday, September 18th, at: https://sms70payment.mystrikingly.com. We'll gather at Milburn Country Club, 7501 W 69th St, Overland Park, KS 66204, starting at 6 PM. There will be a cash bar, dinner, activities, memorabilia and, mainly, reconnections. We'll celebrate 50 years of friendship together and it will be memorable.
The cost is $70/person. That includes dinner, cost of the venue, decorations and our class donation to the SMS Foundation.
But that's not all. Thursday will feature a golf outing. Bring your sticks and join your classmates on the course at The Shwnee Mission South Foundation Golf Classic. More information is available at: https://shawneemissionsouthfoundation.org/golf-tournament. If you wish to play, contact Steve Engel at: stevebnsf@att.net.
Friday night, September 17, 6-9pm, we're gonna rock it. An informal get togther at Vivo, 119th and Metcalf, will feature The Sneakers live music, with classic rock by former members of SMS's The Premonitions. Drinks, food, fun...and stories to deny on Saturday night.
Wanna walk the halls? You can tour SMS South Saturday and relive those hallway memories. Details and time are forthcoming, after the school office reopens at the end of July.
And of course, Saturday night come catch up with friends that had such an impact on our lives. If you didn't see them Friday night, here's your chance to say: "Really? Wow."
Fifty years is a long time. But some connections, even without yearly renewals, never fade. Our high school years forged friendships that renew in an instant...in a moment of meeting, a moment of remembrance. Come experience that. You know it will be special. And you know this is the only opportunity to do it.
Hotel and flight information is to come, if you need it. And any specific questions can be sent to: sms70reunion@gmail.com.
Hope to see you there...RAIDERS FOREVER!
Your Reunion Committee
From Charlie Porter:
Ahoy Raiders,
My plans to attend the reunion were overridden when my wife (of 41 years) Sue was invited to be on the performance group of the KC St. Andrew's Pipe and Drum Corps when they perform at the National Pipe and Drum Competition in Tulsa that happens the same dates as our reunion.
Here are answers to what I suspect will be the Reunion FAQs:
*Retired?: Yes, from taking call nights weekends and holidays.
*Why are you still working?: Being a daytime cardiologist only is a great gig.
*Still Married? Yes. *Is she blind and deaf?: No,just very tolerant.
*Do you have kids: Yes, two. Monica and Troy, living in Vero Beach and London. They each have two children, all healthy.
*How's your golf: Sucks, I believe the name for GOLF got its name because it is simply the FLOG spelled backwards
*Could you pleeease give us some self-promotional information disguised as normal conversation? Thanks for asking. www.charlesporterphotography.com or Google "Leopold Gallery, Charles Porter.
*Do you have a spare bedroom and a space for a large dog? Yes, Well then, What's your mobile phone and email just in case. 816-444-5434 cbporter1@gmail.com.
GRANDKIDS!
Getting older has its downsides, but then, it also has its joys...
IMPORTANT SURVEY!
Your SMS 70 Reunion Committee has been working diligently to create a safe, fun 50th reunion event. As a group, we now feel fairly optimistic that we will be able to proceed with our plans for this fall, September 16-18, 2021. BUT WE NEED YOUR INPUT. Please take the very brief survey to let us know what you're thinking. Either click on the link in the upper side navigation...OR just click here: Fall 2021 Attendance Survey
We'll be posting a survey soon about your opinions concerning our proposed September 2021 event. Please respond...your input is important! But if you're wondering....there's this:
IT'S GONNA HAPPEN!
Your committee is pretty sure that, with the vaccine rollout, there's light at the end of this horrible tunnel. So, we're feeling confident that we can proceed with planning for a mid-September 2021 gathering! Keep watching here for more announcements. And we still want more pics and stories. Send them to sms70reunion@gmail.com. Raiders forever!
50+1
Hey, Raiders.
These are strange times. The course of this crisis is unknown and we’re all struggling to know what the near future will bring. But it appears it might go on for some time.
With the health, safety and mindset of our Class of 1970 in mind, your committee feels it is best to postpone our reunion gathering. After reviewing current contracts and future obligations, we believe it is best to delay our gathering to a time that we can relax and enjoy each other’s company and memories. So, we have tentatively scheduled our reunion now for September 16-18, 2021.
We’ll still stay in touch, we’ll keep the website up and hopefully we’ll continue to connect online. Keep posting updates on your life. Keep reaching out to more people. Keep sending photos and stories of our time together. We’ve all recently experienced the value of “virtual” relationships and sharing. Let’s keep it up, let’s keep connecting. Let’s make this the year of remembering the 1970 Raiders.
More details to come as this all develops, but thanks for your understanding.
Raiders Forever,
Your 50th Committee
IMPORTANT NOTE FROM YOUR COMMITTEE
Class of 1970 Raiders:
We all have a host of questions to deal with right now, perhaps the least of which is: Will the 50th Reunion happen on schedule? But that’s the one your committee has been discussing. Obviously, no one knows the course of this crisis over next 5-6 months. But just as obvious, our first concern is the safety and health of everyone. So, we have decided to wait another 30-45 days before making a decision to postpone the September activities. We are reviewing our current contracts to determine what we can do if we decide to postpone. But we WILL gather at some point to reconnect, reminisce and remember our great class.
Stay home, stay well, stay Raiders Forever.
A few pics from our 20th Reunion...thanks Lynn Wheeler!
Hope to see you in September!
Hey, we need pictures and stories!
Got a memory? Got a pic from back then? Please send them to sms70reunion@gmail.com. We'll post them so we can all remember.
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In 1970, the Concorde made it’s first flight, the US lowered the voting age to 18, 100,000 people protested the Viet Nam war in DC, The Beatles disbanded and the greatest class in the history of Shawnee Mission South graduated. 
