Eric (Rick) Moon

Mike!  You've actually got a 350GT?  like the one in "A Man and a Woman"?!!?  In my book, you are the hands-down winner in "actually succeeded".  And all those grandkids?  You have been blessed, old friend.

Eric (Rick) Moon

I like Bonnie's idea - not too many person-hours.  There are lots of parks around that could fill the bill.  I'll ask my Redmond-dwelling brother for suggestions.

If there's anything that can be done from 2,500 miles away, e.g. phone calls, I would be happy to help out.

Eric (Rick) Moon

My brother has good things to say about both Pine Lake and Beaver Lake on the Sammamish plateau.

Mary Norwood (Senescu)

Jay thanks for starting conversation.
Art eloquently said as always.  
I remember you Gene.  
Everyone, great ideas.  
See you all soon!

Kip Miller

I traveled over from Ellensburg yesterday to visit with my son in Sammamish.  We picked-up some food and lunched in Sammamish State Park. Looking around, the park was a little sad right now, but as summer approaches it will dry out and get some TLC.

Maybe this process should start with a preference vote.....indoor or outdoor (park) venue.

Stephen Nicol

I like outdoor as it would be a summer date.  I do have a request that the site be mobility accessible as I don't walk any great distance any more.  Also the summer date is better as we are already booked for the middle two weeks of September. If later than that, early October works for an indoor venue preferably the school.

T. Michael McDowell

I am looking forward to hopefully, with my wife Cindy, attend a 60th Sammamish High School reunion!  We have been living on the East Coast since 1986 and in historic Wethersfield, Connecticut (1634) since 1991.  We have four adult children and 4 grandchildren. One son lives here in Wethersfield, CT and another in Bozeman Montana.  Our daughters live in New York City and Westchester County, New York.  All four grandchildren live in metro New York City,  We are happily able to see them frequently. I have been retired since 2014.  Cindy continues to write books, mentors authors while and teaching and speaking across the country for events large and small.

Richard Crow

I am alive and well, now living in Bellingham,after 37 years on Mercer Island.

Diana Davis (Kinared)

Diana Davis (Kinared) checking in from Arizona. I love the idea of a 60th reunion. I missed classmate reunions after we moved to Arizona in 1997. I prefer an outdoor setting also with 'in case of rain' accommodations. It would be great to see classmates again. I can stay with my daughter who lives in Renton. My husband, Ken, was recently diagnosed with Parkinson's and his health will be a factor in my attendance. So I'm not 100% sure I will be there. We have three adult children, our son in San Diego, our daughter in Renton, and our daughter who lives just a few miles from us. We have one spectacular grandson who is 14 (I can't believe it) and will begin high school in Oro Valley in September. Wow, what happened to the years?

Paul Shelton

So far 27 Totems from our class have checked in, most being interested in attending a 60th reunion. There is an email Mike Gardiner began which is being used for comms between some of us. I don't know if others are aware ot it. If you want to be included, I'm sure we can add you to the list if we have your personal email.

At this time, a September date is being considered, and it looks like it can and probably will happen. Join the party!

Paul

Richard Crow

I would be interested in attending a reunion.

Paul Shelton

I have contacted Sammamish High and received the following information:

1. School starts September 5th

2. We are being given special consideration, since the school policy is not to even speak to anyone about school related events until October 1. I guess they must be pretty impressed that we're still hanging on :-).

 3. They will "gladly support " us. They are happy to arrange a tour and have offerred the cafeteria for a meeting location for our "cakes and cookies".

4. There is also a home football game against Cedarcrest (whoever they are) on Friday, the 8th, should we choose that date. We are invited to attend.

So Friday, the 8th of September has been approved by the school. There can be no tours, etc. while school is in session. As for access to the cafeteria before school lets out, I'll have to check. If another later date is eventually desired, it seems reasonable to assume they woudl have us, but officially only the 8th has been cleared.

Possibly, we could gather for the tour first, after school lets out, and then have our social time in the cafeteria, go out for dinner locally, and then return for the game. We could scout out restaurants that could take a table or two of us each, which would be assigned by lottery so we could mix randomly at dinner, and then return for the game. Just a thought.

More when I know it.

Peggy Harris (Petersen)

Great job!  So far that sounds great!

Stephen Nicol

I'll vote for that, especially the date, 

Kip Miller

I really appreciate the work by Paul in obtaining a audience with the school. I'm sure it sounds interesting to many, but for me I have no desire to visit the former site of the school I hold so dear. The new school is a completely new steel and glass monolith that bears no kin to our school.  It's a whole new environment complete with a newly appointed guards (BSD405).  I would prefer to meet everyone at a neutral site, as we did for the 50 year reunion.

This is why I originally voted to meet in a park.

Stephen Nicol

I would love to see the new school. I don't believe that brick and mortar make a school. It is the people who are there on both sides of the desk. That being said, wherever we meet is fine with me as it is the people who are important. 

Danny Braudrick

Hey, I'll go with the flow. But I would like to see the inside of a new monolithic high school building. 
BTW, Paul and I have spoken about having our rejuvenated totem pole displayed in the school with a plaque of explanation. Totems are a part of the Sammamish HS story. I would think that would be a no-brainer for administration officials

Jay Spaulding

I moved to Bellevue from Kirkland in the middle of my 9th grade and went to Highland Junior High (1959). I still kept in contact with many of my childhood friends from Kirkland, even after graduating from Samammish.  Years later, I was invited to a function put on by former graduates of Lake Washington High School. It was called "Golden Grads" and takes place every end of summer (late August to early Sept.) at Lake Washington High School.  I have gone to this event several times and am always delighted to see, not only old friends from the class of '63, but also many friends from post and prior years. *

Could we discuss with the administration at Samammish High to set up such a program? Perhaps they would let us use the cafeteria or gym or ?.  The "Samammish Golden Grads" could be specified for all grads or just for those, say post 30 years. I had many friends who graduated before me and many after and I would sure like to see them again. 

This event would not exclude our own get together as some of you have already suggested.

*Perhaps class presidents from each of those years could be contacted so as to set up a table with a ballon labeled with the year on it for each class. Then we could meet up at our table or mingle with other grads from previous years.

Let me know what you all think of this idea.

Thanks,

Jay

Eric (Rick) Moon

Could we not meet again on Saturday in a park, after the Friday evening get-together?  I think it would be nice to have more opportunities to talk.

Edgar Hart

I don't care whether we go to the school or not, but our class opened it. Inviting the class before and behind might be ok, some universities do it that way. I like the idea of a park and lots of time to visit.

Christina Gibson (Lindblad)

I like the idea of Golden grads 

Paul Shelton

Hello classmates,

I have gathered all information from the school and narrowed our options to one, as far as I can determine at this point.

1. We can’t access the school until 3:30. We can’t do anything at the school on Saturday until late afternoon when many of us may be flying out, or just too tired. And yes, September 8^th is our day.

2. It seems if we are going to the game after a tour and a little social time, we will need to eat before the game. Without a catered affair, we will have to find local eateries, which I think is very doable, but I haven’t started the restaurant search yet. Undoubtedly, we will have to go to different restaurants in small groups. We can work that out later.

3. After returning from dinner, we will meet in the cafeteria, gather our shields and halberds, and head, en masse, to the field (force in numbers). I assume we can get an assigned section so we won’t have to fight for our seats. (The game starts at 7:00)

4. After the game, around 8:30 I presume, we head back to the cafeteria for our dessert, which will be our 60^threunion celebration cake, or some such diet-destroying food. (Cabbage wedges and carrots seemed a little out of the mood.) At 10:00, we clear out and head for bed.

5. Saturday morning we rise late and trundle off on our own for a late breakfast. Then we head for some park or other venue for our final chat-fest, say between 11:00 and 3:00, buying picnic food there, or if we’re on our own, having a grill or two on-site to provide some burgers or sausages, and of course gourmet cabbage wedges and carrots. We might have some beer drinkers, too – just possibly. So that has to be accessed either at the venue, or we bring it. All details. At 3:00, the last debate should be winding down or we’ve run out of stories, and we call it a decade. Don’t miss your flight.

How does that sound? We should be worn to a frazzle by the end of it all, but I can’t imagine it won’t be a lot of fun. I will be returning to Seattle in April, and can begin in earnest to flesh out the details. 

I should add that I'm not invested in this plan; it's just a suggestion open to other ideas. Is there a better way to pull this off?

Stephen Nicol

Paul, We could contact Angelo's Ristornte on 130th. They have a large back room capable of 100 + people.  We held my parents 60th Wedding Anniversary in 2004 and my 60th birthday in 2005. Just food for thought.

Art Hyland

Well, sad news, Dave Osterberg passed away about 3 weeks ago, this according to Mike Dmitriev who had heard from Dave's brother Jon only recently.  Dave's another fellow I and many of you will truly recall as well, as someone you can almost only remember with a wide smile on his face.  I hadn't been in touch with Dave since Sammamish days, but perhaps others have and can contribute a few thoughts about what he did since our time in those now gone halls.  Thanks to Mike for letting us know.      Art

Art Hyland

As long as I'm on the site, I'm hoping to hear back from Bill Simmons with whom I've had fairly recent contact.  However, the subject we discussed was his stage four lung cancer, a condition that I'm sure he would probably not wish to broadcast, but I will, with the hope he gets mad enough to let us know how he's doing.  I have his phone number but no answer and the messaging was full when I last called.  Bill and I lived across the street from one another, so from 8th to 12th grade on we spent lots of fun times, and several since.  I always felt that Bill is not only intelligent beyond me but looked like he was 29 at age 14.  Which is why he really hasn't changed much in appearance to me since then.  Anyway, if someone can verify in whatever way possible what Bill's current condition is and how to contact him, I'm sure I'm not the only one who wishes to know, so we can bother him as so many wish to.    Art