The following are announcements from your classmates.

From:  Deirdre Lemons Hammar

For those who might not know...

Carlene A. Miller - Titusville - Carlene A. Miller, 73, departed this life Friday, February 6, 2009. She was born in Greensburg, IN, to Carl Grover Miller and Florence Opal Boyd Miller. Carlene received her degree in English from East Tennessee State University and her MA from Florida State University. From 1956 to 1960, Carlene worked as a television director and camera person at WCYB-TV in Bristol, VA. She moved to Titusville in 1960 and began a monumental career as a member of the English Department at Titusville High School. During her tenure at THS she inspired students to a greater appreciation of life through literature and writing. She truly earned respect and admiration from all who knew her. Carlene's fellow teachers were also inspired by her wisdom and consummate professionalism; on two occasions she was honored as their elected "Teacher of the Year." In her retirement she enjoyed a second career as a mystery writer, and published four successful novels with two additional works in the process of publication at the time of her death. She was an avid birdwatcher who frequented many of the fertile birding areas of Brevard County in pursuit of her birding "Life List." Carlene is survived by two nephews, Frank Neal of Ft. Wayne, IN and David Neal of Wheaton, MD, and a niece, Sherry Neal of Woodburn, IN. In addition to thousands of enlightened students scattered around the globe, Carlene leaves a legacy of many close friends and a devoted community of former students who remained in touch with their "Miss Miller" through all the years. At Carlene's request, there will be no services. Donations in her memory should be made to the or to the Hospice of St. Francis. Please sign Carlene's guest book at www.northbrevardfuneralhome.com.
Published in FLORIDA TODAY on 2/8/2009

From:  Richard Guinn

If you are in town for the reunion and want to stop by the Getaway Martini Bar, my band is playing from 9-12pm on Friday July 10th. It is a really nice place with big comfortable seats and great atmosphere. The band is Bottoms Up and if you remember Charlie Trantham, he is also in the band. We play a lot of great dance songs and it is always a party.

I am also playing solo the day of the reunion from 3-7pm at the Old Florida Grill and Oyster house, located on the river, across the street from the Frontenac Flea Market. I am trying to find someone to fill in for me so I can make the reunion but if not maybe I can just show up late.

Getaway Martini Bar
7720 North Wickham Road, Unit 10
Melbourne Fl 32940
321-255-0052

From: Lois Boyd Clark

Due to the short notice, I'm not sure yet if my husband and I can attend as we both just started new jobs. Maybe someone could post a video of the reunion on a website for all of us to see that will be unable to attend

From: Keith Brown

probably won't be attending the reunion due to its short notice. I have been planning a three week trip to China for several months for the end of July and early August. If I can get a day or two off in early July I'll try to catch a red-eye out of California but it's not looking good. I'm a bit bummed about the conflict.
Is there any chance of setting up an audio visual display at the dinner and inviting non-attending classmates to send short video clips to be watched by attendees?
How 21st century would that be?
If I don't come, I'll make a donation anyway.
Best wishes.
Keith Brown (Rouleau)

From: Mike Ketelaar

FOR THOSE BORN in the 1960's

TO ALL US KIDS WHO SURVIVED the 70's!!

First, we survived being born to mothers who smoked and/or drank while they were pregnant.

They took aspirin, ate blue cheese dressing, tuna from a can, and didn't get tested for diabetes.

Then after that trauma, we were put to sleep on our tummies in baby cribs covered with bright colored lead-based paints.

We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors or cabinets and when we rode our bikes, we had no helmets, not to mention, the risks we took hitchhiking.

As infants &children, we would ride in cars with no car seats, booster seats, seat belts or air bags.

Riding in the back of a pick up on a warm day was always a special treat.

We drank water from the garden hose and NOT from a bottle.

We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle and NO ONE actually died from this..

We ate cupcakes, white bread and real butter and drank Kool-aid made with sugar, but we weren't overweight because,

WE WERE ALWAYS OUTSIDE PLAYING!

We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the street lights came on.

No one was able to reach us all day.And we were O.K.

We would spend hours building our go-carts out of scraps and then ride down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes After running into the bushes a few times, we learned to solve the problem.

We did not have Playstations, Nintendo's, X-boxes, no video games at all, no 150 channels on cable, no video movies or DVD's, no surround-sound or CD's, no cell phones, no personal computer! s, no Internet or chat rooms........

WE HAD FRIENDS and we went outside and found them!

We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth and there were no lawsuit s from these accidents.

We ate worms and mud pies made from dirt, and the worms did not live in us forever.

We were given BB guns for our 10th birthdays, made up games with sticks and tennis balls and, although we were told it would happen, we did not poke out very many eyes.

We rode bikes or walked to a friend's house and knocked on the door or rang the bell, or just w alked in and talked to them!

Little League had tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who didn't had to learn to deal with disappointment. Imagine that!!

The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law was unheard of. They actually sided with the law!

These generations have produced some of the best risk-takers, problem solvers and inventors ever!

The past 50 years have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas.

We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned HOW TO DEAL WITH IT ALL!

CONGRATULATIONS!

Kind of makes you want to run through the house with scissor s, doesn't it?!

The quote of the month is by Jay Leno:

'With hurricanes, tornados, fires out of control, mud slides, flooding, severe thunderstorms tearing up the country from one end to another, and with the threat of bird flu and terrorist attacks, are we sure this is a good time to take God out of the Pledge of Allegiance?'