(9/30) - The trip to Orlando is coming along. Reservation forms for 33 attendees have been received. Today, Jane and Gaylin Olson are "inspecting" the Hilton and sampling items from the Designer Buffet. If you haven't yet sent in your reservation form, please do so right away so that we can send out the collected list to each attendee well before they leave home. Thanks.

(9/7) - Letters with reservation forms for 60th birthday celebration were mailed today to a total of 90 classmates. The recipients included committee members, others who asked for info on the trip and classmates who live in Florida. Here is a the letter and here is the reservation form. Both are in .pdf format. If you still wish to attend the event over the weekend of October 20-23, note that you must make hotel reservations no later than September 20 to get our group rate. Details are in the letter.

(8/7) - Tom and Mary (Layhe) Maneikis hosted the committee meeting for a total of nineteen classmates and spouses. We learned that there will be several dozen attendees at our 60th birthday party in Orlando over the weekend of October 22 and 23. Some are driving, most are flying. At the meeting, we decided on planned events for several nights and a brunch on Sunday.

A mailed letter with reservation information will be going out soon to each of the classmates who asked for more information when returning the orange postcard that was in the letter to everyone in February. If you did not originally send in the orange card but now may be interested, please take a look at the original invitation for details (Click here for a copy) and contact me (with an email to reunion@jhs63.org) if you would like to receive the letter. Thanks. John White.

(7/23) - The date for the next committee meeting will be Sunday, August 7. Pasted in below is the message that was sent recently to classmates on the the committee list. Another message will be going out soon. It will include details and directions to the meeting. The address list will be expanded to include classmates who returned their orange card with an indication of interest in going to Florida in October. Please let me know (with an email to reunion@jhs63.org) if you would like to be included. Thanks. John White.

Here's the message:

Hope everyone is having a great summer.

With our trip to Florida starting to get closer, it's about time to start with the detailed planning for the October 22 and the days surrounding that Saturday.

After our mailing this winter, I received a bunch of reply postcards and only a small stack of returned letters. Of the postcards, about 40 classmates asked for more information. Not very many of those cards were from those of us already working on the reunion so it appears we could have a pretty good turnout.

I will be gathering up those names and adding them to this mailing list so that they can see what we are up to. That may also stir some of them, especially the few new ones in Florida, to get involved.

Our meeting will be on Sunday, August 7 at 4:00 at an "undisclosed location" in southeastern lower Michigan. I'll get back to you when we have determined the place. I expect the format will be the same as previous meetings, i.e., attendees bring a passing dish (appetizer, salad, side or dessert while our gracious hosts will provide the soft beverages and main course. Details will follow.

Thanks again to Jane Olson to helping us get this started on this birthday adventure.

John White

(6/3) - Not much news to report over the past three months. A stack of orange reply cards from the February mailing about our 60th birthday party in Orlando on October 23 indicates a reasonable level of interest. A committee meeting to continue with more detailed planning will be held this summer. Check back here later for a date and more information.

(2/17) - The committee meeting on February 5 drew about a dozen classmates and resulted in the mailing of over 400 letters. The invitation to our 60th Birthday Celebration this fall in Orlando is available as a .pdf file. Click here for a copy. We hope you can join us. We also hope that classmates in Florida will want to help organize the banquet and other events for the weekend of October 22.

(2/3) - Reminder - On Saturday, February 5, interested classmates and guests with skills in envelope-stuffing and stamp-licking are invited to the home of Jeanette and Gary Childs to send out a mailing to classmates announcing our 60th Birthday Celebration in Orlando. We will gather at 4:00 for snacks and stuffing followed by a potluck dinner. Gary and Jeanette will prepare the main course so other attendees are asked to bring a dish to share (snack, salad, side dish or dessert). Soft drinks will be provided. If you plan to attend, please let them know in advance with an email to childs@dmci.net. You can also call at (517) 522-4389.

Note: Death Notices that appear in the Citizen Patriot are available on-line at http://www.legacy.com/jackson/LegacyHome.asp

(1/9) - On Saturday, February 5, interested classmates and guests with skills in envelope-stuffing and stamp-licking are invited to the home of Jeanette and Gary Childs to send out a mailing to classmates announcing our 60th Birthday Celebration in Orlando. We will gather at 4:00 for snacks and stuffing followed by a potluck dinner. Gary and Jeanette will prepare the main course so other attendees are asked to bring a dish to share (snack, salad, side dish or dessert). Soft drinks will be provided. If you plan to attend, please let them know in advance with an email to childs@dmci.net.