Gratitude
Gratitude
I contacted Reunions Unlimited to discuss this, our 30th reunion about a year and a half ago and set a date & signed a commitment with them. Cindi Feinsot then asked if we'd consider having our 30th take place here in Atlantic City…which I thought was a fantastic idea, a great venue! I ran the idea past Reunions Unlimited and they flatly refused to even consider AC! I was SHOCKED! They proceeded to preach to me, telling me that I "owed it" to my class to "do the right thing" by keeping it local, simple, and to continue with their services. If you can believe this, Reunions Unlimited even threatened to hold their own 30th reunion for this class whether we wanted them to or not, even in addition to.
I started talking to others in our class and everyone agreed AC was the way to go. As excited as I was, taking on the responsibility of putting together a class reunion with the enormity of our class, combined with having NO database and limited experience in putting together a party of this magnitude, 658 alumni, it should come as no surprise that anxiety quickly set in! I remember walking down 3rd. Avenue in Manhattan not long after saying, LET'S DO IT!, talking with Cindi, Karen Kirsch and John Tavares , me feeling nervous, in reality tears of nervousness….and they…very confident.
But because of the commitment, dedication, and hours of hard work of everyone on our team, this incredible evening has come to fruition! Thanks to everyone involved for your confidence in me, your vision, and your determination…AS A TEAM, WE HAVE MADE THIS NIGHT A REALITY!
I want to personally thank each and every one of you for your patience and perseverance. Although I was pesky and aggressive, they still let me take the lead on this!!!!
As I have said all along
It takes a Village.
Now let me introduce Our Team……..
Judy Palasits-Judy was surprised that I wanted to acknowledge her tonight, but it was your assistance and your AMAZING computer skills that gave me the strength to kick start this voyage. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and your assistance inputting everyone's information into a spreadsheet. I never forgot your help in the very beginning..I Thank You.
Lori Spivak: Lori offered to put together our video memorial we will be showing tonight. We felt that this was an important tribute not to be dismissed. Thank you so much for all that you have done and for creating such a beautiful memory.
Ann Margaret Shannon: Thank you Ann for coming forward in the end with all the memorabilia you were able to ascertain from UHS. Ann was on the fence about coming but with some prodding from Larry Petras, both UHS teachers, we are thrilled that you are here and we thank you for pecuring all you see around us in this room tonight.
Jim O'Neil: Jim was great at coming to all the meetings, socializing, buying drinks, and always staying in touch. Jim always showed up, looked good, and was there to help.
Marla Williams: Marla came forward offering to be the designated photographer. We greatly appreciate what you are doing tonight and all photos will be put on our UHS website in the next week. Thank you Marla for taking this challenge on.
Kathy Freibot: Another loyal reunion meeting attendee! Kathy always added great input and ideas. Thanks to Kathy for handling all the decorations and centerpieces, as well as our prizes. This was a great job to take on and she was always happy to take the lead.
Lisa Deck: Lisa was a great part of the team as far as getting the word out to others. She assisted in finding people for whom we had no current addresses, attended the reunion meetings and compiled all the goody bags you received when you checked into the hotel today.
Janine Silver: Janine took on the postcard design. This was our starting point in getting the word out. Janine handled all aspects of design and worked closely with the printer and the mail house to ensure the mailings went out in a cost-effective and timely manner. Janine is a great team member and a wonderful asset to our group.
Karen Kirsch: Remotely, Karen was a great team member. All I had to do was ask and Karen was on it. She scanned all the HS individual pictures and posted them on our website, major undertaking, as well as creating, printing and assembling the name tags everyone is wearing. Karen also was instrumental in compiling our working database of addresses for our initial mailing and tracked down several of those "lost" members of our class.
John Tavares: John…you have been instrumental in so many ways…from skypeing in remote team members at our committee meetings, reminding everyone of their tasks to your follow up emails, taking meeting minutes, scanning pictures and graphics for the website and just always being there to offer supportive suggestions. It was John's decision to print the AMAZING handbooks you were given at check-in here tonight. ……Plus, you were great company on the ride to NJ to all the meetings from NYC. Thanks for always being there.
Danny Becker: Danny was a diamond in the rough for us. Once I found Classcreator.com who hosted our website which allowed us the freedom to express our excitement and spread the word, next was being capable of actually doing the "web stuff". As I turned Jennifer Anderson onto the site, we were both leery as to how far our computer skills would take us in managing the site. At that point, we reached out to the class for assistance and Danny immediately came forward. All the way from Austin Texas, Danny has always been there for us to manage any request we had on the site, to setting up our PayPal account, tee shirt sales, banking, site changes and design…and the many immediate requests we would throw out to him. His knowledge in Paypal was key to our site and Danny..as we have said through out the past year…..and what Tina Turner once wrote….."You're Simply the Best".
John Nakashian: With his expertise in the party planning business, John and his son Jake (our DJ), will be running the show tonight!! They have contributed all music, and audio plus created the video loop as well as handled the Tee shirt ordering. Speak of which, if you didn't purchase one of our Committee Designed T-Shirt on our website, you can buy them throughout the night right here. John. thanks for opening your office space for our meeting, and making this night extra special!
Jennifer Anderson: Jenn was the one who handled the website design, finances, and payments reports and traveled many miles to our committee meetings from Maryland to Cioffi's to be a part of the team. Jennifer took care of the banking, posting ticket sales, daily updating the site of attendees and oversaw registration and check in for tonight's event. Thank you so much for all that you have done….You were an incredible asset to our team.
And last but not least…………..Cindi Feinsot: YOUR vision, assistance, direction, connections and excitement…well, we are all here because of YOU!!! Thank you for working on millions of details over the last 18 months, not the least of which included handling all the room reservations, special requests, setting up the bank account, getting donations and so many OTHER things to numerous too mention.
IF IT WEREN'T FOR YOU, my friend, we would have settled for some dull event at some uninteresting North Jersey hotel. BUT NO….you made this night SPECIAL!! Thank you, Thank you, thank you for absolutely everything that you have done in making this dream a reality and a Great Dance Party!!!
It is the sum of all THESE INCREDIBLE parts that makes this reunion what it is tonight.
Thanks to all of YOU for the miles you have traveled and special arrangements you made so that you could be here with all of us TONIGHT!!
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE….HAVE A GREAT TIME!
The wisdom that has been bestowed upon me during this enlightening journey has been a wonderful and highly unexpected gift. I am humbled. The passion for truly appreciating where I came from grows every day. The friendships with those I was tight with growing up in Union have strengthened and taken on a whole new life. And for those with who I am just NOW getting to know…well….I am blessed with our newfound friendship!