Posted by popular request and demand:
Well, some ten thousand nine hundred ninety days or one thousand five hundred seventy weeks have passed since that Sunday night, June first, nineteen eighty in that hot and stuffy gymnasium several blocks from here on Cassingham Road. And, here we are, three decades later, on this Sunday evening, July fourth, twenty ten.
My, how the world has changed. And so have we, as well.
It was a different time, a different place, a different world. One without laptops, cell phones, and apps. And, there were actually ten schools in the Big 10 Conference, not eleven and soon to be twelve.
Well, anyway, here we are 30 years later. Wow! How time flies! On that night 30 years ago, our commencement speaker encouraged us to Think Well of Ourselves. Three decades later we can. Because Bexley High School’s Class of Nineteen eighty continues to go out into the world enhancing and enriching the lives of so many other people. And the people of our class, you, Are still actively involved in various pursuits you’ve been passionate about since you were little kids growing up in Bexley! Don’t ever let that little kid from Bexley in you die. She or he made you who you are and got you were you are today. The moment you forget about that, you’re sunk.
Thank you very much for this honor. Recognition like this when it comes from your contemporaries and peers means a great deal and doesn’t get any better than this.
Now to briefly discuss a few things…
Thank you very much to those of you whom I’ve had the opportunity to meet up with around town either for lunch, dinner, a sports event, or something else. It’s been great and I’ve enjoyed those very much.
Thank you very much to those of you whom I’ve met up with on the road all across the country. These visits have been highlights of my various travels and something I really look forward to.
Thank you to those of you have shown me the kindness of your generosity and hospitality by having me as a guest in your home both here locally and on the road, as well. I am grateful to you for that.
Thank you to a few of you who have been on the radio with me. I’m grateful to you for doing that. Your insights and perspectives have enlightened me as well as my audience in the blind and visually-impaired community.
It has also been fun to watch the next generation in action. Be it in high school musicals or various sports events, I have thoroughly enjoyed watching your daughters, sons, nieces, and nephews do their thing on the high school and college level. And, the best part is to see how proud you are of them and how you encourage them to excel in what they are doing. That’s been a kick.
Thank you very much for your kind words to me about the blog (http://bhs80blog.blogspot.com). I’m grateful to you for that. However, I can’t do that without you. I would encourage you to e-mail me your news and photos so I can post them, be they life cycle events or other things you have going on. You don’t have to wait five years to go to another reunion so you can post something on a brag board. The blog is a brag board, and so too is the class page on facebook. The blog and the facebook page are COMPLEMENTARY and not COMPETITIVE. So, please let us know what’s going on with you. Thanks.
Also, I would encourage you to become more actively involved in planning for future reunion weekends. While institutional memory is important, so too is an infusion of new blood. Any comments, criticisms, thoughts, ideas, or suggestions for future events are welcome and appreciated. Don’t be afraid to join the committee. It’s been great that Lisa Ewart Tuttle, Tod Friedman, and Wendy Speakmon Field joined us in preparation for this event. They have been great to work with and have provided us a spark of new energy we needed to put this together for you. It was also great to once again work with Leslie Mormol Green, Cheryl Harris Rushman, Susan Callif Eisenman, Cassandra Loeffert, Carole Yoder, and, yes, our fearless leader, Teri Cohodes Morof. Thanks to you for once again doing a masterful job in producing another set of memorable festivities.
And, BHS ’80 World members, thank you very much for all your kind words to us about this weekend and how we keep you in the loop on this. You kids are worth it! And, while we may be in the throws of middle age, we’re still kids! You kids are the best. You were the best in the nineteen seventies, and you still are the best today.
So,
We’ve got spirit, yes we do, we’ve got spirit, how about you? Spirit, let’s hear it!
R O W D I E…that’s the way you spell Rowdie!
Onward Bexley!
Let’s go Lions!
And Let’s get fired up!
(And the crowd goes wild!) :-)
