Please read Bennie’s latest update if you haven’t already. We’ve got 3 weeks left to the reunion and that should give you enough time to read this one (just joking Bennie!).

Ok, you really need to pay attention here please…

This final broadcast email is going out to everyone who has supplied us with their email address. It has a two-fold purpose.

1. To give you some more details on the events themselves for those of you who are coming, and

2. To make one last shameless plea for sign-ups, missing people info and money!

Here goes the fun stuff for all you attendees…

If you have signed up and paid your money we are going to send you a personal email within the next 10 days just so you have a confirmation of your attendance. We are not sending out tickets, but will have you listed on sign-in sheets at the events.

The details of times and locations are on the web site…

www.rhsspiritof76.com (more…)

I’m sure you all still have this memorized. Me, I’m still trying to. That’s why we write these things down. So we don’t have to. I was just surfing the school website and saw it. Thought you might be interested.

Hail Riverview! To thee we sing
Our Alma Mater, let it ring
In every heart there is a song
Of pride and spirit ever strong
Our hopes and dreams, Our destiny of thee
We’ll guard the memory.

As we prepare for futures bright
We know that you have been a light
To guide our paths along the way
A light that will not fade away
A light to which we’ll always cling
Hail Riverview to thee we sing!

Here’s a recent update from Bennie on pre-registrations. If you haven’t done so, please go ahead and if you have, make sure you get your payment in.

As to your question about registrations, we have approximately 135 for Friday, 133 for Sat and 60 for Sunday. Definitely less than the 20 year but way, way more than some other recent 30 year classes. Sharon says we should be prepared for lots of last minute sign-ups so we expect in excess of 150 for each of the two main events.

Bennie also mentioned something about master of ceremonies. I don’t know what he’s talking about. I’m way too shy and bashful don’t you think?

I reaaly think I’d have more posted here lately but the travel just won’t let up. I thought you might enjoy seeing KISS co-founder, Gene Simmons, getting interviewed here by yours truly at Chicagoland Speedway yesterday.

Gene was on hand for the Indy Racing League re-affirmation annoucement about moving to 100 percent ethanol fuel next season. I’m here for the last race of the season (weather permitting) and covering the activities on my Domestic Fuel site. Here’s a sound bite from my interview with Gene talking about ethanol and why it’s a good fuel alternative: Gene Simmons On Ethanol (1 min MP3)

I hope you’re having a great weekend!

Just over a month to go. Now’s the time to email in any thoughts, news, announcements, pictures, stories, etc.

My travel schedule slows down a little bit so I should have more time to post here. So feel free to email me whatever’s on your mind that you’d like to share.

Here’s a now and then with Robert Thompson.

All I can say is, “wow” Robert. You’re looking relaxed.

On the Reunion Website Robert says, “It was fun to look through your now and then photo’s. Most of you look better now!” Yeah Robert, same at you buddy!

He continues:

Hope everyone is having a good life. I just spent the month of july on siesta key with my lovely family. A wonderland of sun and water with the smell and feel of my childhood…

I graduated from FSU in 1982 and have since traveled to over 40 countries, living in Denmark the last 20 years. Have a great reunion- and “let the good times roll” If you get the time, drop by my brothers new restaurant, “Mattisons Siesta Grille” just off stickney point bridge on the key.

Since no one is sending me pictures I’ve had to go trolling on the Reunion Website. Here’s Gary Antonellis back then.

Gary and I go way back, back into the early, early years.

Here’s Gary and family today. After Riverview we went to U of F and had the joy of living together in the dorms and then an off-campus house. I remember most of it. How about you Gary?

Some things probably should be forgotten but we have a lot of memories that are really good too. I hope to see you and Fran there!

While I’m posting locations, here’s where our Sunday event will be.

Oscar Scherer State Park is still a wonderful piece of Florida scrubby pine flatwoods. Fifteen miles of trails through these beautiful natural areas provide opportunities for hiking, bicycling, and wildlife viewing. Canoeists and kayakers can paddle along South Creek, a blackwater stream that flows to the Gulf of Mexico. We’ll have some good old-fashioned BBQ and fun for the whole family, so be sure to bring any kids you still have in the nest!

Here’s where our Saturday party is going to be.

Our Main Event is going to be a smashing party with great food, lively entertainment and a hot dance floor. Our facility is the beautiful Club House at Palm Aire Country Club. We’ll have the place decked out in the true Spirit of 76′. We’ve got a great 5-Piece band by the name of “True Pseudo” that will have you on the dance floor all night long!

I hope you have your plans made since we’re just over a month away!

I have my hotel reservation made, do you? If not then visit the Reunion Website here to find out how and make sure you know the rates.

I’m coming in Thursday afternoon after seeing the following on the website:

We will host a “Welcome” hospitality room at the hotel starting Thursday night, October 5th, from 5 pm to 9 pm and also during the day on Friday, October 6th from 10:00 am until 3:30 pm.

Will we have Bennie the Bartender at our hospitality room?

Things can get a little crazy for a road blogger sometimes. This is on a dairy farm near Hamar, Norway last week. I think the cow made as much sense to me as the Norwegians I interviewed with their heavy accents!

Whenever I visit a foreign country I still come home to the good old U. S. of A. and thank God I live here.

So what’s new in your worlds? I haven’t heard much lately. I’m in the process of making my hotel reservation as I write this. It’s not far off.

Here’s the latest update from Bennie:

T-Minus Two Months And Counting!

That’s right, we have little more than 60 days until the big event and it’s time you got another update on the process of putting this thing together. You would really think that something like this would be a walk in the park with very little worry, a piece-of-cake kind of thing. But as George Carlin so aptly said on his historic AM/FM album that came out when we were in school, “Oh contraire mon fraire!”

Best laid plans and good intentions aside, we’ve had to scramble here over the past couple of weeks.
Our Saturday Dinner/Dance location became a no-go when we discovered they would not finish construction in time to host our event. We had to scramble to find a new place to host our shin-dig which is not an easy task.
Nancy did a bang-up job of coming up with a new list of possibilities and the committee took a couple of field trips to scope-out new digs. (more…)

Here’s a message from Sue Farrington Obenauer:

Hello Everyone!

Since I am the designated “Teacher-Finder-Person,” many classmates have been sending inquiries to me about their favorite teachers and their whereabouts. Many of our teachers have passed away. Here is a list of those that we know of that are no longer with us:

Wilbur Branson
Burma Carter
Clyde Council
Ruth Firmach
William Fletcher
John Haworth
Ella Hoffman
Louise Kirsten
Sarah Lampman
Robert Lee
Quentin McNary
Joseph Miles
Medora Reed
Charles Riley
Barney Sahagian
Ross Smith
Edward Taylor
Rowena Tracy
Ruth Ulrich
Everett Whitman

However, the ones that I was able to contact and are planning on coming on Friday night to Mote Marine are listed below:

Ed Brown – Principal
Joseph Bauman – Spanish (please forgive my earlier email with his name spelled wrong)
Winnifred Dumbaugh – English
Ron Carr – English
William Ivey – Social Studies / Basketball Coach
Joan Tatum – Business Ed
John Yost – Chorus
Kevin Flynn – Social Studies
Sandra Feinsod – Home Ec
Chuck Maggio – Sociology
Sherm Stratton – English
Ed Repulski – Coach
Jack Crew – Band
Richard Hart – History (more…)

This is just in from Benny Barton:

Greetings from the Spirit of 76′ Reunion Committee!

This email is being composed at 9:30pm on a beautiful evening here in Sarasota, after a Reunion Committee meeting, that just lasted three hours, that covered such details as Food Selections, Table Rentals, MIA Classmates, Band Selection, Decorations, Bookkeeping and Records Review, etc., etc. There really is a great deal of hard work being put in by a really dedicated group of folks.

We wanted to give you an update on the “State of the Reunion” so that you can stay informed of our upcoming festivities.

Hopefully you received the invitation we mailed out recently and you have had a chance to again review the activities we have planned. (more…)

Rob Artin posed the following question:

“Any one trying to arrange a Friday boat tie down – remember going to Lido or the south end of Siesta (bay side) and everyone meeting for water skiing /having a few cold ones…maybe rent or those still in the area with boats…just a thought.”

If you would like to try to organize an informal gathering like this, please let me know so I can post it if you want.

I’ve been on an extended road trip and posting has been a challenge. It’s catch up weekend though. Here’s some notes from voices on the blog or my email:

From Rob Artin:

On music ideas – ” Elton John – Benny and the Jets /Philadelphia Freedom KC & The Sunshine Band (Senior nite @ Disney) Get down tonight.” On the Kiltie Band – “The band still looks the same (’76 sounded better!) – a few years back(not many brain cells left) perhaps in ’03 or’04 Macy’s Day parade in NYC – great day temp in the 70’s (New York in November…) and down the 38th Avenue comes the infamous “Kiltie Marching Band” always a class act – stood out from the rest….with the temperature etc. almost like 1976 all over again. The only thing missing was Rams vs. Sailors can anyone say “Turkey Bowl”. Whose in charge of bringing the anchor to the reunion? Look forward to seeing all… “

From John Calia:

On cafeteria food – “Thirty years later you tell it’s not Shepard’s Poo.” On your favorite teacher – “What about Turly Tudor for accounting? He was ten years behind the time, but a good teacher.”

Also heard from Mike Amos who says he’s coming to the reunion.

School demolition news recently found in the Tribune:

I almost hate pointing you to my road blogging but I’ve been doing so much of it that it’s been difficult to find time to post much here. Right now I’m in Tinley Park, IL on a cross country trip with a convoy of vehicles that’s commemorating the 50 year anniversary of the interstate highway system. You can follow all the action here: http://domesticfuel.com/?cat=31. It is a lot of long days but sometimes I get a break like last night at Buddy Guy’s Legends in downtown Chicago.

I went to see the awesome blues guitarist, Carl Weathersby, who was greatly influenced growing up by Albert King. Here’s a video clip of him so you can get a taste of some fine Chicago blues: Carl Weathersby (1 min WMV)

I remember growing up out off Cattlemen’s Road in Sarasota. The house I lived in through early teens was torn down so they could pave I-75 over it. I can still find the exact spot since some of the trees I remember in the fields/pastures nearby are still there (last time I was through). After we moved from there to Longboat Key we moved a number of times around the city before I went off to U of F.

Remember my post about the school board decision to tear down the old school? Well, there’s another story in the Sarasota Herald Tribune about it which you can find here.

Apparently there’s opposition and it just doesn’t sound to me from the stories like the preservationists are being given much consideration.

I wrote a letter to the editor drawing attention to your comments on the post back in February. Feel free to chime in if you’d like.

Hi Rams Fans. Just thought I’d post a hello since it’s been a while. The reunion is coming up soon. I’ve already started working on how I’m going to schedule it in. I’ve got an event in Madison, WI that week that I am going to have to sub contract someone to take care of for me in order to be in Sarasota.

Have you registered yet? I haven’t and I hope to get that taken care of soon. Life is staying busy. You saw that I was in Indy for the big race. This week it’s in Nashville for the CMA Music Fest. I won’t bore you with pictures of the stars. You can find my posts from here on my AgWired site. Then starting next week I’ll be travelling coast to coast with the “Celebrate the Interstate” caravan. It’s a group of vehicles commemorating the 50 year anniversary of the interstate system. You can learn all about it on their website.

So, what’s going on in your worlds? Let me know I will share.