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UPDATED WELCOME LETTER
This is the update on our 1957 PHS Class Reunion. The majority
of you were in favor of a three-day reunion event which we have planned for Labor Day weekend on August 31, September 1, and
September 2. The following are the dates and events planned.
August 31 A Friday
evening casual get-together will be held at Alcoma Golf Club, 6700 Saltsburg Road, from 7pm until 11pm. $10 per person to
be paid at the door. There will be a cash bar and hors d' oeuvres.
September 1 Golf at Alcoma
Golf Club; Karl Johnson is handling the golf event. I would like to note that the golf event is for the ladies too.
The Just Duckie Tour, on a World War II amphibian, starts at
10:30am at Pittsburgh's historic Station Square, formerly known as the Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad. The tour takes 1
hour and costs $19. Throughout the trip, you will visit Pittsburgh's present and past from Grant Street and the beautiful
William Penn Hotel to the theatre district and the Northside (once its own seperate city called Allegheny). Just when you
think you have seen it all, the Duck effortlessly leaves dry land and splashes down into the river for a fantastic view of
the city and its surroundings!
The Monongahela Incline is just across the street from Station
Square. Make sure you bring your Medicare card or Senior Citizen's Port Authority card which will entitle you to be able to
ride the Monongahela Incline FREE to the top of Mt. Washington for a spectacular view of downtown Pittsburgh. If you do not
bring your Medicare card, you must have the exact change of $1.75 plus $.50 for a transfer to ride the incline on the return
trip.
Two small buses have been reserved for the people who indicated
they were interested in the tour. The fee for the bus to take you from Monroeville to Station Square and back is $6 per person.
A check made out to me for the tour and bus is to be mailed to Jo Ann Wenzel, 2407 Bellwood Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15237. Those
people planning to go will be notified of the time and place for pick up.
Edgewood Country Club, Churchill Road, Churchill on Saturday
evening:
5pm - 6pm Cocktails - Cash Bar
GROUP PICTURE TAKEN OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO ATTENDED
HIGH SCHOOL. Pictures available that evening for purchase.
6:20pm
- 8:00pm Buffet dinner in the ballroom
7:30pm
- 8:00pm Soft music by the "Los Rhythm
Rogues"
featuring Harold Betters
8:00pm
-10:30pm Dancing to the "Los Rhythm
Rogues" and socializing
10:30pm until
? Access to Edgewood's Fireside
Lounge and bar area for those
who would like to continue
spending time with old friends.
September 2 Expanded
brunch buffet in the Imperial Room at the Holiday Inn, Mosside Blvd, Monroeville, PA (9:30am until 12 noon) $10.99 plus tax.
The Holiday Inn
2750 Mosside Blvd
Monroeville, PA 15146
Phone (412) 372-1022 Ask for Skip Phillips
The Holiday Inn is the hotel we have contracted with for our
1957 PHS 50th Class Reunion. The price is $81.95 per night plus 14% sales tax.
For those of you who would like to make reservations at the Holiday
Inn you can call Skip Phillips, Director of Sales, and also a former PHHS graduate at (412) 372-1022 or e-mail him at sphillips@lodgian.com and he will personally make your reservation for Labor Day weekend
for you. Tell him you are with the Penn Hills Class of 1957.
A block of 15 rooms is being held right now for us and more will
be added as needed. I would recommend that you book your rooms now. They will not charge your account until you check out.
You have 44 hours prior to arrival to cancel without any penalty to you. Don't forget to specify if you want a smoking or
non-smoking room. I would also indicate if you want early check in and also late check out too, as it will give you a little
more leeway time wise. Regular check in time is 3pm and check out time is 11am. If you are planning to go to the brunch, you
may want to to ask for a late check out so you have the opportunity to go back to your room after the brunch.
The Holiday Inn will extend the group rate 2 days prior to major
check in and 2 days following major check out, based on availability. The block of rooms will be held until 3pm on August
10, 2007.
As you all know by now, Jerry Herrington has arranged and donated
the eight- piece band The Los Rhythm Rogues and special guest, Harold Betters for our entertainment at Edgewood Country Club
on September 1, 2007. If you would like to visit Jerry's website for his group therapy band in California, go to http://grouptherapy-music.com. I have attached the bios for the The Los Rhythm Rogues band. Congratulations
Jerry!
Leon Shank, an alumnus of our class, has volunteered to do a
reunion picture website for us. Photographs taken at our 50th year reunion will be available on the internet. At the website,
you will be able to view, print and download all photographs. We are asking all alumni who take pictures at any events Labor
Day weekend to please either scan your pictures and send them to Leon shankleon@msn.com or make copies and mail them to him: Leon Shank, 4403 Gateway Drive,
Monroeville, PA 15146. I know I speak for all of us when I say "thank you Leon for this large task you are about to take on.
We really appreciate what you will be doing for each and every one of us".
The photographer for the 1957 reunion will only be taking 2 group pictures
of all those who attended high school in Penn Hills. The picture will be taken after the cocktail hour and prior to dinner.
Those interested in a picture can purchase it that evening and take it home. He will take 2 seperate pictures of those attending
high school and will put them together in a folder at a cost of $10 for 2, 5" x 7" pictures. You can sign up and pay for a
picture at the check-in table Saturday evening at Edgewood Country Club. The pictures will not be mailed, so make sure you
stay long enough to get your picture if you pay for one.
So that we have pictures of everyone who attends the 50th Penn Hills High
School Reunion, we are looking for some people who would be willing to take pictures with their digital camera at the tables.
We now have two people willing to take pictures but since there will be approximately 18 or 19 tables with 10 people each,
we would like to have more people help so the work doesn't fall on just several people. If you would be interested in helping
this way, would you please e-mail me at jagwenzel@yahoo.com.
The Penn High Class of 1957 alumni, along with spouses, friends and those
who left school prior to graduation for the armed forces, etc., will be invited to attend an on-going luncheon starting October
4, 2007. The luncheon will be held at noon the FIRST Thursday of each month at Tolerico's, 2525 Mall Blvd., Monroeville, PA.
Phone (412) 824-8016 or visit on line at Tolerico's.net.
Directions: Tolerico's is located behind the Monroeville Mall, on Mall Blvd.,
about one-half mile from the first entrance and exit to the mall going west. It is located on the right-hand side of
the road. Please mark your calendars for the FIRST Thursday of each month at noon starting on October 4, 2007. Those individuals
coming in from out of town will have a chance to visit with friends and classmates at the luncheon if they are in town the
first week of the month.
Other classes have started the on-going luncheons and have found them to
be successful. It is a great way to keep in touch with people you went to school with and helps to keep up friendships. An
announcement will be made at the reunion dinner at Edgewood Country Club and also at the Sunday brunch at the Holiday Inn
on September 2, 2007 concerning the on-going luncheons.
Please contact Jo Ann Griffin Wenzel at jagwenzel@yahoo.com or Eileen Robinson Sample at sampleej@zoominternet.net or phone Judie Young Siciliano (412) 828-9325 to let us know if you are planning to come each month to the luncheons. We
will give Tolerico's the approximate number attending so they can have sufficient staffing. Let's see how many we can get
for our first luncheon on Thursday, noon, October 4, 2007! See you there!
The following are approximate stats since they are changing daily:
Number of classmates coming to the reunion- 112
Number of guests- 72
Total number- 184
Married- 130
Widow or Widowers- 20
Single- 35
Children- 456
Grandchildren- 700
Great Grandchildren- 42
College Degree- 83
Veterans- 49
Retired- 128
Working- 51
Deceased- 59
To get everyone in the mood for the 50th reunion, please visit the following
websites alumni have sent me:
Going back to the old 45s Sent in by Louise DeCesare Doyle
At one of the reunions I attended, I was told by an alumnus that
they hoped a certain person would have been there. When I questioned why, they proceeded to tell me that they had harassed
this individual relentlessly when they were in school and wanted to apologize to this person. I was touched by this person
I talked to as I realized they had carried this burden with them all these years and wanted to have forgiveness. This person
I talked to has since passed away and never had a chance to say they were sorry, but the person they wanted to have forgiveness
from has not. I am writing to this individual today and telling them what was told to me. If any of you are facing the same
situation as this person did, the reunion is the time to say you are sorry for any wrong doings. Life is so short and forgiveness
is a great feeling!
Carol Grimenstein Lang has worked hundreds of 8-hour days on
the directory for us and I am sure when you see it you will be amazed. She has done ALL the work herself including proofing.
Carol, I don't know of another person who could have done what you did. Many, many thanks from all of us for relinquishing
all your time to devote to the Directory for our 50th PHS Reunion. It will be a momento we will have and remember for a lifetime.
We wish you all a safe trip to the reunion for those who are
coming far and near. The Reunion Committee has worked many hours and very hard to put this special 50th reunion together.
We hope you all will enjoy yourselves and will leave with memories you will have forever. As we enter our Golden Years, isn't
it wonderful to know that it is God, family and friends that are the most important to us and not material things, etc. like
clothes, cool cars, good looks, shapes, etc. that we thought important in our school days. It is what is in a person's heart
that counts.
We will all look forward to seeing you at the reunion. If for
some reason we don't recognize each other that is okay, just introduce yourselves. We have all changed!
God Bless,
Jo Ann Griffin Wenzel and Reunion Committee
BIOS FOR THE LOS RHYTHM ROGUES
BAND
HAROLD BETTERS on the trombone-
No more needs to be said. He is the best of the best.
MATT FERRANTE on sax- Leader
of the Modern Times Band of Pittsburgh. Opens and plays for name entertainers that come to Pittsburgh
MICKEY DEE on keyboards
and vocals- Leader of the Mickey Dee Band that plays for special events and dances in the tri-state area.
DON FERRANTE on sax an
vocals- Fifty years entertaining in the Tri-state area. Lead player in the Mickey Dee Band. Is an original member of the Rhythm
Rogues that played for Penn High School dances.
JOE PALOMBO on bass- 50
years playing in the city. He is an original member of the Rhythm Rogues. He owns Palombo Music in Swissvale which outfits
high school bands in the tri-state area.
MADD MAN BERKLEY on
guitar- Band leader of his own Rock-a-Billy Country and Blues Band.
JERRY HERRINGTON on drums-
plays on contract jobs in California and nationwide. Recorded and worked with Joe Morrello, Van and Shanna Morrison, Water
Brothers Band, Leroy Van Dyke, Marcia Ball and Group Therapy. An original member of the Rhythm Rogues.
MIKE MISNICK on drums and
tonights drum tech. Plays in the Mickey Dee Band and does tech work at Johnsonbaugh Music in Penn Hills. He will fill in on
drums for Jerry as required.
PENN HILLS HIGH SCHOOL
CLASS OF 1957
ADDRESSES UNKNOWN
Nancy Bargelt
Lois Margaret McKee
Henry Charles Becker
Albert Raymond Mitchell
Stephen Belin
Anna Mae Mitchell
Betty Louise Bennett
Ronald P. Mitchell
Patricia Ann Betts
Thomas A. Mitchell
Barbara Ann Cassidy
Melvin Douglas Mosley
David Arthur Clawson
Frank Hall Nelson
James M. Cataldo
Darlene Ray Newton
Mary Coto
Virginia Jean Palm
Barbara Ellen Cross
Patricia Ann Payne
William Dothard
Doris Jean Powell
Azalea Downer
Betty Ann Rahl
Ella Mae Drakes
John Schultz
William Herman Frazier
Sandra Lee Schwinn
Margaret Gilliland
Mary Ilene Shearer
Sarah Elizabeth Hampton Wanda
Louise Smith
Nancy Jean Harper
Eileen May Stover
Daniel Webster Jackson
David R. Thomson
Carol Arthur Jones
Angela Marie Trozzi
Margaret Anne Joynt Judith
Verzinskie
Sandra Marie Lee
Carlton Foster Wallave
Nancy Jane Leukardt
William Elliott Wright
Philip A. Lumsden
Shirley Yaegle
Elizabeth Ann Macioce Martini
Lawrence Josepf Munsch
Ellen Christine Malarkey
Joyce Stancliffe Buck
Thomas McCauley
George Taylor
Sue McCullough
Nicholas Michael Timko
Lorna Gay McGuire
Contact Carol Lang if you know where any of the above
live.
FIRST WELCOME LETTER
Welcome to the website for the "Big 50" Class of 1957 Reunion for Penn Hills High School. This website is to
keep all alumni up-to-date on the reunion plans as they unfold. Please keep in mind this site is for information only and
you cannot send or receive on this site. Bookmark this site for future use!
First, I would like to pay tribute to Judie Young Siciliano. My hat goes off to Judie, who from the very start
has planned and organized, along with the late Rich Angelo, all of our Penn Hills High School 1957 Reunions. When Judie first
started planning the reunions, she contributed her own money in order to have them. After several reunions, she was able to
recoup her money and start a reunion fund. Because of this, Judie is planning the 50th reunion in the black and will continue
to have reunions every five years. I know I am speaking for everyone when I say, "Thank you Judie, for all the hard work you
have done over all the years and are still doing to get our classmates together every five years". We will raise our glasses
and drink to that at the reunion!
We hope all of you are as excited as we are about the upcoming 50th reunion planned for Labor Day weekend of
this year. The dinner will be held on Saturday, September 1, 2007 at Edgewood Country Club, which is a smoke-free facility.
Cocktails are from 5 pm-6 pm, the buffet dinner from 6 pm-8pm and dancing and socializing will be from 8 pm-10 pm. After 10
pm, we have use of Edgewood Country Club's separate Fireside Lounge room and bar area for those who would like to continue
to socialize and party.
The most exciting part of the reunion is the entertainment for Saturday evening. I hope you have all heard by
now, all the entertainment (see the attached letter with the separate entertainment page) has been arranged for and donated
by our classmate, Gerald Brandon Herrington, better known as Jerry Herrington, who resides in California. We luv ya Jerry!
The music will be by "Los Rhythm Rogues" featuring Harold Betters. http://www.haroldbetters.com/ I am sure many of you remember going to Shadyside to the Encore back in the 50's and listening to Harold Betters
play his trombone at Saturday jam sessions. Who could forget those fun times! The Encore was always packed and if you didn't
get there early enough, you had to wait to get in. Do you know who manages Harold Betters today? Our classmate, Dick Fisher.
I am sure Dick will share with us some fun times he has had over the years managing Harold Betters.
Carol Grimenstein Lang and I are planning to make up a "directory" with bios and recent pictures of everyone.
It is very important that you get the information in the letter back to us as soon as possible so we can start working on
the "directory". This is all new to the two of us so we need as much time as possible to put it together, maybe a year or
two. This is going to be a learn-as-you-go type of project. Your pictures can follow as I know they are not always readily
available, especially a good one. Thank heavens for digital cameras. We all want to put the best picture possible in the "directory"
for everyone to see, don't we?
You have found the following classmates since our mailing:
David Blewitt Champion
Leon Jones
Maureen Stover Sekercak
Elizabeth Ann Ziegler
The magic number is now "64". Thank you. Keep on searching! We would like to find our entire class.
I had the opportunity to speak with over 200 of you when I was either confirming information we already
had or when I was trying to locate you. Talking with you will always be one of my favorite memories when I reminisce about
the PHHS 50th Class Reunion. Thanks for all of the memories you have shared with me.
The following items have been donated to be placed on our memorabilia table. Linda Stewart Longwell
will be heading up the committee.
Several 1957 Senecas
A pleated, plaid skirt from the 50's (and I thought I was a saver)
Red velvet skating skirt and a black satin lining
Majorette Baton
Penn Points
Please look in your attic or basement, if you have one, for any items you may have from the 50's that
you would like to share will all your classmates. Do any of you girls still have your poodle skirt? Do any of you fellows
still have a pair of those pegged pants from high school? There just might be a prize for those. How about a varsity sweater
or jacket? I think Rich Hobe said he has his varsity jacket. Remember to ask him about that when you see him at the reunion.
Rich, we are counting on you to bring your jacket or all you fellows that still have yours, you could wear it to the Friday
night mixer, if the majority is in favor of a Friday night mixer.
I know you all have pictures you could copy and send us for the memorabilia table. Just label the
back of the pictures and mail them to Linda Stewart Longwell, 4417 Laurel Oak Drive, Allison Park, PA 15101. Please indicate
on a note that we may use them on the website also. These pictures cannot be returned.
We are posting our letter/e-mail on the website for you to see. We hope most of you have received
it by now. Please don't forget to fill out the survey asking whether you want a two or three-day event as you will be the
ones to make the decision. We do need to know just as soon as possible so we can start making plans accordingly. The survey
will be posted on the website when we get all the information back from you. Those alumni who are not able to attend the reunion
need not fill out the survey, but please fill out the entire questionnaire and either postal mail or e-mail it to us...
There will be one more mailing to those alumni planning to attend the 50th reunion. At that time,
you will be asked to indicate which events you would like to attend if we have a two or three-day event. There will also be
a form to fill out to be mailed back with your check made out to Judie Siciliano.
Please e-mail me if you have any suggestions for our website. We cannot list on the website everyones
name and address in our class as we do not have permission to do that and we know some of you have asked that this information
not be published in the directory. We will respect your wishes. Don't forget that if you do send in pictures for the memorabilia
table and would also like to show them on the website, please put in writing that I have your permission to use them on this
website.
Keep checking the website for new postings. We will be listing the hotel we are contracting with as
soon as we know whether we are having a two day or three-day event for our reunion and how many alumni need hotel accommodations.
We will also keep you abreast of any classmates that you have found.
Check out the following website Joan McDade Gruber sent to me. This will refresh your memory of the
"Good Old Days" and get you in the mood for our 50th reunion: http://oldfortyfives.com/DYRT.htm
Our thanks to Jim (Sonny) Derdock, webmaster for this site, for donating space so we can communicate
to all the alumni about our "Big 50" Class of 1957 Reunion for Penn Hills High school.
Our next Reunion Committee meeting will not be until mid-April when the snow birds return from Florida.
The committee will be having lunch at Edgewood Country Club so we can see how we want the tables arranged for the dinner,
whether we want 8 or 10 to a table, also the placing of the memorabilia table and reception tables, centerpieces, etc. At
that time, we will know how many days the reunion will be and will plan accordingly with our events.
God Bless,
Jo Ann
Jo Ann Griffin Wenzel
(412) 367-2521
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