Fall 2009
WCS ALUMNI NEWSLETTER
(http://www.WillsboroAlumni.com)
MISSION STATEMENT
The mission of the Willsboro Alumni Association is to create, maintain, enhance, and promote Willsboro Central School and its students; and to unite, inform and involve alumni and friends in fellowship and support of education.
ALUMNI OFFICERS AND CHAIRPERSONS
President……….……………Larry Allen 518-963-8912 wilsboro@willex.com
Vice President ………………Jane Lobdell 518-963-4047 gramajane3@peoplepc.com
Treasurer…………………….Shirley Phillips 518-557-3634 sphillips1@willex.com
Secretary…………………….Margaret Beuerlein 518-585-7421 mhtb58@verizon.net
Immediate Past President…...Richard Blanchard 518-963-7055 richmad37@peoplepc.com
Banquet Liaison……………..Bettie Lawrence 817-491-9697 bettie1940@att.net
Ada Hutchins 518-963-8351 reber1876@peoplepc.com
Historian…………………….Janice Allen 518-963-8912 allens@willex.com
Internet Coordinator………...Bill Morgan 518-963-4386 MorganWJ@gmail.com
Membership…………………Bettie Lawrence 817-491-9697 bettie1940@att.net
Assistant Membership………Laura Marsha 518-963-7065 marhut@willex.com
Memorial Coordinator………Janice Allen 518-963-8912 allens@willex.com
Newsletter…………………...Bettie Lawrence 817-491-9697 bettie1940@att.net
Ada Hutchins 518-963-8351 reber1876@peoplepc.com
THE PREZ SEZ
Dear Fellow Alumni,
I would like to introduce myself as the 2010 president of the Willsboro Alumni Association (WAA). I am Lawrence Allen, Class of 1979. I am looking forward to serving in the coming year and would like to thank the past officers for their service to keep the organization going to this time.
Our current board is hard at work with plans for the coming year. A major goal is to increase the membership and try to encourage more participation. One of my priorities is to increase the attendance at the 2010 banquet to be held on June 26 at Crickets. We continually honor the class celebrating their 50th year (1960) and need to have a member of that class to step forward and start making plans for next years banquet. Those celebrating in the past have made plans of additional events that weekend, as well as the present graduating class at Willsboro Central School invites the class to be their special guest. WAA is willing to assist you with e-mail or mailing addresses of many of your classmates and what ever else we can assist you in making your plans.
We welcome suggestions of persons to serve as banquet speaker and master of ceremonies. Please forward any suggestions to me at wilsboro@willex.com.
Another priority of the group is the quality of the loud speaker system at the next banquet. We are working on assuring that the sound will be much better.
A follow up on previous WAA projects include the trophy case which has been completed and installed in the back of the school auditorium. We are currently working on having lights installed inside the cases and locks installed. We are pleased that Andrew Lee has volunteered, with a group of students, to make rotations on a timely basis.
Plans are in progress to have an on going slideshow presentation of the 50th class members that will be shown on graduation night in the lobby. Ben Rowe has offered his services to produce this slide show. He will need pictures of the class of 1960 members, sent in early in the new year. Please email these to Lawrence Allen at wilsboro@willex.com or send the photo to Lawrence at 866 Mt. View Drive, Willsboro, NY 12996.
We are encouraging a stronger working officer and board members throughout the year to make better planning for our projects ahead. We are proud to welcome Jayne Carter (1975) and Andrew Lee (1995) to this board.
We are wishing you a good winter and holiday season, and I am looking forward to meeting many of you at our next banquet. We encourage all alumni to stay in touch through our website, Willsboroalumni.com, or contact us at P.O. Box 211, Willsboro, NY, 12996. Be on the look out for follow up information in our Spring Newsletter that will be sent out in May and will include a banquet reservation form.
(s) Lawrence Allen
SUPERINTENDENT BROADWELL’S UPDATES
“We are off to a great start this year”, says Superintendent Steve Broadwell. Highlights off the year include the following:
* Enrollment remains relatively stable with our current enrollment at 324 students.
* Effective this year the district no longer accepts non-district residents – similar to most
area schools enrollment in school is contingent on residing within the district.
* Based on a large number of pre-kindergarten students – the district added a second section of Pre-K using a portion of the federal stimulus money the district received this year.
* The district welcomes a new music teacher. Karalyn Aprill joined our staff as our music director and band instructor.
* We are working towards becoming a School of Distinction through the College for Every Student Foundation and expect to meet the criteria by January 2010.
* Our 4th Sharing Wisdom Series Lecture was held in October as a large audience listened to Peter Paine and Sid Couchey share their insight and wisdom.
* We are looking forward to this year’s musical production of “Damn Yankees” under the direction of Derrick Hopkins.
* We added a college level drama class this year in which our student gain college credit while adding class at WCS.
“As you can see, we have been busy teaching and educating our students as well as continuing to open our doors as a community center. We would like to thank the alumni association for their donation of the trophy cases which are now located in our auditorium,” said Steve Broadwell.
IN MEMORIUM
Each year at the banquet we recognize all of those that have gone before us. We do this on a yearly basis, from banquet to banquet, and we publish the list in the fall newsletter for those that were not able to attend the banquet. Please, if you know of someone whose name has been left off the list, please let Bettie know so that she can update the database and make sure that they are recognized at the next banquet. Our thoughts and prayers are with these families.
Harold E. Ahrent Melville (Dutch) Brandstetter
Bessie Doyle Cantore Elizabeth Haynes Crowningshield
Leola Stafford Cumm Blanche Spierto Devlin
Claude S. Dickerson Ann “Nan” Jones Finley
Robert S. Gay Florence Cross Hoskins
Joyce Blanchard Jaquish Peggy Drinkwine Jones
Frank Thomas King Irene Adelia Maloney
Julia Hathaway Mason Sheila M. Mero
Joanne McGee Mischler Ellis Francis Patnode
Keshia Pierce Edwin Provost
Lucille Blanchard Richard Teresa White Tart
William O. “Bill” Tart Amanda Mero Viens
Patrick W. Wade
ALUMNI NEWS
*The following has been received from Florence (Polly) Young Martin Tilton who now lives in Swampscott, MA, and loves the newsletter.
I graduated in the class of 1939. I played the piano for all of the operettas in Willsboro. I married Philip Martin, born 1910, of the West Road, Willsboro, in 1942. He lived across the street from me. We had 2 children, Philip and Patricia. We shared 38 wonderful years of marriage, Philip passed away in 1980. In 1988 I married Donald Tilton and he passed away in 1993.
I had a wonderful career with United Farmers and AGRA Mark Milk Companies of Vermont and New England. I retired at age 65 and then went to work for 4 more years for West Lynn Creamery, Lynn, MA.
Although I am visually impaired, I still manage to travel. I went on a 2-week cruise with Doris Young of Willsboro and the Cornwrights of Lewis. I have a camp on Willsboro Point and try to spend at least a month there every summer. Maybe one day I’ll meet up with someone I went to school with.
*We have also received notification regarding the career of Linda St.John, Class of 1982, that we would like to share with everyone. This is a press release issued by Fallon Community Health Plan.
Worcester, Mass., July 22, 2009 - Fallon Community Health Plan (FCHP), a nationally recognized, not-for-profit health care services organization, announces the appointment of Linda G. St. John to Assistant Vice President of Human Resources. In this position, she will be responsible for overseeing the health plan’s talent management, compensation, human resources analytics, and learning and organizational development. St. John previously held the position of Senior Director of Human Resources.
St. John began working at the Fallon Clinic and Fallon Community Health Plan more than 20 years ago, serving in various roles in the Human Resources Department. She began serving FCHP exclusively when its own Human Resources Department was established in 2004. Over the course of her employment, St. John has been instrumental in initiating, planning and implementing strategic and tactical human resources program and policies that align and support FCHP in a number of areas, including employee relations, compensation, staffing, and learning and organizational development.
A resident of North Grafton, Mass., St. John received a bachelor’s degree in public relations and journalism from Utica College in Utica, New York, and a master of business administration degree in healthcare administration from Anna Maria College in Paxton, Mass. She is currently pursuing a master’s degree in organizational psychology from the Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology (MSPP) in Boston, Mass.
Congratulations Linda!
NEWS FROM THE 50TH CLASS (CLASSMATES OF 1959)
We would like to be known as the Classmates of 1959. We may not have all been in the procession at the graduation ceremony, but we were all classmates at WCS. Some may have moved away, transferred to a different school or received their diploma at a different time, but we have been friends and were classmates for a very long time. The classmates met on Friday afternoon at the Sportsmen Diner for a buffet, and a great time was had by all (many Hugs and Kisses-Just like the old days). That evening we met at the new school and attended graduation as a group. The next day we gathered at Crickets for the Alumni Banquet. Eighteen classmates and their spouses or guests were there. Now for a little info on each of the classmates:
Betty Baker Rivers is married has 2 children and 2 grandkids. She is a retired CVPH nurse's aide. Her sister Juanita Baker Soda has 2 children and 6 grandkids. They both remember fondly Miss Billings.
Larry Brown lives in Reber with wife Linda. They have 4 children and 4 grandkids. Larry loves to hunt and fish.
Philip Dickerson also lives in Reber with his wife Carol. They have 3 sons. Word has it that Philip and Carol do a lot of square dancing.
Paul Corbiere actually graduated from MAI Catholic School. He has 2 sons and twin daughters.
Paul lives in Hollywood, Florida now, but he comes back to Willsboro to visit very often.
Iris Levy McGinnes lives in Glens Falls and is retired from Tambrands. She has 5 girls, 12 grandkids and 9 gr grandkids.
Spencer Lobdell is married to classmate Jane Provost They have 3 children and 7 grandkids. Their oldest grandson, Spencer III, is in the Army and stationed in Iraq, but word is he's coming home soon. Spencer is retired after nearly 50 years as a grocer and Jane is a retired bookkeeper.
Alan Mickey Moran is married and has 4 children and 15 grandkids. He now lives in Waynesboro, PA. Mickey is an engineer and still works. He says with all those grandkids it is easier to work.
Yvonne Ryan Chaney is married and has 2 children and 5 grandkids. Yvonne moved away her Junior year she now lives in DeBary, Florida. She is retired from Bellsouth and she enjoys football games at University of Florida.
Carolyn Sayward Walker has 4 sons and 3 grandkids. She is a WCS retired elementary school teacher. She spends a lot of her time as a social worker for senior citizens and the Catholic Church.
Patricia Sayward Connors has been married to Jim Connors for 50 years. They have 4 children and 8 grandkids. They live in Crown Point and have a grand garden.
William Sayward is married to another classmate Brenda Bergeron. They have 9 shared children and 20 grandkids. They live in Richmondville, NY. Bill is a retired truck driver and Brenda a retired Real Estate broker. They enjoy traveling in their 5th wheel and also run a greenhouse.
Ada Sharrow Hutchins is married to Alan Hutchins and they live in Reber. They have 5 shared children, 12 grandkids and 7 gr grandkids. Ada is a master quilter and they also have a great vegetable garden.
Nancy Sprague Feldman is married and has 2 children and 1 granddaughter. She is a retired bookkeeper. She now lives in Niskayuna, NY. Nancy loves to play tennis and spends a lot of time traveling.
JoAnn Van Korb Wyatt is married and they have 3 children and 3 grandkids. JoAnn traveled the farthest to attend the Reunion. She was a nursing instructor and still works in the emergency room.
Howard Tart is married and has 2 children and 11 grandkids. He is still working as a Q.C. Inspector. They live in Wallinford, CT. He still likes to hunt and fish.
It was great to all get together again and talk about all the "Do You Remember Whens" and realizing that we are no longer teenagers with all the "Hopes and Dreams". These "Hopes and Dreams" are now all for our GRANDCHILDREN!!!!!!!!
DUES
We urge all WCS alumni to participate in the Willsboro Alumni Association. The dues money is used to try and bring you updated information by means of a newsletter, for items such as the trophy cases, we contributed to the playground, and we provide the plackard for the Wall of Distinction each year. We have also created our own website with the help of Bill Morgan. Even if you cannot attend the banquet, we would really appreciate it if you would take a minute and fill out the membership form and send to our treasurer.
Membership dues should be sent to our Treasurer, Shirley Phillips, at WAA, PO Box 211, Willsboro, NY 12996. A printable membership form can be found on our web site. Even though many of you are receiving the newsletter on-line, we would really appreciate it very much if you would also send in dues money. This money is used for school projects.
Again, we want to thank all of our members who have continued to pay dues and to the many that have sent along additional contributions. We think that we have done some very good things with the money and hopefully you will also.
CHANGE OF ADDRESS/DATABASE CORRECTIONS
Change of address, regular or email, or corrections to the database should be sent to Bettie Lawrence, Bettie1940@att.net, or mailed to her at 14048 Fontana Road, Roanoke, TX 76262. If you received information on the newsletter from someone else, please send me your email address so that we can correct the problem.
NEWSLETTER
Information for the newsletter should be sent to Bettie Lawrence at Bettie1940@att.net or mailed to her at 14048 Fontana Road, Roanoke, TX 76262. And I might add that ANY and ALL alumni news would be great! It’s your N/L so if you have some interesting information you would like to share, we would be happy to include it. Your class may be organizing a reunion, etc., and this would be good advertising for you. Or perhaps your class has done something you would like others to know about. Anything you could contribute would be good.
2010 BANQUET
Our banquet will be held on the 4th Saturday in June, 6/26/10, at Cricket’s in Peru. If you are planning a trip “back home”, remember this date and try and attend and meet up with some folks that you have not seen for quite some time.
SPECIAL ANNIVERSARIES
Classes celebrating a 5-year anniversary at the 2010 banquet, and this year that would be any class ending in a 5 or a 0, will have reserved seating. There will also be a special table set up for the 25th and 50th classes. As in the past, you may sit anywhere that there is not a reserved name tag. Just place your “reserved for” name tag in any blank place and then you are free to mix and mingle and when dinner time comes, you will have a place to sit waiting for you.
CLASS CONTACTS
This list is quite long, so to save space please go to www.willsboroalumni.com to view the list. If you do not have access to a computer and the internet, drop Bettie a line or give her a call and she will be glad to give you the information you need.
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