More Pictures of our 1990 Class Reunion

Greetings from Russells

Class Reunion 1990

1990 Class reunion at the Surf & Turf..Russells Steak house in Endicott, New York.

Family gathering as my classmates reunited.

My horns were very visible during this particular day.

Just wanted to share a moment in time with you guys.

Wife Debra Lynn of 28 years, Son Michael Edward of 25 years (US Air Force), grandson Jayden Michael of 1 year and my dear Ashley Michelle of 21 years.

38 years and counting...

We traveled home for the afternoon to enjoy the warm and gracious hospitality that Rob and Mary Beth Salamida extended to us all. A day which was forecasted to be cloudy and rainy proved to be just the opposite, and provided us sunshine, beautiful skies, and cool breezes at Rob's mountaintop retreat.

We laughed much, and remembered all of you who were not present, as we looked through the yearbook, recounted stories of years gone-by, considered grade school rivalries, who had the best high school parties, and took a few moments to raise our glasses to honor the memory of our deceased classmates.

We'll be planning another reunion. Stay tuned. Be well.



Bob Vitkus and Dick Alter.

Donna Vojtisek Orasin, Jeanne Lavo Brehl and Dick Brehl.

Barbara and Dan O'Day, Rob Salamida.

Charlie Orasin (behind) Candy Kane Minchella, Pam Peters and Dan Smialek.

Mary Beth Salamida (background) and Bill and Diane Fries.

Bob Vitkus, Ann and Mike Dougherty, Pam Peters, Terry Materese, Diane and Bill Fries, Charlie Orasin, Veronica Schofield, Rob and Mary Beth Salamida, Donna Vojtisek Orasin

Reunion Picnic: Saturday July 5th, 2008

The picnic is on, and will be held at Rob’s mountaintop retreat, next Saturday, July 5^th.

We will begin gathering at 3 pm for festivities. Rob graciously has offered to provide food for sustenance, but suggests that all are welcome to bring beverages, if you so wish, or some other foodstuffs that you may wish to share with classmates.

His place is located at 700 Glenwood Avenue, Binghamton:

http://maps.google.com/maps?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=GGLD,GGLD:2004-26,GGLD:en&q=700+Glenwood+Rd,+Binghamton,+NY+13905+&um=1&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&resnum=1&ct=title

On Glenwood Avenue, you will pass the BOCES center, then look for a chain link fence (on right), and follow road to gate opening.

The plan is to picnic in the afternoon into the evening, and Rob promises to build a great bonfire for the evening.

Thus far, we are expecting the presence of…

Rob Salamida, Pam Peters, Jeanne Lavo Brehl, Charlie and Donna Vojtisek Orasin, Mike Dougherty, John Gallagher, Dick Alter, Bill Fries, Jeanne Orrange, Tom Carter, Diane Wahila Guley, Denise Wahila Sbarra, Bob Vitkus, Dan O’Day, Candy Kane Minchella.

Vicki Cannone Rose, John Picciano, Judy Allen Mumma, Carol Gould Weldon are maybes.

The following classmates have responded that they are unable to attend:

Mary Lynn Kukelka Brown, Ed Carmine, Dan Dowd, Robin Reese Hoyt, Kathie Sculley Scott, Denise Dorko Selbo, Doris McKiever Biga, Ann Walker Griffin, Elaine Monaco deLaurentis, Nina Haidinger Ciak, Chris Jackson George, Anita Gabriel Mahoney, Jim Vichich, Debbie Stulir Wozniak

If anyone receiving this has not yet responded about coming, especially those classmates who still live in the Endicott area, please drop me a note. It’s never too late! Spouses and significant others are welcome.

I look forward to seeing all of you. And for those of you who cannot attend, we will honor you and hold you with us.

Be well.

Former Sister Vera (Smyth) dies

Vera Jean Goetz Smyth, 63, of Charleston died 11/29 at her residence. Mrs. Smyth was born on Monday, February 21, 1944, in Buffalo, NY, a daughter of John Wilson Goetz and Vera Naughton Goetz. She was a graduate of Bishop England High School, received her Bachelors from Winthrop College and her Masters from Catholic University. Mrs. Smyth taught at Middleton High School, Thomas Nelson Community College, Charleston County School of the Arts and Blessed Sacrament Catholic School. She was a Math Coordinator with Berkeley County Schools, member of the Charleston Clean City Commission, a member of Delta Kappa Gamma and a former Treasurer of the S.C. Council of Teachers of Mathematics. She was the Director of Religious Education, a member of St. Vincent de Paul Society, a lector and Eucharist minister at Blessed Sacrament Church. Surviving are her former husband: Peter Ogden Smyth; a daughter: Rebecca Naughton Smyth both of Charleston; a son, Matthew Vincent Smyth of Charlottesville, VA; a granddaughter (pictured), Grace Lillian Smyth; an aunt, Joan Svenningsen; her cousins, Karen Rapchick and Jimmy Svenningsen, all of Charleston. The family request that memorials be made to the St. Vincent de Paul Society, c/o Blessed Sacrament Church, 5 St. Teresa Dr., Charleston, SC 29407. Visit the guestbook at www.charleston.net/deaths.

Binghamton reigns as U.S. pierogy king

From the Press & Sun Bulletin:

The Parlor City, carousel capital of the country, is now also the Capital of the Pierogy Pocket of America.

Mrs. T's, the Shenandoah, Pa., purveyor of pierogies, Wednesday named Binghamton the premier pierogy city, above competition from Buffalo, Lancaster, N.Y., Clifton, N.J., and Whiting, Ind. The city prevailed in the nationwide contest, which garnered more than 60,000 online votes, inspired a far-reaching campaign.

"I guess this means we have the best," said the Rev. Stephen Dutko of St. Michael's Greek Orthodox Church in the city's First Ward. St. Michael's led the local effort and designated the Broome County Hunger Outreach Warehouse (CHOW) as the sole benefactor of a $10,000 prize from Mrs. T's.

Dutko was christened the "Pirohi King" locally for his decades of work at St. Michael's to make the stuffed pasta a Lenten treat since 1964. That's when he started the church's pirohi project to raise funds for renovations. The event now uses 6,300 pounds of flour, along with 7,600 pounds of potatoes and 5,040 eggs to make thousands of the ethnic delicacies each Lent.

"For 43 years, we've been building this," Dutko said. "This is a labor of love."

Binghamton's nomination was largely the work Dutko and his son, the Rev. James Dutko, who secured 1,000 signatures on a nominating petition submitted to Mrs. T's -- along with a mayoral proclamation and other documents -- in support of Binghamton's application. Online votes came from Dutko's friends and family still in Eastern Europe, and even last year's winning city of Buffalo, where Dutko on a recent trip distributed church bulletins pushing for Binghamton's designation.

The "Pierogy Pocket" is the geographical area of the country that has the highest pierogy consumption based on the national average.

The "pocket" includes New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, southern New England and parts of the Mid-Atlantic. The company's varieties -- including potato and cheddar, potato and onion, sauerkraut, and potato, cheddar and jalapeño -- are sold at most groceries in the Southern Tier.

Pierogy eating in the "pocket" accounts for 68 percent of all U.S. consumption. The cities with the highest consumption include New York, Syracuse and Buffalo, last year's champion.

"I was really touched by the idea that (St. Michael's) church was so involved," said company President Tom Twardzik, whose father started the company that now makes 11.4 million pierogies a week in its 200-employee plant in the Coal Region of Pennsylvania, near Pottsville. Twardzik said his father founded the company in 1952 after witnessing the success of pierogy sales at his church.

"This is a great moment for us," CHOW Director Ed Blaine said. "Someone said to me, 'How can you compete against communities that are that big?' I said you have to understand that if people in Broome County get a hold of something, it goes through the roof."

Familiar Faces: A continuing series...

Rob Salamida and Bob Vitkus, Summer 2006

What fond memories of those days when I looked at the photos posted by Ed. They were great. Spent a great deal of time in the chapel! I found myself wondering why the lines "when our high school days are over" felt so familiar. Then it came back ...all of it ...the alma mater. Nearly 40 years since we sang that song and it remains true...Seton High, we honor you.

Had a thought. I know a surprise to most! But any way...many of us never had a chance to sport our school colors. Those in sports had their letter sweaters of course...but those of us not so coordinated really didn't. Is there any interest in the class of 70 resurrecting King Royal and having royal blue and white rise from the past in retro sweatshirts? I am sure there must be a photo around of the beloved royal basketball that could be converted to stitchery.

Just a thought.
Pam

My vision of excietement At Yankee Stadium

Building the New stadium in the background

The Alumni Association of Seton Catholic High School is an organization of alumni and friends who collaborate for the purpose of reuniting alumni while sustaining and fostering relationships within the Seton Catholic Community. Through social, charitable, educational, and spiritual activities, the Association strives to instill the Setonian charisms of Courage, Determination, Faith, and Love, thus helping to support the vision and mission of the school.

Father Van - Memorial Chapel

I went to Seton this afternoon and was able to do a walk about at the school. I was very pleasently surprised to see this plaque outside the chapel.

The sunlight just seemed to be reflecting in all the right places today.

I took my place in a pew and said a prayer for all of us. God Bless Father VanAmburgh and God bless our class.

"When our High School days are over...."

"When our high school days are over, we will very often sing...of the many happy hours Seton High to us did bring. Seton High school we will be.... always loyal and true to thee and no matter what we do Seton High will honor you."

The Building of Seton Catholic High School

Greetings from TULLY'S

Remember the "Vestal Plaza" with Britts, Phil's Chicken house, Endicott Johnson shoe store, the Gin Mill and of course the Roaring Fork restaurant? Well it is all gone and has given way to a "University Plaza" for college students. Actually a well thought out transition.

Some of us met there on October 13, 2007 to catch up. "It is what it is." Good to see folks for sure and a nice informal setting to chat without the numerous destractions of 45 little groups of so many new faces for sure.

Opening session of their Senate

Thought you might enjoy this interesting prayer given in Kansas at the opening session of their Senate. It seems prayer still upsets some people. When Minister Joe Wright was asked to open the new session of the Kansas Senate, everyone was expecting the usual generalities, but this is what they heard: 'Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and to seek your direction and guidance. We know You r Word says, 'Woe to those who call evil good,' but that is exactly what we have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values. We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery. We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare. We have killed our unborn and called it choice. We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable. We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self esteem. We have abused power and called it politics. We have coveted our neighbor's possessions and called it ambition. We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression. We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment. Search us, Oh, God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and set us free. Amen!' The response was immediate. A number of legislators walked out during the prayer in protest. In 6 short weeks, Central Christian Church , where Rev. Wright is pastor, logged more than 5,000 phone calls with only 47 of those calls responding negatively. The church is now receiving international requests for copies of this prayer from India , Africa and Korea . Commentator Paul Harvey aired this prayer on his radio program, 'The Rest of the Story,'and received a larger response to this program than any other he has ever aired. With the Lord's help, may this prayer sweep over our nation and wholeheartedly become our desire so that we again can be called 'one nation under God.'

These are the days, my friends...

Greetings to all!

Since Rob Salamida and Ed Carmine hunkered down in the late fall of 2005 to invite local classmates to gather for a few drinks, we've been making a concerted effort to reconnect with all of our classmates. As much progress as we have had, there is still much work to be done. Hopefully, this blog can be an aid for finding our "lost" classmates.

And it can be our opportunity to keep in touch, offer opinions on all sorts of topics, share the ups and downs of life's journey, and give us a connected space to plug into the spirit and camaraderie we experienced at Seton. Let's get busy...

Feel free to "post" comments and pictures. Visit frequently. If you want items added to the blog, or you have any questions or difficulties using the blog, let me know.