*Niagara
Falls High School
Class of 1959
Reunion Information
50th Year Reunion Highlights
Two Hundred Forty-five
classmates and their guests attended the Friday, September 25, 2009, NFHS
Class of 1959 – 50th Year Reunion at the Niagara Falls Country
Club. It was truly a GREAT
success!
The venue was beautiful
as we sat for dinner to a table décor of “golden ribbons”
signifying our golden years. We
were blessed with a warm fall evening giving us a panoramic view of the Toronto
skyline across Lake Ontario. Our
dinner choices were delicious and there was lots of laughter and conversation
throughout the entire evening.
Many classmates came
from various parts of the country and Canada to attend and in many cases for
their first reunion ever. For most
of us it was heartwarming to see dear friends we hadn’t seen in many
years.
There was an aura (as
Chuck and his wife Pat Ogrodowski commented on the website) throughout the
evening as a big “love fest.”
Classmates were so eager and proud to get up and look for friends and
relive old times. There may not
have been much movin’ and groovin’ to the “juke box”,
but this time hugs, kisses and much conversation seemed to dominate the evening
as many of us don’t have the stamina for all night dancing these days.
Our Chinese Basket
raffle, all unique, consisted of 16-baskets that were donated by many of the
committee members making some of us go home happy as well as building our
treasury for our “55th Year Reunion.” There were six winners of our 50/50
Split Club raffle.
A little something
different was presented at this reunion.
A video was taken throughout the evening interviewing many of the
classmates. This company, Raines
Video Productions, Portland, OR, will be
in contact with ALL classmates so those who were unable to attend will be
offered a chance to purchase a DVD.
More than 170
classmates and guests turned out for the Saturday, September 26, 2009, Casual
night held at Niagara Falls High School (NFHS). This was bitter sweet as NFHS is no
longer used as an educational school facility. There was a lot of controversy regarding
its demise and when the Alumni said “NO” to demolition of the dear
old building, it was saved. This
building known as Niagara Arts and Cultural Center (NACC) now houses many local
artists in and around WNY. Various
other organizations and offices renting space in the building are keeping our
Alma Mater alive.
This was a very
cheerful evening with the halls filled with a repeat of lots of laughter and
reminiscing. Many commented that
what better place to meet than at our Ole Alma Mater. Classmates freely roamed around the
building looking for their Home Rooms and viewed our special locker in honor of
our graduation Class of 1959.
At the top of the
stairs to the front entrance of the school a food station was set up which is
now known as the “Garden Room.” Our classmate, Darleen (Rose)
Taylor’s son, Jeff Taylor catered a light menu starting off with Cheese
and Crackers with wine, beer and soft drinks. Later Roast Beef on Wick, Chicken
Fingers and Pizza Poppers were put out along with cookies and coffee. Some sat at tables lined along the
hallway and others chose to sit in the Auditorium where visions of the many
assemblies, choral and theater plays were presented as well as our graduation
ceremonies.
Classmate, Barbara
(Snyder) Brown, brought her sound system for sounds from the 50’s. Music from the Vel Tones group
consisting of: Calvin Briggs
(1959), Neal Davis (1958), Ernie Vendetti (1958) and Emilio Giondomenico,
deceased, (1958). Calvin and Neal
performed Karaoke to the songs.
To paraphrase Mary
Mussari Ecker our slogan for the next reunion is, “Stay Alive for 55.” We all left the evening vowing to return
in five years.
Yours truly,
Eleanor
“Ellie” Migliazzo Novara
Look at Program Book for Friday Night
Read Peter Ripple’s Letter to the Class