ALUMS OF THE NHHS CLASS OF 1960 STEP BACK TO THE HAPPY DAYS OF A GENUINE 1960'S SPRING BREAK ON FLORIDA'S ANNA MARIA ISLAND....
Our NHHS'60 SPRING BREAK2007 was simply outstanding. The 1950's-60's ambiance of Anna Maria Island was every bit as dashing as our host, Mighty-Mite Clif Gaus, painted it out to be. Connie Francis of "Where the Boys (and Girls) Are" fame would have been proud of us. The weatherman had to be watching over us also - it was perfect, perfect and perfect!!!!!!
And what a happy cast of characters made it happen. In no particular order here are those good people who attended the weekend mini reunion festivities: Bruce Abel, Ronnie Bernstein (Anita), Janet Bowser, Blackie, Carol Congalton (John), Christine Fischer (Terry), Bill Domke, Richie Heil (Dian), Dave Kniess ("Squeaky"), Dick Maser (Peggy), Dave Miller (Kathy), Bruce Schomaker (Donna), Billy Knoch (Nancy), Vinnie Malone (Francee), Ricky Stotz (Chrissie), Janet Jarabin (Loren), Tony Snowball and, of course Clif Gaus. Our guests included: Kenny & Cheryl Stewart (Class of 1959) and Tommy & Annice Heintz (North Catholic). They came from near and the came from far and if you were a member or friend of the NHHS Class of 1960 you were invited!!!!!
If you weren't there.... WE MISSED YOU!!!!!!
Abel joined his NH mates for Spring Break after a drive of many miles and hours from a Naval Academy football reunion in South Carolina. His hurried departure reportedly left his former football coach lying face down on the cart path of a golf course and in the hands of the local EMS (great story, ask Bruce!). Somehow the bleary-eyed and fatigued Abe still managed to shoot a clean 78 at Sarasota's Bobby Jones Golf Club Saturday morning...
Talk about retirement support! Bernstein reports he's now (sort of) retired - now we understand. Wife Anita was promoted to VP of an engineering firm and Bernie's glowing over, and grooming, the baseball talents of his young son Jacob, while molding him into the next Billy Mazeroski!!!... A very happy-go-lucky Janet Bowser, who owns a B&B in Somerset, PA, is part owner of a wine producing vineyard and has a winter residence in Punta Gorda, played golf and hung out with the boys Saturday and held her own quite well...
Blackie bounced from here to there, never missing a happy hour or the opportunity for another meal -- obviously -- while taking it all in and wondering how in the world he would ever be able to convey the sights and sounds of this exhilarating experience back to you all... Locals Carol Congalton and Janet Jarabin had the foresight to bring along their 1960 yearbooks. Some found the old photos in the NORHIAN more amusing than others. It was also rumored Carol & Janet did some serious shopping damage at the famous and upscale St. Armand's Circle district during their free time...
The tall and slender Christine Fischer may have won the Happy Face award. She wore a smile from ear to ear from the time she arrived Friday until she left Saturday night. We don't know of anybody who had a better time mingling than Christine. Although she is now retired, it's easy to see that she was an excellent high school teacher and communicator..
Bill Domke - what a pleasant surprise to have him rejoin his mates for the first time since graduation. Bill reportedly arrived in Florida about the same time as Ponce-de-Leon....years ago. Seriously, Bill has been living in Naples for nearly 40 years and even built his dad a house right down the street from his own. What a SUPER payback... Richie Heil stepped up with some local knowledge, organized the golf activities, and has earned the title of Spring Break Golf Chairman. Rich and Dian are Florida residents 2 and 1/2 months a year, and next year, it may be 3...
Dave "Dr. Fakes - Big Otis" Kniess STILL has a larger collection of fakes than the 3 Stooges. KKAAAAACHEEEEW!!! He, along with wife "Squeaky," also have more Florida contacts through his travels and culinary experiences than contact has pills in a plastic bottle. Their discovery of Shell's Restaurant & Bar and the 11AM til 7PM "2-4-1 happy hour" may have been the most important find since the discovery of the Fountain of Youth... Dr. Fake's was also kind enough to chauffeur "the girl's" and a few stray hubbies to the popular Red Barn Antique & Flea Market during Saturday's free time slot...
Dick & Peggy Maser and Dave & Cathy Miller drove down to Anna Maria Island and parlayed their Spring Break Weekend into 2-weeks of vacation, visiting old friends and exploring along the way. Mil is happily retired, but who wouldn't be after all those years with the IRS. Maser reminds us that he's carrying a carafe of knowledgeable wine information these days and that he is available for consultation at the PA State Store out on Perry Hwy, just north of 3 Degree Road...
Schomaker created some Sunday morning excitement (no surprise there!) while taking a boat ride around the island. The "ShoeMan" was reaching out to help dock the boat in which he was cruising, and, as he reached out to grab hold of the pier, the pier went one way, the boat went the other and the "Shoe" ended up plunging into the chilly waters. Abe and Blackie reacted quickly to save "Shoe" from sinking, while Clif did the next best thing - ran for his camera so that he could record this hilarious happening. "Shoe" was saved, Clif got his photo, and "potential DISASTER turned to LAUGHTER!!!"...
Billy Knoch spent the weekend driving up and down highway 41 between Anna Maria Island and his new home in Venice, experiencing one traffic jam after another while playing taxi cab. "Knochers" did a nice round of golf Saturday and made an impressive appearance at the 19th hole in the Cradle Bar... First to arrive Friday at McKechnie Field in Bradenton was Vinnie & Francee Malone. They drove in from their home in Okeechobee and the Vinman worked the crowd nicely as he usually does. Francee particularly enjoyed the Kniess' outing to the Red Barn. We were sorry to hear that upon their return trip home Sunday, they discovered their pet dog Shadow had passed away. This was their second lost dog (Foo) in the past month...
Ricky & Chrissie Stotz did an "up & back" from Ft. Myers and joined us for the Saturday evening happy hour and dinner festivities. Unexpected changes to their scheduled weekend plans limited them to a Saturday only visit... Tony Snowball, found a way to abandon his 18-wheeler for the weekend, sent his wife on a cruise to the Caribbean (what a guy!!) and enjoyed the hell out of seeing his old mates from NH. Tony has a time-share residence on Anna Maria, so he spent his free time cleaning up around the house and hosing it down. Already once retired, Tony is now living out a childhood dream of driving a big truck all across the country... Our congenial host Clif Gaus seemed to be everywhere at the same time, looking after all of his mates, entertaining, checking details, managing the time frames, and yes, enjoying one libation after another...
BULLETIN: Bill "Z" Zimmerman, the "man in demand," was slated for attendance but was stricken with a bout of "sometimer's disease" and couldn't find his way out of Pennsylvania. Then to his dismay his little RED CAR blew out three tires and sprung an oil leak, thus forcing him to cancel his reservation at the Sarasota Ritz-Carlton Hotel. Maybe the next mini reunion in December will be more accessible, that's if he can remember how to get back to Pittsburgh... The Florida locals and NO-SHOWS included, Freddie Tryner, Janet Bairhalter, Charanne Jones, Harry Weber, Jimmy Schmidt, Ron Barr, Dave Randolph, Matt Kearns and Wendy Johnson. We can't bring the reunions any closer to your door step guys!!!!
Soooo, you ask, what did we do over our Spring Break?? Well, we caught up on old times, updated the years since graduation, re-acquainted and got to know each other again. As if we already didn't know, we came to find out and reconfirm what a totally nice bunch of classmates we were united with at North Hills High. Otherwise, we did what typical Spring Breakers do - we played - we got sunburned - we drank and ate and drank - we marveled at the beautiful soft white sand and the gulf shore waters - we golfed - we shopped - we laughed - we hugged - we talked, talked, talked - and we had one hell of a good time doing it all.
From the Yankees vs Pirates baseball game (Buccos won 3-2) on Friday, which kicked-off the weekend, to the evening happy hour and dinner at the Seafood Shack on the Manatee River, we remembered the good old days. From the early Saturday morning golf, to the caravan to the Red Barn Antique & Flea Market, to St. Armand's Circle shopping, and onto happy hour and dinner at the Bradenton Beach - Beach House Restaurant, we laughed and reminisced. And, from the informal Sunday breakfast at the Cafe on the Beach at Holmes Beach until the final departures on Monday, it was a continuation of the same.
Those of us who took to the backroads will not soon forget Shells Restaurant&Bar, Skinny's Dive Bar Shack (best hamby on the island), Sharkey's, the Anchor Bar, Vaccarro's, the Tortuga, the Sand Pebble, the HI Express and the Econo"Alamo"Lodge.
Our NHHS Spring Break was not long enough. We could have gone on and on. It was apparent that there was a common bond amongst our Spring Break classmates. After all, we were all together at a very special time in our lives, in a very special town, with a very special group of people -- our classmates from the NHHS great Class of 1960... And on this designated weekend, we just kind of picked it up where we left off in June of 1960. Kudos to Mighty-Mite Clif Gaus for the vision, the organization, and for pulling this off... If anyone had a bad time, they concealed it well...
There's a Mighty-Mite of a good chance that next year on Anna Maria Island we'll be celebrating our "2nd Annual NHHS Spring Break Vacation." If you were a classmate, or a friend of the Class of 1960, then that is your ticket and invitation to join us. Anna Maria Island is just a short jog from Tampa/St.Pete. Join us next year if you can - you'll have a great time, we'll make sure of it - WE PROMISE!!!!!
In closing... if YOU had to pick one missing ingredient - and you were not there - then that missing ingredient would be YOU!!!!!!!
ALL TOGETHER NOW....... "THANK YOU, CLIF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
(Spring Break Photos Coming Soon - look for them at www.nhhs60,com under PHOTOS tab)
************************************************************
Our next scheduled Class of 1960 gathering will be:
"THE 3RD ANNUAL DON DIETER CLASS OF 1960 HOLIDAY LUNCHEON"
Saturday, December 15, 2007 at 11:00AM - ??????
Monte Cello's Italian Restaurant - Babcock&ThompsonRun Road
(the old McSorley's & Pat McBride's)
call Don Dieter for reservations&details @ 412-486-3975
And what a happy cast of characters made it happen. In no particular order here are those good people who attended the weekend mini reunion festivities: Bruce Abel, Ronnie Bernstein (Anita), Janet Bowser, Blackie, Carol Congalton (John), Christine Fischer (Terry), Bill Domke, Richie Heil (Dian), Dave Kniess ("Squeaky"), Dick Maser (Peggy), Dave Miller (Kathy), Bruce Schomaker (Donna), Billy Knoch (Nancy), Vinnie Malone (Francee), Ricky Stotz (Chrissie), Janet Jarabin (Loren), Tony Snowball and, of course Clif Gaus. Our guests included: Kenny & Cheryl Stewart (Class of 1959) and Tommy & Annice Heintz (North Catholic). They came from near and the came from far and if you were a member or friend of the NHHS Class of 1960 you were invited!!!!!
If you weren't there.... WE MISSED YOU!!!!!!
Abel joined his NH mates for Spring Break after a drive of many miles and hours from a Naval Academy football reunion in South Carolina. His hurried departure reportedly left his former football coach lying face down on the cart path of a golf course and in the hands of the local EMS (great story, ask Bruce!). Somehow the bleary-eyed and fatigued Abe still managed to shoot a clean 78 at Sarasota's Bobby Jones Golf Club Saturday morning...
Talk about retirement support! Bernstein reports he's now (sort of) retired - now we understand. Wife Anita was promoted to VP of an engineering firm and Bernie's glowing over, and grooming, the baseball talents of his young son Jacob, while molding him into the next Billy Mazeroski!!!... A very happy-go-lucky Janet Bowser, who owns a B&B in Somerset, PA, is part owner of a wine producing vineyard and has a winter residence in Punta Gorda, played golf and hung out with the boys Saturday and held her own quite well...
Blackie bounced from here to there, never missing a happy hour or the opportunity for another meal -- obviously -- while taking it all in and wondering how in the world he would ever be able to convey the sights and sounds of this exhilarating experience back to you all... Locals Carol Congalton and Janet Jarabin had the foresight to bring along their 1960 yearbooks. Some found the old photos in the NORHIAN more amusing than others. It was also rumored Carol & Janet did some serious shopping damage at the famous and upscale St. Armand's Circle district during their free time...
The tall and slender Christine Fischer may have won the Happy Face award. She wore a smile from ear to ear from the time she arrived Friday until she left Saturday night. We don't know of anybody who had a better time mingling than Christine. Although she is now retired, it's easy to see that she was an excellent high school teacher and communicator..
Bill Domke - what a pleasant surprise to have him rejoin his mates for the first time since graduation. Bill reportedly arrived in Florida about the same time as Ponce-de-Leon....years ago. Seriously, Bill has been living in Naples for nearly 40 years and even built his dad a house right down the street from his own. What a SUPER payback... Richie Heil stepped up with some local knowledge, organized the golf activities, and has earned the title of Spring Break Golf Chairman. Rich and Dian are Florida residents 2 and 1/2 months a year, and next year, it may be 3...
Dave "Dr. Fakes - Big Otis" Kniess STILL has a larger collection of fakes than the 3 Stooges. KKAAAAACHEEEEW!!! He, along with wife "Squeaky," also have more Florida contacts through his travels and culinary experiences than contact has pills in a plastic bottle. Their discovery of Shell's Restaurant & Bar and the 11AM til 7PM "2-4-1 happy hour" may have been the most important find since the discovery of the Fountain of Youth... Dr. Fake's was also kind enough to chauffeur "the girl's" and a few stray hubbies to the popular Red Barn Antique & Flea Market during Saturday's free time slot...
Dick & Peggy Maser and Dave & Cathy Miller drove down to Anna Maria Island and parlayed their Spring Break Weekend into 2-weeks of vacation, visiting old friends and exploring along the way. Mil is happily retired, but who wouldn't be after all those years with the IRS. Maser reminds us that he's carrying a carafe of knowledgeable wine information these days and that he is available for consultation at the PA State Store out on Perry Hwy, just north of 3 Degree Road...
Schomaker created some Sunday morning excitement (no surprise there!) while taking a boat ride around the island. The "ShoeMan" was reaching out to help dock the boat in which he was cruising, and, as he reached out to grab hold of the pier, the pier went one way, the boat went the other and the "Shoe" ended up plunging into the chilly waters. Abe and Blackie reacted quickly to save "Shoe" from sinking, while Clif did the next best thing - ran for his camera so that he could record this hilarious happening. "Shoe" was saved, Clif got his photo, and "potential DISASTER turned to LAUGHTER!!!"...
Billy Knoch spent the weekend driving up and down highway 41 between Anna Maria Island and his new home in Venice, experiencing one traffic jam after another while playing taxi cab. "Knochers" did a nice round of golf Saturday and made an impressive appearance at the 19th hole in the Cradle Bar... First to arrive Friday at McKechnie Field in Bradenton was Vinnie & Francee Malone. They drove in from their home in Okeechobee and the Vinman worked the crowd nicely as he usually does. Francee particularly enjoyed the Kniess' outing to the Red Barn. We were sorry to hear that upon their return trip home Sunday, they discovered their pet dog Shadow had passed away. This was their second lost dog (Foo) in the past month...
Ricky & Chrissie Stotz did an "up & back" from Ft. Myers and joined us for the Saturday evening happy hour and dinner festivities. Unexpected changes to their scheduled weekend plans limited them to a Saturday only visit... Tony Snowball, found a way to abandon his 18-wheeler for the weekend, sent his wife on a cruise to the Caribbean (what a guy!!) and enjoyed the hell out of seeing his old mates from NH. Tony has a time-share residence on Anna Maria, so he spent his free time cleaning up around the house and hosing it down. Already once retired, Tony is now living out a childhood dream of driving a big truck all across the country... Our congenial host Clif Gaus seemed to be everywhere at the same time, looking after all of his mates, entertaining, checking details, managing the time frames, and yes, enjoying one libation after another...
BULLETIN: Bill "Z" Zimmerman, the "man in demand," was slated for attendance but was stricken with a bout of "sometimer's disease" and couldn't find his way out of Pennsylvania. Then to his dismay his little RED CAR blew out three tires and sprung an oil leak, thus forcing him to cancel his reservation at the Sarasota Ritz-Carlton Hotel. Maybe the next mini reunion in December will be more accessible, that's if he can remember how to get back to Pittsburgh... The Florida locals and NO-SHOWS included, Freddie Tryner, Janet Bairhalter, Charanne Jones, Harry Weber, Jimmy Schmidt, Ron Barr, Dave Randolph, Matt Kearns and Wendy Johnson. We can't bring the reunions any closer to your door step guys!!!!
Soooo, you ask, what did we do over our Spring Break?? Well, we caught up on old times, updated the years since graduation, re-acquainted and got to know each other again. As if we already didn't know, we came to find out and reconfirm what a totally nice bunch of classmates we were united with at North Hills High. Otherwise, we did what typical Spring Breakers do - we played - we got sunburned - we drank and ate and drank - we marveled at the beautiful soft white sand and the gulf shore waters - we golfed - we shopped - we laughed - we hugged - we talked, talked, talked - and we had one hell of a good time doing it all.
From the Yankees vs Pirates baseball game (Buccos won 3-2) on Friday, which kicked-off the weekend, to the evening happy hour and dinner at the Seafood Shack on the Manatee River, we remembered the good old days. From the early Saturday morning golf, to the caravan to the Red Barn Antique & Flea Market, to St. Armand's Circle shopping, and onto happy hour and dinner at the Bradenton Beach - Beach House Restaurant, we laughed and reminisced. And, from the informal Sunday breakfast at the Cafe on the Beach at Holmes Beach until the final departures on Monday, it was a continuation of the same.
Those of us who took to the backroads will not soon forget Shells Restaurant&Bar, Skinny's Dive Bar Shack (best hamby on the island), Sharkey's, the Anchor Bar, Vaccarro's, the Tortuga, the Sand Pebble, the HI Express and the Econo"Alamo"Lodge.
Our NHHS Spring Break was not long enough. We could have gone on and on. It was apparent that there was a common bond amongst our Spring Break classmates. After all, we were all together at a very special time in our lives, in a very special town, with a very special group of people -- our classmates from the NHHS great Class of 1960... And on this designated weekend, we just kind of picked it up where we left off in June of 1960. Kudos to Mighty-Mite Clif Gaus for the vision, the organization, and for pulling this off... If anyone had a bad time, they concealed it well...
There's a Mighty-Mite of a good chance that next year on Anna Maria Island we'll be celebrating our "2nd Annual NHHS Spring Break Vacation." If you were a classmate, or a friend of the Class of 1960, then that is your ticket and invitation to join us. Anna Maria Island is just a short jog from Tampa/St.Pete. Join us next year if you can - you'll have a great time, we'll make sure of it - WE PROMISE!!!!!
In closing... if YOU had to pick one missing ingredient - and you were not there - then that missing ingredient would be YOU!!!!!!!
ALL TOGETHER NOW....... "THANK YOU, CLIF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
(Spring Break Photos Coming Soon - look for them at www.nhhs60,com under PHOTOS tab)
************************************************************
Our next scheduled Class of 1960 gathering will be:
"THE 3RD ANNUAL DON DIETER CLASS OF 1960 HOLIDAY LUNCHEON"
Saturday, December 15, 2007 at 11:00AM - ??????
Monte Cello's Italian Restaurant - Babcock&ThompsonRun Road
(the old McSorley's & Pat McBride's)
call Don Dieter for reservations&details @ 412-486-3975
posted by NHHS60 Photo Blog at
5:59 PM
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