Reunion Updates

 ARCHBISHOP JOHN CARROLL 
Class of 1961 50th Anniversary Reunion
www.archbishopcarroll61.com

Alfred Caponiti
Melvin Chase
Frank Cirillo
George “Pat” Clancy
Richard Fabrizio
Mike Finnegan
Walter Laake
Don Liang
Rev. John Mudd
Mike Needham
John O’Brien
Mike Richardson
Chuck Rohan
Charles Tingley

 

November 9, 2011

 

Dear Fellow Classmates:
 
            I am sorry it has taken this long following our return from Bermuda to provide you with this “Final Report” on our 50th Anniversary weekend. We broke even on the reunion dinner and all expenses were paid or reimbursed with $100 to spare. 
 
            As for Reunion Weekend itself, I will let Fr. “Mack” Jennings (the Tennessee pronunciation of “Mike”) speak to that as his letter to the Committee is attached. (Click here to read Mack's letter.)
 
PHOTOS
 
            Whether you attended the Reunion or not, you should visit the class website (www.archbishopcarroll61.com) and view the photos posted from the various events. On the link “Reunion Attendees Photos” compare what we look like now with our graduation photos. We are continuously posting photos from the various events as we receive them, if they are “website worthy”. We still need pictures from the Nats game and Steve Abbott’s photos from Friday night at the Sequoia Restaurant. Many thanks to Frank Roddy who provided the Committee with more than 400 photos that he took over the weekend!
 
ANNUAL DINNERS
 
            Sunday morning, as the Brunch was winding down, Fr. Mudd said to me “We can’t just let ‘this’ end!” By “this” he was referring to the rekindling of acquaintances and to the renewing of friendships in most cases after 50 years! It was truly sad as the weekend drew to a close. So starting next year, provided there is sufficient interest, we will begin the Carroll Class of ’61 Annual Dinners for classmates, spouses, and guests. By April 2012, we will circulate the name of a restaurant and a date for our 51st “Reunion”.
 
CARROLL CLASS OF ’61 TRAVEL COMMITTEE
 
            The classmates that cruised to Bermuda had so much fun that we all also wanted to continue having annual trips. You will soon hear about possible excursions in 2012 to either Munich for the Octoberfest, or a cruise to Alaska provided there is sufficient interest.
 
THANKS
 
            I want to thank Father Mudd for contacting me in 2009 to remind me of a pledge that I made to him 25 years ago, that, if I was still around, I would be willing to chair the 50th Class Reunion. It has truly been a labor of love, and I have enjoyed immensely working with your Committee and interacting with so many of you over the phone. 
 
            I truly look forward to seeing many of you again next year! Until then, I remain
 
                                                                         Very Truly Yours,
 
                                                                        Walter E. Laake, Jr.
 
 
P.S.   REUNION YEARBOOKS MAILED OUT MONDAY
 
            Monday we mailed out “Book Rate”, the Carroll Class of 1961 50 Year Reunion Yearbook to everyone who created a profile page but did not receive one at the Reunion itself.
 
             There are lots of memories and stories in these 100 pages and everyone who shared their recollections deserve a copy. Now if we can only raise $350 to copy and send them to the 50+ classmates who did not do profile pages, it might help reignite in them a feeling of class camaraderie. Any contributors out there?


September 13, 2011

REUNION UPDATE
 
Dear Fellow Classmates:
 
            Well, what we started 18 months ago will come to fruition this coming weekend. We expect 80* classmates and 46* (*We are still waiting on checks from some, or whether they are bringing guests.) spouses/guests coming to our dinner Saturday night. Here is some last minute information for the reunion dinner:
 

WHERE AND WHEN?
The Hotel Monaco
480 King Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314
Reception begins at 6:30 P.M.
Buffet dinner begins between 7:30 & 8:00 P.M.
They kick us out at 12:00 midnight
PARKING?
There is parking in the hotel
Valet service is available
“Event” Parking is $10.00
Self parking in the garage is $4.00 per hour
(make a right on Pitt St. and left into the garage)

 DRESS AND PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHS
 
            We are suggesting to Classmates that dress for the guys is a suit or jacket (tie optional) with the ladies dressed accordingly.
 
            We have arranged for 100 professional digital photographs and you will receive a 5x7” photograph of your choosing and frame at the dinner. (I know we all look old, but ten (10) years from now we will look even worse.).
 
            With 80 classmates we also have enough photographs for some group shots. We will also receive a DVD of all photographs distributed to classmates.
 
MENU
 
            As our main entrees we chose:
 
            1) Jumbo Shrimp and Grits                  2) A carving station of prime rib
 
            We added a partial third entrée – sliced chicken for the non-beef eaters in attendance. Please limit yourself to 2 entrees until everyone has gone through the buffet line once.
 
MUSIC
 
            Steve Abbott, who has been a professional DJ much of his life, is bringing 100 songs from our high school years (1957-1961) and everyone coming will receive a free CD of those songs. Steve promises that the music will be background only from the start of the reception through dinner and that after dinner he will lower the volume on occasion and allow plenty of time for conversation as well as for dancing.
 

            Since DJ’s do not need to use records anymore, Steve is programming his music to run automatically, and he has also volunteered to take candid photographs during the evening and to

put together a montage of photos to be put on the class website. Every table will also have a Kodak HD disposable camera which we hope you will use to take pictures of your table and pictures of each other and when you have shot a whole roll or at the end of the evening, please drop the camera off on the table where Steve’s DJ equipment will be as he will also review and include these photos as well.
 
            STEVE HAS RE-ACTIVATED THE CARROLL PHOTOGRAPH CLUB and is appointing all attendees as members. Please remember to bring your digital cameras and/or camera phones to any and all events you are attending. Be sure to charge the batteries or bring spares and email him the results (Steve Abbott: macabb@carolina.rr.com). He promises to edit everyone’s pictures and make them available online.
 
CLASS YEARBOOKS – 1961 and 2011
 
            Chuck Rohan has taken a 1961 Senior Class Yearbook and scanned each page onto a DVD and made a copy of the DVD for all classmates. In addition to the Yearbook, he included at the beginning some pictures from our freshman year as well.
 
            He have also taken everyone’s entire profile page and downloaded it into a 107 page “2011 50 Year Reunion Yearbook” so that everyone can take home a hard copy of what is on the website’s profile pages. It was the only way Jim Kuhn, and others in our class, who do not own a computer, would ever know what the rest of us of have been up to these page 50 years.
 
ALCOHOL
 
            It appears that we will NOT be able to provide an open bar at the reception although it had been our hope (depending on attendance) to have an open bar for at least beer and wine. We still expect to be able to provide an initial bottle of red and white wine for each table from banquet proceeds if the remaining classmates who said they were coming actually send checks.
 
SPONSORS?
 
            The Reunion Committee would be grateful if anyone is willing to sponsor or partially sponsor an open bar during the one-hour reception. Call me if you wish to be designated “Class Hero” for the evening.
 
            On the attached pages you will see final details with respect to Saturday morning’s tour of Old Town and Saturday afternoon’s football game at Carroll as well as Sunday morning’s Mass, Brunch and Open House at Carroll. Please refer to those attachments in order to obtain additional information for those activities this weekend.
 
            I look forward to seeing everyone on Saturday evening and I assure you that the Committee has done everything it can to see that this Reunion Weekend is as enjoyable and fun-filled as it could possibly be for those attending. We hope you enjoy the results of our efforts!
 
             Very Truly Yours,

May 26, 2011

             Re:      Archbishop Carroll, Class of 1961, 50th Reunion
                        September 16-18, 2011
 
Dear Fellow Classmates:
 
            We are less than four months from our Reunion Weekend and things are starting to fall into place. Our class had approximately 230 students, 34 of whom have pre-deceased us, 17 still cannot be located, so that leaves 179 of you that we ultimately need to hear from. Ninety-Five (95) classmates have put information on their “Profile Page” on the class website (web address above). If you are one the 84 who have NOT DONE SO, please visit your Profile Page and let everyone know what you have been doing for fifty years and what you will never forget about high school. Just click on the link above, then when you are logged into the site, click on Classmate Profiles. Click on your name and you are there!
 
            We have already received word that 75 members of our class are planning to attend the reunion. I have enclosed their names and yearbook pictures so you will know who is already coming with 3½ months to go . As you will see on the Home Page of the website, most of our classmates still live in Maryland, DC or Virginia (116). But we have classmates coming to the reunion from California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Maine, Minnesota, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Texas, Washington and British Columbia-you can click on the state to see who lives there.
 
            Our hope is that at least 70% of you, i.e. 125 of the 179 classmates will participate in Reunion Weekend. Approximately, 70% of you are bringing significant others and approximately 30% are coming alone. Of the activities planned that weekend, from the initial 61 Questionnaires returned, we have classmate interest in the following activities:
 
            Friday, 9/16/11     Cruise on the Potomac from Alexandria to Georgetown and back, stopping at Washington Harbour (near Georgetown) for dinner.
                                         18 classmates, ? people
 
            Friday, 9/16/11     Water Taxi from Alexandria to the Washington Nationals v. Florida Marlins baseball game (Pat Clancy is trying to get us the use of his employers’ sky suite). 13 classmates, ? people
 
            Saturday, 9/17/11 Golf at the Falls Road Golf Course, Potomac, Maryland. Mike Finnegan has reserved 8 tee times for Saturday morning for 32 people.
                                        9 classmates, 9 people

  Saturday, 9/17/11 A Walking Tour of Old Town Alexandria.
                             Mike Richardson has recently narrowed his choice of tour
                             guides and companies from a dozen to four. 
                             9 classmates, 13 people

             Saturday, 9/17/11 Carroll Home Football Game vs. Malvern Prep from Philadelphia.
                                        14 classmates, 14 people
 
            Saturday, 9/17/11 Class Reception and Dinner, Hotel Monaco, Alexandria, Virginia.
                                        75 classmates, ~128 people
 
            Sunday, 9/18/11   Mass, Brunch and Open House at Carroll High School. 
                                       30 classmates, 46 people
 
            Sunday, 9/18/11   Seven-Day Cruise from Baltimore to Bermuda, Sunday through Sunday.
                                       12 classmates, 24 people
 
            We have some important deadlines coming up. 
 
            July 3          Deadline for booking the cruise to Bermuda at last year’s prices (approximately $200 off per person)
 
            August 4     This is the date we need to guarantee the number of attendees at the dinner at the Hotel Monaco.
 
            August 17   Deadline for room reservations at the Hotel Monaco at below AAA and AARP rates.
 
            All in all, the Reunion Committee has tried to provide something for everyone. We hope you will join us Reunion Weekend, but even if you are unable to attend, PLEASE GO ON THE WEBSITE AND FILL IN YOUR PROFILE PAGE, which we will be copying and distributing as an updated Carroll Class of ’61, 50th Anniversary Yearbook.
 
            And there is more to come!
 
                                                                         Very Truly Yours,
 
                                                                                                        /s/
                                                                        Walter E. Laake, Jr.
 
*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

 March 22, 2011

Re:      50th Reunion Weekend, Sept. 16, 17, 18, 2011

 

Dear Fellow Classmates:

 

            We are now six (6) months from Reunion Weekend and we need to know if you are PROBABLY going to attend, and if so, what events you MAY WISH to participate in.  Remember, all of the Reunion activities can be found at the Reunion’s website, www.archbishopcarroll61.com.  Thus far we have had more than 1400 visitors.  Enclosed are:

 

            1)         a Questionnaire to help us determine your interest in the various events;

 

            2)         a blank “Profile” page for you to complete.  If you cannot log on and create your own “profile”, please return it and my secretary will type this information into our website.  We plan to print and distribute everyone’s page as a booklet at the Reunion.  Feel free to send us photos to add if you, like me, do not know how to upload photos.  A sample profile is enclosed. 

 

            3)         a business reply envelope so that all you have to do is check the boxes on your questionnaire and complete your “Profile” then mail, email or fax them back (address below);

 

            4)         your contact information is at the top of the Questionnaire.  Please check it and update it and let us know if anything needs to be added or corrected;

 

            5)         the list of our 34 deceased classmates.  Do you have any suggestions as to how we pay our respects and honor these fellow classmates?

 

            There is something very special about a 50th class reunion.  Just surviving and being physically able to attend is a major accomplishment!  The people who come will not be the same classmates we last saw in June of 1961 when we were 18 years of age.  Fifty years changes all of us and although there may be those common experiences we shared from 1957-61, I look at this reunion weekend and cruise as a time to meet and mingle with old acquaintances but new friends and to find out about my former classmates various life experiences.  I truly hope you can come and that we have scheduled enough other activities so that your significant other will want to come as well.  Keep in mind there may not be a 75th year reunion!

 

                                                                        Very Truly Yours,

 

 

                                                                        Walter E. Laake, Jr.

 

Address: 6404 Ivy Lane, Suite 400, Greenbelt, Maryland 20770

FAX: 240-553-1731//EMAIL: wlaake@jgllaw.com

 

 WEL:rlc

 

Dear Fellow Classmates:
 
            I am sorry it has taken this long following our return from Bermuda to provide you with this “Final Report” on our 50th Anniversary weekend. We broke even on the reunion dinner and all expenses were paid or reimbursed with $100 to spare. 
 
            As for Reunion Weekend itself, I will let Fr. “Mack” Jennings (the Tennessee pronunciation of “Mike”) speak to that as his letter to the Committee is attached.
 
PHOTOS
 
            Whether you attended the Reunion or not, you should visit the class website (www.archbishopcarroll61.com) and view the photos posted from the various events. On the link “Reunion Attendees Photos” compare what we look like now with our graduation photos. We are continuously posting photos from the various events as we receive them, if they are “website worthy”. We still need pictures from the Nats game and Steve Abbott’s photos from Friday night at the Sequoia Restaurant. Many thanks to Frank Roddy who provided the Committee with more than 400 photos that he took over the weekend!
 
ANNUAL DINNERS
 
            Sunday morning, as the Brunch was winding down, Fr. Mudd said to me “We can’t just let ‘this’ end!” By “this” he was referring to the rekindling of acquaintances and to the renewing of friendships in most cases after 50 years! It was truly sad as the weekend drew to a close. So starting next year, provided there is sufficient interest, we will begin the Carroll Class of ’61 Annual Dinners for classmates, spouses, and guests. By April 2012, we will circulate the name of a restaurant and a date for our 51st “Reunion”.
 
CARROLL CLASS OF ’61 TRAVEL COMMITTEE
 
            The classmates that cruised to Bermuda had so much fun that we all also wanted to continue having annual trips. You will soon hear about possible excursions in 2012 to either Munich for the Octoberfest, or a cruise to Alaska provided there is sufficient interest.
 
THANKS
 
            I want to thank Father Mudd for contacting me in 2009 to remind me of a pledge that I made to him 25 years ago, that, if I was still around, I would be willing to chair the 50th Class Reunion. It has truly been a labor of love, and I have enjoyed immensely working with your Committee and interacting with so many of you over the phone. 
 
            I truly look forward to seeing many of you again next year! Until then, I remain
 
                                                                          Walter E. Laake, Jr.
 
 P.S.   REUNION YEARBOOKS MAILED OUT MONDAY
 
            Monday we mailed out “Book Rate”, the Carroll Class of 1961 50 Year Reunion Yearbook to everyone who created a profile page but did not receive one at the Reunion itself.
 
            There are lots of memories and stories in these 100 pages and everyone who shared their recollections deserve a copy. Now if we can only raise $350 to copy and send them to the 50+ classmates who did not do profile pages, it might help reignite in them a feeling of class camaraderie. Any contributors out there?