Class of 1965 40th Reunion

It was awesome to meet so many of you who were vague memories and pictures in the yearbook! I think that would be a thought shared by all of us who were lucky enough to be able to participate in the reunion... meeting again, hugging, talking, sharing the little secrets that we may have kept for so long!

Here are some highlights and deserved credits for the perfect storm of events that created this perfect reunion:

1. The hard work Don and Carlotta Holden put into acquiring the venues for our rendezvous. Don did the legwork and negotiations and Carlotta did the organization and accounting and both worked to keep prices down without skimping on quality. I nominate Carlotta to be an honorary member of the class of 1965! Together they made a super team in getting us Danoli's and the Endwell Greens and making their beautiful home available for us for the Sunday farewell.

2. The laid back spiedie roast and BBQ at Don's estate on Sunday. A fitting way to wind down and say our good-byes. Thanks again, Don and Carlotta.

3. The tour of the school that brought back so many memories as we walked the halls, visited study hall/detention, sat back in the auditorium, reminiscing of teachers and classes and the fun things we did as kids.

4. The hard work Jimmie the K and his beautiful fiancée, Robin Antio, put into producing the Class of 65 Rock and Roll Reunion CD for all of us. Number 1 hits from 1965. We have never forgotten "House of the Rising Sun", "Pretty Woman", "Stop! In the Name of Love", "Wooly Bully", "I Can't Help Myself", "I Got You, Babe" and so many other songs that carried us through our senior year at Vestal. But Jimmie's CD brought it all back to us. It'll be a reunion memento that we will treaure forever.

5. And last but not least, "The Shadows" band. Words cannot describe our gratitude to Brian Sorber and the boys for resurrecting the band. For those of us who rocked all night Saturday, we so appreciate the labor of love that Brian and the band performed to make that night so magical. Far from a couple old geezers with a guitar doing their best to wheeze out some oldies, it was like Elvis and the Beach Boys and the Beetles and all the good bands of our era were with us that night in the Shadows. Eternal gratitude to Brian and the boys and girls who made this happen.

It was a wonderful time filled with memories and it was good to get acquainted with those in high school who in my mind were unapproachable. We LOVED the band - they were fantastic and I can not say enough about the music. Each song bringing back memories of the past (mostly good). I appreciate your hard work, as well as Don and others but it was certainly worth every minute. Keep me informed of future events. If I can help in any way, let me know.

What a great time!! I only made it to the Friday night mixer and the tour of the school on Saturday. What wonderful memories it was. I would love to

get a copy of the music CD if there are any left. And, of course, I would love to get any publication of the pictures that were taken at the school on

It was great seeing everyone. When I first walked into the mixer, I didn't recognize a soul. After mingling, however, it all came back and I

remembered those people as if it was yesterday. Everyone was just a little heavier, thinner or grayer hair, most of the guys seemed taller than they

did in high school and everyone was much more mature. How wonderful. Most seemed to have had great lives after VCHS. The memories of last weekend

Thanks to you and everyone who had a hand in pulling it all together. Great job.

I thoroughly enjoyed the Mixer on Friday night at Donoli's. It was great to see everyone...even though I had to check out name badges some of the time....I don't which is in worse shape...my eye sight or my memory!! At any rate, I enjoyed every minute of it and am so happy I went. It was fun to "catch up" with people - lots of memories, lots of laughs. Thanks to ... the entire committee for pulling this all together. It was a blast!

This is definitely a hackneyed expression, but "Where did all the time go?" That's what I was thinking this past June as we watched Katie, our

granddaughter, graduate from Vestal class of 2005. She and her classmates didn't have a clue that in the blink of an eye they would be meeting for

their tenth, twentieth and fortieth reunions. I wanted to warn her, but she was having too much fun!

This was the first Class of 65 reunion we attended and it was so much fun. Lucky for us, our friends Diane (Work) and Phil Harris stopped by our house

Saturday before the dinner. Otherwise, Chris and I would have ended up at the UE class reunion. For some reason I thought Endwell Greens was the golf

What a swell party it was - thank you to all who did the heavy lifting. It was wonderful to see everyone at the dinner Sat. Janet V. and her hustand had remarkable stories and I do think Janet could still make cheerleader. We did miss Averil Clarke, tho, and she will hear about this! I've so enjoyed hearing from Joanne & Brian S. occasionally and when I said to Joanne that I was sorry she was no longer near Vestal (i.e., nearby) she said not to feel bad about it at all. So I shall assume they are glad to be in N.C. As for the Holdens, I think we were all glad to have them there on Sunday. It was a delight and hard to say good-bye to those of us there. Played Jimmy and Robin's CD on the way back and loved it. BTW, Jimmy, we all approve of Robin! Love and good wishes to us all.

I had an absolutely wonderful time at our reunion! I have to thank us all for working together for the past 3 years to get this thing organized and in working order. You (Rich) for taking care of all the computer work, emails, addresses and finances. Don and Carlotta for all the on site scheduling and local business. Their house provided the perfect end to a great weekend. Nice and relaxed atmosphere. Thanks again Holdens!!!!!!!!!!! God and Zeus combined to give us lovely Binghamton weather for the whole event.

I was irritated at my self for getting to the Friday mixer 2 hours late. I spoke with some of our classmates but missed talking with a few others. I had hoped to speak with Marcia Wright and Lucia Romano as well as a couple of others. What a great way to start off a reunion weekend. Donoli's had the right atmosphere and the event went off flawless, I believe. On Saturday, I really enjoyed the tour of the high school. It brought back so many memories---where I was when Kennedy got shot, detention, the cafeteria lines I stood in to get my hot meals, the theatre, the boys locker room and Dr. Komaninsky grabbing my testicle and telling me to turn my head and cough, the Senior Lounge(not there anymore), Bunzo's office, wood shop, and much more. I disagree with don Holden that the school looked rundown. I thought it held up real well and looked in pretty good condition. Not a lot of wear and tear.

The dinner/dance went off perfectly. Who could ask for more. Brian and the band were just the greatest! What more can I say. The Shadows played like they had been playing together for years and played all the songs we wanted to hear form our era. I can't thank them enough for contributing so much to the evening. People were telling me it was a mistake to let your high school band play at the reunion, "They'll never pull it off" said someone out here in LA. Wrong, naysayers. They were wonderful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The meal was typical buffet fare, but it filled the bill and tasted good. Robin, my fiancee and a vegetarian, even had a lot to eat. She enjoyed herself immensely and liked all the old people of our class of 1965( you'll soon be there, my love). I talked, laughed, danced and had loads of fun. I never got my dance with Ann McCarty though. DRAT! She looked wonderful, by the way. Janet Vullimier had so much energy and contributed it to the whole dance floor. Good going Janet! Seeing everyone have such a good time really made me feel good about having the reunion.

The party at Don and Carlotta's on Sunday was the perfect end to a perfect weekend. The atmosphere was so relaxed and everyone was just having fun and talking and catching up and discussing and laughing. I didn't see anyone use the pool though. Hmmmm?????? The weather cooperated, too---warm and sunny.

Robin and I have so many pix. I'll get them to you as soon as I can. I really enjoyed looking at the ones you guys sent. Are we going to put together some kind of scrapbook? So, are we looking at another reunion in 5 years? Are we the planners? I'm so sorry to hear about Gary Shild. I always liked him and we spoke only briefly at the reunion.

Well, that's my thoughts on the Class of 1965 Reunion. I am just so glad we did it and pulled it off in such fine form. I'm not sure we could do it again, but we're the Class of 1965!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The sixties generation who can do anything!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A few thoughts: Sorry I didn't take any pictures to contribute to the reunion page (and to enjoy at home). I enjoy seeing everybody else's, though...

It was really great to see everyone, and to meet a lot of new people. Isn't it interesting how some people look almost identical to their 18-year-old selves, and others look like completely different people? And I'm not talking about the amount or color of hair, either.

I drove around a lot during the weekend, looking at all the places I used to live--the ones that are still there. The house I lived in at the time we graduated has been torn down to make way for a giant senior center, right where Old Vestal Road turns toward the Vestal Parkway. (Near Harpur.) There was always a shopping center right below that hill, and there still is, but all the original stores are gone. I mean GONE... Piggly Wiggly and all. All the buildings are new. I hadn't really visited the area for almost the entire 40 years.

Most nostalgic moment: a tie--between cruising slowly (twice) past the family home of a high-school girlfriend (sigh) and visiting the ramshackle Binghamton apartment building where I spent my most out-of-control year of "college." Those were the days, and I knew it even then.

Most impressive new sight: Don Holden's beer-can collection. It should go to the Smithsonian.

Most impressive old sight: Lady, you know who you are.

Biggest surprise: the great sound put out by the hastily assembled Shadows.

Biggest disappointment: not seeing a lot of people.

Second-biggest disappointment: I never made it to Sharkey's.