Blairstown High School Alumni 

2018 Annual Meeting Minutes

 

The 62nd annual Blairstown High School Alumni reunion was held June 30, 2018 at Belvidere Manor. Sixty-four alumni and their guests enjoyed an hour of cocktails and hor d’oeuvres. Alumni were welcomed by President Robert Sydrock. A moment of silence was observed for deceased alumni: Stephanie Jadick Ivanhoe ’33, Olena Jadick ’41, Elwyn Barker ’47, George Gustafson ’48, Eleanor Westervelt Sears ’48, Arthur Sears ’49, Mary Kise Burham ’51, Carl Race ’53, Elaine Burdge Benbrook ’58, Arthur Sipley ’59, Carole Kershaw Taylor ’62, Robert Greene ’63, Kathleen Quackenbush Sasso ’70, Glenn Shipps ’70, Gary Teel ’74, and William Hart, former teacher. Following the invocation by Jerry Labar, a family style dinner was served. A 50/50 was conducted throughout the evening with four winners of $50 each along with door prizes donated by alumni. 

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President Robert Sydrock opened the meeting and introduced the other officers: Sal Simonetti, Vice President and Nancy VanSyckle, Secretary/Treasurer and the Trustees; Barbara Quinn and Clarinda Gouger. As there were no nominations for officers a motion was made and seconded to retain the current slate.

 

President Sydrock reported that a tour was conducted Saturday morning of the elementary school by Superintendent Saalfield. The treasurer reported that we currently have funds in our investment fund to continue the scholarship for another seven years. The secretary read minutes of the previous meeting followed by the roll call of attending alumni: ’42-Lillian Linaberry Sydrock, ’43-William Beegle and Elizabeth Latteman Beegle, ’49-Donald Van Dyk, ’53-Adonis Cooke Dean, Carolyn Biles Simonetti, ’54-Betty Bender Carpenter, Alice Frutchey Lockburner, Jack Skow, Salvatore Simonetti, ’56-Jean Lambert Belcher, Harold Rydell, Harold Swisher, ’57-Robert Berry, Jay Katzenstein, Judith Drake Sprague, ’58-Robert Benbrook, Brice Christian, Bruce Christian, Mary Jane Katzenstein Nemeth, Robert Sandberg, James Sprague, Judy Ackerson Trinca, ’59-Marilyn Jones Christian, Frederick Fiesseler, Rosemary McMullen Wilson, ’60-Virginia Belcher Gardner, Fred Gouger, Josephine Shuster Labar, Joanne Grandin Oleszek, Harry Rush, Barbara Stoffels, ’61-Gerald Labar, ’63-Allen Bender, Esther Bufis Semken, Martin Semken, Michael Pryslak, John Whipple, ’64-Arthur Ackerman, Gary Rydell, ’66-Gerald Chrusz, Barbara Stankowitz Quinn, ’67-Judy Brown Rydell, Clarinda Gouger Stoffels, Robert Sydrock, ’68-Sara Gouger Budd, Jeffrey Jones, Lucy Castonguay Kise, Richard Kise, David McConachy, Linda Meshach, Jerry Stoddart, ’69-Bevery Ackerson Dwyer, Donna Myers Mantz, Maria Rossi VanKirk, ’70-Sharon VanSyckle, William Kise, Nancy VanSyckle, Gary Washburn, ’71-Ellen Myers Carbonneau, James Erd, Gail Keogh-Dwyer, ’73-Donna Sipley Stoddart. Prizes were awarded to Lillian Linaberry Sydrock ’42 as the oldest alumni in attendance, along with Donna Sipley Stoddart ’73 as the youngest and Donna Myers Mantz ’69 who traveled the farthest from Frisco, Texas. The secretary then announced this year’s scholarship recipient, Rachel Zwerver, granddaughter of Pauline Gaisler ’41, who graduated from North Warren Regional High School and will be attending Pennsylvania State University. 

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President Sydrock introduced Christine Beegle from the Blairstown Historical Preservation Committee who gave a presentation on the Blairstown Footbridge which is celebrating its 125th anniversary. Following the drawing for the 50/50 and door prizes, Jay Labar led the alumni in singing the alma mater. There being no further business the meeting was adjourned, and guests continued to reminisce and dance to the sounds of DJ “dug” and will meet again June 29, 2019.