 |
 |
Volume 3, Number 4,
November 1998
MIDNIGHT
SUN ONLINE
-The Online Newsletter for
Robert E. Peary High School Alumni-
MSO WEB SITE - http://www.pearyhs.org
INTRODUCTION
Greetings Huskies!
THANKSGIVING: I've been emotionally overwhelmed at Peary alumni response to the financial situation of the website and newsletter operation and our plea for donations to break even by the end of the year. The good news is that we are extremely close to breaking even before the (literally) drop-dead, date... the end of December. The "okay" news is that we hope the rest of you will find it in your heart and support the memories of Peary and its traditions so we can meet this goal and ensure the continuance of the operation. Yes, we've luckily almost broken-even as of this writing, but what about the upcoming months??
I want to extend a personal thank-you to each and every alum who generously came to our rescue at a most critical time for this project. Whether you sent us $5, $100, $500 or more.... each donation has contributed to the continuance of the MSO and I'm optimistic, with your continued support, that there's a chance this 2-year+ endeavor can continue. Summary... your donations have enabled me to almost recoup the $3800+ I spent out-of-pocket in advance to keep it in operation. Truly a time to give thanks, not only from me personally, but from each alum who had the opportunity to attend our Alma Mater and now can come to the website to contact old/lost friends and find out what's going on to celebrate and recall memories through reunions and events and direct contact with everyone listed online, now over 1,870 classmates from 1963-1986. Yes, it's partly a "total" dollar amount that's practically important to this operation... but as far as "spiritual" importance, it has been your response and action to send financial support, no matter the amount of the donation, that keeps the spirit alive. No dollar value can be placed on the latter. I assure you that we'll continue to Find a Way or Make One.
We hope to hear from the rest of you soon so that we can be assured of our survival — of the only central location we can gather to keep informed of what's happening in your class. For those who sent us checks and donated using the onlne forms, thank you again — and although we've almost reached our initial deadline/goal, I hope you'll make a commitment to yourself to donate as you can, maybe annually.... a pledge to yourself according to how much value you place on your past, the memories, the contact with lost friends, and how all of it fits in to where you are today. We also received donations from some who aren't even online with us, so we know you're out there lurking and visit the website. Thank you!
I'd like to extend my appreciation to individuals from the following classes who took the initiative to solicit personal appeals to their classmates: Eileen Brown Carter (1965), Gale Senseman Privette (1966), Diane Bonanno (1971), Mike Quigley and P.J. Burnsky (1973), and Patty Toler (1983). There are probably other back-and-forths that I am unaware of or have failed to mention, and I extend thanks to you as well, though I don't know who you are, but it has been obvious there has been some behind-the-scenes work going on too. Continued appreciation to Laura Vandevender Collins (1973) and Jim Carr (1984) for maintaining their respective class Info Sections on the website. With 24 years worth of graduating classes and over 10,400 alumni to contend with, their assistance is of tremendous help to the overall operation.
Please, do not stop the support. We're almost covered until the end of 1998. It would be nice to be able to ensure that we can cover the 1999 costs of the website and newsletter up-front, and truly make this the user-supported project it is meant to be. Again, thanks very much everyone. You've come through when it was critical... as if it were a campaign or pep rally to beat the tar out of Wheaton, Rockville, and Richard Montgomery in sports, It's Academic, or Pommie competition. Exclamations come to mind: Wow! Groovy. Neat. Fine. Cool. F-A! Let's continue battling those R-poos and wussies...
HOLIDAY PARTY: Despite much success we achieved with last year's gathering at Bauer Rec Center, I'm sad to say we will not be throwing an event this holiday season. Thank you to those volunteers who wrote to lend their assistance, and special thanks to Melissa Davis Strosnider (1982) and Richard Cauble (1974) who scrambled at the last minute to try and attempt an informal gathering. It was far too late to effectively plan a successful and organized event; however, in lieu of a holiday party this season, a get-together and fund-raiser is being planned for late January or for February at the Magic Cue in Germantown. Proceeds from this event will go towards the coninuance of the Midnight Sun Online and to help recoup $500 still outstanding from last year's holiday gathering. Stay tuned for details. The coordinator of this event is Melissa, with Richard generously donating the location and entertainment. If you're willing to help out with this event, please contact Melissa: melissa_strosnider@discovery.com. Door prize donations are being sought from businesses large and small if you can help in this area.... gift certificates, vouchers, coupons... let Melissa know.
OTHER FUND-RAISING: A company and individual listing online of services and discounts available to Peary alumni from other alumni who are associated with, or own, such services is being considered for a nominal fee. Rates and guidelines are being determined. This might be a good way to provide some coverage for the website maintenance and internet server expenses for the home page, as well as provide publicity to those who "advertise" on it.
ATLANTIC CITY: A reminder to make your reservations for the Spring Fling to be held in Atlantic City the weekend of April 9, 1999, with the main event on Saturday April 10th. A block of rooms has been reserved for Peary Alumni already and the dinner/gathering established. All the available details are posted online. Contact event coordinator Robin Rosenberg Aiscowitz (1979) for more information and to sign-up for this bash! Space is limited. Atlantic City is a short drive for those of you in the MD/DC/VA area.
REPHSAA: The Robert E. Peary High School Alumni Association is again seeking volunteers and making plans to become "active" since its formation in late 1997. See Neal Pizzano's (1976) submission in this newsletter.
THE BUILDING: See the submissions in this newsletter from Steve Steinberg (1983) and John Gage, Assistant Supervisor of Building Reconstruction, on the progress of making the building fit for The Hebrew Academy's use!
STAFF ALUMNI ANNUAL GATHERING: Held on November 15, with a handful of former students making an appearance. Photos from the event, coordinated by Mary Thomson (Staff), will be posted online shortly. Mr. Burlas and other staff members discussed the MSO and submitted a few fund-raising ideas that are being considered.
CLASS OF 1974 REUNION: Your 25-Year event will be held on July 31, 1999! Contact The Reunion Company in Rockville for more information. Your reunion committee members online are Meredith Way Morris and Reina Cohen Sprankle.
CLASS OF 1966 CRUISE: Open to alumni, from any year, who wish to attend. You must contact Denny Denewitz right away at pinnacle.travel.group.ava@mindspring.com — space is filling-up more quickly than anticipated! Details are posted in the Class of 1966 Info Section at the website.
CUPID: Watch for an upcoming episode of Cupid (ABC Saturday nights), starring Paula Marshall (1982), titled "Bachlorette" and listen/watch for Paula's reference to PEARY HIGH SCHOOL! Check your TV guides — the episode will air in December or January. If we nail down the date beforehand, you'll be the first to know it.
ONLINE E-MAIL LISTINGS: Thanks to Dean Peters (1977) who relayed some tips to avoid our online e-mail listings from being retrieved by spamming programs. Some safeguards have been implemented to protect you and your e-mail address from being subject to unsolicted junk mail. You may notice some additional coding in the e-mail links, and these have been tested to make sure there is no affect to their function. Simply click and write your message as usual.
Also, regarding the use of the listings... all content on the website is, inherently and by notice, the property of The Midnight Sun Online and its registered owner — all content is copyrighted and only for use, as stated, by alumni and former staff for personal use — not for commercial purposes. If the listings are used by other than any of the parties it is intended for, I MUST be informed and permission granted beforehand. The server logs are archived and the usage regularly monitored. If I don't know the information is being accessed by an authorized party, i.e. someone has given an okay to solicit alums for a reunion or other alumni activity using our resources, I can only assume that the information is being used for unauthorized profit-making activities and must take measures to counter this sort of infringment.
So please, before using the list in such a case, let us know ahead of time — and remember that, although the information is accessible by anyone, it costs us (you, through your support) to place it there and the information cannot be used without prior knowledge and permission. Thanks for your understanding and cooperation! A detailed notice to this effect, to clarify/expand what's already posted in the online copyright notice, will be posted soon to avoid conflicts, misunderstandings, and legal actions in the future. The copyright notice is there to help ensure the privacy of alumni and any contact information listed. The Midnight Sun Online monitors any suspicious activity regularly and will not allow possible abuse to go unnoticed.
LOOKING FOR A VOLUNTEER: A couple of classmates and former staff members suggested compiling all of the comments written in the past 26 issues of the newsletter about students' memorable and favorite teachers. It's a lot of work. But the text would be compiled and printed and given to those staff members. Many of the staff and faculty are not online and have no access to the newsletters.
QUICK NOTE: As of this writing, there are some technical problems with the website and our service provider. The site is accessible, but has not been updated for a few days. The problem will hopefully be corrected soon. Be assured we're receiving your updates, donations online, and continuing to update information daily and will post the updates as soon as we can. Thanks for your patience in the interim. Welcome to those of you who found us in the past month!
Articles for the next issue of the Midnight Sun Online are due Saturday December 19th. Submit your articles and news items directly online when you visit the home page. Again, thanks to all of your who came through for us and the project's plea for survival. I'm more optimistic that we can continue, as long as the flow of funding does not cease. The MSO is brought to you only by self-support by its users. Don't let the past two years go to waste!
Bob Lau, Editor/Webmaster