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Volume 3, Number 7,
February 1999
MIDNIGHT
SUN ONLINE
-The Online Newsletter for
Robert E. Peary High School Alumni-
MSO WEB SITE - http://www.pearyhs.org
INTRODUCTION
Greetings Huskies!
MSO STATUS: Thanks to you who have generously donated to this project and enabled us to stay afloat. Some of you have written and inquired about the costs associated with the MSO and some of this was addressed in previous issues of the newsletter. This information will soon be posted online to avoid repeating the information each time! The bottom line is, it costs us approximately $2,700 per year to keep this going. This cost includes our presence on the Internet "backbone" via high- speed lines to the servers, phone line, hosting fees, storage and backups, registrations, an e-mail account, and 24x7 technical support. This annual total also includes administrative costs such as credit card service fees, postage for those without e-mail for photos, yearbook exchanges, postal replies, phone calls for coordination of events and reunion info. Those are some of the associated costs. It's been suggested by many over the past couple of years that I should draw a "salary" from operating this project. I cannot, however, accept money for something I do... simply due to the fact that I began this project as a hobby and out of the need for such a "connection" for our alma mater. In addition, we're now relying on your support just to keep the MSO afloat. I still have yet to recover the $585 spent out-of- pocket for turkeys and hams for the Holiday Party held December 1997, and realize it may never be realized. Again, the MSO does not exist for profit by anyone, including me.
Some suggestions have also been offered to host our operation on other services — some are the "side-businesses" of alums. While these offers and suggestions are given very close consideration and appreciated, and after consultation with a few classmates who are in-the-know on such matters, it was the consensus that I continue with the present host and services it offers. Clarknet/Verio Mid-Atlantic has been extremely consistent and extremely responsive when any technical problems are encountered (rarely) and I have relied on its services since 1991 for other ventures.
FUND RAISER: All alumni in the Maryland area are invited to join the fund-raising event at The Magic Cue in Germantown on March 20th with The Jack Diamond (1972) and Jim Steed Band. Many advance payments have been received, so it looks like there's going to be an extremely good turnout for this event. A reminder that paying $10 before March 8 will exclude you from a cover charge at the Magic Cue that evening. All of the information to pre-register for the event is on the website.
Items for the Silent Auction include gift certificates for florists, auto care, and retaurants.... also, thanks to TV/movie actress Paula Marshall (1982), crew jackets from movies (one worn by Jennifer Lopez), autographed videotapes and photos, crew baseball hats.... other items include a leather bomber jacket, lots of beanie babies, and even an autographed Playboy centerfold via one of our alums who, indeed, dates the Playboy Playmate! Many thanks to the merchants and individuals who generously donated all of this for our cause. Also, thanks to the Hebrew Academy for passing along many "building renovation" items that they came across and donated for the fund raiser. But, mostly thanks to Melissa Davis Strosnider (1982) and the Fund Raiser Committee members for their planning and hard work to make this a successful event. If you've already made a contribution, thank you — still, we're expecting a very large turnout on March 20th and hope you'll be able to attend — it'll be a good opportunity to run into those you haven't seen, in some case, gee.... maybe 30 years or more?
For further information, or if you have items or services to donate, please contact Melissa right away: melissa_strosnider@discovery.com
ATLANTIC CITY: If you haven't heard, the "Spring Fling" scheduled for the weekend of April 9th has been canceled. We'll shoot for another event for an Atlantic City weekend next year. Thank you to Robin Rosenberg Aiscowitz (1979) for coordinating and planning this, which included reserving the block of rooms for Peary folks, securing a special room rate, planning menus and prices with the restaurant, and checking into the activities that weekend with the city.
REUNIONS: The Classes of 1969, 1974, 1979 will be holding their reunions this year — all contact info, dates, and details that we have are posted on the website. In addition, plans continue for the joint 1963-1965 reunion to be held in 2000.
CANCER RIDE: See www.onevoiceusa.com and read about Bobby McQuin's attempt to bicycle ride from San Diego to Virginia Beach beginning in March! Bobby is the son of Beth Sanchez McQuin (1978).
RACE-FOR-THE-CURE: It's that time of year again for the race to support the event that raises funding for breast cancer. Beth Leimbach Swanson (1966) is a 27-month survivor and again invites all Peary classmates to participate in this event. Details in this newsletter.
CONCERT: See Dean Peters (1977) in-concert at Redland Baptist Church in Derwood, Sunday february 28 at 6:00p. The concert is free.
STAFF/TEACHER COMMENTS: Thank you to Anne Lietzan Sanders (1978) who successfully completed the compilation of every single comment posted in the previous 2+ year's worth of newsletters about our favorite teachers at Peary. This will soon be posted online. Anne has volunteered to continue compiling the comments periodically
BUILDING RENOVATION: From Neal Pizzano (1976), see the Gazette article at http://www.gazette.net/archives/199907/news/communities/rockville/story03.html to see what's up with "our" building on Arctic Avenue!
CONGRATS: To Karla Berg Walker (1972) and Georgian Forest ES. See the text about the MCPS Award in this newsletter!
Unfortunately, last month I failed to mention an article written by Scott Giambusso (1971) for the Washington City Paper. It can be read online at http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/indc/td/diary1.html Sorry about that Scott!
Plan to attend the event of the year, March 20th, at the Magic Cue in Germantown with Peary's own "Jack Diamond" (Q107 and 1972 alumnus) for a night of memories, reacquaintance, and an overall great time! Articles for the next issue of the Midnight Sun Online are due Saturday March 27th.
Bob Lau, Editor/Webmaster
P.S. For those of you who inquired, yes, the house in Germantown is still available for rent