SEND YOUR RESERVATIONS IN NOW FOR THE OCTOBER 20 REUNION ALONG WITH YOUR QUESTIONAIRRE. IF YOU CANNOT ATTEND THE REUNION, PLEASE SEND IN YOUR QUESTIONAIRE ANYWAY!

Check out AHS Alumni Businesses The AHS Website now has a tab that has links to alumni“s businesses or interests. Only a few are listed right now but there is room for as many as we want. To participate, send the URL to your website, yor name in 1962 and now if it has changed, plus a very short description of what is your business focus.

**********************************************

Although Mardi Gras was a couple of months ago, Joel sent several photos of his annual revelry circa 2007:

Frat House in the Quarter

From Our Balcony on Bourbon Street

In the Quarter

Lost on Charters Street in the Quarter

Mardi Gras Disposal Unit

Mardi Gras Police

Mardi Gras Revelers

North Shore Group Mardi Gras

Peggy, Bev, and Joel on Royal Street

Tony Seprano, King of Bacchus Mardi Gras

**********************************************

Looking for a Few Good People

The Arlington High School Class of 1962 is very fortunate to have periodic Newsletters and an attractive, easy-to-use Website: www.ahs1962.com.

Sandra Brown Wellborn currently keeps the Master Reunion Spreadsheet up-to-date and is the Newsletter and Web editor. However, it is just not smart to have only one person have the knowledge of how all this works.

If you are interested in the goings-on of the class, have high-speed Internet, feel comfortable sitting in front of a computer several hours a week, WE NEED YOU! It is time to share the joy, spread the work load and ensure continued operation of what helps keep our class connected.

The time needed to accomplish everything is a few minutes here, a few minutes there, but generally less than ten hours a month total.

None of the jobs are difficult and Sandra would certainly be very pleased to do whatever training is needed in person or by phone, so a volunteer person truly does not have to live in the DFW area.

If you would like to take an active part in keeping our class connected, send an email to ahs1962alumni.com expressing your area of interest.

As Chairman of this year’s 45th Reunion, I am so appreciative of the fact that we have contact information on 410 members of our Class!

We are anticipating a wonderful Reunion and look forward to seeing as many of you there as possible!

Go Colts!

Alice Vennum Schear

**********************************************

Dorothy Ibsen Zemler, Kathy Dormier Hancock, Donna Post Oliver and Dee Butler Moorehead in sunny California visiting with Cheryl Buzzell West. Their third annual birthday get together.

*****************************************************

Sharon Head Gammon had a recent encounter with a tornado! Her is her account of that terrible time.

For all you dear friends and family who have asked, Yes, we were in the house. All the things they taught you in 4th grade about storm protection is absolutely true! We went to the center hall, closing all doors on that hallway. We had our battery-powered radio, clock, and flashlights with us. Each of us had a pillow.

We sat in the floor with our backs against the wall, listening to the radio until all the stations were knocked off the air. Within 3 min the storms were upon us. On the radio, the announcer said there were a total of 13 tornadoes in our area, 5 headed straight for Clovis; then, he was off the air. Almost immediately, there was no electric power and everything was dark.

The storm sounded just like they described in 4th grade, like a LARGE train traveling VERY fast. It was very noisy. The house groaned and creaked and popped - not sounds I ever want to hear again! This is the 3rd tornado James and I have experienced first hand and I don’t care to do that again. But then I didn’t really WANT the 2nd one either!

Two of the tornadoes hit us within about 3 minutes. The roof lifted and the outside air was drawn into the house. You could smell the dirt and rain. Then the roof set back down. (Our concern now is, Did it sit down in the same spot it came from? We’re not sure...) After that, there was torrential rains, close lightning, loud thunder, and pitch darkness.

The neighbors who are from the Base, began running up and down our street, pounding on doors, trying to see if everyone was alright and to report any injuries. We were uninjured, but water was pouring into our house through the gash in our roof. We fought, mopped, toweled, dammed, and bucketed water for several hours before the rain let up.

The storms hit just about 8:05 p.m. We finally got to bed about 2:45 a.m. but slept with one ear on the buckets and roof. The house pops in different places now and makes different sounds - sounds I’ve not heard before. I don’t like being here alone; sometimes it’s scary.

Come morning light, you could see the devastation of our neighborhood. Then the endless cleanup began. The National Guard patrolled our neighborhood on foot, in uniform all weekend to guard against looters. Two blocks over, 3 houses in a row lost their complete roofs. Looters were inside within 1 hour and stole several things!

Even with total loss of about 8 houses in our immediate area (and considerable damage to about 30 more), our neighborhood was one of the lucky ones. On the south side of Clovis, where the houses are poor and there are many trailers, many families lost everything, including their lives. Of the 16 injured seriously, one has already died and one more isn’t expected to live. The others are in varying states of serious, but will probably survive.

Take care and keep us in your prayers. We go back to Albuquerque this week for James’ heart procedure on Fri. I hope this helps him...

Luv ya,

Sharon Head Gammon

**********************************************

(Editor’s note: While we do not, as a general rule, include writings floating around the internet, this one is different - specific to Arlington. Read, enjoy, and reminisce!)

This came from my daughter, Amber, who lives in Arlington. It’s pretty obvious that the person who wrote this is way younger than the class of ‘62!!! But, we can relate to some of them . . .enjoy!

Donna Post Oliver

Some of you will find these funny.

Vive Arlington! Ha ha.

Are You From Arlington ??

Not sure who made this but it’s pretty good!

You remember that where the Cowboys’ Stadium in Irving used to be a Kmart.

You go out of your way to avoid driving on 360 during rush hour.

You remember this:

Eight students arrested during Bowie fight A cafeteria brawl at the south Arlington school spills outdoors and escalates into a confrontation with police.

Eight Bowie High School students were arrested, and nine were treated for minor injuries Thursday after students began throwing plastic bottles and cans at security guards and police, who reciprocated with pepper spray. The school was locked down shortly after 11 a.m. for about two hours. At least a dozen Arlington police cars and motorcycles were dispatched to the campus, and all entrances were blocked within 30 minutes.

You refuse to drive faster than 39mph on Division for fear of the Nazi-like police presence.

You class people by which High School they went to, and if you went to Bowie like I did, other people tell you they are sorry for you.

The Parks Mall.....nuff said.

Cooper street was the center of all that was holy when you were in middle and high school.

You’ve swam at the public pool at Vandergriff Park.

You’ve ridden the Black Hole or the Texas Giant more times than you wish to remember.

You remember the city raising taxes to build the Ballpark so we, the people, could name it how we pleased, then ten years later they sell it out to Ameriquest.

You know at least 50 people that are going or have gone to UTA.

You or someone you know refers to it as Agtown.

You’ve thrown at least $10 in change into the fountain in Lincoln Square.

Pantego and Dalworthington Gardens aren’t real cities.

When Selena died, half of your school went into mourning.

You don’t go anywhere on Park Row or Abrams without an interpreter.

If you remember Coogan’s Coffee House:

You frequent the Candle Light Inn, The Arlington Steak House and Catfish Sams, know they are all owned by the same people and have seen members of Pantera there. Which brings me to...

Pantera.

You know of or have been to the “haunted house” on Arkansas. It has recently been torn down finally.

Potholes!!

You remember when the Festival mall was the Forum mall and when the Walmart on Cooper was Hypermart.

You’ve always wondered why UTA had a football stadium and no team.

You went to Barnett and knew what a waver was.

You screamed at the TV “I had him!” when they arrested Mr. Voyles for having child porn on his computer at Barnett.

You’ve ever been in a Cardboard Boat Regatta.

You remember when Hurricane Harbor was Wet & Wild.

You know what Captain Billy Whizbang’s is.

Venice Beach ... enough said.