Finnish Center Seeks Donations

Formed as a social group for Finnish immigrants in 1898, the Finnish Center at Saima Park, 61 Scott Road, Fitchburg, MA 01420, is dedicated to preserving and promoting Finnish and Finnish-American heritage and culture.

GHS Classmate Lloyd Hannula asks, "Do you have a pair of cross-country skis and/or ski poles/cross country ski boots you can donate or loan to the Finnish Center at Saima Park? In February we will have a series of open houses featuring our Saima Park cross-country ski trails. Dates include February 5, 12, 19, and 26 from 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. We are also seeking donations or loans of snowshoes."

Can you help Lloyd? For more information, contact Lloyd Hannula at (978) 602 2014 or lloydhannula@aol.com .

Making a Donation to the Stone Fund

Thanks to GHS classmate Russell W. Hoag, Jr. for discovering that a monetary contribution can still be made to the Stone Fund, even though the Nichols and Stone furniture company is no longer operating.

Address correspondence to:

Albert H. and Rueben S. Stone Fund
P.O. Box 1008
Gardner, MA 01440
(978) 630 2800 phone
(978) 630 2801 FAX
albertstonefund123@gmail.com

If you need to reach someone before the end of the year, please call Donna Bell-Isle at Leblanc and Sans Law Office, (978) 632 0011

Many classmates who were recipents of the Stone Fund have expressed an interest in "giving back." Gardner High School also has an Alumni Scholarship Fund that takes donations for distribution to future graduates. Donations can be made out to the Gardner High School Alumni Scholarship Fund and sent to:

Judy A. Mack
Gardner High School Guidance Department
Gardner High School
200 Catherine Street
Gardner MA 01440
(978) 632 1600 main office
(978) 630 4066 guidance

You don't have to be a Stone Fund Recipent to want to give back to your community, and contributing to either the Stone Fund or the Alumni Scholarship Fund is both generous and tax-deductable.

Lining Up is Hard To Do

Here's another picture from Brenda Nyman Clausen, taken on Saturday July 24, just as we were all lining up for our 50th Class Reunion photo. As you can see, the front row (to be seated on the grass) had not been called in yet, and the folks in the back row have not climbed on the staging sety for them . There's a lot of visiting, greeting, and hugging going on. Our sympathies go to the photo crew, who must have felt like they were herding squirrels. Still, it all happened on time, and the complete and finished photos were delivered before dessert.

Greeting Former Classmates

Brenda Nyman Clausen took this photo showing Karen Heywood Greenlaw and William Farnsworth greeting Peter Larson and Carrie Cunningham Larson at the Saturday Reunion Dinner on July 24, 2010. If you have photo from the reunion, we'd like to see them. Reunions go by so quickly - it is hard to get photos of everyone who attended. You can help us tell the whole story.

Listening to Language

Your reunion plannning committee continues to receive hand-written notes, e-mail messages, and telephone calls from classmates commenting on our 50th Class Reunion. Here are some of the things people have said. They can teach us about what mattered most to those who attended.

"The best reunion ever."
"Fabulous job"

"Thank you for all your hard work."

"Thank you all for your hard work."

"Everyone I spoke to said everything was great."

"A wonderful weekend filled with memories."

"Outstanding planning, organization, and execution."

"Everyone was so nice"

"My table made it especially fun."

"Was planned out to the T's"

"The hospitality suite was a great idea."

"I can't imagine the hours you spent getting ready for this."

"Excellent job of set-up."

"Was fun to get ready via Facebook and the GHS Web Log.

"You really went above and beyond."

"Each event was fun."

"I wasn't going to go but the e-mails made me feel wanted"

"I haven't been to a reunion before and I am glad I went."

"I got ideas for my own class reunion . (guest)"

"What a blessing to see so many classmates after all these years."

News from Roger Kinnear

Roger and Nan Kinnear are regular attendees at GHS reunions.

Roger Kinnear now lives in Collierville, Tennessee. He is retired from a career as plant manager of food plants, and is enjoying visiting with grandchildren in the area and traveling to see others. Roger and Nancy have 4 children and 8 grandchildren. In high school, Roger was a member of the GHS Ski Club and served on the Stage Crew for four years.

After the Ball is Over...

Following our 50th Class Reunion in July, most people returned to their homes and daily routines. Some stayed in the area and visited with friends and family. Others completed other planned trips or extended vacations in New England. Classmate Louis Paul Migliozzi had other pressing business, as shown.

If anyone remembers who won the wine basket that Lou donated for our Reunion Raffle, please let us know. We didn't keep a record of who won what at our 50th Reuinion, but we promise to do better next time.