Vigor High School Reunion Comments

Johnny Henderson - We had 217 registered - but about 250 attended one or more events. The final expenses are being determined but we know we made a profit. The cost was approximately $40 per person. That is around $8,000 divided by 200 paying souls. The other 50 were guests, teachers or persons coming to the mixer or memorial ceremony and not to the banquet. I sincerely thank each of you for your contribution to the reunion and ask that you remain on the reunion committee in some function for the 47th. I especially wish Evelyn to remain as treasurer and safe guard our balance for future mail expense, etc.
We had a big time at the 45th Reunion! Too much to tell you in this short message but log into http://www.classmates.com to the revised VHS '58 reunion announcement and record your comments on the 45th and your remarks and preferences for the proposed 47th and 50th Reunions. We need your feedback and your thoughts for guidance. View all photos taken at the reunion on the internet at www.MyReunionPhotos.com , the password is VHS58 for our photos. All committee members and speakers did an outstanding job to make the 45th a truly great time. I was just awestruck to see Ruby, Lucille, Margene and many others working hard before and during the banquet to insure everything was in it's place and everyone having a good time. The Vigor '58 spirit is alive and well and the Mobile Area Classmates (our core group of workers and cheerleaders) are being asked to reorganize for the 47th & 50th. 'Brother Jimmy' is re-engineering the VHS'58 web site and I am changing the Classmates site to focus on the future. I really enjoyed the three hour breakfasts and the two hour lunches for two days - just sitting, talking and enjoying each others company. Future reunions will include plenty time to sit, talk and renew those valued friendships. P.S. - We signed two cards for Willie Land. Some of the Mobile gang will take them to Willie at his nursing home in Florida. We'll hear about that visit later.

Dr. Nina Martin - Hi, Thank you so much for the hard work you did for the Vigor reunion. My daughter Dell and I enjoyed the events we attended. She remembers the time she spent working with the Wolfettes fondly and I know that it influenced her life. She began band as a junior high school student, attended Auburn on a band scholarship, and married her high school sweetheart who is now on the faculty of the music department at the University of Arkansas. Her oldest son directs the drum line for the band and her daughter Nina Lynn marches with the band as a percussionist. Need I say more about the influence of the Vigor band on her life? To see all of you and realize that I had some part in your development was exciting for me. I shall remember this experience as one of the most gratifying of my retirement years. Thanks again. Feel free to share my comments with the others. I will always consider the Vigor students as the finest. Nina Martin.

John Boyd - Words will not describe the enjoyment of this years reunion. In particular, I want to thank you for the untold amount of time that you spent making our web site a total success. The effort that Johnny Henderson put in this success was truly unreal. I would like to thank him for pushing the right buttons that allowed me to visit, hug, laugh, and cry with many, many of my old (no pun intended) friends that I had not seen in years. If it had not been for Johnny, I don't think I would have gotten and learned how to use this computer and its e-mail and web facilities-Until I retired, I always had a "Gail" to do it for me. The e-mail and classmates, no doubt ,was a great source of info. This not only added to our success but allowed me to renew some contacts with some of my classmates that I had not "talked" to in years. Thanks to you and Johnny for teaching me how to use it. Everyone at the podium did a fantastic job. The memorial was a great idea and a very fitting tribute to some of the best. This is an order to the rest of those of '58 to please take care of yourselves so that we may see you at the next one. Understand that the planning has already begun. L. J. - you looked great. Kotis won't ever change-don't want him to. Clonts looked happy-as usual. WKEN did a great job with the music-Thanks to Ken and Friday Jabo (Jimmy Johnson) - Damn good to see you. Stay in touch. My man Len (TINNEL) had me worried for a while. No more. And I could go on and on. If you were not there, you missed a great one - Try to be at the next one. If you were there-Try to be at the next one.

Ed Kotis - Many of you were at our 45th class reunion last weekend and words cannot describe my feelings for having seen and talked to so many good friends from days gone by. The relationships renewed and the experiences relived were just tremendous. It was almost overwhelming and I really didn't want it to end. I know I missed getting to spend enough time with some of you and I regret that, but we all know that time is not our friend and it comes and goes too fast. I hope we can all be back together at the next one and pick up right where we left off. I also hope that those of you who weren't there for the 45th will make a commitment to come to the 47th and 50th right now. We really missed you. The spirit was electrifying; so many smiling faces, a few tears, and a lot of hugs and pats ... even a few kisses (on the cheek guys, on the cheek). The job done by the committee members was outstanding. Johnny Henderson led like the great class president he is, and those under his leadership were just great. And who could forget Tom Hudson's "senior moment" as he expounded on the accomplishments and virtues of the mighty Green and White. The tribute to our teachers given by Joan Davis Crawford was excellent and truly rewarding as we stood and applauded in their honor. Thanks to all of you who made this a most memorable experience for me. And thanks to Ken Henderson (WKEN) for the great entertainment and musical memories. Your friend and fellow '58 Classmate, Ed Kotis.

Jimmy H. Robinson aka Robbie - I had the time of my life and want to thank all committee members for pulling this together. I hadn't seen most of these folks for 45 years and to be able to go up and hug and talk to them like it was only yesterday was a good feeling. What a special group! I had dinner with 14 of our group at the Oyster House and haven't laughed so hard in a long time. What a rejuvenating experience this was for me.

Myrtis Craig - I had a great time just was not enough time to see and talk to everyone

Gurnist Freeman - I enjoyed everything about the reunion but we could use more time to sit and talk to everyone and become reacquainted with them.

Ed Worsham - We enjoyed the reunion last weekend. It was a tremendous success! We want to be able to keep up with what's going on with the class of '58 so we're sending our new e-mail address. This address takes effect immediately. Thanks so much to all who helped in planning this reunion. It was great to see so many old friends.

Fay Southall Alexander - Applause, applause for members of the Reunion Committee, speakers and everyone involved in making our 45th reunion a real Celebration! A lot of behind-the-scenes work goes into such an undertaking, and you all should be proud of this very successful reunion. It was heartwarming to re-connect with old friends, some not seen in 45 years, and gratifying to learn that they were basically the same personalities I remember from Vigor days. Regretfully, time did not permit some one-on-one with all who attended. I so enjoyed this reunion, I plan to be first to register for our 47th -- just tell me where and when. Speaking of where and when, Dan and I issue an invitation to friends to contact us when in this area. We use the whole Washington, D.C./Baltimore area as our playground. Y'all come.
Again, much appreciation to our dedicated, hardworking organizers!

Shelby Freise - The 45^th reunion of the class of ‘58 of Vigor High School was in a word “wonderful”. Johnny Henderson and his crew did an outstanding job of assembling our group. I enjoyed the brief (too brief) encounters and all the hugs! Shall I repeat myself it was “wonderful”. The program Saturday night and those at the podium made the evening memorable. Personally I have to say thank you to Betty Downey and Bennie Reed for assisting with the balloons on Friday night. A special thank you to the classmates, family members, Dr. Nina Martin and Dell for participating in the memorials and releasing 41 balloons in memory of our deceased classmates. And what a moment it was when the balloons were released and trumpeter Jimmy Johnson played Taps. Thanks Jimmy. Add my name to those that did not want the weekend to come to a close!

Janice Lomax Whatley - I want to thank all the ones that had a part in the reunion. I thoroughly enjoyed all of it. I am looking forward to the 47th. Again, thanks to all for a job well done.

Wynell Bruce - The reunion was everything it should and could have been. Just fantastic!. Thanks to the organizers and to all the committee members. Thanks again.

Jimmy Martin - I appreciate the many hours of work by Johnny Henderson and the entire reunion committee in pulling together the 45th reunion of our class. I have heard from several of our classmates, who were unable to attend, expressing their thanks for the greater ability to communicate with their classmates (using the information on our web site). I have had more communication with our classmates in the last year than all previous forty four years combined. Since good relationships depend on good communication I am hopeful that we can reestablish and improve those bonds formed many years ago. I think we had a wonderful school, teachers and class! We grew up in a wonderful time in America. We are looking forward to our next reunion.

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