JASHS Class '70 Reunions
Theresa sent me a Facebook message saying she'll be in Southern California for the weekend and can she see me? And of course I said yes, since the last time I saw her was...
That's how long it's been - I can't remember!
Her brother Romar sent me another message saying we'll meet for lunch today at Ten Ten, a dimsum restaurant in Artesia.
Donna, Nido and I went there after church. They were already eating when we arrived! We had a great time. It turned out Theresa and Erline were in town to celebrate the latter's birthday.
Happy Birthday Erline!
After lunch friend and high school classmate Ed Sale, picked me up so we can go to an ANASI scheduled meeting with Cong Paing at his house in Bellflower. Capampangan co-advocate Pids Rivera will attend as well all the way from San Diego. Before we left the house, Cong Paing called saying the meeting will be delayed a bit because he was to attend an awarding ceremony in nearby Lakewood. He won a couple of prizes in the Lakewood Artist Guild art exhibit - First Prize and Best of Show. Ed and I drove straight to the Lakewood Recreation Center to view the exhibits and attend the awarding ceremony. It didn't finish until almost four and by then it was too late for Ed to attend the meeting so it was just me, Pids and Cong Paing in the meeting. We called the Ari Ning Parnaso Renato Alzadon and updated him on what we've talked about.
Flashback December '09
The tag line for our annual JASHS Class '70 December 30 reunion that we printed on our banners "Ing e dinatang atin lang rayuma!" literally translates to "Whoever does not attend has arthritis!" We graduated in 1970 (I know, some of you haven't been born yet at the time!) so we thought it was appropriately humorous.
Like all previous reunions, it was well attended and highly successful. The grand prizes of a TV and a refrigerator helped motivate some classmates to attend. We also gave away a bunch of goodies what with the Holiday season and all.
I took way too many pictures for me to post them here. Click here to view the rest of the pictures.
Fast forward to February 2010
Right after the December reunion, we were in a rush to organize our 40th Grand Reunion. We had it at the same venue, R & B Gigster. Since we started our meetings Donna and I have been telling our friends we have a surprise for everyone, something they'll never forget. All of them were so anxious trying to trick us into telling them our surprise but we insisted it wouldn't be one if we did. The tag line this time? "Deng e munta, sumisi la!" which means whoever does not attend will regret it.
We've been having a lot of contact with the Pampanga High School (PHS) principal Mrs. Imelda Macaspac and everytime the subject comes up, we always tell her that we didn't get to 'graduate' in April 1970 because the ceremony was held outdoors and it got rained out. Finally Mrs. Macaspac said, "Why don't we recreate your graduation?" She further stated all we have to do is let her know how many will attend and she'll take care of the rest; cap and gown, guest speaker, the works. Donna and I exchanged glances as if asking, "Why not?" And that's how the idea, of us 'graduating' again, started. Hence, OUR SURPRISE!
Below are pics courtesy of friend and classmate John Andrade.
So during the mass officiated by Father Mon Torres, Mrs. Macaspac and I have been sending each other text messages. She said they're on their way. I told them to hold off and come in right after the mass. As soon as the mass was over I announced if they want to know about our surprise all they have to do is go out and they'll find out. Mrs. Macaspac and staff were waiting outside in the heat ready to hand out caps and gowns to everyone. That's when they realize what's going on. Mrs. Macaspac's surprise to us however, was the guest speaker. She talked Mrs. Umali, our former Geometry teacher and a retired DepED supervisor to be our guest speaker.
Mrs. Macaspac did such a great job! When each 'graduate' started coming in with the graduation march playing in the background, we can't help but be all emotional and goosebumpy thinking "Finally, we're graduating!" For all practical purposes, it was an authentic graduation ceremony complete with a school choir, confirmation of the graduates by the school principal and even a speech by the salutatorian Allan Sanchez.
Click here for the rest of my pictures.
Click here and here for John's pictures.
Suffice it to say that we were right when we told them, "Deng e munta, sumisi la!"
That's how long it's been - I can't remember!
Her brother Romar sent me another message saying we'll meet for lunch today at Ten Ten, a dimsum restaurant in Artesia.
Donna, Nido and I went there after church. They were already eating when we arrived! We had a great time. It turned out Theresa and Erline were in town to celebrate the latter's birthday.
Happy Birthday Erline!
After lunch friend and high school classmate Ed Sale, picked me up so we can go to an ANASI scheduled meeting with Cong Paing at his house in Bellflower. Capampangan co-advocate Pids Rivera will attend as well all the way from San Diego. Before we left the house, Cong Paing called saying the meeting will be delayed a bit because he was to attend an awarding ceremony in nearby Lakewood. He won a couple of prizes in the Lakewood Artist Guild art exhibit - First Prize and Best of Show. Ed and I drove straight to the Lakewood Recreation Center to view the exhibits and attend the awarding ceremony. It didn't finish until almost four and by then it was too late for Ed to attend the meeting so it was just me, Pids and Cong Paing in the meeting. We called the Ari Ning Parnaso Renato Alzadon and updated him on what we've talked about.
Flashback December '09
The tag line for our annual JASHS Class '70 December 30 reunion that we printed on our banners "Ing e dinatang atin lang rayuma!" literally translates to "Whoever does not attend has arthritis!" We graduated in 1970 (I know, some of you haven't been born yet at the time!) so we thought it was appropriately humorous.
Like all previous reunions, it was well attended and highly successful. The grand prizes of a TV and a refrigerator helped motivate some classmates to attend. We also gave away a bunch of goodies what with the Holiday season and all.
I took way too many pictures for me to post them here. Click here to view the rest of the pictures.
Fast forward to February 2010
Right after the December reunion, we were in a rush to organize our 40th Grand Reunion. We had it at the same venue, R & B Gigster. Since we started our meetings Donna and I have been telling our friends we have a surprise for everyone, something they'll never forget. All of them were so anxious trying to trick us into telling them our surprise but we insisted it wouldn't be one if we did. The tag line this time? "Deng e munta, sumisi la!" which means whoever does not attend will regret it.
We've been having a lot of contact with the Pampanga High School (PHS) principal Mrs. Imelda Macaspac and everytime the subject comes up, we always tell her that we didn't get to 'graduate' in April 1970 because the ceremony was held outdoors and it got rained out. Finally Mrs. Macaspac said, "Why don't we recreate your graduation?" She further stated all we have to do is let her know how many will attend and she'll take care of the rest; cap and gown, guest speaker, the works. Donna and I exchanged glances as if asking, "Why not?" And that's how the idea, of us 'graduating' again, started. Hence, OUR SURPRISE!
Below are pics courtesy of friend and classmate John Andrade.
So during the mass officiated by Father Mon Torres, Mrs. Macaspac and I have been sending each other text messages. She said they're on their way. I told them to hold off and come in right after the mass. As soon as the mass was over I announced if they want to know about our surprise all they have to do is go out and they'll find out. Mrs. Macaspac and staff were waiting outside in the heat ready to hand out caps and gowns to everyone. That's when they realize what's going on. Mrs. Macaspac's surprise to us however, was the guest speaker. She talked Mrs. Umali, our former Geometry teacher and a retired DepED supervisor to be our guest speaker.
Mrs. Macaspac did such a great job! When each 'graduate' started coming in with the graduation march playing in the background, we can't help but be all emotional and goosebumpy thinking "Finally, we're graduating!" For all practical purposes, it was an authentic graduation ceremony complete with a school choir, confirmation of the graduates by the school principal and even a speech by the salutatorian Allan Sanchez.
Click here for the rest of my pictures.
Click here and here for John's pictures.
Suffice it to say that we were right when we told them, "Deng e munta, sumisi la!"
posted by reyjay @ 1:09 AM
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