May 2009 (6)
Bits &Pieces GNN ‘62
Issue #6, September 2007 – May 2009
Dear Classmates:
So…..a little time has elapsed since I first began writing this edition of Bits & Pieces. Thank you Bonnie Shyamala Pittman Littlefield for spurring me on to finally finish this!
Happy 65th to those of you celebrating this year…. And to those who are a bit “younger” – your day will come too! Lots of us have been sharing Medicare Moments….
Many email addresses have been bouncing. If you are in touch with any of our classmates, please remind everyone to send me updated information. And, if you have moved…let me know. I will send an updated address list. If you have joined Facebook, there is a GNN group to join. I am not yet sure what we will do with it….but it exists.
All the best,
Peggy
From Kathy Feldblum Hoey
I don't know if it is news but Ellen Yule Tilden and I got together in August. We went to
Mendocino CA, a lovely historic town 3 hours north of San Francisco. We had a great time
reminiscing about the old days. Note I didn't say the "good" old days :)
I am off to San Antonio with my Swissair Retirees group over Columbus Day weekend. I worked for Swissair for 27 years. We all still get together and enjoy each other's company. It's nice!
From Carole Friedman Greener
As an update - I now have 2 grandchildren - Ryan Davner will be 3 Oct 11 and Brett Davner was 1 on June 30.
Carol Steinhardt Vadnai
My updates include recently retired (and loving it!) First grandchild April 7, 2007
2009 Update: As far as news, I'm going to become a grandmother for the second time in Sept. I've enjoyed the first so much that I can only think it will be double the fun!
Spent the evening with Myrna Levine Feinbloom and we were wondering if there were any rumblings about a 50th reunion. Heard anything?
From Jane Stonehill Scal
Since our last reunion, Michael (who is now 15 months), born to my daughter, Dara (and husband, Frank) is thriving and chasing after his sister, Alyssa, soon to be 6 and brother, Sammy, soon to be 9.
My son, David (and wife, Melissa) is scheduled to have their second, a son, on Thursday, (Sept. 20). He'll have a 3 1/2 year old sister, Rachel.
I also have 6 step grandchildren.
Of course, they're ALL beautiful, brilliant, adorable, and FUN!
I'm still working, part time for Plaza printing, doing his computer design work.
He had been in the "Gertz" shopping center in Great Neck, but has just moved to New Hyde Park. After many years of sales, I'm enjoying working and designing on the computer.
Don, my husband, is retired and loving it...you should see our garden!
From Bev Javer Kohn
Dear Friends and Family:
WE NEED YOUR HELP
October is here and as most of you know, it is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Breast Cancer will strike more than 212,920 times this year and claim 41,000 lives. 6% of those stricken will be men. Other than me, I am sure all of you know someone that has been stricken with this disease. There are more survivors than ever before, and I am proud to say that I am one of those survivors. I was first diagnosed in 1985, then in 1999 and last time was April of 2005, with a double mastectomy. Hopefully that will be the end of it. There are others who need your help and therefore, my plea.
Mark and I are walking October 13th to raise money for awareness and research. "Making Strides" is helping the American Cancer Society's programs that fight breast cancer on four fronts: Research, education, advocacy and patient services. Last year in Florida we raised $3.1 million. Your pledges will help us to go higher this year. We are proud to be part of that fundraising group. This year I am the Team Leader for Holy Cross Hospital Breast Cancer Support Group, and Mark is producing a 5 act show to raise money for Making Strides. 100% of the proceeds is profit. Last year I raised $2200.00 .Hopefully with your help I will raise much more this year. Every little bit helps. Please make your check out to American Cancer Society (ACS) or Making Strides Against Breast Cancer (MSABC) and mail to me at: 3900 Galt Ocean Dr. #1401, Ft. Lauderdale, Fl. 33308. For those of you living down here or if you will be in the area and would like to attend the show, let me know (954.868.4466) and I will save a ticket for you. The cost is $20.00.Don't forget to get your mammo's and Pap Tests. Thank you
Love
Bev and Mark
From Steven Stark
The latest update on our lives has been dominated by the arrival of our second grandson, Drew Collett born on March 4th. His “older brother” Brady turned two last November.
Our 35-year-old “most eligible bachelor” son just informed us that we will be meeting our future daughter-in-law shortly. This is a huge relief to us because he has been living in Newport Beach, California since his sophomore year in college and the lifestyle in that part of the world is surreal by any standard.
We just returned from our niece’s wedding in Melbourne, Australia where we were surprised by how much the city has changed since our last visit in 1995. After the wedding, we spent an additional week visiting Brisbane and the Gold Coast of Australia. The long trip was made a little more comfortable by flying on the new Airbus A-380 mega-airplane (along with 600 other people)!
In January, we spent three weeks touring Egypt and Jordan and the trip was nothing short of spectacular.
In November, we are headed to Florida for another wedding and we hope to stay at home until then.
I play tennis 4-5 days a week and enjoy it thoroughly. I often reflect on the amazing difference between our generation and our parents’ generation in the sense that I could never imagine either of my parents being involved in strenuous physical activities at this age!
I would urge all of our classmates to sign up on Facebook because it is a wonderful way to reconnect after all of the intervening years.
From Jim Liebertz
I believe I neglected to advise that Frances and I finally became grandparents last September 7th, coincidentally our 40th wedding anniversary. Grandson Colin Cyrus Liebertz is doing well and bringing joy to the whole family.
From Phyllis Sommers Sparrow
Don't know if this is noteworthy but we are the proud grandparents of twin boys born recently. That makes number 9 and 10 in the grandchildren dept. We are in heaven.
From Bonnie Shyamala Pittman Littlefield
Hi everyone,
I've been living in California near San Francisco for the last 5 years. After many years of living in a spiritual community in upstate New York, my husband Mac retired from teaching at the local college and off we went for the next chapter. Mac's from California and we have many friends and family here so it seemed a very natural destination. What's so surprising to me is how much I love it here after a lifetime in New York. It's wonderfully casual, full of interesting open-minded people and some of the most beautiful nature I have ever seen is part of daily life. I founded a couple of internet businesses selling eco-friendly pet products for my 4 Legged friends -www.4LeggedDesigns.com - and jewelry and rare gemstones for my 2 Legged friends - www.ShyamalaDesigns.Etsy.com [Shyamala is the name I received when I was studying meditation in India 30+ years ago and it's what everyone calls me now. It's pronounced just like the Indian directors name, M. Night Shyamalan, without the final n.] If you'd like to know more, visit my websites.
I wanted to wish everybody happy birthday on this milestone year. Those of us not 65, soon will be. It's extraordinary how young I feel in spite of assorted sags, aches and unwelcome expansions in the wrong places. I feel I'm just getting started and just getting a clue as to how to be a true human being. I hope our paths cross again soon so we can compare notes on this surprising journey of growing up and on.
From Peggy Karlin Kroll
Catching up with our classmates was part of my trip to California this past July. Arlene DeCoveny, Gerry Grossman, Margie Gelbspan, and I had dinner one evening. I spent the day with Judy Schub Wolfenstein exploring LA as she showed me another part of the city that I had not yet visited. Yet again, Diane Tickton Schuster and husband Jack had tickets to a show that I was also going to see, so we had dinner before “Jersey Boys.” And, because I grew up in Kensington, no trip to California would be complete without seeing my GNS classmates Sue Gitlin Cherlin, Amy Schwartz Spielman, and Carolyn Singer Saft.
2009 Update: I have changed jobs….on my way to retirement (would someone define that for me?!). I left my 50+ hour a week synagogue education position for a totally different experience doing outreach for Jewish Family & Children’s Service in West Palm Beach. In addition to the marketing work, I’m learning some social work skills since the bulk of the position is with Mentoring 4 Kids, a kind of “Big Brother/Big Sister” program. Having a blast. I’m also doing some teaching around town – professional development for teachers, family education, and March of the Living.