Unfinished business...

Joey Correia

I rest my case!

Another day, another contact!

That is my favorite part about organizing this reunion; never knowing quite what the day is going to bring. Today my day brought Marion Schwartz! The phone rang during dinner, and since this was one of those rare nights that Mike was home and we were enjoying a family dinner while David regaled us with stories of his day at Pine Grove, I let it go to voice. I'll admit to getting itchy when I heard my Blackberry vibrating. I believe I've already confessed to my relationship with IT. So anyway, as soon as dinner was over (David blew off Photography for a chance to play Gaga!) I checked the caller ID and saw that Marion had called.

Some day, when this event is over, I will need to find a way to thank my husband for his patience and indulgence during this reunion process. I left dishes in the sink and settled in for a long chat with Marion.

Marion moved away from Union Avenue on the day we graduated. That was the last time I spoke to her, but tonight, in that magical way that seems to be happening again and again as we make these connections and reconnections, the years just melted away, and all we needed was Gloria Birn and I'd have been back on Bedford Terrace!

Marion is still living in New Jersey. She told me she has 4 kids, and is a grandmother. She's really looking forward to the reunion, and reconnecting with old classmates!

Oh, and when I got off the phone, the dishes were done and the kitchen was straightened. Hmmm....now how can I thank him????

So we found Joey Correia; can Ira Weinstock be far behind?

This has been an absolutely perfect weekend from my little patch of sand on Pompano Beach in Manasquan. One of the many perks of my job at Monmouth (and believe me, there have to be perks because I work for almost minimum wage!) is that we get every other Friday off in the summer. Up until this past Friday, it's rained not just on my Fridays off, but on every Friday since Summer Fridays began. This weekend made up for all of that! And I had the foresight to take today (Monday) off as well!

Contributing to my perfect weekend was finally connecting with Joey Correia. First, I must say, he's as handsome today as I remember him. I forgot to ask him if I could post up a photo he sent, so for now,you'll just have to take my word for it. Joey is married, and living in Texas with his wife and 10 year old daughter. Both he and his wife are flight attendants for Continental, so hopefully things will work out with scheduling, and he'll be able to attend. He told me that he definitely would like to, but can't commit until he gets his schedule the month before the reunion.

There've been a few other people on my radar this week. I had an update about Steven Kornfeld, from Joey as a matter of fact, but haven't followed up on it yet. I'll be very disappointed if I don't get a chance to at least speak with Steven. Have I mentioned here yet that he and I car pooled to Union County College (freshman year...I started as a nursing student...whatever was I thinking??) during the first gasoline shortage? Remember even-odd gas lines? I guess I was even and he was odd. Or perhaps the other way. Anyway, I do hope to be in touch with him.

I haven't dreamt about Ira Weinstock lately, but I do think I have the right snail mail address. Hopefully you'll see some news about him here soon.

I had a back and forth with Jack Riberio, and expect to be getting his check any day. Still waiting on Bill Boub, but I talked to him today and he insists he's coming. I emailed Ira Lager, but haven't heard back. Same with Fred Teskin. Yes, Fred is definite, but I haven't spoken to him at all, and I'm looking forward to hearing about his past 40 years!

Just Kidding on the Peter Biedermann Thing!

He's decided to come to the reunion after all! Check the roster for the newest changes. Fred Teskin, Michael Ringler moved to the definite list. Peter moved once again from the NO to Yes But Not Confirmed.

My weekend will be complete (the sun is shining, my husband's off and I'm off to the beach)if I get the news I'm anticipating about Joey Correia. And I'm hearing that we might have some information on Peggy Davis.

My work here is nearly done!

Peter Biedermann

I think it was Bill Boub who'd asked if we'd found Peter Biedermann. So earlier this evening, after a totally disappointing episode of Real Housewives (what on earth did Danielle do to bring Caroline to her knees? Any ideas, anyone?) I was fooling around at my computer, when I had that Researcher's AHA moment. Google him, I thought. And, voila! There he was.

I cautiously emailed, with a subject line of "Are you the Peter Biedermann from Irvington" and a few hours later I received a reply. Here's a portion of it:


...Thank you for the invite, however, I'll have to pass. Nostalgia
has never been my thing. Please tell everyone I'm alive and
well and very happy and productive.

Peter

www.peterbiedermann.com

www.homegrownradionj.com
Host of the "Sound In The Head" internet radio show
Wednesday's 9:00 p.m. - midnight (EST)

So, consider yourself told. He posts his contact information on his website, so if you're interested in being in touch with him, check it out. I'll add him to the spreadsheet I've been maintaining. Who knows? Maybe he'll come to the 50th. I'm also putting him into the Definitely No section of the roster and moving Michael Ringler up to the Deinitely Coming.

A Hero Among Us

At the beginning of this adventure, I had visions of Fran and Michael Austin and I sitting around a table at Leggetts doing shots and calling it a reunion. Not that there would have been anything at all wrong with that, but I'm really happy that so many people have made the commitment and plan to come. So, about the reunion...

I was talking to Al DiBiase Saturday night. By the way, take the time to seek Al out at the reunion. He is DEFINITELY a true hero. After over 25 years with the Irvington Fire Department, he retired as a Captain a few years ago. One of the things that he keeps himself busy with these days is the Jersey Shore Jazz and Blues Foundation. He graciously offered to help find live music for the event, and even went so far as to offer to kick in extra $$$ if we came up short. After mulling it over though, we decided that this event is more about seeing and connecting with each other. While live music would be nice, it would be sort of rude of us to ask some cool jazz musician to turn down the volume because we want to chat!

So, instead, we agreed that a deejay is the best idea for music. This blog post is an appeal to you for help. The committee has pretty much decided on a deejay who is completely willing to play the music we want to hear. Now, unless you want to spend the evening listening to the entire Bruce Springsteen catalog which spans the years in question (and contrary to what SOME think, he DOES STILL HAVE IT!) I'd really appreciate your input on where we should direct the deejay. Use the comments section below this post, or send your suggestions about specific artists, songs, genres of music to my email (rjamnik@gmail.com) and I will gladly pass that to the deejay.

By the way, here's a photo of Bruce from the rehearsal show I was at. It was at Conventional Hall, in Asbury Park this past April. He's actually playing shows at the Meadowlands the weekend of the reunion, and tickets are on sale for October 8th and October 9th.

Hey, I'd be the Queen of his Supermarket any day!

Reunion News, Week ending 6/19

Check the roster below; I was able to make a few more moves. Jeff Komrower, Lisa Wagner, Marion Schwartz and the oh-so-alive Louie Baldwin sent their checks, so I've moved them to the definite column. I'd remind Louie to book his room, but I know he doesn't read my blog, so I'll have to call him tomorrow night. Twist my arm.


I moved Bill Boub (more about him to come) into the plans to attend group, but I haven't gotten his check yet. He did say he planned to stay at least Saturday night, which made me think that perhaps he's considering staying Friday night as well. Sadly, I had to move his brother Tad into the definitely not coming group. Tad lives in California. Perhaps if we offer a prize for the longest distance travelled to attend? Since Tad dropped out of the running we can still hope for Larry Zarra and Joey Correia..both travelling from Texas. Haven't heard definitely from Larry yet, and haven't heard from Joey at all, despite my pathetic appeals.


I may soon be moving Debbie Addario up a category. I was talking to my cousin, Nancy Goldstein (older sister of Randy in case any of you remember him from Irvington High) who was friends with Debbie's older sister Nancy. Nancy G is quite certain that Debbie is living in St Augustine and is working on getting us contact info!

As I said, I communicated with Bill Boub this week via email. He sent me this recent picture of himself, and gave me permission to post it. He also sent photos of his beautiful daughters, who he referred to as "the pleasures of his life". Bill lives in Northwestern Jersey. He's had a very interesting life since Union Avenue, and although I've enjoyed our emailing, I'm really looking forward to seeing him in October, and catching up.

Thats it for now....Fran's calling!

Joey Correia....please get in touch with me!

Email me at rjamnik@gmail.com. A lot of people want to see you at this reunion. I got back the most recent mailing that I snail mailed to you in today's mail.

Another day, another update

So I was sitting on the beach today, for the perhaps half hour that we actually saw the sun (it's been days and days here in Jersey!) and I noticed the red light flashing on my PinkBerry. I assumed it was my husband texting from Boy Scout Camp where he and my son (David, 10 years old, see photo) are hopefully having a wonderful time. But it wasn't! It was BILL BOUB! Remember, Lisa Wagner said she'd try to reach out to classmates via Classmates.com, and sure enough, she was able to connect with Bill who emailed to say that he is DEFINITELY coming to the reunion.

Check the roster below. I've moved some people around based upon who we talk to, who we connect with, who sends money, etc. Although I haven't spoken to Tad directly, since Bill is in touch with him, I'm moving him up a category.

Still no luck with Ira Weinstock, and in reviewing the list I got from Komrower, I noticed that he'd not had any luck with David Greenfield. Does anyone know anything about David, after Irvington High? Again, a good place to start is where he went to college, perhaps where his parents moved when they left Irvington. Any little piece of information gives a researcher a niche, and once you unearth one piece of information, the rest sort of falls into place.

It's been a busy reunion week!

By now, if I have your contact information, you've gotten the most recent update. I know we're still 4 months out, but time really does have a way of passing quickly; and the older we get, the faster time seems to go. Anyone watch Real Housewives? Jill Zarin's mother (RHNY) said it so succinctly.....I turn around it's Rosh Hashanah....I turn around it's Passover. Here we are just a few weeks from Fourth of July, and it seems as though we just celebrated Memorial Day.

I've connected with several Union Avenue Alumni this week. Meryl Miller is in Israel, but I was still able to IM with her briefly. Louie called Tuesday night. I chatted with Michael Maenza several times this week, on the phone and via text. Marla. Fran. Lonnie. Emailed with Mark Engel. Got Gloria's check and was able to move both she and Louie into the confirmed group. You already know about the Ira Weinstock dream. No update there. So far no one's found him for me. I spoke to Florine Korbman. She'd like to be with us for the reunion, but just can't commit yet.

But the surprise of my week was a lovely phone call tonight from LISA WAGNER! Lisa is living in Union, and she explained to me that this was the first of all the mailings that we've sent that actually made it to her. I was so happy to hear that both she and Marion Schwartz are coming! They've decided to stay at Ocean Place, and are checking in on Friday night. So, several of us (Fran, Ann Lubell, Lisa, Marion and I) will be doing SOMETHING on Friday night. Feel free to crash our party. Marion's birthday is Friday, October 9th. I believe I've mentioned that mine is Sunday, October 11th? Remember that we have only a limited bank of rooms at OP at the price mentioned below. Please don't get shut out. If you plan to stay, call and book your room now.

Lisa has heard from Bill Boub....and is going to try to connect with him, and she had only just recently run into Janice Rozga, and so was able to give me enough information to track her down. Tomorrow, the most recent mailing is going out to her. Oh, and Lisa is actually a PAID MEMBER of Classmates, so I've tasked her with trying to find some of the other alumni who've been hard to find. Joey Correia was at the top of that list. But there's still Ira Weinstock!

Please take a moment to review the roster below, and if you can help us to either move the fence sitters off the fence, or find someone who we still haven't found....please do. Anyone know whatever happened to Peggy Davis? Very early on in this process, Michael Austin found me a Peggy Davis in Irvington, and insisted I call her. Needless to say, it wasn't our Peggy. She's still on the unaccounted for list.

Oh, one last thing! When I talked to Michael Maenza he asked if anyone had photos from the last reunion. I do, and I had them out the weekend that Fran was here, but my husband is notorious for "straightening up" and he hasn't a clue where they are. If anyone has photos, can you please either a) scan them and send them to me, or b) make me a copy set and I'll scan them or c) send me your originals, I'll make a copy set, scan them, post them, and send them back.

So, last night I dreamed about Ira Weinstock

I guess I've had this reunion on my mind lately. In my dream Ira was Ira, but a 53 year old Ira. I spent some time tonight trying to track him down, with absolutetly no luck. There was no contact info on the list that Jeff Komrower passed down to me, and all my internet researching skills came up blank.

Does anyone have any information on him at all? Where he went to college? Who his friends were? If yes, please get in touch with me (rjamnik@gmail.com). I'm anxious to see if he looks like he did in my dream.