Gratitude IV

Paul Dupuis, Ginger Thiels and Helpers

Paul may not have played football for Menard, but he sure does know how to take a ball and run with it!  It was his idea to enter a float in the homecoming parade and he made it happen, along with his able assistant Ginger.  I remember when we first started talking about the "Rockin' Seniors '69" theme:  I was hoping to keep our reunion costs down, wondering what kind of budget Paul needed and whether it might be something we should forgo.   Paul quickly informed me that HE was taking care of the float and did not need a cent.   You've all seen pics of the awesome float, but did you know that Paul and his wife Brenda painted the truck cab on their own, so that we could decorate it in the best "hippie" tradition?

And Ms Ginger rounded up the volunteers to decorate it, tie-dyed the sheets that became the "skirt" and covered the bales of hay for seating.  She adorned the float with cute signs, too...    and shared her amazing enthusiasm with everyone involved.  

A shout-out to Caroline and Jimmy Mott for the huge flags our float carried.   The world has changed since 1969, and we were proud to fly the flags along with the peace signs and "make love not war" slogan.   Another thank you to Mike Blank and Mike Conolly for the CDs that added audible merriment to the float!

I owe Ginger a further thank-you for the monetary gifts she collected from you and so humorously bestowed upon me Saturday night.  I had no idea what was going to happen when she appeared on stage, and frankly, was terrified when she introduced herself as "Sister Mary Marguerita."  What a wonderful surprise that black bag contained...   !!!  As several of you know, my personal measures of success for the reunion were the number of classmates attending (and we sure beat the average),  and the amount of money we collected for the Sisters.    When I opened the pastel envelops given to me, the total was over $1,600.    That alone would have made my day, but of course, you all very generously added more.

Phil Lemoine, Rose Mary Randall Williams, George Tullier, Marian Damico Deville, Sister Ann Petrus and Others

If Saturday night was the most fun you've had in a long time, and you missed Sunday morning, then you missed something quieter, but equally as wonderful.  Our "Celebration" Mass in honor of our deceased classmates and faculty of 1969 was truly beautiful.  

Very early in our planning, Marian contacted Msgr. Ronald Hoppe and he agreed to say Mass "if he were still alive" by reunion time!   George and his wife insisted on bringing him to the Bistro and taking him home, as he had presided over their wedding...  and clearly blessed it well.  Phil bailed me out at the last minute, finding readers, gift bearers, Eucharistic Ministers and serving as altar "boy."   He made sure that each person had their assigned readings, too.  Once I asked him for help, I had nothing left to do...  thank you, Phil.

And thank you, Rosie, for the gift of music.   You and your brother Charles were absolutely wonderful!  How you managed to make the hymns of the sixties fresh and new, I'll never know, but you did, and with such class!  As usual!   And thanks too for your rendition of "Leaving on a Jet Plane" Saturday night.   I don't remember your putting nearly as much body language into the song back in high school.    No offense, but you "vamped" it out in great style!!!

Sister Ann Petrus...   you were the Star Celebrity of the entire reunion, and played it well.  For those who were unable to attend Mass, her "commemorative" remarks were in the form of a beautiful prayer led by her and echoed by several classmates and her suggestions for other parts of the liturgy were wonderful.    There was a warmth in the room we all felt...   the hand of God was holding us close!