THIS IS SURRATTS FOUNDATION E-NOTICE 2007-8 OF AUGUST 1, 2007

Hello Hornets:

Here are some items that might be of interest:

1.  WEB SITE UPDATED WITH 2007 SCHOLARSHIP AND ACHIEVEMENT AWARD RECIPIENTS.  Don't forget that the Foundation's web site, at www.surrattsville.org, has been updated with photos of this year's scholarship and Achievement Award recipients, and with other info of interest to the greater Surratts community.

2.  CLASS OF 97 REUNION.  The Class of 97 is holding its 10 Year Reunion the weekend of August 3 and 4.  On August 3, the Class will be meeting at the Ruby Tuesdays in Clinton for a small Getting Reacquainted Happy Hour at 7 p.m.  Classmates who pre-paid for the weekend's events you will receive a Special Pre-Registration Packet.  On August 4, the Class will hold a family BBQ on the grounds of the School from 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. There will be a DJ, a wide range of events for children, a 1997 memorabilia display, tours of the School and custom BBQ-style catering. The ticket price for this event is $30, and $5 for children between 5 and 13 years old. Tickets will be on-sale at the Registration Booth at the School. The Class also will be raffling off $5 tickets for two items, a 25 inch TV or a DVD/VCR Combo.

On the evening of August 4, the main event, for classmates and guests, will be held at  the Colony South Hotel and Banquet Hall in Clinton from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.   Only a limited amount of tickets are available for this event so please purchase your tickets ASAP. Tickets will be on sale at the Registration Booth at the School during the BBQ Event.  Attendees will receive a 10 Year Reunion Mug/Glass along with a few small reunion gifts. This event will have a DJ, special guest speaker, and plenty of food. There will also be a cash bar

For those unable to attend the events, there will be photos posted on the Class Website after the event. Classmates should forward their updated info, and direct questions, to Surratts97Reunion@gmail.com.

3.  HORNET RELEASES ANOTHER MUSIC CD.  I've just learned that Hornet musician Eric Scott (81) has two "all ages" CD release parties coming up for his third CD, "Red".  The first will be at 9 p.m. on August 10 at the Austin Grill at 2400 Boston Street in Baltimore. - Baltimore, MD (410-534-0606), and the second will be at 8:30 p.m. on September 15 at the LaPlata Brewhouse at 403 E. Charles Street in LaPlata (240-216-6180).  The LaPlata Brewhouse is owned by two former Hornets, Jimmy Turner (79) and his wife Tracey Nichols (80).  Information about Eric and his music can be found at www.ericscottmusic.com.
 
4.  SEEKING LOST HORNET.  Leslie Pearson (80) is trying to locate Cathy Cusato (80).  Please contact Leslie, at lvp8@hotmail.com or lpearson@washingtontimes.com if you have any info on Cathy's whereabouts or on members of Cathy's family.

5.  CLASS OF 64 PLANS REUNION.  The Class of 64 is discussing a 45 year or 50 reunion.  Please contact Jaime Seaman Reppert, at Steprepp@aol.com or 954-316-7498, if you have any contact info for any 64 grads or their family members.  The Class is also trying to compile a collection of stories about their Vice Principal, Mr. Gruber.

6.  CLASS OF 76 UPDATES DATA BASE.  I've just learned that Class of 76 ORC Evan Vutsinas has recently retired after a 25 year career as an air traffic controller.  With all his new found "free time", Evan is working to make sure the Class of 76 data base is as up-to-date as possible.  76 grads should contact Evan at evtiger@comcast.net to update their info.  Also, if any non-76 grad has any info on a 76 grad or family member, please contact Evan, as well.

7.  WORDS TO THE WISE.  Larry Carter (70) sent along this text from a commencement address by the late Kurt Vonnegut to the graduates of M.I.T.  As many of us of a certain generation learned from devouring every word Vonnegut published, his wisdom (and humor) knew no bounds.

"Ladies and gentlemen: Wear sunscreen! If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it. The long-term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists, whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience. I will dispense this advice now:

Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth. Oh, never mind. You will not understand the power and beauty of your youth until they've faded. But trust me, in 20 years, you'll look back at photos of yourself and recall in a way you can't grasp now how much possibility lay before you and how fabulous you really looked.

You are not as fat as you imagine. Don't worry about the future. Or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubble gum. The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind, the kind that blindside you at 4:00 p. m. on some idle Tuesday.

Do one thing every day that scares you. Sing. Don't be reckless with other people's hearts. Don't put up with people who are reckless with yours.

Floss.

Don't waste your time on jealousy. Sometimes you're ahead, sometimes you're behind. The race is long and, in the end, it's only with yourself. Remember compliments you receive. Forget the insults. If you succeed in doing this, tell me how.  Keep your old love letters. Throw away your old bank statements.

Stretch.

Don't feel guilty if you don't know what you want to do with your life. The most interesting people I know didn' t know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives. Some of the most interesting 40-year-olds I know still don't. Get plenty of calcium. Be kind to your knees. You'll miss them when they're gone. Maybe you'll marry, maybe you won't. Maybe you'll have children, maybe you won't. Maybe you'll divorce at 40, maybe you'll dance the funky chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary.

Whatever you do, don't congratulate yourself too much, or berate yourself either. Your choices are half chance. So are everybody else's. Enjoy your body. Use it every way you can. Don't be afraid of it or of what other people think of it. It's the greatest instrument you'll ever own. Dance, even if you have nowhere to do it but your living room.

Read the directions, even if you don't follow them. Do not read beauty magazines. They will only make you feel ugly.

Get to know your parents. You never know when they'll be gone for good.  Be nice to your siblings. They're your best link to your past and the people most likely to stick with you in the future.

Understand that friends come and go, but with a precious few you should hold on to. Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and lifestyle, because the older you get, the more you need the people who knew you when you were young.  Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard.

Live in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft.

Travel.

Accept certain inalienable truths: Prices will rise. Politicians will philander. You, too, will get old!  And when you do, you'll fantasize that when you were! young, prices were reasonable, politicians were noble, and children respected their elders.

Respect your elders. Don't expect anyone else to support you. Maybe you have a trust fund. Maybe you'll have a wealthy spouse. You never know when either one might run out.

Don't mess too much with your hair or by the time you're 40 it will look 85.

Be careful whose advice you buy, but be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia. Dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it . . . for more than it's worth.

... But trust me on the sunscreen.

I hope this finds you enjoying a relaxing and enjoyable summer (and liberally applying the sunscreen)!  Henry Smith (71), hsmith@smithdowney.com

 
THANKS TO THESE (EARLY) DONORS TO THE FOUNDATION'S 2007 CAMPAIGN
 
Pat Becker Oles (71)
Steve Profilet (71)
Michelle Shelley Wilson Block (68)
Sally Saker Weingarten (77)
Janet Goddard Sullivan (54), In memory of her brother, Jesse "Skip" Goddard, Jr. (56)
Roy Nestor (72), In Memory of Jana Sims Nestor
Kurt Aktug (88)
June Jacobs Brown (44)
Thomas V. Mike Miller (60)
Linda Dorsey Blum (66)
Vicki Forsht Williams (65), In joyful celebration of the marriage of Nancy Oursler Maynard (65) and Larry Schillings (65)
Vicki Forsht Williams (65), In memory of Eugene Colgan, former (and greatest!) Principal


IN MEMORIAM

GEORGE WESLEY JOHNSON passed away of pneumonia on July 9, 2007, at National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda.  He retired from the Navy after 21 years and resided in Clinton.  He is survived by his wife Betty (they would have been married 60 years in December), Ron Johnson (67) and Debbie (Johnson) Savage (73).  Services were held at Lee Funeral Home, Clinton on July 14, 2007 at 12:00 p.m.  Burial service will be held on August 2, 2007 at 8:30 a.m. at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA.