Travels to Waseca

WASECA, Minn. — Boyd Fuller has received the Personal Service Award from the University of Minnesota, Waseca and Southern School of Agriculture Alumni Association. The association also gave its Minnesota Ag Award to Harlan Holmquist, the retired executive director of Farmamerica.

Fuller and Homlquist will be honored Aug. 16 at 1 p.m. during a ceremony on the Farmamerca grounds in Waseca.

I received my Waseca 2008 All-School, All-Year Reunion registration materials in yesterday’s mail. If you are an alumnus of a Waseca school and don’t receive your registration packet soon, contact me to be mailed or emailed a packet or download the registration forms that I’ve posted on the Waseca Alums site at www.WasecaAlums.com.

Congratulations to Mark Engesether for being named Waseca High School’s ‘Teacher of the Year.’ Engesether was nominated for the honor by Judy Boehme, a colleague who teaches English and social studies.

The next meeting of the Waseca 2008 All-School Reunion Committee is scheduled for Tuesday, May 29, 7 p.m. at the Sacred Heart Trainor Campion Center (old school) meeting room (use west door). Alumni are needed to help plan this event. The reunion is scheduled for Friday – Sunday, July 4, 5, and 6, 2008. For more information, contact Bill Fitzsimmons at 507-835-1094.

I was talking on the phone today with Mary Greeney Harter (SHHS 1962). She wanted to know if the Waseca 2008 All-School Reunion was just for Waseca High School. I assured her that all Waseca schools, including Sacred Heart High School, are to be included in the Waseca 2008 All-School Reunion.

Mary also informed me that her SHHS Class of 1982 is not planning a 45th reunion for this year.

If you’re preparing for a reunion for your class, here are a few tips on collecting contact information:

• Collect phone numbers and email addresses when you collect your contact information. (Here’s a MS Excel form you’re welcome to use for your class list. MS Excel format document for collecting contact information on classmates)
• If you’re just getting started and don’t have a current list of classmates, get a copy of the list from your last reunion or contact the Waseca All-School Reunion Committee for their 1998 list of classmates.
• Contact known family and friends. Ask others if they know of family or friends who may remain in contact.
• Do a Google search for the classmate at their last known address, e.g., firstname + lastname + city + state abbreviation. If unsuccessful, search on the last name and consider contacting people on the list to see if they have contact information for the person.
• Use TheUltimates to search.
• Post a list of your missing classmates on this blog and on People Search at WasecaAlums.com.
• As you go along, distribute your list of classmates to the classmates who have email so they can keep in contact and perhaps get motivated to help locate still missing classmates.

When you’re done, distribute your list of classmates to all classmates so they can keep in contact.

I’m certain the Waseca 2008 All-School Reunion Committee will also appreciate receiving a copy of your list of classmates as they prepare for the 2008 All-School Reunion.

The Waseca school board is considering the future of the Waseca Area Learning Center (WALC) because of the expense of the program. Deanna Bendix (wife of former WHS teacher John Bendix) wrote an article from the perspective of the at-risk students being served by the program for the Waseca County News.

I suspect Ms. Bendix’s perspective on the topic was influenced at least a little bit by her husband. I know at least one story of how Mr. Bendix personally went out of his way to help an at-risk student during his teaching years before there was such a thing as the WALC. There are undoubtedly other stories about Mr. Bendix and other teachers. Care to share?

I called Sharlene Winegar, a member of the Waseca 2008 All School Reunion committee, today to try to confirm when the Waseca 2008 Reunion was scheduled. She said it was scheduled for the 4th of July weekend, Friday, July 4 – Sunday, July 6, 2008.

Sharlene said they will be needing volunteers to serve on the planning committees and volunteers to help with the events. She said that planning would get in high gear next spring.