Reunion and Tribute Wrap Up

July 31, 2012

Congratulations to one and all on a successful All Class Reunion and Picnic on July 14, 2012, as well as a wonderful Tribute to Barbara Gensler. As the SHS Alumni Association begins its new year (July 1, 2012-June 30, 2013), we can relax and know the year will start after a big, collaborative, successful effort. Dave Fidlin of the Shorewood NOW did a very nice write up, and the spot on Channel 4 news was lovely as well.
Shorewood Now, July 16, 2012: http://www.shorewoodnow.com/news/a-triumphant-curtain-call-4t65o03-162880296.html
Channel 4 News: http://www.todaystmj4.com/news/local/162508196.html

The SHS Alumni Association is thrilled to report the Tribute brought in over $13,000 in ticket sales and donations, and the reunion Picnic $6,500 in lunch, beer, raffle, tshirt and silent auction funds. The final adjusted numbers after expenses will be approximately $12,000 for the Tribute and $1,500 for the Picnic. This will be the first year that the picnic was in the black AND we handled all the food, beer, and music ourselves. Thank you to all the volunteers who helped out, the generous donors who provided items for the raffle and silent auction, the musicians, PA system, hours of work and all who came and enjoyed the event. I look forward to representing the SHS Alumni Association at the next Shorewood School Board meeting to alert them to the funds that we will put in an interest-bearing, no-fee CD while we continue to grow the fund. The picnic funds will help offset operational expenses and allow us to grow the membership even more.

If you would like to donate to the Fund, to the Alumni Association, or have a special project in mind like the Class of '61 trophy cases that will be going into the Lobby of the Auditorium, or would like to donate money to go directly to fiscal year 2012-2013, please make checks out to SHS Alumni, forward them to our PO Box at 11427, Shorewood, WI 53211 with specific instructions, and I will personally deliver the check to the School Board (is recorded in the minutes) in front of the community.

A special thanks to those of you who have recently renewed or joined the Alumni Association. Your $25 goes directly to programming like the picnic, and to the membership newsletter printing and postage. We will have the updated Membership list available soon. The outpouring of support has created a deluge of paperwork which I'm happy to sort.

To celebrate the success and visibility of SHS Alumni, put on some red and grey and go see the new Alumni Wall of Fame at the local Shorewood Culver's. On their own, Peter and George Dimitropoulos, the owners, have been collecting memorabilia of notable alumni from the Wikipedia site, and they'll unveil the permanent wall of signed photographs and playbills and posters on Wednesday, August 1, as part of their ten year anniversary in Shorewood. An unlikely place for us to be recognized, but it's a very sweet gesture on their part. I scream, you scream, we all scream U-rah-rah (or something like that).

Thanks to all for making Shorewood such a special place,
Jenny Steinman Heyden
SHS Alumni President

SHS Alumni Board 2012-2013
Vice President, Bill Trost Class of '53
Secretary, Jennifer Kringel, Class of '86
Treasurer, Christopher Trost, Class of '78
Desty Lorino, Class of '75
Doris Kitazaki, Class of '86
Reunion Liaison, Geri Berg, Class of '80
Merchandise Director, Rachel De Hartog, Class of '95
Newsletter Liaison, William Evans, Class of '75
Ad Hoc Barbara Gensler Tribute Director, Susan Knudten, Class of '82

July 14, 2012

Thank you to all who shared this special time together yesterday and connected with Shorewood in so many ways. The picnic was sunny, music was great, the brats cooked up nicely - crispy on the outside, and the nostalgic patter of friends new and old mixed in the air with wonderful music. This year we are happy to report no one got locked in the underground tunnel on the tour, and the flashlights worked well (thank you Jane Earle for testing them and putting in fresh batteries). The tribute to Barbara Gensler which followed the picnic was a seamless, heartfelt and professional production to an eager and loving crowd that left not a dry eye in the house, and explored the depths of Gensler's legacy. I don't think I'm alone in feeling a sense of awe at the day, and then of the extremely honest and caring sentiments shared by former students and Barbara Gensler herself. It was a joy to have such a lovely reception afterward (thank you Geri Berg and friends). The Tribute got nice coverage on WTMJ: http://www.todaystmj4.com/news/local/162508196.html If you find it in the press, please forward a link. If you have pictures you'd like to share, send them in! Post also to the facebook page if you'd like, here:

I would like thank the other volunteers on the Alumni Board and all the volunteers who worked harder than they thought they were going to I'm sure. The bartending staff from Three Lions Pub deserves a round..of applause. If you stop by the pub, please say thanks.

I can't say enough good things about the highly skilled and talented crew and cast for the Gensler tribute. Thanks to Shorewood High School for supporting all of these events and allowing us to have technical director Patrick Spreadbury's time for the show, as well as four crew members. Thank you, Sue Knudten ('82), for stepping up and running the operation from Denver and then nonstop from Friday through Saturday that raised funds (working on the totals today) for the school - and to your posse that did it on a dime. President Barack Obama even knew about it and sent his best to Barbara in a personal letter.

Theatre named: There is a new plaque in the lobby honoring Barbara Gensler Theatre of the Dramatic Arts. John O'Hara, local photographer, took the picture that is on the plaque. His pictures of July 14, 2012 will be available in an online gallery tomorrow. Check out his show of photographs at Anaba Tea Room through September.

We hope to have a few ways to see this show again, to help you feel like you were there. Mark Augustine compiled the video tributes, videotaped the show in its entirety, and will be working with the team to produce it. The program will be online soon. If you would like a .pdf emailed to you, send a request to shorewoodalumni.org.

Next year's picnic will be Saturday, July 13, 2013! Thanks to all of you for helping to spread the word about both events this year - please let your friends and family know to save the date for next year. Some of you have let us know you'd like to jump in, too! That would be great - we could use more volunteers as the event grows. Just contact me at shorewoodalumni@gmail.com and we'll start a list for next year.

In the meantime, think about joining the Alumni Association. Your financial support helps our all-volunteer group send more mailings and find more classmates, host more events, and celebrate the education and connections we all got at Shorewood.

Best wishes and congratulations on a day full of memories,
Jenny Steinman Heyden, SHS Board President, and the Shorewood High School Alumni Board

SHS Alumni Board and Officers:
Vice President, Bill Trost Class of '53
Secretary, Jennifer Kringel, Class of '86
Treasurer, Christopher Trost, Class of '78
Desty Lorino, Class of '75
Doris Kitazaki, Class of '86
Reunion Liaison, Geri Berg, Class of '80
Merchandise Director, Rachel De Hartog, Class of '95
Newsletter Liaison, William Evans, Class of '75
Barbara Gensler Tribute Coordinator, Susan Knudten, Class of '82