By KEVIN BROWN
Eagle Times General Manager
NEWPORT — It was hugs, hellos and high fives all around as the Newport High School Class of 1972 celebrated its 50th (okay, really 51st) Class Reunion this past weekend.
The Eagle Times caught up with the estimated 60 class members and their spouses who enjoyed reunion events this past weekend during a get-together at the Newport Golf Club on Aug. 12. It was catered by the Hole In One Diner at the club.
Several class members began about two years ago to track down old friends. It was quite a job with a class now spread far and wide. The result spoke for itself – people sharing stories of the past (looking at you ‘Thelma and Louise’), friends reconnecting over photos of grandchildren and/or retirement parties, and a proud alumni community looking forward to future gatherings.
Elinros Laber, of Anchorage, AK, was the class member who probably came from the longest distance to attend. She said she cherishes her Newport years and was enjoying the reunion.
“I tried to come back every year,” Laber said. “I plan to come back more often now. It took a while to find everyone. It’s wonderful to be around old friends. What’s nice is we are all old farts now. I’m happy to be here and I’m so glad we were able to do this. I’m having a lot of fun.”
Lynn (Pariseau) Gibson, from Canaan, NH, was one of the organizers of the event. She said this is the first time she helped arrange the reunion after having enjoyed them in the past.
“I wanted to help out this way,” Gibson said. “In the past, I came and enjoyed it (the reunions). I felt it was time for me to help more. There were about 110 in our graduating class. But, we also invited past classmates, as well. They were also an important part of our gathering. It’s been wonderful. The biggest part was getting current addresses – it took a while.”
Donna (Chartier) Menard, of Newport, also helped organize the reunion weekend. She said it is a joy to see friends she hasn’t talked to in years.
“It is nice to see friends I haven’t seen in a long, long time,” Menard said. “It took a lot of searching to get addresses. There are no phone books any longer. It was quite a chore, but worth it. We were the biggest class to graduate from Newport. I hope to make the next reunion.”
Another organizer was Jane (Bartlett) Chipman, of Grantham, NH. She loved having fun with the 51st alumni gathering.
“We are celebrating the first anniversary of the 50th Reunion,” Chipman said. “We started in September of last year quietly asking people for phone numbers of classmates. We sent messages on Facebook. It took a lot of detective work – I would make a great PI (private investigator).
She added that others also played other roles. For example, Richard Wood created a questionnaire to gather information over the past 50 years.
“Some of us started the ball to roll, but the credit goes to many,” Chipman added. “It’s been fun reconnecting.”
Another pivotal reunion organizing volunteer was Charlie Saggiotes. He was instrumental in creating a reunion budget by requesting donations from class members.
“We started with $600 to pull this off,” Chipman said. “Charlie got people to make donations. We ended up with thousands of dollars. So much that we are planning to give a gift to the town – something for the school, I’m sure.”
She also described her class as “the bump class.”
“Every grade our class entered, the district had to hire a new teacher,” she said with pride.
Holly (Nordholm) Dance, of Carson, VA, and Kathi Fortune, Wilmington, DE, described themselves as the “Thelma and Louise” of their class.
“We are reliving some of our adventures from school,” Dance said with a wry smile shared with Fortune. “It is wonderful to see everyone. And, to see how great everyone looks. I was happy to hear of their adventures.”
“It is a weekend of fun and friends,” Fortune added. “And, reconnecting.”
Donal Williams said the reunion is a great time.
“After 50 years, it’s fun to see how everyone has changed – but me,” he said with a laugg.
Amy (Maryn) Kendall said the experience is easy to sum up.
“Quality folk with great memories and ready to make new ones,” Kendall said.
Marina Bidoli added that “it has been awesome, and my heart is full.”
Jay Lucas, who owns the Eagle Times, said the reunion reminded him of “our Division 4 championship football season – we went undefeated.”
“Newport is a football town,” Lucas continued. “They kept it going. There are so many wonderful people and friends here. I’m reconnecting with so many people I remember. There’s a lot of positive energy. I wish them all the best.”
Lucas’s wife, Karen, said the event has been a wonderful time for spouses, too.
“It has been so much fun to see this history,” she said. “Life is a journal. And, then you get to meet the faces behind the stories.”
John and Arabella Eldredge, from Brunswick, ME, did a great job of capturing the spirit of the reunion.
“Fifty-one years have flown by,” John said. “It’s great to be back with classmates after all of this time!
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