MHS Class of '76: April 2013

Hello Classmates and Friends of the Class of 76! It's time for another edition of the class blog. As I sit and type this, it is April 1st and it is snowing and blowing....Oh Canada! I hope the weather is better wherever you are!

Thank you to all who have submitted content for this edition. I appreciate your contributions - this blog is for everyone so feel free to send any news or photos to me throughout the year and I will be sure to include it.

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Lee Ann Linfante Ganley has forwarded on some information regarding the Mahwah Museum:

An exciting new exhibit will be opened in September. “The Neighborhoods of Mahwah: 1913-2012” will feature historical information about Fardale, Masonicus, East Mahwah, West Mahwah, Stag Hill and Darlington and the Ramapo Valley. Volunteers do historic research, find and collect photographs, design exhibit materials, and help mount the exhibit. Painters, carpenters, film editors, artists and others are all needed. No experience is necessary.

Volunteers are needed - If you want to participate, please call 201-512-0099.

The Mahwah Museum receives operating support from the New Jersey Historical Commission in the Department of State.

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Over the years we have followed the athletic and scholastic achievements of Joe Fagan's kids - here is some exciting news from the Fagan Family:

Here’s a picture of Joe's son Jack, along with Joe's wife Ann on signing day to play Defensive End at Carnegie Mellon University on an Academic and Athletic Scholarship. He plans to major in International Relations and Politics/Economics.

Congratulations Jack!!

Joe's youngest child Shane recently placed second in the Regional Spelling Bee!

Congratulations Shane!

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Over the Christmas holidays there was an informal gathering of MHS classmates from many graduating classes at the Mahwah Bar and Grill. Here is a picture featuring some of our classmates (with thanks to Lynn Savino for sharing):

Sue Curcio, Scott Mitchell, Todd Cochran,

Lynn Savino, Patty Menz Levys

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A reminder - please keep us updated when you have a change of address or contact information. You can send your changes to me (Sue) at mahwahhighschool1976@yahoo.com or in a reply to my private email address that I use when I send out notes. Thank you!!!

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Here is a list of classmates that we have been unable to locate OR their email address is not working. If you know how to reach any of these people, please have them contact me at mahwahhighschool1976@yahoo.com or send any information on and we will contact them directly. We appreciate your assistance with this and hope this brings some success.

Email addresses not working - Tom Reavely, Dick Bjurstrom, Greg Porraro

In need of any contact information for the following classmates so that we can keep them informed about our class:

Cathy Burns

Doug Collums

Deborah DeGroat

Tricia DeJean

Frank DePalma

Jane Faerber

Jonathan Gant

Robin Halliday

Steve Hafner

Bob Iannacone

Mark Jablonski

Bill Jackson

Steven Jacob

Fred Mann

Dennis Murphy

Elise Pendleton

Bob Philpott

Pete Revis

Karen Schmidt

Ken Steffens

Patty Thomas

Jeff Tolen

Ken Yaffey

Bob Whitman

Elaine Junta

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Thank you to Joe Cujah for the following submission - best of luck with your new book!!

Ok, show of hands. How many of you were a member of the Mahwah High School Hiking Club? Did you even know we had a hiking club? We did. The hikes were great to some truly beautiful landscapes with great people and friends. The club was organized, if memory serves, by Mr. Meade. What’s hard to believe is that decades later one of the club’s members is still hiking and is now writing about it, and other recreational activities. That would be me.

Since that time so long ago I have been very fortunate to have been given the opportunity to pen articles for many different magazines and websites and even three books: one on canoeing, one on camping, and one on hiking. The latter, “Hiking Alabama”, is now going into its fourth edition.

As my latest book, “Best Tent Camping Alabama” hits the bookshelves this week, I was reminded about the fun we had hiking so many years ago when I was going through a stack of old yellowed papers. They were pages from a journal, a dated record of some of those hikes. I peeled off a page and found something amazing – a written record of my first overnight backpacking trip! My good friends and fellow Mahwahians Jay Karpowich, Don Stricker, and Gary Wilson joined me on that first wilderness adventure. As I read on I realized that instead of being a Thor Heyerdahl epic it was reading more like a William Blatty horror novel. I thought I would share a bit of that journal with you.

Day 1 – 3:30pm: My old man dropped us off at Bear Mountain State Park. What a beautiful, majestic, rolling mountain it is. It towers above the green waters of the Hudson River. To the west stood the mountain and the trail that we would soon be starting our adventure on. To the east, the equally majestic, shiny silver Bear Mountain Bridge that spanned the width of the river to the base of a mountain named for Revolutionary War general, Anthony Wayne. It was called “Anthony’s Nose.”

We spent the better part of the afternoon arguing about where to pitch camp. Should we try to hike to the top of the mountain tonight hoping to reach the top by sunset or just stay here at the park’s campground? I suggested we pitch camp on “Anthony’s Nose”. Jay and Gary disagreed, but Don said, “I pick Anthony’s Nose”. We decided to climb Bear Mountain.

Day 1 – 7:00pm: The sun is setting as I struggle the last 100-yards to the summit of the mountain carrying a 100-pound pack laden with tin cans of tuna fish and Dinty Moore Beef Stew. The others have already beaten me there by at least 2-hours. When I arrive they are grilling 2-inch T-bone steaks on an open fire. I break out my 15-ounce can of beef stew.

Day 1 – Supplemental – 3:00am: We are awakened by the flash of a brilliant white light, the sound of gunfire, and men running past our tents. The West Point Military Academy was located in the valley just below where we had pitched camp and they decided to have a mock war game this night. We were, unintentionally, invited.

Day 2 – 6:00am: We are released from the mock POW camp set up by Company B and continue on our hike.

Day 2 – 2:00pm: As we head down the side of West Mountain towards tonight’s campsite, dark clouds begin rolling in. Thunder rocks the mountain and lightening courses around us. We decide to pitch camp here and wait out the storm.

Day 2 – 6:00pm: The rain is torrential and shows no sign of letting up. Tree limbs are crashing around us. The wind has ripped the canopy off the top of our tents twice already. We can’t build a fire to make something to eat. We’re reduced to eating bags of Starburst candy.

Day 3 – 3:00am: Roll over in my sleeping bag to hear the sound of splashing water. I jump up and look around to find 6-inches of water in the tent and a roll of toilet tissue floating by. We had pitched camp in the middle of a dry creek bed and the rain was making it not-so-dry anymore.

Day 3 – 5:00am: Make our way to a nearby ranger station. Dad drives out and picks us up to take us home. It is a quiet trip back. We vowed to try again someday.

Why I continued in this sport, and even write about it, is beyond me. To all former members of the hiking club, I hope you’re still out there on the trail. If not, all I can say is take a hike! Happy trails!

Here are some photos that Joe also sent in - a 'hike' down memory lane.....

Don Stricker

Mike Cummings and Gary Wilson

Mike Cummings, Tom Reavely, Gary Wilson **** Congratulations to Mary Claire Mullin Savianeso! She has a new grandson!

Born in March, here is Mary Claire and baby Chase Richard who weighed in at 7 lbs. 11 oz.
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If you want to follow Mahwah news, you can check out the Mahwah Patch:
http://mahwah.patch.com/

**** A Blast from the Past for your enjoyment ~

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Classmates Lynn Savino, Todd Cochran, John Baker and Patty Menz Levys got together in February to celebrate John's 55th Birthday at Kinchley's. Here are some photos from their fun evening:

Here are Patty and John

Here are Todd and Lynn ****

In Memoriam

Sadly we lost classmate Sandi Kondrat Neistedt in March. In hearing from many classmates, Sandi is fondly remembered and their condolences are expressed to her family and friends. She is survived by her husband, daughter, mother and brother. The link to her obituary is http://www.vpfairlawn.com/obituaries/Obituary.asp?id=4367 and includes a recent photograph.

To quote Sandi in our yearbook, "Nothing should be more highly prized than the value of each day." May you Rest in Peace. **** Dr. Edward Warr, a long-time English teacher passed away in February at the age of 88. He was an Army veteran of WWII and the Korean War. He received his Doctor of Philosophy degree in 1974 and taught at Mahwah High School for 31 years. Many MHS students shared memories of Dr. Warr via Facebook and extend condolences to his family.

**** That is it for this edition. Please keep in touch and share your news with our classmates. You can send submissions to mahwahhighschool1976@yahoo.com or via email to me in reply to any of my emails. It is important to keep your contact info up-to-date so you can be informed of any class news and also to allow us to contact you when reunion time rolls around.
The next edition of the blog will be in Fall 2013.
Thank you for reading! If you have any comments, please comment via this blog or to me directly at mahwahhighschool1976@yahoo.com or my personal email address.
Many of us are also on Facebook and we have a class group on there, too. Check it out!
Wishing you a wonderful spring and summer!
Sue Montgomery Lane
**** A late addition to the blog today.....
CONGRATULATIONS!