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20 December 2012 Greetings All!
A few things to cover, Reunion Finances, Reunion Videos and the Reunion Website.
Reunion Finances
Presenting the Bell High School 50th Anniversary Reunion was not only a social success but also a financial success! All expenses have been covered and, as we hoped, we do have a final figure on the balance sheet that's in black ink!
Members of the Reunion Steering Committee have already met with BHS Principal Mark Lafleur and Administration Staff Member Cathy Seguin to investigate how the profit can best benefit the current and future BHS students. Another meeting has been scheduled for late January at which time we hope to have a good idea of how the money will be used - we'll keep you informed.
Reunion Videos
Ron Cogan has completed the production of The Bell High School 25th Anniversary Reunion DVD. If you haven't placed an order for a copy, they're only $10.00. Contact Ron at roncogan@storm.ca.
If you have any videos that you took at the reunion that you would like to share with everyone, you can do that now thanks to the effort of Rob Mauchel. Check out the details on our Reunion Videos web page for the details. Rob has posted 3 short sports extracts from Ron's video.
Reunion Website
The reunion website will continue in operation until August 16, 2015 when the current web-hosting contract expires. A countdown timer has been added to the main web page. If you've been using the Reunion Website to network or maintain contact with fellow alumni, be sure to develop alternative arrangements in the next 2½ years. Similarly if you want to plan future alumni activities, be sure to get your planning process in place well before the website disappears.
On behalf of all of the Reunion Steering Committee Members I'd like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas, a terrific holiday season and all the best for 2013.
Mike
Mike Shacklock
Website Administrator
Bell High School 50th Anniversary - Reunion 2012
mike@bellhigh50th.ca
www.bellhigh50th.ca
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22 October 2012 Dear fellow alumni, It's been two weeks since many of us met again in Ottawa. We on the reunion committee would like to express our gratitude to you, the participants and absent well wishers, for helping to make the Bell 50th the success that it was. We have thoroughly enjoyed receiving the kudos and pictures that you have so generously sent us to date. A few written lines cannot properly express the amount of work that went into the years of planning and setting up of the school for the various events. The smiles we witnessed on your faces during the four days made it all worthwhile. It was an honour and a pleasure to serve you all and make the reunion the event that it was. We can’t tell you how many times we all heard someone say “Oh, my God” and then witnessed the hugs as old friends reunited in the halls, the cafetorium, the gym or in the decades rooms. It seemed that every time we turned around another friend was well met. We have never seen such a large group of happy people. We are also pretty sure this had nothing to do with the fact that we just about sold out the bar (grin). Seriously, we couldn't have done it without the help of so many volunteers and the help of the large contingent of student volunteers from the school. We thank you for your willingness to be a valuable part of the reunion.
We would like to thank the companies and individuals that graciously sponsored our reunion. They are listed on the "Our Sponsors" web page and on the "Golf Fun Day" web page. If you find yourself in need of the services of these fine people, please tell them that you too appreciate the support that they gave to the reunion.
And we would like to thank those generous people that made donations to the reunion after the Reunion Booklet went to press. They are; Mark L. Rickerby, James J. Murawsky, David Pullyblank, Ann (Joanna) Vervoort Murphy and Sheila A. Fudge, (whose accompanying greeting read "From Shirley and Ann, the Stearns sisters, who used to live at 47 Stinson"). Loblaws also contributed a $25 gift certificate for the raffle.
Most of the alumni that attended the reunion are of course still residing in the Ottawa area but there were many that returned to Ottawa from other parts of Ontario. We also had representation from across Canada, coast to coast. A few came from the US and we even had alumni joins us from Australia, New Zealand, China, Singapore, Trinidad and Great Britain. Fantastic school spirit celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Bell High opening in 1962 and renewing old acquaintances!
From all of us to all of you : Thank You!
A few other items follow:-
Reunion DVD - Videographer Ron Cogan attended our reunion, and recorded all of the events and is producing a DVD for us. The DVD is only $10.00 and includes shipping and handling to anywhere in Canada and the US! An obvious bargain! Contact Ron at roncogan@storm.ca "VISA and MasterCard accepted".
Bell High School Yearbooks - All of the Bell High School yearbooks that have been published since 1962/63 (except 1975-76, no yearbook that school year) have been scanned and are available on CD for the cost of $5.00 per year with the fifth year free i.e. 4 or 5 yearbooks for $20.00. Please add $3.00 within Canada to cover packing and postage, $4.00 for the U.S., and $6.50 for the U.K. and Australia. Contact Lorne for postage costs for other countries. Each yearbook is in PDF format and requires Adobe Reader. A copy of the Bell High 25th Reunion Booklet and/or nine editions of the Shanghai Noodle Factory are also available free with any yearbooks CDs purchased. Please contact Lorne directly at lorne.bellhigh50th@rogers.com to place your order.
Reunion Booklets - We have a number of Reunion Booklets available. These can be ordered by sending a request to Myfanwy Davies at myfanwysdavies@hotmail.com. The cost, including packing and postage, is as follows: -
Within Canada - $4.00
To the US - $6.00
Outside Canada and the US - $10.00
Reunion Pictures - If you took some pictures at the reunion and would like to share them, go to our Photo Album web page and click the appropriate Upload Your Photos button.
Reunion Photographer - Pictures from the Decade Rooms, the Pub Night, the pancake breakfast, the Hall of Memories and the Banquet are available from John Tod at www.hyperionphotography.ca
Go to the menu icon for "Bell 50th" on the lower right of the web page.
Choose the pics you want. Send an email to "hyperionphoto.ca" and mention the image number. The price is $10 per image or 3 for $25 or 5 for $40. Send payment by eTransfer to "John Tod" and the email address is the same as above. Send a separate email with the answer to the security question.
If you wish to send cash, send to:
John Tod
c/o Hyperion Photography
6-132 Woodridge Cr.
Ottawa, ON
K2B 7S9
Be sure to include a note as to the image numbers you wish to purchase. The images will be available on the web site by Friday October 12th.
Your wandering photographer.......John Tod. Website Guest Book - We've had quite a few posts to the Guest Book already, saying what a wonderful time they had. Feel free to add your comments too.
In Memoriam and Tributes - The In Memoriam web page will continue to commemorate the lives of those alumni that are no longer with us. Please include your email address when making submissions.
In closing we would like to assure you all again that once all of the reunion costs have been dealt with, we will be meeting with the current faculty of Bell High to determine the best way to use the remaining funds to help current and future students with their studies.
Regards, Your Reunion Committee
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---------- 10 September 2012 25 Days To Go Hi everyone! Are you getting excited? We are! Here are a couple of messages for you! One's concerning the Alumni Band and Choir Concert on Saturday and the other is concerning the Monday Golf Tournament! Alumni Band and Choir Concert Hi Everyone; To celebrate fifty years of music at Bell High School, alumni and current band and choir members will be having a reunion concert on Saturday October 6,2012 in the Cafetorium at 2PM. On Saturday October 6th the band will have a rehearsal at 10AM in room 140 (music room) and the choir will rehearse at 11AM in room 145 (other music room). We would love to have alumni band and choir members join us to make this a most memorable event. To join in, contact me. Thanks Kim Deschamps -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Monday Golf Fun Day Hi everyone---this is just a friendly little reminder that we still have spots open for our golf day. Our golf committee and Mark Seabrook have planned a super day for all golfers and kept the price extremely reasonable at only $89.00. This includes practice balls, barbecue lunch, GPS golf cart & 18 holes of golf on the Canadian's West course plus a sit-down chicken dinner and prizes! The golf day is open to all alumni & members of their family over the age of 18, so please support this fun-filled event by registering ASAP. The deadline to register is Sept. 29th. To all those who participated in our mini tournament in 2009, we're hoping you'll register for this event too. This will be a great way to melt off a few extra "turkey" pounds too! We have prizes ...........like a new car should someone be fortunate enough to bring their “A” game & get a hole-in-one. Brian and I checked out the course a couple of weeks ago and it was all green and in great shape Hope you like the picture...it is a shot of the practice area that was completed this spring. If anyone has any concerns or questions, please contact me via the Bell website. Hope to see you at the practice area and at the barbecue. It all starts at 11:30 on Oct. 8th. See you there....Paula Chill Munro |
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6 September 2012 1month to go! Hi everyone! We are only 30 days away from the BIG reunion! Your planning committee has been hard at work finalizing the details. Now it is up to you to get inspired and participate! Don’t miss out on this once in a lifetime opportunity! Get your tickets now! All events at the reunion are ticketed, so in order to participate in any event from Decades Rooms to Golf, you must purchase your tickets in advance. Click here for the details.
There are lots of fun activities and sights awaiting you! As we approach the Reunion, here are the TOP 10 highlights of things to look forward to:
• Hockey game at the Bell Arena Friday from 3-5 PM. Cheer your fellow comrades as they do battle against current Bell students from both the boys and girls varsity teams.
• Friday night Pub Night. 7:30 pm – Midnight, sponsored by Conduit Capital Corp, the evening will be filled with reconnections, food and fun as you listen to music of Canadian Blues-Rock power trio, River City Junction.
• Pancake Breakfast with old and new friends.
• Show & Shine – Nostalgic Drag Racers, awards and prizes. Come out and see Hotrods, muscle cars and vintage vehicles.
• Photo booth.
• Open mic and performance of Alumni Band and Choir.
• Don’t forget our Gala Dinner at Tudor Hall. Sponsored by Goldie Mohr Limited, Rideau Heights Inn and General Dynamics Canada. The evening will be exciting and nostalgic as we dance the night away to The Stevens & Kennedy Band.
• Thanksgiving and remembrance service on Sunday.
• And a golf day for young and old alike on Monday.
• Decades rooms and much more….
REMEMBER - Tickets must be purchased for all events in advance. If you don’t have a ticket, you can't participate! Don’t wait, get your tickets now! Click here for the details.
Your BHS 50th Anniversary Reunion Committee
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5 August 2012 2 months to go!
What can be said that has not already been said many times, thank-you all.
Some of you may have recently noticed a little “glitch” in the “Who’s Checked In?” web page. The issue has now been fixed with the quick attention of Mike Shacklock. He had a concern which resulted from My Event, our website provider, updating their system software and erred on the side of safety and precaution.
The souvenir shirt page is now up and running, it took a little longer but now it is done.
The next "new " page will be the information for the show-n-shine, which should be up for September. Mr Robb Thayer has stepped forward to help out John Egan. Robb has spent almost his whole life "playing" with cars and design. His reputation has reached far and wide. Last year while playing golf with complete strangers in South Carolina, his name came up several times until I just had to ask. As it turned out this was our Robb Thayer. Our sincerest thanks Robb.
The ticket count has been steadily increasing. We are now at 30% of our legal capacities and we have not even reached the point of heaviest ticket sales, usually the last minute. This is human nature.
The golf day is also well on it’s way, thank-you Wayne Derby for your sponsorship.
Sponsorship has been great as has been the influx of tweets, memorials, ads and general gifts by "friends of the reunion".
All information has now been collected and forwarded to Al Albania to construct the commemorative Booklet. Al has promised to produce a "collectable". I am positive that with Al’s 40 years of experience he will come through with flying colours. Thank you AL and your staff
We do have a couple of important issues to explain.
The question regarding children has come up a couple of times. Because liquor is being served in the school Friday evening no children will be permitted entry. This is for our security and for theirs.
On Saturday children will be permitted access to the school provided an adult accompanies them with a General Admission Ticket.
There is also a children’s price for the Pancake breakfast. If they are 6 to 16 years of age, the price will be $7.00. If they are under 6 they will be asked to "share" with their parents or their older siblings.
The Friday "Assembly" has now been set to start at 7:00 pm and will be over with by 7:45 pm.
We also have a little note to some very special people that have helped to get us to we are today. Max, Patricia, Wendy, Ed, Betty, Dart, Carol, Ralph, Nicolas and Bruce, yes, these are our teachers, the ones I have come in direct contact with and I know there are lots more that many of our committee have spoken to as well.
We are making special arrangements for you. You will not have to look for a special parking spot. Your old ones will be reserved for you (original teacher lot) and your access will still be the door just opposite the office. You will get your registration package there and then into the teacher lounge. Barbara Wilson is still looking after compiling the teacher list and if you need to contact her this is her contact information, use our facultyandstaff@bellhigh50th.ca web page.
Just in case, there is a new school address, the school is now on Cassidy Road. NO! They didn’t move the school, they changed the street name. LOL. It’s now 40 Cassidy Road, Nepean Ontario.
We have also been blessed with a major donation. Myers Motors of Ottawa have generously donated 2 or 3 of their shuttle buses to transport folks from the Bruce Pit parking lot to and from the school. We need 6 responsible folks to drive. Now, for all you "non-alumni" who are wondering, "what am I going to do while my husband or wife is cavorting in the school?" We could really use your help here. This would be from approx 6:00 pm to midnight. If you can help out, please get back to us at our Contact Us web page.
A final note. With 60 days left until the reunion I have found it necessary to step back from my position as chair and member of the steering committee and turn the reins over to 2 perfectly capable individuals, Willi Lotz and Bill Irwin. Willi has been with us since day one and Bill has been on board for the better part of 3 years as a financial advisor and backup. This past 4 years will forever remain one of the highlights of my life if nothing more than the renewing of old acquaintances and forming new bonds of friendship.
God Bless, see you in 60 days,
Brian Mac Millan
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5 July 2012 3 Months to go. Hello everyone,
I will have to be very concise and pay attention to grammar this month as I have noticed that two of my former English teachers have now registered! A big welcome to you both.
I'm not sure where to start this broadcast except with another huge " Thank-You". For those that have been following the website for the past 4 years, I have referred to "taking baby steps". Now, however, things are "running" ahead rapidly, so keep checking the website for updates and encourage your friends and family that went to Bell to "Check In" now.
Unfortunately we didn't get a definitive answer to our "B" Ball contest question last month. We've posted a new picture for this month's contest. Who's the fellow watching the "tug-of-war"? All the rules and other details are listed on our Contest web page. Good luck!
We are looking for a former student from the early 60s. Does anyone have any information on Art Burpee? Please forward what you have to me.
We have now passed the 25% registration point for all events and the numbers are rising almost every day. This percentage will continue to increase rapidly as we move even closer to the event. Tickets are limited so get yours now! The Canadian Golf Club sold 20% of the tickets for the golf tournament within 8 hours of that web page going live.
The souvenir shirt samples have arrived and as soon as we get suitable pictures they will be posted with the pricing and order information. You will be able to order online through a link on our website.
You may want to check out the new committee picture on the “committee page”. It is hard to get everyone together—but we sure tried!
Laurentian High School is having a mini reunion Saturday July 14th. Further information may be obtained from cweeks@cwgfootcare.ca
NOTE FROM MARY MANNING JACKSON
The decade rooms organizers have been working very hard to prepare their various displays but they need your input. If you have any memorabilia, either in written form or concrete items, (NO, NOT CEMENT LOL), they are anxious to hear from you now. The cut off date for display is August 1st as after that it will be too late to re-organize displays. Each room supervisor is also looking for alumni to staff the rooms while they are open for the reunion. If you want to re-unite with old friends, this would be the ideal venue. The more volunteers we have the easier it will be on everyone. Please contact Mary Manning Jackson if you can help through our Contact Us link.
LAST CALL FOR THE FOLLOWING: I know you must be tired seeing this but it is necessary as the secondary purpose of this reunion is to leave a legacy for the future students. BELL HIGH SCHOOL will not be a victim of cutbacks and demolition like some of its predecessors and also later schools.
With the money we raise we will be setting up bursaries and scholarships for future generations. This is definitely the last chance to purchase small adds in our “Commemorative Booklet" to remember past students and teachers who are no longer with us. There are several options to "donate" such as “tweets” or sponsorships. Please view the Donations Section of the website to view these opportunities and don't forget the sponsorships opportunities available at the golf tournament as well. We are looking for hole sponsors for this shotgun tournament.
Unfortunately the " In Memoriam" section is growing AND it is shocking. If at all possible, if anyone has recent photos of these former staff and students, would you send them along to Lorne Beaton at lorne@bellhigh50th.ca.
Paula Chill Munro, our treasurer, is looking for volunteers to be ticket sellers. We will need people to sell bar tickets, raffle tickets, etc. If we get enough volunteers, a schedule will be made so that each person only works for a short period of time. Paula can be reached through our Contact Us link.
In closing, this has been an "enormous" undertaking that has required hard work and dedication from all of the committee members. We do appreciate all of the positive comments that we've received. I have saved ALL the notes from everyone and when I figure out how to send them all at once to the committee, I will do so. In the meantime, they are being shared verbally at our monthly meetings, so "THANKS for the Accolades".
Be safe everyone,
Brian Mac Millan, Chair, Bell High 50th
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22 June 2012 Fun Golf Day Hi Everyone - well here it is: Your Steering Committee in partnership with Mark Seabrook has teamed up to bring you a wind-up day of golf, food and fun at one of the most up to date golf facilities in Eastern Ontario, The Canadian Golf And Country Club.
50 years ago a lot of we older alumni and a few former members of the faculty and staff were entering a new high school and a new era in our lives - little did we know that Mr. Seabrook senior was also doing the same thing. He and his family were pursuing a dream - the creation of the Canadian Golf and Country Club, which has fast become one of the gems of the Ottawa Valley. It was to be a part time job for the children and now it is Mark’s full time occupation.
At the present time we have had several companies and individuals step forward to offer prizes;
Mr Dan Burton of Myers Volkswagen - a brand new car for a “hole in one”
Dan Kilbank of Ottawa Golf - a 2013 Reservation Masters Membership
Executive Golf - 2013 Executive Golf Memberships
Reinhart Reithmier - a selection of wine, plus a framed Augusta National Photo
Brian Mac Millan - a custom solid ash ball display cabinet
As well there will be the full slate of regular prizes, longest drive, closest to the hole and more.
These are just some of the prizes. We will be starting in earnest to add more. There are sponsor positions available and they are listed on the registration page for the GOLF TOURNAMENT.
We are also accepting prizes from individuals.
All sponsors and donations will be gratefully received and acknowledged in their proper form - at the tournament, in the Commemorative Booklet or on the website. The website will be active for approx 2 years after the reunion.
As mentioned previously the “Golf Fun Day” is priced on a cost recovery basis. Monies raised by sponsorships etc. will be placed in our Reunion General Revenue account.
If further information is required, click here.
NOW THE REALLY GOOD NEWS!
We will be playing a handicap system. The system is known as “Banker’s Handicap or Callaway Handicap” This system makes it possible for everyone to participate on an even playing field. Fudging your score will not help.
The day will include: (all inclusive)
Full use of range facilities with a bucket of balls
Use of putting and chipping areas
Bar-B-Q lunch
Bag Drop
18 holes of golf—West Course
Power Cart with GPS
Water
Showers and towels
Plated dinner, chicken supreme - not a buffet
Prizes
Lots of fun
AND - in case of severe weather, rain checks will be issued, valid for golf in 2013.
BUT, we've done an extensive weather check for October 8th over the last 74 years:
74% of time temperature is 10 to 20 C
60% sun - 40% cloud
50% slight precipitation
0% downpour
Light breeze - 2 to 4 mph
Besides - it NEVER rains on a golf course - that is why they have BIG ponds and irrigation.
THIS GOLF FUN DAY IS OPEN TO ALL ALUMNI, FORMER AND CURRENT MEMBERS OF THE FACULTY AND STAFF AND THEIR IMMEDIATE FAMILY
The cost for the complete day - 89.00 total (all in)
Dinner only: approx 5:00 pm - 30.00 per person (all in)
To register simply click this link. There's a small box on the registration form for comments.
This will be a 1:00 shotgun start - come early, practice, have lunch and lots of fun.
VALUED SUPPORTERS OF OUR REUNION FUN GOLF DAY
Reinhart Reithmier
Brian Mac Millan
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18 June 2012 Reunion Commemorative Booklet Advertising Hello to everyone that's checked into the Bell High School 50th Anniversary Reunion website. If you own or manage a business please read on.
Promote your business and support this year’s Bell High School 50th Anniversary Reunion. This is the last call for advertising in the Reunion’s Commemorative Booklet - all reunion registrants will receive a copy. Deadline for print-ready advertisements is July 25th. The preferred graphic file formats are either "Photoshop" or "InDesign". As an alternative, high resolution "jpeg" or "pdf" images (at least 300 dpi) in CMYK, would be acceptable. Proofs will be sent for your approval. If your approval is not received by return email within 2 business days, it will be assumed that the ad has met with your approval.
Pricing and layout details can be found in the Ad Letter, which can be downloaded by going to our Reunion Booklet web page or by clicking here. The scale is not exact but each page in the booklet will be 5 ½ x 8 ½ inches and in full colour. Payment is due at the time of placement.
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5 May 2012 4 Months to go.
Hello everyone, as usual all good news. I will try and keep this a “straight to the point” note as some things have a higher priority than others --- but all will be mentioned.
NEW CHECK-INS
On a personal note --- I have noticed quite a few “new-old” check-ins over the last few weeks --- welcome aboard. I am speaking here for everyone on the committee --- we sincerely hope you can attend --- “it is going to be a party!”
CONTEST
We do have a winner for the May contest. Why am I shaking my head and laughing? Congratulations to Dan Dever. The correct answer was “submarine races” which has been verified. There was another answer that looked very similar but unfortunately not correct.
This month’s contest is different --- the winning answer will come from the majority OF SAME ANSWERS unless this person can be positively identified by someone. It is taken at an away basketball game --- what year? --- And who is it?
This picture was found in the basement of the school along with another one that will appear next month.
VOLUNTEERS
Thank you for your patience --- the call-backs will be going out very soon --- in fact some will be sent as soon as this email is completed.
We are short in one area. Are there any present or retired police officers or military personnel that could give us a hand on Friday night?
We will be using volunteer students to help with traffic control (proper vests and flashlights) but we could really use the presence of experienced personnel to help, as this will also be after sunset. If we had enough we could split this into shorter time frames so that no one would miss too much time at the reunion proper. macnmac@rogers.com
PHOTOGRAPHER
If there is anyone who would like to offer their services as “official reunion photographer” and treat this as a business venture for themselves, please feel free to contact us. Many people have asked about having group pictures taken etc --- this may be your opportunity. Money charged will be yours.
HOTELS
We have approached several hotels in the area of Kanata and they have offered special rates. Find this information in the web page listing on the left under “Accommodation”. Please note that these preferred prices will only be available until early next month so if you need a room, please book soon.
MUSIC
RIVER CITY JUNCTION --- a local area band that can do everything; will provide music for the Pub Night.
A 12-piece dance band, STEVENS AND KENNEDY, will provide Saturday night music. They have played extensively at all the major events in Ottawa. Although I would have loved to hear “good old rock and roll music” all night --- that is not going to happen. There will be a complete array of music for everyone.
GALA DINNER/DANCE
The question has come up regarding a dress code. The term “dressy” seems to fit the best. We will not be “black tie” and we are sure the ladies will dress appropriately --- “Men, do your ladies proud”.
RAFFLE/SILENT AUCTION
We will have one or the other --- it is a question of logistics right now. We will have 10 items valued at $200.00 plus. We could use a couple more items. If you’re in a position to help out, please contact me.
SOUVENIR DVD
Arrangements have been made with Mr. Ron Cogan to film, produce AND mail out in Canada (outside of Canada extra) a reunion DVD. He is charging $10.00 per DVD and donating $1.00 back to the reunion as his contribution. This DVD will be encrypted so it cannot be duplicated. These may be ordered at the school during the reunion. We think this is a very fair price and awonderful contribution as Ron was not a Bell student. Thank you, Ron.
SPONSORS AND ADVERTISING
We still have room for more and if our program does not fit your budget, please feel free to contact us, I’m sure we could works something out. Our goal is still the same. We will leave some monies in trust for the 75th. The balance of monies will be offered in bursaries and scholarships TO THE STUDENTS. Final details have yet to be worked out. We are very grateful to the sponsors and advertisers that have stepped forward.
SOUVENIR SHIRTS AND CAPS
These have been designed and samples are now being made IN CANADA
All details will be in the next broadcast email.
GOLF TOURNAMENT
This has also been arranged and will be held at the CANADIAN GOLF AND COUNTRY CLUB with ALL the bells and whistles included. Thank you Mark Seabrook who is a Bell Alumnus. All the details will be in the next broadcast email or a separate email --- too much to put in here.
PLEASE NOTE: the souvenir shirts and the golf day are a part of the reunion BUT they have been priced on a cost recovery basis --- they are not a money raising part of the reunion. This is to be something to take away and enjoy without putting undue expense on individuals especially ones travelling great distance.
COMMEMORATIVE BOOKLET
This is like our “old fashioned” yearbooks --- am I that old? LOL Al Albania and his firm will be doing all the artwork and layout work for us. This will not be something to discard, as it will also serve a useful purpose. Ron Simpson has contributed his photo skills to this and our sponsor brochure, which has netted results.
Important --- Al has asked if anyone has “candid photos” would they please scan them and send them to me macnmac@rogers.com and I will forward to Al. If possible please include date. (Approx)
In the website web page listing on the left, you will see “Reunion Booklet” --- “Reunion Booklet” and the “Commemorative Booklet” are one-in-the-same.
As in the “good old days” we are offering advertising space --- 1/4 page, 1/2 page etc. This is an all colour booklet and will more than likely be 48 pages long. If you would like to purchase ads go to the “Reunion Booklet” web page. Please note that we can only accept cheques for payment as per the instructions.
We are now working towards specific deadlines --- JULY 15th
If you would like to submit a Greetings or a Memorial for inclusion in the Commemorative Booklet, that same deadline will apply. To submit either a Greetings or a Memorial, go to our “Donations” web page and choose item 2 or 3, as appropriate.
OPEN MIC
We have 5 acts confirmed with room for more. River City Junction will return Saturday and act as a house band for artists needing musical back up.
Joe Neserallah, Linda Chillcott, Barry Buse, Jim Lobban and John Belisle are confirmed so far.
If anyone sees Tony Olivero --- please ask him to get in touch please. More Open mic acts can be accommodated, please contact John Belisle via our “Contact Us” web page.
This is what I had on my list --- as you can see there is a lot going on --- which is why I’ve left some items for next month.
WOW --- I really tried to make this short. Last week Richard McElvoy said I don’t talk too much --- I type too much! Well I guess I’ll have to agree.
Hoping this finds everyone in good health,
Brian Mac Millan, Chair, Bell High 50th.
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---------- 5 May 2012 5
Months to go;
Hello everyone, every month I type the big number and while it gets smaller, the task ahead seems to get a little larger! Even though we are down to 5 months we do have deadlines that must be met prior to that so we experience a little more pressure with each passing month. However, everything is under control and that's good news!
CONTEST: we do have a winner and congrats go to David Harwood. (Dave will probably need one after his long flight as he is coming from the “land down under”. ) Look for our new contest this month. It may look like a repeat picture and it is BUT the question is different. Good luck
OPEN MIC: there is still room for participation in Saturday's “open mic”. We do have our back-up band so if anyone needs assistance, they need not worry. Please contact John Belisle via our contact us link.
MEMORABILIA: Mary Manning Jackson is still looking for memorabilia & promises to take good care of your treasures. This is maybe a good time to clean out basements and attics and share your former school treasures with others at the reunion. And please, if you want your articles returned, do make sure they are properly identified. Mary can be reached via the contact us link.
We recently received a pair of gym shorts from 1962 and the room was filled with laughter! How in the world did they ever fit? Our donor had a great sense of humour and we thanked him graciously. It's the little things like this that will make the reunion a success.
REGISTRATION: I cannot emphasis enough the need to reach out and to inform as many people as possible. There is not a day goes by that we do not hear, “ I did not even know there was a reunion planned!” We do not want to disappoint anyone. Although we will have a banner that will be posted at various points in the city and have print and radio advertising planned, we still need your help.
IF EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU, STUDENTS AND TEACHERS ALIKE , WOULD CONTACT JUST ONE PERSON, IT WOULD HELP TO GET THE WORD OUT THERE. CAN YOU ALL DO THAT? WE"D REALLY APPRECIATE THIS HELP.
In this electronic age there are still people without computers so if you know of anyone, please forward the contact information to ME via the "contact us" link and I will keep them informed by mail. As of now I only have three such people.
SPORTS: If you'd like to play basketball and/or volleyball in the gymnasium on Saturday please contact Rob or Grant at sports@bellhigh50th.ca.
SPONSORSHIP/ADVERTISING: We already have some sponsors that have stepped forward & we appreciate their support. The sponsorship can be in any amount and we can customize any of our packages to suit your needs. We have a sponsorship brochure that explains how this advertising opportunity works and we can forward it to any interested business or individual. Please use the "contact us" link to request this information and brochure.
There is also an excellent opportunity to purchase different size ads in the commemorative booklet. Remember that we are expecting between 1200 and 1500 attendees and everyone of them will receive a copy of this booklet at registration.
We will be holding several raffles during the reunion events and while we already have a few generous donations, we need more. We are hoping that local alumni with small businesses will donate some prizes for this purpose. Being a non-profit committee we are trying to raise some extra money to provide a scholarship or other type of award to the current students at Bell H.S.
There are also opportunities to help with our golf tournament by sponsoring a hole or donating a prize. We are hoping to get 120 golfers out to this fun event on the Monday with even more people participating in the meal afterwards.
TICKET SALES: Wow......great start! So far it has been beyond our expectations but we still need you to purchase your tickets a.s.a.p.. We need to know numbers as we get closer to the event so we can confirm meals, entertainment and venues. So, please....register NOW! While we have now reached over 1700 "Check In's" on the website, we have NOT sold 1700 tickets. If you plan to attend, please buy your tickets now.
SOUVENIRS: We are presently working with a company that will be making our souvenir shirts, ball caps and visors. These items will soon be available for on-line purchase and can then be picked up at the reunion. These items are MADE in CANADA and are of top quality. You're going to love them!
Ron Cogan has agreed to produce a DVD of the weekend and it will be available for purchase at the school.
As always, we are trying to give you good value for your dollar and every effort is being made to keep costs reasonable for all of these souvenir items.
Until next month......
Brian Mac Millan, Chair, Bell High 50th
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---------- 5 April 2012 Six months to go 6
Wow ... it's getting closer as we are now down to approximately 180 days!
First of all, a big "Thank-you" to everyone as we have easily passed our early goal for ticket sales. However, remember that tickets for some events are limited so get yours soon and avoid disappointment .
A new web page has been created on the Reunion Website specifically for former and current members of the Bell High Faculty and Staff. Click here to have a look.
Next, the winner of our monthly contest was Mary Manning Jackson who correctly identified Bruce Pit. Congratulations, Mary.
We have been getting many questions about bringing children to the reunion events. We are unable to provide Child Care at the Reunion. So, to clarify, we encourage children to attend all the events at the school on Saturday with their parents. There will be no admission charge for them. However, tickets for the pancake breakfast for children will be $7.00.
The Memorial service on Sunday is also free for everyone.
We will need many volunteers for the various events and Kat Saint Hill is our volunteer co-coordinator. If you can offer assistance, even for a few hours on the weekend, please contact Kat at volunteer@bellhigh50th.ca.
Mary Manning Jackson is co-coordinating the "Decades Room" program. Anyone having memorabilia to lend us for the weekend is asked to contact ASAP:
Karen MacPhie Hollingsworth 80s decade
Leila Heikkila 90s decade
Amanda Watson 21st century
You can also link to the sports and band coordinators by clicking on the respective links in the website menu column.
We do not anticipate any major program changes from now on. At present we are focusing on the sponsors that have stepped forward and we extend an invitation to any others that would like to help out with door prizes, spot dance prizes, golf tournament prizes or donations of any kind. All contributors will be recognized on the website and in our commemorative booklet. We thank all of you in advance for your participation and generosity.
And that's it for this month,
Brian Mac Millan, Chair, Bell High 50th
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---------- 6 March 2012 BHS 50th - Reunion Sports Update Hello all you Bell Alumni sports athletes out there! We on the Sports organizing committee wanted to provide you with an update on all the feedback we've received and how things look like they're going to pan out.
At 14 positive responses, basketball not surprisingly (at least from the perspective of us unbiased basketball players, Grant & myself) garnered the most interest, though I (Rob) must say, I'm disappointed that only 1 response came from a former member of the junior or senior teams shown in the '74 or '78 yearbooks (the ones from my first and last year) and that the response was 'not interested'. (Through further networking outside the mail-out to registered "reunionists", 5 other people were reached, but unfortunately, none of them were interested either!) C'mon Bruce Gregory, Peter and Andy Mutch, Mike Brett, John Johnson, Peter Green, Brett McAteer, Roger Martin, John Barrington, Vilhelm Boggild, and Jim Smith (not to mention further senior players identified by Grant in his 1980 yearbook: Terry Golding, John Barrington, and Bruce Coffin) - how come we haven't heard from you?!
Next most popular at 9 positive responses was volleyball, followed by hockey at 8 and rugby at 5. (5 further responses either suggested some other sport or didn't specify a preference).
So it definitely looks like we're a go for basketball and volleyball indoors on the Saturday of the reunion. Considering the quantity of people interested in the former, we may have to have two basketball games - perhaps one against the current junior team and the other against the current senior team, leaving it up to each interested alumnus/alumna which of the two teams they'd like to go up against!
Though it had the lowest response rate of the top four sports, Rugby is nevertheless a go due, as Chris Stewart informed us, to there already being an existing heritage of annual alumni events for this sport organized every year by Joe Nesrallah. Joe just recently confirmed that "a Rugby Canada/Eastern Ontario Rugby Union sanctioned match with qualified referees" has in fact been scheduled on the Saturday (Oct 6'th) of the BH50'th reunion. Please contact either Chris (cjs@ca.ibm.com) or Joe (jnesrallah@bankofcanada.ca) for further details.
Though the response rate was certainly adequate, hockey is unfortunately a little up in the air due to the arena being booked the whole weekend, though it may be possible to organize some ice time from 3-5 PM on the Friday of the reunion. Not sure if interested participants would be able to make it this early. Please contact Greg Wiens (goaliegreg35@gmail.com) one way or the other so that we can decide whether to proceed with investigating alternative arrangements.
Otherwise, stay tuned for further details as they become more crystallized!
In the meantime, if you're still thinking about participating in one of the sports match-ups, but haven't contacted us yet, please get off your behind and do so at the appropriate address (amongst the ones mentioned in this email), so we can better plan and schedule them all!
Best regards,
Rob Mauchel & Grant Lawrence (sports@bellhigh50th.ca)
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---------- 4 March 2012 Seven months to go
7
Hello everyone,
We have a contest winner. Marilyn Shover Butters (Shortey) correctly identified David Smith as the mystery man in the photo. We had some different “answers” including Bob Neff, Dean Hagopian and Willi Lotz.
There is a little history behind this photo. We did not know until recently that David played a big part in bringing two of our original students to Ottawa back in the late 50s. He is affectionately known as "Uncle Dave" to Paula and Linda Chill. Thanks, girls, for the photo and thank you Dave, we are all grateful. Dave and company will be catering for our Friday Pub Night and for our Saturday morning pancake breakfast.
We have more good news. We have learned that our band for the Friday Pub Night, River City Junction, placed second in a contest held recently at the Hard Rock Café in Toronto. We are sure that they will also bring their "A" game to Bell. Here's a picture of them in action.
A couple of things I'd like to reinforce:
1) E-MAIL ADDRESSES: please don’t forget to update your profile if you change your email address - otherwise you will be unreachable!
2) TABLE SEATING: to date we have sold well over 100 tickets for the Saturday Evening Gala Dinner and Dance. There are only 1000 available and this response has pleasantly exceeded our expectations. If you're planning to attend the Saturday Evening Gala Dinner and Dance, please consider buying your tickets soon to avoid disappointment.
Each table seats 10. Groups of 4 to 10 can be accommodated at each table and larger groups will be situated side by side. The other chairs at the table will be filled with alumni from your era. To make your requests to sit together or advise of dietary concerns, email us at info@bellhigh50th.ca.
CORPORATE WEBSITES: as we are trying to reach as many alumni as possible, we would appreciate your help in advertising the reunion. If you are a member of large group such as the military, police, fire department, nurses' union, bank or larger corporation and have access to the corporate on-line notice board, please submit an advertisement for the reunion with a link to our website. We offer the following suggestion:
BELL HIGH SCHOOL 50TH ANNIVERSARY REUNION
Please join us, Oct 5-8, 2012
Bells Corners, Ontario
Thanks!
For the "OLDIES" out there we have been forwarded a link from a late 70s era student that shows how music transcends the decades. Thanks to Sandra Colwell.
http://oldfortyfives.com/takeme backtothefifties.htm Plans are well underway with the current Bell Faculty and Staff and students. As a small news item - the Bell High Boys Basketball Team recently won the city championship and had a perfect season with a 13 and 0 record. Way to go Bruins!
Before I close and on behalf of the committee, we extend a big thank you for the great ticket response to date. We WILL surpass a milestone that we had set for ourselves to gauge our efforts. We will reach that milestone a full 5 MONTHS SOONER than any other reunion in the city.
I have always said Bell High School had the best school spirit - this just goes to prove it.
Cheers!
Brian Mac Millan, Chair, Bell High 50th
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---------- 11 February 2012 BHS 50th - Contest Hello Everyone; Just a short note to say we have multiple winners for the Contest. The additional clues must have helped. We'll keep this going until Feb 29th. Those of you that have not entered, you are still free to do so but rememebr, you have to have purchased either a Friday Night Pub Night ticket or a Saturday Evening Dinner and Dance ticket. Send your answer in an email to Brian Mac Millan by clicking here. If you use GMail, Yahoo Email or other web-based email client, send your answer to Brian at brian.macmillan@rogers.com and please make sure to put the word "Contest" in the subject line. Failure to do that will disqualify your answer. And please, only one submission per family. The winner will be notified by email and the tickets will be placed in their registration envelope. Good Luck, Brian Mac Millan |
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---------- 8MONTHS TO GO Hello everyone, I'm pleased to report that since the ticket sales went "live" on Jan. 1st everything is working "according to Hoyle". No errors, no shutdowns and the tickets are selling well. It's interesting that 75% of all tickets sold include the gala dinner for Saturday evening so with this kind of early indication we are fairly certain of a sellout for this event. As of today we have not had a winner for our contest for January. I’ll give a hint and run it again for February...he is NOT a student but a great friend of Bell High School. Be sure to check out the contest area of the website and enter for your chance to win! We are getting some fairly good response for the sports activities and also for the band concert. If you are interested in these activities, let us know soon via the “contact us” link. At the moment most of the committee members are working on sponsorship, souvenirs , Show and Shine and participation for the open mic. Rose Timmerman and Al Albania have done a fabulous job with the sponsorship brochure and we're confident that aspect of the reunion will be very successful. I hope everyone made it through the festive season in good spirits and good health. As we approach the month of "love", why not consider buying reunion ticket/s for your "valentine(s)". What a great way to show a spouse, children or parents that you love them!!!! You can purchase tickets online or by mail. To those "snowbirds" who are enjoying the many golf courses in the sunny south, all I can say is: FORE! Brian Mac Millan, Chair, Bell High 50th |
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19 January 2012 Alumni Band Before Friday's Assembly Hello everyone; Are there any past band members in the Ottawa area that would be interested in forming a band to play before the assembly on Friday October 5,2012. If anyone is interested, or has any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me, Kim Deschamps, at reunionband@bellhigh50th.ca. Thanks Kim Deschamps |
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---------- 1 January 2012 9months to go. A Very Happy New year everyone — WE MADE IT TO 2012!
The women will really understand this — 3 ½ years to conceive and now 9 months to wait — but the real work is to come.
Before I go too far, I want to thank everyone for all their notes and offers of assistance.
Tickets are now on sale on-line our website and we've also made available a “downloadable” registration form for mail-in registration if you prefer. Please, if you know of folks without a computer, please pass a copy or two of the form along to them. We know that not everyone is comfortable making purchases on-line but rest assured that the facilities we're using are secure.
This may be lengthy but I would like to answer as many of the questions you might have. I will outline the complete weekend. There's a lot there and more will be added if needed BUT the prices will remain the same. We have done our level best to give value for dollar and ensure all will have a good time.
There were and are still, two goals. a) To have party and b) to leave something for future Bell students. To this end I am sure we will succeed. There may be small timing changes at the school on Friday evening concerning the end of the assembly and the start of the Pub night but nothing major. Any changes will be noted on the website and sent out in a Broadcast Email.
You may have noted a couple of little changes on the website. The * that you see in the Website menu column denotes that something new has been added. The * on the “home page” refers to an addition near the bottom of the page! I would suggest you click the link and take a listen to the words. This took us completely by surprise. The test pages at the bottom are for NEW pages that we're working on and some of those are now up on the site.
Another change is the Reunion LOGO. We are sincerely indebted to Mary-Lou Coulter for the one we have used until the present time.
We also once again want to thank Richard Ye for his work with the original website — it really helped us to get our feet wet.
OK — lets get going,
THURSDAY October 4th This day will be set aside for the current student body. We are funding this and the current school administration will mainly run it.
FRIDAY October 5th FIRST AND FOREMOST The entrance onto the property for the reunion will be the NORTH entrance — one-way traffic flow — handicap parking WITH PERMIT in visitor parking. We have 200 parking spots on the grounds and we have obtained permission to use the BRUCE PIT NCC lot across Cedarview Rd. — another 250 spots. A shuttle bus service will be in place. The RCMP will patrol the lot at regular intervals. Street parking will be available on the surrounding streets and extended parking times have been requested. Arena parking lot is off limits as there is a tournament that weekend.
We have made a request for a compressed day on Friday. This would give us the school for 2:00 pm to start our set-up. Registration will be held in the WEST HALLWAY. Entrance to the school will be the West Door — closest to the music room. Registration will start at 4:00pm — further details will be posted on the website as they become available. The decade rooms and coffee shop will be in the centre wing — now called the English Department and will also open at 4:00pm.
ASSEMBLY An “old school” assembly will be held in the Gym, at approximately 6:30 pm. It will be something not to be missed — as this will not be an assembly of the “old”. Personally I am going “on record” here and saying there will be surprises. We promise we will do this efficiently — the gym must be reconfigured quickly for the pub night.
ANOTHER ASK: We would like a number of past band members that are in the Ottawa area to form a 12 to 14 piece pre-assembly group. We are looking for music that would raise the tempo of the evening. I think you know what I mean. You can contact Kim Deschamps by clicking here.
For the PUB NIGHT we've secured the services of “the caterer to the stars”, Mr Dave Smith, who will be providing a hot and cold buffet for all pub night attendees. Dave will also be providing the refreshments and will donate a portion back to the reunion. David is very familiar with the school, as he has worked tirelessly with the school for the UNITED WAY for many years.
The musical entertainment for the evening will be provided by RIVER CITY JUNCTION. They are a local-area 4-piece band that lends itself very well to this type of atmosphere. Although normally a 3 member group — they will be adding a keyboardist for our evening. www.rivercityjunction.com
One thing we have learned, people want to talk so we're providing 2 “quiet areas”. One will be near the “coffee shop” for General Admission ticket holders and the other will be the gym for Pub Night ticket holders. A bar will be set up in the gym. The band and buffet will be in the cafetorium.
SATURDAY OCT 6th A Saturday Morning Pancake breakfast will be held in the cafetorium starting at 9:00 am, again catered by Dave Smith.
Following the breakfast, John Belisle has organized an open mic session to be held in the cafetorium, from approx 11:00 am to 1:30 pm. At present he already has 6 participants (acts) that will combine with our “house band’ River City Junction. RCJ has kindly allowed us the use of their system so as to move things along steadily.
Following the Open Mic there will be an Alumni Band Concert. This was a huge success in ’86 and it again promises to be the same for 2012.
Two of our volunteers, Rob Mauchel and Grant Lawrence, would like to hear from any and all interested in participating some sports activities; basketball, volleyball and rugby have been suggested. Click here to contact them or make other suggestions.
A Show and Shine on the front lawn is also planned — dependent on the weather of course — but we know it will be beautiful and sunny.
We will be working with the school for the students to operate a hot-dog/hamburger stand during the day.
The Decades Rooms and Coffee Shop will open at 10:00 am and will close promptly at 2:00 pm. The co-ordinators must “tear down” and store the display material before 4:00 pm and of course get ready for the evening's festivities!
THE GALA SATURDAY EVENING DINNER AND DANCE, TUDOR HALL, BOWESVILLE RD - 6:00 to Midnight (at least) 1:00 am (at the latest).
Cocktails will be from 6:00 to 7:00. Dinner is from 7:00 pm to roughly 8:30 pm. The dinner is a four-course meal with red or white wine included.
THE STEVENS AND KENNEDY BAND will provide our music for the evening. They have come highly recommended by everyone we have talked to. This was not an easy decision to make as we do have quite a few bands in the Ottawa area. The one thing we seriously took into consideration was the fact we had 4 major decades to deal with. We did talk to the band regarding music selection. The comment was “we will play the music that will put people on the floor”. www.stevensandkennedy.com
The one thing missing from the above list is a speech. There WILL be one. We realize that people come to a reunion to meet old friends and to visit — therefore we will plan this around a time that will not interfere with “important issues”. Now that is a mouthful — considering who wrote this!!!!
Parking is available in the adjacent parkade.
SUNDAY OCTOBER 7th. There is a memorial service planned in the cafetorium hosted by Marni Hunt and Brian Bevridge. This will be a non-denominational service recognizing our lost friends and remembering Thanksgiving. We are hoping the Alumni Band and Choir will be able to participate. This event is free and open TO ALL and there will be no offering collected. One thought being discussed was perhaps a food donation to the food bank in Bells Corners. The school itself has always participated and this may be a fitting end to our celebration. Coffee and biscuits served in the lobby afterwards.
This would conclude the official REUNION CELEBRATION. We have purposely left the balance of Sunday open, as we know there are still many family ties in the area.
MONDAY OCTOBER 6th A golf tournament is planned at the CANADIAN GOLF AND COUNTRY CLUB. Many of you may not know but “way back in the day” the Seabrook kids all had a weekend job with their DAD. As a result we now have this gem in the west end. The aim of the tournament is NOT to raise a LOT of money but more or less to have a good time. I have already approached Mark. There is also another person in the wings that I think will surprise everyone as well. We will have LOTS of prizes. We are NOT offering a combined golf and dinner price — as you will be allowed to make your own meal choices — the kitchen will be open as will the bar.
We would really love to fill the golf course — if we can get 144 golfers — a shotgun start can be arranged. In that way everyone would finish at the same time.
Further details will be worked out in the spring. The CGCC has their own online registration system and we will use that. We'll let you know more when the details have been finalized. www.canadiangolfclub.com.
IN CONCLUSION I am sure we've done our homework. Willi said to me the other day “the devil is in the details” and details are being worked!
2ND ASK! Do we have any carvers in the group? Please Contact Us
If there is something glaringly amiss here — please let me know.
What I have learned from this is — patience and respect for all. I want to thank EVERYONE involved so far for his or her support and hard work. It has been an honour.
To everyone;
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL
Brian Mac Millan, Chair, Bell High 50th
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---------- 6 December 2011 10months to go, this is my attempt at a count down clock!
Hi everyone; I will try and keep it short and sweet. I am sure all you Santa’s will be busy with other things.
First the bad news. Mr Don Torney, the schools first Tech Head, Football Coach and Concert Producer passed last week. I tried to reach as many of the 60s group as possible but I had trouble with the list size and it would not send. Details will be on-line with the Ottawa Citizen until November 2012. He was so looking forward to the reunion.
We had a tremendous response from our last email --- thank-you.
As of today we almost have our caterer, our band, our prices, our timetable and our sponsorship brochure finalized. We have a few small details to nail down but we WILL be ready for January 1, 2012.
Right now I have 2 “asks”
Some of you are probably wondering; “What happened to my volunteer offer?” Don’t worry, you have not been forgotten. We have a “volunteer wrangler” to organize everyone. Overall everything is falling into place very nicely --- now it’s a timing game. In other words; let’s not jump the gun.
DINNER SEATING AT TUDOR HALL. For safety and logistic reasons seating will be assigned by the registration committee. Tables will be arranged by years, within decades. This will be only for dinner itself. If you have a group that wants to sit together, you’ll be able to contact us to make special seating arrangements. We’ll also be able to cater to those with food allergies.
Merry Christmas Everyone Brian Mac Millan Yippee ---- only one page.
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29 November 2011 Band and Choir Participation at BHS 50th Anniversary Reunion Are there any former band or choir members out there that would be interested in participating in a concert at Bell's 50th Anniversary Reunion? If anyone has thought about dusting off their musical instruments or warming up their singing voices we would love to hear from you. Dates for the musical event are being planned and we certainly hope to have interest from enough former Bell Band members to make this happen. If you are interested or have any questions about the band and choir participating in the reunion just send us an email at reunionband@bellhigh50th.ca. Thanks Kim Deschamps |
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16 November 2011 Alumni vs. Current Sports Team Match-ups for the BHS 50th Anniversary Reunion Hello Everyone,
Feel like grabbing your running shoes, shorts, shirt, and capturing some of the feelings from the old days?
Well, for the upcoming Bell High 50th Anniversary Reunion, interest has been expressed in one or more sports team match-ups pitting alumni against a team of current Bell student players, with the current leading candidates for such match-ups being basketball and volleyball.
If you are interested in playing in such match ups (male or female!) please reply to this email, or send to sports@bellhigh50th.ca so that the degree of interest can be gauged to see if it is sufficient to warrant the incremental costs involved in staging such events at the reunion?
Feel free to suggest other sports that could be played, though considering the time of year the reunion will be, and the entertainment value for spectators that would presumably be desirable, we thought it best to stick to indoor interscholastic level team sports.
The games themselves would be played on Saturday, with timing yet to be determined, and onsite shower facilities would be made available.
Further details can be pinned down if/once sufficient interest has been established.
Considering the number of sports alumni who haven't registered at the Bell High 50th Anniversary Reunion website yet, now you have one more reason to bug them to do so (and forward this email on to them) if you have some way of reaching them!
Let us know, so we can GO TEAM GO! (Hey that actually rhymes!)
Best regards,
Rob Mauchel & Grant Lawrence
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5 November 2011 "11 Months To Go" Hello everyone;
Hopefully all the spooks and goblins have “left the building" and now you can all concentrate on “the big one”!
I don’t imagine I have to remind folk about this; November 11th is just around the corner and I know it hits home to many of us.
LET'S NOT FORGET
Firstly thank you to the alumni that have sent in suggestions of where we can hold a large meeting. This will help immensely. By now, those of you that have volunteered their time must be wondering what is happening. Not to worry, you have not been forgotten.
Because we were able to start this process 3 years ago, it looks like we have been able to escape the "mad rush" of "we forgot this and that". For the most part everything is under control.
We have looked at 6 bands over the last few months, and we have one more to audition. They are in Toronto and we will see them within the month. We have also sent out proposals for food for the Friday Evening Pub Night and have received return bids. The sponsorship package is ready to go to print. The next biggest thing that causes me concern is parking at the school for Friday night. I am presently in negotiations with the NCC to use their large parking lot at the Bruce Pit. If this turns out to be feasible we will use a shuttle bus system. There will also be street parking in Lynwood village.
At the present time we are looking for a few specific volunteers to actually take on some specific jobs. This has to be looked at BEFORE we ask for an all out effort. I will try and describe each as they are mentioned.
1) ACCOMODATION LIASON - An individual that would approach motels and hotels in the immediate area to negotiate a Bell High Reunion price. There have been several built in the last few years. A link can be supplied on our web site and I'm sure it can be tied in with a "sponsor note". This position would have to be filled by an area resident.
2) MAPPING LIASON An individual that has enough computer knowledge to make a map that would include the immediate Bell High vicinity as well as the Tudor Hall. This whole road structure has been drastically changed in the last 15 years. This map would then be available on the website. That person would have to contact Mike Shacklock to co-ordinate.
I know most of this is available via GPS and computer but we do know a lot of folk haven’t adopted the new technology. We want to cover ALL bases.
BTW ---- in all the new construction ---- BELL HIGH SCHOOL is no longer on Cedarview Road ---- it is now on Cassidy, and reached from BRUIN LANE!
3) VOLUNTEER CO-ORDINATOR - This position will be ongoing right up to the reunion. We need one person to actually keeping track of all volunteers and designate them to the most useful position.
4) TEACHER CO-ORDINATOR - This individual would be responsible to compile a separate faculty list ---- contact the 3 retired teachers publications and placing announcements as well as a bi-monthly notice to keep them aware of the upcoming event.
We had originally thought of a "teacher hunter" but that has proved to be too labour intensive. We DO have quite a list already, but sometimes a little nudge in the right direction helps.
If anyone does have pertinent knowledge of the whereabouts of certain individuals feel free to pass them along.
5) SPONSORSHIP SALES - Rose Timmerman Gitzi has worked out our sponsorship package with all the different levels and benefits. She will be coordinating the "final sale" in regards to benefits etc. If we have someone with professional sales experience to approach businesses in the west end, we could use your help. The major time period for this would be between December this year and February of 2012 as I think any of our sponsors would like to have the benefit of the longest web site exposure time. Rose can be contacted through via our "contact us" link
6) EVENT PUBLICITY - Willi Lotz is in charge and if anyone has any ideas on how to further advertise our event you can contact Willi at boscolotz@aol.com
7) OPEN MIC - This event is to be held on Saturday in the cafetorium. We have several offers already. John Belisle is heading up this particular event. John is an accomplished Blues Musician. We have seen him in action ---- you would surely think he stepped right out of "the big easy". John can be contacted at jblues@live.ca
8) DECORATING COORDINATOR - This individual to look after decorating the stage in the gymnasium for the "old fashioned assembly ---- the stage in the cafetorium for the pub night and memorial service on Sunday --- the stage at the TUDOR HALL for the dinner/dance as well as welcoming decorations in the registration area and lobby
All of the above listed items will help us to better come up what is required ---- so that the custodial staff, etc. can plan for it.
As you can see we have been trying to cover ALL bases in a timely effort and trying not to miss anything. Inevitably we are going to miss something ---- hopefully nothing major and nothing that can’t be dealt with before the big weekend. This HAS been a huge undertaking, and that HAS been acknowledged by quite a few of you. All of us on the steering committee wish to thank you for your accolades.
Although you may see my name more often than others, do not think for a moment this is a one-person act. There are many more individuals on the steering committee and also those in the wings that are diligently working to make this event a success. For any of you that visit the website you will notice a little more activity. Believe me when I say that after January 1, 2012, every single one of these individuals will a lot busier. Even as I write this, our secretary in on a working trip to Australia ---- with laptop in hand! “They can run but they can't hide.” All of us will be in steady contact via the Internet for the next 11 months.
At this time some folk have already stepped up to the plate and contributed a lot already to get us where we are today and I think they should be recognized at this time ---- their work will be foremost in the next couple of months.
Al Albania; 1962-63;
Rose Timmerman Gitzi; 1981-85
Rick Pancham, and
Ron Simpson
If you haven’t updated you profile on the reunion websitein the last year or so, please do! The password for the “Who’s Checked In?” webpage is “cafetorium”.
I think that's about it for now ---- some folk think I talk too much (no offence taken) ---- after re-reading this I tend to agree. LOL
Be safe everyone,
Brian Mac Millan, Chair Bell High 50th
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5 October 2011 One Year To Go! Hello again everyone, I just looked at the calendar and realized that there is now one year to go before the big reunion! I cannot for the life of me believe it’s been over 3 years since we started this project. I want to say a big "thank-you" to all that have sent little comments and kudos to the group. The comments are greatly appreciated and the kudos keep us going. A lot of things have changed in the past 25 years since the last reunion. It is not as easy to finalize small details that in the past were taken for granted. I know for some of you it seems like it is taking too long to put out more information but we want to do it right. You may have noticed "test pages" in the menu. These are the pages to be added once we have all of our facts. We are still looking at January 1st 2012 for our ticket release assuming we are completely ready beforehand. Our sponsorship package is almost ready to go. Rose Timmerman Gitzi has done a great job putting all of the wording and pricing together. Al Albania and Ron Simpson did a photo shoot at the school for the brochure and commemorative booklet. We have been “auditioning” bands the last month or so and still have 2 more to go before we make a decision on the live music. We have been informed that the present and past school bands are on board with a LARGE number of participants. This, I’m sure, is not an easy task as people are located literally all around the world. What has been extremely easy to do are the BIG things --- it’s all the small stuff that takes the time. Parking, privacy issues, security, shuttle service, snail mail ... just a few of the "smaller items" taking lots of time and effort to finalize. For those of you that have indicated your willingness to volunteer your time, please be patient. We want your help ... we need your help ... but now must rent a room at the school in order to have a volunteer meeting! The purse strings are being tightened everywhere. This is one reason the sponsorship package is so important. So far committee members have put money into the pot when needed but the pot is only so deep. Maybe now would be a good opportunity to ask if anyone has the facilities to host 50 to 70 volunteers for a 3 hour meeting in the evening. Needless to say it would have to be in Ottawa. Do we see any “hands up”? I have been informed that some people have contacted the school directly with questions. PLEASE DO NOT CALL THE SCHOOL! The staff at the school is not able to answer any questions about the reunion. For this reason we do have a “contact us” form on the website and our goal is to reply to all queries in a timely manner. We have also noticed that the registration number on the website has been quite static at 1575 for the last 2 months. This number represents only 10% of students that have passed through Bell High School. While this number is 33% higher than any other Ottawa Reunion, we want more!!!! We want this to be the best reunion so please keep bugging your old classmates to sign up now. Maybe some of them don’t even know about the reunion yet. Just think...one year from now you could be having a drink and something to eat with a school mate that you haven't seen in many many years ... exciting, isn't it?!!!! On a sad and closing note, we learned last month of the passing of Mr. Blake Harris. He was a teacher at Bell in the beginning and was so looking forward to the reunion and to reuniting with the old wrestling teams. We extend our condolences to his family. Happy Thanksgiving, Brian Mac Millan |
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9 August 2011 Hello everyone, I know it's been a little time since anything "NEW" has appeared on the website. It may seem like it IS taking forever, but believe me there is a lot going on behind the scenes. We have noticed a dramatic increase in the number of updated profiles lately and the little notes attached. We have also seen the photo albums grow. These albums are there for everyone to use as well as the message boards --- you are more than welcome to jump in. As we are quickly approaching the "point of no return", this will be the last call for anything you think we have missed or anything in particular you would like to see in the Reunion Weekend. We are still using the original dates and spreading things out for many reasons. Quite a few things have changed in 25 years with regards to insurance, security and costs related to using school facilities. We are doing our best to keeps costs reasonable and to get the best possible return on our dollar. We monitored closely the three reunions held in Ottawa over the last few years (Laurentian, Woodroffe and Hillcrest) ---- we will be offering what was successful at all three. We (your steering committee) volunteered for most of the weekend at Hillcrest this past May 13th weekend and learned a lot. The group that organized Hillcrest has in return offered to help out at ours, for which we thank them. They have also donated quite a few generic items to fill our decade rooms. Believe it or not we have had quite a few requests for tickets NOW! This is very heartening and tells us we are on the right track. Unfortunately we will not have ticket prices available until Jan 1st 2012. With the fluctuation of food prices and changing wage prices this will be the earliest we can do it. Fortunately our suppliers will hold their prices and not include "riders" in their contracts. For this we are thankful. What are we doing now???? Number 1 on our agenda is formulating our sponsorship package. We are extremely fortunate to have had 2 individuals step forward and offer their expertise. They are both at the top of their game nationally as well as internationally. They are both alumni and will be recognized accordingly at the proper time. We have also added 2 new members to the steering committee. They are Rose Timmerman and Rick Pancham. They are both from later decades so that will give us a broader perspective. Number 2 is formulating the final program/schedule. Nothing is "written in stone" as of yet but will be completed well before Christmas of this year. I will only say, "We have a surprise or two in store for you." Number 3 will be the organization and planning of a commemorative booklet that will be in someone's words "a collectable". This will be similar to our "old yearbooks" but smaller. It will contain "tweets" --- "memorials" --- address book (so you don't lose new found friends) advertising by supporting alumni and sponsors --- maps --- schedules and other useful things. Number 4 is the finalization of our entertainment for the weekend. Our plan is still to have "all live entertainment". Someone asked me a year ago "why should I attend a reunion?" I think it is renewing a bond that was formed many years ago. It may not seem that the "casual acquaintances" that were made way back then were that important; believe me when you catch the eye of an old friend you will know. It's not just the old acquaintances; it's also the bond you form with the new ones - ones that you just knew by name. You come to realize that back then when we thought everyone was different; we see now everyone was the same. We all had our dreams, hopes and plans. Some have come to fruition; some have not. In the end it does not matter. Everyone still wants to know what are you doing, where have you been and where are you going? So, before it's too late, drop that old schoolmate yours a line. And if you want to get involved, please contact us. Sincerely, Brian Mac Millan, Chair, Bell High 50th |
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25 April 2011 Hello all! Was the Easter Bunny good to you? Did you know that in the 60's there was a group of grade 6's or 7's from Bells Corners Public School attending Bell High School? Well, neither did we! However, some of you 60's and 70's grads out there were part of that group. David Harwood, at Bell HS 1965-1970, was and he contacted us with this fascinating bit of history. If you know anything more about this Overflow Class, please contact us at admin@bellhigh50th.ca. Thanks Mike Shacklock for The Bell High 50th Anniversary Reunion Steering Committee |
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5 April 2011 BREAKING NEWS --- STREAMING NOW ---- BREAKING NEWS Hello everyone --- just a little note to remind everyone that as of today we are exactly 18 months until "liftoff"! A few of us -- actually a lot of us oldies are just finishing up our sojourn in the very very sunny south. It has been a banner year for sunshine. The balance of the crew has been at home finishing up small details on the sponsorship -- finances -- entertainment -- etc. We have a regular scheduled meeting for the steering committee coming up and we will be having another open call for volunteers to fill specific duties. This larger meeting will be held at the high school -- date and time to be announced. NOW is the time for any specific input to be voiced as we are reaching the point of no return for certain aspects. Hillcrest High is celebrating their 50th this May and we will be doing a little scouting for ideas. The one area that is a little hard to complete is reaching teachers. IF anyone has any info or location for ex teachers could they forward them to us through our Contact Us link - we don't want to miss anyone. Still trying to keep to our schedule ---- sponsorship packages releasing this spring --- finalization of timetable and events this fall. Ticket prices are to be announced in the New Year and will be made available on-line through a secure site. For those of you that are leery of on-line financial transactions, provisions will be made for "snail mail" registration. Further details to follow. Brian Mac Millan, Chair Bell High 50th Anniversary Reunion |
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21 February 2011 Greetings all! We’ve received a “heads up” from the folks that are running the Hillcrest 50th Anniversary Reunion that some of their alumni have been receiving junk mail, spam or phishing. They suspect that it might be as a result of “web-bots” using the “Send This Person a Message” feature of their website. Since we are using the same web host, it is possible that our Alumni and the former members of the Bell High Faculty and Staff might begin to receive similar unwanted emails. In an effort to thwart this, we have chosen to follow Hillcrest’s lead and add a simple password to our “Who’s Checked In?” webpage. The password will be “cafetorium” (no quotes) and the hint will be, “The name of the room where students ate their hot meals” We trust you understand the need for us to take this action. Best regards, Mike Shacklock Website Administrator On behalf of The Bell High School 50th Anniversary Reunion Steering Committee |
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14 February 2011 Hello everyone. Here it is, a year closer to the big event. I can't believe it has been over 3 years since we started working on this. We can now say "see you next year"! A lot is starting to happen ----- a few key alumni have stepped forward to help with the band. Thanks Alex and Kim. Rick Pancham has also stepped up with some great ideas and Bill Irwin has agreed to help steer us in the proper direction in regards to accounting. There are still lots of little things to be added, in good time. I am writing this while looking at the beautiful sunrise in Hilton Head SC. The temperature for the next week is supposed to be in the high 60s to low 70s. Maybe things are starting to warm up. We have spent the last week or so ----- on and off with Paula Chill Munro and her husband Gillis having the time of our lives. We will endeavor to see some more old friends as well. As Valentines Day is approaching it seems like it would be a good time to reach out to an old friend and say hello. Last years "reach out" gained us almost 400 new alumni. Some may be hesitant in doing so or may be shy -----believe me you will be thanked for doing so. For us "oldies" it is starting to hit home that so much time has passed ----- don't put off for tomorrow what you can do today. We have recieved too many in memoriam notices and family tragedies that have shocked some of us. On behalf of "the committee" our sincerest condolences to all affected. So; take a few moments and call an old classmate ----- email ----- skype -----twitter ------ tweet or whatever and let them know what's coming in 2012. Happy Valentines. Brian Mac Millan, Chair, Bell High 50th |
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12 January 2011 Hi everyone! Here we are making our way into 2011! It's hard to believe that we're a little more than a year and a half away from our celebration of Bell High School providing the youth of Nepean an excellent place of learning for 50 years! Your Reunion Steering Committee, under the leadership of Brian Mac Millan, continues to meet, fine tuning the events of the Thanksgiving weekend next year. Today’s addition of an entry in the website Guest Book points out what a wonderful resource we have. Lauren Thompson, daughter of former Bell alumnus Cam Thompson, came across some pictures of her dad taken in the 70’s. Lauren would like to make contact with anyone that might have any more pictures of Cam in his younger days. If you have anything that might be of interest to her, you can contact her via the link below her post to the Guest Book. If you haven't visited the website for a while, have a look around. Also, you might want to have a look at your profile and bring it up-to-date. I trust that 2011 is unfolding as it should for you. All the best Mike Shacklock Website Administrator Bell High 50th Anniversary Reunion |
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25 October 2010 Hello all, This is an email to everyone that’s Checked In to the Bell High School 50th Anniversary Website. We now have a little over two weeks under our belt operating our new website. Of the 1500 people now listed there, only 220 or 15% have checked it out and updated their basic profile there. If you haven’t, please drop by, have a look around and update your profile. Here’s the easiest way to do it: - 1. Go to the Who's Checked In? page. 2. Do a search on your surname. For the ladies, it can be your maiden name or your married name. 3. Once you’ve found your name, click the Edit Profile button. 4. You’ll be prompted to enter your email address. 5. Once you've done that, and clicked the "Submit" button, the system will send you an email with your username and a temporary password. 6. Return to the website and edit the rest of the information in your profile. And hey, why not upload "Then and Now" photos. We’re all dying to see what you look like these days! If you’ve changed your email address recently, this message will pop up on your screen: - We are unable to send you the requested information because no email was found associated with your entry. Please refer to the site owner if you wish to update your entry. If you do get that message, simply return to the Who's Checked In? page and click the “Add Your Profile” button. Don’t worry; I’ll delete your basic profile so you won’t have two entries! Looking for more reasons to go to the website and update things? Here a few: - 1. It’s fun scanning through the entries and seeing where people are now and looking at their pictures. 2. You can click on the “Where Are They Now?” button and see a global map showing where everyone that’s attended Bell has wound up. I think that the continents of Africa and South America are the only ones not represented. 3. Be sure to go to the home page at least once a week and listen to the music of our youth. I'll be changing the music every Friday. Thanks for reading the email all the way to the end and once again, please update your profile if you haven't already done it. Thanks & cheers! Mike Shacklock Website Administrator Bell High School 50th Anniversary - Reunion 2012 admin@bellhigh50th.ca www.bellhigh50th.ca |
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19 October 2010 To all Bell Alumni; Well everyone, here it is less than 2 years from the biggest party of your lives. This is really starting to get mind-boggling. I cannot believe that it was 23 years ago that I wrote a thank-you letter to the steering committee and it ended up as the cover page of the 25th year reunion yearbook. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever imagine having the opportunity to work with some of the most genuine people I have ever met. Young, younger and really young !! How's that for stepping around the age thing ? I'm thankful we all made it this far. We, the steering committee, as a group are acutely aware of how big a task this has become. We must applaud the organizers of the 25th----they did this without the internet. As you can see we have opted for a new website---------one that has all the bells and whistles. Again we want to thank Richard Ye for his past website work and wish him the best in his graduating year. We are right now, as this is being written, finalizing our sponsorship package which we will put into action very soon. We are also finalizing the actual schedule of events....................not the events themselves but the timing. We have quite a list of volunteers for which we thank you. We have created a "wanted and looking for" page in the menu. If you can fit yourself into any of the tasks that will be posted please let us know. We are also in the midst of organizing the entertainment for both evenings. We have had meetings with the school and are very happy to report that a lot of enthusiasm from the current staff has been forthcoming. There are specific things in the "works We do not want to divulge all the secrets or surprises before their proper time. If anyone out there knows of alumni who have turned to a professional entertainment career, please let us know. At the present time our contact base is growing. We now have over 1500 contacts on the official web site. There are 2600 contacts via Classmates. There are in excess of 1500 on Facebook, plus various groups from the 60s, 70s and 80s. We know that there is some duplication of names but we also realize that there are folks who for some reason have not registered on the official site. This website, www.bellhigh50th.ca, is the official website for the reunion If you haven't entered your profile here, we urge you to do so. The site and the individual email addresses are secure. As I was quickly going through the "who has checked in" page I was struck by some of the comments and the pictures. Please post your comments and pictures. Don't be shy. You would be surprised who would be glad to hear from you ! For most of us this opportunity comes only once in a life time; as can be attested to by the Memorium page. A little explanation of the schedule before it is made public. All of Sunday will be left open except for time in the morning for a non-denominational Memorial/Thanksgiving Service. Sadly we have reached the time in our lives to reflect why we have what we have. Who gave it to us; and who is continuing to help us hold on to it. This is something WE as a generation growing up maybe took for granted. We are planning to have this service be a memorable event and an intragal part of the reunion. I hope this little note will stir a few memories. Please feel free to use the message boards, post your ideas and continue to stay tuned. There will be lots more to come. Sincerely, Brian Mac Millan, Chair, Bell High 50th. For---Paula, Myfanway, Mary, Karen, Jane, Alison Lorne, Willi, John, Mike and everyone else contributing. |
