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	The classes of 1961, 1962, and 1963 are having a combined reunion. It all starts August 24, 2007.

Similar to the organization of the Golden G annual events, which now includes all classes from 1927 through 1956, the classes of 1961, 1962, and 1963, will now take advantage of the organizational efficiency of combining classes. It is the experience of the Golden G, which has been holding annual events since 1985, and is open to any Godwin graduate graduating 50 and more years ago, that alumni can associate mostly with their own classmates, if that is their choice, and yet benefit from the wider experience of the presence of other classes.

While the combined reunion for the classes of 1961, 1962, and 1963, is not envisioned as becoming an annual event, it will still reap the benefits of an expanded format.

This site will be a primary way of keeping those interested, and with Internet access, apprised of the current state of planning for the event. The site is still under construction, and will likely change often in the coming months. Check back every so often, and click on "What's New?" to monitor any changes.

What's

Volunteer Please do what you can to help the combined reunion planning and execution. If you are in the Grand Rapids area, consider joining the planning committee. Much of the ground work has been done, but more people can always be used. No matter where you live, if you have a phone, and possibly a PC and Internet access ( which is probably why you're reading this ), consider helping to contact people. When possible, the objective is to get people connected to this web site. In any case, this will likely be the last attempt to contact all classmates from each of the classes of 1961, 1962, and 1963. For a variety of reasons, including that people are now starting to retire, and move around, the emphasis after the reunion will be to have people keep a contact person, likely Bob Traetz, aware of their current contact information. Phone numbers and e-mail addresses go out of date so quickly now that contacting classmates is probably the most time consuming aspect of a reunion. For this reason alone, more help is needed.

Activities
Contact information
Elks Club directions.
Golf
History
Hotel discounts
Invitation
Links to other things Godwin
Lists of Attendees
Maps
Menu information
Missing classmates
Planning Committee
Possible entertainment
Guestbook

It's currently envisioned that the reunion will be held over three days. The first segment will be on Friday, August 24, 2007, at the Elks Club, 2715 Leonard Street, NW, and will be open to all Godwin graduates, and those associated with Godwin. Open bar.

The second segment, on August 25, 2007, will be the reunion for the classes of 1961, 1962, and 1963. This too will be held at the Elks club. Details to follow.

The third day might be a brunch, but this is not certain yet.

In the interest of privacy, Bob Traetz will be the primary contact person for now, and will relay any e-mails to the appropriate person or people on the planning committee. This is to avoid putting too much personal information on the web site.

Bob Traetz

Elks Club directions using Mapquest.

A short discussion of the Godwin history web site, Godwin's Past will be given to alert Godwin alumni about the purpose of the web site, and to see whether any alumni at the reunion have material of interest for the site, or perhaps relatives that do. If possible, a PC and projector will be used.

In most ways, this is about the last chance to get material for the years 1929 through 1963. Much disappears each year, for a variety of reasons. Almost all of the people that built the Godwin we in the classes of 1961, 1962, and 1963, all knew are now gone. This includes Charles and Gladys Saur, Frank Rackett, Frank Bartels, and Jay Doxtator. Of course thousands of others, including parents, students, teachers, school employees, and the local community, all worked together to make Godwin the school it was. The goal of the web site is to reflect the involvement of all of these people.

It is hoped that by showing some aspects of the web site to those at the reunion more material will result, in addition to more people being able to visit and navigate the site. Things of interest include school papers from various years, photographs of almost any kind, and G-rated stories, preferably with a historical interest.

Area hotel and motel discount rates shown in the invitation are repeated here for convenince.

2007 combined reunion invitation

Left click on either image for a much larger version.

Class web sites.

Godwin's Past

Lists of attendees.

Missing classmates.

Planning committee at work - September 24, 2006.

Left click on the image above for a larger version.

Left to right: Noreen Wilt, Bob Traetz, Delores Esakson, Betty Lowe.

Planning committee at work - April 14, 2007.

Left click on any image above for a larger version.

The captions are below the photographs.

Entertainment of possible interest.

Both the Golden G luncheon and the merged classes of 1974 to 1984 employed Power Point presentations to show scenes from the past, and students and teachers from their own times. It's likely that a similar thing will be done at this event. In particular, every classmate's annual photo will be shown, whether they are at the reunion or not. Other material will likely come from the Godwin's Past web site.

A band and space for dancing has been suggested. Contact Bob Traetz about this. More than one reunion has been effectively ruined by a loud band, so this will have to be approached with caution. Many people have emphasized a desire for an environment where they can just talk.