2010 Reunion Weekend Wrap-up

50th Reunion by Roberta Walker Butler
for publication in the local newspaper

The Hamlet High School, Class of 1960, held its 50th class reunion at The Ballroom in Hamlet on July 23 and July 24, 2010, at 6:00 pm. The class released 50 red and black balloons outside to celebrate the passing of 50 years.

On July 23, Dr. William (Bill) Stubbs gave the Welcoming Address "Lost in the Fifties" accompanied by Ronnie Milsap's "Lost in the Fifties Tonight". Mrs. Roberta Walker Butler recognized all the classmates in attendance, and Mr. Bert Russ gave the Invocation.

After dinner, Doug and Diana Holland Faust entertained the class with a Salsa dance to the music "La Bamba" by Ritchie Valens (1958). Mrs. Butler presented them with red roses. "Out of Bounds", a Barbershop Quartet, performed. Mr. David Millson, who is one of the group and a member of the Class of 1960, was presented with a donation.

After closing remarks by Mrs. Butler, music of the fifties was played during the evening by DJ, Mr. Roy Childress of Lexington, NC.. The theme for the evening was a Sock Hop. The class dressed in the attire of the fifties, complete with poodle shirts. Dancing was enjoyed by all.

Friday night pictures

On July 24, brunch was held at the First United Methodist Church in Hamlet, NC. Catering for the reunion events was by Simply Elegant Catering of Rockingham, NC. Guests included Mrs. Evelyn Monroe, mother of Mr. Carroll Garner, and Mrs. Florence Walker, mother of Mrs. Roberta Butler.

Saturday brunch pictures

On July 24, after the group class picture was made, Mrs. Linda Liles Bendell gave the Welcoming Address "Hamlet High Friends." Mrs. Butler recognized honored guests, and the Reverend Vance Mann gave the Invocation.

After dinner, Mr. William Land led the Memorial Moments. A picture of each of the 16 deceased members with a red rose was displayed in their memory on a special table. Afterwards, Mrs. Shirley Morse Guthrie sang "The Lord's Prayer". Mrs. Butler presented Mrs. Guthrie with a red rose.

Mrs. Butler recognized her reunion committee: Mr. Bert Russ, Mrs. Diana Holland Faust, Mrs. Brenda Harte Holt, and Mrs. Yvonne Wilson Graham. She presented each of them with a Boston fern.
Then she recognized the cancer survivors and gave each a red rose. The survivors were Mrs. Nanette Atkinson King, Mrs. Phyllis Smith Hendrick, Mrs. Bonnie Anderson, Mr. David Millson, and Mr. William Land. She also gave a red rose to Mrs. Shirley Lassiter, spouse of deceased member Mr. Richard Lassiter. She then recognized the class members who went the extra mile to attend the reunion: Mr. Allyn Cortright, Mrs. Jeanne Long Tew, and Mr. Wilson Hayes, spouse of class member Loleata Brooks Hayes.

After closing remarks by Mrs. Butler, Mr. Mike Helms of Fort Mills, SC, the "Big E" who is an Elvis impersonator, performed during the evening. The theme for the evening prom was "Time in a Bottle". The class danced to music by Elvis Presley. The attendees had been mailed a souvenir bottle which contained sand, a flower, and an invitation to these events.

During the evening events, the reunion committee led by Dr. William Stubbs, presented Mrs. Butler a dozen red roses. He thanked her for keeping the class together all these years and for organizing this reunion. He also gave credit to her husband for all the dinners he missed!

A photographer, Mrs. Jackie Greene of Lebanon, VA, was on hand both nights taking candid shots and special requests under a white arch with a red background. The decorations were red and black balloons on the tables, and arches of balloons outlined the perimeter of the dance floor. All other decorations were in the theme of the fifties and Elvis. Decorations were provided by Party Poopers of Rockingham, NC.

Saturday night pictures

Forty-five class members, out of 85, attended the reunion. A total of 78 class members and guests enjoyed the reunion events. In a few weeks, the attendees will receive a class group picture and a Class Directory as a special memento.

Facts and Figures

MEMORIAL-REUNION ACCOUNTS

Memorial Fund
Since we started this fund last year, we have had donations from the following: $420.00
Bill Bowen, Mickey Hancock Nowell, Diana Holland Faust, Martha Jacobs Lair, Bill Land, Hoda Levine Blau, Frankie and Nancy Nowlan, Homer Smith, Lynn Steen, and Bill Stubbs.

Memorials have been sent in honor of the following classmates in 2010:
Sarah Harris
Kay Roberts
Beth Utter
Claudia Duncan    

Total dispersed:  $200.00
Balance remaining in fund as of July 26, 2010: $220.00

Reunion Fund
Balance as of July 2009 was $330.38
Collection of $7,725.00
On hand $8,055.38
Dispersements: $6974.65 SEE BELOW

Balance as of July 26, 2010 is $1,080.73 minus $220.00 Memorial Fund = $860.73
Balance as of August 13, 2010 is $1,307.13 minus Memorial Fund = $1,087.13 - book expenses (to be determined)

Party Poopers, decorators $792.77
Memorials $200.00
Jackie Greene, photographer $500.00
Simply Elegant Catering $2465.00
2 sheet cakes/3 tier cake $150.00
First Methodist Church donation $50.00
The Ballroom $750.00
Joe's Florist, 16 roses $86.20
Dorsett Printing, 2 sets/programs $215.50
U.S. Postal Service $44.00
Mike Helms, Elvis Impersonator $480.00
Pens Express $103.15
Roy Childress, dj $420.00
Dorsett Printing, 2sets/donation cards $102.36
"Out of Bounds" quartet donation $50.00
U.S. Postal Service $44.00
Internet domain and hosting $100.00
Miscellaneous $121.00
U.S. Postal Service, stamps, bottles $62.40
Walmart (labels, ink) $61.32
Walmart (scrapbook) $11.50
U.S. Postal Service (stamps, envelopes) $38.34
Dorsett Printing $53.87
Walmart, ink, refill pages-$57.04
PO, stamps-$16.20

The following classmates attended:

Judy Altman Hair Bonnie Anderson Frank Wilson Andrews Nanette Atkinson King Bill Bowen Loleata Brooks Donald Caulder Gerald Cook Allyn Cortright Nelta Crump Jones Carroll Garner Ilene Gunter Brainard Mickey Hancock Nowell Larry Hardin Brenda Harte Holt Diana Holland Faust

Bill Horne John Howe Lanny Jacobs Martha Jacobs Lair Jimmy Kirkley William Land Shirley Lassiter Hoda Levine Blau Linda Liles Bendell Jeanne Long Tew Vance Mann James David Maples Jimmy McEwen David Millson Linda Monroe Utter

Shirley Morse Guthrie Franklin Nowlan Ora Pait Tarlton Janice Parks Ward Wendy Pate Nancy Jane Polk Nowlan John Poole Jimmy Rachels Bert Russ Homer Smith Phyllis Smith Hendrick Virginia Steen Miller Bill Stubbs Roberta Walker Butler Yvonne Wilson Graham

*The background song on this page is "The Seaboard Line" by J. Morgan Ruppe from Clover, South Carolina.  It was provided by Nancy Jo Wilson Pollard, Yvonne Wilson's sister.