If there is anyone out there who did not receive a copy of the souvenir booklet and would like one, let me know asap (that does not include those whom I already have on file, Gerald Vokey, Howard Baker, Jane (Dempsey) Donnelly, Diane (Manko) Lomond, John Matthews and Willie Dyke). My record keeping fell apart after the second night, so I may have missed a few names. I also ran out of booklets and will be having more printed later this week. (I didn't get a copy for myself!)

All the best and thank you very much for coming!

It's with great disappointment that I am unable to be at the reunion in Gander next week. I had so much wanted to be there. It's been a very long time since I have spoken or seen many that will be there.

With a consulting job that I am presently on in the NWT my flight schedule will not get me to Edmonton and a connecting flight to Gander and back to Edmonton to get a connecting flight at-0620 on the 22nd for a trip to Central America that I can not re-schedule and one that I can not gamble on missing.

I would, however, like if possible if you could send me a souvenir book that you have prepared and my t-shirt and possible the package that I would get on registration in Gander.

I will send you a cheque for what ever amount you desire to do this for me, PLEASE!

Once again, say HELLO to every one for me, if you will, especially Judy Komand, Bart Green, Roy Sceviour, Dave Hannahran, Junior Bishop, Ray Lush, Rod Hippern, Jack Fox, and there were a couple more that have passed on - Cal Pretty and Austin Hiscock.

I never did have many close friends, if any, but those I do remember well.

I wish you and every one attending ONE HELL OF A WEEK-END!

Willie Dyke

Hello Jim, hope you're relaxing and enjoying the good feelings that came out of the reunion. It was a great idea and thoroughly appreciated by everyone. I know I've enjoyed working on the website, learning so much about Gander, its history and what it means to everyone who lived there. Seeing that quiet wood where once there was a thriving airport community was something that will remain with me for ever.

I'll be putting up my few Gander photos on the web this weekend and I hope we'll receive a lot more soon. Cheers,

Liz (Morgan) Marshall

Wow!! What a weekend. Was it real? Did it really happen or was it a dream? Awesome!

When I left Gander in '62 I lost the thread with most of the people that I grew up with (from K to 11) so this weekend was like a dream. It was great and as I told you at the reunion, the website sucked me in big time. Not that I needed much persuasion. I need your help though if you don't mind. There are some e-mail contacts that I didn't get and if you have them on file I would love to have them. They are: Norm Hounsell, Diane (Manko), Joan (Clouter), Marilyn (Knee), Larry Wicks, Clyde Goulding, Jack Pinsent, 'Pop' Clarke, Hilda (Chaulk), Amy (Hedge), Clifford Head.

Long list I know and if you could send me my Grade 4 teacher Miss (Mullins) and my grade 5 teacher Miss Batstone C.O.D. I'd be very grateful cause I love 'em so much!

Angus Taylor

Thank you and the committee for a wonderful five days that will bring so many warm, happy memories that will last well into my future. Many thanks.

Effie Osmond

Just got back a couple of hours ago, Sat. at 4:30 p.m. Wonderful time. Great REUNION. Met all of our expectations and more. No words to explain all the fun and memories that we created, eh? I'm sure we can do it again sometime before we all get too old to remember who or where we are!!!

Hope that you arrived home safely. Gros Morne was everything and more than you said it would be, Jim. Loved the boat ride on Trout (River) Pond. and the hike into West Brook to that fjord?!! Didn't go up to the Viking settlement....rainy and nasty weather that day. Will make that another time.

So get your sea legs under you and drop a line when you find the time.

Love, and thanks again to both of you for all your efforts on behalf of us kids at the reunion!!!!

Faye (Lewis) & Bruce Raynard

Had a great time at the reunion. It was so nice to see my school friends again and to chat about our school days when we were kids up to the present, very interesting and enjoyable. You and your committee done a fabulous job. It was well organized, pictures were great, you guys done your homework there is no doubt about that in bringing it together. Congratulations all!! I really enjoyed entertaining my school friends and a big thank-you to Dora and Mike for their music and support, great stuff guys. Music was supplied by "The Dropouts" (HA, HA)!!!! This band has been together for 50 years and this was their first gig!!!

The song that I wrote was for all of us so that we could flash back in time in years to come. For you to put it on your web is a compliment to me and the song, and I thank you. (GO FOR IT!!) I enjoyed writing it so everybody can listen to it and reminisce.

Looking forward to seeing current pictures and updates on your web site, and by-the-way there is lots and lots of information on there. I enjoy going on your site to have a browse. Keep up the good work.

Thanks, Keep in touch.

Thanks for the update. I am so sorry that we missed you, and everyone. We were told that the group was out on busses on Friday, so we watched for them, without success. We were able to spend only Friday in Gander. We spent considerable time at the Old Town site. One success was locating the road that formerly ran across the end of the runway (before the runway was extended). We crossed the runway on that road to go to school, from the ‘American Side’ to the "Canadian Side".

We spent several hours at the North Atlantic Aviation Museum, where the director went well beyond the call of duty to help us walk along memory lane. He dug out a Gander Airport map from 1950, a 1950 Gander Telephone Book (we found our listing!), and some aerial photos of Gander from the same period. He also showed us a copy of the 1949(50?) Gander paper that featured a story on KLM in Gander, and on Frank Stirling, the KLM station manager (with a photo of Frank). Our Dad worked for KLM as Chief Dispatcher.

Out last mission in Gander was to bring our Dad ‘home". We scattered his ashes in the Gander River late Friday evening. He went salmon fishing there several times and talked about it many times over the years. Gander, while just one of many places we all lived, was his favourite.

My home address is: John Matthews, 8086 Dorcas St., Omaha, NE 68124

We took some photos which I will send as soon as I get caught up at work. By the by, are you a fly fisherman? Fly tyer?

Best regards,

John, Jean (Powell), and Michael Matthews

It was a pleasure to see everyone at the school reunion, after so many long years!!! I think it was a big success and I am sure everyone had a great time. Faces and old pictures brought back many memories through the years and I don't think we will ever forget. It would be nice if we could all get together again sometime.....before we are too old to enjoy it!! Hope you all had a safe trip home and thanks for coming back to GANDER, take care and best wishes to everyone.

Gwen (Green) Boyd

I just thought I would like to say how much I enjoyed meeting each and every one of you at our reunion. For some I wish I could have spent more time talking to you but still it was nice to meet you all again. We had a very special time growing up in Gander and this reunion brought that back to mind. It was wonderful to see the teachers attending our reunion and participating in the functions. I wondering, before I left Vancouver, how it was going to be at the reunion but the whole thing surpassed my expectations in its organization of daily events and the way we all were enjoying the event. It was a great experience and I am so glad that this reunion came to pass.

I think that Eric (Roy) Sceviour and all his "gang" did an awesome job. When I returned home my wife and family were amazed and happy at how much I enjoyed this reunion and seeing all the people that I went to school with again, like yourself. I am so pleased that I "caved in" to the "nagging" ladies (Faye and Michal) and came. I would have like to have more time visiting with you all. I will never forget the stories that you told me, Ron Mosher, of our school experiences. I have not laughed like that in years and afterwards my sides were aching! You sure can tell a story! Thanks Ron.

If any of you are passing thru Vancouver, at any time in the future, do give me a call at 604:607-0898 for I would like to keep in touch with as many of you as I can. Again, it was great seeing you all at the reunion. Everyone seemed to get a lot out of this long overdue reunion as I did.

Cheerio for now.

Frank Stirling

PS: If anyone has digital pictures of our reunion that they can share I sure would appreciate it. Also, does anyone know when & where the pictures that are going to be put on the reunion site?

Frank

Thanks so much for your great writeup. I will be doing a scrapbook, and need to do journaling, and this will be a great help. It was such a wonderful reunion, such great Newfoundlanders and those of us who want to be. Vern and I, and Michal and Vance, got screeched in at Mary and Bob Warren's in Glovertown last Wednesday night. What a night that was! Back home and haven't settled down yet. Glad the e-mails are starting to come in because it keeps us connected.

Audrey Grantham

How nice to see your resume of the reunion. We were beginning to get a bit concerned, that we hadn't heard from anyone since we returned. However, now that I've said that, today we received a few e-mails with photos attached from Faye.

I've run off a copy of the film "No Highway In The Sky" and I'm ready to send it to you, but I'll need a mailing address to send it. and I can't seem to find yours.

The reunion was an absolute success. Annette & I were absolutely thrilled that we went, and more so, that she was able to meet so many people that I grew up with, and talked about for years. I've taken about 45 pictures, and just e-mailed Liz Marshall to ask if it were better to send her a CD with the pictures, rather than via about 10 e-mails as the memory is about 500K per picture.

My server is limited to about 4 mbs total, so I'd be stuck sending quite a few i ndividual attachments to get them all through. I'm OK with the number of booklets, but thank you for asking. The turn out was very impressive, with people from all directions of North America. The planning committee did a wonderful job in setting it up.

Thank you so very much for all your work and effort in getting it off the ground. You did a marvellous job.

All the best for now. Kindest Regards,

Campbell Pritchett

Hi to everyone, I had a great time and loved every minute of it! It really was great meeting everyone again. Jim, you are to be congratulated many time over! You did a great job of it - better than great! Will keep in contact.

Elizabeth (Bursey) Lyons

Just wanted to say a big thank you to you and your committee for all the time and work you put into making the reunion the huge success it was. We really enjoyed meeting everyone , it was great seeing so many old friends and reminiscing about days gone by, just sorry there wasn't more time to "sit and chat". Again our very special thanks to you.

Betty (Luther) & Tom Bursey

It was a great Reunion and, again, I thank you for all of your initiative, work and leadership.

The contacts continue. I have met and heard from several since the Reunion. Gladys (Goulding) and I got together in Gander this past week, to look at photos and some old Flight magazines and pictures. Another walk down memory lane!

Warm wishes to you as you journey through another year.

Marion Pardy

Jim and Roy ( and committee ):
I want to thank you all for the wonderful experience that we enjoyed during the reunion. There was a lot of work done on this in and behind the scene. It was a once in a lifetime experience and will provide great memories for us all. It will also mean that there will be mini reunions every now and then in the future , both here in Canada and USA (Right Faye ??)

I was so glad to see the teachers there enjoying themselves .

So again I say thanks to you all.

Michal:
It was wonderful seeing you and Vance at the reunion. I trust that Vance enjoyed himself.

You surely kept him busy the night of the auction.

I had a wonderful time and now a lot of great memories.

I want to thank you for the big effort on this auction, which was a big part of our reunion.

These things just don't fall in place , they have to be put in place . Well done. Thank you again.

Eliz:
I want to thank you for your big , BIG effort of this web site for the past two years. It went over very well , and it was fun seeing those old photos and to read the old stories.It was also an education.

It was the connection that brought this reunion together , and without it , there was no way a reunion of this size would have taken place. We may have had a few mini reunions but that would have been it.

Too bad you and your husband could not have been there for the whole event. I was pleased that Jim acknowledged you for your efforts that last night. Well deserved!

We had a lot of fun, saw some old classmates that we shall never see again, but shall remain in contact with some more hopefully.

Thank you again Eliz. It's been a blast!

Morley Smith

I want to add my thanks from a member of the youngest class of the reunion….the class of '63…..although because of work, I had to skip the Sunday morning brunch and service, but I hear it was something special too. For me, the weekend was a special moment…. a flight back in time… and it was as if time had stopped and we were there again. I can’t describe how I felt but it was terrifically good.

Another member of my class, my long time friend Lorraine said, "It was one of the most enjoyable 4 days that I have had in the past 43 years" and we share that feeling. What better evaluation of an event…..a marvelous happening!

A great reunion folks……thanks to all those who worked on it…..Well done!

Thanks again!

Kevin Smith

Greetings:

Now that our visitors (family of 4 from Alberta) have returned home and life here at 10 Kilkenny Street is slowly settling into its normal routine I have a moment to reflect and say thank you for the wonderful reunion weekend in August.

Another participant a few days ago commented on the fact that we are a unique group. The old Town of Gander was one of a kind in that we were exposed to people from other countries, of other faiths, our one school was for everybody, the international flavour along with a military presence set us apart. We were in those days multinational and multicultural – a bit ahead of the times. We had great opportunities and lived a way of life that prepared us well for our futures."

So true and the reunion weekend was an opportunity for us all to remember and relive a lot of the experiences of youth.

Sincere thanks to Jim Butler and his class of ‘59 for the initial idea and the organizing committee in Gander who took it from there and delivered a super weekend and to all the rest who came and enjoyed the wonderful nostalgic time.

My wife says that she enjoyed the 'Flight Back into Time' better than her own school reunion here in St. John’s a few years ago. Gander was always a fun Town and this was a fun weekend.

Thanks again for the wonderful reunion of August 18 – 21, 2005.

Someone has said that if we can’t do this again there will be many mini reunions here and there. I'm sure there will.

I have attached a poster in PDF format telling you about a Tour to Scotland and England that Edith and I will be hosting April 29 – May 13, 2006. What a venue this could be for one of those mini-reunions. If you need further information and brochures etc. do call or write. The Tour is organized by Rostad Tours of Calgary. It too will be a fun time – another way for this unique group to enjoy an international experience and grow in community.

Cheers and Shalom;

Bill Noel

I am still saying to myself that it wasn't just a dream. In the past few years, especially since I retired I have been thinking how nice a reunion would be - and then I stumbled on it. Yes, by far it is the most memorable "good time" I have had since I don't know when. I just don't know how to thank the people who put it all together.

Any time I have stopped in Gander, and always briefly, for one reason or another, I haven't taken the time to visit any of my school mates. And then there would have only been a very small per cent of them still living in Gander, in any case. I really think it was very, very meaningful for many, i.e., travelling from California, Victoria and all places in between attests to that.

And to see Pop Clark and the teachers! What a pleasant memory revival!

Still in a STATE of AWE ! - that's how I feel about it.

Look me up if you ever come this way - Calgary - 403 230 8775.

Jim Simmons

It was great that you all had one weekend that will leave you with many memories. EXCELLENT! I know it was once in a life-time.

I am, as we speak, in Mexico {Mazatlan]. The temperature during the day is 98f-------lots humidity. Finished of my business trip in the NWT and headed of to MEXICO for a little R/R. I’m going back to Alberta and do another contract-until December, and than I will go to PORTUGAL and SPAIN for 3 months. Who knows after that! Just can not get the bug out of my system, to do those things.

I guess as long as I have the health of mind and body I will do so!

Bill Dyke

Sorry it took so long to get around to thanking you for working so hard on the reunion. My wife and I had a great time and I for one was quite happy that we did have the reunion as some of us are getting up there now. I myself am only around 21 but I just look old. I really enjoyed meeting the people that I would never know if I passed them on the street. My wife said that she couldn't believe how well organized everything was and how there were no problems at all.

I'm not sure how many other people were involved in the making of this reunion but could you please pass this thank you on to all of them for me.

If you're down this way drop in for a while and chat. I'm about to go into full retirement in a couple of weeks so I will have plenty of time on my hands. Hope to see you soon. Once again thanks for the reunion.

Ross Patey

(On October 8, 2005, Kay and I (Jim) visited Ottawa and spent an evening with Molly (Primmer) Leonchuk; Olwen, her sister and Bill, her husband. Before we left, she gave me a card she intended to send to me. The following is the text of that card.)

It was the best of six reunions I’ve attended. I’m glad you had the great idea, Jim. You, and your committee are to be highly commended for your efforts and the successful results.

Best of all was to see so many former pupils. It meant a lot to me.

Thank you again for the booklet. The whole thing was special!

Molly (Primmer) Leonchuk

Jim:
I received the booklet today. It’s the next best thing to being there! As I browsed through it, many happy memories were brought to mind. Again thanks and congrats on a find job.

Gerald Vokey

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