IN ADDITION TO the feedback listed above (see “Summer 2015 Reunion”) in Gillie’s update, listed below is feedback sent to me from two other classmates.
Donnie, I’ll be there this summer 2015 and I’ll be there next year as well. There’s something magic about 50th. As was said by a committee member, I’ll party in the Kwik parking lot if necessary.
-- Doug Allen
I spoke with Pat Kueck Daniel about this. She and I would both like to participate in this reunion. If there is anything we can do to assist, please let us know.
-- Shirley Guinta Tafoya
A FEW OTHER CLASSMATES sent brief one-line inquiries to me (Donnie) to request that I provide them more information about the reunion issue being described as “overly complicated” in Gillie’s October 2014 update. Instead of sending one-on-one replies, my decision was to share the information here so that all classmates are more aware of some of the interactions that occurred when our class committee was considering the reunion issue. With people hearing so much nowadays about the importance of transparency with respect to decision-making entities, it is important for our class committee to be transparent – warts and all.
In her 10/18/14 message to the committee comprised of 15 volunteers from our class, committee member Gillie Walker announced committee member Maryellen Brada Manuszak’s proposal to combine our 50-year class reunion with the Class of 1965 reunion to be held in June 2015. In reply to Gillie’s question – “What do you guys think?” – appealing for input, committee members stepped up to the plate to express their respective views and to pose questions over the next six (6) days from October 18-23. There was a back-and-forth exchange, which is common for any committee or other entity seeking information in order to weigh the pros and cons before arriving at a decision that is satisfactory to at least a majority (or unanimity with decision-making entities that operate on the consensus model). Views ran the gamut from the pro-2015 proposal to committee member Bruce McAlexander’s pro-2016 proposal of meeting in the Kwik Shake parking lot if necessary.
Early on during the aforementioned six-day period, Gillie decided that my initial input was nitpicky and dubbed me “Nitpicker Supreme” – a title bestowed upon me in what she said was done in “the most loving and respectful way.” In his 10/23/14 message, committee member Paul Snell jokingly referred to my new title by stating his thoughtful input was “to compete with Donnie for most picky.” Sorry, Paul, there is no competition. You cannot even be runner-up, so don’t even try to pluck the crown away from me. I will go to my grave as the title holder, and that is all there is to it.
In his 10/24/14 message, committee member Roy Manuszak declared: “This whole thing is getting way too complicated.” In her October 2014 update that was sent by me to all classmates on our confidential email list, Gillie concurred with Roy’s view of a “complicated” situation by stating: “Committee work, being what it is...well, let's just say that the question is rapidly becoming overly complicated with discussion of a class vote, wording the vote, etc.” In her November 2014 update (see 2015 Reunion above), she once again concurred with Roy’s view of a “complicated” situation. Complicated? Really? There was absolutely nothing complicated about committee members expressing their respective views and posing questions as part of the group process to reach a decision. Just because some of the input did not fit neatly with the pro-2015 reunion proposal does not mean the dialogue was complicated. To the contrary, the six-day exchange was relatively simple and straight forward.
In her 10/23/14 message to the committee, Gillie stated: “Maybe we should just do what Roy suggested – dam the torpedoes and full speed ahead!” Roy himself reiterated the remark in his 10/24/14 message when he firmly proclaimed: “Dam the torpedoes and full speed ahead or maybe all speed astern.” Torpedoes? Really? Albeit a metaphor, the whole concept of torpedoes implied that there was an all-out major attack against the pro-2015 reunion proposal, and that was not the case. Over the aforementioned period of six (6) days from October 18-23, committee members were merely expressing their respective views and posing questions.
As of the date this update was sent out (November 24), there has been a month-long hiatus with noticeable silence and no further input from committee members as a whole ever since October 24. Gillie subsequently submitted to me her October 2014 update, which I emailed to all classmates at her request. With the committee process not completed, she took unilateral action to promote the June 2015 reunion event.
Out of the ten (10) classmates mentioned in Gillie’s November 2014 update (see 2015 Reunion above), it is noteworthy that six of them are class-committee members and only four of them are NON-committee people. There definitely needs to be more NON-committee classmates expressing their views on 2015 versus 2016 for a reunion. In support of the proposal (originally offered by Gillie and advocated by me) of having all of our classmates vote on the issue, committee member Bruce Brian advocated for NON-committee input in his 10/21/14 message: “I would like to get as many opinions as possible.”
It is not too late for ALL classmates (non-committee and committee members) to voice an opinion on the issue. Input can be a simple “yes” or “no” for a specific year (2015, 2016, or both), and an accompanying comment is welcome but not necessary. Opinions can be submitted via email to:
Gillie at gpwiii@aol.com OR
Paul at psnell@me.com
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THE EARLY-BIRD SPECIAL for the June 2015 reunion is rapidly approaching. The early-bird special of $40 per person must be received no later than January 16. Online payments can be made on the Paypal website, at which the “Send” option should be clicked on the home page and then typewidefield65reunion@yahoo.com in the box titled “their email.” Be sure to click the “Friends or Family” tab so there will be no charges to reunion organizers. In the note section, leave your name and contact information. Payments via postal mail can be sent to:
Judy Christian
323 West Illinois
Fountain CO 80817
Open to ALL classes of the 1960s, the 50-year anniversary for the Class of 1965 will be held on Friday and Saturday, June 19-20, 2015. People who do not pay the early-bird special by January 16 will pay $50 per person for the two-day event. Inquiries about the event can be sent via email towidefield65reunion@yahoo.com
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TO VISIT OUR CLASS WEBSITE that was assembled and is maintained by our Class Committee member and Webmaster, Paul Snell, please go to: www.1966whs.com
The software that Paul used to build the website allows people to access the website through a regular computer as well as a smartphone or digital tablet. At the bottom of each page of the website is a link to a Facebook page that can be used by classmates who have Facebook and want to communicate and receive information through Facebook. Please be sure to bookmark the website address on your computer so that you will have it handy whenever you want to visit the website.
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OUR CLASS COMMITTEE consists of several classmates who volunteer their time, at one point or another, regarding issues pertinent to our class. Our Class Committee members are: Gillie Walker; Bruce McAlexander; Marcia Hagans Allin; Ron Petty; Donnie Collier Martinez; Paul Snell; Mike Adragna; Bruce Brian; Linda Nolin Weber; Ken Loveless; Roy Manuszak; Mary Ellen Brada Manuszak; Jerry Moyers; Barbara Billingsley Massarano; Warren Knight. Other classmates are welcome to be part of the Class Committee.
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WITH the THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY taking place this month, check out a very cute one-minute cartoon of a turkey singing its own words to the tune of Gloria Gaynor’s disco hit in the late 1970s. The words are clever and hilarious. The music brought back fond memories of my dancing at the discos in the 1970s. To watch and listen, click here!
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A FUNERAL for the “n” WORD was recently held in Denver. For many years, some African American activists have advocated for a public ceremony to bury the “n” word and other racist slurs. Initiated by an African American high-school senior, the funeral project had the support of her teacher and fellow classmates of all races. Unfortunately, there are people who will continue to use the longtime “n” word despite the funeral. To see the two-minute news video, click here!
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THE BETTER ANGELS is the title of a new movie about the difficulties that Abraham Lincoln had in his childhood and teen years. Presented in black-and-white cinematography, the film is low-key and slow in capturing Lincoln coming of age with the two women (his mother and stepmother) who guided him through hardships and who had a lasting impact on his life. The actors and actresses are great in their respective roles. The stunning shots of the wilderness and upward shots of tall trees are very characteristic of Terrence Malick, who produced the film.
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ATTACHED in JPEG FORMAT is a 2014 photo that a young Chicana activist took of me at one of the private events to celebrate my 50-year anniversary of volunteer work in numerous nonprofit causes in Colorado from 1964 through the present – including my many years of volunteer work at the college campus, which is where I am right now.
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WE ARE VOLUNTEERS. Please do not ever take it personally if you do not hear from the Class Committee or the Website Committee right away. As volunteers, we have only so much time within which to do our volunteer work as well as tend to other aspects of our personal lives.
Delays in my replies, in particular, are due to me not being awake very much anymore as sleeping long hours is the only time period during which there is total relief from my neurological illness for which there is no cure. It is now ten (10) years that I have had massive nerve damage. With this neurological illness continuing to take center stage in my life each day, there cannot be very much so-called normal or routine activities on my part as long as a state of normalcy has not been returned to my life. As noted in my update last year in July 2013, another reason for delays in my replies is that I have been “slowing down” more and more since late 2012 – it takes me forever to get something done. My doctors attribute the slowness to me getting older, not the neurological illness.
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This update was prepared by me.
Respectfully submitted,
Donnie Martinez, WHS Class of 1966 Committee
Known at WHS by stepfather’s surname Collier
Martinez is my birth certificate and legal surname
a/k/a Butch, family nickname since childhood
a/k/a Don, presumably the adult version of Donnie
a/k/a Primo (Cousin) to dozens of my Martinez cousins
a/k/a El Aguila (The Eagle), a version of Gillie’s name for me
a/k/a Nitpicker Supreme, a title lovingly given to me by Gillie
a/k/a Frank to older women saying I look like their idol Frank Sinatra
a/k/a Dee Dee, a fun name used by people to mean Dear Donnie
I don’t care what people call me, just call me.
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