By GG President Doug Whalley (’63)

The Roosevelt High School Foundation

Golden Grads is not the only group supporting Roosevelt. The RHS Foundation is a major source of outside funding for the school’s needs. Their website describes their history. The Foundation has a paid staff member and does extensive fundraising, including sponsoring an annual Spring golf tournament at Sand Point. They do not fund scholarships, but each year our Teacher’s Wish List Committee meets with the Foundation, the PTA, and school officials to coordinate which group will fund requested grants. The Foundation is by far the largest donor and deserves recognition and support for their work. (Janet and I donate every year.) Since 2003, The Roosevelt Foundation has provided an amazing $800,000 to the school for programs, books, computer equipment, musical instruments, and all the other needs of a modern high school.

Donations to Golden Grads

In contrast to the Roosevelt Foundation, I hope you appreciate that the Golden Grads do not conduct fundraisers, do not have a paid staff, and do not solicit donations other than through passive requests in our newsletters.

We have endowment funds that help, but we depend on several other sources to sustain or expand our scholarships and teacher grants. First, your membership dues, especially life memberships, are a significant part of our budget. You can help us by renewing each year and by convincing your classmates to join. Second, we rely on unsolicited donations prompted by simply your love of Roosevelt, and not raised through golf tournaments, charity auctions, or letters and phone calls.

Third, and a growing source of funds, are donations funded by groups of classmates to honor a teacher or classmate. This includes donations raised at class reunions, like the Class of 1964’s recent substantial gift to Golden Grads. Finally, almost yearly we receive a bequest left to Golden Grads by a deceased member. However you give, thank you for your generosity. It is a good cause.

Come to Next Spring’s Musical

Janet and I have attended the free Golden Grads night of the Roosevelt Spring Musical for many years and wonder why more GG members and friends do not take advantage of this great opportunity. Please join us next Spring and fill the auditorium.

Welcome Back Lincoln High School

The newly remodeled Lincoln High welcomes students this Fall for the first time since 1981. Students in the Lincoln attendance area that formerly would have become freshmen or sophomores at Roosevelt will attend Lincoln, while incoming juniors and senior can remain at Roosevelt if they wish.
See full report in the Fall 2019 Grapevine.

The Golden Grads 37th Annual Luncheon was great fun, thanks to hard work by Chair Cindy Dack and her crew of volunteers. Over 120 members and guests enjoyed good food and good company at the Nile Country Club north of Seattle. We voted to accept the budget and the slate of officers. RHS students performed songs from the RHS musical, A Chorus Line. Assistant Principal Jessica Proctor updated us on the school, including the impact of Lincoln High’s re-opening next Fall. We heard from and congratulated Roosevelt Music Director Scott Brown, whose Roosevelt Jazz Band recently won 1st place at the Essentially Ellington national jazz competition in New York City. Finally, we met several of the 14 seniors receiving Golden Grad college scholarships this year.

By GG President Doug Whalley (’63)

Our New Grapevine Editor

This is the first Grapevine edited by Janet SAGE Whalley, ’64 (my wife). Janet replaces Lorraine HITT Carter, ’56, who retired after a very successful tenure. Janet was a childbirth educator for 35 years and the Executive Director of the Childbirth Education Association for 25 years. She is a co-author of the book, Pregnancy, Childbirth and the Newborn, now in its 5th edition, which has sold over 1.5 million copies. Janet was the one to help the publisher to edit and format each edition. A great background for her new job, although without the royalties.

Changes Around the Roosevelt Neighborhood

If you have not visited Roosevelt High in a few years, you would be amazed at the changes in the area. The Light Rail Station off NE 65th is nearing completion, and apartment buildings are rising on the lots south of the school, replacing dilapidated homes (and unfortunately ruining the view of downtown Seattle from the school). The underground light rail system will connect the Roosevelt District with southbound trains to the University District, Husky Stadium, Capitol Hill, downtown Seattle, SeaTac Airport, and further south. Northbound trains will soon travel to Northgate, Shoreline, and eventually Everett. Teachers and students will make use of the trains, hopefully helping the severe parking problem around the school.

Golden Grad Superstars

In addition to thanking Lorraine Hitt Carter ’56 for her years of work on the Grapevine, Lisbeth Pisk ’49 retiring Chair of the Teacher’ Wish List committee deserves our thanks for her lengthy and successful term. I also appreciate Marilyn Meyer Sizer ’63 agreeing to take over as leader of that committee. Finally, a big thanks to Myrna Ferch Hillyer ’61 and her husband Pete, ’61 for their major donation described in the GG Board of Director’s report.

Help Golden Grads by Volunteering

We are blessed with many members who contribute time to Golden Grads, but we could use a few more.

• Our Board position of Financial Committee Chair is open, and we need a CPA (or the equivalent experience) to step up and volunteer. The position is not time-intensive. It simply entails reviewing our budget estimates, investments, and expenditures, and attending at most four Board meetings a year, in person or by phone. (In other words, you could live in Palm Springs.) Treasurer Mike Bush is doing a great job, but good financial management requires a second person reviewing our finances.

• Several classes need a Class Representative. We changed the name from “Class Secretary” to make it clear that you would not be doing any paperwork. The job involves simply maintaining email contact with Golden Grad members from your class, then collecting and forwarding their news reports. If your class lacks a representative, please contact Anne Chichester Temple, ’63.

See this year’s Spring Musical, A Chorus Line, for free at the Golden Grads free performance at 7pm on Tuesday May 21, 2019 in the RHS Theatre. This will be the Mature Content version at the full-dress rehearsal and we are thrilled to be their audience for the night!

A Chorus Line was the longest running show in Broadway history in its time and won 9 Tonys including Best Musical as well as the rare-for-musicals Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

An all-ages HIGH SCHOOL EDITION performs Thursday, May 23 at 7:00pm, Saturday June 1 at 2:30pm, and Sunday June 2 at 2:30pm. The recommended for ages 13+ MATURE CONTENT version performs Friday May 24, Thursday May 30, Friday May 31, and Saturday June 1 all at 7:00pm. Tickets are available online or at the door.

The Spring Board Meeting is scheduled for Monday, May 6 at 10:00 am in the Roosevelt Alumni Room at the High School. Principal Kristina Rodgers will speak to us during the meeting.

Don’t miss all the important info including Treasurer’s report by Mike Bush ’64, Secretary’s Report-Cathie HOGUE Huffman ’63, Scholarship Report-Antonia FILIGNO Clark ’53, and much more.

We hope to see you Wednesday, June 5th, 11:00 am, Nile Country Club, 6601 244th St SW, Mountlake Terrace, WA ready to eat, drink, and be merry with all your friends from Roosevelt. Fill in and send the Luncheon Reservation form on pages 2-3 of your Grapevine with your payment of $32.00 per person to RHS Golden Grads, P.O. Box 281, Edmonds, WA 98020-0281 by Friday, May 31. Or click here and print out the form, fill out, and send in with your check.

Each attending member always has a place reserved with his or her class. The luncheon includes a short Business Meeting, Election of Officers and approval of the annual budget, not to mention the highlight of Scholarships and Awards to some wonderful 2018 graduates. RHS grads MUST BE current dues-paying GG Members to attend. If you haven’t yet paid, you can find and fill out the GG Membership and Donations form on the last page of your Spring Grapevine, or click here to download and print it, then send in with your membership payment to the address above. Guests or spouses of members are welcome.

Over 200 of the Roosevelt Class of 1967 came out for the 50th Reunion Weekend that included a variety of planned activities from Friday October 6 through Saturday October 7, featuring a golf outing on Friday, a tour of the school and drinks at a local watering hole Friday afternoon, and a big dinner Saturday night.

Congratulations to the Class of 1967 and welcome to Golden Grads!

by Jerry Chichester

Our 65th Reunion went off very well on July 18, 2018. As always, we had a blast! With the able leadership of Gale Wergeland, we had as much fun planning it as doing it.

Seventy-eight of the class came to the events out of 325 active members. That’s 24% – a good showing at our age! The reunion raised $1,435 for Golden Grads General fund. In addition, our chat groups donated $705 to the Teacher’s Wish List. The Juliets (Ladies Chat Group) with $455 beat the Romeos (Men’s Breakfast) $250. In any case, we are proud of donating $2,110 this year.

Our thanks to all those that made all this happen!

• Gale Wergeland – Reunion Chair & Co-host for Chat Night
• Connie Busigin Bean – Senior Class Sec. & Co-Host for Reunion Ladies Luncheon
• Bev Bursett Suhrbier – Co-Host for Reunion Ladies Luncheon
• Bob Reddick – Reunion Chat Night Host
• Carolyn Anderson Richardson – Reunion Treasurer
• Jim Richards – Reunion Tavern Night Host
• Joyce Hitt Butchart – Juliets Ladies Chat Chair
• Bill Lince – Romeos Men’s Breakfast Host
• Jackie Godfrey Brotnov – GG Representative
• Tonia Filigno Clark – GG Scholarship Chair
• And many more.

By GG President Doug Whalley (’63)

Golden Grad Superstars

All of the Golden Grad volunteers deserve credit for their hard work, but in this issue I wanted to give special thanks to these Superstars!

Cindy Dack (’60) has chaired the Luncheon Committee for several years, and has done a remarkable job. From the menu to the registration desk to the seating plan to the program, she manages to turn what could be chaos into a fun afternoon of good food, good entertainment, and good socializing with old friends. Thankfully, she has agreed to chair the 2019 Luncheon now scheduled for Wednesday, June 5, 2019, at the Nile Country Club. Thank you Cindy.

Another volunteer I want to acknowledge and thank is long-time Grapevine Editor Lorraine Hitt Carter (’56), who is retiring from the job this year. She faced deadlines with patience and gentle suggestions to all of us to get our articles in on time. It has been a pleasure to work with her over the past several years. Thank you Lorraine. I am also pleased to announce that after a nation-wide search, the new editor of the Grapevine will be my wife Janet Sage Whalley (’64). (Now I really better meet those deadlines!)

Thank you Jerry: Jerry Walton was Golden Grads Treasurer for many years and most recently has served as Finance Chair. He is retiring from that position with his move to Gig Harbor. We owe him our thanks for his work, not only on financial issues but also on a host of special projects for Roosevelt over the years.

Our Scholarship Recipients Are Impressive

When they are introduced at the luncheon we only get a moment to review their accomplishments, but I am always impressed with how they excel in several areas, not just scholarship.

It is not uncommon to meet a winner who is a student body officer, 4.0 scholar, athlete, active in philanthropy, and a musician. Our winners show how they are working hard to succeed in life. These young men and women seek out other activities, not just to add to their resume but to learn and grow. I plan to talk to my own grandkids about the merits of taking a long view and working toward a goal…. Read more about them in the Fall Grapevine.

The 36th Annual Golden Grad Luncheon will be held Saturday June 9, 2018, 11 am, at Sand Point Country Club, 8333 – 55th N.E., Seattle, WA.

Don’t forget to send in your registration form (click here) and encourage your classmates to attend this annual event! Reservations ($32 per person) are required and must be in our hands by Wednesday, May 30th, 2018. Doors open at 11:00 AM – Social Hour and sign in at the Registration Table, 11:00 to 12:00 – Lunch service starts at 12:15 PM. Each attending member has a place reserved with his or her class. The luncheon includes a short Business Meeting, Election of Officers and approval of the annual budget. RHS grads MUST BE current dues-paying GG Members to attend. Guests or spouses of members are welcome.

Note: The luncheon was changed to a Saturday as recommended by the Club to minimize parking problems, and no major events will be scheduled that compete for parking space. There will still be other traffic by Club members, especially if it’s a sunny day.

To avoid parking problems we are asking members who can comfortably walk from the residential area to the clubhouse to please park above the golf course on Lakemont Drive, leaving the lower lots for those who need easier access. GG volunteers will supplement Club employees who shuttle attendees from the residential area to the clubhouse. If you need a ride, look for a golf cart or car to take you to the clubhouse and back after the luncheon. Oh, and cauliflower steak will no longer be a menu item!