Report by Golden Grads President Doug Whalley
Thanks to Luncheon Chair Cindy Dack and her team of volunteers, 175 Golden Grads and guests gathered for our annual luncheon at Sand Point Country Club. Twenty-six classes were represented, from 1937 to 1966. The Class of 1963 had the most participants, with a world’s record 37 members present.
Other classes with significant turn-outs were 1952, 1953, 1960, and 1965. Special acknowledgement to our oldest attendees: Ralph Jenkins ’37, Anna Louise Hicks Wickland ’38, and Thomas Allen ’39.
MC Rick Keating ’64 did a great job again this year keeping the program moving. He insulted me only three or four times, down from last year 😉… Principal Brian Vance and Vice-Principal/RHS alumna Kristina Anderson Rogers spoke about activities at Roosevelt. Brian mentioned, as he always does, that he was not a Roosevelt grad and we surprised him with an impressive-looking honorary diploma, thanks to the efforts of Bob Reddick ’53 and Dave Watts ‘63. We recognized retiring school counselor, Dr. Littlebrave Beaston, who helped us select scholarship recipients. A new counselor, Roosevelt grad Nikki Sortum Duncan was also introdued.
Scott Brown, award winning RHS jazz director since 1984, led a performance by several of his students including B. Porter Jones who also received our Jeanne De Friel Gardiner Scholars Certificate. Kierra Nguyen was awarded the Music and Dramatic Arts Honor Certificate and Yi Ren received the $1,000 Spirit Award, this year sponsored by the Class of 1964 (and next year by the Class of 1963).
With Norma Hanberg present, the Class of 1962 presented a $1,000 scholarship to student Helen Schuda in honor of Dale Hanberg, long-time RHS teacher and advisor.
Mention should be made of the Cauliflower Steak incident. It was listed on the menu provided by the Country Club and several members assumed, wrongly, that it was real steak, not a fancy name for a vegetable with attitude. Fortunately, the kitchen had extra salmon, avoiding a riot!