Written by Stu Kushner

Midnight Sun Online v01n02 September 1996

Volume 1, Number 2, September 1996

MIDNIGHT SUN ONLINE
-The Online Newsletter for Robert E. Peary High School Alumni-

INTRODUCTION

Huskies and Huskiettes:

Welcome to the second issue of the Midnight Sun Online (MSO) and welcome to those of you who recently made it onto the Peary distribution list! Neal Pizzano (class of ’76) continues to maintain the database for ALL Peary graduates as well as this e-mail distribution list. Kudos Neal. This newsletter will be compiled each month and distributed to the list. The news items come from YOU and will provide others with whatever it is you’d like everybody to know about your life since Peary. Please spread the word to your alumni friends that this exists and is working, okay?

Research is still continuing for setting up a listserv for our group. In the meantime, if you would like a copy of past issues of this newsletter, just drop me a note and I’ll be happy to forward any issue to you (only one so far). In addition, a website is under construction and you’ll be able to retrieve the current newsletter and archives (plus some other surprises) from there via your WWW browser. Stay tuned for details.

Enjoy – and stay in touch with everyone via the list and newsletter. Thanks for your e-mail contributions and support – it’s alive and growing!

Bob Lau, Class of ’76

Some comments on the first issue and the overall effort:

On Sat, 10 Aug 1996, Jim Hardman wrote: “Outstanding job sir!”

On Mon, 12 Aug 96, Diane Arena Wilson wrote: “Downloaded all your messages, especially the first edition of Peary’s Midnight Sun Online. Great stuff.”

On 12 Aug 1996, Marianne Capacchione wrote: “Thanks so much for the first issue of Midnight Sun Online. I thoroughly enjoyed it! I’m printing off a copy and mailing to Rie Leimbach-Crowley in Texas.”

From: Dale Weisenfeld-Winchell (1976) Weisenfeld[AT]aol.com Date: Sun, 11 Aug 1996 Subject: A note from Dale (Weisenfeld) Winchell

My 2 yr. old son, Zachary and I are now living in Cherry Hill, NJ. Since high school, I performed for about 10 years in Dinner Theater, worked as an Adm. Asst. for a Sr. VP at Ringling Bros. and taught dance classes at my own studio in Lancaster, PA. I just got part-time work teaching childrens dance classes starting in September here in New Jersey. I got an Assoc. Degree in Theater/Dance. I’m going to continue my education in the fall, but this time I’ll be training to be a Legal Assistant – at this stage of the game, I’d like a job that offers more job security and benefits.

Best wishes, Dale

From: Marianne Capacchione (1976) mcapacch[AT]hrsa.ssw.dhhs.gov Date: Thu, 15 Aug 1996 Subject: HHS

I am employed by the Health Resources and Services Administration. We’re a smallish agency in HHS, not as well known as NIH or CDC. I’m the Deputy Chief of the Financial Management Branch, which means I help spend money (billions) for AIDS patients, community health centers, National Health Service Corps doctors, leprosy (Hansen’s Disease) patients in Carville, Louisiana, migrant workers, Black Lung programs, some other small stuff. I love it!

Annamarie Liembach (Crowley) doesn’t have an e-mail address. She’s a stay-at-home mom raising two boys, 5 and 7.

Linda Estes. I last saw her at the 10 year reunion. She was living in Florida. Apparently, she got married somewhere between the 10th and the 20th reunion!

From: Art Posey (1976) ArtPosey[AT]aol.com Date: Sat, 17 Aug 1996 Subject: New E-Mail Address for Art Posey

My new e-mail address is: ArtPosey[AT]aol.com

We have switched to AOL primarily due to peer pressure from the kids. It seems that AOL is considered much cooler than Prodigy, and I don’t mind making the switch if the kids will do something on the computer other than space-pilot-killer-of-the-universe games. AOL also seems to keep better control of the kids chat lines.

We’re still in Birmingham. I’m still working fo the Rust Division of Raytheon Engineers and Constructors, Inc. I’ll be on the road for most of the next few months to the Houston, Texas area. Monsanto has a plant in Chocolate Bayou, Texas that is in need of a conversion project. Construction starts September 3 and the plant should be back on-line by Thanksgiving.

The kids start school next week. Alabama History is a required course. I wonder how they cover George Wallace and the 60’s in general. Should be interesting.

Take Care. Art Posey

From: Diane Arena Wilson (1976) wilson[AT]hq.hhmi.org Date: Tue, 20 Aug 96 Subject: Happy Hour

By the way, still need to fill you in on this past Friday, which was great. Greg Perkins, Jerry Adcock, Sue K, Patti C, myself, and lots of other people we brought all had a wonderful time chugging beers and exchanging memories, and then, dances to Van Morrison and the ever-so- popular DJ at T-Bones. We are planning our next outing, Friday, August 30th. So, for now, that’s all I have to report, talk to you soon!

From: Neal Lee Pizzano (1976) npizzano[AT]erols.com Date: Thu, 29 Aug 1996 Subject: Your Brothers and Sisters

Dear Classmates;

I am writing to everyone through the Midnight Sun Online (MSO), in order to reach out and ask all of you to supply updates on your siblings. You see, besides working on the Class of 1976 20 Year Reunion, I have been keeping an extensive record of all Peary graduates from 1963-1984. That equates to over 9600 names. The reason – to ultimately help and assist all of the classes with their reunions. I like getting people together and re-living the nostalgia.

SO…here is my appeal. I would like all of you to please forward the following information for the master list.

First name, middle init., Maiden Last Name, Married Last Name, Spouse’s Name, Year graduated, Home address, Home Phone Number, Work Phone Number, Type of Business involved in, how many kids (or grandchildren), and finally – their e-mail address (if available).

Now understand that I am not asking you to divulge “ANY” information that you do not wish me to have, but I may come to you in the future for that information again, if their class is looking for your sibling. So, anything you can provide will be of great help. This also leads me to say that if you are looking for another classmate, let me know who it is and I will try to locate them for you.

If you have any questions, contact me at my e-mail address npizzano[AT]erols.com and I’ll get back to you.

(ALSO – New Subject: send me any home pages you may have and I’ll provide a separate listing for them)!

Ciao for Now

Neal Lee Pizzano

From: Gerry Adcock (1976) Gerry_Adcock[AT]freddiemac.com Date: Fri, 06 Sep 1996 Subject: What’s happening

First off let me say that our reunion in July was a blast! It was so good to see everyone (that I had a chance to see). Personally, I really enjoyed the planning and preparation for the events, there was some work and a lot of fun there too.

Right now I am working at Freddie Mac (Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp). We are the guys that buy up groups of home mortgages and resell them to investors. I don’t work directly with the mortgages but instead I provide the communications resources. Basically, I make computers talk to each other.

This involves the usage of T1’s, Fiber Optics and all the related peripherals. It’s challenging and interesting working with the latest technologies. My work has provided the opportunities to do a lot of project management with relation to communication infrastructure installations.

Other things going on…I got married (round two) to a wonderful girl, named Nancy, who is a Savings Administration officer with Chevy Chase Bank in Bethesda. We got married in October of ’92. Since that time we have been fortunate enough to be able to take a couple of cruises to the Bahamas (what a way to go). I highly recommend a cruise to anyone who has never been. Nothing like getting excellent service during your vacation. We also bought a house in the Wheaton Woods area (back in the old neighborhood for me, she’s a Springbrook grad).

I have two children from a previous marriage, they are Jeremy & Ashley (ages 15 & 13 respectively). Jeremy is into playing a trumpet in the marching band at his high school in Frederick while working on getting his black belt in Karate. Ashley is enjoying cheerleading for the basketball team last year and the football team this year (so far) while continuing to impress daddy with her grades last year (one B, the rest A’s). She must be following in her dad’s footsteps – HA!

If you haven’t sent anything into the Midnight Sun – Online yet, I encourage you to do so. It’s great to use the available technology to communicate with old friends and keep in touch with what is going on in our lives. I look forward to future editions of that electronic rag.

T-T-F-N, Gerry w/ 703-450-3699

From: Amy Hinkle Allex (1976) dallex[AT]erols.com Date: Sat, 07 Sep 1996 Subject: Issue 2 Deadline

Now for some updated information:

I graduated from the University of Maryland in June 1980 with a B.S. in Business Administration. Worked for three years at EDS in Contracts Administration and another three at Vitro Corporation. Married Dan Allex in October, 1992 and have three children, Adam (9), Kevin (7), and Amanda (3). Lived in Germantown for nine years until moving to Frederick in 1992. Have put my career on hold since my first child was born in 1987. I really have enjoyed being home with the kids on a full time basis.

From: Bob Lau (1976) blau[AT]clark.net Date: Sat, 14 Sep 1996 Subject: MSO Issue 2 Update

Hello classmates:

We seem to be getting a lot of support for the Peary on-line effort. Let’s keep it going! I think there are about 35 names on this list. Where are the other 480 or so from the class of ’76? Not to mention the thousands from other classes?!

Let’s see… since my life story in the last newsletter I’ve been enjoying a temporary “vacation” as my contractual term ended at the end of August with University of MD University College. I was their Distance Education Telecommunications Planning Coordinator working under a grant from the Department of Commerce. So if your company (or any opportunities you know about) is in need of an administrative computer and online computer and multimedia weenie, please let me know!

Kristy and I continue our English-style riding and jumping each week, we still have two cats… one of them only 4-months old, and I’m staying busy with online communications and maintaining the public BBS I operate for a professional society. Although a lot of this extra-curricular activity is time consuming, I really enjoy it. On the acting front, since “Washington Square,” “Shadow Conspiracy,” and “The People vs. Larry Flynt,” it’s been kind of slow – worked in a Harrison Ford movie called “Air Force One” and auditioned for a part in a Jodie Foster movie called “Contact” (another “Phenom”-type flick I think). I’ll be working for three days later this week in “Day of the Jackal” being shot in Pentagon City (sorry, can’t disclose specifics). It’s strictly part-time and no, I do not plan to move to L.A. Kristy continues her studies at UMUC, now enrolled in a 6-credit online course, so there are no classes to attend. I’ve been throwing around the idea of going for my PhD or EdD, but lemme find work first so I’ll still have a house!

I continue experimenting with a listserv for our growing members of the Peary e-mail distribution list and I’ll be setting up a Web site for this list and the newsletter – figured I better use the time now while I can since I don’t have to go to work everyday for the time being! I’ll be digitizing some photos and making them available on the site as well, including the 20-year 1976 Class Reunion photo.

That’s about all for now. Hope to get some personal mail from you folks and continued contributions to the newsletter and solicitation of e-mail addresses to forward to Neal Pizzano. And I’d be more than happy to send you a resume as well !

Bob Lau, Class of ’76 Germantown, MD

P.S. I have two recent, e-mail-ready, newspaper articles about Ken Brace (Teacher) and Jim Hage (1976) if you want them. Just let me know and I’ll be happy to forward to you. Also e-mail me if you want a copy of previous issues of the MSO/Peary Newsletter.

From: Neal Lee Pizzano (1976) npizzano[AT]erols.com Date: Sat, 14 Sep 1996 Subject: Peary H.S. Teacher Reunion

NewsFlash… Peary High School Faculty will be having their annual get together at the Anchor Inn on October 12, 1996. Complete details are not known, but the cost is said to be $11.00 per person. It would be great to see them again, wouldn’t it? Look for more information to be available in the coming weeks.

From: Neal Lee Pizzano (1976) npizzano[AT]erols.com Date: Sat, 14 Sep 1996 Subject: Maryland Get-Togethers

NewsFlash… For those of you living in the general Peary vicinity, weekends have been the time for alumni get-togethers. It appears that Friday Nights have been the time for many to keep in touch, even after the reunion (’76). The places vary anywhere from Copeland’s in Rockville, to Slade’s of Bethesda, to The Gaithersburg Tavern in Old Town Gaithersburg. To find the latest watering hole for the weekend of your chances, contact Diane Arena-Wilson or Sue Kennison-Wilson at their e-mail address found in the latest published listing I’ve sent out. Afterall, the more the merrier! (Sorry Diane and Sue, but the two of you seem to have been the focal points of contact so far) Hope to see you there sometime in the future. And for those of you living out of town, check it out ahead of time before your next trip back here. I am sure all are welcome, no matter what year you graduated.

Past issues of MSO available: Volume 1, Number 1 – August 1996

Also available:
Article about Ken Brace (Teacher) from the Gazette Article written by Jim Hage (1976) in The Washington Post

Midnight Sun Online
Volume 1, Number 2, September 1996