Finally, all the details are in place for the whole weekend of fun planned (NEW!! - See the final schedule of events below), and we're ready to go. So I, along with Mike Brown, Mike Mac and Ann (formerly Carpenter and now) Misuraca, are pleased to invite you to join us and the rest of the reuniting crew as we party together at the ARHS Class of Nineteen Eighty #*!@ing Five's 20-Year Reunion Weekend!

The culmination of the weekend’s festivities will be held at the Hickory Ridge Country Club in Amherst on Saturday, November 26th, 2005 starting at 7:30 pm. This is a cocktail party-style event, with lots of great food (apps and deserts) and a full, cash bar. And, above and beyond the entertainment value inherent in seeing your old class mates for the first time in many, many years, we've also hired the most bitchin', radical, totally awesome 80's cover band on the east coast - Fast Times (very silly, huh) - to bring us back old-school stylie to our musical youth (yep, Pass the Duchy and all).

So, Click the link below, indicate how many tickets you'd like to buy (at $45 each), and tell us who you'll be bringing. Look to the bottom of this page to see who has already bought their tickets!

Thanks for buying your tickets early (and often)! The more the merrier, so if you know folks from other ARHS classes who you think would like to attend, please direct them to the site. I'm looking very much forward to seeing everyone in November. If anyone has any questions or suggestions, please don't hesitate to email me. Till then, all the best – Lou(ie)

Schedule of Reunion Weekend Events - Posted on October 7th, 2005

The ARHS Class of 1985 Reunion Weekend is only days away! The few hours spent frolicking with ex-classmates on Saturday night hardly seems enough, so the Reunion Committee has concocted a few additional Reunion events (below).

For some events, there is a contact email. Please, please, please, if you have an interest in a particular event, send an email to the event coordinator. Reply with either a “Yes,” or “Maybe,” and the number of people you plan to bring. This will help greatly with preparations. If not enough people show interest, a particular event may be trashed, so let us know ASAP.

Let’s get started with...

Thursday, 10:30 AM, November 24th

ARHS Football Game AT Northampton. Sure, it’s Turkey Day and you’ll be busy stuffing your face, but a few of us are going to take a break, check out the new-look ARHS team and see if they have an iota as much class as the ‘85 squad. (We know they have more wins.) Mike McIntosh will be there for a half (or two) with a couple of his kids. He’ll be the one, face to the sky, soaking up that fair New England weather.

Friday, Noon, November 25

Touch Football Game. Now you get to play the real thing, kinda. Dust off you cleats (or sneakers) and meet at the ARHS football field for a little pushing-forty style football. This is a co-ed, pull-a-muscle, flounder with coordination type deal, so don’t hold back. Older kids are welcome, especially if they aren’t real athletic. Please also join us for kibitzing; no need to actually play in order to attend. [Contact Mike Brown]

Kid’s Play Time. While the adults huddle, the kids can play at the Memorial Pool playground, kick a soccer ball around, play a game of football of their own or do other kid things.

INTERLUDE

GENERAL ACTIVITIES (FOR YOU, YOUR REUNION FRIENDS AND YOUR CHILDREN.) Just a reminder, a lot has changed in the Valley over the past twenty years. There’s a new Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Hampshire College has a new children’s museum (Eric Carle Museum) and there’s a new Butterfly Museum in Deerfield (to name a few.) If some or none of our planned activities hold your interest, then make your own plans...just try and do it with a few Reunion friends.

Back to topic...

Friday, Seven PM on, November 25

BIG CHANGE OF PLANS!!! - The bonfire at Mike Brown’s house event has grown too big and will be moved to RAFTERS in Amherst. Everyone meet there!!!. [Contact Mike Brown] if you have any questions.

Saturday, 7:00AM, November 26

The Atkin’s Diet. Mike McIntosh’s kids wake up at 6:00AM every single rotten day. Ergo, you will find him this morning at Atkins Fruit Bowl sucking down coffee and donuts. Meet at around 8:00AM at Atkins (on the corner of 116 and Bay road in South Amherst), grab some breakfast stuff and follow Mike McIntosh on a calorie-burning hike up Bear Mountain for a splendid view of the valley. (Weather permitting, of course.) Children welcome!!! [Contact Mike McIntosh]

Saturday, 1:00PM, November 26

Yankee Candle Excursion. Sarah Mullins holds the keys to paradise! She is in-house counsel at the Yankee Candle where they turn a little bit of wax into a pile of cash. Lucky for us Sarah has organized a field trip to the flagship Sore (the second largest tourist spot in MA) where we get a birds-eye view of it all and a nice corporate discount. If you haven’t been to Yankee Candle in a while, you won’t want to miss this. (The kids will love the new “Build-a-Bear” area.) On the way back, stop at the... [Contact Sarah Mullins]

Saturday, 3:00PM, November 26

Amherst Regional HS Tour. Some say that our once small and cozy school has become a massive factory, pumping out graduates like Donald Trump pumps out self-promotion. We say, “See for yourself.” Meet at 3:00pm sharp (with well-behaved children) to view the new school... and weep at so much change [Contact Mike McIntosh]. When done, go back to your hotel and get ready for...

Saturday, 7:30PM, November 26

ARHS Class of ’85 Reunion 20th Reunion. Lou Davis deserves all the credit for putting this one together. Trust me, it will rock. Make sure to buy your tickets ASAP. Do it on-line or send Lou Davis an email. But do it, or regret it.

That’s all we have planned. If anything strikes your fancy, PLEASE, PLEASE and triple PLEASE, send the contact person an email (even if you think, we think, you think we know). Thanks, and see you there then!

Sincerely, Mike McIntosh

What's Your Story?

It's been a long time since graduation, and to bring us all up to date on eachother's lives, Lynda (Adams) Stedman has agreed to put together a reunion book with bios of all who submit them (like we had at our 10-year). So, please copy the questions below, click on the "email your story" link and paste the questions into the body of the email, provide your responses and send them off to be published!

Here's the questionnaire:

Please list your name, address, phone, email, occupation, spouse's/partner’s name, children (names and ages), and:
Give a brief summary of your past 20 years;
What arhs teacher do you have the most vivid memories of and why;
What are your favorite songs from the 80's;and
What do you miss most about being a kid.

Email your story!