Reunion Survey Results

Thanks to all who responded to our reunion survey. Here is a summary of the results:

Responding: 45 attendees out of 79 (57%), 24 non-attendees out of 109 (22%)

This blog was very popular – 91% of attendees and 100% of non-attendees responding visited at least once
Notification could be better – only 18% of attendees and 38% of non-attendees got their first notification by the January postcard (leads us to believe that many postcards did not get delivered)
Attendees liked the Minnetonka Country Club – 87% of attendees and 78% of non-attendees thought that Minnetonka CC was a good location
Pricing was reasonable – More than 70% of attendees and 58% of non-attendees thought the price was reasonable or too low
The price did not keep people from attending – primary reason was a scheduling conflict. (Several people had been to Minnesota for family functions within the month prior to the reunion. Also, Wayzata’s 40th class reunion was the same night and two classmates with spouses from Wayzata chose to attend the Wayzata reunion.)
Attendees like the food – About 80% thought the quality and variety of food was adequate or better
Electronic directory is a hit – About 90% liked the class directory in electronic form
Mixed feelings about the online reservation site – cost and complexity limited its use
Photo gallery is a hit – Nearly 90% of attendees and 96% of non-attendees have visited the reunion photo gallery

Among the comments, a couple of attendees suggested that we have a designated photographer next time in order to get a wider variety of people in the pictures.

The complete survey analysis documents are available upon request. Send your request in an email to mtkaclassof68@comcast.net if you would like them. Be forwarned, however, that the files total approximately 1MB.

Minnetonka Homecoming

This week is homecoming week at Minnetonka High School. A complete calendar of events can be found at http://www.minnetonka.k12.mn.us/Schools/MinnetonkaHighSchool/StudentGovernment/Pages/What%27sGoingOn.aspx.

At the homecoming football game against Eden Prairie on Friday night, October 3rd, the Alumni Association will have a tent near the spectator entrance gate to the football field. Stop by and pick up an alumni button! The tent will be staffed starting at 6PM.

Request for Historical Items

At a meeting of the Minnetonka Alumni Association (MAA) this morning, I had the opportunity to meet Tad Shaw. Tad was one of the founders of the MAA and also serves on the board of the Excelsior-Lake Minnetonka Historical Society in Excelsior (http://www.elmhs.org/index.htm). He requested that I notify the Class of 1968 to be on the lookout for historical items related to Excelsior, Lake Minnetonka, and any of the schools in what is now the Minnetonka School District, especially the high schools of Excelsior, Deephaven, and Minnetonka.

The historical society will accept yearbooks, homecoming buttons, student publications, pennants, banners, trophies, etc. related to any of the high schools. As many of us are now clearing out our parents' (or our own!) homes as they/we transition to new living spaces, please keep an eye out for items such as these. If you find something of possible historical value, please contact Tad Shaw at (952) 474-0929 or the historical society at (952) 221-4766.

Post-Reunion Survey

If we have your email address, you should have received a request to participate in a post-reunion survey yesterday. If you have not received a request, you can still participate.

Those who attended the reunion can respond to the survey questions at http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/?p=WEB2289VQGRUGU.

Those who did not attend the reunion can respond to their survey questions at http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/?p=WEB228ABLC2BHB.

Freezer Burn

Maren Roth Hood's son, Charles, wrote and directed a film -- Freezer Burn -- that is playing at a number of film festivals in North America. It played last weekend at the Twin Cities Underground Film Festival, where it was attended by Steve Adams, Donna Kerber Adams, and Judy Palmer, in addition to a collection of Roth relatives, including Marja Roth, '69.

You can find out more about the movie at http://www.freezerburnmovie.com/.

More Reunion Pictures

Georgia Lyon sent us a number of pictures which have been uploaded to the Reunion Album at http://picasaweb.google.com/dkadams79. Check them out!

New Reunion Photos

Lynn Steiner Osborn submitted about a dozen new reunion photos which have been added to the reunion album. Check them out at http://picasaweb.google.com/dkadams79!

Reunion Directory is Here and New Photos

Everyone who attended the reunion (and has a valid email address) has received a copy of the class directory. Those without an email address will receive theirs by USPS. Anyone else who did not attend the reunion but wants a directory can order one online at http://www.mtkaclassof68.eventbrite.com/ or send $5 to:

Minnetonka Class of '68
11111 Sumac Lane
Minnetonka, MN 55305

Also, check out the reunion album at http://picasaweb.google.com/dkadams79. Some new photos have been added by Rick Neuman.

Reunion Pictures!

An album of reunion pictures from the 40th reunion weekend is available at http://picasaweb.google.com/dkadams79. You can download and/or order prints from that site. Anyone who has pictures that they would like to add can email them to mtkaclassof68@comcast.net.

Everyone who attended or made a reservation for the reunion will receive a free directory of classmates with names, addresses, email addresses, phone numbers, and some interesting correspondence from classmates who did not attend. Classmates who did not attend the reunion can purchase a directory for $5 at http://www.mtkaclassof68.eventbrite.com/.

Keep checking this blog for more news and information.

Great Time Last Night!!

The reunion Saturday night was a tremendous success. It was great to see everyone again. You can see some pictures from the reunion and other reunion weekend parties by clicking HERE. Anyone who has pictures that they would like to add to the album should please send them to us at mtkaclassof68@comcast.net and we will gladly add them to our "album."

Reunion Tomorrow Night!

The reunion planning committee (from left to right: Jo Sampson Dahl, Cheryl Ahlcrona, Donna Kerber Adams, Martha Thomson Mason, Steve Adams, Lynn Steiner Osborn) had its final meeting on Wednesday night and everything is a go for Saturday night! We confirmed food for 97 (92 advance reservations and 5 promising to pay at the door) but, of course, we will accept walk-ins at the $60 at-the-door rate. Stay tuned for reunion pictures.

Online Reservation Deadline Extended!

Because the Minnetonka Country Club has informed us that they don’t need a firm number of attendees until August 20, we have extended the deadline for making online reservations to TUESDAY, AUGUST 19, at 11:55pm. But don’t wait until the last minute – join your 74 classmates and 14 of their significant others who have already registered and make your reservation today!

To make sure that we have adequate food for everyone, we need to have an accurate count of attendees by Wednesday. Minnetonka Country Club will start food preparation on that day for the number of attendees that we specify. People who don't reserve in advance inconvenience everybody else. To make sure that we have enough food for everybody, please reserve today at http://www.mtkaclassof68.eventbrite.com/.

Reunion Reservation Update

As of today, we have 63 classmates and 13 spouses/significant others registered for the reunion. We've got classmates coming from Australia, Mexico, Arizona, Vermont, California, Florida, Washington, and Connecticut, among other places. What we don't have is a significant percentage of classmates from Minnesota!!

Come on, Minnesotans -- make your reservation today! http://www.mtkaclassof68.eventbrite.com/

Updated List of Missing Classmates

We continue to get reservations and returns from our last mailing. The current confirmed attendees list is available at http://www.mtkaclassof68.eventbrite.com/.

Here is the current list of our missing classmates. Please disregard any previous lists, as this is the most current:

Sandy "Britta" Anderson
Larry Arndt
Steve Berg
Mark Buell
Wayne Bye
Elaine Cavellier
Julia Cici
Kevin Cochran
Joe L. Collins
Theresa Croushore
Judy Dixon McGuire
Gary Donovan
Carla Engler
Steve Esco
Mickey Fischer
Fred Funk
Kathy Fyock Leonard
Caryn Gustafson Hazelwood
Bonita J. Havlik Webb
Bernard T. Herman
Tom Horner
Dana R. Jorgenson
Nancy Kelly Van Houten
Kevin L. Kottke
William L. (Bill) Larson
Jim R. Leavenworth
Warren Leiblong
Elizabeth Lundman Jensen
Chris L. Martin
Anne G. McGee Brueggemeier
Steve G. McLouden
Jerry S. Moore
Lynn Munsell
Dennis J. Nelson
David M. Olk
Chris L. Pedersen
Debra E. Pfaff Sable
Cindee M. Rice Papenfus
Mark K. Severson
Vidya Shanker
Mike Sheridan
Kathleen Simon Coleman
Bob L. Smith
Steve E. Smith
Andy Sotherlund
Bob E. Stattman
Jim E. Stocking
Rick D. Thompson
Brad Wright
Bruce J. Yorks
Jo Ann Young Taylor

Please let us know if you have information about the whereabouts of any of these people.

Reunion Update

We continue to get reservations, both online and by mail. Check the latest attendee list at http://www.mtkaclassof68.eventbrite.com/. Unfortunately, we also continue to get returned mail with no forwarding address for several of our classmates. Please check the updated "missing" list in the blog entry for June 9. As we find or lose classmates, that list gets updated. The latest "found" is Dan Johnson. The most recent "lost" are Sandy "Britta" Anderson, Brad Wright, Mike Sheridan, and Mickey Fischer. Please let us know if you know the whereabouts of any of them.

Reunion Update

We have had our first online reservations made at http://www.mtkaclassof68.eventbrite.com/. You can check out the current attendee list at that site.

Also, we have had mailings returned for Scott Lovaasen and Mark Severson. Does anyone know where they might be? Respond with a comment to this blog or email and let us know.

Online Registration Now Open!

Our online reservation system was activated today. You can now make online reservations and payments for the reunion at www.mtkaclassof68.eventbrite.com.

More Classmates Found!

We continue to locate more classmates. The updated numbers and missing list are below. Kudos to Lynn Steiner Osborn who located John Moos, perhaps the most elusive of our classmates!

Reunion Planning Update

The reunion planning committee met last night for an update. As of today, here are the numbers for our classmates:

Original Classmates: 520
Surviving Classmates: 500
Classmates with snail mail addresses only: 289
Classmates with email + snail mail addresses: 156
Classmates with email addresses only: 3
Classmates with no contact information: 52

The committee made some executive decisions:

1. Our online reservation and payment site will go live within the next few days. Check back here for details.
2. A followup snail mail mailing will go out to EVERYBODY for whom we have a mail address, even though it will be more expensive. The group felt that our classmates are more responsive to direct mail rather than email requests.
3. Steve Adams will develop the direct mail piece that will go out (hopefully, with some help from Martha Mason. The reunion committee will get together to stuff and lick envelopes and attach stamps.
4. The group will continue to try to locate the remaining classmates for whom we have no contact information.
5. Lynn Osborn will contact the high school about getting an announcement on their sign.
6. Donna Adams will send press releases to all of the local newspapers.
7. Peggy Bannon and Patty Yorks have volunteered to do decorations the day of the reunion.
8. Lynn Osborn will notify Minnetonka CC of our menu choices.

Updated List of Missing Classmates

Thanks to all of you who have sent contact information for our classmates. As of today, we only have 52 out of 520 classmates who have not been located. Special thanks to Janet Steiner Kordonowy and Lynn Steiner Osborn for tracking down several of them.

Here is the current list of our missing classmates:

Sandy "Britta" Anderson
Larry Arndt
Mark Buell
Wayne Bye
Elaine Cavellier
Julia Cici
Kevin Cochran
Joe L. Collins
Theresa Croushore
Judy Dixon McGuire
Gary Donovan
Carla Engler
Steve Esco
Mickey Fischer
Fred Funk
Kathy Fyock Leonard
Caryn Gustafson Hazelwood
Bonita J. Havlik Webb
Bernard T. Herman
Dana R. Jorgenson
Nancy Kelly Van Houten
Kevin L. Kottke
William L. Larson
Jim R. Leavenworth
Warren Leiblong
Scott Lovaasen
John Lukens
Elizabeth Lundman Jensen
Chris L. Martin
Anne G. McGee Brueggemeier
Steve G. McLouden
Jerry S. Moore
Lynn Munsell
Dennis J. Nelson
David M. Olk
Tom E. Opheen
Chris L. Pedersen
Debra E. Pfaff Sable
Cindee M. Rice Papenfus
Mark K. Severson
Vidya Shanker
Mike Sheridan
Kathleen Simon Coleman
Bob L. Smith
Steve E. Smith
Andy Sotherlund
Bob E. Stattman
Jim E. Stocking
Rick D. Thompson
Leslie E. Worthington
Brad Wright
Bruce J. Yorks
Jo Ann Young Taylor

Steve Stark -- Live!

EXCELSIOR BAY BOOKS, 36 Water Street, Excelsior, MN, 55331, welcomes celebrated actor and historian STEVE STARK and his remarkable presentation as THEODORE ROOSEVELT on THURSDAY, JUNE 5, 2008 at 7:00 p.m.

Across America, thousands of people of every age have been amazed to see Steve Stark’s presentation as America’s exuberant 26th president, brought to life with humor and vitality! Millions more have seen Stark’s portrayal of Teddy Roosevelt on the History Channel or heard him as the voice of T.R. on National Public Radio. Experience Roosevelt’s ideas (in his own words) on patriotism, business, education and reading, cowboys, faith, conservation, politics, and leadership. This is a rare opportunity to see history brought to life before your eyes! PLEASE JOIN US FOR A MEMORABLE EVENING! Books on the life and times of Theodore Roosevelt will be available for purchase.

Questions? (952) 401-0932

Sally Workman

The Friday, April 18th, edition of the StarTribune published an obituary for Sally Workman, a member of our class. The obituary read:

"It is with great sadness to announce the passing of Dr. Sally Workman. Her friends and family are struggling with this tremendous loss. She leaves behind a son named Turner; sister, Dena; brother, Peter; countless nieces, nephews, numerous friends and colleagues. Sally's passion for life was expressed in her love for family, friends, her pets, gardening, life on the lake and late found career in chiropractic medicine. It is impossible to describe how much we will miss her. A celebration of her life will be held at The Excelsior Commons, Saturday, April 19, 6 PM. Dogs are invited. Dead Fish."

Our sympathies go out to Sally's family.

Congratulations!

Congratulations to Ed Rudberg, son of Cheryl Ahlcrona, for being the winner of the "Appetizer" category of the Pillsbury Bake-Off this week! John's recipe for Salmon Pastries with Dill Pesto can be found at http://www.pillsbury.com/Recipes/ShowRecipe.aspx?rid=44937&WT.ac=bo_winnerpage_entertaining_appetizers. An audio interview with Ed by Rick Nelson, food critic for the StarTribune, can be heard at http://www.startribune.com/podcasts/17812404.html.

For his efforts, Ed collected $5,000 and a new oven.

Sympathies to Classmates

Our sympathies go out to Jo (Sampson) Dahl and Tom Lohstreter of our class, both of whom have experienced the death of a son in the last week. Official notices and guestbooks for John Dahl, Jr., and Cullen Lohstreter can be found at http://www.startribune.com/obituaries/.

1968 -- The Year That Rocked Our World

Got my copy of AARP Magazine today and there is an extensive story on 1968 that everyone might find interesting. It can be accessed at the AARP site at http://www.aarpmagazine.org/people/1968/.

Volunteer Located

Thanks to Lynn Steiner Osborn for volunteering to contact the 31 missing classmates for whom we have phone numbers but no addresses. Also, our sympathies to her and her family on the passing of her mother on Tuesday.

Volunteers needed

As of today, we still have 71 classmates for whom we have no valid street or email addresses (check the February 21 blog entry). However, we have phone numbers for 30 of those, which may or may not be valid. If anyone has the time to call five or ten of them to determine if the numbers are still valid and get the corresponding address information, we would appreciate it.


Contact us at mtkaclassof68@comcast.net if you are willing to volunteer.

Update from Kurt Stoehr

Kurt Stoehr has been found! Here is what he said in his email to us:

"I "celebrated" 2008 by having a heart attack on March 6th! I'm semi-retired, married (3rd) and selling Real estate in Western Montana. www.hamiltonstore.biz - Kurt"

Polly Gersich Christopherson

Polly Gersich Christopherson of our class passed away on March 17th. The funeral service was held on March 22. The complete obituary can be found at http://www.legacy.com/startribune/obituaries.asp?Page=LifeStory&PersonID=106027710.

Updated List of Missing Classmates

People have been asking me for an updated list of missing classmates. The list shown below, originally posted on February 21, IS the updated list. As we locate classmates, I update the list in that blog entry. So even though the blog entry is dated February 21, the list is current as of TODAY. I do that so we don't "clog the blog" with outdated lists.

We started off with 94 missing and we are now down to 79, so we're making good progress!

One step forward - two steps back

Dick Garwood has been located but we got postcards returned from Linda Walker Gordon and Pat Theis Youso. Please note the updated list below.

More Classmates Found!

Several of you responded in the last week and we have found three more of our classmates -- Mike Hannah, Georgia Lyon, and Patty Phillipi. However, we just got a postcard returned from Joleen Fisher Haataja from our January mailing. Three steps forward, one step back. We're down to 81 missing!

Thanks for response!

Thanks to everyone who responded to our email last week about missing classmates. We have found about ten of them with your help. As of today, we are down to 83 missing and hope to find some more.

Help Us Locate Missing Classmates

We have gotten the returns from our email blast and our postcard mailing and have identified 70 classmates for whom we have no valid email or snail mail addresses. Not bad, considering that we have a list of 521 people who were in our class!

If you have contact information for any of the following, please email it to us at mtkaclassof68@comcast.net.

Larry Arndt
Mark Buell
Wayne Bye
Elaine Cavellier
Allan Chambard
Hugh Chowen
Julia Cici
Kevin Cochran
Joe L. Collins
Theresa Croushore
Gary J. Dahlmeir
Dave DeVere
Judy Dixon McGuire
Gary Donovan
Carla Engler
Steve Esco
Joleen Fisher Haataja
Fred Funk
Kathy Fyock Leonard
Richard Guerre
Caryn Gustafson Hazelwood
Bill Haug
Bonita Havlik Webb
Mike D. Henke
Bernard Herman
Daniel R. Johnson
Dana R. Jorgenson
Kevin L. Kottke
Gregg Kyllo
Jim R. Leavenworth
Warren Leiblong
John Lukens
Elizabeth Lundman Jensen
Becky Lundsten Gearou
Chris L. Martin
Anne G. McGee Brueggemeier
Scott McKenzie
Steve G. McLouden
Jerry S. Moore
John L. Moos
Lynn Munsell
Dennis J. Nelson
John C. Nicol
David M. Olk
Tom E. Opheen
Martha Pattridge Roche
Chris L. Pedersen
Robert R. Peterson
Debra E. Pfaff Sable
Eileen Pfaff Gill
Lynn Reutiman Kidder
Cindee M. Rice Papenfus
Rodger D. Robb
Nancy L. Sass Emery
Florence Schroeder Stancek
Vidya Shanker
Kathleen Simon Coleman
Bob L. Smith
Steve E. Smith
Andy Sotherlund
Bob E. Stattman
Jim E. Stocking
Debbie S. Swenson Johnson
Mark Tammen
Pat Theis Youso
Rick D. Thompson
Craig Tuthill
Susan Louise Watts Stromsodt
Leslie E. Worthington
Bruce J. Yorks