Monday, January 1. 2007
The presents are all unwrapped, the confetti is all vacuumed up and the diets have all been started. Such is the beginning of a brand new year. Back in early October, an event was held that was truly remarkable and an experience of a lifetime. Ed Taan chaired an extremely dedicated group of 16 people known as the Reunion Committee. A combined 5-year Piner High Class Reunion was held celebrating the classes of 1968 – 1972. First and foremost, I don’t think there are words that can sincerely express the appreciation and deepest thanks we all extend to this fabulous group. We can only imagine the hours and hours of work that went into putting this event together so we could all enjoy the evening. I think I speak on behalf of everyone there…you all did an incredible job and we simply cannot thank you enough. But please know that the memories you gave us for that evening will be with us always; and at the end of each chuckle, each guffaw, each smile or maybe even each tear as we think back on this special night…you will all be remembered as a remarkable group of people and silently thanked in our hearts. I am writing about this now…I realize a bit late...because I just received my Reunion Book in the mail and I wanted to be able to remember the names, the faces and the smiles as I wrote. Not so much to name each one of you in this piece because I could go on for pages and pages, but so I could be transported back to that glorious venue and relive the evening. It was a night of “Then & Now”. I was a 53-year-old, but a high school senior, I was meeting my teachers as peers…but still calling them Mr. or Mrs. God forbid I call Mr. Albright…Bill. I just couldn’t do it. I’ve been married for 35 years…but was talking to the date that gave me my very first kiss. I’m sure many of you had a similar experience. Maybe some of you could put a few memories down in words for this blog for others to read about. We would love to hear your stories. This is what it’s for…to share and reconnect. And I know you all have your Reunion Booklet now. Take a look at the pages and remember the evening. I talked to so many people, hugged so many old friends…squinted my failing eyes at so many name tags…and to each and every one of you…IT WAS GREAT SEEING YOU AGAIN!!! And by the way…we all looked fabulous…didn’t we? And again…I cannot say THANK YOU enough to the Reunion Committee. GO PROSPECTORS!
Pauline Scinto Whitchurch Spiritof71@comcast.net
Thursday, August 24. 2006
We all know sports is a HUGE part of high school. Being part of a team, striving to reach physical goals, being cheered on from the crowd are just a few memories that so many alumni accumulated from their years spent at Piner. Even those not very athletic by nature...like me...enjoyed all that sports had to offer. Exciting plays, nail biting close scores or winning the big game when the other team was favored...we all benefited from our team's hard work and play. Then of course, there are the residual benefits from sports...cheerleaders...either watching them or being one of them and dating a starting player! Those were the days! Jim Underhill inspired so many young lives at Piner during his years as coach. Yes, he taught them the difference between defensive and offensive and all the other nuances of the game, but more importantly he tried to teach them how to be our leaders of tomorrow. To always try your hardest, give the team your best, earn the respect of others and be a gracious loser. Now Piner is honoring Coach Underhill by dedicating the school stadium to him and all he meant to Piner High. Here is your chance to go out and cheer for this man who did so much for Piner and it's students. PINER HIGH SCHOOL STADIUM DEDICATION HONORING JIM UNDERHILL SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 16TH, 2006 - 11:00 AM RECEPTION WITH REFRESHMENTS. 12:15 PM DEDICATION FOLLOWING JV FOOTBALL GAME AT PINER HIGH STADIUM, 1700 FULTON ROAD, SANTA ROSA, CA FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL JIM LANZ AT 707-836-9735
Wednesday, June 21. 2006
Hi Everybody! It's me again! Today is the first day of summer and it made me think of those days long ago when nine months out of the year were spent behind a desk, staring at a chalkboard and toting books from class to class. But June finally rolled around and that first day of summer vacation was...well there was no other word for it...heaven. Of course, the older I got...and I am sure this is true for many of you out there...the first day of summer meant the first day of that summer job. Life was good back then. I was making $1.35 an hour! It was all worth it when I was able to drive that Baby Blue '67 Mustang Fastback into the Piner High parking lot my Senior year. Yes...life was good! This blog is a place where we can all connect. Whether it is with great memories of the past or planning events that are drawing near we would love to hear from you. Write something up and post a memory. Or e-mail me at spiritof71@comcast.net. And for all of you out there who went to Piner in the very beginning...I hope you are planning to attend the 5-Year Reunion. Details are here in the blog, so check that out. It's going to be fabulous. I wish I could show up in that '67 Mustang! Take Care Everybody....Pauline Scinto Whitchurch Class of '71
Friday, June 2. 2006
I'd like to start by saying thank you to all those who attended and/or sponsored the dinner. If you did not attend you missed a great event. With over 260 people on hand we introduced our first hall of fame inductees. Steve Casperson led off and Jim Underhill closed. In between we heard from Dom Wirtz, Joan Fleck, Tom Mertle, Krystin Bryant, John Noland and Tammy Wessendorf. Perhaps the most memorable speech came from Tom Mertle who turned to and thanked Joan Fleck and all those who paved the way in the early years of womens sports. Without them his daughters would never have had a chance to play ball and live thier dreams. G&G was inducted for thier many years of support. They brought along Paul Kelly, a district supervisor(and alumni) and Bob St. Clair a Pro Football Hall of Fame member. Also in the crowd we had alumni Paul Cronin, Steve Kramer and Mike Erikson. All potential future inductees. We heard from our former coaches and visited with many retired teachers, many who I had not seen in many years. We closed the night by unvieling our plans for dedicating the multi-purpose stadium in honor of Coach Underhill. On Sept 16th we will be having an unveiling at Piner's first home game of the year. I feel blessed to have such a hard working dedicated committee supporting our event. We have yet to hold our first meeting and tickets are already selling. I guess its time to stop writing and start puttig toghether a budget for next year. Thank you and hope to see you next year Jim Lanz.
Monday, April 17. 2006
It is now official...There is going to be a reunion on October 7, 2006, at the Hyatt - Vineyard Creek in Santa Rosa for the first five graduating classes of Piner High. That's '68, '69, '70, '71 & '72. If you were in one of these classes, we would love to hear from you and see you at the Reunion. You can get in touch with us through this site if you have any questions or would like to help. Be sure to pass along this information if you are still in touch with any classmates from these years. Randy Nunes - Reunion Committee Class of '71
Glad to hear about the Reunion. Looking forward to it. ---Alan Biocca
I'd Love to attend.
Bob Woodbury
Thursday, March 9. 2006
Hi Piner Alumni,
If you are already a member of the Piner High School Foundation,thank you. If you are not yet a member, please take the time to join to help the current students and teachers obtain those much needed items for their classrooms that the budgets will not allow them to have at their disposal. For a mere $20.00 a year , we can help supply equipment, books and other items that the teachers wish and hope for. We can help in this cause. Helping students of today will help the adults of tomorrow.
There are also Reunion plans in progress for the first 5 graduating classes.This will be a combined Reunion. That would be 1968-69-70-71-72. The plans are for late October or early November at this time. If you would like to be included, please e-mail us at mydogecho@prodigy.net. We will let you know more as plans are completed and scheduled. Thanks for your support.. Posted by Ed Taan, Class of 1971
Tuesday, March 7. 2006
"This site took a lot of time
and work by a volunteer Piner High parent, and I am hoping this will be the
first of many comments from Piner Alumni. It will be fun recalling past
events, and giving current updates about what people are now doing. Okay
Dominique, your turn, lets hear what you've been doing since you retired. And
it's okay if your better-half types for you." submitted by Randy Nunes, Class of 1971
Wednesday, February 15. 2006
Welcome to this exciting new addition to the Piner High Foundation website. I hope you looked over the Home Page and read what an important part of Piner this foundation is striving to become. Everyone involved in this worthwhile organization urges you to become a part of it. No matter how you would like to help...we would greatly appreciate it and ultimately, the students and faculty would as well! But this is going to be a place where we can all share our memories of the time we spent as mighty Prospectors. One of the very best things about high school is...REMEMBERING IT! And hopefully we can all do that fondly. Whether it was our classmates, our teammates, our teachers or our grades...I know you have stories to tell. Take a minute to reflect back on your days on Fulton Road and think of some humourous story you would like to share. Let us know about it. What has changed, what has stayed the same. Where are you know...anybody world famous out there? We would sure like to hear about you. So check in and check it out...who knows who will be here! Until next time everybody...Pauline Scinto Whitchurch Class of '71
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