Through a circuitous route (Kevin Lowther to George Gatewood to Anne Burdick to me) comes information about a reunion being planned by the SL IV group, with whom many of you may have lived and/or worked. I’ll pass it along, with people’s e-mail addresses, for those interested. [Thanks, Anne!] - Tony
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All,
I have been in touch with the Penn Community Center regarding accommodation and other arrangements for our September 16-19 reunion. Before I proceed with a commitment to the Penn Center (and make a 40 percent deposit on your behalf for the accommodations), I'd like to double check on a) who definitely plans to attend and b) that there is a strong consensus for three nights (Friday thru Sunday) as opposed to two. Once I have made the deposit, I will be asking you to send me your share--but only if you are definitely committed to attending. I will establish a cutoff date, later in the year, for those who are uncertain at this time.
Unless there is an immediate, expressed preference for just two nights, three nights it will be. The accommodation costs for three nights--we rent the two buildings in question, not the rooms--will be about $90 per person, depending on how many actually attend. The cost is so modest, we may as well take advantage and have a less-rushed reunion.
Based on responses from a year ago, we have about 50 people altogether who plan to attend IF they are able. Here is the list:
Couples:
Hunters
Harriet Marquis and spouse
Harrises
Joan Byrd and spouse
Onkens
Oslers
Lindgrens
Lowthers
Colliers
Judy Harrison plus one
Lovelaces
Meyerses
Mondells
McIntyres
Andersons
Gatewoods
Leslie Drew and spouse
Grinters
Albrights
Lockwoods
Burgess plus one
Hausers
Singles:
Freddie Liebermann
Steve Guild
Walt Barrows
Marilyn Metzger Kearns
Janet Stone
Ruthann Gartland
Doug Van Nostran
A few of the above initially indicated that they were "likely" or "maybe." If there has been any change in your intentions, please let me know this week if at all possible. At this stage, I just need to be sure that our ballpark figure has not changed significantly.
Couples will have their own rooms in the two historic old homes at the Penn Center--Benezet and Arnett, if you would like to go to their website. Some of those coming solo will probably have to share a room with one or two others. Almost everybody will have to share a bathroom with one other couple.
Meal options and costs at the Penn Center will come later, once we have a better sense of what we will be doing over the weekend. The working assumption is that most of us will want to spend some time away from the center, exploring the nearby region, its history, culture, restaurants etc. Many of us will have cars, so getting about will not be a problem, although the Center itself is somewhat isolated on St. Helena Island. By late next week, I hope to have some suggestions from the Center staff regarding possible events, particularly one or two involving the Gullah community and culture. I'll run these by you as soon as I receive them. Needless to say, we will have a reception and dinner on Friday evening.
There also is the possibility of inviting Joe Opala, the former Sierra Leone PCV, to spend a day or so with us and to make a presentation on Salone. Opala is a wonderful speaker, very knowledgable about the country and its connection to Gullah culture and language. He lived and taught at Fourah Bay for many years and is in Freetown right now. I expect to be in touch with him shortly and can ask whether he would be interested and, if so, what costs we would incur. In the spirit of full disclosure, I should mention that Joe wrote the foreword to my book, The African American Odyssey of John Kizell, which will be released on May 15 by the University of South Carolina Press. (If you happen to be on Amazon, do NOT pre-order the book, which lists at $39.95. We can arrange for lower-cost options.)
Finally, a bit of news: Cornell and Ollie Spencer are almost certainly not going to be attending the reunion. Both are having trouble moving about, and on top of that, their house burned down in November. I spoke at length with Cornell last week. Their spirits are good and they are planning to rebuild. But long-distance travel is a challenge.
Also, I am having trouble contacting Buck Grinter and Doug Van Nostran. If anyone--even Buck or Doug--has a working email, please send it to me.
Have a good day,
Kevin
From: "Kevin Lowther" <klowther@cox.net>
To: "Harriet Hill/Marquis" <harrieth@citcom.net>, "Carl Onken" <CarlOnken@aol.com>, "Rosalie Williams" <rosalie@wornrock.com>, "Gay Revi" <gayrevi@swbell.net>, "Bill Derrenger" <webexltd@bangla.net>, "Lucy Van Nostran" <LvanNostran@sbcglobal.net>, "Ann Shepler/Albright" <winterbry@aol.com>, "Birge Albright" <bonomoal@etal.uri.edu>, "John B. Gray" <jbglapaz@yahoo.com>, "Ann and John Collier" <c92176@aol.com>, "Doug Van Nostran" <dvannostran@lctcs.edu>, "Larry Hunter" <janethntr@yahoo.com>, "Tom Meyer" <tMeyer5831@aol.com>, "Allen Mondell" <allen@mediaprojects.org>, "Marcia Watkins/Logan" <cmlogan@bendcable.com>, "Joan Byrd" <jByrd@wcu.edu>, "Merrick Lockwood" <MerrickLockwood@yahoo.com>, "Adams/Gross Cece" <gross@stcc.edu>, "Suzie Hutchins/McIntyre" <mcintyjr@gmail.com>, "Deborah Williams/Brooks" <deborah@dwbrooks.com>, "Nate Lindgren" <lindgren@LL.mit.edu>, "Walt Barrows" <wbarrows@gmail.com>, "Paul Owoc" <owocpj@mindspring.com>, "Cathy Baum/Derrenger" <cDerrenger@ais-dhaka.net>, "George Gatewood" <gncgatewood@comcast.net>, "Leslie Drew/Sullivan" <beartohug1@aol.com>, "Jim Hauser" <mhsqb@comcast.net>, "Patricia Lowther" <plowther@cox.net>, "Ray Kordish" <hck42@aol.com>, "Judy Harrison" <jHarrison663@comcast.net>, "Griffin/Kleve Loretta" <toplawyer@comcast.net>, "John Bordi" <jgBordie@mail.utexas.edu>, "Larry Hunter" <islandlake90@att.net>, "Don Harris" <dHarris0@bellsouth.net>, "Boyd Osler" <osler3@comcast.net>, "Freddie Liebermann" <fredlieber@aol.com>, "Marilyn Metzger/Kearns" <mrKearns@nc.rr.com>, "Janet Stone" <janetstone@frontiernet.net>, "Lawrence Grinter" <lawrence.grinter@maxwell.af.
To: "Harriet Hill/Marquis" <harrieth@citcom.net>, "Carl Onken" <CarlOnken@aol.com>, "Rosalie Williams" <rosalie@wornrock.com>, "Gay Revi" <gayrevi@swbell.net>, "Bill Derrenger" <webexltd@bangla.net>, "Lucy Van Nostran" <LvanNostran@sbcglobal.net>, "Ann Shepler/Albright" <winterbry@aol.com>, "Birge Albright" <bonomoal@etal.uri.edu>, "John B. Gray" <jbglapaz@yahoo.com>, "Ann and John Collier" <c92176@aol.com>, "Doug Van Nostran" <dvannostran@lctcs.edu>, "Larry Hunter" <janethntr@yahoo.com>, "Tom Meyer" <tMeyer5831@aol.com>, "Allen Mondell" <allen@mediaprojects.org>, "Marcia Watkins/Logan" <cmlogan@bendcable.com>, "Joan Byrd" <jByrd@wcu.edu>, "Merrick Lockwood" <MerrickLockwood@yahoo.com>, "Adams/Gross Cece" <gross@stcc.edu>, "Suzie Hutchins/McIntyre" <mcintyjr@gmail.com>, "Deborah Williams/Brooks" <deborah@dwbrooks.com>, "Nate Lindgren" <lindgren@LL.mit.edu>, "Walt Barrows" <wbarrows@gmail.com>, "Paul Owoc" <owocpj@mindspring.com>, "Cathy Baum/Derrenger" <cDerrenger@ais-dhaka.net>, "George Gatewood" <gncgatewood@comcast.net>, "Leslie Drew/Sullivan" <beartohug1@aol.com>, "Jim Hauser" <mhsqb@comcast.net>, "Patricia Lowther" <plowther@cox.net>, "Ray Kordish" <hck42@aol.com>, "Judy Harrison" <jHarrison663@comcast.net>, "Griffin/Kleve Loretta" <toplawyer@comcast.net>, "John Bordi" <jgBordie@mail.utexas.edu>, "Larry Hunter" <islandlake90@att.net>, "Don Harris" <dHarris0@bellsouth.net>, "Boyd Osler" <osler3@comcast.net>, "Freddie Liebermann" <fredlieber@aol.com>, "Marilyn Metzger/Kearns" <mrKearns@nc.rr.com>, "Janet Stone" <janetstone@frontiernet.net>, "Lawrence Grinter" <lawrence.grinter@maxwell.af.
