Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Only One Night…to ROCK!

Good evening alumni,

I’m currently in the midst of converting a VHS tape of our beloved 1989 Portage Northern Talent Show to DVD (thank to Jenny (Ouding) Frye for the tape).  The show was kicked off with a rock edge by none other than “Trinity”, which was comprised of Class of ‘89 alums Jim Hughes, Brian Blackmer, Scott Larsen, and Matt McKenzie. 

And now…for one Night ONLY, Trinity returns to rock the reunion!  The original band reunites with additional members, Todd Evans and his keyboard wizardry, alumni James Powell running the soundboard, and Brad Blackmer on vocals.  Fresh off a jam session in the Windy City, Trinity plans a 10-song set of 80’s rock favorites and recent tunes thrown in for good measure.  If you’re a fan of U2, Shinedown, or The Cure…you will not want to be leaving early Saturday night as the band takes the stage at 10 PM!

Until we rock on Saturday! \m/
-Matt

Monday, August 10, 2009

Main Event Timeline for Saturday Night

Good evening all,

Despite all the messages we’ve posted about the reunion over the past 8 months, we’ve negelected to post the actual times for the main reunion event for August 15th!  Here’s the general timeline for this coming Saturday.  The timeline may vary by 15-20 minutes here and there depending on the ebb and flow of the evening’s events:

Reunion event (and registration desk) opens: 6:00 PM (Registration open until ~8:00 PM)
Food stations (save room for dessert): 6:00 until approx. 8:00 PM
DJ and Dancing: Approx. 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM
LIVE Alumni Talent Show Reunion Band, “Trinity” takes the stage: 10:00 PM to 10:50 PM
More dancing: 11:00 PM - Midnight

After the event closes, many alumni will undoubtedly continue the party elsewhere.  We do not have an “official” place to gather after the event, but the rumblings point towards the Main Street pub in Portage and/or back to Wayside, the host for our Friday night gathering.

Four Days & Counting!  Until then…

Friday, August 07, 2009

Wondering What to Wear to the Reunion?

Good morning all,

I’ve been asked quite frequently “What should I wear to the reunion?” or “Does the reunion event require formal dress?”  My basic response to this frequently asked question is that the Saturday night event does not require formal attire.  As far as suggestions, based on all other reunion pictures I’ve viewed from past reunions (including our PNHS ‘88 alums) the dress code leans towards “business casual.”

Alternately, I’ve told people to wear whatever you think makes you look great!  Will we see people wearing ripped jeans circa 1989 to the reunion?  Probably not!  However, if anyone wants to dust off their old prom dresses, it’s strictly your choice!   All I know is that you shouldn’t plan on seeing me wearing a tie!

Have a great day!
-Matt

Sunday, August 02, 2009

Reunion Attendance Numbers or “How Many People will I Party With?”

Fellow alumni,

Now that we’ve passed the deadline for ticket purchases, I’m pleased to publish a few numbers on the reunion attendance.  As you’ve read over the last few weeks, the RSVP list has grown and the Missing List has shrunk (thanks to everyone’s efforts)!  There are a few people on the RSVP list that have indicated they may not make it to the reunion as well as a few that stated they might not know if they can attend until closer to the reunion.  Either way, we’ll try to accomodate as many people as possible.

Without further adieu, here are some numbers for you digest:

Total Number of Individual Alumni Attending: 64-66
Total Number Attending Including Spouses/Significant Others: 99-101
Total Number of Live Rock Bands Playing at the Reunion Composed of Alumni: 1 (much more on this later!)
Number of Great Memories Waiting to be Shared Again: Immeasurable

Please check out the “Announcements” space in the next few weeks for additional updates and thanks again to everyone that’s attending!

Until August 15th!
-Matt