One month ago, on June 10th, the Berner High School, Class of 1972, 50th Reunion buffet dinner was held at Captain Bill’s in Bay Shore. Of the 100 tickets purchased, 92 were able to attend. The event started at 5:00 pm, and ended a little after 9 pm.
Everything looked amazing! Evelyn Cappadona Biales, our own class Martha Stewart, was able to plan and execute a distinctive table decoration plan that made the room look stunning. Many of the things she purchased for this event were great souvenirs of a fun and memorable event. Thank you, Evelyn, for all of your planning to make sure this event hit all the right notes.
The evening was a whirlwind of music, dancing, great food and drinks, and laughing and chatting with classmates, some of whom had never attended one of our reunions before. The classmate who traveled the furthest was Monica Winkel, who came from Norway, and many other classmates traveled from across the United States to be there. There were door prizes, and 4 lucky classmates won back the ticket price of the event.
But there was something else magical that happened that evening. Despite the fact that the years had changed us all, and reduced our youth and vigor, we all were 17 again that night. Just the fact that you graduated with the Class of 1972 initiated you into a tight-knit group of classmates that value the childhoods they shared in Massapequa, and the bonds they forged at A.G. Berner High School. Not to mention the hijinks at the bridge.
Our Beach event on Saturday was absolutely wonderful. The venue, the view, the delicious food and the fact that we were on the beach made it a most memorable and wonderful event.
The attendees were 62 classmates and 2 teachers.
Please know that this reunion weekend was planned and presented by a dedicated group of committee members, who worked for nearly two years to make sure each detail was right. They are: Bob Russo, Evelyn Cappadona Biales, Donna Capak Pitrelli, Grace Keegan Dervin, Bob Fregenti, Francine Misuraca Balinskas, Karen Relihan Slizewski, (James) Garrett King, and Carolyn Butcher Hammer. Every one of us were dedicated to making sure the weekend would be a blast.
Our class is a very special class, and in my opinion, we were so lucky to have grown up in a time that allowed us to have witnessed so many amazing and wonderful things. We missed those who could not be at the event due to family commitments, illness or distance. We raised a glass to you all, and we also silently remembered the 60 classmates who have passed.
I hope to keep our class connected, and I am working on our updated Class Directory. If you have not yet sent me your contact information, please email me at:
and I will add you to the Class Directory. I am collecting email addresses, cell phone numbers and please let me know if you will accept text messages.
Thank you to all who came and shared their memories.
