I found William Gaines!!!! Our football star….. GO WILLIE5 years ago

I am not a blogger. Get back to me. 5 years ago

I am truly sorry that I missed the big event. Life has a way of throwing you curves. I still think of Alaska as home and was really looking forward to going “home”. I suffer from a psychological disorder (you all thought I was crazy and you were right) called Borderline Personality Disorder and I recently had a relapse(July) and had to spend some time in intensive therapy. Yes, there are 2 men in my life my husband and my therapist! I have spent much of my adult life in and out of therapy and going through one breakdown just to have another. Finally, with my current therapist and this latest diagnosis I have begun to work on the big picture and the real issues of dealing with a very traumatic childhood. I will be very honest and tell you all that I was sexually abused from age 4 to 17. The people who did this all still reside in Alaska. Protect your kids! This has undoubtedly left some serious psychological damage. I wanted more than anything to be able to return home to Alaska without being in fear of them. As the time grew near I just could not cope with it. I truly do regret that I missed seeing all of you. I wish I could have reconnected with those of you who made my hellish life as a kid somewhat enjoyable. The time I had at WHS with all of you was the high point of my youth, Thank you. I didn’t want to bring you all down, but I did want to let you know the honest truth.
Renate 6 years ago

Best to you and all of your families. 6 years ago

I can’t figure this damn site out…yes, i am special-website-and-computer-skills-illiterate. But this will hopefully be my first successful entry.
All I want to do is tell everyone what a marvelous time I had at the reunion. I was anxious, as I have been out of touch with everyone for nearly 20 years, but of course this worry was unfounded. I consider myself so fortunate to have reconnected with my two best friends of all time (Teresa & Michele) – it was as if we had never been apart – and I am certain our relationships will grow and prosper. I also enjoyed reacquainting myself with the rest of you and reminiscing and learning about your lives now. Just as fun was establishing new friendships and connections with some of you and I’m happy we exchanged conversation – and addresses in some cases. I’m sorry I didn’t get to catch up with everyone, but with that said, it was really so much fun, and I didn’t expect it, and I realize that I enjoyed high school much more than I thought I had! You were fascinating, entertaining, warm people and I wish for you all the best life has to offer! 6 years ago

Hey All,

As I mentioned in my previous post, I’ve set up a Yahoo! group for any of you who’d like to subscribe to it. The advantage is having a secure place to post contact info and messages in the privacy of the group (versus the public forum of 43Things).

The site will be maintained as long as there are subscribers. It’s free, pretty straightforward and you don’t even have to go to the site in order to read messages (they get sent to you automatically unless you choose otherwise).

I am the only administrator currently, but am happy to appoint others so we can approve subscribers as needed. Here’s the URL:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/west86/

See you there.

Kevin 6 years ago

Ah, the long hours we spent back in the day at the Olympic Center and those great Scan Home dances…

It was fun to see everyone. Thanks to Teresa for the Herculean effort. I’m back in San Francisco and will be following up with my Bay Area classmates for some mini-reunions (some of whom I didn’t even get a chance to chat with)... on a side note, Charol Morikawa’s husband swam to frickin’ Alcatraz! Just had to put that out there.

One more note: Please consider putting your personal contact info elsewhere. These forums are public and any psycho (Mark Forceskie) can find you.

If you like, we can start a West ‘86 Yahoo! Group (no offense to 43T, Dan!) where you have to subscribe to get in. That way at least it’s secure and you are known. I’ll set that up, if I can get a “Scan Home Rules” from someone.

Kevin 6 years ago

. 6 years ago

Okay everyone, here’s the final money toll. First, thanks to everyone, I did not go in the hole. I collected 9040 dollars.

Friday night cost 1450.00 for food and drinks

Saturday night cost 4700.00. This included food, drinks, servers, renting out the space, gratuities, clean up…..
We ate a lot more then I budjeted for and Rick did not charge me extra because we also bought a ton of his alcohol….

Sunday BBQ 1000.00 food, drinks, paper products, park permit…..

Tent rentals 400.00
DJ 600.00
Clown 200.00
Name tags 90.00
bubbles and ice 90.00
tips roughly 60.00
Folks that overpaid to keep me out of the hole….. 285.00
After sending money back to these people that I have 165.00.

Sunshine on Saturday and Sunday PRICELESS

I was hoping this could cover phone calls, websites I joined…. Any little bill I forgot to record.

Does anyone who helped track people down need to be reimbursed for phone?

So, folks this is a pool of your money tell me what to do with it what’s left…........

Once again, thank you everyone for a great weekend, I hope you and your families had a great time…....

Tess, now retired from reunion planning….... FOREVER!!!! :)

Special thanks to Sloan, Lisa, Rochene, Graham and Weston for donating food, bbq’s and tables etc….. on Sunday….... 6 years ago

hey you guys thank you very much i had alot of fun it was nice to see alot of old faces from west and for those of you that took the time to talk with me that made me feel good even though we never really talked in high school it would be nice to see if we could do it again in another 5yrs so any how you all take care it was nice to see you guys again and talk

always jerry steffensen

hey my e-mail address is
jerryjerrys99508@yahoo.com 
or you can call me on my cel#
its (907-301-8424) 
thats if you would like to talk 6 years ago

I had a good time. Wasn’t sure what to expect. Talking to people after twenty years, brings you back to some forgotten memories. Thanks to all that showed up. Looking forward to the next one!!! 6 years ago

The reunion was a blast! If not a bit overwhelming to see so many familiar faces in such a short span—it could have gone on for a couple weeks before I had time enough to catch up with everyone. Hope to see more of everyone over the coming years.

• pics from Friday @ Snow City

• pics from Saturday @ Manriques

• pics from Sunday @ Lyn Ary Park6 years ago

Thank you everyone for a great weekend.

Norm the final classmate count give or take a few was 77 classmates. Between all of us we have about 80 children….. With Vern and his beautiful wife leading the procreative( is that a word?) way…..

I haven’t received the final bills yet, however I will post the numbers later as well. 6 years ago

It was a fun filled weekend. It was great catching up with everyone. Wish I had more time to visit with everyone but time seems to fly when you are having fun. I am surprised at how many of us are still in Alaska. Hope to run into you more. For those of you who were just visiting look me up next time you are here. Thanks to all who played a part in making this happen. Take care.
Laurie Keene (Ray) 6 years ago

The class of 86 really does rule! (heh,heh)

What a great group! Thanks for the fun weekend! It was a blast!
I didn’t take many pictures, but I’ll add what I have as soon as I figure out how! Keep in touch! I’m sorry I didn’t really get to say goodbye to a few of you. I’m looking forward to the next gathering! Nena 6 years ago

Another great night though I had to bag out at 10:00. Getting old sucks! Lots of good food, fun music, great conversation, and just general comradery. I just want to know why Samms is in like all but 5 pictures I took last night. He’s like the “Wheres Waldo” of WHS! Ham! I posted a few pictures from last night on the Manriques page and a few from Friday night on the Snow City page. Any ways, one more day to go, see ya at the park and hope none of you all woke up too early again today. it’s 7:30! Over and out! 6 years ago

I would have to say by the sound volume level, the smiles, the joking, and the drinking that Friday nights little shindig was quite a success. Lots of fun meeting up with everyone that we’ve been corresponding with on here back and forth with for the past months and those that we just haven’t heard or seen from! The after party with Erich and Kristin was a hoot too. God only knows why I’m up at 7:30am after getting in at a little after 1:00am. Must have wanted to feel my buzz burn off! Any ways, lots of fun, let’s do it all again tonight! 6 years ago

Friday, 8/4 6pm @ Snow City

Saturday, 8/5 6pm @ Manrique’s Brasserie

Sunday, 8/6 family picnic 1pm @ Lyn Ary Park6 years ago

After 20 years I ran into Teresa yesterday for the first time.

I have about fifteen different engineering projects going on at Providence Hospital and am over there constantly.

Teresa is a pharmaceutical rep and is at the hospital constantly also.

The point is to say, that there have been innumerable chances to see her and now that we owe her money I run into her? Coicnidence?

I hope it was clear that I am joking here, but Teresa does have some bucks outstanding.

Have a great day,

Nate 6 years ago

Several times in past few weeks I have enjoyed reading the commentary. I didn’t make the time to jump in however.

I am assuming that I am in the correct place for an introduction. It was very nice to read the endearing dialogue that included my escapades of the past. A special thanks to Tina, Esther, Weston, Kevin, and Hal.

After some years in Colorado, we are back home. The excuse for not jumping into this forum earlier is that I am trying build a house while at the same time not interupt the direct deposit stream from work to the bank. In other words, maintain engineering clients’ needs at the same time as I am holding up my end of my construction loan terms. Excuses, excuses…

Anyway, I am looking forward to seeing you – I have missed you.

Thanks, 6 years ago

Hi Guys…

As (bad) luck would have it, the lightning rod of job disaster has struck me head on. As some of you know, after 5 years of interstate commuting (7 if you count the 2 years Tony was overseas thanks to the Army) our little family has been given the chance to reunite. The kids and I made the move from VA to NC this summer.

In April I was offered a job teaching here in our tiny town, a big change from the huge Fairfax system, but a great job teaching Kindergarten nevertheless.

Two weeks ago, I got the call from my new principal that the School Board said “no.” Basically, thanks to some ridiculous small town red tape I have to provide the actual teacher certification test that I took in 1991 in Georgia, even though my GA license clearly states that I took and passed the test! (Talk about major frustration!!)

Short version-I have to take the PRAXIS (a version of the SAT for Teachers) on the 5th, which means I’ll be here in NC freaking out and praying to Mrs. Schoff and everything else that is holy that I can remember anything I learned from High School math and my content courses in College!!

Naturally, I’m a mess, and feeling very conflicted b/c I was so looking forward to being at home and seeing you all BUT the grown-up Esther knows I have to get this resolved. Take the test, I must…now I just need the force to be with me!!

SO on Saturday (remember you are 4 hours behind NC) have a Lucky and say a small prayer, download any photos you’ve taken and fill me in on everything I ‘m missing…mostly, I already know, I’m just missing all of YOU!!!

I’m really sorry-and hope you all have a wonderful time!
Hugs and Love,
Esther 6 years ago

Teresa just called me—she’s collected about $6,900 and will need $1,000 so she can break even. She’s fronted all the money herself … so if you haven’t paid yet please drop her some cash:

How do I pay?

• Paypal the funds directly to tessamessy@yahoo.com

• mail a check the old fashioned way:
  Caterinichio/1986 Reunion
  20719 Williamsburg Drive
  Eagle River, Alaska 99577

How much do I pay?
$125 for a single
$175 for a family 6 years ago

Just in case you were planning on heading there for old time’s sake and a cheese burrito, don’t freak out when you find they are gone!! Benny’s has moved from it’s landmark spot across from Sears mall. It’s up the street a ways, closer to Spenard between N Lts and Benson. : ) 6 years ago

Don’t worry this stuff never happens…....... OK, if I didn’t do this, Hal would have!

Looking forward to next weekend! Be safe! 6 years ago

...but, we need more voter turnout. If you can’t think of any songs, pick (10) from Hal’s Master List below:

The list so far…Updated on March 8, 2006. The list is over 150 items. Thanks for the input everyone.

Artist – Song
ABC “Poison Arrow”
ABC “Look of Love”
AC/DC -just put in the Back in Black album
Adam and the Ants “Goody Two Shoes”
Aerosmith “Walk this Way”
After the Fire “Der Kommissar”
A-HA “Take on Me”
Alphaville “Forever Young”
Animotion “Obsession”
Art of Noise
Asia
Autograph “Turn Up the Radio”
B-52’s
Bananarama “Cruel Summer”
Beastie Boys
Big Country “Big Country”
Billy Idol
Billy Ocean “Caribean Queen”
Billy Squire “Stroke”
Billy Squire “Everybody Wants You”
Bon Jovi
Boston
Bow Wow Wow “I Want Candy”
Bruce Springsteen
Bryan Adams “Summer of ‘69”
Chaka Khan “I Feel for You”
Charlie Sexton “Impressed”
Chicago “You’re the Inspiration”
Corey Hart “Sunglasses at Night”
Culture Club “Do you Really Want to Hurt Me”
Culture Club “Karma Chameleon”
Cyndi Lauper “Time After Time”
Cyndi Lauper “Girls Just Want to have Fun”
Dan Hartman “I Can Dream About You”
David Bowie
Dead or Alive “You Spin Me Round (Like A Record)”
Def Leppard “Foolin’”
Def Leppard “Photograph”
Depeche Mode “People are People”
Devo
Dio “Rainbow in the Dark”
Dire Straits “Money for Nothing”
Don Henley “All She Wants to Do is Dance”
Don Henley “Dirty Laundry”
Dream Academy “Life in a Northern Town”
Duran Duran “Rio”
Eagles
EBN-OZN “AEIOU, sometimes Y”
Eddie Murphy “Party All the Time”
Elton John “I’m Still Standing”
Eurythmics “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)”
Falco “Rock Me Amadeus”
Flock of Seagulls “I Ran”
Footloose Soundtrack
Foreigner “I Want to Know What Love Is”
Frankie Goes to Hollywood “Relax”
Frida “There’s Something Going On”
Gary Newman “Cars”
George Michael
Glenn Frey “Heat is On”
Go-Go’s “We Got the Beat”
Great White “Once Bitten Twice Shy”
Haircut 100
Heart
Human League “Don’t You Want Me, Baby?”
INXS “Original Sin”
INXS “What You Need”
Iron Maiden
J. Giles Band “Centerfold”
Jackson Brown
Jane Child “Don’t Wanna Fall in Love”
Jefferson Starship “We Built this City”
Joan Jett “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll”
John Cougar Mellencamp “Pink Houses”
John Parr “St. Elmo’s Fire”
Journey
Judas Priest “Breakin’ the Law”
Kajagoogoo “Too Shy”
Katrina and the Waves “Walking on Sunshine”
Kool & the Gang
Krokus “Eat the Rich”
Level 42 “Something About You”
Live Aid “We are the World”
Loverboy “Everybody’s Workin’ for the Weekend”
Madonna – too many to list
Men Without Hats “The Safety Dance”
Michael Jackson “Thriller”
Modern English “I’ll Melt With You”
Motley Crue “Shout at the Devil”
Motley Crue “She’s Got Looks that Kill”
Naked Eyes “Always Something There To Remind Me”
Nena “99 Luftballons”
Night Ranger “Sister, Sister”
Oingo Boingo “Weird Science”
Outfield “Your Love”
Ozzy Osborne “Bark at the Moon”
Pat Benatar “Hit Me with your Best Shot”
Paul Hardcastle “19”
Paul Young “Everytime You Go Away”
Pet Shop Boys “West End Girls”
Peter Gabriel “Shock the Monkey”
Phil Collins “Against All Odds”
Police
Power Station “Bang a Gong”
Pretenders “Back on the Chain Gang”
Prince “Free”
Prince “1999”
Prince -anything from Purple Rain
Prince “Delirious”
Psychedelic Furs :Love My Way”
Queen “We Will Rock You”
Queensryche
Quiet Riot “Cum on Feel the Noise”
Ratt “Round and Round”
Re-Flex “The Politics of Dancing”
Rick Springfield “Jessie’s Girl”
Robert Palmer “Addicted to Love”
Rocky Horror Picture Show – whole damn soundtrack
Romantics “Talking In Your Sleep”
Romantics “What I Like About You”
Rush
Sammy Hagar “I Can’t Drive 55”
Scorpions
Scritti Politti “The Perfect Way”
Simple Minds “Don’t You Forget About Me”
Sly Fox “Let’s Go All the Way”
Soft Cell “Tainted Love”
Spandau Ballet “True”
Steve Miller Band
Stray Cats
Styx “Too Much Time on my Hands”
Survior “Eye of the Tiger”
Talking Heads – too many to list
Tears for Fears “Shout”
Tesla
The Buggles “Video Killed the Radio Star”
The Cars
The Clash “Rock the Casbah”
The Firm “Radioactive”
The Fixx “One Thing Leads to Another”
The Kinks “Destroyer”
The Motels “Suddenly, Last Summer”
The Time “Jungle Love”
The Tubes “She’s a Beauty”
The Vapors “Turning Japanese”
Thomas Dolby “She Blinded Me with Science”
Thompson Twins “In the Name of Love”
Til Tuesday “Voices Carry”
Tina Turner
Tommy Tutone “867-5309”
Toni Basil “Mickey”
Toto “Rosanna”
Twisted Sister “We’re Not Gonna Take It”
Twisted Sister “I Wanna Rock”
U2 “Pride (In The Name of Love)”
Van Halen “Jump”
Wang Chung “Dance Hall Days”
Warren Zevon “Werewolves of London”
Wham “Wake Me Up”
Whitesnake “Still of the Night”
Yello “Oh Yeah”
Yes “Owner of a Lonely Heart”
Yngwie Malmsteen “Black Star”
ZZ Top 6 years ago

Hey everyone, we will probably start the picnic earlier like 1pm or so. How does that sound? Come when you want though….... 6 years ago

...wasn’t that the name of our freshman hall-decorating effort? My memory of it is that we didn’t finish last, Susie says that we got in trouble for painting the floor. After 20 years the details fade, but it’s fun and kind of scary to discover what cobwebby items are still lurking in the brain from 1986 and before. One weird thing that came back after reading through the posts on this website was our big protest of the evil split lunch. Don’t remember? I can still hear Kent leading us in a rousing chant of: “food for thought, not pro-fit!” Did we really picket the admin building? The more I remember about high school, the more I resolve not to roll my eyes when my kids are teens.

After high school I got a degree in Russian and Soviet Studies from Wesleyan University. (Just wait til the kids clue into that one: “mommy, what’s a soviet?” They’ll be the ones rolling their eyes at how hopelessly obsolete I am.) For the last 15 years, I’ve been with Alaska Airlines in Anchorage, but plan to leave that very soon for full-time mommyhood. Fiona is 2 and Nora is 3 months. Have to admit that I was surprised to see how many of you have toddlers, babies, or both. Thought I was the only one still toting a diaper bag at this age. Then again, the class of 86 never seemed too concerned about how the rest of the world did things.

Thanks to everyone who worked on the site and the reunion. A special thanks to Hal and Weston for the ‘cereal box’ thread. It made my day.

-Krista (Atkinson) Dennison 6 years ago

Well, here’s a brief summary of my life since 1986:
I went to Boston University, then moved to LA and bopped around the edges of the film biz until I made the second or third biggest mistake of my life and went to law school. Fortunately, I redeemed the mistake by going to USC and getting an MBA at the same time. I practiced law very briefly before I figured out it wasn’t the best use of my talents, and switched careers to become an attorney recruiter. Then I met my wife, had a couple of kids…and suddenly it’s time for my 20 year high school reunion! It’ll be great to see you all there!
- Bill Vochoska 6 years ago

So far 41 classmates have paid the reunion fee (thanks!). Teresa has been footing the bill for much of the reunion activities while payments roll in. It would be great if you’re attending to pay Teresa in the next few days.

How do I pay?

1. Paypal the funds directly to tessamessy@yahoo.com
2. mail a check the old fashioned way:
   Caterinichio/1986 Reunion
   20719 Williamsburg Drive
   Eagle River, Alaska 99577

How much do I pay?
$125 for a single
$175 for a family

Hey! I paid, but I’m not on the paid list.
Sorry Charlie. Reply to this entry and Hal will update the paid list.

Is there a registration form?
Yep. It’s helpful for Teresa, but not totally necessary if you don’t have a printer handy. Click here for the registration form.

Now that we’ve got the air cleared, I shall be the first to buy Teresa a shot for all her hard work. See you freaks in a couple weeks! 6 years ago