The Countdown Continues

Final Details for the School Tour\

We now have the final details for our tour of Eisenhower High School (I still can’t call it Heritage) on Saturday Morning.

We’ll start at 11 am. We’ll be gathering at the “C” doors, which is the entrance at the rear of the building, on the Northwest side, by what used to be Ottawa Middle School. See the photo below for the location.

Our host will be Jazlyn Jackson-Washington, who I’m told goes by Jaz. I think they’ll be decorating for Homecoming, so the place may be buzzing with activity. A big thank you goes out to Heritage Principal Brian Blaine, who set this all up for us.

If you want a little preview of what to expect, take a look at You Can’t Go Home Again (Part 2) under the Memories tab on our website, www.eisenhower1976.org.

Rick Moore

Dear Eisenhower HS Class of 1976:

We’re pleased to report that we currently have 84 classmates & guests financially committed to attend our 50th class reunion celebration on Saturday, September 26 at Swan Valley. The 84 registered attendees include 59 Eisenhower Class of 76’ers and 25 guests. Although the 7-22-26 deadline to purchase $100 tickets to this event has passed, we still have a limited number of tickets available at $125 pp.

If you haven’t registered to play in Friday’s 4-person golf scramble at Sawmill GC, but are planning to play, please CALL Mike Berent at 989-213-5648 asap to register. We currently have 16 classmates and guests registered for this event. The cost to play in this 18-hole scramble is $40 pp. You don’t have to be a pro to play in a class reunion golf scramble.This event is all about fun and comradery. Give Mike a call ! 989-213-5648

NAME BADGES – If you’re planning to attend any of our four class reunion events, we’ll be providing you with an attractive name badge that includes your senior picture from our senior yearbook. If you’re not pictured in our senior yearbook and plan to attend a reunion event, please send a suitable head & shoulder photo of yourself from that era to steve.laundra@gmail.com and we’ll see to it that it gets on your name badge. Unfortunately, 58 of our beloved classmates are not pictured in our senior yearbook.

To make ticket payments ($125 pp) for Saturday night’s class reunion event at Swan Valley, use Venmo or write a personal check

Venmo – Toni Whelton, Account: @Toni Whelton

In the description section, include: EHS 50th Class Reunion, your full name, maiden & married and the full name of your guest.

Personal Check – Make check payable to Cindy Morley and mail to Cindy Morley, P.O. Box 43, Mayville, MI 48744. Include in the memo: EHS 50th Class Reunion, your full name, maiden & married, and the full name of your guest.

Your name/s will be added to our guest list upon receipt of your payment. Your cancelled check or Venmo entry is your receipt.

Reasons to Attend our 50th High School Class Reunion

1) Because you’re healthy enough to do it, and the clock’s running on that.

2) Because life’s too short for us not to take advantage of this opportunity.

3) Because it will be refreshing to reunite with classmates you went to school with 50+ years ago.

4) Because the rest of our classmates will enjoy seeing you.

5) Because a lot of time and effort is being put forth to make this weekend as good as it can be for our class. If you can’t attend all four scheduled class reunion events, then attend three, or two, or one.

6) Because this will likely be the last decent chance to truly celebrate together with a significant number of our high school classmates.

7) Some of us have changed a lot since high school, and some likely haven’t. But we’ve all got a story that matters, and we’ve all got a heart to listen to each other’s trials and tribulations over the past fifty years, and we’ll enjoy reminiscing and rekindling our high school memories. Yes, reminiscing WILL BE at an all-time best at this event. But ya gotta be there to get the full benefit of all this, which then allows all the other classmates attending to benefit even more. It feeds off itself.

How old did a 68-year-old man or woman look to you when you graduated from high school? OLD, right? Get over it. Old is our new, new. And it’s much livelier than being on our deceased list. We all know we’re old, so don’t let the “old” excuse be what keeps you from attending 50th class reunion events.

Can’t do Saturday night? Do Friday night 5-11pm Class Social at The Sawmill Golf Club, play in our Friday afternoon golf scramble at The Sawmill Golf Club, or take the Eisenhower/Heritage HS building tour Saturday morning.

8) Because WE KNOW, THAT WE ARE, The B-E-S-T, BEST. THANK YOU!

50th Class Reunion Weekend Schedule

Friday, September 25 – Class of 76 Golf Outing @ Sawmill Golf Club, 12pm-5pm,

$40 for 18 holes with cart. CALL Mike Berent at 989-213-5648 to register. Although the final registration deadline for this event is September 10, if you know you’re going to play in this event but have not registered yet, please give Mike a call asap. Mike can pair you up the way you want or he can place you on a partial foursome that needs another player to complete their 4-person team.

Friday, September 25 – Class Social @ Sawmill Golf Club, 5pm-11pm. We’ll be sharing the golf course restaurant and deck with the public on this night. Cash bar all night and order food from the menu (It’s fish fry night).

RSVP to steve.laundra@gmail.com to attend our Class Social event.

The clubhouse restaurant needs an accurate headcount. We’re hoping the weather will be suitable enough to take over their nice outdoor deck area. This event will be a great opportunity to chill with our classmates in a relaxed atmosphere. No Cover Charge, Cash Bar, Order Food from Menu, Open Mic, 70’s Music, Shenanigans etc.

Saturday, September 26 – Building Tour of Eisenhower/Heritage HS

Time -TBA We’re waiting to hear back from the school to confirm 11am

Saturday, September 26 – Eisenhower HS Class of 76 - 50th Class Reunion

@ Swan Valley Banquet Center from 5-11pm – Cost is $125 per person

Includes- hors de oeuvres, buffet dinner (prime rib, chicken, fish), class video & tribute, décor & display tables, cake, short formal program, live band 8-11pm and a class reunion favor. Cash Bar all night. This is a casual dress event. No speedos until after 10pm.

Eisenhower Class of 76 Website

The link to our class website is eisenhower1976.org Once you’re there, click on the “contact” tab to register yourself. Please consider posting pictures, memories, news, etc. Our website will only be as good as your participation. This is OUR website. Let's build it with that in mind.

Eisenhower 50th Class Reunion Facebook page

Many of you have visited and joined our Eisenhower High School 50th Class Reunion Facebook page. Here is the link https://www.facebook.com/groups/843827685092195

If you do NOT have a Facebook account, you’ll need to create one to be able to interact with our Facebook group. Without a Facebook account, you won't be able to join or engage.

Eisenhower HS Class of 76 - 50th Class Reunion Committee Members

Cindy Ponichtera-Morley - President

Steve Laundra – Communications Chair/ Classmate Search

Rick Moore – Class Website / Clas Video

Toni LeBlanc-Whelton - Treasurer

Marie Kushmaul-Grenell – Venues & Entertainment

Ellen DeShone-Myers – Venues & Entertainment

Leanne Meschke-Kasper – Venues & Entertainment

Mike Berent - Golf Outing

Cindy Neuendorf - Classmate Search

Kathy MacKenzie – Reunion Facebook Page / Deceased Video / Classmate Search

Karin Colling-Hobbs – Classmate Search

Jane Kneller-Krysinski (Class of 75) - Classmate Search Specialist

Chris Mossner-McGuinness – Name Badges

Classmate Search Update

We’ve currently accounted for 363 classmates out of 406 in our class (89%).

(306 classmates w/contact info + 56 deceased = 363)

Although we’re still missing contact information for 43 classmates, we recently decided to end our classmate search efforts at this time in order to dedicate what’s left of our time to putting the finishing touches on our 50th class reunion events.

Other Class Reunion Stuff

1) Committee member Rick Moore has put up our very own Eisenhower Class of 76 website. Please send Rick your photos, stories, memories, etc. Rick is

currently working on creating a class video for Saturday night.

2) Committee member, Kathy MacKenzie has put up an Eisenhower HS 50th Class Reunion Facebook page to provide a second platform for accessing

class reunion information, posting pics and connecting with classmates.

3) We plan to sponsor an “Open Mic” event at our Friday night Class Social event at The Sawmill Golf Club. If you’re a musician/singer, comedian,

karaoke fan, etc., this could be a fun opportunity for you. We also plan to play our oldies music. You won’t want to miss this event. Great opportunity to

maximize your class reunion mingle time. 5-11pm… six hours to rekindle with your high school classmates in the heart of Saginaw Twp. Ya gotta make this

one. Stroll in whenever. I've heard that a few classmates may attend Heritage HS's varsity football game Friday night. Hoping that group will head back to

The Sawmill when the game’s over.

4) Cash bars will be in place for Friday & Saturday night, as well as on the golf course Friday afternoon. The committee is not getting involved in

purchasing and/or serving alcohol. You’re on your own all weekend for cocktails.

5) We will be putting together a short class reunion program for Saturday night to take place before dinner and the 8pm entertainment. Our program will

likely include honoring our deceased classmates and military & first responders’ classmates before getting on with the class video and a few other fun

things.

6) The committee is still hopeful that classmates will post pictures and memories on our class website and Facebook page.

7) Despite making an honest effort to invite our beloved school administrators, teachers and staff to our class reunion events, we’re not aware of any that will

be attending.

8) The class reunion committee chose not to get involved in hotel reservations for this weekend. You’re on your own on this one.

If you have any questions or comments regarding our class reunion plans, please feel free to email them to us at steve.laundra@gmail.com

Respectfully, Steve Laundra

50th Class Reunion Communications Chair

We'd Like to Hear from you

OUR 50th CLASS REUNION SURVEY IS OPEN...AND WE NEED YOUR INPUT NOW!

Whether or not (or are undecided at this time) you plan on attending the 50th Class Reunion for Class of 76 from Eisenhower, please take a few minutes to weigh in on our class reunion plans by taking the 13-question survey. To access the survey,click here:

Your input matters! Your class reunion committee is very anxious to hear from you as soon as possible. Your response will assist us in putting the final touches on our big September weekend. The Deadline for submitting this survey is February 28th. Thank you in advance for taking the time to weigh in. It is appreciated.

The Committee

March Eblast

Eisenhower HS Class of 1976:

Our committee met last week to continue planning our upcoming 50th class reunion.

URGENT! WE NEED YOUR FULL COMMITMENT TO ATTEND ASAP!

Our class reunion committee is getting to the point of having to make some important class reunion decisions that are dependent on the number of classmates and guests that will be attending our main class reunion event on Saturday, September 26th at the Swan Valley Banquet Center. These tickets are $100 per attendee.

To make your formal commitment to attend our 50th class reunion main event, you must make your full payment soon. If you already know, either way, whether you’ll be attending our main class reunion event, we’re requesting that you make your payment asap, or decline by contacting a committee member.

One of the important decisions the committee has to make soon is committing to the size of the banquet room we’ll be using on Saturday night. It is our sincere hope that our number of class reunion attendees will be enough to support the larger of the two banquet rooms Swan Valley has to offer. The larger banquet room allows us more room to celebrate in comfort. It includes more than twice the space of the smaller banquet room, including a higher ceiling, more room for the band, more room for dining, displays, dance floor and open space for mingling. Listed below are the options for making your full payment. Other decisions that are pending due to our attendance number include dinner menu selections, decorations, name badges, reunion favors and possibly a photographer and/or videographer.

SAVE THE DATES

Saturday, September 26 – Eisenhower HS Class of 76 - 50th Class Reunion

@ Swan Valley Banquet Center from 5-11pm – Cost $100 per person

Includes- buffet dinner, hors d'oeuvres, formal program, band 8-11pm and a

Cash Bar all night.

Make Full Payments using Venmo or personal check – Payment Deadline July 15

Venmo – Toni Whelton, Account: @Toni Whelton

In the description section, include: EHS 50th Class Reunion, your full name, maiden & married and the full name of your guest.

Personal Check – Make check payable to Cindy Morley and mail to Cindy Morley, P.O. Box 43, Mayville, MI 48744. Include in a note: EHS 50th Class Reunion, your full name, maiden & married, and the full name of your guest.

A late fee of $25 per person will be charged after the July 15th payment deadline.

Your name will be added to our guest list upon receipt of your payment. Your cancelled check or Venmo entry will be your receipt.

Friday, September 25 – Eisenhower HS Class of 76 Reunion Social – No charge!

@ Sawmill Golf Club 5-11pm, Cash Bar, Order food from the Sawmill menu

Open mic, 70’s music, trivia and lots of time to mingle and catch up

Eisenhower Class of 76 Website

The link to our new class website is eisenhower1976.org Once you’re there, click on the “contact” tab to register yourself. Please consider posting pictures, memories, news, etc. Our website will only be as good as your participation. This is OUR website. Let's build it with that in mind.

Eisenhower 50th Class Reunion Facebook page

Many of you have visited and joined our Eisenhower High School 50th Class Reunion Facebook page. Here is the link https://www.facebook.com/groups/843827685092195

If you do NOT have a Facebook account, you’ll need to create one to be able to interact with our Facebook group. Without a Facebook account, you won't be able to join or engage.

Eisenhower HS Class of 76 - 50th Class Reunion Committee Members

Cindy Ponchitera-Morley - Chair

Steve Laundra - Communications/ Classmate Search

Rick Moore – Technology / Class Website

Toni LeBlanc-Whelton - Treasurer

Marie Kushmaul-Grenell – Venues & Entertainment

Ellen DeShone-Myers – Venues & Entertainment

Leanne Meschke-Kasper – Venues & Entertainment

Mike Berent - Golf Outing

Cindy Neuendorf - Classmate Search

Kathy MacKenzie – Reunion Facebook Page / Deceased Video / Classmate Search

Karin Colling-Hobbs – Classmate Search

Jane Kneller-Krysinski (Class of 75) - Classmate Search Specialist

We’ve currently scheduled 4 class reunion events for Friday/Saturday, Sept. 25 & 26.

Current Class Reunion Schedule

Friday September 25 12-5 pm Golf Scramble @ Sawmill Golf Club

Friday 25 TBA Other Classmate Events (TBD)

Friday 25 5-11 pm Class Reunion Social @ Sawmill G.C.

Saturday 26 11am Tour of Eisenhower/Heritage HS

Saturday 26 TBA Other Classmate Events (TBD)

Saturday 26 5-11 pm 50th Class Reunion Banquet

Classmate Search Update

We’ve currently accounted for 316 classmates (259 w/contact info & 57 deceased).

We’re still missing contact information for 91 classmates out of 407.

While we continue to make steady progress on locating our classmates, WE STILL NEED YOUR HELP on tracking down missing classmate contact info. Open the attachment below to see the names of the classmates we’re still trying to locate. If you keep in touch with anyone on this list, please email their contact info to steve.laundra@gmail.com or have them email it. We know every classmate won’t attend our 50th class reunion, but we want to invite all 407 so that EVERY CLASSMATE can decide if they’ll attend for themselves. Our contact information needs in priority order are 1) email addresses, 2) married last names, and 3) cell phone numbers. While mailing addresses are the next best contact info, we do NOT plan on doing regular mass communications via US Mail due to the cost.

Other Class Reunion details

1) Committee member Rick Moore has put up our very own Eisenhower Class of 76 website. Although the website is in its infancy stage, Rick is very anxious to begin building “our story.” Please send Rick your photos, stories and memories.

2) Committee member Kathy MacKenzie has restored her Class Reunion Facebook page to provide a second platform for accessing class reunion information and connecting with classmates.

3) We’ve hired a band for our main class reunion event on Saturday night at Swan Valley. Slick Jimmy will play from 8-11pm.

4) We plan to sponsor an “Open Mic” event at Friday night's class social event at Sawmill Golf Club (near McCarty & Hospital). If you’re a musician/singer, comedian, karaoke fan, etc., we plan to play our oldies as well as open up the mic to have some fun. You won’t want to miss this free event.

5) The cost to attend our main class reunion event on Saturday night at Swan Valley is $100 per person. There's been a lot of committee discussion on this topic. Based on our survey results, the reunion committee is in agreement that we’re all deserving of a memorable Saturday evening that includes a quality venue, a quality dinner, a fun program and a decent rock & roll band. Many of you have paid $100 or more to attend ball games, concerts, weddings, etc. With that in mind, the committee believes that our 50th Class Reunion should be that kind of a special event.

6) The golf scramble at Sawmill Golf Club on Friday afternoon will costs $45 per player. Additional fees for a skins game, special contests, 50/50, etc. will also be available to those that want to participate. We will keep you posted on a golf outing registration deadline as this event draws closer. Depending on how many classmates/spouses that want to play, we may open this event up to other Eisenhower graduating classes (74, 75, 77 & 78). We are hopeful to get golf professional and classmate Steve Brady on the course with us for this event.

7) Cash bars will be in place for Friday & Saturday night, as well as on the golf

course Friday afternoon. The committee is not getting involved in purchasing and/or serving alcohol. You’re on your own all weekend for cocktails.

8) The reunion committee is open to scheduling additional Friday and/or Saturday afternoon events. If there are classmate groups that want to get together, please let the committee know. Examples – Special gatherings for HS athletic teams, cheer/dance teams, band, choir, drama, forensics, debate, a fishing experience, elementary school classmates, private K-8 school classmates, a luncheon at a favorite Saginaw area restaurant, etc. What’s your pleasure here? Let us know!

9) We will be putting together a class reunion program for Saturday night to take

place before dinner and the 8pm entertainment. Our program will likely include honoring our deceased classmates before recognizing military classmates and educators and getting on with a few other fun things.

10) The committee wants classmates to begin posting their biography information and pictures on our class website. We’re also still very interested in the possibility of running a continuous video of the biographies during our main event. We're currently looking for someone to take the lead on this project. Please contact a committee member if you are interested in working on a class video.

11) We are also pursuing inviting our school administrators and classroom teachers. Doug Doane, Al Larson and Chappy are still around, and through Mr. Larson, we hope to get the word out to more staff.

12) Our class reunion attendance goal remains 250 guests

(approximately 150 classmates & 100 guests).

13) Based on survey results, we will not be getting involved in hotel reservations.

Attached below is a copy of our current list of MIA classmates that we’re still trying to locate. If you have contact information for anyone on this list, please email it to steve.laundra@gmail.com or have the classmate email it.

Respectfully, Steve Laundra

Class Reunion Communications Chair

EISENHOWER HS CLASS OF 1976

MISSING CLASSMATE CONTACT INFO

This is the list of classmates we currently do NOT have email addresses and/or phone #’s for.

If you have contact info for these classmates, please forward to steve.laundra@gmail.com

1) Peggy Allen Denver, CO

2) Donijean Besey

3) Doug Best

4) Barb Bettesworth

5) Anjally Bhansali

6) Terry Boyer

7) Carol Brunner

8) Brian Carney

9) Steve Case

10) Jack Cholcher

11) Steve Cole

12) Ann Cross

13) Jeff Cuthbertson

14) Chris DeGraff

15) Ezhat Doher

16) Kathy Donnenworth

17) Jacki Doyle

18) Denise Duranseau

19) Susan Frazier

20) Debie Fuentes

21) Laura Gomez

22) Kristy Haenlein

23) Michael Johnson

24) Tom Kelly

25) Joyce Krawczak

26) Beth Krueger

27) Kurt Krueger

28) Carolyn Krupka

29) Evon Kruscke

30) Donald Lawson

31) Laurie Lazarus

32) Tammy Leach

33) George Lewis

34) Mike MacConnel

35) Chris Madigan

36) Denitta McKinley

37) Brenda McNish

38) Gennette Mikulich

39) Scott Miller

40) Tony Moliterno

41) Sandra Narlock

42) Susan Neer

43) Teri Neumann-Bell

44) Dale Odell

45) Randy Oehring

46) James O’Keefe

47) Miriam Pena

48) Laurie Peterson

49) Sandra Pharis

50) Katie Phelan

51) Blanca Rodrequez

52) Jim Rosa

53) Christie Schalm

54) Sue Schobert

55) Sheila Schrader

56) David Schutte

57) Joel Schultz

58) Toni Schultz

59) Wayne Shrock

60) Charles Shuler

61) Craig Simon

62) Mark Simpson

63) Don Sloboda

64) Nancy Smith

65) Tim Smith

66) David Snyder

67) William Soltis

68) Holly Sonda

69) Patricia Steuerwald

70) Teddy Strohschein

71) Ken Sullivan

72) Young Sun

73) Harold Sweet

74) Karen Sylvester

75) Attila Szabo

76) Bonnie Teed

77) Pam Timmons

78) Paul Trepkowski

79) Jeff Turbett

80) Joe Vandenriessche

81) George Wartenberg

82) Bill Watson

83) Dave Westman

84) Hugh Whiteherse

85) Cheri Willmar

86) Mary Ann Wilson

87) Vicki Winchester

88) Charles Witbrodt

89) Patricia Wolf

90) Steve Zinz

91) Janet Zumer

Updated 3-12-26