Sunday, July 30, 2017

50th REUNION ANNOUNCEMENT & REGISTRATION

BISHOP McDEVITT HIGH SCHOOL
CLASS of 1967 - 50th REUNION 
SEPTEMBER 22/23/24, 2017 

Our 50th Class Reunion is fast approaching! This once-in-a-lifetime weekend promises to be an enjoyable time to reunite and reminisce with fellow classmates. 

The Committee sincerely hopes that as many as possible of our classmates can gather for any or all of these events:   

Friday September 22nd
GOLF OUTING - Friday Morning
Swing into a golf outing in the morning. 
Contact one of the following organizers to reserve your space and get information on location, time, and cost. 

FOOTBALL GAME - Friday Evening
Wear your blue and gold as the McDevitt Crusaders take on the Hershey Trojans.  Kickoff is 7:00 pm at Rocco Ortenzio Stadium behind Bishop McDevitt's High School at 1 Crusader Way, Harrisburg PA 17111.  Tickets available at the gate.

INFORMAL GATHERING - After The Game
Get together informally with your fellow Crusaders after the game.
Location: O'Reillys Tap Room & Kitchen at the Best Western Hotel, 800 East Park Drive, 2 blocks south of Union Deposit Road. 


Saturday September 23rd 
THE MAIN EVENT 
Class Reunion at the Susquehanna Club in New Cumberland
6:00 pm  Cocktail & Social Hour with cash bar
7:00 pm  Dinner - DJ will play our favorite oldies
Cost:  $50 per person.  If you already made a deposit, the balance is due.
Choose your attire from casual to dressy - The important thing is to be there!
Bring your cameras and your memorabilia to share.
Bring your favorite stories from those long ago days to share.

Sunday September 24th
SUNDAY MORNING MASS & SCHOOL TOUR
10:00 am Gather for Mass at Bishop McDevitt High School with Father Acri. 
11:00 am Tour of the new building, less than 1 hour.


Social Media
Before,  during, and after the reunion add your greetings, questions, memories, and photos on our Social Media.  If you cannot attend, tell us what you are up to.

FACEBOOK:  Bishop McDevitt High School, Class of 1967

McD 67 BLOG:  Bishop McDevitt Class of 1967

TWITTER - #mcdevitt67  

FOR QUESTIONS, PLEASE CONTACT: 
Sue Camplese Herman, 717-576-5146, SUNFORSUE@aol.com  
Jim Barbush, 717-514-5549, JamesEBarbush@gmail.com 
_______________________________

Main Event Location & Directions

Susquehanna Club 
604 Ross Ave.
New Cumberland  17070 

All individuals must provide photo ID at the Base Gate, Post 1

Directions from Turnpike and 83:
Take Exit 242 to I-83 South 
Stay on ramp, take Exit 39A, Lewisberry 
Turn right at stop sign onto Lewisberry Road 
Turn left at 4th light onto Old York Road 
Turn right at 2nd light onto Ross Avenue 
Stop at Base Gate, Post 1
All individuals must present Photo IDs 
Proceed to the Susquehanna Club (first left)
_______________________________

REGISTRATION INFORMATION
Please check the events you plan on attending.
We need good head counts for each event. 
___ Golfing - Be sure to reserve with one of the organizers
___ Football Game - Tickets at the gate
___ After-Game Gathering - Order food and drinks on your own
___ Main Event - $50 per person - Don’t forget your photo ID
___ Mass and Tour  

Provide your full name as on Photo ID for entry into Susquehanna Club:  

Full name of Classmate as on Photo ID: 
                                                                                                            
______________________________________________________

Full name of Classmate's guest as on Photo ID:
                                                                                                            
______________________________________________________

Classmates Maiden Name:
                                                                                                            
______________________________________________________

Address:
                                                                                                            
______________________________________________________

Phone:
                                                                                                            
______________________________________________________

E-Mail:
                                                                                                            
______________________________________________________

Number attending:  _____         Amount enclosed: _____

Please make checks payable to McDevitt Class of 1967 Reunion 
Send to  your check and registration information to
McDevitt Class of 1967 Reunion  
P.O. Box 6733 
Harrisburg, PA 17112   

REGISTRATION DEADLINE: September 1, 2017 

Bishop McDevitt High School


Rocco Ortenzio Stadium

Bishop McDevitt High School Chapel
















PRIDWEN 1967 THEME

Opening Statement in Pridwen 1967

PEACE ON EARTH, which men of every era have eagerly yearned for, can be firmly established, only if the order laid down by God be dutifully observed. 

Closing Statement in Pridwen 1967

May He banish from the hearts of men whatever might endanger peace,

May He transform them into witnesses of truth, justice, and brotherly love.






James Eugene Barbush
2021 Blue Mountain Parkway
Harrisburg, PA  17112
(717) 514-5549


Friday, July 7, 2017

HEED The Small Still Voice and VISIT The Passing Generation

Over the past year, we have been planning for our 50th High School Reunion to happen in September 2017.  During these past months my memories of days and people of yesteryears have been stirred up.  That's been enlightening and inspired me to dig deeper into the people I knew from yesteryears.  

As this milestone reunion began to come up on the horizon, I wondered about it and was thinking, "50 YEARS, that's 1/2 CENTURY.  That's a long time.  That was another time in the history of my generation.  Things are so different today, not like they were when I was a teenager. This is a time that my father would not recognize.  I can hardly believe, but I do believe, the differences, both good and bad, between now and then."

As planning progressed and as I reviewed information about our Class of 1967, I began thinking about people that I used to know and saw on a daily basis in our relationships, classmates, friends, and relatives.  That brought me to look at people from two generations, my generation and the generation before me.

Being stirred by my thoughts of days gone by and people from those day, I wrote and article about some of my experience.  It's titled, "HEED The Small Still Voice and VISIT The Passing Generation".  Click that title and you can read it.  

I hope you read the article, because I believe there is great benefit to you and others if you do what I recommend regarding the people who have been a significant part of our lives, and whom we remember but do not still see, whether classmates or not.

For information on Bishop McDevitt High School's Class of 1967, 50th High School Reunion, contact me or go to the below links for information.

Event Page:  Bishop McDevitt's Class of '67 - 50th Reunion - September 23, 2017

Facebook Page:  Bishop McDevitt HS Class of 1967

James Eugene Barbush
2021 Blue Mountain Parkway
Harrisburg, PA  17112
(717) 514-5549
JamesEBarbush@GMail.com



http://jamesebarbush.blogspot.com/2017/07/heed-small-still-voice-and-visit.html

Saturday, April 15, 2017

Those Who Taught The McD Class of 1967 and Are Still With Us

WHEN REALTY SET IN . . .

We had our first planning meeting for our 50th year reunion in August 2016.  At that meeting, we were discussing faculty and Lou Bianchi mentioned that there were only about 6 faculty still living.  That was a shock.  Reality set in.  The age of the Crusaders of the Class of 1967 became a reality.  Out of the many teachers, lay and religious, only 6 remained.  If that is correct, there are 5 lay teachers (all men) and 1 nun.  They are:
  1. Mr. John D. Brixius
  2. Mr. Joseph M. Borzilleri   Class of 1961   74 years old
  3. Mr. Michael C. Fry            Class of 1952
  4. Mr. Joseph W. Intrieri                                79 years old
  5. Mr. Robert H. Rempe
  6. Sister Mary Victor
Class of 1971's 45th Reunion in 2016
Mr. Fry, Mr. Brixius, Mr. Borzelleri, Mrs. & Mr. Rempe
I'm sure each of our 1967 Crusaders has memories of their favorites, and maybe their not so favorites.  Some of our 9th grade teachers were recent college graduates, such as Mr. Rempe and Mr. Borzelleri.  Thus, they were not that much older than we were, yet they were our authority figures.  

Finding Mr. Joseph M. Borzelleri online, we learn that he is now only 74 and of the Class of 1961.  That's only about 6 or 7 years older than we were/are.  If we had known how fresh and green they were back then, would we have been so respectful? We probably would have because those were the days when authority was respected by most teenagers.  For me, it's surely a yes, because my father knew his father.  I found that out when my father went to the Borzelleri home and he took me along.  I think I was a freshman (not sure, could have been earlier).  Dad was involved in an insurance fraternity and he went to the Borzelleris to assist them with their insurance policies.  It was a unique visit for me because it was when color television was new and not everyone had one.  The Borzelleris had one and I remember seeing Disney's Wonderful World of Color on their TV screen while Dad was taking care of insurance matters.

As I remember, it seems that most of the priests I had for classes were much older than us and even had gray hair.  They all have passed on.  
  • My favorite was Father Langan.  He was quite special.  He took a bunch of us to the shore one summer.  
  • Father Murray was a tall, silver haired comedian.  One year, we were Murray's Marauders with Red Berets when we attended the football games and sat together.  We followed in the footsteps of the Class of 1966 who wore Green Berets.
  • Father Pop-Out (I need to look up his name) was a stout comedian of sorts with black wavy hair. The nickname came from "pop-outs" we took out of our religion workbooks.
  •  Father Green was a gentle, gray haired, low voiced fellow.  He'd always say, "How you?"
WHAT ARE YOUR MEMORIES OF FAV AND NOT SO FAV TEACHERS - LAY, PRIESTS, OR NUNS?

Mr. Brixius (1995)          Mr. Rempe          Mr. Fry



JOSEPH BORZELLERI.  We want you to know that at the time of this writing, we learned that Joseph Borzelleri has a rare form of cancer and he was in the hospital in February 2017.  Also, his daughter, Lauren, passed away in March 2017.

Here are those teachers whom we can still find today as they were 50 years ago .  We all should look them up, write them a letter, give them a call.  Tell them what they meant to you and what they still mean to you.

PLEASE NOTIFY JIM BARBUSH IF YOU KNOW OF ANY MISINFORMATION IN THIS POST ABOUT FACULTY STILL LIVING.




THE TWIN TOWERS STILL STAND




Event Page:  Bishop McDevitt's Class of '67 - 50th Reunion - September 23, 2017

Facebook Page:  Bishop McDevitt HS Class of 1967



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This Blog is developed, maintained, and posted to by

James E. Barbush
Graduate of Bishop McDevitt HS Class of 1967
2021 Blue Mountain Parkway
Harrisburg, PA  17112
Cell:  717-514-5549

Founder of Barbush Enterprises

Co-Founder of The Shepherd's Voice


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Monday, April 3, 2017

50th Year High School Reunion? Why Go?


The Bishop McDevitt High School Class of 1967 is planning their 50th year high school reunion to be held on the weekend of September 22-24, 2017.  We had a class of 400 Crusaders.

Some Crusaders have been to all of our reunions over the past 50 years, some have been to one, some have been to none.  For some, the 50th year reunion will be there first.  People have many reasons why they either go to or don't go to high school reunions.  I have been wondering what those reasons are for our 1967 Crusaders.

Why do people attend any event?  Likely, because there is something of value that draws them.  Why do people not attend an event?  To them, it may have no value or maybe a negative experience keeps them away.  Maybe they cannot attend because of distance, cost, or schedule conflicts.

What I want to focus on here is "what vision can we cast to our classmates" that will peak their interest and offer a value that will attract them to attend or still be connected if the are unable to attend.

Here are 2 quotes about vision to consider, one with a positive outcome and one with a negative outcome:
  • "Big thinking precedes great achievement." — Wilferd Peterson
  • "Dissatisfaction and discouragement are not caused by the absence of things but the absence of vision." — Anonymous

Those 2 quotes imply that creating and casting a vision is necessary to the accomplishment of something good and even something great.  With the vision, the people create mission and goals for what they want to accomplish by participating in the activity. Without a created and cast vision, the people may end up with nothing, or emptiness, and wonder why they participated.

SO, WHAT ABOUT OUR 50th YEAR REUNION?  It's the 50th anniversary of our graduation from Bishop McDevitt High School in 1967.  It's a regathering of classmates after "one half century" having past.  Is there a vision that will draw classmates to attend and lead each one to receive something of value, such that their attendance will be well worth while, life impacting, and very memorable?

Some thoughts have been put on the table for a theme.  One was "Those Were The Days".  Our view to that theme could be, "Yes, they sure were wonderful days.  A great time to be a teenager in America."  Another theme was "Let's Party", which could mean let's get together, recall the great and fun times we had, and have another great and fun time seeing friends we have not seen for years.  Our response to that could be, "Yes, let's reconnect, reminese, and greatly enjoy the time spent together."

In considering this, I'm not sure we can create and cast one vision or theme that fits everyone.  There is likely a huge diversity of reasons why people will attend and why they will not attend.  It could be that attendance at a 50th year reunion in something quite personal because our years in high school were those formatively personal ones where we developed some deep seated beliefs and had some very meaningful experiences that we will never forget.  It could be that having lived 50 more years we do not think we are much like we were in high school, meaning we may or may not have known you then, and how could we possibly know you now after 50 years of life.  But maybe, that is all the more reason to attend the reunion and find out more about who we were and who we came to be now, 50 years later.

WHAT COULD BE "YOUR VISION" OF OUR REUNION?  What do you want to experience and achieve?    Let's suggest a list of ideas for a theme and/or vision:
  1. "Those Were The Days"
  2. "Let's Party"
  3. "Getting To Know You, Again"
  4. "Back To The Future"
  5. "From Then To Now, and Now What?"
I want to develop some thoughts for each theme/vision, but not in this article.

LET'S MOVE ON WITH WHY ATTEND.

Think about this.  Out of 400 classmates, we know of 39 who have passed.  Each and everyone is remembered fondly.  They make up about 10% of our class.  That is a unique nummber in light of a statistic I discovered about Baby Boomers:

"19% of all baby boomers (born 1946-1964) are no longer living."

If that's true, our 10% of passed classmates is much lower than a national average of 19%. The passing of 39 of our classmates is a huge loss for us.  But, the 90% of remaining classmates is a huge blessing for us.

That brings me to the recognition that we are currently around 67 years old and we are aging quickly towards our 70s. Consider this, the rate of passing classmates is very likely to increase.  Here is a statistic we might want to pay attention to:

"The average life expectancy for a person who was 65 years old in 2012 is 19.3 years. 
For women, it is 20.5 years.  For men, it is 17.9 years." 

Thus, a life expectancy is 84.3 years average, 85.5 years for women and 82.9 years for men.  Those numbers are surprising, especially the slight difference between men and women of only 2.6 years.  No matter, I am not hear to check the statistic, but I am here to ask,

'How many more reunions will anyone of us be able to attend?"
At our 50th reunion, we are about 67 years old
At our 55th reunion, we will be 72 years old
At our 60th reunion, we will be 77 years old
At our 65th reunion, we will be 82 years old

So, here we are approaching our 50th year reunion at about age 67, and based on the above statistic, we may have about 18 years (+/-) left to age 85.
    
Obviously, we have gone over the hill as far as the numbers are concerned.  There are much fewer years remaining than we have experienced to our 50th year reunion.  Therefore, if we don't see and hear each other at our 50th year reunion, we may never have an opportunity to see and hear each other again.  Excuse me for seemingly being morbid, but here is how we have lost our 39 classmates:
  • In the 1960s, we lost    1 classmate   in  2 years
  • In the 1970s, we lost    2 classmates in 10 years
  • In the 1980s, we lost    2 classmates in 10 years
  • In the 1990s, we lost    7 classmates in 10 years
  • In the 2000s, we lost  12 classmates in 10 years
  • In the 2010s, we lost  15 classmates in   7 years
  • In 50 years,   we lost  39 classmates in 50 years
The rate of classmates passing is increasing and will continue to do so.  Yes, every one of us will have our time to go.  According to the averages, that could be within the next 18 years.  However, God knows the exact time for each one of us and there are no averages.

I hope that (1) the unknown time when each one of us will depart, and (2) our desire to see and hear each and every classmate are 2 good reasons for attending our 50th year reunion.  But, for further encounagement to attend, let's continue our discussion of the vision or theme for our 50th year reunion.

VISION OR THEME OF OUR 50TH YEAR REUNION

I suggest that each clasmate should have a vision of what he or she wants to focus on for our 50th year reunion.  I offer the 5 suggestions listed above.  Also, here are more:
  • "Then in 1967, Now in 2017, and Still Not Done"
  • "The Twin Towers Still Stand, and So Do We"
  • "Retired and Refired - It Started at McD '67"
  • "400 Crusaders Cast A Vision of Peace"
  • "Still The McD Class of 1967"
  • "We Were, We Are, We Will Be"
  • "I Was, I Am, and I Will Be"
  • "The 50th is Gold, The 60th will be Diamond"
With the establishment of a vision or theme, we then should describe the meaning of those words.  We should have a misson to accomplish and some goals to achieve.  That description will give life to the vision or theme.  That description will create the path on which we travel to attain the value that we are looking for in attending the event.  That's a larger task that I do not want to develop here.  With this discussion, I want to stir every classmates thinking as to what they want to achieve during this milestone event.  


QUESTION:  

  • Is there a vision or theme that will draw you to attend our 50th year reunion so that you will receive something of value, such that your attendance will be well worth while, life impacting, and very memorable?  


ACTION:  

  • You can develop your own vision or join with others to develop a group vision.  SPEAK UP!  What ideas do you have?



REMEMBER:
  • "Big thinking precedes great achievement." — Wilferd Peterson
  • "Dissatisfaction and discouragement are not caused by the absence of things but the absence of vision." — Anonymous



THE TWIN TOWERS STILL STAND




Event Page:  Bishop McDevitt's Class of '67 - 50th Reunion - September 23, 2017

Facebook Page:  Bishop McDevitt HS Class of 1967



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This Blog is developed, maintained, and posted to by

James E. Barbush
Graduate of Bishop McDevitt HS Class of 1967
2021 Blue Mountain Parkway
Harrisburg, PA  17112
Cell:  717-514-5549

Founder of Barbush Enterprises

Co-Founder of The Shepherd's Voice
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tuesday, March 28, 2017

Contact Information for Classmates Request



BISHOP McDEVITT HIGH SCHOOL
CLASS OF 1967
50th Class Reunion

CONTACT INFO NEEDED FOR 44 CLASSMATES
CAN YOU HELP?

We are trying to get contact information for the below list of 44 Crusaders from Bishop McDevitt's Class of 1967 so that we can contact them regarding our 50th Class Reunion.  
  1. If you have information on a classmate, please email it to us at McDevittReunions1967@GMail.com.
  2. If you can contact a classmate, please let them know we are would like their contact info to keep them informed about the our 50th Class Reunion in September 2017.
  3. We may have info on a few of these, but we are working to update our database.



FirstMiddleLast/Maiden Married

Janet Marie Baker Hodges
Mildred Esther Baltimore
Mary Catherine Bezsylko Parry
Sandra Kay Bostdorf Windish
Michael William Cadden
Robert Earl Chambers
James Richard Check
Glenda Marie Chubb
Rita Marie Coccia Higgins
Anthony Francis Del Duco
Mary Louise Demer Fischel
David Gerald Dunn
Wendy M. Farran
Michael A. Gallagher
Patricia Marie Gustin Wiley
Janice Mary Heckman
Carol J. Heineman Akers
Raymond Joseph Henz
Patricia Monica Hevel Zimmerman
Frank Paul Hollenback
Kathleen Patricia Kearns Carroll
Merrianne Klink
Cynthia Anne Kostelac
James M. Kurtz
Patricia Ann Lahey Letmauchin
Cynthia Elizabeth Lawton
Kathryn Elizabeth Leach Thompson
Mary Ellen Leonard Smith
Thomas Emilo Lippi
Alfred Guido Lupacchini
Frederick J. Lutz
Diane Elizabeth MaGee Hulstine
Fern Carroll March
Natalie M. Matjasic Minardo
Mary Ann Theresa McGurrin Hivner
Catherine Mary McLaughlin Thompson
Karolyn Anne Miller
Fredrick Thomas Minchhoff
Richard John Muto
Eileen F. Reardon
Patrick Allen Turnbaugh
Marie Anne Velte Kizzia
Dianne Wolf
William Jacob Wright

THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP



________________________________________________

Prepared by
James Barbush
2021 Blue Mountain Parkway
Linglestown, PA  17112
JamesEBarbush@GMail.com

(717) 514-5549


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