6/25/2008

Thank You from Kerri-Ayn (Masumoto) Kaya, 25th Reunion Chair Wow…I can’t believe it’s over and now we all go back to doing whatever it is the work week brings for us. Thank you, a truly heartfelt thank you for all you have done and all you have been during the past year and the especially, the past four days.

I received so many compliments and expressions of appreciation for all the work we have done together I just wish you could all have heard them or I could share them with you. Wendee Higa Lee said that after watching last year’s video, she cried, and made immediate plans to come home this year and she said coming home was worth every dime, worth all the hassle of taking off and missing work and she is glad she didn’t miss out. Peter Masuda, back for the first time in 25 years said he wishes he came back sooner. Mrs. Kurashige wrote, “I wanted you to know how much I loved being at Waialae on Friday night (thanks for the beautiful lei) and the picture-taking and touching memorial service today. Please thank the committee for pulling together a truly fantastic 25th celebration! I appreciate being included and will remember these times with much fondness.” These are just a few of the kind and grateful words that I received the last three days. Know that your work has been noticed and the love that you have put into this weekend has been shared and felt by so many.

I could not be prouder of you all and feel indebted to you for your selflessness and energy. You gave despite your work and family commitments and often pulled double duty so that when 135 people showed up at Waialae, or the hike, or golf or the dance party or bowling, no one knew of the time and effort that went into their fun hours spend revisiting old friends.

I am thankful to everyone who has expressed their appreciation because as the core and heart of our class, as the group who always showed up every month, you should hear everyone’s thanks for a job well done.

Well, I close this with a bit of sadness that the task we signed on to complete has now finished but I am so proud to have worked with all of you while you used your individual strengths to pull together a four day extravaganza for our classmates of 25 years ago. It is amazing that you have cared enough to work all year and give up your entire weekend for people we went to high school with so long ago. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you all for the pleasure of working alongside you. It has been a blast.

With Love and Aloha,

Kerri-Ayn

6/13/2008 11:59pm
GET DOWN UP ON IN IT!
Next to, beside, around, above, below, beneath, and between.

Wherever you be, you're with us and we're with you. 

You can feel the vibes blowing from the beautifullest place in the universe, flowing from the folks who love you mostest.

Damn square. Straight up. It's confirmed.  Classmates have turned out from all corners of the world just for this reunion.  Ones who've never been to a reunion before. Ones who believed they'd never attend.

"I watched the website last year and booked a ticket, then decided at the last minute to skip it.  When the "home" video popped up, I cried.  I wanted to come home. This year, I had to be here. "    - Wendee (Higa) Lee at the Cocktail party.

Elke (Umbhau) Schlossmacher said on 6/7/08 in a group email...

Hi Everyone! Greetings from the nation's capital -- Canada's, that is.... Never in a million years did I think I'd end up in cold country. Best wishes for a fabulous reunion. I am very sorry to miss it as we are moving. I am certain that all of you will be having a much better time than me with all of the wonderful events planned!

To continue on Mike's Readers Digest version - the last 25 years... I ended up in Boston post college working for Westin Hotels and Resorts before meeting my husband Michael. After marrying in Boston, we headed to Vienna, Austria for several years. The double stroller came next as we were blessed with Max and Oliver, now 15. The triple stroller soon took over as Thomas arrived a year later. Life was a blur as is my memory of the early years. Amazing how that happens, isn't it? We moved back to Boston and eventually Sophia arrived, now age 10. Two years ago we moved to Ottawa and really like it, most of the time ...with the exception of deep winter. Life with teenagers is a unique experience which has caused my hair to turn a wonderful shade of white.

Would love to hear from you. Have a great reunion! I'm looking forward to seeing photos.

Aloha,
Elke

Michael Meier said on 6/6/08 in a group email...

Wow, ok this is too weird seeing all the names in these e-mail addresses. I mean it has only been a quarter century! Yes Marla found me here in Denver. Very bummed we are not making it to the reunion; we had to choose this year between a family event with my Mom and Dad in Switzerland later this year or Hawaii, and just couldn’t manage both.


Here’s the past 25 years Reader’s Digest version. Boulder for college after high school, couldn’t decide on a Major so ended up a ski bum in Vail finally got my degree in Music in 92. Ended up joining corporate america in 95.. that lead to Pittsburgh, then Chicago where I met my beautiful wife Lila, and where Matthew was born, then work brought be back to Colorado 3 years ago, Owen was born here, and the rest is history. I would love to get back in touch with any and all of you now that life is starting to become a little more normal for us. Hope this finds all of you in GREAT spirits, please pass along a great big ALOHA to all next week, I think about my Punahou years often. Feel free to send some notes, and in case some of you are wondering if it is really me… I attached some pictures of the family.

Michael