I gathered Geo. Wash. High School '66 Classmates at Governor's Mansion for Big Reunion.

120 people ! 22 Oc. '04 Great times remembered, enthusiasm & excitement to gather !

Our Governor will leave his office & the Mansion in 2 months, so we had to hurry !

I recently started a quest. I wrote to about 500 addresses, and then followed with 300 invitations from the Governor. Thru 100s of phone calls, e-mails & more, I gathered the lost tribe, the scattered classmates of our local George Washington Public High School. I actually went away to prep school, but since I did all the work on this and last reunion, they've let me back in the pack. On this reunion & in future, we welcome upper & lower classmates & their brothers & sisters.

Such special memories, and friendship you build in those formative years, very different from every friendship that you make since. Classmates flew in from across the country, one returned from Paris France, some shipped wine from their area; WA & CA.

Every time some one said they might come, I posted their name on our webs site, then added their HS class photo, and told others. In the past we'd had 30 to 40 come to reunions, but this time, including brothers, sisters, upper & lower classmates, we gathered about 120 people ! Wow !

Oh, did I mention that our current WV Governor Bob Wise is our classmate and that he let us hold our Friday Night reception at his Governor's Mansion - black tie, very elegant affair. Beyond the many who shot photos, that I gathered & distributed, I had 3 associates taking video too.

I worked frenetically, taking an average of 1 photo per minute the whole evening to get the whole crowd in individual portraits. I posted all the photos that same night about midnight on my internet web site so that those who came, and or those who wanted to come could instantly see the results.

A few days later our Charleston Daily Mail Newspaper featured my group photo as an 8x10" photo and gave us a near full page article on this reunion.

Wow, did we have a great one. Lovely people, I pressed all to dress up, 'cause I know that's what the ladies like, so I wore my HS Tux. As the Governor told others, I was probably the only one who had a Tux in High School years. In any case, since I'd never been to a prom at their school, where I did not go, nor at my Prep School in NJ, it was great to finally get this whole crowd together that night. Gov. spoke to all and honored me with GWHS diploma, for my energy & enthusiasm to gather this reunion, since I was not really a classmate in that I went to Blair Academy prep school in NJ.

Saturday, all toured High School, had a picnic at St. Forest, then dined at local restaurants.

Some came to my place on Sunday for more fun & serious individual & group portraits.

I've distributed about 160 images on photo CD disk to about 25 people so far, so within 3 days of the party, I'd put out about 1,500 photos. I developed an elaborate web site of name, address, phone, e-mails, photos comments & stories remembered then later distributed to most all that info on photo CD & DVD video.

I'm now distributing hours of video that we recorded & put on a DVD for fun, reference & review. Few can believe the speed & energy with which I work, despite that most cooperated little, or with resistance, I did pull off a pretty amazing party.

(I was a little nervous Friday afternoon - you know, since I rarely ever entertain,

hardly ever dress up, nor rarely hang with friends - but it all came out just fine)

For sport, I invited & my Dad came to join the fun. He had a grand time too.

I told others I brought Dad, so there'd be no smoking or kissing in the back.

Best to you always. Let me hear of your news !! Ted Elden 344 2335 aaTed @ Charter.net