The Falcon Legacy
PUBLICATION OF THE VAN HORN HIGH SCHOOL ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
The Falcon Legacy V O L U M E
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A Message From Our President Dear Fellow Van Horn Falcon, Van Horn Stages presents its student production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's The Sound of Music Thursday, Friday, and Saturday--February 28th, and March 1-2 -- in the Van Horn auditorium. Showtime is 7:00 p.m. each night, with admission charged at the door. ($6/Adults, $4/Students, and $2/ Seniors) Though Van Horn resumed staging student musicals (following a two-decade absence) upon its joining the Independence School District in 2008, this production represents a major step forward at the "new" Van Horn, as performers include a full student chorus and pit orchestra.
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
ISD Help for Homeless Students Report
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WDS Bowling Fundraiser Report
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January Board Meeting Report
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Events Calendar Days of Yore
Van Horn invites anyone who was in the cast of the 1960's Falcon performance of Sound of Music to join the 2013 cast on stage for a special finale at the Saturday performance. Falcon alums are also strongly encouraged to attend that final night, as we'd like to "pack the house" on Saturday. For information on The Sound of Music, contact Van Horn's Netty Doyle at netty_doyle@isdschools.org or Erin Barrier at erin_barrier@isdschools.org.
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*** For the second consecutive year, Van Horn Falcons baseball is scheduled to play a game--this time versus William Chrisman's Bears--at Kauffman Stadium, home of the Kansas City Royals, on Tuesday, March 26, at 4:00 p.m. However, for that to happen, our help is needed. How do we help? By purchasing special ticket vouchers. They are redeemable at Kauffman Stadium ticket windows for any of 72 of 81 regular season home games (not good for Home Opener, Cardinals, Yankees, or Red Sox, but good for all other home games!) in 2013 from Van Horn baseball (to play at the “K�). Prices per voucher are: $17.00 each for Field Box seats (a 56% savings off regular $39.00 ticket price) $10.00 each for Hy-Vee Outfield seats (28% savings off regular $14.00 price) (Continued on page 5)
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The Falcon Legacy
VH ALUMNI RAISE FUNDS FOR HOMELESS STUDENTS IN INDEPENDENCE
Above: Student and Van Horn Alumni volunteers
Van Horn Alumni were well represented at the Independence School District (ISD) Alumni Association fundraiser held November 10, 2012 - a benefit for the homeless students in the district. Brenda (Roe) Cox (VH ’77) one of the organizers of the fundraising event, not only spent endless hours obtaining donations, arranging the show, and getting the VHHS ROTC and National Honor Society students involved in the event, she could be found holding a spatula over the cook stove at the breakfast. In the weeks before, Betty Jane (Nichols) Stinnett (VH ’64) beat the sidewalks of Englewood selling tickets and hanging posters in local businesses. Glenda (Baker) Phillips (VH’73) sold tickets and labored away throughout the day making sure no dirty dish was overlooked. "We raised about $1500.00, some of that went directly to Tabitha's closet and the remaining amount went to the foundation to be used only for the homeless students. We had about 87 for breakfast, about 40 for lunch, and about 20 for dinner. In addition, a couple separate checks amounting to $257.00 went directly to the foundation", reports Brenda Cox.
A lady traveling the country saw a poster in a store up by the Square and contacted Brenda. The lady was going to every state in the Union on her 57th birthday year donating to one worthy cause in each. Her check for $57 went to the Foundation. The evening entertainers, Jamin’ Jan on the keyboard, Tony (Raytown) on a second keyboard and Doug on the drums put on one smokin’ hot show to cap off the evening. Cash donations in their tip jar amounting to $127 were donated to Tabitha's Closet. ISD Alumni Association's 50/50 raffle generated $100 yielding $50 to the ISD Alumni Assn petty cash operating fund. The cash box was a different story. For November 10, 2012, Van Horn Alumni had gross receipts/revenue of $1751.02. Expenses totaled $438. Total cash and checks delivered to the ISD Foundation was $1313.02 and seven bags of clothing were taken to Tabitha's Closet.
As of January 21, AutoTek will become a ticket outlet for ISD Alumni Association events. 537 E 24 Betty Snapp (WCHS alumni) helped raise nearly Hwy, (about two blocks east of Noland on US $800 for the cause. After the event, her brother made 24.) In the Van Horn area - we are hoping that we a $200 donation directly to the ISD Foundation. can get a business to sell event tickets.
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The following graciously supported the ISD Alumni Association's November 10, 2012 Fundraiser For Homeless Students Event: Commercial Donors
Barnes and Noble King
Woods
Burger King Belton Chili's Corner Cafe Costco Hardees 291 Store Hy-Vee The Independence Mavericks Krispy Kreme Price Chopper M-291 Store Ryan's Salty Iguana Sam's Club Sav-A-Lot Shocking Prices Sunfresh 23rd Street Target Wal-Mart Wendy's 291 Store Wendy's Noland Road Store Williams Foods
Brenda Gfeller Bud Ahnefeld Chris Rounds Mayor Don Marie Reimal
54th Street
Burger Chapel
Individual Donors
and
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Frank Passantino Marilyn Ahnefeld Mary Oliver The Clarks The Oshels The Croziers The Snapps United Methodist Women’s Group Vera Cothern In-kind Donors AutoTek Brenda Cox Commerce Bank (On Osage near Square) Dee Hellerich
Van Horn High School’s “National Honor Society Ca-
The next Van Horn Alumni lead event on March 23rd will be a Mystery Who Done It Show ! Watch www .Homeless Students.com for details. This should truly be a fun event! (subject to change) Future ISD Alumni Assn events: Feb 2 - breakfast and dinner show featuring Bill Smyth and Robin Blubaugh Feb 9 - drive-thru donation collection day at AutoTek parking lot, 9 am - noon Mar 9 - drive thru donation collection day at AutoTek parking lot, 9 am - noon Mar 23 - breakfast and Mystery Who Done It show. Additi onal
i nform ati on
avail abl e
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www.Homeless-Students.com
L.I.N.C. Mary Oliver Paul Savage Thriftway on Crysler VHHS ROTC and Student Council WCHS ACE students
Enjoying the lunch: Janice Jefferies Brooks, Helen May Gaylon, Ginny Gross Turk, Don Pierce, Janey Williamson Pierce, Donna Littau Shafer, Betty Jane Nichols Stinnett, and Phyllis Sajben.
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THE SEVENTH ANNUAL WDS BOWLING FUNDRAISER The WDS Educational Foundation held their annual bowling fundraiser on January 19th at the Strike and Spare Bowl in Independence. There were over 160 participants and all seemed to have a good time while helping to raise funds for future scholarships. A total of $5,500 was raised from the bowling tournament and raffle with the highlight being an additional $1,000 donated by the Van Horn Class of 1970. The evening started with free beer sponsored by some WDS board members for those who arrived early. The bowling itself included both men's and women's bowling prizes and a team prize. The winners received gift certificates donated by local merchants. There were at least 30 Van Horn alumni present with several groups of Van Horn women demonstrating their homemaking skills by "donating" some jello shots and pudding shots to the group. Needless to say, those Van Horn women know how to have a good time.
Checking in at Strike‘n’Spare Lanes
WDS awarded over $25,000 in scholarships in 2012 with the majority going to Van Horn students. Thanks to fundraisers like this along with the support of so many Van Horn alumni, WDS hopes to award at least as much again this year. The next opportunity to support WDS in their efforts is the annual golf tournament being held on Friday, August 2, at Drumm Farm Golf Club. Hope you can join us this year. Information about WDS can be found at the website www.wdsef.org. Above: WDS Team #4 ___________________________________________ Below: Jello Shots team: Patty Smitka-Hacker, Robbi Wait, Jayne “Powell” Doyle, Jean “Novak” Kaiser, and Jo Marie Miller.
Above: Members from the Van Horn Class of 1970 presenting a check for $1,000 to WDS. The money was raised at a 60th birthday party and golf outing organized last summer. Left to right: Terry Smitka, Steve Woolf, Janis Jackson, Deidre (Jones) Chasteen, Debbie (LaFountain) Riffle, and Kenny Farmer. WDS will award one or two "Class of 1970" scholarships to Van Horn students with the money.
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Gleanings from the VHHSAA By-Laws:
JANUARY MEETING NEWS
Purpose The Van Horn High School Alumni Association’s purposes are: To help fund selected capital improvement purchases for Van Horn High School (hereafter referred to as VHHS) To fund scholarships for VHHS graduates To establish and maintain a world-wide network of VHHS graduates To establish a Hall of Honor of prominent VHHS graduates, Faculty, Staff, and “Friends of Van Horn” for the benefit of VHHS (“President” from page 1) You can buy your Royals vouchers at the Van Horn front office (1109 South Arlington in Independence--ask for Sherry Stark, or call Sherry at Van Horn's main number, (816) 521-5360), from Falcons Head Coach Tim Wilson ((816) 682-2156), or from any Falcons baseball player. *** February's Alumni Association meeting will take place this coming Wednesday, February 20, 7:00 p.m., at the school. All Members and their guests are invited to come! As always, please enter the building through the main (front) entrance, facing Arlington Avenue. This time, we'll begin the process of selecting our scholarship awardee from the Class of 2013. Upcoming "Third Wednesdays" at Van Horn: March 20, April 17, and May 15--all at 7:00 p.m. Jay Fisher, VH '75 President
The meeting on January 16 had a delayed start. The members attending waited outside in the cold for 20 minutes until we reached someone to open the locked doors! Those in attendance were: Jay Fisher, President; Nancy Ehrlich, V-Pres.; Lisa Renshaw, Treas.; Marietta Boenker, At-Large; David Renshaw and Glenda Phillips. (The position of Secretary is vacant at this time). The annual membership application from Joyce E. Fults-Dalzell (‘58) was received and accepted. The Association didn’t buy any tickets to give to students for the Dec. 22nd I-Town Showdown as a snow-day was called on that day. The Board voted to buy 6 Royals game vouchers ($103) to donate to the Raffle of the WDS Bowling Fundraiser. The vouchers help the VHHS Baseball Team win the right to play at Kauffman Stadium in the spring. The Board voted to buy 10 electric skillets ($250) for the Harvester’s Teen Cooking Class for students. This is a pilot program through Harvesters that will be run by the Van Horn Parent-Teachers-Student Association (PTSA). All recipes will be taught on an electric skillet which will be given to any of the students completing all classes. Many of these students are the meals preparer for themselves and siblings. Discussion was held on Hall of Honor nominees for the 2013 Honors. Several teachers were mentioned. (Editor’s note: Please think about all of those you have seen at reunions, etc. and pick a good one to nominate to the Hall of Honor. The application can be located on our website at vanhornalumni.org Complete your portion at the end right there on line, then forward to your nominee to complete. It’s so easy! )
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Events Calendar
The Van Horn High School Alumni Association P.O. Box 520172, Independence,
MO 64052
Phone: 816-914-6490 (Jay Fisher)
28 Feb-2 Mar— Sound of Music as presented by the Van Horn Music Department. See page 1. 9 Mar - ISD Alumni drive-thru collection day at AutoTek parking lot, 9-noon 20 Mar—VHHSAA meeting, 7:00 pm Alumni Room at school
E-mail: VHHSAA@yahoo.com 23 Mar—Breakfast and Mystery “Who Done It’ Dinner Show www.Homeless-Students.com VHHSAA Board Members President Vice President Secretary Treasurer At-Large Dir.
Jay Fisher (VH‘75) Nancy Mills Ehrlich (VH‘56) Vacant Lisa Hay Renshaw (VH‘76) Marietta Wilson Boenker (VH‘60)
17 Apr—VHHSAA meeting, 7:00 pm Alumni Room at school 2 Aug —WDS Golf at Drumm Farm Golf Club
To submit articles, news or comments to the Falcon Legacy, write to VHHSAA@yahoo.com
From Days of Yore Does anyone recognize this site? Clue: it is not in Independence but just about every teenager visited it at some time. Submit your answers to VHHSAA@yahoo.com
ATTENTION ANNUAL MEMBERS DUES FOR 2012 ARE DUE Before JULY 1, 2013 Please remit your annual dues of $25 to: VHHSAA, P.O. Box 520712 Independence, MO 64052 Our fiscal year begins July 1 of each year. If you have not paid your annual dues for 2011-12, you may send them in one check for both years marking in the memo space that you are paying for 20112013. Members not in good standing will be dropped from membership. Having trouble remembering to pay your dues? Become a Life-time Member and pay just a one-time $250 membership.
Answer from last issue: Shaffer’s Drive-In (no takers)
VHHSAA meets the 3rd Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. every month except December. For locations, please review sites on calendar above.