
November 23, 2005
Dear JBHS Class of 1975!
WOW! What a NIGHT! I think Tim Milner
summed it up best when he posted these words on our JBHS 1975
website: "What an AWESOME night!
That had to be the BEST REUNION EVER!!! You guys ROCK!!!"
I got a call yesterday from Mark Arthur, our reunion DJ.
Mark told me our reunion was the BEST reunion he had
witnessed all year! Former JBHS teacher and coach
Ken Tada called it a night of "class!" And
just two days before the reunion, former teacher and coach Merle
Stone told me these words: "There was just
something 'special' about the JBHS Class of 1975!"
Perhaps this "SPECIAL-NESS" was
highlighted through the magic of our 1974 football team,
a group of young boys who had no real preseason all-stars,
yet united a school and community with their play by becoming
the first team in the history of the school to go
undefeated in preseason and league play. I was able
to give Michael Marker a rare 16mm film of our 1974 team
(as most of our game film had previously been destroyed), and thanks
to Michael's film experience and expertise, he transferred this 16mm
film to a DVD and the result was something special.
For the first time in over three decades, our classmates were
able to see what was, up to that point, only a distant
memory. Of course, I'm referring to the opportunity
to watch once again the 4th quarter film of our 1974
varsity team beating Bell Gardens in the playoffs and setting
the school record of 11 wins in a row... a record that still
stands today, some 31 seasons later. In addition,
it was wonderful to have present at our reunion and to
honor former teachers/coaches Bob Dunivant, Ken Tada, Marty
Garrison and Dave Jackson! We have been indeed touched
by their lives.
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However, we know the "special-ness" of the JBHS Class
of 1975 goes way beyond that magical football season. I
believe this "special-ness" is a combination of having classmates
that are bonded together by TRUE FRIENDSHIP! We
are a group of very diverse people who genuinely care and
love one another! It was amazing to witness
classmates conversing who had not seen each other in 10, 20,
or even 30 years, and yet sitting down and renewing their
friendship like not a day had gone by...
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Yet, this "special-ness" is also about "CELEBRATION!"
Last Saturday night our Class of 1975 came together to
celebrate! It was so great to see the joy on everyone's
faces all night long! Anddddddddddddddd...
who will ever forget the special and unexpected visit from
the biker gang - the "Burroughs Bad Boys!"
Who were those guys????? Can you name all of them? lol...
They were definitely "Bad to the Bone" and were "Born to be
Wild!" Bob Cowsill said that, for the rest of his
days, whenever he plays the song "Born to be Wild", he will
forever envision that "Biker Trio" doing their song and dance
routine that brought the house down! And, speaking of
Bob Cowsill, wow what a BAND!!! Those guys had our class
rockin' to a full dance floor up to the close of our event -
at 1am!!!! We are a class that loves to "move and groove!"
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The Burroughs Bad Boys surprised everyone with an unexpected visit on their "motor-bicyles" as Harley sounds and the song "Bad to the Bone" blared... and then they brought the house down with their song-and-dance routine to "Born To Be Wild!"
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If you are a classmate who, for whatever reason, missed this event,
YOU REALLY MISSED ONE AMAZING EVENING! However,
for those who missed this night because they didn't have a choice...
people like Gloria Arredondo, Mike Farrell, Jon Gutru, Lousie
Hardgraves, Russell Hoffmann, Kevin Johnson, Colleen Delaney,
Chari Mont, Vince Padilla, Cathy Wise, and Jeff Smith (am
I missing anyone?)... your memories will forever live in our
hearts. And we truly do "Hope we see you in Heaven!"
I want to say thank you to our hard working "Special
Forces - Reunion Team!" These friends were unified,
uniquely gifted, did an AMAZING JOB, and wow, did we ever kick-butt
together! Thank you Mike Marker, Roger Kulpa, Tim
Milner, Vicki Gibbs, Barbara Garay, Joe Mersola, Louie
Dargenzio and Don Stirling. You all are an incredible team!
I will NEVER FORGET the evening of
November 19, 2005! Thank you Class
of 1975 for giving me one of my best memories in this
thing called life! This was one FANTASTIC CELEBRATION!!!! Until
our next BIG BASH...
Much Love,
Tony De Felicis
...for the Class of 1975 Reunion Team
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© COPYRIGHT 2005 - ALL
RIGHTS RESERVED - JOHN BURROUGHS HIGH SCHOOL, CLASS OF 1975
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