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Reunion Jan 2004
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Reunion
October 2009
Our First Reunion*
Our 2004 Australia Day weekend Reunion was a wonderful success after so many months of continuous work both on the computer tracing and communicating with over 500 ex-Snowy children, and we still did not reach so many. Continuous phone calls on "Hey we missed it, but put us on the contact list for the next one".
After a month of rest and recreation for all those connected with the organization and some personal time catching up on things we neglected leading up to the Reunion, we will now start planning for the next one. If you have ideas please do not hesitate to drop me a line. A big thank-you to all those people who have sent us e-mails, cards and notes to say "Thank you" for a job well done. It was great feedback for us and certainly a wonderful pick-me-up as well. We are working on getting the photos onto the web page for everyone and I believe Bruce has some 250 odd photos taken over the weekend and collected from everyone attending, as well as from the memorabilia exhibition. Those that missed it have asked if we could do a report for them. Below is an effort to give a run down on what the lead up to the Reunion was like, as well as some insight into the weekend itself. I hope it will give you just a little encouragement to participate in our next Snowy Kids Reunion on the Australia Day weekend 2006.
Those that missed it have asked if we could do a report for them. Below is an effort to give a run down on what the lead up to the Reunion was like, as well as some insight into the weekend itself. I hope it will give you just a little encouragement to participate in our next Snowy Kids Reunion on the Australia Day weekend 2006.
A REPORT ON THE REUNION
Kerrie Castles-Allen, Organiser
Friday
We went off to the School to look over the venue for our Registration Day and
make last minute arrangements. One final surprise was waiting for us when we arrived
to found that we would have to do the catering and organization for the Saturday
lunch and morning and afternoon tea ourselves. A quick stop at the local supermarket,
a ring around to the party hire places at 5:12 pm on a Saturday afternoon, a quick
ring to the local Butcher and presto everything you need to provide 200 people
or so with the necessities of morning/afternoon tea and a barbecue lunch.
Saturday morning arrived too early, but with the help of the guests, (who had no idea when they accepted the accommodation that they would find themselves in the midst of the organization party) it was up and off to collect the necessary equipment and deliver it to the Registration site. A troop of many feet up and down the stairs with all the catering supplies, the souvenirs, the paperwork into the cars and down to the school before 9 am to set up and organise the area for Registration. People started to arrive by 9 without a minute to spare; it was full on and never stopped from there.
The tea and coffee stand was off and running, the registration table and souvenir table where in full swing and never stoped until well after the barbecue lunch was finished. People stood with smiles and grins from ear to ear, as they found lost friends, sorted through memorabilia they had brought along. Camera bulbs flashed and laughter filled the air. 11.30 came and the official photos began. At the same time an ABC camera crew arrived and wandered around talking and filming everyone talking in groups, showing off their albums and other memorabilia on car hoods, under trees, sitting on rocks, the stairs under the cola. Ex-students, ex- teachers, mums and dads, all there to catch up and renew old friendships. It was a tremendous day and full of wonderful memories for those who attended. Official photos show the many groups/schools/townships represented with over 32 different groupings. The photos look great. This in itself gave me great satisfaction because it is proof that we were able to at least contact a wide cross section of those areas that made up the Snowy Scheme.
For those that missed this one, I am sure it will be a priority on the calendar the moment a definite time is decided. But for sure it will be the same venue; we just need to come up with the exact date. This will be announced shortly, but pencil in 2007.
Many of those attending made their way to and fro to see the Memorabilia exhibition on display at the Jindabyne Memorial Hall. Many took their personal possessions there to be put on display for the remainder of the day. Video archival footage was also being shown. I was unfortunate not to find the time to attend this most important part of the Registration Day
Sue's thoughts on the event
With great in trepidation we opened the doors of Jindabyne Memorial Hall to welcome all visitors to the memorabilia display of photos, artefacts and archival video footage, recalling memories of those exciting years when we were part of the extra-ordinary Snowy Mountains Scheme.All day there was a constant stream of community members and Snowy Kids arriving to view and bring along their memories. The Crocker family, local Jindabyne identities, delivered a fantastic display of those Snowy years and remained to watch the archival footage. There was a collection of early model Snowy trucks and machinery, used on the many Snowy projects. School uniforms, badges, trophies and old school books yellowed with age were on display. Books about the Snowy Scheme, journals and periodicals including Around the Bend, Jintunews and the Snowy News, held a lot of interest.
Photos of visiting royalty drew many comments, as did the photos of school life, especially from the children in attendance. "Wow, the Queen even visited the Snowy Kids!" and "I wish I could ski to school like that student! They were sure lucky!"
It was magic to hear the excitement as the Snowy Kids recognised themselves, their families and friends while viewing the videos and walking around the photographic displays. ABC TV arrived as a group of Snowy Kids were enthralled over school photos they hadn't seen since the early 1960s.You could feel a buzz spreading around the hall.
Letters from former teachers, students, Scripture Teachers and parents who unfortunately couldn't attend were displayed for others to read. I was personally gratified to find a map on which the township of Bella Vista was printed. Bella Vista was only in existence from 1962-1966.
We were constantly being asked questions about life in those townships and villages. I believe many locals left with a greater understanding about growing up as a Snowy Kid, during those early years of Snowy Scheme construction.
Many, many thanks to everyone who contributed to the display. Thank you also to those who attended.
Saturday night
This arrived and the function room looked fabulous with
its blue and white theme. The tables had blue, pearl white balloon arrangements
as a centre piece with a little snowman holding the table numbers. All tables
had white tablecloths and blue serviettes. We had twenty tables of 10 seats each.
It just looked magnificent.
We set up the registration table and souvenir table just inside the foyer, with the official photos also on display. These were very well received and sales were extremely busy for Mr Schoo the photographer. I hope everyone will look at the photos on the web page as they also help to bring the weekend a little more alive. (It was not until well into the following Tuesday before I realised I had not taken one photo of the weekend. Bruce pointed out that it takes 1.75 seconds to take a photo or thereabouts and guessed correctly that I did not have that much time spare to take photos.)
But it was well worth it and I am so happy so many attended the reunion, and had such a great time. It makes all the hard work very worthwhile.
A
special thank-you
A special thank-you to the committee of Bruce, Janina,
Sue, and my sister Beth who put in many hours of work with me to make sure it
all came together and I personally would like to say thank you for your support.
To Rosie (Bruce's wife), Helen and husband John, Judith (née McKenzie) I would like to say a very big-thank you for your contributions to the weekend. Without your willing hands and help we could not have survived and come out of it so well. You are all wonderful people and I am truly grateful for your help and support.
A thank-you also...
to
the many people who sent us thank-you cards, emails and phone call to show their
appreciation for the job we did with the Reunion. It is wonderful to receive this
positive feedback and on behalf of everyone I accept your thanks to the committee
and the many people who worked tirelessly behind the scene to make it all happen.
Thanks to Fred Armstrong (teacher from Island Bend) we have many copies of the
Island Bend Around the Bend. I am very excited to even have the last one printed,
which was a wonderful surprise to me. They bring alive much of the happenings
of life at Island Bend and will also help me with bring alive the Island Bend
section of Children of the Snowy. Any newsletters/newssheets from other townships
would be great if you can help out here.
Here's
a list of those who could not attend, but sent their best wishes for the Reunion:
Gordon Barnett, The Ellerman Family, Morris Joyce, Rosemary Davies, Fiona and
Grant Murray, Ilmar, Sue Theron, Tamara Harbus, Ralph and Jenny Bray, Juanita
Ironside (Juantia de Majnik), Pam de Majnik, Lesley Barlee, Paul Martinoli, Judy
Paske, Lucy Tucker, Murray Duncan, David Ball, Peter Zdjelar, Heather Clarke,
Adam Sheather, Gina Vadnais, Alan Garner, Fiona Murray, Tony Power, Barbara Shubert,
Debbie Young, Paul Lancaster.
School photos
Do
not forget we are still after school photos and any of children of the Snowy at
play, sport or other you may have. We were delighted with your response for the
Reunion and we have quite a collection. Please include your permission for these
to be used for the book and in fact for further Reunions to come in the memorabilia
displays we put on. Many of these are now on our Web page with a section to say
that permission to download is needed from each person who owns the original.
So if yours appear on the web page please indicate if you are happy for these
to be downloaded by others visiting the site.
Mementoes are still available
Souvenirs are still available.
Also available in limited numbers:
Wiine glasses have been an ongoing problem since we returned from the Reunion. We have now decided to refund anyone with outstanding orders, as it is impossible to get the same glasses with the same inscription.
New wine glasses will be available with just "Snowy Kids Reunion" on them so that they do not date. But it will be some time before these are available to buy, probably towards the end of the year. If you wish this money to be put onto the new glasses please advise as otherwise we will send out the refund as soon as possible.
Handling and postage for the shirts is $8 for one shirt to be posted out. For breakables a little more due to the extra packaging require, and postage. For one item $10 for two items $12 and for three items $15. For delivery outside NSWadd another $2 per item.
Official Reunion photos
All the official Reunion photos were taken by Shoo Photographers in Cooma. The following are the numbered photos and the school(s) they relate to, as shown on the display board at the Reunion Dinner. Phone number for Shoo Photographers in Cooma will be in the Cooma phone book.
Remember...
...you were part of a unique bit of history and I believe it is important that our stories are recorded. Each and every one of us will have our story, thoughts and feelings in the pages of "Children of the Snowy".
It will be a great collection to have to remember the times and those we met along the way. So please be part of it. Don't let time slip away and not record your unique part in the grand scheme of things as you grew up on the Snowy Mountains Scheme.
Your children will love it.
Questionnaires
Don't forget that questionnaires are on this web site and can be downloaded any time for completion.
It is from this information that Children of the Snowy is compiled, so if you would like to be part of it please fill one in and send it onto me at the address on this newsletter.
Remember if you have any thoughts apart from the questions please include them.The questionaries are mainly to give you a starting point to get your thinking processes running on information you can write about on your life on the snowy. It is by no means complete or restrictive to the questions as to what you can write.
I still intend to send you a copy of your interview/stories received (once I record them on the computer) so that you know what you have said and what I have recorded into Children of the Snowy from your interviews, questionnaires, letters, and tapes, etc. It is something I am doing at present so they will filter out as I get them all on the computer. They are not in any order. I have been doing the ones that are relative to the area I am writing about at the time.
BUT PLEASE NOTE THAT I AM NOW PUTTING THE MANUSCRIPT TOGETHER SO NEED YOUR STORIES URGENTLY IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE PART OF THIS PROJECT.
The areas at present being formatted are Historical Background, Cooma/Cooma North in the 50's, Island Bend, Guthega/Munyang, Old Jindabyne. If your story has any information dealing with these areas and your life in these areas, then please send them in quickly.
TIME IS RUNNING OUT!
Permission forms are available here.
Kerrie Castles-Allen