WHAT’S NEW WITH YOU???
The Bismarck High School Class of 1981 monthly update
The purpose of this newsletter is to provide a positive, safe and supportive environment for all classmates in which we can share our personal lives. The staff reserves the right to publish only information that we feel is within the supportive spirit of this newsletter. Information which we feel is intended to be negative, class polarizing, mean-spirited will not be published at this site. That is not the avenue we want to take with this newsletter. The staff.
Volume 42, June 2004
Hi everyone,
Thank you to Chuck Glaser for being our sponsor once again! It is so nice to see people stepping up to the plate! We all appreciate the continued support of this little project!
Hope you are well! Here is your laugh for the month. I was recently called and asked to participate in a focus group. Okay, I will bite; I asked what is this group all about? So, they proceeded will their spiel, it was not just any focus group but a focus group to discuss the effects of AGING! Insulted! Hard to think about "aging" issues when you have a screaming newborn in the background. They probably thought I was babysitting my grandchild! My husband had a great laugh, and now is always asking me all kinds of "aging" questions. Glad he appreciated it!
Our interview this month is with Kevin Bender. Kevin gave me a big surprise this month. The day I sent out requests for interviews he called and promised me an interview! It was great talking to him, and it was nice to see that he still has the same sense of humor that he had in high school! Hopefully you will take a minute and check out his racecar at the ofoto.com site, which is still one of his pet projects. Thanks Kevin, great interview!
Don't fret, many great interviews are yet to come, four people sent them in this month! Great response! Now if we could just get more of you to share a little about what goes on in your lives each month! In the meantime, you all keep thinking about, one of these days, who knows, you may be inspired to share something with your classmates! Below is your newsletter! Enjoy!
Have a great month, see ya in July! Lauri, Dan, Wendy and Todd
"In-depth and Personal with…Kevin Bender "
Name: Kevin Bender
Career/occupation: Subject Matter Expert in HVAC Controls
Home: Rocklin Calif.
Family: Wife-Connie, Daughter-Natalia, Son-Samuel
Spouse's occupation: Business Analysis
If applicable, how did you and your spouse meet? Connie was my dispatcher at my
first HVAC gig.
Greatest accomplishments: Dedicated to being the best dad humanly possible.
People whom you admire and why: My wife for putting up with me, Dale Earnhart Sr.
the guy could flat drive a poor handling race car.
What do you have in your pockets: Lets see, ooooh, wow, hey there. I need a
cigarette.
Fantasy (or reality) job: To damn old for fantasies, work hard-play even harder,
give your thanks at the end of the day.
Latest book you've read: A Carrier Chiller Manual
Favorite music/musicians: I like the old stuff, but have been turned on to this new
kind of rock, called something like Alternative Rock.
Recommended movies: Unforgiven, a must see JOSHUA, Driven, and any kick-ass in your
face action flick
Favorite cities and why? Sacramento, we have the Kings you
don’t, Daytona best damn NASCAR racing anywhere, Cape Canaveral where guys really go
fast, St. Augustine best margaritas in the USA.
Where have you traveled? Florida, I don’t get out much.
Favorite place to vacation? Any place you would recommend? Are you
kidding, what’s a vacation?
Favorite foods: Lobster and Crab, had to come to Calif. to try these.
Hobbies/second career: Racing any kind of car in a circle not that ¼ mile drag
racing stuff. Is that a form of racing? Cruising the Harley-Davidson after a hellish day
of work. Water skiing just as the sun goes down.
What if any community service organizations are you involved with? Went
to jail in Phoenix one time, Does this count?
Pet peeves: People who complain whoa is me, deal with it already. People who
won’t get out of the fast lane and move over, people stuck in the past, look forward,
politicians who don’t have a lick of sense. People who burn the American Flag,
Memories of Bismarck (good ones): Man those were real tough times, playing hoops at
the Memorial Center, all the Jensens, miss the racetrack we had.
Memories of BHS (good ones): I appreciate more than anyone could imagine the
kindness everyone showed me being a new kid in town. Getting ripped with Earl Jensen.
Cruising down Main Street.
Who were some of the people you hung out with? The Jensens, Cordal Krein, Michele,
Pearl, Kristi, Debbie, and sweet cheeks gives out a big HEY to Corrine, and many others,
don’t be pissed it’s been like a billion years, first thing that goes is the
memory.
Were you involved with any extra curricular activities, if so what? Car racing,
helping at our racetrack, working at Hanks Datsun.
Favorite teachers at BHS and why: HUM
Favorite high school hang-outs: Anywhere away from home
CONGRATULATIONS GRADUATES
DeAnn (Stack) Balanga also graduated in May. She graduated with honors from Bismarck State College, with an Associates degree in Applied Science, Computer Information Specialist. She was also involved in Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society for the last 2 years where she maintained a GPA of 3.75 or higher.
Not bad considering she has been doing all this while taking care of two
children, working a full-time job and managing a household as a single mom! It was hard
she says, but well worth it! Your future plan includes staying with the North Dakota
Healthcare Association where she has been employed for 14 years. Her job will stay the
same, but she will be more involved with the technical information and thus will be able
to work more with the computer end of the business.
Here’s looking at you babe!!
VACATION PLANS
Todd Zarfos and his family are heading to ND the last week in June
and staying through the week after the 4th of July. Anyone else going to be in town? He is
VERY interested in having a mini get-together at a local bar for any one who is
interested! Can any one in Bismarck help him coordinate this? Can't imagine that some of
the people in Bismarck would pass on this opportunity to get together! Kaye K., Terri B.,
got any ideas for him?
Let me know and I will make sure it is well advertised! L.
FAMOUS QUOTE….
A LITTLE "AGE" HUMOR
25 SIGNS THAT YOU'VE GROWN UP:
BIRTHDAYS!
Deb, Kaye, Keith, Nadine, and Stephen are celebrating their 42
birthdays, everyone else is 41!
Michele and Michael share a birthdate, as do Tim and Laura and David and Valerie.
Deb (Freedhoff) Berger
Kaye (Bibelheimer) Knudson
Keith Remmich
Nadine (Schaffer) Morelli
Stephen Larson
Michele (Gross ) Ferguson
Micheal Gross
Tim Nelson
Laura McDaniel
Scott Carlson
Jolyn (Wilson) Palumbo
David Gregware
Valerie (Hinds) Trautman
Scott Keller
Jean (Dunn) Gefroh
Julie (Weinberger) Monzelowsky
David Brown
Lori (Schneider) Westbrook
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU!
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!
17 years
Todd gives us his view, and he is …..
Hope you all had a wonderful memorial weekend. I hope each and everyone of us took a
moment to give thanks to all who gave their lives fighting for our freedom and country,
And never to be forgotten our fellow class mates that have passed on. GOD BLESS THEM ALL..
June means summer time so get those Speedos on and strap up that bikini. Time to thaw out
from a long cold winter. We have had a normal cool wet spring here in good ol Bismarck the
open country looks great, what a beautiful sight. You don't know what you’re missing.
Summertime also brings thunderstorms. Here's a few interesting facts for you on lightning.
* There are three kinds of lightning; cloud to ground, cloud to cloud, ground to cloud. Did you know that 60% of all lightning strikes are ground to cloud meaning everybody thinks it shoots down from the clouds when actually it's going from the ground to the sky?
* 30 percent of people struck by lightning die. Of that 30 percent, 52 percent were involved in some type of outdoor activity at the time of the strike.
* Lightning can generate temperatures as high as 50,000 degrees F., 4 times hotter then the skin of the sun.
* The safest place during a lightning storm is inside a building. The most dangerous item used during an electrical storm is the phone.
If you did not know, now you do. There's no reason to be struck by lightning - use that thing four feet above your butt -your brain.
Hey a guy walked into the cellular phone company in Bismarck and was upset about his service. Upon talking to some of the employees he was not happy with his answers. So for about 10 minutes this guy lost it and was throwing phones and computers around the store, injuring one employee who was hit by the flying objects. The manager took all the employees and locked them in the office while he called police. Damage in the store was more than $2,000 dollars. Now this guy’s bail was set at $3,000 dollars, he faces a felony with criminal mischief, and simple assault, he could face prison time for bad phone service. Can you imagine sitting in the prison and a mass murderer asks you what u in here for boy, uuuuuuuuuhhhh bad phone service.
Bismarck is just growing and growing lots of things happening up here. There are rumors of a few different businesses locating here, a possible Home Depot and a WalMart Super Center. A Famous Dave restaurant just opened up in the old Paradiso on Expressway. People from all over are discovering the great life in North Dakota. I’m telling you we are the last stop on the end of the earth. Quiet, open, wildlife, clean air & water we don't have to deal with the hustle bustle up here. Man if you moved away sometime ago and haven't been here for awhile it is the best place on earth to raise a family. You need to say honey lets pack up and call the U-haul and get back here before it is all full, with all the crap going on in the world what better place to hide out.
This summer North Dakota is loaded with events to attend We have Rockin’ In The Hills up in Bottineau, July 1st, 2nd and 3rd. Some of the best rock bands in the nation will be playing up there. Then in July we have the North Dakota state fair and Z.Z. Top will be the big band playing up there. And, in August we have party in the pasture in Beulah, 3 days of the best rock bands around; Vince Neil of Motley Crue, Tezla, and Grand Funk Railroad will be on hand. Also, in August we will kick off the Lewis and Clark adventures out at Mary college which will be a big draw to the state. All that will happen out of that is that more people will discover North Dakota and move here. One good thing about all this riff raff moving in is can they take 40 below zero in the winter. I had a gentleman from Arizona ask me once what do we do in North Dakota when it hits 10 degrees below zero, I told him we put a coat on. A little annoyed with my answer he said no, I mean really what do you guys do when it hits 30 below zero? And I said we zip our coats up. I think he was very annoyed at that answer and just went about his thing.
You know watching the nightly news you see all this crap of slamming the President. It’s one thing after another. The thing that gets me most is we are always supposed to be the good guy following the Geneva Convention. Hey, we are at war, and all these prisoners that are captured we have to interrogate them to find out the most information that we can to avoid another hit on the USA. So every body is bitching that we are treating them badly. So, upon being captured we should sit them down and give them milk and cookies and ask them a few questions and accept the answers they give us and I’m sure the answers are going to be very accurate. Or should we do it right and sit them down in a room and slap them across the head with a phone book, ask them some questions and if we like the answers then hook them up to water and electricity and see what they have to say then. To all you who think we should be concerned about what the rest of the world thinks about us, forget it all we are is being used. We rebuilt all these countries; we pardoned them on all the debt that was owed to us just to have them all play chicken shit in a time of need. How dare we as America send the wrong message to our troops saying that we’re behind you but do not believe in the cause.
The State track meet was held in Bismarck at the community Bowl May 28th and 29th the Demons entered the Meet as one of two teams that could possibly walk away with the boys’ title. Their biggest competition would come from Fargo South. Bismarck hasn't won a state track title for 10 years in the Boys division. Well Bismarck won it by 4 points only 4 points that is a very tight nip and tuck. Bismarck was loaded with sprinters but short on distance runners. Weston Dressler who graduates this year ended a fabulous career with the Demons. He won the 100 yd dash ( 10.66 ) the 200 yd dash ( 21.83 ) new state record and the 400 yd dash ( 48.48 ) also taking third in the triple jump ( 44-6 ) I really like the comment that Bismarck track coach said," We know that this one was earned because it wasn't a sure thing until the end". We just kept finding a way, and that's what these kids do. "They're DEMONS. Final team totals were Bismarck 148 South 144. Great job Demons
We have another new golf course in North Dakota it just opened and is located in Medora it is an 18-hole course nestled thru the rigged landscape of the Badlands. I haven't personally seen it but all the pictures make it just fantastic. Medora is still the best place in North Dakota to go for a cool getaway. So if your are a golfer and on your way thru the Dakotas stop in Medora for a night or two but remember to bring your golf clubs, and mountain bike they also have a 100 mile mountain bike course that goes thru the badlands it has been tried by some of the best in the world.
School is out for the year and all those kids are jumping for joy what to do all summer. Bedtime hours have been put on hold the darn sun just stays up to long. The older I get, man, it seems the more sleep I need. You have to go out and walk 5 miles a day to keep in top shape to keep up with these kids. But it is all worth it. As your kids get older they get a lot smarter. Me and my wife just celebrated our 11th wedding anniversary the other morning and my daughter said happy anniversary daddy how many years have you been married to mommy. I did not hesitate and said 11 years. Well she stopped dead in her tracks and the little brain was thinking about this one. She then replied "Dad, I'm 11 years old how could that be?" Caught me totally off guard and then I said well maybe it was 12, I was not ready to cross that path with her, yet.
Hope you all have a great month it is the start of summer, well, up here in the north land it is anyway, some of you have what we call summer year around.
Take care be safe. Todd
CONGRATULATIONS
Corrine (McLean) Zerr recently completed the class and
test for the Colorado Producer License for Life and Health Insurance.
Her next move is to become Associate Agent with Northwestern.
She also hopes to start working on her "Series 6",
which then makes her eligible to handle mutual funds investments
Kelly (Malard) Anderson and her husband decided to celebrate their 20th anniversary in style this year! They are headed to Las Vegas, the city of lights and sin! What a great way to celebrate 20 years of marital bliss!
Our man on the go, Tom Gerhart, sent us a little story concerning
some of his recent travels.
"Hi Lauri, Spent a 10days in Bucharest Romania this month. It
is not a nice place (dirty, poor & corrupt). While walking to my hotel a man acted
friendly to me, said he was a tourist & shook my hand. Then a man in a business suit
walked up & flashed a police badge. He claimed that we were exchanging currency on the
street (illegal in Romania) he said he had to confiscate my money & passport. I ran
like the wind. Was very scary & disturbing situation. The currency is 34000 to $1. I
carried around million bills. A very good lesson in currency debasement. Helps one to
realize how good we have things in USA. Enjoy Tom"
Laura McDaniel is in need of some advice. Here is her story!
"I have been training for the Twin Cities Marathon, a funny thing to start up at
age 40, I think, but I'm having a great time and look forward to getting in better shape.
I know a lot of our classmates are accomplished runners and many no doubt have done well
in marathons and other similar challenges. I would love to hear from anyone with pointers
or experiences to share. As I write this email, (May 20th) I am at the end of week 11 of a
30-week regimen, amazed to be able to run for five miles, but still unable to truly
imagine running (and I use that term very loosely) 26.2 miles. The race is Oct. 3; we
begin ramping up the miles this summer."
GO GIRL!! Suggestions, tips, words of advice can be sent to me and I will forward them to
Laura. L.
HEALTH UPDATE
People had been asking how Scott Gefroh was doing, so I asked him to
give us an update! ENJOY!
"
CONDOLENCES
Our sympathies to Sheri Halbakken and her fiancé RC.
RC's brother Rod passed away on May 1st. in St. Louis, MO.
PRAYERS OF SUPPORT
New Phone, New E-Mail Addresses, and
Personal notes:
If you guys are reading this could you please get in touch with me! Your addresses have
changed, your phone numbers are disconnected, your e-mail boxes are full, or we have no
clues on how to contact you! I am trying very hard to keep everyone in the loop and
my information up to date! Thanks very much! Lauri
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO KNOW ABOUT, WHERE DO YOU WANT TO SEE US GO?
We are having great fun doing this for all of you every month! We are more than welcome to
your ideas! Feel free to let us know your thoughts and impressions on where you would like
this newsletter to go or what you would like to know more about! Also, if you are willing
to be interviewed, contact us, we would love to hear from you! See you next month! Lauri,
Dan, Todd and Wendy keckmann@packersrock