Letters

CV reunion picnic a unique experience

An observation about the Central Valley High School Alumni Reunion Picnic at Pavillion Park in Liberty Lake July 12. I was there to take pictures for the alumni Web site, www.centralvalleyalumni.org/

There were well over a hundred in attendance and organizers seemed happy with that turnout. They had done a terrific job of preparation. I noticed a few young people, recent CV graduates, who seemed to want to sink into the woodwork. They realized that most of the Bears in attendance were older, and I think they may have felt out of place.

I was reminded of a conversation that I once had with a professional reunion stager. She was very experienced with these events as she made her living throwing reunion parties and picnics. She explained it to me this way:

The 10-year or first reunion is very difficult for young people because they feel so very self-conscious. There are memories of just who was popular in school and who was not, of clothing and perceived class status. After only 10 years it was difficult to get beyond those issues. She continued, “The 20-year event becomes easier as people are not as body-conscious, memories have faded and people are more comfortable with themselves.”

My friend told me that she most enjoyed staging the 30-year reunions as people seemed to have the most fun. The surface stuff was cast aside and people seemed more genuinely interested in their classmates. It was at this event that real friends seemed to reunite, forming more lasting relationships.

Moving on in our conversation, those quality experiences seemed to resonate into the 40-year event. People arrived expecting to have a great time and looking forward to big bear hugs, kisses and sincere handshakes. The superficial walls had long since fallen away, and people were accepting of themselves and their friends.

With the 50-year reunion there were empty chairs as some classmates had died. However, it was refreshing to hear others tell positive stories of memorable times with their missing friends.

I share this because I believe this CV reunion picnic is unique. It brings all of the classes together, all ages since that first class of 1927. These classmates are people who once had to come together five days a week. In those earlier years they had lived and learned side by side. Some had made the most of it, acquiring friendships that would live on. But then graduation and life went in different directions. Without e-mail, most of those relationships faded.

They may have been spread all over the world, or unknowingly lived down the block from one another, but here, years later at a summer picnic, the friendship fires burned anew.

That’s what this whole alumni thing is about.

Dave Graham

Class of ’61 Franklin High, Portland

Phone tax proposal ‘disconnected’

Like everyone else in Spokane Valley, I drive around quite a bit to get groceries and stuff. My eldery pickup probably caused a few potholes along the way. But I don’t ever recall making a phone call that created a pothole. Fact is – I sorta like doing business over the phone or over the Internet. Saves gas these days. Might save my old truck from causing road maintenance, too.

OK, city of Spokane Valley, please explain to me why there should be a tax on my phone to fix a road? The two are disconnected. So is your new phone tax proposal.

John R. Ellis

Spokane Valley

Now a utility tax? ‘We told you so’

After I saw the headline in the July 24 Valley Voice – Telephone utility tax proposed – I decided I’ve bitten my tongue long enough. Before we became a city, how many times did we hear, “We need to keep our tax dollars in the Valley, we’ll get more services for our dollar, lower taxes, NO utility taxes.”

With the worst winter Spokane has seen in years, residential areas were not plowed nearly as often as they were when we were just part of the county, roads are not maintained as well, taxes have increased, we have lost federal road money that we used to receive, etc. And now a utility tax.

I’m sure I can speak for all of us that were against becoming a city (I know it is an old cliché) but … WE TOLD YOU SO!

Nancy Goehri

Spokane Valley