Ohhhhh Man, Ohhhh Man - - Was that a PARTY or what!?! Did we even think we could top the adventure of 2003!?! With about 85 Class of 65 buddies and a couple dozen more spouses/guests, did we think it could be anything other! Though we regret not seeing some of the faces from 2003, we had many NEW FACES and personalities to enjoy. In addition, for all the planning that was made during the past year, the entire planning process turned upside down by Reunion Weekend and we all just "hung on" for the ride of our lives! It's no wonder we ALL came off our celebration A LITTLE HOARSE (have you ever talked and laughed and smiled so many hours "all in a row"), A LITTLE HIGH (realizing what an amazingly great and diverse class we are), and A LITTLE LOW (that it all had to end with the setting sun on a HOT HOT HOT Sunday evening in the park). Where can we even begin...

The Reunion Train arrived right on time for a glorious reunion weekend, yet, who could have guessed that high winds would "derail" that air flight out of Montana, leaving the hopes of Jim Wieser arriving on time to be with us as Master of Ceremonies on Saturday night fading like the western sunset. A disappointed Jiver, Jim phoned from the airport to inform us that due to weather conditions, it was getting next to impossible for him to make the 7-1/2 hour flight home in time for the festivities. "The Letter" by The Box Tops, you know, "Give me a ticket for an airplane, ain't got time to take the fast train," was not going to work for Jim that day. By then, even The Monkees' "Last Train to Clarksville" wouldn't have gotten him to Hammond on time! Enter Plan B. Did we have any fear that putting a micro"phone" in a woman's hands would be anything but a positive energized encounter! Elaine Engle Bielefeld stepped up to WELCOME our friendly crowd and show that she could "MASTER the ceremony" very finely! There was never any doubt.

The next little twist involved our very own Preacher John Sweisthal from Ft. Lauderdale. He travels the country with his Good News Ministry - - matter-of-fact, a handful of 65ers attended his series when he was the guest speaker at St. Patricks in Chesterton last year. Well, at our age (ahem) guess there's a FIRST TIME for everything - - John had dutifully and enthusiastically booked his air flight, room and rental car...for NEXT week! Upon realizing that he would not be, as Peter, Paul & Mary sang, "Leaving on a Jet Plane," our pilot/traffic flight planner classmates - John Gerbas and Ron Saczawa, tried their expertise to "make it happen," but, John S. made the decision that maybe it was in The Plan that he join us only in spirit. Having intercepted that phone call, Ted Zagar took over toastmaster/chaplain duties with a dedication worth repeating here in its full content as Ted had envisioned it. We raised our glasses:

1st toast
To our departed classmates who number 27 and who cannot be with us but in spirit. Some passed on while quite young, like David Polich, who never left his teens as he fell during the Vietnam War. Others left more recently, like Pauline Bradtke, who passed just this last Christmas. Pauline enjoyed our reunion two years ago, and her departure before this reunion underscores an important reason why old friends get together: we do so because we CAN do so. Life has given us yet another opportunity to share our past times together, as we make new memories this weekend to enjoy tomorrow and the tomorrows beyond that.

2nd toast
Raise your glasses to OURSELVES! We are survivors. We are HERE tonight! Each life has twists and turns, hills and valleys, but no matter what life has brought to you these past 40 years, you got through it all and you are here tonight, a fellow survivor!

3rd toast
When we walked off of that graduation stage four decades ago, we each had a unique set of goals and dreams. We were idealistic youths, and some of our dreams have been realized, while others have been exchanged for something more attainable. But no matter how well we have done, as it says in the good book, "All fall short in the eyes of the Lord." Each of us can be a better person than we were 40 years ago, or even yesterday. This final toast is to our 2nd "graduation," our 40th reunion. We walk away from tonight not filled with the idealisim of youth, but with the determination of a senior generation thankful for the days and years that we have been given, and even more thankful for the days and years that lie ahead. No one knows how many grains of sand remain in the hourglass handed to each of us at birth. But regardless of how much more joy life affords us, this final toast is to a better future for us all, for we can all inch closer to the throne of God, day by day. May the next time we meet find us all better people than we were 40 years ago, and better than we come here this wonderful evening! A toast, TO US!

With that, a WONDERFUL evening of dinner, dancing and reminiscing began! It was with a twinge of sadness that Tina Bialek was not able to be with us after she had worked so paintakingly on the classy Reunion Booklet that was handed out to all attendees. Seems somehow Tina managed to break a bone in her leg w/o quite realizing it until the doctor insisted on casting it, turning Tina's Dynasty reservation into one at Community Hospital. Luckily, she and her team were ahead of the game and the Booklets were printed and delivered in time for our Big Gig. If anyone forgot to take theirs or if any of you that were not able to be with us would like a Booklet, please e-mail us with your mailing address and we will get one to you. Our "Get Well Wishes" also go out to Bob Kukula Kingsley and Mary Ann Spisak Graham who had planned to be with us, but had unexpected health issues. And, we were so happy to see Marv Gonsiorowski, complete with a NEW knee, and looking like he was ready to start dancing again soon; in fact, we think he did sneak out on that dance floor!

The majority of attendees were from our Indiana-Illinois area and we are grateful that we can enjoy more frequent gatherings, but, all in all, this year the electricity came from our California Jivers! Yes, though many other states sent one or two, and even four from Ohio, the Golden State delivered in a big way - - six classmates made the long trip back home to The Region and we were so energized by that! The warm WELCOME also included our Colorado friends, plus Alabama, Florida, Kentucky, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, Texas, and Wisconsin - - all out-of-towners - - and not-to-mention our biggest Jiver of all - - Ron Saczawa, who, again, came in all the way from Germany! We don't dare start mentioning all the attendee names, yet we should, as EVERY ONE is SPECIAL!

Friday and Saturday evenings sailed on by, floating on a sea of music from the 60s. Yes, it was our "time set apart," free from jobs and cares and hustle and bustle - - and we all felt just like The Vogues "Five O'Clock World," singing, "But it's a five o'clock world when the whistle blows, no one owns a piece of my time." The weekend was OUR TIME! We'd be hard pressed to say which evening was the most enchanting. With all the happy smiles, all we can say is "58 looks GREAT!"

Did we wonder who requested "Aquarius" by The Fifth Dimension, "When the moon is in the seventh house and Jupiter aligns with Mars." It didn"t matter! We thrilled to The Beatles all over again - - "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds," "Picture yourself in a boat on a river with tangerine trees and marmalade skies." The Beatles further assured us this could be possible, "With a Little Help from My Friends!" Was there any doubt that the tunes of the 60's were going to make their mark! "Matty told Hatty about a thing she saw. Had two big horns. And a wooly jaw, Wooly Bully. Wooly Bully, Wooly Bully, Wooly Bully, Watch it now, Watch it." It was our senior class picnic all over again, with Sam the Sham & The Pharoahs! Many enjoyed reliving their H.S. days through the many memorabilia items on display that classmates somehow located in the dusty trunks of their basements or attics. Buttons, pins, pictures, letters, sweaters, Play programs, a Code of Conduct - - lots of sentiment was being stirred. Some classmates were even exchanging videotapes and movie camera reels with their old buddies from our Noll days!

We topped off the evening with a panoramic picture to capture the 2005 evening. If anyone would still like to order that photo, please let us know, or, you may contact Wahlberg Panoramic Photography of Cedar Lake, IN, direct at 1-219-374-5454 or 1-800-642-4686. The cost is $25. A successful raffle, with winning names being called by Ron Saczawa, sewed up our reunion expenses perfectly and provided some great donated prizes besides! Thanks to all who made it such an overwhelming success.

Did the Sunday weather forecasts nearing 100 degrees keep us from being the COOL JIVERS that we are? Heavens no! Armed with enough food to feed an army, enough ice to simmer the heat, and cool drinks all around, the old trees at Wicker Park kept the warm breezes coming all day and a handful of pedestal fans did the trick in the pavilion. The HOT HOT HOT summer day turned into a very enjoyable day indeed, complete with Ron Saczawa conducting the afternoon games - - there's nothing like a tossed water balloon to cool off a body a few temperatures! About 50 people joined in the sunshine from noon to 6PM, including Mrs. Dorothy LaMere (remember those Latin classes) and husband Al LaMere.

NOTICE #1: Please, please, please send any photos and/or CDs that you may have taken of the weekends festivities to Elaine Engle Bielefeld, P. O. Box 351, Lowell, IN 46356, phone 219.696.1805, or by e-mail at ebeely@hotmail.com. That way, we can post the photos for everyone to enjoy on our class website at www.bniclassof1965.com.

NOTICE #2: A brown-rimmed pair of men's glasses was left at our Wicker Park picnic grounds. Please contact us if you lost your glasses on Sunday! There was also a pair of ladies narrow reading glasses with multi-colored frames left at a table on Saturday evening at the Dynasty which also may be claimed by return e-mail.

NOTICE #3: Until further notice, please DO NOT attempt to complete your Alumni Survey using the online Questionnaire version. It has been brought to our attention that some have completed this form and we have NEVER received it! A couple of classmates have attempted several times and have lost their completed questionnaire in cyberspace! We have tested the online survey and it seems to work at times and other times not. And, it is not possible to print out a hard copy before attempting to file it electronically. We promise to work on this and let you know. Also, SOON we will be sending out a blank survey as an e-mail attachment which you may SAVE AS, complete, and return as an e-mail attachment, unless you prefer to complete a blank form and send it in the U.S. mail. Please check YOUR entry in our CLASSMATES section of our www.bniclassof1965.com and see if we have posted your Bio. All Surveys we have received to date have been posted. You may also check under the NEWS section to see if your name is listed under "Surveys Received." If it is NOT there and you know you have completed a survey, unfortunately, it was never received. Please, please consider completing, by picking and choosing the questions that you are interested in, and either mail or e-mail your completed forms. Again, we'll be mailing out the BLANK soon. If you need one NOW, just send us an e-mail.

NOTICE #4: Just a reminder that all classmate e-addresses are posted in our CLASSMATES section. Please continue to inform us if your e-address should change. Feel free to check out e-addresses of classmate friends and keep in touch!

NOTICE #5: Our classmate Patricia Niksich Robinson (robinp@hammond.lib.in.us) has informed us that the Hammond Public Library, 354 State St. and Sibley, downtown Hammond, was given a donated copy of our recent 2005 BNI Alumni Directory, valued at $100. As a reference book, it is not permitted out of the library, so, bring a pencil and paper or use the nearby copy machine if you want to make copies. The 2005 BNI Alumni Directory is located in the Suzanne G. Long Local History Room, 2nd Fl., to the right of the elevator.

That about wraps it up for now... Thanks again to all classmates - - we value your friendship, whether you were able to attend the 40th Reunion or not! Hope you enjoyed the recap and may we see you in the future. Should we close the 2005 Reunion with Mary Hopkins "Those Were the Days," "Those were the days my friend, We thought theyd never end, We'd sing and dance forever and a day." And, finally, Tommy James & the Shondells "Crystal Blue Persuasion," "There'll be peace and good, brotherhood, crystal blue persuasion, yeah."

Oh no, Oh no, what's this we're hearing - - the rumblings can't be true. Could it be? Should it be? What is Ted Zagar talking about? Are you ready to hear about it soon? Has the idea been planted? Is nothing sacred? Can't we all just turn the "Big 6-0" quietly into the night? Must it be celebrated in public display? Should we? Could we? Stay tuned down the road... We just might gear things up in 2007 for the biggest 60th Birthday Bash that "BNI" and "The Region" has had to date!!! Stay tuned...and...stay healthy!

The 2005 Reunion Committee

The Misters Murphy and Schweitzer have remained close friends since their freshman year at Noll. It took three tries to get Mr. Murphy to stop talking to Mr. Schweitzer and face the camera!

Dr. Bob Kudnowski Kaye and Annette Gordon Dorn were among those who wouldn't let Friday's fun end inside. With about two dozen Jivers, they enjoyed great company and the cool night breezes in the courtyard gazebo until 2 AM.

The Class of '65 includes many beautiful women. Here Mary Ann Baker Fiegle, Eileen McKern, Marilyn Schopp Nagdeman, and Cheryl Watts Lorance pose for their many admirers Saturday night.

Janet Potasnik has Dave Hutchens complete attention as she dazzles him with her witty repartee Friday night.

Ron Saczawa, our German Jiver and able Master of Ceremonies for the Reunion evening, presents Annette Gordon Dorn with a beautiful engraved Plate in recognition of her efforts as Co-Chair of the 40th Reunion Committee.

Wherever Lew Schwerin and Ted Zagar find themselves, you can bet the conversation will be lively and you will never be bored!

Janet Potasnik reminiscing with Carol Krol and Paulette Pociask Michalak on Friday evening.

After 40 years, nametags complete with our senior pictures helped Jivers reconnect and put a name with a face! Also, printing the state that each classmate hailed from helped as a conversation starter.

Barb "Cookie" Hines Lail and Jean Opach Liss enjoying the moment on Saturday night!

Marv Gonsiorowski didn't let a little thing like a knee replacement keep him away from a good time Saturday night. He was even spotted dancing a set or two with his wife Nancy, seen here with another spirited classmate, Mary Alice Herod LaJoie.

On Friday night, Kathy Balousek Duray and her husband Dave chat with Carol Slamkowski Kwasny (Class of '66 and wife of our classmate Stan Kwasny) and John Gerbas - - in front of the handsome class banner donated by Tina Bialek.

Ted Zagar led a prayer of thanksgiving to kick off the Saturday banquet of our 40th Anniversary Class Reunion. His special toast included remembrance of the (27) classmates that are no longer with us.

Annette Gordon Dorn and Thelma Stocki Matthew accept recognition gifts from Ron Saczawa, Master of Ceremonies, for two committee persons that were absent: Jim Wieser - our reunion treasurer, and Tina Bialek - chairman of the Program Committee which produced a beautiful remembrance Booklet. Tina also donated a wonderful large banner with our newly developed class logo. The banner was proudly displayed all three days of our weekend reunion.

The warmth of friendship was felt all around the table. Beginning at top left and going clockwise: Elaine Engle Bielefeld, Bill Schweitzer, Danny Nowlan, Mary Lou Bolfik, Bill Murphy, Mary Alice Herod LaJoie, Bob Backe, Bunny Fijut King & Jerry King.

Eileen McKern and Cheryl Watts Lorance take their turn passing a water balloon in one of the "Olympic Games" coordinated by our international Jiver Ron Saczawa who brought medals all the way from Germany for winners Mary Lou Bolfik and Lew Schwerin.

Joe Fox, Eileen McKern, Jim Corrigan, Ron Saczawa, Marilyn Rieder Ambos and Cheryl Watts Lorance meet-n-greet on Friday night. Although the ladies have remained in the area, the fellas came from far - - hailing from East Coast, West Coast, and overseas.

Two old buddies, West Coast Greg Jendreas and East Coast Joe Fox couldn't miss a reunion opportunity to get together again and share great memories! Definitely personality plus x 2!

Our Dan has been offered a nationally syndicated cartoon gig through Jim Davis network. Way to Go Dan!!

With the temperature in the 100's, it just might appear to some that these guys purposely let those cold water balloons break on them! Of course, there were extra balloons in Ron Saczawa's bag - - just in case.

Dan and Mary Lou (Trgovich) Zurawski take the time to welcome guests that accompanied Jivers to the reunion festivities.

Weather was hot but we were ready with fans, cool drinks, fun games, and good company. Cheryl Watts Lorance made sure all food was properly served and checked on cold drinks with Annette Gordon Dorn, Ted Zagar, Mary Lou Bolfik and Dan Nowlan.

We had our own crazy show Friday night as this photo of Jerry King, Elaine Engle Bielefeld, Carol Krol and Annette Gordon Dorn attests. Who was the funny one off camera that made them LOL? Was it Lew or maybe a Jiver-in-Law?

Shimmering chandeliers and plenty of dancing space set the ambiance for a perfectly enchanting evening on Saturday.

Lots and lots of "catching up!" Joe Brzezinski and wife Vera traveled from Alabama to be with us and are shown here visiting with Thelma Stocki Matthew. Also pictured at right is John Makarowski. Pictured seated in the foreground are Kathy Pasko Hegyes and Patricia Niksich Robinson.

Sally King and Ivan Zimmer are still sweethearts going on 40 years of marriage in which they have reared 6 children. They still look great too!

Stan Kwasny, Janet Potasnik, Tory Hudspeth, Bunny Fijut King and Barb "Cookie" Hines Lail give the photographer big smiles.

Dan & Mary Lou Trgovich Zurawski join Tom Krull and his wife Phyllis and others at the table as the waitress begins serving dinner.

Everyone started taking their seats for a delicious dinner and a great evening of dancing and visiting. Pictured here are Thelma Stocki Matthew and Marilyn Rieder Ambos with husband Mark.

Randy Lendabarker and his wife Helen were among the hearty 50 or so who braved the heat and partied in the Park Sunday. Here Randy and Ted Zagar pose for the camera while sharing favorite BNI school memories.

Dave Hutchens, Ivan Zimmer, Sally King Zimmer, Tory Hudspeth, Dave Croner, Bob Meisterling, and Paul Schreiner - - a lovely rose in the center for sure, but, we could hardly ever refer to these great fellas as thorns!

Dick Colter and Rick Dorn have been very willing to assist their wives Linda Syzmanski Colter and Annette Gordon Dorn in many ways to make our reunion the BEST. They might be In-Laws but we know by their actions that they are true JIVERS!

Raise your glass to Annette Dorn's spouse Rick, not only for putting up with all the daily work Annette has to do to keep our database and other class info up to date, plus all the calls and meetings, but also for so generously lending a helping hand whenever we need it to make everything work out so well. Hats off to this great guy from Crown Point High!!!

Joanna Dailey, Sally King Zimmer, Elaine Engle Bielefeld and Mary Lou Bolfik especially enjoyed being together again - - both Joanna and Mary Lou traveled here from the East Coast.

Annette Gordon Dorn discusses with John Gerbas how the 40th Class Reunion all came together. We knew John would make the trip back home if it was at all possible. As John says, he's a participator, not a spectator.

Rick Dorn (husband of Annette Gordon Dorn), Bob Kudnowski Kaye and George Holinga enjoy a beverage and special cigar as they discuss their 40-year old friendships. Mary Jo Spain, who traveled here from Colorado, passes by in the background.

Dan Nowlan flew in from California and Mary Lou Bolfik from Maryland to share in class reunion fun and remember their first dates - to each other!

And the plot thickens as Annette Gordon Dorn tells Marilyn Rieder Ambos and Bill Schweitzer that, no, absolutely, her father was NOT Flash Gordon!

The bar may have closed at midnight but these handsome guys, FJ Mesterharm, Tory Hudspeth, Paul Schreiner, and Bob Meisterling didn't need anything more than the pleasure of each other's company as they caught up on the past 40 years.

John Sabo and his reunion guest welcomed Jivers with their friendly smiles and they added some glitter and glamour to an enchanting evening as they graced the dance floor.

Lewie Schwerin, Ron Saczawa, FJ Mesterharm, and Eileen McKern share memories in the gazebo Friday night.

Bill Schweitzer seems to be camera-shy while talking to the beautiful Marilyn Rieder Ambos.

The combined talents of the two gentlemen in this picture, Lew Schwerin and Dan Lynch, could light a small city for days. Elaine Engle Bielefeld was lucky enough to be photographed with them.

Lamar Murphy (Bill's beautiful wife), and Phil and Karen Kokandy, at Uno's Pizza in Merrillville. All three were unable to attend the weekend fun, but enjoyed a luncheon with dear friends earlier in the day.

On this side of the table sits Bill Murphy, Dan Nowlan, Marv Gonsiorowski and his lovely wife Nancy. Along with Bill Schweitzer and Elaine Engle, these old friends relived the 60's as they remembered it!

Annette Gordon Dorn and Becki Jeka have been friends since freshman year at BNI and even worked their first jobs after high school together.

Annette Gordon Dorn, Paulette Pociask Michalak, Cheryl Watts Lorance ,Linda Szymanski Colter, Janet Potasnik, Marilyn Schopp Nagdeman, and Eileen McKern loved every minute of the Friday Meet-N-Greet evening!

Proud of their OLPH connection, Jim Corrigan, Noreen Draus Baker, Tory Hudspeth, Susan Petroskey Wilgus, Kathy Balousek Duray, Annette Gordon Dorn, Barb Benson Butcher, Marilyn Rieder Ambos, Sandy Wojno Street, Donna Kryszak Bragg, and Larry Street who is Sandy's husband, gather for a Kodak moment.

Janet Potasnik and Linda Szymanski Colter welcome back Cindy Noworyta Rak, who, along with her husband John (Class of '64), have made California their home for many years.

Eileen McKern, John Gerbas, Ron Saczawa, Cheryl Watts Lorance, and Joanna Dailey get caught up on their lives since BNI at Friday's Meet-N-Greet gathering.

Reunion definitely meant reuniting to this happy group of Jivers - - Kathy Pasko Hegyes, Jean Opach Liss, Barb Bielak Knight and husband Donald, and, back row, Beverly Nicksic Hartley, Jean Opach Liss' husband Henry, and Barb Hines Lail.

John's face says it all as he beams across the room at all the happy Jivers meeting and greeting on Friday, many for the first time in 40 years!

Friday evening was the perfect opportunity for our Colorado Jiver Mary Jo Spain, to come home and get reacquainted with old friend Annette Gordon Dorn. FJ Mesterharm and Dan Nowlan do the same in the background.

John Gerbas, Dan Nowlan, and Ted Zagar were among the couple dozen Jivers who enjoyed the warm summer breeze in the outdoor gazebo as Friday night crept into Saturday.

Jim Fiegle and Dan Nowlan not only shared high school good times together, but were later in each other's wedding parties.

Bob Meisterling and Marilyn Przybyl pose as we capture the moment during Saturday's festivities.

Linda Szymanski Colter, Cheryl Watts Lorance and Lew Schwerin relaxing to a late beautiful summer night in the gazebo on Friday.

The excitement was building as, one after another, Jivers entered the hall for Friday's Meet-N-Greet evening of fun. Here Carol and Stan Kwasny sign in and are happily greeted by the committee.

Stan Kwasny and lovely wife Carol (Slamkowski - Class of '66)traveled from Missouri to be a part of the reunion weekend.

Joe Brzezinski, now an Alabama State Trooper, relaxes in the hot Sunday sun at the picnic, along with Thelma Stocki Matthew and Jim Fiegle.