Lunch

Well this year we actually have a picture but even better we have a story, only with our guys !

Well, it was a typical lunch; a great time,  great stories and of course, Bird Calls !

Communication and logistics are always a laugh.

At about 1:10, our organizer sent an email to several folks who had not yet made it to our table in the back room at Tufanos. Of the 5 emails, 3 replies came that the could not make it. There were two others that we knew were coming for sure and we all wondered where the heck they were. The restaurant was really not crowded and we told the waitress that we were waiting for a couple more and to please direct any folks who were looking for us to our table. No one at the table had the energy or sense to get up and walk to the bar area and look around.

Well around 1:30, one of our two missing Monarchs showed more energy than the rest of us and came walking into our room to our great joy. It seems the hostess did not quite understand the words "Mendel Guys" when Mike asked. So Mike D and John U had a great 40 minutes or so in the bar area and we had to retell half of the stories we had already shared.

As to matters of business, Ron G as the first person who asked about plans for a 50 year reunion was duly nominated and selected to lead this effort. John U who also asked about this effort and who showed some initiative in trying to find us in the restaurant was delegated to assist Ron. Much more later.

Mendel School Song

What are the correct words? There are several versions that I have discovered.

Are these it, as verified by Zeke

Go Ye Men of Mendel ......

or

Here is a link to instrumental version and a version by a great singer.

Mendel Website Developments

Lots of activity. Hopefully things will be up by end of February.

Mendelchs.com and the mendelalumnifoundation sites will be redirected to the new website. Content from the old sites will be ported to the new site.

There will be an extensive Hall of Fame Section will pictures, bios and news articles.

Lunch 2017

This year - SOMEBODY needs to take a few pictures !

We are getting quite organized or OLD; actually carpooling from South Chicago Bank Building Parking Lot. We will get a picture of that too.

Nothing Like Friends and Memories

It is your 67th birthday and you are having a good bit of reflection on your life, the thoughts of friends and the  now, all too frequent passing of friends from this life.
So you are mopping around the house and your wife of 44 years wants to know where or if you want to go out to dinner, you just can't make up your mind. A few places are suggested but they are the places she likes. You are having a lot of thoughts on your favorite place, a place with strong memories of friends. The place you are thinking about is half a memory because several years ago a lunch at that place with your two life long friends ended up without you, you were sick and did not want to spread any more germs around. The two other  friends did get together and that was as it should have been because within six weeks, one of them was no longer with us, passing after a two year struggle with cancer.
You have gone back to the restaurant for family birthdays because you want to be with the memories of your friends, your friends forever.
So it was off to Mart Anthony's for dinner with my wife and one of my sons. I planned for a one hour trip from the far burbs into the city, of course traffic was awful and my wife hinted that I was an idiot, but it was my day and I wanted to be with the memories of friends. Well we got there, after one and half hours and of course, my wife had to call and tell them we would be late but since we are old, we eat dinner early and it would be no problem.
We had a nice dinner and reasonable conversation. The restaurant was not too busy being so early. As we were wrapping up our dinner, a woman walked in who looked just like my friend's lady BUT it could not be Liz, as she and Mike were going to split their time between Chicago and California.
Well within 10 minutes, my wife says "hey, there is Mike!" I am thinking what the _____. She knew Mike as well as I, which is another long story. But here on my birthday is my friend since 1st grade!  I had not seen him for about a month, as we had a lunch before he left for California.
We had a great conversation and I somewhat hinted to Liz that I had a special reason for being there. My friend and his lady more than made my day and the memories of that day will be good for a very long time.
I was able to do more than think about Mike and Tommy, I was able to look one of them in the eye and shake his hand.
 I had my birthday wish, it was a little better than the tub of jelly beans I received from the family.

Mendel Hall at St Rita will be refurbished and volunteers to help on this effort are welcome.

More details soon.

2018 with be our 50 year anniversary. 
 
Ideas about doing something are solicited.

A few pictures from the Mendel Golf Outing in 2017, Thanks to our Sponsors

Mike G. lots of Mendel Spirit in NYC




Thanks to Greg Morin for being a true friend

I am in process of adding old Mendelian issues and pictures anyone who has some contact me.
Thanks to Duncan Hines for getting me started on this.

Golf Outing on Friday July 28 at Gleneagles
For non-golfers dinner at 3pm
Sponsorships are being actively solicited.

Reunion Dinner on April 7
11 guys from 68 signed up but only 10 attended. Still searching for a group picture.
More later