All about our Grand Reunion 2009

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Dear friends,

I've been told that many visitors to this blog still enjoy looking at all the previous postings on our "The Big 50" Grand Reunion held at Merdeka Palace, Kuching on 23 Dec 2009. I've therefore decided to create this consolidated posting that allows you to more easily link to whichever Reunion post you may want to reminisce on. In addition, I'll also have a little banner stay on one side of the first screen so that you can conveniently click to get to this posting.

Pre-Reunion Post 1 - Announcement
Pre-Reunion Post 2 - Attendees

Pre-Reunion Updates #1
Pre-Reunion Updates #2
Pre-Reunion Updates #3
Pre-Reunion Updates #4
Pre-Reunion Updates #5
Pre-Reunion Updates #6
Pre-Reunion Updates #7

Posting 1 - School Visit

Posting 2 - Visiting St Mike Cafe

Posting 3 - Special Messages

Posting 4 - Dinner Extravaganza

Posting 5 - Videoclips from the Party

Posting 6 - Walking Down Memory Lane

Posting 7 - Favourite Photos

Post-Grand Reunion Message from Bro Columba

Posting 8 - Gift Bag

Posting 9 - Photos Galore

Here's a photo montage of the occasion.

So now you can enjoy "The Mother of All Reunions" over and over again! Have fun !

Best Wishes
--- JY
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Note from Bro Columba

Here's a brief note from Bro Columba to HBC based in the UK ...


From: columba gleeson
Subject: Re: Address
To: B C Ho
Date: Monday, March 15, 2010, 2:33 AM

Hi Boon Chiang,

Just returned to Belfast and found the '76-er's souvenir pack waiting for me. Thank you very much for taking the trouble to forward the items. Please also convey my sincere gratitude to the Committee responsible for issuing the souvenirs. Their gifts are much appreciated and will continue to refresh memories of years gone by!
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Regards and best wishes to all.
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Bro. Columba.

The Mother of All Reunions - Part 9 (Photos Galore)

It seems that the appetite for all things related to our "The BIG 50" Grand Reunion is insatiable. More have been asking me for photos, info and other details of the event. So today, let me just put out a spectrum of candid shots ramdomly taken on the night. Hope you can find yourself in one or more of them.

Photo 1

(What an artistic shot!)

Photo 2

(Mr Anthony Goh signing in, with Ben Wong looking on)

Photo 3

(Nick Lau signing in)

Photo 4

(If we had this kind of treatment when we were in school, who'd ever forget to wear their badges?)

Photo 5

(Hi, do you remember me?)

Photo 6

(Father Nicholas Ng saying grace)

Photo 7

(Feeding time ... teachers go first)

Photo 8

(Men in White?)

Photo 9

(Our lovely helpers from St Joe)

Photo 10

(Award winner Datuk Justin, being presented by Mr Clarence)

Photo 11

(Award winner Dato' Anthony, presented by Mr Clarence)

Photo 12

(Award winner, Mr Subra, being pinned down by Mr Clarence)

Photo 13

(Yes sir, all my homework assignments have been completed!)

Photo 14

(Buddies at the Party)

Photo 15

(More buddies at the Party)

Photo 16

(Sweet musical entertainment)

Photo 17

(Nick and Nick)

Photo 18

(Goyang goyang sedikit! Pick me a good one!)

Photo 19

(With two subscriptions, Ben's gonna be "Mr Current Affairs" in 2010)

Photo 20

(Nick Lau wins the Cisco Flip pocket camcorder)

Photo 21

(Look who's going to London?)

Photo 22

(Another happy London-bound winner)

Photo 23

(Bob sings his heart out)

Photo 24

(Our other crooner, Subra )

Photo 25

(Hmmm, a happy fan?)

Photo 26
(Our fantastic master of ceremonies, ELAS)

Most of these shots came from our very own "professional" photographer Chen Liang Fang. A million thanks LF ! Next week I'll be sending a CD to Ben for sharing among the boys in Kuching who might want a full copy. Ben if you should sell the CD at a profit, make sure the whole value chain (especially photographer and distributor) get a fair cut, ok? Ha ha ha ...

Have a good day all !

The Mother of All Reunions - Part 8 (Gift Bag)

Initially I didn't think there would be a Part 8 for this series of posts, but several people have been nudging me to post pictures of the gift bag and souvenirs we all received on the evening.

So here they are:

Above you see the bag itself, which contained a customised NST front page (from the day we were born), personalised towel, the souvenir pen and the T-shirt (front). [Sorry, my NST copy was rolled up & in the bag itself, but you can see it in one of the folowing pictures]

The back of the T-Shirt is even more special as it features the names of all attendees.

Excellent design and production work by Standard Resources (BW's business) which specialises in souvenirs and premium gifts.

And a most priceless item is a copy of the front page from The Straits Times (back then it was still called that, before Malaysia and Singapore parted, and the publication in Singapore continued that name, while Malaysia went for New Straits Times). Thanks to Dato' AM and NSTP, each attendee had the page from the day of his birth in 1959 (or 1958 or 1960).

To those who couldn't attend, see what you missed ?

Post-Grand Reunion Message from Bro Columba

Here's an email from Ta Ker, sent via Georgie boy  ...


From: columba gleeson
To: George Lo
Sent: Sunday, January 03, 2010 12:46 AM
Subject: Re: st joe '76


Dear George and fellow '76-ers,

Between Christmas festivities, visits to family etc I didn't get round to reviewing your blog of the events of 23/12 until New Year's Night, and what a feast of viewing and reading was in store for me! So much so that I eventually got to bed only at 3.00 am! I was delighted to see what a wonderfully successful and happy gathering you all had and felt part of the scene for a few hours.

The whole event seems to have been a masterpiece of planning, preparation, co-ordination and execution, as well as follow-up afterwards. It obviously made huge demands on time, effort and no doubt patience on the part of the core group of organisers, but I'm sure it was all worth while in the end. I spent hours trying to recognise all the faces, working out names (from initials, nicknames etc.), reading between the lines and deciphering hidden meanings etc. It was great to see Fr. Nick and also some fellow 'staffroom veterans' there, all still looking hale and hearty! In this respect I would like to pay a special tribute to your 'Website Jaga' for the fantastic job he has done in the months leading up to the event, in covering the big 'bash' itself, as well as the follow-up, including the visits to significant landmarks and post-event comments, tributes etc. It must have been a very time-consuming labour of love and is deeply appreciated, especially by distant 'exiles' like myself who could not be with you. Thank you most sincerely James!

It is particularly gratifying for me to read of so many from one particular year group, from various ethnic, religious and social backgrounds, coming together from far and wide 33 years down the road to refresh memories and celebrate what they share in common. Long may it remain so!

I take this opportunity, through the kind medium of your blog, to wish all of you and your families good health, happiness and success in 2010 and down the road beyond. May you continue to foster and to celebrate the memories and spirit you share, wherever you may be, and may this world of ours be a better place for our having been through it. For now best wishes and God bless all.

With fond memories,

Bro. Columba.

 
Glad you enjoyed the site, Bro Columba.
 
A very happy 2010 and sincere thanks to you, Bro Adrian, Bro Mark, Bro Hyacinth and all the others who have provided generations of Josephians a solid foundation for life.

The Mother of All Reunions - Part 7 (Favourite Photos)

A great number of photos were taken at the Grand Reunion - both during the day when we made various visits, and of course at the dinner itself. I'm sure we all had our favourite shots, and I'd like to invite you to send me yours so that I can include it here, and share it with everyone.

My favourite shot was this one:

which shows the happy reunion of two old buddies, RLNH and HTTK, both from Form 5Sc (1976). Back in those days, these two chaps were electronics whizzes and did very well in Ah Chui's Physics classes. I understand it has been more than 20 years since the two last met. RLNH now lives in Singapore while HTTK is based in Canada.

Someone suggested this one showing a sporting Mr Anthony Goh after receiving his "rottan award" from Datuk Justin Jinggut ...

Someone else said I should put up this shot of the "organizing team"...

So what's YOUR favourite photo? Send it to me at jslyong@hotmail.com .

The Mother of All Reunions - Part 6 (Walking Down Memory Lane)

This was from a rolling presentation I prepared which was shown on the screen before the Grand Reunion party began. It reflects in an alphabetic fashion various items or events or people who feature in our collective memories from the 60s and 70s. Enjoy ...

That's all folks !