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David Douglas 50 Plus graduates hold inaugural picnic

TIM CURRAN
THE MID-COUNTY MEMO

David Douglas High School Class of 1958 graduates Taujni Stites Waterman and husband Darrell Waterman enjoy a picnic lunch at the David Douglas High School Inaugural 50 Plus Potluck Picnic. High school sweethearts, the Watermans have been married 52 years.
Organizer Gene Jelinek, David Douglas Class of '58, talks to Joan Dempsey Schilling at last month's David Douglas High School 50 Plus Inaugural Potluck Picnic. Mark your 2011 calendars for August 21, the date set for next year's David Douglas High School 50 Plus Picnic at Blue Lake Park.
Ron Henry, class of '58, his wife and picnic organizer Nancy Nepote Henry, class of '59, celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary this January.
If you are on your high school reunion committee, what do you after your 50th?

If you are reunion organizers for the first three classes to graduate from David Douglas High School - 1957, '58 and '59 - you consolidate efforts.

Reunions take a while to put together. After the 50th, waiting five years is a long time for older people.

So, when the first three classes to ever graduate from David Douglas passed their 50th anniversary milestone recently, it was a natural decision to join the classes together and hold one official annual event, a potluck picnic.

“It worked out real good, said Eugene “Gene” Jelinek, class of '58 and one of the organizers. “Everybody seems to be enjoying themselves. Two hundred people said they'd be here. It's (the picnic) just not as hard to put those together as a banquet, dinners, places for people to stay and a picnic for a weekend.” When the first three graduating classes held informal joint picnics before, each would invite the other classes to their picnic, as part of each classes separate menu of reunion events.

When David Douglas High School opened its doors for the 1953-54 school year, it had a freshman and sophomore class only. The next year, the class of '59 joined them. Consequently, the first three classes ever to graduate from David Douglas forged a special bond. “These three classes were glued together right from the beginning,” Jelinek said. “Even though the '59 class didn't come in until the second year of operation; the first two classes did the naming of the school song, picking out school colors, it was a big experience for all of us, all that self-governing. We've all kind of stuck together.” Jelinek said.

It is also easier to plan travel around one event held the same weekend every year one of the reunion organizers said. To ensure there are always new people at the planned yearly event, every DD class that passes its 50th anniversary is invited to join the picnic.

Reunion organizers from the three David Douglas High School classes are: Linda Bolme Werner and Norm Hill from the class of '57; Gene Jelinek and Glenn Albus, representing the class of 1958; Yvonne Dilling Albus and Nancy Nepote Henry from the class of '58 fills out the reunion committee roster.

Organizers are looking at forming an alumni association for graduates with fifty years. Jelinek said they maybe looking at other events also. If interested in helping out, call Gene Jelinek, 503-622-5871, or e-mail him at ewjelinek@frontier.com.
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